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McCallum High School / 5600 Sunshine / Austin, TX 78756 / Dec. 14, 2012 / Issue 3 / Volume 60

Dance program performs 2nd annual ‘Whatcrackah’ show story on page 20

what’s inside Proposition 1 passes; students look forward to new medical school

Pest problem at Mac persists with discovery of new racoons

Staffer gets to the bottom of the best cup of hot chocolate in Austin

story on page 6

story in pages 14-15

story on page 26

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contents

dec. 14, 2012

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table of contents 3

news

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Austin tradition returns after two-year absence

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Creator of Lucas Films, George Lucas sells ‘Star Wars’ brand to Disney

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feature

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The cast of the Secret Garden takes a bow at the end of the performance on Nov. 10.

The show ran from Nov. 8-11. “Theatre is like having any other family, and you have to make sure it’s functional. The show was really fun, challenging but fun,” sophomore Janine Dworin said. Photo provided by the yearbook staff.

Student attempts to write 50,000 words during National Novel Writing Month

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New earth-like planet discovery has scientists, students excited

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sports

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Staffer shares his opinion on the late Longhorn coach Darrell Royal

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entertainment

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Release of anticipated new video game has students talking

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opinion

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Staffer reviews her favorite and least favorite books in popular YA fiction genre

save the date january

december 14 Musical Theatre showcase Micro-Short Film Festival in The Fine

Arts Theatre @ 7 p.m.

15 Steel Drums Concert in The Mac Arts

Center @ 7 p.m.

17 1st and 2nd period finals 18 3rd and 4th period finals 19 5th and 6th period finals 20 7th and 8th period finals 21 First day of Winter Break cover

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First day back at school Area Band Recital in the Fine Arts

Theatre 17 Late start 18-20 “Walk With Me” dance show in the Mac Arts Center 21 School Holiday 23-24 Teacher Pageant 31 Late Start

Sophomore Allie Faulkner and freshman Haley Hegefeld mirror each other during the flower scene of the Dance Department’s production of “Whatcrackah 2.0.” Photo by Mary Stites.

Junior Tafari Robertson performs one of his original songs in the second period songwriting elective. Read more about the songwriting class on page 13.

Photo provided by the yearbook staff.

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dec. 14, 2012

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Turning the lights back on After a two-year hiatus, Austin tradition set to return GINGER BICKLEY staff reporter

When the Trail of Lights was forced to shut down due to budget cuts in 2010, sophomore Nate Zivin was disappointed to hear the news.

“I’d attended the Trail of Lights for the past four years until last year when the Trail of Lights was unfortunately closed,” Zivin said. “I was disappointed because I felt like if the city is going to decide to cut money on any special event in Austin, it shouldn’t be something that so many people attend every year.”

After a two-year hiatus, Austin’s Trail of Lights will return this month. The iconic Austin event consists of a 1.25-mile trail in Zilker Park that is once a year decorated with lights and displays.

The event ran for 46 years before a lack of city funding forced it to shut down in 2010. Now the tradition will return, thanks to collaboration between the Runtex Carrozza Foundation, Forefront Austin and H-E-B, and the backing of many other corporate sponsors. City of Austin employees will still help to run and coordinate the event, but the sponsors will help by providing the approximately $1.2 million necessary to keep the trail open each year. The trail will be open Dec. 16-23 and will remain free to the public as it was in previous years.

A lack of city funding caused the Trail of Lights to be cut back previous to its closure.

“In 2009 it (the Trail) was half it’s normal size,” Jill Weir from Forefront Austin said. “The last time it was the true Trail of lights was in 2008. This year the Trail will be established back to how it was in 2008, and we will be adding new things as well.”

The new features will include additional entertainment, food and drinks after the main trail. The trail will also be host to H-E-B’s children’s literacy program, meaning every child who attends the trail will receive a free book.

Map of this year’s Trail of Lights, published with permission from austintrailoflights.org The Trail of Lights requires immense efAnother new addition to this year’s trail of lights will be a 5k run, which will kick forts and funds to coordinate and operate.

“The City could no longer afford to put off the Trail of Lights the night of the 15th. on the event beThe 5k, presented cause of budget

by Humana, will cuts,” Weir said. begin at 6:30 and It’s an important part “Paul Carrozza of feature a route the Runtex founthrough the Ausof Austin that is a part dation signed tin Nature Cenof many family’s tradia contract with ter, past the Zilker the city, and we tree, and lastly tions. started corporate through the Trail, fundraising for where runners the event shortly will receive a preJill Weir after.” view of the lights.

Forefront Austin The Trail There will also be of Light’s main a 1.5 mile kid’s run, sponsor is H-Ewhich will include a preview of the trail. Interested runner’s B. H-E-B public affairs director Leslie Sweet said H-E-B was happy to be a part can register on the Runtex website.

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of bringing the trail back this year.

“We wanted to make sure we could bring back the tradition, and luckily we we’re able to this year by being the presenting sponsor and turning back on the lights,” Sweet said.

Like Sweet, Weir also said the Trail of Lights is an important part of Austin tradition that is important to the community.

“The tradition started back in 1965; this will be the 47th year,” Weir said, “It’s an important part of Austin that is a part of many family’s traditions. You see many generations of people going to the Trail of Lights.”

Zivin said the trail is a great Christmas tradition.

“The Trail of Lights is a great event to do during Christmas, and a great tradition to be a part of,” Zivin said.

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news

dec. 14, 2012

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Meningitis among us JACOB STRAIGHT staff reporter

With modern safety precautions and advances in medical sciences, people would expect that any outbreak of any disease like meningitis to be past news and irrelevant today. However, this is not the case.

The New England Compounding Center released tainted batches of steroids in early September which are still affecting people today. The meningitis outbreak has spread out all over the Northeast and the East Coast, with two cases in Texas and a case all the way in Idaho. Because this building had many unsafe health conditions, many of the steroids released were infected with meningitis.

Health teacher Nancy Honeycutt said she believes the victims should be able to do something.

“I’m not sure what type of action the victims could take, but I do think they should be compensated by whoever is ultimately at fault. I think they need to make sure other pharmacies are following the FDA guidelines so it doesn’t continue,” Honeycutt said. “Maybe that will be an eyeopening for other companies to follow the guidelines or pay the price.”

The early victims all had one thing in common: a steroid injection around a month before the outbreak.

Some people don’t get immunized because of the risk that comes with injecting anything into their bodies.

“My mother only gets me immunized for what is required to attend school,” Michael Smith* said. “At first I thought it was silly, but now I realize that she has a valid concern behind it. I mean, if one drug can contain a deadly disease, it’s possible that others have the same disease, including vaccines.”

On Oct. 24, the health department released its findings. Inspectors noted dirty floors and a leaky boiler. Floor mats close to some drug-mixing areas were visibly soiled with debris. The leak around the boiler was said to have created an environment that would be easily susceptible to contaminant growth.

On Oct. 26, the Federal Drug Administration released an investigation document, which stated multiple hazards. The first was a quarter of the vials contained a suspicious dark green liquid inside. The second was multiple of the clean rooms where the sterile drugs are produced contained either mold or bacterial overgrowths. The NECC had a history of problems. The

FDA has investigated the pharmacies as many as 10 times, some even dating back all the way to 2006.

“Meningitis outbreaks like these are dangerous in that so many can be affected and then spread it to even more, making it very hard to contain it,” Honeycutt said.

By Nov. 7, the 42-day risk period designated by the CDC to prevent circulating drugs from causing more illnesses was over, but five new cases were reported. This brought the total number of infections to 10 joint infections, 33 deaths and an overall 480 cases. The same day, the board director of the Massachusetts pharmacy was fired.

“I don’t understand how careless a company can be when it comes to safety,” Smith said. “I think companies like this one, and any one that makes products that go directly into a living creature, should take very strict health precautions. If any other companies are as laid back as this one, the pharmaceutical business could become a time bomb just waiting for another outbreak.”

One of the main problems with the NECC was that they were shipping the steroids without a specific prescription, which is against state regulations. This is a major problem because when each medicine is made individually through a prescription, it is made from scratch. But when large amounts are made at once, it means if one part is contaminated, it is much more likely for the rest to also get contaminated.

Honeycutt said both the FDA and the NECC are at fault for this incident.

“The FDA sets up regulations to avoid things like this happening so I think both are at fault. Since the company did nothing to change the conditions, they are at fault, and the FDA did nothing to make sure the conditions were changed, they could be at fault,” Honeycutt said. “I don’t know what the protocol for shutting down a company is, but something definitely should have been done to make sure they were following the regulations set.”

The FDA is already seeking out much stricter regulations for safety in compounding pharmacies. This includes other pharmacies like the NECC being inspected to insure the companies are practicing these regulations. Oklahoma has already strict regulations to prevent tragedies like this from happening. Members of Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) have vowed to get legislation passed to further these regulations and fully prevent another outbreak. *Name Changed

Photo provided by Mary Ghazi.

Steroid injections blamed for outbreak

Art project brings awareness of genocide Students create work for Million of Bones DANIELLE GARTNER

final structure would be. staff reporter “The project really brought the class Clay bones surround the art room as the together because we all kind of felt sorry Art 1 students sculpt bones for the Million for the families and what they were going of Bones project. The project’s focus is to through,” junior Jordan Grey said. promote genocide awareness around the Audrey Banks said the video helped world. The finished project will be a col- explain what was going on around the laborative installation of 1,000,000 bones world for those who didn’t know about in the National genocide.

Mall in Washing“I actually didn’t I really liked that we ton D.C. know too much are using art to express about the genocide Students at McCallum have going on,” Banks everybody’s feelings been invited to said. “This project about the killings going opened my eyes, participate in this nation-wide event. and I’m really glad I on around the world Art teacher could contribute.”

Mary Ghazi had The process Khadijah Al-Ahrthr been looking for started with the Art a good ceramics I students looking at Sophomore project for her Art pictures of skeletons I class when she received an email from a and then drawing a particular bone. Each UT professor inviting them to participate. bone took about an hour and a half to “I thought it would be a good message complete. for the kids,” Ghazi said.

“The project definitely improved my art The project is large social arts event in skills,” Al-Ahrthr said. “We shaped out the which education and hands-on art making base of the bone out of clay and then carved are used to raise awareness of genocide it to make them a bit more unique and around the world. The finished project will realistic. After that we left it out to dry for a recognize millions of genocide victims. couple days, and then we fired it in a kiln.”

“I was amazed to be a part of a project At the end of the project, the art room so big, and I really liked that we are using was full of carts of bones from femurs to art to express everybody’s feelings about clavicles. Ghazi said she had never seen the killings going on around the world,” the students take such care when handling sophomore Khadijah Al-Ahrthr said. their bones. She said they acted as if they Before the students began crafting their were real. bones, Ghazi showed the class a video “Overall the project really moved me. on the Million of Bones website about There’s been so much bloodshed lately,” the project and real-life experiences from Al-Ahrthr said. “I think that the expression genocide survivors. The video discussed even if it just reaches a few people, it will the main idea for the project and what the still be an amazing thing we accomplished.”

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Disney strikes back

dec. 14, 2012

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Movie studio purchases Star Wars rights, leaving fans wondering what to expect SAMATHA ROGERS staff reporter

Since May 25, 1977, people have watched the fight between good and evil.

George Lucas created a world that influenced the entire science fiction genre.

With the recent news of Disney buying the rights to “Star Wars,” fans are wondering what will happen to the franchise.

Lucas was in his early 30s when “Star Wars” first began. After the last “Star Wars” episode, Lucas vowed to never make another “Star Wars”

Graphics by Nohra Johnston

film, as it was far too costly and stressful.

Lucas said the same thing on many other occasions, but now that the movies are in other hands, the legacy can live on.

“I think it’s very interesting that most people universally consider ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ to be the greatest of the movies,” AP U.S. history teacher Joe Underwood said. “It’s also the only movie Lucas didn’t direct. So maybe there is promise that these will be really good movies. I hope they [Disney] treat the movies with the respect such a great storyline deserves.”

Disney bought “Star Wars” for $40 million. Disney will continue to make new films. There will be at least three new films, but Disney is talking about being as many as six new films.

The first movie, episode seven, is set for 2015, episode eight in 2017 and episode nine in 2019.

The Disney Company is already talking about making new toys, rides, video games, television shows and even possibly

a new theme park based around the new era of “Star Wars.”

“Disney is famous for milking a franchise dry then rebuilding and milking it again,” Underwood said. “I hope that doesn’t happen with these movies.”

The “Star Wars” series are movies that many kids have grown up with.

“I am very excited that a new generation is going to fall in love hopefully with something that means so much to me,” Underwood said.

However, freshman Mia Battle said Disney cannot do “Star Wars” any justice.

“Oh God, please no,” Battle said. “‘Star Wars’ is a classic, and redo’s are never better than the original.”

Lucas will donate the majority of his $40 million from Disney to education.

On July 16, 2010, Lucas wrote in his letter about giving the pledge, “I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education. It is the key to the survival of the human race. We have to plan for our collective future — and the first step begins with the social, emotional and intellectual tools we provide to our children.”

news in brief Chicago awaits for Knights of Steel The Knights of Steel will perform a send-off concert in the theater at 7 p.m. tomorrow in preparation for an out-of-state excursion.

After submitting an audition recording last March, the steel drum group was selected to perform at the Midwest Clinic’s 66th Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois Dec. 19-22. The musicians will get the opportunity to see other students from around the world perform as well as give their own performance in front of several hundred music educators.

“Performing at the clinic is a wonderful experience for the students,” director Matt Ehlers said. “It is great for the students to go through the process of preparing a program to a very high level. These students have put in hundreds of hours of practice these last six months alone. We started rehearsing back in July and have been going pretty hard ever since.”

The convention, which focuses on music education, features concerts from more than 40 organizations from around the world, including those at the middle school, high school, college, adult and professional level. In preparation for the trip,

students, parents and staff have been fundraising and planning, Ehlers said.

“Attending the clinic takes a lot of preparation,” he said. “There is a lot of planning that goes into the trip. Of course, there is also a lot of preparation from the students in terms of rehearsals and personal practice. We have been doing many after school and weekend rehearsals in preparation for this performance.”

At the clinic, students will also be able to enjoy other performances at the convention and events in Chicago such as a Chicago Symphony concert, Ehlers said.

“It’s a great opportunity for the students to see one of the best symphonies in the world perform live,” he said. “It is also great for the students to get rewarded for all of their hard work with a fun trip.”

STAAR retesting starts late due to technical problems The C corridor and library were off limits the week of Dec. 3-7 as classrooms there were being used to administer retakes of the 2012 STAAR tests. On Monday, students sat in their testing rooms until noon waiting for the tests to load on the com-

puters. The tests were created and run by Pearson Testing Company “[Pearson] said that their servers weren’t prepared to accommodate as many requests to start testing,” Assistant Principal Sophia Sherline said. “They got it resolved by 12 o’clock on Monday. They’re saying they won’t have any future problems.”

Though many students were sent on detours because the corridor was blocked off, Sherline said hallway traffic wasn’t much of an issue.

“I have such great teachers and other people that can help, we’ve been able to keep kids out of the hallway during testing,” Sherline said. “So, the traffic hasn’t been that big of a deal and the teachers who have moved have helped us by giving us signs to tell us where they’ve moved to.

It hasn’t been too bad. It would be better if it was quieter, but it’s not so bad.”

Robotics Club places 1st at competition in Houston The Robotics team and its alliance placed first at a Vex robotics competition in Houston Dec. 1.

The competition this year was called

“Sack Attack,” the goal being to place beanbags in a trough 18 inches off the ground.

“This was our first competition of the year, and we were really just going to work out the kinks,” Robotics instructor Audrea Moyers said. “This was the best first robot we have had, and we were able to be very competitive.”

In the finals, Mac was in charge of an alliance of teams. This means they worked together against other alliances, much like allies in a war. The alliance the team chose was with a team from Mexico and a school from Cypresss Creek.

This alliance moved its way through finals and emerged from the final match as the tournament champions. The Knights now have a place in the World Championship next year.

“The pressure is now off to qualify for Worlds, which is always the goal,” Moyers said. “We also won the design award, which would have given us a spot in Worlds even if we had lost the final match.”

With the win in this tournament, the team is now going to be able to tweak its design to find the one that works best.

“Our good performance proves that we have a good design,” junior Aiden Moyers said. “Now that we have qualified, we can experiment a little in further competitions.”

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dec. 14, 2012

Within Borders

Austinites approve medical school instillation with resounding vote in November CAITLIN FALK

bio tech and the life sciences,” said Ana R. DeFrates, assistant general counsel and legislative analyst for Watson. “It will creJunior Angela Prete has dreamed of be- ate an estimated 15,000 new permanent coming a medical doctor since the age of 11. jobs at all skill levels and across multiple “I’m not exactly sure what finally made industries in this region. Many of these me decide that the medical field was where jobs (60 percent) won’t require a fourI wanted to go,” she said. “I’ve grown up year college degree. In addition, a medical around doctors and nurses my whole life school and teaching hospital would genersince my dad is a doctor, so I’ve constantly ate nearly $2 billion annually in economic been surrounded by the lifestyle, but I’m activity.” not sure how much this influenced my deciEven with this extensive list of the profsion. I’ve always been fascinated in medical its the medical school will bring, there is science, though, specifically in the effects of heated controversy over who should fund diseases on the human body.” the money necessary for completing this On the November ballot of the past city project. election, the voters of Austin approved the “I think UT should fund a considerable funds to aid the development of a medical portion of it, at least half if not more, mayschool by voting for Proposition 1. The be even the whole thing because it will be proposition will pay for medical services their teaching facility, it will be their profesat the school. However, the Seton Health- sors and doctors-to-be that are doing the care Family will be responsible for building teaching, and their students that are doing the facility, and the UT Board of Regents the learning and are paying the tuition,” will pay the operating expenses as well as Anatomy and Physiology teacher Richard purchasing equipment. It is this new entity Whisennand said. “I do think that if it’s gothat will allow students like Prete to pur- ing to be UT’s venture for their students, sue their aspirations in the medical field. then they should fund a share of it. ” She has already collaborated with the SeHowever, Prete said she disagreed on ton Hospital system to prepare for a career who should foot the bill for the costly projas a doctor specializing in Anaect. tomical Pathology.

“In the long run,” “I’m currently in Anatomy It will inspire more she said, “an amped and Physiology right now,” young people in the up medical center Prete said, “and I’m doing this Hill Country area to get will be beneficial to thing at Seton Medical Center involved in medicine. everyone in Austin for aspiring med students that who needs it. The allows high school students a Richard Whisennand little bit of extra Anatomy and Physiology teacher closer look at the day-to-day life money taxpayer’s of doctors and nurses in each will shoulder is goprofession. I’ve also been looking to a good cause ing at all I need credit-wise in college for that will in turn help out the taxpayer. pre-med and have been asking my dad a They’re giving a little and receiving a lot. lot of questions about the MCAT and the Also, the goal is to create one of the better process of applying to med school.” medical centers in the country right here in This teaching hospital, funded by local Austin. People will be able to save money taxpayers, will provide a variety of new clin- by receiving treatment they might have had ics and services. State Senator Kirk Wat- to get in Houston or elsewhere if they can son has been an adamant supporter and get that treatment in their home town.” recruiter for this proposition.

The University of Texas at Austin in “This initiative will increase clinical tri- collaboration with the Seton Healthcare als, attract new businesses and start up Family will work to carry out the medical industries, and help make Central Texas a developments voters enabled. UT presinational leader in the fields of health care, dent Bill Powers issued this statement to assistant editor

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the community in his Tower Talk UT blog the day after the proposition was passed, expressing his gratitude for a new vision of health care in Austin.

“A medical school will forever change the scale and scope of UT Austin education and research, and it will bring much needed specialties and community health care to Central Texas,” Powers wrote. “In the coming months, we will form a steering committee of academic and medical leaders, begin the search for the school’s inaugural dean, finalize the financial strategy, and move swiftly ahead on numerous logistical fronts such as where to construct the school’s teaching hospital and academic buildings. Our goal is to open the school to its first 50 students in the fall of 2015.”

Prete said she is looking forward to the opening of the school.

“I like the idea of having a med school here in Austin and am very excited to know it will be up and running for the freshman class of 2015 because I trust the hospitals here, and especially think Brackenridge, which the school will mostly work with, is a great place to learn as a medical student,” Prete said. “It’s a Trauma 1 center, which means it deals with the most extreme trauma patients, but deals with the less extremes as well. It adds a good variety for the med students during rounds.”

If there is one thing voters and local officials agreed on, it was that a medical school would be positive for the community.

“By building a modern teaching hospital and medical school at the University of Texas in Austin,” DeFrates said, “we can meet our demand for more physicians and ensure your family will have the best health care possible. It will also allow our uninsured to be treated efficiently and affordably so they do not end up in expensive emergency rooms.”

Whisennand agreed.

“I do think that having a teaching and research hospital in a town like Austin is beneficial to the town,” Whisennand said.

Graphic by Caitlin Falk.

Doctors

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“That’s why I’m not against the county or the city in funding a part of this hospital because it will benefit our town medically, number one. Number two, it will also inspire more young people in the Hill Country area to get involved in medicine. Right now we’re having a really hard time getting young American students to becoming physicians, doctors and nurses. With all the programs now for nurses, med-techs and doctors, I can’t see this hospital as being anything but a plus.”

Prete said she was pleased the proposition would promote renovation of Brackenridge Hospital.

“Since (the medical school) is going to use Brackenridge as its main hospital for rotations, Brackenridge is going to receive a major upgrade,” she said. “This will make the hospital much nicer and much more equipped for the job it has to undertake.

It’s always a good thing when hospitals can be updated and rebuilt because it brings in new technology and whatnot to increase the productivity of the hospital.”

DeFrates voiced a sense of urgency for the establishment of the school.

“According to the 2010 census, there are more than 200,000 people in Travis County without health insurance,” DeFrates said. “And 56 percent – almost 6 in 10 – are employed yet still lack insurance. Without access to a primary health care facility, people without insurance often visit emergency rooms for routine care. This costs taxpayers millions while increasing health care costs for everyone. Primary care at community-wide clinics, partially staffed by medical students and faculty, will allow our vulnerable neighbors to be treated efficiently and affordably.”

DeFrates said this school will have a valuable influence on the community in the future.

“I’m very proud of the people here,” she said. “They’re willing to invest in their future, to invest in their families. It’s a very gratifying result.”

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dec. 14, 2012

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Laws of the land WES JOHNS staff reporter

Marijuana legalized in Colorado, Washington Amendment 64 was passed in Colorado and Initiative 502 in Washington on Nov. 6, legalizing marijuana in both states. These laws allow for possession of less than one ounce and allow people to cultivate up to six plants.

Marijuana will only be legal for people over the age of 21 and will be controlled and taxed, like alcohol. The federal government has yet to step in and say whether or not Federal authorities will enforce the controlled substance ban in the states.

“There are a lot of people I know that smoke and they’re not bad people. I think they should pass a bill in Texas,” junior John Johnson* said. “I think it should be legal like alcohol where it’s okay if you’re over 21.”

Opponents to the new law in Colorado fear that stoned drivers will cause an additional hazard on the road. Officials hope the taxes raised from the sale of marijuana will propel the states out of economic trouble. In Washington, the taxes raised will go towards health care and substanceabuse prevention and education.

Massachusetts also became the 17th state to legalize marijuana for medical purposes, and Arkansas barely defeated a bill that would allow for medical marijuana. *Name Changed

Election results cause some to call for secession

neered foods (49,978). The states with the highest number of signatures on their petition other than Texas are: Louisiana (37,122), Florida (34,950), and Georgia (32,173).

After the presidential election left the country torn, half elated and half furious, some citizens felt a need to take action. Petitions were created on petitions.whitehouse. gov, or “We the People,” a government website designed to allow citizens to express their opinions. As usual, Texas led the charge of states seeking to secede and currently has 118,203 signatures. This trend is not just running through the South. It extends into states that President Obama won, such as Oregon, Colorado and California.

The Obama administration announced it would review any petitions that gain at least 25,000 signatures. Currently 11 states have passed that number — Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida and Ohio.

“Every petition that crosses the threshold is reviewed and receives a response,” White House spokesman Matt Lehrich said in an article for McClatchy Newspapers.

“As a rule, we don’t comment on the substance if those responses until they’re issued to the petitioners.

Secession is not the only topic on “We the People.”

The petitions with the most signatures on We the People are: Texas secession (119,346); remove marijuana from the Controlled Substance Act (66,338); recount the election (64,974); and mandatory labeling of genetically engi-

States pass bills to allow for same-sex marriage Nine states and Washington, D.C., have now legalized same-sex marriage. The idea still remains unpopular in the South, where no bills have passed allowing gay marriage, but rights campaigners are making gains in Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Minnesota. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vetoed a bill in February that would have legalized same-sex marriage in New Jersey.

“I have strongly supported gay marriage my entire life,” freshman Aaron Roles said. “It should be a federal issue, though, because the country should be unified.”

Three years ago, voters in Maine rejected same-sex marriage 53 percent to 47 percent.

After the disappointing defeat, Mainers United for Marriage, an advocate group for same sex marriage, phoned 250,000 residents appealing for their votes. In this election, Maine voters approved same-sex marriage 53 percent to 47 percent.

“I don’t think marriage should even be something that can be regulated by the government,” junior Joshua Castillo said. “It’s something between two people, and it should be up to those people to decide what is right.”

Failed proposition would have helped homeless find affordable housing SAM ROGERS

staff reporter I was shocked at the news during the beginning of November that all the propositions that were voted on passed, all except one. Prop 15 would have allotted $78,300,000 to affordable housing for the people who couldn’t afford it.

Prop 15 could have provided new housing for homeless individuals and lowincome families. In addition to the new homes built, already existing houses would have been developed, repaired and renovated. It would have also provided muchneeded repairs for homes of the disabled and elderly.

November was Youth Homeless Awareness Month. This made me reflect on the many homeless and low-income families and people I have met in my community and at my church. Particularly, I am reminded of the story of a 6-year-old boy I met who is living with his mom and dad in a single hotel room. All he has to

OPINION

keep him entertained is an old deflated soccer ball and his dog.

When I first met him, he was overjoyed at the fact there was another kid to play with. Every now and then I go to visit him and bring my old Game Boy for him to play with. His family is always just one paycheck away from being homeless. The conditions of these hotel rooms are substandard, but the people living there are just grateful to have a roof over their heads.

Many of the people living there were at one time homeless.

A hotel room is no place for a child to grow up. He can’t have friends over after school, he can’t have a quiet place to do homework, or even the promise of being safe in the front yard of his own home.

Maybe if Prop 15 had passed, he could have had all these things.

The wording on the ballot could have been the reason Prop 15 failed. The ballot read, “The issuance of $78,300,000 hous-

ing bonds and notes and the levy of a tax sufficient to pay for the bonds and notes.” It said nothing about homelessness, housing for low-income individuals or safe shelters for woman and children. The wording left out a crucial piece of information that would have helped voters make a decision about whether the proposition needed to be passed.

I can’t blame the people of Austin for voting “no” to this proposition. I don’t think I would have voted for Prop 15 if all I had known about it was that it was going to raise my taxes, with no understanding of where the money was actually going.

It is the job of voters to go into the booths on Election Day educated about what it is they are voting for. If voters were more educated on the subject, then the outcome for Prop 15 may have been very different.

All of the other propositions that passed had very clear descriptions; people understood what they were voting for.

On the day of the results for the propositions to be announced, I scanned website after website hastily trying to find the results. The entire evening of voting the vote for prop 15 was close. I didn’t find out until the next morning that the proposition hadn’t passed.

Prop 15 failed by a mere 2 percent of the vote. I was disappointed, to say the least.

I am sure my friends and classmates were tired of me going on and on about the subject. Most people replied with something along the lines of “What’s Prop 15?” or “I don’t even know what that means.” Then it hit me. How was anyone supposed to know what it meant?

The majority of high school students now will be able to vote in the next four years. Many seniors at McCallum are already eligible to vote. We need to seek ways to educate ourselves about these very important issues so that in the next election we will not let down the citizens of Austin who need affordable housing.

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dec. 14, 2012

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Helping out the children Teen takes time to help others have a happy holidays JENNIFER CASTRO staff reporter

Each year, when the holidays roll around, people are urged to help those in need so that they may have a happier holiday. Sophomore Daniela Moreno has volunteered with the “Brown Santa” charity for two years.

JC: “Have you ever done charity work before, besides this organization?”

Daniela Moreno: “Charity work as in help people give out food?”

JC: “Yeah, in that context.”

DM: “Well, yes I do. We all get together and everyone has a position to be in. It can be serving the drinks, and the food they have there. Then the elderly come and we give out food.”

JC: “What can you tell me about ‘Brown Santa’ organization?”

DM: “Well, what we do is wrap presents for the children whose parents cannot afford to buy toys for Christmas.”

JC: “What’s your favorite part of helping out with this charity?”

DM: “The best part of ‘Brown Santa’ is that you feel great

because you’re helping out the community. And it’s fun if you’re around with friends too. I don’t just do it to get points for my program (YMCA); I do it because I love helping people out.”

JC: “And how old are you again?”

DM: “I’m 16.”

JC: “So how do you feel after helping wrap those presents for the children?”

DM: “Afterwards, I feel sort of tired but joyful at the same time. (Laughs) It’s nice that I give up my time to wrap presents for them because a lot of children out there don’t have a Christmas like children who are well off.”

JC: “Did people thank you for helping out? And if yes, how did that feel?”

DM: “Yes, of course. At the end, the people there are so welcoming and they thank us for all our hard work. They say, ‘We couldn’t have wrapped all those presents without y’all,’ and it’s wonderful to hear a thanks once in a while.

Makes me want to help some more.”

JC: “Is this your first year of doing ‘Brown Santa’?”

DM: No. I did ‘Brown Santa’ in the year 2009. We haven’t done it since. I’m glad my program decided to do it again.

Amplifying airwaves CAITLIN HENSON

staff reporter Sophomore Nate Zivin walks into the studio and flips the switch to “On Air” and takes a seat, waiting for the computer to finish signing in.

“You’re listening to 1670 AM radio airing from McCallum High School,” Zivin says as he starts his show. “Now let’s start with weather and traffic, then we can get started with ‘What’s Up in Austin!’”

Mac Radio, on 1670 AM, is a project that started last year, and it has taken shape over the year. The station is run by student DJs, radio hosts, audio techs and other student station members under the supervision of media tech instructor Ken Rogers.

“MAC Radio is the first and only high school broadcast radio station in central Texas,” Zivin said.

MAC Radio started as an idea from senior Zach Christodoulides. Christodoulides always had a passion for radio broadcasting and was dedicated enough to try to turn that passion into a reality. He took up the idea with Rogers, who embraced the idea with his own hard work and time, Christodoulides said. A Radio Club meeting began on Wednesdays in the media tech room, and the station was launched. Using the old darkroom donated by the journal-

The “Brown” Santa thanks those who donated toys for the children. Photo used with permission of the “Brown Santa” Organization.

MAC radio students look to raise funds to purchase transmitting equipment

ism class in the main hall, Radio Club students broadcast on a low power AM signal throughout a two-mile radius.

“From what used to be a Radio Club has formed into a radio class. We meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays after school and talk about improvements and radio-based projects we would like to make,” Zivin said. “Also, Mr. Rogers has created the very first high school radio class curriculum, which is taught to us as well.”

The radio class is active in everything, from raising money to getting involved in local events and activities. Senior Zachary Smith is working to find fundraisers to help raise money for the station.

“A new fundraiser we are currently planning is making a mystery dinner to raise money for some FM transmitting equipment,” Smith said. “We need that for a low power FM station that gives us the potential to broadcast in a 6 -mile radius around the school.”

The curriculum includes learning how to make ads, creating show outlines, interviewing techniques, the Federal Communications Commission, the channel and operating power of the station, rules and regulations, reading news on the radio, audio design, learning how AM/FM broadcasting works and more.

Zivin said students in radio get a full grade on

Gradespeed, which averages into their GPA and gives them class credit. Next year, the class will be able to issue full college credit. The station is looking for local bands to air on the show. Mac Radio is also hosting the Battle of the Bands, which will be broadcasted live on MAC radio. ‘”Mac Radio now has four morning shows, two Alunch shows and two afternoon shows, with an increasing amount of music from Austin bands and musicians,” Smith said. “Soon the station will be streaming on our website at maccradioaustin.com, available worldwide.”

The website includes a “Request a band” link, and students can fill out a Music Release Contract to have some of their band songs on the station. Bios of all of the hosts are also on the website.

“I’m the music director of the radio, and I’m also the cohost of a yet un-named radio drama,” senior Rachel Bingham said. “The radio has progressed so much over the year, and I’m proud to say I’m on the Radio Team. And I am one of three girls on the team while the rest are boys. But just because there’s a lack of girls doesn’t mean it’s not fun.”

Bingham credits Rogers with the success of the radio station.

“Rogers is a big part of radio,” she said. “If there were no Rogers, there probably wouldn’t be a Radio Club.”

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dec. 14, 2012

09

Capturing the words Mac student participates in novel-writing challenge VIOLET ACEVEDO

staff reporter The blank screen of a new word document stares at her with intimidating white eyes, but junior Bianca Marciano is not afraid.

With her loving kitty on her lap, chocolate settling in her stomach, and music playing softly in the background, she’s ready to tackle the blank beast with energy and vigor.

By the end of the night, hundreds of words fill the screen and a sense of satisfaction warms Marciano’s heart.

“Writing helps me exercise my creativity,” she said. “It helps me get [my thoughts] down on paper [because] everything I think of I’ll eventually forget and lose unless I write it down.”

To fully flex her creative muscles, Marciano’s been working on a full length novel with the help of National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. This self-paced challenge pushes writers to write 50,000 words during the month of November.

“One of my friends told me about it,” Marciano said. “She knew I really liked to write. [And] I’ve been wanting to write a novel, so I decided to see if [this challenge] could help me.”

Even though she began writing her novel in November, the preparation for it began nearly a month before in October.

“I started out writing a brief outline trying to figure out the overall plot,” Marciano said. “I decided the setting, [and] then I decided the events that took [my characters] there and I made a list of things I wanted to go wrong in my story and incorporated them in as I [went] along.”

However, she didn’t plan the exact details, preferring instead to let them come to her later as the world and people she created took life in her head.

“I didn’t have a set plan,” Marciano said.

“Anything that popped into my mind I put it down on paper, whether or not it made sense. I decided who my main characters were going to be, [but] I didn’t get into much detail of their personalities until I started writing the book.”

Marciano’s novel is about young girl, who, bored with her city life, suddenly finds herself in a parallel world completely unlike her own. In that land, magic is real but limited to a special few who use it even as it eats away at their life and sanity. As she explores this world of magic, making friends along the way, she soon discovers a buried secret that will change her life for-

Biance Marciano works on her story. Photo by Violet Acevedo. ever.

However she might end up, though, the main character starts out insignificant, normal and relatable. “[She] is a claustrophobic that is very shy and is very bored and tired of her high school life,” Marciano said. “I had made her this way so that when she gets out of the big city and reaches the other world, she’ll love it so much with all the fresh air and open space. She would never give this up to return back to 24-hour rush hour traffic and physics exams.”

A physics student herself, Marciano uses aspect from her life in her story, including the fantasy genre itself.

“I’m writing a fantasy because it’s my favorite book genre,” she said, “and they say write about what you know, and that’s what I know most about as far as books go.”

But fantasy encompasses more than just her reading life.

“Ever since I was little, I dreamt of fantasy worlds,” Marciano said. “So I took one of those fantasy worlds and expanded it for my book. My book is basically made up of all these little dreams I have.”

Being able to gain the motivation to put her dreams down on paper is one of the

best things about NaNoWriMo, she said.

“This is the farthest I’ve ever gotten. I’ve always started and gotten disinterested or discouraged in the first chapter [in writing] a book,” Marciano said. “[NaNoWriMo] has given me a reason to [finish]. It’s like a competition except you’re going up against yourself.”

Daily word count goals are given to the aspiring writer by the site, enabling them to have a benchmark in which to measure their progress.

“One of the things they tell you is that if you write 1,667 words a day,” Marciano said, “you’ll hit 50,000 by Nov. 30. Since it’s my first year, I’m trying to keep up with it.”

NaNoWriMo also gives the participant other tools to motivate and inspire, which she finds helpful as well. Some tools include periodic “pep talks” by famous authors, charts to keep track of word counts, and web badges to strive for. There are even cartoons, designed to give motivation as well as laughter.

Forums are also available where writers across the globe can connect and share thoughts, feelings, and concerns. What has helped Marciano the most in reaching her word count, though, was not something provided by NaNoWriMo, but something

she found on their forums.

“It’s this cute little site called written kitten [at writtenkitten.net]. For every 100 words you write, it gives you a picture of a kitten,” she said with a smile and hands clasped. “I went on there because I was really desperate to catch up [on my word count], and I got 3,000 words that day. It was my most productive day.”

Marciano prefers to write on her computer at home with her kitty on her lap, but you can often find her sitting in class, hunched over a journal, scribbling furiously, letting her imagination run freely down her hand to the paper.

“I don’t really mind what’s happening around me. I can just tune everyone out,” Marciano said. “I just have to wait for inspiration to come [to write].”

Now that November is over, though, and the 50,000-word deadline has passed, she is ready to take a break.

“I’m relieved [now that it’s over] because I don’t have to write every day now,” she said. “I don’t have a time limit pressing down on me anymore.”

But she is far from done writing. Even though she reached 50,009 words, her novel is not finished.

“I’ll finish writing hopefully by the end of the year,” Marciano said. “I skipped some scenes so I could write the end [because] I had an idea in my head and I didn’t want to lose it.”

From the start, ever since she joined the challenge, NaNoWriMo has been there to help her record her ideas, and even though she is planning to set off and finish her novel by herself now, she still plans to go back to the challenge next year.

“Now that I know it’s a really effective way to motivate me to write [I’ll do the challenge again],” she said. “It’ll help me to write other ideas down. During NaNoWriMo I actually got a whole bunch of ideas.

Next year I’m probably gonna use one of them.”

Over the past couple months, Marciano has gained confidence, motivation and knowledge in her writing to be able to plan for future creative endeavors, and that is why she urges any other aspiring writer to take the challenge. “[I recommend it] to anyone who likes to write, and anyone who’s been meaning to write a book and needs the motivation,” she said. “I advise people to go to the website; it can even help you write a novel outside the month. Even if you don’t feel like writing 50,000 words, it can help.”

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dec. 14, 2012

String sensation

Junior wins prestigious Austin Symphony contest

1.

GRACE FRYE editor-in-chief

J

unior cellist Annamarie Kasper is sitting in a coffee shop. Her phone goes off; it is her dad.

Hours beforehand, Kasper had competed in the Austin Symphony Youth Awards concerto competition. Her dad had the results.

“I was sitting in a coffee shop and my dad texted me: ‘You won.’ And I was like, ‘That’s not funny, like, does he realize that I really—that’s just not funny.’ Then he called me and told me, ‘You seriously won.’ I just didn’t even believe it. I couldn’t believe it. It took me a long time—I mean, I still don’t really believe it,” Kasper said.

“I keep waiting for them to be like, ‘Just kidding. We messed up. Sorry, it’s actually supposed to be someone else.’ Which would be sad, but yeah. It was crazy.”

The Austin Symphony Youth Awards concerto competition is open to any musician under 18 years old and not in college. Each performer selects a concerto for his or her instrument and after a preliminary round and a final round, the top three are chosen as the winners.

“Basically, in a concerto you have one musician playing their one instrument who is the soloist,” Kasper said, “and then the symphony will back them up and sort of be their back-up or background music.”

Kasper heard about the competition

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for things that were hard. But when I play, it is just so much better when I really like what I am playing, so I try not to practice the actual piece in its entirety too much; I like to take little sections.”

The day of the competition was exciting and nerve-wracking, she said. Leading up to the audition, Kasper tried to clear her mind and focus on what she knew best.

“I don’t listen to cello music at all on the way to performances. I just like to clear my mind,” she said. “I just have to trust that I know my piece because if I doubt myself, then that is when I usually mess up. But if I just trust that I’ve practiced it and I know how to play it, I’ve done it a million times, then usually that’s when my performance is the best. I prepared a lot for this one, so I knew how ready I was and I knew I could do it.”

Kasper said she went into the first round not expecting anything, but going from the prelims to the finals, she just hoped to play her best.

“Obviously, it’s very nerve-wracking competition. The second round was much more nerve-wracking than the first,” she said. “I definitely didn’t go into the first round with any expectations, and then for the second round I was just thinking, ‘Well, I should at least play really, really well.’ I was really nervous leading up to it, but the great thing about when I play is I’m not nervous at all. When I start playing

because last year’s competition was also won by a McCallum student. Her cello teacher also asked her to audition.

“This year my teacher told me about it and she was like, ‘You should at least audition.

Just do it for the audition experience.’ And I was like, ‘I really don’t want to because I’m not going to win and I don’t want to waste time He’s like my Justin auditioning,’” Kasper said. “But Bieber. Other kids love she was really Justin Bieber; I love adamant and just kept pushing me Yo-Yo Ma. I have two to just audition posters of him on my wall. and to just try it out. So I mainly I’m kind of obsessed. I’m heard about it definitely a Yo-Yo Ma from her, but I’ve heard about fangirl. it from a couple other people just Annamarie Kasper talking about Junior the symphony competition.”

In preparation for the audition, Kasper said she practiced the piece a lot, both for the mechanics of it and for the style.

“I’ve been playing this piece for a very, very long time,” she said. “I had to memorize the piece—which was a pain because it’s like seven minutes long—and then I just 2. practiced a bunch. I did a lot of repetition

“

”

I don’t get nervous at all; it all just goes away. I think it’s important because within the piece you draw emotions into it. If you just sit on the stage and play your piece and don’t put any emotion into it, it’s a boring piece. Then afterwards I was nervous but glad I had played.

“The first round I heard back really soon that I had gotten into the finals; I think they contacted me a couple hours later,” she added. “And then the second time a couple hours passed and I was like, ‘Oh, I guess I didn’t get it,’ so I tried to just clear it from my brain and tried not to get too disappointed. This is definitely the biggest cello competition I’ve ever done. I felt very obligated to do well for my teacher who really worked hard to get me to play this piece well, so there was definitely more pressure. And then my dad texted me and I won.”

After a week of being able to let the win sink in, Kasper is still very sure the competition could have gone any way.

“The thing about music is that it is very subjective. So, you never know. Maybe they, for some reason, really wanted a cellist,” she said. “I heard a couple other kids play and they were phenomenal, and I’m just thinking there is no way I could’ve beaten them. So it is subjective, and I’m glad that I won, but I think it could have gone a bunch of different ways.”

Playing with the symphony will take place in January, so until then, Kasper said she will spend her time practicing.

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“I’ll be playing the same piece, the Haydn my favorite CD of his is a bluegrass CD. ‘Concerto in C Major the 1st Movement,’” I don’t listen to bluegrass. I don’t know she said. “I really like the piece. Whenever anything about it. He just takes everything I play it, people and makes it unique will come up to and special, and he is me and they’ll There are a lot of big parts just really good. ask, ‘You like that “The emotion and then small parts and that he puts into his piece, don’t you?’

And I’m always it’s kind of a showy piece pieces is so perfectly like, ‘Yeah, I she where you get to do a lot balanced,” really do.’ It is continued.

“There so much fun. of fancy runs and chords are some artists that There are a lot come out and are and double stops. of big parts and just completely like then small parts a hurricane on stage Annamarie Kasper and it’s kind of and freak out, and a showy piece Junior then there are artists where you get that just sit there and to do a lot of fancy runs and chords and don’t put any emotion into it. Yo-Yo Ma double stops. Now that I am at the point just has that perfect balance of having where I know it and know the notes and emotion and being dead. He also is so wellknow it well, it is all about perfecting and known; when you think about classical finding musicality in it, which I think is the musicians, they aren’t super well-known. funnest part about playing, once you are But so many people know who he is and past the technical part and get to explore he has played at the inauguration, he’s done the piece and make it your own.” collaborations with Jay-Z, he’s just crossed Moving on from the competition into so many barriers and taken music to people inspiration, Kasper was excited to talk who wouldn’t know it otherwise.” about her personal inspiration, Yo-Yo Ma. Looking to the future, Kasper is “He’s like my Justin Bieber. Other kids nervous about college, but she hopes love Justin Bieber; I love Yo-Yo Ma. I have to attend a school where she is able to two posters of him on my wall. I’m kind balance her love for musical theatre and of obsessed. I’m definitely a Yo-Yo Ma cello. fangirl,” she said. “Yo-Yo Ma is so good, “I plan on getting a BFA (Bachelor and he is so nice, and he is so versatile. of Fine Arts), hopefully, fingers crossed,” He does every type of music out there; she said. “I’d like to get a BFA in musical

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dec. 14, 2012

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”

3.

1. Kasper with her cello. “I’ve never really thought of not playing the cello, I’ve pretty much kept up with it all the way from starting to now,” she said.

2. Kasper meeting her idol, Yo-Yo Ma, for the second time. “He is so nice, he sent me a signed photograph of him and addressed it ‘To my fellow cellist…,’” she said.

3. Kasper meeting Yo-Yo Ma for the first time. “Ever since I was young, like all the way back to when I was 5 and I got my first Yo-Yo Ma CD, I’ve been freaking out over him.” Photos provided by Annamarie Kasper. theatre and I would love to go to a school that allows me to double major in cello or at least minor in cello, so I’m definitely

looking out for those schools. There are a lot of great schools, and if I can just get into one, then I’ll be happy.”

Pringle in the press Orchestra teacher featured in a highly acclaimed magazine DANIELLE GARTNER staff reporter

When orchestra teacher Ricky Pringle was mentioned in The Strad, a worldwide magazine for string instrument players, he said as sense of pride washed through him. Pringle has played bass since he was 12 and has dedicated many years to teaching young musicians. The article recognized him for his work.

“I was contacted over the summer by The Strad. Some of my former students are taught by Orin O’Brien, a talented musician in New York, and they wanted to know about my teachings,” Pringle said “Knowing that people read it all over the world makes me feel great.”

The article discusses Pringle’s teaching skills, how he helps prepare students for an audition, and his advice on nerves

“

Throughout his before a concert. years of teaching, The Strad first He just connects Pringle has always contacted Prinfound it interesting gle because they better with the stuto hear the students’ were interested ideas of the music he in how he taught dents. My former teaches. students who are “Teaching has now taught by director talked too definitely affected O’Brien, a teachhow I play,” Priner at Julliard in much, but Pringle gle said. “It’s really New York. interesting to hear “It makes me gets a lot more done. what students think really appreciaabout different piective that I have Maddie Brotherton such a talented es of music as well as Senior teacher,” sophohow they go about more Aaliyah playing it.“ Hampton “It Hampton said makes me want to practice more and be Pringle always wants more from stulike him when I grow up.” dents, but it always benefits the student.

”

Senior Maddie Brotherton, who has been taught by Pringle for four years, said he understands the lower string instruments much better than her previous teacher.

“He just connects better with the students,” Brotherton said. “My former director talked too much, but Pringle gets a lot more done. He’s helped me get used to performing. He’s helped me be more relaxed when performing.”

Pringle continues to pursue his goals of making music, playing at “cool” local venues, and teaching his kids well.

“Sometimes you don’t know if you have reached all of the students,” Pringle said. “I’ve been shocked when they came up to me and told me how I’ve helped them.”

Additional reporting by Violet Acevedo.

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Putting the arts in the A of AISD Students discuss how participating in fine arts enriches their education BARON HEINRICH

staff reporter With her head down focusing on her newest creation, paying close attention to the details of anatomy and proportion, junior Maya Medrano busily works in her sketchbook. Medrano has always been interested in art and has seen improvements in her own art since being accepted to the Fine Arts Academy.

“My art got better. It doesn’t look awkward or strange,” she said. “I’m attentive because it’s something that I like. I’ve expanded as an artist. I just don’t draw anatomically incorrect pencil drawings on lined paper. I learned things like color theory and composition, which helps. Also because of the Academy, I have a better idea of a major in college. I plan on studying illustration. All in all, the Academy has been beneficial. It’s given me a better focus on what I like and what I need to work on.”

The school district, city and community art leaders proposed a plan to make Austin public schools artistically rich. Superintendent Meria Carstarphen showed that national research indicates students who have access to an education that is rich in the arts have improved academic achievement, attendance and graduation rates, and were more likely to attend colleges.

Junior Dexter Becklund attended LASA and moved McCallum for its fine arts program.

“I enjoy science and math, but I liked art more,” he said. “I joined the Academy for the better art teachers and facilities. Artwise, McCallum is better. There was one art room in LASA that was just a standard art room. There were three potters wheel and tables. It was very, very basic. I only knew of one person who was kinda thinking of being some sort of artist at LASA. No one really wants to do anything too artsy. Here, it’s much more dedicated.”

Becklund said the switch to the Academy was difficult, but the fine arts program helps provide a more balanced education.

“It was an incredibly hard decision going from there to here,” he said. “I think art helps gives you a more rounded education. If you’re going to LASA, you’re getting a leftbrain education of math and science. Here, the classes aren’t as good as LASA, but you do get a lot of art experience, which helps mature the right brain, and no one at LASA could do anything artistic. I really like the people here. They’re very open-minded.

That’s another thing about the academy; it helped me open my mind to certain things.”

Senior Adrienne Rivers said she likes

Senior Adrienne Rivers works on an art assignment. Photo by Baron Heinrich her experience in the Academy and said participating in arts does change the way a person thinks.

“I do all sorts of stuff; that’s one of the great things about the Academy,” Rivers said. “It’s given me a lot experience. I’ve been able to take sculpture, printmaking and having experience with painting and drawing. I’ve always liked doing art and it’s always been something I’ve been into. I’m very passionate about English and art. All of my English classes have been AP. I think the education here at McCallum, especially in the English Department, is correlated with the fine arts aspects. We have classes like Excalibur that is a strong mesh of English and art. I think making art and being involved in the arts makes you think about things in a very critical way, not negatively, but it changes the way you think.”

Rivers said the Academy has helped her as a person and has exposed her to new opportunities professionally.

“I’ve definitely improved artistically,” she said. “It’s exposed me to many more opportunities as well that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. For example, I’m an intern with MindPop, which is a creative non-profit for non-profits, basically. This is the whole basis of their program: schools need creative education and need to be integrated in their entire education process.”

MindPop is a program where students are allowed to intern with non-profits. It is

expanding this year.

“MindPop works towards instigating more creative education, ideas and structure into the school system,” Rivers said. “They’ve been working very close with AISD lately, and their organization is structured around the idea that kids in creative programs stay in school longer, go to college and have a higher graduation rate. They do workshops and a fellowship program, which I’m a part of, and other students here at McCallum are too. The fellowship program last year was for rising seniors. We were all paired up with a non-profit organization over the summer; I worked with Badgerdog literary publishing. We did a program with these creative non-profits and helped them in various ways. They’re doing it again this year. Last year it was just students from McCallum and Ann Richards; this year it’s going to be all rising seniors in AISD.” Rivers said participating in the arts helps with a creative outlet.

“I definitely believe that students that are involved in the arts typically are more engaged in their schoolwork,” she said. “I think that creative education gives people a well-rounded education. And the arts are fun, and there are not that many negative things you can say about the arts. People need ways to express themselves, and the arts provide that.”

Fine Arts Coordinator Kalyse

McElveen said the Fine Arts Academy does help with a student’s performance.

“The students that take their participation in the Fine Arts Academy very seriously as a long-term commitment, their participation in the Academy absolutely helps in their performance,” she said. “This doesn’t just go for fine arts, either. If they’re superinterested in say, sports, and that’s their passion and their love, they’re showing up to school to do that. I think we do see a lot of our students because of their passion of the arts and because they love being here and love being the fine arts classes. They show up for school and show up before and after school, and they’re sort of having those live-at-school experiences. Because of the creative outlets our students are getting, they’re having opportunities to make things that they care about and think about those things critically and have conversations and really know how to self-critique.

They’re getting a really rich education because it’s just not regurgitated information.

They’re participating in the craft and development of something.”

McElveen said participating in the fine arts program allows for a more hands-on approach, which encourages constant feedback and critique.

“I think the one thing that participating in the arts does as well, or better, in any subject or genre is the opportunity to participate in a creative process,” she said.

“Therefore, students are engaged in critiquing the work as it goes along, so there is a lot of opportunity for self-reflection, teacher guidance and improving a product as you go along. The arts is such an iterative process. A really good example is choir. Students are in this ensemble singing together, and if you are sitting in a choir practice any day of the week, you’re seeing the teacher cut the ensemble off and provide instant feedback. There is a constant improvement loop and it’s a short loop, so there are potentially hundreds of opportunities for improvement and critical thought in one class period in an arts classroom.

“I think that skill is so critical and beneficial to anybody who is going out and live in the real world because a lot of times without, number one, an ability to handle feedback constructively, and number two, to self-critique, there’s a helplessness that can be learned unless you’re taught that it’s a positive thing to look at yourself and try to improve,” she added. “It makes you a better employee, a better person in professional and personal relationships; it’s so much easier to make your way in the world.”

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dec 14, 2012

Express yourself

Sophomores Sinclair Denton and Justice Phillips rehearse for their in-class performance during second period.

Photo by Caitlin Henson.

Songwriting students share class experience CAITLIN HENSON staff reporter

Senior Etienne Alonzo said writing a song is like an amazing headache.

“The feelings that go through you when you are writing a song and performing are incredible,” Alonzo said. “It’s like nervousness and excitement mixed with the feeling of the song.”

The songwriting class is an English creative writing class where students perform and write their own songs. Teacher Tom Watterson only has one songwriting class this year with 24 students currently enrolled.

“We study the history of popular music from the 1930s to the present and develop songwriting skills through guided activities, journaling, critical listening and practice,” Watterson said. “It’s a very hands-on, workshop-style class, in which both individual and collaborative efforts are encouraged.”

This class gives students the opportunity to try new things and experiment.

“Songwriting is a class where you can create songs and improvise,” sophomore Sinclair Denton said. “Most kids in here are amateur writers, but they pick it up.

I’m in a band, mostly heavy metal, and this

class helps me come up with some songs.”

The class activities often vary. For example, the class writes a random title on a piece of paper then puts it in the bucket, and each student ends up with someone else’s title.

“Most of the time it’s a silly, random title,” junior Violet Beane said. “After we think about the title, we try to make a song story out of it, like to create a song. So, ‘Sally jumped from a banana into pudding,’ I would have to create something out of it, like the banana could be a yellow boat and the pudding can be an ocean.”

The class members perform in front of one another. They perform their latest piece with their instrument, if they have one, or with their partner.

“We basically carry ourselves and our instruments up to the front of the class and perform,” sophomore Justice Phillips said.

“If you are,used to it, there are no nerves. If you are, that’s great because it doesn’t matter what your classmates think. If you think it’s good, it’s good. But when Watterson comments something negative, you know you have to change something.”

Alonzo said all students in the class are unique.

“Mostly every kid in the class has a dif-

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ferent style, the way they sing, the way they play, and the way they write,” Alonzo said.

“It’s all unique and different. That’s not called bad; it’s called unique and original.

It’s a great thing when you think about your individuality and how you are different from everyone else in that room.”

Senior Aline Mayagotia said students should think of ways to promote their songs.

“Have CDs and merch for sale and take responsibility for learning how to sell them,” Mayagotia said. “Have a mailing list and learn how to get people on it and how to use it. Take responsibility for letting people know who you are and how they can stay connected to you. Good things will happen in the real world when you step up to the plate, and believe me it will

feel even better than when they happen in your imagination.”

Watterson said he feels really passionate about teaching songwriting “I really enjoy helping students discover new ways to express themselves lyrically and musically. Sharing my passion for music with those who appreciate it is very rewarding, and it’s nice to work with kids in a creative ‘workshop’ environment where they’re encouraged to take risks and not worry so much about whether they’re ‘doing it right,’” Watterson said.

“Plus, in what other class do you get to listen to The Beatles, Run-DMC and Slayer and get credit for it? I know that if I’d had a class like this when I was in high school, I would have enjoyed high school a lot more.”

Way across the universe While searching for new Earths, scientists discover planet that could support human life JACOB STRAIGHT

staff reporter Science fiction has always held the dream of life outside Earth. There are even stories about humans inhabiting another planet. These dreams may come true soon with the discovery of HD 40307g, a new planet that may be habitable for human life.

Many requirements are needed for a planet to be determined as earth-like. The main one is distance from a star. The new earth is about the same distance as Mercury is in our solar system. Another requirement is that it needs to have a good enough mass. The new Earth ranks in at about seven times the mass of Earth, almost perfect for another earth.

“If we did get to another planet, what would we do there?” freshman Aidan Shehan asked. “It wouldn’t even be worth it in my opinion to travel to another planet and attempt to live there. It would be just like living on Earth with much more stress on

materials and the people themselves. It doesn’t believe we can travel to another would be cool to live on another planet, but planet and survive there.

“It in nearly impossible to understand I don’t see it as necessary or likely anytime the vastness of space. Even to get to a close in the near future.”

Scientists have started the search star with today’s technology would require a trip in the range for other new of 20,000 years,” Earths, and Reck said. “The since they startLiving on another stars that have ed, at least 840 planets which aphave been idenplanet is going to pear to have the tified. But only pose some challenges, potential of life are a small handful many times the have been identibut it won’t be the distance of these fied to be inside hardest part. close stars. Theretheir host star’s fore, while scihabitable zone.

Aidan Shehan ence fiction makes Only two, inFreshman the idea of space cluding the new travel interesting, earth, are far enough away from the host star to have a I see no breakthroughs which give even a suitable day-night cycle, which is required hope that we can cross these distances.”

Scientists say humans may even be able for life to exist on any planet.

Astronomy teacher Clint Reck said he to live on Mars.

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“Absolutely, astronauts can live in this environment,” Don Hassler of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, told reporters during a news conference Nov. 15.

Yet even without immediate confirmation, a team of researchers from Germany is confident it has picked up signatures from real planets. With the team’s confirmation of the star’s inner three planets and the discovery of three other planets near the expected location, team members are certain other planets like this exist.

“I think living on another planet is going to pose some challenges, but it won’t be the hardest part,” Shehan said. “I think scientists should stop looking for other planets and work on more important issues. For instance, everything is cool when we find a planet we could survive on, but how do we get there? We need to figure out how to get to these planets before solving how we would live on them.”

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Rascal rampage Raccoons living in the ceiling stir up trouble in the school

SEREN VILLWOCK advertising manager

Sophomore Sage Stoakley was in the middle of a “Secret Garden” rehearsal when a raccoon fell through the ceiling in the Fine Arts Center. Stoakley and several other students ran out into the lobby to see a hole in the roof and the raccoon running around.

“It was really scary,” Stoakley said. “It looked dangerous or maybe like it was infected with something because it was really angry. It was just running around in [the] hallway.”

While Stoakley stepped back inside the theater, other students corralled the raccoon and chased it outside the doors. With no teachers nearby, the small group of students were the only ones who saw the raccoon, and they chased it out of the building themselves.

“I stayed inside,” she said. “It was scary.

I didn’t know our school had that bad of a pest problem.”

Several days later, the students in the Fine Arts Center had another encounter with raccoons. In the band hall, a student jumped to touch a square of the ceiling, which caused it to fall down. Students then saw three new raccoons in the ceiling. Sophomore Damian Segovia was there when animal control came to capture them.

“It took a really long time to catch the first one,” Segovia said. “They had to put trash around to lure them. Then after the first one, they caught the rest of them pretty quickly.”

A few days later, a fifth raccoon appeared in the Fine Arts Center. This time, it was trapped in a cage in the lobby when the steel drum students arrived early for practice one morning.

“Some kids thought it was a prank from

LBJ because it happened right before the messy. The room had to be repainted and game,” Segovia said, but he disagrees. “I get new carpet and everything.” don’t think it was them. I don’t know how Pest control then came to trap the racthe raccoons got in, though.” coon and set additional traps in the ceiling.

The incidents with raccoons in the school According to Clayton, the pest control workhave been recurring for years, librarian Jane er who came to collect a cage had a surprise Farmer said. In the last three years, people close-up encounter. have been able to hear pests in the ceiling.

“Raccoons usually travel in pairs with When Shelley Pittman was the principal their mates,” he said. “When the pest control years ago, assistant librarian June Bloch worker reached in to get the cage, his mate entered the room one morning to find Pitt- was sitting right there. He had to grab that man chasing raccoons in the library until he one and hold it to get it down to another finally got them out the back door. cage before he could pick up the other one.”

“One raccoon came in and knocked all A picture of the raccoon that fell in the the books off the shelves in the back of the li- conference room, dubbed “Rocky” by the library,” Bloch said. “Everything was knocked brarians, is still hanging on the conference down. It was funny room door. Recentto see the principal ly, raccoon troubles running around.” have returned to Head custodian the library.

Some kids thought it Hubert Clayton “This fall, we’ve said once the racheard the skitterwas a prank from LBJ. coons fall through ing of raccoons in I don’t know how the the ceiling, they the ceiling, and a often bump into few holes have apraccoons got in. glass windows and peared,” Farmer doors trying to essaid. “We’re really cape. strict about our no Damian Segovia “They have food or drink polSophomore a pretty heavy icy, and one of the weight, so they reasons is that we just fall down don’t want to atthrough the ceiling tiles,” he said. “Then they tract any raccoons. We’re also worried about smell the air outside and head straight for rats and roaches, too. We don’t let anyone the glass.” eat in here unless an adult is supervising the Two years ago, a similar incident oc- group.“ curred in the library when another raccoon Though she said the raccoons are a safety fell through the ceiling, this time into the concern and a problem that may not have conference room, leaving the room a mess. an easy solution, Farmer said she does see a “It fell in over the weekend and couldn’t comical side to the situation. get back out, so it wreaked havoc in the con“There is some humor in the fact that we ference room,” Farmer said. “It was really have raccoons living in the building,” she

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said, “but I don’t know if there are easy answers. It’s an old building, and who knows what all is up there? I don’t know what it would cost to have a really heavy campaign against them. It might be totally unreasonable.”

Building manager Mary Noack also had a run-in with the raccoons.

“I was up here working late one night in my office, which used to be where the copier room is now, and I could hear them running,” Noack said. “I was afraid the raccoon was going to fall down into [my office] because I could see the ceiling tiles [bouncing], so I got a broom handle and tried to poke the ceiling tiles to make him run away. Unbeknownst to me, there was a [wall] right above the ceiling tiles and I pinned him in a corner, where he got really scared.”

Another time, Noack said, a raccoon went running down the main hallway.

“Our head custodian, Hubert, is afraid of raccoons,” Noack said. “One raccoon came into the building by the windows before you get to the English hall looking out over the front lawn. He climbed up those wood posts onto the window and couldn’t get any further, and Hubert, being scared to death, pushed one of those big blue recycling bins down there. I got a board and we pushed him until he fell into the recycling bin and shut the lid. We turned around for a second and he jumped, hit the lid, and came right back out of that blue can and went running down the hallway. Fortunately, somebody had the door open in the English wing and the raccoon went running out.”

Noack said she thinks the raccoons are getting in through the foundation of the school.

“This building is so old that there are places around the school where they can get

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in,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know that the school was built in the ‘50s and under the building is a bomb shelter. You can actually go out down the stairs by the science wing and there are two big doors that open up and you can walk all under the building.

So there are ways the raccoons can get in.”

Attempts have been made to control the raccoons, Noack said.

When people hear the raccoons, animal control comes out to trap them. A few years ago, animal control tried to go around the edges of the school and make sure there were no holes, but the raccoons continued to get in.

“I guess they could just dig a hole and get in that way, too,” Noack said. “Interestingly enough, they get in the old fine arts building quite frequently.

It’s just very interesting how they come to visit.”

Clayton said he has seen nine raccoons loose in the building since he started working.

“I’ve seen them in the library, in the science hallway where the art rooms used to be, the English hallway, the Fine Arts building and the theater,” he said. “They come and go depending on when it gets cold or they

need shelter. I think they’re cute when they’re far away from the building, but close up they are very dangerous. They could jump on you and bite you or scratch you up.

I always tell students to stay away until the pest control comes. I’m very afraid of them because you don’t know what they could do.

You just have to stay away from them.”

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Above: The raccoon that fell into the conference room, named “Rocky” by the librarians, was been caught by pest control two years ago. “Rocky” fell through the ceiling over the weekend and tore up the room, leaving it in need of new carpet, paint and furniture. This picture has been hanging on the door of the conference room in the library ever since. Picture courtesy of Jane Farmer.

Above left: Freshman Caitlin Henson takes a picture with two caged raccoons in the Fine Arts Center in October. The raccoons had been chewing on the ceiling tiles and fell through. Photo courtesy of Caitlin Henson.

Left: Sophomores Maggie Mueller and Christine Moore pose with the raccoons in the band hall. Photo courtesy of Maggie Mueller.

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Let’s get physical New study raises questions about P.E. KAYLA GREGORCYK

school level our classes are designed more toward health-related fitness, which are cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, muscle An everyday P.E. class is one where the strength and endurance, and body compostudents run around and do stretches, ac- sition. It is not the same P.E. your parents cording to junior Tillie Walden. When probably experienced as kids.”

Freshman Isaac Muro said kids get students are done with the activities, they have free time. Walden said there should bored during P.E. at MAC. “In my P.E. class, many people don’t like be more activities in P.E. classes instead of having free time at the end of the class doing the activities,” Muro said. “If a kid doesn’t like the activities then they would period.

“We do warm-ups at the beginning of the not want to do it. Many of them just stand period. We do stretches and run around for around or only run for a little while and a while. Then we jog for one minute and then stop.”

Coach Campbell said that McCallum is then walk for one minute,” Walden said.

“This then builds up to 20 minutes. This trying to keep students healthy by having a would be 20 minutes of jogging and then strong curriculum. McCallum is trying not 20 minutes of walking. After the jog/walk- to get the results like the trail got.

“As fair as P.E. goes at McCallum we ing we either have free time or play some try to have aggressive games.” curriculum. The true In a rekey is to get the kids cent trial, use to moving around scientists put and exercising. Also, Kids should exericse motion senwe [McCallum] try to sors on kids outside of school and put in some fun games where 16 and into our curriculum.” do a lot more then under to see Walden said she how much just taking a class. thinks P.E. could make physical ackids less wanting to go tivity they outside and do sports. had during Tillie Walden Kids rather play games the trial. The Junior and sports, for P.E., kids would then doing activities do 90-minute such as stretching and sessions (like P.E.) for three times a week over the course taking notes, but Walden said if kids got of four weeks. At first these sessions made to choose to do the sports or activities the subjects more physically active, but at that they want to do for P.E. Then the the end of the four weeks, their physical ac- kids would like to exercise more and keep tivity was back to where they were at the healthy.

“To keep kids motivated, I think P.E. start of the sessions.

“For kids to get more exercise, I think should try to make exercise more fun, like kids should exercise outside of school and playing capture the flag, hide and go seek, do a lot more then just taking a class,” or tag,” Walden said “Just more active Walden said. “I also think P.E. in general games rather than stretching, jogging and should be necessary to take more than walking, especially if there is a competitive three semesters, like all four years of high element. I think people will be a lot more active.” school. It’s kind of a joke, right now.”

Senior Nora Green said the type of acWhile the study says that kids do not get enough exercise, Coach Lori Campbell tivity in P.E. isn’t the best way to keep kids said kids get enough exercise from McCal- healthy.

“To keep kids fit, the P.E. teachers lum’s P.E. classes.

“Some kids do not get enough exer- should make the kids work out harder by cise and that can be remedied by having doing more cardio,” Green said. “Students more actual P.E. class time, especially at tend to do the minimum when it comes to the elementary and middle school levels,” the pacer. (The pacer is a test to see how fit Campbell said. “I have spent the past sev- the students are at running.) The students eral years writing curriculum for P.E. (in try to reach the ‘healthy zone’ and then stop AISD) to ensure that at least at the high running.” staff reporter

Sophomore Harrison Brown catches the ball as it is passed to him during 8th period basketball practice on Dec. 11. Photo by Mary Stites.

Tip off time Freshman boys basketball team prepares to take on Bowie The freshman boys basketball team will take on the Bowie Bulldogs at Bowie Dec. 21.

“We need to improve our game and work better as a team,” freshman Dillon Francis said. “I mean, we have won two games, but in order to win more we need to work on our teamwork and our communication,.

Francis said the team is getting better.

“The team has been coming together more and more each week,” Francis said, “and hopefully we will have a successful season.”

Boys varsity basketball off to 1-6 start, looking forward to future games The boys varsity basketball is currently 1-6, but junior John Pass said he has not lost hope.

“It’s a little rough right now because

we’re playing a lot of 5-A schools,” Pass said. “But we’re focusing on practicing and preparing for each game.”

The varsity team is mostly new this year, Pass said, which could suggest why they have been having troubles.

“We’re pretty young this year,” he said.

“It’s been hard to mesh as a team. But we’re getting there. We have good leaders.”

Instead of dwelling on the past losses, Pass said he is looking forward to the future.

“By district we’ll be fine,” he said. “In district we’re playing some good competition, but I think we’ll do really well. I think we can go undefeated.”

Boys JV basketball team begins season at 2-4 The boys JV basketball team is 2-4.

“We need better chemistry with each other,” sophomore Tyquise Johnson said.

Johnson said his teammates need more communication on the court. [“We need to help] teammates keep their head straight and pass the ball more inside the paint to make more points,” he said.

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Tough loss to tough team Leander Rouse Raiders defeat varsity football team in first round of playoffs GAGE WANN staff reporter

The varsity football team defeated the LBJ Jaguars 29-17 Oct 25, sending the Knights into the first round of the playoffs.

“I think that the way Griffin Stuesser has been playing this year and what Wes Bellomy did to the Anderson quarterback, the Knights have a good chance of being state champions,” freshman Bailey Swenson said before the playoff game.

But, the 59-27 loss to the Rouse Raiders ended those dreams.

“I think we could have played a lot better than what we did out there,” freshman José Peña. “They just weren’t ready for the game this week.”

Senior Jacob Whitefield said the lack of physical and mental strength was a huge contributing factor to the loss.

“They were stronger than us, more physical and more disciplined,” Whitefield said. “I don’t think they were better athletes than us. They definitely played better football than us and worked better as a team”

Whitefield, who plays center, said the lack of strength and discipline going on in the weight room was a problem.

“We need to get stronger in the weight room,” Whitefield said “ We had a lack of team cohesion, but one of our strongest links was our natural athletic ability,” Senior tackle Dominique JohnsonLewis said the Rouse team was more aggressive.

“They were a more physical team overall,” Johnson-Lewis said. “One of the problems was the secondary team breaking down and not passing the ball as much as we should have. But a good aspect we had that was we never gave up, and in the fourth quarter we pushed harder and scored a few times.”

Johnson-Lewis said the team will now work harder.

“They also had more numbers than we did and probably worked harder in the spring,” he said. “I also didn’t think we played to the best of our abilities. Now we are going to have more intense workouts and better focus,”

The Knights prepare to kick-off to the Rouse Raiders, Nov. 15 in the first round of the playoffs. The Knights lost 59-27. Photo by Hannah Rudy.

sports in brief Swim team examines changes in past year, prepares for next meet The swim team has had many changes this year, with a new coach, new team members joining, new competitions and competitors working to be on the top. The team is now preparing for its next meet tomorrow.

“I feel it’s gonna be fun and be a good time to hang out,” senior Brian Knippa said, “but it’s gonna be a little stressful with finals the week after the swim meet.”

Now that the first semester is coming to an end, the team is taking time to get a look at how it has changed in the past year.

“The team’s gotten bigger,” Knippa said. “Probably more competitive because we have more people, and more people are better at swimming.”

Football coach wins Coach of the Year honor Coach Jason Cecil was selected as Coach of the Year for District 26-4A.

“It was exciting for me because any award like this is a team thing,” he said, “ It shows that our team did a great job, and we the coaches did a great job.”

Cecil said they made some changes and the team bought in and did what they asked for and continued to improve throughout the year.

“When I was told I got the award, I was really proud of all the things our team did,” Cecil said.

He said during off season the team will work to get a lot stronger and a lot more mentally tough.

“Next season we want to build off what we did this year,” Cecil said. “Our next goal is to win a playoff game.”

Boys, girls wrestling teams growing, looking forward to next meet The next wrestling meet will be against Bryan on Dec. 22 at Bryan High School “The team is improving tremendously so that they will be ready in time for district in February,” coach Raymond Amaro said.

The number of wrestlers on the team

has increased to 35 boys and eight girls.

Amaro said they are still looking for girls to join the team.

The team is mostly focusing on the moves, conditioning and improving skills as well as getting stronger “I am looking foward to regionals and state and becoming better as a wrestler,” freshman Bryant Duran said The team is very supportive of each other and parents are great, Amaro said.

“We are about where we want to be but haven’t reached our peak,” Amaro said.

“The wrestling season is from November through February.”

Lady Knights varsity basketball team looks forward to season The Lady Knights varsity basketball team played in the Greater Austin tournament Nov. 17-19.

“We won one game,” sophomore varsity player Ria King-Smith said. “We’re going to get better, though. We’re coming together as a team now.”

King-Smith said the tryout process is

important to the structure of the team.

“We look to see who has the most hustle,” King-smith said. “We also want to see who has the most heart.”

The team is set to play Stony Point High School today.

Lady Knights JV basketball team preparing for district The Lady Knights JV basketball team is preparing for the district championship tournament.

“We’re in tournaments right now,” sophomore Jessilyn Davis said, “and our preseason is going up and down a lot. But districts should be good.”

The team was formed in November.

Davis said the tryouts process involved a lot of conditioning.

“We wanted to really see who could hang in there with us,” Davis said. “Coach Bujak let’s us make our own decisions and plan when we’ll go in. She’s a great coach.”

The JV team will play Stony Point High School today.

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Longhorns, sports fans mourn passing of legendary coach Darrell Royal WES JOHNS

6-4 in 1967, Royal staff reporter hired Bellard to be the offensive coorDarrell Royal was much more than a dinator. The folcoach for Longhorn fans. He represented lowing off-season, winning, integrity and respect. Royal, who Bellard developed coached the Longhorns from 1957 to 1976, the formation and passed away on Nov. 7 at the age of 88. the Longhorns inRoyal was inducted into the College troduced it at the Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1983. beginning of the The Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial 1968 season. The Stadium was renamed in his honor in 1996. Horns won their The weekend after Royal died, the first game using the Longhorns gave him one of the greatest formation, lost their tributes of all time. Texas ran its first of- second, then won fensive play out of the wishbone forma- 36 straight games, tion Royal introduced in the ‘60s. Instead leading to two naof the traditional run, quarterback David tional championAsh pitched the ball to Jaxon Shipley, who ships. Much like faked the run then threw it back to Ash, the spread offense who found tight end Greg Davis for 47 in the 2000s, the yards, adding a new-school twist to an old- wishbone was the school classic. The typical formation has most productive the quarterback run a triple option with college scheme in the tailback, fullback and wide receiver. the 1970s and 1980s.

Royal’s influence on Texas football, and Darrell Royal college football as a whole, was enormous. was the most inThe Longhorn football program was on fluential coach in its way down when Royal arrived, and he Longhorn football saved it from a collapse. Ed Price, the head history because he coach before Royal, had a record of 10-19-1 set the standard in his final three seasons as a coach. Price for Texas to be a led the Horns to two Southwestern Con- national power. ference titles, his last in 1953. But in 1954, Royal established Texas went 4-5-1 and had its first losing the winning tradiseason in 15 years. The next two years Tex- tion at Texas after Darrell Royal. Photo by Susan Sigmon, The University of Texas at as continued to struggle, going 5-5 in 1955 turning the team Austin. Image courtesy of the University of Texas Press. and 1-9 in 1956. Royal took over before the around in his first 1957 season. He immediately turned the year. Royal was able to motivate his play- tions and three in the 1947 game against team around, going 6-4-1 in his first season. ers with his famous Royalisms like, “You’ve Oklahoma A&M, both of which still stand For the next 20 years, Royal and the Long- got to think lucky. If you fall into a mud hole, as Sooner records. horns would check your back His skills on the field, and on the dominate the pocket—you might sideline, make Royal one of the greatest You’ve got to think Southwestern have caught a fish.” coaches in college football history. Royal conference and Royal was not brought Texas football back from the brink lucky. If you fall in a the whole of just a great coach; of collapse, and established the Longhorns mud hole, check your college football. he was an out- as a long-term national power. The wishRoyal was standing college bone offense that Royal introduced also back pocket - you the winningest athlete as well. He set up the success of other schools like the might have caught a coach in Texas was recruited to ‘71 Alabama Crimson Tide and the OklaLonghorns play college foot- homa teams of the ‘80s. Without Royal, the fish. football history ball at the Univer- Longhorns would have continued to slide with 167 vicsity of Oklahoma downward and would have taken even lonDarrell Royal tories, and he after scouts no- ger to revive. What if he had returned to never had a losticed his talents at his alma mater and coached the Sooners to ing season as a head coach in his entire ca- the United States Army Air Corps. He two National titles? reer. Current coach Mack Brown has 149 played quarterback and defensive back for The Longhorns were blessed with wins. Much of Royal’s success was due to the University of Oklahoma from 1946 to Royal as a coach, and he will continue to the wishbone formation his assistant coach 1949. He was noted for talent at defensive be praised by Texas football fans for years Emory Bellard developed. After going back, where he amassed 18 career intercep- to come.

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Johnny ‘Football’ adds to legacy WES JOHNS staff reporter

At this time last year, Texas A&M fans were still fuming over losing to Texas in their final season in the Big 12, but this season there is a much different feeling. The Aggies took the college football scene by storm this year in their first season in the historic SEC. The Aggies finished tied for second with LSU and are heading to the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 4 to take on the Oklahoma Sooners.

Much of the Aggies’ success this year had do to freshman sensation Johnny “Football” Manziel. Manziel broke the SEC record for total offensive yards in a season, previously held by Cam Newton.

On Dec. 8, Johnny Football was given the coveted Heisman Trophy, which is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football.

Manziel was the first freshman to be given the award, and he deserves every bit of it.

The other two candidates for the award were Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o, and Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein.

Te’o led the Notre Dame defense with seven interceptions and more than 100 tackles.

Klein rushed for 22 TDs and threw for 15 this season. Both players were the hearts of their teams, but would the teams have been just as successful without them?

If the Aggies didn’t have Manziel this season, there is no doubt in my mind they would have ended the season with, at best, a 7-5 record. Without Manziel, the Aggies would have had no shot at beating Alabama, and they would have been blown out by LSU and Florida, their only losses on the season. Te’o and Klein are both outstanding players, but Manziel was more outstanding because his team was supposed to be a nobody this season, but it ended up in the top 10 and knocked off an historic conference power. As long as Manziel is in an Aggie uniform, the team will be a contender in the SEC. Part of me wishes that Te’o had won so he could become the first pure defensive player to win, and the first Samoan.

Regardless of the winner, this selection was going to be historic. If Klein won, he would have been the first player from Kansas State to receive the Heisman.

The bar has now been set for Johnny ‘Football’ Manziel. If he continues to produce Heisman numbers for his remainder of college, he could become he second player to ever win more than one Heisman, joining Archie Griffin, the great running back from Ohio State.

the shield TS: What position do you play?

Jake Fay: I am the goalie.

TS: What is your favorite part of lacrosse?

JF: Because I’m a goalie, my favorite part is just stopping the other team’s shots. It is really satisfying to know that I can stop other team’s shots for my team, which can hopefully help us win the game.

TS: How has the team changed since last year?

JF: We have less players and not as many experienced lacrosse players. We have a lot of beginners. We have pretty much been taking whoever we can just so we can have the numbers.

TS: What teams do you play during the season?

JF: We play LASA pretty soon, and we will play Westlake later on in the year. We will also play McNeil later this season.

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But because we aren’t in a district, we play a lot of bigger schools that aren’t in the district that McCallum is in for all of the other sports.

TS: What is your biggest individual goal for the season?

JF: I would say to improve on some of the flaws that I have. There are some things that I know I shouldn’t do or things that I know I do wrong. Most of them are just little small things that I want to work on like not stepping, my accuracy and passing, so I plan to work on those.

TS: What is the team’s biggest goal for the season?

JF: The team’s biggest goal is to definitely to improve on our skills because I feel like that is our biggest priority right now. Our new coach has been working on skills with us a lot lately.

TS: Who is your biggest competition?

JF: That is a tough question because I don’t really consider a certain team as our biggest rival. If I had to pick out of all of the teams, I would say McNeil. They are probably the closest to our level, and it is always a good game against them.

TS: Who is the lacrosse coach? How has he helped the team this year?

JF: He is more of a volunteer. We had to find another coach because our previous one couldn’t coach us this year. We ended up having the previous coach for the LASA team. He has helped us improve a lot of our stick skills for the new beginner players, and he has been working on teaching us a lot of offensive and defensive plays.

TS: How does lacrosse differ from the other schoolsponsored sports?

JF: Well, it doesn’t really make it any different. As a club, we aren’t sponsored by the school, so we just have the name McCallum Lacrosse, so it isn’t much different.

TS: What do you think will be the hardest thing to overcome this season?

JF: That is a tough question. I would say just matching up with the other teams. All of the other teams we play are so experienced, and we are the underdogs.

Jake Fay MARY STITES photo editor

TS: What position do you play?

TS: What is the team’s biggest goal for the season?

Brandie Brown: I am the team’s post player. Basically, I BB: Coach Campbell really wants us to be awarded stand by the block and shoot layups during the game. the best defensive team in Texas, which is obviously a really good goal to have. And we just want to dominate the TS: What is your favorite part about basketball? teams in our district.

BB: Probably the people. I really like just getting to be with friends during practice and during the games.

TS: Who will be your biggest competition in district?

The fact that I am able to play with my friends in a game BB: Our biggest competition has always been LBJ. They makes it more fun. have a lot of good athletes, but I think we do too. LBJ is probably the next best team in our district.

TS: How has the team changed from last year?

BB: This year I think that we are more cohesive and we TS: What has been the hardest game for the team so work more as a group than we did last year. We work bet- far? ter together than my previous years. I think it has to do a BB: It was probably our first game against Del Valle. lot with our skills. It is a pretty different group, and each We didn’t do as well as we should have, probably because of us individually have our own strengths. Together we it was our first game as a team. We were still getting towork to mesh everyone’s strengths. gether and seeing how everyone played with each other.

Brandie Brown

TS: What do you think will be the hardest thing for the TS: How has Coach Campbell helped you and the team? team to overcome this season?

BB: Coach Campbell gets on us when we aren’t playing BB: I think that the biggest thing we will have to over- as well as she knows we could, and she works really hard come is doubting ourselves because when we don’t have to make sure we improve. She is really encouraging, and the confidence, it shows. We can do a lot better than we we all support each other. have if we just stop doubting our abilities.

TS: How do you prepare for a game?

TS: What is your biggest individual goal for the seaBB: I just listen to music and I get myself in that mind son? set of I am about to go play a game and I get in competiBB: Probably just to have fun because this is my last tive mode. As a team we get really rowdy, we get each year playing, and play really hard so I can get the most other pumped up for the game, and we try to pump each out of the season. other up.

20

nov. 14, 2012

entertainment

the shield

Students in the Dance Department perform in “Whatacrackah” Dec. 8. This was the second year of the performance.

Photo by Mary Stites.

A modern version of ‘The Nutcracker’ Fine Arts Academy students perform ‘Whatcrackah’ for second year in a row LINA WOSTMANN

staff reporter The audience was on the stage and the dancers were performing in the seating area. This was a modern form of “The Nutcracker”: “Whatcrackah?!”

“It is a messed up, twisted version of ‘The Nutcracker,’” junior Frahazhea Ragan said.

Freshman Maya Coplin saw the saw the show on Friday and she said she really enjoyed it.

“The dancers did really well,” Coplin said. “I liked how they all looked together as a group. “ Coplin said, the main different from “The Nutcracker” to “Whatcrackah” she noticed was the modern dance styles.

“I liked the see all the different dances, and I especially enjoyed the hip hop dance,” she said.

Senior Julia Walls said the show is the story of “The Nutcracker” but in the 21st century. Walls was the assistant director, what means she worked with dance teacher Brazie Adamez to make all of the artistic decisions and make sure the show ran smoothly as well.

“After performing it last year,” Walls said, “I expressed interest in the position, and Mrs. Adamez and [former tech theater reacher Scott] Tatum, knowing my dedication to the show, gave me the position.”

Walls was a chorus dancer in the show traditional “Nutcracker.” last year.

“It is taking what we did last year and “This year it is (was) more modern,” bringing it to the next level,” Murray said.

Ragan said, ”and more interactive. I According to Murray, this means like how it mixes different dance styles adding more choreography because they together.” wanted to have more dance.

Walls said it was so amazing to watch “The show (was) produced primarily by all the different groups come together and the Dance Department with theater tech make one product. helping with the sets and the lights and “Instead of only the sound,” having ballet, it also M u r r a y It is a messed up, has contemporary said, “There hip-hop, Latin-style is music twisted version of and jazz,” dance by Bryan “The Nutcracker”. teacher Rachel Ramos, a Murray said ”It is musician I like how it mixes incorportating all here in different dance styles the different genres Austin, who that are popular composed together today.” some original Murray said music, and Frahazhea Ragan they performed he helped us Junior “Whatcrackah” to mix some again because the songs for this dance program would like it to become a show.”

Christmas tradition.

Ragan also participated in the show last Walls said the goal in performing the year. Ragan played Clara, the female lead. show every year is to make it better and “The other main characters are the better.

Sugar Plum Fairy/Bruja, Dj Papa Dras “This year there is a dialogue and and the Prince,” Murray said. narration added,” Walls said. ”Also some In the last week before the show, new dance numbers are added and a more everyone put all the elements together, concise concept.” including the costumes, the choreography, Murray said it is a lasting version of the the lighting and the sound.

“

”

“There are two student directors, community choreographers and the faculty from McCallum all working together to put the show together,” Murray said.

Dancers practiced the week before the show every day after school.

“The week before the show is always kind of hectic and stressful,” Ragan said.

Murray said what she likes best about the performances are that students are collaborative.

“The audition was a combination of auditioning and utilizing the talent of the students in our department, “ Murray said.

Because Ragan was in the show last year, she did not have to audition for the play. The dances coaches picked her after watching her progress in class.

“I liked the transformation we gave ‘The Nutcracker’ since the cast last year created the concept for the show,” Walls said. “It (was) similar, but all in all very improved from last year.”

Coplin said the staying was backwards.

So in the seats, where people normally sit, was the stage and on the stage was where people sat.

“It was weird first, but it was cool to have something different,” she said.

Coplin like the main girl Clara best because she said her dancing was amazing.

“Next year they should make it easier to see,” Coplin said, “ because where I sat it was hard to see.”

entertainment

the shield

Black Ops

dec. 14, 2012

21

released

Students compare, contrast new game to first version BRIANNA GARCIA staff reporter

From Treyarch, the makers of the Call of Duty games, comes the sequal to Black Ops. Black Ops 2 was released Nov. 13.

In Campaign, players follow a set story.

In the beginning of the story, they get to wear “special gloves,” as junior Nick Villela put it, to climb rocks.

“Without using rope climbing equipment, you can grab them with your hands,” Villela said.

The ending is different than in than in the first Black Ops because there are three different endings.

“It’s like a choose your own ending,” junior Orlando Juarez said.

Multiplayer, playing against other people around the world, has a few new things to it. There are new maps and new matches like Kill Confirmed. Villela isn’t a fan of multiplayer.

“The maps are too big. People camp,” Villela said.

Junior Luis Rivero disagrees.

“They’re medium-to-close quarters,” Rivero said.

Camping is when a player stays and hides in one spot where they can’t be seen.

They wait till another player walks past them and shoots them.

There are new maps like Carrier and Hijacked. Villela’s favorite map is Carrier.

“You’re on a battleship, a big battleship with equipment on it. There’s like stuff destroyed on it, and you can just camp in

“

there, run around,” Villela said.

In the first Black Ops, players have kill streaks. Kills after kills without dying is called a killstreak. But now in Black Ops 2, there are score points.

“That’s kind of harder,” Villela said.

“Your kills count as a score. You know how in Black Ops, three kills gets a UAV? In Black Ops 2, you have to get 350 of score.”

Rivero said the change confused him.

“It’s weird,” Rivero said. “I got three kills and I’m like, ‘Now where’s my UAV?’” Players can use their score points toward UAVs, or Sentry Guns, or other rewards.

In the first Black Ops, players received money after each game to buy equipment for their guns. Now they get tokens. The tokens can also be used to buy new guns, clan tags, emblems and other things.

“It’s like leveling up your guns,” Villela said. “The more kills you get, the more attachments you get.”

In Zombies, players have to fight off a round of zombies as long as they can, with each round having more and more zombies. The zombies’ eyes now glow, and there are cracks in the earth filled with lava that players can only stand in for a couple of seconds. Players still build barriers to slow down the zombies as in the first Black Ops. With a new perk, Tombstone, players can respawn to the spot where they died.

Along with buying new guns to help them, players can now buy Galvaknuckles, which are like brass knuckles that allow players to punch the zombies.

“

The maps are too big. People camp.

Nick Villela Junior

“There’s this one map called Greenrun. It’s a big map and you can ride a bus.

The bus takes you around. But if you don’t get on the bus, the bus leaves you,” Villela said. “You’re pretty much dead cause all the zombies come after you.”

The zombies even run after the bus and

W h a t students

I just like it okay because it is just not the same as the other one used to be. My favorite game is Resident Evil.

Sam Wayman Senior

are

It’s alright. I like the original one better, though, ’cause when you shoot someone, you kill them a lot faster.

Jiro Deloach Junior

”

jump onto it. A creature even jumps onto players from behind and claws at them if they miss the bus or go into unsafe areas.

Players are able to catch up to the bus if they can.

“I like zombies better than everything,” Villela said.

saying

”

about the g a m e I like it better than the last one. It has better features, and I like that you can go back in time and in the future.

Jay Jones* Senior *name changed

22

dec. 14, 2012

NATALIE MURPHY staff reporter

Griffin Meinbrasse Seinor/Bass player The Shield: How long have you played?

Griffin: Since sixth grade. I chose it because I’ve been playing guitar since I was 9 and the bass is tuned like the bottom four strings, so I thought it’d be an easy transition. Everyone plays guitar and there isn’t a lot of bass players, so there’s a lot of opportunities to play.

The Sheild: What’s your practice schedule like?

Griffin: It depends on how much stuff I have coming up in the near future, but it’s usually something like two to three hours a day.

The Sheild: What’s Mr. Pringle like?

Griffin: He’s a great teacher. I’ve learned a lot from studying under him these past three years. He’s pretty intense, but it’s a good thing because it motivates me. I wouldn’t work as hard if he wasn’t intense.

The Sheild: Who’s your inspiration?

Griffin: That’s a hard question. I guess musicians I admire like D. Boon and Curt Kirkwood. I like them because of what they represent; it’s a mentality. It was during the early ‘80s during the hardcore punk movement, and everyone who listens to them shares that experience.

The Sheild: What do you like to do in your free time?

Griffin: I pretty much just play music all day, so when I have free time I’m just playing some other kind of music, like something on my guitar. I’m in two bands outside of school, and I play guitar in them.

One of the bands I play with is metal and the other is kind of a mix between metal and punk.

entertainment The Shield: What’s your favorite piece you’ve played?

Griffin: In the school’s orchestra, it’s probably the Shostakovich “String Quartet Number 8.” We did that this year and it was really cool. When he wrote the piece, it was a hard time in his life. His plan was to write it and commit suicide. The song was rebelling against the Russian government because they were communists. So, there is just a lot of raw emotion in it.

The Sheild: How do you prepare for a performance?

Griffin: I just don’t think about it and try not to psych myself out.

The Sheild: What are your favorite places to go in Austin?

Griffin: I really like the line of venues along Red River, going up and down 6th and 8th streets. A lot of the venues are really cheap, like the Mohawk and Red 7. I like cheap shows.

The Sheild: What do you do after a big performance to unwind?

Griffin: I sit back from the instrument for a while and work on something else or play my guitar until I feel like I should play the bass again.

The Sheild: What are your plans for after high school?

Griffin: I’m probably going to go to a conservatory for music instead of a regular university. I’ve looked at a place in Baltimore called the Peabody Conservatory. I’ve also looked at a few places in New York, like The Manhattan School of Music. I can’t imagine myself doing anything other than music, so that’s why I only want to study that.

The Sheild: What’s your life motto?

Griffin: If it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing.

the shield

On the arts

A moment with

Griffin

Meinbresse Griffin’s Favorites:

Genre of Music: It would probably be alternative, but from the early ‘80s, stuff like the Minute Men and the Replacements. I also like a lot of ‘90s music like Failure.

Movie: I’d say “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

TV show: I don’t usually watch TV, but if I had to say my favorite show that used to be on TV, it’d be “Trailer Park Boys” or “King of the Hill.”

Griffin’s friends and fellow bass players, seinor Aidan Van Dyke (right) and junior Secoya Rittenberry (left), play bass with him during Ricky Pringle’s third period Orchestra class.

Book: This book called “We” by a Russian author named Yevgeny Zamyatin. That book is what inspired authors like Aldous Huxley to write things like “A Brave New World,” which is a Dystopian novel. “We” is really the first crazy Dystopian novel ever written.

opinion

the shield

dec. 14, 2012

23

Living in America Foreign exchange student learns to enjoy Halloween, Thanksgiving, other traditions LINA WOSTMANN

staff reporter Soon it is goodbye America and hello Germany. My exchange is almost over, and I will head home in 13 days.

On one hand, I will miss everything here a lot because I really enjoyed my exchange, but on the other hand I miss my family and my friends, too.

What I really like about American high schools is the school spirit. I love going to the pep rallies, cheering for McCallum at the football games and wearing school Tshirts. I especially liked the LBJ football game. All the students were so into cheering.

So far I have done a lot of typical American things. I went to homecoming, which was really fun. At home we don’t have homecoming dances, so it was a new experience.

I was really excited about the election of the homecoming queen because my friend, an exchange student from the Netherlands, Anne-Sophie von Hasselt, was in the finals.

She did not win the election, but it was still very exciting. I am really sad that I cannot go to the prom. A lot of people told me that prom is even bigger than Homecoming, but I am sure my friends will tell me about it.

Another typical American thing I participated in was Halloween. We have a kind of Halloween at home, but it is much smaller than what people celebrate here. Before Halloween I went with my host mom to a Halloween store. I have never seen so many Halloween things before. After trying on a lot of costumes, I finally decided to be Alice from “Alice in the Wonderland.” On the Saturday before Halloween I was invited to a friend’s Halloween party; it was really fun.

In the neighborhood I live there is always a parade on Halloween, and I went to this parade. It was fun to see all the different costumes, and especially to see all the small children in cute costumes. After the parade I went trick-or-treating with my host siblings. I got so much candy. I especially like Reeses. We do not have these at home, so I am sure I am going to take a lot of them with me to Germany. All-in-all, Halloween was a great experience.

On Nov. 3, I went with other exchange students to the Capitol, the Bob Bullock

“

Museum and to the Native American Powwow, where Native Americans celebrated American Indian culture. The powwow took place at the Burger Center. Native Americans of all ages sang, danced and played the drums together. All of them wore their traditional Native American clothes. These were very colorful. Outside, traditional Native American food was sold, including buffalo stew and roasted corn.

It was very interesting to see how Native Americans celebrate together, how they dance and what their clothing is like.

After this we went to the Capitol. We did a tour through it and learned a lot about its history. Then we went to the Bob Bullock Museum. First we watched a movie and then we walked through the museum.

I learned a lot about Texans history.

I also went to ACL- Austin City Limits. It was a great weekend. I was able to go Saturday and Sunday. I did not know most of the bands, but I did know the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Gotye. However, it was still fun to see new bands and listen to new music styles. I have never been to such a big music festival, so it was another new big event for me.

On Nov. 4, I did The Race For The Cure with my host family. It was a great feeling to run downtown in front of the Capitol. I am still impressed by all of the skyscrapers downtown.

On Thanksgiving we had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with turkey. On the weekend we went to Houston to visit my host grandparents. Houston was the biggest town I have ever seen; it was really huge. I especially liked it at night with all the lights. One day we went to Galveston to the beach. There we did the trail of life, which was really nice.Another day we watched the Houston Symphony play James Bond songs.

My host family is Jewish, so we will celebrate Hanukkah and not Christmas. I am sure it is going to be weird not to celebrate Christmas with my family, but it will be a great experience to see a different way of celebrating the holidays.

I was lucky to be here during an election year. This was another different experience. I am not used to get called during dinner by a political advertisement. In addition to this, in Germany we do not

What I really like about American high schools is the school spirit.

”

Photo of Lina Wostmann by Anne-Sophie von Hasselt. have signs in our front yards or political TV commercials. However, it was very interesting to see how big an election is in America.

At home in Germany we do not have yearbooks, so I am already excited to get a yearbook and I am sure all my friends at home want to see it too.

Veterans Day, I went to Fredericksburg with my host family. First we climbed Enchanted Rock. It was so much fun. We had a great view of the park around it on the top. It was just beautiful out there. After this we went through Fredericksburg.

They had a lot of small shops. For lunch we went to a German restaurant and had ‘German’ food. However, the food was not really German. I have never had this kind of food before in Germany. For example, I have never eaten warm potato salad before.

I definitely like the one from my grandma better. In Fredericksburg a lot of shops had German names. In was funny to see all the “typical” German things like Dirndel and Lederhosen, clothes I never wear at home in Germany.

I am very grateful that I chose to be an exchange student for this semester. Of course I missed my family and friends, but I had a really good time. I saw a lot of different things, met a lot of people and, of course, improved my English. The time passed by so fast. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been here already three months.

I am sure I will miss my host family, but I am sure, thanks to Skype, I can stay in contact with them. I also really want to come again to Austin to visit my friends here and my host family. Goodbye, Austin.

Hello, Germany!

24

opinion

dec. 14, 2012

the shield

Your Go-To Hot Chocolate Guide Staffer looks at which winter drinks measure up

Monkey Nest

Galaxy Cafe

Thunderbird Coffee

Upper Crust

Galaxy’s hot chocolate had an edge over the hot chocolate of Monkey Nest with its huge amount of chocolate. Monkey Nest failed to impress with its lack of originality. The drink was a standard bakery hot chocolate. Galaxy had a unique presentation in a glass cup with a special Galaxy cup holder.

McCallum’s go-to coffee spot, Thunderbird Coffee, rose above Upper Crust in terms of hot chocolate. Thunderbird’s has a unique taste different from any other hot chocolate I tried. It’s mild Mexican flavor gave it something more than the standard hot chocolate from Upper Crust.

The battle of the seasonal Mexican Hot Chocolate game resulted in a victory for Amy’s Ice Cream.

Complete with handwhipped whipped cream, peppermint bark and homemade marshmallows, the hot chocolate was a nice blend of cinnamon and chocolate guaranteed to please anyone.

The Amy’s Ice Cream hot chocolate is something worth waiting for all year. If you just can’t get enough, you can pick up a “Hot Chocolate Kit” and enjoy it anytime. I recommend this to anyone in need of a warm drink.

MARY STITES photo editor

While Epoch had a good hot chocolate, you can’t go wrong with a warm hot cocoa from Starbucks. Starbucks has the option to get peppermint syrup in the hot chocolate, which adds a nice holiday touch to the drink. Starbucks doesn’t hold back on the chocolate, making it a great go-to drink.

Amy’s Ice Cream

Taco Shack

Epoch

Starbucks

opinion

the shield

dec. 14, 2012

25

Writers give teens new worlds to explore Young adult fiction focuses on characters in post-apocalyptic societies NATALIE MURPHEY staff reporter

“Divergent”

by Veronica Roth “Divergent” follows a teenage girl named Beatrice, or Tris, who lives in a post-apocalyptic society that takes place in what used to be Chicago, Illinois. In this society people are split up into communities, called factions, based on personality traits and values.

On her 16th birthday Tris must decide which faction she will spend her adult life in. Tris’ exam results in a surprising conclusion. “Divergent” is a thrilling, romantic and thought-provoking novel. The author brilliantly critiques our society today and predicts where we could end up. I love this book! I checked it out from the library and my eyes were glued to it until the last sentence.

When I began reading I thought, “Not another dystopian war book.” I even nicknamed the book “The Hunger Games’ annoying younger cousin.” But as I read the very first chapter, I knew this was different.

Veronica Roth’s writing style is refreshing and unique. I felt as though she was sitting next to me, telling me the story herself.

Her protagonist, Tris, feels authentic and relatable. She is not exceptionally beautiful or talented. She is a real girl. Tris feels like she could be someone who sits next to you in fourth period.

And as for her love interest, Four, don’t even get me started. Four is tall, dark and handsome, yet Roth makes it clear that he is flawed and frustrating. You’ll fall in love with him while Tris does, guaranteed. My favorite thing about this book is how it makes you think. You’ll be searching inside yourself for days afterward asking, “Which faction would I choose?” and “If I were put in a simulation, what fears and weaknesses of mine would be discovered?” I highly recommend this book to anyone. Fan of Young Adult fiction or not, this book will pull you in until the very end.

light” is getting for its cheesy love triangle, I’m surprised at Condie’s choice to take the story in that direction. Maybe if she had made the actual characters unique in some way, the love triangle would have interested me more, but the “good girl” being torn between the safe, romantic boy and the dark, mysterious boy is so worn out. The plot is too similar to “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent.” It feels like Condie took a piece of all the popular books right now and mixed them together to make another smash hit and get her name out there.

However, I read the whole book, and let’s face it, I’ll probably read the sequel. Maybe that means she succeeded. Or maybe it just means I’m starved for some post-apocalyptic drama. The world may never know.

“The Heroes of Olympus” series by Rick Riordan

“Matched”

by Ally Condie This book is, you guessed it, another dystopian YA fiction. It takes place in a society where everything is assigned to you, including the person you marry. In this society citizens are not allowed to make art or music and cannot choose their own career paths. It follows the life of a teenage girl named Cassia. Cassia is “matched” with her childhood friend, Xander, and at the same time, falls in love with a mysterious boy named Ky. Throughout the novel Cassia is torn between two beautiful boys and struggles with the powers that be.

I think the idea behind “Matched” is brilliant but poorly executed. I had high hopes for it because it had been recommended to me a lot. Condie is talented at creating a world and making the reader feel like a part of it, but the story is mediocre at best.

After the recent criticism that “Twi-

This series is the spin off of the hugely popular Percy Jackson series, also by Riordan, Both series follow young demi-gods in their adventures through Greek and Roman mythology. In the new series, Riordan chronicles not only Percy, but also seven other young demi-gods. The twist is that some of the demi-gods are sons and daughters of Greek gods, and others of Roman Gods. The demi-gods navigate the tension of finding out there are others like them who believe different things about the gods of Olympus.

Let me start by saying I love Percy Jackson, and Rick Riordan is my homeboy.

However, I don’t like the new series. Riordan tells the story through each character’s point of view. Every chapter is narrated by a different demi-god. It’s too many thoughts and feelings. By the time I’m reading the background story of a seventh character, I just don’t care anymore.

Another thing I don’t like is that the end of the Percy Jackson series was epic, and I thought it was perfect being left where it was, and then Riordan decided to write five more books completely unraveling the finality of the PJ series. I think the idea of merging Greek and Roman mythology is great and that Riordan should keep writing about mythology, but he should have started with brand new characters and a brand new plot.

Riordan is a great author, though, and I will read anything he comes up with. I just wish he could have changed it up a bit and taken more risks.

26

opinion

dec. 14, 2012

the shield

Let’s Tesellate Staffer discusses work of rising Indie band, Alt-J MARY STITES photo editor

“An Awesome Wave” made its American debut Sept. 18 and quickly reached the top of the Indie charts. Alt-J, also known as ∆, has quickly gained recognition for its complex layers of sounds, diverse tracks, literary references and incredible live shows.

The band has blurred the lines of what it truly means to be an Indie band.

Oct. 14, I rushed to the front of the Barton Springs stage at Zilker Park to watch the British quartet get ready on stage for its set at Austin City Limits. Lead vocalist Joe Newman, drummer Thom Green, guitarist and bassist Gwil Sainsbury and keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton all walked onto the stage and smiled. Joe Newman smiled and said, “Thank you so much for waking up early to come watch our set. We have heard so much about this incredible city, and it is a dream to be playing here.”

They opened with “Intro” from “An Awesome Wave.” With each song, the crowd grew bigger and bigger. The Austin City Limits crowd was amazed with the band’s humbleness and genuine excitement to be playing in America.

After meeting each other in their first week at the University of Leeds, members of Alt-J began playing at open mic nights with borrowed equipment from the previous acts. Keys and vocalist Unger-Hamilton referred to their setup as “sketchy” but

had gotten so used to it that when the band group’s diversity in what they do with their began playing real gigs, he asked to have instruments. Throughout the album, inhis keys set up on crates. The four began to terludes divide the album into separate record music on Garage Band and signed movements, each with its own mood and with Infectious Records in 2011. meaning. On Oct. 15, Unger-Hamilton Alt-J spent three years working on “An told KUT-Austin they were used as a way Awesome Wave” and released EPs and to “cleanse the music palate.” Interludes 1, 2 tracks on Soundcloud as they worked on and 3 separate the tracks and demonstrate their album. While releasing bits of the a change in pace. After “Breezeblocks,” “Inalbum, they stayed true to making sure terlude 2” features Newman playing a slow that they produced acoustic song with something that people and cars was valued as a full driving past in the The idea of producbody of work, not as background to insmaller tracks. troduce the brighting something that This idea of proer portion of the could be viewed as a ducing an album album. Including that was one comthese interludes whole body of work is plete piece of work makes the album something you don’t led to the winning of have a much betthe Mercury Prize ter flow and makes see anymore in this on Nov. 1. The band the changes in the single-track industry. had doubts about tracks make more winning because of sense. the tight competiThe 4-track tion between Django Django, Ben How- EP consists of “Breezeblocks,” “Matilda,” ard, Richard Hawley and Plan B. Unger- “Hand-Made” and “Tessellate” and conHamilton described the winning of the tains Alt-J’s more popular songs. However, award as “a shock because [we] were one “Breezeblocks” and “Fitzpleasure” are the of the first groups to win on an Indie label.” songs you are must likely to hear on the ra“An Awesome Wave,” named after dio. These two tracks are the band’s more “American Psycho” by Bret Easton Ellis, pop tracks. consists of 10 tracks, an intro and three The coolest movement of “An Awesome interludes. Each track has completely Wave” is after “Interlude 2” and features new sounds, new rhythms and shows the “Something Good,” “Dissolve Me,” “Matil-

da,” “Ms” and “Fitzpleasure.” I’ve found this to be the slower part of the album that features lots of bass and keys parts. Even though this is my favorite movement, the entire work of this album is something unlike anything I have ever heard.

Alt-J’s ability to mix things up in the music world has not only appeared in their music, but in their music videos. The “Breezeblocks” music video shows a murder in reverse. When I first saw it, I was completely creeped out, but as I watched it again and again, it was something completely new and really interesting.

Listening to Alt-J’s work makes any music-goer appreciate someone’s desire to jump outside of the box and bring something new to the table. They are one of the only bands to have focused on producing something to appreciate as a whole even though the music industry has evolved into a single-track industry with artists constantly releasing singles to the public.

Alt-J has made a body of work that any single person would be able to find something that appeals to their music taste. This album is something that you have to listen all the way through, not just a few tracks.

While some of their tracks will become radio hits more than others, each song presents something completely new and shows how Alt-J has done an incredible job of allowing themselves to do something new in the future by not labeling themselves on how their music should sound.

Alt-J during its set at Austin City Limits Music Festival on Oct. 14. Photo

by Mary Stites.

BRAINSTORM released its first Album, “Heat Waves,” on Aug. 1. This Portland-based band incorporates a variety of beats inspired by native African songs. My favorite tracks of the album include “Flat Earth” and “Word Up.”

“

”

More albums to consider...

White Arrows released its third album, “Dry Land Is Not a Myth,” on June 19. If you are into the alternative-rock sounds of Reptar, this is an album worth checking out. I recommend “Settle Down” and “Get Gone.”

editorial

the shield

dec. 14, 2012

27

Arts education needs to be supported Creative outlets help to make students more well-rounded, successful A growing outcry for arts is not what you would expect to hear from many AISD parents, but recently arts education has become a center staple in the curriculum of schools throughout Austin. The distribution of arts education has come to parents’ attention, and measures have recently been taken to extend the reach of arts in schools.

In order to ensure a broad awareness of their surroundings and self, students have to be exposed to an arts education.

With the creative outlet that fine arts and arts educations offer, students have an opportunity to grow in school in multiple ways, from academically to creatively and everything in between. Fine arts have been encouraged and are progressively growing throughout AISD. The creation of the non-profit organization MINDPOP allows rising seniors in Austin to participate in and develop art programs and curriculum in primary and secondary schools. MINDPOP acts as a bridge between financial beneficiary nonprofit organizations and education centers and schools. The MINDPOP team has recently come out with a proposal, ‘The Any Given Child’ initiative, which is dedicated to student success through an artsfueled education. This will point schools in the right direction and make the arts a priority. Research done by MINDPOP is being used by AISD to help convey the benefits of arts educations.

Superintendent Meria Carstarphen is in full support and has decided to join AISD with MINDPOP and over 40 arts and cultural organizations. To help the

initiative grow, Lamar Middle School recently established a Fine Arts Academy that will work closely with Mac’s own FAA. The accelerated art curriculum has been started to inspire young artists and encourage the unification of academics and arts. This movement has been met by enthusiastic support from the district and from Carstarphen. It is believed by the MINDPOP initiative and by the school board that students who attend art-rich schools receive an overall stronger education and experience more social and academic success. Other students who attend schools with less access to arts education have more of an uphill battle socially and academically.

Statistically speaking, graduation rates have skyrocketed in schools with arts-rich syllabi and have lowered dramatically in schools with very few art programs. According to a report published by The Center for Arts Education’s, high school graduates earn, on average, $1 million more in their lifetimes than adults who dropout of high school.

The study also suggests schools’ high drop out rates have a direct correlation to the amount of fine arts classes made available to their students. It goes on to address fundraising for the arts by stating that schools tend to have stronger arts programs when students who are fully involved in the programs carry out fundraising. By expanding arts, schools have more access to community out-reach organizations, funds to acquire certified art instructors and art space.

assistant editor Caitlin Falk

online editor Baron Heinrich

photo editor Mary Stites

advertising manager Seren Villwock

The Shield is published by journalism students in the Newspaper production class.

Although students work under the guidance of a professional faculty member, the student staff ultimitely determines the content.

Students may not publish material that is obscene, libelous or that which will cause a “substantial disruption to the educational pro-

tivities. The incorporation of fine arts into everyday teaching and syllabi helps bridge the gap between students and teachers and allows a creative outlet for students who need it most.

By partnering with organizations like MINDPOP, schools in AISD should be able to work towards a more interactive

staff vote Does arts-rich education develop more well-rounded students?

14 2 4 yes

no

visual arts, theatre, dance or music. Due to arts programs, the NEA suggests that students will grow to have higher career goals and will become more involved in their surrounding communities.

On Nov. 30, Carstarphen and the arts programs of schools from all across Austin participated in her yearly State of the District Address, where she celebrated the arts in AISD and proposed her plan for their continued expansion.

Arts education helps to create wellrounded individuals, but without it curriculums focus too much on left-brain ac-

no opinion

and creative campus and curriculum. The influx of art classes needs to be productive and helpful by working with the academic side of school as well as focusing on aspects of life not covered academically. The establishment of prominent art programs needs to help enrich education, and this is done by a healthy balance of right and left brain activity. The proposals for the upcoming year look promising and exciting. With their partnership with MINDPOP, AISD should be able to start to see the success of using arts and creative environments to better their students.

A.N. McCallum High School 5600 Sunshine Dr. Austin, TX 78756 (512) 414-7539 fax (512) 453-2599 shield.newspaper@gmail.om

the

shield staff

In another study released by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), it was discovered that “at-risk youth” or young students who have a “low socioeconomic status” who are exposed to in-depth art programs more often than not do better academically and later in life. These arts programs include organized classes of

editor-in-chief Grace Frye reporters adviser Rhonda Moore

cess.” Content that may stimulate heated debate is not included in this definition.

The Shield operates as an open forum for exchange of ideas. Opinions expressed in editorials are the ideas of the staff. Opinions expressed in the columns are that of the writer’s alone.

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dec. 14, 2012

photo essay

the shield

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Bands perform annual Holiday Concert 1. Director Jeff Rudy directs the band as they play “Chanukah is Here,” arranged by Calvin Custer. “The song is very long,” junior Hannah Rudy said. “It incorporates a variety of Jewish Chanukah songs into one piece. The piece is really cool because every instrument gets a change to play the melody.”

2. Seniors Joey Westphal and Asia Dunn play their saxophones during the Holiday Concert.

3. Senior Samantha Johnson and junior Alex Soques play the french horn part of “Sleigh Ride,” arranged by Leroy Anderson.

4.Senior clarinetist Neil Raulie plays the melody during “Bells.”

Photos by Mary Stites.