May 2011
Manzano High School
Volume LI Issue VII
MHS Seniors Overcome the Odds to Graduate
“Look to your right; now look to your left. Nearly 40% of these people will not be with you your senior year.” Sound familiar Seniors? This was said right after the jumpstart day four years ago by Tim Whalen, former MHS principal. The media often tells the stories of those who drop-out of high school and schools are often criticized for their drop-out rates. This is not one of those stories, rather this is about those who made it. High school is a chapter in the life of a young teen transitioning into a young adult. Manzano has many diligent students who worked hard to graduate, but some students in particular overcame challenging obstacles and still managed to pull through. Mikayla Padilla, MHS student of four years, strived to take on the challenge of graduating one semester early. It may sound easy, but most students don’t realize the time sacrificed to get ahead. As many students were enjoying their summer vacations sleeping in and hanging out
with friends, Padilla was at summer school. “I took summer school every year in high school. I took a total of six classes,” explained Padilla. Padilla is currently attending cosmetology school, and by next February, hopes to graduate with her license, where she can then work in a salon. “The fact that I could start college earlier and be ahead is why I chose to graduate early,” stated Padilla. Senior year is supposed to be the most memorable year in high school. Padilla enjoyed being involved with school as a varsity cheerleader, yearbook, and senate. “I miss my friends and being with everybody, but I love what I’m doing and wouldn’t change my decision if I had the chance,” expressed Padilla. Although Padilla has graduated and began a new chapter in life, she still plans on walking with her class at the graduation ceremony. “I am definitely still walking with the class; I
Juniors to Watch on Page 6
wouldn’t miss that for the world,” expressed Padilla. Padilla was not the only one entering the adult world, as Flor Garcia, MHS senior, was not only balancing out her last year in high school but becoming a mother during the middle of the year. “After having a child, it was very hard keeping up with school and taking care of my son,” explained Garcia. Garcia managed to stay on track with her credits and working a part-time job at Jack in the Box; not only for herself, but for her son as well. “My son was the one who motivated me and got me through the night and the hard work,” explained Garcia. After coming this far, every step of the way was worth it for Garcia to graduate with her class and not get behind. Garcia found the energy after staying up long hours of the night, to still finish her homework and show up to class on time every morning ready to work. “I always knew I wanted my diploma,” stated Garcia. Garcia now plans on
Senior Photo Poll on Page 7
furthering her education and going to college to get her degree. Another student taking on the responsibilities of a young adult is Danyel Munoz. The MHS student of four years just recently moved into his new apartment the last couple months of his senior year. “I decided to move out on my own because, to me, nobody was going to be able to teach me about the real world but me. I feel like if I can handle this when I’m 18 then when I’m older I’ll be able to be more responsible,” expressed Munoz. Munoz works at Hastings and pays for his bills through his credit card then pays that off right away. Some students thought they had it hard paying for their own lunch and coming to class everyday while maintaining good grades, but try paying for rent, cell phone bill, water bill, gas, ect. Munoz shows he is responsible and serious about getting a head start on the lessons of adulthood. “The pros about moving is privacy, but I do miss my
Erika Sanchez 2011
homemade meals by mom,” chuckled Munoz. Munoz is really close with his family so moving out was hard but he still visits them on a weekly basis. “The hardest thing for me at first was waking up on my own; I never wanted to get up because I had nobody to yell at me to wake up,” explained Munoz. Just like Munoz, Dominique Baca learned to apply herself in school after an unsuccessful freshmen year. It was her second semester of her first year in high school and she was already very behind on credits, but it was then that she determined she was going to make it. “I was behind on six full credits,” explained Baca. Baca took night school her freshman, sophomore, junior, and half of senior year. Not to mention the three years in summer school. “What motivated me the most was I wanted it; I wanted to prove to those who doubted me wrong and, sometimes,
Continued on page 3. see Seniors!
Check out the Paw Print Seniors on Pages 10 and 11
PAW
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May 2011
Senior News
Race to the Top: Who will be Valedictorian? What most students anticipate about high school is making friends, going to the social gatherings, and of course hanging out; but for many, high school is a stepping-stone into the rest of their lives. As graduation nears, the top students of the 2011 senior class are waiting to find out who will be the Valedictorian. The Valedictorian is the student who has accumulated the highest G.P.A in his/her four years of high school. In the years passed, the Valedictorian has been a student with G.P.A’s of 4.4 or 4.5; grades like these are achieved by taking AP and honors classes all four years and passing those classes with exceptional grades. This year’s Valedictorian will be announced on May 19. For the top two seniors this year, Clara Eickoff and Savannah Kresbach, being Valedictorian is a nice title because of all the hard work they have put into their classes but the greater reward is what comes after high school: college and careers. Steve Schum, MHS teacher and MESA advisor, described Kresbach as a very intelligent and focused student who doesn’t need to brag. Schum went on to say that Kresbach doesn’t bite off more than she can chew while maintaining great social skills with both teachers and friends. As a senior who has been accepted into a prestigious program such as UNM’s Bachelor’s/Medical Degree (BA/MD) program, one may wonder
“is school her whole life?” Actually, Kresbach has been very involved with Manzano the last four years by participating in MESA, cross-country, swimming, NHS, and orchestra. “It’s not that I had to make time for [extra – curriculars], I just had to plan it into my schedule,” said Kresbach about maintaining good grades while staying so involved at school. She continued by stating, “ When we had a [swim/track] meet, I had to make sure my homework was done before because there was no time otherwise.” Just like Kresbach, Eickoff has kept herself busy in her four years at Manzano by participating in future
problem solving, swimming, concert choir, prestige, and a part time job at Los Altos Swimming Pool as a lifeguard. With so much on her plate between school and extra activities, a student like Eickoff must enjoy such a packed schedule. “I just like being busy… I can’t imagine giving any part of it up, I like everything I do too much. I just learned how to fit it all in,” said Eickoff. Anyone who knows Eickoff or has had a class with her could testify how much general knowledge she really has. “There’s almost nothing you can bring up that she can’t comment on,” said Jack Nuzum, MHS teacher, about
Savannah, right and Clara, left. Photo courtesy of Katelyn Swain.
MHS Athletes Prepare for Next Level Danny Baker 2011 Each year Manzano sends some of its seniors to continue their sports careers in college. The transition from high school sports to college sports is one of the toughest achievements that can be accomplished. This year there are a lot of different athletes going to college. Ryan Trujillo, Kevin Reaves, Josh Bowen, Michael Holyfield, Destiny Bragman, Erik Bouma, Ryan Thomas, and Andrew Hjorth are some of the people who plan on going to play their sports in college. All of the students with scholarships worked hard at becoming as good as they are at their sports, while keeping up their grades so they could continue to play. Now that the
MHS would like to thank NIE for donating newspapers!
opportunity to play in the next level has arrived, they need to strive to play at the best of their ability. All of the athletes know they have to be just as committed to their grades as they are to their sport. For some of the students it was easy to pick where they wanted to go. Whether it was for the sports program or the scholarships they received. “I had like eight offers and I just chose Highlands,” said Ryan Trujillo, an MHS senior and Gatorade player of the year. College can bring a lot of new challenges to athletes that they need to prepare for to be as successful as they can be. “I plan on running, working out to get back in shape so I can be competitive,” said Kevin Reaves an
Ernestine Frank 2011 Eickoff’s intelligence. As a self-motivated student, Eickoff is looking forward to college because of the time management, work ethic, and responsibility that high school has taught her. Like most students, she doesn’t think it will be easy, and as a matter of fact she hopes it will be a little hard. “I actually hope it won’t be easy, I slack off when something is too easy,” stated Eickoff. Students who tend to excel and rise to the top of their class in high school enjoy learning. They honestly like school and push themselves to do well. The best advice a top student could give out to an aspiring Valedictorian is just that, “Learning has to be something you love doing. If you have that, build a strong work ethic and you should be set,” said Eickoff. One of the most important factors in Kresbach’s and Eickoff’s success is that neither of their parents pushed them to do any more than what they were capable of. “They always expected the best I could do. If I got a B or a C in a class, they would be okay with it as long as I did my best,” said Eickoff about her parents encouraging support. Both Kresbach and Eickoff have decided to further their education in the medical field. Kresbach hopes to become a doctor in an undecided field and Eickoff would like to be a nurse practioner with her own practice or travel with Doctors Without Borders. If their high school records are any indication, it is safe to say that both
MHS senior. Some of the seniors could even play more than one sport in college like Reaves who could play baseball and football. “I like football more but I don’t know which sport I want to play more,” said Reaves. Other college athletes will prove to be a tougher competition than anything most of the high school players have faced and will bring much bigger and faster. “I know the competition is going to be really tough, but I need to push through adversity to make myself stand out as the ball player I can be,” explained Erik Bouma an MHS senior. There are also some MHS students who want to try to walk on. Athletes who try to walk on may have been overlooked and could become great
players. “I’m going to take two years to hone my skills and work as hard as I can during my off time to better prepare myself to attempt to walk on,” said Troy Rogers an MHS senior who plans on trying to walk on at UNM.
Chill out Manzano seniors!
Senior Kevin Reaves
Photo courtesy of Katelyn Swain
One Free Chiller with a Manzano Senior ID (Only redeemable at sonic drive in on 6320 Central SE)
Senior News Seniors
continued from page 1 even myself,” expressed Baca. After a full schedule of classes during the day, most students would love going home, taking a nice nap, or hanging out with friends, but Baca’s day was still not over. Baca got her coffee ready as she had a couple more classes left. Instead of dropping out or getting her G.E.D, she proved to everyone it is possible to get back on track with making up twelve classes. “Many times I felt like giving up, but my mom and my friends always gave me the support I needed,” explained Baca. As Baca dealt with making up credits, Feliz Munoz, MHS senior, dealt with her father’s health issues. Her father had pulmonary fibrosis which is scarring of the lungs. His doctor is located in Denver Colorado, so when her family got the phone call for his transplant, Munoz’s mother, father, and little brother immediately moved to Denver while Munoz stayed here in Albuquerque with her grandmother to finish off her last year in high school. “When my dad got his transplant on October 4th, I was able to stay with him for two weeks, but then I had to come home. I lived on my own pretty much. My grandma always worked so I basically saw her two days a week,” expressed Munoz. October to February were the hardest months for Munoz as being student body president, editor in chief of the Paw Print, and dealing with her dad was hard. “Casie, the vice president was there for me for everything and I thank her so much; a lot of the editing for the paper is done in class so I never really missed much and Mr. Kraus (Paw Print advisor) and I work really well together, so it worked out,” explained Munoz. Munoz went to Denver to see her family as often as she could on weekends and talked to them all the time. Now, Munoz’s family is back living at home and her father is doing extremely well recovering from his transplant. “My dad motivated me so much. I wanted to do everything in my power to prove to my parents that I could do everything they set me up to do,” explained Munoz. These are just a few of seniors who strived to complete high school and worked extra hard for their diploma. They all had different barriers to break, but the one thing they all have in common is being able to stand proud and say, “I did it.”
PAW May 2011
A Monarch Wins the Trip of a Lifetime
3 Sean Cairns 2011
Manzano senior, Yoselin Torres, has recently won a student expedition to Australia led by National Geographic and fully funded by an adjoining scholarship. The Student Expeditions program from National Geographic gives interested students a chance to go to locations all over the world led by experts and locals to learn about the environment and culture of a country. “This trip is a privilege, I still can’t believe all the things I will be doing and all the places I will go,” said Torres. The adventure began when Nanci Cairns’ English 12 class was reading the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. In the novel, the character Able Magwitch is sent to a prison colony on the continent of Australia. “For the novel we read, I always bring in information about the setting,” said Cairns, who also said that Torres and several other students were greatly interested by Australia. A few weeks later, Cairns read about the Student Expeditions program in a magazine. Cairns showed the information to Torres, who is interested in becoming an animal behaviorologist when she graduates from college, and was greatly interested by the program. “I’ve always wanted to go to Australia,” said Torres. At first, the opportunity almost seemed out of reach as funding for the expedition costs the student roughly $10,000. However, a scholarship is available for students who want to go. Cairns encouraged Torres to apply for the scholarship. To apply, a student must fill out the application, give a statement of purpose, and provide two letters of recommendation from core class teachers. “It’s also a needs-based scholarship,” added Torres. Most students would be unable to fund such an expedition on their own, but with the help of the scholarship, the opportunity is more readily available. This all happened fast, very, very fast,” said Cairns. Torres applied for the scholarship in February, one month after she and Cairns had heard about it. After the span of about a month, Torres found out she was a winner. Based on Torres’ career choice, this expedition is a great jump-off point. “I want to work for National Geographic,” said Torres. Torres’ main draw to Australia of course, is the wildlife. Torres is looking forward to seeing animals such as kangaroos, koalas, different reptiles, and the many dangerous creatures of Australia. “How to handle them would be cool to learn,” said Torres. Torres wants to study animal behavior because she believes that animal behaviors can help humans. “I think we can definitely learn from animals,” says Torres. Torres is also one of the founders of the new Milieu club at Manzano which is focused on the environment. Torres plans to take her information from the trip and use it to help the fledgling club in the future. “I plan on contacting the (future) president,” said Torres. Torres is one of only 20 students from the entire country to participate in the program and the only one from New Mexico. “It s an honor to be the only person from New Mexico,” said Torres. The trip, which lasts three weeks, and consists of seven days in Sydney, seven days in the Outback, seven days in Queensland, and ends with two days in a city coincidentally named Cairns. Cairns, who has a thirty-four year teaching background, is very proud of her student and uses this as an example for other students. “I’m thrilled for Yoselin, this will open a lot of doors,” said Cairns, who always pushes her students to apply for scholarships and other academic programs that can benefit their futures. In the past, Cairns has had students get large scholarships. One student got a full ride scholarship to Barnard University another got a scholarship to a journalism school in Missouri. “It validates when I tell kids to apply for opportunities,” said Cairns. Students should apply for as many scholarships as possible as most students do not know what is available to them. While in Australia, Torres gets the opportunity to meet and work with Ulla Lohmann, a photojournalist for National Geographic. Torres said that she owes everything to Cairns and to Steve Schum. She thanks Cairns for her encouragement in the program and throughout the process, and she thanks Schum for his letters of recommendation. If students are interested in this or other scholarships, they should consult either Cairns in room K-207, or Rod Hansen in the main office.
Empire State of Mind: MHS senior heads to New York for college Mariah Griego 2012
Graduating is scary for many seniors, but imagine leaving your family and friends to attend a college out-of-state. Nick Vo is a graduating senior who is leaving New Mexico to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. He recently sat down with the Paw Print to discuss his thoughts on going away for college. What do you want to do in your career? I would like to work for a fashion magazine firm as an editor, journalist, or a stylist. When will you be leaving? And how did you decide on the college? I will be flying out to New York in mid-August. I actually also got accepted into UNM, but I decided to go to FIT since it is my dream college. It was easy to decide, although UNM is also a really great school. What was your first thought when you found out you got accepted? I thought it was an April Fool’s joke because I literally got my acceptance letter on April 1st. I was really surprised to see that I got accepted because this school is really competitive. Later, I learned from the school’s admissions office that only 1,400 out of 7,000 applicants had gotten accepted this year - so you can see why I was so excited. What are you going to miss the most? I think I’m really going to miss the easy, quiet lifestyle of New Mexico. It’s going to be a really big change for me to move from this custom to the fast paced life of New York. What is your biggest worry about leaving? The biggest worry about leaving for me is to not be able to see my family as often as I would like to. How did you celebrate your acceptence? We celebrated my acceptance by going out to eat as a family, and calling up my other family members and telling them the news. My family was in shock, as much as I was. How do you feel about leaving? I’m really excited about leaving! New Mexico is a great place to live, but it’s just not the place for me. New York is where I would like to be. I’m just really scared that I’ll get lost in the city. I’m going to be like a little kid in a candy store. Have you ever left your family for a long period of time? I actually have not left my family for a long period of time. We are really close, so it’s going to be a huge change, for both them and myself, when I leave. What are you going to miss about high school? Surprisingly, I’m going to miss a lot about high school. I know I might be the only one, but I am going to miss having to wake up early in the morning just to make it on time to first period and staying up late just to finish assignments for classes. I’m also going to miss the people and the diversity of Manzano and the amazing staff here. What is something you have to say to underclassmen? Something I would like for underclassmen to know is that once they step through the doors of high school life, they should always try to do their best in school. This is where it really counts - it determines which college they will be going to, thus determining what they will be doing with their life. It’s great to have fun during your high school years, but it’s also as important to make school your first priority. In ten years, I don’t think you would like to look back and regret your decisions. It’s good to know how to balance both your social life with your academic life. If you can balance both of them, I applaud you.
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PAW May 2011
School News
MHS Says Goodbye to Some Legendary Teachers Sean Cairns 2012 Over its 50 years of operation, Manzano High School has been graced by many excellent teachers, teachers who have made connections with students on more than one level. This year though, some of the best educators are graduating with the class of 2011. The teachers, Jack Nuzum, Carol Nuzum, Loretta Micek, Deborah More, and Ann Schultz, have served MHS for many years and have seen many classes grow from fledgling freshmen into well educated and world ready seniors. Jack Nuzum has worked at MHS for 27 years, his wife, Carol Nuzum, for 17, but this year, after their many years of service they have decided to retire. Both of the Nuzums express their satisfaction about graduating with the class of 2011. “It is a great class, and we are honored to graduate with the class of 2011,” the Nuzums said. Both the Nuzums served as English teachers over the course of their storied careers. Jack Nuzum also taught the Bible as Literature class. That class will now be taught by Brett Rimer. Both of the Nuzums say that they will miss all of their students and colleagues in the English department. Also, after years of dedicated conducting, orchestra teacher More is preparing to retire. Another teacher who is ending her career with Manzano is Schultz. Schultz has taught at MHS for 26 years and has seen many students
become better artists in her class. Schultz said that she will miss her students the most. “I will miss the students because they make me laugh, they keep you young,” said Schultz. Of all the teachers retiring, Micek has served Manzano the longest and greatly looks forward to retirement. Micek came to Manzano in 1978 and started as an educational essistant. In her 39 year career she coached softball for 14 years and has helped with Special Olympics. “I will definitely miss Manzano and the students, I have enjoyed my time here,” said Micek, who, however, will not totally be gone from Manzano. Micek will return next year to help with the backpack food program, a program to give food to homeless students, that she started at Manzano in 2009. All of the retiring teachers will miss their students at Manzano, but will enjoy their new found free time. The teachers who are saying goodbye have left a lasting mark on Manzano, and the students they taught will carry their legacy forever. The teachers do have some advice for the students they are leaving behind though. “Keep the spirit, and don’t be slackers! Read, read, read, even if it s not assigned,” said Jack Nuzum as his final words of advice.
Manzano’s BSU visited Ralph J. Bunche Elementary (Technology) School on April 21st. Pictured with Bunche’s sixth grade class are Kaya Davis, Monay Willis, Lilian Okoye, Eligio Gonzales, Auzrielle Willis, and Mr. Clark. The sixth graders put on a technology show and later asked questions about what middle school and high school life is like.
Top Ten
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PAW May 2011
A lot of important events have occurred over the last four years. During this time the Paw Print has been delivering news that impacts students and teachers. This is a timeline of the biggest stories over the time seniors have spent at MHS. Ashley Day and Alysha Landavazo 2011
October 2009
Two tragedies hit MHS in October 2009. Within weeks of each other, a student and a teacher passed away.
August 2007
K-building was already a new addition to Manzano when the current seniors arrived. It received an addition that started in 2007. The addition includes a Special Olympics gym. The entire building is now made up of 36 classrooms.
Erin Gonzales was a sophomore at MHS when she lost her life in a tragic accident. Her friends and family still remember her life. She is never forgotten. Teacher Gracie Sellers died unexpectedly, shortly after being diagnosed with colon cancer. She taught at MHS for 32 years. Her legacy still remains in the spirit of Manzano.
August 2008
On August 4th, 2008 a heavy rainstorm came through Albuquerque, leaving the main gym a MHS flooded. This caused the ’08 Homecoming Coronation assembly to be held at Wilson Stadium.
August 2010 May 2008
When Tim Whalen retired from being principal of Manzano in 2008, Therese Carroll took on the role of being the Monarchs’ principal. Carroll had past experience with Manzano, and had worked with APS for sixteen years prior.
February 2009
MHS has one clear rival: the Eldorado Eagles. At a home varsity basketball game, against the Eagles, a dishonorable fight broke out. This game started a “battle” of vandalism on both campuses. Purple paint was found on the EHS campus, and orange paint was found on the MHS campus.
August 2009
During the current seniors’ junior year, all of APS switched over to a block schedule. Before, classes were only 53 minutes long, and every class met every day. After the switch, though, classes were extended to 120 minutes long, and met every other day.
A new opportunity arose for students missing credits this year. Students are now able to take classes online with Manzano’s eCademy. Students in the program still have teachers, but they are not required to meet. eCademy work is done on the students own time. This is a great opportunity for students who are missing credits or just wanting to get ahead.
May 2010
APS faced a $43 million cut in funding for the 2010-2011 school year. MHS was affected by the loss of several teachers, a cut on many supplies, and overcrowded classrooms.
October 2010 & March 2011
The varsity football team and the varsity boys basketball team had great seasons this year and both were victorious at the district championships. In a year for the ages, both teams made it all the way to State.
March 2011
In 2010, sophomores were informed that the SBA would have to be passed during their junior year in order for them to receive a diploma. However, due to snow days, Governor Susana Martinez decided to not count the SBA as a graduation requirement for current juniors. However, the test will be a requirement for the class of 2013.
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Juniors to Watch
PAW May 2011
Top 10 Juniors
In the race for Valedictorian (not in any order)
Courtney Brooks
Channelle Salazar
Michelle Haack
Sara Evans
Jacob Holt
Michael Weeks
Amanda Sims
Samantha SwordFehlberg
Abby Luu
Kathleen Heitzinger
Creative Arts Look to Continue Success in 2012 Cheyanne Herrera and Tyler Gallegos 2012
Manzano has many creative arts programs to offer students throughout the year, and this May many successful seniors are graduating, which means these spots needs to be filled. So who are the juniors who will be using their creativity to shine next year. Band: Went to Washington DC, and played a fantastic tune this year. Some juniors who will look to build from that successful trip include Gabe Montoya, Paul Clear, and Naveed Jafari. Guitar: Is a great class for those who love to play guitars and learn to make their own music. Well, next year guitar has some new players to watch for, like Eli Turcios, Andrew Jaramillo, and Jalen Jones. Orchestra: Has been playing symphonies this year and the new musical talents that are going to be seniors next years are Leanna Ederer, Nick Handley, and Judi Bacdi. Drama: Catwalk Productions had three great shows this year. However, as the year comes to a close the seniors are walking the line to graduate, and the drama department is going to need some new actors for center stage, and they include Jaden Posda, Josh Garnham, and Kaylee Cunningham Choir: Manzano has a long history of having a fantastic choice. Top singers next year will be Dominique Rodriguez, Elena Williamson, and Karena Smestad.
Student Body Officers are ready to take control for the 2011-2012 school year
Berenice Cuevas-President
Nicolette SikelianosVice President
David Schodt- Secretary Cheyanne
Juniors Have Big Shoes to Fill in Sports
Tyler Gallegos 2012
Manzano High School has had a very promising year with all their sports. However, many of the stars were seniors, so who will step up in 2012
are going to be stars next year .
Basketball: Just like football, the basketball team won the district and made it all the way to state championship game. They have great players that are going to take over as leaders next year. This list includes Austin Roark, Mike Nolan, and Lucas Lantz. Meanwhile on the girls team Sara Evans, and Codiee Myles look to get the Monaarchs back to state.
and next year Melissa Melendez and Linley Gallegos will be spiking the ball and getting those points to help to win the game.
Track and Field: Sammy Sword-Fehlberg and Anthony Jaramillo are both young stars Football: Had a great year and made it on the track. Coach Carreathers is counting all the way to the state championship. Next on them to have huge senior seasons. year’s seniors hope to take it a step further Cross Country: These juniors are going to and win the blue trophy. Taking the center go the distance next year as seniors: Dylan stage are players like Justin Snow, Anthony Montoya, Tyler Shelton, and Josh Garner. Jaramillo, Anthony Johnson, and Phillip Ramirez. Cheerleading: Cheering the Monarchs on Diving: Has gotten a lot of attention to victory next year will be future seniors this year with junior Courtney Brooks, who Bryanna Boughter, and Catlin Casper. has taken diving to new depths as she has already won awards for her dives in metro Volleyball: After having a young team the and state. last few years, the Monarchs have grown up
Wrestling: Nick Marquez and Aundre Huynh have wrestled their way to top and Herrera- Treasurer
Special Olympics: Special Olympics is a year round organization that has numerous sports, and the atheltes to watch (in more then one sport) are LeTre Brewster, Jesse Viera, Taylor Mendoza, Derrick Covey, JoJo Kurtz, Greg Ogie, Isaiah Requa, and Emmy Tidwell.
Seniors
PAW
“Do what you are capable of.” -Amber Jarmillo
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May 2011
What is some advice you would give an underclassman about entering their senior year?
“Take it all in because it happens quick.” -Tarren Farrow
“Live life to the fullest and keep your head up.” -Son Ha
What’s something you wish you would have done in high school?
What is your favorite memory of Manzano? “Friday Night football games.” -Phillip Garcia “The assemblies!” -Noel Warrick “Seeing my DAB’s (best friends) everyday.” -Dominique Baca
What is the most memorable thing while being a senior?
“Be in more clubs.” -Lindsey Garcia “Run for Homecoming Queen.” -Destiny Bragman
“Been in Senate all four years.” -Janeshia Adams
What was your favorite class? “Working with Children.” -Andrew Hjorth
“Painting and Drawing Class.” -Shyanne Romero
“All the people I’ve met, it’s been my best year.” -Ivan Yanez
“Baseball Class.” -Troy Rogers
“Homecoming week.” -Beau Jarvies
“Closeness of our senior class.” -Kristen DuPont
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PAW
Rustic Pathways Whether it’s taking a safari through the Serengeti, riding on an elephant’s back in Thailand, or building a school in Morocco, Rustic Pathways has adventures for every vim aspiration. Rustic Pathways is a high school travelling program that has been in operation over the last 26 years. They give students the opportunity to travel the world with a group of students from around the globe. (No parents allowed!) Trips range from a few days, to nine months. Celeste Radogno, a junior in high school from Chicago, Illinois, took an eleven-day trip last summer to the Fiji Islands with the Malakati Magic program. “Living with other students I had just met was amazing, we were so fortunate because we bonded so well, no one was shy and everyone got along,” said Radogno. Programs fall into categories
New Experiences
May 2011 Chrisine Romero and Yoselin Torres 2011
including adventure, community service, language, and life skills. The host countries include the U.S, Australia, Thailand, the Fiji Islands, New Zealand, Vietnam, India, Africa, China, Costa Rica, Panama, Mongolia, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Tanzania, Romania, and Peru. The goal of Rustic Pathways is to enrich the lives of the students who join, while also benefiting parts of the world they serve. They build cultural bridges that lead to prospective global cooperation and awareness, not to mention the indelible aesthetics aroused within travelling. “We would swim a lot, kayak with the kids, play games with the kids! Dance around nighttime bonfires, drink kava, and who could forget the underwater caves,” said Jocelyn Rodriguez, a senior at St. Pius High School in Albuquerque, NM who joined Radogno in the
Fiji Islands last summer. Students learn to familiarize themselves with the new culture and lifestyle that they will be apart of for the duration of the trip. Some trips offer luxurious rooms, restrooms, and electricity; others, not so much. “Living conditions in Fiji were unconventional by American standards, we slept in tents on foam mats with thin pillows, had little to no running water or working toilets,” explained Radogno. The community service projects are founded on assisting the needs of the people. Projects range from repairing schools, painting houses, helping the children with schoolwork, or focusing on issues of adverse conditions some communities are facing. “We helped put the village
back together after it was damaged by severe weather. This involved cementing the community center, painting, and picking up trash,” said Radogno. The world possesses a myriad of adventures awaiting curious students. Rustic Pathways takes advantage of seeing Australia’s iconic Uluru, scuba diving amongst the coral in Panama, or taking part in a mystical ceremony in Laos, the organization extends endless contingencies. “This was the greatest experience of my life so far. I recommend everyone to do a trip like this especially through Rustic Pathways because it was so laid back,” said Rodriguez. Although the price isn’t necessarily cheap for the trips (a majority of the money goes towards airfare), the sun shines
for those who cannot afford the cost. Scholarships are awarded based on need and merit, and can cover full or partial program costs. To be eligible, applicants must be between 14 and 18 years of age and currently enrolled in school. The only catch is that scholarship recipients are expected to create a reflection project based on their summer travel experience. The price for many of their programs is about the same or less than the cost of summer camp, and the experience of living and working in a foreign environment and learning a new language is unbeatable. More information about Rustic Pathways can be found at www.rusticpathways.com.
Ten-Hut: Some MHS seniors prepare for boot camp
Max Alaniz 2011
Get a part time job, go to college, living with your parents in their basement until you’re 30. These are some of the most common paths taken by students after graduating high school. But what about a path not traveled by most? One that demands sacrifice and challenge to both a person’s mind and body? Have you ever dreamed of being part of something bigger than yourself or ever thought of putting a random stranger’s life before yours? Well for the people of the United states Military this is part of their everyday life. A small number of high school graduates choose a harder more dangerous and challenging path for their lives by enlisting with a branch of military. There are four major branches of military one can choose from. You can choose to accelerate your life with the Navy, aim high with the Air Force, be Army strong, or be one of the few, the proud the Marines. To become a part of any branch of military one must
first complete basic training or “boot camp”. The length of basic training for each branch varies. For the Marines its 13 weeks, for the Army nine weeks, for the Navy and Air force six weeks. The point of boot camp is to get the recruit into both mental and physical shape by going through intense physical training and some sort of schooling while in basic training. “I Joined the Armed Forces because I knew that it would be a great way to earn a living, support my family, and make myself a better person,” said Gallegos .“Also, I really wanted to serve my country after 9/11.” One thing that deters most people is the fear of death or injury while in the military due to its affiliation with war and fighting. So what is it that pushes people into still enlisting? “The fear of death has never really scared me because
I know what I’m getting myself into.” said MHS senior D.J. Young, who will be joining the armed services after graduating. “I am willing to give my life for this country”. It’s not just the recruit who’s being affected by the choice what about their friends? Or even their family? “My mom is torn up about this because she doesn’t want me to be a solider but she is happy that I am doing my lifelong dream, the rest of my family supports me.” said Young. The choice might also be easier if there are already family members in the military who have been in combat. “My grandfather fought in WWII” explained Young “he landed in on Normandy beach on the second wave and fought all thethe way to France” If you are interested in finding out more information about joining the military visit one of the many recruiting bases in the city.
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Entertainment
Best and Worst of 2010
So as the year draws to a close and our senior-friends begin moving away from us and toward that somewhatimposing light of college and adulthood, we here at the Paw Print say goodbye in the only way we know how. And what would the senior issue be if there weren’t some sort of retrospective list of the year’s best and worst films? Ladies and gentlemen, the best and worst films of 2010-2011 Coming in as the fifth best film of the 2010-2011 time period: “127 Hours”. Starring James Franco (“Pineapple Express”) in this seemingly un-filmable true story about a young man trapped in a crater in the middle of the Utah desert with his arm hopelessly stuck in between a boulder and a stone wall, the audience is treated to a truly terrific performance on Franco’s part, as well as masterful directing on the part of director Danny Boyle (Oscar-winning director for “Slumdog Millionaire”). The fifth worst film: “Saw 3D”. Hopefully the last gasp on the part of the seven-part saga which ran out of scares after the second film and has, since then, solely relied on the shock value of its incredible amount of gore. Do I mind such gore? Not at all, but I would like for there to be some kind of intelligent storyline, as well. Coming in as the fourth best film of the year: “Black Swan”. Though I personally do not believe this is director Darren Aronofksy’s (“Requiem for a Dream”, “The Wrestler”) masterpiece, this certainly
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Billy Huntsman 2012
is a magnificent film, and the stepping stone from which both Aronofksy’s and Best Actress Oscar-winning (“Black Swan”) Natalie Portman’s career takes a major turn for the better. The fourth worst film of the year: “Legion”. Starring Dennis Quaid and Paul Betany, the film revolves around God sending down his army of angels, armed with machine guns and semiautomatics, to destroy the human race, in which He has “lost faith”, though why is never clarified. Ridiculous storyline, terrible special effects, but decent-enough action scenes. Rainy-weekend rental, at best. The third best film of the year: “Toy Story 3”. To start off, it’s practically inarguable that Pixar Studios puts forth perhaps the greatest animated films the movie industry has ever seen, and while “Up” was a stroke of genius, “Toy Story 3” has to be its magnum opus. The film is a testimony to the immortal strength of friendship, and if you don’t finish the film wanting to take down all your old stuffed animals and dolls from your attic and hug them as tightly as you can, then you don’t have a soul-simple as that. The third worst film of the year is “Piranha 3D”. Like “Saw 3D”, the film sacrifices all intelligent storyline for the pure purpose of having more room in which to exercise its impressive use of gore. Violent as the Holocaust, you may be left with a smoking hole in your head: that
May 2011
would be the part of your brain that registers emotion being mercilessly killed off. Not that I mind violence, but “Piranha” is just insulting to the public. It’s as though the filmmakers all said, “Give ‘em blood and gore, and sex and violence, and, oh, yeah, some pot too, and make everyone a teenager on spring break; this is gonna be a huge hit!” I tend to believe that that particular film-formula died with Chucky and Freddy Kreuger. The second best film of the year: “Inception”. Quite possibly the most groundbreaking film of the 21st century so far--even more so than “Avatar”--Christopher Nolan’s (“The Dark Knight”) summer blockbuster proved to be a visually-stunning cinematic marvel, as well as possessing a mind-bending storyline, and those two elements combined can only create a great film. The second worst film of the year: “The Social Network”. The more I think about it, the more I detest Jesse Eisenberg, who, along with the entire premise of the film, totally drove “The Social Network” into the ground, making it a totally uninteresting film below the watch-ability of filming paint drying. Finally, the best film of the year goes to “True Grit”. Prevailing out of the 1969 version’s shadow could not have been easy, but every aspect of the 2010 version eclipsed its forbearer in every way, doing so with an amazing grace, from Jeff Bridges’ role as Rooster Cogburn,
A Coming-of-Age Tale for the Ages Alex Stafford and her close friends, Vivian and Eleanor, just turned 17. That means it’s time for their very first season (in other words, their first time being displayed as more than children to their society), which includes going to balls, dating boys, and building a foundation to become the best adult they can be –much like high school seniors after graduation. Picture the typical Victorian Jane Austen setting, insert the modern day strong, independent lead female characters, and blend it all together with romance and murder mystery. That beautiful concoction is what Sarah
MacLean’s “The Season” is made of. Alex Stafford is opinionated, strong willed and certainly not a “delicate flower” like her governess and mother want her to be. She and her best friends just turned 17, which means that this season, they will be allowed out of the house— to do adult things. Just like seniors in high school, these girls have to figure out their own way in life, even if it isn’t what their parents consider ideal. MacLean is a brilliant author who never ceases to entertain her readers with quippy character interactions that keep the pages turning. MacLean characters contain so much depth and personality
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to Hailee Steinfeld’s role as Maddie Ross, to the Coen Brothers’ alwaysbrilliant directing; this film proves to be an eternally-relevant and perfectly entertaining experience. And at last, the worst film of the year goes to “Splice”. Small-time indie films are what Adrien Brody (Best Actor Oscar-winner, “The Pianist”) seems to be known for these days, and “Splice” fits perfectly into that category. As a scientist, Brody’s character and his girlfriend (Sarah Polley, “Dawn of the Dead” 2004) work together and accidentally create a sub-human-alien-thing, by splicing human DNA with animal DNA. The film is ambitious, no doubt, but is totally lost as to what its final destination is. At first, I thought the film was a horror flick, but as the movie played on it turned out to be more like Ann and King Kong on Skull Island. Throughout the movie, we see the humanoid become sexually involved with Polley--its mother--and Brody--its father, because that’s what the film needed to be good--good ol’ fashioned incest. Excellent year for film, I say, and, with any luck, next year will be no different. Have a good summer at the movies!
Amanda Sims 2012
that the reader can easily picture them as if they were real people. For example, when one of Alex’s brothers says, referring to her dancing skills: “ ‘Nor the lightest. Mind your toes, chap.’ Kit, as usual, delivered his barb with an impish grin thrown in the direction of an increasingly irritated Alex” (page 30). The main couple (naming names would spoil half the novel’s mysterious charm) is extremely well developed; their ego’s take a number of hits and their personalities grow and conform to fit each other in a balance that only the new adults they are each becoming can handle. Sarah MacLean’s novel draws many more parallels between modern day life and the Victorian lifestyles of Alex and her friends than first meets the eye. For instance, as Alex, Vivi, and Ella make the shift into adult life, they get the chance to experience many new things. High on the list would be attending ballroom parties, wearing prettier and lower cut dresses, and
discovering that the death of a good friend’s father might not have been as accidental as it seems. While the things young adults experience in the 21st century are not exactly the same as the ones found in “The Season,” they still carry the same principles. As seniors in high school make the jump into college and the real world, they will be exposed to lots of new things, including people, places, jobs, and situations. “The Season” is a masterpiece novel and must be put straight to the top of anyone’s “to read” list. I highly recommend it and I am not kidding when I say I couldn’t put it down—I was walking in from class to class with the book cracked open and pages flying like crazy. Favorite quote: “‘Charming sentiment,’ Alex said, adding, ‘It’s incredible that men think of finding a wife in the same vein as electing a politician.’ ” (page 238)
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PRINT May 2011
Paw Print Seniors
Alysha Landavazo
Steven Eckardt
Ashley Day
Meagan Fluellen
Danny Baker
Ernestine Frank
Erika Sanchez
Alicia Martinez
Taylor Yearout
Arcadia Apodaca
Favorite color- Green Favorite food- Italian Favorite movie- “The Breakfast Club” What will you miss from Newspaper? Finishing the issue and seeing how good the paper looks! Favorite color-Green Favorite food- Chicken Favorite movie- “The Proposal” What will you miss from Newspaper? Laughing with all of the editors at the meetings. Favorite color-Red Favorite food-Steak Favorite movie- “Transformers” What will you miss from Newspaper? The funny teacher. Favorite color-Pink Favorite food-Chicken Favorite movie- “The Hangover” What will you miss from Newspaper? Mr. Kraus’s corny quotes of the day and his speeches afterwards.
Favorite color- Pink Favorite food- Sushi Favorite movie- “Get Him To The Greek” What will you miss from Newspaper? Interviewing people.
Favorite color- Red and blue Favorite food- Chinese Favorite movie- “The Dark Knight” What will you miss most from Newspaper? Working together with everyone.
Favorite color- Pink Favorite food- Burritos Favorite movie- “ATL” What will you miss most from Newspaper? I will miss the comfort of the class. Favorite color- Green Favorite food- Spaghetti or steak with potatoes Favorite movie- “Forrest Gump” What will you miss most from Newspaper? Class discussions: Mr. Kraus usually says something that strikes up a good laugh out of me.
Favorite color- Pink and yellow Favorite food- Chicken Alfredo Favorite movie- “A Walk To Remember” What will you miss most from Newspaper? I’m going to miss the excitement of everyone and Kraus’s angry face.
Favorite color- Pink Favorite food- Pasta Favorite movie- “Titanic” What will you miss most from Newspaper? Hanging out with my friends and chilling in the class.
Paw Print Seniors
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May 2011
Feliz Munoz
Michael Craig
Yoselin Torres
Max Alaniz
Meralyn Werner
Monica Martinez
Favorite color- Green and purple Favorite food- Hot wings Favorite movie- “Due Date” What will you miss most from Newspaper? The bond I’ve made with the editing team and getting to lay out the paper.
Favorite color- Red, white, and black Favorite food- Coffee Favorite movie- “28 Weeks Later” What will you miss most from Newspaper? Everyone!
Favorite color- Blue and green Favorite food- Anything Italian Favorite movie- “Into The Wild” What will you miss most from Newspaper? The family environment.
Favorite color- Black Favorite food- Sea food, chinese, and BBQ Favorite movie- “300” What will you miss most from Newspaper? Having class with Coach Kraus.
Favorite color- Turqoise blue Favorite food- Pad thai from Pei Wei Favorite movie- “Can’t Buy Me Love” What will you miss most from Newspaper? The mix of all classes made for a really entertaining elective class.
Chritine Romero
Favorite color- Gray Favorite food- Spinach and artichoke dip Favorite movie- “Tiny Furniture” What will you miss most from Newspaper? Mr. Kraus’s unparalleled wit.
Favorite color- Pink Favorite food- Hot wings Favorite movie- “James and The Giant Peach” What will you miss most from Newspaper? Being able to express my opinion and have people listen.
2010-2011 Paw Print Staff (Underclassmen)
Jason Barnett Meadow Butler Sean Cairns Mariah Chavez Shyanne Costales Brandon Epler Shane Esposito Favorite color- Greena and yellow Tyler Gallegos Mariah Griego Favorite food- Spaghetti Cheyanne Herrera Favorite movie- “Cinderella Man” Cheyanne Turner What will you miss most from Newspaper? Everything because I didn’t give much effort which David Jio Billy Huntsman I regret.
James Craig
Cloie Logan Karla Maldonado Amanda Porter Autumn Quillen Amanda Sims Katelyn Swain Harold Swib Rhianna Szczesiul Isaac Trujillo Sabrina Vargas Kristyn Willoughby Sarah Mondragon Brenda Roman
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Monarchs of the Year
PRINT May 2011
Athletes
Ryan Trujillo: Was the starting quarterback for the district-winning MHS football team. He had an outstanding season, worked extremely hard, and in his ďŹ rst year as a starter led the Monarchs to the state championship game.
Caroline Lewiecki: Is an exceptionally talented, intelligent, and dedicated crosscountry runner for the MHS track team. Her work ethic will take her as far as she wants to go, as fast as she wants to get there.
Students
Staff
Andrew Hjorth: MHS senior who gets good grades, and participates in many extra curricular activities. Earlier this year he represented MHS at meetings with Superintendent Brooks .
Ashley Frechette: She is a dedicated and loyal student who’s been involved in Student Senate for all four of her years. Her teachers believe she has a great future ahead of her.
Ben Sisneros- He is the K-Hall custodian, and this is his fourth year at MHS. All of the K-Hall teachers would like to thank him for his dedication.
Travis Julian: In his fourth season as the head coach for MHS basketball he led the Monarchs to the state championship game. He is a hard worker who puts his players before himself.
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