Manzano’s 2012 Homecoming Court
Kayla Critiques the New Batman Movie page 2
Monarchs Around the World page 7
September 2012
Manzano High School
Volume LIII Issue I
Out With A Bang:
Honor Choir for Mrs. Erickson’s last year Skylar Griego 2014 In the Manzano Choir Room, on the back wall behind the student seats, there hangs a banner. Two quotes from one popular song stand out on purple fabric in bold silver letters. “...Rising up to the challenge of our rivals!” “Had the guts, got the glory!” These lyrics verbalize what the Manzano Concert Choir is all about. Last year in October, MHS Prestige won a contest and performed on stage with Foreigner. Once again the Monarchs have risen up to meet the spotlight. Under the leadership of Choir Director Carla Erickson, the MHS Concert Choir is currently preparing for their upcoming performance in January as the AllState Honor Choir. All choir officers agree that they are going to put in a lot of effort to perform well for Mrs. Erickson’s last year before retirement. “The All-State Music Conference is where students from around the state of New Mexico audition to be in the top music ensembles-band, orchestra, and choir. Prestigious conductors come to work with these groups for two days, and the students present a concert on the third day,” explained Mrs. Erickson. Not only are particular students picked to be in the separate All-State ensembles, but there are also specific groups picked for different performances. These groups are the best at what they do, which is why they earn the title of the Honor Groups. Each year an Honor group is selected from submitted recordings, and then that group presents a program for the All-State students, teachers, and community members at Popejoy Hall. “An Albuquerque Choir has not been picked in over 25 years,” said Mrs. Erickson. “It is a huge honor for Manzano to have been selected. I am very confident they will sound great, if they work hard.” “We’re going to work our butts off to perform the best for the whole state,” says senior Marissa Gale, the Concert Choir Vice President. “But most importantly, for Mrs. Erickson.” The CC Secretary/Treasurer, Chloe Jew, senior, President Lukas Lowery-Ross, senior, and Vice President Gale have all auditioned and been accepted into All-State in the past. The three singers described it as an amazing experience filled with hard work and surrounded by people with a passion for expressing themselves through their voices. “I think that every student should strive for such an incredible experience,” said Lowery-Ross. Mrs. Erickson said the choir will be performing about six or seven pieces, each completely different from the last, and all challenging. “I think that they are very interesting, yet very challenging. I am very excited for the new songs,” exclaimed Choir Librarian Kayla Johnston, junior. “Some are upbeat and exciting,” said Jew. “And some will simply strike at the heartstrings. It’s going to be awesome.” The choir has yet to decide on the piece they will be doing in collaboration with the All-State Honor Band, See “Honor Choir” on page 4
Mrs. Huynh-Arnold in the Senate room with student senators. Photo Courtesy Matt Kraus
It’s a Win-Win, or Should We Say, Huynh-Huynh Situation Heather Fisk 2013 It’s the beginning of another year of Monarch pride and much has changed. Among the bigger changes at Manzano is the induction of Jennifer Huynh-Arnold as the new activities director. If you haven’t had Mrs. Huynh for Language Arts, AVID, Vietnamese, or been a part of Asian Student Union, you probably don’t know much about her. “Mrs. Huynh is organized and very positive,” commented senior Alyn Melloy, a member of Senate. Throughout high school at Highland, Mrs. Huynh was involved in Student Senate, Track&Field, and Asian Student Union, as well as being senior editor of the yearbook. A few short years later, Mrs. Huynh graduated from UNM with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and embarked on her career as a teacher. As soon as Mrs. Huynh heard of the opportunity for the upcoming position, she spoke with Ms. Cortez, previous activities director, who agreed to let Mrs. Huynh “shadow” the event planning process for Homecoming. “I wanted this position because it’s such a great feeling to help students advocate for themselves,” Mrs. Huynh explained. After going through an interview with a committee consisting of various staff members, parents, and a student representative, Mrs. Huynh got a call from APS informing her that she had been selected. “I was absolutely ecstatic,” recalled Mrs. Huynh. Mrs. Huynh would now be in charge of organizing, advertising, setting up dances, planning other school events such as assemblies, running snack bar and announcements, as well as guiding the Student Senate who help her out with all of the above. “Events cannot be run by one person. It all requires a group effort and I cannot be more grateful for my Student Senate this year,” said Mrs. Huynh. Encouraged by fellow teachers and Senate, Mrs. Huynh’s top goal is that all students will feel heard and be a part of the school, not just to simply attend. “Mrs. Huynh is a wonderful person. She cares for every one of her students,” stated senior Johnathan Thai, a See “Huynh-Huynh” on page 5
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Critics’ Corner
September 2012
Music David Thinks You’ll Like (if you’re into that sort of thing) David Jio 2013
Frank Ocean – channel ORANGE [Def Jam] July 2012 “The best song wasn’t the single, but you weren’t either,” croons Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All alumni Frank Ocean on the fifth track of his debut full-length, channel ORANGE, reflecting a consistent theme that exists both literally and figuratively throughout the 17 track R&B epic; Frank Ocean is sad about someone, and he expresses it thoroughly and soulfully on each track, leaving channel ORANGE devoid of any throwaway filler that seems to dominate the body of most everyday albums in the modern age of the radio single. Lamentation on heartbreak, adolescence, materialism, addiction, and the fall of youth and innocence is dispersed throughout an offering that owes as much to Blackstreet and Usher as it does to Marvin Gaye and Prince. A return to form for the stifled and false murmurings regurgitated from the modern radio R&Bullcrap pop movement, this alt-rap soul bearer is casually inviting the listener into a world of musical subtlety, and the rewards for accepting that invitation are nothing short of groundbreaking.
Stick To Your Guns – Diamond [Sumerian] March 2012 The fourth studio album from SoCal hardcore outfit Stick To Your Guns picks up right where its predecessor, The Hope Division, left off; cleanly produced metal-tinged hardcore littered with movie samples and heavy riffs between the uplifting choruses that owe as much to frontman Jesse Barnett’s emotional screams and lyrics about personal struggle and being a better human being as they do to the rhythmic and musical adaptability of the STYG instrumental barrage. Kicking off with a few lilting guitar notes before diving straight down into stomping hardcore beatdown territory, the album opens with the title track, with movie samples philosophizing about life over locomotive rhythms while Barnett cries “I know that what’s in front of me is a reflection of what’s inside of me”, hinting at the themes of personal breakage and rebuilding that
For fans of: Usher, Boyz II Men, OFWGKTA, Ginuwine Standout Tracks: “Sweet Life”, “White feat. John Mayer”, “Lost”
the band is known for delivering with spine-chilling sincerity and near impeccable finesse. Through philosophical subtext, the album’s speed and weight deliver messages of unity (“We Still Believe”, “Against Them All”) and chilling emotional openness (“Built Upon The Sand”), these powerful lyrical messages combined with clean production on an album full of powerful metallic extremes result in an offering that reaches out to anyone who needs a good breakdown, some moshable chaos, or even just a helping hand. For fans of: Hardcore and metal music, Liferuiner, For The Fallen Dreams Standout tracks: “Against Them All”, “Built Upon The Sand”, “We Still Believe”
The Dark Knight Rises Above the Competition
Bassnectar – VAVA VOOM [Amorphous] April 2012
Kayla Vandever 2015
In the haphazard dancefloor rampage that was the year of 2011, the term “dubstep” became a household name, with teenagers belting out whatever loud, growling, crunchy rips and mixes they could get their internet-sifting claws on through their headphones and home stereos, tormenting their parents and intriguing their friends. In this atmosphere, the hyphy, robotic, seizure-inducing beast that is what kids are calling dubstep took the world by storm and left half of us dancing and contorting our “bassfaces” in enjoyment, and left the other half cursing and debasing the newest musical craze for an alleged lack of talent. In the wake of this explosion emerged a monolithic force from a 10+ year veteran of the bass-driven genre-- Bassnectar. VAVA VOOM weighs in at Bassnectar’s 9th full-length album, not counting at least 6 other wildly groundbreaking EP releases, and offers forth a refreshing view of a genre that has become prone to mechanized stereotypes and dangerous redundancy. With a guest spot from Lupe Fiasco and a varied emotional palate, the album traverses hip-hop trunk rattling (“Vava Voom feat. Lupe Fiasco”), face-melting dubstep (“What feat. Jantsen”, “Ugly”), psychedelic sound manipulation (“Laughter Crescendo”) and ethereal bass-driven soundscapes (“Butterfly feat. Mimi Page”, “Empathy”), leaving the listener with a musical journey that is calm, rage, love, passion, and happiness encased in an offering from a bass veteran that shows that he can not only keep up with the new kids, but can also transcend the household robotrage and create a mystique that is as enchanting as it is exciting.
As I sit there in a room full of Batman shirts on people of all ages, the smell of popcorn and dimming lights, goosebumps begin to shiver on my body and then it begins, the rumbling sound of a plane. The Dark Knight Rises owns my eyes for the next 3 hours. Eight years after the death of Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale), the billionaire of Gotham City, has disappeared into the shadows of his mansion. As the people of Gotham wonder if they’ll ever see Batman again, or Bruce Wayne, for that matter, the one thing that will bring the Batman out again is a villain that would cause trouble in his city. Bane (Tom Hardy), a man who wears a mask that provides medicine to help tone down the pain he’s had since childhood, has a plan to tear down Gotham City. Of course, Batman will not allow any person to try to destroy the city he always kept safe. The Dark Knight Rises took darkness to a whole other level; the darkness became darker. From the heroic actions of Batman and the mouth dropping terrorism of Bane, this movie exceeded its expectations and went beyond the great moral of the story.
For fans of: Electronic music, especially dubstep/drum and bass Standout Tracks: “Empathy”, “Butterfly”, “Laughter Crescendo”
Bane tells Batman: “Oh, you think darkness is your ally. You merely adopted the dark; I was born in it, molded by it. I didn’t see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but blinding!” Tom Hardy, who played the villain Bane, was chosen for this movie specifically for his acting in RocknRolla. Hardy rose into this trilogy with great experience and amazing performance. I honestly don’t believe there could have been a better actor to play Bane because of the way Hardy can put himself into the character. Bane, who is amazingly muscular and super strong, is a villain who is hard to put in modern superhero films, but Hardy showed that there can be such a villain
in this real world we live in. Anne Hathaway played Selina Kyle who is supposed to be a sly, mischievous character who is a classic thief. Hathaway did an awesome job at portraying “The Cat”. Though this movie wasn’t supposed to fully show Catwoman, you can definitely recognize her in Hathaway’s costume of a black, skin tight, leather corset and glasses that form into “cat ears” when she puts them up on her head. Her costume design was based off the Catwoman in the 1966 Batman film. I honestly didn’t like the costume choice, but it turned out to be a perfect fit. With films like Inception and the two latest Batman films, Christopher Nolan always blows my mind away. Expecting an above-and-beyond film, I sat in my seat in the theatre, watching this great creation unfold before my eyes. Nolan does a great job at picking his cast members that fit perfectly for the character that is to be played. I loved the darkness in this movie that was shown within the scene locations, such as the underground sewer where Bane held his base. The most intense scene in The Dark Knight Rises comes from the comic book Knightfall. Watching this scene play out in a movie was unbelievably great. Seeing the cover of Knightfall, as Bane breaks Batman’s back made me wonder, “How will this be acted out?” and as I expected, it was just as awesome as I imagined. The Dark Knight Rises was a brilliant movie and I believe it was the greatest out of Nolan’s Batman trilogy. From the awkward, amazing voice of Bane to the ancient liveliness of Batman, this movie is beyond great!
Critics’ Corner
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September 2012
Nevermore Shall the World Be the Same
Skylar Griego 2014 Calling all Maximum Ride fans! Yoo-hoo, has anyone survived the Doomsday? Oh, good. I was worried for a minute. After what happened at the end of Angel, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was the only book freak left here. At long last, James Patterson released the final book of the epic science-fiction series on August 1, 2012. Nevermore, the 344 page finale, is the epic tale finally answering all the questions that left Max fans-including myself-quivering with adrenaline in their seats and just dying to know how it all ends. Now, since this is a review of the very last book of the series, all fans that have not read up to Angel may read on at your own risk. Can you live with a spoiler or two? “‘Everything is about to change,’ the Voice said. ‘Prepare yourselves.’” We were left with so many loose ends in the last book. A group of psychos dubbed the Doomsday Group babbling their crazy talk about the One Light, and their plan to kill all the humans, bombs in a fireworks show (Which I’m sure every pyromaniac out there takes offense to. I know this one does.) Patterson left us with Fang and Max parting ways, Angel’s disappearance, and the exposure of the Doomsday Group. Finally, Max has saved the world as everyone keeps telling her she’s supposed to do. So we thought. Now we have the 99 Percenters. They make the Doomsday Group look like a glee club. Now Max has to save the world-again. “‘What? Carrying the weight of the whole world on my shoulders wasn’t enough? Now I have to look out for your happiness, too?’” 99 Percent of the human race is going to be wiped off the face of the Earth. She’s got to do this all while dealing with the loss of Angel and Fang, the usual crushing responsibility of being the flock leader, and her jumbled up emotions about the boys in her life. But all that changes when an unexpected winged mutant shows up and the group hears a rumor that Angel might be alive. The very little peace the flock earned goes straight to heck. Naturally, it’s mission time. But will they be too late? Trust me when I tell you you want to go on this adventure. Good luck finding another novel that absorbs you as much as this one does. I put off sleep for over five hours to finish this book. With Max’s narrating skills, you won’t even feel like you’re reading. And it’s written in first person. That’s right. Patterson is that good. Personally, my favorite thing would have to be Max. She’s tough, she’s real, and she is the embodiment of girl power, though there is absolutely nothing feminine about her. And I don’t care what you say your favorite genre is, Nevermore is for everyone! Thriller lovers, romantics, science-fiction nerds, and bird lovers will never be able to put it down! This heart-racing story will keep fans jumping on the edge of their seat and ignoring their responsibilities up to the very last page. With scenes that grab your heart, make your mind race, and make you gasp so much that you start hyperventilating, Max’s last adventure is absolutely worth the wait we had to suffer through. Everything about this novel is absolutely perfect! And finally, the conclusion you’ve all been waiting for: Team Dylan or Team Fang? The winner is... *drumroll*... revealed in Nevermore, so go buy a copy!
Darksiders II Review Daniel Hyde 2015 “To spare his brother from oblivion, the second horseman rode forth. And his name was Death.” The sequel to Darksiders is making people give harsh reviews and question the true capability of THQ, the maker of this RPG (Role Playing Game). The sequel follows the same story line of the first game in this series. In the first Darksiders, you take control of “War,” one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and are accused and imprisoned by the Charred Council for causing a war between Heaven and Hell and the destruction of the world. Now, you take control of War’s brother, the most feared horseman, “Death.” As Death, your responsibility is to prove to the Charred Council that your brother is innocent by getting to the Tree of Life to find the true answers of who caused the war. What stands in the way is corruption. After going online and reading some other reviews, it seems I couldn’t agree more. Most critics gave the game a 7 out of 10 or 8 out of 10. Overall, Darksiders II was a relatively entertaining-yet confusing concept. From a critical standpoint,
the graphics were cheese and the story line lacked any challenge, and even though there were a lot of bosses, they were too easy and it got a bit annoying after a while. If you are unfamiliar with the Darksiders franchise, it is a 3rd person RPG with action and puzzles. In the game you will encounter many characters such as the Creators, who literally created everything. They are older than even the Charred Council. Also, there are merchants from whom you are able to purchase a variety of things that are harder to find. Then you encounter some bosses/giants. Also, traveling seemed to take forever until I found the fast travel option. This is a new idea THQ came up with that makes traveling really easy-- you just press a button and you are across the map. This new effect took me awhile to find, but once I did it was easy. Darksiders II will keep you entertained for a few hours as long as you have a few hours to give to it. Considering everything this game has to offer, it wasn’t bad, although some critics called it “the worst game of 2012.” I disagree; the game was entertaining, captivating, and fun.
Got Brains? Zane breaks down the hit series The Walking Dead Zanedigo Alaniz 2015 The Walking Dead isn’t just another zombie fling with humans in it - it’s a story of humanity with zombies on the side. There’s still plenty of zombies having humans on the side, though. Namely, their brains. The Walking Dead mainly revolves around the sheriff deputy, Rick Grime, who wakes up from a coma after being shot in the chest. As he searches for his family, he discovers that society has all but crumbled into a creature trying to drag itself from an abyss. Walkers (or the zombies, for you uninformed folk) have overrun the country almost entirely, and now roam the streets, mindlessly searching for some brains to munch on. Rick heads to Atlanta, having heard rumors from a fellow survivor that the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has set up a safety zone there. He decides that his family could be there, borrows some protection from his former office, and gets out of Dodge. Soon after entering the ATL, Rick discovers that the zombie calamity has dug its claws deep throughout the “safe zone”, and he narrowly escapes it with the help of a small group of survivors which, as luck would have it, includes his family. The events following are the group’s struggle to stay alive, as well as human. Long enough of a summary, eh? I can only speak for the first season (because AMC doesn’t know how to show reruns for the second) when I say goodness gracious, this show is amazing. Anybody who is as much a fan of zombies as I am will most likely agree. Not only does the show accurately depict their
creepiness, it makes a point to let you know that zombies don’t care about your problems. They’re hungry and your overemotional brains sound tasty - time for dinner. The Walking Dead is very loosely based off a comic series of the same name. I’ve read the first few, and the only things they have in common are the characters, places, and some events that lead them in the same direction. Other than that, they are two completely different experiences that complement each other. It seems like the first season might’ve been an experiment to see how the show would do; as if the entire six episodes came together to be one big pilot season rather than a pilot episode. Obviously it did well, due to the amount of merchandise and the fan base it’s gathered. It is most definitely not a show for those weak of heart or easily scared. While The Walking Dead is about the struggle to retain humanity, it still has zombies, and with them comes the general horrors of a zombie apocalypse, including gratuitous amounts of blood and dismemberment. I would suspect that normal people wouldn’t want their children experiencing such things, lest they ruin their brand new trousers. For those saying something along the lines of “Zombies are too mainstream for me, nyeh,” you are exactly correct. Everything has zombies nowadays, even if it doesn’t need them, but I’m fine with that because zombies are fascinating on a number of levels. Like I said before, however, The Walking
Dead is about the human struggle more than it is about rotting flesh-eaters. In fact, one of the coolest things the show does is make it clear that these monsters were once human themselves. The survivors’ behaviors can make it difficult to discern them from the monsters at times. From a psychological standpoint, The Walking Dead delivers. It’s also a show that you can just sit down and enjoy without having to use your brain too much (because nobody likes to do that). All in all, The Walking Dead is a show
that puts zombies at the level they deserve. Internal as well as external conflicts abound, the motley group of survivors share one goal: prevail in the face of extreme cataclysm or die trying. Despite whatever your personal stance on the outbreak of the living dead in media is, there’s one thing you have to admit: zombies have been done to death, but they’re far from dead.
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September 2012
GSA Can Help You and the Community
Taty Amaro 2013 Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) is an organization that considers its members family, and, like a family also is a support system for one another. However, it is also involved in giving back to our community. “You guys aren’t alone, we are here for you,” said Nina Ferrel, senior and President of GSA. GSA has been among the many clubs at Manzano for the past seven years. Ross Brockman formed GSA in 2005 during his senior year at MHS. “He wanted to educate people on sexuality and that it isn’t a bad thing, you couldn’t be talked into being homosexual,” said Shelby Lionberger, senior, about her cousin Brockman. Lionberger is GSA’s Vice-President. Ginaveve Pepin, senior, is the club’s Treasurer and Heather Boni, an English and German teacher at MHS, is the club’s sponsor. “I see them as role models of political activism,” said Ms. Boni. Going to protests, parades, campaigning for civil rights, and petitioning are a few of the many ways that GSA gets involved to support their stance on equality. The club wants to bring unity and tolerance to the members involved and others outside as well. This means that everyone is welcomed to join GSA. This club does not just appeal to gays, straights, or bisexuals. GSA really wants to make themselves known as a safe place free of judgment. “We really welcome others, just leave your judgment at the door,” said Lionberger. The organization’s goal for this year is to educate people about the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) community. They provide many opportunities for others to be able to go to them and talk about anything. If it’s related to what GSA stands for, which is human civil rights, they will be there for you. When you find yourself asking about GSA, you will be glad to know in what ways this club can benefit its members. There is the opportunity to letter in GSA by doing some simple tasks such as answering surveys to receive lettering points, for example. “It’s important for students who are in GSA to know that if they want to letter it’s not only attending the meetings but the community service that the students does, the extra curricular is the most important,” said Ms. Boni. All members will end up feelingproud of themselves by accomplishing all the community service that GSA is involved in. The club sponsors children for Christmas, visits the elderly in their retirement homes, and just last year, GSA took place in the campaign of “One Million Bones,” which helped those impacted by genocide. For every bone made out of clay, a dollar was donated to the cause. Over two hundred bones were created in all, at a “Bone Making Party”, with the help of other club members and teachers. It is estimated by Ferrel that GSA alone helped in creating half of those bones considering that the majority of participants were GSA club members. These bones were first displayed in Santa Fe but are now currently in Washington D.C. “We had a great time and so many people from so many different clubs came to help,” said Ferrel. This year, the club wishes to take part in “One Million Bones” once again. But this is not the only event that GSA will be involved in this year-- the club’s President and Sponsor have been talking about possibly hosting a GSA Poetry Slam. At this event, other GSA members from different high schools or even colleges will read their poetry out loud in front of an audience with judges to choose a winner. This event may possibly take place at local cafes. GSA is not solely run by the teacher sponsor. The main officers and the members of the club all decide and partake in different events. In shorter words, GSA is student led. “The students have been doing an excellent job,” said Ms. Boni. However, everyone needs help, and Ms. Boni, the sponsor, is a great contributor to GSA. “She gives everything she can for GSA and is also very knowledgeable about the LGBT community so if I need to know something, I can ask her,” said Ferrel.
School News Honor Choir Continued from page 1
the Eldorado Wind Ensemble under the direction of Mr. John Sanks. The students are excited to perform with another prestigious group at this event. “Mrs. Erickson has invested so much into our choir. I think her hard work has paid off in us and we’ve become one of the best choirs in New Mexico! I know her well enough to know that she would never leave something if she didn’t feel she produced the best out of it that she could,” said Jew. “I am very fortunate to have been a Monarch the past 17 years. Of course, I will miss all the kids that come to the Choir Room with the desire to sing and sing well. I will miss the students that made me laugh! I will not miss getting up at 5 A.M though,” Mrs. Erickson commented. The Concert Choir is going to strive to master all the new pieces for Honor Concert on January 10th, 2013.
Mrs. Erickson prepares her class for All-State. Photo Courtesy of Heather Fisk
Dual Credit: MHS students kill two birds with one stone
Hayne Arismendi 2014
Many Manzano High School students are overwhelmed by the new graduation requirements. Students now must take an honors class, AP class, or dual credit class to graduate. The decision is up to the student. Each option is a great choice, but dual credit helps get students prepared for college faster and is a great opportunity to see college life for themselves every week. “Being in dual-credit is such a great opportunity that more students should take advantage of. You’ll get to have a great college experience and meet new people,” said Jenny Nguyen, junior at MHS and dual credit student. Students who are interested in dual credit enrollment can take the accuplacer test at the CNM Montoya or Main Campus, then talk to a counselor at the Main Campus so they can place the student in the proper classes. Students find out right away what their scores are for each section.
“From my perspective, it changed the way I see school in general to try harder and push yourself for what’s best in your future,” said Linda Tran, junior. Students who take dual credit classes usually go for the pre-requisites of their major. Although dual credit doesn’t count for core credits in high school classes, it does give elective credit in high school. The only exception is with a math class “The best part about being in dual credit is getting your pre-requisite classes out of the way first, and when you get to college, you can start taking classes in your major field of study,” said Nguyen. Dual enrollment can be done at both UNM and CNM as long as the student is willing to be committed to high school and college at the same time. “You’re ahead in credits!” said Nguyen. Students can pick up their college books at
the Montgomery Complex. Once the college class is over, the student returns the books just as if they were rented from the school. Dual enrollment has given many students the opportunity to choose colleges and even discover what they really want to be. Many students start taking dual enrollment classes because they have no choice, but a lot come out of high school knowing what their future major is because of those classes. While high school students are on college campus, some might be lucky enough to get a peek of the dorms. Students can get an inside look and experience for free. “It does take a lot of courage to be in high school and college. My motivation to keep going was from my family & how they said, ‘hard work always pay off in the end, so just keep working at it,” said Tran. College classes are separated into Fall,
Spring, and Summer terms. Once the student is enrolled in dual credit, they qualify as a normal college student. Colleges send letters and scholarship options through the mail and notify the student on the deadlines of registration, etc. Any student who is interested in dual credit enrollment can talk to Mr. Hansen at the administration office and log onto mycnm.edu for more information.
Back-to-School Photo Poll Annelise Mendez 2015 What do you want to do before you leave high school? “I want to get a letter in band.” Harmony Montoya 11th grade
Luciano Lopez 10th grade
Nathan Covert 9th grade What advice do you have for the Freshmen? “Don’t mess with the upperclassmen!”
Sabrina (Bree) Vargas 12th grade What do you want to do after high school? “I want to go to UNM and take their pre-dental program.”
Jourden Williams 10th grade What is your favorite memory at MHS? “Playing Basketball!”
What is your favorite thing about Manzano? “The Girls!”
School News Huynh-Huynh
Continued from page 1 member of the Vietnamese 2 class. Ms. Cortez left a highly established program behind. Mrs. Huynh plans to keep many of the traditions while implementing her own style. Some minor changes that have already been put into place: most of the Senate paperwork is conducted online, and information is being distributed to the student body through different venues. “The biggest change this year,” said Mrs. Huynh, “is having the student senators make most of the decisions. It’s my job to help them make a positive mark on the school.” Student Senate is a group of students who meet every morning for zero hour to plan upcoming events, make inspiring and informational posters, and who often stay late after school to complete tasks. “I’m in Senate because I believe that I represent the school in a positive way. I love being involved and staying after school for a long time. I love Manzano!” expressed senior Kirstie Lopez, a member of Senate. Being in Senate means you have the responsibility to serve those who you represent, including making decisions in the best interest of all those affiliated with Manzano. Being a former member of Student Senate herself, having planned numerous events throughout her life, and loving attention to detail, Mrs. Huynh is more than excited for this opportunity and is accepting all challenges along the way. Mrs. Huynh said, “I plan to stay in this position for as long as it will allow me to. This has always been my ultimate dream job.”
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September 2012
Dear Leona
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Dear Leona, My significant other and I have been together for a few years, but every few months we’ll have a huge fight that quickly turns physical. Later we say “sorry” and that we will “never do it again.” What should I do? -Brokenhearted Dear Brokenhearted, First off, your fights should never get physical. If you two care for each other, I’m sure you don’t want to hurt one another. If you guys get to a point in your fights where it’s about to get violent, walk away! It will help calm things down in a safe and positive way. Take some time to breathe and think things through before approaching your partner. Don’t be afraid to talk to a trusted adult about this situation. Whatever you decide to do, physical abuse should never be tolerated -Leona
Five Minute Rule
Do you have a problem? Leona is here to help! E-mail your dilemma to manzanopawprint@yahoo.com ATTN: Leona.
Cerridwen Stucky 2014 As you have probably noticed, Monarchs now have less time between classes. This new policy was introduced by the Manzano Adminstrative staff to help decrease the number of tardies and behavioral infractions during passing periods. “Our hypothesis was that if we used the shortest passing period known to work, then there would be less tardiness and more attention in class,” said Manzano Principal, Therese Carroll. This change, however, was not welcomed readily by students. “I understand where they’re coming from because kids stop to talk to their friends,” said Ariah Anderson, Junior, “but for the people who actually want to do good, they need time to get to their locker and to class without being tardy.” Although it was initially a shock, there has been an increase in punctuality and a decrease of fights and general behavioral infractions in the halls this year, seemingly because students are hurrying more and chatting less. In 2007, the passing periods were shortened from 10 minutes to seven, for similar reasons. Students reacted quite similarly. “I just remember everyone was completely outraged,” said Christianna Straine, a Manzano graduate who was a 10th grader when this change occurred. Teachers, however, don’t seem to mind it at all. “I think the bell schedule is helpful. Before, each class started at a random time (ex. 10:48, 1:23), which is difficult to remember. Now that classes begin either on the five or ten, it is much easier to know whether one is on time or not,” said Lea Anne Fischer, who teaches English at Manzano. Ms. Fischer also says that it seems like more students are on time this year. “It seems to me like I’m always hurrying to get to class,” said Sarah Messler, sophomore, “so I do get to class on time, but it’s really stressful.” Many of the students feel this stress, and some say it even distracts them in class, as they start to plan the hurried route they have to take to get across campus in five minuets. The Manzano campus is quite a large one, spanning approximately half a mile across. Some students literally cannot get from the N barracks to the H barracks in that time, and definitely can’t stop at their locker. Not to mention going to the bathroom. “My math teacher only lets us have 3 emergency bathroom passes a semester, so if I have to go before her class, I’m kind of out of luck,” said Sara Hazlewood, sophomore. This new schedule seems to both help and hurt the students. As it causes students to hurry to classes and not dawdle, they have been getting to class on time more often. However, these shortened passing periods have increased the stress on the students as some of them don’t have the time to do what they are expected to in the five minutes they are given.
Students Find Their True Calling In Belly Dancing, leleleleleleleyip!
Meadow Butler 2013 You may have heard rampant “leleleleleleyip!” calls around campus. The belly dancing members have made a habit of this traditional call and response. This new club has made its way into Manzano and it’s not just about dancing; it’s about feeling good and being yourself. Last year, Manzano students started a flash mob in the courtyard. Everyone gathered around to watch them dance. Now, the tribe is back and they have a lot planned for this school year. “We are going to be doing a flash mob, a hafla; we want to try to be in the multicultural show, the assemblies, and the student/teacher talent show,” said Bronwyn Whittredge, known to her students as Ms. Dubb, an Art teacher at Manzano. The tribe meets from 2:30 to 4:00 in J15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “We all get together and have a meet n’ greet, then we change and go to room J20, the practice room. We will dance until we are worn out. At the end we do a ‘wow and wonder’ and there are always a lot of
newbies.” said Skylar Griego, MHS junior. But at Manzano, it’s not just about dancing; it’s about accepting yourself and others. “This is a club about self-esteem, self-worth, self-acceptance of our bodies, being brothers and sisters. Dancing is the fun part.” said Ms. Dubb. The belly dancing tribe is very close and accept one another for who they are, especially with their teacher. “Our teacher is more like a part of us and we have more of a friend relationship than a student/ teacher relationship.” said Jessie Gourley, MHS senior. Belly dancing is also praised for its health benefits. “I completely agree, it’s a great workout. It’s more than a regular workout. Your arms get really strong and it’s a great confidence booster.” said Griego. People use belly dancing for the purpose of healing, meditation, weight loss, stress relief, and it improves muscle tone, balance and body coordination. Belly dancing is for everyone and anyone who is interested.
The belly dancing club after practice in J-20. Photo courtesy of Heather Fisk
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PAW
September 2012
Editorials
Teens’ Critical Social Relationships Prioritize Education Suffer from Technology Use Nikole Bouma 2016 Zoe Alam 2015 In our current society, individuals are extremely self-consumed in technology to the extent that crucial social connections and relationships are suffering. A study conducted on University of Texas students’ social behavior showed that only 30% of their time spent was in conversation. Isn’t it disturbing that the average US internet user spends a total of 32 hours online every month? Technology is putting a definite strain on serious human relationships. (www.jeffbullas.com) Teens are now especially vulnerable to a social development pitfall as their involvement in social networking skyrockets. Having a strong social bond with fellow society members contributes towards an overall greater well-being. When individuals lack the availability for a personal, meaningful connection with people, they become distant from their community, and in the long run isolated from society. Social networking is increasingly intensifying the lack of face-to-face relations, which is contributing to a loss of social conductivity, and then resulting in personal consequences. It is not possible to have a prominent human relationship based merely off of the information gathered through communication websites. In addition, giving away personal information to a social network “friend” that you’ve never physically met is tremendously dangerous. Believing every piece of information about a person on social networking is equally hazardous. An astonishing 50% of teen profiles created don’t use their real age, while only 45% give out their private school name and location. (www. internetsafety101.org) If parents, and we as a society, set limitations to time spent online, teens and individuals of the community will have an increased amount of free time to spend on more prominent activities. Likewise, if people became more involved in their community, more human bonds would be formed. People tend to have a wider range of social experiences and interactions when they are involved immensely in their community. Various people may protest that being in a social community online justifies an equal opportunity for social growth and development for teens. However, how many of those hundreds of online “buds” can you say you completely trust, having never met them? Correspondingly, how many online friendships allow you to experience close knit social relations? If teens want a real social experience with their surrounding community, then more time should be spent offline, and instead involved in their community, creating new important human interactions!
Cell Phone Rule Too Strict!
With rising cost of college tuition, many students are unable to afford school. I think some of the money spent on sports should go to education and educators. It’s hard to imagine how two college football teams can play a football game and one team walks out with one million dollars. We have to wonder, where does the money go? With the mass amount of money spent on sports, it could most definitely be used on education and educators’ salaries. I know for a fact that a doctor of counseling at UNM earns about $50,000 a year, whereas a football coach earns approximately 1 million dollars per year. Although I love sports, it’s not going to support me through my life. A college degree and education will support me and millions of others if we had the funds to send everyone to school. It’s hard for me to think that an educator who is trying to improve the community gets paid so much less than a football coach trying to win a game. It would be nice to see more money spent on college education instead of a sports scholarship. Presidents of all universities and colleges should scale back on coaches’ salaries and focus more on the students and the educators. There are so many students that want to pursue a career in teaching, counseling, social work, nursing, and many more but can’t afford tuition. I believe careers like this should be given high priority with financial assistance. The United States has dropped in math and science in the last few years, and I believe this is a sign that we need to put academics first. Countries like India, China and Japan focus more on education, and it shows in world ranking. For instance, the country of India has more honor students than the United States has students total. The average student does not have the advantage of a student athlete; the average student has to pay for their own tuition, housing, meals, and books while student athletes get all this provided to them. The money that is used for college sports, whether it is television networks or sports scholarships, could be used to boost our education. If academics could use that amount of money, where would the United States be ranked today? Universities and colleges should limit their sports scholarships and concentrate more on academic scholarships. I understand sports are a big part of America, but I feel that education should come first and more money should be spent on academics. It would be great to see the United States ranked number 1 in education again.
Bella Sisnernos 2016 There has been much debate over cell phone use in schools. In my opinion, cell phones should be allowed during lunch, passing periods and snack break, instead of just before and after school. As long as the students put their phones away when the bell rings or when they enter the classroom, I don’t see the problem of having phones out during non-instructional times of the school day. As per APS policy, “The devices shall be kept out of sight and silenced or powered off during the instructional day unless otherwise permitted by district or school procedures. Use of personal electronic devices that disrupt the instruction day or include unauthorized use shall be prohibited.” Manzano High School takes this policy one step further and states in the student agenda, “The instructional day is defined as 7:20 to 2:30 pm. Manzano High School Administration has determined that
the lunch period is part of the instructional day and therefore the use of electronic devices during lunch is prohibited.” Lunch is a recreational time when students and faculty eat and prepare for their next classes. There is not any actual teaching going on at lunch, unless you consider how to wait in line for your food as learning. At some schools, the lunch break and passing periods are not considered part of the instructional day, and therefore students are allowed the use of their phones during these times. Administration often finds that students are using their phones to communicate with their parents, and so parents are advised to call the school to deliver a message to the student. But the student agenda also says, “because of the size of the campus and limited availability of staff, personal phone messages will
not be delivered to students except in cases of extreme emergency.” If there was an extreme emergency involving a student, shouldn’t the parents of the student come to the office to check out their child anyway? Letting students use their phones during parts of the day when there is not instruction going on would free up a lot of staff time to deal with issues that are more relevant than a phone confiscation. It would also let campus security better watch out for everyone if they didn’t have to deal with teachers and staff bringing phones to the security office that have been confiscated. Some may argue that the prevention of the use of cell phones during the instructional day is to prevent the risk of students cheating on a test. If cheating is the administration’s main concern, there are many other ways for
students to do this. It is just as simple, if not easier, for the student to go up to someone who has already had a teacher and ask what was on a test. To prevent cheating, a lot of teachers print two versions of the test and give every other student one test and all the rest the other version. There are more ways to prevent cheating than not allowing us to use our phones during parts of the day. Why is it that at other schools they get to have their phones out during noninstructional time and we don’t? It is a simple matter that doesn’t need to be fussed over by administration. Let us use our phones!
Chicago Teacher Union Strike: An Educational Step in the Right Direction? Debra Nieto 2013 For many, the word “union” has left a sour taste in the economic mouth of the country. There is widespread sentiment that unions have over-stayed their welcome, that their existence isn’t wholly necessary, and most certainly not as relevant as they once were previously in American history. I, however, feel that as of late, one union in particular has made a dramatic attempt to push educational reform in a progressive direction. For nearly a week, the new school year has been delayed while the Chicago Teacher’s Union has demanded a renovation of both teacher and student performance evaluation as well as improved benefits for teachers. They have thoroughly expressed their discontent with the current ways of the Chicago district’s educational evaluation
system, with nearly 25,000 members participating and their persistence to continue striking despite being consistently criticized for disregarding the needs of the students. Their proposed deal to end the striking includes slight increases in pay for teachers, and bringing back highly qualified teachers who were previously laid-off. The area of the deal that has earned my highest approval is in its proposal to bring back more educators in the areas of art and music; programs that are unfortunately often the first to be slashed when funds and resources are scarce. Despite not adopting a completely pro or anti sentiment towards unions, I think the union’s efforts, if they indeed are successful, are highly significant.
If one of the nation’s largest cities is capable of shedding light on the various shortcomings of both our educational system and treatment of teachers (i.e. one of the most important contributors to society), what’s to say that national change cannot take place, and that other cities will not follow suit? Perhaps their persistence marks an era of educational reform throughout the whole nation. Perhaps protests such as these will prevent complete shutdown of public education systems (such as that of the Philadelphia school district) from taking place again. Perhaps this is the end of the reliance on standardized testing to determine a student’s competence as we know it, or the end of third graders who
are incapable of reading. The magnitude of this strike demonstrates problems that have been for far too long looked over, and still aren’t receiving the attention they deserve. If you have an idea for a story, would like to see more of a certain section, or if you would like to place an ad, please see Mr. Kraus in room K-212 or email the Paw Print at manzanopawprint@yahoo.com
PAW
World
7
September 2012
Foreign Correspondents
Cloie Logan 2013
One of Manzano’s Journalism students is spending her sophomore year living halfway across the world. Dominique Kroeker moved to the Netherlands this summer where her father will work with the military, and she has agreed to be a Paw Print foreign correspondent, comparing her life in Europe to ours here in the U.S. Our other foreign correspondent is Anya Soboleva, who spent her junior year as an exchange student at Manzano, and who has returned this year to the Russian city of Vladivostok to finish out her high school career. The Paw Print had the pleasure of publishing Anya’s stories multiple times last year, and she has also agreed to give us some insight on life in another country.
New in the Netherlands
Back to Russia
Anya Soboleva 2013 PawPrint: What was the hardest part about transitioning back into Russian life? Firstly, it was hard to get back there. It took too long. Flying from Albuquerque to Washington DC then to Moscow and then to almost the very end of Russia, far eastern Vladivostok, took a little less than two days. But here I am back home for three months already. Adjusting wasn’t hard at all. But, there is a thing that still gets me, even scares me. I don’t really think anyone can understand because traffic in ABQ is so nice, barely any jams or accidents, but in Vladivostok there are so many cars! It is just unbelievable. Sometimes it looks like every person living here has TWO cars, it’s so crowded on the roads. But the worst part about it is that most drivers do not behave in a very… polite way. I’m not driving myself, but when I’m in a car with my mom or dad and some kind of a very weird driver tries to hit our car and shouts at us, I’m pretty intimidated. Seems like the answer is somewhat unexpected, but you never know what to expect from a Russian.
Anya Soboleva in front of her school in Russia (Photo Courtesy of Anya)
Dominique Kroeker 2015 Whether you’ve lived all over the world like me, or even if you’ve never left New Mexico, I think it’s safe to say that the first day is always the hardest day of the school year. My first day this year was one of the hardest that I’ve had to overcome. On Wednesday, August 22nd, at seven o’clock in the morning, my alarm goes off. As I lay there trying to wake up, the realization hits me. Not only is it my first day at a new school, but at a new school in a new country. Reluctantly, I get up and begin to get ready. I feel sick to my stomach as my mom yells words of encouragement at the departing bus. During the hour it takes to get to school, my mind is filled with thousands of racing thoughts. As the bus pulls up, I step out, heart pounding, walk in and sit down. I’m not ready for this at all. With a school of a little over 300 students, we easily fit into the cafeteria for the principal’s welcoming speech. Students laugh and hug each other, greeting one another after a long summer. Watching them I feel a pang of sadness, missing the familiar halls and faces of Manzano. After the speech we all go to class to receive our schedules for the day. My sophomore class of 40 students files into the room. The teacher calls roll, and when he says my name everyone turns to look at me. Some smile, but all of them stare in curiosity. As I look around the room I realize that I’m not the only new student. In fact, there are four other students starting their first day at ISE (International School Eindhoven) as well. This calms me down a bit, knowing that I’m not the only one panicking. ISE is an international school with over 50 countries attending so I learn quickly that you can’t take for granted the fact that everyone speaks English. While many of the students do, some are still hard to understand. The same goes for the teachers. Many of them are native Duchies, or from surrounding countries. This makes some of my classes more of a challenge trying to understand their thick accents. I give them credit for pushing past the language
German Student Finds Home at Manzano Victoria Blythe 2014 Have you ever wondered what it would be like to move to another country and go to school in that country? That’s just what Briana Figueroa did when she was 14. Q: How long did you live in Germany? A: “12 years.” Q: Why did you move to the United States? A: “I was living with my mom first; then I moved in with my Dad.” Q: What was the hardest thing about moving from Germany to the U.S.? A: “Getting used to constantly speaking English, getting used to school stuff, and leaving my friends.”
school in the U.S.? A: “Well in Germany everything is strict and American school is laid back, it’s not as strict.” Q: What do you miss most about Germany? A: “Family and friends. Just the things you know, like your town.”
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Dominique Kroeker’s school in the Netherlands (Photo Courtesy of Dominique) barrier to continue with their passion of teaching. I also understand that learning a new language is no easy task, so I admire their persistence. The teacher who I’ve now learned will be my English teacher hands out schedules: time tables as they call them here. The four other new students and I don’t receive one, and get sent to the office to work out the problem. There, we are each given our schedule for the day and are told to come back the next morning to get our official time table. My first class is a free period, so I walk to the library. One of the other new girls, Dylan, is already there and offers to let me sit with her. We begin to talk and I feel less panicked every minute. Two other boys join us and we spend the morning talking about where we are from and why we’re in the Netherlands. The bell rings and we’re sent off to break. Dylan and I walk to the cafeteria, and when we get there we are swarmed with smiling faces, outstretched hands, and countless names. A girl with blonde hair, Abby, takes us to the table where all of the sophomores hang out together during break and lunch. Needless to say, it feels a bit awkward at first because they all know each other, but after a few minutes I begin to feel a little more accepted. The day goes by in a blur and when I finally get home, I slump down on the couch exhausted. That night I slept a little more soundly. I had survived the first day, and had been welcomed warmly into the school. When my alarm went off the next morning, I felt positive that I could be happy at ISE. While I do miss Manzano and its amazing teachers and students who I’d grown to love, I can at least be assured that I won’t be miserable for the next three years.
Q: Was going to public school difficult at first? A: “Yeah, it was, I didn’t know what I was doing at first, I was just lost.”
Q: Would you go back to Germany if you could? If so, why? A: “I wouldn’t move back to Germany, but I’d visit.” Q: How much English did you know when you came to the U.S.? A: “I knew enough to understand, but my comprehension wasn’t so good.” Q: What surprised you the most about public
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PAW
Monarchs
Jacob Hill (Senior)
Students and Staff
September 2012
Athletes
Briana Thompson (Senior)-Soccer
Current GPA? 3.5 What is your motivation in school? To do the best that I can do and help my fellow Monarchs. Dream Career? To be a commercial airline pilot because it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. What advice do you have for those who wish to achieve academic success? Always work your hardest and never give up.
Chloe Jew (Senior)
Current GPA? 3.8 What is your motivation in school? Pretty much college. Doing good in high school so that the good colleges will accept me. Dream Career? To be a musician-go around the world and sing music. What advice do you have for those who wish to achieve academic success? To never procrastinate and to just keep going forward when everything seems impossible because nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it.
How long have you been playing this sport? Since I was five. What have you achieved from playing this sport? I’ve learned to get up and keep trying no matter what knocks you down. How do you celebrate after a win? We usually go out to Sonic and celebrate as a team. Where does your drive from this sport come from? My dad was my coach when I was little and he really pushed me to play soccer in the future.
Adam Simari (Senior)- Soccer
How long have you been playing this sport? 7 years. What have you achieved from playing this sport? Leadership skills, teamwork, and character. How do you celebrate after a win? We come together as a team and talk about what we did right and go back and work even harder next time. Where does your drive from this sport come from? Wanting to do the best I can and making my team proud.
Clogan’s Monthly Musing: Pop Culture Cloie Logan 2013 The other day I was waiting for the bus and a man was talking with me about the ludicrousity of pant saggage, to which he concluded, “People are lost these days.” Let me just take a second to illustrate the absurdity of this moment: Waiting at the bus stop, sharing polite conversation, when a pair of teenage boys walks by, pants sagging below their backsides. A few statements by him and sympathetic responses from me about how they might as well not wear pants if they’re going to do that. Then“People are lost these days.” That escalated quickly. So is it true? Because teenaged boys sag their pants, they, no, people, are “lost”? I think not. Look at our diverse lives! The music on and off the radio, personalities we group together conveniently: “jocks,” “preps”, “goths”, “hipsters”, all of our mannerisms and inside jokes, language rich with media and tech referenceswe’re not lost. We’re just on a completely different level, learning how to fly and shoot fire and make music. Our lives are art, and as we go out into the world, we learn the rules so we can break them. Here, now, everyone can belong. There is a place for each of our minds in this new age. Blog your thoughts on tumblr, vlog your thoughts on YouTube, broadcast your creations over the Internet, someone is bound to see it and like it, finding you. This
new way of sharing everything has created a unique community I’m glad to be a part of. One where everyone accepts life in its beauty, pain, and reality. Who cares if the clothing styles might look a little silly, or if some of the music we listen to is just noise, or simple repeated notes over a drumbeat. This is culture. And we are creating it. Think back to the 60’s, when all of the teenagers started wearing paisley, flowers, and bell-bottoms. Girls’ skirt hems rose to 7 and 8 inches above the knee--the new “mini skirt.” I can hardly imagine that the previous generation was very pleased with
the sudden change in the old ways of covered knees and stockings. Yet it was all a part of the new wave. Each generation comes to a point, usually in an age range of late college to early high school, when people start realizing the potential of freedom they have to create an entirely new culture. So they do. That’s us. This is our creation. It’s something to be proud of, to look back and say, “We made this.” We dictate society. We indirectly control how advertisers cater to our interest by creating the interest. Pop culture is rising and we lead it. Can you see it? These days, people are found.
Staff
Cameron Stuber (Social Studies)
What is your favorite part of teaching? The students because they’re funny and creative. Some of the things they come up with make me laugh. Dream Vacation? Italy. What was your favorite class from High School? German Class. The teacher would stand on the desk and yell at us in German, it was pretty funny. What are you looking forward to during your first year teaching at MHS? Figuring out how everything works and where everything is.
Amy Solinski (English)
What is your favorite part of teaching? Interacting with students and helping them prepare for a life beyond high school. Dream Vacation? I hate traveling. My dream vacation would be hiking close to home with my daughter. What was your favorite class from High School? Biology. I hated English, which is why I became an English teacher. What are you looking forward to about returning to teach at MHS? I would say being back with students and back working with the English department.
Contact Information
Advisor: Matt Kraus Editor-In-Chief: Cloie Logan Junior Editor-in-Chief: Victoria Blythe Copy Editors, Lead Writers: Heather Fisk, Meadow Butler, Taty Amaro Layout Design: Cloie Logan School News EditorLead Writer: Heather Fisk Critic’s Corner Editor: David Jio Junior Editors: Annelise Mendez, Skylar Griego, Kayla Vandever,
Phone: 559-5904 E-mail: manzanopawprint@ yahoo.com