KINGWOOD
courier Volume V Issue I Fall 2013
KINGWOOD
courier feature articles
480’S DANCE 6 PARTY ON THE PATIO 8SPIRIT WEEK 10HOMECOMING COURT 11 MUSTANG YELL 12INSTAGRAM 14 H.C. PEP RALLY 16 FOREIGN EXCHANGE 17 TARDIES 18SHREK THE MUSICAL 19 CONCERT REVIEWS
20FOOD REVIEW 21 KINGWOOD ASYLUM 22STUDENT SUBMISSIONS 24FASHION 26 COLLEGE APPS 27FOOTBALL 28VOLLEYBALL 29 TENNIS 30BAND 31 POLLS
27
on the cover
Mr. Monk getting “dunked” at Party on the Patio PHOTO BY Hayley Griffin
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contents
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30
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8 12
John Vincent and Austin Jordan, 12
of e r e h re p e os w m e we t a nd lt lik a c usi cing fe 80’s” m “The ne dan in the o lly Pryor y a t r e u ev ac Ross -
Doug Kent, 11
Jack Sentz,12
Emma Greenwood, 11 and Reagan Sharp, 10
bust a move Bad 80’s Dance Story by Allie Jackson, Photos byTaylor Bland Fashion in the 80’s was one of the most unusual ways to dress. Leg warmers, big sweaters, and mini skirts were quite the rage. But one of the top 80’s fashion trends was shoulder pads. Fingerless gloves and big earings were also a huge trend; needless to say, the 80’s was a unique era! The 80’s Dance this year was held on Saturday, September 14th at the Humble Civic Center. The dance was a huge hit! “The music and atmosphere of everyone dancing felt like we were actually in the 80’s,” senior Ross Pryor said. People found their 80’s attire in their family members’ closets or they bought clothes at thrift shops, such as Value Village. “I got a vintage button up shirt and a snapback from Value Village,”sophomore Dalton Lynch said. Tickets at the 80’s Dance were 15 dollars before the actual dance and 20 dollars at the door! “It was worth my allowance for sure!” senior Bryson Burger said. Many students love the 80’s Dance and will continue to go. “It’s too bad I’m heading to college, because I loved it!” senior Isaiah Sheppard said.
Kingwood Courier 5
it’s time for a
Party On the Patio
A group of seniors competes in the pyramid building contest. The contest was timed by StuCo sponsor Jamie Morris.
“Party on the patio is a great idea because it lets the students and teachers all interact at once.” -Arthur Sanchez, senior
Dr. Nasra prepares to be the target of a burst water balloon. Students had to pay $1 to participate.
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Matt Tuley, Alexa Trenschel, Danielle Aalund, 12, race to build a human pyramid.
Christian Davis, 12, along with Dr Nasra, and Dr. Monk celebrate a successful dunking contest Dr. Monk is soaked from a water balloon. Other administrators participated as well.
Christian Davis, 12 participates in the dunking contest. The pyramid contest proves difficult for a group of seniors.
Lindsey Stegall, Amber Clapp, Mackenzie Haddock, Gracie Hilton, Amanda Hegal, Hailey Leahy, and Caroline White, 12
For the first time ever, Kingwood High School has put a party on the patio! At the front of the school during all lunches, students were able to go outside to eat, dunk teachers, make human pyramids and take pictures. Also, Sunny 99.1 was playing loud music that created a fun environment! “Party on the patio is a great idea because it lets the students and teachers all interact at once,” senior Arthur Sanchez said. One of the activities students could do was a competition of making a human pyramid. You could only compete if you had a group of ten people! It was a timed competition judged by Jamie Morris and the winners of the pyramid competition had a time of 9.7 seconds! “It’s a good idea because it takes up time and is enjoyable. They need to do it next year,” junior Jon Stevenson said. A lot of students really enjoyed party on the patio, especially the part where people could watch teachers get soaked by the pitch burst! Students got 3 balls to throw and try to break a water balloon over a principal’s head. “I would definitely dunk Mrs. Cozad because I had her as a math teacher and now she’s a principal. She’s awesome!” senior Victoria Amar said. In order to dunk the principals, students had to pay a dollar to try and pop the water balloon. All the money collected went to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to help Breast Cancer. “Paying to dunk teachers was a great way to incorporate fun and also donating to help others!” senior Gabbi McDowell said. Party on the Patio was a huge success that many students enjoyed.“I think it’s an awesome experience to have the radio going and fun games for students to play and watch while they eat their lunch,” senior Jeremy Harris said. Hopefully this is the start of a fun, new Mustang tradition!
Story by Allie Jackson and Photos by Hayley Griffin Kingwood Courier 7
g n a t s u M k e e W t i r i p S WEDNESDAY MONDAY
TUESDAY
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Miriam Sanders, Laura Hunt, Sam Cooper
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Kendall Haase, Makenna Mcferrin, Amanda Diamond, Emily Chauvin, Brittany Smith, Jennifer Lee, Delaney Gusdorff
Kayla Ross, Amral Kamal, Trevor Raedisch, Michaela McGrady, Bryan Butler
Photos by Megan Bissett and Story by James Yoo This year, Spirit week at Kingwood was not an ordinary one. With the new Party on the Patio, Kingwood High School celebrated the exciting week leading to homecoming while also raising money for the Susan G. Komen foundation. “The best day of spirit week was Hawaiian shirt day because we had party on the patio,” Freshman Caitlin Hand said. “It was funny watching the teachers get water balloons splashed on them.” Party On the Patio was a big hit for Kingwood; the principals even extended lunches so the students could get the most out of the special event. “Party on the Patio was a good idea. I wish they did it though out all of my years,” senior Jessica Martin said. Although Party on the Patio was a big success, it was not the only event that made Spirit Week so special. “I always like blue and white day because it always shows how much everyone enjoys Kingwood High School,” sophomore Noah Karger said. With tradition and the new event Party on the Patio, 2013 Spirit Week at Kingwood was another great week thanks to the efforts of the faculty and students.
MONDAY: Jersey Day TUESDAY: Crazy Sock Day WEDNESDAY: Hawaiin Shirt Day THURSDAY: Western Day FRIDAY: Blue and White Day Krystal Ramsey, Courtney Smith, Shelby Warren, Deven Dixon Megan Wise
Kingwood Courier 9
THE 2013
Homecoming Court The time had finally come! As homecoming week approached, each grade voted on which boy and girl they thought should be crowned. “Voting takes place every year before homecoming,” senior Adrienne VanDolzer said. “It’s an exciting time for students to decide on the two people they would like to see be crowned.” During Halftime at the Homecoming game, the Senior Homecoming King and Queen are announced and the Underclassmen Homecoming Princes and Princesses are recognized. Students are not the only ones running for Homecoming Court. Teachers are in on it too! During the pep rally before Homecoming, teachers Mr. and Mrs. Scalia were crowned at the Teacher’s Homecoming Court. “It was truly an honor for my wife and I to be crowned,” Scalia told us. “It really says a lot that students voted for us, and I could not be happier.” In order for students to vote for their favorite teacher, they needed to pay for it. The money that went into voting went to a great cause. “The money was sent to fund Susan G. Komen foundation,” Senior Erica Thorpe told us. Not only was Homecoming Court a hit at Kingwood High School, but it also raised money for a good cause!
Story and Photos by Gabby Snell
Freshmen Prince and Princess: Jon Mikele Miller & Oliva Deaver
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Senior King and Queen: Brett Talton & Adrienne VanDolzer
Junior Prince and Princess:Aaron Daniel & Peyton Webb
The first ever...
Mustang Yell
Story by Erin Smith and Photos by Maddie Schrang
After a suggestion from the Executive council, the faculty and student council began to work towards improving the student section for the Atascocita game.”It’s finally good to see some spirit at KHS. It was live,” Junior Kennedy Brown said. Senior Cameron Bright and Student Body President Natalie Saladino led the students in a night full of chants and yells to make the student section loud and uniform. “I love seeing everyone come together cheering for Kingwood,” Junior Madison Brabham said. The student section is now located near the Band and Fillies, to increase noise and crowd participation. “I think Mustang Yell united our grades by bring spirited,” Junior Maddy Cagney said. As the games continue, KHS hopes this will be a tradition to be continued, and another way for students to share their love for the school. Kingwood Courier 11
Instagram Contest
How were you asked to Homecoming?
Winner: Caitlin Knight
Coach Ogden, Ms. Hirsch, Mr. and Mrs. Scalia gather for the announcement of Faculty Homecoming King and Queen.
Aaron Daniel and Payton Webb walk out as junior homecoming prince and princess.
Parker Coogan and Piper Gwin are announced as members of the sophomore homecoming court during the pep rally.
THE
homecoming pep rally The Kingwood High School students look forward to a pep rally every other Friday. A big change from this last year is that the pep rallies are free again. “The pep rallies in high school are a lot bigger and louder, which makes it so much more fun than in middle school,” freshman Wes Jackson said. Most of the students at KHS only know what the pep rallies are like from the stands. “From the ground, you can really get a view of how hyped the school gets,” senior Tristan Hair said, “Some of the drummers even wear earplugs because it gets too loud on the court.” The school tries its best to satisfy the crowd and give the kids a way to leave the week on a good note.
Story by James Yoo Photos by James Yoo and Cheyenne Crespo
Brett Talton and Adrienne VanDolzer were crowned Homecoming King and Queen. Cody Wisenbaker and Jason Dorgant represent the senior class in the 2nd annual wagon parade. The Fillies took first place in the contest.
Junior Matt Tulley makes an appearance as Shrek from the upcoming musical perfomed by KHS Theatre
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Welcome to KHS Thor Kalvo- from Norway
Anna Kirchner- from Germany
2013-2014 Foreign Exchange program
Favorite American food Macaroni and cheese Difference in schools School in Germany is bigger and there are much smaller breaks between each class
Pawel Kapka- from Poland
Zina Gerlinger- from Germany
Favorite American food BBQ pork sandwich Favorite sport Soccer
Difference between US and Germany Everyone has cars here and always drives around instead of taking public transportation or walking; people get their license at 16 Favorite American food Pie
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Difference between styles and the way people dress People are more relaxed with their look and “don’t really care what to wear” Favorite American food Burgers
Interviews by Caroline Wall and Christina Flematti, Photos by Baylee Hoffman
Better Late than Story by Ellie Fishbourne and Photo by Jake Owens There have been many new changes at KHS this year, one of them being our new tardy system. “The new tardy machine is too high tech, I think we should go back to the regular tardies,” freshman Jon Stockwell said. The new system has had a controversial response, largely due to the fact that students are confused as to what exactly this new fancy system is, and how it works. The new machine is called a Biometric Algorithm Machine (BAM). The machine is able to view the data from a student’s fingerprint and change it into a usable, digital format via software. The software configures a series of points and lines from the fingerprint. The points and lines are retained but not the actual fingerprint image. This way there is no way a fingerprint can be forged from the stored algorithms. Along side this new system, teachers and principles are cracking down when it comes to tardies this year, trying to make sure students are making it to their classes on time.“I think that the tardy punishments are acceptable for the amount of tardies received,” senior Ronnie Chapman said. Although Teachers and faculty were hoping for a positive response with this new system to keep the student body’s punctuality in line, not all students were impressed with it. “The new tardy system is unnecessary and makes students even later to their classes,”senior Philip Aslesen said. Even though some may not like it as much as others do, this new and more efficient and technologically advanced tardy system seems to be here to stay, and will hopefully prove to be beneficial in the long run.
NEVER!
“I think that the tardy punishments are acceptable for the amount of tardies received” Senior Ronnie Chapman
Kingwood Courier 17
SHREK
Story by Gabby Snell, Photos by Hoofprints
The Musical
“The costumes that Chyanne Christiansen made were phenomenal. The fairy tale characters in the play looked so real!” -Senior Mickelle Sanders
Tristan Laygan, 12
Danny Pike, 11
Danny Pike, 11 and Matt Tuley, 11
Kingwood Theatre Arts has outdone itself once again! This year, the department performed “Shrek, the Musical”. Every night, a full house of people showed up in excitement for the play. What they saw was something they will never forget. “I thought the performance was hilarious!,” senior Caroline Wislar said. “There was never a dull moment in the play.” The cast’s acting and singing wasn’t the only thing that impressed people. “The costumes that Chyanne Christiansen made were phenomenal”, Senior Mickelle Sanders said. “The fairy tale characters in the play looked so real!” Building this play together was no walk in the park, however. “Every day after school, the cast practices from 3:00 to 11 at night. And on the weekends, we come in and work too,” Junior Shelby Shivelui said. The man of the hour told us what it was like becoming Shrek. “It’s exciting, but at the same time it’s nerve-wracking,” Junior Matt Tuley said. “I had big shoes to fill by playing Shrek, but it was an honor to do it!” Although the musical wasn’t easy to put together, the dedicated cast and crew gave the audience a performance to always remember!
Concert reviews by Amy Ledbetter
There have been multiple concerts in the Houston area since school has started. Imagine Dragons and You Me At Six were the most popular. • Imagine Dragons was on September 26 at Cynthia Woods Pavilion. The opening acts were great, but Imagine Dragons was amazing. They performed their new song and a couple of encores. • You Me At Six was a very small concert on September 28 at Warehouse Live. They had 3 opening acts including Conditions, a band worth listening to. You Me At Six encouraged crowd surfing, dancing, and singing along to the songs. The band even stayed after to sign autographs and hangout with fans. Keep an eye out for all the other great concerts coming to the Houston area very soon! Kingwood Courier 19
Johnny’s Pizza: Food Review
Lauren Chachere, Lauren Jackson, Taylor Calfee
Johnny’s Pizza is a popular restaurant for students to eat and hang out with their friends and family. Johnny’s Pizza serves buffet during lunch hours on both weekends and weekdays, but they also have carry-out and delivery specials. The Kingwood Courier staff got together and tasted these different specials. The specialty pizzas they tried were Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Ranchero, Maui Wowie, Meat Plus, Hamburger, and their most popular special, Sweep the Kitchen. The staff also tried the cinnamon sticks, which many loved.
Story and Photos by Alanis Hernandez “The Meat Plus pizza was great! It had the perfect balance of meat and cheese.” -Cole Parker “The meat plus was my favorite pizza because it had the perfect amount of meat, and the meat was cooked just right and was super juicy.” -Lisa Bowman “I liked the cinnamon sticks the best because they had tons of cinnamon and were super sweet. I recommend it.” -Danielle Guitierrez
Kristina Flematti, Caroline Wall, Erin Hester
Kingwood Asylum Story and Photo by Evan Goldman Be prepared for a fright! The Kingwood Asylum opened its doors this October. The house is packed to the rafters with terrifying spooks and Spector’s that will, without a doubt, send shivers down your spine. Many people have visited, crediting it as one of Kingwood’s choice establishments “The Kingwood Asylum was pretty cool!” junior Steven Joh said. Make sure to check out the Kingwood Asylum, a splendid time is guaranteed for all. The haunted woods are located at 1965 Northpark drive, in front of St. Martha’s Church. Doors are open 7-10 on weekdays and 7-midnight on weekends. Kingwood Asylum will be the premier haunt for the National Haunt Convention in January and will be open to the public. Check their website at www.usa-links.com/kingwoodasylum for updates.
“I Like Kingwood Asylum because the actors are really scary, the props are realistic and I was screaming the whole time.” Jake Wright, 12 Kingwood Courier 21
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student submissions featuring:
GREER RUEDIN
Kingwood Courier 7
The student submissions section gives students the chance to display their creative talents. The submissions can be artwork, photography, poetry, or any other medium of art. Students can submit their artwork to the Kingwood Courier at khsmagazine@gmail.com or go to www.kingwoodcourier.wordpress.com. Students may also submit their artwork in room 4406. Submissions will be published online or in the magazine.
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Pretty Little Things BOUTIQUE Story by Lauren Jackson and Photos by Whitney Allen
Sweater weather is here and local Pretty Little Things Botique is over flowing with outfits for the winter season! Not only will you find adorable shirts and dresses, but accessories as well! Senior Gracie Hilton said, “ It’s almost impossible to go into Pretty Little Things and not buy something! Everything is so cute!” They have a wide variety of styles and paterns, from bold cheetah print maxi skirts to pastel sweaters! Pretty Little Things is located in Kings Harbor and is your one stop shop for all your fashion needs.
Don’t be afraid to mix and match...
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College Apps
Story by Ellie Fishbourne and Photos by Lauren Chachere
The fall semester means it is time for scarves, sweaters, Halloween decorations and much dreaded college applications. Most students worry about applications for hours on end, but you might find that the process is easier than you thought.“I thought it was simple and fast,” senior Brett Talton said. If you find yourself stuck in a state of confusion try not to freak out, there are many websites designed to aide you in creating the best application possible.“I used Applytexas.com and it’s a really easy website to navigate on,” senior Rex Langley said. Some college applications take longer than others and they can end up seeming almost annoying but it is important to try and put forth your best effort.“It took me up to five or six hours sometimes because of the essays,” senior Connor Lampis said. In order to make things smoother and easier it is good to plan ahead and keep yourself and your grades in line to make for an application that shows off your accomplishments and not your failures. “I wish I would’ve tried harder and sooner,” senior EJ Schmauch said. Even though the process can be a confusing one, if you are still having trouble, there is always someone to talk to for help. “I asked my counselor for much needed help,” senior Allie Thorpe said. College can be an exciting experience if you let it, a time to break away from the high school mold and pursue your passion. “I want to apply to NYU to start my talk show career,” senior Lama Halawi said. College applications are one of the exciting first steps towards your college career, so instead of stressing out, get excited, you have so much to look forward too!
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R.I.S.E
A Year To Be Remembered
It was a neck and neck game against the Klein Oak Panthers and the game just had just gone into overtime. The stadium was still as we waited through the final moments of the game on the edge of our seats with fingers crossed. A quick shuffle on the field as the final play was made and Kingwood went for the win. Just like that, the stadium was on fire and the field flooded with proud mustangs. Nothing compares to mustang spirit, and if there is one thing mustangs get excited for, it’s football.“For me to consider the season a success, we would have to change the stereotype around our football program. That starts by winning games and beating good teams. Whether we go all the way to state or not, I would be happy just to be a part of the team that changed Kingwood Football and I believe we have a great opportunity this year to do just that,” Varsity Defensive Tackle Jarrett Smith said. This year the guys are playing tougher and trying to become a closer knit team, in a unified effort to bring home more wins. “This team is closer than any other team I’ve been on. It’s really a family. We’ve already been through so much, and it’s made us closer,” Varsity Tight End, Drew Vincent said. Each new season brings a new slogan, unique to what each team feels represents them and what they’re trying to accomplish. This year it’s RISE (Relentless, Intensity, Swagger, Emotion). As the team rises above others to accomplish their goals they keep this motto in mind to inspire them along the way. “I always have a great time at the games, and I can’t wait to see where we can take this team,” Varsity Outside Linebacker Carson Grant said. So far, the season has had a great start and our boys in blue have high hopes that it will only be uphill from here. With the hard work and dedication these players have been providing, this season has the potential to be the best one yet.
Story by Ellie Fishbourne and Photos by Sara Bancroft
P M U SET B KHS Volleyball Photos by Danielle Gutierez Story by Erin Hester Approaching the second round of district, the Kingwood Varsity Volleyball team has an undefeated district record so far. The long and stressful practices have proved to bring the mustangs great success in the season so far. Before important matches Coach Earhart provides her team with film of their opponent, in which the whole team takes time to evaluate and learn their weakness. “The film we watch really helps us understand what we need to do in order to be successful in our games,” senior Tory Salness said. The team is lead by senior team captains, Devyn Johnson, Maty McLurg, Tory Salness, and Aly Wambaugh. “As a team, I think we all work great together and if we continue to work together as a whole that we will be very successful throughout the season”, senior Devyn Johnson said. The crowd and support at all of the games have been incredible so far. The volleyball team hopes to see a bigger and even more supportive crowd as the season comes to an end.
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SPIKE
IT!!
Kingwood Tennist e n e h t behind
Photos by Taylor Bland Story by Erika Ezzel The Kingwood Tennis Team is looking forward to another great year full of tournaments and many wins for our school. Rachel Rosen, a sophomore player, says “It is very cool to represent your school at tournaments, not to mention the chance to miss several days of school throughout the year.” Although it can be a challenge when players lose a match, or when a player is demoted, the tennis team is always determined to give it their all on the court. The matches can sometimes seem to last forever, and sometimes it is a struggle for the players to keep their energy level up, but Kingwood Tennis is a team of players willing to lay everything out in each match. Running back and forth across the court may seem like the most tiring part of tennis, but Micheal Eichler, a sophomore player, says that “staying mentally strong against opponents is actually the hardest part.” All in all, Kingwood’s fantastic tennis teams will no doubtedly bring many victories to Kingwood this year, and they could use our support in cheering them to victory at their upcoming district and state-level tournaments.
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The Pride of Kingwood Kingwood Mighty Military Marching Band
Story by Erica Ezell and Photos by Madlen Oesterberg “Clean, be here now, and student leadership” are the three principles Kingwood High School’s Band director, Destry Balch has outlined for the school year. Through the development of student leadership within the band through a student lead band council put together by assistant director, Brittany Peters, student leadership has been implemented like never before. The introduction of this band council is new to the band this year and, as Mr. Balch puts it, “change is not something that is welcome.” But, he says his students have, “accepted the burden of leadership.” His goal of cleanliness refers to not only keeping band property physically clean, but also to cleaning up the music to make the intonation, rhythm, and over all music to flow better. Finally the ideology of “be here now” portrays that when in the band hall, students are expected to be focused on the music and not have outside matters on their minds. The KM4B is a well-oiled and focused machine, well directed by an enthusiastic director, eager to teach any student who enters his door, even if they are not his own. However, Band President, Blake Hillier says all the hard work is worth it and that the band, “is always looking out for each other, in and out of the band, and no one person is more important than the other.” Let’s go and support the Kingwood Mighty Mustang Military Marching Band as they endure another, hopefully, highly successful season with new and reformed countrywestern themed music never heard before on the marching field.
The
Polls
of fall
by Caroline Wall, Baylee Hoffman & Kristina Flematti
Favorite Fall Sport
volleyball
10 10 10 10 10 10 (60)
swimming
(3)
wrestling
(4)
cheerleading
(6) cross country
(3)
football
20
tennis
20 20 20 20 20 (120)
(2) Out of 198 students polled during lunches Kingwood Courier 31
KINGWOOD
Buy your Hoofprints Yearbook!
courier Adviser
Michelle Palmer
Principal
Dr. Ted Landry
Editors
Whitney Allen Alex Preston Erin Smith Adrienne VanDolzer
Online Editor Taylor Calfee
Go to www.smart-pay.com
Staffers
Sara Bancroft Megan Bisset Lisa Bowman Taylor Bland Lauren Chachere Abbey Dandy Erica Ezzel Ellie Fishbourne Kristina Flematti Hayley Griffin Evan Goldman Danielle Gutierez Alanis Hernandez Erin Hester
Baylee Hoffman Lauren Jackson Allison Jackson Amy Ledbetter Madlen Oesterberg Skyler Mckinney Jake Owens Amy Papa Cole Parker Maddie Schrang Gabby Snell Caroline Wall James Yoo
The Kingwood Courier is a student produced magazine published by the advanced journalism students at Kingwood High. The publication is a member of the University Interscholastic League and the American Scholastic Press association. Letters to the editor are welcomed, but they must be signed to be considered. Advertisements are paid for by the individual business within the community. Articles within the issue do not reflect the views of the Kingwood Courier staff, the student body or Humble ISD. All material published by the Kingwood Courier is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced without the writers consent.
Kingwood Highschool 2701 Kingwood Dr. Kingwood, TX 77339 281.641.6900