May Illuminator by Natalie Brown

The illuminator

ART MUSIC SUMMER SPORTS STUDENTS

Volume 10 | www.centraljournalism.com | May 2013 ISSUE

The illuminator

centraljournalism.com 9450 Ray White RD Keller, TX

The Wrapping It Up Issue

The Team Editor In Chief: Amara Thomas Managing Editor: Ashley Walker Advisor: Natalie Brown Writers: Bailey Kachtik Charlea Owen Rachel Murray Taler Thomas

We, the Illuminator, are here to bring the Central community the news they want to know, also weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be showcasing art, photography, music, events, and the stories that matter to the Central High School community.

In this Issue

4 8 The Illuminator May 2013

Upgrading Fish A guide to underclassmen as they transition to being sophomores.

Prom Flashback Our favorite CHS staff tell us about their prom experiences.

Top 13 The top 13 moments of this school year.

Staycation

Music Madness

A guide to how to have a fun packed summer without even leaving Fort Worth.

The Illuminator staff recommend some of their favorite tunes.

Graphic Designers: Alex Perez Arthur Neiva Michael Busch

The Illuminator May 2013

Upgrading fish Rachel Murray, Staff Writer

Freshman year was your year to show everyone who you really are. Are you happy with your first impression? Getting used to high school can take a while, and it won’t be until senior year when you know this school like the back of your hand. Here are 10 tips to help you succeed in your second year of high school.

Take extra credit opportunities. This is important because no matter what your grade is, you can always improve it. If you fail a test or quiz, sometimes teachers will give extra credit to help boost your failing grade. Making a 50 go up to a 70 can really help. In some cases, at the end of the semester, teachers will give an optional project to add five points to your average grade. Even if you are a straight A student, this could improve your grade even more, or even boost your GPA, pushing you up on your class rank list.

Always try your hardest. If you are struggling in school, don’t give up. Simply taking tutorials before or after school or even talking to your teacher about it can always help. It is also important to not “slack off.” Don’t save homework until last minute. Not only should you try your hardest in school, but with everything. Never give less than 100 percent and most importantly, don’t ever give up. “Work hard and don’t stress about anything because high school isn’t as bad as everyone makes it out to be,” said Andrew Brunson, senior.

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Never cheat. If you don’t understand your schoolwork, cheating on a test is not the way out of it. Try talking to a teacher for extra help during tutorials or after class. You are in this school for 3 more years, and having a bad reputation can ruin them. Even if you let someone else copy off of you on a test or homework, consider that you can get in as much trouble as them.

Use your time wisely. When you have homework or a test to study for, put down the electronics and just do it. Texting or using social media while doing homework will distract you and makes it take twice the time. Studying during those last five minutes of class or during your lunch period could really make a difference on your grade.

Take homework and studying seriously. Even though homework is just a minor grade, all of the minor grades add up in the end. If you have trouble with homework, sometimes that means that you are not paying attention in class. The more attention you give during school, the easier the homework is. The easier your homework is for you, the easier the test is. Even if you think you will pass the test with flying colors, you should still study. Studying will help you remember and feel more confident.

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Go to tutorials. If it’s the morning of a big test or exam and you aren’t feeling confident or you have a few questions, you can simply go to your teacher’s room and they will usually be there to help you around 8:00-8:15 in the morning and 3:41-4:30 in the evening. If you failed a quiz or test, or just don’t understand the homework, you can go after school for tutorials also. Your teachers will always try to find a way to help you with anything. If you have sports or a club meeting, and need to go to tutorials, talk to your coach or leader and they will usually find a way to work around your busy schedule. “Tutorials are good because they are one on one,” said Jon McGuire, junior. Just be yourself. Don’t waste your time trying to be like everyone else. People should like you for who you are and not for what you wear, what you do, or what music you listen to. Don’t get caught up with trying to be like everyone else and show your true side because in a world where you can be anything, just be yourself.

Get involved. It’s not too late to find a club or sport to join. Getting involved with a sport you love is a really great way to make a lot of friends. If you don’t like sports, join a club, or do both. See what interests you and try it out! Getting involved with the school can really get you recognized. It is the easiest way to make more friends! “I would recommend Circle of Friends. It’s not like other clubs. You don’t have to excel in any particular subject or activity. You get to help out with the special needs kids and it’s so worth it seeing how excited they get over something you were a part of,” said Serena Saad, senior.

By now, you’ve already made a good group of friends. Having “life long” friends in high school can help you with many things. If you ever need help with school or just need advice, you want a good group of friends to go to. Since there are about 30 people per classroom, make a goal of having a couple friends from each class. Having a friend in the same class as you is also good for when you have questions about the class. Also, participating in the same sport or club is great because “Don’t be afraid to start a conversation and meet new people,” said Saad.

Show respect towards your teachers. This is very important because teachers work hard every day to make sure that your future is bright. Teachers put a lot of work into grading papers and tests, and showing them respect will make them have more respect for you. Paying attention in class and turning homework in on time will put you on your teacher’s good side, which is always beneficial.

If you use these nifty tips, you could improve your grades, boost your confidence, and make more friends. You will be conquering sophomore year in no time.

College: Where we plan to go Michael Bush, Graphic Designer

Percentages

For all you seniors, graduation is fast approaching meaning that many of us will be heading off to college soon. This is where some of the seniors of our student body will be attending.

UNT: 18% Baylor University: 1% Texas A&M: 12% TCC: 19% Texas Tech: 4% Rice: 1% University Of Houston: 2% UT: 5% SMU: 2% Sam Houston: 1% OU: 3% Ohio State: 1% University of New Mexico: 1% Texas Wesleyan: 1% Texas State: 5% U.S. Armed Forces: 5% Tarleton State: 3% University of Chicago: 1% Stanford: 1% San Diego City: 1 % Newman University: 1% Concordia: 1% Kilgore: 1% Lindenwood: 1% Tufts: 1% Angelo: (ASU) 1% University of Missouri: 1% Florida Southern: 1% Temple: 1% UTA: 1% DBU: 1% NYU: 2%

The Illuminator May 2013

livin’ the dream

Jacey Sheets, Senior

Amaro Luna, Senior

Baily Zuniga, Senior

Daniel Lee, Senior

I’m going to the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. I auditioned because it is my dream school and they ended up giving me a scholarship of $18,280. I’m looking forward to being able to train at a professional conservatory.

I’m going to the University of Chicago. I chose the school because of its high academic rigor and its high ranking of all academic programs. I also received a full scholarship to the school, which motivated me further to attend.

I’m going to MIT. I chose to go there because it just felt right like the right place for me and I didn’t feel like that anywhere else. I am looking forward to the new people and classes.

I’m going to my dream school, Rice University. I’m looking forward to a new experience and a new environment.

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rumor has it:

THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE

Amara Thomas, Editor in Chief

Tiffany McGee, Sophomore Q: Do you get to wear whatever you want to wear to class? A: Yes, I think because of maturity and all, I don’t see anything unusual at school, but you can wear and look however you please.

Jack Manna, Freshman Q: Is freshman year at college as hard as freshman year in high school? A: I’d say freshman year in college is much harder than freshman year in high school because if you’re like me, I knew a lot of people going into Central. College is different because not only are you worried about money and the work load, but you’re also worried about making friends.

Madison Grant, former CHS student and current TCC student, answers all the rumors about college that keeps us wondering.

Eric Williams, Senior Q: What are classes like? A: Some classes are in lecture halls where there are more people and you’re closer to them, where some just have desk or tables and you can have a little space. Normally those classes are a little smaller and from my experience, seem to have more input from students. The lecture hall classes seem to be mostly note taking.

Kenan Rodriguez, Senior Q: Can you eat inside of class? A: Sometimes, it depends on the teacher. I have a few classes where I will eat a snack in class, but I wouldn’t eat my whole meal in there. Also, in some classes you have to sit much closer to people like in lecture halls, so if you eat you don’t want to make too much noise, because it might disturb others.

Erika Simmons, Freshman Q: How many classes do you take on average? A: I took 12 hours to be full time and because any more would interfere with my job, but some people are only part time while others take 15 hours. (In most cases one class = three hours)

Prom Flashback Rachel Murray, Staff Writer

Lyndsay Baker I found a fake prom dress (that had been a New Year’s Eve dress) at Khols for $1. It was a New Year’s Eve sequenced dress that had the year 2000, streamers, and poppers all over it. ( I graduated HS in 2000) When my date asked what my dress looked like I would always describe that dress. “Oh it’s short, black and has sequences all over it.” Prom gets here and my date comes to pick me up. I was wearing my fake prom dress. Took pictures in it and everything. As we were getting in the limo I said that I “forgot something” and ran in to change dresses. I returned in my real dress. The $1 I spent on the dress was so worth it!

Kari Laminack

Jay Asp

The year was 1990, the theme was inspired by Manilli Vanilli’s smash hit “All or Nothing.” I wore a black, sleeveless formal, long in the back and a shorter, jagged length in the front. Of course, I had dyed to match satin heels, and long satin gloves that complemented my sleeveless formal. That same year, Manilli Vanilli was exposed as lip syncers and their status, fame and popularity literally went from all to nothing.

I went to prom three times my junior year. I lived in rural Ohio, and my school, Shelby, along with two neighboring towns, Madison and Lexington, all had prom on successive weekends. I was really involved in my church youth group and had lots of close friends there. Since it was a larger church, it drew from many of the area high schools. My girlfriend at the time, Melissa, went to Madison, so that was the prom I was really interested in. But a girl from my school asked me to go “as friends” (I found out during the dance that she had a crush on me) and another girl from youth group, whom Melissa was friends with, really did just need someone to go with. Since Melissa was cool with it, I went to each one on back-toback-to-back weekends. By the end of that month I was ready to never do prom again, but it was fun, and the best news was that the tuxedo rental place felt sorry for me and only charged me one rental fee to keep the tux for all three weekends.

a right of passage

Harley Clawson, Contributing Writer

The Illuminator May 2013

When you hear the word “prom,” what things come to mind? Struggling to find a perfect date for a perfect evening? Dancing all night long with friends while creating high school memories? Or do you just think a hot smelly gym filled with sweaty students standing too close to you? To many students, prom is just that. Spending lots of money to be given the privilege to dance in uncomfortable heels and suffocating tuxedoes. When really, prom is a lot deeper than itchy clothes. In a way prom can be viewed as a passage into adulthood. Prom is the signal that your high school years are fortunately (unfortunately? Depends on who you are) coming to and end. It is the last place, before graduation, where you will be surrounded by your classmates and lay the

previous four years to rest. You don’t go prom to dance, or drink punch, or to enjoy elegant decorations, but to experience an event that will be everlasting. It’s the principle of the matter. It’s being able to laugh at your past self when you think of the turmoil you went thorough when deciding what to wear. It’s telling your children about your prom memories and moments before they step out of the house to attend theirs. Prom is a somewhat ancient tradition, which will remain in the minds and hearts of many high schooler’s long after they graduate. To many, prom can be over-rated but looking into it, it’s a vital memory to add to the already many memories created throughout ones high school career.

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Marci Hargrove It was 1984, Footloose had just come out, all the boys dressed like Kevin Bacon and all the girls wanted red cowboy boots. It was awesome and weird at the same time. One of the highlights at each prom was the Senior Prophecy and the Junior Will. The juniors got together and wrote a story about where each senior would be in the future, and the seniors got together and wrote out a will to the juniors...fun stuff! Part of my prophecy was that I would live in ‘Bye’. For those who know sports, when you draw a bye that means you don’t play and move on the next round to play. The reason I was going to live in ‘Bye’ is because after I moved in my sophomore year, I was trying to fit in and made the buffoon-like comment....’oh, look...we’re playing Bye tomorrow night...we use to play them at my other school.’ Smooth move, huh? Fitting in got a lot harder after that!

Natalie Brown I went to high school in Cleveland, Miss. where there were only 400 kids in grades 9-12. Since the school was so small, we held a junior/senior prom and I managed to attend all four years. My freshman year, 1997, I went to prom with my senior boyfriend, Ira. The theme was Mardi Gras Magic and the prom was held in the middle school gym because the gym at my high school had been condemned sometime in the 80s and they just never got around to building a new one. Sophomore and senior year I went with guy friends, but my junior year, I went to prom with a senior named Damion Brown. Seven years later he asked me to marry him, despite my 90s fashion choices.

Ginger Goodman I graduated in 1990. My senior year we had prom at the Petroleum Club in Tyler. Our theme was Arabian Nights. We didn’t have tons of food to eat there, so everyone went out to eat at Bennigan’s. Most people drove their own cars- very few took limos. I drove my F250 pick up. I wore a blue shinny dress- you can see what my fashion knowledge is :-0. I drove my date- he was a freshman and so he couldn’t drive. With a class of 52 there aren’t a lot of date choices.

The Many Faces of Jay Asp Amara Thomas, Editor in Chief

5 Picture 1: 2008, Asp grows his hair out, which some say makes him look like Jesus or a hippie from the 60’s. Picture 2: 2007. Faculty members and Coach Asp dress up festively for Halloween. Asp is a sunburned tourist. Picture 3: 2012. On another Halloween, Asp dresses up as a competitive tennis player.

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Picture 4: 2009. Coach King competes against Coach Asp in their annual “beardoff” Picture 5: 2009. Greece comes to Central when Asp dresses up as a Spartan warrior. Picture 6: 2012. Asp dyes his hair bleachblonde, surprising Central with his new look. Picture 7: 2010. Dressed up as Darth Brooks, Asp goes all out for 2010’s Halloween.

It was during my freshman year when I first encountered, Mr. Jay Asp, the art and AP art history teacher. He was know as that “ hippy art teacher that looks like Jesus.” However, that look didn’t last long and ever since his appearance is always changing. I thought I’d ask him the reasoning behind his ever-changing appearance. Q: So, why do you always change your look? A: As a little kid my dad would take us to some destination, and I would know where we were going and I’d say, “Dad this isn’t the way to get there,” and he would say “Variety is the spice of life” and we would be going some alternate route. He said it so often that it stuck in my mind and I think that that’s a big part of it, that I like in certain ways to be organized and structured and know what I’m doing but in a lot of ways I like to be spontaneous and let things happen. I like variety I like the avant-garde. I would rather do something weird than be status quo, and in the end it’s just kind of fun. Q: What do you plan to do next? A: I’m planning on growing my hair and beard out for two years and I’m already nine months into it. That’s kind of the minimum and I’ll see what I think of it at that point. I will probably get rid of the beard in two years. You cant eat because the moustache gets into the corners of your mouth and I found myself always messing with it, it’s a little bit annoying and kind of funny.

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A chat with Mr. Patty

By: Kathleen Houston, Contributing Writer How long have you been teaching and what subject do you teach? I have been teaching for 7 years at CHS and I currently teach AP US History and Pre AP World Geography What is your favorite part about being a teacher? I love working with young people. They keep me energized and highly motivated. If a movie was made about your life, what would the title be and why? “I am not here to find the pot of gold, just to ride the rainbow.” I am all about trying new things. Why order the same thing from the menu when there are lots of options? What is the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done? When I was 16, I was an exchange student in Sweden. I backpacked across Europe and got myself into sticky situations. My only regret is that I didn’t take more pictures. What would students be surprised to know about you? I love music and the arts. I have been to over three hundred concerts and fifty plays. I listen to everything from rock to pop to jazz to electronic to rap to classical. If it is good, I am a fan. You are very respected throughout the school and your AP test passing rate is off the charts. What is the biggest thing you stress in your classroom to keep your students motivated? The biggest thing I stress to my students is to be positive. Being positive means less stress and a higher academic performance.

Photo by Xyp-per Cameron

“Mr. Patty is awesome. he always likes to be interactive with students” Eric Johnson, Sophomore

Many juniors and seniors fret over picking the right college for them. What are the top three things you think students should look for in a school? I start off with what NOT to look for in a college: how much of a party school it is, it’s football or basketball NCAA rankings, or the attractiveness of its student body. Students should look for 1) The overall vibe of the campus (you get a pretty good feel when you actually talk to current students) 2) The financial aid office (it’s all about the money) and 3) The classes (large lecture hall of 300 students vs. small classes of 15) In ten words or less, describe what your job means to you. What other job can change the world? Only teaching. Tell us your life motto: Laugh as much as much as you breathe and love as much as you live.

FCCLA, (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) went to the State Leadership Conference to compete in six different events. All of the teams placed at state, which was a first for Central.

Central donated thousands of dollars to the March of Dimes Organization this year. March of Dimes collects money for families who have premature, sick babies. The Lady Charger Soccer Players won their annual Playing for Preemies game against Keller. This past February Central’s wrestling team made it to state. The Girls’ wrestling team made the 5A district champions. Champions included Issa Rodriguez, Claudia Cheung, Myla Casey, Bryanna Perkins, and Kareem Simms.

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FBLA Students Place Ninth in National Competition; First in Texas. Nam Nguyen and Lynn Tong recently competed in a two week online business simulation through Knowledge Matters. They competed against students from all over the United States in Personal Finance. They placed 9th in the nation and 1st in the state of Texas.

Central’s bowling team made their way to the state competition on March 23 at Cityview Lanes in Fort Worth.

Top The 2012-2013 year a close and Central has moments. From playoffs made themselves known Here are our top 13

HOSA members attended the 2012 fall leadership conference in McKinney and brought home the award for Outstanding Participation. Members included Vi Pham, Lynn Tong, Adam Kirby, James Penney, Quynh Tran and Yejoo Hwang.

The Illuminator May 2013 The CHS Lighting Dancers competed against other KISD schools and were the division champions this past March. The team also traveled to Galveston and received the title of “Grand Champions”.

13 will soon be coming to had some memorable to VASE, the Chargers throughout the year. moments of the year.

To be named to an All-State team an athlete must turn in one of the top 24 times in the state at either District, Regionals, State, or TISCA competitions. In Diving an athlete must either qualify for state or be in the top 8 of those who were unable to compete at state. Five girls, Lauren Williams, Madison Straight, Georgia Brown, and Kayla, and four

Rachel Murray, Staff Writer

The Visual Arts Scholastic Event, known as VASE, took place in Bryan, TX this year. Katie Sajewski, a senior Art student participated last April, and won, receiving a medal for the highest rating 4- superior, making her one of the top 600 artists in the state of Texas.

The Central Band program sent 82 students in November to the All-Region auditions. Central competed against other KISD school and had 36 students making the region bands. 17 of the 36 made the top few chairs and advanced to area competition.

VOC traveled to Chicago as one of America’s thirty finest show choirs competing for the title of “National Champions” and for the “Show Choir Cup”. The CHS Voices of Central earned a National Finalist position after finishing among the top show choir’s at Fame Orlando earlier this spring.

Central Football Club, known as CFC, were the District 4-5A RunnersUp, Bi-District, area, regional and quarterfinal champions, and was in the State Sweet 16 this 2012-2013 season. CFC ended their season with 9 wins, 1 loss and 4 ties for district.

Top 10: Television Shows to watch on Nextflix Taler Thomas, Staff Writer

“It’s very chilling. It brings mythical creatures to life, and adds an interesting twist to things we already fear. It captivates you and makes you feel what the characters are feeling,” said Christian Mylett, junior.

“It has a lot to do with what we actually go through in high school. It combines the death of friends, and everyday hard times to make the most realistic teenage drama,” said Ashley Meserve, senior. Supernatural

Skins UK

“It’s about a guy who was raised to see everythig so in order to act impressive, he pretends to be psychic and does lots of crazy things that should probably get him in trouble,” said Alison Bryce, senior.

“The way the plot twists causes so many unexpected endings, and you find yourself admiring the most unexpected characters. Besides, it doesn’t hurt that the actors are so cute,” said Paige Joplin, senior. Psych

Teen Wolf “This show blurs the lines between good and evil, so a character that comes into the show good could leave evil and vise versa. It’s always interesting and makes you feel for the characters,” said Stephanie Cavander, freshman. Vampire Diaries

“It’s always funny in Philadelphia. The gang always bites off more that they can chew, so it’s funny watching how they deal with it,” said Kelly Coffman, junior. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia “It’s gripping drama that is relatable, heartfelt and at times, morally disturbing in all the right ways,” said Kristy Ho, senior.

“It deals with so much hope, magic, and the good of the world. Watching it makes you feel so good about the world and yourself,” said Haven Kempthorne, sophomore. Breaking Bad

Doctor Who “Each episode is like a movie, plus Bendict Cumberbatch isnt hard to look at,” said Alexa Gonzaga, senior.

Powerpuff Girls

“I love the Powerpuff Girls because they each had their own personlaity so you could relate to the girly one or the tomboy one or the intelligent one,” said Catarina Navarro, sophomore.

Sherlock

Images courtesy of show’s media sites.

NEED COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS?

The Illuminator May 2013

Community Storehouse is dedicated to the well-being and education of the children in our community.

COMMUNITY STOREHOUSE IS HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AS MANY HOURS AS YOU NEED THIS SUMMER!!!! 

Food Pantry

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Summer Reading Program

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Sorting of clothing

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Feeding children summer lunches

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Working in our Resale Stores Hours of Operation:

10:00am to 6:00pm Monday through Friday We are the only Children's Charity in NE Tarrant County that is focused on “keeping children in the classroom.”

10:00am to 5:00pm Saturday FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: KIM GIBSON - 817-431-3340 OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE communitystore.org (Volunteer) We are accepting sign ups for Volunteers to work our 14th Annual Run in the Dark event, September 21, 2013 at Alliance Airport.

The Illuminator May 2013

Looks for the Summer: Taler Thomas, Staff Writer

The edgy chic

The Beach Babe

The casual girl

Shorts are always good for the summer but sometimes a change is necessary. Skinny jeans are in and a black or white pair is even better. Beware the jeans though, summer stays pretty hot, so save this outfit for a cool evening. Midriffs are coming back in style, and look great with skinny jeans.

One word... Tassels. Tassels on your bathing suit are super hot this summer. Another big deal for bathing suit patterns is tribal print. Slip on some sandals and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re pool side ready.

This year high waisted shorts have returned. There are tons of cute shirts you can pair with these, but tank tops and tee-shirts are among my favorites.

Fort Worth Stay-cation Bailey Kachtik, Staff Writer

Every year summer begins with a huge bang as people start going places and sleeping the days away. While summer starts out amazing, boredom soon sets in when you’re at home with nothing to do with your time. This is when the need for a stay-cation comes into play.

Burger Lake

The first thing that many think of when summer is in play is heading out to the beach. Now of course there aren’t any beaches near Fort Worth but in fact there is something very similar. This can be found at Burger Lake, which not only sports two beaches, but also six diving boards, a 20 foot slide, and a 25 foot trapeze. If swimming is not on your mind its ok because the lake has sand and grass volleyball courts along with picnic tables for a nice lunch. At 1200 Meandering Road, Fort Worth, all this fun can belong to you for $12 per person.

Cowtown Wakepark If just swimming around and going down waterslides isn’t enough of an adrenaline rush then head over to Cowtown Wakepark. The wakepark is open on Friday from 2 - 7:30 p.m. and Sunday and Saturday from 12- 6 p.m. Equipment is not required to have the chance to wakeboard here as they allow their equipment to be rented at prices listed on the website, www. cowtownwakepark.com. No experience is needed to join in the fun found at 1301 East Northside Drive.

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Michael Busch, Graphic Designer

“Burger Lake was a huge letdown, so I just went to Burger King, at least they’re honest.” Jake Norman, Junior

“I like the zoo because it’s interesting to look at the animals and how they act, plus it’s a good way to have fun with your friends.” Carly Straight, Freshman

The Illuminator May 2013

Fort Worth Zoo

Grapevine Vintage Railroad Maybe walking isn’t calling to your tired body, so a ride along the Grapevine Vintage Railroad would be the perfect thing to move onto. The train’s route is right along the cotton belt between Grapevine and the Fort Worth Stockyards. For first class tickets round trip is $28 while the touring class is only $20. For one-way tickets first class is $20 and touring class is only $14. Over the summer the trains are available on Friday, Saturday, and Sundays.

Spending a day out at the zoo is another option for anyone sitting around bored at home. The zoo would be a good place to go to get out and around while enjoying the animals that reside their such as white tigers and monkeys. Within its boundaries are more than 7,000 animals guaranteeing something new to see around every corner. The zoo is open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The address is 1989 Colonial Parkway.

Fort Worth Water Gardens If you’re looking for an outdoorsy adventure with a nice little escape from the sun into a cool, watery garden then visiting the Fort Worth Water Gardens would benefit you. Phillip Johnson created these gardens with many water features that will amaze. This is a great place to go for a stroll and relax from the Texas heat. The gardens are located at 1502 Commerce Street.

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

For anyone who wants to experience some culture a visit to the Amon Carter Museum of American Art is recommended. This museum is free and has featured works by artists like Ed Ruscha, Sedrick Huckaby and Romare Bearden. Also you are able to attend the numerous events hosted during the summer, visit the website to get a list of these. The museum is open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., and Sunday from 12 – 5 p.m. The Amon Carter can be found at 3501 Camp Bowie Boulevard.

“I thought the water gardens were really cool. I loved the sound of the rushing water and walls of running water.” Georgia Brown, Junior

“I love trains, I just love them so much. Going to see them makes me happier than you even know.” Tegan Brand, Junior

FASHION

Our Summer Playlist Here are the Illuminator’s staff’s favorite summer tunes. Alex Perez I Can Talk by Two Door Cinema

Amara Thomas, Editor in Chief

“It’s upbeat, pumps me up. Good background music to drive or skate to.” Arthur Neiva You Only Got What You Give by the New Radicals “That song just puts a smile on your face and it being summer makes it a bigger and better smile.” Ashley Walker The Great Escape by Boys Like Girls “I listen to this when I want to escape from the world. I listen to it most during the summer and it gives me a sense of freedom from my day to day responsibilities.”

Bailey Kachtik Anna Sun Walk by the Moon “I like it because it tells of going out and having fun.”

Charlea Owen The Whip by Locksly “This song was played in multiple surf movies and it fits the moment of ocean water, beaches, fun times, and the hot summer air.” Michael Busch Alright by Supergrass “ The reason I like this song is because when I’m free from school, you leave the building and I can start thinking of a million things to do. “

The Illuminator May 2013

Rachel Murray 22 by Taylor Swift “ It talks about forgetting about deadlines and just being free. To make fun of our exes and to just dance and party as if you were 22.” Taler Thomas Naked Kids by Group Love “ It gives me a feeling of freedom. I just picture the wind blowing by hair around, an it just makes me feel free and happy. “

Concert Do’s & Don’ts Do get there early. If you want to be in the front row or anywhere near the front get there at least one to two hours early depending on the band’s popularity. Don’t push. If you were not able to get there early enough to get to the front, please don’t push your way to a better spot. That’s rude, and those other people waited in line for their spot like you are suppose too. Do know the band. Even if it is a last minute gig, know who you are going to see. Give them a quick listen or at the least look at their Wikipedia page. Do pick up people when they fall. Whether they fall from moss pitting, dancing, or tripping on acid, just be kind and help them up. Don’t make any request. No the guitarist will not have your children and don’t scream at the band to play a certain song. The have a set list for a reason and absolutely no Firebird request, especially if the band is not Skynrd. Don’t wear the bands t-shirt. I’m sorry, but this extremely uncool. Why, I don’t know, its just some unspoken rule. However, this can be acceptable for some shows such as Lady Gaga, One Direction or Justin Bieber. Don’t smoke during a show. I know this may enhanced the experience, but not everyone is down with that. So, all I ask is to be considerate.

GADGET

The Illuminator May 2013

Bands you ought to Know Amara Thomas, Editor in Chief

Grimes Pop

Rejjie Snow Rap

Bryan Ryan Appleby Folk

Her music is dreamy and whimsical, often described as “witch or cyborg” pop. Her high pitch feathery vocals and heavy use of pop synch instruments create a sound that may be overwhelming at first, but with a couple listens, it settles in and one can find it very refreshing. The beats used throughout her music draw parallels to 70s and 80s pop music, however with a darker twist. Imagine a Goth, washed out version of Madonna.

Previously known as Lecs Luther, Snow is like no other. His lyrics are abstract and laced in intelligence, dealing with topics such as racism to albinos. His style is unique and his flow is smooth, yet powerful. The production on his tracks adds a range of colors and warmth to his music, making it different and extremely appealing.

Bryan Ryan Appleby is a breath of fresh air. His songs are simplistic, yet complex. Lyrically he paints images with his music pulling from everyday life as well as some religious text. His songs create stories and through them one can see that Appleby is a true poet. His voice is strong, confident and raw, working in harmony with his enchanting melodies. It is very apparent that the music he makes comes deeply from within.

Similar to: Madonna, Icona Pop

Similar to: Tyler. The Creator,

Similar to: Fleet Foxes

Justice Electronic

Tame Impala Indie

Rival Sons Rock

A French an electronic music duo made up of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. Many of their songs are comprised of beats that are quite simplistic however exciting and fun. Through their music there are a lot of different influences from disco to rock, and maybe even R&B figures like Michael Jackson, however they are not overbearing and add a lot of good to the overall sound. The arrangement and the use of many instruments including strings, horns, and synthesizers make their music like no other.

An Australian psychedelic pop and rock band, who is taking over the indie world. The band mixes modern pop and 60s psychedelic sounds to perfection. Many of their melodies and base lines suggest a Beatles; post Revolver, and an early Pink Floyd type of vibe. Especially the vocals, where many have compared Kevin Parker’s voice to John Lennon’s. Their production and song writing is remarkable.

Pulling influences from bands like Led Zeppelin, Credence Clearwater Rival, and the Who, the Rival Sons is definitely a blast from the past. The vocals are powerful, the guitars are fuzzed out, and overall the sound is just overwhelmingly good. Although the band has a very late 1960s and 70s sound, it is not too revival bandish. There are a lot of elements that keep the Rival Sons sounding modern and as a unit, the band comes together really well. No member outshines the rest.

Similar to: Daft Punk, Deadmau5

Similar to: MGMT, The Beatles

Similar to: Led Zeppelin, The Who

Images courtesy of band’s media sites.

The Illuminator May 2013

KEEPING IT SIMPLE Arthur Neiva, Graphic Designer Each person has their story of how they got into cars. The spark that ignited the flame into the car world. Chris grew up around cars; his family has always been around cars so he was just naturally born with the passion for automobiles flowing through his veins. “Having grown up around cars I’ve always found them interesting. All the different styles and how it brings people together just seems so cool to me” said Chris Leal, senior. With Chris driving the Trans Am for almost 2 years now, he’s definitely made some history with the car and had some good times with it. But this car holds much more value to him than just the period that he’s driven it. When Chris was about four years old his dad bought the car and took impressive care of it. When Chris’s older brother turned 16 the car was handed down from his father to him. Now it was finally time for Chris to call it his own. “It was really exciting for it to finally be mine, my dad and I went out for a drive together because he wanted to make sure I could handle the power it had”

Now like every other 16-year-old who gets their first car it’s time to give it some modifications to make it stand out. But when it comes down to Chris, he isn’t about completely changing the car with a ton of mods. He likes keeping it simple, and mostly stock. Just some simple tasteful mods that still keep the car there, nothing screaming for attention just something you look at and you think to yourself, hmm I fancy that. With Chris finishing up high school the future plans for the car is for it to go back to the ownership of his dad. With college coming up Chris wants to find something a bit more fuelefficient. The car will still stay with his family, having been the car for every generation it definitely holds lots of history, and with only 67,000 miles it still has a lot of life in it to finish it’s complete story. “After driving the car for almost 2 years now I’ve loved it everyday, through the good times and scary situations I’ve been in. This car has been a big part of my life and I hope to keep it even after I move onto a new car.”

The Illuminator May 2013

GOOD TIMES Arthur Neiva, Graphic Designer When it comes to cars and car enthusiasts sometimes its not the perfect, brand new, show cars that grab our attentions. Sometimes it’s the old beater sitting off the side, or the car that looks like it’s been the survivor of many cold winters and crazy hot summers. Many of you might not even look twice at a car like that, but those cars are the ones with the best backstories. Owning a bug is probably one of the most fun cars you can own, if not the most fun car you can own. It’s a car that always brings a smile to people’s faces no matter what condition it’s in, it’s a car that many people have owned, and it’s a car that people love to reminisce about and tell their story about their bug. Ty has been the owner of his bug for about three years now and he’s already had many unforgettable moments. “Every Saturday my mom and I go garage saleing and I hate garage saleing ironically,” said Webb. “So she says, Ty let’s go garage saleing and the one day I’m just like, alright mom lets go. I’m excited we usually get some good stuff.

He continues, “It’s near the end of the day we finish our garage saleing around 10:15 when we show up to this garage sale, and you know there are the usual things like the clothes, the knick knacks, the pattiwacks, give a dog a bone and then there’s this bug that’s out for sale in front of the house. I didn’t even want a bug and I never had interest in a bug.” But the bug and Webb must have been meant to be. “My mom was able to talk the guy down and what do you know we were leaving the garage sale with a bug.” Since that time, Webb has grown to love his ride. “Now I appreciate owning a bug, and all the time I’ll pull up to a gas station and people will walk up and say that they used to own a bug when they were a teenager. How they were able to pack in up six or eight people in it and this one guy even said he had up to 11 people in it, just some ridiculous stories about their bug. It’s just full of good times.”

Senior Farewells

The Illuminator May 2013

Mickey Busch, Graphic Designer Explosions, randomness, and humor are everything I want to include in stories, yet as a student of deadline, I’m limited to what I can create. But, the only other thing that’s short of a deadline is leaving high school. I mean, it has been a long unsolved emotional journey from kindergarten to now. I’m a serious person when it comes to my own personal life, and I’m scared, confused, and excited for what’s to come. Why, I’ve got my own big journey planned out in my head, especially the part where I get my parents to pay for a huge sum of my life, but it’s going to be a long run. Not so much that it has been a long run, long enough for me to go into my attic and find my kindergarten tee-shirt with a graduation year of 2013 written on it and say, “I did it… wow, I made it, but regret so much of what I could’ve done, and how much of this story I could’ve changed.” As much as I want to leave advice, my main goal is to try summarizing my run-through of being a little high pitch five-year-old to a slightly taller, more diverse, yet idiotic, 18-year-old redhead with a dream. Looking back to the present, I’ve noticed so many things about this whole school principle, and no not the principal. It’s the friends you’ve made, the relationships, the compliments, the jokes, the pets, the family, the deaths, the losses, the beatings, the emotional traumas, the heartbreaks, and the reflection of you through this gruesome time. I’ve lost so much family, friends aren’t the same, in fact the only ones I have are the closest and act just like me and still have hope in them, my pets are getting to the age from when I first got them to now that I question and say, “Please, please don’t die,

you’re my best friend in the whole world,” I don’t care what people think of me anymore, I regret not doing a handful of things, and I’ve learned to work towards your goal. And, thanks to Mr. Fahey for pointing the future ahead of us is so huge, and we can’t accomplish a single thing, unless we work our behinds’ off, and write down our goals. Thanks to Mrs. Massie for reviving the art teacher figure I had lost so many years ago as the most diligent and kind one out there to me. A thank you to Mrs. Brown, who started it all, where she altered my perspective of teachers and learning freshman year as a fun and zany experience. And, to coming back to the journalism department, I’ve learned to never give up on such an amazing experience of the work and laughs everyone had. This brings me to Mr. McMahon, a very complicated, but genius human being. I’ll just jump to the fact that without meeting him, I’d never know the field I wanted to get into. So thank you, and it’s a very self-taught career but he’s shown so much. Absent from the prominent figures, the teachers at Central High School had to offer me will be a heartbreak. I can’t say what I’ll miss, what I wanted to do, why everything’s changing, the people I’ve met will be gone, and I’ll be a mature person who will live their own life and grow into it. And ever since I’ve started school, I also wanted to say, “Goodbye,” but, I can’t finish that line because I’m still young and don’t know what lies ahead of me. The easy stuff is over, I’m growing up, and there’s nothing that’s going to stop that.

The Illuminator May 2013 Amara Thomas, Editor in Chief Since I’ve been at Central and a part of the newspaper, it’s been tradition for the seniors of our newspaper staff to write their farewell. This is where they explain what they got out of high school, all the trials and tribulations, the good days and the bad. It was actually a senior farewell, that I read during my freshman year that caused me to join the newspaper. But here I am, writing this and feeling lost. I waited for this moment, to write this column, to say what I always wanted to say to our student body, but now I am at a loss for words. My thoughts are jumbled and unorganized. I’ve done so much over the last four years; I’m a totally different person. But I don’t want this farewell to become a list of regrets and goodbyes, because this is really just the beginning of my life. It has always be a dream to go to New York, and now I’m moving there next year, to go to school and to model. The skinny, tall girl, who has always been a little socially

awkward is actually doing something grand with her life and for that I am thankful. For the teachers who saw the potential in me and pushed me to speak up in class, for the friends who stuck with me despite my odd ways, and my parents who always listened to my complaints and showed me the world. All of theses individuals have help me get my life started, and prepared me for the real world. From the clubs, to playing soccer, joining the newspaper, taking art history, making friends, and even losing people have helped me become who I am, I’ve discovered myself through high school, which I thought I would never admit. I owe this place a great deal. So, this is what I’ve got from high school: learn, explore, experience, and care for people. And for that I say, Farewell.

Ashley Walker, Managing Editor I had a vision of me as a senior. I had everything together and ready to go for college, and I was a heck a lot more mature than I am now. But I always strive to be better version of myself. I made it though. Like every student, our goal is to graduate and never set eyes on Central again. I thought about it, and I’m so ready to leave. I walk these halls as a ghost, weaving in and out of stationary freshmen wondering who will run them over. I did learn some valuable lessons, though. Mostly from my favorite teacher, Mrs. Natalie Brown. In her classes not only did I learn writing, photography and design, but I also learned how to be myself. I always feel safe in that classroom; it’s always like home. She makes learning fun, and

I would trust her with my life. Even though I’m ready to move on, some things about Central I will miss, like my friends and some of my teachers. In some ways, I’m ready to leave, but in other ways, I’m not. A part of me doesn’t want to grow up and have all the responsibilities of living alone. But my mind is going “Yes! Graduation.” Confliction. If anyone asks me what going to Central was like, this is what I’ll tell them: stairs, hallways, (not) walking in the hallways, and more stairs. But seriously, goodbye, Central. Forever. I feel infinite.

Alex Perez, Graphic Designer Goodbye Central. I don’t mean the “It was a pleasure to meet you and I’ll always remember you” goodbye or a “I’m just being polite to hide the fact I don’t care about you. You suck” goodbye either. You’ve changed me Central and for better or for worse I haven’t decided yet, but thank you. Thank you for introducing me to the world of animation with McMahon. All the drawing, coding, and frustration put into that class made me realize the passion I have for animating and how I want to continue animating for the rest of my life, except getting paid for it of course. Thank you for forcing me into awkward situations where I have to converse with other human beings so that I could overcome my shyness and meet some of the coolest people who I’ll probably ever meet and get to call my friends. Thank you for all

the trips up and down, up and down, up and freakin down those stairwells, because without that constant pain and waste of time on those stairs I would have become overweight because of my lack of exercise and sweet addiction. Thank you for making my high school experience somewhat bearable. So when I say Farewell to you on June 8, I mean it as a “ I didn’t really like you but I needed you” Goodbye. I like who I am now more than I did four years ago.

Arthur Neiva, Graphic Designer Well I would write something cool and what not but we don’t have that much space left so, take it easy everyone! :D