August 2014

the

precedent

august 2014 VOLUME VIII ISSUE I

PERRY HIGH SCHOOL || PRIDE · PROGRESS · PURPOSE || GILBERT, AZ

New tax credit requirements enact changes

By Natalie Eberhard the precedent

F

or years, clubs and extracurricular activities have gone on field trips, out of state competitions, and have funded themselves thanks to state tax credit donations. Classes, clubs and sports are just a few of the activities on campus that use tax credits.

However, because of a recent judgement from the state attorney general’s office about how the Chandler Unified School District uses tax credits, students will now be required to pay a fee if their club is using tax credit donations.

The AG crack down According to a recent article in the Arizona Republic, an investigation stemming from a Hamilton High School parent’s complaint to the attorney general’s office determined that CUSD misused tax credits. After an investigation, the attorney general’s office determined that nearly $200 thousand were misused, with $71 thousand of the misused funds coming from HHS. Now CUSD has been ordered to refund $183,968 to 41 of their schools for misused tax credits.

The district will pay Perry $7,310 for misused tax credits, much of which came from Advanced Placement exam payments

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Inquisitive minds at Perry High wonder: why is Homecoming in early September rather than late October as it has been in the past?

There are many aspects that play a part in choosing a homecoming date, such as the opponent that varsity football is up against for the annual homecoming game, and when fall break starts and ends.

The football team will be up against Gila Ridge High School for the homecoming game on September 12th for which Principal Dan Serrano explains, “Typically you want a game that you think you’re going to win.”

During fall break, it is problematic to have the homecoming game and dance because students and teachers go out of town for vacation and other activities.

Brandon Keeling, dean of Perry High and advisor of StuGo, delegates the tasks of disciplining students and making sure that StuGo puts on the best homecoming possible.

“I hold myself to very high

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photo by Katie Perry Students in Sharon Biemond’s class use hot glue guns to put together sculptures. The art club is one of many on campus that uses tax credit donations.

(paying for AP exams with tax credit dollars was deemed a misuse because tax credit cannot pay for college credit).

Revenue-Taxpayer Guidelines state: “Tax credits cannot be

issued for tuition-based classes where the student earns credit,” therefore, AP exams, along with any college or summer school course, cannot be covered by tax credit donations.

News || 1-3 Opinions || 4-5 Volunteers Abroad || 6-7 A & E || 8-9 Sports || 10-12

standards; so everything I do, I want to do with excellence,” Keeling expresses on juggling his two positions here at Perry.

Having an early homecoming presents a challenge to not only Keeling but to the homecoming committee and other students involved in planning this year’s festivities.

“There’s a lot of stuff that has to happen, a lot of contracts that have to get signed, a lot of orders that need to get written in order to get everything here on time,” Keeling mentions on preparing for homecoming.

In order to have the greatest homecoming Perry has to offer, there are multiple aspects in making sure that happens such as having a great theme, making sure that students have a good time at the homecoming carnival, and that they have a DJ that rocks the floor with his or her music.

In discussing the topic of this year’s theme, Keeling answers with, “I think if you can have a really good theme where you can tie all of the week’s activities into that theme, that’s awesome.”

Homecoming dance committee chair, senior Ashley Spencer, explains that choosing the theme is

a time consuming process in which all of the StuGo members take part in.

“We split up into committees of where you are and you come up with a bunch of names and themes,” Spencer explains, “and then from there, I write all of them down and then we put them under the projector.”

She explains that in order to come to a decision, they go through a process of elimination to come to a conclusion on the theme.

This year’s homecoming theme, “Masked”, a Mystery Masquerade, has student body buzzing about

Is Volleyball the real deal?

Take a look at the 201415 girls volleyball season preview.

Students join the wave of volunteers traveling overseas to perform humanitarian work this summer.

Page 12

New tax credit fees According to the Chandler Unified School District, the fees have been established to provide “Opportunities equitably to all

see FEES pg. 3

photo by Sarah Chapple

Student Government Spirit Commissioner Aaron Clouse (10) prepares for the Homecoming assembly by making posters. Homecoming this year is over a month earlier than last year.

Page 6-7

what Perry has planned for this mystifying motif.

The homecoming carnival, which falls on September 11th, is going to contain different rides and inflatables that is said to be a good time.

Keeling adds, “As far as the dance goes, ultimately it comes down to the DJ and how the DJ does; we’re really excited not only about the decorations but about some of the new sound [equipment] that they’re going to be able to bring and I think the students are really going to enjoy it.”

Inside

There’s a student who is just like you, navigating his way through the campus of nearly 3,200, trying to get to his seat before his teacher marks him tardy.

Senior Caleb Chapman might go unnoticed to many students he is not the tallest guy on campus, but if you have seen him, you probably have seen his smile. For a part of his life, however, he didn’t have a reason to smile.

“I’ve just always had that thing about me; I always smile. It doesn’t matter what my mom felt like, it doesn’t matter what I thought she felt like. I just felt happy. It’s just a thing that I do.”

Senior Caleb Chapman is a survivor.

Chapman, 18, has won two bouts with rhabdomyosarcoma, a tumor in the muscles attached to the bones.

“I’ve had cancer twice. The first one I got when I was six or seven,” he explained, “I’ve had 11 surgeries and my last surgery was about when I was eleven.”

“I needed that many” continued Chapman, “so that we could try to get my leg to bend farther. A lot of times, it would only bend like 90 degrees and the tissue that [was] developed under the scars [was] resisting my leg to bend any farther.”

Chapman’s surgeries left him with a prosthetic leg. But the loss of his leg doesn’t stop chapman from making a difference.

For the past six summers, Chapman has been a camper at Arizona Camp Sunrise and Sidekicks, a non-profit summer camp for kids that have experienced cancer and their siblings.

The camp provides an opportunity for kids to have a normal summer camp experience, with the bonus of a 24-hour medical staff on hand. The program serves thousands of kids each year and is equipped with over one hundred adult volunteers.

Camp activities range from horseback riding and fishing to a carnival and the famous Jello war. These activities have kids like Chapman coming back every summer. Chapman commented, “my favorite part of the camp is pretty much just everything. Just like what we do and the activities that all the campers can do.”

Just like a typical summer camp, counsellors aid in running the camp.

Chapman had the opportunity to be an LIT (leader in training) this past summer. This position is gives kids the opportunity to be with the campers, but also to observe the older counselors and prepare to

see CHAPMAN pg. 3

phsprecedent.com

Table of Contents

Muscle cancer survivor runs summer camp

By Molly Ogden

StuGo prepares for early homecoming

By August Bowers

STUDENT FEATURE

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news || the precedent || august 2014

NEWS BRIEFS

Myers third social studies dept. chair in 3 years

By Valerie Burgess and Cassie Nielsenr the precedent

Only days before the school year started, former Social Studies Department Chair Brandon Keeling was promoted to the Dean of Students.

With the Department chair empty, Principal Dan Serrano interviewed s e v e r a l Jason Myers interested candidates for the sudden opening of the roll during the first week of school.

“Typically it’s a little bit different, but... you always post the job and then you interview your candidates... and that’s what I did, but it was a lot later than what I would have wanted,” he explained.

History teacher Jason Myers has been named Keeling’s replacement as Department Chair for this upcoming school year.

“This is something I am interested in, because I believe professionalism is important,” shared Myers, “and I want to help shape the way the history department is professionally.”

Bosa Donuts to open

A new BoSa Donuts location is coming soon to Queen Creek and Val Vista, across the street from campus. It is located in the where the frozen yogurt shop was at the beginnign of last school year.

BoSa Donuts is currently hiring and they have applications on hand. Stop by for an application during normal business hours any day; their builder is there often and has the applications.

The new location is planned to open to the public no later than September and as early as the last week of August, serving donuts, coffee, and smoothies.

Other locations include Williams Field and Gilbert as well as Ariz. Ave and Ray.

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Get up to the minute news, pictures and even win prizes by following us on Twitter.

Construction Update

Q & A with Stutz and Serrano

photo by Angielee Niblett Construction on the CTE building is scheduled to be completed during Fall Break. Classes will be held in the new building beginning in second quarter.

By Kacee Perry

A

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s the last year came to a close, PHS was undergoing its first expansion, as construction began on the new CTE building.

Slated to open in October, this is where many students will move their graphic design, science, culinary arts and TV production classes. Many students and teachers are eager for the building’s opening.

One such faculty member is culinary arts teacher Angela Stutz, who is in her eighth year at PHS. “I am most excited to have that kind of space to be able to work in,” Stutz said. “It’ll just be nice to have our own area.”

Principal Dan Serrano shares the same notion. Running the school since its inception in 2007, Serrano has been keeping track of the updates towards the finishing date of the building.

“I just toured it on [Aug. 1] and they are on time,” Serrano mentioned.

Here are some of the other thoughts Stutz and Serrano have on the building.

Kacee Perry: What classes are being moved into it?

Angela Stutz: All of the CTE classes, so that would be Angela Stutz marketing, early childhood, fashion, sports medicine, TV productions, digital photography, graphic design, two science labs.

KP: What will be the areas for these classes?

AS: Two culinary labs downstairs, the medical professions downstairs I believe, and marketing because the marketing is going to have a student store. And so that will all be on the bottom level. And there is two culinary rooms this year. Before there was just one culinary room, but now there’s two 1,800 square foot culinary kitchens.

KP: As you said, there is going to be a student store, though what are they going to be selling, will it be like the other student store?

AS: I believe it is going to sell things like Cup-o-Noodles, and I think they are going to sell drinks, and I believe that is where you will be able to buy t-shirts and other things like that. I believe they are going to sell kind of what is in the vending machine, all chips and snacks and things like that.

KP: What is going to be the set-up of the kitchens?

AS: Well, there is going to be, now there is going to be eight stations, instead of what we are used to six stations. And most of the equipment will be around the perimeter of the room, so there will be things like: an oven that can do combination cooking, there’ll

be, each group will have their own stoves, that has the oven and four burners, there is something called a Salamander, that’s for broiling things and cooking the top of things. We’ll have our own dishwasher and each kitchen is going to have its own washer and dryer. There’s going to be a 65 inch TV monitor in there, so when I demonstrate at my front station, you’ll be able to see everything on the 65 inch monitor. There’ll be special tables for working on pastries, like right now we just have stainless steel tables, but we’ll have wood tables that are specially used for making pastries. Just a ton of hand-washing sinks and it’s just going to be the perimeter is just going to have all of the equipment on it, a fryer for making French fries, a deep-fryer.

an open house, once it opens, in the beginning of November to kind of tour in it and see what we have to offer. I’d like like to do some other classes in there too. I’d like to do maybe cooking classes for some of the teachers here at school or utilize it in different ways that I haven’t been able to because I’ve had to go from a traditional classroom to the kitchen, you know? And sometimes that takes up time, you know we’re walking from the given direction in one room, then we’re transporting to another room, and in the end it’s back to the other room. So we lose a lot of cooking time and we lose a lot. We’re always rushed. I think it’ll be nice to be in one room and do everything from there. So, I’m really really excited about that space and the equipment and just the technology and all of that.

AS: They just did a walk-through on Friday, this past Friday and they tell me the “punch-list” is what it is called and a contractor walks through and makes sure this outlet works, that works, they kind of go through and “punch” everything out and say the lights works, the electricity works, makes sure there is air conditioning. They’ll do that the first week of October, over break and my understanding is that the second week of October break they will allow us teachers to start moving in.

KP: Will the new building affect parking?

Dan Serrano: No, no change.

KP: Do you know the date it is going to be finished?

DS: It is supposed to be done October Dan Serrano 1st, so we can move in over fall break. And I just heard it on Friday (Aug. 1) and they are on time.

KP: What are you most excited for?

AS: I’m excited to be able to teach and demonstrate and have, you know, the students be able to see that on a monitor... I’d like to have

CHAPMAN from page 1 become counselors themselves.

Scores of past campers aspire to become counselors in order to make a difference in the lives of kids like themselves.

Numerous kids have struggled to battle cancer, but many have risen above their challenges to help others in need. Chapman is living proof of this.

Principal Dan Serrano commented, “I’ve seen people with losing a limb do amazing things.

And I think they just want to be treated like they’re normal because they are.”

Even with losing his leg, Chapman is ever the optimist on life. His advice rings true in the ears of all who will listen: “ anything can happen, but any difficulty in a situation can be overcome.”

photo published with permission from Caleb Chapman Caleb Chapman poes for a picture at Arizonan Camp Sunrise and Sidkicks, as a youth leader to other kids battling cancer and other illnesses.

news || the precedent || august 2014

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TV Productions blows up “Prime Time”, creates “Perry News Live”

By Mackenzie Ness the precedent

This year, the school’s news production, “Perry Prime Time,” is being recaptured by a new and lively team of reporters. Now known as “Perry News Live”, the role of “PNL” is being molded by both the students and those producing it. But why the need for change?

Junior Isaiah Patterson, a returning TV Productions student, felt that the newscast needed to “recover from what the kids did last last year.”

During the first five years of the program, “Perry Prime Time” strictly revolved around the news.

Yet it slowly went downhill when the class completely transformed it into a parody news broadcast this past year.

Patterson continues to talk about how “last year they started off really good but then slowly declined and went a direction that wasn’t very appropriate.”

In result, there were many who loved the program but some who held a large distaste for it.

“I don’t believe that they ever crossed the line but there were some times that we had to talk to the group,” states principal Dan

Serrano. “It’s a new program so boundaries weren’t set, now we are setting boundaries.”

Although, recovering from last year doesn’t appear to be too much of a worry for this newscast.

“Last year maybe it felt like a really exclusive thing [but] we are trying to open it up to the student population,” stated Senior Cole Merrell, a first time TV Productions student.

The main reason that this production appeared to be so “exclusive” was due to its small, close-knit group of reporters and their frequently interviewed friends.

“It’s not just six core guys but 30 people that [now] split responsibilities,” TV Productions teacher Brian Bernier said.

Bernier hopes that this year’s performance will be “more inclusive of all of the kids on campus instead of just [the previous crew’s] buddies--showing off a more diverse group of kids.”

With the inclusion of a wider variety of students, this production will truly be able to represent the school and hopefully what it stands for.

Tax credit FEES from page 1

schools and grade levels.”

Principal Dan Serrano said, “The fee that’s paid goes directly to that specific club...which helps that program.” The fees are paid to contribute more funding to clubs, sports, and general expenses.

According to the CUSD Tax Credit & Extracurricular Activity Handbook, the new fees could vary in price range, depending on the activity. Serrano noted, however, that fees can be paid through the tax credit program as well.

The fees are not limiting; clubs will still have the same opportunity to use tax credits as financial support without fees costing too much.

Every student organization -

clubs, sports, etc. - using tax credit donations will be charged the fee.

Tax credits can be donated by any Arizona taxpayer of up to $200 as an individual or $400 from a couple. After taxes, the state pays back this money to the taxpayer.

Any money donated by Arizona taxpayers can be placed into specific clubs to help their funding. With these donations, students do not pay anything to participate in their activities.

Tax credit donors can choose where the money goes. For example, if a couple donated $400 for the Sports Medicine Club, and Sports Med has a $20 fee; $380 can go towards the club and the other $20 for the fee. If a student has a hardship where they are not able to afford the fee, they would need to contact administration.

why

everything is news related and has some sort of information but that is is also entertaining.”

Only the progression of the

year will tell where Perry’s news production will go--from what has been seen so far, it is extremely promising.

29 new teachers join staff

By Ellie Wendt the precedent

Quickly expanding, Perry has found itself needing to hire more new teachers than ever before.

Currently, the school has grown to be the second highest attendance in the district with over 900 freshmen just this year.

This brought enrollment to a total of approximately 3170 students, only one below Hamilton at 3700.

Therefore, something needed to be done and employing new teachers was the necessary response.

Perry hired a total of twenty-eight new teachers in order accommodate the growing population. Teachers arrived from all over the state, coming from districts in Tempe, Gilbert, even recruited from out of Arizona.

Along with that, multiple student teachers and substitutes received full

understand the reputation that Perry has of academic excellence.”

Teachers were drawn to PHS because of its topnotch curriculum and respected Bashford reputation.

“We lead the district in open enrollment so everyone wants to come here,” Bashford comments. Also, with the addition of several teachers, many have been sharing rooms. This problem is soon to be addressed with the opening of the CTE building where multiple teachers will receive a room of their own.

In upcoming years, the school is soon to greatly excel in numbers.

time jobs at the school.

So why were so many new teachers needed in the first place?

According to school principal Dan Serrano, our staff was rapidly changing over the summer with promotions and the loss of 14 other teachers, not to mention the flood of new students. It is a good problem to have, but still one that needed to be addressed, and fast.

“There’s all kinds of factors when we sit down and interview,” Serrano states, “we do background checks, and then we make our decision.”

In the English department alone, nine 2013-14 teachers left for various reasons.

Filling a position in the English department this year, teacher Annette Bashford shared “I have been subbing here for the past three years and so I knew the administrators, I knew the department and I fully

More than 3,150 students read this newspaper.

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Advertising with student media is supporting learning.

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The struggle then turns towards how to structure “PNL”’s layout.

Merrell shares that the group is “trying to strike a balance to where

DID YOU KNOW...

haven’t

bought

photo by Abby Peters Seniors Mason Welch and Cole Merrell edit content for the upcoming show during fourth hour. Last year’s TV Porductions’ news show, “Perry Prime Time” has been exchanged for “Perry News Live”.

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4

opinions || the precedent || august 2014

Yates Hates: A new year, Student parking with the same lot Staff Editorial

old problems

ERIK YATES

C

ongratulations, Perry - you have made it through the first six weeks of the school year.

And while our friends in surrounding school districts are still getting their feet wet, we are only four weeks away from fall break!

It is a given that the start of the new year will involve students and staff adjusting to new policies and people on campus, but who knew that year-after-year we would still have the same hurdles on campus?

Now in its eight year in the Chandler Unified School District, PHS is still trying to solve its traffic problem, and with enrollment just shy of 3,200 students, it is a serious issue.

From parents road-raging in the east lot (where we are supposed to be dropped off in the morning and picked up in the afternoons), to the parents road-raging in the west student parking lot where they are not supposed to be, and to the students who still haven’t figured out that there are assigned parking spaces, traffic on campus continues to be the No. 1 problem that might not ever be solved.

In a perfect world, CUSD and the town of Gilbert would collaborate to create a parent turn-around so that they could safely and quickly drop their students off in the morning without getting in the way of the some 600 student vehicles arriving every morning. But for the school, itself, it has to be a challenge to facilitate the traffic when it is handcuffed by the facilities they were given.

Dear Gilbert/CUSD: there is a plot of unused real estate just west of campus that could be a huge moneymaker if you should chose to turn it into a student parking lot.

We’re just sayin’.

Pave that land between PHS and Val Vista. Mark it with white and yellow lines and rectangles. Number the rectangles. Sell those rectangles for a fair price.

Everyone wins. Please.

We Want to Hear from You! As the voice of Perry High School, the Precedent encourages and welcomes letters to the editor from students, staff, and members in the community.

Send us your complaints and/or praises to be published in next issue’s paper to our editorial board.

Share your thoughts on: •Campus expansion •Parking •Dress Code •Any other awesome things going on in the life of PHS Send your letters to

phsprecedent@gmail.com.

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I

t’s an otherwise normal day at school, students are dreadfully awakening from their slumber and getting ready to begin their school day the right way by starting it off with the pure insanity appropriately named the “Student Parking Lot.” With a name as grim as that, chaos is ensured.

With every year, some Sophomores or Juniors finally get their licenses and are very eager to be able to drive themselves anywhere they want, without their parents.

Unfortunately, their eagerness can get the best of them and make them do rather idiotic and dangerous things. An extensive amount of responsibility is placed on these new drivers when they are given the privilege to be able to park in the clustered “No Man’s Land.”

Let’s be honest, is it really a good idea to give a reckless teenager who just got their license an almost four ton metal death machine?

In previous years, not only was there the dangers of the student drivers themselves, there was also the parents which would drop

Homecoming unappealing to most the precedent

t’s the night of the dance, the men dressed handsomely and the ladies beautifully.

Homecoming falls months earlier than last year and adds increased pressure on the women by them having to look for a dress and make a decision faster, and men having to find a date quicker. With homecoming being on September 13th this year, whereas last year it was November 26th. Being a whole month and a half earlier, this puts an

the

off their freshman and possibly sophomore kids in the student parking lot. Despite what common sense might dictate, the parents weren’t any better drivers themselves.

Parents, it’s called a blinker and it would be highly appreciated if some time was taken to repeat that lesson in driving school.

Another factor to consider in this whole hazard is teenagers and their phones. They are almost bounded by flesh and bone to their mobile device, the urge to update their twitter about how it is a war crime to

be given too much homework on one day is apparently too much to withstand for this generation. It’s common knowledge that texting while driving is a just a fatal accident waiting to happen.

At this point, it seems very normal to me to be mere inches away from being hit by the face of a speeding car. Responsibility and safety must be top priority to student drivers, but knowing student drivers, it isn’t because teenagers have never been known to be careful or safe drivers.

added stress on the female population to home team is most favored to win to boost prepare. First of all they have to get ready for the team spirit and the pride in your school. the first few weeks of school and then on top This is a widely accepted principle and of that they have to figure out what dress they generally the opponents won’t go over the top are going to wear to to be hard on the home match their date and or The fact that the team. group.

With this year’s With the men it dance is so early is homecoming game being is a lot more tedious earlier, partially based on the unreasonably and meticulous. We it poses an extravagant have even less time to easiest game for the amount of challenges consider ways to ask both the boys and varsity football team.” for our beautiful women girls population. With in a completely never administration having thought of before way homecoming so early ~Devlin Clark they pushed so many that is both genius and romantic. This unintended problems adds pressure on the men because we have onto the students. There are way too to figure out who we went to ask (those of many negatives to having homecoming on us who don’t already have partners). There September the 13th to balance out the few is no clear win for either side for having an positives for the general population of the unreasonably early homecoming dance. school. Therefore it makes more sense to have The fact that the dance is so early is the dance later and give everyone more time partially based on the easiest game for the to get in their groove for school and make varsity football game, which happens to be everything perfect as far as their outfits and against Gila Ridge is the easiest game on plans are concerned for homecoming. their schedule this year. Traditionally the homecoming game is the matchup that the

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Perry High School 1919 E. Queen Creek Rd. Gilbert, AZ 85297 480-224-2800 480-224-2820 fax

photo by Brianna Dickson

“

DEVLIN CLARK

I

Students and parents alike line up to end their school day in the

Pride • Progress • Purpose || News Editor || Sarah Chapple || Opinions Editor || Dayna Miller

|| Newspaper Adviser || Damien Tippett

|| A & E Editor || Nathan Tucker

|| Editor-in-Chief || Paige Coakley

|| Features Editor || Sarah Lankford

|| Managing Editor || Amanda Lee

|| Sports Editor || Emma Fernandez

staff information || Photo Editor || Jordan Williams

|| Social Media Editors || Mackenzie Ness August Bowers || Web Editor || Erik Yates || Staff Reporters || Michelle Bolden Valerie Burgess Sarah Campbell Devlin Clark

Aja Diffin Natalie Eberhard Rebecca Hoffmann Mia Irvin Kathryn McFaul Madison Montoya Angielee Niblett Cassie Nielsen Molly Ogden Kacee Perry Eliauna Wendt Dequota Wilson Erik Yates Ryan Zolin

The Precedent is published by the newspaper staff at Perry High School, and is published as an open student forum eight times per school year. The Precedent welcomes comments and criticsms from its readers. Please e-mail all questions, comments, guest articles, or letters to the editor to phsprecedent@gmail.com. Submissions may not be anonymous; however, requests for anonymity may be honored. Letters may also be delivered to room C-119.

opinions || the precedent || august 2014

5

Big school: beneficial or s u p point | counterpoint: m a nC O bursting at the seams? Is Perry

becoming too big of a school?

Savannah Haslam Junior

As students walk through campus, clusters can be seen in such a heavily populated area.

Go BIG

D

ue to the large influx of students this year, many spiteful upperclassmen have openly complained that the amount of freshmen has gotten out of hand.

And while there is significantly less elbowroom during passing periods and a seemingly rapid disappearance of chairs in the lunchroom, let us not forget that as of this year, Perry is now the second largest school in our school district.

Considering that this is only Perry’s seventh year, this fact alone is remarkable.

As a school, we have surpassed the populations of Basha and Chandler High. Both of these schools have been around for much longer than Perry, and yet, the numbers are in our favor.

At a whopping 3,200 students, Perry is bursting at the seams with new faces; 835 (25%) of the students at Perry are open-enrolled, having selected PHS over any other school.

Some would say that refusing open enrollment is the best solution to the over-crowded campus, but the amount of open enrollment students is proof that the programs

at Perry have amazing potential and have made a name for the school.

More students means more talent. Perry is known for its extraordinary arts program and sports programs. With every new face added to Puma Nation, there is new talent waiting to show itself.

Just imagine future football games, theater productions, choir concerts, volleyball games, assemblies – you name it! Every year, these programs, along with everything else Perry has to offer, have improved in skill and talent.

And why? Because exemplary MOLLY OGDEN

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students have made a legacy for the future years to come.

Due to the massive surplus of students and the loss of 11 of last year’s teachers, a change in staff numbers had to be in order before the school year began. We now have 28 wonderful new teachers.

We would not have gotten as many new teachers if the school did not have its pristine reputation.

Plastic blue chairs and a little less space mean nothing in comparison to the many advantages of a of such a massive school.

Taken by Commercial Photography Student Sianna Rocz

Go home

A

new school year has begun and a surplus of new students fills the campus hallways and courtyard –clogging the doorways and constipating the corridors.

Apparently, the freshmen’s biggest enemy is not the upperclassmen but the metallic JOLENE COOPERRIDER the precedent

entrances and exits to the swarm within. The congestion is like an off-ramp on a freeway: the congestion and sudden stops can be paralyzing. Just walk through them – passing period truly is like rush hour traffic, several times per day.

Atop of the vexatious hallways and doorways, getting to class on time has become agonizing for the students who have to hustle, especially those who go from the top back of one building to the top back of the other. Most people do not enjoy being manhandled; do not be the one person who makes everyone else’s life difficult – keep

moving at all times.

Hoorah to Perry for finally becoming more popular and now second biggest behind Hamilton, but sadly with that joy comes an incommodious lifestyle.

Lunches is supposed to be the relaxing part of the day, the time where you get to relax and forget about schoolwork, the babbling teachers, and have fun with your friends.

Now some students are stuck on the hard, cold concrete eating their food in discomfort. Not just one lunch, but all lunches. There is always a handful, more like a pained mass, of students stuck in the dirt and debris.

Even worse than the lunch issue is the constant classroom struggle.

There are too many students in one class. If you are confused and stuck on your class work, how are you supposed to get one-on-one help from your teacher if they are busy with their long lists and lines of other students? There’s just are not enough teachers, hands, feet, or mouths to help assist all the students that don’t understand.

It is great that Perry is finally getting the attention it deserves, but the comfort and accessibility for the current students needs to be considered first if actions are not going to be made in compensating for the lack of capacity, surrounding the school.

“I mean it’s good that we have a lot of people [because] then there’s more people that participate in like different activities and clubs [but] I think yeah, overall we’re getting too big.”

Kevin Chadwick Senior

Right now it’s a little bit too big of a school because there’s just too many kids and with the freshman class being [over] 900 people.”

Kei’ana Nabor Junior

Advanced program for English/History VALERIE BURGESS

the precedent

W

ith the success of specialized school programs like STEM, it's only logical to see the potential of providing other variants for those who find their expertise lies in English and History.

According to STEM Councilor Fred Mann “[The STEM Program] is for people who are interested to be in high-level careers such as being an Engineer, Doctor or Veterinarian... they are setting themselves up to get scholarships and to... get themselves ready for college.”

The program allows students to become well-prepared and prosperous for the work

forces which focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

Whether a student is enrolled in the STEM Diploma or STEM Scholar Diploma program, the purpose is to prepare students to be college-ready for the classes they must take.

With the success of the STEM program, equal success can be achieved with an English/ History equivalent.

Students whose strengths which lie in this area, do not have any programs which highlight their fortés while evoking progress at the rate demonstrated in STEM. This program should cater to students to be college-ready for the career goals that focus on English and History. These students would have the develop skills to the careers they may pursue in college including extreme efficiency at writing mature pieces as well as an in depth exploration of historical

topics.

Classes in this program would become attentive to the unique needs of these students. Just as the STEM program, summer classes and course-work will prove to be beneficial in the long run in an English/History equivalent.

This program will provide the tools that these students have never been able to receive, but one’s in the STEM program may take for granted. This program would open unseen opportunities such as scholarships, recognition for publications and progression of writing skills is guaranteed whenever the program is completed.

The students who can participate in this innovative program, can further their potential as future screenwriters for the next blockbuster, authors of the next New York Time’s Bestseller

“It’s a little crowded but I think with the new building or geographers of the next drastic it’s going to be fine.” event in society.

Having specialized programs for those who wish to go into STEMrelated careers or for English/ History careers can increase the caliber of students at the school.

With the If a program existed that focuses on English and History, while getting the students college-ready, all of these students can reach their optimal potential, and reap the rewards of their hard work for their action in and out of college.

POLL

Approximately one out of every two Yes: 47% Honors/AP English and History course takers of the surveyed replied that No: 53% 156 they would be interested in a rigorous English and History based program.

Andrew Jensen Senior

“Yes, because there’s so many kids I can’t even get through my math hallway; I’m late to my second hour every day [because] I can’t get out of the hallway fast enough.”

6

student volunteering || the precedent || august 2014

student volunteering || the precedent || august 2014

VOLUNTEERING

PHS students depart across the world to partake in humanitarian volunteer work.

ABROAD: Volunteering abroad is

beneficial on both sides

By Amanda Lee

photos published with permission from students involved with humanitarian efforts

(Above) Freshman, Madi Gavin helps with the Grove Bible Church in Compton Cali. helping to repair and paint a house. (Below Left) Mason Welch (Below Right) Taylor Clouse and Mikayla Neal (Below Center) a group of high school students who participated with the Grove Bible Church. All students are seen with the new friends they helped over summer.

Humanitarian legacies travel to help

By Aja Diffin and August Bowers the precedent

A multitude of students on campus are standing as pillars of the community through their humanitarian expeditions over the summer. Many ventured out to assist in the aid of various less fortunate areas of the world while others traveled to nearby cities such as Compton, California.

“It was really good to get the broadened perspective of just how blessed we are to live in this country,” senior Mason Welch stated.

Many students had taken a trip to Lima, Peru through the Humanitarian Experience for Youth organization (HEFY) and the LDS church. The organization brought a large group to construct various buildings and experience the country’s diverse culture.

Students took part in various labor projects such as constructing schools, medical centers, and soup kitchens. They worked diligently while mixing cement by hand, tying rebar, and laying brick.

“We had to dig meter deep trenches [which] was all granite and we only had shovels,” senior Taylor Clouse added.

The Spanish language barrier proved to be a bit of a struggle for some.

“I couldn’t speak Spanish,” stated Clouse, “and that was all they spoke so that was a little hard.”

However, the difficulties did not outweigh the amazing experiences they had.

“We had tons of crazy food,” Welch

stated. Every day brought a new chance that they have.” to try something new as the students ate Cuzco, Peru was also visited by senior chicken head and a dish of cooked guinea Amy Liu. She went with a volunteer pig known as service group cuy. called Global I’ve learned to never underestimate L e a d e r s h i p One of the highlights of that the power of my actions; it’s amazing Adventures the trip was the helps develop the Peruvian people how just painting a house can change leadership skills awaiting them. of students. someone’s life.”

“Everyone’s “We built very welcoming greenhouses, we ~Madi Gavin went to visit an there,” senior Mikayla Neal orphanage, and shared. we helped the They were kind and courteous despite locals,” Liu stated. their unfortunate circumstances. Senior Senior Amanda Lee journeyed to Cassie Neal expressed her appreciation of Tonga, located in the South Pacific, their warmheartedness by stating, “They through HEFY as well. have nothing, but they give you everything “We built a house there for a family;

“

they currently didn’t have a house,” she mentions. “We laid the foundation and built the house from start to finish.”

Hanoi, Vietnam also had a visitor from Perry. Senior Cole Merrell spent the summer there, working at his uncle’s school and interning as an English teacher.

“There’s a lot of gifted kids over there who really want to come to school in America because there’s not a lot of opportunity over there,” Merrell explained.

Some students, such as senior Chandler Jensen and freshman Madi Gavin, traveled closer to home. Through an organization, Compton Initiative, the two of them and multiple other students visited Compton, California to help better the city.

“We helped repaint houses and scrape off the previous paint,” Jensen shares.

“We just helped out in various ways in the community and tried to make life better for the citizens there.”

The overall experience was eye opening for the students, as they absorbed the customs of the locals and assisted them in every way they could.

Gavin mentions, “I’ve learned to never underestimate the power of my actions; it’s amazing how just painting a house can change someone’s life.”

When their work was complete, the students walked away with incredibly important lessons ingrained in their minds.

Lee expresses her enjoyment of her humanitarian adventure by stating, “This was my first time, but I really hope it is not the last because it was an amazing experience.”

Humanitarian Organization Options

By Sarah Lankford the precedent

Humanitarian Experience for Youth: Humanitarian Experience for Youth, or HEFY, is an LDS-oriented service group that provides teenagers, between ages 16 and 19, an experience to serve others across the world. This organization is all about “changing lives through service.”

This program gives young people the chance to experience new cultures and complete a service project for those less fortunate. With 12 different locations, including Peru, Brazil, and Belize, this organization gives a chance for everyone to go out and give back. (For more information visit www.hefy.org).

the precedent

Travel, arguably the most coveted of all “life goals”, has found its way into the hearts of students through volunteer humanitarian work. Many high school students across the nation choose to cut a few weeks out of their summer to volunteer in various countries around the world. Rather than surfing, swimming, and tanning, students are now opting to teach orphans and build houses. I spent my summer in the tiny island nation of Tonga, just East of Fiji in the South Pacific.

Traveling abroad through a humanitarian organization can dramatically alter a young, impressionable student such as myself. Of course, there is the opportunity to learn about a new culture or language.

For example, I learned that “‘ofa atu” means “I love you” in Tongan, and that everybody says it to everybody. In Tonga, everyone is family. I learned that pigs run wild all over the villages, and that white people are called “palangi” by the natives.

Tonga is called “The Friendly Island Kingdom” by some and “the land that’s been given to Heaven” by others.

But then travel abroad- especially humanitarian travel -teaches something about the human experience. I spent

7

photos published with permission from Amanda Lee

(Above) Senior Amanda Lee bonds with two boys, Kilion and Lolo Siale, on her trip in Tonga. (Below Left) Senior Amanda Lee with a family she built a house for.

many days and nights walking around a village filled with shanty houses built from sheets of corrugated metal, or more rarely, cinderblocks. I was surrounded by more poverty than I had ever experienced in the states. But for some reason, everyone was so happy.

As tirelessly cliché as it sounds, Tongan people taught me that happiness cannot come from material comforts. Even I experienced a sweet piece of that joy: without plumbing, warm showers, cell phones, computers, and Circle K, I felt happy. Buddhist teachings claim that the absence of desire marks the beginning of happiness. Life would be unfulfilling without desires and ambitions, so I first brushed this off as oversimplification.

After my time in Tonga, I realized that insatiable desires make one unhappy.

Material desires can be fulfilled and of course bring a sense of happiness, but only temporarily. Soon there is a want for a more expensive car, or more shoes, or a bigger house, and so on. Desires, as wellmeaning as they are, make us unhappy.

Desires distract from the present, and prevent us from “seizing the day” and “living in the moment”. These are the sorts of experiences and bits of wisdom that can only be learned firsthand.

Whether a student travels to Tonga, or Peru, Cape Verde or Brazil, builds houses or teaches English, volunteering abroad changes lives. Humanitarian relief will enrich the lives of those you serve, and they, in turn, will enrich yours.

Students traveled across the world over their summer vacation to accomplish humanitarian work. From nearby California, to far away Vietnam, and in between Peru.

IFRE Volunteers Abroad: IFRE Volunteers Abroad is a non-profit organization focused on providing the most inexpensive experience, while still allowing a safe environment to volunteer.

With 18 locations and 200 projects, IFRE gives a great experience for people of all ages to travel to a new place and help those less fortunate. Having placed more than 17,000 volunteers, IFRE ensures that each volunteer will leave with “a diverse and memorable experience that is second to none.” (For more information visit www.ifrevolunteers.org) Cross-Cultural Solutions: Cross-Cultural Solutions is a nonprofit volunteer service that addresses global issues to communities abroad. With over 18 years providing volunteers with this unique opportunity, they continue to provide an “impactful adventure of a lifetime.” With 10 different locations and a 99.5 percent volunteer satisfaction record, Cross-Cultural Solutions provides an adventure of a lifetime.

(For more information visit www. crossculturalsolutions.org).

Global Leadership Adventures: The Global Leadership Adventures Organization provides volunteers with over ten destinations, including Bali, Fiji, the Galapagos Islands, and China.

The organization provides students from 14-18 years old with the opportunity to immerse themselves in a different culture, develop leadership skills, and make a difference in the lives of others.

Some trips that are available to attend are building playgrounds and classrooms near Mt. Kilimanjaro, helping to combat malnutrition in Peru, and even protect endangered species in the Galapagos Islands. (For more information visit www.experiencegla.com).

Compton Initiative: Compton Initiative is a non-profit volunteer program that helps bring life back to Compton. In this program a volunteer does quarterly work, by painting homes, schools, churches, parks, murals and more. Due to the restoration they have seen business and restaurants moving back into Compton. According to Compton Initiative, they “believe that service, love and care are having a real impact on Compton.” Their goal is to give hope and a sense of pride back to the residents in their own community. (For more information visit http://justdogood. org).

Participating in humanitarian work is a great experience for all. Through one of these many groups featured above, you can achieve the same life-changing experience.

8

arts & entertainment || the precedent || august 2014

MARCHING BAND PREVIEW

Regiment’s rise of the ‘Machines’

Dine and Devour The Spot: a mom-and-pop joint that delivers

photo by Cassie Nielsen The Mint Chocolate Brownie is just one of several desserts served at The Spot

By Cassie Nielsen the precedent

Junior Taite Lipchik and seniors Michael Lauricella and Brandon Kleen review a trumpet and flugel line in the score.

Band director: “We have big plans for this year”

By Michelle Bolden the precedent

photo by Jordan Williams Junior Riley Holbrook examines his sheet music in preparation for rehearsal.

Perry’s division one marching band, the Puma Regiment, is ready to kick off a new school year with an extraordinary new show concept titled “Machine Revolution.”

“It’s really about the evolution of machines,” drum major Isabella West shares. The show expresses all aspects of how machines have affected humanity, conveying the journey in three movements.

The opener is about basic gears and how they’ve simplified life. “[Our second movement exhibits] how technology has affected our lives from a social perspective…how it has affected the way that we communicate and connect with each other,” director Brandon Kiesgen expounds.

The thought-provoking finale exposes the dark side of technology and its negative contributions to humanity.

Kiesgen, assistant director Jesse Chavez, and the staff crafted a concept “that would make the audience think [and] create

photo by Jordan Williams

something new, something that’s exciting. We just try to find an idea that will communicate to the audience well and that the listeners can relate to,” Kiesgen says.

Students are excited about this new concept. “It’s lots of fun. I enjoy it a lot more than last year,” Connor Maxwell, junior band member, illuminates.

Though the band’s numbers have increased, it is no setback to the program.

“Freshmen take more time to teach,” Maxwell explains, “but everyone is willing to put in the work,” adding, “It’s a good experience…something you can’t get in a regular classroom.”

All regiment members possess extraordinary discipline and dedication. “It’s what I do, it’s my passion,” West exudes.

She expects “to progress even more than we have in the past and keep moving forward.”

Freshmen newcomers Aaron Babbitt and Andrew Matthews just hope “to do our best and put on a good show.”

The Puma Regiment’s first competition showcasing “Machine Revolution” on Sept.

27 at Williams Field High School at 2076 S. Higley Rd. in Gilbert.

Mesa band discusses plans for upcoming EP

By Kathryn McFaul the precedent

With a fan base of two hundred people, GlenCove, a punk rock band from Mesa, Arizona are quickly gaining recognition. They have played several shows opening for bands at the Mesa Underground.

The band consists of four boys: drummer Jorgen Gregg, guitar and rhythm leader JonJon Johnson, bass and vocals Tyler Aldawood and lead guitar and rhythm leader Alex Aldawood.

The band formed as a trio in the third grade, with Johnson joining in eighth grade.

Drummer Jorgen Gregg said the band began officially making music in their sophomore year. Their band name came from the street name of Gregg’s home.

GlenCove is releasing an EP album, early this fall though the title has yet to be determined. An EP album is a shorter album instead of having ten to twelve songs it will have six or seven.

“We’ll probably name it something

photo published with permission of GlenCove Members of the band as depicted on the cover of their soon-to-be released EP.

stupid,” said Gregg; this will not be their first attempt at an album. “Our first album was a garage album which was stupid.”

However, this will be the first album released to the public.

“Most of our song ideas come from life experiences or ideas from our head” said Gregg. “We usually practice once or twice a week.”

Though, the band writes from personal experiences, they draw inspiration from the WonderYears and Titlefight.

“We’ve performed eleven maybe twelve of our songs, maybe more,” said Gregg.

“All of the bands families are very supportive, really help us out. They come to shows and stuff, we get free dinner,” said Gregg. “We want this to be serious and make this our future.”

The boys do have backup plans if they cannot make it in music. Johnson wants to be a paper salesperson, Alex Aldawood a Kindergarten teacher, Gregg a therapist for troubled kids, and Tyler Aldawood a ghost whisperer.

For more information on GlenCove, follow their Instagram account @glencoveaz.

If you want a place to go with plenty of good food and not empty your wallet, The Spot is the place to go. Their signature dish, ‘The Spot Burger’ ($8.95) is a well-seasoned hamburger that gives a wonderful pop of flavor when you bite into it. The bacon is nice and crispy, with juicy tomatoes, fresh lettuce, and glazed onions, all on a sesame seed bun. It’s enough to feed two people if you don’t need a large amount of food.

If you’re tired of hamburgers, don’t worry; The Spot has you covered. Their ‘Bar-B-Que Smokehouse Chicken Flatbread’ ($9.55) is filling for two. It contains smoked BBQ chicken , olive oil glaze, melted mozzarella cheese, fresh cilantro, and red onions.Its crust is thin and still has a nice crunch, just like all flat breads should be.

When asked what to try, an employee said, “ If it were me I would get the ‘Chipotle Sandwich’ You can never go wrong with it.”

As it turns out, it was delicious. Though the chicken was a little over done, the sandwich was still addictive. It contained spicy grilled chicken, pepper jack cheese, perfect caramelized onions, peppers, mushrooms, chipotle mayo all on a nice toasted Parisian bread. The ‘Chipotle Sandwich’ ($8.95) is definitely one to try again.

What really makes The Spot unique is their dessert bar. It changes everyday and everyday they have something divine. The ‘Mint Chocolate Brownie’ ($4.04) is gooey and yummy. If you like mint and you like chocolate your taste buds are sure to be satisfied.

If you want to try something outside the box, The Spot will deliver. Quite literally actually. The Spot does in fact deliver to your home. They deliver by beach cruiser bicycle if you’re within the boundaries. If you ever want something completely delicious and different, try The Spot; it’s the place to be.

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arts & entertainment || the precedent || august 2014

Techs craft “Addams” set

Improv reforms to defend state title

By Jordan Williams the precedent

The set of this year’s production of “The Addams Family” will be crafted by the collaboration of Technical Theatre classes one and two. In both classes, taught by theatre teacher Shawna Marquis, students learn elements of set production and stage design.

There are several different elements to the set of this production, all contributing to a very unique set. “There’s a lot of moving parts that we’re going to have to figure out,” said Technical Theatre student Maya Whitaker.

Aside from the moving props, the main set of “The Addams Family” is very peculiar when compared to many modern sets and productions. “‘Addams Family’ is a unique set because its in a dust mansion most of the time,” said Technical Theatre student Salina Cardoza “so we’re going to have to make it look old, not modern and new.”

By building the set of “The Addams Family”, students have the opportunity to learn about production and gain experience through building this set. “I

By Madi Montoya the precedent

photo by Valerie Burgess Senior Jenna Renolds pieces together a structure for the Drama Department’s production of “The Addams Family”

like the experience I’m gaining,” Cardoza explains. “Not a lot of people know how to work with drills and to build tables and stuff like that; so I think its a good skill to have.”

For some students, this is the first production that they’ve been apart of, although this is not their first encounter with construction and building sets.

“My grandpa owns his own construction business,and my uncle is a carpenter who owns his own business as well.” Whitaker mentions, “So, its always kind of fascinating to me being able to build something from scratch and then making it into something beautiful or something unique.”

Besides building the set, students that are shy on stage

still feel that they are a part of the production. As Whitaker puts it, “being able to be part of theatre without having to be on stage.”

The Perry High School Drama department have always brought quality theatre and craftsmanship to productions.

“The Addams Family” will run October, 23-25, 30, and November 1.

Sculpture looks beyond Puma statues

By Rebecca Hoffman the precedent

The Puma Sculptures have been masterpieces since Perry first opened, creating a positive environment for students, parents, and faculty. Mascots create the identity of who we are as a school.

Is it possible that the tradition of the Puma Sculptures will be put to a temporary pause this year?

“I can confirm that we’re not going to do [the Puma Sculptures] this year,” Arts Department chair Sharon Biemond said. “We’ve been doing this project for 6 years and I need a break from it.”

“Like any school project, it was so stressful,” Junior sculpture student Dayna Miller stated. “It’ll be a bummer but it’ll be replaced by something equally as cool.”

However, this change may be a temporary one. “We’re taking a pragmatic pause… they might resume next year, but for right now, we’re taking a year off from it,”

9

Biemond explained.

Principal Dan Serrano commented on this change in the Arts Department and shared his feelings on the Puma Sculptures. “If they are going away… maybe it was time,” Serrano said. “I liked them! I think they were very entertaining to put around campus.”

“We’ll fill that void with smaller projects,” Biemond stated. “We’re going to do an altered book project… where kids are going to just take a book and essentially destroy it and rebuild it in an artistic, sculptural way.”

The Arts Department is also planning on reintroducing a former project this year. “We’ll be doing tape sculpture insulations again this year… we haven’t done those in a couple years,” Biemond said. “[The tape sculpture insulations] are the clear packing tape sculptures… they’re full figures, and then we install them on campus when students are in class.”

Coming off their best-in-state lead last year, Perry’s improvisation team, the Perry Winkles, are off to a good start as they recruit new members for their team this upcoming school year.

The Perry Winkles team is now at 13 members, with only three returning; seniors and team co-captains Alli Messersmith and Jacob Morris, and junior Julia Gilmer.

“It’s a whole new team, which means we kind of get to refresh and start new,” Winkles’ team historian Julia Gilmer said.

While the ten rookies may have big roles to fulfill, but there are high hopes for all of the new talent.

“We really have a solid group of new people,” said senior co-captain Jacob Morris. “They really bring n e w perspective to the It’s a whole team and new team, it’s great have which means to some fresh we kind of get faces!” to refresh and have“ W ae g r e a t start new.” amount of ~Julia potential, did Gilmer we really well last year, and we’re still keeping up that great winning streak,” Gilmer proclaimed.

Because the Winkles won state championships last year, the team’s reputation will rest on an almost entirely new force. Hopes are high as the team works toward their first competition in just a few short weeks.

“I think our first competition is going to be really fun,” Gilmer said, “It’ll be new for everybody…I think it will be a good introduction for this year’s team.”

The Perry Winkles’ first competition will be next month on September 9th.

“

photo by Zach Testa Senior Michael Guerrero designs his sculpture project

Emmy Awards 2014: ‘Breaking Bad,’ ‘Modern Family’ win

By Susan King and Amy Hubbard

Los Angeles Times/MCT Campus

LOS ANGELES— “Breaking Bad” may have been off the air for nearly a year, but it was fresh in the minds of Emmy voters.

At Monday night’s 2014 Emmy Awards, the series won five statuettes, including for drama series, lead actor, supporting actor and actress, and writing.

“Thank you so much for this wonderful farewell to our show,” creator Vince Gilligan as he accepted the series trophy.

Bryan Cranston earned his fourth Emmy for lead actor for his role as Walter White.

“I love to act, it is a passion of mine,” he said, “and I will do it till my last breath.”

The 2014 Emmys looked a lot like the 2013 Emmys. Not only was

“Breaking Bad” a repeat winner but “Modern Family” also was a rerun, winning its fifth consecutive trophy for comedy series.

Ty Burrell also won supporting actor for the comedy, and Gail Mancuso won for direction.

A heartfelt highlight was Billy Crystal’s tribute to his “greatest friend,” Robin Williams.

“He made us laugh big time,” Crystal said. “For almost 40 years, he was the brightest star in the comedy galaxy.”

Emotions ran high when “The Normal Heart,” a drama about the early days of the AIDS crisis, won best movie.

“This is for all of the hundreds of thousands of artists who have passed from HIV/AIDS since 1981,” said Ryan Murphy, the film’s executive producer and director, as he accepted the award.

But the tried and true dominated the show. Jim Parsons— who will now make $1 million an episode as ultimate nerd Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory”—earned a bit more gold as he picked up his fourth Emmy as lead actor in a comedy series.

As the evening began, first-time host Seth Meyers was finding his footing in the opening monologue.

At one point, he said nominees were like jokes: “they all can’t be winners.”

But Meyers seemed to find his groove as he talked about everything from the murkiness of the categories (Is it comedy? Is it drama?) to the penchant of “Game of Thrones” for killing off its lead characters.

Photo by Ricardo DeAratanha of the Los Angeles Times The cast of “Breaking Bad” and Vince Gilligan, right, backstage at the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Monday, Aug. 25, 2014. The cast of “Breaking Bad” won multiple awards.

10

sports || the precedent || august 2014

Our Take

B

adminton players are being treated with blatant d i s re s p e c t when future ANGIELEE teammates are NIBLETT trying out just to the precedent mess around on the court with their friends.

In years past, badminton was not regarded with much seriousness until Perry’s championship season last year with an impressive 12-2 record. This is no surprise, since badminton has not been the most popular compared to other fall sports like football or volleyball.

It is baffling that there could be such a spike in tryouts this year because students suddenly think it’s “cool” that the previous team reached championships, even though they have never so much as thought about joining badminton before.

Unfortunately, rules about open tryouts prevent school administration and coaches from preventing uninterested girls from joining the team, but that won’t stop head coach Lerina Johnson from making the necessary cuts.

To all girls who are “joking” about badminton: get a life, get a sport.

Upcoming Events

Summer programs offer opportunities to athletes

By Jolene Cooperrider and Staff Reports the precedent

Summer has become make-orbreak time for many teams across campus. It is a time for players to test themselves in new roles, as well as to bond and become a closerknit team.

Baseball was king this summer, trampling their competition while winning two tournaments: the Mountain Pointe T. Kipper Invitational, as well as the Hamilton/Corona del Sol Invitational.

Throughout the summer, the Pumas beat teams like Corona del Sol, Hamilton, Mountain Pointe and Brophy.

Senior Austin Bull represented Arizona at the Junior Sunbelt Games, and senior pitcher Tyler Watson represented PHS in the Area Code Games, which is a melting pot of division-I talent and MLB prospects.

“Summer is a great time to see how our guys will react against quality varsity opponents,” pitching coach Damien Tippett said, “which will hopefully pay off in May during the state championship tournament.”

Wrestling gets pumped Wrestling wrangled their way through the summer working hard weight lifting.

They attended a week long team camp in Show Low named “No Pain Intensive Wrestling Camp.”

According to head coach Darren Johnson: “This camp is very, very intense, and not all kids can make it through [its] rigor.”

Seniors Tucker Matsen, Connor Cook, Mario DeCristofaro, and

photo published with permission from Perry Baseball Members of the varsity baseball summer team pose after winning the Corona del Sol / Hamilton Invitational. Summer sports is an integral time for nearly all sports in the school’s athletic department.

Chase Cawood, and junior Justin Nelson, stood out.

“Some kids demonstrated great improvement, and others demonstrated courage and determination” Johnson said.

Noah and Nathan Finney demonstrated amazing improvement during A Day with a Champion clinic.

“I am very happy with our summer programs. I know we have an improved team from last year and I like the tenaciousness of this group,” Johnson said.

Boy’s Volleyball The volleyball team sent Garrett Wagner, Reid Wagner,

precedent file photo Junior Case Hatch lead the Pumas in most defensice categories last year.

Case Hatch was only a wideeyed sophomore when he led the varsity football team in tackles last season.

The linebacker collected 72 total tackle, 46 of the solo variety, both of which were team highs, and earned recognition as an All-CUSD honorable mention linebacker (which is quite the award as a sophomore).

As part of a team who tallied a two-win season in 2013, Hatch was one of a few key players for head coach Preston Jones who stayed healthy and produced.

Now a junior and a captain, Hatch and a healthy Perry squad are looking to establish themselves in one of the more difficult divisions in high school football, and Hatch couldn’t be more excited.

After missing the playoffs for the first time in school history last season, Hatch is focused on getting back to the tournament.

“We’ll be a lot better than we were last season,” Hatch said, “I can tell you that. I predict we’ll be 6-4.”

The prediction might be

realistic, as the Pumas are a year older, and more importantly with players like Hatch, a lot tougher.

A lot has changed for Hatch since last season, including the number he will be wearing this season. As a sophomore, he wore 36, but is switching to 4 this year as added inspiration.

“I have a friend that goes to a big school, a D1 school,” he said, “and I look up to him as a leader ...so I changed my number.”

If all goes well, Hatch and PHS will have a good season, which may help him continue his career into college.

His versatility on the field means that he does more than just play defense.

In addition, he worked on special teams and offense as well.

Hatch had one sack and one fumble recovery. This upcoming season he is going to be playing middle linebacker.

A crucial game to look out for this season is the homecoming game on Sept. 12 against Gila Ridge.

The game’s theme is camouflage which will be shown on the players’ jerseys. The colors of the camouflage jerseys are going to be blue and white.

Vital positions like quarterback, running back, secondary - it seemed that everyone outside of the water boy suffered an injury in 2013. This year, those players are healthy and ready to prove that they were players worth waiting for.

Last year, the Pumas’ were competing in uncharted territory in division-I, and the season slowly crumbled in one of the more challenging schedules any PHS sport has every played against.

This year, the boys have more heart and are determined to show

that division-I does not intimidate them.

The team is being judged on last year’s outcomes and they are ready to prove that ‘last year was last year’ and this year they have the inspiration to earn respect.

The Pumas will not go undefeated, nor will they win the state championship, but the team has the ability prove themselves this season. They have an opportunity to show the past is in the past and this year is about building a program.

This year’s team is all about overcoming set-backs. Last year defensive coordinator Todd Rogers was quietly battling early stages of colon cancer. This year, although he will not be on the sidelines as he is cancer-free and is recovering from chemotherapy, Rogers has shown the boys that set-backs are temporary.

The Pumas are determined to prove a lot of things this season; their physical toughness, their mettle, and that they can overcome their set-backs, too.

By Ryan Zolin the precedent

Badminton

9/2 V. Chandler

Girls Golf

9/3 @ Basha

Boys Golf

9/2 @ Arcadia

Swim/Dive

9/4 @ Mesquite

Girls Volleyball 9/2 @ Higley

Cross Country

9/6 @ Tumbleweed

After being diagnosed with colon cancer in the past school year, defensive football coach Todd Rogers remains in recovery. This means that he will not be returning to puma nation just yet.

Rogers was expected to join the eager team once again for the upcoming fall sports season, but he wasn’t quite ready to continue to coach varsity’s defensive line as defensive coordinator.

As the entire school awaits his inspiring comeback, Perry’s thoughts will support his pending return.

named All-American, which came with a scholarship award and went to her cheer account.

Junior Megan Matthews and senior Karleigh Baxter were named captains by the coaching staff.

“They both gave solid skill sets,” coach Desiree Stinnett said.

According to Stinnett, the girls bonded over summer practices and a bar be que and swim party.

“The majority of our time [was spent] working to improve our team skills, but the girls also got the opportunity to work together to help host a week of clinics for our incoming freshman hopefuls,” Stinnett said.

High hopes for junior linebacker

Football 9/5 @ Sandra Day O’ Connor

Sports Briefs

Loren McClure, Derek Smith, and Wyatt Veach to compete in the Southern California Volleyball Association Summer Classic. Reid Wagner participated in Junior Nationals and Derek Smith went and partook in the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships.

During the summer Perry hosted scrimmages against Hamilton, Mt. View Mesa and Desert Vista.

Puma cheer The cheer team competed against Red Mountain, Desert Mountain, and Mesa Mountain View at camp, where they placed fifth overall.

Junior Kirsten Renaud was

Football will overcome infamous “last season” EMMA FERNANDEZ the precedent

hen it comes to Perry football, all anyone seems to talk about is the infamous “last year.” You cannot sugar coat a two win season and say it was anything less than disappointing; but that was last year.

Last year, the team suffered from numerous season-ending injuries.

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sports || the precedent || august 2014

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Comeback kids?

photo published with permission from golf Sophomore Kati Gloss approaches the ball.

Golf balances mix of rookies and veterans

By Devlin Clark the precedent

Girls Golf Brian Bernier, the girls golf coach, using his five years of experience is looking to capitalize on his teams 4 returning players with varsity level match experience.

The greatest the girls have going is the depth of their roster, there are many new faces along with the returning veterans. With players such as Senior Madison Lundgren and Sophomore Kati Gloss, the girls are expecting great things in this upcoming season.

The largest hill the team has to climb over is beating Hamilton and our rival Basha. If they can pass these opponents they will have no problem making it into the state tournament and placing well. In the 2013 fall season, the girls rallied together and finished fourth in the conference and finishing with a 4-5 record overall and barely missing out on the state tournament.

With her sister, Ali, graduating last year, Kati has a pair of large shoes to fill. Ali missed out on state last year by one put.

Boys Golf With Mike McGilton not finishing last season, due to a wrist injury (sustained earlier in the season) and Alex Shin who finished 67th overall, helping the team place 20th in the Division One State Tournament, the boys are looking to get back into the swing of things.

This upcoming year poses many questions for the boys’ team. Who will lead the team with the top players gone? Will the returning members be as strong as they were last year?

Sophomores Grant Froman and Mike Finnegan and Junior Brad Pottle are expected to be the top returning players.

Finnegan stated, “These first few days at tryouts, the coach is looking at the freshman and leaving the returning players alone.”

With a strong cast, the returners are using tryouts as preseason practice before season matches begin.

The biggest rivals are again Hamilton and Desert Vista. Both teams did well last year earning them the titles of “teams to watch” this season.

With the boys finishing 20th out of 21 at state this past season, they are looking to generally improve and compete in this year’s State Tournament.

Football looks to improve on last year’s 2013-2014 season

By Angielee Niblett the precedent

All of Perry continues to have high hopes for the Football team as the 2014 season comes closer to a beginning. Last year’s season had only two wins and was the first in history to miss playoffs, so students and teachers look to the team to see what their next move will be.

Regarding the unfortunate losses from the previous season, senior varsity quarterback Austin Nightingale stated, “We moved up a division, so we weren’t really expecting everyone to hit [us] as hard as they did.”

In preparation, coaches have made some changes to on-the-field playing by getting rid of two-way players. This means pumas will have a completely separate offensive and defensive line. However, that will not be the only difference audiences will see.

“This year is going to be one to remember,” senior wide receiver Alec Monte said as he explained how the prior season was a thing of the past.

Head coach Preston Jones discussed which players everyone should have their eye on, including

Nightingale, who is returning from a torn ACL. According to Jones, another player to watch would be Monte, one of the best receivers in the state last year until he was moved to replace Nightingale’s position subsequent to his injury.

Nightingale talked about his return to the team announcing, “being back in pads feels really good, it feels natural again. I feel 100% so I’m real excited for this season.”

Coaching positions this year have been adjusted due to some absence of the defensive coordinator Todd Rogers.

Rogers will not be joining the team just yet because he is currently recovering from colon cancer, but the team has not forgotten who they will be playing for this year.

“As soon as coach Rogers gets back, we’ll be even better,” Jones said about the new coaches for the defensive line.

The football team is starting off the year with large ambitions and a positive attitude to make it the most remembered season yet.

Nightingale was optimistic when he stated, “We’re going to try our hardest and we’ll see what happens.”

photo by Marisa Costagliola Senior Austin Nightingale seeks to complete a pass to fellow teammates.

Experienced returners means high expectations for swim

By Mia Irvin the precedent

Senior Jon Underwood races at 2013-2014 swim meet.

precedent file photo

With a new season, new faces are beginning to surface in the Perry pool along with the familiar faces. Coach Stephanie Carrasco has high expectations for the upcoming swim season, from both the returning swimmers, and the incoming swimmers. “This year we are expecting more, to make it to state.”

Veteran swim team member Jon Underwood, who has practiced with his club team during the offseason says, “I want to make top eight at state in the 500-freestyle and the 200-freestyle.” Underwood finished 9th in 100-backstroke last season.

After Raevin Richardson took 3rd in the 100-yard-breaststroke, coach Carrasco wants more swimmers to making it to state.

The girls swim team is coming back from 25th state ranking. They had a five wins and two losses in their regular season. The boys return from a 18th overall in the state with six wins and one loss in their dual meets.

Along with Richardson, Jon Underwood, Jake Perrine, and Ryleigh Weight are all expected to make it to state as well as the many seniors who are on the team.

However, nothing short of excellence is expected from the incoming freshmen that have secured a spot on the team. Tai Combs, Kaden Miller, Morgan Corey, and Adelle Rudolph have all seemed to have made an impression on the their coach with their valuable skills as sprinters. Already, Carrasco believes they have great potential.

The ultimate goal for this season remains the same.

“We’re going to beat Basha; that’s always our goal.” Carrasco confidently stated.

The players agree, that will be their toughest meet of the season will be Basha High School.

After an impressive season, the dive team returns to the pool, ready to start another season of high scores, and daring dives. With a coach who was named Arizona Dive Coach of the Year for the third time, what could go wrong?

Abigail Whitlock dove for Perry last year, and managed to place a spot on the All CUSD dive team for the second year. Alongside that, she also clenched thirteenth in the state. A remarkable performance.

Big things are expected from the Perry pool for this upcoming Swim and Dive season. There are plenty of medals to be won, and records to be set, for the 2014-2015 season.

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sports || the precedent || august 2014

New Will volleyball runners have another foresee killer season? harder work

By Jolene Cooperrider the precedent

By Dequota Wilson the precedent

With new coaches such as boys head coach Dan Pescador and plenty new assistant coaches for both boys and girls, Puma cross country has their expectations set high this season.

Pescador has coached at Highland High School and California State East Bay prior to coming to coach at Perry.

“He brings a new attitude to the team,” states junior varsity runner Cade Burks.

Although top runner Taylor Selvin graduated with the class of 2014 there are many strong returners and according to senior varsity runner Gabby Ybarra, “There are plenty of underclassmen that can come in and take their place so it’s going to be good.”

Senior, Arielle Rosenblum, mentions that with the loss of strong runners that have graduated, “the team will not see it as a handicap but have it be like a motivation to work better.”

Burks mentioned that his personal goals for this season are to take the state championship.

Last season, boys cross country won city, defeating their rival Basha, while the girls placed fourth.

Rosenblum’s goals for girls this year is to “take city for the first time, place top five at sectionals, and place top ten at state.”

The team is also trying to look on the positive side of losing so many runners from last year.

“We lost a lot of top boys last year, but we are always getting a new set of fresh runners and fresh legs to come in and take their places, Burks’ a great leader and he will lead the team, they will have a great season, it’s hard to come back from losing that many seniors, but every team [has] gotta rebuild,” Ybarra said.

This means the team has to work extra hard to gain experience for the “new legs.”

“There’s only three or four seniors on the boys’ team, we’re just getting started basically with this new group of kids, after the older generation left, there is a lot of growth to be made,” Burk said.

Although in a tough division, and racing against many great schools, hopefully PHS cross country can reach their goals this year.

With a ground breaking season last year for the girl’s volleyball team, the question remains: was it just a one hit wonder, or is it a legacy in the making?

With head coach Fred Mann leading the way, many people have high hopes for 2014, especially when the Pumas posted a 11-5 record (best in school history) and made their first ever playoff appearance. “[For the] first time in school history Perry beat Corona and Basha, not once but, twice,” Mann said about 2013.

“Our school did great things. We won silver division.” stated Mann at the sports conference. “[We made] State playoffs eight seed in 5A division one.” Mann has lead Perry’s once abysmal team to greatness.

Mann hopes that sophomore and outside hitter Amanda Aguirre can fill the shoes of Talise Babbit, who graduated last spring and garnered 335 kills and lead the team in points (294) a year ago and graduated last spring. Mann has other shoes to fill as well, and hopes that junior Hannah Stevenson and senior Raena Schulze will have big seasons in 2015.

Now that tryouts are over and new freshman are filling the shoes of their predecessors, coaches have their hands full with new talent and ambition, but are there any Achilles heels in the team?

Mann does not think so. “We are balanced, we don’t have a super weak area in terms of players that we can’t go to for offense. Really good defense and ball control.”

With a new season approaching Perry is exhilarated with the new faces and talent that are filling the gym, but are they going to be able to carry on the new legacy that has begun?

photo by Sarah Sharp and Julia Alvarado

Junior Myla Durling was a major part of the volleyball team’s emergence in 2013.

Badminton gearing up for 2014-2015 season

By Ellie Wendt the precedent

Christen Cioffi

Laike Reader and coach Lerina Johnson practice their form on the courts.

Finishing last year’s season with an outstanding final record of 12-2, the badminton team has already set high expectations for this upcoming year. Tryouts for the team kicked off August 11th with a great turnout of fifty new players, and the team could not have been more thrilled.

“We’re definitely going to have to make cuts this year,” badminton coach, Lerina Johnson, shared. “It’s a good problem to have but we’re going to cut some decent players that I would have begged to have kept years ago.”

Coach Johnson then shared what she looks for in the new athletes in order to recruit a state winning team, “if they can already

see that there’s a hole in the court and can see that’s the spot we want them to hit that’s awesome because that’s hard to teach the strategy part of the game,” she replies confidently.

With badminton now on the rise other athletes sparked interest in the sport and were eager to give it a try. Therefore many of these new recruits lacked any badminton experience but proved to be athletes in other sports such as softball and tennis. “Out of all sports I think softball and tennis is very easy to convert. Not only will they help us but we’ll help them in their reaction time and their footwork,” coach Johnson comments.

This year the team has set their standards very high. “We’re hoping to finish in the top four and that

would allow us to host a post season match here at Perry,” Coach Johnson proudly states.

Last year the team placed seventh in the power rankings and continues to climb their way up to state championships.

“I have a really good chance at winning state for singles,” senior Jenna Reynolds said. “That would be my goal, to get Perry a state championship.”

The players agree that with lots of practice and plenty mental toughness, their goals can be met.

The team proudly confirms they has the talent needed to take them up to the top.

So far the team is off to great start for a promising year. It will be a very exciting year for Perry Badminton.