September 2016

the

Precedent

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SEPTEMBER 2016|| VOL. X ISSUE I

PERRY HIGH SCHOOL || GILBERT, AZ

Now and then:

Perry celebrates 10th anniversary photo by Bree Wade

Perry’s current student body heads to class during a traditional school day. In ten years, Perry High School has gone from only about 800 students to 3600 students.

Perry’s growth has allowed new clubs, higher tests scores, and a more diverse range of both athletic and academic programs.

By Hayley Young the precedent

Editor’s Note: In celebration of PHS’ 10-year anniversary, each issue we will take a look at a unique angle of our school’s history.

When principal Dan Serrano and his staff of 75 opened Perry in the fall of 2007, enrollment was so small that only 20 students drove to school. Only 800 students roamed the halls; compared to 3,600 today.

From the get-go, Serrano had a plan – make Perry one of the more competitive institutions in the state.

“When we first opened,” he said, “we had to beat these other schools. I want to be one of the leading schools in sports, fine arts, and academics.”

Last year, PHS dominated the state in test scores, a fact Serrano takes great pride in.

“Our ACT and AZMerit scores were in the top 90 percent in the district,” he said.

“This is the first time in our history that we are number one in most categories.”

With the large population of students feeding into the school, Perry’s programs have grown to accommodate the students.

“We had one section of orchestra when we first opened, now we have five,” Serrano said.

English teacher Patrice Strojny is one only 32 original staff members. Strojny, like many other staff members, jumped at the opportunity to open Chandler’s newsest school in 2007.

“It’s rare to open a new school, so I was very excited to come to PHS,” Strojny said.

Transferring to a school with a small population of students and teachers allowed better teacher-student relationships and closeness with fellow faculty.

“The faculty was extremely small. We were like a family,” she said, “not that we aren’t close today, but many of the original teachers have moved on to the private sector or transferred to other schools in other capacities-this is not bad, just different.”

The student population has grown so

much that instructors like Strojny teach in the bus barn – a building originally intended to be an auto shop class.

Today, enrollment makes it difficult for staff and students to have the type of relationships they did when the school was smaller.

“It does create problems with space and class size,” Strojny said, “however, I think it’s a tribute to the administration and

dangerous ordeal due to the constant traffic flow in both directions. Serrano said, “Over the years, there’s been a lot of accidents right there with people wanting to turn left.”

This new light presents a safer way to undergo the daily drop-off and pick-up of students. Serrano said, “I think that the best thing about that traffic light is when people are on 156th and they want to turn left, it’s safer.”

One problem that the light has introduced is an increase in traffic flow, but that problem could soon be solved.

“The city does have some sort of

contraption that is monitoring traffic flow, so they could change the timing on that,” he said.

If the timing is changed and the traffic becomes smoother, the light could be beneficial to all drivers.

In addition, the town will soon be opening a cemetery near the Greenfield and Queen Creek Roads. With a rising population of about 240 thousand, this will be the first cemetery in Gilbert; for 96 years Gilbert citizens were burried elsewhere.

According to the town, Gilbert’s mortality rate was 1,318 deaths per 100,000 residents

graphic by Dustin Loughead

faculty who have made such a tremendous contribution to our students that so many parents, including parents from out of the boundary, who want their kids to be Pumas.”

English teacher Kate Copic is another original staff member. During the first year, a majority of the classrooms were empty and unused.

“There were benefits to being small,” she said. “Yet, we did not have the things we needed to improve yet.”

With Perry starting off so small, it was never thought that the student population would hit 3,600, but new schools attract students from all over.

“When schools open and are brand new, [they] have a tendency to attract students who want a fresh start,” Copic stated.

Perry has now grown into the one of the largest public schools in Arizona; students from all over come to PHS. Thinking of the future, Serrano declared: “This is the beginning of us staying and being one of the best schools in Arizona.”

Additions to town of Gilbert benefit residents, students

By Caden Johnson the precedent

Drivers coming on-and-off campus have fought congestion on Queen Creek and 156th St. for years. In June, the Town of Gilbert began a project to ease their pain.

The town installed a new traffic light at the intersection, which has both helped – and in some cases – hurt traffic.

With all the ease of entry and exit it creates, many love the light, but some are annoyed by the increase of traffic it has created.

Turning left on 156th had become a very

News 1-3 • Opinions 4-5 • The Parking Problem 6-7 • A & E 8-9 • Sports 10-12 All-American performers Three Perry students selected to participate in national band.

Page 8

Pumas ready to pounce

After a 2-0 start, the Pumas are ready to continue their streak Page 12

in 2015, which has called the attention of the town to finally build a cemetery.

The cemetery will be about 22 acres large and is estimated to accommodate around 9,000 burials (or have a 75 year capacity).

The cemetery is anticipated to have a traditional burial ground, funeral home, cremation garden, mausoleum and private estates with several ponds throughout the area.

With a cemetery closer to home, funeral goers will be able to focus on being at the cemetery rather than how they are going to get there.

www.phsprecedent.com The Parking Problem

Lack of student parking creates new issues at FlipSide.

Pages 6-7

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september || 2016

Quenching thirst across Perry’s campus Senior Andrew Hom profits off the selling of sodas during C-lunch

By Emily Narducci the precedent

Many high schoolers dream of striking it big and making bank while still juggling the pressures of classes, homework and a social life. For Andrew Hom, his unconventional way of earning some extra cash during school garnered him respect and appreciation from his fellow peers.

Hom, a senior band member, has earned a sort of black market fame over the past two years as the guy who sells sodas from his backpack.

It didn’t take long for his peers to anoint him the moniker of “Soda Guy”; he would walk table-to-table reciting a script of the sodas he sold almost like an auctioneer, convincing students to purchase a soda from him for only a dollar.

“I started end of sophomore year by bringing sodas in my band bag,” Hom said.

Hom has expanded his operation to include others in on his endeavors. Freshman Jaidyn Myres, carried Hom’s bag full of sodas throughout the day and received some extra compensation for it. Myres said, “[him selling soda] is good for the students but he’s not really supposed to do it.”

Though selling sodas on school property is not banned in the student handbook, it is against a federal law. Soda is listed as a Food of Minimal Nutritional Value (FMNV) by the federal government and is restricted from being sold to students on school campuses.

According to the Chandler Unified School District’s Nutrition website, “the goal [of the district wellness policy] is to create a

school environment that includes healthy food choices and encourages physical activity as well as other wellness activities.” Obviously the sale of soda violates this simple goal, not to mention Hom using the sale for his own benefit violates the school policy of approved vendors.

Principal Dan Serrano says, “there’s all kinds of regulations on schools that have to be followed.”

People who do desire to sell things on school campuses have to go through a process to get approved, and those approved venders have to conduct business according to school rules and federal guidelines.

Since sodas are listed as a FMNV, even if “Soda Guy” was an approved vendor, the sale of sodas would be against the federal guidelines. Referring to Hom specifically, Serrano states, “I give him credit because he started it last year and brought it back this year.”

Being a “businessman” in high school to make a little cash is a bold move, and a creative adventure but, as Serrano sums up, “[school] isn’t a place for people to conduct business.”

photo by Chrissy Feller Senior Andrew Hom poses with his marching band bag containing the various types of sodas he sells. Selling theses sodas has earned Hom the token name of “Soda Guy” by his clients. graphic by Cameron Martin

Pumas welcome fresh face to Pom and Cheer team Female mascot debuts at this morning’s assembly as newest member of Pom and Cheer squad

By Ashley Scholz the precedent

Students attending this morning’s homecoming assembly are in for a surprise.

Sidelines for home football games are currently roamed by the PHS mascot Pouncer the Puma; and this morning, the pom team is excited to unveil Pouncer’s new partner.

The twist this time: a female puma. Now, Pouncer may have trouble competing over the spotlight.

The school will be one of the only high schools with both a male and female mascot.

Many now ask, what does this mean for the students?

“We’re really hoping that it inspires our students to get more involved,” assistant pom coach Alessandra Barth explained. She said that pom hopes to see more students come

photo by Lauren Neilsen Perry’s mascots stand side by side together to rally school spirit. The addition of the female mascot makes Perry one of the only high schools with both male and female mascots.

to sporting events and “have something to get them excited and pumped up at all the games.”

It is known that football games are a highlight of the summer and fall seasons. Just imagine those Friday night lights with twice the fun and spirit.

Pouncer and his gal pal will be easily distinguishable according to Barth who revealed, “She’s got the bow and the big eyelashes and a little outfit.”

Pom’s overall goal for creating the female puma is to gain support and spirit from the entire school. Junior pommie Shaelon Salas

commented, “What I am most excited about for the new mascot is that hopefully it will get the crowd more excited and involved and maybe start a new trend for all of the other high schools.”

The mascot was revealed today, Sept. 2 during the assembly, meaning that school spirit is at an all time high. However, her name is still pending. Pom hopes to receive suggestions for name possibilities from students, preferably starting with a ‘P’.

Head pom coach and female mascot coordinator Tenneal Howard suggested, “I think Pepper would be so cute, but ultimately we will let the students at Perry decide the name.”

The female will most likely make appearances at assemblies, homecoming carnivals, and other important school events.

“I love school spirit and anything that might bring more of it! Adding a female Puma will just add to our already great culture here at Perry.” Howard said.

Two mascots at one school make for an abundance of school spirit. Hopefully, Pouncer’s new friend encourages students to take part in more school activities, and become pumped for the upcoming football season.

We’ve come so far The Precedent’s take on Perry’s 10th anniversary: The precedent was first published in May of 2008 by a staff of 16 students. Then-English teacher Shelamae Woodworth was their adviser; sophomore Ashley Reid coined the publication’s moniker.

september || 2016

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3

StuGo links pride for school and country

By Ian Graham the precedent

This year, Student Government (StuGo) brought back a donation-based fund raiser for spirit links. They collected items and money that are going towards military care packages, providing a unique angle on the homecoming tradition.

This idea was determined by StuGo and their advisor Lerina Johnson. “We had everyone brainstorm different agencies and different things to donate money to,” she explained. “It turns out [attendance officer Margaret Harper’s] sons is in the Marines and we’re going to send the supplies directly to his troop.”

StuGo president Aaron Clouse hopes that this change of direction will enhance the school’s community. He said, “One of the things that’s cool about spirit links is that it always brings people together. It’s cool to see everyone united when we bring out the donation at an assembly.”

Keeping with tradition, the teachers that collect the most items/money donations will be crowned homecoming royalty during the pep assembly.

However, StuGo hopes their motives will change with the new military care packages.

“I think in the past some staff members might have pushed their kids to donate to win royalty, but I think now it’s going to touch more hearts so staff members will get into it for the troops,” said Johnson.

The donations were accepted from Aug. 22 until Sept.

1 and included items essential for everyday use, including shaving cream, toothpaste, granola bars, and many more.

Along with the spirit links fund raiser, StuGo is busy planning for homecoming, adopting this year’s theme of ‘Fire

photo by Daniela Bastidas Student Government members Lilla Brandt, senior, and Tanner Phillips, sophomore, assemble paper links for Perry’s annual Spirit Links fund raiser. This year, StuGo decided to use Spirit Link donations to give back to U.S. troops overseas.

Within’ based on the 2016 Olympics.

“For this year we specifically decided to take inspiration from the fact that it’s happening in Rio. Because it’s a place that’s rich in culture, we decided to pull from that and go with a carnival style with bright fabrics and some really detailed light shows,” said treasurer Jackson Daniels.

The bright atmosphere of Brazil will create a contrast

from last year’s theme, which was based on Star Wars. Clouse could not disclose all information on this, but mentioned there will be several sports activities during lunch throughout homecoming week and an opening ceremony-based assembly that Friday.

The dance will be held on Saturday, Sept. 3 in the large gym from 7-10 p.m.

Lack of female involvement in STEM program concerning

By Morgan Chung the precedent

Every school has something unique to offer students. One unique program on campus is designed to prepare future doctors, engineers and scientists: STEM. Parker Olszak, a senior in the Honors Principles of Engineering class, says that “STEM is a stepping stool towards future development for engineering or any kind of science field in general.”

STEM has attracted many students, including transfers from other schools. The program has won several academic awards including the Golden Bell Award.

Throughout the higher grade levels, however, the number of students participating in it is declining. Especially the number of females. For the females there are

fifty-nine freshmen, forty-eight sophomores, thirty-two juniors, and eight seniors.

Mckenzie Wessing, a junior STEM student says she wants to be a biology chemist. She admits that “I have noticed the drop in the female population in the STEM program.”

Averie Scholz was a strong member of the STEM program who contributed a lot to it by helping earn awards for the program.

She graduated in 2016 as a part of the first graduating class to be a part in STEM. The number of female engineers in that population is also decreasing, but more dramatically than the number of females as a whole in the program.

In fact, engineering teacher Timothy Jehl admitted as much, when he said: “women in the STEM program and particularly in engineering, are horribly represented in those

fields.”

The program is trying to promote the study of engineering to the female population due to the lack of female engineers in the workforce. They are presenting engineering in a way that makes girls want to participate.

For example, they have been hosting seminars for females interested in engineering in order to expose females to that subject.

In the engineering workforce there are many stereotypes against the female population.

The females who want to be engineers have to break stereotypes, such as women should not be working on machines but in the house, making their job a lot more difficult than it needs to be.

Fred Mann, who has been the STEM counselor for four years, says “there are 148 females in our program. There are 59 female

STEM By the Numbers Seniors Juniors Sophomores Freshmen

57 99 57 84

information provided by the counseling department

freshmen; 84 males.”

The program was made for anyone seeking a profession in any science field, whether it be a doctor, engineer, math teacher, or mad scientist.

Medical Professions teacher April Nguyen sets new tone

By Kylie Vacala the precedent

Juggling being a teacher and a forensic nurse is viewed as an impossible task, but not to new Medical Professions teacher, April Nguyen, who has accepted this challenge and has made it look like a breeze.

After losing Chris Humphrey, last year’s Medical Professions (Med Pro) teacher, Nguyen has taken over. Nguyen’s current experience in the medical field has allowed her to teach up-to-date medical techniques to her Medical Profession classes.

“I’m also a forensic nurse on the weekends and during the week,” Nguyen said. “[This] brings real life practice into this classroom, so what I am teaching is actually current practice and not something that was from 50 years ago.”

With the change of teachers, Med Pro II students, who had both Humphrey and now Nguyen, have accepted the incorporation of Nguyen’s new ideas into the classroom setting.

“I love how she uses her own experiences and knowledge she attained from her years of nursing to teach us,” Med Pro II senior Raneem Ben-Mansour commented.

Nguyen eventually wants to expand her knowledge in medicine by receiving her

photo by Kalista Rankins Medical Professions teacher April Nguyen demonstrates techniques to her class during a block day lab. Nyguen hopes incorporate real life experiences in order to help her students succeed.

doctorate degree either this year or the next, focusing on combining her research with her current involvement teaching a CTA program.

“I want the PhD. A lot of people don’t like

research but I do,” said Nguyen. “I would really be interested in doing some research to see how many students come from CTA Med. Profession programs actually do make it into a medical field and how successful they

are. That would definitely be a longitudinal study but it would be amazing.”

Throughout the year, Nguyen’s main goal is to have her Med Pro II students pass the Licensed Nursing assistant (LNA) exam.

“For Med Pro II, I want a 100% pass rate on my LNA exam on skills and written. I want every single one of my students to be at the pinning ceremony and wearing my blue cords at graduation,” Nguyen stated.

Although Nguyen is setting high standards for her Med Pro students, she has also transitioned the classroom into more than a learning environment.

“She has a lot of personality, and she really makes me feel like she wants what’s best for me,” senior Caitlin Clark said. “She is not teaching us just for us to pass the test. She is teaching us to go above and beyond to be the best nurses and also the best people we can be.”

The addition of Nguyen into the staff has opened up a new outlook for the future of the Medical Profession program.

“Teaching is probably one of the most rewarding jobs because you are leaving who you are with that many students,” Nguyen said.

“You make that big of an impact. It takes a lot of patience and drive, but it is definitely worth it.

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september || 2016

the precedent || phsprecedent.com

Staff Editorial

After years of sub-par spirit, student pride now all-in

F

Homecoming does not have to break the bank MIA IRVIN

the precedent

Homecoming season is upon us, which means it is time for your bank account to dry up quicker than a puddle in an Arizona parking lot. Times have to be meticulously coordinated with your group for beautifying yourself, taking pictures, and eating dinner down to the minute so you can arrive at the dance fashionably late.

But before you can get to the actual day, there is pre-planning. For the ladies, it starts

with the dress. Then you have shoes, and accessories to tie it all together in one perfect bow.

Let’s crunch some numbers. The average amount a girl will spend on her homecoming dress, is around $75. But you just realized you do not have shoes to match. So you drop $40 on a pair of heels you will wear maybe one other time. Before the dance, you go to Red Lobster and decide to treat yourself to some Linguini Alfredo with Shrimp. After tax and tip, your meal comes out to around $24.

You have an activity card, so your ticket for the dance comes out to $25. All together, you have spent $164 on one night.

That is a lot of money. That is 19 and a half hours worth of work at a minimum wage job. Homecoming should not be about eating an expensive dinner, and dropping a ton of money on a dress just to wear once.

That being said, homecoming is definitely something to cherish.

There are ways to get dolled up without breaking the bank. Tons of websites offer reasonably priced dresses that are classic enough to re-wear. If simple is not your style, second hand stores are a mecca for glamorous gowns at great prices.

As for dinner, there are plenty of affordable options. In and Out Burger serves divine food for less than five dollars. If you want to sit down and take your time before getting your groove on, hit up IHOP for some pre-game pancakes.

At the end of the day, no one is going to remember what color corsage you wore, or the label on your dress. People are going to remember how much fun they had, and the wild memories they made. After all, you only get four of these nights.

‘Pokémon Go’? More like Pokémon, go away CAMERON MARTIN the precedent

“Pokémon Go” has become the single most popular game of 2016. According to USA Today, “Apple confirmed ‘Pokémon Go’ was downloaded more times during its first week than any other app in the App Store’s history.” With is rising popularity however, there comes a host of problems.

“The other day I saw someone,” principal Dan Serrano said, “and he was hovering around [my truck], and I said to him, ‘What are you doing?’”

Loitering, vandalism, theft – all in the realm of consequences brought to light by “Pokémon Go.” Imagine walking into your backyard and finding another Pokémon trainer trespassing, trying to catch a snorlax.

Not to mention, there is also the danger of walking into oncoming traffic or even off of a cliff: it’s actually happened.

We live in a world of constant information. Teens, small children, and adults glued to their devices. Many of us are

Precedent

the

or Perry’s first nine years, football Friday nights in the stands would include a band, some parents and teachers, and a drained student section plagued with students refreshing their Twitter feed.

The game in front of them ignored with a painful transparency. At least the students would be seated and orderly.

No energy, no school pride, no spirit.

Then something refreshing happened.

Like the famous line from “Field of Dreams” said: If you build it, they will come – hoards of students packed the student section on Aug. 19, dressed in black-out attire.

Students led chants; they cheered; they never sat down. It was a complete 180 from every home football game we had ever covered. For the first time, Perry students truly gave the Pumas a home field advantage.

The game was painted onto the students faces for all four quarters; moments of triumph when the Pumas came back from giving up an early touchdown; moments of heartbreak when an interception halted the offense; even moments of satisfaction when the home student section mopped the floor with Desert Vista’s attempts at trying to verbally battle back.

And then there were moments of insanity, when the Pumas forced a fumble an scored a touchdown one play later during overtime, sealing the victory.

The student section was not just watching the game on Friday, they were a part of it. Even during timeouts, the student section maintained its tireless energy.

They had spirit!

Sandwiched in between the fourth quarter, and overtime, there was a touching moment every student there took home. Six year old Jersey Howard was sitting on the track facing the student section, a plastic water bottle in her hand.

She tossed it out in front of her, trying to get it to land it right side up. When she finally got it, the crowd went insane. Even when the bottle teetered and fell on its side, the students still chanted MVP. Clapping, cheering, all for flipping a water bottle. Not only was it extremely refreshing to see such a positive reaction, but to see the whole crowd unified was also something really special for everyone there.

We have been critical about the lack of school spirit over the years, but anyone new to Perry would have never guessed that based on the first two home football games this season.

The students wanted to be there, and they seemed proud and passionate.

So maybe this is where things turn around. Maybe after ten years, this is when Perry gets its mojo, and starts to get a steady stride. It’s a little early in the school year to call it, but the 2016-2017 might be the year that things go from sub-par, to memorable.

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

480-224-2820 fax

|| Newspaper Adviser || Damien Tippett || Editor-in-Chief(s) || Sarah Lankford Valerie Burgess || News Editor || Bree Wade

photo by Emma Kline The worldwide phenomenum of “Pokemon Go” has made its way to campus.

not an exception to this rule.

Already, there have been several report of serious injury and even death resulting from negligence during game play.

|| Opinions Editors || Mia Irvin Emma Kline || A & E Editor || Lauren Neilson || Features Editor || Sarah Campbell || Sports Editor || Zach Klein || Photo Editor || Kalista Rankins

However, “Pokémon Go” also has the potential to attract some unsavory characters to Pokéstops and gyms such as the Perry library. The game has the potential to pose certain safety risks to students and faculty: anyone can come into the library because it is a public – not school – library.

Anyone, from an innocent family to an armed gunman. People that might put our classmates in danger have a new reason to be on our campus because of an app.

However, that doesn’t mean game play should immediately cease; librarians Jenn Lopez and Jennifer Brown have different hopes for the game.

“We’re a public library, and Gilbert’s pretty undeveloped and we’re still pretty far away,” Lopez said. “People aren’t gonna drive that far out of their way to come in here.”

After all, there are plenty of other locations are abundant in Pokéstops.

“I think it will bring in new customers,” she said. Many local businesses, such as the restaurants and the Phoenix Zoo and even the Diamondbacks have used the strategic placement of Pokéstops to their advantage in attracting customers.

“Pokémon Go” just might be able to do some good for public locations and venues where Pokéstops and gyms are present – but on our campus, I’d like to see it go away.

staff information ||Web Editor || Sam Nabaty ||Social Media Editor || Ellie Wendt || Staff Reporters || Sarah Cheang Morgan Chung Sawyer Del Fosse Katie Duford Lauren Fountain Ian Graham Caden Johnson

Madi Kimball Asher Laufenburger Lincoln Luse Kendall MacGregor Cameron Martin Emily Narducci Ashley Scholz Nikki Soto Ethan Thai Kylie Vacala Hayley Young Lauryn Zachary || Artists|| Ashton Bell Isabelle Martinez

The Precedent is published by the newspaper staff at Perry High School and is published as an open student forum eight times per year. The Precedent welcomes comments and criticism 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.

september|| 2016

opinions || 5

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point | counterpoint:

Controversy

s u p m a C n O

in Rio Games

Was it right for Rio to host the Olympics?

“The Olympics should have been “Rio shouldn’t have been given “I think the government there held in a different place due to the Olympics because their is in turmoil, so no; they all the diseases, like Zika....They economic situation is not ideal should not have been given the should have waited for all of for hosting so many people.”

Olympics.” that to be cleared up first.”

Natalie Duffy freshman

Ryannsophomore Newbeauer

Rio was all wrong for the 2016 games LAUREN FOUNTAIN the precedent

Long before the Olympic torch was lit in Rio de Janeiro, the city’s economic and health concerns were heated issues debated by reporters and Olympic fanatics alike.

These issues resulted in the lack of attendance of the many athletes who chose to protect themselves from Zika and the political turmoil in Brazil.

Financial reasons aside, the Zika virus – stemming from Brazil itself – was a large factor to consider when deciding to host the Games in Rio. Hundreds of thousands of sports fans attend the summer and winter Games every two years, and seeing as Zika is so easily contracted, it is possible that the Games were a way that the virus could have spread to the home countries of spectators and athletes alike. A risk both unnecessary and unwarranted.

Despite Zika’s sickly grip on Rio, Brazil’s unstable economy was reason enough to cancel the Games. Although the decision for Rio to host the Games was made at a time when the city was growing economically,

KENDALL’S

KORNER KENDALL MACGREGOR the precedent

Horns honking, display of middle fingers, and crosswalks being ignored by everyone; this is a scene pulled straight from the student parking lot. As parking at school is nothing new, now with the total number of 934 freshman here on campus and the lack of available parking spots, the school and parking lots have become quite more packed.

It should be obvious that the freshman would ride the bus or be dropped off in the

the country is currently in a recession not dissimilar to the Great Depression. Brazil’s lack of monetary stability has also caused the loss of funds for the police officers – something I believe is a necessity in a country notorious for its high crime rate.

At what point does the committee decide that enough is enough?

Brazil’s political situation did not justify an international event being held in its city brimming with over nine million citizens.

The country’s president, Dilma Rousseff, was suspended from office in May as an impeachment trial takes place for her alleged manipulation of government accounts adding to the detrimental circumstances Brazil faces this summer.

Was the IOC completely blind to the turmoil of Brazil?

The city has more than a few internal issues, such as high crime rate and harrowing poverty. By hosting the Games, over 75 thousand people were evicted from their homes in order to build the Olympic Village and sporting facilities.

In a country where many citizens already live in favelas – or extremely poor neighborhoods – I wonder how the IOC could justify taking away the only chance at a home that Brazilians have?

Despite the IOC’s best intentions for the Brazilian city, Rio’s many complications should have made the world think twice before proceeding with the Olympics.

Tate Speaker junior

“[Yes] because the country is in a really dark place right now and having the Olympics will help boost their confidence as a country.”

Michael Pollici senior

photo by Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Games brought peace to suffering nation ELLIE WENDT the precedent

Amid a struggling economy and poor conditions, Rio de Janeiro was selected to host this year’s Summer Olympics. Before we begin our criticisms of what the city is not, let’s first look at the positive aspects or simply what could not be dismissed. The selection process in choosing a city to host these infamous games is far from simple. In fact, it took over nine years to complete. Rio was chosen back in 2007 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). After just successfully hosting the 2007 Pan America Games, Rio was more than qualified to host the summer games at the time. Rio then proved their success once more by hosting the 2014 FIFA world cup.

To be awarded the task of hosting the Olympics is not just a huge honor, it is a symbol for much more.

The Olympics are a showing of economic prosperity for the country. Brazil is 7th in the world’s wealthiest economies. In the country’s 120 year history, Rio is the first city in South America to be granted sport’s greatest honor by the IOC.

Pride for this accomplishment was very evident in the opening ceremony which heavily broadcasted Brazil’s rich history and beautiful environment. Pride continued to surge through Rio as Brazil had one of their best Olympic turn outs. The country as a whole claimed 19 medals, seven of those being gold. Brazil showcased their skills winning gold in volleyball, judo, boxing, and track and field, just to name a few. Perhaps the best moment within the whole two weeks was when Neymar won the penalty shot against Germany in the men’s soccer final winning Brazil the gold for the first time in their most treasured sport.

Winning gold for your country on home turf is an honor and an experience most athletes can only dream of. This year team Brazil had that once in a lifetime opportunity.

Hosting the Summer Olympics holds endless possibilities for the country of Brazil.

Pressure to develop a clean and healthy environment for these athletes to compete in has also greatly benefitted the communities.

The citizens can now enjoy clean beaches and a safer community due to the boosted security and healthier living conditions. In addition, hosting an international event in which the world can all participate in gives Rio the spotlight they need.

The city is now booming with tourism, providing economic prosperity and world recognition. Brazil was able to showcase cognition and appreciation which will continue long after the summer games.

Perry parking lot plagued with parents parent-drop-off parking lot, hence the name being parent-drop-off. But no, they are continuously breaking the unspoken social rules along with a glaring sign declaring it the student parking lot, not a parents drop off zone. It seems as though car by car, parents are slowly taking over the student parking lot and making it their own.

The majority of people believe teenagers are easily the worst drivers, yet these grown human beings seem to prove that belief wrong. Some of these adults cut students off, park in front of student’s designated spots, and slow down the entire system that has worked up to this point.

While after school is no better as the seniors with half days leave these parents to take any available opening they can fit their suburban mini vans into. In turn, making it difficult for those senior and juniors with full schedules to navigate cars clustered everywhere. Then there are the unsung heroes, our very own security guards, who

“These parents dropping off their sweet little children who take decades to gather their backpack, their binders, and their lunch box.

”

have tried on countless times to prevent parents from dropping off their precious cargo. Yet, it is almost seemingly impossible to reach and prevent the masses from breaking the rules.

To get to the point, these parents dropping off their sweet little children who take decades to gather their backpack, their binders, and their lunch box. It is the epitome of inconvenient. Every morning and afternoon, I drive through the parking

lot and I want to slam my head against my steering wheel.

I just want to get to class. Let me get to class. Please make mine and every other student’s life easier by parking and dropping your students off where one is supposed to be. Do not even think about parking in my spot. It that my parking pass for my specific parking spot hanging up on your mirror? No that is right, it is hanging up on my car.

The unfortunate truth to all of this is that there is basically nothing we can do to prevent this catastrophe. Parents will still drop off their kids in the most inconvenient places. Some of you will still be late to class because of constant halting due to dropping kids off.

You will still get cut off in the parking lot either by soccer mom on the phone or angry dad rushing to work. There will still be horns honking and wheels screeching. The world is a frustrating place, what can you really do about it?

6 || student parking

the precedent || phsprecedent.com

the

september || 2016

september || 2016

student parking || 7

the precedent || phsprecedent.com

parking problem Students’ responsibility for parking off-campus District plans to purchase more land for second student parking lot ETHAN THAI

the precedent

With the increasingly encroaching issue of student parking, or the lack thereof, it is only natural to attempt to place responsibility on the party behind the controversy of Flipside parking.

However, it would be unjust to simplify a matter involving students, administration and local business to a right-wrong problem.

Students and Flipside business owners aim to lay the burden of blame upon insufficient parking space on campus, but I believe the situation extends beyond mere

shortsighted planning.

The proposed student population was 2800; the current population is 3618.

This discrepancy between expectation and reality has caused a shortage of space of all kinds, especially parking; and, with the class of 2018 being the largest yet, it is not just an issue of today.

Coming up even sooner is the wave of new drivers as the year progresses threatening to flood an already drowning situation.

Although the school can predict these population fluxes, they stem from a district and city size issue making it more complicated than may seem.

I am not saying that none of the safety and transportation situation is at the hands of the school.

This is especially true, because it would be solved with more on campus parking, but the work that goes into constructing those

spots is expensive in time, money and manpower.

Anyways, there is “no additional parking this school year,” said Principal Dan Serrano.

So, despite the fact that students should not be forced to park across Queen Creek Rd., his holding just the school responsible for something beyond their control is a little ridiculous.

But on the flipside of the matter, students should not get off scot free either.

After all, whose driving was causing concerns at the Totspot Preschool?

The reckless actions that brought the Flipside controversy to attention in the first place were done by the students who parked there, definitely not the lack of action by the school board.

“In the end if a student is driving erratically, it’s their issue,” said Serrano.

Beyond being students, all drivers have a responsibility to operate a car with care and attention for those around them.

The setting of the school lot or a public one does not change that.

In fact, knowledge that there are toddlers in the vicinity and on a similar transportation schedule should serve as reason to drive with even more caution than normal.

With two or three near misses reported to the daycare each week, this caution is far from being observed.

It is not always easy to accept inconvenient situations, and be burdened with further regulations, but while the school resolves its responsibility for providing parking, it falls upon the students to ensure they use the Flipside lot with care.

photo by Kelsey Cook

Perry security guard manages student drivers in Flipside lot.

Student drivers create difficulties in Flipside parking lot for local businesses

By Madi Kimball the precedent

T

he Perry parking lot was never created to hold the amount of student who drive to school today.

In fact, the school was not originally built to hold over 3000 students enrolled today.

As a result, many students have had to park across the street in a lot surrounded by several business the past few years.

This has been causing conflict between the businesses who do not wish for students to be using their lots for school parking, and the students who are irritated with the lack of parking permits available to them.

Principal Dan Serrano was contacted by the property manager of the lot in regards to the issue of the students using that lot for parking, and the possibility of students who park there being towed.

“We have an agreement with them, a legal agreement, that we

provide security guards over there at the beginning of school and end of school,” said Serrano, “I don’t like it because a lot of students are crossing Val Vista, instead of using the light but that’s our only option right now.”

Along with the school’s concerns of students parking there, the businesses have worried about it as well.

Many parents of the children attending the preschool have brought it to the preschool’s attention that many students have been recklessly driving in the lot.

The time the students are leaving the parking lot in the afternoon also interferes with parent pickup of the children at the daycare.

Beth Fox, the general manager at Totspot Preschool, said “I have been here for four years now and we do see some drivers that are really causing problems. They’re going really fast and we’ve had probably two to three near misses a week.”

The safety of the children and

“They’re going really fast and we’ve had probably two to three near misses a week.

”

Beth Fox Manager of Totspot Preschool

their families is the preschool’s top priority.

Perry students have been using a parking lot that is not their own.

“Perry really needs to have their own parking and they need to stop parking in this lot,” said Fox, “It’s not a Perry lot. We all pay rent here and that’s included in our rent.”

While parking is a risk for the daycare, other businesses think otherwise.

Nate Hirni, the general manager at Flipside Entertainment, is not bothered by students parking in the lot. He had not noticed any issues with the student driving and does not see it as a threat to the business of Flipside.

“It’s usually during the slower periods when the business isn’t busy,” said Hirni. Hirni has been with Flipside for two years and they have considered putting flyers on cars but it hasn’t seemed to reach that point. The parking could become an issue when Flipside Entertainment hosts large events when more parking would be needed.

Even though Flipside is allowing them to park in this lot, students are frustrated with the fact that the school is not providing for the lack of parking spots.

Junior Sarah Martino, a student parking in the Flipside lot, said, “During the summer, it is super hot to walk to and from.

By the time I get to school I’m already sweating.”

This is her second year parking in the lot and finds it a “hassle” to have to exit onto Val Vista to avoid interfering with the businesses in the plaza.

Junior Lucas Mattson said, “It’s [the business’s] parking lot, and

they’re being nice and letting us use it. They could not let us use it at all.”

Martino believes that Perry students are a big portion of some of the businesses consumers. “If you park there in the morning you’re gonna get a burrito at Los or a donut at Bosa,” said Martino.

“Afterwards I like to go to Subway all the time.”

Despite some of the students who park in the lot find it a hassle, the businesses have allowed the students to continue parking in the lot to ensure cooperation between the plaza and the school. The way the students drive on or off campus could affect anyone and any time. Parking has remained an issue with the students driving to school and could potentially get worse as the student population grows.

Emily Narducci

contributed to this story

photo by Kalista Rankins

Students walk across Val Vista to their parked cars in the Flipside lot after school. The lack of parking has prompted many students to park outside of campus, which poses problems for local businesses who own the lot and pay rent for parking, and their customers.

Alternatives for students without parking passes SARAH CHEANG

the precedent

The overwhelming amount of student drivers recently became an issue in the struggle to snatch a parking space.

“This school is built for 2,800 students, and maybe 400 that drive, but we’ve surpassed that,” Principal Dan Serrano said.

The limited amount of spaces due has left drivers with slim options, leading some students to decide to park in the Flipside lot and walk to school.

Students in the Flipside lot have attracted numerous complaints due to reckless driving, though.

Police have also brought up the issue of those who jaywalk to get to their parked car faster.

So what can be done to fix this?

Juniors who do not get pulled in the parking lottery are placed on a waiting list, one solution that seems tedious as only 16 people out of about 170 this year have gotten a space through this method.

Selling parking passes in the Flipside lot could regulate the amount of students parking there since more will become old enough to drive as the year goes on.

The price can be discounted due to the extra walking, but this does impose extra work and liability on the property manager.

Campus police can continue to supervise student drivers in the lot and report those driving recklessly who will be fined and have their car towed.

Also, juniors can carpool by forming groups that place their names in for the parking lottery. If one or more of the group members

“This school is built for 2,800 students, maybe 400 that drive, but we’ve surpassed that, Dan Serrano Principal

get chosen, they can drive any others that had not.

One of the most prominent solutions to students seems to be parking in the Flipside lot and walking to campus, however this may not be the best option.

“There is probably liability and risk,” Flipside’s general manager, Nate Hirni, said.“Whether one of our guests created the problem or one of the students did.”

Because of these legalities, Serrano and the property manager of that lot drew up a legal agreement saying the school would provide security before and after school to supervise the students’ driving.

As for jaywalking, “I think it’s a terrible idea and I think it’s really

”

dangerous, especially as a driver now,” junior Andréa Martinez, who is currently parking in the Flipside lot, said. “It makes me nervous driving that street, honestly.”

This likely encompasses the thoughts of all driving down that road, so to ensure no jaywalking, students seen by the police will be fined.

It seems that Perry’s most obvious solution is to attempt to purchase new land to construct a second lot for student parking.

Plans are currently in motion to try to secure land near the seminary building to accomodate the increasing amount of student drivers.

By Caden Johnson the precedent

Student parking has been a hotbutton issue among students and administrators, but now district officials might have a solution.

For months now, administration has had their sights set on a stretch of land just east of campus, with hopes that they could purchase and develop a second student parking lot to accomodate the ever rising student population.

Before buying the land, the school must obtain approval from the school board, but that has already been done.

“The school board has approved the district administration to attempt a purchase of some land,” principal Dan Serrano said.

The piece of land they are investigating is the empty lot in between the seminary and Jehovah’s Witness buildings, consisting of about 4.6 acres of land.

In order to buy the property, the land must be inspected and the value assessed.

The land may not be purchased by the school if the owner refuses to sell the land for the price the land is valued at or less.

Serrano said, “The district is in conversation with the owner right now. They are kind of negotiating back and forth.”

It is possible that within the next semester, the land could be purchased and the school could begin to develop it.

However, hopes should not be high for a solution to be presented this year. Serrano said, “Even if they sold it today you wouldn’t see additional parking this school year.”

With the time necessary negotiate a price, gather money in order to build, and complete construction, it could take a while to be completed.

8 || arts and entertainment Freshman clarinet player Van Dusen years ahead of her older competition

september || 2016

the precedent || phsprecedent.com

Three Perry students qualify for All American “We’re in a better place right now; like time wise…we’re on track to be more successful than last year.”

photo by Shea Baumgarth The three All-American qualifiers (from left to right) Marianne Cayer, Tatiana Kapos, and Brandon Hermreck.

By Sarah Cheang the precedent

Jenny Van Dusen, a freshman clarinet player, has surpassed older peers in placement for her section in the symphonic band.

Symphonic band - the highest of all concert bands - requires students to audition.

In the audition, they will be assessed on their musical abilities including note range, Van Dusen intonation, and rhythmic understanding, which Jenny proved she had.

“She’s hard working, and she’s very humble about it though. When you’re a more advanced player, that being humble about it too is what’s really going to get you up there,” Marianne Cayer, clarinet section leader in symphonic and marching band said.

High school bands definitely differ in environment than those of previous levels.

“I’ve been playing since fourth grade,” Jenny said.

This is one year earlier than most band students in the Chandler District, giving her five, going on six years of total playing time under her belt.

“I like it a lot more than junior high. [At] my old school, band was just kind of lacking.”

Jenny hails from a family full of musical experience, which ultimately prepared her for band at the high school level. “[Jenny] started [music] when she was five years old,” Jenny’s father, Jeff Van Dusen, continues, “I borrowed a trumpet from one of the guys - I was playing in a band called the C.C. Ryder Express - and I taught her how to play a B-flat concert scale when she was in Kindergarten.”

The C.C. Ryder Express is a group of professional musicians who play locally for Arizona. Their manager, Bobby Van Rooy, has performed with well-known artists such as Sonny and Cher.

Van Dusen did this while holding a career teaching band he has now retired after 35 years which he pursued by following in the footsteps of his older brother, another band director.

This is how he was able to teach the B-flat concert scale to Jenny, one of the first things band students world-wide learn to play; it is the gateway to becoming a musician.

Learning it in Kindergarten meant Jenny preceded students everywhere.

With such a wide variety of instrumentation in the family, it was no surprise that both Jenny and her mother play various instruments. “[Music] just played such a huge role in my life and in our home that I guess it was kind of contagious, and Jenny sort of got the bug too,” Van Dusen said.

Jenny’s father said she has mentioned wanting to march in the prestigious Ohio State University marching band.

OSU’s marching band is known to be something to aim for; they are widely known for their Michael Jackson Tribute show in 2013.

Her sights are set far in the future, and music will remain a big part of that.

photo by Shea Baumgarth Marching band and color guard working together and performing the “Dark Ages” opener of this year’s theme “Through the Ages” during the Aug. 27 football home game halftime show. Coming from this marching band, three students were selected for the All American Marching Band, a national group.

By Asher Laufenburger the precedent

Multiple students, past and present, continue to represent Perry throughout not only the state but also the country with their musical abilities. Aside from many past alumni being acknowledged for their participation in the Drum Corps International World Championships, three out of ten students picked from Arizona for the All American Bowl in Jan.2017 currently attend Perry. Tatiana Kapos, Brandon Hermreck and Marianne Cayer were chosen out of 125 total students nationwide.

Band Director Brandon Kiesgan said that all his students “rehearse a total of seven hours a week” and that prepping for a performance is “very intricate, it’s really complicated, complex..” However, as the students

have shown, they’re ready for the challenge.

Since the All American is not until next year, the selected few have some time to get ready. However during normal season, they would not even start rehearsing until around Dec. or Jan. Kiesgan said “they rehearse..a few weekends during the month then about May, after Memorial Day, is when they go on tour.”

In preparation for regular season, Kiesgan thinks that “we’re in a better place right now; like time wise… we’re on track to be more successful, I think, than last year.”

Last year band was only three places away from being in the top ten and going to state. Being in division one means high expectations and Kiesgan said placing in state will be “an exciting accomplishment.”

Competitions do not start until

around fall break, but with all of their rehearsals during summer, they have time to focus on preparing for the future.

Marching band and colorguard’s first performance was before the first home game on Aug. 19.

Senior Tatiana Kapos said that with preparation for All American and football games, “the most difficult part is definitely the time commitment…”

Outside of school, Kapos is already getting ready for the competition by “working as hard as I can for our school...working out, and practicing tosses. We [the USAAAMB colorguard team] have a group chat which is really great because we’re learning about each other and becoming friends which will help being in sync for the show.”

Senior Brandon Hermreck said that to prepare he will be, “looking

[the music sheets] over and doing my practices a hundred times over.”

The All American Marching Band will stop by Perry during the fall and then fly the selected members out in Jan. for the USAAAMB Bowl.

According to their website, “During bowl week, the band members receive instruction from top collegiate... and drum/bugle corps instructors from across the country as well as educational sessions with members of the U.S. Army Field Band.”

Marianne Cayer said that she is most excited to, “meet all the people and do the show with them because it’s all the best of the best.”

Throughout the year, marching band and colorguard will continue to show off Perry’s nationally recognized talent in football games and assemblies and give us something to toot our horns about.

Sozo Coffeehouse offers good vibes to customers and musicians alike

By Ian Graham the precedent

Sozo Coffeehouse -located in Chandler on Alma School and Warner- has provided an outlet for local musicianship and artistry for the last six years. Owners Lori and Scott Morgan act as event coordinators and sound engineers, creating a comfortable atmosphere for self-expression. On Aug. 19, five Perry alumni and one current student gathered to play a two hour set.

One performer that night was Junior Lois Zozobrado. She joined former student Madison Williams on stage to perform a set of both original songs and covers.

“I met Lori last week for the first time and it was awesome. I always hear so many stories about people becoming known and getting fans here and I think that’s really important for new artists,” Zozobrado said. Sozo has become a large part of the exposure of new musicians, as open mic singers can

potentially be transformed into Saturday night performers in no time.

2015 graduate Jacob Morris also played, performing with Justin Tullis, Pablo Bastidas, and Garrett Bowers who all graduated the same year. Morris began performing at Sozo in Nov. of 2014 after hearing about another student band - Bears and Airplanes - getting a gig there.

This start has played a huge role in Morris’ path to recent success, as he just finished filming a music video for his song “Storm.” He has also performed in music festivals (Mesa Music Festival, Glendale Glitter and Glow) and even travelled to Nashville to promote himself.

“I think definitely I owe Sozo a lot in regards to kick-starting my love for performing music,” Morris said. “It’s propelled me to grab a band. It’s propelled me to start booking my own shows.”

Right after making this comment, Lori Morgan burst into the room, shouting: “You slayed that!” in reference to the show he had

photo provided by Lois Zozobrado Madison Williams (left) and Lois Zozobrdao (right) performing a set of original songs and covers at the Sozo Coffeehouse in Chandler on Aug. 19.

just performed. The two have been close friends since Morris became a regular there, a norm for any local musician that seeks a cup of coffee and a place to perform. One can feel the sense of community that is

associated with the shop upon first visit.

Sozo is open to all ages and houses live music every Friday and Saturday from 7-10 p.m., including open mics twice a month.

the precedent || phsprecedent.com

september || 2016

arts and entertainment || 9

Theatre department preparing for Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” play

photo by Chrissy Feller

Theatre performers (left to right) Michael Gerardi, Rhea Johnston, Hayden Keegan, and Emily Woodward-Shaw rehearse acts from the “Twelfth Night” playbook. All aspects of theatre are commited to finishing play preparations.

By Madi Kimball the precedent

Shakespeare never dies in the theatre. “Twelfth Night” makes its debut on the stage this fall with a lot going on behind the curtains.

“Twelfth Night” is a comedy love triangle of androgynous love.

In a story involving cross genders and unrequited love, film studies teacher and Theatre director Randy

Duren chose to portray this story located in Paris during the 1920’s.

“I started thinking about artists and their works of art and who seemed to capture this,” said Duren, “And then I thought Picasso. He lived in Paris in the 1920s because it was free. They could be the people that they wanted to be.”

The set in the eyes of Duren is ‘minimalistic’ and is brought to life by technical theatre 1, 2, and 3.

From the behind the scene, Junior Skyler Christensen said the most difficult part of the set is all of the curves. The set involves a curved staircase which technical theatre has never worked with before.

“The stage is curved, the archway is curved, the stairs are curved,” said Christensen, “So it’s a lot more difficult to cut.”

Every person involved in a show contributes- and without technical

theatre, there would be no show at all.

Before the curtains open on opening night, the set needs to be completed along with lights and props. “[It’s] stressful because there is so much that need to be done in such a short amount of time,” says Christensen.

As the show approaches, junior Angelica Hoffmann said the show is ‘very chaotic.’

With a deadline in mind, the tech team needs to work very hard to have everything in order before opening night.

Hoffmann had worked backstage for Footloose and made sure “everything was perfect and… was centered correctly.”

“I feel like that was one of our biggest mistakes,” said Hoffmann, “We weren’t fully committed and we would wait until the last minute instead of going on stage beforehand.”

Learned from mistakes last year, Technical theatre is improving their skills to make the set “Twelfth Night” the best one yet.

Duren says the best part of directing high school student is, “Getting them to realize they can create something from nothing. To take a bare stage and turn it into a show that everyone enjoys.”

“Twelfth Night” opens on Sept.

22 at 7 PM and runs until Sept.

24. Tickets will be on sale in the bookstore for $8 in advance. Tickets can be bought online for $8 and will be sold for $9 at the door.

‘Pop-Art Pumas’ renovation underway

Current D-building canvas art set to be recreated by drawing-painting 3 students

By Lincoln Luse

office, the art pieces were moved to the D building in the last few years.

Now that the office is decorated with plaques, flags, pictures of alumni, and more, the paintings were moved into the D building.

As a sculpture teacher, Biemond thought it would be fit to pass the project on to Drawing and Painting

teacher Lorena DeCristofaro, also known as, ‘Mrs. D’. DeCristofaro agrees and says, “I think my Drawing [and] Painting three kids will be a great choice to help me do this project, because they’re a little more advanced and have stronger grasp on color theory and paint application.”

DeCristofaro plans that the new canvases will be “two abstract pieces, in school colors, just with different textures and a range of values.” She is confident that her students will exceed her high expectations in helping to “add some color” to the hallways.

Junior Drawing and Painting three student Madi Gavin believes the paintings will be unique because “the whole class is contributing so everyone will have their own touch on the project.”

In order to create a greater motivation to make the canvases reach their fullest potential, DeCristofaro plans on making the project an assignment.

Gavin agrees because “people will take it more serious, and they’ll work harder to make it the best it can be.”

This teamwork, creativity, and variety of artistic talents will add an exclusive touch to Perry’s newest creation.

By Katie Duford

Potter and Scorpius Malfoy and their journey through the past, hooks the reader with the plot’s riveting twists and turns. Plus, having a continuation of the series keeps readers interested in J. K. Rowling’s stories and may make the reader want to reread the entire Harry Potter series so as not to forget any important details.

The story is action-packed even though it follows two not-so-active boys. It references events from the previous Harry Potter books, such as the Battle of Hogwarts, to keep the story going. It also gives some background to a few of the characters, that were not mentioned in the previous books. Such as a more in-depth look into Harry Potter The same characters, like Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Snape, that appeared in the original Harry

Potter series show up again in the new story and grip the reader’s attention. The storyline gives further insight into how the characters’ lives could have turned out had certain events, like the defeat of Voldemort, not occurred. This fact makes the reader happy for the way Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ended; with Harry’s victory.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was originally written as a play, but J.K. Rowling’s devoted fans wanted to be able to read the story instead of watching it on stage. In turn, instead of stating ‘Harry Potter said’, it says ‘Harry:’ because it is in a play-script format.

The format can make it difficult to read at first, but it is relatively easy to catch on and be able to read it like any other book.

Overall, the novel is immensely entertaining and keeps the reader on

the precedent

Out with the old, in with the new. This is the premise behind revamping the ‘Pop-Art Pumas’ in the hallway of the D building. The two large scale, ten year old canvases are getting a stylish makeover this year.

Sculpture teacher and art department chair Sharon Biemond believes,“it’s just time for a change to get something up and new in the hallways.” The current canvases were designed and painted in 2007 by art club members, in an effort to decorate and beautify the new campus.

The main objective in re-creating the paintings is to update them with the new logo and to bring a new levels of skill to the table for the school’s artists. “That’s technically the old logo and they’re not as well done as I know that they could be,” Biemond explains.

Originally in the administration

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child offers itself as captivating read

photo by Chrissy Feller

Current puma canvas art that occupies the D-building. The canvases were created by Drawing and Painting students ten years ago.

the precedent

After hearing all about “the new Harry Potter book,” I was persuaded into reading this new book by one of the greats. I, however, have not read any of the books in the previous Harry Potter series, so my reading and evaluating J. K. Rowling’s newest novel is unique in itself. I have an opportunity to critique her newest work without any possible bias, because of my lack of following the mainstream and reading her previous books.

That being said, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child presents itself as an alluring and captivating read.

Although I’ve never read the other Harry Potter books, I was able to catch on easily and follow the storyline.

The plot, which follows Albus

A&E Corner Agriculture club preparing to grow success and beauty on campus

By Katie Duford the precedent

A new club has emerged on campus, hoping to beautify the campus with greenery while also educating students on the benefits of gardening. Agriculture Club, sponsored by Economics teacher Trent Thornton, is preparing to plant vegetation to decorate the school grounds and instill admirable character traits in its members.

“If you want to grow anything, you should join the club, ” Thornton said, “We aren’t just going to grow vegetables out in the courtyard.”

Club President Ryan Allen said “Mr. Thornton’s got a whole workshop.” Allen saw Thornton’s backyard garden workshop and decided to solicit Thornton’s help with the club.

“I created [the club] when I first started gardening and just thought it would be a good idea to start a club about agriculture and teach kids about it,” Allen said. Allen hopes to teach fellow students how to be self-sufficient and grow produce themselves, or at least where produce comes from.

“Our main goal was to just see kids having fun and teach them about gardening,” Allen said.

Junior Morgan Cleary said “I joined the club because all my friends joined and I wanted to learn how to plant plants.” Agriculture club is a place to have fun with friends as students grow vegetables and flowers, and beautify the campus.

“We want to be able to sell our vegetables to the Puma Den and then hopefully to farmer’s markets,” said Allen, “We’re going to use the money to build beds, the gardens, and buy soil.” The money earned through sales will be used to further the club.

“I think it can flourish if they stick to it...and I know that the student lead is really into it so I think it’s going somewhere,” Principal Dan Serrano said. The club aims to help teach perseverance as the students continue to nourish and cultivate the plants. These actions will also grow and develop students’ characters and individuality as they learn skills to tend for the environment that could last a lifetime.

Thornton concludes, “Get involved if you want to grow stuff.”

photo contributed by Time.com

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was released on Jul. 31 of this year.

the edge of their seat as it twists and turns through different character’s pasts, and reseals the future.

10 || sports

Our Take With the 2016-17 football season officially on a roll, there is an elephant in the room: Who will be ‘the new Case Hatch’.

Perry’s former Sam middle linebacker Nabaty was a major the precedent weapon for the Pumas.

His athleticism and sportsmanship put him in the position as a leader for the team on and off the field. With him gone, many think that the team will suffer immense consequences.

Although Hatch had impressive athletic abilities, football is a team sport and he did not do it alone. The whole team's dynamic was what caused the record-breaking season. There are many players who will step up and lead the team.

The mere idea of finding a ‘new Case Hatch’ is completely under crediting the team as a whole.

Upcoming Events Boys Golf 9/6 @ Raven GC 3 p.m.

Girls Golf 9/7 @ Ahwatukee 3 p.m.

Freshmen Tennis 9/6 Casteel

(Boys-home, Girls-away) 3:30 p.m.

Badminton 9/6 @ SDOC 4 p.m.

Cross Country 9/3 @ Tumbleweed 7:35 a.m.

Unified Football 9/6 vs Chandler 6 p.m.

Swim/Dive 9/8 @ Mesquite 4 p.m.

Volleyball 9/2-9/3 @ Chandler 10 a.m.

Football 9/2 Westwood 7 p.m.

Sports Brief The golf team this year is filled with new and old players who are ready to come back stronger than they were last year.

The girls in this year’s team is composed of five returning and three new players which left four open spots that the team could’ve taken if more people were to tryout.

Returning junior Dakotah Kreil said that going to state last year was an “amazing experience being able] to represent our school [and] being surrounded by some of the best players in state.”

As for the new players, “the hardest part is trying to stay calm.”

For their first week of competitions, they play two 18 holes and two nine holes, which will be interesting for the team because they’ve “never had to come in with that many [matches] that early. So it will be interesting to see how [we] react to it.” Bernier says.

the precedent || phsprecedent.com

“Strong swimmers and divers” fill 2016 rosters

september || 2016

Diving for

G LO RY

By Cameron Martin the precedent

Last year, the Perry Swim and Dive team enjoyed a rewarding season, with the boys’ record running high at 122-61 along with the girls’ record of 106-77.

“It was amazing, it was really a team effort. We have a lot of good swimmers,” says junior Tai Combs, member of the Swim team. Combs participates in the 50 meter freestyle and the 100 meter backstroke.

Senior diver Bailey Davis also reflects on the events of last year’s season. “We have a bunch of strong swimmers and divers. Everyone is a great team- we have a great team here at Perry.”

With the graduation of the Class of 2016, however, comes the loss of notable Puma swimmers.

“All of our seniors that were really good and supported the team unfortunately moved on to college,” Combs elaborates. “They were a big part of the team and definitely contributed to the spirit and we all looked up to them.” Great alumni swimmers and divers include Jake Perrine, Levi Siwek, Taylor Rudd, and Kelci Abernethy.

Nevertheless, with the Class of 2020, the largest class of freshman to date, comes a great deal of untapped and unrefined potential.

Expectations for this upcoming season are running especially high.

“Now we have some incoming freshman- I’m really excited how the year’s going to look,” Combs says.

“There’s a lot more people on

photo by Kennedy Wagner Junior Kaylee Jackson dives in preparation for her next meet on September 8 at Mesquite High School.

the team than expected,” adds Davis.

In terms of improvement from last season, head swim coach Stephanie Carrasco believes there is a lot of room for improvement.

“I think what we need is more swimmers that are willing to swim year round and be in the water more than just our season – I think

that’s the way our program is going to continue being successful.”

The swim and dive team had their first meet at Hamilton on Sept. 1.

Principal Dan Serrano also has high hopes for the swim and dive team and this upcoming season.

“I think over the years, Swim and Dive’s gotten better and better. You

know, we have a lot of kids out [swimming], so I would expect us to keep improving,” Serrano said.

“This group that we have this year is just really doing well together and working well together,” Carrasco says.

Their next meet will take place at Mesquite High on Sept. 8.

Student competes at 2016 Junior Olympics

By Sawyer del Fosse the precedent

Nothing captivates the world more than the Olympics. Every two years, people from around the world drop what they are doing and get into the spirit of competition. But what if the Olympics occurred every year? For athletes that participate in the AAU Junior Olympic Games, it does.

The Junior Olympics is a national event that takes place annually with a different host city every year.

To be selected to participate is an honor as many athletes do not get selected. However, one of Perry’s students was selected to compete in the 2016 Junior Olympic Games.

Junior Robert Pike was a competitor in the 2016 Junior Olympic Games in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Pike’s event is called the International Trap. In this event, a clay pigeon is shot out of a bunker and a competitor must shoot and break the pigeon. Each athlete has five rounds to score the most points total by breaking as

many of the pigeons as they can.

Pike was one of 41 athletes that competed in his event alone.

Athletes from all over the nation participated in this event from various states such as Wyoming, Arkansas, Texas, and many others.

There was a total of just over a dozen different states represented this year in International Trap.

Head Coach Tom Slaughter said, “You need a certain score to qualify.

You have to work if you want to get there.”

Pike commented on his time commitment and what it takes to reach the next level. “I've been doing this for a couple years,” Robert said, “and usually people do it for a lot of years. It takes practice and more practice.” Robert trains with Arizona Outdoor Sports (AOS) as part of a “squad,” over three hours a week. This is what a team of shooters from the same organization are called. During the Junior Olympics, Robert and his squad compete as representatives of AOS. Robert puts in over three hours

photo courtesy of Robert Pike Pike was one of 41 shooters to compete in the Junior Olympics this year.

of shooting practice a week to compete at the Junior Olympic level. Scott Pike, Robert’s father, said,“We were really proud of him.

It was his first year competing and he shot a personal high.” This is not the last the Olympics will see of Robert Pike.

sports || 11

the precedent || phsprecedent.com

september || 2016

Hauver travels to Area Code Games No Burks, no problem for cross country

By Lauryn Zachary the precedent

photo printed with permission from the Area Code Games Hauver takes a big cut at a pitch during the Home Run Derby at the Area Code Games. This event, held at Long Beach State University, showcases the top 200 junior and senior baseball players and brings them together for both a tournament and a derby. out of you?

ZK: This is probably going to go without saying, but did you notice a lot of scouts during this event?

TH: Yeah there was a lot of scouts. It was kind of nerve racking because you look up in the stands and there is probably about 300, 400 scouts watching, 400 pro scouts, it was just an awesome feeling.

By Zach Klein the precedent

Senior baseball player Trevor Hauver can now add another accolade to his list of accomplishments.

Over the summer, Hauver competed in the Area Code Games, an annual event showcasing the best talent from across the nation in the year’s draft class.

The Games were held on the campus of Long Beach State University and featured both a Home Run Derby and a series of games.

Hauver competed in both, hitting six home runs in the Derby.

Hauver’s coach Damien Tippett said that going to this event “shows that all of his hard work is beginning to pay off.

As an individual, he’s a gym rat, as far as baseball is concerned. Whether it’s working on hitting, or working on strength training, or even working in a classroom, he is a really hard worker. It’s a tribute to his own work ethic that he is accomplishing this”.

Trevor’s father, Marc Hauver, added that his son “is always just hit. I mean he’s hit at every level he’s hit for power at every level, he’s just always been a really strong hitter and he’s a gamer... he’s always there...you know he plays on emotion when the game’s at its highest peak he seems to be right there.”

photo used with permission of the Area Code Games Trevor Hauver, after being selected to the Cincinatti Reds team, competed in the Home Run Derby before the games, hitting six big shots out of the park and impressing the many scouts that attended.

ZK: Have you gotten any unofficial or official offers either before or based off of [The Area Code Games].

TH:Before that, no because I committed to ASU [Arizona State], but other than that I have just gotten a lot of MLB questionnaires from MLB teams, so that has been an awesome feeling.

ZK: Are you more likely to go the college route than Below is the full interview straight to the MLB or are with Trevor Hauver you still open?

TH: No, I’m still open, Zach Klein: How did you definitely, that would be get picked for the AC (Area awesome to go to the draft Code) Games? and join an MLB team.

Trevor Hauver: It was a tryout, you have to get ZK: The Home Run Derby, invited by an area scout, was that the more fun part, they had to see you play. or was the actual game more They basically invite the fun? top players in Arizona to a TH: The Home Run Derby, tryout that was with Arizona even though I didn’t win, players, Colorado players, just because it was a bunch Utah players, and Hawaii of people surrounding you, players. They picked the top and just being on Tv was 25 players from our four just awesome. I think you corners area, and put them got four minutes and thirty together on a team. seconds to hit as much as you can, but then at two ZK: Where was [this event] minutes fifty seconds you get at? a break.

TH: California, Long Beach State University.

ZK: How much did that take

TH: It was tiring, really hard but it was fun stuff.

ZK:Did you get to pick who threw to you?

TH: We got to pick, in BP the day before I led the whole Area Codes Games in home runs and the pitcher was really good and I wanted him to throw to me but he had some family issues so I had to have someone else throw to me, it was still awesome, lots of fun.

ZK: Did anyone [family] go with you?

TH: Oh yeah a lot of my family came, my mom my sisters, my dad came, and my girlfriend, it was awesome.

How do you race to the top after the graduation of the most accomplished long distance runner in school history?

Cade Burks beat his competition by 26 seconds in the three mile last year, and leaves an indelible mark on Perry.

However, individual accolades do not guarantee team success.

“Cade was obviously very helpful on the team, but him leaving, I don’t think it’s going to affect us negatively at all,” said junior Anthony Haren - finishing the three mile just behind Burks with personal best of 15:28.8.

With their first meet, The Chandler Invite, rapidly approaching on the first Saturday of Sept., the cross country team has devoted hours of their time in preparation for a successful season.

Daniel Pescador, head coach of the boys team said, “We are aiming for a top three finish, but if we are aiming for third, why not first?”

Last year’s team struggled with illness which affected their overall performance. With a healthy roster, the boys’ cross country team is poised to reach their team goals. “Our team is a lot better this year, [being top three] is a lot more realistic of a goal, and to be honest with you, we are kind of hoping for first,” senior Kane Hudson said.

The girls’ cross country team is also putting in work to achieve their goals for this season. “I’d like to make it back to the state meet,” girl’s head coach, Jeff Gurecki said. “[A] top ten finish, I think, is within reach.”

The team demonstrated their desire to be number one by running during the off season’s summer months.

“Everybody’s been training all throughout the summer, and so that’s been really helping with the top girls,” explained junior Paige Ellsworth, a varsity starter for the team.

Cross Country is a challenging sport, especially in the desert heat. The girls know that they will need to be mentally tough and physically prepared to wattain the top 10 finish they desire. Gurecki said, “We need to push through discomfort, it’s going to hurt, but it’s worth it.”

ZK: Obviously this is a fun experience, but do you think you gained any knowledge or experience that will help you out?

TH: Definitely just knowing the competition and just knowing how many other players are out there, you just gotta keep working harder and harder just to stay up with them, and hopefully you beat them , because you might be playing with them or against them someday.

ZK: Let’s hope not, but do you think this adds any pressure to you?

TH: No, not really, I think I’m just going to go out there and keep playing my game, and just let [the scouts] see what they need to see.

photo by Sam Anguiano Junior Richard Cassone running during a cross country practice on Aug. 24.

Depth in numbers proves valuable for volleyball

By Emma Kline the precedent

A team founded on experience with high expectations for the upcoming season; the Girl’s Volleyball team is planning on taking the upcoming season one game at a time.

With early losses last season, the team hopes to focus on the first game to maintain a successful mentality.

Coach Mann said, “this is my 24th year as a coach and as soon as you worry about game two rather than game one, that's when you lose game one,” so the team has a narrowed focus entering this year.

Junior setter, Katie Koski said, “last year we lost our first game so this year we

definitely want to focus on the first game and not focus too far ahead.”

With strong experience present among the players, the team already has a chemistry on and off the court. Mann said “we already have an experienced team with girls who have background in our program for a few years and that experience in volleyball is priceless.”

Senior outside hitter, Amanda Aguirre, said “our team gels so well together, there is no drama, no cliques, everyone is close with each other. It helps us encourage each other and keep each other up on the court.”

The team’s success last year up until the post-season will be used as a starting point from where the team can improve. “We

will definitely use last year as motivation because we know we are a strong team and we just have to persevere through it and go through the rough patches,” Davis said.

With a strong dynamic on the court and a narrow scope set on success, the team looks to this season to help further their ranking and skills.

Some games to look out for would be the rivalry match against Basha at Perry on 9/21.

‘15-’16 Volleyball By the Numbers Record-29-7

Sets won/sets lost- 78-28 Home record- 8-1 Away record- 6-3 Neutral record- 15-3 Returners from ‘15-’16- 8

12 || sports

the precedent || phsprecedent.com

september || 2016

Pumas potent and ready to pounce camps over the summer.

“I went up to [University of ] Oregon [and] I won the camp... now I’m on their roster list and ASU’s roster list as well,” Zendejas said. “I came in first in field goal and kick off and at ASU I came in first also.”

Not only is Zendejas an accomplished kicker, he is also known for being a valuable teammate.

“I think of him as a very valuable part of our team,” Senior defensive end Marcus Powell said. “I don’t think of him less than any other player, but at the same time he is part of the team, he is a brother.”

Now, with the new season starting, this brotherhood of Pumas are potent and ready to pounce as well as full of new hopes and expectations.

“We are in a new region now, which is all the chandler schools, us and brophy, which is very difficult,” said Principal Dan Serrano on what to expect for the upcoming season.

So far, the Pumas are 2-0, with their home victories over Desert

Vista (30-24 OT) and Millenium (52-28). “I hope it grew the team’s confidence. They were already confident, but to get a win over a top ten team should increase their confidence,” sayed Jones.

As far as what to improve on, many believe that communication is an issue. Senior defensive end Neal Kallen believed the team needs to “work on communication.”

Senior middle linebacker Clayton Nocella agreed, and said the only way to correct the communication within the team is to “just practice, you can’t really mimic a game time scenario, you just have to do it,”.

Jones claimed that the boys’, “mental and physical preparation” were key contributors to the team’s first victory.

In the fall sports press conference Powell said, “we are kind of getting tired of being compared to them [Chandler, Hamilton] as being the underdogs.”

This season will be a deciding factor in whether or not the football team will continue to be seen as ‘underdogs’ to their competitors.

photo by Shea Baumgarth

Senior Cristian Zendejas puts power behind a kickoff during the home win against Millenium High.

By Lincoln Luse & Kylie Vacala the precedent

Three points. That all it takes to turn a loss become a win. With the lights glaring down, the pressure is on for the kicker. Two things can happen: they make the field goal or they do not. It’s all on the line for this one moment- those three points.

When football games come down to the wire, those extra points after a touchdown or those three point field goals are essential to the outcome of the game. Senior

Cristian Zendejas is Perry’s own “game changer.”

“Anytime you have a kicker who is accurate and can trust putting him in at crunch time, he can be a game changer” said Varsity Football Coach Preston Jones.Not only is Zendejas a kicker, he also dabbled in playing soccer. However, he decided to pursue football from the help of his dad.

“First I started with soccer,” Zendejas stated. “My dad was a kicker, so that’s kinda how I got into it. He taught me everything... for football. I learned everything he

told me.”

Having a role model right home, Zendejas has been able to transfer his knowledge of the game on to the field.

“He is very very accurate, he is consistent,” said Jones. “He is in knowledge of the game...A lot of times you have kickers in a program that don’t do a lot of work the other boys do, and he never misses a workout.”

Being inspired to follow in his dad’s footsteps, Zendejas has made a name for himself in the football community, attending two football

have a completely different schedule this year and our sections have changed… so we’re gonna have to step up our game.”

Perry’s badminton program has seen lots of growth over the past few years, becoming a true contender in the state tournament.

Principal Dan Serrano said, “Our badminton program is pretty good. There’s some talent there.

Coach Johnson treats badminton

like football. She does a really good job.”

With eight athletes returning for the 2016-2017 season, the team is ready to play as a unit and begin the journey to a state championship.

“We have some unfinished business to take care of. We want to have another chance at Xavier and now they’re in our section,” Coach Lerina Johnson said.

photo by Baylin Self

Senior Antonio Gomez (#88) and and Junior Javy Reynolds (#91) celebrate a Zach Johnson touchdown in the 52-28 home victory over Millenium High School on August 26.

Badminton ready to move on to upper echelon

By Lauren Fountain the precedent

Returning from a near-perfect season, the badminton team is ready for redemption.

Going 14-0 in the regular season last year, the team lost to Xavier in a true battle. In their first year in a new section, Perry will face teams like Hamilton, Basha, and Xavier on a regular basis.

As Coach Johnson said, “We

For many of the seniors who have watched the program develop during their time on the team, this season is the last chance to finish what they have started.

For senior Katie Cross, “it’s not so much as a pressure as just kind of a personal commitment.”

The tougher schedule doesn’t deter the players though, as Cross said, “You would think we would be afraid. I think we’re ready for

the challenge.”

This attitude is what has changed the program from barely scraping together the players for a team, to being one of the sports on campus with the largest player turn-out.

“The reputation’s there. The fun aspect of badminton’s there. It’s awesome,” Coach Johnson said.

“They come out here and work hard for themselves.”

Get to know your Perry athletes What did you do over summer?

Favorite Olympic Sport?

Favorite candy?

Track and Field

Twix

Played Football

Pets

Lucas Mattson

Track

Peanut M&m’s

Went to Chicago

none

Grace Doyle

Volleyball

Mike & Ikes

Nationals

Nerve

Clayson Conrad football senior

swim/dive junior

cheer sophomore

Favorite summer movie?