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NOVEMBER 2014 || VOL. VIII ISSUE III
PERRY HIGH SCHOOL || GILBERT, AZ
photo by Brianna Dickson
Puma Pals perform with basketball players at the CUSD talent show on Oct. 31.
Athletes band together to include all students in sports, arts
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By Mia Irvin & Erik Yates the precedent
ust before the curtains opened there was a silence, but not a quiet silence - the type you could feel. Students stood in nervous anticipation waiting behind the thick, navy curtains. As the curtains draw open, they look onto the crowd; the seats were filled with a cheering, enthralled, and teary-eyed audience. The talent show for students with special needs has begun. The idea of this show - and any Unified Sporting event - is to get those students with special needs involved with normal school life. The Puma Pals talent show is just one way these students have to showcase their abilities; but what about the people who help them - the people who mentored, coached and supported them? Talent shows and sporting events are facilitated by advisors Nora Boettcher and Heidi Peek. “I feel like it makes [special needs students] understand what it feels like to be a part of something other than just coming to school to learn,” Boettcher said Boettcher and Peek cannot do it all
photo by Maddie Zushlag
Senior Blake Hoffman takes the ball downfield during a Unified football game last month. Unified Sports allows students with special needs to compete in football, basketball and track.
on their own. Junior Chloe LaFleur is the president of the Unified Sports Club. LaFleur first became involved because of her brother’s disability, but she cherishes the relationships she has developed. “You make friendships. It’s not just charity. They become your friends and family. It’s a different connection, but it’s
Puma Den will benefit more than DECA students By Natalie Eberhard the precedent
At a glance, the school’s new Career and Technical Education (CTE) building seems to only benefit students taking CTE classes like culinary arts or TV productions. However, instead of keeping the new building to themselves, the business marketing club, DECA, plans to open a new student store
available for the whole school. Introducing the Puma Den, Perry’s new student-run store. Similar to businesses outside of school, this school store is its own business. The Puma Den will be managed specifically by DECA students. “Students in the class [will] learn inventory as well as money handling, product controls, customer service,” DECA Advisor Rob Lange stated, “basically all the soft skills you need to work in a
a good one,” she said. There are several students who volunteer their time to help coach and perform with the special needs individuals, including junior Tayt Smith. Smith, along with LaFleur, helped plan and produce the talent show and
business outside of school.” “It’ll be great to see the kids taking what they’re learning in the classroom then applying it to all of you” assistant principal Heather Patterson said. “That’ll be awesome to see what the kids generate, how they market things, [and] how they try to sell things to everybody.” Senior Bari Richardson, the DECA president, is excited for the new store as well. “I’m really excited to see DECA students shine in their area as [a] student based enterprise,” Richardson said. “It’s all about bettering student’s experience here at Perry.” The new school store will provide a variety of food and drink options including items similar to the cafeteria. As far as prices go, the club understands that students and staff want cheap items; however,
see DECA pg. 3
the Unified football season. Smith is heavily involved with four things on campus: basketball, baseball, and he is an officer in the Puma Pals and Unified Sports clubs. “[Unified Sports is] a lot of fun. I love doing it,” he said. “It’s so much different than doing everything else.” In sports, coach Jose Bracamonte scripts plays for the partners (the volunteer students) and the Unified athletes, and says that the role of partners like Smith are vital. “The partners play a huge role in our games,” Bracamonte said, “they’re responsible for making sure the athletes are where they need to be at all times.” However, getting student participation is a challenge. “It’s all voluntary,” Smith said. “We talk about it and advertise it; that we are always looking for the buddies and partners to come help and they do.” LaFleur added that she would like to see more students attend the events as fans, because the Puma Pals get so excited when they see their peers in the crowd. For the Unified athletes, they get to be the super-star varsity athlete or performer for one night, which is a memory that will last a lifetime.
photo by Natalie Eberhard
Senior Chase Tate works in the DECA store on a computer that will be used to complete transactions once the store opens. The student store will accept credit cards, a new feature for students.
News 1-3 • Opinions 4-5 • Cheating Special Feature 6-7 • A & E 8-9 • Sports 10-12
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