February 2012 Volume 2, Issue 3
The ‘Stang Express
The ‘Stang Express Volume 2 • Issue 3 • February 2012
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CONTENTS
The ‘Stang Express
Volume 2, Issue 3 February 2012
The ‘Stang Express North Shore Middle School 120 Castlegory Houston, TX 77015 CONTACT Mailing address: 120 Castlegory Houston, Texas 77015 Phone: (832) 386-2600 School website: http://www.texasschools.net/ nsms Email: stangexpress@yahoo.com
RESPONDING IMAGE / APPLETRAILERS.COM
Letters to the editor will be accepted. Letters may be submitted in Room C107 or placed in the mailbox of Mr. Burke. All letters must be signed. Names will be published. Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual and may be edited.
PURPOSE
The ‘Stang Express is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Association and earned an Award of Distinguished Merit and was nominated for the ILPC’s prestigious Star Award in 2011. Only 10% of the state’s student scholastic publications earn this distinction. Advertisements are sold in full, half-page, quarter-page, and 1/8 page sizes and are printed in black and white while PDF versions remain in color.
STAFF Co-Editors in Chief Cindy Barrera & Jocelyn Ramirez News Editor Cindy Barrera Features Editor Cindy Mai Opinion Editor Asada Samin Sports Editors Bryant Badie & Megan Gray Photo Editor Toni Van Bibber Social Media Manager Sarah Guillen Photographers Toni Van Bibber, Aliyah Hawkins, Idalia Santos Writers Alejandro Alonso, Bradley East, Antoine Fontillas, Gricelda Jasso, Tayvien Joseph, Shabab Karim, Nathalie Lopez, Jennifer Lozano, Ingris Montoya, Jareny Ortiz, Dalila Rodriguez, Idalia Santos, Britaini Statum, Toni Van Bibber, Amber Wofford Cover Story Cindy Mai Page Design Cindy Mai, Shabab Karim, Alejandro Alonso Adviser Mr. Ron Burke Principal Mr. Paul Drexler Superintendent Dr. Angi Williams
SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook: North Shore MS Journalism Twitter: #StangExpress Flickr: StangExpress
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COVER STORY, 8 The Hunger Games. Can it happen here in America
Fact or fiction? Can what happened in The Hunger Games happen here? What would you do? What COULD you do? by CINDY MAI
5 Students and teachers prepare for a new round of tests with a twist: they’re timed
15 Forest Brook hands Mustangs another loss
Yes we know you think it’s a pain, but this will actually help you later on... by DALILA RODRIGUEZ
10 America commemorates Pearl Harbor during its 70th anniversary Students should take advantage of survivors’ stories because, very soon, that’s all it will be... history. by ALIYAH HAWKINS & GRICELDA JASSO
13 Lady Mustangs fight until the end, win big Persistent offense, stubborn defense lead ladies to big win against Forest Brook. by TAVIEN JOSEPH
Team shows grit and a ‘never give up’ spirit as Forest Brook runs away with win. by JARENY ORTIZ
16 Coach’s experience helps athletes learn more Student athletes benefit from her passion. by MEGAN GRAY & AMBER WOFFORD
18 Think you’ve seen gross? Watch Fear Factor Popular show re-surfaces with new challenges and disgusting creature edibles. by ABIGAIL SANCHEZ & TONI VAN BIBBER
PHOTO STORIES 16 Don’t be a victim! Practice internet safety! North Shore students practice internet safety every day as they use computers at school. by IDALIA SANTOS
12 A dedicated teacher’s job is never over
PHOTO / TONI VAN BIBBER
The ‘Stang Express is a student publication distributed to the students, teachers, and parents of North Shore Middle School and the administration at North Shore High School and Galena Park ISD. Opinions expressed are the opinions of the student writers and are not necessarily the opinions of the Galena Park ISD.
First year Spanish teacher’s to-do list is just about endless. by TONI VAN BIBBER
19 Another day...another note Award-winning band prepares for another shot at UIL competition. by ALIYAH HAWKINS
February 2012 Volume 2, Issue 3
The ‘Stang Express
Commentary
Teachers help with critical reading and writing What’s that science text explaining? How does that math problem go? Have you ever noticed how your reading teacher is always pushing you to use context clues? Does your English teacher always tell you to analyze the story to get the concepts? They do this because critical reading and writing is very important; it’s used in almost everything you do. Critical reading is reading with the goal of finding a deeper understanding of the material. Critical reading is also the use of common sense to determine what the writer means, opposed to what the story states. Critical writing also shows a clear presentation of your own evidence and argument, leading to your conclusion. You might get tired of your teacher pushing you to hone your reading and writing skills, but they do this because critical reading and writing are very important. Critical reading and writing are very important because you use it in everything you do. For example, if you don’t have good reading skills, how would you understand what the science textbook is saying? If you don’t have good critical reading, how do you think you’re going to understand word problems in math? Critical writing is also very important because without it, how do you expect to get a good writing score on the standardized writing tests? To prevent you
from failing in your core classes, teachers will keep on pushing you until you show that you have good critical reading and writing skills. Personally, I believe that critical reading and writing skills are very important. I believe that even though students always say that their teachers are not teaching them anything, teachers here are teaching them something. Every teacher has his or her own way of teaching, and that is something we just have to stick with and adapt to. What do you think?
The SAT (scholastic aptitude test) is a standardized test designed to measure basic critical reading, math and writing skills. Pre-AP/AP courses are designed to encourage a higher level of analysis and critical thinking in an effort to prepare students for high school.
SOURCE / SCHOLARSHIPS.COM
by ANTOINE FONTILLAS
Technology takes learning to the next level Once a big, bulky mess, technology has brought the world to your classroom by ASADA SAMIN There once was a time when schools were just small houses and there was absolutely no technology. Imagine what it was like for teachers and students not to have computers to help with things like research and communication. No flash drives to save important documents. What if there were no projectors that teachers used to show students different internet sources and PowerPoint presentations? Everything would have to be on paper, and that’s how it was just decades ago when our parents and grandparents were in school. Now we are in the twenty-first century and electronic technology is everywhere we look in our classrooms. Technology has clearly become a huge necessity for us at school. It allows us to broaden our thought process. The U.S. Department of Education created the Office of Educational Research and Improvement which sponsored a research project called Technology and Education Reform, which stated that “Technology allows many more students to be actively thinking about information than is typical in teacher-led lessons.” In other words, when students see information on a certain topic from many different sources, it allows students to have a better chance to see the many different ways that people interpret the information on that specific topic. It also gives students
a chance to process what they already understand, so we can add the new information to our knowledge base. Without technology we wouldn’t have those sources to help us understanding information. It is a well known fact that it is important to be creative in order to be successful. Aside form providing helpful sources of information, technology also gives students and teachers a chance to be creative. Power Point presentations, Google Earth and videos are just a couple of things that allow teachers and students to be creative. Not only are they creative sources to use but it is fun when teachers bring these things into their teaching. Not to mention all the other cool things students can do with technology especially when using Microsoft Office. Of course, if we didn’t have technology, teachers and students could still use things like books, encyclopedias, and newspapers to find helpful research information and there would still be lots of ways to be creative, but with technology it is easier for teachers and students to find sources that we might not be able to find without it…and it makes what we learn more interesting.
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NEWSwire
The ‘Stang Express
Volume 2, Issue 3 February 2012
‘Deebo’ leaves Hollywood, pays a visit to the Shore by SARAH GUILLEN & CINDY BARRERA On Jan. 11, students gathered in the Multi-Purpose Room during each hallway’s RAP time to listen to Hollywood actor Tommy “Tiny” Lister, also known as “Deebo”, talk about bullying, the importance of education and his past experiences. Lister got the name “Deebo” from a role he played in the popular movies Friday and Next Friday, in which he played a neighborhood bully. Lister can also be seen in movies such as Goldmember and The Dark Knight. He also does voiceovers in animated television shows like Fish Hooks (as the voice of Mr. Mussels) and The Amazing World of Gumball (as the voice of Hector). Before the presentation started, students were looking around, talking, and trying to find Lister. After Mr. Griffith introduced him, some students were a bit surprised. Seventh grader April Puga said, “He’s [Lister] scary because he’s big and has a loud voice.” During each presentation, Lister said, “I don’t like to smoke or drink. I just like my western tapes and my milk and cookies,” and students laughed. He said if people wanted him in movies or music videos, they couldn’t smoke or drink around him. “[I think Deebo was smart for not doing alcohol or drugs because] look at
what he’s become. He’s a big movie star and he has a wife and kid. He’s made something of himself instead of drinking and smoking,” said seventh grader Claire Marks. Not only did Lister talk about staying drug free and alcohol free, but he also talked about bullying. “He [Deebo] plays a character that students thinks is really cool, but that’s just fake and he’s actually a really good person,” said Assistant Principal Ms. Casteneda. And Lister told students exactly that. He told them that even though he played bullies and bad guys, none of it was real. Lister said that the big people need to take care of the small people instead of bullying them. Students learned a lot from the presentation and enjoyed it very much. Eighth grader Louis Cole said, “I learned that if you grow up in poverty, you can still grow up and be someone.” Even teachers learned a little something from Deebo. “He taught me not to get caught up in the drama or the superficial things in life, but focus on what truly matters and who truly cares about me. I am in control of my own success,” said 8th grade science teacher, Mr. Dewar. Students and faculty really enjoyed Lister’s visit, and some students like what he does for the community. Eighth grader
Math teacher remembered by all by JOCELYN RAMIREZ
On Jan. 20, 2012, Ms. Zelma McFadden, a 44-year veteran of teaching, passed away. She spent her entire teaching career here, which began in 1967. She will be remembered for her strong teaching personality, and expecting nothing but the best from her students. Ms. McFadden’s students remember her as being a very good math teacher. Seventh grader, Graciela Martinez said, “Ms. McFadden always pushed us to do our best. She was very strict, but a very good, dedicated teacher.” Her co-workers respected her as well. Mrs. McCaffrey, a seventh grade Texas history teacher, said, “As a teacher, Ms. McFadden was very dedicated and she took pride in her students and in her profession. As a person she had a great sense of humor, and she always took care of business. She was also very dependable. She was here when I came here as a student, and she taught my son math. She was a great co-worker and team member.” Ms. McFadden was a great teacher and person. Her presence here will truly be missed by all.
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PHOTO / ‘STANG EXPRESS STAFF
Famous actor preaches importance of education, stop to bullying and good values
Tommy “Tiny” Lister, or ‘Deebo’, talks to students about bullying and getting a good education here in the Multipurpose Room during his visit to North Shore.
Briannah Lyons said, “I like that he was very thoughtful, and he helps people he doesn’t know in a community that he doesn’t originate from.”
The Blair Oswald Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society is honored to sponsor the new Zelma McFadden Scholarship Fund. Honor Society members will be selling free dress passes during all lunches to both students and teachers starting February 23rd for the following week (Feb. 27-March 2). Students may purchase passes for $5 per day or $20 for the entire week.
February 2012 Volume 2, Issue 3
The ‘Stang Express
NEWSwire
Students and teachers prepare for a new round of tests with a twist: they’re timed Yes we know you think it’s a pain, but this will actually help you later on... by DALILA RODRIGUEZ New school year, new test, so what do students have to worry about? Timed tests. Timed tests affect a lot more people than we think. Seventh and eighth graders here are preparing for the STAAR test, which is timed, in their core classes. The STAAR test, is short for Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness. As we prepare for this test during school, teachers have a challenging job: to prepare their students as much as they can, before students take the test. That involves not only the material but how to manage time. “When we do warm-ups we time the kids so they get used to working problems within a time limit, hopefully they learn to pace themselves” said Ms.Beard, an eighth grade Accelerated Math teacher. Some teachers also have tutorials for students so they can understand the concepts and to grasp that knowledge they need to learn for these new tests or any upcoming work “To prepare my students for the STAAR test, I check their understanding of each science topic throughout the year through formal and informal assessments. I also provide hands on experi-
Dates to remember... February 1: Black History Month begins. Annual Valentine’s Day dance on Feb. 10th from 3:30 to 5pm.
ments, tutorials, and real life applications to ensure their understanding,” said, Ms. Thompson, an eighth grade science teacher. Mr. Griffith, who is in charge of testing, has to deal with a lot while setting up testing rooms and getting prepared for the big day. “I make sure all the teachers have their timers and post the times students have left on the board. During school hours I also check on students in their classes to make sure they are practicing time management skills,” said Mr. Griffith, who is the assistant principal for Curriculum and Instruction. Since this is a new thing, many students have their opinions about timed tests. “It sucks, and we should have more time to do our strategies. It feels like were going to fail because there’s a lot of questions and little time,” said eighth grader Gabriella Leon. Some seventh graders coming into middle school are not happy with starting their first year of middle school having to take timed tests. “I don’t like that it’s our first year in middle school and the test is timed. They should just give us the TAKS test back and let us take our time,” said sev-
enth grader Lauren Bernal. It’s hard for some students because they’re not used to being timed, and don’t like the fact that they are being rushed to do their strategies and take the time to read and understand what their doing. “I don’t like it! Now that we come to NSMS they decide to time the tests, I think we should get to have time and for the teachers to stop rushing us,” said seventh grader Carissa Trejo. Teachers have different strategies for kids’ different ways they teach or to help them during the test. The test has its advantages: the test is timed and prepares us for high school and college exams like the ACT or SAT. Those tests are usually taken in the spring of your junior year and then again in the senior year. The PSAT is a standardized test that is like a practice for the SAT. Students can take the PSAT in the 9th, 10th and 11th grade. These tests are coming up in our future, which is why instead of having all time to do the test it would rather be easier to prepare us by giving us timed test and start now. In the long run, the tests will, whether you believe it or not, help us out in the future.
The Fillies will compete in the HTE Dance Contest on Feb. 11th at West Magnolia High School.
Eighth grade Pre-AP students will visit the Houston Holocaust Museum on Feb. 15, 16, and 17th.
The annual North Shore Science Fair will be held in the Multipurpose Room on Feb. 15th.
President’s Day is Feb. 20
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NEWSwire
The ‘Stang Express
Volume 2, Issue 3 February 2012
Crisis in the library: Overdue books
That overdue book will prevent certain things from happening unless you turn it in... by INGRIS MONTOYA & NATHALIE LOPEZ There is a big problem in our library. Throughout the school year, students and teachers are allowed to check out books. Lately a lot of these books don’t get turned back in. After two weeks, that book is considered late. Overdue books are becoming a crisis in our library because the problem is getting worse day after day. Why? What happens if somebody doesn’t turn in a late book? “[Students] don’t receive [their] schedule for the next year, you don’t get to checkout another book, and it stays on their record the entire time they go to school here,” said our librarian, Mrs. Sivil. If you lose a book, you will have to pay for the book and the AR test that was lost with it. If you don’t return that book that you checked out, that’s almost like stealing. There are about 800 overdue books that students and teachers have not turned in. Now with 800 overdue library
books there is a value of about $16,000 because on average, a book with library binding costs around $20 and the AR tests cost money too. Imagine if all these books were not returned. Now that AR test is worthless. What do you think that would happen if the library lost $16,000 dollars worth of books every school year? “[If books are lost] we may not be able to replace them and if the books aren’t turned in on time, other students won’t be able to check out the book they want. Money spent on replacing library books could be used to help students with tutorials,” said Mr. Drexler. So what we do today with library books will affect your brother or sister or cousin who will attend NSMS in the future. They will not have the privilege to choose from a variety of books, just like we have today. We need to take care of our books and turn them in on time because the money that is lost on those books we never get back. If each student would turn their books in on time, we would be able to enjoy more cool things because the
administration would have money to use instead of buying new books. We would have more money to buy special technology and hot, new books for us to read. So, if you do have a book checked out, please make sure you turn it back in by the due date. If you have an overdue book, take the time to look around your house or dig through your backpack, find it and turn it in. You’ll be able to get your schedule for the next year, you won’t owe money and someone else will benefit from it.
1366 - Amount of books
lost/never turned in during the past ten years =
$27,320
$3,500 - Amount spent on new books THIS year
IMAGE / ALA.ORG
To cut down on run times, script writers often cut great scenes and information from your favorite stories. Just imagine what else you could discover just by reading the book! Read...your mind will thank you.
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February 2012 Volume 2, Issue 3
DON’T BE A VICTIM!
The ‘Stang Express
NEWSwire
Practice internet safety! North Shore Middle does!
by IDALIA SANTOS
Eighth grader, Brianna Gonzalez, uses the computer to access a website which the school blocked for safety purposes. The district’s filter prevents students from accessing malicious, illegal and inappropriate websites while on school campus.
(Above) An ethernet cable connects the internet to the computer so it can provide internet connectivity and can also provide power to specific devices like VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) phones. (Right) Eighth grade students use the computer in Ms. Cipriano’s keyboarding class to do keyboarding assignments. (Below) Ms. Cipriano, the keyboarding teacher, checks on eighth grader Logan Lawrence, as he works on his keyboarding skills. Teachers monitor students while they are working on the computers; it’s part of internet safety.
Students at North Shore Middle School literally have technology at their fingertips. Our school is fortunate to have the technology others might not have.
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Features
The ‘Stang Express
Volume 2, Issue 3 February 2012
THE HUNGER GAMES CAN IT HAPPEN HERE IN AMERICA?
IMAGES / LIBRARYJOURNAL.COM
Imagine living in a world, but not just any world, a dystopian world, a place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives. A world full of lies and desperation. A world where people starve to death. A world where the government has full control over you and would/could kill you at any point. A world when you don’t have an identity. In the past, some authors have written books that bring this world into existence. For instance, H.G. Wells wrote a novel called “The World Set Free” in 1914, about atomic bombs before they were even invented. The reason why he wrote this book was because he wanted to scare the readers and warn them about the future. He had foreseen this creation three decades before these bombs were made. Is Suzanne Collins, the author of the Hunger Games, trying to tell us that America might become a dystopian society? Dystopia is a place where life is extremely hard and is full of terror. Over time, the world of dystopia has gotten more and more interesting because people are drawn to the imaginary world, and it might have something to do with the fact that authors like Suzanne Collins, who wrote the Hunger Games, Margaret Haddix, the author of Among the Hidden, and Lois Lowry, the author of The Giver, have exposed the life of a dystopian society to teens and children. These authors have drawn the readers into their imaginary world. “Students are probably interested in the
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Hunger Games because they can relate to the main characters that are about the same age as they are,” said Mrs. Garcia, a seventh grade reading teacher. Also, directors have been working with authors and screen writers to create movies about dystopian society. You may know of The Terminator, The Matrix, Minority Report, Case 39, and Wall-E. These movies are similar to each other because of the fact that they are simply based on a world of lies. You probably see these films and novels as entertainment, but, believe it or not, they actually portray the dystopian world to you. Even in Wall-E, an “innocent” children’s movie, shows you how a robot basically tries to take over the human race, and tells them lies about how earth is full of nothing and that they couldn’t go back. One of the most popular young adult dystopian novels right now which is about to become a movie in March is the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games has won numerous awards. It’s a New York Times Bestseller, a USA Today Bestseller, and holds many other honors. Panem is the “future” of North America after the government took over and global warming changed the landscape. In the book, the government creates the Hunger Games to remind the citizens of Panem, who tried to rebel against the Capitol, that the government still has full control. The Hunger Games, a fight to the death that occurs yearly, involves twenty-four citizens of Panem (two from each of the twelve districts) ages twelve to eighteen, who are chosen randomly by a drawing
made from the government. The objective of the “game” is simply to survive. This may sound like an easy game, but remember the other twentythree competitors want to live too, and there will only be one winner. To put more pressure on the players, all of Panem, which include their families and friends, are forced to watch the Hunger Games live on TV, which is somewhat like a reality show because of its drama and violence that happens throughout the game. And don’t we, as Americans, think reality shows are intriguing? Can you imagine our country becoming a dystopian society? What if the government has full power over America? What if you had to fight for your own identity? I mean what if their world was reality, and our world was the fantasy? Could America possibly becoming a dystopia? “If our country ever turned into a world like the Hunger Games, it would probably be because of the lack of money, thirst for power, or desperation to survive,” said seventh grader, Christine Cabang. There are some signs that help us conclude that our world might become a dystopian society. For example, there are cameras almost everywhere we go, in schools, stores, and even on streets. These cameras are used for your safety and protection, or so you think. For all we know, the government is using this as an inside source to know where and when things are happening, recording and watching our every move. And then, they have “top secret” information, how do we know it’s not something that we, as citizens, need to know? “America is most likely going to end up like the Hunger Games because the government is already keeping too many secrets from us already,” said eighth grader,
SOURCES / ASKDEFINE.COM, WIRED.COM, TOR.COM
by CINDY MAI
continued on next page
February 2012 Volume 2, Issue 3
GRAPHIC / PSDGRAPHICS.COM
continued from previous page
In dystopian society, one example of control is a scan. Imagine being scanned wherever you went? In Minority Report, people’s eyes were scanned as they entered buildings.
Kevin Rosacia. There are other things that don’t have to do with the government that makes us become one step closer to a dystopia. For instance, we have all of these technologies that do things for us, but what would happen if machines ended up with a mind of their own? Would our world turn out like The Terminator? We already have robots, computers, laptops, and cell phones that control things. Wouldn’t the
The ‘Stang Express
next step be these machines? Also, our country is already related to the Hunger Games in a way. For example, there are unfortunate people that struggle to feed themselves, while others have the audacity to waste food like it’s nothing. These people who have a hard time feeding themselves and family are living the life of the citizens in District 12 from the Hunger Games, and the people who waste food are similar to the citizens in the Capitol. “I think it’s possible that America can become a world like the Hunger Games because there’s always going to be a power struggle between the different classes of people, but I hope it’ll never happen,” said Mrs. Garcia, a seventh grade Pre-AP reading teacher. Suzanne Collins, the author of Hunger Games, might be the next author to predict our future. Years, maybe decades later, the life in America could turn into Panem, making it our “new” reality. When/if this happens, where would the Capital be? Would it be Washington? Which district would you live in? Would you be able to survive? What would you do about it? Or could you do anything at all?
Features
Dystopian Books 1984, 1950 George Orwell
Unwind, 2009 Neal Shusterman Empty, 2011 Suzanne Weyn
Dystopian Movies Terminator Salvation
The Matrix A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.
After Skynet has destroyed much of humanity in a nuclear holocaust, a group of survivors led by John Connor struggles to keep the machines from finishing the job.
Hunger, 2010 Jackie Morse Kessler
Minority Report In the future, criminals are caught before the crimes they commit, but one of the officers in the unit is accused of one such crime and sets out to prove his innocence.
City of Ember, 2004 Jeanne DuPrau Divergent, 2011 Veronica Roth
SOURCE/IMAGES / BARNESANDNOBLE.COM
A shadowy freedom fighter known only as “V” uses terrorist tactics to fight against his totalitarian society. Upon rescuing a girl from the secret police, he also finds his best chance at having an ally.
The Water Wars, 2011 Cameron Stracher
SOURCE/IMAGES / IMDB.COM
V for Vendetta
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Features
The ‘Stang Express
Volume 2, Issue 3 February 2012
America commemorates Pearl Harbor during its 70th anniversary
IMAGES / HISTORY.COM
Students should take advantage of survivors’ stories because, very soon, that’s all it will be...history.
by ALIYAH HAWKINS & GRICELDA JASSO Only minutes before 8:00 AM local time on a peaceful morning on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, the first wave of Japanese airplanes struck Pearl Harbor. Japanese aviators attacked eight battleships anchored in the harbor, destroying two, and left a path of death and destruction across the landscape. “Not even time, seven long decades, can erase the horror,” said Susan Harrison Wolffis in the Muskegon Chronicle, referring to what Pearl Harbor survivor Buck Beadle, now 91, saw on that horrendous day, which lasted two hours. The attack was made by the Imperial Japanese Navy and was the first major attack on the United States. This incident led to 12 destroyed American warships, 188 destroyed American aircraft, and the death of 2,390 Americans. The attack has scarred the lives of many in numerous ways, especially those who survived, embedded in their minds and on top of that, the loss of many loved ones. The bombing of Pearl Harbor also impacted the country as a whole. It led to the U.S. entering World War II. On December 7, 2011, the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor was held at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center in Hawaii. More than 3,000 people attended the anniversary, and of those, about 120 survivors were in attendance. At 8:00 AM local time, there was a moment of silence to honor those who died
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The survivors of the attack still alive today in the bombing. During the celebration, are between the ages of 88 and 99. No President Barack Obama announced that exact estimate is given as to the number of Wednesday would be known as “National Pearl Harbor survivors who are still alive. Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.” Optimistic calculations put the number “Their tenacity helped define the greatof survivors at no more than 2,700. The est generation and their valor fortified march of time will no doubt decrease that all who served during World War II. As a number significantly by the time the 75th nation, we look to December 7, 1941, to anniversary rolls around in 2016. draw strength from the example set by This is the reason why we should honor these patriots and to honor all who have sacrificed for our freedoms,” the president and remember the victims who died during and those who survived the bombsaid in a speech. ing of Pearl Harbor because those who Aside from the official ceremony held in survived are our connection to the past. Hawaii, many other ceremonies were held Soon there will be no primary sources all over the U.S. in remembrance of Pearl or true experiences of this tragic day in Harbor and the survivors who are still alive history because that is all it will become: today. history. From Marietta’s “It is important to Muskingum Park, Ohio, “Their tenacity helped define remember the bombthe greatest generation and to Orego Village, New ing of Pearl Harbor York, to Charleston, their valor fortified all who because we need to West Virginia, veterans’ served during World War II. As remember and honor organizations and the a nation, we look to December the lives of those who local public remem7, 1941, to draw strength from volunteered and regisbered. Many survivors the example set by these patri- tered for the Army and spoke about their exthen died in this horperiences on that day. ots and to honor all who have rible tragedy,” said Mr. sacrificed for our freedoms,” Although this day Stephens, who teaches was very tragic, it 7th grade social studneeds to be kept as - President Barack Obama ies. an important memory. Please take a moment on December We know of it from our history books, but 7, “National Pearl Harbor Remembrance listening to it first-hand from a survivor Day”—for the years to come—to remembrings that history to us. As the 70th anniversary of the “Date that ber and pay your respects to those who died in the attack and those who survived will live in Infamy” arrived in 2011, it was to tell their stories so that their memories interesting to note that fewer and fewer live on. of the attack’s survivors were still alive.
February 2012 Volume 2, Issue 3
The ‘Stang Express
Features
Former student returns and brings a passion for reading Former NSMS student, Ms. Raines, is one of the newest teachers here at school. This eighth grade reading teacher loves her job, her students, this school, and she loves to dance. Her love for reading and English, and dream of becoming a teacher began for Ms. Raines in high school. “I really enjoyed yearbook and newspaper all throughout middle school and high school, so that fielded my love for reading and writing.” But during her college years at Texas A&M University in College Station, her passion for reading grew, and her professors inspired her to do what she does today. “I had several excellent professors [in college],” said Ms. Raines, “I felt that if they could make reading so interesting I could too.” Beginning in 2009, Ms. Raines put her passion for reading and her experience in teaching to work when she began subbing for high school English and reading classes in Bryan ISD, in College Station. “[I subbed for classes because] I needed money, I was a poor college kid. But I also wanted to get experience in teaching kids as well as figuring out which grade level I wanted to teach, before I got a classroom of my own,” she said. When she graduated college, Ms. Raines came here, to teach eighth grade reading. The fact that she was a student here
played a huge role as to why Ms. Raines decided to teach here. “I really like that I went here [NSMS], and it made it really convenient that I knew the area and the school really well. I couldn’t imagine teaching somewhere else and loving it this much. I know much of the faculty and I can relate to the students because I went here.” Even though she is only a first year teacher, Ms. Raines is really enjoying her job. “I really enjoy getting to know my students and celebrating with them when they understand something,” she said, “Everyday is a new day, and a new experience when you’re a teacher. Because everyday everyone has a different attitude; one day they can be in a crabby mood but the next day they have a better attitude.” Her students also enjoy her class, just as much as she loves teaching. Eighth grader, Stephen Foster said, “I like the atmosphere of her class, just the way she teaches makes it cool. When we go over things in class she makes it clear as to why we got it right or wrong, and I like that.” Eighth grader, Chloe Martinez also said, “She has a lot of enthusiasm when she teaches, and I can tell she has a passion for reading through that. I like that about her.” Outside of her job, Ms. Raines enjoys country dancing.
Join your library in celebrating Black History Month this February
“I love to dance. I like every kind of dancing really, but country dancing is my favorite. I want to learn how to ballroom dance though, because all I really know is different kinds of country dancing.” Even though she doesn’t dance professionally, or competitively, she dances for fun and she really takes pleasure in it. Ms. Raines takes reading very seriously because of her passion for it. Even though this is her first year teaching, she is a great new addition to the North Shore family. She truly loves her job, and everything about it.
GRAPHIC / LIBRARYGRAPHICJOURNAL.COM
by JOCELYN RAMIREZ
PHOTO / JOCELYN RAMIREZ
North Shore product returns to her roots, joins her former teachers in profession
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Features
The ‘Stang Express
Volume 2, Issue 3 February 2012
A dedicated teacher’s job is never over First year Spanish teacher’s to-do list is just about endless by TONI VAN BIBBER
Mr. Martinez, an 8th grade Spanish teacher, arrives here around 7:00am. “I start my day with a cup of coffee mixed with cocoa and listen to music to concentrate. Most teachers get to school way before students do.
(Above) Mr. Martinez grades quizzes before his next Spanish class comes in so he knows which students understand the language of Spanish. Many teachers spend their off period grading and getting other things done. (Right) Mr. Martinez stays late at school to prepare all of his students’ test for the next day to come. Preparing the day before makes for a smooth tomorrow.
(Above) Eighth graders Aizac Tucker, Leonardo Sanchez, Carla Grandos, Richard Hernandez and the rest of the class play attention as Mr. Martinez gives instructions on how to prepare for the upcoming Spanish vocabulary test.
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(Above, far right) After a long day of work Mr. Martinez’s job is not done. He still has many papers to grade in order to have his student’s grades, so that they’ll know where they stand and succeed to the highest level they can.
February 2012 Volume 2, Issue 3
The ‘Stang Express
Sports
Lady Mustangs fight until the end, win big by TAYVIEN JOSEPH On Dec. 12, 2011, the Lady Mustangs took on Forest Brook for their third game of the season in the girls’ gym. At the start of the first quarter, the Bulldogs won the tip-off, but the Lady Mustangs got the ball back and Ruth Ard scored. The Mustangs forced a turnover and on a fast break, Jaynaisha Patrick got fouled and went 0-2 at the free-throw line. On the next play, Ruth Ard dribbled left and right crossing the defense and then drove it to the basket and made the lay-up. After that, Deanna Rosales swiped the ball right out of the Bulldog’s point guard’s hand when she tried to cross Rosales and finished the play with a lay-up. Afterward, the Bulldogs threw up a three pointer and finally made a basket. That wasn’t it though, the Bulldogs point guard scored three more times ending the quarter with the score 14-9. To begin the second quarter, the Mustangs scored on the first play when Rosales scored again on a lay-up. Then on another fast break the Mustangs scored again. The Bulldogs couldn’t stop the Mustangs’ offense. The Mustangs shut down the Bulldogs’ offense, scoring point after point until the quarter ended with a score of 28-15. During halftime, the girls got some advice from Coach Gordon while drinking water. “We’re getting good looks. Be quick on put-backs. They can’t dribble, so keep stealing it from them and keep your eyes up after a steal for the fast break pass,” she said. “1, 2, 3 Mustangs!” shouted the Lady Mustangs at the end of halftime and ran onto the court. At the start of the third quarter, the Lady Mustangs were fired up when they forced a turnover on a backcourt violation, and scored on a lay-up. Kennay Mallard stole the ball and made an easy basket. The Bulldogs couldn’t move the ball forward without getting the ball stolen from them. Rosales stole the ball and got an easy basket on another layup. The Mustangs’ small forward scored with an amazing shot. “Go Mustangs Go!” shouted the cheerleaders. The Bulldogs couldn’t stop the fast paced offense. “Yay!” the crowd screamed when Rosales scored right at the buzzer, ending the quarter with a score of 4617.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the score didn’t change as the Mustangs and the Bulldogs went up and down the court, neither teams were scoring. The game’s tempo was slow. The only thing that happened was turnover after turnover. The coach yelled “Subs!” and fresh legs came into the game, but nothing changed. Coach Gordon then angrily threw her clipboard down because of the referee’s bad calls. The Mustangs fought hard in the paint, grabbing rebounds off the glass and putting them back in the basket scoring two points. The point guard for the Bulldogs finally made a shot and got fouled. The player made the shot and gave the ball back to the Mustangs. The Mustangs just ran the clock out and the game ended 53-20. The Lady Mustangs offense was amazing, leading to an amazing victory over the Forest Brook Bulldogs. The Bulldogs gave out during the 4th quarter, and started fouling but the Lady Mustangs fought hard and came up with the victory with the ending score 53-20. The Mustangs would face C. E. King in their next game.
PHOTO / TONI VAN BIBBER
Persistent offense, stubborn defense lead ladies to big win against Forest Brook
Deanna Rosales scores an easy basket after a fast break pass from one of her teammates during the first quarter in the girls’ second game of the season versus Forest Brook on Dec. 12.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD Girls’ 7th Grade A Team Nov. 30 Crosby Dec. 5 Null Dec. 12 Forest Brook Jan. 9 C. E. King Jan. 18 Alice Johnson Jan. 23 Galena Park Jan. 30 WAMS Feb. 6 Cunningham
13-20 26-14 34-9 43-20 35-5 36-19 31-12
Girls’ 7th Grade B Team Nov. 30 Crosby Dec. 5 Null Dec. 12 Forest Brook Jan. 9 C. E. King Jan. 18 Alice Johnson Jan. 23 Galena Park Jan. 30 B. C. Elmore Feb. 6 Cunningham
20-51 27-9 3-10 20-7 27-19 Forfeit
Girls’ 8th Grade A Team Nov. 30 Crosby Dec. 5 Null Dec. 12 Forest Brook Jan. 9 C. E. King Jan. 18 Alice Johnson Jan. 23 Galena Park Jan. 30 WAMS Feb. 6 Cunningham
8-55 9-28 53-20 21-8 7-43 30-35 45-35
Girls’ 8th Grade B Team Nov. 30 Crosby Dec. 5 Null Dec. 12 Forest Brook Jan. 9 C. E. King Jan. 18 Alice Johnson Jan. 23 Galena Park Jan. 30 B. C. Elmore Feb. 6 Cunningham
12-15 14-10 53-20 24-15 3-33 28-0 43-30
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Sports
The ‘Stang Express
Volume 2, Issue 3 February 2012
Mustangs blow out first district opponent by BRYANT BADIE The seventh grade Lady Mustangs B team played the Lady Stallions Dec. 5th, 2011 here in the girls’ gym to open up district play. To start the game, the Mustangs won the tip-off but the Stallions stole the ball quickly. Beatrice Cruz stole the ball back, was fouled and she went to the free throw line. Unfortunately, she missed both free throws. As the game went on, it became a defensive fight in the first quarter; five minutes had gone by without anyone scoring. As the Stallions crowd rose to support them, they scored and the point guard was fouled, and she went to the free throw line and made the extra point. The Stallions now had momentum on their side by scoring the first point. On the Mustang’s next possession they were tagged with a technical foul due to having six players on the court. Just when it had seemed as the Mustangs had hit a slump, Kieran Sutton scored twice taking the lead, 4-3, at the end of the first quarter. “Dribble it, pass it, we want a basket!” Yelled the cheerleaders as the referee blew the whistle to start the second quarter. As soon as everyone thought the game was going the Mustang’s way, the Lady Stallions scored. Feeling her team’s momentum slip away, Claudia Martinez scored, stole the ball, and was fouled on a missed lay-up. She made one out of her two free throws. Both teams were hustling and, the ladies sweating because the
intenseness of the game. Olivia Cisneros then dribbled all the way down the court and scored on a lay-up just as the buzzer sounded with the score, 9-5. During halftime, Coach Wait and Coach DuPlaga tried to motivate their players. “Steal the ball, trap the ball, you guys are so much faster,” Coach DuPlaga said. The girls drank as much water as they could then ran back on the court to finish what they had started. As soon as the third quarter started, the ladies were back on the floor scrambling for the ball. Cisneros was fouled shooting a lay-up. She made one, opening the lead by 5. Then Cisneros stole and scored again. Needing to slow the pace down, the Lady Stallions coach called a timeout. During the timeout, Coach DuPlaga explained the plays to the Mustangs. After the break, Claudia Martinez dribbled all the way to the goal and scored. Hustling for the ball, Cisneros got the ball on a fast break and was fouled. She made one free throw and missed the other. Martinez penetrated the opposing defense and scored on a fast break. The ladies played defensively until the end the third quarter with the Mustangs winning by thirteen, 17-5. The Mustangs substituted ladies in and out of the game and their energy was boiling. Claudia Martinez scored the first and last point of a Mustang 10-0 run. Leah Maxwell made three baskets in a row. Angel Lopez was fouled and sent to the free throw line, unfortunately she missed both free throws, leaving the
Rising above it all Eighth grader uses sport to his advantage by BRADLEY EAST It all started on the streets of San Francisco, California, at age 6, Colbaine Mitchell picked up a basketball for the very first time. With a little bit of influence from his uncle who worked to keep him away from drugs and gangs, he made the right choice. Basketball would take him on a journey far away from home. With a little help from his uncle, they started practicing and working out
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everyday doing push ups, sit ups, ball-handling and shooting drills and many other drills that would develop his skills. “Colbaine is not the strongest player or the most athletic basketball player but his basketball I.Q. is way ahead of his age,” said Donald Coleman, one of his former coaches. Even though he takes basketball very seriously, he always has time to have fun and joke around with the team. “When I was a little kid I shot behind my head,” Mitchell said
PHOTO / IDALIA SANTOS
Ladies open up district play with solid defensive and offensive game
Kierra Sutton looks to pass the ball during their game versus the Null Stallions here in the girls’ gym. The Mustangs fought hard to earn a 27-5 victory over the Stallions.
score 27-5. The Lady Stallions knew they weren’t coming back from this large margin of a lead, but decided not to quit. Only scoring twice, the Stallions held their heads up. The Mustangs blew out the Stallions; they were just another victim on the Lady Mustang’s road to their undefeated district season.
he laughed. “I had a raw behind the head shot,” he added as several basketball players reminisced about playing basketball at a young age. He also makes sure to save time for friends and family. His mom also makes him keep all of his grades up or he can’t play. “Family and education comes first then basketball,” said Colbaine as he was asked where basketball comes on his priorities list. “If I just so happen to get hurt and can’t play, I’ll still have my education to fall back on. It’s always important to keep your grades up. For now I’m just playing basketball one game at a time trying to get
a scholarship. From there, maybe the NBA only God knows,” he said. This season, Colbaine averages 8 points a game. On Saturday, Jan. 21, Mitchell scored 18 points for his all time high versus Aldine at the 8th grade A-team tournament. After his performance he managed to impress two Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coaches who invited him to practice/tryout for their basketball team. Colbaine is a strong-minded and determined young athlete, rising above all other negative influences. He chose basketball over many other things that could have easily changed his whole future.
February 2012 Volume 2, Issue 3
The ‘Stang Express
Sports
Forest Brook hands Mustangs another loss Team shows grit and a ‘never give up’ spirit as Forest Brook runs away with win by JARENY ORTIZ
PHOTO / TONI VAN BIBBER
On Dec. 14, the 8th grade boys’ basketball A team played against Forest Brook in their 3rd game of the season, here in the boys’ gym. Last week, they lost to Null 37-52 and were looking to get the season going. Before the game began, the Mustangs tried hard to make every shot while they warmed up. Practice was over and the first quarter began as players from both teams started the tip off. A Forest Brook player received the tip off and he tried to score but missed, so Louis Cole grabbed the ball and passed it to David Sanchez who made the first shot. Forest Brook stole the ball and tried to pass it, but Eric Monroe blocked the pass which caused a turnover and David Sanchez tried to score again. A Forest Brook defender received the rebound and took the ball up the court, jumped about 4 ft. in the air and scored. After the inbound pass, Davius Ivary tried to penetrate but they fouled him and was granted two free throws. He missed the first one but made the second. After a wild first quarter with a lot of passing, blocking and stealing, the first quarter ended with a score of 10-12. The second quarter began, and our
Davius Ivory shoots a free throw after he was fouled by a Forest Brook player when going for a lay-up during the first quarter. Forest Brook pulled away after halftime and the Mustangs suffered another loss.
defense started to pick up the pace. Forest Brook was fouled when making a shot and their player made both free throws. There was a turnover, the Mustangs got the ball but were passing lazily, and Forest Brook stole the ball back and tried to make a shot but that was blocked by Louis Cole. Forest Brook had a 10 point lead at this point, even though it was barely the second quarter. Coach didn’t like what he was seeing and called a time out. “You have to foul! I know you’re tired you’re playing hard that’s good, but you have to pass the ball to Sanchez. David you have to cut down to the basket okay, and again, you’re exhausted but move them out of the way,” said Coach Dubose. After the time out, Forest Brook passed the ball around and they scored another lay-up. The Mustangs didn’t score for the rest of the second quarter. At halftime, the score was 10-32. Eric Monroe opened up the third quarter with a quick shot. After that, Forest Brook travelled so the Mustangs received the ball. Eric Monroe scored two times in a row, getting the team back on track. The whole crowd screamed wildly as the Mustangs began to make more shots. Chris Woods was fouled when trying to make a shot but made only one free throw. On the inbound pass, the Mustangs stole the ball and suddenly there was a three-on-one and the guys passed to Chris Woods who scored. Forest Brook’s coach called a time out and Coach Dubose encouraged the team to keep playing hard during the time out. Forest Brook came back with a 3-pointer, putting them ahead even more. Forest Brook stole the ball from North Shore and threw it all the way to half court, but the player lost control of the ball, ending the third quarter with a score of 23-53. The fourth quarter started off with Forest Brook passing the ball and catching Mustangs off guard. Our defenders didn’t notice when the player took the ball and he then dunked it. The whole crowd went crazy, screaming and yelling. The Mustangs still didn’t give up as went on a run, making about 3 shots in less than a minute. Forest Brook received the inbound then scored again. The Mustangs fought hard, and Eric Monroe made a good pass, the ball was passed back
and he made a 3-pointer. Even if the Mustangs weren’t in the lead, they tried their best to make as many shots as possible before the time ran out. The game finally ended with a score of 45-73. The Mustangs didn’t win but overall they learned that working together as a team and never giving up is what real teamwork is all about.
SCOREBOARD Boys’ 8th Grade A Team Dec. 1 Crosby Dec. 8 Null Dec. 14 Forest Brook Jan. 12 C. E. King Jan. 19 Alice Johnson Jan. 26 Galena Park Feb. 2 B. C. Elmore Feb. 9 Cunningham
28-27 37-52 45-73 34-76 32-62 56-34 25-45
Boys’ 8th Grade B Team Dec. 1 Crosby Dec. 8 Null Dec. 14 Forest Brook Jan. 12 C. E. King Jan. 19 Alice Johnson Jan. 26 Galena Park Feb. 2 WAMS Feb. 9 Cunningham
55-58 26-22 14-35 34-41 35-45 33-22 29-27
Boys’ 7th Grade A Team Dec. 1 Crosby Dec. 8 Null Dec. 14 Forest Brook Jan. 12 C. E. King Jan. 19 Alice Johnson Jan. 26 Galena Park Feb. 2 B. C. Elmore Feb. 9 Cunningham
41-47 23-38 36-45 41-26 33-17 37-15 36-32
Boys’ 8th Grade B Team Dec. 1 Crosby Dec. 8 Null Dec. 14 Forest Brook Jan. 12 C. E. King Jan. 19 Alice Johnson Jan. 26 Galena Park Feb. 2 WAMS Feb. 9 Cunningham
20-31 23-19 32-20 26-10 24-15 29-25 16-14
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Sports
The ‘Stang Express
Volume 2, Issue 3 February 2012
Mustangs leave it all on the court but come up short by BRITAINI STATUM The boys seventh grade A basketball team played their second game this season against Null Middle School on Dec. 8, 2011, in the boys’ gym. The boys were practicing hard before the game, dribbling, passing, and shooting three minutes for each drill, to warm up. North Shore won the tip-off to start the game, but Null stole the ball. A Null player went up for a shot but missed and Patrick Davis got the rebound. The boys were passing the ball to each other to get their play set, but Null stole the ball again and scored first. Coach Rodriguez called a time out. “Guys, you got to get big on the court,” said Coach Rodriguez during the timeout. While he was talking, the players were standing there nodding, and some were getting water. After the timeout was over,
the Mustangs got back on the court and inbounded the ball. Chas Love was fouled and missed both free throws. Null began to pull away and then Amadou Gamby made his shot, ending the first quarter with a score of 4-12. To start off the second quarter, Patrick Davis scored with a lay-up. The boys were working really hard to try to steal the ball from the other team, but Null continued scoring on them. Then, Chase Middleton stole the ball and scored with another lay-up. Patrick Davis made a rebound off a Null miss, drove the ball down the court and scored, ending the second quarter with a score of 10-18. At the beginning of the third quarter, Null scored three straight baskets, and then Jesus Frayre stole the ball and made a shot, scoring and the North Shore crowd started yelling. Amadou Gamby stole the ball and passed it to
Darius Sims who scored, then Null got fouled and made one free throw. Null then took control and made two more shots, ending the third quarter with a score of 14-29. The fourth quarter started with Null getting fouled and their player made a free throw. On the next possession, Chase Middleton stole the ball and scored with a lay-up, then was fouled and made one free throw. The crowd went crazy when Patrick Davis scored a three-pointer, then scored again, followed by Null making three shots. Null made the final shot, ending the game with a score of 23-38. The game ended with Null winning by fifteen points. Even though the Mustangs lost, they never gave up and continued to work hard and tried to catch up with the Stallions, but were just too far behind. The team is learning and still preparing for the final game of the
Coach’s experience helps athletes learn more Student athletes benefit from her passion by MEGAN GRAY & AMBER WOFFORD As an eighth grade reading teacher and basketball coach, Coach Gordon takes on many responsibilities here at North Shore. She works with her athletes and teaches her students every day. She started playing basketball in her seventh grade year at Pershing Middle School and continued playing at Bellaire High School. During her ninth grade year, she was on the freshman team but during her tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade years she was on the varsity basketball team. She also played in college at Southwestern University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication and double
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minor in Spanish and physiology and has been working here at North Shore for two and a half years. Her love of basketball continues on through coaching. “I had teachers who influenced me to want to teach and I want to give the students the same feeling as I got. Teaching also runs through my family and I wanted to keep it running,” she said. “When I stopped playing basketball as a student, I wanted to do something that would keep me involved in basketball and other sports, that’s where coaching came in,” said Coach Gordon. Because of her experience and skill in the game of basketball, she was named the head coach. This means she con-
trols what goes on throughout the girl’s basketball season. “She has great respect for the game of basketball and the athletes. She always puts her students first as a coach and outside of coaching. I am at peace knowing she is in charge,” said seventh grade A team basketball coach, Coach Wait. She takes on the responsibility of teaching athletes about the game of basketball and helping them become better by showing the players drills and techniques that will help them in the game. “She is a very good coach because she disciplines us, by making us run, if we do not reach her expectations and goals in practice when we do our drills or plays,” said Emonie Brown, eighth grade basketball player.
PHOTO / IDALIA SANTOS
Seventh graders battle on the hardwood and Null pulls away with a win
Patrick Davis keeps an eye on the Null defense as he works to push the ball up the court in order to set up the Mustang offense. Despite the loss, the Mustangs learned a lot about playing hard for four quarters.
season. “Our team is making more free throws and shots, and we trust each other more,” said Cardell Robinson.
Not only does she help students stay fit physically, she also helps keep them fit mentally by teaching them the things they need to know to help them in their future. In the classroom, she helps her students become more efficient readers and helps them improve in their reading and comprehension skills by teaching and reviewing new skills and techniques. “Coach Gordon teaches us in unique and different ways, she lets us work in groups a lot. She is funny and keeps us focused by giving us work,” said eighth grade student, Kennedy Ajavon-Dade. Coach Gordon works hard to balance out coaching and teaching. However, she makes it work. “It is tough to go from coaching to teaching, but I made it work by never combining my teaching with my coaching,” said Coach Gordon.
February 2012 Volume 2, Issue 3
The ‘Stang Express
Entertainment
Technology and brilliant minds brought about a revolution How many albums are on your MP3 player? Thank technology and countless engineers... by SHABAB KARIM AND ALEJANDRO ALONSO Some people eat, breathe, and sleep music, and nothing is better for them than finding the best way to enjoy it. Did you know that it took hundreds of years and several people to actually make an easy-to-use device that many of us have today? Before people could record music, they had to go to live concerts, but an inventor named Thomas Alva Edison changed that. He invented a device in 1877 that was able to record sound and called it a phonograph. It had two needles that would circle around a tin-foil cylinder. One needle would record sounds and vibrations while the other would playback the recorded sounds. It quickly became popular around America, but there was a downside to the phonograph. The tin-foil cylinder would only last for a few uses. People used these vinyl music players and bought more as newer models came out. Record players eventually became electrical instead of man-powered. Then came vinyl.
In 1979, music players were more developed and became smaller portable devices called cassette players. ‘Walkmans’ used cassettes which consisted of thin magnetic tape that would be wound throughout a plastic case to store music safely. The biggest production companies of cassette players were Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Olympus. They were very popular back in the 80s, although they had a maintenance issue with the cheap plastic. The cassettes were fragile, so if you were to drop one you could break the case which could cause the tape to tear or come out. Also, imagine carrying around all those cassettes. This is what led to the use of compact discs or CDs for short in 1990. The disc had a spiral line or track that was wrapped tightly around the middle of the CD to give off light that can be read by the CD player’s scanner. At first it seemed impossible to have flaws but they still did. For example, scratching the CD could mess it up. Many people were getting tired of
having to buy more CDs due to scratches and for new music. CDs ended up turning out like the cassette player but they still are being used. Still, they do take up a lot of space. This made companies think of a new idea which was called the MP3 file. MP3 players were devices that allowed you hold and play music from your computer. Companies decided to go to a smaller, safer way to get music without the hassle. The digital music world was born. Many companies made these players but none were as successful as Apple. In 2001, Apple unveiled the iPod. This was not only a revolution for MP3 players but for music as well. Apple released software which would handle the iPod’s music, called iTunes. More and more companies tried to copy this method but eventually this became a spark for something even bigger. It led to ‘cloud’ computing in 2009. The ‘cloud’ allows you to save nearly anything you want anywhere on the web, basically a bigger connection span across the world. Listening to
music couldn’t be any easier now that you can upload it to your cloud and listen to it nearly anywhere. From old scratchy phonographs to vinyl records to plastic cassettes to MP3 players, the way we’ve listened to music has adapted to the new age. We never think about how much hard work, patience, and dedication it took for us to enjoy our music on our little iPod or cell phone. Thank technology and the minds of countless engineers.
1877
Phonograph
1930
Vinyl record
1979 Cassette
1983 Compact disk
YOU COULD BE NEXT!
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MP3 music files GRAPHICS / PSDGRAPHICS.COM
Seventh graders! Are you interested in becoming a member of the ‘Stang Express staff next year? Become a part of an award-winning tradition and pick up an application when you register for 8th grade. We’re looking for news, feature, sports and entertainment writers, photographers, and social media managers.
2009 Cloud computing
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Entertainment
The ‘Stang Express
Volume 2, Issue 3 February 2012
Think you’ve seen gross? Watch Fear Factor Popular show re-surfaces with new challenges and disgusting creature edibles by ABIGAIL SANCHEZ & TONI VAN BIBBER It’s the most gross, disturbing, competitive reality TV show you have ever seen. And best of all, the team winner wins a $50,000 dollar reward and a little prize, like a trip to some place nice, after they have completed their final challenge. What’s this show called? Fear Factor! Fear Factor, hosted by Joe Rogan, is the most disgusting TV show you will ever see, but it’s also an amusing and challenging show where people perform stunts and missions that involve their worst fears. Cockroaches, snakes, scorpions, you name it, and the contestants have to face it. Whether it’s eating them alive, being trapped in a box with them, or looking for something filled with nasty little creatures, people are riveted to the TV screen. Once each challenge is done, the contestants get to advance to the next round. The rules to the game are pretty
simple: there are 4 teams (or tandems) of 2 fighting against each other or sometimes doing stunts and your team has to be faster than the other teams. You have to complete your task so that you can advance, if you don’t, then it’s bye-bye money and you are eliminated along with your partner. It sounds amazing, doesn’t it? In one episode, you had to put your head in a barrel of larvae and look for a small key with your mouth and hands. “They do a lot of gross things that make me want to gag,” said 8th grader Tamara Quintero. Which is basically true, but that’s what makes the show so entertaining, right? How strong is your stomach?
WHAT’S YOUR FEAR?
Remember, Fear Factor isn’t just about gross things, but also death-defying stunts. “There was one where you were locked in a cage, spinning around, and you had to be really fast to unlock the door and get out,” said 8th grader Arletty Saenz. Afraid of heights? Fear Factor is really popular throughout the world and several countries have different versions of their own, like China has a different way of doing their show. The show comes on NBC at 8pm, so be sure to watch it if you’re into gross moments and heart-pounding challenges. If you want to know more about Fear Factor, visit their website at www.nbc.com/ fear-factor.
Claustrophobia: fear of enclosed spaces. Emetophobia: fear of vomiting. Entomophobia: fear of insects. Myctophobia: fear of the dark. Hydrophobia: fear of the water.
Show choir drama helps bring back the old to make it new by ABIGAIL SANCHEZ Have you’ve noticed? That popular show’s big thing on choirs, singing songs, some of which from 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and modern hip-hop music. Glee is bringing back the ‘old’ to ‘new’. This is a little history about glee, not the show but the word. Glee is a musical, or choir group consisting of males and females in groups of trios, quartets or more. And did you know that Harvard, the top university here in America, has the oldest glee club choir, founded in 1858? Very interesting if glee club started back in the middle of the 19th century, because that just means the glee club has become successful in, not only Harvard, but other schools as well. Now, you all know our choir students have been singing
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some old songs, but they also have been singing a couple of modern songs too. “We [choir] sing songs from nowadays because it’ll get more people to join choirs and come to our concerts,” said 7th grader, Denisse Posadco. Staying current is important but learning a little history and where this trend came from is important too. “Part of our choir curriculum is to learn and sing different songs,” said choir teacher Ms. Plitt, “certain choirs are required to sing songs from a list determined by the state to teach musical concepts important to development as a singer.” So it’s not really glee (the show) that’s affecting our choir, it’s the people who run UIL. However, some choir students have actually joined the choir because of a specific reason, “I can say I joined
choir, because Glee made me want to,” said eighth grader, Nancy Bunker. Also, CDs, t-shirts, concert movies, the selling out of Radio Music Hall in New York City and, of course, more exciting Glee episodes has led to the rise of interest in the show. They’ve also been selling posters, and on iTunes, the single “Smooth Criminal,” from their latest show, a tribute to Michael Jackson, is the #1 most sold song currently in Glee, following at #2 is “Human Nature”. Glee has also been affecting other choirs out there, especially the show choirs . It affects them by doing two things. One is putting together songs of modern music, the other is that they’re pushing the directors, allowing them to expand the dancing and choreography that they have in their show choirs.
IMAGE / FOX.COM/GLEE
FOX’s Glee remains a positive influence on singing groups and people’s choice of music
Currently, Glee has been publishing their songs and is being made accessible to show choirs. Even though Glee is affecting many choirs out there, that doesn’t mean they want to be like “Glee”, but any positive influence is better than none. Glee must be a really cool show, if it’s actually affected choirs out there to start being more creative in their singing and choreography. If you’re interested to know more about the Glee phenomenon, you should go to www.Fox.com/ glee and visit the website.
February 2012 Volume 2, Issue 3
The ‘Stang Express
Entertainment
Another day...another note
Award-winning band prepares for another shot at UIL competition by ALIYAH HAWKINS
A symphonic band flutist sight-reads a song to improve her sight-reading skills; sight-reading is the ability to read an unknown piece of music with all the correct notes and accents. Eighth grader Kevin Rosacia, the first chair Wind Ensemble French horn, fingers his notes to play one of Wind Ensemble’s UIL pieces, Highland Celebration. (Left) “1, 2, 3, 4,” Mrs. Killough, the band director for Wind Ensemble, says as she taps her baton on the music stand to help students keep the tempo and beat as they play their music; doing this helps the band not slow down or speed up.
North Shore Middle School’s Wind Ensemble, directed by Mrs. Killough, plays their chorale, The Hymn of Thanksgiving, to warm up during 7th period.
Cesar Arriaga, an eighth grade Wind Ensemble flutist, volunteers to write the counting under a rhythm Mrs. Killough wrote on the board. Cesar sight-reads the rhythm so every one can learn how to correctly count it.
In 8th period, during Symphonic band, which is directed by Mr. Hampton, eighth grade euphoniumist Erik Jimenez places his band book in his binder’s side pocket after they have finished for the day.
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Peace!
The ‘Stang Express
Volume 2, Issue 3 February 2012
A little love, drama and romance on Valentine’s Day Toni Van Bibber’s pick
Jennifer Lozano’s pick
VALENTINE’S DAY
GNOMEO & JULIET
Valentine’s Day is about different couples that go through rough patches during Valentine’s Day. Some couples get heartbroken and others stay together. One of the heartbroken couples was Julia Fitzpatrick and Dr. Harrison Copeland, who were dating. As she was about to surprise him at work she had found out he lied and was married. Another couple was Morley Clarkson and Reed Bennett. Reed proposed to her and later, on Valentines Day, he saw her without her ring and she told him she wasn’t ready so she packed her things and left. All came together in the end and realized they couldn’t be without each other. This movie would be great to watch on Valentine’s Day because it shows that all relationships have complications and not everyone is perfect for each other.
On Verona Avenue, two houses owned by feuding owners Montague and Capulet have gardens that come to life. One night, when they were both in disguise, Gnomeo, Lady Bluebury’s son, meets Lord Redbrick’s lovely daughter Juliet, and they have a connection, but then they realize that they are from opposite families and aren’t suppose to be together. Then a flamingo comes along and helps them see that their love is stronger than the enmity between their gardens. In the end, all the gnomes become friends because they realize that all the fighting between the families was unnecessary. This movie would be great to watch on Valentines Day because it shows that there are all types of people in the world and we should learn to put all differences aside.
Jennifer Lozano’s pick
Toni Van Bibber’s pick
THE NOTEBOOK
LOVE & BASKETBALL
The Notebook is a love story where Noah and Allie spend a wonderful summer together, but get pulled apart by her parents, because he is poor. A few years she gets engaged to another man, but she sees Noah in the newspaper next to the house he built. Allie finds herself going back to Noah for a visit, but ends up falling in love with him and she has to choose between Noah, her summer love, or Lon, the man she is engaged to. This is a great movie to watch on Valentine’s Day because it shows that no matter what Noah was still there for Allie and Noah didn’t let anything get in between their love.
Love & Basketball is a heart-felt romantic drama movie about Sanna Lathen who plays Monica and Omar Epps who plays Quincy. Both have always wanted to become pro basketball players. They both love basketball and soon they fall in love with each other. Both Monica and Quincy go through a lot of hardships throughout their relationship and their own personal lives. Monica and Quincy are trying to pursue their careers in basketball while both are still trying to find themselves. This movie is great for Valentines Day because it shows couples that they sometimes can’t achieve their dreams through the worst of times.
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Friday
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Next issue: How long would you last without your cell phone? What’s your BMI? What is that anyway? And what’s up with Friday the 13th anyway?
IMAGES / APPLETRAILERS.COM
Staff picks favorite romance flicks to cuddle up with. Now save the date!
Evil? Superstition? Ancient curse?