The ‘Stang Express The Newspaper of North Shore Middle School Volume 3 • Issue 4 • May 2013
Are North Korea’s threats real or just another ploy to get world-wide attention? - page 10
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013
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‘STANG EXPRESS STAFF
The ‘Stang Express • Feb. 2013
Co-Editors-in-Chief Opinion Editor News Editor Features Editor Sports Editors Entertainment Ed. Photo Editor Social Media Mgr
IMAGE / THE GUARDIAN
Cover Story
10 COVER STORY NEWS 4 BUTTERFLIES HELP STUDENTS REMEMBER CHILDREN
Eighth graders learn about the children of Terezin. by DAISY ESTRADA
6 HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR NORTH SHORE’S JOURNALISM STUDENTS Students enjoy record-setting day at journalism state competition. by CINDY MAI
FEATURES 12 ENERGY DRINKS: SAFE TO DRINK? Just because they’re sold in lots of stores doesn’t always mean they’re safe. by MAKENNA POULAND
16 EIGHTH GRADERS PREPARE FOR THE ROAD AHEAD
Two years in middle school should have prepared you...if you’ve worked hard. by MABEL IDICULA
OPINION 19 THEIR RULES, THEIR HONOR, HER PAIN
Girls, do you enjoy your freedoms here in the U.S.? by SARA HINSHAW-HATTEN
21 THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM: IS IT BENEFICIAL?
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THE WORLD AT WAR? North Korea. Are their threats real or just another ploy at getting world-wide attention? by CHRISTINE CABANG & MARIA RENTERIA
SPORTS
Writers Martin Batrez Kenny Ma Joanne Cobos TaAliyah Porchia Daisy Estrada Makenna Pouland Cristal Garcia Maria Renteria Enrique Gonazlez Leonardo Reyes Sara Hinshaw Fermina Rodriguez Mabel Idicula Hailie Russell Ulises Salazar
22 MUSTANGS DOMINATE WILDCATS
Photographers Melanie Gomez Madison Mericle Reagan Nunez
25 SIGNIFICANT INJURIES SIDELINES ATHLETES
Adviser Principal Superintendent
Seventh graders aggressive defense helps secure win. by VICTOR DAVILA & LEONARDO REYES
Big injuries can hamper an athlete’s year. by ULISES SALAZAR
26 MUSTANGS FIGHT HARD TO MAINTAIN WINNING STREAK
Tough practices and good coaching helps boys track excel. by LEAH MAXWELL & TAALIYAH PORCHIA
Mr. Ron Burke Mr. Paul Drexler Dr. Angi Williams
CONTACTING US Mailing address: 120 Castlegory Houston,Texas 77015 Phone: (832) 386-2600 Website: http://www.texasschools.net/nsms Email: stangexpress@yahoo.com
RESPONDING
ENTERTAINMENT 30 G.I. JOE RETALIATION
Action-packed sequel to “The Rise of Cobra” satisfies, continues where last left off. by MARTIN BATREZ
31 THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS SERIES HITS THE BIG SCREEN
The City of Bones amazed students and has them waiting. by CRYSTAL GARCIA
PHOTO STORIES
Based on its pros and cons, some classes at North Shore would see good results. by KENNY MA
9 STUDENTS DISSECT CHICKEN WINGS TO HELP LEARN ANATOMY
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33 EIGHTH GRADERS SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION WITH A CAR WASH
MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
Page Design
Bryant Badie Cindy Mai Emily Lim Ivon Lopez Christine Cabang Leah Maxwell Victor Davila Crystal Ortez Madison Mericle Emily Lim Daisy Estrada Christine Cabang Maria Renteria Sara Hinshaw
Seventh graders in science classes examine main parts of anatomy in hands-on lab. by MADISON MERICLE
PAC committee members get soaked during teacher appreciation car wash. by REAGAN NUNEZ
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 student publication distributed to the students, teachers, and parents of North Shore Middle 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. The ‘Stang Express is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Assocation. The newspaper earned an Award of Distinguished Merit and won a prestigious Bronze Star Award from the ILPC in April 2013 and was recently awarded a Gold Crown by the CSPA in New York City.
Social studies students participate in
ANNUAL MOCK TRIAL
by MADISON MERICLE
PHOTO / MADISON MERICLE
Mr. Banks’ and Mrs. Davis’ Pre-AP social studies classes traveled downtown to the Houston Criminal Justice center to participate in a mock trial to learn how the court system works. The students were lucky because originally, only one class was supposed to go but instead both second and ninth periods were able to go because an HISD school dropped out. Mr. Banks and Mrs. Davis split their classes into two courtrooms. In the first courtroom was his second period and in the second courtroom was his ninth period. Before they were allowed to go into the courtrooms, Mrs. Davis’ 6th period jurors, the group of people who are sworn to deliver a verdict in a case submitted to them, sat in an actual family violence case. “Whenever I saw the criminal in the court room I got really scared. When you see a guy in handcuffs it’s hard not to stare,” said Reagan Nunez who was a juror. Judge Sara Hinshaw-Hatten took the stand around 9:00 am and that was cue for trial to begin. This opened up the murder case of John Smith who was supposedly murdered by Jacky Ching on
the night of October 29. Whenever the student jurors entered the courtroom and took their seats, Hinshaw had changed into a black robe like the ones judges wear. Each side made their opening statements and the case began. In the case, Jacky Ching allegedly killed John Smith by repeatedly stabbing him in the chest. Then the prosecution started calling up different witnesses. It was Clerk Jackeline Barajas’ job to make the witness swear that what they’re saying is the whole truth, then escort them to the stand. The prosecuting attorneys, whose job is to prosecute cases on behalf of the government, were Claire Marks, Alberto Sosas, and Bryant Badie. The defense attorneys, the attorneys representing the defendant, were Kimberely McKey, TaAliyah Porchia, and Steven Barker. In the trial, Jacky’s ex-girlfriend Graciella Martinez broke up with him to date John Smith which caused the stir of events to follow. They called the witnesses to the stand and ask questions like, “What’s your name and address?” or “Where were you on the night of October 29?” Once the prosecutors were done giving their argument the defense attorneys asked questions and repeated the pro-
At table one, prosecuting attorney Claire Marks questions the witness during the mock trial at the Houston Criminal Justice Center on Feb. 15 to figure out whether or not the defendent is guilty while the defense attorneys sit and wait for a chance to object into what the prosecuters are saying.
PHOTO / MADISON MERICLE
Eighth graders learn the importance of the criminal justice system through experience
Eighth grader, Summer Benefield sits at the witness stand on Feb. 15 to be questioned at the Houston Criminal Justice Center. Her answers can be held as evidence against her and the defendent.
cess with a different witness. When every witness had been called up to the stand, each side gave their final statements, then the jurors, who had been sitting in the juror’s box the entire case, left to decide the fate of Jacky Ching after exchanging verdicts with each side. “We the court find Jacky Ching, accused of the murder of John Smith on October 29, not guilty” Judge Hinshaw said as the defense attorneys started cheering and clapping. “I felt he should’ve been guilty. On several occasions we got the defendant to respond with answers that didn’t correspond with his plea,” said prosecutor Bryant Badie. “All the hard work the students out into the trial really paid off, they were able to do the entire trial on their own without any assistance from us or the lawyers and attorneys. They were also complimented by not only parents but also some of the other adults who work there,” said Mr. Banks. This year’s mock trial was yet another success and the students will never forget being able to do something that not many other students get to do. It was truly an amazing experience for the classes. VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013
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NEWS
Butterflies help students remember
THE CHILDREN OF THERESIENSTADT Eighth graders learn about the children of Terezin using history, literature and art
by DAISY ESTRADA
Eighth grader David Martinez draws a scene based on the poem from the book, “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” in Mr. Burke’s fourth period Pre-AP English class. Students were able to decorate their butterfly according to the poem’s storyline, imagery, or emotion and then hang them up. Each butterfly represented the child who wrote the poem.
(Below) Art students from Ms. Galvan’s classes created a mural based on the information gathered from the book “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” that was used to introduce the artwork in the hallway.
PHOTO / MR. BURKE
PHOTO / MADISON MERICLE
Eighth grade Pre-AP English students honored the 1.5 million children who died during the Holocaust by decorating and donating butterflies to the Houston Holocaust Museum during the third nine weeks. Students were first introduced to the subject by learning about Terezin and then Theresienstadt, the concentration camp the children were sent to. This was in addition to the novel they were reading in class. Terezin was first a fortress/prison built by Austrian emperor Joseph II but many years later Hitler sent half Jews, actors, artist, composers, conductors, veterans of
students picked a butterfly which they then colored or drew on to represent their poem. After they decorated the butterflies, students hung them from the ceiling around the room or in the hallway for the rest of the school to see. Two weeks after they hung their butterflies, Mr. Burke let the students know if their author survived the Holocaust. If their author didn’t survive they had to get scissors and get on top of their desk, reach up to cut down their butterfly. Students were sad to see their butterfly fall down from the ceiling because they knew this meant their author died in the Holocaust. Over 200 butterflies were later sent to the Houston Holocaust Museum to honor the children who perished during the Holocaust. The Houston Holocaust Museum has been doing the Butterfly Project since 2003 and this year the museum finally reached their goal of gathering 1.5 million butterflies. They will have a huge display of all the butterflies sent to them from 2003-2013 very soon.
the war, and Jews married to Aryans to the converted camp. Theresienstadt was built to attempt to make the Germans look generous and caring in the eyes of the free world through the International Red Cross. Children from Theresienstadt wrote poems, drawings, and stories that were later found and put into a book called “I Never Saw Another Butterfly”. Mr. Burke’s and Ms. Du Plaga’s eighth grade Pre-AP English students each received a poem written by one of the children at the camp. “Reading the poem made me feel bad for those kids and I just wish someone could have helped them sooner instead of them suffering,” said Andrea James. After reading and analyzing the poem,
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MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
Annual science fair allows students to put projects to the test
Students’ research skills, creativity, and brains put to work by IVON LOPEZ On Wednesday, Feb. 13, the annual science fair was held inside the Multipurpose Room. Nearly all 7th and 8th grade students participated, but not all projects were entered in the science fair. Those who went inside the MPR were exposed to all kinds of projects; all different, unique ideas that even include Christmas lights that were based on Biology, Chemistry, Consumer/Environmental Science, or Physics. Many students always ask the same question: What is the reason for the science fair? “One purpose is to give students opportunity to research and test something that interest them while giving them an opportunity to follow the proper scientific method to show students that science is all around us and that it can be fun,” said eighth grade science teacher, Mr. Dewar. Whenever students create science projects, they start to learn other things such as working independently, not procrastinating, and learning how to bring out their own creativity. Students can also discover what they’re capable of doing when it comes to experimenting in science.
There were 15 judges coming from a science or engineering background, most of them worked at a company called Lyondell Basel Company. The judges were separated into different groups and each had to walk around the room and ask students different questions like ‘why you chose that topic and what have they learned from it’. Students had to present their projects and explain the problem, hypothesis, steps, materials, and conclusion. After the student concluded the presentation, the judges recorded the results and moved on to the next project. “I was happy when I found out I won but I expected a better place because my project was great and I worked hard on it,” said 7th grader, Zoya Hicks. The projects looked great with all the student creativity put in and the time worked on. With so many projects, it was hard to decide who the winners were. There were 4 winners for each category and also honorable mentions with a total of 33 winners that had one 3rd place tie. The students who placed get to go to a field trip in May 21 to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The science fair may be hard, but the hard work and dedication always pays off in the end.
7th Grade Winners Biology 1st - Robbie Mullins 2nd - Ryan Baker 3rd - Zoya Hicks 4th - Abraham Noriega Chemistry 1st - Aatika Rizwan 2nd - Angie Peralta 3rd - Lacey Ortega 4th - Mitzi Torres Consumer/Environmental Science 1st - Kelsey Jones 2nd - Hugo Zamora 3rd - Deveone Cooper 4th - Bethany Luna Physics 1st - Patrick Martin 2nd - Christopher Cardenas 3rd - Brett LeBlanc 4th - Ayana Tabor 8th Grade Winners Biology 1st - Guadalupe Mares 2nd - Marisol Alvarado 3rd - MckinleyZoellner 4th - Beatrice Cruz
PHOTO / MELANIE GOMEZ
Chemistry 1st - Mary Alvarez 2nd - Angela Lopez 3rd - Madisyn Francis 4th - Lexxi Pritchard
Eighth grader Megan Evans, from Ms. Thompson’s science class, answers questions posed by the judges of this year’s science fair on Wednesday, Feb. 13. Students had to present their projects and explain the problem, hypothesis, steps, materials, and conclusion to their judges during the fair.
Consumer/Environmental Science 1st - Daisy Sifuentes 2nd - Oscar Alonso Saldivar 3rd - Jullisa Rodriguez 4th - Nicolas Esparza Physics 1st - Jonathan Mercer 2nd - Blas Gomez Tie 3rd - Salvador Huerta Tie 3rd - Joshua Hernandez 4th - Cassidy Goforth VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013
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Hard work pays off for North Shore’s journalism students Record-setting day at journalism state competition On Saturday, April 27, the journalism and broadcasting staff members took a road trip to University of Texas in Austin to participate in the 2013 State UIL (University Interscholastic League) Spring Convention. High schools and middle schools from all over the state of Texas submitted their yearbooks, newspapers, and videos so judges could evaluate them and give them a ranking. Not only do these staffs submit their work, but some schools, like ours, get to travel to Austin to get their results, attend a couple of one-hour journalism sessions, and grab a few free things from the advertising tables that were set up in the main hall. On regular Saturdays, you would expect teenagers to sleep in until around noon, but not that day. A total of thirteen members of the ‘Stang Express staff and Mustang Media had to wake up before the sun rose and be in front of the school by six o’ clock sharp. Everyone there was stumbling around like the walking dead when they arrived, but after loading up on caffeine from Starbucks, all three vans were full of energy and were ready to begin their three-hour drive to Austin. At around 10 am, they had arrived in Austin and were checking in with the registration desk. After that, everyone gathered around Mr. Burke and Mr. Statum to hear who won what. Both staffs were ready to check out the tables that had things from candies to yearbooks on them, get their crazy pictures taken, and to go on a scavenger hunt to find their stories that were plastered on the walls. “Breanna Nunez and I got first place for our internet safety video. I’m proud because I was the first person to place in both the journalism and video competition,” said sports editor Leah Maxwell. This year, the ‘Stang Express newspaper was honored with an Award of Distinguished Merit, which is a first place rating, for the third year in a row, a Bronze Star Award (last year they earned a Silver), which ranks them in the top 10% of publications in Texas, along with the 39 individual medals that placed in 23 categories. Not only did our news staff do well, but the Mustang Media was honored with an Award of Achievement, which is second place rating, and 10 medals in 11 different categories (given it was their first year competing). After they received the results and looked
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around, they walked to a small restaurant on campus for lunch. They stayed there for about an hour or so and started heading back towards the convention area for their breakout sessions. In these classes, college professors, high school journalism advisers and other speakers showed the students different ways to enhance their writing and photography skills. “The teachers in the classes had a lot to offer like how to set up my stories before I write to make them more interesting and suspenseful, I would’ve liked to learn more but I had a limited amount of time,” said Joanne Cobos, a seventh grade features writer. When everyone was finished with all three of their sessions, they met up to walk to the Texas Natural Science Center, a science museum that was also on campus. After thirty minutes of exploring, they loaded up the vans and headed to a Starbucks nearby for a caffeine boost. The trip back took an hour longer than planned due to an intense thunderstorm, so the students in the vans came up with ways to entertain themselves. In Mr. Burke’s van, they started to tell each other scary stories like La Llorona to go with the storm outside. Throughout the story
PHOTO / MR. BURKE
by CINDY MAI
telling, thick bolts of lightning were flashing across the pitch black sky and loud thunder shook the whole van, making the stories seem scarier than they really were. Journalism may seem like it’s all fun and games, but the more you ask the ‘Stang Express staff about it, the more you will know how difficult the process of publishing a newspaper really is. “The stress and pressure of deadlines are the hardest parts of journalism because I have to make sure that my story meets Mr. Burke’s standards, which are really high,” said Leonardo Reyes, a seventh grade sports writer. “I think the hardest thing about journalism is that you have to stay on top of the game at all times and not slack off,” said Ivon Lopez, the news editor. Between the deadlines and procrastinating, the students have learned to become independent and responsible. “In journalism, I started off kind of inexperienced, but as the end of the year got closer and closer, I noticed that my writing is improving. Journalism has also taught me how to manage my time wisely, be more responsible and independent, and cooperate with others,” said Cobos. With all the “Get to work, A!” to the “Hard work pays off” exclamations from Mr. Burke, the 2012-2013 ‘Stang Express staff has gotten more individual medals than ever before, and as for Mr. Statum and the Mustang Media staff, they’re just getting started.
‘Stang Express news staffers check out who placed in the newspaper individual achievement awards portion of state competition here on the main floor of Welch Hall at the University of Texas at Austin. Students are able to see their work and compare to other schools that placed in their categories.
Choir competitions: Harder than you think North Shore’s choir groups improve at UIL compared to last year’s results by HAILIE RUSSELL This year’s Voce (sub non-varsity), Bel Canto (Varsity), Choral (Varsity), Cantabile (non-varsity), and Mixed (Varsity) choirs went to North Shore Senior High for UIL competition on March 5 and 6 during and after school. The choirs were all working for sweepstakes [all ones] meaning superior (best score). All of the choirs except for Voce received straight ones; instead Voce received straight twos, which was really good for them. “We could have done better because we didn’t know what pitches to sing in the sight reading room,” said seventh grader Lucia Saldana. This is the second year that the Voce has ever performed, and they did better than last year, so it’s a huge accomplishment for them. “The Voce choir did well because it’s the second time they got to go to UIL and they did better than last year,” said Choir Director Mrs. Huston. UIL choir is where all the choirs in the district perform their three songs that they have practiced and practiced in front
of three judges. “One of the three songs the choirs have to sing must be an a cappella, and two of the three have to be from the prescribed music list, and the last one is a piece I get to choose,” said Huston. A cappella is a piece of music that is not performed with an instrument. The choirs also have to sight-read a piece of a music that they have never seen before. Sight-reading is where the choirs get a piece of music they have never seen before and chant, audiate, and sing the notes off the sheet of music. Chanting and audiating is where the students talk the words in rhythm, and then mouth the words with out speaking or singing. The judges have the pieces of music the choirs are going to sing, they also have a sheet of paper where they write down their comments about the performance. All of the choirs that performed had to sing three songs, the Bel Canto girls sang “Arise my Love”, “Song and Dance”, and “How Can I Keep From Singing”. The Choral Men sang “Novum Gaudia”,
For the love of a daughter Divas enjoy a special night and bond with their fathers by FERMINA RODRIGUEZ Fathers and daughters are having a hard time finding time to spend time with each other. Some girls may ask themselves if the relationship with their father is really important when really their relationship with their father is just as important with their mother. Some counselors noticed that some girls weren’t having a good relationship with their father, so they decided to arrange a father and daughter dance which was held Feb. 12, in the school cafeteria. Only 7th grade girls and 8th grade girls from the Divas organization were allowed to attend. “We’re trying to give fathers and daughters the chance to spend time together and teach the importance of girls having a father figure in their lives,” said Mrs. Charles, one of the school’s counselors. The girls could’ve brought an uncle, grandfather, neighbor, teacher, or administrator if their dads weren’t able to attend. Every girl received a flower when they walked into the building .The counselors hired a DJ and the fathers and
daughters of North Shore Middle School danced the night away. “I came with my mom’s boyfriend because I wanted to bond with him and get to know him better,” said seventh grader, Jennifer Mondragon. The counselors had a picture booth and shot photos of all the girls with their fathers. “The dance helped me feel more loved by my dad,” said seventh grader, Noeli Hurtado. Every daughter received their picture that they took with their father or other male escort. Not only did the daughters get to dance with their father, but they also enjoyed a nice dinner buffet of spicy chicken wings with some vegetables and cupcakes. The girls were able to make their relationship stronger with their father or father figure by being able to bond with them and had them appreciate the night they had together. This just goes to show that there’s a reason we have our fathers around because we need to know the right things to do and what men should really be like: respectful, honest, and brave.
“Cover me with the Night”, and “Cantate Dominum”. In the song “Cover me with the Night,” there were a few soloists. In the first group the soloist were Daniel Davila, Treven Matthews, Isaiah Burns, Darius Groves, and Austin Juneau. In the second group the soloist were Isaiah Collozo, Adrian Guzman, Daniel Garcia, and Osburna Johnson. “I was not afraid to perfom my solo because I’ve practiced a lot, and I have sang in front of people before, so it’s not new to me,” said seventh grader Daniel Garcia. The choirs have put in a lot of time and effort into UIL, and deserved what they received. Even though UIL is over, the choirs will continue to work hard and put in the effort for their next event, which was the Pop Show.
The Wendel D. Ley Family YMCA on Wallisville will host summer camps and swimming lessons in June and July. The center will also have soccer, basketball and cheer courses. Their hours of operation for the summer are: Monday-Friday 4:30am - 10pm Saturday 7am - 6pm Sunday 1pm - 6pm Check out their website at http://www.ymcahouston. org/wendel-d-ley/ for more information. VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013
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‘Stang Express wins Gold
Outstanding teachers win amazing awards
Newspaper wins big at national journalism competition by HAILIE RUSSELL
PHOTO / MELANIE GOMEZ
This past March, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association announced that the ‘Stang Express newspaper won a Gold Crown Award in national journalism competition at their annual convention at Columbia University in New York City. Journalism staffs at North Shore Middle have entered nationals before, but they only won Silver Crowns, never gold. The Stampede yearbook staffs won CSPA Silver Crowns in 2006 and 2008. Teamwork and listening to each other is all it took, that is what the 2011-2012 journalism staff found out. “A lot of patience, hard work, and Mr. Burke’s toughness to get our stories right. We had to put in 100% into everything we wrote, we also had to beat Mr. Burke’s standards, so when we finished our stories it was better than what we’re normally capable of doing,” said eighth grader Gricelda Jasso. They were the only middle school newspaper in the nation to win such a Gold Crown. The Gold Crown Award is the highest award given to a middle school or high school publication. “It takes high standards, kids that
are willing to work hard, and a fun environment. We do work hard, but we also play hard,” said journalism adviser, Mr. Burke. Most of the staff is currently attending North Shore’s Ninth Grade Campus and another is on the newspaper staff at Summer Creek High School. Only six students are here who were on last year’s staff as seventh graders. “Being the only middle school to have won that award, I felt very surprised because out of all the high schools that have a really good newspaper, ours was chosen to win such a prestigious award. I feel very honored and quite accomplished,” said Jasso. Mr. Burke said that they’ve done what no other journalism staff in the district has done, ever. “It’s a big honor being the only middle school to place in the competition because Mr. Burke had told us usually high school newspapers were the one who won”, said eighth grader Nathalie Lopez. If it wasn’t for all of Mr. Burke’s tough teaching and constant revisions by the editors, the news staff would have not made it to nationals. After this win, the current staff went on to state UIL competition and dominated competition.
Eighth graders Bryant Badie and Cindy Mai, two staff members from the 2011-2012 ‘Stang Express staff hold the Gold Crown Award that was given by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association during their annual Spring Convention at Columbia University in New York. North Shore’s newspaper was the only middle school newspaper in the country to be awarded a Crown and the first time ever in district history.
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MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
by BRYANT BADIE One of the biggest awards teachers receive here are the “Teacher of the Year” and “Rookie Teacher of the Year” awards. They are named for teachers that worked hard, but also stood out with their different teaching styles and their care for children. This year, Mrs. Shields was named Teacher of the Year, and Ms. Rocha was named Rookie Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Shields grew up in Dickinson, Texas, and went to McAdams Junior High School. While in high school, she began her teaching career by becoming a teacher’s aid. From there she went to Dickinson High School, then attended the University of Houston Clear Lake, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, and a Masters of Science in Curriculum & Instruction. First, she taught at a charter school, then Green Valley Elementary, and now here for six years. For the last six years, Ms. Shields has taught seventh grade math. “What inspired me to become a teacher is my love, and passion for kids. I teach students, because I love to inspire people, and students to have the same passion for math, as I do,” said Mrs. Shields. “Mrs. Shields is a nice person, down to earth, and she never gives up on her students. She breaks math down to a way we can understand it. I’m really glad she won it, she deserved it,” said seventh grade student, Savannah Adams. Ms. Rocha grew up in Houston. She went to John Marshall Junior High, and then attended Jeff Davis High School. After her four years of high school, she attended the University of Houston where she majored in English Literature and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Family Studies. “Working with students at an elementary school is really what inspired me. I enjoyed it a lot. I really like teaching, it’s very rewarding, and it’s something I plan on doing for a long time,” said Ms. Rocha. “I like Ms. Rocha because she helps me out with the most difficult things. She breaks it down for us, to where even a kindergartener could understand it. Unlike most teachers, she’ll actually listen to what you have to say, and she cares. I’m glad she won “Rookie Teacher of the Year”, because she works hard at what she does,” said eighth grader, LaBrice Mackey. Ms. Rocha and Mrs. Shields went above and beyond with their teaching styles, and showed that the little things, such as caring, and hard work can be the essentials to becoming a great teacher.
Students dissect chicken wings to help learn anatomy Seventh graders in science classes examine main parts of anatomy in hands-on lab by MADISON MERICLE
Seventh graders Jissel Perez, Max Lagunas and Miguel Barrera work together to peel the skin off of a chicken wing during their chicken wing anatomy lab in Ms. Carmona’s science class. Students compared the anatomy of the wing to their own arms to help them understand where tissue connects.
As the group watches, seventh grader Jissel Perez cuts into a chicken wing during their lab in Ms. Carmona’s science class on March 26. Every person in the lab wears protective gear like goggles and aprons during the lab.
(Left) Seventh grader Jissel Perez cuts the skin off of a chicken wing to learn how the tendons connecting to the bones help the chicken wing move. Science teachers compared the chicken wing to a real person’s arm to show students how their arms move. Afterward, students were required to write down their findings on paper and report what they learned in the lab.
(Above) Seventh grader Jissel Perez removes fat from the chicken wing to start the dissection on Tuesday, March 26 so she and her group can see how the tendons connect the muscle to the bone during science class in the A-Hall lab. This experiment was performed by all the seventh grade students. Mrs. Carmona, a seventh grade science teacher, explains to her students how the tendons connecting to the bone helps the chicken wing move during their lab on Tuesday, March 26, in the lab in A Hall. Her explanations helped students understand the details of bones and muscle movement.
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THE WORLD at
by CHRISTINE CABANG & MARIA RENTERIA
O
ver the past few weeks, millions of people around the world have been glued to their TV screens and computer monitors. The threats from North Korea have been keeping everyone, even people in Washington D.C., on edge. Why are the threats from such a small country so terrifying? On the surface it seems like we have more money, more power, and more artillery. But take a closer look, and see how big of a threat North Korea really is. “Their leader is an unstable dictator. When you have an issue with a reasonable person, you can talk things out. When you have an issue with a fanatical person, it’s a little more scary,” said Mrs. Davis, an eighth grade social studies teacher. Not only do they have an unpredictable leader, but their military and special forces are some of the largest in the world. They have 30,000 elite troops for a country the size of Tennessee. Is North Korea sounding scary yet? To Mr. Banks, another 8th grade social studies teacher, North Korea is only a minor threat as he trusts in the defense of our nation. “Yeah they have serious weaponry and a serious army, but I’m not worried because they’re so small. What’s scary is that they can shake things up. Being friends with China, there is a possible alliance, and so one missile could escalate into a bigger issue,” he said. “We could possibly have another world war on our hands.” China is losing patience with North Korea though. Before, Kim Jong Un’s father was friendly with China’s leader. Now the relationship between China’s leader and North Korea’s leader is tense and strained. Kim Jung Un wants to show the world that North Korea can be a big kid, but are his actions making everything worse for him? Without China, who else can Korea turn to? Many people seem to think that there is a risk of a possible alliance between North Korea and countries like Iran and Iraq, or
WAR? terrorists groups like al-Qaeda. After all, they all strongly dislike the United States. Former President George W. Bush once said, “North Korea is part of an ‘axis of evil’, along with states such as Iraq and Iran.” There is no strong evidence to back this up, but the potential threat is still there. One would hope that the future generations of North Korea would go against their leader, right? Wrong. The seed of hate towards other countries has been implanted in North Korea’s children from a young age. Even when they’re young, students in North Korea learn that their country has had two main enemies: the Japanese, who colonized Korea from 1910 to 1945, and the U.S., who fought against North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War. North Korea teaches their children to hate the Americans. They have several games in pre-school that leaves the impression that Americans are stupid and to be hated. They advertise the way they see Americans in colorful posters too. According to the Daily Mail, at the Kaeson kindergarten in central Pyongyang, the North Korean capitol, U.S. soldiers are shown as cruel, ghoulish barbarians with big noses and evil eyes. Teeth bared, they brand prisoners with hot irons, set wild dogs on women and wrench out a girl’s teeth with pliers. One
IMAGES / SOURCE / TIME.COM
Are their threats real or just another bluff at getting attention?
drawing shows an American soldier crushing a girl with his boot, blood pouring from her mouth, her eyes wild with fear and pain. These are just some of the things North Korea does to make sure its future generations hate America. Based on this the population will be in total favor of destroying us. So, exactly where did all the hate start? After the Korean War, Korea was split in half. The northern part was taken by the Soviet Union and impressed upon it the influence of a socialist country. South Korea had more of an impression of republicanism because it was controlled by the United States. This difference in government has made a frigid border between the two countries, literally. The DMZ, or demilitarized zone, is an area of high tensions in between the two countries. This heavily policed strip of land keeps the north and the south
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North Korea’s dictator Kim Jung-un is the youngest son of Korean military leader Kim Jong-il, who, under the communist Worker’s Party, had ruled North Korea since 1994; and grand-son of Kim Il-Sung, his father’s predecessor.
United States: 316 million people 154 mil. work force 1.4 mil. active Army personnel North Korea: 24.7 million people 12.2 mil. work force 1.1 mil. active Army 10 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
SOURCES / STATISTICSBRAIN, CIA WORLD FACTBOOK, THE ARMS CONTROL ASSN.
IMAGE / THE DAILY MAIL
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from both sides can go into the DMZ but they can’t ever cross the DML. separated from each other in every way So how does this country work? possible. North Korea is a communist govern“There are no hument, with a dictator man beings in the in charge of it all. The “Yeah they have serious DMZ,” said CNN remembers of their legisporter Kyung Lah. Just weaponry and a serious army, lature are “elected”, and but I’m not worried because about anything could the dictator has other set both sides off in they’re so small. What’s scary close advisers. The this area, so security government controls is that they can shake things is tight. everything, including all up. Being friends with China, With the armistice social media. Televithere is a possible alliance, of July 27, 1953, the sion channels, radio document that ended and so one missile could stations, and all comthe Korean War, it was escalate into a bigger issue.” munication are closely required of both sides monitored by officials. of the Korean penThe government owns - Mr. Banks, 8th grade everything, and citizens insula to back off at Social Studies teacher are taught to think of least 2,200 yards from the border line that is their dictator as their marked by the 38th ‘god’. parallel. In the middle of the DMZ there is Their current ‘god’, Kim Jong Un, is the the DML, or the demarcation line. Soldiers third generation of a long line of dictaContinued from last page
The map above is of U.S. base locations and troop stations in direct result to the statements N. Korea made in April. The lower portion of the graphic also details the missle size and capabilities that the North Koreans currently have. As of May 24, things have died down and N. Korea has not made any new threats.
tors who have bad history with the United States and the rest of the world. Many analysts seem to find that North Korea’s threats are all part of a cycle. It goes like this: North Korea makes threats and announcements about bombing a country (in this case, the U.S.), and then when they have enough international attention, they calm down. They never back it up. So how long will this so-called ‘game’ go on? Nobody knows, but time will tell. All we can hope for is that we don’t have another world war, and that the future generations change the frigidness between North Korea and the rest of the world.
1.2 mil. Reserve
5,113 nuclear warheads
$2.4 trillion in revenue
$3.6 trillion in spending
8.2 mil. Reserve
2 nuclear warheads
$3.2 billion in revenue
$3.3 billion in spending VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 11
ENERGY DRINKS
FEATURES They’re not always the safest thing to drink Just because they’re sold in lots of stores doesn’t always mean they’re safe by MAKENNA POULAND Walking into a hospital, you expect broken bones and illnesses, but now kids are walking in with energy drink ‘overdoses’. Drinking too many energy drinks can land you in the emergency room, just as much as a broken bone. Most kids don’t know this, but the energy drinks they consume could cause some serious damage to their bodies. Although they are being sold in stores, most energy drinks aren’t even FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved, like most other foods and drinks. This is because supplements that are recognized as “safe” by qualified experts are not considered food additives (a substance added directly to food during processing), so they can be labeled and added to dietary supplements (a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients) without pre-approval from the FDA. This makes it harder to take the product off the market, but there is a way to take the product off the market, if the situation calls for it. The FFDCA (Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act) requires that the FDA prove that the supplement in question is “unsafe” for it to be removed from the market. The agency is conducting a safety review of energy drinks and is considering requiring that labels disclose the amount of caffeine the products pack, limitations on use, and warnings about possible adverse effects according to Consumer Reports. The FDA has a limited ability to take regulatory action when drinks are consumed to excess or when consumers don’t pay attention to the warnings on the labels, but several brands of energy drinks (including Monster, 5 Hour Energy and Arizona: Caution Energy) have warnings that the product isn’t suitable for children or people sensitive to caffeine and people still don’t pay attention to them, because, according to The New York Times, they think the risks don’t apply to them, so they don’t worry about them. Monster is just one of the energy drinks in question. In every can, there are 240 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, that’s more than two times the amount that kids and teens should consume in one day, according to the Mayo Clinic, a website that posts where doctors provide information about diseases and health care.
12 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
Caffeine is a natural compound found in plants that acts as a stimulant. A stimulant is a drug that temporarily increases the operating activity or effectiveness of an organism or any of its parts. But caffeine is not the only ingredient in Monster that makes us feel this way. Monster also contains ginseng root, which is a natural stimulant that scientists believe to have a therapeutic effect on our body. Amino acids, also found in Monster, help with weight loss during exercise, with energy levels, and help your metabolism by providing your body with various nutrients and boosting your energy level, according to Fit Day, a free online diet journal and calorie tracker. Since Monster is not FDA regulated it is not required to list the amount of caffeine and other ingredients and health facts on their label, making it harder for teens to know exactly what they are drinking. “I drink Monster four, sometimes five times a week” said 8th grader Jonathan Mercer. “I drink them because they taste good and make me feel good.” Recently, the popular energy drink has been sued for the death of a fourteen year-old girl. Anais Fournier, the girl who died, had drank two 24-ounce cans within 24 hours, went into cardiac arrest and then died on December 23, 2011. Her parents blame the company for not having a warning label, but the can does have a label stating that the drink should not be consumed by adolescents or people sensitive to caffeine. Red Bull is also one of the drinks that students buy at various convenience stores. With 76.5 mg of caffeine per 8.3 ounce can, it’s a little less than the amount of caffeine teens should intake in one day. Some kids even drink as many as four in one day, which means they take in a little over three times the amount. Other ingredients include taurine, an amnio acid already found in our body, fresh alpine water, B vitamins that help reduce fatigue and tiredness and sucrose and glucose, two different kinds of sugars found in the daily diet of Americans. Although the company claims that the drink is safe, teens should still be cautious about how much they drink. Arizona Energy is another energy
supplement that students drink. It has 129 mg of caffeine in one can; it’s a little more than what the FDA recommends for teens. Although the drink has not been linked to any deaths yet, the FDA warns that you should still be cautious about how much you drink in one day and that energy drinks are not alternatives for sleep or rest. Usually when people are tired, a quick cup of coffee or a Monster could fix the problem, but what they don’t know is that it’s only a temporary fix. According to Brown University, the caffeine used in energy drinks actually prevents sleep, even when you want to sleep you’ll find yourself still awake and jittery. Along with other side affects including dehydration and boosting blood pressure, which for overweight teens may cause problems because extra weight in the body will raise the heart rate and reduce the blood flow. According to Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, stimulant-containing drinks and products have no place in the diets of children and adolescents because of the risk of physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms, such as sleepiness and irritability. When you drink too many energy drinks, you may experience a caffeine high and a caffeine crash. When you have a caffeine high, you feel like you can fly. It makes you feel all warm inside for about an hour or so until you crash. When you crash all your earlier exhaustion come back, but much worse. It makes you want to lay down and take a really long nap. “I drank one and a half Monsters and I felt really good, like I could do anything, but a few hours later I could barely keep my eyes open. I don’t think I’ll drink that many again any time soon,” said seventh grader Daniel Garcia. Monster, Arizona and Red Bull are just a few of many energy drinks out there on the market today. The FDA warns that energy drinks should not replace sleep and you should get at least eight hours of sleep. Also if teens drink too many energy drinks, we could experience a caffeine crash and it could make your body shut down due to the unusually high amount of caffeine in your body. They are not FDA approved, so you need to be extra careful with how much you consume.
TEST?
Eighth grades take ACT Explore test, get first taste of high school expectations by CHRISTINE CABANG As we think about our future, we imagine it to be so far off from now, but in reality the future, is speedily becoming our present. College seems like eons away, but once you graduate middle school, there’s only 4 years left until the beginning of the rest of your life. In high school, aside from the social ladder, your grades are everything. The ACT Explore test that all the eighth graders took earlier this year, lets you know where you stand. The ACT Explore is a test that has four categories: math, reading, science, and English. Each test takes 30 minutes. Each of the skills we have in these core subjects will influence what grades you get in school, and pretty soon in the job you choose. The Explore test also shows you what you’re good at and what you’re not so good at. “The Explore is a guideline that gives an outlook on where you stand academically in comparison to the people here and to all the other people in the nation that took the same test,” said Ms. Rios, a counselor here. The test also gives you insight on what careers might be good for you to consider. Remember the questions you had to answer about what you wanted to do in the future? At the time it seemed completely pointless, but the makers of the Explore test did put it there for a reason. “This information can help you learn more about careers, clarify your goals, and begin to plan your future—including your high school courses and, perhaps, a college education,” according to ACT.
org. The information that you bubbled on that paper helped them calculate what career options would be best for you. The English portion of the Explore is to test your understanding of punctuation, grammar, and the use of the English language. The math portion challenges the way you can solve a problem and not how well you can memorize a formula. In other words, the problems they’re giving you aren’t just simple area questions; they dare your brain to think outside of the normal equation. “I was like, oh my gosh, I didn’t think it was going to be that hard, but I guess that’s the point of the test,” said eighth grader Cindy Ramos. The science category tests your scientific reasoning and your ability to take information, understand it, and create results from it. It focuses on your general knowledge than what you get from books. The scores you get range from 1 to 20. One being the lowest you can get and 20 being the highest. Your composite score, the big bold score that you got, is just an average of scores you got from all the categories. Your English score was split into two parts, “Usage/Mechanics—punctuation, grammar and usage, and sentence structure Rhetorical Skills—your understanding of the use of strategy, organization, and style in writing,” according to ACT.org. The two scores only go from 1 to 12 and together they don’t necessarily make up your reading score. Did you know that your score is compared to others in the nation and at your school? If you look at the paper
IMAGE / STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY
Our future determined by a
with your scores on it you can see, right next to your composite score, the percentage of students scoring at or below your score. This is what shows you where you stand in comparison to every other student who took the test in the country. If you’re not happy with where you are, it would be really good idea to talk with a teacher or a counselor to figure out how to help you on that weak spot to make sure in the future you won’t have any problem with it. They can help you plan out what you need to work on to be at the top. “I don’t know where I want to go to college but I know my parents expect me to get into a good one,” said 8th grader Lexi Pritchard. According to ACT.org, to get into a “regular” college in Texas, you would need an average score of 20.8 out of 36. To get into an Ivy League college you would usually need 27 out of 36. The ACT Explore will help you get where you need to be by giving you an idea of what the real thing is like. It also gives you career options based on what you said you wanted to do, so you won’t be undecided when the time comes for you to choose what you want to be. Most students take the ACT in the spring of junior year or fall of their senior year. Now would be a good time to think about how you should plan for the real thing, after all the ACT is a factor in deciding whether you get into the college of your choice or not. The ACT Explore was just a little hint of the real thing, so when the time comes for you to take the real thing you won’t be shocked. It was your first taste of one of the big kid tests. VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 13
Veteran teacher ready to move on to next adventure
Social studies teacher retires after more than 30 years in education by MABEL IDICULA After 35 years of teaching, she’s ready to move on to the next chapter in her life. Mrs. Davis, an 8th grade social studies teacher, has seen so much of our school change and grow but now she has decided to retire to the comforts of her home. Mrs. Davis has strong roots in this school from the very beginning. She went to what was known as North Shore Junior High which was the 7th, 8th, and 9th grade campus. She continued on to North Shore Senior High, which is currently the 9th grade campus, and finished high school. After high school, Mrs. Davis went to college where she majored in history and education. She attended Stephen F. Austin University for two and a half years but then transferred to University of Houston where she earned her Bachelor of Arts. From there, she went to University of HoustonClear Lake where she graduated with a
Master of Science. Mrs. Davis wanted to become a teacher since she was in 2nd grade because she loved her 2nd grade teacher. “Up until then I wanted to be a nurse but then I realized it dealt with blood and I changed my mind,” said Mrs. Davis. During her senior year, she thought she wanted to be an English teacher but her teacher convinced her that wouldn’t be the best choice. In her childhood, Mrs. Davis’s parents took her to many museums and national parks so she decided to become a social studies teacher instead and she’ s glad she did. Mrs. Davis started out in education by substituting in Galena Park ISD for 2 years and then became a full time teacher in 1979. “Teaching is very hard work but rewarding because when I see my former students become successful I feel proud of them when I remember what I contributed to
In her room, we think outside the box Teacher plans some new encounters of her own by MAKENNA POULAND
PHOTO / MELANIE GOMEZ
You pass by her room every morning on the way to the stands in the gym, yet most kids don’t even know who she is or what she does. Mrs. Beauvais, the Encounters teacher, has been teaching for thirty years. She went to Blinn Junior College and then to the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in history and English. After she got her Bachelor of Arts degree, she went into teaching English at Harment Junior High in Houston ISD. She taught there for three years before marrying her husband and moving to Galena Park ISD. She taught English at North Shore for three more years before leaving to raise her children.
Mrs. Beauvais, the Encounters teacher talks to 8th grader Jose Galdamez about his current assignment during class. Mrs. Beauvais has taught Encounters for 15 years at North Shore Middle.
14 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
Sixteen years later, Mrs. Beauvais came back to teach English for another seven years and then she become our Encounters teacher. “Well when they first asked me to be an Encounters teacher, (Encounter’s is an elective course for kids who are identified as gifted and talented. We do independent research, creativity and high level puzzles, but be proud of who you are i.e. your personality) I was teaching English so I said no. I was going to be team leader and I had to take care of that first. Then when the next lady didn’t make it, they asked me again and this time I said yes. Best decision of my life, ” Mrs. Beauvais said. According to Mrs. Wilson, the sixth grade Encounters teacher at Cobb, you have to be chosen to be an Encounters teacher. “First is the interview process, with all the teachers who teach gifted and talented. The people being interviewed really have to work with kids all the time, be flexible, be ready for long hours and be okay with working with less structure,” said Mrs. Wilson. Although it was a whole new concept, Mrs. Beauvais wasn’t scared. “I was so excited because it was different and it was creative, I could be as creative as I wanted. It was a lot less structure than an English class,” she said. Since the district does not choose the Encounters lesson plan, Mrs. Beauvais and
that,” said Mrs. Davis. She taught 6th grade social studies for 17 years and then 8th grade social studies until now. Outside of her classroom, she loves to spend time and spoil her grandchildren. She is involved in many clubs such as Association of Texas Professional Educators and a reading club at her church. She also loves to travel, whether in or outside the United States, whenever she has a lot of time on her hands. “I’ll miss my friends and family here but I’ve had a good career and I’m ready for the next adventure in my life, whatever that is,” said Mrs. Davis. “I’m going to miss Mrs. Davis because she’s so nice and generous. I’ll especially miss her sweet ‘Good mornings’ and her welcoming face,” said 8th grader Khayman Johnson. Next time you pass by her classroom make sure you tell her how much you appreciate her for all her hard work and dedication. the whole GT department get to choose their own lesson plans, methods and criteria that they feel they need to be covering. “I like to do short mini-lessons and act like a facilitator. I give the kids a certain set of guidelines, show them the format and let them get creative with it. It helps y’all get the work done,” she said. The students love Encounters almost as much as Mrs. Beauvais does. “I like that you get to be creative and do stuff on your own. I like the freeness of the classroom really. It’s like a break from the other classrooms,” said 8th grader, Deja Montgomery. Although it’s a lot of work, being an Encounters teacher is rewarding, at least Mrs. Beauvais thinks so. “Encounters is the best job. I love the kids because I have the cream of the crop. I also love the flexibility of what we can do, and the creativity. That’s [the creativity] definitely my favorite,” Mrs. Beauvais said. Although she loves her job, Mrs. Beauvais is leaving the Encounters program at the end of the year. She has decided that it’s just time to retire and it doesn’t hurt that her husband is also retiring. “I have grandkids that I would like to see. I’m also going to try taking piano lesson because I have a piano. I want to travel a lot and visit with my grandkids. I’ve got lots of hobbies that I would like to do,” she said. After 17 years of teaching Encounters, Mrs. Beauvais is saying good-bye. Although Mrs. Beauvais will miss North Shore, she can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.
She proves hard work will get you far Seventh grader’s busy activity schedule doesn’t faze her positive outlook on life by JOANNE COBOS She’s the girl with the good grades, great personality, and hardworking attitude. Katie Breeland Newcomb loves to dance and makes it look simple, but puts a lot of effort into it. The only explanation for her ability to keep her grades up with everything else that’s going on is her hard work. Katie, even though she has a lot of other activities, is always focused on her grades. She makes sure that she is doing well in class. Her studies are her first priority, and she is proud to get straight A’s. “Katie is always working hard and getting good grades. When she gets any lower than a 100, she says it’s not good enough,” says seventh grader, Shannon John. Another thing Katie is involved in is Fillies. She loves dancing and her work in the group proves it. Every day before class, she sets up the radio, and every day after class,
she puts it back into the closet. Her hard work and dedication to Fillies is admirable, and she does it all because she loves it, without any complaint. She wants to take Fillies to the next level by becoming an officer. It takes most of her time after school and it makes her exhausted, but she enjoys it anyway. “Sometimes it gets tiring, but I like it, so at the same time, I have fun doing all the practicing and dancing,” said Katie. She’s busy a lot of the time with Fillies, but to add on to the list of her activities is choir and Encounters. Even though she has fun in those classes, it just adds more to her schedule. Two more classes to be worried about, and she completely dedicates herself to do well in both. “Katie is extremely hard working. She’s always focused, always prepared when she comes to class, and she completes every task with a positive attitude,” said Ms.
He’s nothing short of success Eighth grader’s size doesn’t match his intellect by MARIA RENTERIA In a sea full of red and black shirts, it’s hard to spot a mastermind in such a small shell. Eighth grader, Antoine Fontillas, exceeds all expectation from both teachers and students because of his age and height. Studying isn’t a typical American teenage pastime, but who said Antoine was typical? “When I study, I feel weird in a positive way. I feel like the best,” said Antoine. Most people tend to forget about schoolwork as soon as the bell rings, but Antoine and his parents make sure that doesn’t happen. Just one glance at his after-school life shows the hard work and dedication behind a lawyer in the making. “I hope to be a lawyer or a defense attorney someday. It all started one day when I was eight years old. I was playing a game where I was a lawyer. I really liked that feeling when you can control things,” he said. Being a lawyer is no easy work and it’s never too early to begin preparing for a career. “My dad really wants me to succeed in everything, so he bought me an Algebra survival guide, which, as you can tell from the title, helps a lot. I have a course syllabus from Mrs. Palacio, so using that and the guide I’ve studied way ahead of everybody else,” Antoine said. Is his brain pure luck, or is it in his genes? “My brother was the first in the family to skip grades. At times, I feel like I really ad-
mire my brother. I skipped grades to follow in his footsteps. I skipped 3rd and 6th grade, and I actually encourage skipping grades for people who aren’t challenged with their classes right now,” he said. So how does skipping grades really happen? “It’s a really lengthy process. My parents enrolled me in a program called TTU, where they teach you a grade above. For example, when I was in 7th grade, it taught me 8th grade material. You can choose to either do it online, or they can mail you lessons,” Antoine said. Everyone has that one class we excel at. For some people it’s gym, while Antoine’s strengths lie somewhere else. “I think academic strengths are natural abilities to be good at a certain subject. For example, some kids have better grades in English than in math, but receive a lot of help in it, so English wouldn’t really be their academic strength. My academic strength is science because I’m very good at science. Even though I’m also good at math, I wouldn’t call that my academic strength because I receive a lot of help in it,” he said. Keeping goals is an important part of a strong mindset. Just like while having all B’s isn’t bad, pushing to have all A’s is better. For Antoine, all A’s aren’t even enough. “My grades aren’t bad right now. I have all A’s, but I want to strive for higher.
Bongat. Any class, elective, or activity that Katie has, she gives it her all. She puts all of her effort into everything she does. That’s why everyone agrees that Katie is a hard worker. She likes to take things seriously. She may be busy most of the time, but Katie always makes time for her friends. She knows how to have fun, she’s always there for them, and she never brags to them about anything. “She’s really modest when she does well on something. Even if sometimes she’s not that optimistic of how she’s going to do, she tries her best. And she’s very nice to people,” said seventh grader, Talia Mijangos. Katie is a good friend, a great dancer, and a very intelligent girl. When she has something to do, anyone can be certain that she will get it done, and she will try her best. She works hard at everything, and that will help her get very far in life. Putting high standards for myself really helps me because once I have a goal; I will stop at nothing to reach it. Once I reach that goal, I can’t help but come up with another. It’s a never-ending thing,” Antoine said. With so many academic activities, you can bet Antoine’s backpack isn’t the lightest thing ever. “My backpack holds a lot of stuff, and I’m short, so to me it weighs a ton. It’s easier for me to drag my stuff around because if I used it like a normal backpack, it’d pull me down. Literally,” he explained. Stereotypically, short people are always bullied and ‘looked down’ upon. Key word: Stereotypically. “I don’t really feel offended when they look down to talk to me because I make a joke out of it and it makes everyone happy. I actually don’t have a problem with tall 8th graders but sometimes when I walk in a hall full of them I think ‘, they’re so tall, and I’m so short.’” So far, nothing, not even height, has stopped Antoine from meeting his goals. “Antoine is always striving to excel, he’s a very conscientious young man. He doesn’t accept mediocrity at all,” Mrs. Palacio, an eighth grade Algebra teacher, said. Antoine knows that hours of work are never in vain. “My hours studying are definitely paying off. Like right now in my Algebra class, I already know what Mrs. Palacio’s going to teach that day,” he said. Looks can be deceiving, so don’t underestimate this twelve-year-old boy. VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 15
FEATURES Eighth graders prepare for the
ROAD AHEAD Two years in middle school should have prepared you...if you’ve worked hard
by MABEL IDICULA As the school year is coming to an end, many students are preparing for the coming year. For 8th graders, this is a very important transition that marks the beginning of a four-year long journey. High school will be challenging, but with the right preparation, students can be successful. Eighth graders were first introduced to high school during 9th grade registration. Counselors from the high school campus came to explain to 8th graders about the different options for next year, and talked about the specific requirements for each plan, recommended and distinguished, and then broke it down. The counselors explained the difference between regular and Pre-AP courses, core subjects, extracurricular activities, the number of credits needed to graduate, and emphasized how important the decisions the students were making because this would determine their schedule for their freshman year and their plan for the rest of their years in high school. In late October, 8th graders took a test called the ACT Explore test to give them an idea of what the real ACT will be like in 11th and 12th grade. The Explore test allows you to see what your strengths are in each subject and what you need to work on, which allows 8th grader to focus on improving for high school early on. Assistant principals are also
16 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
involved in the process of getting 8th graders ready for high school. “My job is to make sure that teachers have all the necessary resources, supplies, and training that helps them be successful in training you,” said Mr. Eagleton, an assistant principal. Another job they are responsible for is to make sure that all students are in a safe environment so they can come to school and learn without worries. Throughout the year, 8th grade teachers have been working hard to help you improve your weakest areas in each subject. When they teach the same subjects, they have the same objectives, but each teacher approaches the lesson in a different way to meet the student’s level of understanding. Mrs. Wright, an 8th grade Algebra teacher, uses e2020, an Internet resource, to back up what she is teaching her students in class and to help them understand a new concept outside of class. On the other hand, Mr. Dewar, an 8th grade science teacher, believes that his students learn better by
using visual images so he makes Powerpoints that have color-coded words and videos so students can remember the lesson better. Eighth grader Cassandra Cruz said, “In English class, we are taught how to write multiple essays correctly, such as analytical and persuasive, and analyze the text to make sure we fully understand what we were reading. Mr. Burke’s class is practice for next year so we know what to expect in high school.” Students learn in different ways, so your teachers take the time to teach you in a way that you can understand while still preparing you for the high school curriculum. Not only will the core subjects you had in 8th grade help you out in high school but some electives will too. “Understanding where you’re struggling and then being responsible enough to target it with study skills is crucial for high school,” said Mrs. Parrish, the AVID teacher. The purpose of AVID is to help students in their core subjects and teach them the study skills that are necessary for high school classes. Some electives even give students credits for high school. Spanish is one of these classes that many students take to get high school credit while in middle school for foreign languages. Other classes that give students credit for high school are Touch System Data Entry (keyboarding), Algebra, and health. It’s important to Continued on next page
Eighth grader Jennifer Oyervidez works on her integers IFA to start off Mr. Penny’s math class in C Hall. Students in math class practice with new concepts and review past lessons to prepare for high school while students in Algebra work to make sure they pass their end of course test so they can get credit and move on to Geometry next year.
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to these jobs in middle school. On Career Day, 8th grade students got the take your classes in 8th grade seriously, whether regular or Pre-AP, because those chance to see and learn about the different job possibilities out there from classes are stepping stones to 9th grade people who work in that certain field. and the rest of high school. This allowed students to get an idea of “It’s important to be successful in what they want to do when they grow middle school because afterwards you older and plan ahead in what courses have to go to high school then college they can take in high school that will and get a job while gaining more and help them in college and pursue their more responsibility along the way,” said dream job. Mrs. Wright. For example, someMs. Raines, an 8th one who wants to grade reading teach“The real world expects you to work in the medical er, said, “The real meet your deadlines. People field can take health world expects you to won’t listen to sob stories or classes and a person meet your deadlines. who wants to become People won’t listen to tolerate complaining.” a journalist can take sob stories or tolerate yearbook course in complaining.” - Ms. Raines, 8th grade ahigh school. There are This means that reading teacher many electives offered teachers in high to students in high school won’t acschool but their intercept excuses for late est in a career usually starts in middle work or chase you down for work that school. is missing because you were absent like “High school sounded scary at first, your teachers in elementary and middle because my grades can determine school. The students here and from what college I get into and it’s a lot Cunningham Middle School combined more work, but my teachers gave me will create a freshman class of about advice on what to expect through1,170 students and your teachers can’t out the year and it gave me a strong worry about all of you at once. This means that you will have to learn how to foundation,” said 8th grader Marisol Alvarado. manage your time wisely, be organized All the skills your teachers in 8th and prepared for each class every day, grade taught you build up to your sucand not procrastinate when it comes cess in high school and afterwards. Be to your work in order to do well in high prepared to work hard because how well school. you do in high school is one of the main In high school, many classes are availfactors that can determine what kind of able that let students explore different lifestyle you live in the future. careers, but they are usually introduced
Currently, students have two different graduation plans to choose from that will layout what kind of classes you will have in high school. The first plan is the recommended plan which requires at least two years of foreign languages while the distinguished plan requires three years of foreign languages. Senator Don Patrick and Representative Jimmie Don Aycock want to change this by proposing a bill. The bills have their two similarities but their differences as well. They will both switch to a foundation diploma and let students choose from four plans which are a plan with no requirements, a business and industry plan, and an academic or distinguished plan in math and science or arts and humanities. Students need to have four English credits and three credits each math, science, and social studies credits instead of the current 4 by 4 plan. From there they differ. The Senate Bill requires 26 credits and no credits for foreign languages. The House Bill requires 24 credits to graduate and at least two credits for foreign languages. The House Bill also wants to reduce the number of End of Course exams students must pass in order to graduate. House Bill 5 moved to the Senate and was amended 29 times before being passed by the Senate. This bill will cut down the number of EOC’s from 15 to 5 and let students choose from one of the four plans. Students might have to take extra classes depending on the plan they will choose. They can choose to take the minimum plan but only with their parent’s approval. The bill will have to go back to the House for consideration before the final version of the bill is passed to the governor’s desk.
SOURCE / THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
PHOTO / MELANIE GOMEZ
The State House and Senate battle over high school graduation requirements
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 17
THE ALGEBRA EOC TEST Would you rather test on a computer or traditional paper?
by KENNY MA Just recently, 8th graders in Algebra had to take the Algebra End of Course (EOC) exam. The Algebra EOC is a test that has a maximum of 65 questions, 35-40 multiple choice questions, 2025 fill in response questions, and six to ten field questions (questions that do not count in the final score of the Algebra EOC). The test is 160 minutes long with a ten minute break after 80 minutes, but if you don’t finish in time, you may continue until the end of the day. There are two different tests: one you can take on the computer and the paper test. Since there is no difference between the scores of the computer and paper tests, should we keep using the traditional paper-pencil test? According to Engnet-Education.com, an informational website, the CBT (computer based test) is accurate, secure, rapid, and controlled, but is expensive, has technical issues, and some people can be too dependant on computers. As the prices of the computers dropped, the efficiency started to increase. According to the GED Testing Service, a site that gives information about different types of tests, once you finish your section of the test, you can go on to the next part, type answers easily, and get your results instantly. The CBT is said to be 20-30% slower than the paper test. However, if you know how to type effectively, it will be more convenient to take the EOC with a computer.
SOUND OFF!!
The PPT, the paper-pencil test, can test many people at the same time, but will cost more than the CBT because the school has to pay for items that make up the test. If the electricity were to go out during the CBT, the test would be postponed and the data would be lost. On the other hand, if you took the PPT, you would not have to stop the testing because you still could get light through the window by the sun, from flashlights, or other possible sources of light. According to the Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment, or JLTA, there wasn’t a noticeable difference between the two scores, but some students say that the paper test is was easier than the computer test. We have been using PPT, but if we suddenly use the CBT it will be hard to adapt and change to read the format of the new test. I believe that we should keep the paper-pencil test because we have been learning and practicing using paper, and we are using paper to do our work. I suppose that the CBT will soon replace the paper-pencil test, like CD’s replaced cassette tape. We use computers to entertain and inform ourselves and other people, not to take tests, but many other tests like the driver’s license test and military ASVAB test are now on a computer. The main difference from PPT and CBT is based on personal preference, and familiarity of the format. What do you think?
DO YOU THINK THE COMPUTER EOC IS GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE?
CANDIDO HUERTA
IS LEARNING A KEYBOARD IS NECESSARY?
8TH GRADE
DERRICK FRANK
NATHALY OVIEDO
“I think it would be a new, alternative way to take a test because I heard from my teachers that it’s faster and gives you your results witin days.”
“I don’t think the computer EOC would be very useful because I’m used to doing my work on paper and use strategies to help me answer questions.”
“It’s [learning a keyboard] not really necessary because I think you can learn to type fast either with one finger or with all of them.”
8TH GRADE
7TH GRADE
KEYBOARDING KNOWLEDGE: IS IT BECOMING UNNECESSARY? With your phones correcting your spelling and touch keyboards, are typing classes needed? by EMILY LIM The first form of a keyboard that was created was when the typewriter was invented. Though it was slower than handwriting, the typewriter provided a neat and legible print. As time gradually moved forward, the typewriter became the computer keyboard. This keyboard’s evolution created keyboards such as the Apple keyboard, the True Touch Roll-up keyboard, the Mini Wireless Keyboard Device, and the iPad and iPhone Virtual Touch-Screen keyboards. Today, computer keyboards may be replaced with predictive keyboards found on those cool, new computer touch screens and smartphones. A majority of people around the world commonly use the linear and tactile keyboards. According to Ehow.com, a website driven by Demand Media, linear keyboards need consistent force to compress each key. When you push down on the key to
18 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
register an entry, you don’t feel the key pushing back against your finger. When the key comes in contact with the bottom of the keyboard, you can remove your finger. Tactile keyboards, however, give increased resistance when you push the key only halfway. This is due to the key’s base, and it creates a sensation in your fingers every time you press a key. The sensation is used to announce that the computer has registered the key you have pushed. This is similar to the clicking of a keyboard without the sound. Computerworld, a technology news and information webpage, predicts that the physical keyboard will not disappear from the computer. However, smartphones and touch screens have predictive keyboards that guess the words you are typing, so it takes away the requirement to have keyboarding knowledge. The advantages and disadvantages of
learning how to type may relate to your future, still. Perhaps, the career you aim for requires that you learn this skill. It may actually be necessary, but this ability may just make you seem more professional with your co-workers. You could feel proud of yourself for knowing a skill that has possibly become obsolete in the distant future. Though you may learn the skill of touch-typing, many people basically just hunt-and-peck across their keyboard without a second thought…but that takes more time. In summary, you may or may not believe in needing the skill of keyboard knowledge. I actually did learn how to write in cursive and how to touch-type, but I honestly feel that not everyone is required to learn these skills. I guess it just depends on the person you are. How do you feel about skill of touch-typing? Do you think it’s necessary?
Girls, do you enjoy your freedoms here in the U.S.? by SARA HINSHAW-HATTEN All over the world fathers and mothers turn against their kids and husbands turn against their wives, all because they broke a single rule or didn’t follow their orders. Women in religious Muslim countries have died from acid being dumped on them, being buried alive, hangings, stabbings, and so many other horrible deaths because they have blemished their family’s honor. Murder is illegal in most countries, but apparently honor killings are okay. If any charges are brought against the families for the murder it is usually a light charge or maybe just a fine. Gul Meena was one of the many victims of “honor killings” and is also a part of the few that have survived. Married to an abusive 60-year old man at age 12, she had her whole life planned out for her. When she turned 17, she finally couldn’t take the beatings and ran off with another man leaving everything behind her. Her brother soon found them though and with an axe, he cut down her friend and once her friend was dead, her brother started beating her. He attacked her 15 times with his axe then left her for dead. Just the thought of this happening makes me angry, but to the Islamic people, it was expected for her brother to kill her to restore the honor of their family. Gul Meena was left to die by her own brother because she didn’t want the life chosen for her. She now lives in a shelter covered in scars and terrified. To her family, Meena is dead because she left her husband and will never be mentioned again, but for Meena, she sits there everyday trying to cope with what has happened to her. She has tried to kill herself many times, but was always stopped
by the people who run the shelter. She would rather die then have to look in the mirror everyday and be reminded of what happened to her. To see what her family had accepted as necessary, what they felt she deserved. In 2011, over 900 honor killings were committed in Islamic-based families. They have happened all over the world including the U.S. Families turn against each other because one of them has broken a rule. I understand that some rules shouldn’t be broken by anyone, but murder is too extreme. Some of the many women that were killed families explaining their reasoning for her murder being that she had become too westernized. They mean that she was too independent and not subservient enough for a girl. That makes me so mad to think of the women killed because they wanted to be their own person. Some women were killed because they didn’t want to wear veils over their faces all the time. That’s not a good enough reason to murder your wives, daughters, and sisters. Heck, there is never a good reason to kill your loved ones. Women are terrified of what might happen to them if they speak up, if they actually do what they want, not what is planned out by their families. All of these honor killing victims aren’t disgraces, they are women that their culture couldn’t handle. They were the women who wouldn’t be controlled. All these women wanted was their freedom. They wanted the feeling that their future was their choice, their mistakes, their rights, and because of it they were murdered. Honor killing isn’t some kind of justice. It isn’t some kind of right given to any man, woman, or child. Honor killings are murder, plain and simple.
CASSANDRA CRUZ
SOUND OFF!! WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HONOR KILLINGS OR HONOR-BASED VIOLENCE?
8TH GRADE
“They [honor killings] are pretty messed up. I would question why women are seen at such a low standard. If it was my family this was happening to then I would protest against it. If I lived in a country that did that then I would do what they said since I wouldn’t want to be killed.”
NICHOLAS BRETZKI 8TH GRADE
“They shouldn’t be allowed. I would tell them to run away if this was happening to people in my family. If I was a girl living in that world? Then no, I wouldn’t be able to deal with that.”
Did You Know? There are over 5000 honor killings internationally each year. 1000 honour killings occur in India. 1000 honour killings occur in Pakistan. 12 honour killings per year in the United Kingdom. These figures are considered estimates and are widely believed to be severe underestimates. Due to lack of focused reporting and recording of honor killings internationally very little is known about the true extent of HBV (honor-based violence) worldwide.
Forms of honor-based violence: ‘Honor’ suicide
Families may deploy a strategy of forcing women to kill themselves in order to remain technically innocent of murder.
‘Honor’ killing
‘Honor’ killings, as the ultimate sanction against a woman who has deemed to have offended collective morality may be a highly organized and premeditated crime, decided upon through a collective decisionmaking process involving a family ‘council’ meeting, in which the murder is planned to the last detail.
Capture & imprisonment
Where women are subjected to violence at their hands of their families this may include abduction, if they have fled the family home to seek protection; within certain diasporic communities professional agencies exist dedicated to the location and retrieval of runaway women and girls.
Forced abortion
If a woman becomes pregnant before marriage, and this is unknown outside the family circle, it may be considered a better solution to for an abortion than to commit a crime; however, if her condition is common knowledge, more severe responses may be required to stop negative responses from the community.
Forced marriage
In some cases, a woman who is perceived to have violated family honor may be forced into marriage. This has a double effect of saving face and increasing surveillance and control over her by increasing the number of persons who are able to control and police her behavior. Such marriages may involve an undesirable spouse who is unable to contract a marriage by other means.
Countries where honorbased violence occurs:
Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, Yemen, France, Germany, India, Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, and other Mediterranean and Persian Gulf countries.
SOURCE / HONOUR BASED VIOLENCE AWARENESS NETWORK
THEIR RULES, THEIR HONOR, HER PAIN
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 19
DRESS CODE:
TOO MUCH TO HANDLE? Surprise snatchings upset students but rules are rules by EMILY LIM On Feb. 28, over a hundred jackets, sweaters, and pullovers were confiscated from students here. The school staff seized all of this clothing because the students with these clothes were not following the school’s dress code. The district mentions in their dress code policy that jackets, sweaters and sweatshirts worn in class must be the same color as the students’ grade level shirts and may not contain logos or writing. This means 7th graders should wear red, and 8th graders should wear black items. Both seventh and eighth graders, however, are also allowed to wear jackets/hoodies that are associated with North Shore. Other than the choices I have mentioned, students are not permitted to wear any other kind of outerwear. Though this seems to make the school seem a little too strict with their rules, there are advantages and disadvantages with the dress code. If you are a pessimistic person and want to see this in a negative light, you could just complain that it’s just not fair. Other schools wear a variety of sweaters, but you are confined in a red, black, or North Shore sweatshirt. Maybe, you simply despise wearing black or red. Some students think this way about the rule. On the other hand, if a student follows the dress code
properly; they would not have their sweatshirt taken away from them. One reason the school does not allow students to wear any kind of jacket they desire is because of the issue of how people judge others by the clothes that they wear. Some brands one might dress in are Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Aeropostale, or Gilly Hicks. Popular brands or logos can show wealth, and brands that people have never seen before (or none at all) assume you don’t have a lot of money. Some students may or may not think about clothing this way, like myself for example. I have never glanced at a person’s clothing and labeled them as rich or poor, but others might do this without a second thought. Another reason for their concern is to distinguish 7th and 8th graders from one another in the school, a safety issue. The color of a student’s sweater correlates to their uniform shirt. This rule is to also prevent confusing a visitor on campus from a student. If all students were permitted to wear any kind of jacket, you would not be able to differentiate a student and someone who does not belong on campus. You still might think the school is taking it too far with the dress code, but I believe that the school is simply just trying to look out for us. In the end, it is just a
KEEP YOUR THIEVING HANDS TO YOURSELF! Theft at school is a problem, but it’s easily fixed if... by SARA HINSHAW-HATTEN Theft in school is something we worry about everyday. I won’t even bring my Kindle to school because I am too afraid someone will steal it. Laptops, phones, and other electronics are stolen everyday because people can’t just be a good person and leave stuff to their rightful owners. With all the serial numbers and tracking apps it is seriously stupid to take anything anyway. People steal things for what, the joy that comes from looking over your shoulder every five seconds waiting to get caught? That doesn’t seem very fun to me. When someone gets caught they get fined, suspended and everyone is told they’re a thief. So for the rest of the time their friends won’t let them see any
20 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
of their electronics because they are so afraid they’ll disappear. It really annoys me when someone believes that just because they found something on the floor then it’s theirs. If you find something on the floor then you don’t just keep it yourself. The nice thing to do would be to find out who it belongs to and return it. I believe that “Finders Keepers” is the stupidest saying ever. Theft in school is a huge problem that can’t just be talked away. The teachers can talk to us about theft for hours but that doesn’t help. You have to decide to not be a jerk and to do the right thing. People are afraid to even put their phones in their backpacks because if they leave it for one second then their stuff could be taken. Not only is it not nice, but it is also
sweater you cannot wear at school. If you want to wear your favorite jacket, but it does not follow the dress code, just wear it outside of school. Who says that your sweatshirts are limited at school? This is my own opinion on the matter though. What do you personally think about the dress code?
SOUND OFF!!
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT DRESS CODE?
AMBAR SOLORZANO 7TH GRADE
“I kind of don’t care, but I prefer that we should be allowed to wear any kind of jacket we want.”
SARAH GRAVES 7TH GRADE
“I feel that if we have to wear uniforms, then we should be allowed to wear any kind of sweater we want as long as it’s appropriate.”
YOUR FEELINGS ON PEOPLE WHO STEAL? ANALISA CASTILLO 8TH GRADE
“People who steal are really bad. I get seriously mad when anybody touches my stuff. I have to be extra careful at school because you can’t trust anybody not to take your stuff.”
JOSHUA PADILLA 8TH GRADE
“I think that they aren’t bad people they just don’t have the resources they need so they have to steal. First I would think of why they have to steal, then if they could have gotten it some other way. I have to be careful because even though the principals and teachers keep everyone in check they can’t be everywhere at once.”
illegal. You can get fined, suspended, and even go to jail, depending on the value of the item. People rarely forgive or forget when they find out who stole their stuff. It will follow you all throughout school and even after. If you see someone’s backpack sitting there with no one around that is not a reason to go through their stuff. I’m pretty sure the thief wouldn’t want their things taken from them. So, everyone needs to keep their hands off other people’s property.
THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM: Is it beneficial? Based on its pros and cons, some classes at North Shore would see good results by KENNY MA In 2007, Jonathan Bergman and Aaron Sams, teachers from Woodland Park High School in Woodland Park, Colorado, discovered software to record PowerPoint presentations. They recorded and posted their live lectures online for students who missed class. The online lectures started to spread and Bergman and Sams were asked to speak to teachers around the country about their methods. Teachers began using online videos and video podcast, a series of episodes, to teach students outside class, reserving class time for collaborative work and concept mastery exercises. According to Knewton, an educational website to help the school’s learning performance, a flipped classroom is when the school or teachers invert traditional teaching methods, delivering instruction online outside of class and moving “homework” into the classroom. When using the traditional method, students are constantly being pushed and pulled into the next idea, even though they haven’t understood the concept. The traditional teaching is when the teacher is in control of the class, though in the flipped classroom the students help each other learn as the teacher is walking around helping the students understand the concept or teachers may revisit lessons to help and support the students. During class, the students are doing labs or interactive activities to illustrate concepts. Most teachers create three videos, each around five to seven minutes, a week to teach the class about the lesson. When the students miss the class; they can watch the videos to catch up. Students can watch the video at their own pace and communicate with their peers. After the watching the video, you may comment and receive instant feedback. Some students won’t get as frustrated as before because they wouldn’t do their homework, but now they are working in class to minimize this prob-
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lem. The bad thing about the flipped classroom is that if you are underprivileged, such as not having enough money to purchase electronic devices, you won’t get all the benefits of the flipped classroom. The flipped classroom is better suited for high school because students in high school are usually more responsible and knowledgeable, but there are some middle school classes, like Algebra and Pre-AP classes, that would be able to use this method. The flipped classroom provides an opportunity for learning through activity while using educational technology, which influences the learning environment. Before the flip was made between traditional and flipped classes, the percent of freshman who failed an Algebra test was greater than 50%, while the scores for English were at 44%, and 736 students had discipline cases in one semester. After the flip was made there were 19% of the freshman students who failed the Algebra test, 13% who failed the English test, and 249 students had discipline issues in one semester. Sixty-nine percent of students graduated, though the other 31% didn’t. In the U.S., 7,200 students drop out each day and 1.3 million drop out per year. This is one reason we should have flipped classrooms to drive our thirst for knowledge. I believe that the flipped classroom method should be used more frequently, and that we should encourage the teachers and students to use this technique. The flipped classroom allows more time to help students one on one and builds a stronger teacher/student relationship. What do you think?
DO YOU LIKE THE IDEA OF A FLIPPED CLASSROOM?
RAQUEL SANCHEZ 7TH GRADE
“I think it’s a good idea because students have the chance to collaborate and put their minds together.”
RUBY RODRIGUEZ 8TH GRADE
PLEASE RECYCLE!
After you’ve finished reading this newspaper, hand it off to someone else so they can read it or place it in a recycle bin. Do your part to take care of the environment.
SOURCE / FLIPPED LEARNING NETWORK
“I believe that this is a good idea because students can interact with one another to get better ideas and two brains are better than one.”
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 21
Mustangs dominate Cunningham by LEONARDO REYES & VICTOR DAVILA On Feb. 4 the 7th grade A basketball team took on the Cunningham Lady Wildcats at the North Shore Senior High gym. The Lady Mustangs entered the game with a record of 4 wins and 3 losses and the Wildcats with a 7 win and 1 loss record. The starters for the game were Nathaly Oviedo, Zoya Hicks, Lauryn Sephus, Ali’yah Harrison, and Asjai Robinson. The game started with Oviedo winning the tip-off, however the Mustangs couldn’t score. Sephus scored the first basket of the game with an assist from Harrison. From the start the Mustangs had an aggressive defense, and weren’t giving up any easy shots. “You’ve got to be able to see the ball,” yelled Coach Wait as the Wildcats scored a lay-up. The Wildcats had an aggressive defense as well, however they were constantly being charged with fouls. The last basket of the quarter was made by Denise Guadado. The quarter ended with a 10-6 lead for the Mustangs. Starting the second quarter, the Wildcats had the first possession, but it led to a steal and a basket for the Mustangs by Kaylan Hardeman. Throughout the quarter, both sides had an aggressive defense, blocking and stealing the ball from the other team. The next basket was made by Mickayla Berguin with four minutes left in the quarter. The Mustangs strong defense played a role, not letting the Wildcats score since the first quarter. The next two baskets where made by Zoya Hicks and Asjai Robinson, both driving down the court to make layups. Robinson once again drove down
the court for another basket to end the quarter with a score of 20-9. During halftime, the team was in a huddle in the corner of the court. “Defensively we are not covering,” explained Coach Wait, “cover your girl.” Coach Wait continued to motivate and relax the team, since they had a comfortable lead at the moment. Coach glanced at the clock and saw that time was running out, “Next sixteen minutes give me all you got…go in strong,” instructed Coach Wait. The third quarter got underway when Hardeman scored a lay up for a 22-point lead. During the third quarter both teams were playing aggressive defense, which created turnovers. The Wildcats’ overly aggressive defense caused them to foul frequently. They defense created so many fouls that over half of the Mustang’s points were made from free throws. The third quarter ended with the Mustangs keeping their lead with a score of 30-13. The final quarter started with the Mustangs picking up right where they left off. Oviedo made the first basket of the quarter, which was a lay-up. The game soon came to a pause when a Cunningham player was injured, however, she was helped off the court and the game continued. The Mustangs’ defense continued to be aggressive and created various turnovers. The end of the game was approaching, and both teams realized it, so they were driving to the basket more in hopes of making more shots. The game ended with the Mustangs winning with a lead of 23, the final score was 44-21. This game closed out the season and left the Mustangs with a 5-3 record. Even though both teams had played hard, in
PHOTO / MADISON MERICLE
Seventh graders aggressive defense helps secure win
Seventh grader Savannah Herrera lays up the ball and scores two points for the team on Feb. 4 during their final game of the season in the North Shore Senior High Auxiliary Gym. The Mustangs defeated the Wildcats with a score of 44-21.
the end; the Mustangs’ balance between offensive and defensive skills led them to a victory against their rival team. “We did good and worked together, but we could have been more successful if we made our layups,” said the Mustangs’ lead scorer Asjai Robinson. The team played efficiently, keeping up with Cunningham’s offense and stealing the ball. “I was very proud of the girls. They have the heart of a champion,” said Coach Wait after the game.
NORTH SHORE OFFERS CAMPS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES Volleyball Skills/Leadership camp will be held at North Shore Senior High starting June 7th through June 21. The registration fee is $50 before June 7 and $60 if you pay after June 7. The first day of camp will begin with registration at 12:30pm. Athletes will need to bring knee pads, a towel and a water bottle. The camp is available for incoming 7th and 8th graders. (Session 2) The time to show up is 12:30pm and the camp starts at 1pm and ends at 3pm. 22 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
Lady Mustangs break rival’s winning streak Key players and defense lead to win against Cunningham by ULISES SALAZAR On Feb. 4th, the 8th grade Lady Mustang B basketball team faced their biggest rival, the Cunningham Wildcats at the North Shore Senior High auditorium. Their record was 4 wins and 1 loss so far for the season. The Mustangs had been looking forward to this game all season. “We practiced running down the court by running laps. Practiced dribbling and defense to win the game,” said 8th grader Naya Ashe. The 1st quarter started off with the Wildcats winning the tip-off. The Wildcats scored two points with the timer at 5:10 and scored another two points eight seconds after. The Wildcats were putting pressure on the ball and for that reason, Coach Gordon called a timeout to see how to stop the Wildcats from retrieving the ball. The Mustangs were turning over the ball because the Wildcat’s defense was getting aggressive. “Do you know who you have?” asked Coach Gordon during the timeout to some of the players going on the court to make sure they knew what they were doing. Claudia Martinez got a rebound with the clock at :42 and drove to the other side of the court to make a buzzer beater. The 1st quarter ended with a score of 10-6.
“Great job, great job, let’s give some people breaks, let’s leave Ware and Armani,” said Coach Gordon. She then congratulated the team for doing a fantastic job. The Wildcats started the 2nd quarter by turning the ball over after being charged with traveling. Adrianna Ware struggled to make a shot because she was closely guarded, but managed to make a layup. By now both teams’ defense was aggressive. Martinez and Ware were playmakers, scoring most of the team’s points. The Mustangs were in the lead by six points; 16-10. Martinez kept getting rebounds because of the Mustangs’ aggressive defense and offense. The ladies then scored 6 points in 10 seconds by rushing the ball to the opponent’s basket. By the end of the second quarter, the score was 24-14, with the Mustangs ahead by ten points. At halftime, both teams went to their coaches and talked about their ways of defeating the opponent. Both teams knew that their defense and offense was strong. Since Ware and Martinez were playing hard, Coach Gordon decided to give them breaks for the third quarter. The Wildcats started off the 3rd quarter by drawing a foul. Since the Wildcats kept drawing fouls, their coach called a timeout. By then, the Mustangs decided to take advantage and decided to help each other too. As the timer ran out, both teams ran back on the court. The Wildcats stepped up their offensive skills and the Lady Mustangs responded by
stepping up their defense. Lenor shot a three pointer with the clock at 2:27 and the North Shore side responded by screaming and clapping. Lenor recovered the ball from the Wildcats and then ended the quarter with a layup, leaving the score 34-22. The 4th quarter started and the Wildcats scored, driving through the Mustang’s defense. As the Mustangs tried to make some baskets, the Wildcats kept catching up. But not for long, the Mustangs got more aggressive on defense and were keeping the Wildcats from scoring. “Alright girls, stay on it on defense,” said Coach Gordon since the Mustangs were blocking the Wildcats. “I was excited, and I was crunk, I knew we were going to win because we had practiced hard and prayed,” said 8th grader Adrianna Ware. The Mustangs’ defense was getting more aggressive towards the last quarter. Both teams were going back and forth since both team’s defense were aggressive. The Wildcats offense was getting aggressive also. Ware shot a 3-pointer at the :50 second mark. The quarter ended with the Lady Mustangs winning 46-34. The Lady Mustangs walked off excited that they had won the district championship. They proved that they had played well and beat their rival. “I was proud because they [Mustangs] were a better team, they worked hard all season, and they had the right to win,” said Coach Sanford. The Mustangs’ defense was the most important factor that helped them beat their rival.
PHOTO / MADISON MERICLE
North Shore Mustang 2013 Basketball Camp
Eighth grader Armani Lenor lays up the ball on Feb. 4 at the North Shore Senior High gym during their last game of the season. The Mustangs won the game with a score of 46-34 versus the Wildcats.
North Shore will host a basketball camps at the senior high gyms starting June 10th through June 13. The registration fee is $50 before June 7 and $60 if you pay after June 7. Athletes must wear the appropriate shoes, shorts, bring a water bottle and a towel. The camp is available for incoming 7th, 8th, and 9th graders. The sessions are Mon. through Thurs. No sessions will be held on Friday. The time to show up is 8am and the camp starts at 8:30am and ends at noon. VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 23
SPORTS
Mustangs suffer
loss in a fight to the finish Final game brings out players’ best against Cunningham
steals and hustled down the court leaving the Mustangs behind. The Wildcats’ On Feb 7, the Mustang 8th grade A defense had great movement and tried to boys’ basketball team played their rivals, deflect passes and shots. Thomas kept the Cunningham Wildcats, at North Shore breaking the Mustangs’ defense by coming Senior High in the main gym and the down the court and shooting 3-pointers. ‘Stangs had a record of 4-4. Before the In the last 2 minutes of the quarter, the players started the game the high school Mustangs got a turnover and the Wildcats coaches announced each player’s name took the ball. The Wildcats hustled down and everyone cheered and screamed for the court and set up a play. They moved each player. the ball quickly and before the 1st quarter As Coach Atkins called out his starting was over, Thomas shot a 3-pointer right line up: Chase Middleton, Jaylen Thomas, when the buzzer sounded. Cunningham Bryant Badie, Patrick Davis and Amadou fans went wild screaming and cheering Gamby the stands were shouting, “Lets Go throughout the stands. The Mustangs Mustangs!” and “Let’s go Wildcats!” hustled off the court falling short with a Right after Chase Middleton and August score of 6-14 in the first quarter. Thomas jumped for the ball, the game Before the 2nd quarter started, Coach was fast and the players were ready. The Atkins drew plays for offense and defense. Mustangs started off in a zone defense “I want to see you guys run the plays. Run they played tightly against the Wildcats but spread it’s going to work if you run it,” he it started falling apart. The Wildcats got said as the team drank water and breathed heavily. As Andrew Bolden, Roddrick Coffman, Marquise Joseph, Patrick Davis, and Jesus Frayer subbed onto the court the crowd was cheering. The Mustangs came in the 2nd quarter with a new attitude toward the game and were focused on what they needed to do. They ran their offensive play spread and played great defense. After the Mustangs scored or the Wildcats scored they rushed down the court to set up defensively. The Mustangs picked up the up the pace and got back after each bucket. The Mustangs had a smart defense and active offense by playing their area, covering their teammate, and constantly moving. If a player steps out to play a defender then the other person has to move over to the area their teammate was playing. Bolden and Joseph had Eighth grader Patrich Davis glides through the air to bounce great low post movement in the ball off the backboard for a lay-up on Feb. 7 during their the game and Frayer moved final game of the season in the North Shore Senior HIgh Auxithe ball around the court lary Gym. Davis took over the game in the 2nd half but they good. Patrick Davis also lost to Cunningham. PHOTO / REAGAN NUNEZ
by TAALIYAH PORCHIA
24 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
scored points by driving to the basket and taking the foul. Cunningham, on the other hand, had multiple turnovers and weren’t playing good defense. Their offense slowed down and was taken at a general pace. They still didn’t make smart decisions. The star player for the Mustangs, Davis, went in for every shot. He had 17 points in the 2nd quarter. “I played hard for the game and for my team. I was getting frustrated but the best thing to do was just to push through it. I know my teammates gave all they had and we gave it our best shot. I’ll take this lose because I know we all tried,” said Davis. At the end of the 2nd quarter, the Mustangs led with a score of 26-14. During half-time Coach Atkins encouraged the team, “Do you guys see what running the plays and playing smart defense gets us! If you guys keep running spread you’re going to tire them out. They’re getting tired. Keep up the good work,” he said. At the start of the 3rd quarter, the Mustangs were ready and pumped up. Coach Atkins subbed in Bryant Badie, Patrick Davis, Amadou Gamby, Chase Middleton, and Jaylen Thomas. The Mustangs continued to stay with Cunningham. The Mustangs post players had great moves under the basket. The Mustangs became tired and their defense started to slack off. Cunningham came back in the 3rd quarter with better defense and their offense was quicker. They also started making smarter decisions. The Wildcats began to gain back the lead. By the end of the 3rd quarter the Mustangs fell behind because of not getting back after a basket they ended with a score of 26-28. In the fourth quarter Atkins subbed in Patrick Davis, Jaylen Thomas, Amadou Gamby, Bryant Badie, and Chase Middleton. The Mustangs tried to stay with the Wildcats but were getting tired from the Wildcats’ quick offense. So Coach Atkins subbed in Devonte Singaltary, Andrew Bolden, Jesus Frayer, and Marquise Joseph. They had good defense but were still falling behind. The Mustangs slowly gave up and they began to get lots of turnovers and still tried to pull through. Cunningham had great defense and offense and made better decisions and sealed the game with a score of 37-52. In conclusion, the Mustangs started out with great offense and smart defense but slowly became too fatigued to go on. They fought hard but came out with a loss leaving them with a record of 4-5 for the season. “I know they all gave me a 100%. I’m happy with this loss because I know they gave their all,” said Coach Atkins.
Mustangs work hard to beat rivals Significant injuries sidelines athletes
Eleven talented North Shore players take on a big challenge by LEAH MAXWELL
PHOTO / MELANIE GOMEZ
On Feb. 7, the 7th grade boys B basketball team played their long-time rival, the Cunningham Wildcats, at the North Shore Senior High Aux. Gym, hoping to keep their undefeated streak going. As the game started, Coach Penny put out his starting five: Darion McDaniel, Kerrion Hadknott, John Godfrey, Kasey Bone, and Jose Salazar. To start off the 1st quarter, Jose Salazar lost the jumpball but Darion McDaniel quickly recovered the ball. A Cunningham player was fouled and missed both free throw shots. As John Godfrey took out the ball, he passed it to McDaniel who went up for a layup and made a 3-second toilet bowl. As Cunningham regrouped, McDaniel passed the ball too hard to Hadknott who passed it right back, and the Wildcats’ defense caused him to shoot a 3, which he airballed. As the quarter came to a close, McDaniel was the star player with his floaters, layups and assists; he led his team to a score of 6-11. To start off the 2nd quarter, Coach Penny had a few words to say. “We gotta move to the ball, you guys are just sitting around, and don’t forget to box out!” he yelled. As the Wildcats set up in some play, Hadknott stole the ball, went up for a fast break and got fouled. He made 1 out of 2 shots. As time progressed, our Mustangs were hustling very hard
and diving for every loose ball. By the end of the quarter, the ‘Stangs got to an 8-point difference in the score. In the 3rd quarter, John Godfrey shot the most points in the team to a 5-point difference. The Wildcats’ defense was on point but by the end of the quarter, Cunningham had 5 turnovers and we had 2. To start off the last quarter, McDaniel swished a 3-pointer. As Cunningham regrouped, Deveone Cooper stole the ball and gave it to Kerrion for a fast break which he scored. Then, when Cunningham couldn’t take it any more, they called for a timeout with the score 34-36, Wildcats were in the lead. “They’re going to waste time on purpose so man up!” Coach Penny said as he set up a play. This play helped because just as Cunningham threw the ball in, Kerrion stole the ball and shot it making the score 36-38. Next, the Wildcats stole the ball, and then John stole it back and made a 2, got fouled, then missed both free throw shots. The crowd was going back and forth, oooing and ahhing for each team. The last two minutes of the game, John shot 4 points making the final score of 48-51. The Mustangs played their hardest until the last second of the game. Their determination and dedication shows just how much they want to win and by next year, they’ll be all set.
Seventh grader Darion McDaniel crosses one of the Cunningham defenders during their last game of the season on Feb. 7 in the North Shore Senior High Auxilary gym. Unfortunately, the Mustangs lost to Cunningham but gained valuable knowledge for next year.
by ULISES SALAZAR On Oct. 2, 2012, the North Shore football team played against Anthony Aguirre at home. North Shore’s quarterback, Bryant Badie, threw the ball to eighth grader Eltroy Potts and as Potts caught the ball, he fell to the ground. As he fell, he felt his foot snap. Potts’ teammates and the coaches feared that he would not be able to get back in the game and help the team. After falling, Potts worried about his leg being broken. “What was that noise? I couldn’t feel my ankle. I hoped I could get back in that game,” said Potts. Potts remained on the sideline for the rest of the game. Many people stop playing their favorite sport all because of an injury. “I couldn’t play anymore, I couldn’t walk like I wanted to and I had to gain my speed back and basically start from scratch,” said Potts. He attended his physical therapy and prayed a lot for his broken leg to heal as soon as possible. Students learn that injuries don’t just affect them in the field but in their everyday life as well. When eighth grader Matteo McCleary broke his right arm in the Woodland Acres football game, daily tasks became a struggle. “I had someone write for me and sometimes I tried to write with my left hand,” he said. Matteo was excluded from the rest of the season because of his injury. The coaches do get upset when they lose a player. “It hurts the team because we lost the best outside linebacker,” said Coach Atkins when asked about Matteo’s injury. “He was irreplaceable,” he said. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, participation in organized sports is on the rise. Nearly 30 million children and adolescents participate in youth sports in the United States. Although 62 percent of organized sport-related injuries occur during practice, one third of parents do not have their children take the same safety precautions at practice that they would during a game. On average, the rate and severity of injury increases with a child’s age. Almost all players at one time or another suffer from sports injuries. Injured student athletes are sometimes forced to the sidelines for a while due to their major injury and will have to deal with the pain and separation from the game. VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 25
Mustangs fight hard to maintain
WINNING STREAK Tough practices and good coaching helps boys track improve
by LEAH MAXWELL & TAALIYAH PORCHIA
in both events and you can take that to the bank,” said 7th grader Jay Barrs. To show off from many skills, the 7th grade boys scored 60 points by winning all three relays, leaving the other schools in the dust. The 8th grade boys also did an outstanding job getting 3rd in the 4x1(each person ran a 100m and 1st in the 4x4(each person ran a 400m and 4x2(each person ran a 200m. “I think we did a good job, I feel like we went out there and did our best,” said 8th grader Jaylen Thomas. Another event that our Mustangs excelled in was the 300 and 110 meter hurdles. Our 7th grade boys, Dre Edwards, Ishmael Brown, and Thomas Davis all placed in these events. Edwards placed 8th in the 300m hurdles with a time of 53.90
PHOTO / MELANIE GOMEZ
On March 28, our 7th and 8th grade boys track team participated in their 3rd track meet of the season at the North Shore High school track. The 8th graders came to show their new and improved skills, while 7th graders came to maintain their winning streak of 1st place in each track meet. “I’m proud to say that this year’s throwers are freaking amazing! Every time each one has gone they have placed,” said Coach Davis. Eighth grader Aaron Romero is one of the best discuss athletes here. His farthest throw is 110 ft. “I feel if I continue to work hard at practice and focus, I can beat my farthest throw. Even though at the last track meet I got third, I really think District
meet there’s a good chance I can place 1st,” said Romero. As far as the shot put event, 8th grader Khayman Johnson is one of the top athletes here in this event. “I believe with determination and hard work I can succeed in anything. There’s nothing like placing in a meet and knowing that you earned it but still knowing that you can do better,” said Johnson. In the 7th grade, Jay Barrs is one of the top athletes here that’s good in both shot and disc. “In shot really all you have do is move your lower body and torso and also getting the shot put up into air. Even though I placed 1st last meet, I know I can improve so at district I’ll blow everyone away. Throwing discuss is the same way, just working on my spin technique and my release. I’m still going to blow away the competition
Eighth grader Jaylen Thomas comes off the blocks to start the four by one relay during their 3rd track meet of the season on March 28th at the North Shore High School track. His relay ended with a time of 48.31, gaining eight points for the team. Starting off the blocks can help runners get a good start and reduce their run times, helping their teams ensure a win.
26 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
seconds and 2nd in the 110m hurdles with a time of 18.66 seconds. Brown placed 3rd in 110 hurdles with a time of 18.77 seconds and Davis placed 1st in the 110m hurdles with a time of 18.24 seconds. Eighth graders Roberto Martinez, Tony Rodriguez, and Andrew Bolden also placed and scored some points for the team. “I think that I did my best and I’m just glad that I placed,” said Bolden. “All I have to say is that if you aren’t first, you’re last,” said 8th grader Roberto Martinez, who won 1st place in the 110m hurdles with a time 17.08 seconds, 300m hurdles with a time of 44.99, and the 1600 meter relay with a time of 3.54.17. The 8th grade boys, Jesus Frayer and Jaylen Thomas, placed 4th and 5th in triple jump, scoring extra points for the team. “I’m so glad to be participating in the track meet and also place makes me feel like I really did accomplish something,” Frayer. “I think all the boys have done excellent job on earning points from week to week and I hope that we do the best that we can at our district meet,” said Coach Williams. On the track, the sprinters run a 100m, 200m, 400m, or an 800m or all 4 events. As for7th grader John Godfrey, he ran the 800. “The key is keeping your pace and long strides. The last track meet I got 1st. My coach always tells me that you’re not just running against the competition but you’re also running against time. So at district meet, I’m going to try my best to beat the competition and my best time,” said Godfrey. In the 8th grade, LaBrice Mackey ran the 400m. Mackey placed 10th with a time of 1.03.99. “The best thing is try not to get tired and focus. I try to follow these rules. I feel I always have room for improvement but it takes hard work and practice,” said Mackey. In conclusion, the boys Mustang track team is working hard to try and improve for their district meet. The only way to improve is to work hard, go to practice, stay fit, and be determined to go past your goal. Hopefully their work will pay off, because the boys track team is looking to be district champs.
Lady Mustangs dominate at district track meet by VICTOR DAVILA & LEONARDO REYES On Mar. 26 the 8th grade girls’ track team competed in a district track meet at the North Shore High School track complex against Alice Johnson, Anthony Aguirre, Cunningham, Null, Galena Park, Woodland Acres, and C.E. King. This meet would determine what school’s track team would be district champions. The track team had been preparing for this meet all season. They’d been pushing themselves hard during practice every morning at 7:00 am, trying to improve their speed and strength. “I think we’ll do good against the other schools because the coaches have prepared us well, and they still encourage us to do better,” said 8th grader Karen Rayas. Naya Ashe, Valerie Moya, Leah Maxwell, Caitlin Torres and Taylor Crouch participated in the most events, and helped tremendously giving their all, placing in most of their events, and by earning a total of 108 points. By the end of the meet, they were exhausted, but proud of themselves for their efforts. We placed in most events, however we absolutely dominated in the relays, placing 1st
in all three of the relays. The relays were one of the key factors to earning the team points. “I ran my hardest, and gave it all I had, and I pushed myself, so I wouldn’t let my team down,” said Crouch. Taylor Crouch, Caitlin Torres, and Valerie Moya also ran the 400 meter dash. You could see the determination in their eyes as they took off to start the race. They all wore a facial expression that showed they were running their hardest. They left the competition in dust, placing 1st, 2nd, and, 3rd, earning 24 points for the team. Soon after the meet was over, they announced what schools placed. 4th…. 3rd… 2nd..., the air was thick with anticipation, “1st place…” said the announcer as the crowd became silent, “North Shore.” Everybody from North Shore went crazy and screamed in excitement. The Mustangs’ hard work, and determination had finally paid off, they were now District Champions and proud of it. “I think they did a fantastic job closing out the season. They played and worked hard and represented our school like the Mustangs, they made us look good… because we are!” said Coach Wait.
PHOTO / MELANIE GOMEZ
Determination, a will to come out on top and tough coaching help girls win district title
Seventh grader Ali’yah Harrison jumps over the board during the long jump event, scoring ten points on March 26 at the North Shore High School track complex. Harrison placed first overall in the long jump during the girls district track meet.
AC Milan wins in last minute stunner Multiple attacks on good goalkeeper helps AC Milan earn bye by LEONARDO REYES On Apr. 23, AC Milan faced Chelsea on the North Shore Senior High soccer field. The two teams that were at the top of the bracket and now the winner would get a first round bye. Chelsea entered with a record of 3 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw and AC Milan with a record of 4 wins, 0 losses, 0 draws. At the beginning of the game, AC Milan started with possession. After kickoff neither team could execute an attack but there was plenty of opportunity.
Ten minutes into the game, the counter attacks started to come. The first counter attack came by Chelsea but was tipped by the AC Milan’s goalie, Aaron Adalpe. The ball kept on being tipped or caught by both goalies which meant that both sides had really good goal keepers. During the 20th minute AC Milan’s defense had committed a foul. Eduardo Trevino from Chelsea had popped out by dribbling through the AC Milan defense and making important passes. By the end of the half both teams were
exhausted and the score was still 0-0. Right after the second half started, Jonathan Rodriguez from AC Milan blasted a ball at the goal but was blocked by the Chelsea goal keeper. The next five minutes favored AC Milan for their many counter attacks. Then out of nowhere, Eduardo Trevino from Chelsea shot and the ball floated over the AC Milan goalie’s hands which made the score 1-0 for Chelsea. Then Adrian Medrano from Chelsea shot but it hit the pole and bounced out of bounds. A
couple of plays later, AC Milan’s Jonathan Rodriguez shot from outside the box and it flew by Angel Resendez, Chelsea’s goal keeper, which tied the game 1-1. The last couple of minutes the ball was getting shot back and forth. Until the last two minutes where Jonathan Rodriguez, AC Milan’s forward, shot the ball and Angel Resendez dived to block the ball, but only managed to tip the ball, it still went in to break the tie. At the end of the game, AC Milan beat Chelsea 2-1. AC Milan’s goals were both scored by Jonathan Rodriguez and Chelsea’s goal was scored by Eduardo Trevino. The game was close but at the end AC Milan won the first round bye. VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 27
Mustang’s improvements
HELP AT FINAL MEET Seventh and eighth grade boys enter the final track meet with high hopes
by LEAH MAXWELL & TAALIYAH PORCHIA
said Coach Davis. Seventh grade thrower, Jay Barrs placed 1st in the shot put with a distance of 48.8 inches and 1st in the discus event with a distance of 101.5 inches. Desemond Alverado placed in 4th shot put with a distance of 37.5 inches and 2nd discus with a distance 96.8 inches. “I feel I could’ve done better in my events at the district meet, even though I tried my best. I believe I could’ve placed better than fourth in shot put. In discus I feel placing 2nd was good but not good enough because I wasn’t really focused,” said Alverado. “I feel great about our district meet. I placed 1st in both my events. I left the competition, just like I said I would! I’m proud to say the
PHOTO / MELANIE GOMEZ
On April 4, our Mustangs competed in the district track Meet at the North Shore High track complex. The 7th graders arrived expecting to keep their winning streak of placing 1st at their meets and the 8th graders came defending their 3rd and 2nd place mark at past meets. To start the meet off, eighth grader Jesus Frayer took first place in the long jump division earning 10 points for the team. In the 110 hurdles, eighth grader Roberto Martinez placed 2nd scoring 7 points with a time of 17.6 seconds. Christian Hadknott got 4th in the 100 meter dash gaining 4 points with a distance of 17.7 inches. In the 300 hurdles, Andrew Bolden
placed 3rd scoring 6 points. “I really tried my best and did it for my team, so to know that I contributed to our success makes me feel good,” said Bolden. In the field events, 7th graders Kerrion Hadknott, Darion McDaniel and Ishmael Brown also contributed greatly to the team. Kerrion Hadknott placed 1st in triple jump adding 10 points to the team’s score. In long jump and the 110 meters hurdles, Ishmael brown placed 1st gaining 20 points. “I truly believe that all of my throwers have improved, especially the ones who went to our district meet. They threw with power, and represented our school well. They worked hard, came to practice, and beat the competition. I mean what more can you ask for?”
Eighth grader Andrew Bolden glides over the high jump bar while members of the Cunningham team watch as he works to gain as many points as possible on March 28 at the North Shore High School track complex during the last meet of the season.
28 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
seventh grade throwers did our thing at that district track meet. I can’t wait to put on those two gold medals. I’ve worked so hard for them,” said Barrs. The eighth grade throwers Khayman Johnson placed 16th in discus with a distance of 81.05 and 3rd in the shot put with a distance of 38.03 while Aaron Romero placed 5th in the discus with a distance of 107.09 inches. “I feel that even though I did try to do my best, it wasn’t my best. I wasn’t really focused, but I’m still glad that I had the opportunity to participate in the district meet,” said Johnson “I believe that this year I have been very successful in throwing discuss. Even though I didn’t place first in this track meet I feel that I gave my best efforts because I’ve been practicing and working hard and I feel that it paid off. I believe that all the 8th grade throwers did their best and I’m glad we all had this experience,” said Romero. The eighth grade throwers lost to Cunningham in discus and lost to Woodland Acres in the shot put event. On the track, distance runners Adolfo Salazar and César Flores ran the 1600 meter and the 2400 meter run. Salazar placed 2nd in both the 1600m and the 2400m and in the next lane on the track, César Flores placed 5th in the 1600 and 6th in the 2400 meter run. “The best thing to do when you’re a distance runner is to keep your pace and stay focused. Even though I’m really tired after the race, I can pat myself on the back and say I did great, because some people can’t even run a 1600 Continued on next page
Eighth grader Jaylen Thomas hands off the baton to eighth grader Jesus Frayre during the four by one relay during their district track meet at the North Shore High School track complex on March 28.
PHOTO / MELANIE GOMEZ
or a 2400,” said Salazar. “I’m glad that the district meet was a success for me and César because we worked hard and I think we deserve it,” he said. In conclusion, the Mustangs worked hard and never gave up hope on their hunt for becoming District Champions. The Mustangs’ determination and past accomplishments helped the 8th grade boys track team earn 2nd place out of 7 other schools in the district. Sadly the 8th grade track team lost to the Cunningham Wildcats at the district meet. The 7th grade boys track team, on the other hand, received 1st place, leaving the 8th graders as Co-District Champs and the 7th graders as District Champs out of 7 other schools in the district. The boys Mustang track team was satisfied and proud of their hard work because it really paid off.
PHOTO / MELANIE GOMEZ
Continued from last page
I placed 1st in both my events. I left the competition just like I said I would! I’m proud to say the seventh grade throwers did our thing at that district track meet. I can’t wait to put on those two gold medals. I’ve worked so hard for them.”
- Seventh grader Jay Barrs
Eighth grader Jesus Frayre flies through the air after his jump during the long jump event on March 28 at the North Shore High School track complex. Frayre and the rest of the competitors are trying their best to get as many points to add to their team’s final score in their hunt to become district champions.
PHOTO / MELANIE GOMEZ
Seventh grader De’Shawn Buckner runs the thousand six hundred meter run trying to finish off strong by passing up a Galena Park runner at the North Shore High School track on March 28.
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 29
PG-13
G.I. JOE Retaliation
Action-packed sequel to “The Rise of Cobra” satisfies, continues where last left off
by MARTIN BATREZ
IMAGES / APPLE TRAILERS
On March 28, the new movie, G.I. Joe Retaliation, rated PG-13, premiered in theaters. The director for this movie, Jon M. Chu, has shaped the movie into a great action film. Jon M. Chu has also directed Step Up 2, Step Up 3D and other movies. The G.I. Joe name has been around for 45 years now. In 1970, the G.I. Joe action figure had life-like hair, movable eyes, and also handgrips which let the action figure hold onto objects. When the changes were being added to the action figure, the creators thought they should put a space travel costume on him, just like the cartoon and the comics. When the action figure was a raging success, G.I. Joe was retired from service in 1978. In the beginning of the movie, the Joes get to base camp from their previous assignment, and while at base camp, they get ambushed. After the attack, the president gets cloned by Cobra forces and the cobra leader bans the Joes from the president’s protection and forces. The cobra commander declares war on all seven continents unless they agree to have nuclear bombs shot at each other. What I liked about the movie was when Roadblock, who is played by Dwayne Johnson, and Duke, who is played by Channing Tatum, were playing Modern Warfare 3, because when Roadblock was bleeding out while Duke was just spinning in place. Another part I liked about the movie was when Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow were dueling in the training room. I personally rate this movie 4 out of 4 stars, because it has a lot of action and fighting. I would recommend that you watch this amazing movie. Also the movie is really awesome because of the kind of technology they use in the movie like the remote they use to trigger the fly that explodes and also the snap shots the satellite takes from outer space of the cloned commander. If you missed the movie in theaters, you can get the Blu-ray or DVD pack on July 30.
The term G.I. stands, in popular usage, for ‘Government Issued’ and after the First World War became a generic term for U.S. soldiers. The origin of the term dates to World War I, when much of the equipment issued to U.S. soldiers was stamped “G.I.”, meaning that it was made from galvanized iron. SOURCE / THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE
30 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
Edgar Allan Poe has a ‘Following’ by ENRIQUE GONZALEZ On Jan. 21, a show called “The Following” premiered on FOX, starring Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy, a former FBI agent, James Purefoy as Joe Carroll, and Natalie Zea as Claire Matthews. The show was produced by Outerbanks Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. The new show, (written by Kevin Williamson) features a cult led by Joe Carroll, a ruthless serial killer influenced by the works of Edgar Allan Poe, a writer born in the 19th century. Carroll was first drawn to Edgar Allan Poe when he started teaching his college students about how the author wrote of death and murder at Winslow University. The cult’s members known as “Followers” are trying to get Joe’s son, Joey, back after Carroll was imprisoned for murdering 15 young women. Carroll is also trying to get revenge on Ryan Hardy for one big reason. The former FBI agent is the reason why Carroll is in jail.
During his 9 years of imprisonment, Carroll put together a complex plan to get his revenge on Hardy. After Carroll escapes from prison he starts his plan to ensure his revenge on Hardy, once and for all. Carroll is not the only one obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe. In Mr. Burke’s and Ms. Du Plaga’s Pre-AP English classes, students also learned about the author. In class, students read stories like “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Raven” and “The Masque of the Red Death”. They also watched a documentary about the author. Poe’s life was filled with sadness and death. His mother, brother, and two wives died of tuberculosis, a disease that attacks the lungs and is also a very painful disease. Students learned that Poe also wrote the first-ever detective story, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”, which would start the genre of mysteries. The author of Sherlock Holmes even based one of the characters of his story from Edgar
IMAGE / WIRED MAGAZINE
The TV series “The Following” has twists and turns that keeps you wanting more
In “The Following”, Kevin Bacon plays an FBI agent pulled out of retirement to track down the followers of a serial killer Joe Carroll, who based his killings on the works of Edgar Allan Poe.
Allan Poe’s story. I think this TV series is really mysterious and cool. I also like how the show has a big tie-in with Edgar Allan Poe because I like how he writes mysteries and they come to life on the show. Now, the series has already ended but you can check out
the show on the FOX Network website where you can view episodes and read about the characters on the show. You can also watch the whole series when it comes on on Blu-ray/DVD and the executive producer just announced that there will be a season two.
The Mortal Instruments series hits the big screen by CRYSTAL GARCIA The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, first book of the series by Cassandra Clare, is currently in production and will come out in theatres in August 21. The book was published in 2007 by Margaret K. McElderrly and the movie will be directed by Harald Zwart. In the book, fifteen-year-old Clary Fray, who is played by Lily Collins, is learning about her past to figure out how to save her mother, played by Lena Headey, who was taken away by demons. Clary discovers she is a descendant of a line of shadow hunters, half-angel/half-human teenagers who hunt demons to save the city of New York. Clary is the only one who can see the shadow hunters but they’re invisible to everyone else. The shadow hunters introduce her to a dangerous alternate New York called Downworld, filled with demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves and other deadly
creatures. The book was great and I hope the movie will be too. I would like to see the part where Clary goes to a restaurant and the waitress looks like a normal blond girl but up close, her eyes were entirely blue with no white or pupil at all. I also want to see that part because I haven’t seen a waitress with all blue eyes. I think the best part from the book was when Simon, Clary’s best friend, gets turned into a rat after drinking a blue drink at a party. In the movie trailer, I saw Clary’s runes, a symbol of some power, marked on her palm and glowing brightly. I will like to know what each rune has the ability to do like, make someone invisible. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because I really enjoyed reading the book and there wasn’t anything I disliked about it. I really liked the action and adventure in the book and hope the movie will turn out even better. You can watch the trailer on their official movie site: http://www.sonypictures.
IMAGE / APPLE TRAILERS
The City of Bones amazed students and has them waiting
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 31
The tablet wars have taken off
Having a hard time choosing which tablet you want for that summer reading or surfing? hard to take pictures. The Kindle is a great tablet to read because it has a really great resolution and has settings where you can adjust them to your liking. The Nook HD, created by Barnes and Noble, is priced at $269.00 for the 16GB and $299.00 for the 32GB. What I like about the Nook is that the Barnes and Noble app store provides good books, movies, and music. What I did not like is that it does not have a camera at all and the battery does not last as long as the iPad mini and the Kindle Fire HD. Since Barnes and Noble is a bookstore it manufactures
The Kindle Fire HD • 1280x800 HD display • Dolby audio and dual driver stereo speakers • Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi • 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor • Front-facing HD camera • 16GB version - $199.00 • 32GB version - $229.00 32 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
tablets well so people can read books comfortably. It has settings where you can change the font size, font color, the theme (background), and to turn the page you have to tap the screen. All these tablets are fantastic and they have their pros and cons. I personally like the iPad mini more because it has a rear and front camera. The Kindle fire HD is still a great tablet because it has a good resolution to read your favorite books and magazines. The Nook HD is also a good tablet because its app store has good apps to choose from.
IMAGE / APPLE.COM
IMAGE / AMAZON.COM
Have you ever seen someone reading with the iPad mini, the Nook tablet HD, or the Kindle Fire HD? These three tablets are different from other tablets. This year Apple, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble have made smaller tablets than usual. The iPad mini, created by Apple, is priced at $329.00 for the 16GB, $429.00 for the 32GB and $529.00 for the 64GB. I think that the iPad mini is a great tablet because it is really light and the battery lasts long. The bad thing about the
iPad mini is that it’s very wide therefore hard to hold. This tablet has a built-in app called Newsstand, where you can read books, magazines, and newspapers. When you are reading, this app has settings where you can change the brightness if you’re reading in the dark, and you can change the font size and line spacing. The Kindle Fire HD, created by Amazon, is priced at $214.00 for the 16GB and $264.00 for the 32GB. What I like about the Kindle is that everything looks really clear and it has good speakers. The down side is that it doesn’t have a rear camera, so it’s
IMAGE / BARNESANDNOBLE.COM
by CRYSTAL ORTEZ
The Nook HD
The iPad Mini
• 720 HD display, 1440 x 900 pixel resolution • Fully laminated screen • 10-hour battery life • Now with Google Play • 10-hour battery life • Wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi • 8GB version - $199.00 • 16GB version - $229.00
• 7.2 mm thick • Features the powerful and power-efficient A5 chip • FaceTime built in • 7.9‑inch display • 10-hour battery life • Front-facing camera 720p HD video • 16GB version - $329.00 • 32GB version - $429.00 • 64GB version - $529.00
Eighth graders show their appreciation with a car wash PAC committee members get soaked during teacher appreciation car wash by REAGAN NUNEZ
Eighth graders Mary Alvarez, Christine Cabang and Chase Brown begin washing teacher’s cars on Thursday, May 9 to show their appreciation for what their teachers do here at school each day. The principal’s advisory committee washed around 20 cars and also got soaked in the process.
A PAC committee member scrubs a rim on a teacher’s car during their teacher appreciation car wash on May 9. PAC members made sure each car was spotless when they were done even though it looked like it was going to rain any minute outside.
Eighth graders Ana Guzman and Graciela Martinez wash the hood of the SUV of one of our teachers during their teacher appreciation car wash which took place on Thursday, May 9, just outside the student drop-off area. PAC members took two class periods to accomplish this task.
Eighth grader Claire Marks wipes down a teacher’s car during the first ever teacher appreciation car wash outside on May 9. Students wanted to show their teachers how much they appreciate their hard work every day.
Eighth grader Madison Bellard washes the windows of a faculty member’s car during their teacher appreciation car wash on May 9. The entire week of 6-10 was Teacher Appreciation Week across the nation and our students washed cars, wrote thank you letters, and voiced their appreciation for our teachers in what they do every day.
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4 • MAY 2013 33
What’s coming up in our
Got free time this summer? Check out a movie
World War Z JUNE 21 PG-13
Grown-Ups 2 JULY 13
PG-13
Despicable Me 2 JULY 3
PG
Man of Steel JUNE 14 PG-13
AUGUST 9
34 MAY 2013 • THE ‘STANG EXPRESS
Rating not available
IMAGES / TRAILERS.APPLE.COM
Elysium