Warrior Post April 2014 by Tricia Regalado

the

Warrior Post

Martin High School 4501 W. Pleasant Ridge Dr. Arlington, TX 76016 Volume 32, Issue 4 April 2, 2014

What’s Inside? Stringed star

Drumline members perform their blacklight show at Mr. MHS Feb.27. Drumline performs cadences written by senior Nathan Rearick. Photos by Kaitlyn Whetstine

Rolling with the beat Drumline takes the stage to kick off showcase season

Pg. 10

She’s so fly

Pg. 10

State champ

Pg. 16

Bailey Lewis • Reporter

he drumline is a very selective group that only takes 13 members, containing talented individuals whose love of music brings them together to create the Warrior Drumline that is never a letdown. At any pep rally or during third quarter at a football game you can count on the drumline to be the hype of the crowd, but a lot of work goes into getting ready to perform for the crowd. “It’s hard work,” junior Joey Nelson said. “The actual performances are fun, but rehearsing is no walk in the park because we have to really pay attention to detail and push ourselves in order to be good.” The drumline not only gives the students a chance to show off their talents but gives them opportunities to bond with others who have the same interest, and learn important lessons. “It has been a really rewarding experience,” junior Bailey Graham said. “Being in drumline has taught me a lot more than just playing percussion at a high level. It

has taught me how to work hard and to accomplish goals. It’s also taught me if you do what you’re supposed to do every single day, rewards will come.” This year drumline performed a blacklight show in which the members of the drumline performed completely in the dark except for blacklights. This year, senior Nathan Rearick and Nelson completely wrote and designed blacklight for Mr. MHS and Percussion Bash. This year’s show included several new elements, which included starting the show in the crowd and having Rearick play while flipped upside down, to create more hype. “The idea of playing upside down came from a drumline show I saw in 2011,” Rearick said. “It blew my mind. It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen, so we figured out how to do it and it worked out.” The stunt didn’t get perfected easily. “It was by trial and error to do it,” Rearick said. “It caused some pain and was a really weird feeling but was definitely worth it.” Not only did Rearick pull off the stunt but he debuted the show at Mr. MHS Feb.

27. “It usually takes me all of winter break to arrange all of the music,” Rearick said. “I also made sure to put a breakdown in the show so we could really get the crowd going.” “Blacklight was a blast,” Nelson said. “I was in charge of all the movements, lights, and walk-in music. I tried to take it to a whole new level by starting off in the audience and stuff like that. We had a lot of fun with it.” If you missed blacklight at Mr. MHS there’s another opportunity to see it. On April 26 the drumline is hosting an event called Percussion Bash. Not only will you get to see Blacklight but there will be several other performances that are just as amazing. “The cool thing about events like percussion bash is that we get to show off ensembles that everyday students don’t normally get to see,” Graham said. “Ensembles feature marimba, vibraphone, piano, and glockenspiel, while some like ‘Breakdown’ includes a drumset and a tom tom set.”

#THROWBACK

A look back on what you may have missed

3. 5.

4. 1. 1. The Varsity soccer boys celebrate by dumping a cooler of water on coach Brady Cagle after their 3-0 win against Bowie. Photo by Cam Skanes 2. Senior Baylie Brown Sharpies senior Nathan Rearick in the unofficial Senior Assassin game. Photo by Kaitlyn Whetstine 3. Senior Varsity forward Carley Stevens runs after the ball in the Feb. 7 game

at Cravens Field against Lamar. Photo by Lauren Franco/Trinity HS 4. Pole vaulter senior Grayson Watson soars through the air as he practices for an upcoming track meet. Photo by Lizzie Kirkham 5. Senior Mr. MHS boys congratulate senior Julian Basey after being crowned Mr. MHS. Photo by Kaitlyn Whetstine

UIL academics results Martin places first in District UIL March 18 and 21 with individual wins

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Accounting Bailey Moore and Makayla Williams tied for third, and Reace Wilkie placed sixth. Group Accounting placed first.

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Current Issues and Events Daniel Ramirez placed first Computer Science Jake Leland placed third and Jack Brown placed fourth. Group Computer Science placed second.

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Journalism Jessie King placed second in News Writing and first in Feature Writing. Marcus Maurer placed second in Headline Writing.

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Informative Writing Zain Butt placed first and Jonathan Wong placed third. Lincoln Douglas Debate Payton Sanders placed first and Aysha Moneer fourth.

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Group Speech team placed first.

Mathematics Angela Chen placed second and Osman Moneer fifth. Group Mathematics placed second. Persuasive Writing Kyle Desrosiers placed first and Payton Sanders placed second Prose Interpretation Jessie King placed third and Michael White fourth. Ready Writing Austin Hughes placed second. Biology Osman Moneer placed first. Chemistry Nathan Richbourg placed first. Science Osman Moneer placed second, Shariq Haseen third, Nathan Richbourg fourth, and John Brown fifth. Group Science placed first. Social Studies Anh Ngo placed fifth.

Junior fullfills her dream by making an EP

Dancing to the top

Megan Wilson • Reporter Junior Kendall Scout started a band with a friend junior Kaitlynd Satterfield called The Inexperienced. The group has an EP (extended play album) coming out later this year called Say Hello. “Kaitlynd and I have five songs ready for the EP,” Scout said. “We go to meetings for the EP and recording starts in March.” Satterfield is a junior at Grace Preparatory. “I’ve been playing music for five years and I’m really excited about being able to have an EP of my own released,” Satterfield said. Scout and Satterfield write their own songs and sing covers by their favorite bands. “Kendall and I co-write all of our songs,” Satterfield said. “We have probably written more than 40 songs. “We have covered song by Coldplay, Foster the People, Journey and a lot of other artists.” Scout plays gigs and participates in open mic nights at restaurants and other venues. “Right now the band is sort of a side project,” Scout said. “I’m constantly playing at different gigs and writing my own songs. I go to open mic nights at colleges St. Pub, Potbelly’s, The Boxcar, El Arroyo and places like that. I’ve also played at a couple of benefit concerts as well.”

Junior is youngest performer at Six Flags

Right: While singing to “Help” by The Beatles junior Brin Youngblood shows the crowd her many talents while on stage. Above: Youngblood dances with a cast member. She is the youngest cast member in the shows at Six Flags. Photos courtesy of Beth Hawkins

Madeline Rusin• Reporter Junior Brin Youngblood, one of Six Flags’ youngest performers, is getting ready for another dance season in one of the most popular entertainment shows at Six Flags, “Chart Toppers.” Youngblood dances with performers of many different ages. The oldest is 30 years old and last year Youngblood was the youngest at 15 years old. “It is such a great experience working with people so much older than me,” Youngblood said. “I’m like the baby of the group that everyone looks out for.” Youngblood started performing in Chart Toppers last summer. “All performers auditioning must go through a two-day audition process,” Youngblood said. “About 50 people audition and only 10 make it.” The auditions are intense and modeled after Broadway auditions.

“The first day of auditions the dancers learn a combination, then the dancers have a short amount of time to work on the combination before they have to perform it in front of the judges,” Youngblood said. “Once the dancers go in small groups the judges decided on call-backs. If you are called back you go back the next day for the judges’ final decision. Then finally after a few days one of the judges calls you personally to tell you if you made it or not.” Youngblood’s first season was last summer. Rehearsals are two weeks leading up to opening day, everyday for four hours. The dancers also get paid for practicing. During the summer the dancers dance five days a week, and perform four shows a day. The Six Flags summer season lasts from June to mid-August. The dancers work about eight hours a day and make around 10 dollars an hour.

“I’m like the baby of the group that everyone looks out for.”

Scout said she became interested in singing and writing songs at a young age. And her parents have been there to support her along the way. “I saw a band called Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers in concert when I was eight and I knew that was what I wanted to do with my life,” Scout said. “My parents have always been supportive of my music. They’ve put me through guitar lessons since I was nine and have been going to all of my gigs since I was ten or eleven. My parents are also helping me move to Los Angeles after graduation.” Scout said she plans to further her music career after high school. “I’ve been looking at a lot of colleges in and around Los Angeles,” Scout said. “It seems kind of cliche, but I really feel like I can do something big and LA is the place to do it. I’ve been exposed to so many incredible opportunities through my music. I’m very thankful for my family because with their support they make it possible for me to do what I love every single day.” If you’re interested in hearing Scout’s music, visit her Soundcloud, Twitter and Youtube accounts: soundcloud.com/kendallscout twitter.com/kendallscout youtube.com/theinexperienced

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Knowing about caring and caring about you

features

Code red

AP vs. Dual Credit

Computer Science club branches out with XBox, apps and code challenges

Madeline Maxwell • Sports Editor

Natalie Buongiorno • Features Editor At first glance, Flappy Bird, your dentist’s website, and a video game on the Xbox may not seem to have much in common. In reality though, each is connected by Computer Science. “Computer Science has been my favorite class all four years of high school,” senior Jake Leland said. “I think it’s one of the most unique classes. The Comp. Sci. program is one of the most unique because it’s always changing. When you go to the geometry classroom they’ve been using the same book for years, but Comp. Sci. is always changing with the new technology.” Comp. Sci.’s curriculum is constantly changing with the times. The fourth year class is based on whatever is beneficial and educational at the time. “In the fourth year class we’ve been making Android apps,” senior Gabriel Kenworthy said. “Right now we’re making an app for Little Elementary to help teach them math. We interviewed a bunch of sixth graders to see what kind of math problems they were having the hardest time with. We’ve also been making Ouya games. The Ouya is a video game console based on the Android operating system.” “The benefit to the Ouya is that it’s really easy to develop on,” Leland said. “We can use Java and basic programming languages. It makes it easy for us to develop games.” Martin’s Computer Science program prepares students for the future. A new world is opened up with knowledge about technology. After the basics of Computer Science are set in the first two years, the last two years focus on using this information. “In the earlier years of Comp. Sci., there’s more of a focus on educational tools and learning programming,” Leland said. “When you get into the third and fourth year classes, you start doing the cool stuff.” With so many new technologies being developed, it’s hard to keep up with the newest things. Martin’s Computer Science program has kept up to date with new tablets, game systems, and apps. “There’s this new thing that came out called Project Tango and it’s basically a

Photo by Brenda Chavez-Mayo sensor that can turn your environment into a 3D rendering on your phone,” Kenworthy said. “It’s cool to see because [computer science teacher Aaron] Cadle is always really up to date with new technology,” Leland said. “If there’s something new out, he’ll look into it and see what we would be able to do with it.” To the average person, coding would seem like a foreign language. Strange symbols, letters and numbers all arranged into a pattern, and this pattern creates an app or website. If even one thing is out of place, the whole design could be incorrect. “There are several different ways to make an app,” Leland said. “The easiest would be App Inventor because it’s basically just dragging and dropping things into place. Then there’s some software that we found that is real coding but it has a built in physics engine. You don’t have to worry about coding the physics into the app which makes it really easy to make 3D worlds. Then there’s processing which is basically just Java but it has graphics built on top of it so it’s really easy to draw things. Then the last way is just straight Java. It definitely gives you the most power out of the options, but it’s the hardest to learn.” In order to successfully code, a certain mode of thinking is required. This type of thinking is beneficial not only in Computer Science but also in the real world. “There are two sides of coding,” Leland said. “There’s the basic conceptual algorithmic thinking behind things, and then on top of that are the different languages. You need to figure out how to write the code for what you had been envisioning in your head. The basic coding understanding is the algorithmic thinking behind it.”

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“I love the fact that people can get involved and it can impact so many people,” Kenworthy said. “Anyone could benefit from an app that we make. I made a reference app and it hit over 2,000 downloads in a weekend. People are learning from that app and I think that’s awesome.” Greg Patton, Digital Electronics and Animation teacher, has helped the Comp. Sci. program further its studies of new and upcoming technologies. “Mr. Patton set up a connection with someone high up in a company called the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association,” Leland said. “We got to meet with them and they gave us a $500 grant for the Comp. Sci. program. We ended up using that money to buy the Ouya.” Computer Science lends itself to the wide variety of opportunities of jobs that programmers have. “I hope to major in Computer Science,” Leland said. “What I’ll end up doing with Computer Science I don’t know exactly because computer science is everywhere. The number of fields that require Computer Science has been growing. I think it would be really cool to work in the tech industry.” “Jobs in IT have been growing,” Kenworthy said. “I’m planning on starting a company that makes apps and websites.” You could walk by the Computer Science classroom at any time of the school day and it would be full of students. Even during lunch the class is full of life. “The Comp. Sci. classroom is just a great environment,” Kenworthy said. “There are couches, Mr. Cadle lets you get on the computers and play games, and you can socialize with friends. He lets you eat in there, and people work on homework and labs.”

As we peek around the corner and see a new school year coming, we realize it’s time to plan out our new schedules as well. Counselors call students in one by one expecting them to know each class they need and or want to take for the new school year. Some students, however, reach a roadblock during that new scheduling process where they have to decide if AP or Dual Credit is the better fit for them. “Dual Credit is a regular college course while AP is a high school higher level course,” counselor Connie David said. Before students sign up for either of the classes, David said she is sure to reiterate how it prepares them for college and how there is more rigor in both AP and Dual Credit. “I do about the same work in both classes,” senior Colton Hoisager said. “Dual Credit requires a bit more studying, but AP requires more written work which I’m better at.” Hoisager said AP classes are more demanding outside of the classroom, but he said he enjoys both equally. He said he likes and dislikes different things about the two classes, but knows that both programs are preparing him for college next year. “I would recommend AP and or Dual Credit to the students who are willing to study harder and longer, since there is more rigor to the two of them,” David said. If you take Dual Credit and pass the course, you receive automatic college credit as opposed to the AP course where you must score a three or higher on the test in May. Another thing to keep in mind is that all colleges are different and may or may not take the credit you’ve received by taking these arduous courses. Some out-of-state colleges do not accept dual credit, but they do accept all AP credits. “For the most part, I enjoy my AP classes over my Dual Credit ones,” senior Lauren Knapton said. “Many AP teachers want their students to be successful on the AP tests in May so they do their best to teach us all of the material expected to be on the test.”

Ladies’ choice

Senior girls go to creative lengths to ask boys to prom Asking someone to prom has become a big deal. It’s all about the surprise factor and public displays. Girls go crazy waiting for a boy to ask them, but what happens when the tables are turned?

Jennifer Forsberg • Copy Editor Lexi Martin asked alumni Chandler Ford “He’s a secret Star Wars fan so I bought costumes for me, my mom and my stepdad. He came to my house because he thought he was going to pick me up. But to his suprise he walked in to Star Wars theme music and to mom in her Yoda costume. She handed him a note that said, ‘Your mission is...’ “He pulled up to Stovall Park and there was a note hanging that said, ‘Call this number...’ which was my sister’s number. She gave him a clue to go to the place where he asked me out. My stepdad and

•••

little brother were there. He had to light saber fight my brother before he got the clue.” “Then he came up to Miller Elementary and I was standing on the roof in a Padme costume with a sign that said, ‘To prom you will go with me? Be my Anakin.’” •••

Jennica McGinnis asked junior Cody Pierce “We got to go on a trip with some people to China. I waited until we were on the Great Wall and I gave him a bow with a slip of paper that said, ‘Will you got to prom with me?’ in Chinese.”

Jessica Newsom asked 2012 graduate David Bridger

•••

Adrienne Bayliss asked sophomore Garrett Shuping

“We’ve been good friends for a long time and I felt like he would just be a fun prom date. His sister and I blew up 425 balloons and wrote PROM on all of them and put them in his room. I didn’t even get the question out. He opened the door and was like, ‘Of course I’ll go to prom with you.’”

“We were in New York City and we went to this art museum and there was this really big whale. We were making jokes about it. The museum has this thing where you lie

under the whale and above it it has these sea clouds. While we were laying down under it I said, ‘Whale you go to prom with me?’ and he was like, ‘Sea.’” •••

Karon Chapa asked AHS student Jonah Hutchison “When we went to New York for the choir trip, I went to the M&M store and got personalized M&Ms. One said ‘Prom?’ One had hearts and one said ‘I love you.’ I put the M&Ms in a box and I put that in a box and so on. There were eight boxes. At first he had no idea what was going on and he got frustrated. Then when he got to the last one he started laughing and said, ‘Yes.’”

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Teacher by day, lawyer by night Business teacher juggles teaching high schoool kids and being a lawyer Ariel Hernandez • Opinions Editor He’s the Business Law teacher, the Money and Me teacher, and he coaches the Mock Trial here at Martin. If that wasn’t enough on his plate, he’s also a lawyer in the evenings. Business teacher Griffin Goldstein graduated from TCU then attended the University of Houston for law school. He decided to become a lawyer because the job market wasn’t looking good at the time, so he thought practicing law would open up more opportunities for him. “I tell people that I just wasn’t ready for a job straight out of college, so I went to law school to stay in school for a few more years,” Goldstein said. “But the real reason was because jobs were limited back then.” Goldstein graduated from law school when he was 25. He and his college roommate opened an office together dealing with mainly family and personal injury law. He quit after four years and soon after got his job at Martin. Goldstein is on his sixteenth year at Martin, and he’s been at his evening job at Ross and Matthews law firm since July. “I arrive at school at 7 a.m. and stay until the parking lot clears out around 3:30 p.m. Then I drive to Fort Worth and work until about 7 p.m.,” Goldstein said. He works in his office over the phone with cases dealing with education. His clients will call him for information on their case and he helps them understand their legal problems. Though it may seem like it, juggling two jobs isn’t a problem for him at all. “There aren’t any conflicts with my two jobs because I make my own schedule at the law firm,” Goldstein said. “The only problem is that I can get worn out. On the weekends, I just want to hang out with my wife and kids.” Not only is he involved with his evening job as a lawyer, he’s also busy with his job as a teacher. He and criminal justice teacher Stephan Jupinko are the coaches of Martin’s Mock Trial team. They teach the students courtroom procedures and how a courtroom is composed. They participate in the Dallas Mock Trial Association. They get a case in October and the actual competition are not until January and March. Nationals are in May. Both jobs come with their own set of

Muslim student association members want to support and embrace their faith while supporting other cultures, too

Rayan Toliver • Reporter

Business teacher Griffin Goldstein teaches his students during a Money and Me class. After school he goes to his second job as an attorney at Ross and Matthews Law Firm. “It’s so rewarding,” Goldstein said. “I understand people and their problems more.” Photo by Kaitlyn Whetstine rewards. Goldstein said that he feels it’s his job as a teacher to play an encouraging role in the students’ lives. “I enjoy seeing the students grow up,” he said. “They’ll come back and tell you what they’ve been up to. I had a lot of great teachers growing up. They always encouraged me to get involved and do extracurricular activities.” Senior Meagan McCarty is a student is Goldstein’s Business Law class. “He’s a very experienced teacher and a lawyer,” McCarty said. “He pulls it all together well and he has an interesting class” It all may seem like a lot to take on, but Goldstein said he enjoys doing it all. In his class it is evident that he is truly passionate about law. “It’s good to get back into law,” Goldstein said. “I think I got tired of it at first when I was younger, but now it’s so much more rewarding now that I understand people and their problems better than I used to.”

features

MSA club members vote on their next service project. The club is trying to get senior cords for its graduating members. Photo by Rayan Toliver

Rayan Toliver • Reporter The Muslim Student Association has been an active organization here on and off for the past few years. Going to a dominant Christian school where everywhere you turn, someone is talking about mission trips or the next event they’re having that you should go to can sometimes lead to frustration of people of other faiths and cultures. This year the club is under the leadership of faculty sponsor history teacher Valory Johnson. “Anyone is welcome to join us, we’ve had some non-Muslims join,” senior Nawal Joulani said. “I feel like it’s a great way to explore different religions and cultures because its important that we’re able to understand and accept each others’ differences as well as similarities.” MSA, a student organization run by Muslim students, gives the members a chance to help families on a global level as well as local level, whether it’s the local community organizations like Mission Arlington or local mosques (Muslim houses of worship). This December MSA adopted a Chris-

tian family for Christmas through Mission Arlington which allowed them to ensure that family had gifts for one another during the holidays. MSA also works with students from local Islamic schools. Recently they helped with the school’s science fair and hopes to help with the upcoming spring carnival. “We want MSA to get bigger over the next few years,” freshman Bayan Hammand said. “People don’t really know they we’re an organization because no one hears about us, but that’s going to change. The next few years we plan on having more henna tattoo events, posting signs and possibly passing out flyers – anything we can do for the organization to get bigger.” MSA members don’t plan on stopping just at getting the organization larger, but also having Coexist events with any faith groups at school willing to join them. “This year we’re officially a club listed on the club list and everything,” senior Nawal Joulani said. “We’re working on senior cords. We just want the students here to accept each other’s differences as well as similarities. It’s interesting when you see how Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all share many of the same essential concepts.”

“It’s interesting when you see how Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all share many of the same essential concepts.”

Parents know

best?

Ahead of the

Monitoring kids’ technology use can be tough for parents to navigate

class

Cameron Skanes • Photographer This generation is often considered the “problem” generation. Teenagers nowadays are often perceived as irresponsible and immature. These stereotypes are the root of parents’ censorship obsessions. We talked to two teachers who are also parents for their advice on where to draw boundaries.

Do’s

Don’ts

•Talk to your kids about cyber dangers.

•Don’t go to drastic measures, such as tracking your child’s phone/car (unless they’ve proved that tracking them is necessary). “I think it’s too much to put trackers on your children if your child hasn’t done anything to show that they aren’t trustworthy,” chemistry teacher Kathy Meyer said. “I trust Evan. We talk a lot and I leave it up to him. It teaches him responsibility.”

•Set some sort of boundaries or limits when your child leaves the house. •Have a general understanding of what you expect in terms of responsibility with your children. •Give your child some space. They’re more likely to follow rules if they aren’t getting bombarded with them. “Children have to learn to make decisions on their own. I trust that they’ve learned responsibility,” English teacher Wendy Sexton said. •Help your child understand cyber bullying and dangers of the internet. “We check her Facebook, like what her and her friends are doing and saying,” Sexton said. “We don’t block the TV, because we trust that she won’t be watching shows that she knows she shouldn’t. We also check her phone and check her Twitter. When she starts driving, we’ll track her phone to know where she is at.” •Make rules based on their age and maturity, as well as their past actions. (If they don’t break rules often, don’t be as strict.)

Junior takes high school and college courses to further his education

Caleb Smith • Reporter Photo by Kaitlyn Whetstine

When characterizing a typical high school student, people think about a teenager who goes to school from 7:30 to 2:45, comes home and enjoys the rest of their day until they have to start all over the next day. Junior Justin Reichardt is the exact opposite from a normal high school student. Reichardt is a high school and college student in one. Like every young kid growing up, Reichardt had a dream, and his dream was to one day become a mechanical engineer. By the tender age of 17, he is on the right track to achieving it. “I want to become a mechanical engineer and begin working as an intern after graduating high school to get some hands on experience before I get my Bachelor’s Degree,” Reichardt said. Reichardt is in a unique situation as a high school and college student at the same time. He wakes up at 6 a.m., and gets to school around 6:45. He works through lunch on A days and drives home to eat lunch and works on homework there on B days. After school, he goes home, eats dinner at 6 p.m. and then goes to TCC for classes

•Don’t pile up on rules. Extensive ruling can sometimes cause kids to rebel. “I don’t censor them much. They haven’t given me a reason to feel like I need to,” Meyer said. •Don’t treat your children like little kids. (Remember, teenagers are more mature than toddlers.) •Don’t be too overbearing when it comes to creating rules. “Trust your child, and trust how you’ve raised them,” Sexton said. “At this point, they can censor themselves. You shouldn’t be censoring them a lot at this age.”

until 9. He then drives home, works on some more homework before calling it a night. “I work a little late into the night,” Reichardt said. “I usually go to bed around 10 or 11.” With the dedication and determination to get a quality education that Reichardt possesses, it wasn’t a surprise to his friends and family when he took on the challenge of taking college courses. Another valuable trait that he possess are his time management skills. With going to both high school and college, being able to prioritize time is key to being successful. “High school is the most important, so I work on that first and start early,” Reichardt said. “I usually try to get as much as I can done over the weekend, because towards the end of the week it starts to catch back up.” Reichardt’s immediate goals include finishing up CAD (Computer and Design) classes and receiving his Associates degree. “I plan on going to UTA to earn my Bachelor’s degree,” Reichardt said. Reichardt said he believes his hard work and determination can carry him to new heights as long as he keeps a positive attitude and his eyes on the prize.

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•Don’t be too much of a friend. Having friendships with your children is a good thing, but if you’re too friendly, they may not take you or your rules seriously.

•Give examples of people who made bad choices, and how their lives are (to create a better understanding).

@warriorpost features

House Bill 5

evamping

Endorsement, endorsewhat ? How will this help students when they graduate?

Currently, all students’ diplomas look the same when they graduate. The new requirements will allow students to graduate with a seal on their diplomas that signifies which endorsements they have completed.

Why were the graduation requirements changed?

The new requirements allow for more flexibility in students’ schedules and prepare students more for life after high school.

Abby Bishop • Editor-in-chief What is an endorsement?

An endorsement is essentially the same thing as a major in college. Students are expected to graduate with at least one endorsement.

What does an eighth grader do if they don’t know what they want?

The counselors will ask the students to declare an endorsement upon entering ninth grade, but the freshman classes offered are the same that they always have been. The freshman and parent or guardian will have to sign for their endorsement by the end of ninth grade.

What does this mean for classes such as Health and Speech?

They will become prerequisites for other classes such as public speaking or forensic science, but they will not be required for every student.

Who is affected by the new graduaWhat does this mean for the 4x4 tion requirements? • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineer- All incoming freshman in the state of (four years of the core classes)? What endorsements are there? ing, Math) • Business and Industry • Public Services • Arts and Humanities • Multidisciplinary Studies

Counselors will still push the 4x4, because those are generally the requirements for college admissions.

Texas will be under the new requirements. Arlington is not the only district to fall under these new requirements. Current high school students will not be affected.

‘Very few are capable’ Emily Gray, Aysha Moneer and Tupelo Witte • Reporters With new graduation plans, incoming freshman next year are going to be required to choose an endorsement to follow throughout high school. Some teachers and students are questioning whether or not eighth graders are capable of choosing a major and staying with it so early, when some juniors and seniors are still unsure of their future college majors and minors.

Can you change your endorsement?

Yes, you can always change your endorsement. If by senior year you do not have enough credits for a specific endorsement, you will be placed in the Multidisciplinary Studies area.

How does this plan help students to stay well-rounded?

Students can essentially take any classes they want freshman year, and it is possible to graduate with more than one endorsement.

If someone is in the STEM program, can they also take classes like band or public speaking that are not in their endorsement?

Of course, students will have the freedom to choose electives like these, even though they do not fall under their specific endorsement. It is possible to try new courses, even with a focused endorsement.

“When I was in eighth grade, I wanted to “I definitely be a social worker,” chemistry had no idea what cateacher Kathy Meyer said. “I mareer I wanted to follow in jored in biology-chemistry research, and eighth grade, ” senior Tyler from there made the decision to teach.” “I certainly think Overton said. “I didn’t even Meyer said she does not believe incoming that there are some eighth teache decide that I wanted to get freshmen are able to select a major. graders who are capable of deciding physical th “Very few are capable,” Meyer said. what they want to become when they a music education degree wanted to pur until this semester.” “My son is in eighth grade, and is are older,” senior Will Craig said. “But I a professional Senior having to choose his. He is would say the vast majority of eighth graders college I changed Patrick Burke said he freaking out.” do not have the maturity to pick out a future.” tional thera wanted to be president of the Craig said he wanted to be a professional Sexton said s United States in his junior high tennis player in eighth grade. “I got burned out able to decide a years. “I realized it was unrealistic, and stopped playing after sophomore year,” it comes to kno and focused on basketball,” he said. he said. “Now I plan to attend college and want to be. “Eighth graders are too young study acting at Pepperdine Univerbut it’s dang and immature to be deciding sity.” s on a major.”

features

g your future

Health, speech, and technology teachers express concerns about requirements

Jaycee Allen • Reporter • Jake Justice

tarting next school year, all incoming freshmen will have to decide what career path they want to take in high school. Counselors will then put them in classes that correspond to their endorsement. In addition to this new change, health, speech and technology classes will not be mandatory credits. “So far I like what I see,” counselor David Pyatt said. “It is going to give the kids a chance to specialize in some things that they want to do for a career or for college.” The new changes were mandated by House Bill Five in the Texas Legislature. It helps kids navigate in what they want to pursue, putting them in classes that will benefit their passion. The plan is for the kids to get an idea of what they can do later in life and help prepare them for their profession. One of the big changes, though, is that the new plan does not require students to take certain classes such as Health, Speech and technology courses. ••• “We teach day-to-day life,” Health teacher Sabina Harrington said. “The stuff you

learn in Health is the stuff that you are going to use next week, you are going to use it in a year, you are going to use it in 10 years, you are going to use it in 30 years.” In the House Bill Five plan, students are not required to take Health as a class. This means Harrington’s Health class enrollment will drop dramatically. However, students who want to take advanced classes such as Forensic Science will be required to take Health as one of their prerequisites. ••• “I think Speech is an important skill for people to have and the fact that the state and local district doesn’t consider that important enough to include is disappointing,” Speech teacher Chris Proctor said. “Speech not only teaches students how to write speeches, but it teaches them how to communicate with people in everyday life. If this class is taken away, it could affect high school students’ communication skills.” Students who want to be in Public Speaking are required to take speech. ••• Technology courses will also not be required. “I appreciate it in the fact that it gives

more flexibility to school districts to decide what is important for their students,” computer science teacher Aaron Cadle said. Technology will not be a required credit, but many of the endorsements will require a technology class. These endorsements will filter out the students who do not take technology classes seriously and bring in students who will care and will use their skills later in life. ••• Despite expected declining enrollment in Health, Speech and technology classes, teachers of those courses are expected to keep working here at Martin. “These teach-

ers are not going to be displaced,” Dean of Instruction Zandra Marshall said. “There is still a lot of room for those particular courses. A lot of the different endorsements that the ninth graders will have to take will require those courses so, there is still a lot of use and need for the students to fulfill their endorsements.”

World Histo“With the new ry teacher Scott Daendorsement plan, students “If I were back in vis said he agrees that eighth can concentrate on a specific eighth grade I probably would graders are incapable of making area, which would help them be bethave picked Art and Humanities,” senior such a big decision. “I wanted to be a ter prepared for college,” counselor Jessie King said. “I don’t think I would have professional wrestler in eighth grade,” David Pyatt said. “Students are able to For English missed out on anything really because all the classes Davis said. “When I first moved to take classes that aren’t required for their er Wendy Sexton, Texas, I went to a wrestling academy, endorsement. The practical thing is that I have taken in high school have been centered around herapy was the field she but it was too expensive so I even if they don’t know what they want an arts major.” For King, it would not have harmed her “I feel like my high rsue. “I wanted to work with plans but rather helped them. Having an endorsement had to quit, and decided to to do, they are able to change their school career would have sports team,” Sexton said. “In would mean a clear perspective on both high school and teach.” endorsement throughout their been changed slightly, but I don’t d my major twice, from occupacollege careers. “I think that the endorsements are a great high school career. ” think it would have been too signifiapy and then to teaching.” idea because it gets kids ready for college. I know a lot of cant of a difference,” senior Osman she believes eighth graders are seniors who still don’t know what they want to do, but Moneer said. “I would definitely have a path, but are immature when I was lucky for figuring out what I want to do. I think started out with STEM endorsement, owing what exactly what they this can help people figure it out sooner. All my but because I like history and English, “It’s good to have an idea, electives for the past couple of years have too, I would have pursued engerous to set something in been major-specific. ” dorsements in those subjects stone this early.” as well.”

features

She’s so FLY

Junior Sheri Davis works toward requirements to earn her private pilot’s license

Sherilyn Morales • Reporter

“Vroom vroom” is the sound that reaches junior Sheri Davis’s ears as she gets in her... no, not car...plane. She has been working on her private pilot’s license for about a year, and she will soon achieve it. “My dad has been pushing me since I was really little,” Davis said. “He would always tell me, ‘One day you’re going to grow up and be a private pilot.’” Davis’s desire to fly was mainly inspired by her father and her grandfather.

“My dad is a pilot and owns a plane, and my grandfather was in the Air Force,” Davis said. “I pretty much grew up all around flying, so I was used to it. I never really seriously pursued my pilot’s license until my dad told me about a year ago that he was going to sell his plane. I told him, ‘No!’ And that’s when I decided I was going to work towards earning it.” Davis’s grandfather became her instructor, and she soon began to put in many hours of work and dedication. “The main thing is that it takes a lot of hours. A lot. It’s time consuming,” Davis said. “Think of a driver’s permit. You have to have a certain amount of day and night flying hours.” In order to earn these hours, Davis flies often on the weekends, and even embarks on solo flights from Grand Prairie Municipal Airport, where she keeps her plane. Davis stands by her father’s plane before “I fly solo all the time,” Davis taking flight. Photo courtesy of Sheri Davis said. “I even sometimes do spirals.

Those are the best.” Though Davis has been surrounded by aviation even as a child, working toward her pilot’s license is not easy work. “I wasn’t really nervous the first time I flew, since I had been flying with my family as a child,” Davis said. “The one scary thing is called ‘Under the Hood.’” “Under the Hood” is a way of flight training in which the pilot has to wear a special helmet that only allows them to see the flight controls. During this, the pilot is in the air (although they cannot see the air), and they must rely solely on their understanding of the controls to guide them as they fly. Though she cannot bring them to fly along with her because she has only her student pilot license, Davis is surrounded by friends who support her as she works toward her goal. “I wish I could be so dedicated to something so amazing,” Davis’s friend, junior Katie Handley said. “I know a pilot’s license is a lot of work and time.” Davis continues to work hard, but also

Davis wears a headset so she can communicate with her instructor while in the air. Photo courtesy of Sheri Davis enjoys her time while doing so. “It feels exhilarating knowing that you’re in charge of a huge plane,” Davis said. “When you think about it, you’re completely in control.” Davis’s pilot’s license will never expire once she achieves it. However, she also has other plans for her future. “I actually want to be a marine biologist when I get older,” Davis said. “But I’ll still be able to fly.”

Something to harp about First harpist helps Symphony to earn sweepstakes at UIL

Hannah-Beth Floyd • Designer The three judges and few booster parents applaud as Orchestra Director Michael Stringer steps onto the stage at Mansfield Performing Arts Center. Silence takes hold of the auditorium and the 88 members lean forward, eyes locked on the director’s baton, preparing themselves. Sophomore Kaitlyn Stafki sits near the back with her six foot instrument, all 47 strings at the ready. “The orchestra has always been good enough for a harp,” Stringer said. “Having a harp opens up a whole new side of literature that we wouldn’t be able to do without one.” Stafki is the first harpist in Martin history. She started private lessons in the fifth grade and joined the Symphony orchestra as a freshman, something rarely done. “I think I saw a harpist somewhere and just fell in love with the sound,” Stafki said. “My mom was the one who found the harp

teacher.” As a freshman, Stafki triple-blocked orchestra for both harp and violin, doubleblocking Concert One for violin and single-blocking Symphony for Harp. In one of her first pieces as a freshman in Symphony, Stafki received a cadenza or solo. “It was a real push into the orchestra,” Stafki said. “It was like, ‘Here’s what’s going on. Step up.’” Stafki only has a smaller, lever harp at home and must practice her music at school with the larger pedal harp. She comes in at 6:30 every morning to practice and spends her lunch going over her music. “We borrow the harp from Berkner high school,” Stringer said. “It’s about $35,000. The booster club is raising money for us to get our own harp and with that harps at Young and Boles.” The last chord of Danzas Fantasticas by Turina rings across the nearly empty seats in the arts center. Another great performance. Symphony received straight ones,

features

Tuning one of her 47 strings, sophomore Caitlyn Stafki prepares to play at the Mansfield Performing arts center March 5. Stafki is the first harpist in Martin’s Orchestra’s history. Photo by Brenda Chavez-Mayo the highest score available, at the March 5 UIL performance.

Stafki said she plans on persuing harp at Berkely School of Music in Boston.

The Warrior Post Martin High School ∙ Arlington, Texas

Too young to tell

Abby Bishop Editor-In-Chief Ashleigh Jones Managing Editor Jennifer Forsberg Copy Editor Erin Hibbs News Editor Natalie Buongiorno & Morgan McKsymick Features Editors Ariel Hernandez Opinions Editor Madeline Maxwell Sports Editor Maddy Cope Entertainment Editor Brenda Chavez-Mayo & Lizzie Kirkham Photo Editors Tucker Coble Video Editor Jarred Osterman & Hannah-Beth Floyd Designers Rachel Tyler Staff Artist Tricia Regalado Adviser Marlene Roddy Principal

Staffers: Jaycee Allen, Cailynd Barnes, Monica Boyles, Rosa Castaneda, Jazmyn Davis, Alec Delon, Kyle Desrosiers, Michaelann Durden, Garrett Elliott, Roberta Flores, Tyler Forde, Emily Gray, Lauren House, Jake Justice, Bailey Lewis, Keely May, Estefany Mendoza, Aysha Moneer, Sherilyn Morales, Kaitlyn Rosenbaum, Jenna Rowe, Madeline Rusin, Cameron Skanes, Caleb Smith, Desy Thompson, Rayan Toliver, Olivia Viscuso, Kaitlyn Whetstine, Megan Wilson, Tupelo Witte The Warrior Post is the official monthly publication of Martin High School. Opinion columns don’t represent the opinion of The Warrior Post or of Martin High School. The Warrior Post will not accept advertisements for products or services not legally available to students.

Beginning next year, the incoming freshman will have a choice of endorsements they must carry out through their high school career that allows them to be more “college ready.” These students will have to choose their career paths when they make their schedules in the eighth grade. You can change your mind and your endorsement, but we feel that eighth grade is much too early to make such a big decision.

staffeditorial •These endorsements will cause these •Did you ever think, right as you got to teenagers to choose a new career path and high school, you would want to become a the number of high school athletes will de- police officer or a veterinarian? crease, as well as the number of coaches. Teens should have the ability to state their There are so many people who have cho- opinions about the change and suggest sen athletics as their career. Those people other opportunities to advance the learning cannot even have an endorsement on their skills in the fields of study. We feel that the high school diploma. This is almost like new endorsement is starting too early and they are being punished for loving sports. it’s a big push to the freshman. The fact that these teenagers work so“When hard, a teacher High school is supposed to be an enjoya bunch is sad. This makes sports in generaldropped seem able experience that should help us know her papers, unappreciated and less important. Weof need more ofa what we want to major in colto have a sports-related or kinesiology en- lege. Each year we have goals we set our student stopped dorsement for the incoming freshmentotopickminds themto, until something new pops up and choose from as well. changes up for her.” • our views on the past goals we had. - Ashleigh Jones & Morgan McKsymick

- Rosa Castaneda & Roberta Flores

sophomore Makenzie Woodruff

Respect others’ religious beliefs

religions out there? What about the kids who don’t follow a religion? Do these kids deserve to be judged by their peers for this one characteristic of a person who may otherwise be a kind and honorable human being? I have seen this behavior many times throughout my high school career — that one kid who is ostracized perhaps because she doesn’t go to church every Sunday, or that guy who is picked on for wearing a “Somebody trippedyarmulke, and I or that girl who is labeled beWhether we realize it or not, we label cause she simply doesn’t believe in a higher helped him up.” and judge people every day of our teenage power. And this behavior is not restricted • freshman lives. Today, bullying has become a hot top- to any one group of people — it cuts across Patrick Grady ic amongst adults, who try to eradicate the all the lines of teenage hierarchy. issue by encouraging kids to respect others’ I strongly believe that a person’s religious differences. But for many, adults and teens preference should not affect how they are alike, this can be extremely challenging, as viewed by others. What difference does it we live and attend school in a largely ho- make, whether they are Muslim, Christian, mogenous area. Jewish or atheist? We are all people, all here Perhaps people don’t realize as easily when on this earth to survive and strive to sucthey are religiously prejudiced because rac- ceed, to grow intellectually, and to meet ism or sexism tend to be more obvious in a other people who change our lives. If you person’s actions. While there may be some found out your best friend believed differtolerance especially within different sects ently from you, would you judge them for of the Christian religion (e.g. Methodist, that? Baptist, Catholic), what about all the other Religion has always been a source of con-

Olivia Viscuso • Reporter

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• This will work great for the people who know what they want to be when they grow up, but what about the students who have no clue? When I was in eighth grade, I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to be when I grew up. If I had to choose when I was 13 what I wanted to be for the rest of my life, I don’t think it would be a very logical choice. I wouldn’t like to choose what I wanted to do for the rest of my life when I was in the eighth grade. People are so apt to change their mind, that their plan might not work for them anymore. - Kaitlyn Rosenbaum

flict throughout world history, and since the beginning of time, many people have fought and died for their beliefs. And while it is true that America was built on a foundation of Christianity, it is known around the world today for being a place of unparalleled variety, a place where all religions can be practiced freely, a place where that right is protected by our Constitution. It’s time that we Americans try a little harder to uphold this value, to preserve this freedom on which our country was created. Kids our age need to make more of an effort of extending a hand to help rather than pointing a finger to judge. Just because people are all different from each other does not make anyone a better or worse person than anyone else. No two people will have the exact same values, the same way as no two people will ever look exactly the same. This is what makes the world an intriguing and diverse place. If everyone believed the exact same things, life would be pretty boring, wouldn’t it? As Nicholas Sparks once wrote, “People should be judged by their actions, since in the end, it is actions that define everyone.”

Talk to me, I won’t bite! Parents insist you vent to them, but end up giving lectures

Jazmyn Davis • Reporter “Talk to me, sweetie. You can tell me anything,” seems to be a common thing parents say to their children. But the problem is that kids later on realize that after the scolding and punishment, their parent doesn’t and most likely will never hold up their side of the deal. How do parents expect for their child to talk to them about how they actually feel, when most parents will end up upset because it’s not what they want to hear? For example, my mother is very opinionated, and the apple didn’t fall very far from the tree because I’m the exact same way. My mother will insist that I can talk to her about my “high-school issues,” that she won’t get mad, and that she will just sit there and listen. Three hours later I’ll find myself on punishment with no phone.

As unrealistic as this sounds, when I do decide to tell my parents my issues, I’d like for them to just sit there and do what most teenage friends do: agree with everything I’m saying to make me feel better. I’m sure most kids feel that way. That’s the real reason why friends are usually the first pick when it comes to confessing to whatever bad thing we did. Even though what we did we should and will be punished for, at the moment we need comfort. So when parents say to talk to them, they just need to sit there. Later on they can punish and yell, but during honesty hour they need to just sit there, nod and agree. Some adults might say, “Whether I listen and agree or not they’re going to end up mad because they might still get pun-

ished.” But what they don’t realize is that when their child notices they’re listening, it might actually cause them to obey. So, whether or not they’ve done something bad, the child will still come to them just to talk and be open. It’s not that easy for many adults, which isn’t a surprise. Adults are used to being the dominant ones when it comes to having a conversation with their child, but there are plenty of techniques to help the child feel open and welcome. First, avoid dead-end questions. Asking questions that will extend interaction rather than cut it off makes me feel as if I’m being listened to. Questions that require a yes or no or a right answer lead a conversation to a dead end. Reflecting feelings is another important

My mother will insist that I can talk to her and that she will just sit there and listen. Three hours later I’ll find myself on punishment with no phone.

technique. Good listening provides the ability to put themselves in the shoes of the child, or to empathize with the child by attempting to understand his or her thoughts and feelings. Lastly, the adults can help clarify and relate with their own experiences. As they listen, they should try to make the child’s feelings as clear as possible by stating them in their own words. A wide vocabulary can help us as kids express ourselves as accurately as possible and can give us a deeper understanding of words and inner thoughts. I’m not saying these tips will for sure make kids talk and be open with their parents. But it will clarify for most children that their parents actually care about what they have to say. That makes a huge difference in communication around the house and in general.

Oh, deer! I haven’t ordered my yearbook!

Never fear! Go to bit.ly/2014mhsyearbook to order your book now

$75

Preorder ended March 1st

opinions

All created equal?

Respect from teachers makes a big difference

Culture and the justice system proves that racial and gender inequality still exist

Estefany Mendoza • Reporter Currently in 2014 we fight so passionately for equality and how everyone should have it. But is there really equality? We have fought wars over it, people have sacrificed their lives because of it, and still there truly isn’t any equality in my perspective. Attempts for women’s rights have been present since the early 20th century. Equality between men and women was supposed to be reached around the late 20th century with the accomplishment of more rights for women. Women have progressed a lot socially and intellectually, but still to this day men are earning more money than women and hold better positions. This is not because men have a higher education. Women still get the same education or even a better one. Yet they aren’t assigned positions that are made for them. I am not saying that women should be the only leaders in aspects of the government, but usually households mothers are the ones that solve problems in the most expedient way. They are the ones who can manage a situation that is under complete chaos with complete calmness. In the United States Congress, 99 of the 535 seats are taken by women while the rest are held by men. Men usually are the ones who hold leadership positions. Think to yourself when you see a female standing up on a podium, what is the first thing you look at? We immediately look at her apperance. The way she looks will decide if she wins or not. Recently women in government have been making headline news for their appearance. Instead of their works being acknowledged for either passing a bill that will create jobs, saving someone’s retire-

ment plan or even saving thousands of lives by not voting for war, they are being criticized for what they wore or what they look like without makeup. For example, when 2008 Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin dressed femininely, she was offered money to do vulgar things, and was later called dumb and incapable. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently has taken a turn in fashion to dress more in suits and to keep her hair short. She could be trying to give a message that she is serious and has the capabilities to be a leader. The way media treats women is creating long-term effects. They are giving young girls the message that there is no middle ground. If a women is attractive, then she must be dumb and if she is smart and demanding, then she is probably having mood swings and isn’t fit to be a leader. We also have the inequalities between who has more, whether it be money or popularity. Also recently the famous Canadian singer Justin Bieber made news with his reckless behavior dealing with drugs, racing and putting peoples’ lives in danger and what did he get? Some time in jail and a fine. But if we could strip away the money and the popularity, we would get an average immigrant who probably has a family and works from sun up to sundown to maintain his household, but also maybe a household back in his homeland. He is pulled over for passing a red light, he has no documentation, what does the officer do? Makes him get out of the car, handcuffs him and throws him in jail. A few days after the person is deported back to his homeland with no way to reunite back with his family. Now I ask why wasn’t the punishment the same? Equality is a wonderful thing, but everyone should have it – not just the special. I am not trying to sound like a beauty queen, but equality for all would make this world so much better and so much more peaceful. A solution to these problems could be possibly to speak up for the injustices and to try to avoid them. This isn’t about women being above men. This is about equality. Hopefully there truly is equality for everyone all over the world one day and I hope that is soon.

Alec De Lon • Reporter Respect is the most ambiguously soughtafter trait that people desire. We look to be understood, we long to be heard and we aspire to be accepted, but at the base of all of these social attitudes is respect. Cultivating respect is an arduous task, but a task that is the quintessence of a community, and Martin is a community. Students, teachers, superiors, subordinates and even freshmen need to learn how to guide and shape their experiences and learn from all that this school and those in it have to offer. Teachers have an obligation to teach us, but they sometimes fail to deliver the standard of excellence that is asked of them. Students at Martin are at an impressionable time in the years going from kid to

opinions

adult. So when a teacher disrespects us publicly or personally, they have dismissed themselves as a source of knowledge and as a source of trust. One day I was listening to music during a teacher’s lecture. Aftewards the teacher asked me what music I was listening to, but not in a condescending manner like you would expect. I reluctantly replied, The Submarines, expecting him to never have heard of them. But it turns out he was a huge fan. A mentor/protege relationship was established and not only on a personal level, but on a fundamental educational level. My grades went up, my outlook improved and I actually started to learn. When teachers show enough respect to put themselves on a students level, even for a minute, that respect is reciprocated tenfold. When teachers show respect to students, they become more than figures. They become people with thoughts, ideas, beliefs and even vulnerabilities. They become one of us. Students at Martin may not seem it, but I truly believe that they are all willing to reciprocate the same level of respect that is shown to them. We are young adults, we are impressionable, we are vulnerable, we are underestimated, we are a community, and above all else, we are respectable.

The written word

Senior Matthew Baker writes a novel available for download on Amazon Senior Matthew Baker overlooks his work, Eyes of Steel, in the library where he spent time writing his novel available on Amazon for $3.99. Photo by Brenda ChavezMayo

Lauren House • Reporter

wanted to write a novel and the idea just came to me,” senior Matthew Baker said. “I had trouble writing before, but it just came to me,” Baker is an aspiring, and now accomplished novelist. Through the journeys of high school and the teenage years, Baker wracked his brain full of ideas and came up with the perfect one for his novel, Eyes of Steel. “It’s been something I’ve been thinking about,” Baker said. “The theme is integrating technology and the human body, creating prosthetics that will be controlled by the brain and if it is right to completely take away a good arm for a prosthetic.” Millions of thoughts travel at what seems as tremendous speeds, but stress isn’t what’s going through Baker’s mind. Instead, the ideas of science, chemistry and technology are running through his brain. “The whole book is my favorite part because I created it,” Baker said. “The cli-

max is when ... well, I don’t want to ruin it,” Baker said. “I had been wanting to for awhile and went through several ideas before I got this one. There were several times where I said you can’t do it, but I made time to do it about two to three hours a day.” Baker has an unusual writing environment. “I actually write standing up,” Baker said. “I can’t really focus while sitting around, I have to be up and moving.” The normal book prep time as it has been shown in movies is a stressful event of staying up late at night, drinking lots of coffee, ripping out hair and paper that has been crumpled up and inked on many times, thrown to the wall, hitting the backboard but missing the trashcan by just inches. “I edited the whole thing myself and the hardest part was reading it all and making the edits,” Baker said. “I dedicated it to my family for dealing with me while I was writing.” Eyes of Steel is available on Amazon download for $3.99.

s t h g i n d o o w y l l o H

Presented by Martin Orchestra

d auction dinner an

April 12th 6-9 in the MHS Cafeteria

Tickets $30, contact Torie Deremo at torie.deremo@sbcglobal.net

features

The grind never stops

DTT athletes continue to work throughout track season

Garrett Elliott • Reporter

t’s 4 o’clock in March and the school day has long been over, but the track and field is swarming with athletes. You have the sprinters doing their warm up. All the field event participants are practicing their event. The long distance runners are running down to Arkansas Ln. Another group of guys is running up and down the bleachers, preparing for their race. But these guys won’t finish their race until May. These are the DTT (Developmental Track Team) guys. “It gives those players that have an interest in Track and Field that don’t have an event that they’ve yet qualified for an opportunity to continue training, so that if down the road in Track season there is an injury, we have a pool of guys that are readily available to be plugged in,” Head Football Coach Bob Wager said. “From a con-

ditioning standpoint, it helps keep them in great shape. As a bonus, as they enter into either a track meet or Spring Football, they are in much better shape than if they didn’t have that opportunity to workout.” DTT guys are all the football guys who are not participating in any other sport, whether it is track, baseball or soccer. “A normal day for DTT on Monday, Wednesday and Friday is to go on a distance run with Coach Wager, but on Tuesday and Thursday we do agility drills with Coach Jones,” sophomore Nathan White said. Every year a DTT guy gets his chance to shine in a track meet. Injuries are inevitable in sports, and when a track person goes down, the DTT athletes are ready. “It’s just like Track,” Wager said. “We lift after school, then daily we mix it up. It’s

basically the same type of things the track team does.” DTT is not all serious conditioning, though. They get to have fun. “My best experience in DTT is when occasionally, if the weather is bad, we get to go in the DTT athelete sophomore Zeke Leshay benches in the weight room gym and play for track season. DTT is the Developmental Track Team. Photo by dodge ball,” Desy Thompson White said.

sports

Grappling with success

Jose Taylor becomes youngest MHS wrestler to win first at State, fifth at Nationals

sCoach Matt Spengler shaves his head after his athletes placed at state. Photo courtesy of Jose Taylor

Sophomore Jose Taylor is named state champion at the Feb. 15 state meet in Austin. “Winning was awesome,” Taylor said. “Nothing can compare to it.” Right photo by Kaitlyn Whetstine

Kyle Desrosiers • Reporter

inning his opponent to the ground, heart pounding, everything resting on this moment, sophomore Jose Taylor clinched first place. Feb. 14-15 was the State Wrestling Tournament and six varsity wrestlers from Martin competed. Sophomore Wyatt Alvis placed sixth in state, senior Bryson Douglas placed third, sophomore Tanner Kuketz came in second, and sophomore Jose Taylor became the youngest Martin wrestler to ever place first in state. Martin got second place as a team overall. State champion Taylor worked for months to prepare, cutting 17 pounds for his weight class, and mentally psyching up for the tournament. “Everything was going through my mind the day of the tournament,” Taylor said. “My dad was on to me, my coaches were on to me, and my friends were trying to make me feel relaxed, but it wasn’t working.” Taylor said he didn’t expect to win the entire tournament, after losing at the state

tournament last year to a wrestler he beat in semifinals. Yet after a whole year of conditioning and practice, Taylor improved. His conditioning includes running everyday and wrestling nonstop. Taylor’s performance showed that all of his hard work and preparation paid off. He won all his preliminary matches and the Championship match. “The highest I thought I would place was third,” Taylor said. “But winning it was awesome. Nothing can compare to it.” Taylor won his first match 10-2. He won the second match by pinning his opponent. His third match was won 10-8 and the Championship match 7-3. Taylor’s coaches said his success can be credited to his technical style of wrestling. “Jose knows how to force his opponent into positions that he knows will work for him,” Coach Patrick Dunn said. “He was down four points in a match once with 35 seconds left, and came back and won.” To increase the stakes of winning, the

wrestling team made a bet with Dunn and Coach Matt Spengler, that if they won districts, regionals, and placed in the top two in state, they would get to shave the coaches’ heads. “Coach Dunn is an amazing coach and an awesome guy,” Taylor said. “He’s like a little kid. We got to shave their heads the week after state.” Taylor said he wants to keep working hard in off-season and next fall to get to the State Tournament again and place next year. Taylor also placed fifth National Wrestling Tournament in Virginia Beach, earning him an All-American title. He’ll also compete innational tournaments in Las Vegas and California. In the future, Taylor’s aspiration is to wrestle in college for the University of Oklahoma and become a coach for high school or college. “He has a great skill-set and a great mindset,” Dunn said. “His motivation and hard work will take him far.”

“Everything was going through my mind at the tournament. My dad was on to me, my coaches were on to me, and my friends were trying to make me feel relaxed, but it wasn’t working.”

sports

Bond package promises to improve athletic facilities

Tyler Forde • Reporter The AISD has proposed and approved a $600 million bond package that will be on the May 10 ballot. Millions of dollars are being earmarked for facilities, fine arts, security and transportation upgrades. If passed, the bond is predicted to cost each family about $14 a month. “Just the 14 dollars a month is worth it because of the new lockers we will be receiving,” tennis Coach Derek Moore said. “That money will save you more than the cost of stolen items from locker rooms.” If the bond passes, AISD will be opening an aquatic center for swimming and diving teams in the district. In addition, gymnastic teams are currently practicing at Webb Elementary, and this election will give money to build them a facility which will be shared with wrestling. Improvements to the existing high school athletic facilities are also being made. Indoor facilities are being added to each high school as the existing things are being renovated. On the Martin campus, an indoor facility will be added on the southern practice field. This can be used as a multi-purpose center for all sports, including P.E. Inside will be another gym, turf, bathrooms and more lockers. “We don’t have any bathrooms outside,” Moore said “Just sending a kid to use the bathroom you can easily lose 15 to 20 minutes working with them.” In cases of bad weather, the district does not let sports practice outside. “Tennis has nowhere to practice during bad weather,” Moore said. “We have to just come inside and watch a movie.” If passed, the bond will increase property values of each campus in the district and increase revenue. Construction will create thousands of jobs between all of the projects, and the location of the natatorium by the Highlands will increase sales and the cost are expected to even out. Some of the district-wide facilities are going to be sponsored by businesses. “There are so many positives for the community, I see nothing wrong with any of it,” Moore said. The bond will also benefit the junior highs by adding lighting and tracks to all of them.