December 2015 Warrior Post by Tricia Regalado

THE WARRIOR POST Martin High School / 4501 W Pleasant Ridge Rd, Arlington, TX 76016 / Volume 34 Issue 2 December 16, 2015

AVID students spend time bonding by playing bubble soccer on the Martin football field on Nov. 20. Photo by Jean Floyd

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inside Safe haven

Hot wheels

11-12 15-18

Students talk about their hands-on experience helping Syrian refugee families

A close up look at some of Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s raddest rides

Life of the party

Stuck in the penalty box

Sophomore Ezra Averill, band Hockey players from Martin skate on, despite not being able to represent promoter their school

What youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve missed A look back at what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve missed the past month at MHS 1.

Senior Stevie Griffith takes a picture of the waterfall at the Dallas World Aquarium during the AP Biology fieldtrip Nov 5. Photo by Bailey Lewis

2. AVID students play bubble soccer

on the football field for a team bonding game Nov 20. Photo by Jean Floyd

3. Members of the SOAR club work

together to get junior Ally Mendoza through an obstacle course during a team building at Camp Thurman Oct. 26. Photo by Savannah Fouts

3. news

It’s lit crit

Literary Criticism team challenges students in writing, analysis I joke that even we couldn’t advance to the next round.” Lit Crit �� has four competi� tions throughout the school year, each 90 minutes long. One competition takes place in Mansfield and another at Martin, but the other two are online. “Lit �� Crit is really popu� lar for kids because of the fast pace,” Basham said. “It is over really quickly and leaves time for a student to participate in another com� petition.” Lit Crit, because of the immense difficulty, helps students gain ground above their peers in terms of liter� ary analysis and rhetoric, but also may be the push factor for colleges to accept them.

Elizabeth Prickett•Reporter Some Martin students are forced to put aside their literary talents due to the popularity of sports and other events that deal with external prowess. For students who are more academically proficient, the clubs available to really help them shine can be limited. Clubs that actually go to statewide competitions for these things are even harder to find. Literary Criticism (also known as Lit Crit) �� is a state� wide competition that re� quires skills in literary anal� ysis, history and vocabulary terms. The UIL event is a fourpart competition consisting

of a multiple choice section, accompanied by an analysis of a book the students have previously read. Following those two sec� tions, an analysis of a ran� dom piece of literature and an essay wrap up the compe� tition. “I enjoyed how I was able to read literature that I usually wouldn’t have read outside of school,” senior Aysha Moneer said �� The minimum score re� quired to advance to the next round is a 70. And most don’t make it. “The competitions are really tough,” Lit Crit coach Olivia Basham said. “The other English teachers and

“I’m not going to lie. This is tough,” Basham said. “Most colleges know of Lit Crit and know of the things the team has to go through to compete in these competitions and they appreciate it.” In Lit Crit, students learn to not only read an author’s work, but to also appreciate it. They gain a new perspec� tive of the works they read in class and gain a higher ground in high-level English classes, like AP English Lit� erature and AP English Lan� guage. “This team doesn’t just do this for the competition,” Basham said. “They do this because they love reading and truly want to be a part of a club that accentuates rhetoric and literature.”

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Rhyme and reason Unleashed Poetry Club gives Martin students a voice Freshman Alex Johnson reads his free verse poem at an Unleashed Poetry club meeting. “Poetry is an art of expressing yourself through writing and showing strength where you can involve anything you want into your work,” Johnson said. Photo By Zane Stewart Zane Stewart • Reporter

he room goes silent, anx� iously waiting for the next poet to take the stage. A young freshman boy has the spotlight. All eyes are on him as he speaks his heart and mind. His heart races as the words from the page paint the pic� tures he desperately wants people to see. He speaks his last line and slowly makes his way back to his seat. The welcoming applause of the rest of the students eases him and makes him feel safe and secure and the next stu� dent proceeds to walk to the front. The scene plays out for every student and a feeling of community fills the air. Unleashed Poetry, Martin’s poetry club, was what con�

tinued that feeling for club members and first time readers alike. “Poetry helps me express myself because it’s some� thing that I can use to cre� ate my own unique world,” freshman Alex Johnson said. “To me, poetry is an art of expressing yourself through writing and show� ing strength where you can involve anything you want into your work.” Johnson said he uses po� etry to create unique and interesting messages in his writing by using his past ex� periences as templates for poems. His first poem was written with the idea to turn a funny accident into a mes� sage that people could use to really help others.

“A long time ago I tripped on an apple tree and I thought to myself, ‘Hey, why don’t I write about this?’ I made a really cheesy poem about being a seed and start� ing off weak but becoming strong through time,” John� son said. “People liked it so I just kept going and I’ve re� ally enjoyed it.” Poetry is often used as a way to reflect on emotion and many students found safety and comfort where other people would have judged them based on their words. Although speaking to a crowd of teenagers about what’s personally going in life can be difficult, some stu� dents say that it really helps bring everyone together and fades away many insecuri� ties and fears they have. One poet went through a difficult time and writing po� etry helped her deal with her problems. “Poetry is a way of express� ing yourself with words,” senior Isis Carver said. “It’s kind of like music, ex� cept with more tones and fewer instruments. My first poem was called ‘Weird and Strange.’ I actually wrote po� ems before, but they honest� ly weren’t good, and that’s when I started to drift away from poetry. During mid� dle school I wrote my first meaningful poem and it was about what the words weird and strange meant to me and to other people.” Carver said she wanted to

make sure that no one felt alone with their problems. Her ambition to help oth� ers through her writing is what allows her to connect to others. “I write to let people know that they aren’t the only ones feeling bad emotions and I can form connections with people I can’t really talk to,” Carver said. “When I write, I imagine it like cleaning my room. I write and let out all of the bad stuff and clean up my mind so it leaves more space in my head to think and be more happy.” Experience with writing, especially poetry, is crucial to a piece of literatures de� velopment. Something that many people lacked was a place to find that experience, that drive, that community, where anyone could express themselves through the art of poetry. The need for self expres� sion is what drove to the for� mation of Unleashed Poetry Club and the poetry slams. “I started writing fresh� men year because I heard there was a poetry slam,” junior Sarah Britton said. “I submitted and I got sec� ond place. My first poem I wrote was about women’s problems, mainly insecurity, what that looks like, and how it could be fixed. I also wrote about tumors and medicines and how that works and af� fects us. A lot of my poems are scientifically driven, and to me that’s very poetic.” continued on page 5...

“Poetry is a way of expressing yourself with words. It’s kind of like music except with more tones and fewer instruments.” news 4

Rhyme and reason ...continued from page 4 Britton’s unique style of poetry and involvement with the club after the slam made her into the current Unleashed Poetry club presi� dent. Her work towards the poetry club and its members has helped many students become better poets as well as better people. “Poetry is more than just sitting down with a pen and paper and letting out your subconscious thoughts,” Britton said. “You have a thought process when you write and you’re fully able to understand what’s hap� pening to you. Once you can put that thought process into words, everything just becomes an entirely new perspective and that’s where you get this performance that can change other peo� ple’s lives and can give them healing knowing they aren’t alone.”

A student-teacher rela� tionship is important when wanting to learn something new and many great poets had this relationship. Poetry comes from the heart and mind. It required a lot of focus, drive, and emotion. Many students had those three aspects and more, but what they were lacking was some� one who could keep their fire going and inspire them. Luckily for them a teacher was there, waiting for them to find her room. “Poetry is life,” English teacher and poetry club sponsor Stacy Campbell said. “Poetry means every� thing. There are many poets who have said that without poetry they would be dead, and I know that’s extreme, but poetry to me is the ul� timate form of expressive creations. There are many

students who discover poet� ry here and they realize that there are no rules, and they feel validated. Then they have a wonderful outlet for the rest of their life.” Campbell’s inspiration to write and to help her stu� dents has impacted them greatly. She taught many poets the different forms, styles, and rules of poetry while also reminding them to not restrict their creativ� ity or imagination. She, too, was a student interested in the emotional appeal of po� etry after having to deal with many personal struggles, none of which were easy. “I started writing when I was 17 and my first poem was a typical broken heart, lost love type,” Campbell said. “Pretty typical but I re� member it very well. When I first started writing profes� sionally, I wanted to write a

book, but the only thing that would come out is poetry. So I knew something, some cre� ative side of me had to come out. I loved very angsty, very dark stuff. My favorite poet Anne Sexton committed sui� cide, but I’m not dark. I’m not like that.” That didn’t stop Campell from writing. Her hardships became easier and with that she became a better creator and artist as well. “Once you start to put down a few words and get images in your brain you’re a changed human,” Camp� bell said. “You start to view the world differently once you begin to write poetry. You start to view the world by forming lines and phras� es wherever you go. Once you’re able to express your� self and let out emotions, then you’re a healthier per� son.”

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Warrior families

It’s a family affair for teachers who work in the school environment with their kids Kamryn LeFan • Features Editor Your teacher is standing outside the classroom and greets you with a smile before you walk into the room. The tardy bell sounds and class begins. The students prepare for class as the teacher begins to lecture. Something is different about this particular teacher. What is it? Is she tired? Is her hair messed up? Does she look like she’s had a rough morning? No. She’s your mom. Junior Erin Jacobs and sophomore Gavin Meyer both have parents who work at Martin, so seeing them around campus is a frequent occurrence that they’ve grown to appreciate. “Overall, I like her working here,” Erin Jacobs said. “Sometimes you can see your mom too much, but my mom and I are really close so we don’t have that problem.” Have you ever had that awkward moment where you’re talking about someone and then they turn out to be near you? This is something that happens to Erin Jacobs frequently. “Since my mom makes the announcements about the band grid, sometimes I hear people griping about it and I just think to myself, ‘Yikes that’s my mom,’” Erin Jacobs said. Having a parent who works on campus can be beneficial for the student in many different ways. “When I forget something, she can usually bring it to me during lunch,” Erin Jacobs said. “Also, if I have a project that I don’t want to

carry around to each class, I can leave it in her office.” Having a parent who works at Martin means you cannot slack off in any class because they have the ability to figure out any information at any time that they want to know. “A benefit to having Gavin go to the same school I work at is that I’m able to keep tabs on him and the friends that he’s with,” chemistry teacher Kathy Meyer said. “I like having him here as a Martin student.” For some, seeing your mom at school is a perk because you get to see her more often. For others, distancing yourself is preferred. “I don’t normally hang out with my mom during the day because I see her at home too,” Gavin Meyer said. “I notice that she acts the same at home and here because she acts like a mom to all of her students.” Calling a teacher by their last name is preferred, but when the teacher is also your parent, calling them by their professional name is an odd transition. “I want him to call me Mrs. Meyer, but when he accidentally says ‘Mom,’ all of his friends start calling me Mom so he corrects himself,” Kathy Meyer said. Seeing your child in their work environment, and achieving success seems to be a very proud moment for a lot of parents, especially those who get to see them at their work every day. “I like getting to see Erin more often than I would if she went to a different school,” main office �� recep�

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tionist Maryann Jacobs said. “I love seeing her during the day. I enjoy her coming in after school because she can help out in the office. I always say hi to her if I see her around the school.”

1. Front office receptionist Maryann Jacobs and her daughter Erin Jacobs. Photo by Kamryn LeFan • Features Editor 2. Chemistry teacher Kathy Meyer and her son Gavin Meyer. Photo by Cammi Skanes • Photo Editor

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10 things you didn’t know about the custodians Serena Corwin•Reporter

hen you look at Mar� tin you notice it’s a huge school and huge schools tend to be some� what messy, but luckily we have Head Custodian Diana Johnson and the janito� rial staff. You may not have known...

1. There should be 18 people

on the janitorial staff, but they only have 12. They have been working for almost two years short staffed. “The people who work during the day are gener� ally the people who stay during the night to help the night shift,” Johnson said. “People don’t realize that we have been working, and to leave your trash in the hallway creates more work for us to do.”

Johnson works three full time jobs and is sometimes here from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. “I stay to try to help the night staff with whatever because we may have a vol� leyball game or something.”

3. On average, the custodial

staff is here anywhere from 40 to 86 hours a week.

ference, like, ‘We appreciate you,’” Johnson said. “That makes me want to stay, be� cause it makes a difference when somebody tells you something that you have done that impacted their life. People don’t just say things like that and don’t mean it.”

7. “I wish students would be a

for 19 years and she not only has respect for Mar� tin, but also the people in Martin. “We have good people here, we have kind people here, and everyone should just follow what the school was founded on,” Johnson said. “Respectfulness for each other and teamwork. My heart remains the same for Martin High School. I would not rather be any other place.”

first shift is from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. The second shift is from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The third shift is from 3:30 p.m. to midnight.

little bit more clean because we are here more than we are at home, so if you take care of the environment we are in daily as much as you do your home, then I think sickness would be minimal,” Johnson said.

8. Johnson said the average

4. There are three shifts. The

They have had to clean waste out of urinals and off of the bathroom floors.

student is extremely respect� ful to the custodians. Only a few are rude or don’t clean up after themselves.

“It’s the things the stu� dents say that makes a dif�

Buzz worthy

Senior Marcelo Carrejo works as a beekeeper

Photo courtesy of Marcelo Carrejo

Kayla Mattox•Reporter

magine piling on layers of clothing in the sticky Texas heat and walking into an enclosure holding thousands of crazed bees. This is what senior Marcelo Carrejo does for fun on the weekends. Carrejo is an apprentice beekeeper who works for a family friend, Richard Threlkeld, an established

beekeeper in the area. Car� rejo began showing interest in bees from the moment he visited Threlkeld’s bee yard. “He took to it like a duck to water and we hired him to help us with managing our hives,” Threlkeld said. The process of getting ready to go work with bees is lengthy. A beekeeper must first put on a layer of long clothing, including, long pants, long socks, boots, a long sleeve shirt, and a hat. After you have that layer on you get into “the suit.” Once �� he’s suited up, Car� rejo gets his smoker fired up and enters the bee enclo� sure. The smoker is used to simulate a forest fire. This sends the bees into panic mode and gets them away

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from the hive. “After I put on my suit I go out and start getting my smoker ready, and that’s just a tin container with a little hole in it. It looks like a tea kettle,” Carrejo said. “You can use firestarter, which is basically beeswax that burns easily or you can use wood chips, set the fire and then cover the fire with leaves to create a long lasting and strong smoke.” �� Carrejo then begins smok� ing the bees. “You go to the beehives and smoke the bees,” he said. “That sends them into a frenzy almost. Simulating a forest fire, it gets them away from the hive.” Then he reaps the rewards of his dangerous work.

The school is divided into three sections – First Level where the A staff works, Second Level where the B staff, and the Gym Area where the whole staff works.

10. Johnson has been here

“With your partner you then take a separator and peel the hives off because you stack hives on top of each other,” he said. “You peel it off starting at the top layer and working to the bottom where your queen should be. In the bottom hives, there are about 12 frames where the bees work with their honey and keep their children. But on the top hives there’s nothing but pure and delicious honey.” He is currently waiting to hear if he has gained admit� tance into the Metro Bee� keeping Society. He hopes to gain a scholarship through the society that would allow him to get his own hive and gear as well as give him an entire year of training. “He is an exempler young man who is passionate about all of the activities to which he sets himself,” Threlkeld said.

The

greenhouse Kendall Hendrix • Reporter

Every spring, FFA holds a plant sale fundraiser using plants that they’ve grown during the school year. How much do you know about the FFA greenhouse?

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1. When did the greenhouse first open? a. 2000 b. 1993 c. 1987 d. 2004

2. Where is the greenhouse located? a. Behind the football fields b. Next to the tennis courts c. In the corner of the parking lot d. On the roof of the school

3. Which plants are grown in the greenhouse? a. Herbs b. Tomatos c. Zinnias d. All of the above

4. Who takes care of the greenhouse during the year? a. FFA Club b. First Period Intro to Agriculture class c. Third Period Horticulture class d. Mrs. Roddy

5. When do the seeds get planted? a. Late winter/early spring b. Very beginning of the school year c. Very end of the school year d. Late fall

6. When does the greenhouse sale start? a. June b. August c. October d. April

7. How much do the plants cost? a. $2 to $4 b. $.50 to $5 c. $.10 to $3 d. $4 to $6

8. About how many people buy plants yearly? a. 25 to 30 b. 5 to 10 c. 30 to 40 d. 10 to 20

9. What do the students do in the greenhouse before plant� ing season? a. Clean the greenhouse b. Get cuttings from plants c. Prepare for planting d. All of the above 1. Senior Kimmy Ways plants seeds in a pot in the greenhouse. Her other plants have grown well, and she hopes this one will do the same. Photo by Jessica Owens 2. Senior Alex Manning examines leaves and plant structures in the greenhouse to determine what type of plant they are. Photo by Megan Ragsdill

Answers: 1. A. 2000. The greenhouse was originally opened in 2000 under Kevin Hamilton, the then FFA teacher. 2. B. Next to the tennis courts. “The greenhouse is between the tennis courts and the practice football fields,” FFA teacher Kristin Clark said. “Sometimes, we get tennis balls that come over the fence.” 3. D. All of the above. “We grow a lot of different types of plants and flowers, like tomatoes and mother of thousands. Mrs. Clark even grew a pineapple once,” junior Collin Roach said. 4. C. Third Period Horticulture Class. “This is one of the last agriculture classes there is to take,” senior Tabby Greenlee said. “I love being outside and hanging out with all of my FFA friends.”

5. A. Late winter/early spring. “Usually we start plant� ing seeds around February to get the plants ready to be sold in Spring,” Clark said. 6. D. April. “We take care of the plants until they become mature, then we sell them,” Roach said. 7. B. $.50 two $5. “All of the money goes back to the FFA program to pay for supplies, awards, and entries fees,” Clark said. 8. C. 30 to 40. Every year, about 30 to 40 teachers, stu� dents, and parents purchase a plant at the plant sale. 9. D. All of the above. “We’ll all go out to the green� house, and Mrs. Clark will teach a small group how to take cuttings from the plants,” Roach said. “The next time, she’ll teach another group. We do that until the job is done.”

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Come enjoy Martin Choir and Orchestra in their combined winter concerts: JV Winter concert on Monday, December 14, from 6:30-10:00 in the auditorium. (choir begins at 8:30) Varsity Winter concert on Tuesday, December MHS Choral Department 15, from 7:00-10:00 at Fielder Church. (2011 4501 West Pleasant Ridge Arlington, Texas 76016 S Fielder Rd, Arlington, 682-867-8717 TX, United States)

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Hot wheels

A close up look at some of Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s raddest rides Photos by Daryn Taylor & Bailey Lewis

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Fast times at Martin High Inside the world of illegal street racing “The fastest I’ve been is 160.” • “153 mph, measured by GPS.” • “166. I’ve topped it out. I could go at least 180 or 200 if I could supercharge it.” • “170 is the fastest I’ve been. My car tops out at 200, but I’ve never been able to find a place with enough road to get there.”

Spencer Brewer • Reporter

was picked up at 7, just as the sun had made its final dive below the horizon. I knew it was time because, from the end of my street corner, came the howling of a vehicle with too much engine and not enough muffler, shaking the bones of everyone within radius. As I left my house, the driver of this car leaned out of his window and waved at me, a smile cocked across his face, like the mumbling beast he was sitting in hadn’t just woken everyone within a half-mile radius. His name is Tommy*, and he graduated from Martin in 2014. He drives a Pontiac GTO, painted a searing green and tattooed with stickers that read to the likes of “Official stoplight camera tester” and, “Officer, if you can read this, you’ve won fair and square.” He is, by his own admission, involved in street racing. It was Friday night, and he was going to Garland for a meet. As a favor, he had agreed to let me join him. I hopped into the passen� ger seat of his car and we were off, tearing through my neighbor� hood toward the highway. We hit 20 and headed toward Dubya Bush tollway, maintaining a modest cruising speed of 95 mph, weaving through traffic and causing more than one heart attack. The noise of the engine was unreal, but soon sank into the background as we chased the last rays of sun into the skyline.

“It’s either floor it, or get a ticket.”

The event we were destined for is called a meet. “Meets” are the events that come before races. They serve as a staging ground as well as a social gathering, where those who show up can talk cars. The meets are organized online and by word of mouth. On a given weekend, there can be up to 20 meets going on in the DFW area, each holding 50 to 500 cars. They are hosted wherever there’s room, from mall parking to a vacant lot, and start around 9 p.m. They’re scattered like glass on tile, and are often forced to change locations as local business owners view the people attending with a little less esteem than they do vermin. As such, meets happen almost at random, and finding them is a matter of being connected to the community.

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“Everything is organized from social media and word of mouth,” senior Carlos Orduno said. He has been racing since he got his car two years ago, and attends a meet almost every weekend. We came up to our meet a little past nine. It was situated outside a Sam’s Club parking lot, overlooking the highway. Our meet was a large one, filling the parking lot and spewing cars into neighboring lots. The first thing I noticed was the demographics; it wasn’t just high school kids, though they by far represented the largest population. There were people there well into their midlife crisis years, some beyond, leaning against cars that cost more than I do. The variety of vehicles was mind boggling, as well as the money they represented. “Everything shows up, from an old beat up Voltswagon Bugs to Supras, Ferraris, Lamborghinis,” Orduno said. “We’ve had Bentleys show up. There are some high-class guys who like to show off their cars and go fast.” The atmosphere of the meet was relaxed. People perused the lines of cars, talking and admiring the vehicles. There was a sense of camaraderie to it, as if the love of cars had united a ragtag bunch into something cohesive. There was no overarching organization, but despite this, the people attending seemed to know what was where and who belonged to which ride. “Typically it’s just a bunch of guys who start going, and then people hear about it just from talking to each other,” senior Tristen Jensen said. “Then more people show up, more people tell more people, and before you know it the whole car community is at one place.” The indistinct rumble of cars sitting in idle gave an ambient background noise, as well as the pervasive smell of gasoline. Every couple of seconds someone would rev their engine, and throughout the night there could be heard the indistinct howling of machines wanting to be let loose. It wasn’t until it came close to 10 p.m. that the police started showing up. They parked their patrol cars along the outside of the meet at first, looking in for potential trouble. They waited for one of two things to happen – someone to do something in the meet that

would justify them entering the crowd, or the races to begin. “You learn to watch for cops as you do it,” Orduno said. “A lot of guys get equipment like radar scanners to keep a lookout. When people do runs or races, there’s usually a lookout five or ten miles ahead. Sometimes a biker, sometimes a casual car just cruising along ahead of everyone else. There’s the occasional time where cops show up at the meets, and at that point, it’s either floor it, or get a ticket and call it a day.” A meet of 500 cars is a hard thing to keep from the police, and once they showed up the crowds began to thin.

“They’ll push you to your limit.”

The first to go were the people with drugs, according to Tommy. (Tommy declined to be interviewed as he felt it would jeopardize his job). Contrary to my expectation, most of the people at the meet seemed to view this as good riddance to bad rubbish. I learned later that drugs use while driving is frowned upon by the community. “Some car groups really don’t like that kind of stuff, they look down on it,” Orduno said. “There are groups that most racers don’t associate with, because they’re known to have drugs or weapons, and those are the kind of thing you want to stay away from, especially during races. It’s partially because of cops, but also because the number one thing that racers need to worry about is staying focused. In my group, the first thing we learned to do is push ourselves to our limit. They’ll push you to your limit, to see where you can stand, what you can do, what you’re comfortable with. After that they’ll start helping you out, let you learn a couple things, experience new kinds of speed and different kinds of cars. They push you to do better. But once you start using drugs in certain groups, like the one I’m in, they kinda push you away and let you fall on your own, cause that’s the kind of negativity they don’t want around.” While waiting for the races, the people still at the meet grew tense, and the noise level died down. The revving that had been present throughout the night ceased. There are unspoken rules to make sure that the police have no excuse to arrest anyone. “Whenever you are parked you do not make noise,” senior Marcus Toth said. “Like you never rev your engine or anything. So whenever everyone’s in the parking lot, if you’re doing burnouts and stuff then the cops are going to come break it up.” At 10, the police came in. They didn’t turn on their sirens, but they did throw someone’s gleaming white chariot onto the back of a tow truck. That was all Tommy needed to see. He told me that it was time to go. Once things had died down and we were on the highway, Tommy tried to do something to salvage the rest of the night. He made some calls, and before I knew it, we were coming to a rest along a barren stretch of highway, next to a cluster of cars of similar disreputable disposition. Tommy was going to race. Now, the only reason I was with these people in the bull belly

of night was to document the lives of high schoolers �� who partici� pate in street racing. It was a voluntary journalistic endeavor. Therefore, I did not witness any questionable behavior while covering this story. I did not race with Tommy. We did not beat a 2009 gray Mustang, nor did we break 120 mph. He did not almost lose control of the car while I was in it, nor did I scream at the top of my lungs in the face of imminent death. None of that happened. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

“It’s stupid dangerous.”

There was no money involved in this race. Rather, it was a competition between friends, with no stakes other than personal pride. They laughed it off. To the people I encountered on that strange and high-strung night, racing seemed like a sport. “Making a bet for a race is not a financial thing,” senior Marcus Toth said. “It’s more of a, ‘Hey man, I think my car can beat you.’ It’s always out of fun. It’s more of a sport than it is a race. No one takes it too seriously.” But, according to the police and by the admission of many participants, racing is very serious. “It’s stupid dangerous,” Toth said. And it can be deadly. Crashes are rare, but at the speeds that racers maintain, when they do happen, they are most often devastating. “A couple of guys in Dallas were racing about a month ago, and they wrapped around a pole,” Orduno said. “They were going 110 and it took the car apart. They died on impact.” On top of that, racing can land people in quite a bit of legal trouble. Being pulled over for a street racing ticket means that the police can tow your car, even land you in jail. Even being in the passenger seat can earn one a ticket for spectating. Despite this, racers tend to view the police as an acceptable risk. “There’s an idea that people that race are really rebellious and will run away from cops,” Toth said. “It’s not true. Like we will stop up to a certain point, but after that point, man, we won’t stop for anything.” So, to pose the most rhetorical of questions, why in the name of Heaven would a bunch of people in high school hop into a car and see how far they can push themselves before they break? The truth is, I don’t know. I’ve never tasted it. I’ve never been behind the wheel of a car going as fast as I can, throwing my life to the wind for kicks. I have no idea what that feels like. “I don’t know man. If you’re really into cars, there’s a bliss you get driving, and nothing really compares to it,” Jensen said. “Nothing compares to the adrenaline of putting your foot on the floor and just going. Nothing that I’ve experienced has ever come close to it, the happiness I feel. There are somethings that make me happy, I guess, like my girlfriend and my family, but that’s a mental happiness. It can cheer you up, but you can still be depressed. But when I’m driving, everything fades away.” * Name has been changed

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Wheels of fortune

Some of the coolest cars on campus

something about being able to control that aspect of a car.” Even though he hasn’t driven it as fast as his own car, at only 120 MPH, he said he really loves the Viper’s power and the connection to the road. He �� one day hopes of own� ing it for himself, and adding a supercharger to the already monstrous V10 engine.

•••

Michael White • Reporter

enior Tony Lo� pez is well known for his 2009 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. What makes his ve� hicle so special? Maybe it is the rims, the 2.5-foot lift, the light bar, the inside lights and audio sys� tem, or the new doors that catch your eye. But what really makes his Jeep so unique is that he did all the modifications himself. Lopez and his par� ents originally bought his Jeep for $28,000, and he has been up� grading it ever since. “It’s a blast to work on my Jeep,” Lopez said. “Building onto something you love gives you pride in your vehicle.” Lopez said he wants to upgrade the engine to improve torque and performance and

has dreams of purchasing an Acura NSX and participating in the SEMA car show in Las Vegas, Nevada. “My parents support my love for cars, and they are proud of myself and my work,” Lopez said.

••• Senior PJ Inthanousay owns a Lexus IsF that his parents bought for about $60,000. In� thanousay has added a cold air intake to his 5.0L V8 beast of car. Inthanousay also has re� placed his old gear shift with a Dragon Ball from Dragon Ball Z. He said he has maxed out his car driving 167 mph, and has never received a ticket. However, that is just the start of the fun for Inthanousay. He occasionally gets to drive his dad’s $140,000, 2014 Dodge Viper-GTS. “The manual transmission lets me switch the gears myself, and I love it,” �� Intha� nousay said. “There is just

features

Sports cars are often wanted because of their looks and speed, but are they worth what you are forced to give up? Junior Kyleigh McCulley was given a 2003 Nissan 350z that her dad bought her for $9,000. While she admits that looks cool and is very fast, she said she is often disappointed by the lack of a back seat. “I can only bring one friend or have to ride with others,” McCulley said. “It really stinks that my car is a last resort when taking people places.” Another downside is the sport suspension that doesn’t handle bumps very well, and the fact that it is low to the ground doesn’t help. Even though the sports car has its negatives, it also brings a lot to the table. The 350z comes equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine, which makes a low growl as you force down the gas. This, paired with rear wheel drive, makes for one fast car which can max out at 155 MPH. “I like to drive when I’m upset,” McCulley said. “It clears my head and helps me think. It’s a cool car, and I love the power, but the loss

of the backseat really hurts which makes it inconvenient.”

••• Seniors Jamie Mendoza and Jasmine Trinh both have brand new 2015 Mustang’s that are the same color. The only difference is that Trinh’s is a GT. Mendoza’s Mustang has about 320 base horsepower, and Trinh’s has 435 horsepower. The Mustang is a fast car and they know it. “It is honestly hard to not speed,” Trinh said. “However the traction isn’t good and you can feel it.” Their parents both bought their cars for them for early graduations presents at about the same time. Trinh’s parents bought hers for $32,000. Mendoza’s parents bought hers for only $23,000 since her mother gets a discount with Ford. Both Mendoza and Trinh said they love the power of their cars, fell in love with the interior, and have received one ticket each. They both said they even want to upgrade their sound systems. “The coupe feature is a real struggle some� times,” Trinh said.

Life DUMMIES FOR

We should know how to:

Teens need to get educated Hope Zuckerbrow • Reporter The purpose of schooling is to make students wellrounded, productive citizens of the community. School teaches teens a lot about academics, but not much is done to prepare them for life on their own. As a stu� dent, I know the Pythago� rean theorem by heart, I’ve memorized the formula for density, and I can annotate a book with no problem, but when it comes to the “real” world, school has taught me nothing.

Everyone graduates from high school knowing how to read, write and do basic math. But to be a selfsufficient adult, those skills are not enough. Let’s face it, most teenagers don’t know a lot about life after high school. We know what we need but we don’t know how to get it. Things like taxes, insurance and credit are important things that we’re going to need to know about, but for some reason, have no requirement to learn about. For instance, most teens know that they should call their parents if they get in a car accident, but a lot of them were never taught what

is supposed to come next. - Open, use, and balance a Some kids our age aren’t even sure how to do laundry checking account or pump gas for a car. While - Apply for a credit card Martin offers us classes and know how to use it such as Money and Me, responsibilty Mapping Your Future, and - Iron clothes and do Interpersonal Relationships, we still don’t have a required laundry class that fully elaborates on - Fix a running toilet developing all the basic life - Pump gas in a car skills that we need. - Change a tire If the school won’t teach - Learn basic cooking/ us, then we have the responsibility to learn them cleaning skills ourselves. Our generation - Time management needs to make some changes. - Buy a house As a whole, we need to take - Get a good lawyer it upon ourselves to learn - Discuss current political how to lead an independent, responsible and �� knowledge� issues able life.

Just hold it

We should be able to go to the bathroom when we need to Josephine Wei • Reporter Students and teachers rarely argue over simple subjects, but the subject of using the restroom seems to be a strong divide between the two groups. Passes act as tickets to the restroom, and restrict students from being able to use it when needed. Sometimes if you use all the passes, you are not privi� leged to have five bonus points on the final exam, or for others, extra credit. Many students are limited by how often they are allowed to use the restroom. Teachers are prohibiting our bodies to respond to nature’s call which, consequently,

harms our bodies. According to urologists, holding it in can cause bacteria to grow within the body. The extra five points on the final exam aren’t worth risking your health. Restrooms and education don’t have anything to do with each other, �� so connect� ing grades with how often one uses the restroom does not make sense. Other consequences involve the creation of kidney stones from too much sodium and calcium. If you don’t go when you need to, it harms the body more than we think. Even though these medical conditions are rare, the need to use the restroom

is important for students to focus and learn. Students who are busy worrying about when they will be able to go hinders them from focusing and concentrating on what is being taught in class. Many teachers believe that when students ask to use it, they go to vending machines or walk off campus. Although some students may abuse the question to use the restroom, that cannot be a fault assigned to the whole student body. For example, if a group of students is guilty of idling around the school instead of going where they need to, the rest of the class should not be restricted due to the

actions of that group. Yes, it is difficult for teachers to know which students are honest, but using the restroom should be free for everyone without a special treatment for those who don’t. Allowing students to have the freedom to use the restroom should not be prohibited. If a teacher must keep track of how long students have been gone, recording the time the students left and returned can be used as a tool. Allowing students to use the restroom diminishes the amount of argument and disturbance within the classroom.

opinions

Writing the wrong

Structured essays are ruining students’ creativity

for many students today. Students are expected to learn how to write studious, well-informed essays for standardized tests that determine whether or not they graduate high school. On the SAT and AP tests, students are graded less on the content of their work Megan Garland • Reporter and more on the format. Because of the grading Essay. Even just seeing rubric for these important the word brings a dreadful tests, teachers focus on time feeling into the pit of your and structure. Along the way, students stomach. And wherever the word is, you can count forget how to use their on groaning and dramatic voices and express their eyerolls to immediately true opinions. They become follow. It’s a word that more focused on getting can alienate any student the grade than writing what before it’s even done being they believe. When the pronounced – a word that time comes, students are has killed the love of writing expected to have ideas and

thoughts to write about, but they don’t even know how to write those thoughts anymore. They know how to write the paper, but forget what to put in it that makes it their own. To fix this, they write lies just to make it through, because they know that ultimately society places more value in their grades than in their personal beliefs. Writing is meant to be an intimate form of selfexpression; it’s supposed to allow for the outpour of creativity and emotion from each person. We can all agree that no person is the same, so we should also agree that no writing should be the same. Today, you might understand more

about a person from their tweets than an opinionated paper they wrote in school, because odds are that opinion in the essay isn’t their own. Preparing for timed writings and teaching the correct format is important, but what should be most critical is helping students learn how to create an essay that reflects what they truly believe in. If writing how you feel is a foreign concept, or even just a challenging one, just know it’s something that takes practice. Writing in a journal is great way to do so. Break the status quo by writing your own ideas. Try to find a way to make every piece your own, even within certain boundaries.

the student body had more of a choice in the novels they study? Language has developed since the time period most of the novels take place in. What used to be typical conversation does not translate to today’s generation. Since students have to struggle to comprehend the diction, reading loses its magic. What was once a way to escape reality has now become a dull chore. Recently, some English classes have had the opportunity to pick their novel from a list of preapproved books. As the students are given more input in their reading material, they are actually getting invested in the book, and the homework becomes less of an obligation and more entertaining with the same

educational value. However, the most commonly-read books by teenagers of this generation do not have a reading level high enough to fill the requirements of the education system and most teachers. Despite this, the main focus of school should shift from learning solely to take a test, to beginning to simply enjoy reading. Curriculum should be modified to include lists of novel options that all include the rhetoric devices the class is aiming to study and intriuging enough for students. There are more contemporary pieces that students could be more excited to read, rather than just classics, and still serve the same purpose. Novels like The Hunger Games, a dystopian society series with many rhetorically rich passages,

Greek allusions, and social issues that apply to modern day and need to be discussed in school are available. And based on the ratings, it is obvious that students cannot seem to put the books down. We need to further our education and know how to analyze high-level novels and passages, but the feeling of falling in love with the characters of a novel will outlast high school and are more valuable than any AP test grade. Yes, the student body needs to understand high level concepts for, but the current system may be flawed. It may be necessary to take a new look at the reading curriculum and pick books that not only prepare students for the future, but also evoke a genuine love of reading.

Make reading magical again

Emily Wadley • Reporter It’s Monday morning and a classroom full of junior English students sit in their desks analyzing a passage from the classic novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. About half of the students sit silently, focused on their work while a few doze off, and the rest stare out the window in confusion. Could there be an increase in students who are focused, motivated and genuinely develop a love for reading if

opinions

THE WARRIOR POST

Martin High School • Arlington, TX Bailey Lewis Editor-In-Chief Kyle Desrosiers & Tupelo Witte Copy Editors Emily Hale News Editor Gabby Benavides & Kamryn LeFan Features Editors Garrett Elliott Sports Editor Gavin McGowan Entertainment Editor Allison Beatty Opinions Editor Cammi Skanes Photo Chief Cailynd Barnes Design Editor Binh Le Staff Artist

Not in our house Warriors need to display more regard for the school building In a school of nearly 3,500 students, it is inevitable that the building �� cannot be ex� pected to be kept perfectly pristine. However, we as a student body can try our best to keep the school as tidy as possible. Right now, the level of disregard for the school building displayed by the student body is much higher than it should be. This is most prominently shown in the messes left in the halls after lunch every day, or the generic vandalism and defacing of school property in the bathrooms. Little notes laced with profanities should not be scribbled on mirrors.

Marlene Roddy Principal Staffers:

The Warrior Post is the official publication of Martin High School. Opinion columns don’t necessarily represent the opinion of The Warrior Post or of Martin High School. The Warrior Post will not accept advertisements for products not legally available to students.

Phone numbers and other inappropriate messages should not be scrawled on stall walls. Paper towels should be used to dry hands, not wasted and left on the floor. All of the messes that 4,000 students leave behind should be taken care of by the same students who left them. Students occasionally complain about the general state of the school bathrooms and what someone else should do about it – for example, fixing locks on broken stall doors – but this misses the point.

We, as a student body, do not conduct ourselves in such a manner as to have earned those much needed reparations to the school’s facilities. There is a certain expectation that Warriors are Ready, Respectful, and Responsible, both inside the classroom and out. As of right now, we are not meeting that expectation. We as a student body are the problem, but we can also be the solution. If we pitch in to take care of the simple things such as the welfare of our facilities, we can promote an all-around classier school building for all of us Warriors.

School spirit and insults do not belong in the same sentence

Tricia Regalado Adviser

Ezra Averill, Emma Beard, Spencer Brewer, Kai Bruntmeyer, Rosie Cook, Serena Corwin, Morgan Evans, Darci Fulcher, Megan Garland, Kare Gray, Bayan Hammad, Cameron Hayes, Kendall Hendrix, Nikkolas Hernandez, Dean Kelly, Curt Leland, Kayla Mattox, Cameron Mayes, Madi McLean, Morgan McPeek, Kareema Nadurath, Elizabeth Prickett, Faith Smith, Zane Stewart, Daryn Taylor, Haleigh Trevino, Daisy Vasquez, Emily Wadley, Josephine Wei, Brady White, Michael White, Haley Wiley, Hope Zuckerbrow

[staff editorial]

Morgan McPeek • Reporter “Gooood morning Martin Warriors! It’s Friday! Who’s ready to kick a Colt?” The announcements boom with school pride, advertising the next game. Every week, a new team to defeat, a new stadium to compete in, and recently, a new negative comment. It seems that while our players are taking their Warrior spirit to the field or to the gym, our student section, as well as others, are

taking their spirit to Twitter. School rivalry should be all about school spirit, but late� ly, it’s not only about whose team is going to win, but who can put down the other school’s students the fastest. The Twitter feed is highly active from people tweeting and retweeting. Everyone feels they must share their opinions. The worst part about it is that everyone can see and even if it’s deleted, it’s never actually erased. Every time a negative tweet is made about someone, it shows immaturity and bad sportsmanship – not the “Warrior Way.” These negative comments can be heard from both sides and have become a regular occurrence. As being a part of the student section, being

[correction/clarification] 21

the bigger person is the most important thing. Warrior Pride is displayed when we, as students, choose to ignore the negativity and focus on the players and our school spirit. Instead of commenting back with more negativity, what about trying to up the school’s pride and make them feel more special? Kill them with kindness, some would say. Rival teams have worked just as hard as we have and deserve equal respect. Make them feel just as important as we do walking onto a court or field. Show everyone how classy Martin really is. We are proud to be a part of Martin, and the best way to show our spirit is to take our Warrior pride to the stands rather than to the phone.

In the October Warrior Post, we mistakenly reported that sophomore Rose Victory passed away Aug. 11. She passed away July 11.

opinions

A warm welcome

Let’s take steps to help Martin feel more like home

Curt Leland • Reporter You wake up, swaddled in blankets in your bed that you do not want to leave. You realize you actually need to get up, but you wonder if it’s worth it or not. Hurrying, you throw on fresh clothes, so you don’t freeze at 6 a.m. After completing your morning routine, you leave the house and drive toward the everso-familiar Martin. Dreading the fact that you are once again about to enter high school, you walk in and get a burst of the memorable MHS odor. You trudge through the cinder block halls the same way you do every day. Arriving at your first class, you come to the hard plastic sliver of a seat that will be your home for the next hour and half. You think to yourself, how did I leave my inviting warm home to come to a cold, whitewashed windowless room to be my only comfort? At Martin, the occasional couch can be found in some classrooms, but comfortable seating is extremely limited. Hard, callous plastic desk chairs are what we call home for seven hours every day.

Also, there are no common social areas like other high schools in the area have. The school has wide areas that are not just simple hallways. Places to hang out exist, such as the Upper Gym Lobby, but for the most part, we just have to sit on the floor or stand. Another common hangout area is the library. As a place with no food, drinks, or rambunctious activities, they get all the way upgraded to wooden chairs, which are not much better than plastic. Most of the kids who have to stay on campus at lunch sit on the floor. Yes, there are some wooden benches lining the walls, but they are often crowded and not deep enough to even be sat upon comfortably. Sometimes students compare Martin to a prisonlike environment. This is an exaggeration, but it has some truth. We can’t even walk down the hall without being stopped by a security guard asking our whereabouts. And even if you tell the truth sometimes you are es� corted like a prisoner to your destination. Obviously, Martin cannot change its brick walls or lack of windows, but many aspects can and need to change. The library should have softer seating and couches. In such a quiet and respectful environment, this kind of furniture would be likely treated with respect. Also, common areas could be added and enhanced. We should add common areas by having the

opinions

courtyards opened and other outside areas available. That would be an inviting place for students to eat at lunch or simply enjoy the outside weather. The common areas could be enhanced by having dura� ble, comfortable seating, like couches. They wouldn’t be too costly, so a simple fund� raiser could raise the money. The Upper Gym Lobby or Little Theater Lobby should definitely have these up� grades. Another thing that Martin lacks is non-cafeteria food. There could be many ways to provide students with food or drinks besides the crowd� ed cafeteria or half broken or empty vending machines.

In the upper gym lobby, some food is sold, but coffee could be added helping students wake up in the morning and start their day off extra energetic. This could also create profit for the school, clubs, or fundraisers. In the continuation of food, some students do not want to eat in cafeteria, but still cannot leave campus. Food trucks could drive up next to the Upper Gym Lobby and they could pay the district to do this as well as obtaining revenue them� selves. Martin is a place where we reside for much of our teenage lives, so it should be a more inviting place.

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Life of the party

Sophomore Ezra Averill, band promoter

Bayan Hammad•Reporter Throwing major events, lessons he’s learned from his booking famous people, and shows, like how to handle having multiple people try� the money, and not having ing to work with him and he as many opening acts be� is only 15 years old. Sopho� cause it’s time-consuming more Ezra Averill talks since some people leave be� about the experienceTupelo of all Witte fore the headline comes on. • Copy Editor these events, as they come “I react in a very positive with challenges and benefits. way every time he throws a “I really wanted to see Play� show,” senior Sebastian Wil� boi Carti, and I got tired of son said. “Instead of enjoy� seeing the same people every ing the show I enjoy more of show,” Averill said. “Then the fact that my close friend I contacted a businessman just threw this.” named Lou, who along with Wilson attends every show a few others now help me Averill throws and supports throw shows.” him in everything Averill Averill chooses venues does. Wilson explained the based on good pricing and if amazing accomplishments they’re willing to let him or� Averill succeeded in his first ganize a show there. show at Dallas 300, which “My first show sold out, sold out the day of the show. 1200 people were there,” “Ezra sold out a big ven� Averill said. “Playboi Carti ue that like huge celebrities was the headline, and a host at,” Wilson said. “He’s bunch of opening acts per� just some young kid from formed. I was happy. I was L.A that did the same thing going home with a bunch of for his first show.” money.” Each show is a different “Because of my young age I experience for both Wilson can’t sign contracts,” Averill and Averill. said. “So I get my business “At school, he’s more laid partner to do it.” back but he doesn’t talk to Averill said that he usu� many people in class,” Wil� ally gets somebody he can son said. “Kids in his class trust who’s over 18 who can don’t really know who Ezra sign the paperwork for him, is, but outside everybody and has to make sure he knows and loves Ezra.” fully trusts the adult because Wilson said that Averill is sometimes people try to take known more in the outside advantage of him. world and has a better con� “Since I’m young, they try nection with them than the to scam me out of money people in his grade. or something,” Averill said. “Most people who throw “I have people backing me, shows down here they have and they warn me ahead of to wait a couple of years to time if they see something get known, it’s like a pro� wrong.” cess,” Wilson said. “But he Averill gets in no legal trou� came from L.A, and no one ble throwing these events, really knew him and just unless an injury happens. threw a show.” “Everytime I throw a show Averill tends to be different I do something different,” than other people who orga� Averill said. nize these type of events be� Averill gives some of the cause he’s so young and that

Martin faculty opens up about recent deaths, and how to prevent it from happening again

Sophomore Ezra Averill with Playboi Carti. Averill hosts music and party events in the DFW metroplex. Photo courtesy of Ezra Averill

youth attracts many people who are trying to work with him. “I want to stay under� ground,” Averill said. “And continue what I’m doing with the people I actually like and enjoy listening to. At first, I just threw a show

because I wanted to. Then a lot of people liked it. So re� ally I just want to know who people want to see live and try to bring them. At this point it’s more for other people than it is for myself. So I try my best to get what the people actually want.”

29% feel comfortable talking to their counselor about personal struggles.

entertainment

Coming this Movie predictions by a man with questionable sanity

Chri stmas Dean Kelly • Reporter

Joy ~opens Christmas Day~

I have come to you on this day to share my opinion, and essentially analyze some of the movies coming this holiday season. These aren’t reviews, for I cannot review a movie I have yet to see, but merely predictions based on the trailers. I don’t have a crystal ball, so nothing I say is set in stone. All I can hope for is that you remember my words when you decide what you want to go see.

The Revenant ~opens Christmas Day~ Leonardo DiCaprio is a great actor, so I have no doubts that this movie will be good. The camera work looks good, and so does the cinematography. Although, to try and keep with the “tough guy” feel of the movie, some lines in the trailer seemed muf� fled, so I hope that the en� tire movie doesn’t follow that pattern. The idea of this whole revenge quest appeals to me, though. If the movie sticks to what it has, doesn’t go over the top without delv� ing too deep into the plot, and keeps up the action, it will be most enjoyable. I

rate: 3 out of 5

I enjoyed American Hustle, although, I feel it wasn’t good enough to pay to see again. That’s how I feel about Joy. Now, I don’t want to pick it apart too much, but the time period, plot, and even the characters are far too similar for me to be comfortable. That be� ing said, I still feel a lot of work is being put into this movie despite it lack� ing in the creative aspect. So I have mixed emotions. All in all, as much as I’d like to be proven wrong, I don’t want to give this one too much credit yet.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens ~opens Dec. 18~

All right, so it’s Star Wars. Everyone’s going to see it. I know it’s the cool guy, up� pity thing sort of thing to do to cynically rip on any re� makes or revamps, but this looks legitimately good. From the trailer you can see some pretty familiar sights, such as Tatooine. Plus, I’m really infatu� ated with the idea of the rogue stormtrooper. Even as a kid, I always won� dered what went down in their heads. Needless to say, I have high expec� tations for this film. JJ Abrams has already prov� en his talent with his take on the Star Trek series, so this should be good. I

Hateful 8 ~opens Christmas Day~

’Tis the season, and our gift is here. The harbin� ger has returned! Quen� tin Tarantino is here once again, to bestow on us in all-encompassing glory, yet another beautiful film. I have high expectations for Hateful 8, considering this director’s past works, and the idea of cowboys in snow is pretty cool. Even more so, is that it’s Samuel L. Jackson as a cowboy in snow. Anyone who’s seen Pulp Fiction or Django Un� chained can tell you that Tarantino and Jackson are a dream team. What better to get you in the adrenaline pumped Christmas spirit than guns and profanity?

rate: 4 out of 5

entertainment

rate: 2.5 out of 5

rate: 4 out of 5

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip ~opens Dec. 18~

Everyone’s favorite movie series, held in the highest regard returns once again to the big screen. We have been blessed with another installment of this amaz� ing saga. But in all seriousness, I think everyone can agree that this movie will bomb. Alvin and The Chipmunks have a long history of stinking theaters into an� other plane of existence, while simultaneously mak� ing enough money to pro� duce yet another film. This will be no different. So lock your doors and board up your windows, because Papa Alvin don’t take no prisoners.

I rate: 0 out of 5

Antisocial Reflections on a year after giving up social media

Kai Bruntmyer • Reporter I lie back on my pillow. Midnight, and I’m staring at my computer. I should be asleep. I’ll be struggling to stay awake in seventh grade math in eight hours. But I miss Abby so much since she went back to Malaysia. So I go to Twitter, find the sign up box. Pause. Do I really want to do this? But I think about Abby,

about how easy it will be to share what’s she’s miss� ing in my life and what I’m missing in hers. So I type my name, my phone number, and bio. Seconds later, the text with the code pops up. I read the instructions. De� cide my username. Blulvr? No. Googler? No. iText? No way. KaiNicholee? Perfect. I check my name, password, and bio. Click again. One year later I lie in bed. Delete all my tweets. My pictures. The things I thought were cool. Jen loves @nialler. I add it. Jess loves @kidrauhl. I add it. Ben — oh, yeah, Ben, he loves @alexmorg. I totally add it. I can’t be “that weird new girl” at Boles Junior High. I won’t be.

Three years later Lexi hasn’t sent me the pic� ture we took in our dresses. I have to post first. It’s been six minutes, what’s taking so long? What if she posts first? She could get more likes than me. No, that won’t hap� pen, I have more followers. She may be prettier, but who cares how pretty you are if you don’t get likes? One month later Midnight, and I’m star� ing at the screen that’s con� trolled my life for the past five years. Buzz. One new follower. Buzz. Sratty fa� vorited your tweet. I can’t be this girl anymore. I gave up everything for what, a few followers? Buzz. Six people liked your picture. I have to think of something.

I haven’t tweeted anything in five hours. I’m slipping. I turn my phone off, and lay still in my bed. Is this what life is supposed to be like? In the quiet, a small voice says, “Log off and trust me.” One year later I lie in bed. I wonder what my friends have posted lately. Wonder about the football game. Wonder how many likes Lexi got on her picture. Wonder how Abby is. It can wait. I climb out of bed, and tiptoe down the hall to my sister’s room. We talk about the cute boy in her class, her friends, and how she’s nervous for cheer. She falls asleep. I sneak back into my room, satisfied with the way life turned out. I lie back on my pillow.

Telling my testimony

Church camp experience changed my life and answered questions

Cameron Mayes • Reporter When I was a kid I was terrible at math. I would be called names for not being as smart as everyone else in my math class. Fast forward to eighth grade, when I went to the Gateway Student Confer� ence church camp. The pas� tor was preaching on labels

– being called names and believing the lies. I felt a tug in my heart but I didn’t want to admit it, so I ignored it. When the message finished, the pastor said, “If you feel like you’ve been labeled come down to the front to be prayed for.” I froze, not wanting God to send me in front of everyone. I felt such a strong tug in my heart. I got up and walked down to the front ignoring any self pride. I kneeled and started to cry. Kneeling be� fore God, I heard all the neg� ative voices saying, “You’re not smart enough.” I felt God detach the labels that I carried since I was in school. The Lord delivered me and filled me with differ�

ent word such as, “You have the mind of Christ.” It was a life-changing ex� perience for me. I no longer let labels from other people affect me. Yes, people will still say things but they don’t influence my actions or thoughts toward myself, be� cause that experience at the conference showed me what my Father in heaven thinks about me, and when I know what my Father thinks about me, the things that other people say don’t matter. To me, being a Christian is having a life that was paid for with a high cost. Lost and dead in my sin, God reached down and touched my life and saved me from derailing and crashing and burning. 1

John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us and purify us from our unrigh� teousness.” Many Christians believe that before we can become a Christian, we have to fix ourselves and then we can have God’s love and mercy. In reality, it’s the opposite. All we have to do is confess that we have sinned against God and that He is Lord. He does the rest if we allow Je� sus to come into our hearts and transform us from the inside out. God has changed my life personally. He brings me peace that there is someone who loves me even through my sin and fault.

opinions

What is regular?

Addressing the stigma surrounding regulars students Gavin McGowan • Entertainment Editor “Regular” is an adjective used to describe the nor� mality of a person, place or thing. Synonyms include usual, normal, customary and standard. At Martin High School however, this word has taken on a vastly different definition. With such an emphasis placed on AP classes, a com� mon stereotype of “regulars kids” is that of an unmoti� vated individual with no de� sire to learn. An AP student is viewed by many to be the paradigm of what a Martin student should be, and it feels like, in the eyes of the student body and faculty, anything less than that is something to be

avoided at all costs. A regu� lars student is not something to be proud of. I am currently enrolled in Theater Arts III/IV, News� paper, Technical Theatre and Pre-AP German III as my electives. I believe I have found my passion in all of these, showing talent and potential in them, and excel� ling in my studies of them. German is the only Pre-AP class I am currently enrolled in. All of my core classes are regular courses and I still struggle in these environ� ments. Because of this, I am not seen by other students as a person who is doing what they love and succeeding in

it. I am seen as a person who is doing something they hate and failing in that instead. Whenever I say, “The homework from last night was difficult. It took me al� most an hour,” I should not get a chorus of “What do you mean? You’re just in regu� lars classes.” Just because we have different work loads doesn’t mean that mine was any less difficult. And yet, that is an almost unanimous reaction from AP students. Martin is known for its tol� erance and understanding of others. This needs to become true for regulars students as well. Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to get their edu� cation without being judged

for what classes appear on their schedule, and this can� not be accomplished until the stigma placed on regu� lars students is gone. If we are going to accom� plish this, we need to make an effort. Talk to regulars students and attempt to un� derstand their situation. Take the time to realize that just because they don’t want to take AP classes, doesn’t mean that they are any less capable than oth� ers of becoming productive members of society through a high school education.

It is 3:25 when I close my book, hands cramping, and crawl into bed, not even bothering to clean the disarray off my desk. The next morning, I wake up to the monotonous beeping of my alarm clock reading 6 a.m. I examine the permanent bruises under my eyes. This is not an abnormal day. Like most AP students, I consistently stay up taking notes and memorizing minute details only to forget them as soon as I turn in my test. For my lack of sleep, I am rewarded with an A. Teachers praise good note taking, as if it is a mark of intelligence to copy down

facts from a textbook. I can rattle off dates of battles, and yet I have no idea their significance, nor their effects. But that’s okay, as long as I get a good grade. I can take good notes for quizzes. I have mastered good test-taking skills. I have learned to play the game. But when did school stop being a place of learning and start being a place that merely assigns grades? Grades should reflect what we’ve learned, not just assess how well we can bend to what the syllabus tells us. When colleges look at our grades, they should see how much we’ve learned, rather than meaningless numbers, because we should strive

to be scholars with a thirst for knowledge, instead of robots following mindless commands. Teachers should not just teach us facts and formulas. They should tell us why, how it applies to the class and how it relates to life. And we, as students, need to push ourselves to dig deeper and learn why, why certain wars happen or why formulas matter, why education matters. If the teachers and students work together, we can restore AP to its original purpose of challenging students to gain a deeper understanding and help schools become a place of learning instead of memorization.

AP: Advanced Pressure Have we gotten away from AP’s original intentions?

Emily Hale • News Editor Hair ruffled and eyes red, I look at the clock: 2:36 a.m. “Only ten more pages,” I tell myself. “Just ten more.” I speed up my already illegible handwriting. I write down every minutia, afraid I will not remember the facts come morning.

opinions

Choose your club

If you’re not sure which club to join, use this fun “choose your adventure” quiz to find out which club you would fit in Binh Le • Staff Artist

Do you prefer a large club or a small club? Small club!

Large club!

Do you want a club that is more creative or logical in its thinking?

Do you want to join a club for fun or academic purposes?

More creative!

Academic For fun! purposes! According to Do you want a club that is more your results… creative or logical in their thinking? you should join HOSA. Besides being a More creative! More logical! large academic club, HOSA is also logical in its thinking, provides a quiet environment and can be both competitive and non-competitive! HOSA is sponsored by Mrs. Davda.

According to your results… you should join Key Club. Key Club is the largest club at Martin with more than 400 members. The club mainly does volunteer work, helping out nearby schools and Mission Arlington. Key Club is sponsored by Mrs. Parks.

According to your results… you should join French Club. French Club increases awareness about the study of French and Francophile culture. Their main project is the Kiss a Senior Goodbye project in April and May. French Club is sponsored by Mrs. Lopez

According to your results… you should join Seekers. Seekers are logical in their thinking, but creative in the way they approach their meetings. Their environment also varies depending on whether they are listening to a speaker, doing small group Bible studies, large group participation or singing. Seekers is sponsored by Mrs. Clements, Mrs. Craig and Mrs. Wood

More logical!

Do you want a club that is competitive or non-competitive? Non-competitive! Competitive!

According to your results… you should join Book Club. Book Club is a small club for those who enjoy independent reading and analyzing writing styles and authors. Book Club is sponsored by Mrs. Severns.

According to your results… you should join According to Public Speaking According to your your results… Club. results… you you should join Public Speaking should join GerAnimation Guild. Club is a small, man Club. While being a but loud, club Although the club relatively new for anyone who is small, any student club, Animation is interested in who is taking Guild has a lot of activities like German can join improv, puppet plans for its future. the club. At the The club gathshows, or permoment, the club forming. Must be ers students who is non-competitive enjoy animation in Public Speakbut state German whether it’s the ing II to join. contests are posprocess or the Public Speaking sibile in the future outcome. Club is sponGerman Club is Animation Guild sored by Mrs. sponsored by Ms. is sponsored by Fratto. Bonner. Mr. Patton.

features

According to your results… you should join Quidditch. If you were a big fan of the Harry Potter series and fell in love with the magical sport of Quidditch then this club is for you.The school’s team competes with many schools in the area. Quidditch Club is sponsored by Mrs. Haney.

According to your results… you should join Bass Fishing Club. Bass Fishing Club is composed of 40 members. The club is great for people with a competitive nature, love fishing, and being outside. The club aims to be both fun and loud. Bass Fishing Club is sponsored by Mrs. Peterson.

Giving it a twirl Freshman balances baton and band Darci Fulcher • Reporter

wirling isn’t a simple task, �� but freshman Vic� toria Morrow makes it look like a piece of cake. Being a second-generation Martin student is not uncommon, but when your mom used to twirl batons for the Warrior Band, you have a lot to live up to. “My mom and I have the same coach,” Morrow said. Morrow has always been interested in twirling. “My sister started twirling before me,” Morrow said. “So I went to her competitions and decided I wanted to join.” Not only is Morrow a twirler for the band, she plays the flute in it too. “I like playing with a whole group of people,” Morrow said. “It makes me less nervous. I knew I wanted to twirl in high school. But I picked an instrument just for fun.” Performing at competitions versus twirling during halftime is a completely different setup. “It is much more difficult to do tricks on the turf,” Morrow said. Having to perform alone can be nerve-racking, but when you have the support of loved ones it helps you relax a little. “My coach and my mom expect a lot out of me, but I know they won’t be mad if I mess up,” Morrow said. Perfection comes only with the amount of practice she puts in every week. “I go to twirling practice six to seven hours a week,”

Morrow said. “I can finally catch a four spin, a move where you throw the baton in the air, turn four times, and successfully catch it in front of you.” Morrow expects her upcoming competition season to be rewarding. “My next competition is coming up later this December,” Morrow said. “Usually I place in the top five in the extra division and top seven in the solo division.” Having friends to compete against can make some people nervous in competition, but not Morrow. “My favorite part of competitions is that I get to see my friends from all Photo by Makayla Williams over,” Morrow said. Morrow was only 10 Despite the hours Morrow years old when she started spends practicing each week twirling, and she placed and performing at football in the top 10 at her first games each Friday, she still competition. keeps her grades up with the “At my first nationals, I tied hopes of scoring a position for eighth place out of 50 as a twirler in college. people,” Morrow said. “Only a few schools have When Morrow goes to them, and you have to try competitions she doesn’t out,” Morrow said. “If I make go alone. Her whole team twirler some place, then I’ll competes. probably go there.” “We go as a team, but we Along with stocking her perform individually, unless brain with vocabulary we are given duets or trios,” words for English and math she said. formulas, Morrow also Haylee Castagna, Morrow’s stores her routines. twirling inspiration is a “I only get a month to learn college student four years and memorize a routine,” older than her. Morrow said. “But the new “She twirled for Pascal,” routines are built into the Morrow said. “But now old ones, just with more she twirls for Vanguard difficult tricks.” International Drum Corps.”

Swimmer set to compete in Olympics Daisy Vasquez • Reporter Senior Carla Gonzalez could compete in the 2016 Olympic games for her home country, Venezuela. Gonzalez is ranked Top 8 in the state and should re� ceive final word about her Olympic status this spring. “I train two hours in the morning and two hours on a club team,�� ” Gonza� lez said. “You have to sac� rifice yourself, you have that goal in mind. The pain is worth it. I have never thought about quitting be� cause it takes patience.” Senior Allison Pham trains with Gonzales. “Carla makes everything look easy and smooth even if the interval is difficult,” Pham said. “She knows how to be composed even when she’s nervous.” Swim coach John Ivo� �� nen said Gonzalez’s work ethic paved her way to possibly qualifying for the Olympics. “Carla has the unique combination of strength, (something you have to work at), feel for the water, (talent, which some peo� ple just have but you still have to work at) and a very strong work ethic,” Ivonen said. “All three factors are necessary in order to com� pete at that level.” Gonzales also has another resource: her father. “My dad was an �� Olym� pian,” Gonzales said. “He guides me because he knows what it takes to get there.”

sports

Stuck in the penalty box

Arlington Attack hockey players from Martin skate on despite not being able to represent their school Garrett Elliott • Sports Editor The last high school game played by the Martin Warriors hockey team was in 2011 and ended in a 9-3 loss to Keller in the State Championship game. The game was not remembered for Keller’s victory, but for a fight that garnered national attention. During a fight near the end of the game, a Martin player, senior Jeff SoRelle left his bench and skated toward the fight. Skating at full speed, SoRelle launched himself into a Keller player who was standing along the boards watching the fight but stay� ing out of it. Another Keller

player came flying in and punched SoRelle, break� ing his jaw and giving him a concussion. As a result of the incident Martin and Arlington ISD decided to disallow the team from us� ing their name. Now, it’s 2015 and all those players have graduated. Yet, several hockey players attend Martin and are left to play for either the Arlington Attack, a hockey team composed of high school students from Arlington and Midlothian, or play select hockey. But they do not get the opportunity to represent Martin like other athletes. Here are a few of Martin’s hockey players.

Senior

Grayson Clarke

How long have you been

What position do you pla

ckey?

What first got you in to ho

over there dad’s office, and I went There was rink by my re. started playing from the to skate and then just

ey? le experience playing hock m tea ect years ago. My sel

What’s your most memorab

da a few I got to go play in Cana d played so we went up there an t, en am rn had won a tou ms. some international tea

enges playing in Texas?

Do you face certain chall

rs and decline of youth playe Yes, especially with the s are clos� A lot of rinks and shop youth hockey in Texas. Where to find a place to play. ing and it makes it hard the rink? does he play? Where’s

Sophomore

Jonathan Loggins

Beau Rehonic How long have you been

Center

How long have you been playing for?

I have been playing since I was 5 years old

playing?

What position do you pla

What first got you into ho

ckey?

Sophomore ce nter Beau Rehoni c fights for puck deep in the Kelle r zone.

When I was little I wo uld watch the Dallas Sta rs on TV with my dad, and one day he took me to get skating les� sons and I just fell in lov e with it.

Do you plan to play in co

If I have the opportunit

llege?

y, I would love to play

in college.

Does it bother you that yo u don’t get to represent Ma rtin like all the other sports ge t to?

I love representing Ar lington, but getting to represent Martin would be a lot better since we play oth er schools like Keller, John Paul High School. I’d love to represent Martin as a hockey tea m.

sports

Senior Captain Grayson Clarke surveys the ice.

Defenseman

Sophomore

Since I was 4 years old

playing?

old. Since I was four years

Sophomore de fenseman Jona Right defenseman than Loggins skates away fro m What first got you in to hockey? an attacker. My dad played roller hockey and I just followed after him and my brother. It just runs in the family.

What position do you play?

Do you face certain challenges playing

in Texas?

There are definitely fewer teams to play against. In our league there are only five or six and ice time is pretty expensive.

Does it bother you that you don’t get to represent Martin like all the other sports get to?

A little. The Arlington Attack doe sn’t get to compete at district, and advance in the playoffs because we’re com� bined with another school. And it’d be nice to get to wear the Martin logo.