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The Student Publication for Sunrise Mountain High School
USTANG EXPRESS
Volume 15 Issue 3
Featured in this issue: Dispatch
The Pride of Sunrise travels to Disneyland to perform.
Spotlight
Early graduates discuss their future plans.
2 Cents
Reporter Kellie Reynolds complains about the childish trend of silly bandz.
Horseshoe
Brandon Kocmoud wins the cross country State Championship.
Scene
Reporter reviews the All Star Weekend CD.
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Chelsey Schmid Page Designer
For years, the theatrical productions of the Sunrise Mountain Drama Department have dazzled the school. This winter, the drama department is expected to continue their tradition of excellence by performing the musical Children of Eden, with music and lyrics by Steven Schwartz (who also wrote the musical Wicked). The musical is based on the Book of Genesis, focusing mainly on the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel and Noah and the flood. “It has a lot of leads, and…we have a lot of really great voices this year,” said Director Tanya Boehme. Freshman Audrey Sorenson plays one of the many strong leads, Eve. “I like that [Eve’s] playful and fun,” said Sorenson. “She’s like a little kid, but she’s also the mother of everything.” The musical has a cast of over 70 people and is expected to be the most elaborate show yet to be performed at Sunrise.
Photo by: Jessie O’Cheltree WALK LIKE A CAMEL: The Children of Eden cast walk in succession while trying to learn a new move for one of their songs. The cast tried to pick it up quickly in hopes of getting it down before the break.
“It’s huge,” said senior Tyler Knight, the stage manager for the production. “It’s a huge cast…our set design is going to be out of this world, it’s going to be over the top.” Putting on a show of this magnitude requires a large commitment on the part of the actors and
crew. Rehearsals are held Tuesday through Thursday for almost three hours. Boehme recognizes the hard work and dedication that the students demonstrate and said that it all is worth it in the end. “It’s so great to work
really hard and have everyone focus towards a common goal, and then to have the performances… It’s when our hard work pays off and people appreciate it,” Boehme said. Children of Eden will be performed January 13, 14, 15, 20 and 22 at 6:30 p.m. Knight encourages
everyone to come and see the show. “I think this will be our best show at SMHS,” Knight said. “It was cast extremely well, and the music is amazing…Any of the technical aspects are just going to be fantastic, so it’s definitely a really good show to see.”
Override passes, district cautious towards further reductions Copy Editor
Playing Field
December 9, 2010
Children of Eden set to dazzle
Brandi Porter
Staffers give up valued possesions for one week.
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The Peoria Unified School District foresaw trouble after the November 2nd election, when it seemed the maintenance and operations (M&O) override would fail. But after a close race, it passed. The override is a housing tax that gives an extra $18 million to the district’s budget annually and lasts seven years. The district’s budget, excluding the override, is $195 million. “In essence an M&O override is the district going out to the community asking them to increase our revenue control limit on our budget by 10 percent,” PUSD Public Relations Director for the Peoria Unified School District Danielle Airey said. “Any resident of the district that resides within our boundaries has a tax that they pay where a percentage goes towards our M&O budget.” The override first
passed in 1996, then again in 2001, and again in 2006, but the depressed economy has put pressure on schools. “I think the fact that the state is in such a terrible fiscal crisis right
like laying off administrative workers. Finn believes that after the one-cent sales tax, which passed in May (Prop 100), “Voters were feeling as though they just gave education a boost six
used to keep class sizes at current levels, avoid increasing participation fees for extracurricular activities, as well as keeping dedicated teachers for elementary P.E., band, chorus, and art,” Finn
now has everyone trying to pinch pennies as much as they can,” PUSD Chief Financial Officer Michael Finn said. The most recent cuts have been in areas that would not normally be noticed but, according to Airey, the district has to make some difficult cuts
months ago and now they were being asked to boost it again.” What happens next is the question. If the override had not passed, the district would have faced many cuts and students would likely have been affected. “The monies will be
said. “Assistant principals would have also been reduced to a minimum.” Although the override passed, this does not ensure the financial stability of the district in the future. “There have been significant cutbacks to funding for education over the
past couple of years. We have done our best to keep those cuts from affecting students,” Airey said. When asked if the district was expecting another budget reduction Airey said, “We’re cautiously optimistic but the state tells us that there may have to be reductions coming so we keep in close contact with them.” As a school in the Peoria district, Sunrise Mountain students would be affected by reduction cuts since the budget is based on the student population. For now, the school can breathe a little easier and plan for next year assuming the budget will remain the same and make cuts from there. “We’ll plan on going through the spring, [then] looking into next year, we’ll plan on having…the same budget we have this year, until we get told it’s going to increase, or it’s going to decrease,” Assistant Principal Clay Carpenter said.
02 the D ispatch D ecember 9, 2010
Pride of Sunrise marches to California, performs in Disney parade Chelsey Schmid Page Designer
This December, the Pride of Sunrise Marching Band traveled to California to perform in a parade at Disneyland. The band was invited to apply for this honor and underwent a formal application process in order to be chosen. “Disneyland’s picky about who they allow to perform in the park,” said Band Director Chris Vail. The band has been preparing for the trip since mid-fall. It cost each member $200 to attend, so the group has done several fundraisers together. “We [worked] the lunch cart, sold Sardella’s [pizza] cards and sold Homecoming [barbeque] tickets,” said freshman Teresa Bell, a clarinet player. All of these activities have helped members to
offset the cost of the trip. While in California, band students were able to have fun in the park before and after they performed on December 3. The parade itself proceeded from “It’s a Small World” to the front of the park, and the band performed “Raiders March” from Indiana Jones, “You’re a Grand Old Flag/ America the Beautiful” and “An American Christmas Medley”. Sophomore TaNeasha Comsa, who is part of the flag line, was excited about the trip. “I’m looking forward to marching through Disneyland and going to all the rides,” Comsa said. This was the band’s final performance of the year. The Pride of Sunrise qualified for the state competition this year where they earned a rating of excellent.
Flu Etiquette: Tips for staying healthy Kellie Reynolds Online Supervisor
Flu season is in full swing, and school is a virus’ playground. You can prevent yourself from getting sick with these helpful hints. Flu Shots: Flu shots are available at stores like Walgreens or in doctor’s offices. These will vaccinate you, so you have less of a chance of getting the flu. The dead virus strain in the vaccine is introduced to your immune system so it can deal with live germs. Avoid sharing objects/food: If there is chips and dip, a person does not have to double dip to share germs. Turning a chip around in their germy hands,
Photo submitted by Maddie Pado SLIIIIDE TO THE LEFT: Sunrise Mountain marching band practices for their upcoming performance. The band earned a rating of “excellent” at this year’s state competition.
they dip it into the salsa and infect everyone sharing the chips and salsa with them. Cover your coughs: Ideally, you should cough and sneeze into a tissue or a towel so germs do not spread. Unfortunately, no one carries a handkerchief anymore, so the next best solution is coughing or sneezing into your upper arm or inside of elbow. Sneezes and coughs are the top way to get sick, so set a good example. Wash your hands: Wash your hands often, and with warm water and soap. Rinse your hands for at least 20 seconds under the water, the same length as the “Happy Birthday” song. Do not touch your face: Touching your eyes, nose or mouth could get you sick. Hands pick up many germs, no matter how many times you wash them. Stay away from sick people: While hard to do
at school, try to avoid contact with people who were recently sick or still are. Stay home if you are sick: If you have had a fever, you should not come to school. You should wait until 24 hours after you had a fever not using feverreducing medicine. Be aware of your surroundings: Germs can live up to two hours on a surface like a table, desk or doorknob. Do not assume that the desk you sit in for your classes is clean, and wash your hands before you eat lunch. Take care of yourself: If you put your body under stress, your immune system is more likely to have a hard time keeping germs out. The best thing you can do if you feel you are getting sick is rest. Information from cdc.gov, redcross.org, flu.gov.
Tips on preparing for the FAFSA, what you need to know to succeed Brandi Porter Copy Editor
It’s January first and you’re sitting in front of your computer without any idea of what FAFSA is, what it decides or how important it is for colleges to decide how much money you will receive in financial aid. FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and gives the federal government and colleges the information they need to know to determine how much your expected family contribution for school, or EFC, will be. “When a student submits the FAFSA and provides all of the information requested, the government takes it all into consideration and runs it through a formula called federal methodology,” Grand Canyon University Admissions Counselor Candace Wilkins said. “The result of the formula is a number called EFC which is based on the family’s financial ability to assist the students in paying for college.” The outcome of submitting your FAFSA is a financial aid package for students who colleges
feel need them. Financial aid packages can consist of grants, work-study and student loans; the amount of financial aid you get depends on your EFC. The lower your EFC is the more financial aid you are likely to receive. In order to make sure your EFC is as low as possible, send your scores to as many schools as possible, even if you already know where you want to go. “The financial aid officer that will put together your aid package gets to see the information you submit on the FAFSA and you want to create competition for yourself,” College Funding Advisor, Christopher Ordway said. “If you list just one school on your form, the financial aid officer does not have incentive to offer you a better financial aid package because he knows you are attending his school regardless.” According to Ordway, Arizona is one of the worst states to hand out financial aid because most of the schools are public and the state does not have the money to help students finance their education. He suggests looking at
private institutions or out-of-state schools, because although they may seem to cost more, they may actually cost less. “Never let the price tag of any school deter you from considering that school,” Ordway said. One of the biggest mistakes students make is procrastinating. It is important to apply as soon as possible. “If you apply early, there are more funds available so you have the opportunity to get a better financial aid award package by applying early,” Ordway said. When applying, the form will ask you if you have filed your taxes for 2010. You should know that you do not have to have filed your taxes in order to apply. Parents and students can use their last pay stubs to estimate how much money they made that year. Then, after you have completed your taxes, you can update and resend in your FAFSA for completion. “The sooner they put in their applications, the sooner [schools] can process it and the sooner they can determine how much money you receive in financial aid,” Career Specialist Cindy Fair said.
Fafsa Tips -FAFSA is based only on financial aid. -You can receive grants, loans, or work-study -grants are free money -loans must be repaid but usually have low interest rates - students who receive work-study work part time -”F” stands for free, so watch out for scams claiming to be FAFSA -The official website is www.fafsa ed.gov -The application will ask for: -parent and student social security numbers -alien registration or permanent resident card (if not a US citizen) -driver’s license -income from the prior year’s tax return
2C ents 03 D ecember 9, 2010
Aim for the moon: the war against low expections Chelsey Schmid Page Designer
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I just had one of the highestgrossing opening weekends of all time. Why is this? What is it that people find so fascinating? Well, the general awesomeness of it all…but I digress. One of the main things that makes stories appealing to people are the heroes found in them. Heroes are those people who go above and beyond the call of duty, who had dozens of chances to give up, to turn back, to quit, but they didn’t. They kept going, they kept fighting, and they kept giving it their best shot. We expect a lot from those heroes and are not often disappointed. When it comes to ourselves, however, many people expect a lot less. We give up, we quit, and we say it’s only natural. But the time has come for us to start challenging this model. Many people give up on holding teenagers to any kind of standards. “You can’t expect too much,” seems to be the watchword of the day. But why is this? Why do teenagers need to be viewed as rude or lazy? Why can’t we challenge those low expectations, and defeat them? We tell ourselves “I can’t do it” or “It’s too hard” or “Maybe tomorrow”. But the truth is,
we don’t know. We never know the immense power inside of ourselves, our enormous ability to do that which we set our minds on, unless we can embrace those challenges set before us and perform to the highest possible standards. Let me be clear. I do not expect perfection. I am a highly imperfect person. I mess up. I make mistakes. I get to the point where I want to just give up. I am not saying that you need to work your lives away or bury yourselves in homework or community service. All I’m asking is that you expect a little more from yourselves and from the people around you. As someone once said, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” So let yourself know that you are going for your moon, whether it be an A in a difficult class, a better relationship with your parents, or the job of your dreams. You will be able to then walk away stronger and more accomplished, filled with the knowledge that you gave it all you had. John F. Kennedy had one of my favorite quotes of all time when he spoke about landing a man on the moon. He said, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.”
If you go through your life taking the easy path, never aiming for your highest potential, never discovering what you can truly accomplish, you will be doing yourself a monumental disfavor. Easy things are rarely great. It is the things that are difficult, that take time, and effort and dedication that are great. And you have the potential to do these
things. I won’t pretend that all of you can become great scientists or President of the United States, or something of comparable prestige, because it’s simply not true. But you can all become something great. All you have to do is open your eyes, look around at the world and take the plunge. And may you land on the moon every time.
Teenage voting standard proves to be disappointing Alex Korsick Page Designer
According to Civicyouth.org, the percentage of citizens under 30 who vote is 20 percent. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) provides another shocking statistic. The percentage of teen voters ages 18-19 that cast a vote in the recent midterm election is a staggeringly low 14 percent in Arizona, the lowest in the entire country. These statistics show the lack of teen turnout at the polls, which is very worrisome. The opinion of teens and young adults is arguably the most important amongst vot-
ers as decisions made now directly affect our future for years to come. Many teens have the mentality of, “my vote doesn’t count.” This keeps them from doing the research on candidates, propositions and city officials that is necessary to make an educated decision when casting their ballot. It is difficult to feel like your individual opinion is heard in a city of thousands and in a country of millions, but it is absolutely necessary to get to the polls. If every teenager had the opinion that their single vote did not matter, the young adult age group would not be represented at all. This is becoming more and more probable as elections continue to roll by without teen voter participation. Today, we are a part of the most exciting political climate in years. In our lifetime, we have experienced the first black president, the second female in history
Teens & Politics
• 20.9% of young voters voted in the 2010 midterms. • Most voters chose Democrats over Republicans by a 57%-40%. • 60%-40% voters decided that Barack Obama was fit for the job of President. Source: CIRCLE
to be a vice presidential candidate and the biggest mid-term upset in over 20 years. These events are huge and subject our country to radical change that will ultimately affect the teen population more than anyone. Plans for collegiate financial aid, unemployment rates and healthcare are quickly becoming issues that we cannot be ignorant of. The officials that are running for election in the fast approaching years will be deciding these issues. If teenagers do not vote, we do not get a say in our future. A lot of apprehension about voting comes from the enormous amount of research that is necessary to cast an educated ballot. It is imperative that teens form their own opinion and do research to really decide who the right candidate for them is. This is usually the aspect that pushes kids away from voting. Our generation as a whole must actively choose
to fight ignorance and take the time to become educated. No one can do it for us, and it is a part of being an adult. Students have such a huge desire to grow up and be on their own but do not want to take the required steps to get there. They can’t have it both ways. Voting is a huge step towards self-sufficiency and independent thought. Ultimately, your vote does count. Whether it is for president or a city official, every election is an important one. It is our job as American citizens to inform ourselves and make our voice heard. We have the privilege to choose our own government that many other countries long for but do not have. This is something that should be remembered and taken advantage of. The low rate of teen voting must be changed and our generations must start showing up in force to secure our future.
The Mustang Express Staff Managing Editor Multimedia Editor Natasha Hossain
Morgan Brewster
Copy Editor
Photo Editor
Online Supervisor Kellie Reynolds
Advertising Manager
Page Designers Emily Bridgewater Tiffanie Riess Alex Korsick Chelsey Schmid
Adviser Kristy Roschke
Brandi Porter
Kelsey Luft
Jamie Warren
On Twitter: @MustangExpress On Facebook: facebook.com/mustangexpress
Staff Reporters Jessica O’Cheltree Kaitlin Vickers Bryce Ulm
Members of:
Editorial Policy The Sunrise Mountain High School Mustang Express is a student newspaper whose purpose is to inform the community of events that are relevant to SMHS and its surroundings, to interpret and analyze current events and to provide entertainment. The staff aims to be fair and impartial, accurate and responsible, and to adhere to the SPJ Code of Ethics. Letters to the Editor are printed at the discretion of the editorial staff and SMHS administrators. Opinions voiced in the letters do not necessarily represent those held by the staff or Sunrise Mountain High School. The staff reserves the right to edit all letters for grammar and content. Anonymous letters will not be published.
04 2C ents D ecember 9, 2010
Silly Bandz: trendy or just plain silly Kellie Reynolds Online Supervisor
From Barbie to Bieber and Potter to princesses, Silly Bandz are everything and everywhere. But where is the appeal in the cheap plastic rubber bands intended for kids and worn as bracelets? Originally, the popular children’s toy was aimed at environmental purposes. A Japanese design team wanted a more environmentally-friendly rubber band, one that would be kept rather than thrown away. Back in America, Robert Croak made a living selling custom T-shirts, mugs and silicon bracelets, much like the popular Lance Armstrong kind. He never really hit the big time, but did moderately well. He happened to see the rubber bands mentioned before on a business trip to Japan. Upon his return home in Toledo, Ohio, he began producing and selling his own Silly Bandz, thicker and larger than the Japanese rubber bands created as office supplies. Croak marketed his as a children’s toy and accessory, and it only went up from there. Never resorting to paid advertis-
ing, Croak relied only on viral marketing – people telling their friends about the bracelets via Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites. He does not have a publicist and does not plan on advertising. His success was merely luck. Or was it? Fads have come and gone since the dinosaur times (or so it feels). While Robert Croak may be piling $10 million dollars annually from the silicon bracelets this year, he may be raking in next to nothing after the new year. Silly Bandz may become the next Aaron Carter: spoken of only in the past tense, unless you mention his Dancing with the Stars stint. But why should a high school paper have anything regarding the silly fads of children? There should be nothing in common, yet there is. Clearly, the only answer is that teenagers and some adults are nostalgic for their childhood. Yes, I realize you are an independent young lady/gentleman. Yes, I understand that you are growing up and maturing with everyday. But these are designed for children and the student population is wearing them as if wearing a toddler’s toy will not influence adults to treat you as the kid you are pretending to be.
Photo by: Tiffanie Riess.
If the bracelets are marketed for children, come in bright colors and are unlike anything else in the stereotyped teenage world of fashion, why have they become such a hit? I suspect it has something to do with the teenage need to be different. Every high school student has the urge to shine and stand out from the crowd around them. Perhaps going for a nostalgic look that reminds everyone of that childlike wonder when receiving a new toy is just the thing teenagers were looking for in the next trend. In that case,
Croak lucked out. His product came at the perfect time, and he has been raking in cash every since. There is nothing wrong with wearing Silly Bandz. Wear them if you wish. But if you want to get ahead of the trends, stop wearing them now sincce the toys are not going to last much longer. For extra credit, wear a plain rubber band in place of your Silly Bandz. If anyone asks, remove it, set it on the desk and say, “Look! A rubber band!” They will be absolutly amazed, guaranteed.
China becomes new leading superpower Ultimate juggling act: work vs. school Kaitlin Vickers Staff Reporter
In our grandparent’s day, America was the leading superpower in the world. However, as China becomes a new global superpower, our generation may live in a country that is not the leader in the global economy. China has recently overtaken the market with automobiles, exported goods and energy, according to CNN. Its enormous population of over 1.3 billion people has given it a leap ahead of Japan, who had been the second most powerful in the world market. Many of China’s neighbors are worried, and they should be. China’s cheap labor makes it a great place to produce goods, but makes it hard for Japan and India to compete globally, according to CNN. The Chief Economist for the Asian Development Bank, Jong-Wha Lee, noted to the New York Times that Japan and South Korea were once viewed as juggernauts, but China is different. Many of the world’s superpowers are becoming envious of China’s growth. Chinese economists, of course, disagree. “(The U.S. has) to look at their own economic structure, their own macroeconomics policies, to identify the real causes of their problems,” China’s Deputy Foreign minister Cui Tiankai said in an interview with CNN. “If they caught a cold, they cannot ask China to take medicine because this will not cure their cold.” America should be freaking out right now. Where did China come from? The massive country stayed mostly silent for years but is now becoming top dog in almost everything, including, most importantly, the global economy. If things continue at this pace, our generation will be living in the Chinese Era. The United States has been a world superpower since WWI, but while we’ve been dealing with our own inter-
could crash and burn. They may be able to keep their grades up, but what about their homework? The best thing to do is work on your When a teenager ishomework assignments as much as sixteen or seventeen,possible. As I adapted to the work and maybe even fifteen, theyschool situation, I found it easy to try to get jobs to pay for col-get as much done as you can in class. lege, a car, or just to have money. But, Whenever your teacher gives you teenagers who have jobs are usuallydown time, do your homework. Do not frazzled coming home from work andsit and talk or text; work on your assignhaving a paper to write for their Englishment so that you do not have to worry about later. If you wait, then it is your class. Students work hard to keep up inown fault. Although money for college school and work even harder for theis important, you always want to make money they make at their job. I worksure that your school work is kept up. and go to school but for some great rea- One thing I do is make sure that my son I am able to keep my grades up. Itwork schedule gives me enough time to is not easy to do both. When school firstcome home and get things done such started, I was working up to 24 hours aas start my homework. I always come week because I was promoted to a newhome from school and start homework department. On top of learning newand if I don’t get it done, I start back things at work, school was not easy. Iup when I get home from work. Having stayed up late doing my homework andyour priorities in order and being focus often went to be late because my home-is important. work wasn’t done. That is when I knew A big contribution to help with stress is your work availability. When your something had to change. The work load doesn’t get easier ifmanager comes around to get your you also deal with multiple after schoolavailability, talk to them and tell them activities. Students have to make sureyou have school. They know what its like that their school work is up. Whether itand will be understanding to your ciris sports, work, or other extra-curricu-cumstance. Do not make your availability from lar, the student should balance the best 4:00 to 10:00, because then you come they can with school. Students, who balance sports andhome late and you are scrambling to get work, always manage to keep up theiryour homework done, take a shower, grades and they are lucky because theyand get a good night sleep. Emily Bridgewater Page Designer
Source: Google Maps
nal economic problems, other countries like China have risen in power. Americans can’t recall when the U.S. wasn’t in charge, but we may soon see this. I read that China has no plans to conquer anyone or become a supergiant, but how do we know for sure? Its government controls everything that is released from within the country. China is also reportedly hiding resources that may be beneficial to them in war, according to CNNMoney. Are the officials in Washington worried about China’s rise to become a global superpower? Certainly the U.S. is finding it hard to negotiate with a country that has different political ideals. China has delayed defusing North Korea after they fired nuclear missiles, according to The New York Times. China is the most influential to North Korea, but American officials are becoming frustrated over the lack of control over the situation. But does the U.S. need to be in charge all the time? Maybe in this high-risk situation with North Korea’s nuclear weapons, but in matters of global economics we might not need to. Many shifts of power have changed throughout history and this just might be another one. The United States has been in power for a very long time, but our global position in the market is being threatened by China. As China continues to rise as a new global superpower, it will be important for the U.S. to keep an open eye on the situation.
Fun Facts about working teenagers
•57% of people interviewed held some type of job while they were age 14. •Freelance jobs were held more often by 14-year-olds than employee jobs (43% to 24%). •8% of all 14-year-olds worked during the school year and averaged 15 or more hours per week during academic weeks. •9% worked more than half of the weeks during the school year. •4% of all 14-year-olds are working at high intensity (15 or more hours per week. •64%of youth worked at 15-years-old. •8% of all 15-year-olds are working at high intensity (15 or more hours per week and more than half of school-year weeks). Source: The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997
the S potlight 05 D ecember 9, 2010
FCCLA, COOP join forces, raise money for charity Jamie Warren Ad Manager
For a child, there is nothing better than receiving gifts during the holiday season. But every year thousands of children miss out on this simple joy. Whether they are homeless, growing up in single-parent homes, suffering from an illness, or part of families struggling to make ends meet, children feel the burden of being left out during what is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. Luckily, clubs at Sunrise Mountain, Photo by Tiffanie Riess along with many other organizations, ON THE SPOT: Seniors Nick Wescott and Miare there to help. chael Lewis share laughter at the Improv Club Every holiday season, clubs such as meeting. Improv Club meets every Monday. Student Council, FCCLA (Future Career Community Leaders of America), DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and NHS (National Honor Society) participate in charity events to help those in need. “So many teachers and students at Sunrise Mountain are so generous and Tiffanie Riess willing to give to others,” FCCLA sponPage Designer sor Gail Svor said. Improv Club has recently been addFor the past seven years, FCCLA has ed to the list of clubs on campus and is drawing a large crowd of members in only its third week. “Improv is short for improvisation,” Tanya Boehme, club advisor, said. “And basically it means creating a scene or creating a dialogue right on the spot. No scripts, nothing like that, on the fly.” Improvisation is an important part of drama. In order to join, students must also be a part of Drama Club, which meets once a month. Improv Club meets every Monday from 2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. “An actor’s ability to improvise is very often a reflection of their acting ability,” senior Nicholas Wescott said. “In an improvised scene there are no scripts or cues. The actors have to give that scene a distinct setting and define their characters on their own.” Not only does improvisation help with a student’s acting ability, as Westcott mentioned, but it also builds trust among peers. 1 “When you’re in the middle of the scene, you don’t have time to stop and tell your partner or fellow actors what you’re about to do and how to react; you just do it,” Wescott said. “You have to trust the other actors to hold their character and react accordingly. It’s teamwork that makes an improvised scene successful.” The club’s creator, senior Phillip Nikola, started the club because of improv’s popularity in the drama room. 3 “It seems like improv is one of the most popular things students want to do, so I thought we could do a lot more of it,” Nikola said. Right now the club is just a fun place David Garcia where students can play games and work Junior Reporter Many students return to school after on improving their acting skills through improvisation. One of these such games Winter Break excited and ready for the start of the new semester, with a chance is called Family Photos. “Two people hold up a little curtain to show off their new clothes and start and there’s a speaker and a bunch of their new classes. They also look forward other players go behind the curtain and to one other event. Winter Formal is a dance held not too pose and while they’re doing that the speaker has to make up a story about a long after the start of the second semester. Tickets for Winter Formal will go on family trip,” Nikola said. Future plans for the club include sale a week before spirit week, which is helping members improve their impro- the week before Winter Formal. Winter visation and later on become an actual Formal is on February 5 from 7 p.m. to troupe and perform during play inter- 11 p.m. At Winter Formal, students get a missions.
Improv club begins on campus
been in charge of the Christmas Angel Tree Program, a program that collects Christmas gifts for less fortunate children. Every classroom is given an angel tree, and students are encouraged to pick an angel and buy the child the requested gift. “They’re really humble about things,” junior Anissa Saenz-Ochoa, FCCLA president, said. “They don’t ask for too much. It’s like clothes, maybe a little action figure, a stuffed animal or shoes.” Last year, over 600 gifts were given, and over 100 students went to the angel tree warehouse to help package them. “We are obviously more fortunate than these kids are,” Saenz-Ochoa said. “We’re able to enjoy a good Christmas, and I think these kids should too.” FCCLA is not the only club bringing holiday cheer this season. The COOP kids dressed up as Santa’s little helpers November 29-December 3 and sold candy canes to raise money for a local food bank. “The kids love doing this project,” COOP Coordinator Jody Dowler said. “Even at this age, they find helping oth-
ers to be very gratifying.” Student Council is lending a hand by taking part in the adopt-a-family program, which usually is aimed toward families who have a child with a medical condition. The program allows Student Council to buy the family toys, clothing, food and other basic necessities. “Normally the families have a lot of kids,” senior Seth Brimley said. “[They’re] mostly struggling families or people that need help because they have medical expenses or don’t have a job.” Brimley believes student council should give back to the community, especially during the holidays. “These kids are at the hospital all the time,” Brimley said. “They need something to kind of brighten their day, something to help them out.” Helping out is an easy thing to do. From animal shelters, retirement homes to food banks, there are a variety of places in need of assistance. If you are looking to brighten someone’s day, check out the map at www.myhsj.org/mustangexpress and find out how you can make a difference this holiday season.
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Pictures By Emily Bridgewater and Tiffanie Reiss Clockwise from left: 1. Jake Burlaka, Julia De Reese, Ty Gruenemeier. 2. Anthony Cetta 3. Jessica Brown, Ben Rutherford, Alexis Arementa 4. FCCLA students begin making Christmas Angel tress. These trees can be found in every classroom.
Winter Formal preparations in full swing for next semester chance to dance to good music and be with friends or a date. Last year’s Winter Formal was held at Rio Vista Recreational Center. Although the room was small, there was good music, and the outside view of the lake and fountain was incredible. Even with these good attributes, Winter Formal may be different this year. “It’s not for sure yet, but [Winter Formal] may be held at Arrowhead Country Club,” Jackie Vanover, senator for the junior class, said. Vanover is not exactly sure what the theme for Winter Formal will be, but she says that spirit week will lead up to it.
“I think [Winter Formal is] going to be a lot better [this year] because we’re looking into a new DJ and new decorations,” Vanover said. Sophomore Monique Martinez agrees with Vanover. She attended Winter Formal last year and her favorite part was the music. Martinez’s expectations for Winter Formal this year include better decorations. Junior Tyler Salinas also agrees with Vanover and Martinez. “I think it will be better than last year,” Salinas said. “It will be much more fun.” Salinas enjoys the music and dancing most.
the H orseshoe 07
without? D ecember 9, 2010
Movie addict looks to end of challenging week
I’m an addict. Well, to classic movies and TV that is. Every morning I wake up to the tune of the great movie musicals of the 50’s,
Departure of processed foods poses challenge Chelsey Schmid Page Designer
and after work I fall asleep to the great dramatic films of our century. So it only made sense to give up movies and TV during this week. Day one was terrible. I didn’t know what to do when I was home. I reluctantly pulled out my homework, but made no progress. The room was just too quiet. So I gave that up and decided to draw, and ended up producing some great pieces. By the middle of the week, I was fed up. I organized all my movies so I would know which one I wanted to watch first. I know, pathetic. And even though musical rehearsals kept me busy, I was still frustrated that every TV in my house was on. I was forced to stay secluded in my room, and felt so out of the loop by not being able to watch the news. Music was a subtle substitute for my movies and shows, but it wasn’t the same. By Friday, I was doing more homework and reading my assigned books. I suddenly had a sort of obvious epiphany. TV and movies never distracted me, it really came down to the amount of effort I put into my work instead of procrastinating. TV and movie are something that I love being entertained by, but know that too much can be too much. As long as you multi-task and have more focus on what’s important, movies or TV don’t need to be cut out of your life forever. Kaitlin Vickers Staff Reporter
Everyone has something that they are sure they cannot live without. Almost everyone claims to need something, whether it be the Internet, their cell phone or chocolate. But do people truly need these things? Or are they simply comforts that we have become accustomed to? This is the question that I aimed to answer as I embarked on five-day school week free of any and all processed foods. I had to begin by determining what constitutes a processed food. Essentially, anything that comes in a box or a bag was off-limits, as well as anything with unnatural ingredients. I could not eat storebought bread, cereal, chocolate or anything with sugar in it. I basically stuck to the bare minimum: meat, homemade bread, fruit and vegetables. My level of resolve tended to waver as the week progressed. One moment I would be fine, happily munching on some grapes; a few hours later, I would be going into chocolate withdrawal. I managed to remain committed, however, and did not cheat. Only once during the week did I break my purge of processed foods. I had a swim team pasta banquet
on Thursday night, and because pasta is processed, it would have been off-limits had I strictly adhered to the rules. However, I made the conscious decision to forgo my diet for one evening to enjoy myself with my teammates. This event, however, brought up the conundrum faced by those people who are simply unable to eat certain foods. Those with Celiac disease, for example, cannot eat gluten, a composite found in wheat, rye and barley. When they go to restaurants, these individuals have to go through the menu with a fine-toothed comb in order to ensure that nothing they eat will cause an adverse reaction. Similarly, at potlucks and parties, they have to be very careful about what they consume. My experiences this week have inspired a great deal of respect for those with special food requirements. All in all, giving up processed foods was a highly difficult thing to do. Chocolate was probably the food that I missed the most, especially because no viable substitute for it was available. In the end, however, I was able to rise to the challenge and, as a result, have a greater appreciation of the foods that I enjoy.
Forced socialization results in forgotten homework Kellie Reynolds Staff Reporter
Five days. Three bags. Zero room. I decided to stay out of my room for a week because I wanted to give something up with the rest of the staff. I thought about what to give up. What was important to me? Bing! The answer hit me in the face, so I immediately squawked it out. Soon, I wished I had taken a normal story. The first night was peaceful as I watched leaves dancing in the wind through the window. The second night changed that peaceful scene into a hor-
ror film as I wondered where the leaves went. My sense of humor was up and my homework production rate down. As I strolled through my house to head to my couch, I was surprised to find my door open and my light on. Instantly, I jumped to a (fake) conclusion: ghosts in my room must want me back. When I told this to my friends who recently watched a horror film, I got some interesting responses. I was mad the next day because of a sore back. I stormed around my house and napped on my mom’s bed. I began
to miss my bed more after that. Being out of my room, I completed less homework and participated in more discussions with my parents on everything from basketball games to election news. I had nowhere else to go, so I talked and avoided my homework’s gaze. “Oh, Thursday doesn’t even start: It’s Friday, I’m in love,” my iPod sings from one of Cure’s songs, summarizing the last two days. On Thursday, I slumped through the day without much thought. And it was Friday. As I walked home from school the sun shined, the birds sang and I
skipped with glee. I would sleep in my bed soon! I might have missed a major lesson, but at least I tried. While easier to focus in my room, it’s also easier to be distracted. It’s easier to socialize outside of my room, in addition to snapping at people when I am in a bad mood. For the sake of sanity, I compromise between the two now. I work on my homework diligently with breaks to socialize and move around the house. I found the Hannah Montana of the homework world: the best of both worlds.
06 the H orseshoe
can you go w D ecember 9, 2010
Inspired by professional journalists, specific members of the Mustang Express newspaper staff decided to sacrifice something important to them, and most teenagers, for five days. The items vary from processed foods, to technology, all the way to giving up a room. The staffers kept a daily blog about their journey without that one item on the Mustang Express online web site, www. myhsj.org/mustangexpress. Page Designer Alex Korsick gave up Facebook. Page Designer Emily Bridgewater gave up her iPod. Page Designer Chelsey Schmid gave up processed foods. Staff Reporter Kaitlin Vickers gave up movies/TV. Online Supervisor Kellie Reynolds gave up her room. Staff Reporter Jessie O’Cheltree gave up her radio.
Removal of iPod gives reporter perspective
Emily Bridgewater Page Designer
Ah! The beautiful noise of an iPod was taken away from me on the week of November 1 to 5. It was not as hard as I thought it would be. At the beginning of our challenge, I dealt with the idea of living without my iPod very well. I was okay without my iPod and I had the radio. I pretended I didn’t even know what an iPod was. Though, I have two iPods; iPod Touch and iPod Nano. I feared that if I picked up my iPod Touch and went on Facebook, Twitter, or to check my email that would be cheating. So I didn’t use any Apple Products, though I did use my iHome for the radio. I don’t think my docking station is an Apple Product. I hope not, otherwise I cheated, and that would be against the rules. Another frustrating thing about the no iPod deal was that I had just downloaded a new band on my iPod. I couldn’t listen to them, and that was kind of sad. On Thursday and Friday, I found it hard to cope, but during the school day I forgot about even owning an iPod. The only hard part about this challenge was
that I was not able to fall asleep for the life of me. Usually when I fall asleep, I HAVE to listen to my iPod. If I don’t listen to my iPod then I am usually cranky the next morning. It took me an hour to fall asleep during the week. On Wednesday, I went out to dinner with my mom and dad and the restaurant is across the valley. On a normal day I would listen to my iPod, but I had to sit in the car and actually talk to my parents. Just kidding, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy talking to my parents. I missed my iPod in the car because I like to sit in the back seat with the windows down and listen to my lame movie scores that I enjoy, but others don’t. But on Friday, I knew it was the day I had been waiting for. Sadly, I had to work after school, but at the moment of when I got off at 8:30 p.m., I jumped in my car and drove home. It was sad that I fell asleep before I even got to listen to my iPod. I did wake up at 2 a.m. and realized ‘Hey! I can listen to my iPod.’ The first song I listened to was “Intro” by The xx. It was beautiful and I slept blissfully.
Withdrawal from Facebook makes for productive student Alex Korsick Page Designer
Teenagers spend an extraordinary amount of their time on social media sites. With free wi-fi becoming more common in public places and the ability to access it being available on almost every cell phone and iPod, people have become addicted to updating statuses, sharing videos and communicating over the web. While technology has certainly made life easier, there is a certain danger in becoming addicted to networking. So, to examine the affects that these sites really have on my own routine I gave up Facebook for an entire school week. Out of everything I have in my life, my Facebook addiction is certainly the greatest of my vices. In the beginning of the week, it was hard to break the habit of getting on Facebook everyday. I panicked, thinking that I would be completely out of the loop on everything that happened with my friends and therefore have no friends at all by the end of the week. Obviously, my perception was a little warped and more than a tad dramatic, but that is initially how I felt. Without my ground breaking status updates to
read, like and comment on, my friends would certainly forget about me! As the week went on, however, I was finding that I had more time to get things done that actually mattered to me. I finished my homework, completed a college application that I had been working on and had more than a twosentence conversation with my parents. I began to realize that I would lock myself in the computer room and waste an inordinate amount of time on Facebook instead of getting the things I needed to done, or seeing the people that matter to me. This was certainly a startling realization, but not necessarily a bad one. This “No Facebook” experience has definitely been a good one. I have not sworn off Facebook entirely, but it has certainly slid down my list of priorities, which is definitely a good thing. I would encourage readers to try it for a week, or give up some other aspect of their daily routine and see what happens. To read day-byday accounts of my experience, log onto www.tinyurl.com/mustangexpress.
Reporter driven mad after week without Johnjay and Rich
Jessie O’Cheltree Staff Reporter
Five days of listening to the same songs over and over is so boring. Every morning when going to school I would turn on the radio. It has been a routine for me since seventh grade. I turn on the radio and listen to Johnjay and Rich like so many other students probably do. I’ve gotten attached to that whole routine. Being without the radio proved difficult when I was in the car with my sister because she loves to blast the radio so loud that it is near impossible not to hear it, though I did manage not to hear it. For the five days of my ban from the radio I mainly listened to the new Taylor Swift CD that my sister’s boyfriend burned for me, or, when my sister was in the car, blasted my iPod in my ears. I
was stuck in the car a lot so I didn’t have many choices as to what songs I could listen to. It was very hard and I was sad because I missed a ton of stuff on Johnjay and Rich in the mornings, such as; After This Weekend I’ll Never do __ Again, Psycho Ex-Boyfriend/Girlfriend Poker, Confession Wednesday, and War of the Roses. They are awesome segments and are hilarious to listen to. It was way harder than I thought, giving up the radio because my sister who has an interest in extremely loud music, decided to blast the radio while I am listening to my iPod. It is really hard to give up something you are so used to having. It shows how much we take for granted. Giving up something can end up being quite refreshing by letting you go so long without it you end up valuing it more.
08 the S potlight D ecember 9, 2010
So long, farewell: Students prepare to graduate early Chelsey Schmid Page Designer
The semester is beginning to wind down, and many students are looking forward to a nice long break before school starts up again in January. But for 10 Sunrise Mountain seniors, there will be no coming back. These seniors have all chosen to graduate early, before the spring semester starts. They have a number of different plans for their newly acquired free time, including beginning college, working and just relaxing before starting college in the fall. “I have 13 years of college that I’m going through, so I want to get an early start on that,” senior Stephanie Goff said.
Goff plans to earn a degree in anesthesiology or some other aspect of the medical field and will be starting at Glendale Community College this spring. She will then transfer to either Arizona State University or University of Arizona. Senior Forrest Rolland, on the other hand, will not start college until the fall, when he will begin at DeVry and major in information technology. “It’s a good field, I like computers, and it makes a lot of money,” Rolland said. Juniors Kerri Schaffer and Kelsie Hastings are graduating a full year early. Schaffer spoke about how she has had to take full class loads plus
numerous online classes in order to make up for a whole year. “I just finished two online classes, and I’m taking two more now, and then I need to take two more next semester,” Schaffer said. “It gets very overwhelming after a while. You get out of school, you’ve got to go home and sit on the computer.” She is eager to be leaving school early. “[High school’s] the same thing over and over again,” Schaffer said. “[Graduating early is] kind of like a new start.” This summer, Schaffer will be moving to Oregon and will begin community college there in the fall. She hopes to become a child psychologist.
Photos by: Jessie O’Cheltree WALKIN’ EARLY: Junior Kerri Schaffer, senior Stephanie Goff and junior Kelsie Hastings are all early graduates. 12 Sunrise Mountain student will be graduating early and are looking forward to their future plans.
“I’ve wanted to be it forever,” Schaffer said. “I really like helping people…it’s this passion.” Despite the advantages of graduating early, these students will miss some
of the things that they are leaving behind. “I’m missing out on some school like assemblies and stuff like that,” Goff said. “But I can still go to…prom and stuff so it
SMHS students ‘aim high’, ‘get an edge on life’ Rebecca Wood Junior Reporter
As a child grows and becomes a young adult, the decisions he or she is faced with become increasingly important. Young adults soon are faced with the question of what they want to do with their lives. The options are vast, ranging from a scientist to a record producer. Each teen has their own reason for choosing the path they do, whether that path is considered “prosperous” or not. One choice available for teens is to serve in one of the military branches: the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and National Guard.
Although the act of joining is consistent, the reasons behind the choice can differ. Haley Kent, senior, is experiencing the process of applying for the Air Force Academy. She wishes to receive an education and military training at the academy. “If I do not make it into this [Air Force Academy], I will do an AFROTC [Air Force Reserves Officers’ Training Corps] scholarship at a university,” Kent said. ROTC (Reserves Officers’ Training Corps) programs are available for all four major military branches. The programs are offered as college electives and the scholarships offered by the pro-
Photo by: Chelsey Schmid FULL SPEED AHEAD: Naval recruiters Chris Schulze and colleague sit on the SMHS campus during lunchtime. They were available to answer student’s questions about the naval reserves.
gram pay for college tuition in exchange for periods of active military service. Kent is joining the Air Force because she has dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot and found inspiration in other people. “I have been inspired by many individuals in my life who are in the Air Force, and I see their character and wish to be a person of the same integrity,” Kent said. Hunter Cotton, junior, has also been inspired by someone into considering joining the Army after completing high school. “The Pat Tillman story inspired me,” Cotton said. “I want to protect my country.” Pat Tillman played for the Arizona Cardinals, but in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attack he left behind his football career and enlisted in the Army. He served multiple tours before being killed due to friendly fire. Cotton also wishes to acquire characteristics such as respect and discipline through service in the Army while gaining financial support for a college education. These educational opportunities include $4,500 dollars a year in tuition assistance to take approved classes or an active duty soldier could qualify for up to $72,900 for college. Kent also hopes to gain personal traits
doesn’t really bother me.” Wherever their paths in life may take them, the early graduates will hopefully have been well prepared by their high school careers at SMHS.
Photo by: Chelsey Schmid NOT JUST A JOB: Naval recruiters Chris Schulze and colleague wait to talk to students. Recruiters from the armed forces come to the school almost every Wednesday.
through her service in the Air Force. “As a member of the United States Air Force, I hope to become a leader and an individual of exceptional moral character and courage,” Kent said. “I want to know that I made a difference in defending our country’s liberties.” Mathew Christy, freshman, agrees with the notion of wanting to protect the United States by joining the Marines right out of high school. “I want to serve our country and protect it,” Christy said. Although he had family in the military, he is not choosing to join to uphold the family legacy. He hopes to be able to meet people and, “travel the world” while serving. A general theme found through these three students planning to join the military is patriotism. While some of their reasons differ based on personal aspects, they all stated that serving and defending our country and its freedoms are motives for joining the armed forces.
The secret life of library books: Where do they come from? Paul Steward Junior Reporter
Finding a book worth reading at the Sunrise Mountain library is not too hard in this day and age, but sometimes the book you want to read is not in stock. The good news, though, is that the library allows students to suggest books they want to read and will try to meet requests by obtaining a copy for the Sunrise Mountain library.
“When somebody suggests a book either they give me the suggestion or Mrs. Yurkovich or one the teacher assistants,” Librarian Roxie Blackson said. “It comes to me and what I do is I have a file that I keep all requests in… and what I do is I determine what Mr. Nunez has given me in terms of a budget and then we start prioritizing.” Teachers also are able to request books for their
curriculum or mass order specific books for classes that need to read them. “Then after that I look and see which ones are the most requested from students in terms of maybe continuing a lot of series because there are some series that are really popular,” Blackson said. “And they always have books coming out every year or every couple of years.” After making sure the series are up to date, the
librarians look into other suggestions and put them on a future book order. “If a book is, like, a really hot seller, we know the kids want to read it, and then we’ll get it,” Lisa Yurkovich, assistant librarian, said. “Especially if there’s money because we want the kids to have books.” “I have several selection tools that I use in trying to get young adult books in here to our library, and
the first one [is that] I’m a member of the Young Adult Library Services Association [YALSA],” Blackson said. “Anybody can get on YALSA site actually, I advertise it on the flier we have for the Printz award because if you go to that book site they have wonderful book lists.” Students are encouraged to check the site for any books they may want or are interested in. “I do take all sugges-
tions under consideration,” Blackson said. “I do try to make sure that the students here at Sunrise Mountain are getting the books in their hands that they really do want to read… I try to make sure that every request gets met. And just…come in and talk to me because I love talking about books, and if somebody has a suggestion I would just love to hear it.”
the S cene 09 D ecember 9, 2010
Reviews of recently released albums Escape the Fate Choose Your Fate
Escape The Fate’s recently released album, Choose Your Fate is, for lack of a better word, epic. Lead vocalist Craig Mabbitt, bassist Maz Green, guitarist Brian Monte, and drummer Robert Ortiz have created a “Gorgeous Nightmare”. No two songs on the album sound alike, and
they are all addictive. This is most definitly a step up from their second CD, This War Is Ours, which sounded like something from a Disney movie. Although there has been controversy over whether a third “Guillotine” was a smart choice, it adds a good touch to the CD .
Courtesy of metalwarez.com
-Mandie Crego
DOWNLOAD THESE: “Georgeous Nightmare” “The Aftermath” Allstar Weekend
Suddenly Yours
Courtesy of gomoxy.org
Though slightly clichéd, Allstar Weekend’s first album, Suddenly Yours, is definitely full of catchy tracks that will keep you dancing and humming along for days on end. The new CD contains songs about love and that significant other, such as “Coming Down With Love” or “Can’t Sleep Tonight,” but also has
songs like “Catching Up” that talk more about not procrastinating on your dreams and goals. Allstar Weekend has done a pretty decent job with creating relatable songs that will stay in your head, with no way to get them out, and whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, you can be the judge. -Valerie Payne
DOWNLOAD THESE: “Catch Up” “Dance Forever” Bomb
Super-fly
Aight
Boo
For the full reviews go to tinyurl.com/mustangexpress
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows ‘charms’ reporter Toni Miller Junior Reporter
“It all ends here.” The first part to the final installment of the Harry Potter series came out on November 19. The second part is due to come out on July 15, 2011. There were a few scenes that weren’t part of the book, as to be expected. After all, the director does deserve some creative freedom with what he’s doing. As a fan, I have to say it followed the book pretty closely, although I would have loved it if they added the whole back story with Kreacher and Regulus. The movie should have expanded more on Ginny’s hate for Fleur and show Molly trying to keep the trio apart. Still, book fans should be happy with how the movie stuck so closely to the book. Some scenes that are easily enjoyable are the seven Potters scene, the Ministry invasion scene and the locket scene. The seven Potters scene was highly amusing. Seeing Daniel Radcliff, Harry Potter, in a piece of girl’s undergarments definitely got chuckles from about everyone. The other characters’ personalities showed through their Harry appearance, and made the scene more comical. The invasion of the Ministry of Mag-
ic was filled with action and laughs. The actors who are the polyjuiced versions of the trio are hilarious and great actors; the casting was well done for that particular part. The reappearance of Delores Umbridge was very angering and made me want to hit something. The fact that she was one of the minister’s favorite pets now was absolutely irritating. The destruction of the locket was intense. Really intense. The explosion of goo from the locket reminded me of a better version of the black goo from Spiderman three that had attached itself to Peter Parker in the movie. Ron’s deepest fears were portrayed in a very disturbing way. The competition for the saddest scene would have to be the scene where Harry goes to visit his parent’s grave in Godric’s Hollow. The graveyard scene made me bawl like a baby, thinking of all the pain Harry must be feeling and yet he still tries to make a positive comment by telling Hermione Merry Christmas. There were some boring camping scenes in the movie, but it was expected since that’s what happened for a lot of the book. Overall, the movie was fantastic for either a book fan or just a plain movie fan. I know that the next part of the movie cannot come any faster. ….C’monnn, July! I’m ready!
Winter fashion tips for girls Danae King Junior Reporter
The winter season is here and it’s time to put on some warm clothing. Make sure to pull out those jeans from last year or that old sweater you found in a box, because you’re going to need it this winter. There are many new trends this winter, for example “jeggings” which are a combination of jeans and leggings. “[What is “in” this winter are] jeggings and boots because they are warm and comfy,” senior Tierney Coats said. Senior Brandon Gatti has a different view on what to wear. “[What is “in” this winter are] jackets, pants, long socks, gloves and hoodies because it’s cold outside,” Gatti said. Freshman Tatume Birt agrees with Coats and Gatti. “[What is “in” this winter are] jeans, sweats, hoodies, Uggs and vans because you can look cute but still be comfortable throughout the day,” Birt said. Girls have a wide variety of boots they can rock this winter: Fold-Down, Flat, Over-the-Knee and Faux Fur Trim boots. Fold-Down boots include UGG
boots and you might see quite a few people around school wearing them. Overthe-Knee boots are boots that go over the knee with a low or high heel, whichever you prefer. “[My favorite winter garment would have to be] my Ugg boots because they are warm and comfy,” Coats said. Unlike Coats, Gatti doesn’t have a favorite garment. “I don’t have a favorite winter garment. I have too many, but I do own seven jackets,” Gatti said. Birt has a different type of style she likes. “[My favorite winter garment would have to be] big jackets because they are comfortable, warm and cute,” Birt said. Jeans are definitely “in” this winter. Any types of jeans are “in” but if you want to be one of the “popular kids,” you might want to wear Miss Me’s, L.A. Idols, BKE’s or Rock Revival’s. “[My favorite designer jeans are] Miss me or seven jeans,” Birt said. For girls you can also wear sweater dresses with leggings underneath and boots. It is a great style and will also keep you warm during this chilly season. Picture: Lynn Pham demonstrates her winter style.
Students reveal beauty secrets Alexy Shin Junior reporter
In high school, beauty, fashion and attitude are everything to a girl who wants to strut her stuff. Many girls find these attributes to be very important especially if they are trying to live a teenage dream. Girls at Sunrise were interviewed for beauty tips that they thought were most important. “I think the most important beauty tip is do not overdo your eye makeup,” senior Julia Perkowska said. “Especially for school. Keep it simple and natural because natural beauty is the best.” Perkowska, in particular, is one to wear makeup lightly so that she has an “all natural” look. To keep that all- natural look, some of Perkowska’s must-haves are her Mac Studio Fix powder and her Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation. “You should invest in foundation if you don’t have good skin,” Perkowska said. Most of the facial beauty products tend to be a little pricey depending on how well the product works.
The Mac Studio Fix powder costs $26 and the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation costs $34. Perkowska says that the most important hair product is conditioner and the most important facial product is face wash, Neutrogena face wash, to be exact. Her last beauty tip was to, “always do your eye makeup and your face makeup. You can’t do one and not the other,” Perkowska said. Balance is another key to beauty as well as always staying on top of your hygiene and keeping yourself clean. “Cleanse your face daily,” senior Aida Arias said. “Your face secretes oils daily and if you don’t wash your face, that dirty stuff will stay on your skin, which is the cause of pimples and blackheads.” Arias’ most important beauty tip was to keep a clean face. In doing this, she uses products like Clinique Daily Moisturizer which can cost up to $24 and
Clinique Clarifying Lotion which is about $11.50$20 depending on the amount. Her must- haves? “It would have to be the cleaning supplies for my face, “Arias said. Arias spends time on her face, making sure that it is clean and blackheadfree by keeping up her daily routine and always moisturizing. A bit of inside information about Arias is that she does not wear any makeup at all. So keeping up with her facial hygiene is something that she really focuses on the most. A daily routine for junior Paulina Alaniz would be wake up, shower, make sure to let her hair air dry and get dressed. Like Arias, Alaniz agrees that a girl’s face should always be kept clean so that dirty germs will not be around. This was her most important beauty tip as well. Alaniz also believes that a girl should not use any hair products because it damages their hair. Although, a makeup product that she does use is the bareMinerals face powder which can cost about $28.
10 P laying F ield D ecember 9, 2010
Q & A with wrestlers Brennan Smith and Cord Coronado Brittany Bade Junior Reporter
Wrestling may get most of its attention because of the skintight uniforms, but varsity wrestlers and juniors Brennan Smith and Cord Coronado can tell you that wrestling is much more than just singlets. Bade: What is your favorite part about wrestling? Smith: The uniforms Cord: In no other sport can you wear a man leotard. Bade: That is true, we are all very fortunate guys like you get to wear uniforms like that. What is your least favorite part? Smith: not being able to go to Krispy Kreme, and put down 12 (doughnuts) that really sucks. Cord: (laughs) cutting weight. Bade: What weight class are you guys in? Smith: 52. Cord: 25 Being in weight class 25 means that the wrestler weighs 125, and being in weight class 52 means the wrestler is 152. Smith: Hahaha 52 and 25 are opposites. That’s cool. Cord turns to Brennan with a look of excitement, that is equivalent to a child’s first Christmas and the pair share a laugh at the new discovery. Bade: How much weight do you have to lose to be in these weight classes?
Cord: About five pounds. Smith: Ten pounds. Bade: What is the most outrageous way you have lost/gained weight? Smith: Sometimes we meditate by candle light. Bade: Huh, what about you Cord? Cord: I mean you have to eat really small amounts of food, not eating just doesn’t work. If you don’t eat you don’t lose weight, so like small amounts are good. Just not Krispy Kreme. Smith: Yeah, eating like once a week is normal. Like sometimes we eat dog food. It’s high in nutrition, low in calories. Bade: Oh, so dog food is just the way to go? Smith: Dog food or meditation. Cord: In an incredibly fake yet serious tone, Yeah, or laxatives. Those work well, clean you out.” All laugh. Bade: Have you ever had an awkward moment during a match? Both mutter ummm, with looks of extreme contemplation on their faces, trying to remember all the uncomfortable moments they have ever shared. In perfect sync, the boys turn their heads toward me with a look of something near horror in their eyes and reply: Smith: Well, I’ve wrestled a girl. Cord: I’ve wrestled a girl, too. I just didn’t know what to do. Like, it’s a girl.
Photo by Brandi Porter GET READY TO RUMBLE! Juniors Brennan Smith and Cord Coronado prepare to wrestle during practice. Smith and Coronado have been wrestling since freshman year and hope to bring Sunrise another State Wrestling title.
Smith: This is really awkward talking about. I need to go sit down. Smith slumps up against the wall, closes his eyes, and shakes his head, reliving the match where he wrestled a girl. Bade: What do you guys do to get ready for the season? Smith: Meditation by candle light. Cord: Seriously, meditation. We stretch, do hot yoga. Smith: Sometimes I get up in the morning and eat raw steaks, really just whatever. Bade: You’re telling me that you will literally just do anything you have to? Cord: Yes, like again, I’d eat dog food.
Bade: Well that is dedication. So do you have high hopes for the season? Cord: Well I hope to at least win a match. Bade: So you guys are definitely planning on bringing Sunrise another Wrestling State Title? Smith: Definitely. Cord: nods. Yes! Smith: Our odds are pretty good. Cord: We’ll dominate this season. Bade: So other than meditation by candlelight or eating raw steaks, do you have any other rituals that you do before or after a match? Smith: Usually we listen to techno to get pumped.
Cord: Yeah, before we get pumped. Smith: Fist pumping! Bade: Nice, what about after? Smith: You’re dead after. Cord: Yeah after you just sit down, I mean you can do whatever you want. You can stretch. Bade: What do you do to celebrate the end of the season? Do you go to Krispy Kreme and down 12? Smith: Yes, I usually put on 30 pounds of pure fat. Cord: It’s been a tradition since my brother, Seth Coronado, was here and we go to Old Country Buffet the following Monday (after State) and we
just eat our butts off. Bade: You just pack on the pounds as a form of celebration? Cord: Yeah, we just don’t have to care anymore. Smith: Yeah, we go back into the eight months of eating junk food. Cord: And the other four months are like pure hell. Wrestling season may be like taking a vacation to Hell for the wrestlers, but it is a time of year that Sunrise can look forward to. This season, according to Smith and Coronado, you can count on state titles for Sunrise in weight classes 25 and 52.
Student athletes accept NCAA college sports scholarships Brittany Bade Junior Reporter On Wednesday, Nov. 10, senior Sunrise athletes Tyler Crawford, Aaron Bummer, Dani Bonnet, Mickayla Heller, and Karissa Haleman officially signed their athletic talents away to various Division I universities, in a signing ceremony held in the library. Crawford and Bummer were both signed to play baseball. Crawford will play for the University of Arizona, and Bummer will play for the University of Nebraska. “Of course I’m happy about going to the University of Nebraska,” Bummer said. Crawford’s school was at the top of his list. “I’m extremely happy to play at UofA,” Craw-
ford said. “UofA was definitely at the top of my list. I knew I wanted to stay close to home.” Bonnet, Heller and Haleman were signed to Division I universities for softball. “I’m going to the University of Pacific,” Bonnet said. “It’s far enough for me to have my own life, but close enough to my family that I’m only a plane ride away. I’m very happy to be going there.” Heller and Haleman may be moving away from their families, but the two are moving closer to each other. Both girls will play softball at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. “We are really excited to be going together,” Haleman said. “We got really lucky.” All five athletes have been talking to the schools
they signed with since last spring. Haleman and Heller were ambitious and contacted Texas A&M for opportunities to play there, while Bummer, Crawford and Bonnet were scouted by their schools. “I e-mailed the coach (of Texas A&M),” Heller said. “He came to watch Dani play, and he talked to Karissa and I after the game.” Unlike Heller and Haleman, Bummer was contacted by the coaches of the University of Nebraska. “(The University of Nebraska) contacted me awhile ago and during the summer they came and watched me play in a tournament,” Bummer said. All of these athletes are happy about getting division I athletic schol-
arships in the first place. Baseball Coach Eric Gardner is excited and proud of these athletes. “It was a great accomplishment for the athletes and our school,” Gardner said. “There aren’t many
schools out there that can say they had five seniors get scholarships to a university in an entire year, yet alone in early November. We will have at least five more in February.” It is indeed an exciting
time for the five athletes. As an added bonus, with all of these scholarships already offered, it is likely that Sunrise’s baseball and softball programs will do well in their upcoming seasons.
Photo contributed by Kyle Clifton GO, FIGHT, WIN: (from left) Seniors, Aaron Bummer, Tyler Crawford, Mickayla Heller, Dani Bonnet, and Karissa Haleman signed with various colleges.
P laying F ield 11 D ecember 9, 2010
Kocmoud named fastest boy in state
Jamie Warren Ad Manager
Photo contributed by Torrin Lattie RACE TO THE FINISH LINE: Coach Torrin Lattie and senior Brandon Kocmoud hold up state boy’s Cross Country trophy. Kocmoud won the District II State Boys’ Cross Country race.
There is a new Cross Country State Champion this season, and for the first time ever, the title goes to a student right here at Sunrise Mountain. Senior Brandon Kocmoud won the Division II boys’ race at the State Cross Country meet November 6, and the win was sure to put a smile on his face. “It’s the best feeling ever,” Kocmoud said. “A dream come true.” Kocmoud’s winning time was 16:02.33, beating his competitors by about 10 seconds.
“He knew he could do it,” Head Boys’ Cross Country Coach Torrin Lattie said. “He ran it just the way we talked about and made his move at the right time.” But winning big did not come without a little bit of nerves. “He was really nervous beforehand,” Lattie said. “But he actually didn’t let it get to him, and he was super excited.” Kocmoud knew there was a lot riding on him coming into the race since his running recently caught the attention of several colleges. “I hope to go to college for cross country,” Kocmoud said. “I’m not sure
where yet, but hopefully winning State will open a couple doors.” Kocmoud’s dedication to the sport has played a big part in his recent success. “He did two-a-day workouts a lot in the summer and even into the season,” Lattie said. “He’d run before school and then do our workouts after school as well. He put in a lot of time and a lot of effort.” With such dedication, it is hard to believe Kocmoud’s love for cross country came quite unexpectedly. Kocmoud originally picked up the sport in order to stay in shape for basketball.
“Now it seems like I like [cross country] more than basketball,” Kocmoud said. “So I don’t know, we’ll see how it goes.” Wherever his future lies, it is safe to say Kocmoud, along with the rest of the cross country team, have represented the Mustangs well according to Athletic Director Christine Gutierrez. “I am extremely proud of the time and dedication exhibited by all members and coaches of the cross country program,” Gutierrez said. Overall, the boys’ team did well, placing second in State out of the top 24 teams who qualified through Sectional meets.
Swim and dive team succeeds at region, state championships Bryce Ulm Staff Reporter Swim and dive wrapped up their season for the year with the boys taking sixth place in state and the girls taking eighth out of 50 schools. The state swim and dive meet was November 5 and 6. Junior Rachael Hicks was the state champion in the one-meter dive with the highest score in the Peoria Unified School District and the entire state. Senior Thomas Wahlers
took second place overall in the 100-meter breast stroke and he took third in the 100-meter free. He hopes his scores will help him swim at the next level. “I’ll be heading off to college next year,” Wahlers said. “Hopefully I’ll be swimming somewhere I get a scholarship to.” Swim also took third in the 200-meter free relay. The relay team included sophomore Trever Migliorino; junior Michael
McConaughy; junior Kyle Wahlers, who also took fourth in the 50meter free; and Thomas Wahlers. Other medalists were senior Alexa Kucharo in the 100-meter breast stroke and sophomore Haley Kucharo in the 100-meter free. Both girls took fourth place in their events. The swim and dive team is happy with its results from this year and enjoyed all the memories they made.
Swim and dive coach Dr. Jim Kenyon had a lot to be proud of this season, “My favorite memory is when the girls team won the district championship beating Liberty, Centennial and Ironwood.” The team is looking forward to next year and hopes to have more students try out. “I would recommend swim team to people,” Wahlers said. “It’s a good thing to be involved in, it has nice people and a good environment.”
Photo contributed by Sara Kucharo KEEP ON SWIMMING: Girls Region Champions celebrate after their victory. The girls have been preparing for the state for the past few months and were happy with their relults.
Boys, girls bowling teams aim to continue tradition of excellence Brody Kilgore Junior Reporter
By spare or by strike, Sunrise bowling has their eyes on the prize. The bowling team has won their first two matches and looks to go undefeated this season. “[Our chances are] pretty good, our only competition would be Deer Valley,” freshman bowler
V GA I R RS LI S’ T Y
Robert Lucero said. Bowling sponsor and Boys varsity coach Brian Stephens agrees. “Two years ago we won state, and we beat Deer Valley both times,” Stephens said. “And last year we won division and we beat them once and they beat us once.” The season is looking up for Sunrise bowling.
“[Our season looks] pretty strong,” Lucero said. “It’s not the season we’re worried about, it’s regionals.” It’s “too early to tell” if the team will win state, says Stephens. But it is “definitely not out of the question.” There are many fun things about bowling. “[The best part is]
Photos by Kellie Reynolds GO FOR THE GOAL: Freshman Brylee Hawkins goes after the ball in the Friday, Nov. 3 home game against Liberty.
beating other people,” sophomore bowler Shelby Dempsey. Lucero also enjoys being on the team. “It’s fun because it’s unlike other bowling leagues I’ve been on, we actually do drills for bowling,” Lucero said. Dempsey explained what its like being on the bowling team.
GO FOR IT: Forward Maddie Pado runs to get the ball back. Pado has been on the varsity team for the last four years and scored one goal in the game.
“It’s pretty fun, it’s cool to meet people from different teams,” Dempsey said. Coach Brian Stephens put in words what his favorite part of coaching is. “[The best part of being coach is] watching the kids grow as athletes, improve as a bowler, and also seeing the competitions,” Stephens said.
The bowling team has an outstanding history. The girls team in 20072008 went undefeated and won state. In 20082009 the boys were state champs, and in 20092010 season they were league champs. History seems to be repeating itself, and how the pattern will unfold this year no one knows.
BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM: Freshman Shelby Ryan tries to get the ball away from a Liberty player. Sunrise won the game 6-0.
S O C C E R
12 the S cene D ecember 9, 2010
Holiday Movies to Watch
By: Becca Wood
All Ralph “Ralphie” Parker wants for Christmas is an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot BB rifle with a compass. He tirelessly tells everyone about his one Christmas desire, but is repeatedly put down. Ralphie fears he will never overcome all the obstacles of life and make it to Christmas, in this hilarious take on a dysfunctional, yet loving, family during the holiday season.
Rating: PG Genre: Family/Comedy
Buddy the Elf was raised by elves in the North Pole. Upon becoming of a nuisance because of his size, he is sent to New York City to find his father Walter Hobbs. During his hilarious exploits, Buddy experiences all New York City has to offer, but when Buddy’s presence affects his father’s business, Walter must reassess his priorities.
Rating: PG Genre: Family/Comedy
Two World War II Army buddies, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, who started producing Broadway shows after the war, team up with two sisters, Betty and Judy Haynes. The two men travel with the sisters to the Columbia Inn in Pine Tree, Vermont. The inn is about to go under due to lack of snow and patrons so Wallace, Davis and the sisters devise a plan to bring business back to the inn.
Rating: None Genre: Comedy/Musical
After playing Santa in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Kris Kringle is assigned to be the Santa for the Macy’s on 34th street. When it becomes known that Kris believes he is the true Santa Clause he is committed to a mental hospital and becomes increasingly discouraged. Fred Gaily, a lawyer, promises to secure Kris’s release. In this classic holiday film a miracle is needed to save Santa.
Rating: None Genre: Family/Drama
M Photo by Maddie Pado ONE, TWO, THREE: As Drum Major, senior Jacob Anderson composes the pride of Sunrise at various times during football season and at competitions. The marching band won an excellent at State and were chosen to perform at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.