03.01.12 THE
MUSTANG EXPRESS
The student publication of Sunrise Mountain High School
Volume 16 Issue 4
http://mustangexpress.org
Mr. Faulkner receives promotion to position at Peoria district office Brooke Schattner Staff Reporter
Illustration by Alexandria Stephens
Arizona celebrates 100 years of statehood Emily Bridgewater Section Editor
It was Valentine’s Day but for my dad and I, it was spent downtown celebrating Arizona’s Centennial. The day started out with a walk from Phoenix City to the Capitol building. This was the reenactment of the walk that the state’s first governor George W.P. Hunt did on February 14, 1912. Hunt left City Hall to walk to the Capitol and said, “Sir, let’s make a state.” The group of revelers next proceeded to the State Capitol where the celebration continued. Dad and I sat down with our little Arizona flags. We got cupcakes and chocolate milk that I, of course, spilled on me. Channel 10 News anchors Kari Lake and John Hook talked to the crowd as
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARIZONA!: Feb. 14 marked Arizona’s Centennial. Arizonans celebrate the state’s birthday in several ways, one of which included joining in on the festivities in downtown Phoenix at the State Capitol. Above is the stage standing before the capitol. Directly to the right, Gov. Jan Brewer presents the Arizona state stamp. Far right, a man holds an American flag with 48 stars on it, Arizona being the newest addition to the country. Photos by Emily Bridgewater
MC to the event that took place. There was a Native American dance and Hispanic dancers who provided entertainment. Along with the dancers, State Historian Marshall Trimble provided stories about Arizona. In addition, Rex Allen dedicated a song to Arizona. Governor Jan Brewer signed a bill stating February 14 is officially regarded as Centennial Day. Gov. Brewer, along with the Postal Service, unveiled the new Centennial stamp that is a forever first class stamp. The stamp was drawn my Ed Mell, who captured Sedona’s Cathedral Rock in a painting. Booths aligned the Capitol front yard with booths of places from several women’s leagues, art museums and historical museums. The booths were filled with Arizona history and culture. I managed to make
friends with all the old ladies from the women’s leagues. The booths were minihistory lessons for Arizonans, both native and snowbirds. Arizona has invested a lot for the Centennial. Washington Avenue is now also called Centennial Way. Down Centennial Way, there are now small monuments that are dedicated to the 22 federally recognized Native American tribes in Arizona along with historical signage about Arizona’s 15 counties. At every intersection there is a cobblestone crosswalk with the Arizona Centennial Logo on it. Of course, it wouldn’t be a day downtown without me tracking down honorable guests such as The Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor. Sadly, Sandra was whisked away before I could shake her hand.
As most of the student body is aware, math teacher Warren Faulkner has been promoted to a position at the district office. He began this new venture on Jan. 23. It is bittersweet for students like junior Dalton Worsnup that Mr. Faulkner is only on campus for first hour now. “[His promotion] is great, but I’m sad to see him go,” Worsnup said. “He helped me grow in all ways. He’s a role model all students should look up to. Yes, [he helped me become successful] I learned everything I know from this man.” Although it is hard to let such a valuable teacher go, Worsnup believes he deserved this promotion. “He definitely deserved it,” Worsnup said. “He’s like the best guy in the world.” Not only do students believe he is extremely deserving of the promotion, but teachers do as well. Math teacher Brian Stephens believes Faulkner is absolutely qualified to be promoted. “I honestly think he’s the best man for that job,” said Mr. Stephens. “I do know he cares [about his students]. He’s a fantastic teacher. I can tell he really cares for his students, they do really well.” Mr. Faulkner has been a part of the Sunrise Mountain staff for 15 years. He has taught every math class Sunrise Mountain offers, as well as conceptual and AP physics. According to him, though, he teaches more than just mathematic concepts. “Some people say I teach more than math…I teach life,” Mr. Faulkner said. Mr. Faulkner looks forward to outreaching and helping even more students than he does already. “This way I have a chance to help more students, now I can make an impact on all the students in the district, and not just Sunrise’s students,” Mr. Faulkner said. Mr. Faulkner’s outstanding teaching methods, love and passion for teaching and desire to see his students be successful is what most likely got him this new job. “I think the best method for teaching is to make people have fun while they’re learning,” Mr. Faulkner said. “I’ve been a teacher 21 years and I haven’t worked a day in my life.”
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The Dispatch
03.01.12
Science club prepares field trips to aquarium, reserve Alyssa Sabatel Staff Reporter
HIP HIP HOORAY: Pom performs at the Hoopcoming school assembly on Feb. 1. The cheer team will be competing in nationals at the end of March. Photo by Maddie Riddick and Anissa Saenz-Ochoa
Spiritline places first overall in State Laura Johnson Page Designer
The Spiritline put on an overall state-championship winning show at the AIA State Spiritline Championship the weekend of Feb. 4 and 5. The All-Girl Stunt Group placed first, while the Cheer team placed second and the Pom team placing fifth. These scores elevated Sunrise Mountain above the competition. The Spiritline has established a long tradition of winning.
“Last year we placed first in stunt, second in cheer and third in Pom,” Varsity Cheer Coach Ashley DeMott said. “We really just wanted to up [from last year].” These accomplishments do not arrive easy for Spiritline. “Cheer practices six days a week, two to three hours a day since July,” Ms. DeMott said. “Pom has been practicing since September three days a week.” The competition was
beneficial in more than one way. “[The experience] was fun and learning because I had never been a competition like that before,” pom team member and sophomore Courtney Mulvihill said. Some of the members of Spiritline performed with more than one team in the competition. “[My experience was] hectic because I am on five-girl and show cheer so I compete in both,” senior Jessica Brown said.
some think that it will be more difficult. “I think it’s going to be harder because you have two different teachers,” Selbach said. AIM Science teacher Cheryl Fiedler thinks that the new changes will be beneficial to the students. “I believe that the students will benefit from the changes because the changes have updated the curriculums and will include new technology and information,” Mrs. Fiedler said. When times change,
curriculums change to adapt the society and the new information obtained. “Overtime, we have to update our curriculums to keep up with the latest technologies and new information,” Mrs. Fiedler said. Some students prefer the old schedule over the new and improved one because they feel comfortable with it. “I like the way things are arranged now,” Selbach said. “I am going to do the AP class because I want to stick with advanced English. If I had a choice between AP and regular AIM I would go with the regular AIMS because that’s what I’m used to.” As of next year the students enrolled in AIM classes will be taking AP or Honors courses.
According to Ms. DeMott, in addition to having a lot of dedication, the team has stunting and tumbling skills that helped them qualify for state. “I am most proud of the girls leaving everything on the mat and putting their hearts into it,” Ms. DeMott said. Spiritline will continue to stay busy: they performed at a charity competition at Kellis High School on Feb. 25, and nationals are at the end of March.
The Sunrise Mountain Science Club has been running strong as the school year goes on and more in-depth topics are explored. Club sponsor Cheryl Fiedler has been a part of the club since 2003 and is ready for the club to engage in more projects to expand their scientific knowledge. “We are currently getting ready for a field trip to Out of Africa, then the Sea Life Aquarium at Arizona Mills and the Bearizona Wildlife Preserve. Then, we will be doing the kiss-a-senior-goodbye grams for the graduating seniors” Mrs. Fiedler said. The club has already completed multiple projects since the new school year began and is eager to participate in more, as in previous years: they have sponsored the Rock and Roll Paint-a-Thon, which is a community service project that painted the house of a person in need. The club has also taken field trips to the Phoenix Zoo/Wildlife World Zoo and helped with the Holiday Angels on campus by purchasing angel gifts. The members meet ev-
ery other Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. in Mrs. Fiedler’s classroom, there is currently a total of 20 members. The members are dedicated to the club and take an interest in their work; from researching new topics to presenting their information to others, they are hardworking students. The students not only participate in science related projects but also take part in school and community related activities as well. “It provides them with a group of students to interact with who are interested in science, and the opportunity to do community service for the school and the community,” Mrs. Fiedler said. “As well as provide them the chance to take field trips to learn about the scientific world around us.” The club is a great experience for anyone interested in science, and Sunrise students are encouraged to join. “The science club is a student-run club whose members are interested in science,” Mrs. Fiedler said. “Anyone who would like to learn about the scientific world around them should stop by a meeting and see if the science club is a match for them.”
AP, Honors bump AIM off future schedules New mural brightens COOP playground Chelsie Atkinson Staff Reporter
Students currently enrolled in AIM classes are going through changes in their schedules. Instead of taking AIM classes next year, they will be taking AP classes. “I’m not sure how it’s going to work, but I like how if you take the test at the end you will be able to get college credit,” freshman Taylor Selbach, who is currently enrolled in AIM Science, said. Some of the students think that it will be easier with the new classes, but
CHILD’S PLAY: The mural in the COOP playground is in the process of being painted. The cheer team donated money for the project. Photo by Anissa Saenz-Ochoa
Anissa Saenz-Ochoa Section Editor
The Child Oriented Occupational Program, more popularly known as COOP, received a donation from the SMHS cheer team toward a new mural for their playground. The cheer team wanted to help the school in some way and as a result the team chose to give money to the COOP program. “We were told that cheer had sponsored some kind of competition here on campus and earned money and they’d like to donate money back to the school,” COOP Director Gail Svor said. “They chose COOP as the
recipient of the money they earned.” COOP Supervisor Jodi Dowler feels grateful for the donation. “We feel honored,” Ms. Dowler said. “They could choose anybody in the whole school and they’ve decided to choose us and that tells us that we are meaningful; that’s pretty special.” Digital Photography teacher Robert Panzer has volunteered to paint the mural for the COOP. “The mural is going to have a landscape element to it,” Mr. Panzer said. “It will have some mountains in the back representing the idea of Sunrise Moun-
tain. There will [also] be a sunrise coming up behind the mountains… it’s going to have some kids in there too.” The mural will also include cacti, mustangs and other desert plants. Ms. Dowler is excited for the mural to be painted in the playground so that the children can relate to it. “It identifies us with the community we live in,” Ms. Dowler said. “The kids can look at that and realize they’re not too far from home.” The overall outcome the mural pleased Mrs. Svor. “I think it’s going to be something that’s going to brighten the walls of the playground for years to come,” Mrs. Svor said. Ms. Dowler mentioned how excited the COOP kids are to have a mural painted on the wall of their playground. They have already begun to take ownership. “They’re very proud of it,” Ms. Dowler said. “It feels like it’s their own part of campus.”
The Scene
03.01.12
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Bloggers keep readers’ thoughts in mind Gilliene Yap Section Editor
Every four seconds a new blog is being created on the internet. With social media at its peak, people are warned to take caution about what they post online; it is critical to censor oneself when writing personal blogs. With blog sites like Tumblr, Blogspot and Wordpress, many online diarists post and write about the most private details of their lives and their most treasured thoughts. While some people question why diarists would write their own journal online, others find it interesting. Senior Toni Miller has a blog which she describes as “nerdy.” She talks about Harry Potter in her posts and she occasionally vents about life’s daily obstacles. She believes that online diaries
are popular because of people’s natural curiosity. “I feel like everyone is interested in how a person feels so they could find a common ground,” Miller said. Junior Alexis Noriega has an interesting take on her blog. Her blog consists of movie reviews and hatred for the actor Nicholas Cage. To Noriega, personal blogs have advantages but have disadvantages as well. “[You] can take time to think about what you are saying and not be in the spur of the moment,” Noriega said. “The disadvantage is that not only you and your friends are reading it, other people can read about your situations.” Anything written or posted online is there to stay. Fashion teacher and blogger Jennifer Woolsey believes that no matter what age, teenagers
and adults should keep in mind the content they are writing. “Bear in mind anyone could see it unless you set it on private,” Mrs. Woolsey said. “You have to self-regulate. You have to be aware of the purpose of your blog and who is your true readership.” Potential employers have also begun turning to social networking sites prior to hiring individuals. They turn not only to Facebook or Twitter, but to personal blogs as well. Noriega believes that bloggers should write appropriately and think about and monitor the content of every single one of their posts. “I think about my family and what they would think [when I blog],” Noriega said. “[Just] make sure that you keep your blog private and appropriate and you do not advertise.”
Illustration by Amanda Briggs
Facebook users switching social media sites Seniors’ graduation bucket list Josh Yodice Staff Reporter
As of Jan. 23, Tumblr hit 15 billion page views per month. This is a 2 billion increase since the beginning of 2011 (according to Mashable.com). Other recent Mashable statistics have shown that other, less popular sites like Tumblr and Wordpress have seen a rapid increase in users. Even though Facebook still has a name for itself, the recent and
multiple changes to their site might be the cause of the steady decrease in activity. A recent student poll showed that Facebook is getting less interesting. Out of the students polled, 83 agreed that Facebook is getting boring, and 27 of them have an account on another social networking site. “Yes, Facebook is changing and I feel like it’s pointless to have one now,” freshman Alexandra Dillmore said. While Facebook is still her
main website for social networking, Dillmore also said she has another account on the blogging site, Tumblr. “There is nothing to do [on Facebook] and everything is changing,” freshman Kyana Hayes said. “I used to go on [Facebook] for hours but now I just go on for communication.” Even with the slight drop in usage, Facebook still remains the go-to site for social networking.
Gilliene Yap Section Editor
The remaining months of the school year are bittersweet. Seniors have only three months left at Sunrise and they have an incredible list of goals before graduation. Here are some of the best bucket lists of the class of 2012:
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Meet my high school sweetheart. Go to France. Get a dog. -Marion Cambrelin
American Idol faces new rivalries on television Brooke Schattner Staff Reporter
When American Idol first premiered on June 11, 2002, it took the world by storm. People were captivated by the brand new television sensation because of the funny auditions, the talented competitors and the famous judges: Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul.
At the time, American Idol was the one and only singing competition show, but nowadays, shows like X Factor and The Voice have been becoming much more popular. “Yes [I have watched American Idol before], because it was on, and they judged people who couldn’t
Are girls crazier than boys? Recent studies have shown that girls are crazier than boys. We went around and asked the students their opinion.
Research compiled by Adrienne Sebade
sing…it’s comedic,” said senior Aaron Aguirre. “No [I haven’t seen the X Factor,] but I have seen The Voice, though. I thought it was different. I liked the whole idea of the show and how you can’t see their faces.” Aguirre has a specific preference to one of the three shows. “[I prefer] The Voice,” Aguirre said. “[People turned away from American Idol] because the main judges people liked left, so it’s not entertaining. Better shows have come out…like The Voice!” Sophomore Roman Castagna gives his take on the shows. “I have watched all [three shows] before,” Castagna said. “[I watch them] because they help people reach success.” Castagna believes American Idol is his preference. “[I prefer] American Idol because it is a classic,” Castagna said.
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Meet a celebrity. Go skydiving. Go to Chipolte for the first time. -Ashlyn Balogh
Catch up on “One Tree Hill.” Ride in a hot air balloon. Sneak out of the house just once. -Becca Wood
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The Spotlight
03.01.12
Edmodo: ‘Safe’ Facebook for school Laura Johnson Staff Reporter
The founders of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or any other social networking site probably did not think this worldwide trend would find a way into schools. Edmodo is a website recently discovered by SMHS that lets teachers and students to interact in a classroom setting online. “[Edmodo] started three years ago by two guys in the Chicago school district,” assistant librarian Mrs. Roxie Blackson said. “They offer the site free to every district so that is one of the reasons that our school uses it.” This new website has various applications that teachers can use. “There is a grade book feature, [teachers can post] quizzes and teachers can award badges to students [for good work],” Mrs. Blackson said. “I haven’t
fully implemented [the website] in the library but I put book club on there so I could have meetings or announcements.” The site is a great resource for teachers who have to take time off. “I took a week off from school because [my baby was born] and I was able to use Edmodo to tell the class, give the class instructions and then they could reply to me,” Mr. Ramon Rodriguez said. Students can access Edmodo from more than just their computers. The social networking site is useful for students as well. “You can see what other people have posted and get help from it,” University High student Lauryn Olsen said. “They have an app for smart phones which is one of the things they are pushing,” Mrs. Blackson said. “Students can post anytime anywhere from their phone.” Not very many teachers have an Edmodo account right now.
“Mostly the University High teachers [are using it right now] because they really want us to push technology with those guys,” Mr. Rodriguez said. Mrs. Blackson said that the district has begun offering training to teachers on how to use Edmodo correctly and effectively. This site could potentially be used for all of the class on campus. “I could do [a page] for every class like Spanish I, Spanish II and regular high school kids and they have it separated so all they see is their own class and not anybody else’s,” Rodriguez said.
Teachers can talk to more than just their students on Edmodo. “There are collaboration committees so teachers can collaborate with other people who teach the same subject across the globe,” Blackson said. There are still a few glitches in this system though. “It is really slow and you have to refresh every time there is a new comment,” Olsen said. Between the combination of students and teachers, Edmodo currently has an estimated three million users registered as a member.
Seniors move on, DECA club is left behind Heavy backpacks threaten students health Bayan Abubakr Staff Reporter
As current seniors of DECA prepare to venture out of Sunrise Mountain, and into the ‘real world’, many are curious as to what will become of DECA when the senior leaders move on. DECA advisor Tricia White is one of the few who will miss these talented students, as they surely left their mark. “[It’s going to affect the club] immensely, because those who medaled, that are going to state, and participate in district, were my seniors, so they’ll be missed,” Mrs. White said. “Some of them it was there first time being in DECA and they did so well, so hopefully my freshman, sophomores and juniors that are now in DECA will just be keep growing.” Although the six of her seven officers plan on graduating, she has high hopes for the future of DECA. “It’s gonna be tough because I’m losing six of my seven officers,” Mrs. White said. “But the four members at large I have right now seem to be picking up the slack, so hopefully they’ll be as gung ho and ready
to go as my current officers are. Hopefully, we’ll just be getting stronger and stronger,” Vice - President and active member Kayli Schattner thinks the club will survive without their senior members, as they once went through the same experience. “I think that with the use of our members at large we’ll be just fine, absolutely; I think it’ll definitely be a learning process for them, we’ve all done it, and this is only my second year in DECA” Schattner said. “It’s a challenge but I definitely think that all of us as officers this year definitely completed the tasks to the best of our abilities and the members at large this year will be more than capable at taking positions after we’ve all gone to college.” Schattner believes that DECA’s success is all due to the hard work and effort Mrs. White has put in. “I think DECA has been so successful because, honestly it’s Mrs. White, she’s putting so much effort, so much work, it’s only her second year here, she’s one of the best in state, we have the best materials to study from for DECA competitions, and we’re given the best opportunities. We had the most overall wins at our regional competition, and we hope to bring that into the state competition this spring,” Schattner said.
Bryce Dudzinski Staff Reporter
teacher Ramon Rodriguez said. “It’s always beneficial whether you’re older or younger.” Americans do not live in an area where there are a lot of different languages, but that does not mean we should not learn one. “If you compare Europe with us... you’ve got Germany, France, Italy, Spain and England,” Mr. Rodriguez said. “You have all those countries and they know three or four languages because they need to.” Not all people agree that foreign languages need to be learned. “We live in America,” senior Stormi
Alvarez said. “I mean, they can learn if they want but I don’t think it needs to be forced upon us.” Foreign languages will always be helpful in future careers. “It’s really good for jobs,” junior Rebecca Icke said. “You can have more advances because you can work with different people.” The main question is which foreign language to learn? “If you could, Latin,” Mr. Rodriguez said. “Latin goes into French, Spanish and Italian. It’s a base for all languages.” While Latin might end up being difficult to learn, there are other languages
Rigorous classes and busy schedules literally weigh students down as they are forced to carry more in their backpacks. Though many students do not initially recognize it, a heavy backpack can lead to multiple health problems. According to “US School Children At Risk from Heavy Backpacks,” a 2001 study proved that 7000 students on average make emergency room visits each year due to problems caused by heavy backpacks. This is a hidden danger. Many students fail to realize the magnitude of this dilemma. Junior Michaela Slezak transcends the corridors of Sunrise Mountain carrying a backpack that weighed in at 16.7 pounds. “Oh God yes, I can’t even sit up and pick up my backpack,” Slezak said. “It’s ridiculous. Every time I have to leave classrooms, I dread having to pick up my backpack because it’s so heavy.” As students join additional programs and take more rigorous schedules here at Sunrise Mountain High School, they rely on their backpacks to hold more of their life. Senior Karey Armenta is involved in numerous activities around the school campus and her backpack is crammed with materials that she needs throughout the day. “I have two water bottles, two bind-
HEAVY WEIGHT: Michaela Slezak poses with heavy backpack. Photo by Bryce Dudzinski
ers, a bag of chips and some bean dip,” Armenta said. She is one student who is already experiencing the dangers of a heavy backpack. “Sometimes my back starts to hurt,” Armenta said. “It can get to a point where it slows down my walking. Eventually my hips can go out.” Heavy backpacks carry many risks. Students can experience neck and shoulder pain, muscle spasms or poor posture. Injuries can escalate to serious cases such as permeated or herniated discs. Several students at Sunrise Mountain carry extremely heavy backpacks. Junior Robert Geiger must drag a 29.6pound backpack through the hallways each school day. He could be at risk of health problems. Students who have any of these issues should seek help immediately to prevent future back and shoulder problems.
Spice up your knowledge curve with foreign language Adrienne Sebade Staff Reporter
Being bilingual may be a little difficult, but don’t be discouraged. Learning other languages can aid you in job searches later in life. According to World Languages and Cultures, approximately one billion people speak Mandarin Chinese, 490 million speak Hindi, and 420 million people speak Spanish. Americans should learn a foreign language for many reasons. “It only broadens people’s understandings of different cultures,” Spanish
that will benefit you. “Spanish,” Icke said. “It seems like it is pretty popular and in the U.S., a lot of people speak Spanish.” Sophomore Casey Lee agrees, but also has another idea. “Sign language or Spanish or English,” Lee said. “English first, and then probably Spanish.” You never know; learning a foreign language now might help you later in life. Just picture 20 years from now. “It’s just good to know other languages,” Mr. Rodriguez said. “[I guess it would be] so you could go on vacation when you retire.”
03.01.12
The Spotlight
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Arizona colleges that lets personality come alive dents to attend or avoid that college of scholarships from ASU persuaded her save all the money I could for med choice. enrollment. school,” Satapathy said. Senior Nikita Satapathy said that her “I get free tuition and I wanted to The cost for college can be overA large number of Sunrise Mountain whelming but there are many scholarstudents graduate and go on to one of ship and financial aid programs that the Arizona in-state, public universidifferent colleges offer. For any assisties: Arizona State University (ASU), tance regarding paying for college, Mrs. Northern Arizona University (NAU) Fair in the Career Center can answer and University of Arizona (U of A). any question. High school prepares students to “See who gives you the best financial make some of the most important deciaid package,” Mrs. Fair said. sions of their lives; they have to decide Within a college, there is much more what career to pursue and how to get than the major and cost. There are there. In order to do this, they must demany other factors to help students cide which university best suits them decide on a college: campus, location, and their future. weather and size. Many students agree that the col“Explore. See everything and find lege’s programs and majors can be a what you like,” senior George Nguyen deciding factor. said. Nguyen plans on attending U of A Career Adviser Cindy Fair suggests next spring to study physiology. students to look first if the university Many students planning to attend has their major. NAU are eager for the cold weather. After searching for her college ma“It’s really nature-oriented,” Gardjor, senior Khylie Gardner found Interner said. “The atmosphere and envinational Studies at NAU. ronment there was what I was looking “They have a really good internafor.” tional studies program there. And that’s Mrs. Fair encourages students to what I was looking for,” Gardner said. start looking at universities as early as However, when contemplating colfreshman year. It is never too early to leges, the cost can often persuade stustart planning for college. Bryce Dudzinski Staff Reporter
Students venture off into real world AIMS test benefits Mustangs Michaela Emrich Staff Reporter
With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, seniors are gearing up for the next step in their lives. For some, that next step is college. For senior Cassandra Carmody the next thing on her agenda is just that. “I plan on going to GCC and attending their nursing program there through NAU,” Carmody said “And then I plan on going to Africa and becoming a nurse there.” Scholarships are ideal, and the path many students choose to take. Many scholarship myths circle around the idea that there are so many students applying and there are just not enough scholarships according to Scholarships.com. This is what causes many students to give up on the goal they had been pursuing throughout their high school career. Junior Cheyenne Adamonis hopes to receive a golf scholarship. She has persisted up until now, and will continue as she enters her senior year to ensure that she meets the goal she has set for herself. “I am looking into scholarships and getting a lot of information for college and trying to get all organized before I catch the bad case of senioritis,” Adamonis said. As a junior, Adamonis’ advice for un-
Bayan Abubakr Staff Reporter
derclassmen as they move up on the totem pole would be, “Don’t be scared if you don’t know what you want during the first year because I guarantee you’ll find something that really appeals to you and don’t be set on one thing because you’re going to change [your mind] all the time.” Although college is not a path some people find important, Carmody feels college is the way to go. “College is something that’s always been important to me and my family.” College is something that Senior Drake Kvaale feels is important for his future as well, “[Yeah], I plan on going to Brown Mackie college in Phoenix.” Earning a scholarship and being accepted into college in general takes a lot of drive and dedication.
As testing season rolls around, students and teachers alike are gearing up for the annual AIMS test. As most are aware, the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards is a statewide test that is required for graduation. Exceeding the AIMs is beneficial to students, as a 25 percent tuition waiver is guaranteed. “Absolutely [the tuition waiver is useful], if you’re going to an in-state university, they pay attention to that,” guidance counselor Julie Selbach said. “When you go to college you have to pay for books, a dorm, food, transportation and most importantly tuition, the 25 percent [tuition waiver] really makes a difference, tuition is a big deal.” Over the past few years, the tuition waiver has changed drastically. In 2010, the Arizona Board of Regents decided to cut the tuition waiver to 25 percent, claiming the scholarship was too easy to earn. In past years, if students excelled in all areas (Math, Reading and Writing) they were eligible to receive a full state university tuition waiver valid for one year after graduating high school. “The problem is the seniors get the full scholarship, but everybody that’s
“You can’t assume that you’ll just jack up tuition every single year. If you can’t stop tuition from going up, then the funding you get from taxpayers each year will go down,” President Obama said in his speech. In retaliation to this, Arizona legislature submitted bill 2675. This bill would require full time students that are not merit scholars or athletes to pay at least $2,000.00 a year towards their education. “I feel that this bill is not fair because not everyone can afford to pay that much
at once, and it is unfair to everyone who is not an athlete or a scholar,” senior Taylor Jennings said. This new bill might affect the amount of students that have the opportunity to go to college. “I will still go to a University, but it would [make it harder] to pay,” senior Madison Tidwell said. Tuition has risen because states cut funding during the downfall of the economy. However, Arizona has a low percentage of people with college degrees, therefore; government officials are try-
graduating after 2012 has to exceed the AIMS, get a 28 or above on the ACTs and earn a 1300 on the SATs to get that 25 percent tuition waiver,” Mrs. Selbach said. “The tuition waiver won’t help much if you plan on attending university out of state.” Students who have exceeded the AIMS say the tuition waiver is beneficial. “It’s not a deciding factor [when you apply to college] but it does help; it is 25 percent of the total cost,” junior Conor Yates-Koch said. Even though a quarter of costs are cut from tuition, students who have excelled the AIMS in the past two years feel that the previous tuition waiver was of greater worth. “I mean the scholarship is worthwhile, but before it paid for your full first year of college, if you have a lot of other scholarships it adds up,” Yates-Koch said. The AIMS is definitely a worthwhile exam, it not only reduces costs for college tuition, but opens doors to other scholarships. “It’s really worth it, you can benefit a lot from the scholarship.” junior Abbie Kulinec said. The AIMS testing sessions take place on Feb. 28 and 29. “Just try you’re hardest and study, it really pays off,” Kulinec said.
Arizona legislature reacts to plan that lowers college tuition Taylor Russell Staff Reporter
President Barack Obama’s speech to lower college tuition causes Arizona legislature to react in a negative manner. On Jan. 27, at the University of Michigan, President Obama gave a speech that raised the eyebrows of colleges. He proposed supersizing a loan program for students with a lower income and to take away financial aid from colleges that refuse to lower tuition.
ing to find new ways to make college affordable. In President Obama’s speech, he called on states to make more responsibility even proposing a figurative race between states. This race would encourage states to boost graduation rates of college students, and help them graduate faster. This year, in-state tuition and fees at four-year universities average to $8,244.00, which is an 8.3 percent increase over the past year according to the College Board.
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03.01.12
“It’s the end of the world as we know it.” -R.E.M
World ending? SMHS can handle it Josh Yodice Staff Reporter
Countless predictions have been made by people through time that the world will end. One event in particular was in 1806, when a hen laid eggs that somehow delivered the message that the end of the world was near. Then, fast forward to Jan. 1, 2000 what most know as Y2K. The theory that computers would go haywire due to the new millennium was popular, with nobody really knowing what to expect. People formulated this idea that the end of the world would be brought on by everything from blackouts to nuclear holocaust. Yet here we are, still ready to take on another rumor of the world coming to an end. Whether you believe the Mayan calendar, your friends around school, have seen the movies
or visited that crazy guy down the street, chances are you have heard about the world ending in 2012. See the results for a poll taken at SMHS and see how the students are reacting to another “End of the World” theory. Out of the 93 students surveyed, almost all said that the world will not end any time soon, but we will just have to see what 2012 brings us. Not everyone would be terrified if the world were to end. Junior Colton Ashcroft said that he would “walk calmly down the street.” Others might have a case of Post Dramatic Stress Disorder, like freshman Edith Rivas, who wrote in her poll, “[I would] go racing in my lovely Honda and crash it.” Then there are the survivors who already have it all figured out. “[I would] dig a hole, jump in and get some root beer and Cheetos and cover [the hole] up.” freshman Jacob Van De Walle said.
Who believes the world is going to end in 2012
10%
Students who say the world will NOT end Students who DO think the world will end
90% 93 people surveyed Graph by Josh Yodice
Compiled by Hannah Mure
“I predict that the world will be so far advanced that human beings will no longer need sustenance nor oxygen to survive… that is all.” Amanda Briggs, 12
“It will either be complete and utter chaos or sheepish, one or the two that’s my guess. We’ll probably have all sorts of crazy technology like our RFIDs will be great, quantum computers will the fastest computers that ever existed and we’ll have much faster means of transportation and maybe interstellar travel.” Dalton Worsnup, 11
The Horseshoe
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Earth goes downhill in future Michaela Emrich Staff Reporter
One hundred years from now, will Earth be nonexistent? Rumors have circled throughout many countries that the end of the world is in our midst. Some theorize that the human population will meet the same fate as those on Easter Island. The people on Easter Island slowly ran out of resources and humanity slowly died off. Others think the world will have the same attributes as it does now. Many scientists believe that the earth has begun to slip below its “tipping point”, or the point of no return. Then there are those who believe that, based on the ancient Mayan calendar, the world will end on Dec. 21 this year. Sophomore Jake Jelinek shared his view on the change in the earth in 100 years. “I think the climate will be different, also there might be catastrophic
differences in the magnetic poles,” Jelinek said. “Because they are slowly shifting, we might see a bigger difference in the way animals migrate.” Everyone has their own predictions as to what the world will look like in 100 years. Among those predictions is the thought that many of the world’s coastal areas will be underwater. Freshman Brooklyn Pelland disagrees. “I think it [the earth] will be exactly the same” said Pelland. Then there are those who have a completely different outlook on the fate of the earth in 2112. A pair of futurologists agreed on the idea that in 100 years people will be able to control the weather according to an article on BBC news. This could be helpful considering the fact that other scientists believe that an eruption of a major volcano in Wyoming will wreak havoc on a majority of the Western United States. Also, that it will cause fault
lines to rupture and tornado activity to increase. Then there is the topic of how humans will have impacted the earth. “[I think] there will be more wars,” Pelland said. Jelinek believes that humans will not have demolished the earth by then. Integrated science teacher Chris Moore agrees. “No, not in 100 years.” Mr.Moore said. “Sooner or later we will all figure out that we have to make some changes to survive, and we will,” Mr. Moore seems to have hopes and doubts for the world in 100 years. “[Physically the earth] will have gotten warmer and sea levels will have risen, flooding many coastal areas,” Mr.Moore said. “I think and hope many of the earth’s forests will have rebounded and we will have preserved many wilderness areas and plant and animal species.” Although the fate of the earth is uncertain, everyone has their own theory.
Do YOU think the world will end from technology or problems with the Earth? Go to mustangexpress.org and respond!
Cartoon by Alex Stephens
Future techonology unexpected, unpredictable Taylor Russell Staff Reporter
There are endless possibilities for technology advances in the year 2112. “I think we will have hovering cars and robots to replace human jobs,” junior Amanda Manus said. According to the BBC news, one top prediction is that the state California will split off from the United States. One of the top futurologists Ian Pearson says the likely hood of California splitting off is eight out of 10. There is already some proof that California is going to split because of the pressure that builds up with the tectonic plates over time. Another prediction is that flying cars will not be
invented in 2112, contrary to popular belief. In the movie Back to the Future II, it showed a sky with flying cars for the year 2015. However, a version of the flying car has already been invented by a company called Terrafugia but there are many reasons why we don’t use them. Dave Duttson, who writes for the car rentals website listed a few reasons as to why flying cars are a bad idea. • Every bad driver is now a bad pilot, which is even worse because there would be no traffic direction. • This allows someone to fly by your house or bedroom window taking stalking to a
new level, (literally) • If you run out of gas or your car stalls you and your car will fall. Some people want to see robots. “I would like to see robot maids and virtual reality games that actually put you in the scene and you can feel like you’re there,” junior Morgan Conyers said. In the Dec. issue of Ladies Home Journal from the year 1900, they made predictions for the year 2000. One prediction was that no foods would be exposed; meaning stores would have liquid air refrigerators. One hundred years later, their prediction was true. We never know what we can expect for the future.
Photos by: Hannah Mure
“I think there’s going to be weird technology, like there’s going to be a railroad that goes everywhere. I’m thinking flying shoes, flying cars, and stuff like that. And the cities are going of be made of glass and everything is going to be made of glass. And teleportation will be made with people and we won’t need airplanes anymore and stuff like that. Styles will be way different, it will be creepy neon jumpsuits that will be popular I think.” -Chris Zbacnik, 9
“I think we’re going to be more sophisticated and working more energy efficient for the planet and have more economy friendly cars. The economy will be better and as for technology, everything will be voice controlled and touch screen. I don’t see there being any time travel, but I think we’ll have the technology to be able to live on another planet.” Ian Stoddard, 11
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03.01.12
Teenage drivers put red light on safety
Braden Taylor Page Designer
Learning to drive begins in the Driver Education class, but that doesn’t mean that at the end of the course you have a class full of high school students that are perfect drivers. Teenage drivers are interesting elements that are added to the dangerous combinations of drivers that fill our streets every day. According to the Arizona Automobile Association, 16 year old drivers are twice as likely to be involved in fatal crashes as older drivers. Most teenage drivers can be sorted into two types of drivers: overconfident and scared-to-death. Both have their own negative and positive effects. Overconfident teenage drivers can be some of the most offensive and dangerous drivers on the road. Nobody or nothing can stop these drivers; they are the kings and queens of the road. Blasting music, peeling out of parking lots, revving engines and weaving in and out of traffic like they are the only ones on the road are just a few of some noticeable char-
acteristics of an overconfident driver. Scared-to-death teenage drivers can also be dangerous drivers, but also can be frustrating as well. They are so afraid of doing something wrong or coming upon a hazard that they become hazards themselves. Going under the speed limit, constantly hitting the brakes for every little thing and struggling with decisions are few signs of a scaredto-death driver. Now, being an overconfident driver or a scared driver both have their positives. Overconfident drivers can go with the flow of traffic and scared drivers may not be making many risky decisions and driving safer, but in a perfect world we would have teenage drivers who are a combination; who have confidence but are scared at the same time. That does not mean that there are not those teenagers that are “perfect” sitting behind the wheel, but they are out numbered by those not “perfect” drivers. The path to become the ideal driver can start even after the gaining of the driver’s license. Driving is something that must be adapted to all times and in all places. Adapting and becoming more comfortable behind the wheel can do so much for a driver. Teenagers no matter how stubborn must become more comfortable and be in control while driving to make driving for everyone safer.
SOPA creates major controversy
Emily Bridgewater Section Editor
Piracy is an ongoing problem because of sites like YouTube and Megaupload. New bills introduced in Congress designed to protect movie and music studios from copyright infringement recently led to a 24-hour shut down of several online companies in protest.
How many times do you go on YouTube, click on a movie, and find that it has been taken off due to copyright infringement? YouTube goes through its videos to find movies or TV shows that violate these laws. This is so that the movie producers do not sue YouTube. The bill was introduced by Representative Lamar Smith (TX) and is known as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). This act allows officials to obtain court orders to sue against websites that connect to these videos and songs. Yes, we can all say that we are guilty of obtaining illegal songs and movies. It is easier to get free
songs than paying for a $1.99 download from iTunes. But put it into perspective. Those music and movie producers get paid for how much money is made off of the number of songs downloaded. If music and movies are downloaded illegally, the labels don’t get paid. We, the people, are the reason why most labels are still in business. Think of it this way, the more we pirate, the more businesses will go out of business. Opponents of the bill state that SOPA is a violation of the First Amendment. Personally, I don’t agree that it’s a violation of the First Amendment, but
I can see why it is upsetting. The new bill doesn’t violate freedom of speech, freedom of petition or freedom of assembly. In fact, kind of agree with this whole SOPA idea. I think it is a shame that music labels and studios suffer because of pirating. That is not right. If it weren’t for the labels and producers, we would not have the hilarious movies or the good music blaring in our ears every day. My main problem is trying to watch old shows on YouTube. I guess the only solution I have for this is that TV stations should not get rid of the all the great shows that use to be around.
Bullying rises amongst adolescents
Samie Galindo Staff Reporter
The number grows each year of teenagers or children who have been bullied in any kind of way. Each year, there have been deaths because of bullying in schools, over text messages or Facebook. We hear about it, students may witness it, but never seem to put a stop to it. Students seem to ignore bullying and just walk away. Name calling
is used a lot but the damage it causes someone inside is usually never noticed. Bullies think their actions are meaningless but to others, it can put them down in ways that could make them think certain things that no person should ever have to think of. According to, Teens Health two of the main reasons people are bullied are because of appearances and social status. Bullies pick on the people they think don’t fit in, and because of how they look, their race or religion, or because the bullies think their target may be gay or lesbian”. In 2005, there were an estimated 270 children at the ages 10 through 14 that committed suicide. Some were being verbally
and physically bullied by a classmate. No young teen or child has to feel afraid to enter their school and feel threatened or frightened in their class or at home. Staff members are supposed to stop what is happening immediately, but they might not notice it or be able to stop it. “I’ve heard name calling, seen fights but never really put a stop to it, “Junior Dayna Bailey said. “ I’ve watched and just walked away.” Words my hurt more than actions but then again they could both bring pain that will never heal, and never forgotten. Different types of bullying can be prevented such as: Cyberbullying-being harassed, threatened and being humiliated by tech-
nology. Verbal bullying- affects one’s self-image emotionally and psychological ways. Physical bullying-hitting, pushing, tripping, etc. Statistics say that 712 percent of bullies are habitual and pose a serious threat. According to School Bullying, “71% of the attackers were motivated by being bullied and picked on.” Bullying never seems to be prevented entirely. If you witness bullying put a stop to it do not just walk away. If getting bullied, don’t pay attention to them; have that ability just to walk away and don’t give them the fear that they want from you. Be that person to be able to stand up for yourself.
Mustang Express Newspaper Staff Editorial Policy
Editor-In-Chief Natasha Hossain
Online Editor Kellie Reynolds
Section Editors Emily Bridgewater Anissa Saenz-Ochoa Jennifer Soules Gilliene Yap
Page Designers Braden Taylor Arianna Saenz-Ochoa Laura Johnson
Reporters Michaela Emrich Alexa Bailey Alyssa Sabatel Carolyn Corcoran Amber Ellison Alex Stephens Bayan Abubakr Kelsey Shores Becca Wood Sydney Adamonis Chelsie Atkinson Megan McGovern Maddie Riddick
Hannah Mure Samie Galindo Bryce Dudiznski Taylor Russell Gabriela Barge Brooke Schattner Josh Yodice Sarah Gilmour Adrienne Sebade Jessie O’Cheltree Janie Schutte Rylee Layton
Advertising Manager
Adviser
Alex Curtis
Kristy Roschke
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.
http://mustangexpress.org Facebook: SMHS Newspaper
2 Cents
03.01.12
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Social media etiquette do’s, dont’s Gabriela Barge Staff Reporter
We all spend a lot of time online. We’re talking to friends on Facebook, updating the world on Twitter, and sharing ideas on Pinterest. Sadly though, many of us have lost our manners in the process. Using correct grammar shouldn’t be hard. If autocorrect keeps messing you up, people can tell, but if every other post is insulting your third grade English teacher, there’s a problem. Make sure to re-read what you write before you post it. If you’re having a bad day, it’s okay to express that. Everyone’s been there before. However, try not to post something every day that makes people want to grab a large spoon and a tub of Ben and Jerry’s ‘Chocolate Therapy’ ice cream. Attempt being positive and if you’re feeling down in your own life, don’t bring others down with you. Have an encouraging attitude toward your 300+ friends and the exciting things they do in their lives. Speaking of life, it’s not necessary to tell everyone you just brushed your teeth. Unless a bear climbed through a window and mauled you within inches of your life while you were brushing those pearly whites, it’s unimportant. Of course if your one follower is your mom, she’ll probably be very proud. She won’t be, though, if your pictures
Online Etiquette Do’s
Online Etiquette Dont’s
1. See glass half-full
1. Give out TMI
2. Share the necessary information
2. Have a never- ending whine fest
3.Remember basic 3rd grade grammar
3. Make your English teachers cringe
4. Make mamma proud
4 .Become a status clone
5.Have originality
5. Be a bully
Lists compiled by Gabriela Barge
and statuses scream you have a bright future on Jersey Shore. Make sure your profile would make a future employer want to hire you in an instant. It should highlight that winning personality and vast range of knowledge everyone knows you possess. It’s fair to assume that you are your own person. You’re not a robot. No one is controlling your mind. Another student has not possessed your body. Therefore, make a point not to be a clone of other people on your friends list. You and your peers have mutual friends, so if you copy and paste your statuses every day, check to see it hasn’t already been used by eight people on your news feed. People want to get to know you, not what status website you visit daily. This goes for quoting songs too. When the new Taylor Swift album comes out,
don’t contribute to the flood of deep, girl- empowering lyrics on every website you have access to. The fact that she’s had plenty of dating experience was obvious in the first three albums. Now, if you’re going to give your opinion on something, please, spare everyone the hassle of having to correct you. There’s nothing more annoying than an uninformed, misguided post. Despite what you may believe, people think very highly of you. Don’t prove them wrong by tweeting China’s president, Kim Jong-il, is going to do great things in 2012. For one, Kim Jong-il was an infamous dictator and two, he wasn’t China’s. He was North Korea’s. If you didn’t know any of that, it’s likely you also didn’t know he died in December 2011. Last, but definitely not least, don’t be a bully. You never truly know what’s
going on in someone else’s life, despite what their profile tells you. Refrain from unleashing that vicious, critical animal inside you. One like, retweet, or encouraging comment could mean the world to someone and if you really can’t stand them, delete them from your friends list. They won’t die if you stop following them on Twitter. Maybe deleting “friends” is a healthy decision. These websites can cause stress, drama and lower self-confidence. Be aware of this and make decisions to get rid of anything on your profile or news feed that causes that. Social media has the power to connect, inspire, and educate the world at the click of a button. Don’t abuse it. Remember these social media etiquette tips and you’re sure to have a much better experience in your future online interactions.
New Google policy raises firestorm to regular users
Hannah Mure Staff Reporter
Global giant Google said in January it was simplifying its privacy regulations, consolidating 60 policies into a single policy, which goes into effect today March 1. This new update to their policy created a firestorm of controversy which prompted Google to write a letter to Congress in an attempt to quash the public’s concern. Google’ Director of Public Policy Pablo Chavez’s wordy attempt to explain the new policy did not do much to alleviate the public’s outcry. The truth is that Google has been collecting users’ information from differ-
ent services, like Gmail, for years, but with this new policy they are expanding their effort to encompass user information across all of its products and services. Privacy advocates, along with users, were concerned that Google wouldn’t offer an opt-out option. The biggest change to their policy is that individuals no longer need to be signed into Google to use many of their services and if a user is signed in, the search history can be edited or turned off. One can also switch Gmail chat to ‘off the record,’ control the way Google tailors ads to her interests using our Ads Preferences Manager, or use Incognito mode on Chrome. If users still don’t like Google’s policy they always have the option to stop using Google’s services, however, Google’s practices aren’t different from other companies. Even Facebook and other modes of media use simi-
lar processes, Facebook collect users’ history to provide ads that match their interests. Such methods of collecting and sharing information are how Facebook and Google manage to offer their free services. The problem isn’t whether user information is going to be collected because all companies will continue to collect such information. The problem people have voiced with Google is when their information starts being used to filter out the information deemed unnecessary by Google. As the internet has evolved it has taken on a new role as the primary source for many people’s information. Filtering is a process that uses a person’s search history and data cookies to custom tailor their results. Many websites now use this process to make the information more personal but the danger is that a person isn’t seeing all the results.
Illustrated by Becca Wood
Instead they are seeing only the results that relate to their past queries, which limit the information they can receive. In the beginning of the internet, there were gatekeepers, editors, who displayed the important information of the day or all the information of the day. Now in the later days of
the internet, the job of the editors has been replaced by algorithmic bots that lack the civic responsibility to display the proper information needed. The tailoring of information creates a filter bubble that limits what people actually get to see. Two people that “Google” the same search word,
may receive entirely different results because the results are tailored to what Google thinks their interests are from the data it has collected. This no longer makes the internet a place of the world but instead makes a world of one and that isn’t a good idea no matter how you slice it.
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Playing Field
03.0.12
Senior athletes leave behind legacy
What will you miss about the winter sports season?
“Being with my team and the feeling [I get while] playing basketball.” -Asim Mehmedovic, 12
SAYING GOODBYE: The Girls Varsity Soccer team gives farewells to the seniors on the team on Jan. 26. All sports hold a senior night to recognize the senior athletes. Photo by Gabriela Barge
Gabriela Barge Staff Reporter
In late January and early February, the winter sports held their annual senior nights. The events are held to recognize graduating seniors’ contributions to the team and provide a nice way to say goodbye. Friends and family get to watch as all the senior players walk formally across the field, court or mat towards their coaches and teammates who wait with goodbye gifts. It’s an emotional time for everyone involved. “I’ve never had a team that I’ve bonded so much with. We’re all like a family,” said senior varsity basketball player Idara Ekpoh. “After [senior night], none of us are gonna step on this court with the same people and play basketball again.” Ekpoh, has a brother on the boys JV and varsity basketball team, is one of the
many athletes on campus who participates in the same sport as their sibling. Sophomore Brylee Hawkins, a girls’ varsity soccer player, had to say goodbye to her brother, senior Ryan Hawkins, and close friends on the team. “We learn from each other. [Ryan] taught me to not give up and to just go for it,” Hawkins said. “My cousins played and then my brother played and then I played. It’s an effect. That’s what we like to do.” It’s not uncommon to find families with generations of members playing the same sport. Parents teach their children, siblings learn from siblings, siblings introduce it to cousins and the cycle continues through the family. With each player, there’s a legacy they leave, not only for future family members, but for future teammates who will remem-
ber who they are. Senior varsity wrestler Cord Coronado understands the impact senior teammates have. He hoped to place first in his weight class prior to the State Championship Feb 11. “I want to leave back the state champion. So the other wrestlers will have someone to look up to,” Coronado said. “[Seniors] don’t really give vocal leadership. It’s more of a silent leadership. We just perform by our actions… and we don’t talk about our accomplishments. We’re real humble about it.” Seniors who play multiple sports will experience senior night more than once. Though the final graduation is in May, senior night is a close second to the feeling high school’s final chapter brings. Seniors have an impact on their siblings, teammates and peers who agree they will be remembered.
“All the seniors, each of them demonstrated great leadership.” -Vanessa Diggs, 11
“Being with all the girls and being able to hang out with them after school.” -Carly Dixon, 10
Brennan Smith wins first at state competition, learns from wrestling
TAKING FIRST: Senior Brennan Smith wins first at a state wrestling competition on Feb. 11. He was looking forward to the win at this competition. Photos by Michael Bralish
Adrienne Sebade Staff Reporter
The wrestling mats know his name very well. He has defeated many opponents and has left his mark on Sunrise Mountain. Brennan Smith started wrestling in eighth grade, and a legend was born.
“My middle school encouraged it,” Smith said. “It was kind of the popular thing to do.” In order to be a good wrestler, certain qualities must be present in a student. “Brennan basically wrestles year round,” wrestling coach Steve
Decker said. “In order to take it to the next level that’s what you have to do.” The wrestling team showed strength this season, with two champions at the Peoria Invitational. “A lot of the toughest teams are there, so for us to have two champions
HITTING HEAD ON: Smith takes on his opponent on the mat. Smith has been wrestling since middle school.
was really huge,” Coach Decker said. Smith has wrestled through high school and is going to be attending Harvard next year. But it was not all just wrestling. “I had to slave and sacrifice social life to train often,” Smith said. “It’s kind
of like a 50/50 thing with wrestling and academics.” Senior Max Shepherd said that Smith is a good leader, both on and off the mats. “He really pushes people to a higher level,” Shepherd said. “He knows what’s best for us as a
team.” While Smith may miss nothing from high school, his teammates and coaches might miss him. “He’s a funny kid, has a good personality and he brings a lot of good qualities to our team,” Shepherd said. The best part of Smith’s wrestling season is yet to come. “[The best thing that has happened in my high school career] is going to happen in 10 days when I win State,” Smith said. He met his expectations and placed first at the state wrestling competition on Feb. 11. Smith has a bright future ahead of him, and Coach Decker believes he can have it all. “I think Brennan basically can be anything he wants to be. He is intelligent,” Coach Decker said. “I think if Brennan puts forth the effort, he can be a multiple time All-American at Harvard.”
Playing Field
03.01.12
11
Winter sports wrap up another season
Dysart, but they were defeated. “I think [the season] went well,” Coach Kubo said. “I think we could’ve had a better run at the end, but... I think we did good. I think it was much more improved than last year.” Overall, Coach Kubo thought the season was quite successful. “You know, this was a really good season,” Coach Kubo said. “It was a stepping stone.”
The girls varsity soccer team finishes the season 8-5. The team said good bye to their senior players. Photos by Gabriela Barge
Wrestling
The varsity boys soccer team did not do as well as the girls this season, but they finished strong with a 3-2 win against Peoria. Coach Ramon Rodriguez hoped to do better than they had due to the number of seniors this year. “We were kind of hoping to make it [to the playoffs] and do better this year because the guys returned,” Coach Rodriguez said. “That was kind of an
upset, but we still ended up 6-7, which is better than what we’ve done in the past.” Even if the season did not go as hoped, the team did beat rival school Liberty with a final score of 6-5. “When we played Liberty, we were totally different,” Coach Rodriguez said. “We definitely played at a different level than we did against other teams we played.”
However, the challenge was a blessing in disguise. “The poor start forced us to go in one of two directions: either break us up or bring us together, and I think it pulled the kids together,” Coach Pasinski said. Coach Pasinski will look back on the season fondly. “I had a great time coaching,” Coach Pasinski said. “It was a fun season, great kids, great families. I’m going to miss the four seniors that are graduating.”
Girls varsity basketball finishes the season 12-12. The girls lost against their rival Liberty, but have learned from the season. Photos by Chelsie Atkinson
Girls Soccer
With a final record of 12-12, the girls basketball team improved on their previous season. Coach Jennifer Kubo felt the team improved greatly. She was proud of third place in the Camp Verde tournament. “The majority of the girls played together since freshman year, so that helped a lot in connecting on the court,” Coach Kubo said. The team played their last game Feb. 3 against
the state.” The team itself had a fair season as well, winning seven out of their last 10 games. “They really started to play unselfish basketball,” Coach Pasinski said. “Different guys could score different nights.” The team suffered a few losses as well, and Coach Pasinski said that long stretches of games were a weakness. “It wasn’t for lack of heart or effort, we just couldn’t get the ball to go in,” Coach Pasinski said.
On Jan. 26, the girls soccer varsity team finished the season with a record of 8-5 for power point games. “The team is very strong in persevering through adversity,” Varsity Coach Shauna Johnson said in an e-mail interview. “Throughout this season, we have overcome illness and injury and were still able to finish the season in a strong fashion.” They ended with a win against Peoria, 7-0. Coach Johnson said the team
“finished very strong.” “I have enjoyed all of the time we have spent together and seeing the girls become such friends outside of soccer as well,” Coach Johnson said. The team’s personal goal for the season was met. “One of our goals for the season was to develop a sense of one cohesive group and to work together as one group,” Coach Johnson said. Overall, the season was a success.
The boys varsity soccer team finishes the season 6-7. They earned a win against their rival Liberty. Photos by Adrienne Sebade
The varsity wrestling team finishes the season 19-5 in dual meets. They worked hard to have two Peoria Invitational champions. Photos by Haylie Konakis
The wrestling team finished a successful season with a record of 19-5 in dual meets, breaking personal records at Sunrise. Coach Steven Decker felt the team had an “outstanding season.” “The school has never had a Peoria Invitational Champion, and we had
Girls Basketball
The boys basketball team finishes the season with a record of 13-13. They earned the first place trophy for winning the game against Liberty. Photo by Gabriela Barge
Not only did the boys basketball team famously slaughter Liberty at the Hoopcoming game with a score of 54-43, but they ended with a .500 season of 13-13. Coach Jason Pasinski felt that his favorite moment was at the second Liberty game, not only because of it’s final triumph, but also because of the spectators cheering for the crowd. “Our student section was phenomenal,” Coach Pasinski said. “We have the best student section in
Boys Soccer
Boys Basketball
Stories accumulated by Kellie Reynolds Online Editor
two this year,” Coach Decker said. Coach Decker points out seniors Brennan Smith, Cord Coronado and Kevin Hunt as key members of the wrestling team. “We had some really good wrestlers that were juniors wrestling varsity,” Decker said.
12
The Round Up
03.01.12
Teachers deserve more appreciation Natasha Hossain Editor-in-Chief
Aristotle called teaching the highest form of understanding. It is a field that requires much time, effort, dedication and patience. It is vital to the nation’s future success. It’s one of the country’s largest career fields, but it is also a job that is commonly underappreciated but more importantly, underpaid. What makes a school what it is? Is it the school spirit? The classes it offers? The food served in the cafeteria? Or is it something deeper? What really is the reason students continue to come to Sunrise to learn? Why Sunrise is ranked excellent by the district? The answer most definitely lies with the teachers. Teachers spend a majority of their days with their students, putting in extra hours before and after school to benefit our learning experience. Their work even often follows them home. They may not be throwing winning touchdown game passes or performing a lifechanging heart transplant, but their job is just as important. Their goal is setting the young generation on the path of success, creating the future scientists and award-winning writers of the world. What makes a good teacher? Some would say it’s their personality in class, how they bring life to the lesson or how the get to know each student on a per-
sonal level. Others would say they ad- teacher is so extraordinary that it has mire a teacher’s control over the class, an affect students’ immediate future. his or her push to do the best or just the The study suggests that just by having patience he or she often displays. a good fourth-grade teacher stu“I admire teachers who are really dents are 1.25 percent personable,” senior Hayley McKeever m o r e likely to go to said. “The teachers you can relate college. They even found to, on more than just that young girls a student-teacher would be 1.25 basis. Ones percent less who actually Loud likely to care about become your well p r e g being.” nant as a S u n teenagCool rise is reer. Acn o w n e d Interesting Patient Professional cording for having to the Productive excellent study’s teachers findings, Organized and staff. students Whether it is will go on as Colorful in a core class an adult to or an elective, earn, on averSpontaneous students can age, $25,000 appreciate many more over a lifelessons learned time. All because from these models of that teacher at Sunrise. back in fourth grade. Intelligent “I value their desire That’s how much a to teach students and to good teacher is worth, a better our education for us,” senior Ash- lifetime of benefits. ley Warda said. But teachers don’t get all the credit A December 2011 Harvard Univer- they deserve for their generous efforts. sity study found that the value of a good According to the New York Times, the
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“I want to make sure students look forward to coming to my room every day. School is a great place and I think that all students should enjoy it. It can be a great place if you want it to be.”
Mrs. Raleigh “I love what I do every day. I love the students and the subject matter.”
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200 students surveyed Information compiled by Natasha Hossain
Mrs. Hunter “I think students are capable of doing and learning much more than what we give them credit for.”
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Mr. Rizer “I think students like my class because I make the class fun while they are learning.”
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What is to be done about this issue? Students can’t necessarily increase teacher’s pay but can start by taking small steps in the classroom. Respect teachers, the students are the reason teachers come to school. Appreciate their knowledge and effort to teach. “Actually pay attention in class,” McKeever said. “Do your work and turn it. Writing a nice card makes them feel good as well.”
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Teacher who is the most...
average teacher’s salary can be compared to a pay of a bartender. Teachers make 14 percent less than professionals in other occupations that require a similar level of education. And for many teachers, the salary is only getting worse as time goes on. If these teachers are so vital to the future of America, why are we continually taking money away from them? Why are we cutting money for materials and supplies that could supplement teaching in the class? So what do teachers do to cope? They take on second jobs, teach extra classes or some even go back to college to get a different degree. The New York Times found before their fifth year of teaching, 46 percent of teachers quit nationwide. “Pay cuts have caused some teachers to retire, or to leave teaching and get other, better paying jobs,” Brian Woolsey said.
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