MUSTANG EXPRESS Students donate blood to save lives 11.09.11 THE
The student publication of Sunrise Mountain High School
Emily Bridgewater Section Editor
The blood drive plays a big part in the fall events for Sunrise. HOSA teams up with the United Blood Services to get students to donate blood. The requirements to donate blood are really simple. The student must be 16 and needs to be a certain weight for a specific height. It is different for boys and girls. For example, “Male students 16 years old that are at least 5’ tall and 110 pounds can donate,” according to an email interview with Medical Science teacher Mr. John Williams. As for females who are 16 to 22 years of age, there is a specific chart that states girls need to be a specific weight that matches with their height. If a girl is 5’3” than her weight must be at least 124 pounds. “The main purpose of the blood drive is to help the United Blood services supply those who are in need of the blood transfusion with blood…,” said HOSA President and senior Erik Kausin. The small amount of blood that one donates can save up to three lives. “ … Seeing as our school is heavily populated with those who can donate we provide an outlet for those
students who want to donate so they can help out those who are in need of blood,” Kausin said. HOSA treasurer Brooke Alden said, “There’s always going to be a need for blood. What’s more rewarding than being able to fill that need? At the end of the day you can say you helped someone. To me it’s incredibly rewarding.” HOSA took several careful steps to prepare for the blood drive. It takes time and energy from the members of HOSA. “For the blood drive [we did things] such as marketing, recruiting to get people signed up to donate. We do a lot of collaboration with the United Blood Services in terms of promotion and scheduling,” Kausin said. HOSA hosts a blood drive at least twice a year. “What’s really important to us as a club, though, is reaching our goal,” said Alden. “SMHS is usually one of the best Peoria schools about donating, so we’re excited to see the turn out.” The idea of donating blood can be scary because the whole needle situation freaks people out it is good to get involved in donating because one can overcome that fear of blood and needles. “You can still get involved in the
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STUCK WITH A NEEDLE: Junior Cheyenne Adamonis waits as the nurse fills out her discharge forms. Sunrise Mountain saw 170 students donate blood for the United Blood Services. Photo by Alex Adams
blood drive by getting other people to donate even though you may not be of age or weight requirements, you can always still promote the acts of donating blood, you save three lives and that’s really important for those in need of those blood transfusions,” Kausin said. This won’t be the last blood drive
for the 2011-2012 school year. “There will most likely be another blood drive in the spring for those who are missing out on this one,” Alden said. For more information on the weight and height requirements and donating blood visit www.unitedbloodservices.org.
U pcoming events at S unrise and in P eoria Compiled by Ryan Sampey Staff Reporter
A t S unrise
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Both the soccer and basketball seasons are getting ready to start. Come out and support the Mustangs. Soccer and basketball started October 31. On Nov. 11, school is out in honor of our heroes. It’s Veteran’s Day. If you know any veterans make sure they feel appreciated on this very special day. Is everyone doing well in school? What? You don’t know! Well you’re in luck. Sunrise Mountain Progress Reports are being sent out on Nov. 18. Remember the nights when your parents would read you a story before you went to bed? Well, on Nov. 18 the Theater classes are going to be performing fairy tales for the COOP kids here at Sunrise Mountain. We’re all thankful for things. One more thing to be thankful for is that on Nov. 24 and 25 there’s no school in celebration of Thanksgiving. Dec. 1 is My Life CTE day. Future Mustangs will be coming to Sunrise to prepare for the transition from elementary school to high school. • • • • • •
Nature isn’t this colorful any other time of the year. Go for a walk or a bike ride. The time of the swimming pool has passed, so grab your sneakers and go outside. Who doesn’t love Adam Sandler? It’s even better when he dresses up like a woman. Jack and Jill is coming to theaters on Nov. 11. On Nov. 22, Sting is coming to Arizona. He goes on stage at 8 p.m. at the Comerica Theatre in Phoenix. It’s football season, so go out and support your Arizona Cardinals. The wait is over; one of the biggest video game franchises ever has returned with Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3. The game is currently available for multiple platforms. For more info go to any game website and look up MW3.
I n P eoria
Picture drawn by Katelyn Rey
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The Dispatch
11.09.11
Students must think twice about using drugs for many reasons
Kellie Reynolds Online Editor
Drugs destroy dreams. Crack is whack. Hugs not drugs. Drug free is the way to be. Ever since the sixth grade or before, students have heard about the dangers of using drugs. Guest speakers and informational presentations are used to scare kids away from a potentially lifethreatening situation. Yet, there are many teens who still take illegal drugs, even at Sunrise. Why are drugs so bad anyway? The question feels idiotic, as if everyone should know the reasoning behind all the finger-shaking against drugs, but there are less considered reasons. To cover all those reasons, the Mustang Express has compiled a list of the top five reasons why students should “just say no.”
N #1 MEDICAL This may seem basic, but it needs to be mentioned. Nurse Sharon Gillam offers some insight into the drug use that goes on, in high schools across America. “There have been students under the influence of various substances [in the nurses office],” Nurse Gillam said. She believes that a large drug problem with kids today is with prescription drugs. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, an estimated 20 percent of people aged 12 and over in the United States have used a prescription drug for a non-medical reason. “If [medication is] not used for the person or purpose that they’re intended, they can be harmful,” Nurse Gillam said. “Even though it can be a prescription, it could be a prescription for somebody else [or] it could be your own prescription that you take too much of…” A famous example of prescription drug abuse would be actor Heath Ledger, who died in 2008. “Every substance has the potential for harm as well as good,” Nurse Gillam said. Drugs, from prescription to illegal, influence almost every aspect of a person, from appearance to behavior. “Your balance [and] your ability to estimate a passage of time [can be altered if you use drugs,]” Nurse Gillam said. “Sometimes just your alertness is greatly impacted, which is a lot of times the way that students that are having a problem are brought to our attention, because their behavior is inappropriate.” Drugs do not only endanger yourself,
DRUG FREE: An anti-drug poster from the Arizona Meth Project poster hangs in English teacher Eric Berge’s classroom window. Photo by Kellie Reynolds
but also others. “You could drive under the influence and kill yourself or someone else,” Nurse Gillam said.
N #2 LEGAL Officer Steve Ortiz is often seen around the school. One of his jobs at the school is to present the dangers of drugs to classes. He has a great deal of information regarding the legal repercussion of drugs and has experience dealing with the legal aspect of drugs. “There can be jail time, prison time or probation [if you are caught using drugs,]” Officer Ortiz said in an e-mail interview. “Most students don’t realize the trouble from school and the law.” According to Officer Ortiz, possession of an illegal drug is a felony. Illegal drugs are considered anything from marijuana and heroin to prescription drugs that were not prescribed to you. If you get caught with drugs, your life can change very quickly. “I see how drugs can change someone’s life for the worst, and I try to educate students by giving drug classes throughout the year,” Officer Ortiz said. Students have been caught with drugs on campus before. “I [have] had students be in possession of pipes, needles and drugs,” Officer Ortiz said. “The student will be arrested and charged in the city of Peoria.” For a first offense, students will be suspended nine days on top of their criminal charges. The next offense will be much more severe. “You will eventually get caught or get hooked on drugs,” Officer Ortiz said. “My door is always open, and I am [a] police officer, but I am also a person who wants to help the problem before it gets out of control.”
N #3 ADDICTIONS Those considering quitting drugs may have a harder time than originally planned. Stopping drugs cold turkey is dangerous and harmful, just as staying on drugs is. “Because of the addictive nature of a lot of these [drugs], you try it a couple of times, [and] then your body or your mind develops a tendency or desire to try it again [and] to want more,” Nurse Gillam said. Marijuana is the most used drug (behind alcohol and tobacco) in the world according to the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime. Both Nurse Gillam and Officer Ortiz agree that marijuana is one of the top used drugs for Sunrise students. “Once the marijuana is in their system, the body gets used to the marijuana and wants a greater high,” Officer Ortiz said. “That’s when heroin and the stronger drugs come into play.” Addiction does more than cause the user to crave the drug. The effects of drugs go deeper than that. “When you actually get into addiction, if you don’t get the drug, you have physical symptoms that are uncomfortable so you look for more,” Nurse Gillam said. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, a long-term drug abuser might experience “irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety and drug craving” after quitting marijuana. This will begin after a mere day of abstaining, and 9 percent of users become addicted to marijuana.
#4 ECONOMIC N Teenagers never have enough money,
it seems. Between school events, go-
ing out with friends and buying gas, where can you find the cash to purchase drugs? A simple web search will claim that marijuana purchased in Arizona can cost anywhere from $80 to $400 or more per ounce, though the prices vary greatly. Other drugs may cost even more. Students should not waste their money on a high that will only last so long. “Some think [a drug] relaxes them or take[s] them away from their problems,” Officer Ortiz said. “It’s a dumb concept because once that high is over, their problems are still there.” For $80 dollars, you could buy six CDs, 80 songs on iTunes or even 22 gallons of gas.
N #5 POLITICAL The drug war in Mexico seems a far way off. Certainly, Sunrise is not directly involved in these atrocities. However, drug users in Arizona may be indirectly supporting the drug lords in Mexico. “[Drugs come from] bordering countries like Canada or Mexico,” Officer Ortiz said. “We do have people who grow the drugs at their home or garages.” If the drugs someone buys come from Mexico, there is a good chance the drugs may have come as a result of smuggling or other foul play, even murder. “There is no loyalty in the drug business,” Officer Ortiz said. “Many people don’t understand that when you deal with the cartel if you don’t do what they say, then people will pay with their lives.” Students at Sunrise are probably not dealing with the cartel. However, the drugs that are used here could be traced back to them. “The drug business is a risky business,” Officer Ortiz said.
+ GETTING HELP
There are ways to get help if you or a friend is addicted or abusing drugs in any way. Act now: it could be the difference of life and death. “Tell a teacher, principal or myself,” Ortiz said. “I think the staff here in SMHS are easy going and can be approached.” The most important thing is that you share this information with a trusted adult of some kind. “But most importantly, share it,” Gillam said. “You could save someone’s life.” For help, go to a trusted adult.
The Man Who Came To Dinner leaves audience laughing, smiling
Braden Taylor Page Designer
This year’s fall play, The Man Who Came to Dinner, left the audience laughing in their seats. The comedy had many different roles that contributed to the plays success. Junior Sean Kocmoud played the role of the selfcentered yet entertaining Mr. Whiteside extremely well and had the audience enjoying every minute he was on stage with his constant attempts to manage the lives of others. Along with Mr. Whiteside, the two love birds Bert Jefferson and Maggie Cutler
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(Played by junior Robert Geiger and senior Bella Vanek) caught the attention of those watching while Ms. Cutler tried to save their relationship from the mischievous
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Lorraine Sheldon (Senior Gabriela Barge) who does everything to get her hands on a play Jefferson had written. The play came together very well. The play’s set brought
the feeling of a real living room, the costumes brought the sense of the setting of the play and each role was filled with the person who brought the right characteristics that the play needed.
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1. Senior Gabriela Barge greets junior Sean Kocmoud 2. RING RING: Senior Bella Vanek talks into a telephone as part of her role in the play.
3. Senior Gabriela Barge flirts with junior Robert Geiger. The play opened Nov. 3. Photos by Braden Taylor
The Scene
11.09.11
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The Three Musketeers comes to theatres in 3D Lulu lives up to expectations Sierra Pritchard Staff Reporter
Airships sailing in the sky, fights at every turn, and true heart shown in romance, and friendship. This is what you will find in the new Three Musketeers movie in theatres now. The Three Musketeers is a very energetic, adventurous film, with a little extra imagination added into it. Young, and rambunctious D’Artagnan, played by Logan Lerman from Percy Jackson and the Olympians, travels to Paris to join the Three Musketeers, not realizing that a foiled plan earlier has put them on their separate ways. On his first day D’Artagnan already makes enemies with the King’s right hand soldiers, and earns his first journey to prove himself with the Three Musketeers to help the Queen. Throughout the movie, viewers were blown back by the action, and hanging on to the thought of a sequel at the end of the movie. This film is very well done, with a fantastic plot and visuals. It created a little fantasy to open up your mind
to history, and the future in technology. The acting was decent in a few parts, but when the action and important scenes came the actors and actresses were phenomenal. If you like action, adventure, laughs, all tied together with a little romance, then this is the movie for you. The Three Musketeers is originally based upon a book written by Alexandre Dumas Pere in 1844. It has been made into many films all over the world, beginning in the early 1900’s. One of the
most well-known Three Musketeer films, besides the most recent one in theatres, is the film created in 1993. This film starred Charlie Sheen, and basically had the same concept, as all of the Three Musketeer remakes do. Each film has a different twist though, that provokes the viewers, and creates new ideas. For example, this new film has airships, while the other films may not have them, but they have something unique to each one.
NewAwakening release does not disappoint Alex Curtis Page Designer
MEET THE GUYS (Picture left to right): Jared Warth, Matt Traynor, Beau Bokan, Elliot Gruenberg, Eric Lambert
teenagers banging their heads to putting real emotion into the music and lyrics. The first track off the album, “AwakArizona-based metal core band, Blessthefall released their new album ening”, unfolds with pounding drums, open ringing guitars and a powerful full entitled “Awakening” on Oct. 4, 2011. Prior to Blessthefall’s newest release, band chant that gets the listener pumped they released their third studio album up. Following the opening track is the titled Witness. That album was rated at song titled, “Promised Ones.” The lyrics four and a half stars on iTunes by over of this song including, “Don’t you know 800 people. This album really pushed we are the promised ones and nothing’s them to the top of the popularity charts in our way”, go on to explain how the band has matured and with their most popular song, “Hey Baby “P ersonally , I give how they are not going to give up the fight of makHere’s That Song You A wakening five out ing it to the top in the muWanted.” sic industry. Prior to listening All twelve of the tracks to the new Awaken- of five stars .” ing album, I had hopes of hearing a on the album have that part that everysimilar sound as their previous album. one remembers or can sing along to. However, I, followed by many other there is not a moment that bores the lisiTunes users, were blown away with the tener. From start to finish it is in your sound of the new album, being rated at face. Whether it’s heavy guitars and four and a half stars by over 500 people screams or catchy choruses, past fans will be pleased with it. in just three weeks. Blessthefall’s new album can be purBlessthefall’s style has definitely matured since their previous release. With chased for around $7.99 at Best Buy, the new album, they still have the thrill- Hot Topic, Wal-Mart, and iTunes. Pering metal core style and techniques that sonally, I give Awakening five out of five please all metal fans but there is a fine stars. line between the two albums. They have crossed the line from being a bunch of
Guetta wows listeners Download these songs; Braden Taylor Page Designer
David Guetta has got me living on nothing but the beat. After I get in my car, putting in Guetta’s new album Nothing But The Beat is the very first thing I do. The French DJ has done wonders with this new album. One song is completely different from the next, which is not surprising with the different artists he features in his album. To name a few: Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Usher, Taio Cruz, Ludacris, and female artists Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Hudson. The song “I Can Only
Imagine” flows so well that it will have anyone rocking out when this great song comes on. While the music on the CD is fantastic, the lyrics speak to the listeners as well. For those who are far apart from a person that means everything to them, the song, “Without You” touches on that heavy subject with an exhilarating beat that could lift the heaviest of hearts. Guetta lived up to his expectations as one of the hottest DJs in the business with his new album that has many people listening.
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Ryan Sampey Staff Reporter
In their latest album, Lulu, Metallica and Lou Reed have succeeded. According to guardian.co.uk, the five men have performed together before. In 2009, they performed together at Madison Square Garden. They decided that they liked working with each other and Lulu was born. This is some of the best metal/rock music available. The music sounds like pure Metallica. The drums are powerful and the guitar is just plain awesome. Lou Reed handles the lyrics very well. With some songs it feels less like he is singing and more like he is telling a story. Some listeners may not like this, but it really sets the dark tone for the music. The songs have a unique feeling to them. James Hetfield and Lou Reed share the vocal responsibilities and it creates a nice contrast with Hetfield’s deep, heavy voice and Lou’s gaunt, dry voice. The guitar finds the perfect sound. It’s not a slow little melody but it also isn’t a furious mind blowing speed. The drums also are heavily used and they possess the strength to punctuate the songs but don’t overpower the vocals and guitars. However, one con to the album is the length. One of the songs titled “Junior Dad” is almost 20 minutes long. Many people will lose interest before the song is half over. The songs need to be edited to a shorter length to keep them interesting instead of repetitive and dragged on. The rest of the tracks are much more reasonable; however some still pass that ten-minute mark. Songs such as “The View” are at the perfect length at around five minutes. The song doesn’t overstay its welcome. It also doesn’t help if some of the songs are boring. “Cheat on Me” starts out with four minutes of a slow melody and repetitive lyrics. The songs would benefit from exciting music throughout. Fans should know that the song “Dragon” is labeled Explicit and that the majority of the tracks feature some mild language and mature themes. Fans of Lou Reed, Metallica, or both should enjoy this album.
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The Spotlight
11.09.11
Art IV students assign own projects Katelyn Rey Staff Reporter
Art IV students are doing something unique that no other art class gets to do. Rather than getting assigned projects they’re assigning their own. “My theme is six pictures, depicting a boy meets girl type love story,” Art IV student Rebecca Wood said. “It’s the theme that everyone’s looking for that one person.” Students are able to pick their medium, decide on their due dates and are even able to choose how many projects they do –as long as it’s over six. “[The course for Art IV is] made off of the AP
model,” Katie Haas, the Sunrise Mountain Art teacher, said. “I don’t do the AP with students unless I’ve had them through Art II and III.” Art students who take Art III with Mrs. Haas get to experience something similar to the AP credit course. They do very similar, intense works that would be asked of an AP student. Art III student are not allowed to pick their medium, though. “I like graphite [pencil],” Wood said. “It’s crisp, clean and the black and white doesn’t detract from the image.” So far Wood has only completed two of her works but she is working
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on a third. And out of all her works there’s one she is especially proud of this year. “My favorite work so far is the portrait I drew of a boy,” Wood said. “I liked the contrasting values with his face competing with the background.” Wood is very much enjoying being able to pick her own theme and works. So, she would like to recommend anyone to take art and strive to meet Art IV. “[Students should consider art] Even if they’re not good at it,” Wood said. “Art is objective - it’s all in the eye of the beholderand it’s just fun and relaxing.”`
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Photo by Katelyn Rey
Mrs. Joice plans on retirement at end of school year AIMS scholarship provides opportunity for students Natalie Kurtz Staff Reporter
Mrs. Joice has worked 30 years as a teacher. Twelve of those years have been spent here at Sunrise Mountain High School. Joice has decided to retire for financial reasons. “I went downtown to a state retirement conference.”Joice said. “[Since] our salary is going down every year so if I don’t [retire], I will make less in retirement. To put it easy, it’s a financial situation.” After teaching all these years, there is one thing that Joice is going to miss the most. “[I will miss] the students because I love teaching, I do,” Joice said. Although Mrs. Joice
Photo by Arianna Saenz-Ochoa
taught English for many years, her favorite subject to teach is World History. She has wanted to teach history since she was in college. “When I was in college, I always wanted to be a history teacher,” Mrs.
Joice said. “My first love is history; I love literature [too].” Once Joice is retired, she plans on doing many different things in her spare time. “I plan on spending my time at Lake Okoboji
in Iowa,” Joice said. “I also plan on substituting, probably just [at SMHS]. I am going to teach private swim lessons in the summer at Lake Okoboji.” Junior Alex Terhune felt as though Joice really cared for her students. Terhune had Joice for World History. “She strived for us to do better,” Terhune said. “[We took] notes every day. I really liked her; she was a good teacher with a good personality.” Junior Greg Hedges also liked Joice because she didn’t always stand at the front of the room and teach-like a typical teacher. “She actually interacted with the class instead of just talking at the front of the class,” Hedges said.
Lorenz plans to graduate early, get head start on college
Photo by Arianna Saenz-Ochoa
Arianna Saenz-Ochoa Page Designer
Junior Jared Lorenz is doing something only a few students take advantage of: he is graduating early. Ever since his seventh grade year he has been ahead of his class, taking on higher level
classes at a younger age. “I took Beginning Algebra in sixth grade, Intermediate Algebra in seventh grade, and math my eighth grade year,” Lorenz said. To stay ahead of the game, he took English III online during this summer. This enabled him
to have enough credits to graduate by the end of this year. Lorenz has his eye set on the AIMS scholarship that is provided by the Arizona Department of Education. The scholarship is accepted at the three state universities. According to Arizona State University’s State Press website, the AIMS scholarship last year was cut. Regularly the scholarship would cover the full cost of tuition, but starting in the fall it will only cover 25 percent of tuition. This was the key in Lorenz’s decision to graduate a year early. “There’s only 25 percent [covered tuition] my year and the year of 2012 is 100%. So I figured if I could graduate early then it would be beneficial to me,” Lorenz said. Even though Lorenz will be missing his antici-
pated senior year of high school, he has found good reason to not dwell on it. “The fact that I’m saving myself $40,000 dollars makes it worth it for me to graduate a year early,” Lorenz said. Walking on graduation day with their class should be the big finale of most students’ high school experience, but Jared isn’t so sure, as he won’t be walking with his 2013 class. “My mom wants me to walk with the graduating class this year, but I’m not excited because I don’t really know them,” Lorenz said. After Lorenz graduates from Sunrise he will pursue a college education to become a doctor. “I’m probably going to ASU then after that go to U of A for medical school,” Lorenz said.
Sierra Pritchard Staff Reporter
Preparing for the future is essential, and soon the future will take us by storm, and lead us into the world. Some students wish to go to college once they graduate high school, but college is very expensive. That is where scholarships come in, like the AIMS scholarship. “The AIMS scholarship only applies to the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University. You apply for the college first, and then before you pay, you find out if you earned the scholarship. This scholarship is based on GPA, and grades, and it only pays for 25% of the tuition after 2012,” Career center specialist Cindy Fair said. The scholarship will enable the students with free tuition for the seniors of 2012, but as the years go on, the scholarship will change, and it will be less of the tuition paid. “It will cover 100% of the tuition at U of A, ASU, or NAU for the next four years (based on what the tuition is their freshmen year of college),” Sunrise Mountain counselor Jill Birt emailed. “The expectation for next year’s seniors is different and the reward is not nearly as awesome, unfortunately.” To earn the scholarship, students must complete a few essential grades, and GPA’s. “Students must complete all 16 Core Competency Courses by graduation with a B or better in each unit of credit
awarded or receive an acceptable score on the Advance Placement (AP) test or a 4 on the International Baccalaureate (IB) test for that subject area,” according to the AZ department of education website. For this year’s seniors, there are many advantages compared to next year’s seniors. “The AIMS high honors tuition scholarship is awesome for this year’s senior because there is no limit on how many senior students can receive it. It is not a competition but rather if you meet the expectation, you qualify,” Mrs. Birt said. This scholarship can help out a student with the cost of college, and help them lead a good future. “It could help a student’s future by making their education more affordable. In the past we have had as many as 50 students qualify for the scholarship,” Assistant principal, Donna Short said. Fair gave students some tips to help them prepare for the scholarship and the future. “Make sure every paper is turned in on time, and do everything even if you think it is ridiculous. Make every grade and paper count. Work really hard in classes, and apply for the harder classes in the subjects that you are strong in. Study, and be involved in school,” Fair said. So if you are looking for a scholarship, then consider the Aims scholarship for your future.
The Spotlight
11.09.11
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Staffer jumps on chance to visit nation’s capital Christian Parravano Advertisement Manager
Washington D.C., Our nation’s capital and home to some of the most powerful Americans in the world and to some of the most historic pieces and buildings in our nation. Washington D.C. is also the location of the National Youth Leadership Form of National Security (NYLF:NS). Last year, I received an email from this organization. In said email, there was tons of information regarding this crazy trip to Washington D.C. to learn about national security and leadership. Obviously, curiosity and interest overwhelmed me and I dove head first into the idea of this trip. Now, under no circumstances should one assume it was cheap. Travel fees, cost of the necessary fancy clothes and general spending money, as well as the cost of the actual seminar, really adds up. However, it truly is the trip of a lifetime. The NYLF gets a hold of an impressive number of important speakers and permission to go to awesome places. Diplomats, spies, senators, governors, you name it. There were amazing guest speakers on a daily basis, free meals at a fancy hotel and tons of new people to meet. You get to go to some amazing places such as Quantico (the military base), the National Spy Museum, the Pentagon, various foreign embassies, the Newseum, The Smithsonian, FBI headquarters and more. On the day we arrived we listened to a long speech by the head coordinator of the forum. He told us that we were future leaders, the best and brightest of our nation, and that this seminar was going to open up doors with the greatest opportunities behind them. The next day was when the real trip started. We took a bus up to Capitol Hill (where the nation’s capital building is held and other places such as senator offices, the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress). We were given a couple of hours to go off on our own at our pace. I went around with the two guys that I was put in a dorm with, Seth Smith from Virginia and Robert Miller from Montana. We went to the Library of Congress to read and photograph all the historical documents, we sat in the Supreme Court and got a presentation (although pictures weren’t allowed in the actual court room), and ate a really overpriced
lunch at the cafeteria in the Supreme Court. Throughout the week we boarded busses and went to various places in our nation’s capital. We also took a trip to the Smithsonian Museums. We were given free range to explore the Museum of Natural History, The Air Space Museum and the butterfly garden. We went to Arlington cemetery and saw the changing of the guard, a ceremony that takes place at the “Tomb of the Unknown” (a tomb for an unidentified WWII soldier). We also saw the Eternal Flame, the torch that burns indefinitely, day and night, at the gravesite of John F. Kennedy. However, the whole trip wasn’t just sightseeing. For the better part of the experience, it was lots of learning, work, important guest speakers, and group discussions. Every student there was put into a “National Security Action Meeting” group (NSAM) that had something of an advisor to guide the discussions between the students. Lots of the time during the trip was spent with these groups (about 25 kids to a group) reading, discussing and creating posters and presentations and such. We learned about the six branches of government, M.I.D.D.L.E., and the roles of each. The branches are: Media, Intelligence, Defense, Diplomacy, Legislative, and Executive. While reading and learning about government relations (primarily East Asia) we were given roles to fill in each branch of the government. At the end of the entire trip everyone took part in a realistic simulation of a nuclear crisis with North Korea. Everyone acted according to the role they were given in the government, as information was given, traded and withheld resulting in an ultimate decision decided solely by the students. In a sense, it isn’t really like I missed a week of school because this trip was just as much work. However, I could never think of a better way to spend a week of my time other than learning about amazing things such as national security in the capital of the United States of America. With that, if the opportunity presents itself I would suggest to jump on a chance to go on a trip like this.
Photo by Robert Miller
Slezak’s passion for acting pays off Fink manages to balance busy plate Brooke Meyers Staff Reporter
Most juniors in high school have not won multiple awards in recognition of their passion nor do they have knowledge of what they are going to do with their life. This is what sets Michaela Slezak apart from most high school students. Slezak has a passion for acting. “I love acting because you get to create a different character than yourself,” Slezak said. “You learn a lot about different literature and cultures; it makes you a well-rounded person.” Slezak has had immense success acting in high school. “I have been nominated three times by the Arizona Theater of Excellence Awards and have won two National Youth Arts Awards, “Said Slezak. Slezak has been in over 20 shows at the commu-
nity theater and has plans for her future. “I want to major in drama and make a career out of it’” Slezak said. With all this success it is hard not to be noticed. “Michaela is responsible, committed, wonderfully talented, and doesn’t wait until the last minute to get things done,” Tanya Boehme, Director of vocal music and Theater said.
Mrs. Boehme has had Slezak as her student for two years and is hopeful for her future. “Michaela can do anything she puts her mind to. She’ll be anything she wants to be,” Mrs. Boehme said. “She’s so talented, I’d love to see her continue in theater in some aspects. However, I just want her to live a happy and successful life.”
Photo by Arianna Saenz-Ochoa
Brooke Meyers Staff Reporter
Sophomore Rachel Fink is one to watch at Sunrise Mountain. Rachel has a lot on her plate. She is captain of the junior varsity volleyball team, plays in matches for the varsity volleyball team and tries to keeps up with school work. All this can be hard for a teenager, but Fink stays optimistic. “It has been really hard and stressful, but I try to make the best of it and just have fun,” Fink said. Fink also has a lot to live up to. Both of her brothers (Nathan and Josh) have been star athletes at Sunrise. “Nathan and Josh both played football, basketball and volleyball,” said Fink. “Josh’s main sport was basketball and Nathan was one of the top receivers in the state.” Although Fink is extraordinary in school she
Photo by Brooke Meyers
is also just a normal teenage girl. “I really like to just hang out with friends and listen to music,” Fink said. Fink’s family is very supportive of everything she does. “My parents have never missed a game,” Fink said. “They spent their entire anniversary watching
me play volleyball.” Fink has been playing since she was nine years old and all the experience is paying off. “I played in a tournament recently with the varsity team,” Fink said. Although Fink loves vollyball, she has a diffrent plan for her future. “I want to be a nurse. Fink said.
06
Looking Forward 11.09.11
Students start their future now Alex Adams Staff Reporter
future?
What do you see in your
Sunrise Mountain High School has several students on its campus that are taking advantage of the CTE (Career and Technical Education) classes and opportunities the school provides. SMHS offers CTE classes such as fire science, auto, marketing, engineering, fashion design, sports medicine, COOP; the list goes on and on. One student, senior Ashley Warda, who is in fashion design, has high aspirations for her future. “After high school, I want to go to college and then become a buyer,” Warda said. “This [means] I would work for a certain store and I decide what they sell and what would interest the customers.” Warda says that she recently found out about the occupation of a buyer in her Fashion Design class. “My junior year is when I first heard about becoming a buyer,” Warda said. “Then I decided that is what I want to be.” Warda says that she
“
is not only interested in fashion, but also the marketing side. Fashion Design not only teaches students about fashion, but the business perspective of fashion as well. In addition, there is a Fashion Club that students can join if they are interested in fashion design or fashion marketing. Another student, senior Brandon Lawhorn, who is in the Criminal Justice class and is in the Professional Internship class, also has high aspirations for his future. “I have always wanted to be in law enforcement, but lately I have been interested about joining the military,” Lawhorn says. Lawhorn is following a childhood dream to become a law enforcer or potentially a part of the military. “I have wanted to do this [law enforcement] since I was seven,” Lawhorn said. “Movies made me interested as a child and I stayed interested.” Lawhorn also says that if students are interested in law enforcement,
he suggests taking the Law Enforcement class, and when they become seniors, take the Professional Internship class. Senior Katie Lageson is working towards becoming a pediatric nurse. “Right now we are learning how to take care of patients,” Lageson said. Lageson knew going into Sunrise Mountain what she wanted to be. Currently Lageson is in the COOP program and she hopes to combine her love of working with children and her passion for nursing to become a pediatric nurse. “I really want to help people,” Lageson said. “I love being around kids, but being a teacher is something that does not interest me. Nursing is definitely the way I want to go.” Sunrise Mountain teachers, counselors, and administration all hope that every student will graduate career and college ready, as well as life prepared. These three students are well on their way to achieving this goal.
“In my future, I don’t know what I see. I can’t predict the future. But hopefully if I do good in school maybe I could do something great.” Jimmy Benteu, 9
38% of students are
51%
keeping their options open in their future.
11%
of students have no idea what they’re doing in their future.
of students know exactly what they are doing in their future.
100 students surveyed
What area of interest does your career choice fall under? careers 27% Medical/Health including doctors, nurses, dentists, therapists, etc. careers including the 5% Military Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, etc.
careers including 10% Education teachers, professors, etc.
2% 56%
Vocational careers including carpenters, personal appearance workers, mechanics, etc. Other including musicians, athletes, writers, entrepreneurs, those of you still undecided, etc. 100 students surveyed
“I hope to go to medical school and start a family and get married and become an ER nurse or one of those people who ride in the ambulances to go to accidents.” Lauren Ney, 10
The best thing about the future is th
The Horseshoe
07
t o Yo u r F u t u r e The Top
Dangerous jobs 1. Fishermen 2. Loggers 3. Aircraft Pilots 4. Farmers/Ranchers 5. Roofers 6. Structural Iron/Steel Workers 7. Garbagemen 8. Industrial Machinery/ Maintenance Workers 9. Truck Drivers
10
High Paying jobs
10. Construction Workers According to jobs.aol.com
MOST:
1. Surgeons 2. Anesthesiologists 3. Oral/Maxillofacial Surgeons 4. Orthodontists 5. Obstetricians/Gynecologists 6. Internists-General 7. Physicians 8. Family/General Practitioners 9. Chief Executives 10. Psychiatrists
Satisfying jobs 1. Clergy 2. Firefighters 3. Physical Therapists 4. Authors 5. Special Education Teachers 6. Teachers 7. Education Administrators 8. Painters/Sculptors 9. Psychologists 10. Security/Financial Services According to livescience.com
According to myplan.com/careers
My future: What can I do now? Freshmen: Take advantage of the CTE classes offered to you. In addition, challenge yourself academically and aim for high grades. The future may seem very far away, but it’s never too early to start preparing now.
Sophomores: You’re still an underclassmen but not for long! Visit the My Life website found on the PUSD homepage to explore your options in the future. Schedule CTE classes for your junior and senior year.
Juniors: Put in an extra effort toward your academic success.Prepare for the ACT and/or SAT. Take these tests early so that you can take it more than once to achieve the highest score you can.
Seniors: Three words: plan, prepare, and act! Are you going to a university, community college or trading school? Be sure to consider all your options and choose what is best for you. Most importantly, act upon it.
To all grades: VISIT THE CAREER CENTER! Located in the library.
“I see myself being in the fashion industry...taking pictures of the new fashion that is coming out. I just want to become successful in [fashion].” Kellie Miner-Durkit, 12
Want to learn more about SMHS students and their futures? Read more at: mustangexpress.org
“Probably living in a 9-by-9 foot apartment with a refrigerator and a couch trying to make ends meet. You know like selling coke bottles for money for food.” Taylor Shelton, 11
at it comes only one day at a time.”
-Abraham Lincoln
08
Playing Field
11.09.11
Decker has high hopes for wrestling season Laura Johnson Staff Reporter
With the opponent pinned to the mat, the wrestler returns to his Sunrise Mountain teammates with victory written on his face. Coming off of a season of 21 wins and 4 losses, the wrestling team wants to have an equally competitive or better season this year. “I think we will be really good this year,” Senior wrestling captain Kevin Hunt said. Wrestling Coach Steven Decker expects the wrestling team members to perform at their best. “We have almost our entire team back from last year,” Decker said. “Hard work and dedication from the team [is how we hope to improve]. Hopefully we will be the best in state.” Decker hopes for a high state ranking and for the team captains, to embrace their important roles. “[Our hopes for the team this year are] to be top three in the state and to have great leadership from the senior captains- Brennan Smith, Cord Corona do, and Kevin Hunt,” Decker said.
HIT THE MAT: The wrestling team practices for upcoming season. Practice ran long and hard. Photo by Haylie Konakis
KICK IT: Sophomore Brianna Cozza smashes the ball at soccer try outs. The girls trying out gave it their all. Photo by Alex Curtis
Girls soccer team emphasizes skill of players TAKE HIM DOWN: Sunrise wrestlers go at it, practicing against each other. The team hoped to be prepared for the season. Photo by Haylie Konakis
Laura Johnson Staff Reporter
Coming off a highly successful season with a record of 14 wins, 2 losses and 1 tie, the Sunrise Mountain girls soccer team is getting ready to start fresh in the upcoming season. “[I think the team will be] really solid, really good this year,” senior and captain Amber Hamad said. The team has certain areas of focus to make the team better from last year; improving ball skills is one of them. “Every year our goal is to improve our individual and team play,” Soccer Coach Shauna Johnson said. “We always try to improve our ball skills and speed of play.” Hamad has a personal issue to work on throughout the season. She was injured during the Homecoming Powder Puff game and recently had surgery. “Hopefully my knee gets better so I can play,” Hamad said. Working together is the main goal for the soccer players.
“[Our main strength] is our continued support for one another and our ability to play as one cohesive team,” Johnson said. Hamad agrees that teamwork is a top priority. “[The best part about being on the team is that] all the teammates are re ally close,” Hamad said. Hamad has certain things they do to prepare before a game. “[The way I prepare is to turn] music on, focus, and get into the zone,” Hamad said. Johnson’s main expectation for the upcoming season is for the players to perform at their best in every game. “My hopes for the season include to play well in every game and to continue to build on what we have accomplished in past years,” Johnson said. The girls soccer team’s first game of the season is against Deer Valley on Monday, Nov 28, at 6 p.m. here at Sunrise Mountain.
Support the Mustangs! B asketball B oys TAKE THE SHOT! Sunrise basketball players scrimmage to prepare for the upcoming season. The team practiced vigorously to up their skills. Photo by Brooke Meyers
Jumping forward to basketball season Arianna Saenz-Ochoa Staff Reporter
Basketball season is soon approaching and varsity coaches Jennifer Kubo and Jason Pasinski are ready to take on the 2011-2012 season. Kubo, the varsity girls basketball coach, expects the girls on the team to join as one. “I just hope that every one [on the team] under stands their goal in order for us to be successful,” Kubo said. “It’s about unity and not playing time.” Pasinski, varsity boys basketball coach, expects his team to be competi-
tive and steady with their playing. “I’m hoping this group will be more consistent in games and also practice by working hard every day and pushing each other,” Pasinski said. “[I want the team to] learn to play hard, play smart, play as a team and get better each game and peak toward the end of the season.” Basketball is not about individual players, but how they come together as a team. Varsity basket ball player and junior Elroy Masters has faith his team can do just that. “We have a lot of pieces and I hope we can mesh
together because I think this could be a special year if we work together,” Masters said. Idara Ekpoh, senior girls varsity basketball player, anticipates that the seniors on the team will finish the season on a good note. “I hope for a great re cord and for us seniors to leave a good name for girls basketball next year,” Ekpoh said. The first game for the varsity boys team will be on Nov. 22 at Copper Canyon. The first game/ tournament for the varsity girls team will be on Nov. 21 at Barry Goldwater.
11-16 H ome vs . W illow C anyon 11-22 A way vs . C opper C anyon 11-29 home vs . P eoria 12-2 H ome vs . K ellis 12-9 A way vs . L iberty
G irls
11-29 A way vs . P eoria 11-30 H ome vs . copper C anyon 12-2 A way vs . K ellis 12-6 A way vs . A gua F ria 12-7 H ome vs . youngker
S occer B oys
11-29 A way vs . S hadow M ountain 12-1 A way vs . G reenway 12-6 A way vs . L iberty 12-13 A way vs . G oldwater 12-15 home vs . V errado
G irls
11-28 home vs . D eer V alley 11-29 H ome vs . S hadow M oun tain
12-1 home vs . G reenway 12-5 H ome vs . L iberty
W restling 11-30 at B rophy vs . C haparrall , C entennial , F airfaz 12-1 H ome vs . C actus , I ron wood , L iberty 12-7 at H orizon vs . P eoria , C actus S hadows , S hadow M ountain 12-8 at D eer B al ley vs .
B oulder
creek ,
P rescott 12-9/10 A way C actus T ounrament 12-14 H ome vs . L iberty 12-16/17 A way M oon V elly T oun rament
1-11 H ome vs . T hunderbird
Playing Field 09 Wrap it up with Mustang fall sports 11.09.11
F ootball
Freshman football finished their season off undefeated, with one tie against Liberty. “The boys have had a good season; they played hard,” coach Brian Greene said. JV football finished their season with five wins and three losses. As of Nov. 4, varsity football was on their way to playoffs with a record of seven wins and three losses.
1.
2.
V olleyball
According to varsity volleyball Coach Tony Gale, the team has been “rebuilding this year.” The girls finished their season with a record of 11 wins and 26 losses, including tournaments. “JV and Freshmen [teams] have had really good seasons, in fact, they’ve done a really nice job,” Gale said. The freshman finished their season with eight wins and nine losses.
S wim A nd D ive
3.
4.
“Lots of kids have improved their times throughout the year,” Swim and Dive Coach Chris Moore said. The boys team, in particular, has had success in dual meets, with a record of 6-1 for the season. “We are going to have a lot of boys ... and a handful of girls who are qualifying for state so that’s going to be fun,” Moore said.
C ross C ountry
5.
The boys cross country team took the top spot in the region for the fourth year in a row. “I have three [runners] who have been working hard all year and that are going to finish well at sec- 1. CHARGE: Freshman football plays tionals and state,” Boys Coach Torin Cactus. The team finished the season off undefeated. Photo by Summer Tiano Lattie said. The girls cross country team also 2. BUMP THE BALL: Varsity volleyball did well, finishing 3rd at district finals participates in Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The volleyball team finished their and 4th at the state qualifying meet.
G olf
Girls golf “fell pretty far short,” according to Coach Jason Stutenroth. “Unfortunately we didn’t have anyone qualify [for state]. We did however place third overall in the district and had two girls in the top ten.” Boys golf lost in a close match for the whole team to join in on this year’s state competition. “We’ve missed it by either one or two strokes,” Boys Coach Nick Rizer said. Senior Tommy Marino went to state solo. “I’ve been to state since my freshmen year,” Marino said. “I obviously want to win -- that’s been my goal for a while now -- but I’m just going to play my best both days.”
season well. Photo by Sierra Pritchard
6.
3. DEEP BREATH: Freshman Brendan Rodgers competes in a swim meet. The swim team finished their season with a record of 6-1. Photo by Andy Guerrero 4. REACH FOR THE SKY: The Varsity dive team competes hard in a meet. They accomplished many goals over the season. Photo by Katelyn Rey 5.HANG IN THERE: Seniors Tyler Ryan and Bradley Rodgers and junior Jake Hogan participate in cross country sectionals. The cross country team competed in the state finals. Photo by Amanda Briggs 6.FOCUS: Senior Tommy Marino scouts out his next move. Marino has been on the boys golf team all four years. Photo by Natasha Hossain All stories credited to Haylie Konakis.
10
2 Cents
11.09.11
Justice needs to be served despite old age
Anissa Saenz-Ochoa Page Designer
It is never too late to be punished for actions made in the past, especially when these actions involve murder. This is all too true for a handful of surviving Nazi death camp guards who are facing prosecution for their involvement in witnessing and/ or committing brutal crimes against innocent victims during World War
II. German prosecutors are determined to bring as many guilty men to justice as possible. Hundreds of these dormant investigations are being reopened in Germany and prosecutors are not being merciful. Some say it is too harsh to prosecute an 81 year-old man, but I believe justice needs to be served regardless of the age of the suspect. Old age is not an excuse to be exempt from punishment. In addition, disregarding these cases is initially conveying that any cold case over
70 years-old is not worth the time solving, even if one has the means to do so. Reopening these cases is a controversial but brave move. The most famous case involves a suspected Nazi death camp guard, John Demjanjuk. His trials have been taking place for years and he continues to appeal. Now 91, Demjanjuk claims his innocence from the 28,060 counts of accessory to murder for serving as a guard at the Sobibor death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. Significantly, this is the first case that prosecutors have been able to convict someone in the Nazi-era, without direct evidence of the suspect taking place in a specific killing. People wonder if it is right to accuse a 91 year-old man in a wheelchair of accessory to murder. Consider this: was it right for him to watch men, women and children get murdered in front of his eyes and not do something about it? Is it okay for any of these guilty men to get away with the horrible, disgusting things they saw and/or did? These men were strong and able young men when these crimes were committed. Their age now should not be an issue. There is no doubt in my mind that these men need to face justice. Justice is fair, reasonable and mor-
the state we live in; therefore, we should know some knowledge of Arizona history. How many people know when Arizona became a state or who Arizona’s first female governor was? Some argue that Arizona’s history is short and boring, but if you go back to when the Spanish came over and Arizona was a Spanish territory, it is interesting. If it were up to me, I would teach Arizona history from the very beginning to the colonization of Arizona as just a territory. Early Native American tribes that are a big part of the country such as the Navajos, Hohokam, Apaches, and famous Arizona Native Americans like Geronimo. Learning about AZ history would be like watching an old western. I would go over Arizona’s part in the Civil War and World Wars to the modern times. Arizona government would also be helpful because as Arizonans it is our civil duty to participate in voting for not only President-elects, but also our gov-
ernors and senators. Students would probably be more interested in Arizona history because they live here. They can say, “Oh yeah, I have been downtown to the Herberger Theatre and it was built in 1989.” Don’t get me wrong, I loved my social studies classes in high school, I just believe that Arizona history needs to be accentuated. World history should be taught freshman year. Arizona history should be taught sophomore year. United States history should be taught junior year. Finally, Economy and Government should be taught senior year. Let’s learn about Barry Goldwater, about western expansion, what purchase contained Arizona, and copper mining. It is important to know why Arizona was made a state and what brought people to Arizona: mining. I am sixth generation Arizonan, so hearing stories about Arizona is one of my favorites. I think it is because I can
Picture drawn by Katelyn Rey
ally right. It is completely fair to punish someone for multiple acts of harsh treatment. It is completely reasonable to convict people found guilty of crimes. It is also morally right to place punishment upon those who have performed awful acts. These conclusions leave little room to doubt the importance of reopening these Nazi cases. As the controversy stirs nations and puzzles society, the issue remains: how far is too far when it comes to justice? Let’s be honest. Age should never be a determining factor. If guilty, these men committed awful, inhumane crimes. Should they not be punished just because these crimes took place a little over 70 years ago? Time may resolve some issues, but this is definitely not one of them. Justice needs to be served for the victims and their families who suffered an indefinite amount of pain and, for many, lost their lives because of the ruthless actions of others. These cases need to be reopened. We cannot leave them on the back shelf to gather dust. I support prosecutors who are dedicating their time to bring as many people to justice as possible. They are not wasting their time. And for those families seeking justice, whether these men are convicted now or not it will surely be served.
History classes should cover Arizona past Emily Bridgewater Page Designer
When I walked into AP AZ/US history as a junior, I was really excited to learn about Arizona history, almost more than American history. As the class progressed, however, I learned we weren’t going to talk about Arizona history. I was confused because the class is called AZ/US history. I love history and enjoy learning about any era of history. And although Arizona history is a short time span, I think it is rich and filled with intriguing stories. I believe that the state’s history needs to be emphasized just as much as the country’s history, for a number of reasons. First, the Native Americans have a big impact on Arizona and Native Americans are not emphasized in other history classes. Second, it is
relate to it. I live in Arizona and I can say “Oh yeah, the first Oldsmobile dealership was owned by my family and my great great-grandfather supplied the cars for the opening of Roosevelt Lake to escort Teddy Roosevelt. Bam.”
Community service for holidays Gum thrown on ground ridiculous Natasha Hossain Editor In Chief
The feeling of warmth and joy you feel after helping someone in need is pretty much beyond what words can describe. Volunteering is a win-win situation. You can brighten someone’s day, maybe even make a difference in their life through your one act of kindness. But the benefits don’t stop there. It leaves you feeling great and in the end makes you a better person. The holiday season is one of the best times to give back to your community. There are plenty of people out there who can’t afford a feast on Thanksgiving and plenty more children who won’t have presents to open on Christmas. There’s an abundance of opportunities to change someone’s holiday and make it better and it doesn’t have
to require too much time or money. The world could always use some new volunteers. These days, people become too busy with their lives whether it be with their work, school, kids or friends. Sometimes we get caught up with ourselves so much and we forget to take a moment and look around. There is always someone worse off than you no matter what and people need to take the time to realize that. Volunteering works wonders in many ways. It’s a good stress reliever, a good way to put value into the things you have, it makes you appreciate your life and it just makes you feel good inside and out. If you’re interested in making a difference in someone’s life this holiday season here’s some suggestions: help with Christmas angels through FCCLA, donate canned foods with Student Council or just go do something yourself like volunteer at a soup kitchen.
Natalie Kurtz Staff Reporter
It seems as though everywhere you go on our campus, there is gum in places that it shouldn’t be. Fresh wads of gum appear almost every day. This sticky substance that covers the ground is just waiting for the bottom of a clean shoe to attach to. And at some point or another, the gum on the ground will be stepped in by your shoe. It doesn’t take too much effort to keep gum inside of your mouth, but if it does fall out of your mouth, it is not too hard to pick it up with a piece of paper or tissue; stop being lazy and clean up after your mess. If it is too hard to pick your gum off the ground, you should keep it in your mouth until you find a nearby trash can to throw it away. But if you are walking and don’t think that you can step out of
Photo illustration by Natalie Kurtz
your way to throw your gum away, then swallow it; it is better than gum covering our school grounds. Gum covering our school grounds just makes us look like we are sloppy and don’t care about how we present ourselves. So the next time students think about spitting their gum on the ground, think about how it makes us look as a school. And if the gum does somehow fall out of your mouth while chewing it, simply pick it up.
2 Cents
11.09.11
OPPOSING VIEWS
11
Please take off hats Hats cause no harm
Since the beginning of time, it’s been in a teacher’s nature to call out a student on wearing a hat in class. It’s been a constant struggle for students and their fashion senses, a war of an eternity. Is it a war with reason? Is there really something that the teachers are trying to keep us from? I think not. The teachers are just jealous of all the swag teens these days are carrying around in their hats, thus their only option was to put us down. But in all honesty, is there really a reason that we cannot wear hats in the classroom? I heard people say it is disruptive, but it seems absurd to me that someone would not be able to pay atten-
tion in class because someone across the room has a cap on. I understand that if a whole classroom had hats on that shielded their faces from the teacher; it could pose as a problem. The sleepers could sleep easier; students might be able to cheat on tests, etcetera, etcetera. However, if the teacher is providing a proper supervised environment; they generally would be walking around and checking all the students. Not to mention that if a student were to fall asleep in class, not having a hat would be no deterrent. I also heard that the rule of allowing hats in class would be abused. Enforcers of this rule may think that if they allowed hats in class students would bring big sombreros that shielded vision or clown hats with bells that made a sound every time they moved. This hypothetical problem is easily solved. For starters, if hats were allowed in class from the beginning, it would not seem like such a privilege and students would just wear their normal hats like usual. Even if someone did find such a loophole in the system, the problem is as simple as, “You there! The kid wearing the hat with bells on it! Take that off, that thing is straight up silly and annoying.” Problem solved. The word “tradition” has been thrown at me when raising these questions as well. Back in the 1800s, it was customary for men to take off their hats when going indoors. It was considered respectful. The fact that it was so back in the 1800s could be a valid argument – could. However, these are modern times. The style of dress has changed drastically for everyone. Women weren’t able to wear pants in the 1800s, but they can now. The actual use of a hat has almost changed entirely in itself. In any case, I digress. In the end, the “pros” to wearing hats in classrooms are too weak to enforce.
though, if you chose to sit outside during lunch, that’s your own fault. Bring a jacket or just sit in the shade. The librarians at Sunrise try their best to minimize the noise but talkative kids still slip in. The librarians want this place to be a comfortable spot that students feel like they can go to when they need some quiet time but studiers leave when it gets too loud. It’s plenty hard enough just to get yourself to study, let alone be surrounded by twenty or more conversations as your trying to do so.
I used to be a teacher’s assistant in the library during third hour and, frankly, I hated the lunch rush. That’s, literally, what we called it too. It was a rush. People were obnoxious. Kids would stand in front of the doorway talking, preventing others from coming in. Once, I saw a student leaning against the drop box and another who came in had to hand me their book to return it. It was ridiculous. If you want to talk just go hang out in the halls or something. No one wants a chatter box in a place meant for quiet.
Braden Taylor Page Designer
It is not hard to find reasons to wear hats around the Sunrise Mountain campus. Maybe you want to show off your favorite sports team, block the sun from your eyes or maybe hide that really bad haircut your mom just gave you. But I have one good reason why you should take off that hat when you walk into a classroom. It is a district and school policy. The school district could have this policy for many possible reasons. It could be for the fear of gang ties, the distraction that it could bring in class, or maybe the fear students might shield their eyes and take a nap during a math lesson. Maybe it is the fact that there is no need to wear a hat in school, as there is no sun to shield your eyes from, no one really cares about what team Bobby roots for or how bad Bill’s haircut is. But taking hats off in school buildings should all come down to the reason of showing respect. It has been a sign of respect for centuries to take off one’s hat indoors. Knights would remove their helmets when they entered indoors or were in the presence of a woman. Americans remove their hats at the sight of the American flag along with the playing of the national anthem. The school district is asking that students remove their hats out of
Reporters Braden Taylor and Christian Parravano disagree on the district policy against hats in class. Photo by Kellie Reynolds Christian Parravano respect for teachers and the students Staff Reporter
themselves. Hats in the Sunrise classrooms may not be a huge issue, but it needs to stay that way and not start to become a problem. Don’t start to abuse this privilege and there will be no complications in the future. But if students start to misuse their hats it could get to the point where wearing hats outdoors on campus is banned. Show some respect, show responsibility and take off that hat.
“Hats, visors, sunglasses and hoods may not be worn in school buildings.”
“The administration and staff will enforce this dress code consistently and fairly.... Students may receive consequences for violation of any part of the dress code.” -- Student Handbook
Readers belong in libraries, chatterboxes must leave Katelyn Rey Staff Reporter
You missed a chance to study last night and now you’re desperately rushing to the library during lunch to study up on a test taking place next hour. You get in, sit down, break out all your study materials completely ready to go. But what’s this? Some kids you don’t even know come in and start talking their heads off right in front of you. How obnoxious.
Most everyone has been in this kind of situation before and this reporter is getting seriously tired of this occurring. Sunrise doesn’t have a study hall or any other type of class that offers just study time. The only place to go really is the library. A person can talk to their friends just as easily standing outside. There really is no reason for a student to interrupt another’s studies. Some people use the excuse that during the extreme weather, they go in to escape the heat or cold. In my opinion
The Mustang Express Newspaper Staff Editor-In-Chief Natasha Hossain
Section Editors
Anissa Saenz-Ochoa Emily Bridgewater
Online Editor Kellie Reynolds
Advertising Manager Christian Parravano
Reporters
Page Designers
Braden Taylor Laura Johnson Emma Miller Haylie Konakis Arianna Saenz-Ochoa
Alex Curtis Alex Adams Ryan Sampey Natalie Kurtz Brooke Meyers Sierra Pritchard Katelyn Rey
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.
http://mustangexpress.org Facebook: SMHS Newspaper
12
The Round Up
11.09.11
warm up with the latest
winter fashion Bella Vanek,
12
How do you change your style up for the winter? I basically wear the same clothes but I just add some layers to them. Like I will wear a sweater with an outfit or tights or leggings. Definitely wear closed toes shoes, a lot of flats. I’m a flats girl for sure!
What’s your favorite winter outfit? I have these grey skinny jeans that I wear with this yellow shirt. Then I wear this really long, cute black trench coat over it all. And it includes a watch, I always wear watches and bangles!
What are the don’ts of winter fashion? If you’re going to wear shorts, don’t wear short shorts. They are not okay. Also if you’re going to wear shorts, do not wear a long jacket cause it looks like you’re not wearing any pants girls!
Brady Edwards, 11 How do you change your style up for the winter? I wear warmer and more comfortable clothes.
What’s your favorite winter outfit? A pair of jeans and a heavy jacket.
What are the don’ts of winter fashion? Just don’t wear shorts, I guess, and tank tops, don’t wear tank tops.
Karlie Ziemer, 10 How do you change your style up for the winter? I cut shorts out and wear jeans or sweats. No flip flops, boots- I love boots. And then jackets or long sleeves.
What’s your favorite winter outfit? Dark designer jeans with maroon long sleeved shirt. Topped off with tan boots and a big flower ring.
What are the don’ts of winter fashion? Shorts with boots are not good. And long sleeves with shorts that confuses me- like why are you wearing both?
Mason Wandersee, 9 How do you change your style up for the winter? I like to wear two shirts; a shirt and an undershirt. I also start to wear jackets.
What’s your favorite winter outfit? Dark jeans with a Quicksilver shirt and some plaid Vans.
What are the don’ts of winter fashion? Don’t wear any shorts, definately no short shorts (athletic shorts) and wear Vans, no flip flops.
Compiled by Natasha Hossain Editor-In-Chief