April 2013 Every 15 Minutes

Marquee The

volume 27 | issue 06 | april 5, 2013

mhsmarquee.com

Every

15 minutes

5

Latin students in Rome during naming of Pope

7

Top three seniors compete for Valedictorian

19

MARCUS HIGH SCHOOL | 5707 MORRISS ROAD. FLOWER MOUND, TX 75028

Girls’ soccer takes district, faces injuries on way to state

table of contents

the marquee [newsmagazine] editor in chief jordan richards

managing editor marisa charpentier

photo editor jordan richards

design editor amanda collen

news & feature editor marisa charpentier

asst. feature editor maddy ermenio

graphics editor sydney sund

in-depth & opinion editor ryan mcdearmont

entertainment

asst. in-depth editor austin rickerson

entertainment editor

[14] TOPPINGS GALORE The Marquee reviews

local pizzerias on basis of flavor and atmosphere. story ryan mcdearmont

photo michele papa

cover photo

jordan richards

courtney clubb

sports editor sydney sund

business manager hailey painter

reporters

news [4] COMBINING CLASSES New AP Civics course combines Government and Economics. story marisa charpentier

maddy ermenio, miranda chiechi, alyssa schmidt, ben horton, austin rickerson, michael delgado, madi schwem, anna middleton

designers

sydney sund, courtney clubb, jordan richards, hailey painter, tori allmendinger

photographers

amanda collen, kady kohankie, ben horton, michele papa, miranda chiechi

feature [8] GRANTING WISHES History teacher’s

daughter wins Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World. story alyssa schmidt

sports [18] STATE AWARD Sophomore receives the school’s first state diving award. story alyssa schmidt

adviser

lajuana hale

principal gary shafferman The Marquee newsmagazine is a student-generated publication of Marcus High School. It is produced, edited and maintained through the efforts of the school’s advanced journalism class. The Marquee is designed to serve the school and community as a forum for open discussion and student expression.

The Marquee encourages letters to the editor as part of its mission to educate, inform and provide an open forum for debate. All submissions must be signed. The staff reserves the right to edit all material.

Editorials reflect the opinion of the staff, not necessarily that of the administration. Signed columns or reviews represent only the opinion of the author.

Advertising rates are $70 per 1/8 of a page, with discounts available. For more information call 469-7135196.

The Marquee is a standing member of ILPC, TAJE, ATPI, CSPA, NSPA, JEA and Quill and Scroll.

NEWS

3

Library faces new policies, new additions Recent rule limits number of students per library table during lunch story maddy ermenio Due to overcrowding in the library during lunch, a new policy is in place to restrict the number of students to two people per table. The new restrictions were added to prevent students from eating lunch without working.

“A lot of kids were disrespecting the library, leaving trash, being loud when there were classes in session,” senior library aide Robert Smith said. “Before the policy it was really loud and it was hard to study. Now that the policy, is in place, it’s easier to study and work on schoolwork.”

Librarian Nancy McGinnis said the library is focusing on being an extension of the classroom rather than an extension of the cafeteria. Since she first came to the school in 2011, she has tried to make the library as accommodating as possible by opening it up to students who choose to eat while studying

or working on other assignments.

“We’ve been going from your old school library into a learning commons area,” McGinnis said. “With responsible kids, there’s not any reason why food and drink shouldn’t be allowed while you’re working.”

Junior Tucker Barnes said he first began eating lunch in the library due to overcrowding in the cafeteria.

“It was peaceful, and there wasn’t as much noise,” Barnes said. “But I understand it. I think it’s reasonable because it did get crowded in here, just as bad as the lunch room.”

Even though some students ate in the library without studying during open lunches, the library still allows students to do so as long as only two people sit at each table.

“For the people who do come to actually study, it could help them,” Barnes said. “There’s not as much noise in here, and they could come in here to get work done.”

Because of the new restrictions, Barnes said that some students have the misconception that students are no longer allowed to eat in the library at all. However, this is not the case.

McGinnis is also pushing for the addition of a bistro in the library to provide small snacks and drinks for students who are studying. The installation of the bistro has been repeatedly delayed due to how large the project is. The floor where the bistro would be installed must be torn up to provide more space for the small eatery.

If confirmed, construction is scheduled to take place when the ninth grade center is being built for the freshman class of 2014.

“There needs to be some element of control in an academic atmosphere,” McGinnis said. “We’re trying to do what we can to welcome change and adjust to the new trends.”

MEDS club creates Lunch and Learn activities

photo amanda collen

Three MEDS club members, juniors Anisha Guda, Kanchan Yawalker and Meagan McMahan, listen to some professionals discuss the medical field. During the Lunch and Learn sessions, students are welcome to eat in the library and learn from these professionals. story maddy ermenio The MEDS club, or Medical Education for Dedicated Students, has started to meet in the library during lunch weekly for a Lunch and Learn session to hear more information about the medical field from professionals.

“It’s real-life exposure,” science teacher and club sponsor Ruth Scarbrough said. “It’s beyond the textbook, and it’s the marquee april 5, 2013

hands-on, which is the best way to learn.”

Lunch and Learn is a weekly meeting during lunch presented by medical professionals. So far, two physical therapists from Joints in Motion, a cardiologist, a clinical psychologist, an ER nurse, a paramedic and a public health officer have visited the group. The medical professionals discuss their experience and perform a demonstration, such as how to check blood pressure or how to hook up an EKG

(an electrocardiogram that monitors the electrical activity of the heart). In addition to Lunch and Learn, students in the club have the opportunity to visit with doctors and shadow them on the job.

Junior Meagan McMahan said she decided to join the MEDS club because she has had an interest in the medical field since she was 12.

“I just like to help people, and I admire heroes,” McMahan said. “To me, a doctor is a hero.”

McMahan is inspired by women like Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton, who helped to found the nursing industry and create non-profit organizations like the Red Cross.

“I hope to be able to save lives and cheer people up who are down,” McMahan said. “I’d like to go on a mission trip as a nurse as well.”

When Scarbrough first mentioned that she would like to start a medical club for students like McMahan, several of her students agreed to step forward to get the club up and running. Since the beginning of the club three months ago, over 120 students have joined, and the group is quickly expanding.

“I wanted to make sure that the kids learned about the field they’re interested in before they actually start down that path,” Scarbrough said. “I want them to find their niche early so they don’t waste their time and lose their enthusiasm for the medical field.”

Junior Anisha Guda, events coordinator for the club, joined so she could pursue her interest in becoming a surgeon. She soon learned about the other opportunities available in the medical field.

“It’s a great way for students to explore different areas in the medical field,” Guda said. “I’ve learned that there are a lot of fields that I don’t know about. There are so many different opportunities, so it’s opened my horizons.” design amanda collen

4

NEWS

Teachers create new AP Civics course Government, Economics courses combine into mixed class for upcoming fall semester each week and kind of combine classes,” Stoeberl said.

“Giving up those Fridays kind of makes us lose maybe three Although the classes are assimilated, two AP tests – one or four days total, so we will kind of shorten a few things,” Government and one Macroeconomics exam – still must be Worland said. “But other than that, it should actually enhance passed in order to gain college credit. Civics is only offered how we are teaching it.” the fall semester so that both teachers have enough time to Stoeberl also said that having less class time will affect the story marisa charpentier prepare students for the AP tests in way he teaches the course. With Next year’s seniors will have the opportunity to take a May. less class time dedicated solely combined 18-week AP Government and AP Macroeconomics The school has never had to Economics, students will be course called “AP Civics.” The class integrates these two a combined Government and expected to do more outside of It just made so much sense. courses by splitting the group of approximately 70 students Economics course before, but it has class. in half and sending one unit to Government and the other had other combined classes. Junior “That will be the downside,” There’s so much interconnectivity to Economics. The groups will alternate classes every other Meghan Hill plans on taking the Stoeberl said. “But I think between the two. Why not teach day. Then on Fridays, the students will come together into a class next semester because she students will be willing to do it blended class. Government teacher Emily Worland proposed is accustomed to a mixed class in exchange for the benefits they them together? the new course. atmosphere. are going to get.”

“It just made so much sense,” Worland said. “There’s so Emily Worland, Government “I took Humanities this year, Both teachers said they much interconnectivity between the two. Why not teach them which is AP English and U.S. intend to add a variety of new together?”

History combined, and you learn activities to the class. During the Worland will be teaching the political science portion of the a lot more because you’re able Fridays when both classes come class and Economics teacher Mathew Stoeberl will be teaching to talk about the two subjects together, students will spend the economics curriculum. The idea for the class formed when simultaneously,” Hill said. “So I time on a Public Policy issue both teachers noticed that students taught first term in AP think the AP Civics class will have like immigration, legalization of Economics would usually become Worland’s AP Government the same learning atmosphere.” marijuana or healthcare. Students will examine both economic students the next term and vice versa.

Due to the arrangement of the class, Worland said she and political sides of the situation and come up with their own “We figured if we are swapping students anyways, instead will have to change some aspects of how she usually teaches policies for the topics. of swapping at the end of the term, why don’t we swap them Government.

“I think people will be thinking really critically about true issues,” Worland said.

By incorporating these group activities, Stoeberl said, the class will allow students to analyze issues that are important to the country, which normally does not happen in a nineweek Economics course.

“You get to do issue analysis, you get to use your knowledge and you get to push yourself…” Stoeberl said.

“That problem solving creativity is not only critical to the students’ development, but it’s also a heck of a lot more fun than listening to a lecture.”

By coming together into one combined class on Fridays, Civics will be similar to larger college classes, according to Worland. The class is also more analogous to college in that students switch classes every other day. Worland said she recommends taking Civics rather than separate courses.

Hill also said the combined course will be beneficial to students taking the AP tests. She said the alternating class schedule will be favorable to most students.

“With the organization of the class, I feel going every other day will provide enough change, and students won’t get tired of the class as easily as learning the same stuff every day,” Hill said.

Even though the class is new and some class time may be lost, Stoeberl said he does not see this class as a reason for AP test scores to drop.

“Both Mrs. Worland and I have loads of review materials,” Stoeberl said. “We do tutoring sessions, so I think even though we will be going a little faster, I still think students should expect good AP scores out of this class.”

Worland said she believes the class will be both beneficial and enjoyable for students. photo courtney clubb “Mr. Stoeberl and I both love the fields we are teaching and engage students quite a bit,” Worland said. “So, I think Government teacher Emily Worland and Economics teacher Mathew Stoeberl talk about their conjoining class that seniors will the two of us together will be really dynamic.”

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have an opportunity to take next year.

design courtney clubb

april 5, 2013 the marquee

FEATURE

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Latin students see new Pope named Students on independent vacation witness introduction of Pope Francis at Vatican story ryan mcdearmont When the new pope was chosen, it rained all day.

In the middle of the bad weather, a handful of Latin students led by Latin teacher Melisande Santos were in Rome.

It was spring break, and the papal conclave was in session.

The group had gone to see the Sistine Chapel, but on that day, there would be no tours.

Instead, the group toured Saint Peter’s. Despite being in the heart of it all, there was no news of a new pope. At least, not yet.

Although the weather remained grey and gloomy, they decided to go see the Castel Sant’Angelo, a historic Roman mausoleum. It was there that they first witnessed history in the making.

In the distance, the group could see something through the rainy air. It was a plume of black smoke, rising from the Sistine Chapel. The group knew what it meant. The voting for a new pope was in progress, and soon, a new one would be chosen.

“We were able to see the smoke from the first vote coming from the Sistine Chapel,” Santos said. “But they had not yet elected a new pope.”

The group braved the rain and went on to more locations including the Pantheon, but they kept the black smoke in the back of their minds.

The tour group had stopped at a restaurant for dinner there was a sudden commotion. That’s when they realized: a new pope had been selected.

“The owner flipped out his iPad and said ‘Habemus Papum,’ which in Latin means ‘We have a pope,’” Santos said. “We all got kind of excited.”

The next few minutes were chaotic. Outside, people were running down the street and to the Vatican. It was clear there was excitement in the air despite the depressing weather.

The group leaders had to discuss a plan for getting down to the Vatican square safely. It took about 10 minutes of

discussion. All the while, more and more people rushed down the street in the rain, hoping to get a look at the new pope.

Eventually, the group exchanged emergency contact information and headed into the crowd and the rain.

“We realized we could get [very close],” Santos said. “Most of us were up by the obelisk...which is right in the middle of Saint Peter’s. It was fantastic.”

Suddenly, something strange occurred. The rain that had been falling all day began to clear up. The clouds parted and the night sky became visible to all. It was in that moment that reality hit: tonight, history would be made.

Before the Pope could make himself known, a group of church officials came onto the balcony and made an announcement to hushed masses.

“They made the announcement first in Latin,” Santos said.

“It was that we had a pope, who it was and what name he had chosen.”

The Pope, whose birth name is Jorge Bergoglio, chose to be named Francis after the saint of the same name. Saint Francis is known for his humility towards nature and is considered the patron saint of ecology.

Sophomore Jessica Wright, a Latin 4 AP student, found this name choice to be an interesting coincidence.

“It was all pretty cool because we had also visited [the church of] Saint Francis of Assisi, the original church that was made for him,” Wright said.

The church of Saint Francis in Rome is a large basilica built in 1228. It is considered a distinctive landmark of Assisi.

When the Pope came onto the balcony, the emotion in the crowd was palpable. The air was filled with cheers and tears alike. As Francis made his first speech, he spoke in a variety of languages, including Latin. Santos said that the experience was unforgettable.

“The energy in the crowd was amazing, and we were standing so close together we had to link arms to keep from getting separated,” Santos said. “The man in front of me was crying, he was so moved. It was a really great experience.”

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What was it like to be there? compiled

ryan mcdearmont

photos

courtney clubb

My favorite part [of the trip] was standing in Saint Peter’s square when Pope Francis first stepped onto the balcony of the Vatican…Aside from all the history, it was awesome to be there with some of my greatest friends from my Latin 4 class.

Emily Sparks, 12

It was a really incredible experience.

We were lucky to be in the area when he was chosen. It was really cool to be with the friends was with to photos I submitted see that.

Sam Karnes, 12

It was really surreal. It was crazy running down the streets of Rome into the Vatican City and getting to see the Pope with thousands of people and getting to witness such a huge and historical event.

Grant Vassar,12

Junior Classical League competes at state level

photo Bottom: Latin students pose in front of The Colosseum in Rome, Italy. the marquee april 5, 2013

submitted

The school will host the 2013 Texas State Junior Classical League convention this month on April 12 and 13. Junior Classical League, or JCL, is a national organization that promotes study of classical languages and cultures, such as Latin and Greek. Texas has one of the largest JCL programs in the nation, behind the state of Virginia.

“You would think that Latin has gone by the wayside, but it has not,” Latin teacher Melisande Santos said. “It’s actually quite big in Texas.”

The JCL competition will see roughly 2,300 students and teachers from across 91 Texas schools congregate at the school to participate in a variety of Latin-language events. This includes written academic competitions such as grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension, as well as oral competitions such as dramatic interpretation and singing competitions. The JCL meet will even have students competing in an art contest based on a classical subject.

Competition for JCL students began in December and will culminate with a trip to national competitions in July.

“We usually have some kids qualify for nationals,” Santos said.

The national competition will take place at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. design courtney clubb

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april 5, 2013 the marquee

FEATURE

Valedictorian race to the top

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Separated by less than one point, seniors compete for top rank of their class story austin rickerson As the top students’ GPAs are separated by less than a single point, the race for valedictorian is heating up. Seniors’ class ranks will freeze shortly now that the third nine weeks has come to a close. Like in an Olympic sprint or gymnastics competition, the competitors are neck-and-neck. Any slip up on a test or lost homework assignment could lead to their defeat.

The stakes are high and the competition is gaining intensity. Senior Courtney Sullivan leads the class of 2013, followed by seniors Paige Wyant and Nadia Haile. Although Haile said that the top 10 is very competitive, she said it is a

fun competition. Unlike sports, there is no running or fighting.

These scholars aren’t pushed by coaches or trainers. Haile said that the pressure to succeed comes from herself.

“It’s a different mindset to push yourself and be one of your only motivators,” Haile said. “With sports, you have almost the entire school to push you.”

Wyant also said academic competition is much different than athletic competition. Although she said she isn’t a competitive person, grades are still extremely cutthroat.

“I don’t think it’s really competitive as far as people being competitive against each other,” Wyant said. “I think it’s more being competitive with yourself.”

Each student has made sacrifices to get to this point.

#1

#3

Nadia Haile:

GPA: 114.1842 Class schedule (1st-4th): Yearbook, AP Biology, AP English 4, AP Calculus BC Chosen college: Harvard Career choice: Investment banking or computer science Clubs and honor societies: President of National Honor Society, Habitat for Humanity and Mu Alpha Theta, Editor-in-chief of Yearbook, Treasurer of Science Honor Society, member of French Honor Society, English Honor Society and Quill and Scroll Awards: National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, A-Honor Roll every year Greatest accomplishment: She received a 2360 out of 2400 on her SAT. Biggest disappointment: She scored a two out of five on her French AP test.

Favorite TV show(s): Suits, Bates Motel, Downton Abbey the marquee april 5, 2013

photos jordan richards

Courtney Sullivan: GPA: 114.7135 Current class schedule (1st-4th): Senior In, AP Biology, AP Government, AP Calculus BC Chosen college: TCU (full-ride scholarship) Career choice: Orthopedic surgeon Clubs and honor societies: member of National Honor Society and co-president of French Honor Society Awards: National Merit commended, AP Scholar with Distinction, Chancellor Scholar at TCU, A-Honor Roll every year Greatest accomplishment: She said she overcame moving during the middle of high school while managing to keep her grades up and meet new friends.

Biggest disappointment: She missed becoming a National Merit Finalist by one correct answer.

Favorite TV show(s): Grey’s Anatomy

Between all AP classes and extracurricular activities, Haile said it is easy to put too much on her plate. Just finding time to sleep at night can be a challenge.

“Not just the classes but all the clubs make it very difficult to remember everything and be everywhere at once,” Haile said. “It’s really a challenge not to spread yourself too thin.”

With the valedictorian position up for grabs, these frontrunners will have to push themselves to the finish line.

Sullivan said being valedictorian would be an honor.

“It would just be a validation of all my hard work because I know I’ve overcome a lot of obstacles to get here,” Sullivan said. “Being number one or number two or number three is just a validation that it was all worth it.”

#2 Paige Wyant: GPA: 114.3263 Class schedule (1st-4th): AP Chemistry, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, Senior Out Chosen college: USC (partial scholarship) Career choice: Undecided Clubs and honor societies: member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and English Honor Society, President of Spanish Honor Society, Vice President of Science Honor Society Awards: National Merit Finalist, A-Honor Roll every year Greatest accomplishment: She has been able to keep her grades and class rank up, despite the infamous senioritis.

Biggest disappointment: She regrets not figuring out her interests and possible career paths sooner.

Favorite TV show(s): Supernatural

design courtney clubb

8

Lydia Hood goes to Disney FEATURE

History teacher, family travel to Orlando on behalf of Make-A-Wish foundation story alyssa schmidt

she has lived with almost her whole life. It all started when she was 9 months old, and her parents took her to the pediatrician History teacher Jesse Hood watches his daughter’s bright for her annual check-up. The doctor found several spots on red hair swish behind her as she skips down the street in her leg and decided to run some tests.

Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Four-year-old Lydia Hood’s The family later found that Lydia had Type One mesmerized eyes go from ride to ride. Her gaze lands on Neurofibromatosis, a disease that affects child development. the swings that raise passengers high into the air and gently The coding that the brain uses to make the parts of the body whirls them around. She had been damaged, which points excitedly and says causes tumors. Lydia’s she wants to ride it. tumors grew on her optic “I don’t, Lydia,” Jesse nerve, right behind her says jokingly. “That goes eyes. The doctor told up really high. I might be them that chemotherapy too scared to ride it.” would be the only option But Lydia is persistent. to slow the growth of Nothing her dad says can the tumors. Without the scare her out of riding the treatment, she would go swings. blind.

“She was so fearless “It was a no brainer for the entire time,” Jesse her to do chemotherapy,” said. “They weren’t the Jesse said. “The low big, scary rides. They dosage chemotherapy were the little kid ones, was better because it’s but even when I tried to better on her body, and act scared with her, she she gets to keep her hair. never showed any fear.”

I probably get a comment At the end of the night, every other day about her characters from the park red hair.” come in and tuck Lydia After the diagnosis, and her 2-year-old sister Jesse had a hard time Kiera into bed and sing dealing with the situation them songs. The family being so out of his hands. is staying at “Give Kids “I’m a control freak the World” park, which and there was absolutely was made for ill children no control to be had who win trips through here,” Jesse said. “I asked the Make-A-Wish the doctor what I could Foundation. Soon the do to keep myself busy, girls are fast asleep.

Lydia Hood rides one of the rides in Disney World. She has been diagnosed and she told me to start But Lydia’s life hasn’t fundraising.” with Type One Neurofibromatosis. always been a fairy tale.

Around the time *** that Lydia was diagnosed, major budget cuts were made to The process had almost become routine. She skips into the research funding. The money that was used for a majority of hospital with, as always, a mess of bright red hair swishing the research for Neurofibromatosis was gone. This encouraged behind her. She chats with the front desk lady for a minute and Jesse to go out and pick up some of the slack. The doctor then Lydia and her family get taken back. Lydia gets into one connected Jesse with the Children’s Tumor Foundation. of the chairs and prepares. Other kids are here too, receiving He got back into running shape and has ran several 5Ks and their treatments. Most of them have already lost their hair. half marathons in the Children Tumor Foundation’s name.

Although she’s done this enough and knows what’s coming, When he mentioned to his classes why he would be missing it never gets easier. school occasionally, people started to take an interest in “Daddy, I don’t want to get poked,” she says.

Lydia’s story. Around school, students don the shirts labeled He assures her that he’ll be right there and everything will “Lydia’s Fight Night” which were endorsed and promoted by be fine, just like it always is. the girls’ varsity volleyball team for two years in a row. Palio’s The nurses come in and place the needle into the port in her Pizza in Flower Mound also hosted a night where a percentage chest inserted to make the chemotherapy easier to administer. of the proceeds went to research. Palio’s told Jesse that it was She shuts her eyes tightly and holds her dad’s hand as the their busiest night of 2012. In 2012 alone, Jesse raised more discomfort comes and then passes. than his annual salary in fundraising.

Once the treatment is over, she’s back to being a curious “The most amazing part of all of this is so many people are and rambunctious little girl. She takes the pole that holds her so supportive and are concerned and want to know about her,” medicine and drags it across the tile floor to the craft table.

Jesse said. “We’re so humbled by our 4-year-old little girl who She could spend hours there, drawing and making all kinds has given us the opportunity to connect with the community.” of different colorful creations for anyone and everyone. There Some time after the chemotherapy began, the Hoods are activities for all the kids. Crafts, video games and more. received some wonderful news. A social worker asked if Anything to keep them entertained. They’ll be there all day – they would like to fill out a Make-A-Wish application. This six to eight hours once a month. foundation grants wishes to children with life-threatening But Lydia doesn’t know any different. This is something medical conditions. Two weeks later, the Hoods got the call. design hailey painter

They had won a trip to anywhere in the world that they wanted to go. Jesse and Dawn excitedly told Lydia the news that they were going to Disney World.

To reinforce the excitement, Jesse and Dawn bought her Disney posters with princesses and Mickey and Minnie. They also bought her stuffed animals, and they watched Disney movies. With 40 days left until the trip, Jesse brought home a big desk calendar. Every day Lydia would draw an X to mark the days until their leaving date.

A care package arrived in the mail a few days before they left for their weeklong spring break trip. Books and videos laid out their whole visit. Everything was scheduled, booked and paid for. Make-A-Wish had even supplied them with spending money. All the Hood family had to do was fly to Orlando to have a great time. *** The Hood family leaves their room in “Give Kids the World” park and walk out into the village. The park gives kids a place outside of their illnesses and hospitals where they can remember to just be kids again.

Today, dark grey skies and a light rain sprinkle down on them. The park, which can hold 250 families, is completely full this week. The children in the park look in various stages of health. Some look like Lydia, with all of their hair, and others have no hair or are in wheelchairs.

“It was kind of bittersweet,” Jesse said. “But it’s our life. We see a lot of really sick kids and we’ve gotten used to it.”

Walking through the park, Lydia and Keira stop near one of the princesses. Lydia stands gazing at the beautifully ornate, gold gown worn by Belle. Lydia would rather see the princess Ariel, who is actually her favorite princess. But she wants to make sure her sister Kiera is able to see her favorite as well.

Jesse thinks that her small gifts of generosity are some of the most important things that she is getting out of her disorder.

“She sees how other people give and do so much for her,” Jesse said. “And I really believe that it’s going right down into her soul.”

photos submitted

History teacher Jesse Hood and his family spent spring break in Disney World. The trip was funded by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. april 5, 2013 the marquee

FEATURE

9

60seconds Planning ahead

Economics students organize their own towns

Christina Wallmann, 10 compiled madi schwem photo miranda chiechi

If you could live in any other historical period, which would you choose?

“Medieval. It’d be cool to see a real jousting tournament.”

What is one thing that would definitely make you break up with someone?

“If the guy had a beard. Beards are nasty. Or a mullet. Same reason.”

What would your pirate name be?

“Captain Jane Sparrow, so I could be Jack Sparrow’s sister.”

What is your spirit animal?

“That my parents were murderers and that

they kidnapped me.”

“A kitty, because kitties are freakishly cute, and so am I.” Which would you rather have - super strength or super speed?

“Super speed because I could play some pretty funny pranks on people, and they’d never be able to catch me.”

If you could have any mythical creature as a pet, what would it be?

“A dragon because they can breathe fire.”

the marquee april 5, 2013

story anna middleton March 8 was the day. All the students in Economics teacher Matthew Stoeberl’s second period class would demonstrate their towns built from colorful Legos. Dressed up in suits and ties, these students smiled as they presented their projects to Stoeberl, seeking his approval. They spoke of their designs that she was so proud of herself and her group. She with such enthusiasm that onlookers could see they spent also said that she had learned a lot through her victory. hours and hours on what they had made. These students “I’ve definitely learned how to make a presentation, argue wanted to win this competition. different points and work with a group. It’s stuff that you can “They were hungry,” Stoeberl said. “They wanted to do use every day,” Richardson said. really well. They worked really hard, and they brought their Both Dinkmeyer and Richardson said that this project A game.” was very stressful due to all of its components. Each group Urban Plan was originally made for college students and member had to cooperate with each other and compromise as is a group project done in 55 universities. It consists of five well. As the City Liaison, Richardson said that she had to make roles: Director of Marketing, Site Planner, City Liaison, sure the city was pleased with what they designed. As the Site Neighborhood Liaison and Financial Analyst. These members Planner, Dinkmeyer had to make sure everything functioned represent a city council of a fictional neighborhood called properly in her group’s town.

Elmwood in the city of Yorktown.

“I had to work with all the other jobs to make sure our Each group had exactly designs made sense,” six blocks and their goal was Every student at Marcus is capable of a lot, Dinkmeyer said. “I had to create a design that would to put it all together and and this project showed that to me. I no longer do what was best for include residential, retail and office components. The groups doubt students, which means I am going to everybody.” also had to make a profit to pay Although it was expect more of them in the future. back the fictional investors of overwhelming, Dinkmeyer their Urban Plan. and Richardson said that “You had to consider the they will always remember Matthew Stoeberl, Economics doing city’s needs, the neighborhood’s this project. needs, the profitability, the Richardson said that she parking and traffic, as well as the look of the community,” learned more about economics because she was actually using Stoeberl said. it like someone in the real world would.

The students followed the requirements of the town by “Instead of me teaching it in class or lecturing it, they working together on each component of the project. Each experienced it,” Stoeberl said. “It was almost like a science member had their own specific jobs for the project and lab. You do a lab and discover the laws of science. Urban requirements that needed to be followed. Students had to Plan, through its problem based approach, had kids discover research the material to understand the area’s problems and economic concepts.” determine how to fix them in their own effective way.

Stoeberl said that he chose this project because he wanted “We had a really difficult time knowing where the best to show his students the plan’s potential as well as their own. places to put everything were,” senior Brooke Richardson In the end, the students blew him away. said. “It’s all about placing everything.”

“The Marcus group is going to be a national standard,” Each group also had to create a site plan of what their town Stoeberl said. “I was told by Urban Plan that they will use would look like. According to senior Blaire Dinkmeyer, they these groups in training sessions for years to come. That’s how used big white canvases of towns and put Legos on them to good they did this year.” represent their design.

All in all, Stoeberl said that he was amazed at the effort “It sounds so fun, but each Lego represented things like and extra time that the students put into their projects. He profit for the city, profit for the families and what the people said he even stepped outside the class for 20 minutes and they wanted,” Dinkmeyer said. continued their hard work, not even recognizing that he left.

At the end of all the students’ hard work, they would present Stoeberl wishes to continue this project for years to come due their projects. Grades were not the only matter, according to to its success.

Richardson. There was also a prize for the winning team, a “Every student at Marcus is capable of a lot, and this Chipotle gift card. However, Richardson and Dinkmeyer agree project showed that to me,” Stoeberl said. “I no longer doubt that they didn’t do the project solely for grades or even the students, which means I am going to expect more of them in prize. the future.”

“It was really stressful because you wanted to do a good Richardson said that this experience helped her a lot job,” Dinkmeyer said. “It became something that was yours. because it wasn’t something to memorize and take a test over.

We really wanted to make Stoeberl proud of us.”

She learned lifelong values along with economics.

Richardson’s group had the best overall design and won the “Usually in a class you take a test, and it goes in one ear and competition. Her group included seniors Michele Papa, Chris out the other,” Richardson said. “This project is an experience.

Aigner, Sarah Ainouz and Austin Wheaton. Richardson said That’s the best thing I took from it.” design hailey painter

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10

SPOTLIGHT

Freshman Rebecca Griggs practices galloping barrels with her horse. Griggs is the Sweetheart of the rodeo team.

The girls wait for their turn to practice barrel racing. The team meets at the Lewisville Rodeo Arena every Tuesday to practice.

Junior Hannah Payton and her horse ride around the ring.

Payton is the president of the rodeo team.

Hold your horses

photos michele papa

Junior Brooke Mourning practices her roping with her fellow teammates.

Mourning also participates in barrel racing with her horse Cobalt.

Junior Rachel Hergenrether trots her horse after running barrels.

Hergenrether is the Vice President of the rodeo team. design hailey painter

Junior Cameron Stephenson demonstrates his roping skill by roping Mourning’s feet. Stephenson helps teach roping. april 5, 2013 the marquee

You booze, you lose

IN-DEPTH

11

With prom around the corner and teen drinking a continuing trend, The Marquee takes a look into drunk driving.

the marquee

april 5, 2013

design jordan richards

12

IN-DEPTH

compiled

story maddy ermenio Black tears like raindrops leak from her eyes. Shanda Prescott, mother of senior Court Prescott, looks in the mirror and stares at her reflection. Mascara stains her face, and her hands shake. She takes a deep breath and reminds herself that none of it is real.

Not her son lying on a table entangled by tubes. Not the doctors frantically racing around the room. Not even her husband on the phone, waiting on the other end of the line for an answer. But the moment when the doctor told her Court had died still broke her heart.

“It was real and emotional,” Shanda said. “Seeing my son and talking to the doctor just made it all very real. It’s something I never want to experience.”

Shanda has just finished filming a video for the Every 15 Minutes program, an educational experience that teaches students about the dangers of drinking and driving. Students from the Marcus Organization of Broadcasting produced a video in which student actors imitate a partying scene involving alcohol. After the party, senior Courtney Forte and Court Prescott are involved in a car accident. Courtney is declared dead at the scene, and Court is rushed to the emergency room. At the hospital, Shanda is present during his final moments.

“Knowing it wasn’t real made it easier, but I would never wish that on anyone,” Shanda said.

Court and Shanda said they have reasons for participating in the program.

“We’ve lost students at this school from it, and that should be a big enough reason not to drink and drive,” Court said.

The video is scheduled to be shown to the student body today, which will be followed by a concrete representation of the statistic that one person dies every 15 minutes from an alcohol related collision. Five students will be removed from class every 15 minutes, returning with their face painted white to symbolize being a victim of a drinking and driving accident.

The students will have no interaction with peers or teachers and must stay silent for the remainder of the day.

Counselors chose 75 students from different clubs, organizations and teams to have their faces painted and represent the broad spectrum of people who are killed by drinking and driving collisions. Some of the participants are volunteers who decided to take part in the program because of a personal loss they have experienced due to drinking and driving. Freshman Acea Soles is one of these volunteers. Soles said that he lost his cousin in an alcohol-related collision.

“It affected me by knowing that such a poor choice took his life and has taken many more,” Soles said.

Soles also said that he wants students to know that drinking and driving affects large groups of people, not just individuals.

“I want people to know how severe it is to drink and drive,” Soles said. “It does not only affect your parents, but everyone, even friends and classmates.”

Shanda said that although filming the video was difficult, it was important because of the impact it will make on students.

“If you can save one life, it’s worth it,” Shanda said. design sydney sund

rain - Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works.

Alcohol can cause changes in mood and behavior and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination.

emory - Alcohol will cause difficulty when later trying to recall events and information.

High doses of alcohol cause significant memory loss and may develop into blackouts involving amnesia.

5

1 2

6 enses - Alcohol can reduce sensitivity to taste, odor, color and light intensity.

It can decrease peripheral vision as well, which is known as tunnel vision.

- Alcohol in excess can cause a change in fat metabolism and eventually scarring of the liver. Long term alcohol abuse can even lead to liver failure.

otor Skills - Alcohol can reduce a person’s abilty to use their hands, feet, arms and legs. Hand-eye coordination decreases, as well as the ability to walk correctly and stand upright.

austin rickerson

eart - Alcohol temporarily increases heartbeat and blood pressure. It can also cause the dilation of blood vessels, resulting in heat loss and an overall feeling of warmth.

3 7

- Excessive alcohol irritates the pancreas and can cause the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can eventually lead to pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis is a dangerous inflammation of the blood vessels in the pancreas and can prevent proper digestion.

4

8

oints - Alcohol can impair metabloism of a specific protein, which will lead to an increase of uric acid in joints and muscles.

Uric acid, in excess amounts, can cause aches, pains and in extreme cases, a type of arthritis called gout.

the marquee april 5, 2013

IN-DEPTH

story marisa charpentier

“And I know she’s there.”

*** Whenever senior Emily Morrow passes the straw, Whenever Emily passes the ruby red slippers sitting on a handmade angel hanging in her father’s kitchen, she is shelf in her bedroom, she remembers Sally’s love of the Wizard reminded of her aunt. She is reminded of her famous barbeque of Oz. She remembers her dream of being on Broadway and sandwiches that couldn’t be found at any restaurant or store the posters of the play hanging in Sally’s basement. and the late-night ice cream runs to Dairy Queen for frozen “It’s my favorite show now too…” Emily said. “Every year blizzards. she would get me a little Dorothy ornament.”

She is reminded of all of the things her aunt, 44-year-old Just a month before the accident, Emily’s family gathered Sally Price, stood for – love, family, kindness – and everything for Christmas in Derby, Kansas. Doug knew this Christmas that was lost that January 21, 2005. The day Sally was killed was special. It was the last time they would be in the house by a drunk driver.

Doug, Sally and their brother Mike grew up in. His parents *** planned on moving after the holiday, and the house was all On her way home from soccer practice in 2005, the 11-year- packed up. old Emily received a phone call. Still dressed in her uniform Emily, her younger brothers and their cousins played and cleats, Emily answered to hear her mother’s tear-strained games as they usually did with their aunt like Light as a voice telling her to come straight home.

Feather. One person would lie on the ground and the others When she arrived at the door, Emily’s mother pulled her would gather around and attempt to pick the person up with inside and broke the news. Aunt Sally had passed away. Her two fingers each. The family also took a photo with everyone father’s older sister, the one who was like a second mother to together, the last one they would have.

Emily, the one who wore crazy outfits and fun lipstick and had “It was almost like God gave us that setting and situation curly brown hair that fell against her to have that as our last memory of rosy cheeks, was no more. her,” Emily said.

“It didn’t seem real,” Emily said.

Growing up, Emily and her It could’ve been prevented. I think that’s “It didn’t seem like she could be gone, family often spent time in Sally’s the hardest part. If he had chose not to leave so instantly, so abruptly and in that Kansas home. Emily remembers that bar drunk, then she would still be here. way.” the old-fashioned benches around The accident occurred when Sally Sally’s dining room table where Emily Morrow, 12 was driving her teenage daughter and Emily and her cousins would friend to the movies that Friday. An squeeze onto so that they could fit intoxicated driver coming from a bar drove over the median as many people as possible at one table. Sally didn’t like chairs and crashed into Sally’s vehicle in a head on collision. The because they would separate the family. two teens were in critical condition but survived. The drunk “She was kind of the glue of our entire family,” Emily said. driver died at the scene, but the doctors were able to revive “For family functions, she brought everyone together.” him. Sally, however, was killed instantly.

In addition to her love for family, Sally’s radiant smile is For Sally’s younger brother and Emily’s father, Doug another feature Doug remembers most about his sister. He Morrow, that Jan. 21 started off as a beautiful day skiing in said she made an impact on everyone she met.

Vail. Doug had just settled down for dinner when the phone “My sister would light up every room she walked in,” Doug call came from his older brother Mike, who gave him the said. “There were no strangers. She made everyone she came news. The sister who helped raise him, the sister who turned in contact with a better person.” everything they did into a craft, the sister who had his eyes After Sally died, the family changed. It is rare now that they was gone in an instant. all get together.

“There’s multiple stages you go through when you lose a “She was always joyful,” Emily said. “So when she passed loved one,” Doug said. “The first one is denial. The second one away, it just always feels like there is a piece missing now.” is anger, and I absolutely felt angry.” *** But Doug was also thankful that Sally didn’t have to suffer.

Whenever Emily sees the photograph of her and Sally in He said he believes her transition to heaven was instantaneous. the Chuck E. Cheese photo booth hanging on her bulletin “The ultimate goal in life is to get to heaven,” Doug said. board, she pictures the time when she was 9, and the family

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13

was all together. While the children ran around and played, the adults sat together in one section. But not Sally.

“She was going through the mazes with us and these tiny foam pits,” Emily said. “I remember her going through the slides, and she was on the little, tiny rides.”

It was always Sally’s actions that spoke the loudest, according to Emily. Sally volunteered at her church in Kansas and the local school. She sang in the church choir and always put her children before anything else.

“She gave everything she had away,” Emily said. “When she was at dinner, she would pay for someone else’s meal when she didn’t really have any money at all.”

Sally was also the type of person that could be told anything.

Emily said Sally was like a second mother to her.

“She would give you kind of Godly advice,” Emily said. “I looked up to her as role model of a woman of God, and I’ve tried to incorporate her morals and what she believed in into my life.”

Despite the hardships of dealing with losing a sister, Doug has taken it upon himself to find something positive in the situation. Jan. 21 is the anniversary of her death. But it is also the day Doug reminds people to tell those they are close to that they love them. He sends out a mass email, urging people to spread love. He entitles the message “Remembering Sally.”

“Life’s short,” Doug said. “They need to reach out and tell their loved ones they love them. It’s my way of keeping her spirit alive.”

Enduring this loss, Doug has also found forgiveness. Once the driver who crashed into Sally’s car is released from his 11year sentence, Doug plans on meeting him and forgiving him.

“It doesn’t mean any good to carry around anger,” Doug said. “I hope he learned a lesson, and I hope he can make it a positive.”

Since the crash, Emily said she has taken the initiative to avoid ever getting into a car with someone who has had even a sip of alcohol.

“It could’ve been prevented,” Emily said. “I think that’s the hardest part. If he had chose not to leave that bar drunk, then she would still be here.” *** Whenever Doug passes the memorial wall on the way to his garage every day, he is reminded of her. He passes the pictures of the two of them together and remembers the times they spent with each other. He remembers the life his sister had.

He also remembers the feeling of losing her.

“If people can even understand one percent of that feeling, they’d be a lot smarter before they decided to take certain actions behind the wheel,” Doug said.

compiled

In 2010, there were about

189,000

emergency rooms visits by people under the age of 21 for injuries and other conditions caused by alcohol.

In 2011, there were fatalities due to drunk driving accidents.

On average, teenagers that drink consume more alcohol during one drinking occasion than adults. april 5, 2013 the marquee

9,878

ben horton

of students, have drank alcohol by the end of high school.

have drank alcohol by the eighth grade.

design sydney sund

14

ENTERTAINMENT

BENEATH the CRUST

story ryan mcdearmont photos michele papa

Since pizza is such a popular food, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of pizza restaurants in the area for pizza lovers to choose from. The Marquee has decided to review four of the best pizza joints in town.

Johnny Brusco’s

Enzo’s

Sitting on a corner in Parker Square, Enzo’s is by far the closest to an authentic pizzeria in the area. When walking in, customers are greeted by the enthusiastic staff and Enzo himself. The smell of pizza fills the air, and it’s easy to notice that the pizza made at Enzo’s is made with fresh ingredients.

Although Enzo’s sells pre-made slices, one can easily order something custom made from the menu of varied toppings. The prices are very reasonable, especially considering the quality of the pizza served. It costs $2.00 per slice, with toppings ranging from $0.50 to $0.75.

The service at Enzo’s is quick and friendly, and the atmosphere is very enjoyable.

In addition to an outdoor seating area, the pizzeria also has large windows across its walls that provide a great view of Parker Square. The slices of pizza are fairly large, and provide plenty of food for one person. Enzo’s also serves full pizzas that are relatively cheap, so it is ideal for people willing to share. All in all, Enzo’s is definitely the most authentic pizza restaurant, and the best quality for its price. Anyone who likes pizza at all should at least give Enzo’s a try.

Palio’s

In the Walmart shopping center on 407 in Highland Village, Palio’s has a rather awkward parking situation. There are only a few spaces in front of the restaurant, but parking a little further down and walking a bit is no issue. Luckily, the inside of the restaurant is very spacious. At Palio’s, customers order and pay at the front and then find a seat at one of the booths or multiple tables, or on the outdoor patio. Orders are then delivered to the table. Although Palio’s does not offer individual slices of pizza, their pizzas are sliced in a grid shape, which makes them ideal for sharing.

The restaurant’s atmosphere is best described as casual, yet refined. Fancy décor is coupled with light jazz music to create the feeling of an upscale establishment. The thin crust is perfectly cooked, and the toppings have plenty of flavor. The gourmet pizza options provide customers with unique, delicious options that are worth trying, such as the Meat & Cheese Deluxe and the Hawaiian Sunrise. In addition, Palio’s provides gluten-free pizza options for those with allergies. Palio’s would be a great eatery for a group get-together.

design jordan richards

Located in the Best Buy shopping center on Long Prairie Road in Flower Mound, Johnny Brusco’s is a seemingly small restaurant.

However, it’s bigger than it looks on the outside. When walking in, patrons are urged to seat themselves at one of the various booths or tables. Unlike the other eateries on this list, Johnny Brusco’s functions as a sit-down restaurant, with quick servers coming to the tables to take orders and refill drinks. The atmosphere is what one might expect from a “classic” pizza parlor, with dim lighting, a bar and arcade games in the back. There is also an outdoor patio for when the weather is nice.

Pizza is served in both whole pies and individual slices. Unless you’re with a big group, it would be best to get individual slices, as the slices are massive and provide plenty of food. There are tons of options for toppings, which is nice for those who like variety. The slices cost $2.25, with each topping ranging from $0.65 to $0.95. One might complain about how long it takes for the food come to the table. However, it is well worth the wait, as the food is delicious and the freshness can be tasted. Although Johnny Brusco’s is the most expensive on this list, the quality makes up for it. It is a restaurant that would be best suited for customers who are looking for a nice, sit-down meal for either lunch or dinner, or a place for a date night. The menu even offers lunch specials and gluten-free options.

Zpizza

Found on Cross Timbers Road, Zpizza is a restaurant that takes a modern, healthy approach to pizza.

Although Zpizza can be confusing to reach due to its location, it’s menu and food could not be more simple to understand.

Zpizza offers various, unique pizza creations as well as already-made pizza by the slice. The ready-made slices provide a fast and convenient way to get a meal. The slices are large but not gigantic, making them the perfect amount of pizza for anyone just hungry for a bite to eat.

The pizza itself has a very unique flavor. There is almost no grease on the slices, even those with regularly greasy toppings such as pepperoni. The taste of tomato sauce is very prominent, with a natural taste that can be appreciated. The cheese is also very flavorful. Although Zpizza proves to be both unique and tasty, it should not be recommended for those seeking a “classic” pizza experience. Zpizza should best be enjoyed by those who are staying healthy but still crave pizza every now and then. The restaurant itself has an appealing modern and “cool” atmosphere that manages to also come off as casual. Zpizza also serves gluten-free pizza options.

april 5, 2013 the marquee

ENTERTAINMENT

15

Festive affairs story ben horton

Earth Day Dallas Festival When: April 19-20 Price: Free Music: Headliners include Amos Lee and Ishi.

Fair Park may be known for its State Fair in the fall, but there is also a big event in April. For its second year as a festival, Earth Day Dallas will be held at this venue. Earth Day Dallas will celebrate healthy life choices with recycling, academic booths that will improve personal health, workshops that will discuss ways to help the environment and music that will move the soul. The festival runs from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on each day of the festival. With an expected 65,000 people to be in attendance, parking may be a problem. But there is a Dart Train Station at Fair Park which is more convenient for people who want to arrive without stressing or paying for a parking spot.

Grapevine Main Street Days When: May 17-19 Music: Artists are to be determined Price: $10 Grapevine Main Street is as historic looking as a town out of a Charles Dickens novel. There is a nostalgic quality about the town that brings out a hometown essence. When May rolls around, so does the annual Main Street Days that everyone around town attends. But this event is worth enduring the crowd for because the theme is pizza. There are always different types of pizza and delicious offerings as well as plenty of opportunities to listen to good music.

the marquee april 5, 2013

Wildflower

Richardson’s Arts and Music Festival When: May 17-19 Price: Three-day pass: $30, single-day pass: $20 Music: Headliners include Reverend Horton Heat, The Toadies, Grand Funk Railroad, Gretchen Wilson and .38 Special.

In its 21st year as a festival, Wildflower presents nationally known bands over a three-day period for an unreal price. With three main stages and two mini stages, the City of Richardson delivers everything from country to rock to folk to pop. Each year, over 70,000 attend it. Spending only $30, attendees can easily get a close spot to the stage to see world class musicians.

One of the highlights of the food row is Freebirds Burritos, which offers their fare of delicious tacos, nachos and burritos.

With everything the festival has to offer, music and art fans can’t go wrong.

Fort Worth Music Festival When: May 17-19 Price: $35 Music: Headliners include Drive By Truckers, Old 97s, Galactic and ZZ Ward.

With 30 bands on three stages over the entire weekend, this festival promises to bring good live music for a reasonable price. There is an abundance of food trucks and visual artists which complements the amount of music. Local chefs will be presenting classes to showcase their culinary creations. There will be a wide variety of music from Galactic’s New Orleans funk to Drive By Truckers’ southern rock swagger. It is located in Panther Island Pavilion.

Dallas International Guitar Festival When: April 19-21 Price: Ranges from $10-90 Music: Artists include Zack Myers, Ty Tabor, Rick Derringer and Andy Timmons.

At the Dallas International Guitar Festival, students can go and see guitarists that their parents may remember from their high school days or ones that teenagers listen to right now.

For example, this year Rick Derringer is performing, who is most known for his 1970 song “Rock and Roll Hoochie-Coo.” Newer guitarists will also be present like Zack Myers of the band Shinedown. Despite being pricey, the event is worth a try. Even just going to the Expo at the Festival is worth it.

What aspiring guitarist wouldn’t want to just marvel at the sight of a $60,000 dollar guitar that had been played by none other than Eric Clapton? The prices vary because attendees can get anything from a single performance ticket to one that provides VIP seating.

Edgefest When: April 27 Price: $34.50 - $67.50 Music: Headliners include Paramore, AWOLNATION, Bush, Phoenix and the Deftones.

For any fans of newer, more mainstream music, Edgefest is the place to be. Located at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, this festival was first put on in 1992. Now, 21 years later since that first year when Pearl Jam headlined, the annual event continues to showcase popular alternative and hard rock music. There is one main stage on one side of the stadium and another stage on the opposite side. People who enjoy the music on 102.1 The Edge will be sure to love this event.

design/graphics jordan richards

16

ENTERTAINMENT

Myths at Marcus

Every school has its tall tales and surprising facts. The hard part about these stories is how to distinguish non-fiction from gossip. What is real, what is not real? The Marquee has sorted through these stories to determine which ones are myths and which ones are true. compiled anna middleton photos amanda collen

Underground Tunnels:

Second Story S-Hall: Has a teacher ever tried to send you to deliver a pass to second story S Hall? It is hard to find, so does it exist or is it simply a joke? The S Hall is the only hall to not have a second story, or at least one that students are allowed to go to. If all the other halls come in floors of two then who says this myth isn’t true? Maybe there is indeed an upstairs S Hall but nobody is allowed to set foot in the area. Teachers talk about it as an inside joke, and most students probably haven’t even seen the stairwell that goes up there. It only makes sense that the hallway is located somewhere around upstairs W hall. If you are truly curious, why don’t you just go up the stairs?

MYTH

Haunted Auditorium:

Underneath our lovely high school lies a networking system of tunnels.

As students walk the halls, their echoes are heard by what crawls through the tunnels underneath the cafeteria and the Silver Gym. This is something very unusual for a normal high school.

The only other school that is known to have such a feature would be Hogwarts. According to Assistant Principal Jason Mullin, even if students tried to walk down the tunnels, they would be more like crawl spaces and be very difficult to move around in. Since the school is built on concrete, there are two tunnels underneath it to keep the school from shifting and cracking the concrete. The tunnels are lined with gas lines, pipes and electrical lines because they are strictly used for maintenance. But, who knows what else they are used for.

TRUTH

Rooftop Pool:

MYTH In the Larry Sigler Auditorium, the lights flash, the microphones turn on and off and the curtains move in a constant, rapid pattern. Many think this is just the workings of technical coincidence, but those in theater classes know better. The lovely Mary Gerard is among us and enjoys dancing around the auditorium. The story students tell is about a beautiful technical theater student that was on the catwalk for every show. The girl one day fell off and died, and apparently, her spirit lurks the glamorous stage. Paranormal activity is controversial to some people and fact to others. However Mary’s spirit could prove to be the piece of evidence Ghost Hunters need.

Unknown Hallway:

TRUTH The K Hall is filled with training rooms, gyms and physical education classes. Some students don’t even know what the K hall is, while others in athletics basically live there. If you have ever been asked to deliver something to K hall, you probably thought the teacher was joking. However, K hall actually does exist. Yet, there is a hall that is not known to many students, athletic or not, that hides in the very corner of this area. These classrooms are held by Mr. Sweat, Mr. Hobbs and the golf and wrestling team rooms. The numbers are K113 to K115. This secret hallway is known for causing much delusion, especially to the poor student aides. design tori allmendinger

MYTH Seniors enjoy a secret in their last year at our school. They meet on the roof for fun which would seem unusual to other schools, unless they knew the beauty of it.

Youthful freshman hear the gossip of the extravagant pool on the roof that seniors get to gloat about. Upperclassmen appear to enjoy more than the luxuries of senior in and out.

Students bring their tanning lotion and Styrofoam noodles to enjoy the flowing waters provided by our school. To get to this ocean-like roof, the students simply use the elevator. There is a button that reaches all the way to the top. That should explain it all. I mean, why else would there be a button to the roof?

Portal to Narnia: The Dark Room in S hall has far more uses than to assist those in photography classes. This is a place where all the fantasyloving readers in middle school and the occasional freshmen go to frolic.

These younger students would sometimes rush in for choir or band concerts to see a sign on the Dark Room that said in bold letters “NARNIA.” It is said that if you spin three times in this dark version of Narnia, you will receive Turkish delights and the snowy weather we Texans crave. As these children would squeal with delight, they wouldn’t notice the older photography students giggling in the background. But who cares what they think?

They are simply jealous of the adventures the youngsters have. The Dark Room is Narnia to those who believe, and a hilarious place to those who don’t.

MYTH

april 5, 2013

the marquee

SPORTS

Living with a legend

17

Junior lives with grandfather, former football player “Mean Joe” Greene story

miranda chiechi

Junior Cleo Lissade was branded an old soul. Growing up in the same house as her grandfather, she enjoys listening to old music like Earth, Wind & Fire and watching classic movies. She cherishes the days sitting on the couch and watching Indiana Jones and Star Wars with her grandpa. Almost every Sunday after church, she enjoys a meal at Macaroni Grill with her whole family.

But her grandpa isn’t exactly the typical grandfather. He is actually the famous former football player, “Mean Joe” Greene. He has won four Super Bowl championships with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was also inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After receiving a scouting job with the Steelers, he moved to Flower Mound with his wife, daughter and granddaughter in 2004.

“I just see him as my grandpa,” Lissade said. “He recently did a commercial, so sometimes I’m reminded that he is who he is, but otherwise I really think of him as a grandpa.”

Lissade said despite having a famous figure in the family her life is just like anyone else’s.

He is just a person and a family member in her eyes and not the famous “Mean Joe” Greene.

Greene said that despite all of his victories and titles from his football days, his biggest accomplishment is getting married and having a family and grandchildren. But before Greene became a father, he played football at the University of North Texas. In fact, UNT

is where his nickname came from. When the Dallas Cowboys. But after becoming a he went to the pros, it was mistaken that Steeler, he never thought about playing for a the nickname of the football team at UNT, different team.

“Mean Green,” was Greene’s nickname. This “It was special because I was there when a borrowed nickname, “Mean Joe” Greene, group of guys came together... and we evolved ended up sticking with him through his into being a championship team,” Greene professional career. said.

His most memorable game at UNT was in Greene was also one of the four players his sophomore of the “Steel year in the Curtain,” the mid 60s. “Go famous Steelers Mean Green! defensive line In the face of adversity, he’s always Go Mean in the 1970s. been able to be strong, and he’s Green!” the Throughout his crowd chanted 13-year football been able to go through it. as sophomore, career with the Cleo Lissade, 11 “Mean Joe” Steelers, he Greene took did not receive the field with any long term the UNT varsity injuries. football team against Texas Western. It was “I’m the one that dished out the injuries,” the revenge match for UNT after they had Greene said. “I’m not the one that was getting lost to the rival the previous year. The fans the injuries.” watched the game anxiously until the clock He was also widely known for his Cocaran out of time. The game ended in a victory Cola commercial that aired during the 1980 for UNT. Super Bowl. Greene said this commercial “It was the start of something good showed a different, softer side of him rather happening here at North Texas for our than his tough football persona. More people football team,” Greene said. approached him, and he became even more It was also the start of something good popular because of the commercial. happening for Greene. He later went on Along with all of his contributions to with his football career and was drafted by football, Greene continues to play a role today the Pittsburgh Steelers. Before being drafted in his own family’s lives. Lissade said he is by the Steelers, Greene said he considered someone she looks up to. playing for many football teams, including “In the face of adversity, he’s always been

“ “

able to be strong, and he’s been able to go through it,” Lissade said.

Greene said he hopes to inspire his family by being involved in their lives and sharing his knowledge from over the years. One of the things Greene said he does now is spend a lot of his time with his grandchildren. He also continues to be a part of UNT and the NFL. Lissade and her family will sometimes go to football games at UNT, and people in the stands sometimes call out to her grandpa and ask for autographs.

As for the NFL, Greene still works with the Steelers and scouts college players for the team. He also continues to keep in touch with players from his former football team.

Lissade said that with “Mean Joe” Greene as her grandpa, she has had some unique experiences.

In the sixth grade, she went to Pittsburgh with him for the 75th anniversary of the Steelers and got to meet, hangout and have dinner at the event with almost all of the Steelers alumni, like former quarterback Terry Bradshaw.

As for everyday life, Greene said it is fairly easy to go out in public without many people recognizing or approaching him. Lissade said that some people at school bring it up once in awhile about her having a famous figure in the family, but other than that, her life is normal. “[We do] anything that any daughter and father would do,” Lissade said. “He’s like a dad to me.”

The Life of “Mean Joe” compiled

tori allmendinger

Awards and Achievements -inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame -NFL’s Rookie of the Year in 1969 -inducted into the 1987 Pro Football Hall of Fame -6 Super Bowl rings in total -retired in 1981 after 13 years in the league r “Mean her grandfathe er for e stands with ay ad pl ss ll Li ba ot eo fo Cl Junior essional is a former prof Joe” Greene. He lers.

Stee the Pittsburgh

-College football career at the University of North Texas lasted from 1966–1968.

-In 1987 he became an assistant coach under Steelers’ head coach Chuck Noll. He spent the next 16 years as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals.

-recognized as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in both 1972 and 1974

photos

ted

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http://meanjoegreene75.com/bio.html

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design tori allmendinger

18

SPORTS

Gymnast turned diver wins top award Sophomore diver places at state, receives first state diving medal for school

story alyssa schmidt Sophomore Mackenzie Willborn steps onto the board.

Yesterday, the splashing from the swimmers engulfed the Natatorium, but today, the only sounds come from the murmuring of the crowd. The board looks a mile long as she takes careful tip-toed steps on it. Her reflection is mirrored on the big screen TV that hangs on the opposite wall. She watches herself get to the middle of the board and thinks, I hope I don’t mess up. She starts her small jump, takes one big bounce and she’s off into the air, gracefully flipping and twisting, then landing with a small splash into the water.

Mackenzie resurfaces to hear quiet cheering and sees her parents sitting on the pool deck, big smiles on their faces.

Mackenzie exits the pool after the last dive of the state competition. It is out of her hands now. All she can do is wait.

Mackenzie and her friend and competition Lauren Crown sit together with other divers and anxiously await the results.

When the list announcing the winners finally goes up, people crowd around it to see what number their names are next to. Her eyes run down the list until she sees Crown’s name next to the number two and her own name next to number three. Mackenzie had won third place at the UIL state diving competition in Austin.

“It felt so good to win third, and it was really fun to end up on the podium with her,” Mackenzie said.

when we made the decision to try diving.”

*** Mackenzie and a friend walk out onto the natatorium’s pool deck, only to find themselves surrounded by 9 and 10-yearolds. They finally decided to take the plunge into the world of diving only to find that like in most other sports, participants at this camp usually start out young. They were the oldest at 13, but thankfully they weren’t the least trained.

Mackenzie said that her experience with gymnastics helped her to make the transition into diving.

“I was so awful that first week of camp,” Mackenzie said. “I probably smacked every dive.”

Later, Mackenzie and her friend went to check out club dive teams. They landed on the GrapevineCarrolton team, and they signed up for the high school beginner class.

“Grapevine-Carrolton is a really big name in diving,” Mackenzie said. “They had just won nationals the year before I started, and it was great to come in and have that team name behind me. It gave me a lot of confidence.”

Once Mackenzie was on the actual team, she assimilated into the social aspect, almost as quickly as she adjusted to diving.

“They didn’t let us into the group immediately, but now you can’t separate us,” Mackenzie said. “They’re just a great group of people, and we’re all pretty much on the same page. They’ve definitely made it a more fun experience.”

Later, as Mackenzie was registering for high school, she noticed that the school had a dive team. Although she didn’t

know anyone on the team, she was excited and signed up. A year later, Mackenzie has climbed the ladder in the diving world. Last year she went to Nationals for her club team and she said, for it being her first year of diving, she did really well. But at the time, she had no idea how good she was.

“You don’t get scored in practice so it’s hard to tell how well you’re doing score-wise before a meet,” Mackenzie said. “At nationals I didn’t realize how well I was doing until the list went up and I had made it to the next round. It was such a surprise.”

Her next big meet came when she placed first at regionals and qualified for state in Austin. For weeks, Mackenzie practiced her dives. During her high school practices, she did only her dives from her list until she felt that she was as perfect as possible. Mackenzie’s synchronized diving partner Crown, who dives at Grapevine-Carrolton, was also going to state.

“Since we do synchronized diving, our lists of dives are basically the same, we dive really similar and we have a lot in common outside of diving,” Mackenzie said. “She’d been to state and took me through how everything worked.”

Mackenzie has surprised not just herself but also her family. Her mom Shelby had no idea what the results would be when they decided to try diving but says she couldn’t be more proud.

“Sometimes I watch her and I look back on when she started and think, did she really do that?” Shelby said.

At school the following Monday, the announcements came on in second period. Mackenzie heard her name with news that she wasn’t expecting. Not only did she place third but she’s also the only diver in school history to place at a state competition.

“I didn’t expect that no one else had medaled,” Mackenzie said. “I had figured that someone from way back when had done it, but it was really cool to be the first.”

*** Only a year and a half ago, Mackenzie was a gymnast. She started gymnastics when she was 3 years old and continued until injuries caused her to rethink whether the sport was worth it or not.

“Right before I quit, I fractured my knee and then later my elbow,” Mackenzie said. “Even though I was injured, I was still training. There was just too much going on at the same time, and we decided to not put myself in more danger than I needed to.”

As a parent, Shelby Willborn was scared to see her daughter try to push through the injuries because she knew that Mackenzie loved doing gymnastics so much.

“Teammates’ parents and coaches noticed that she might be too tall for gymnastics,” Shelby said. “People would suggest diving to her as a joke, but when Mackenzie got hurt, that’s

design amanda collen

photo submitted april 5, 2013 the marquee

ROAD TO STATE

SPORTS

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19

kady kohankie

Girls’ soccer wins district, overcomes injuries, challenges story miranda chiechi

opponent who kicked the ball right towards her face. The ball snapped her head back, and she found herself on the ground.

The girls’ varsity soccer team won their game on March 19, She was taken to the emergency room and was diagnosed with a very critical game for their season. The team not only beat a concussion. Lamb also found out there was bleeding in her one of their number one rivals, Flower Mound, but also won retina, which can cause blindness. However, she had no vision district. But it was not an easy victory for the team. At halftime problems and was able to return to the field four weeks later. the score was 1-0 with Flower Mound in the lead. After a pep “She has had a long recovery, but we’re happy she’s back,” talk from the coaches, the team went back on the field in the Hobbs said. second half and turned the game around. They scored two goals Lamb is not the only player to have suffered an injury and won the game by one point. The girls rushed the field after this year. In the game against Flower Mound, the team was the game ended to celebrate. also missing junior Madeline Brem Girls’ varsity soccer head coach due to injury. It was the first game in [Soccer’s] always been a big part Chad Hobbs felt relief after the three years without Brem. Hobbs said of my life, so i can’t imagine not close game ended. that having to move people around “In my opinion, our district affected the team, but they were able to working for it. is the toughest in the state with pull together and turn the losing game Coppell, Flower Mound and around into a victory.

Courtney Forte, 12 Hebron,” Hobbs said. “They’re But not all hardships are physical not easy games, and so for us to injuries. Lamb said another challenge not only do well, but win district, it says a lot about the girls.” soccer players face is the emotional part of the game, like Hobbs said the advantages that helped get the team to losing and having to keep moving forward. Hobbs said with this point in the season are having a group of experienced any team, they face the task of building team chemistry and players, a solid defense and good attacking players. But the having the girls act like a family. road to the success of winning district has not come without “We are a team, and you’re with each other so much I think its challenges. conflicts arise,” Hobbs said. “But we were able to meet as a In a pre-season game, senior Jennifer Lamb was taken out team and we gave everybody a voice… and everyone kind of for six games due to an injury. Towards the end of their game came to a collective goal, which is trying to get to state.” on Jan. 17 against Richarson, Lamb was five feet away from her Senior Courtney Forte says the mindset of the game is

“ “

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april 5, 2013

also a challenge since she has two different positions to think about.

“I play defender on club, and then here I’m midfielder, so I completely have to switch my mind and change my attitude and my ideas, so it’s kind of difficult,” Forte said.

Not only do the girls play soccer for the school, but all of the varsity players play soccer on club teams as well that are all year long. They have to balance school and other activities with their two different soccer teams.

“They’re constantly playing, so we deal with the physical issues of so much training here and training out of school,” Hobbs said. “Our whole thing is trying to balance that to where we keep them healthy and keep them fit.”

Although soccer takes up a lot of time, Forte said she finds it something worth working hard for.

“It’s something I’ve done my whole life,” Forte said. “It’s always been a big part of my life, so I can’t imagine not working for it.”

All of the hardships and injuries have brought the team to this point in the season as they take on playoffs. The team has to win all six games to go to state. The playoff games started with bi-district playoffs on March 29 and continue tonight, April 5, with the area playoffs. Hobbs said the team plans to continue their training schedule and keep playing like they have been to reach their ultimate goal for the rest of the season.

“Our expectation is to make it to the state finals,” Hobbs said. “We want to go win it. That’s been our goal from the first day we stepped on the field.”

design amanda collen

OPINION

BOOMBAS [things we like]

20

lil’ neon

National merit finalists

Recognized artwork

Education boost

This year the school has 16 National Merit Finalists.

This is a large increase from the six finalists the school had last year. Congratulations to students for their hard work and teachers and the school for such an achievement.

The library is a little brighter lately after appreciaitng students’ talent by displaying their artwork on the walls.

Now kids can be recognized for their artistic side and hard work through the exhibition of their pieces for all to see.

HEB grocery stores have recently announced that LISD is one of the five regional finalists in their Excellence in Education Awards program. LISD will receive a $5,000 check to help the education program and $100,000 more if they win the state’s award.

Anna Middleton

The ides of March

Ever since I was little I believed in superstitions. I loved to explore the coincidences of the world that I thought were mysterious. I was curious and made up my own tales for why things happened in such circumstantial events. One particular superstition of mine used to haunt my young mind.

My birthday is March 9. I always enjoy my birthday because my friends and family typically get along better, and who doesn’t love their birthday? However, seven days before this luxurious event, a curse has been laid upon me. On March 2 for many years, something terrible has happened.

The curse began the week before my 14th birthday. Being a perfectly healthy teenager, I rarely ever missed school. If I did, it was because I didn’t want to go that day. Then on March 2, I fell ill with a stomach bug. I woke up that morning to a terrible pain in my stomach. I just thought that this was a feeling of hunger so I got ready as usual.

My dad came to pick me up and take me to school as he normally did, and as I was going outside, the door smashed my finger. Wincing away the pain, I thought I was fine, until the pain triggered a surge in my stomach. I ran to the bathroom and threw up. My mother had me stay home, and I mostly slept the day away, my stomach’s agony reminding me of the embarrassing vomiting session I had earlier. My whole family had gotten sick earlier in the week, but somehow it got around to me right before my birthday.

The following year, my 15th birthday was approaching. I had a job at the retail store of Hot Topic. Being one of the best sellers there and working only on the weekends, I was content with my job. However, every job comes with a price at some point. My boss called me up to come to work on March 2 and I came as quickly and as peppy as could be.

Instead of going to work, my boss sat me down for a long and grueling talk, and it had been decided that I was to be let go that day. I signed my paperwork, knowing arguing was no use, and left the store tear-stricken.

Now came the last cursed day, the week before my sweet 16. I am a theater kid, plain and simple. Acting is something I love to do and I always enjoy it, no matter the size of my role. I’ll even be “tree number three.” This fall I had struck luck by getting my first true major part in the UIL One Act, “The Bald Soprano”. I played a Cockney maid named Mary but was having trouble with getting into the directors’ vision of the character.

As a result, I was replaced with a more experienced senior and was in the cast as an alternate. Not only did my part drop, but my heart sank with it. I beat myself up, wondering what I did wrong. Although I was upset at the time, I learned how to handle disappointment. I also was still honored to be a part of the hilarious fun-loving cast.

Up until this year, I have feared this day. I wondered what would happen the next year, and the year after that. I cringed in fear as my 17th birthday crept closer and closer, imagining the events that would occur.

However, even though March 2 has had a really bad reputation in my past, this year I actually had a great time that day. I guess I shouldn’t believe in superstitions. However, that won’t stop me from locking all my doors and windows before my 18th birthday. design jordan richards

the great madsby

Maddy Ermenio

Slaughtered dreams The day I first saw death changed a huge part of my life: my diet.

I was 14 when I went to visit my grandparents in Marble Falls. My grandpa is a big hunter – ducks, turkey, pigs, deer.

You name it, he kills it. He decided to take me to visit a ranch near his house where hunters can kill animals and then take them to the slaughterhouse. Seeing how meat is processed would be a good experience for me, right? Wrong.

As soon as we arrived to the slaughterhouse, I begged my grandpa not to make me go inside. Nevertheless, he dragged me inside and insisted that I see for myself. I shuffled my feet forward one by one, terrified of what I would see inside those doors. As I inched closer, I saw the heads of animals sitting in alignment outside the entrance, warning me to turn away.

Once we entered the slaughterhouse, I was immediately overwhelmed by the stench of raw meat. A large, skinned animal hung from a hook on the ceiling. Blood covered the table where two men stood with knives in hand, slicing layers of meat one by one from their lifeless victims. The men waved a filthy hand at me and chuckled at my disgusted expression. I could feel the blood drain away from my face in horror.

My legs shook as my grandpa opened the refrigerator to reveal a skinned pig that my cousin had shot, its pink flesh highlighted by red and blue veins that had gotten the life sucked out of them. I cringed and closed my eyes, pleading

How think students do you

can AVOID

for this nightmare to end.

During the car ride home, I cried and cried as I thought of the fear the animals felt before they were killed. It was in that moment that I decided to quit eating meat. When I announced the news to my friends and family, they told me that the animals would’ve been killed anyway and that I shouldn’t bother being a vegetarian, but I wasn’t backing down now. I had to prove them wrong.

Once I did some research, I found that there are vegetarian substitutes for just about everything: vegetarian burgers, vegetarian chicken nuggets, and even vegetarian ribs (heavy in soy and vegetables as opposed to meat). To my surprise, I actually craved these new vegetarian snacks.

Up until February of 2013 when I was 16, I remained true to myself and refrained from eating meat. I stunned everyone, including myself, with my self-control and will to do what I believed to be right.

After two years of being a proudly proclaimed vegetarian, things changed. My mom became concerned for my health. I knew I wasn’t getting enough protein on a daily basis, my iron levels were low and my weight was below average. We decided to see a nutritionist to decide if making the transition back to eating meat was worthwhile.

As we had a consultation with the nutritionist, I rolled my eyes as she droned on about the dangerous lack of protein in my diet. I thought that I was being forced against my will to do something that I stood against.

Then I started to realize that maybe it wasn’t just my diet that had to change. I had to change my outlook on life and be more open-minded.

In the end I knew that I had to start eating meat again and do what was best for my health, even though I still want to be a vegetarian. I still have flashbacks of that gruesome day at the slaughterhouse. I still won’t eat beef or pork, only chicken.

The first night my mom cooked meat for me, I barely choked down one ounce of it (to my mom’s frustration).

Nevertheless, I have come to grudgingly accept that I need to balance my opinions with my health. If I sacrifice my health to go all out for something that I strongly believe in, is it really worth it?

After years of thought and consideration, I have finally come to a conclusion. For now, my vegetarian status is not my number one priority. My health supercedes all. So even on days when I don’t want to eat the chicken on my plate, the big picture of self-improvement makes everything worthwhile.

“They should stand up for themselves and not hang out with the people that would drink at prom.”

“Stay away from the wrong crowd, and keep your distance from them so they don’t influence you.”

peer pressure

to DRINK at PROM? compiled anna middleton photos amanda collen

Ally Malone, 9

RJ Joshi, 10 april 5, 2013

the marquee

OPINION Diary vs. bathroom

Some teachers don’t update Schoolweb weekly or do not follow the schedule. This causes some confusion for students who actively check online to see what they need to be prepared for. If teachers updated Schoolweb more often, some stress would be alleviated for students.

Even though students have four classes on their schedules, it seems that teachers think they only have one. Teachers sometimes assume their class is number one priority and give students large amounts of homework, disregarding other classes and activities.

Although new bathrooms have been built, they are starting to resemble the old stalls. Several messages have been scrawled on the stalls in Sharpie.

This degrades the quality of the bathrooms. People need to learn the difference between a diary and a bathroom door.

imaginative dragon

Madi Schwem

Be more tolerant Her name is Lucy, and I’ve only met her twice. Yet, through only knowing her for small fragments of time, she’s made me think hard on few things. She was this incredibly intelligent 17-year-old. When she spoke, she shared stories of how she was bullied frequently throughout her high school years. Looking at her and hearing her speak, I first couldn’t imagine why. She was nice. Well-spoken. She looked you in the eyes when she talked to you—something I wish I could do with ease. Then Lucy told me she was Muslim.

I was fine with that, of course, but I knew other people wouldn’t always be. And I was right. Students picked on her constantly for being Muslim. They went so far as to tug at the traditional scarf she wore around her head every day. Many offensive slurs were thrown at her throughout the course of her high school years, including the word “terrorist.” She constantly received threats. Every morning before school, Lucy would cry and ask her mother if she could stay home. School was supposed to be a pleasant learning environment, and yet she was terrified to take two steps inside the building each day. What does it say when she was afraid to go to what was supposed to be a positive environment?

I would say that I was shocked to hear of her ordeal, but I wasn’t. Actually, for anyone to say that they’ve never heard of this sort of thing happening to someone in their lives would’ve surprised me more. That thoroughly depresses me,

HEYS

Work overload

[things we don’t like]

Schoolweb slack

since it should probably be the other way around. It just shows you how jaded we’ve become to the way things are. It’s now the norm to hear this sort of bullying taking place. Isn’t that kind of sad?

If I were to make a list of all the people I know who have been teased for just simply believing what they want to believe or living how they want to live, my list would probably roll out the door and stretch down the street. Sexuality. Religion. Gender. Social status. Disability. If it’s different from the norm, people lock their minds and throw away the key, so to speak.

Psychologically, people are afraid of the things they don’t understand. Instead of taking the time to embrace the idea, they shun it or worse—try to get rid of it completely. It’s become a bad habit or ours.

And, while physically bullying somebody is obviously substantially worse, verbal bullying has hurt more than its fair share of people as well. Remember that old phrase we were taught when we were kids? “Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words may never hurt you.” I know this to be a big, fat lie.

Words can either be like pillows or like bricks. If you’re nice and fair about what you say, meaning that what you say is justified, they don’t hurt. But if what you say is offensive or judgmental, they leave people bruised.

My father once spoke to me about a kid he knew in middle school who was teased every day by his locker. The antagonists never beat the kid up, but what they said was enough to make him go home and commit suicide. That poor kid’s selfesteem was completely obliterated by people who never really knew him. They had no idea that he might’ve actually been a good person. A life was destroyed completely because of their bullying.

What I’m trying to say here is that people are cruel. It’s been said over and over again, but it’ll never be said enough— people need to be more tolerant of other people. I’m tired of seeing the pain in every friend I make. It needs to stop at some point. We as students cause each other massive amounts of pain without even realizing it. People don’t deserve to grow up in that sort of negative energy. People deserve room to be themselves without worrying about every little consequence.

I dream of a world where people don’t over-analyze every single move they make for fear of judgment. I know that we’ll never live in a perfect world, but it would be wonderful if we could still strive to reach that place.

MARQUEE REMARKS “Make the decision beforehand to not drink.

Once you have already decided that you are not going to, it’s easier to keep saying ‘no’ once you have made the decision in your mind.”

Elizabeth Minton, 11 the marquee april 5, 2013

“Think about what your mother or father would say.

How would they feel about you getting yourself in a situation like that?”

Geo Kennedy, 12

21

“A student should stand firm for their own particular moral standard, and by doing so, they may be the leader who convinces others not to participate.”

Jane Johnson, English

sharp as a tack

Austin Rickerson

Old people problems iPhones. They may be simple gadgets for the average teenager to use, but I have learned through hours of agonizing pain and repetitive teaching that the same can’t be said for adults. Forget raising children, learning to use the iPhone may be the hardest thing adults have to endure in their lives.

I can recall the moment I first realized my dad had gotten his iPhone 4S. I was waiting in line to get into a concert at the local venue Trees in Dallas. My legs were tired from standing and my stomach was empty. All of a sudden, I felt my phone vibrated in my pocket. I thought for a second it could be a text from a hot girl, only to have my heart drop once I read Dad on the screen. I opened the message and waited for the screen to load. Immediately I noticed something. The message was the brilliant iMessage blue instead of the unappealing Text Message green. My father, the technology-savvy guru himself, had an iPhone.

When my dad decided to finally give into peer pressure and buy himself an iPhone, I was completely and utterly shocked.

I was also apprehensive. The moment he showed me his new, black iPhone, I realized he was helpless without my Apple genius. I knew an uphill battle lay ahead of me. Sure my dad had had a Blackberry, but the iPhone was a whole new monster.

Teaching him to use it would be a long and tedious process that could even result in permanent insanity.

The beginning was the worst. Rolling my eyes and sighing became a common occurrence as I attempted to teach the most basic iPhone skills, like listening to messages. It was a mystery to me how he didn’t naturally know how to do everything on his phone that I did.

The funniest part of the whole ordeal had to be when he first attempted to text. My dad trying to use the touch screen keyboard was like a penguin trying to fly. Needless to say, it wasn’t working out too well. His huge thumbs could not hit one letter without also hitting three others.

The autocorrect didn’t help him much either. However, turning it off only seemed to make the situation worse. When he sent me the text “Is your Bible ok? Im gonna rheow awh the receipt” after he bought me my new Bible, I began to accept that he was a hopeless case.

However, I began to see flickers of hope. Though he got frustrated and called his phone mean names on multiple occasions, his texting abilities began to show minor improvements. He even downloaded the Fox4 Weather app and ESPN Scorecenter app on his own. Obviously I was amazed by his progress. I couldn’t have been prouder even if he had won the Nobel Prize or discovered the cure for AIDS. My very own father was making a baby step into the 21st century. It was nothing short of a miracle.

He might ask me every day how to do stuff on his iPhone and still be amazed by what it can do. But then again, so am I. Although my dad only knows about a tenth of the things his phone can do (that’s being generous), I don’t know half of what it can do either. Okay, I probably know more like 90%, but what’s the difference?

What I’m saying is do what I say, not what I do. We should be more patient with each other. Not everything we think is easy is easy to others and vice versa. We should all try to just be a little more encouraging to the people around us. But hey, there’s probably an app for that. design jordan richards

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EDITORIALS

Drivers should take responsibility, think before drinking Staff Editorial It’s no secret that driving under the influence of alcohol contributes to the deaths of many teenagers across America every year. Students go to parties, drink and get behind the wheel, risking their lives and passengers’ lives. To stop potential deaths, students need to think about actions before drinking and driving.

Underage drinking is bad enough as it is. By consuming alcohol, a teenager would already be breaking a fair law set in motion for their own safety. However, if someone is breaking that law and taking that risk, they should be aware of the detrimental effects that drinking has on them. Drinking impairs vision and judgment, which makes the idea of getting behind the wheel while inebriated an accident waiting to happen. If a student is at a party and knows that they are responsible for getting home safely, they should stay away from alcohol. A few drinks are not worth killing yourself over.

While students have themselves to think about while they’re out partying, they may also have other people to think about. A student may invite friends along, and they might all carpool together. If the group is already going to make the bad decision to drink at a social event, they should at least have one sober person in the car responsible for driving the others home. Just having that one sober person in the vehicle could be a chance to step away

from the possibility of grave injuries to everyone involved.

If students have no one sober to drive them home, it’s important that they remember that getting punished by their parents for their mistakes will be nowhere near as horrible as death or killing the other people in the car. People often think that an accident wouldn’t happen to them or that they are perfectly capable of driving in this situation, but they’re not.

If a drunk driver gets anyone in the car killed, he or she has to live with that every day of his or her life. It’s not worth it.

Letter to The Editor:

Bottoms up

Patricia Qualls

Bottoms up

T.A.

Students at fault for new library policies, careless acts lead to consequences Staff Editorial Recently, the amount of students allowed in the library during lunches has been reduced to two students per table.

This was done in an attempt to reduce overcrowding in the library. Considering the previous behavior of students in the library and many other factors, this policy is a good idea. It should be seen as a positive change by both students and staff.

The library should be seen as an area to study. It should not be used as another part of the cafeteria. The new policy will make it easier for students who are actually trying to study in the library. Less noise and less people who are disrespecting the rules of the library provide a better and more focused study environment.

One of the main problems caused by students eating in the library during lunch was blatant lack of common manners and respect. Students left trash and other items at the tables and on the floor. They acted in a way that made it difficult for other students to study. Now that seating is restricted to two students per table, it is likely that student behavior will

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Someone can always avoid drinking completely at a party just by avoiding peer pressure, but if they choose to make that bad choice, they can avoid sacrificing lives for one stupid mistake by planning ahead or not making the choice to drive under the influence at all. Students need to educate themselves on the consequences of drinking and driving. It’s their job to be responsible enough to know the effects. In the end, they are the ones who make the decision to drive under the influence or not.

greatly improve.

Some are under the impression that lunch is no longer allowed in the library at all. This is not true. The only significant change to library rules is the two student per table restriction. Those students who go to the library will still be able to eat, as long as they have the basic decency to clean up after themselves.

Students might say that eating in the library is the only way to avoid overcrowding in the cafeteria. However, this is not the purpose of the library. It is meant for studying, not to hold every student who just wants to come in and eat. In addition, perhaps students should have thought of possible consequences before behaving poorly. The two student per table rule is in place due to the poor choices of a few affecting many others.

Until students can prove that they are capable of acting responsibly, the library’s rules should not be changed. If students want the restrictions lifted, then they need to find a way to show they can treat a library like a library and not another lunchroom.

Most girls have the luxury of reading inspirational stickynotes while they wash their hands. It’s nice. They might be grammatically incorrect, but at least they aren’t doing any harm. But boys don’t have this same bathroom experience.

There are no influential sticky-notes on the bathroom walls telling them not to wear makeup or smile more.

Instead, many boys are left to deal with their insecurities alone and without any kind of recognition from our clubs.

Many boys don’t have friends to turn to who are open enough to talk about their lack of self-confidence. They keep their insecurities to themselves and continue to feel neglected and forgotten by our school’s anti-bullying campaign.

Some people might say that boys don’t have to deal with insecurities as heavily as girls do. Some might say that boys aren’t as emotionally fragile. They don’t feel ugly. They never feel fat. They don’t feel the pressure brought on by media’s unrealistic portrayal of the ideal human body.

But, that shouldn’t be stopping the Redefining Beautiful Club or the Friends of Rachel Club. Boys suffer from the same disorders as girls. About 10% of teens suffering from anorexia are boys, and male anorexics often go undiagnosed and untreated. Boys get the same kind of negative body image from shirtless ads with Channing Tatum or Liam Hemsworth, who most high school boys can’t really compete with. It’s no different than how girls feel insecure after viewing ads showcasing Kim Kardashian or Megan Fox in bikinis. However, boys don’t get the same kind of treatment as women do, especially not by the anti-bullying clubs at the school.

Boys are left on the battlefield of high school to deal with their own problems without any help. Boys don’t have a place to express these insecurities. It’s seen as “weak”.

They aren’t told that it’s okay to feel fat sometimes. That it’s okay to feel ugly. They aren’t told to smile more because happiness is their best feature. They’re not told anything at all. They’re indirectly told that their insecurities don’t matter.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, out of the thousands of teen suicides that occur each year, 86% of them are committed by boys. With suicide often being the end result of bullying and built-up insecurities, the school isn’t addressing it equally among both genders.

Everyone should know that there’s hope for them; that what they’re feeling now is okay because everyone feels that way.

There’s no reason why boys should have to walk around with self-loathing thoughts.

The school needs to step up and equally represent the insecurities of both genders, of all people and in all ways possible. If that means sticky notes in the bathrooms, then the boys need them too. It’s not fair to tell boys they aren’t capable of feeling the same amount of insecurities as girls.

Just because we have preconceived notions of insecurities regarding girls, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist in boys as well. Everyone seems to focus on how hard it is for girls to look like Barbie. It’s just as hard to look like Ken.

TA

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april 5, 2013

Your Community College

24

SPOTLIGHT

Faculty for the win photos jordan richards and ben horton

On Friday, March 8, the school held their annual student-faculty basketball game.

Many people participated, including the male faculty on the court and the female faculty on the sidelines serving as either cheerleaders or Marquettes. The pep rally was complete with the Harlem Shake during half-time led by Assistant Principal Jason Mullin. The faculty beat the students after two halves.

Math teacher Carolyn Garber got into the school spirit by being a cheerleader during the game.

Band instructor David Simon and Assistant Principal Jason Mullin show off their dance moves when the two teams started the Harlem Shake during half time.

Counselor Jerilyn Welsh-Roe cheered on for the Marauders as a Marquette.

Senior Ryan Everett dribbles the basketball while trying to avoid head girls’ basketball coach Fred Jones.

april 5, 2013

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Assistant Principal Rusty Hamric dribbles the basketball during the student vs. faculty basketball game on Friday, March 8.

Football coach and business teacher Brandon Carder goes in for the shot against the students.

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