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New quarterback coach brings about change
Spirit club makes effort to increase pride
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Theatre department puts on a pyrotechnic production
Volume thirty-eight Issue one
Community service went to a new level when several students traveled to Ukraine. The relationships built with Ukrainians created memories that left a lasting impression. pages
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Jersey Village High School
7600 Solomon Houston, TX 77040
2news
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september ‘09
Ladies night Third year band member takes position as Drum Major for first time in five years
EMMA MCKENZIE
staff writer Hope Adams, senior, Colleen Crossley, junior, and Monica Neugebauer, senior, stand on the 50 yard line to perform their prepared Drum Major salute. The crowd cheers when the three girls finish. As Neugebauer jogs to her podium on the sideline, Adams and Crossley clutch their trumpets in one hand and take their positions in preparation to perform. This year, two Drum Majors have to march and play their instruments instead of help aid in conducting the marching band. In addition, for the first time in five years, a junior has successfully taken the position as an assistant Drum Major. Crossley has been interested in becoming a Drum Major since her freshman year. Her experience in witnessing the auditions of upper classmen persuaded her into deciding to audition herself. “When I watched the tryouts for the first time at the end of freshmen year, I knew that I wanted to become a Drum Major,” Crossley said. Crossley always strives to accomplish what she has set out to do, be that making good grades or becoming a Drum Major. Going into the audition process at the end of last year, Crossley knew her chances of becoming a Drum Major were slim. “Going into the process of auditioning, I was cautiously optimistic. The chance of a junior becoming a Drum Major was not very high. I would go home every night and practice to improve my chances of doing well on my final audition,” Crossley said.
Although she had a slim chance of becoming a Drum Major, Crossley prepared herself for the results. When they began to announce the Drum Majors for the 2009-2010 school year, nerves succumbed her. But when they announced her name, Crossley was overwhelmed. “I was surprised because they do not usually pick juniors to be Drum Majors, but I was really happy that they chose me,” Crossley said. Although the position as a Drum Major is a difficult task, Crossley has stepped up and has taken her job very seriously. Neugebauer, Adams and Crossley are all trying to make this year of marching the best yet. Even though Crossley is a year younger, the three girls are getting along fine. “I think we’ve gotten along more than in past years. If someone is gone, we try to take over the missing person’s job. Our responsibilities are split more equally this year and it is less of a competition,” Adams said. Neugebauer is self-assured about the band’s marching capabilities this year, even though she is the only Drum Major able to conduct the band on the field this year. “It’s really scary, but I’m confident that the band will be able to hold it together,” Neugebauer said. While Neugebauer and Adams are confident in the band’s abilities, Crossley encourages sophomores to try out for Drum Major this next year because they, too, can accomplish what she has accomplished. “To all the sophomores who are considering trying out for Drum Major this coming year, don’t think you do not have a shot of becoming a Drum Major. Don’t sell yourself short, you can be Drum Major, too,” Crossley said.
photo by PEGGY CROSSLEY
“I was surprised because they do not usually pick juniors to be Drum Majors, but I was really happy that they chose me.”
Focused Colleen Crossley watches Monica Neugebauer to match tempos as they conduct the band at the first football game of the season.
Senior Drum Major Thoughts “I think it’s really exciting that the other two Drum Majors are girls as well. We get along really well and I think it’s easier for us to talk together,” Monica Neugebauer, senior, said.
“Our responsibilities are split more equally this year and it is less of a competition,” Hope Adams, senior, said.
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Pinball Wizards
Production of Tommy requires effort, expense Photo by Cari Parker
tanner stogsdill staff writer Three pinball machines roll onto a dark stage mounted by one person on each. A crowd flocks around the people on the machines and a song starts. The world famous song “Pinball Wizard” plays as dancing ensues, smoke falls, and fire flies. The pinball machine in the back starts bucking wildly with a blind deaf and dumb boy breaking all of the highs scores. There is an explosion center stage as the curtain falls, and that was only act one. Beth Crocker, theater teacher, finally has the chance to put on the show of her dreams, The Who’s Tommy. “I have been an avid Who fan all of my life,” Crocker said. She has dreamed of this play ever since it was just an album. For her Directing II class in college, she directed a scene from what would soon be the first rock opera. When it hit Broadway, she was ecstatic. “I have seen The Who all over the country,” Crocker said.
Crocker’s dream show will not be an inexpensive one. “With all musicals, royalties and script rental are about $4000. This show also has the cost of the pyrotechnics, building the hydraulics for the pinball machine, and buying the scrim,” Crocker said. It is not only the explosions and lights that make the show great and well worth the money, it is the actors and directors that string it all together. “We have amazing voices, amazing actors, and wonderfully devoted directors,” cast member Courtnie Robert, senior, said. The production can have explosions all over the stage, but it is not Tommy without the singing and dancing to really wow the audience. “I feel very good about it. I was worried at first but the show is coming together beautifully. I am very honored to be part of this show,” Sarah Elliott, sophomore, said. A show of this caliber cannot just happen. It takes long hours of repetitive rehearsal to make it worth the ticket price. Actors stay after school
as much as the UIL rules allow. When a time limit is put on a big show like Tommy, every single second counts in its own way. “For a two hour show, there is a lot of dedication, but it’s all worth it in the end,” Josh Kunkel, senior, said. With a show full of slide projections on a scrim, a special curtain that can be transparent, pyrotechnics, crazy light effects, and live feed from on stage going to various TV’s, there has to be professional help. A pyrotechnic and a lighting consultant have been hired to make the show live up to make Crocker’s dream come true. “We are not in this to make money, we are in this to learn about theater, and we are lucky for a supportive administration,” Crocker said. That is one reason the department is willing to spend the money on such an expensive production. She expects a full the house. The show will take place at 7:00 pm on October 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 9th, and 10th in the JV auditorium.
serenade Cast members Kelby Brooks, sophomore, Jake Woodson, freshman, Eddie Gomez, junior, and Andrew Duong, sophomore, sing to a blind, deaf, and dumb Tommy, played by Matt Mazzola, senior. photo by Elizabeth Crocker
all together now (top) The chorus of Tommy throw their hands up while rehearsing a number. This show required extensive choreography and dance practices.
photo by Cari Parker
love birds Joseph Salley, junior, and Sarah Elliot, sophomore dance at rehearsal for the production of Tommy. They play Captain Walker and Mrs. Walker, Tommy’s parents. blame it on the boogie Meredith Steffen, Julia Imhoff, and Laura Hebert, seniors, bust a move while rehearsing for Tommy. photo by Elizabeth Crocker
the history -1964 An English rock band called “The Who” are formed -1965 The Who’s first release, and first hit, was “I Can’t Explain” -1968 Townshend said he was working Tommy, the first work billed as a rock opera and a landmark in music. -1969 The Who performed much of Tommy at the Woodstock Music and Art Festival. -1975 A movie version of Tommy released that year was directed by Ken Russell -1979 The Who became the third band, after the Beatles and The Band, featured on the cover of Time -1992 The Who’s Tommy the musical premiered. -1998 Tommy was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame
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LIVING to LEAD
Young women spend their summer paving road to success Thilye Rinke
staff writer As school doors closed and suitcases filled with their belongings, the heart beat of three seniors girls quickened with excitement. While their classmates stayed in town or went on vacation, these girls embarked on journeys that would forever change their lives. During the summer a select few students attended leadership programs. Some traveled abroad, while others stayed close to home. The University of Texas offered summer programs for students. Lily Nhoisaykham, joined the party in Austin for the Economics for Future Leaders Program. At the conference Nhoisaykham acquired leadership skills and learned more about economics at a college level. “There was more to this conference then just learning economics or leadership skills; I really built really good friendships. I am even closer to some people from this conference than other
people that I have known all my life,” Nhoisaykham said. UT was already Nhoisaykham’s college of choice. The program emphasized her feelings towards the school as well as her personal interests. “I fell more in love with UT, ”Nhoisaykham said. “I’m really interested in Economics and it motivated me to get to know other people and open up more.” Unlike Nhoisaykham, Lindsey Safi embraced a different adventure, embarking on a journey to Eastern Europe with the Global Youth Leadership Conference. Safi exposed herself to unfamiliar cultures, changing her perspective of herself as well as others. In Eastern Europe, Safi explored the beautiful sights of Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. The conference led each student into a path of discovering themselves as leaders. During the trip Safi gained more than just memories. “This trip taught me to branch outside of my comfort zone, because more
than likely the outcome will be well worth it.” Safi said. “It has motivated me to try new things, take on new adventures and experiences”. Vanessa Rivera participated in the LEAD Engineering three week summer program. Rivera was not sure if she wanted to attend the program initially. However her mentor Becky Rodriguez insisted that Rivera participate in the program. “I wanted to go but only after a push and motivation from Mrs. Becky, ” Rivera said. Far away from home in Charlotte, Virginia at the University of Virginia, Rivera faced the harsh reality of the adult world. “You experience college life with responsibilities that you can’t back out on. I now know who I am, what I am like, and who I want to be, ” Rivera said. Each girl’s journey has opened up the doors of opportunities, success and life alterations, as well as a new perspective on their futures.
TECHNOLOGY While at the LEAD Conference Vanessa Rivera, senior, experiences robotic technology first hand.
Courtesy of VANESSA RIVERA
NEW SIGHTS In Budapest, Hungary Lindsey Safi, senior, enjoys a beautiful summer day at the Fishermen’s Bastion in the Castle District.
Courtesy of LINDSEY SAFI
TOWERING During the Economics for Future Leaders Program, Lily Nhoisaykham,senior, explores famous locations, such as the University of Texas Tower.
Courtesy of Lily Nhoisaykham
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Journey
FAMILY OVER EVERYTHING Jacob Eldridge’s tattoo reflects what he values most.
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Young man’s hopeful future outshines unfortunate past
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LAURA HEBERT co-managing editor
alking in with his perfectly shined shoes and a sincere smile, Jacob Eldridge, senior, greets his friends and takes his seat to begin the day. He works diligently during class, but will not hesitate to crack a few jokes. From the outside, he seems completely untroubled, but in his past he led a life of risk. Eldridge’s past is in no way sugar coated. He loved getting high all the time, at school, at home, anywhere. His favorite drug was marijuana, but if that was not available, he resorted to using any substance that would get him high. “I would do whatever it took to get high. Sophomore year, I had a friend that was bipolar and had to take medicine to bring her down. I took [the medicine] and [it] made me feel like hanging myself,” Eldridge said. His mother could not handle his obsessive drug use and street fighting so he moved in with his father. Hanging with a bad crowd, full of drug dealers, Eldridge depended on drug use. “I got so desperate for a high, the only thing I could find was crack, so I started to smoke it,” Eldridge said. One day his mother decided to drive to Lamarque, TX to visit Eldridge. She walked in and immediately saw that he was strung out on narcotics. Looking at his mother, Eldridge noticed her skin was a blood red color. He asked what was wrong with her and she told him it was psoriasis, a very serious skin disease that was so severe that her doctors decided to use chemotherapy as a way to treat it. It worsens with stress. “Doctors said that she would only live five years [at home] and seven years [at the hospital]. The point was she could never live a normal life, so it hit me hard. I just did not want to see my mama like that, the stress was all on my part,” Eldridge said. Distraught by his mother’s disease, Eldridge hid his feelings in drug use. This lead to him getting kicked out of his fathers’ house, and moving back in with his mother in March. Sitting outside getting high, Eldridge had no idea of the change about to occur in his life. His friend, Fabian, was on his way to Faith Assembly Church when he spotted Eldridge. He pulled over and asked if he wanted to ride to church with him. Responding with the blank statement of “I got better things to do,” Eldridge took another hit. Persistently, Fabian did not take that for an answer, and told him to finish smoking and get in his car. Side by side, they walked into the church and took their seats. Pastor Rogers, spoke of redemption which made Eldridge uneasy, because he had made many choices to feel guilty about. The pastor had one request: if anyone’s heart was feeling heavy because of a sin they committed, he wanted them to come to the altar and pray. Eldridge felt he was speaking directly to him. “I started praying, and people started praying with me. It broke me down; all I could think of was my mom and what I was doing to her. I cried so hard I lost my contacts,” Eldridge said. Eldridge knew he had to make a change. He started going to church frequently and slowly sobered up. Eldridge’s mother made a promise with if that if he got clean, she would buy him whatever he wanted, whether, it was college classes or boxing lessons, she would pay. “My mom told me that all she wanted was to watch me live my life for
“What is most important here on earth is family. It will always be my number one priority.”
all it has to offer and not let it pass me by [with] drugs,” Eldridge said. In the middle of May Eldridges’ mother asked him to come with her to a place he had never been before. It was a Taekwon-Do school. “I supported him 100%, Jacob is a hyper person, so I got him into Taekwon- Do to keep him busy,” Deby Fincher, Eldridges’ mother, said. He had a street fighting background so he was not impressed and hesitated before accepting a trial offer. He came back the next day to find his uncle in full uniform as the Grand Master. Without much of a “Hello,” his uncle demanded he do 50 push ups, run three miles, do 50 crunches and then to do it all again. “My mom had told my uncle to whip me into shape. Taekwon-Do is a sport that involves your whole body. The last words he said to me that day were, ‘Do you still think it is for punks?’” Eldridge said. After these changes, family became Eldridge’s priority. He and his cousin, Rachel Basquez, always vowed that they would graduate together. She passed away in 2007 of an aneurisms, which inspired him to graduate in her memory. The love of his family is literally stitched into his body. He wears a tattoo of the letters FOE, meaning family over everything. “What is most important here on earth is family. It will always be my number one priority,” Eldridge said. Eldridge is motivated by his mother, his future and God. Since Eldridge is no longer causing his mother stress, her psoriasis has improved tremendously. He feels that he will be successful when he can buy his mother whatever she wants because she has always provided and cared for him, even when they lived in a homeless shelter. “My mom always takes me back. Her love is unconditional, no matter how bad I mess up,” Eldridge said. In his future, Eldridge wants to go to college, majoring in business in order to build charity facilities, to give back to his community and God. With dreams of being a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighter, He wants to give his profit to children that need to get off of the streets. Eldridge wants to make a positive change in others lives. He vows to never go down the same path he has been down. “I have been off of hardcore drugs for nine months and off of weed and alcohol for six months. After I became part of youth leadership at church, people now call me when they need help staying sober, “ Eldridge said. With a sober mind, positive outlook on life, and the motivation to succeed at his second chance, Jacob Eldridge’s bright future outshines his dim past.
REDEMPTION Jacob Eldridge’s expression displays his troubled past but the gleam in his eyes show his optimistic future.
photos by JACQUI BONTKE
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Sweat’s Sweet Spud
U.S. History teacher spends years collecting unique Potato Heads Potato favorites Indiana Jones
Darth Tatter
KATHY ROMERO
photo editor In 1952 the first advertised toy on TV was for Mr. Potato Head. This caught the eye of Mrs. Linda Sweat’s parents. Sweat was only five years old when she received a gift on Christmas containing the one and only Mr. Potato Head. “It was a real potato. You had to supply your own potato but the parts were what you had to buy,” Sweat said. Sweat, U.S. history teacher, obsesses with Mr. Potato Heads. As one enters her room Sweat will be at her desk surrounded with cute history posters and several modern plastic Mr. Potato Heads. “Sweat looks like she would collect things like stamps but she is a unique person. I would of never thought she collected Mr. Potato Heads,” Crystal Morales, junior, said. The reason Sweat brought them to school was to comfort students. Kids pass by her desk and are interested about where they come from and what they mean to her. Her students are respectful of her collection. The only destruction a student has caused to one of Sweat’s potatoes was moving the parts around. “I have been here for 13 years and they haven’t stole one from me; I am pretty surprised,” Sweat said.
photo by Kathy Romero
tater educator The unique collection of toys that decorate the classroom desk of Linda Sweat, U.S. History teacher, keeps her company.
When Sweats had kids she shared her obsession by buying them their own. She would spend hours playing with her kids during the day. Her kids never forgot the memories, now that they are older and are able to repay the special times by giving her all types of Potato Heads. “The collection all started as a joke on Christmas but then became like a tradition. Now when my kids or grandchildren find a new one, they get excited,” Sweat said. Sweat now owns 25 to 30 Potato Heads and also has one that can hold many little Potato Heads. “My favorite ones have to be the Indiana Jones and Darth Tatter. They come with the different parts and look just like them. They are so cute,” Sweat said.
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BEAT While you EAT
Upperclassman delights others in Commons during B lunch
photo byVICTORIA MUELLER
COURTNEY CALBAT
delivery manager As the bell rings to go to B lunch, students head to the commons to stand in snack bar lines or take a seat at a table. Josh Littleton, senior, spends his lunch differently. Instead of catching up on the latest news, he sits against the wall in the hallway by the Small Commons playing his acoustic guitar and occasionally singing along. Littleton provides B lunch with light background music as they eat their lunches. A natural, Littleton taught himself to play both the acoustic and electric
guitar four and a half years ago. It took practicing every day and using books and instructional CDs. Since he discovered how to play, Littleton often has his guitar along with him whereever he is, for he never knows when music needs to be provided. Littleton enjoys all types of music, however, performs Christian music. Not only does he strum for the B lunch students, but he also performs for Foundry United Methodist Church on Sunday mornings for the Children’s Church elementary students to sing and dance along to. Victoria Mueller, freshman, has
heard Josh during lunch and at Foundry. “I love listening to Josh’s playing. I think his playing is beautiful, and it is very soothing and peaceful to listen to while I eat my lunch,” Mueller said. Yet some find Littleton’s music so beautiful it has inspired them to want to learn how to play the guitar too. “His playing inspires me to want to learn to play the guitar because of the awesome music you can make playing the guitar,” Lauren Gutierrez, freshman, said. Although Littleton indicated he
JAMMIN’ Josh Littleton practices his guitar during B lunch in the Small Commons, as his friends enjoy his tunes. His guitar is always just an arm’s length away. likes playing for enjoyment right now, he would eventually like to enter the music field when he is older. “I would like to do something in music, like being in a band, when I grow up,” Littleton said. As his music flows through the Commons each B lunch he continues to inspire people day by day even if he does not realize it.
room 1712, the JOURNALISM room
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Mission work at home, overseas impacts kelsey o’briant
managing editor hey want to go home. There is no air conditioning, and the bus is moving at speeds they did not think possible. The combination of the lack of shock absorption on the bus and their lack of sleep makes for a miserable ride ahead of them through the foreign countryside. A few try desperately not to let the bad circumstances overtake their will, but at this point, the going is tough. Just 10 more hours… The sights and sounds of a peaceful sprawl of Ukrainian landscape comes into view. A bus full of American students from Jersey Village Baptist Church, with a few from Sante Fe, scans the area, absorbing this country they know so little about. They know they are here to help, and that is what pushes them forward as a huge circus-like tent passes in front of the bus windows. Apparently, this is their worship area. Excitement overtakes them as they remember why they were so excited to be here in the first place. The dawn of their mission comes into full focus. The 18 members of JVBC went to Ukraine this past summer on a mission to teach the children there English. This is a trip the church had taken before, and has made it a point to try to expose their students to this experience for many years to come. The students are in charge of a 10 day camp, and must work harder mentally and emotionally than they have all summer. But through the work shines a meaning and a joy unprecedented in each student’s life. “We had to wait two days before we actually met the kids, and those were definitely the hardest days. Then when we did meet them they were so excited, because our wait finally paid off,” Meredith Steffen, senior, said. During those two days of anticipation, the crew set to work preparing for the arrival of the children. The work was hard and the days were long, but when the Ukrainian children stepped off of the bus for the first time, the American students forgot about exhaustion for the rest of the week. “When they got off of the bus, their faces turned from sad frowns to these huge smiles. [At the camp] you don’t think about anything else but the kids,” Joseph Salley, junior, said. One reason for their smiles was the intense fascination each of the Ukrainian kids held for the American students. “They had it set in their minds that Americans are extremely rich and that we have to be really wealthy to be able to come over there. They thought we were awesome no matter what we did,” Steffen said. Celebrities or not, the Americans’ mission was to teach the children English to the best of their abilities. With a heavy language barrier ahead of them, and a wide range of students’ ages, the teaching would become, at times, overwhelming. “It was hard to teach them even simple things. You would ask them something any little kid would know the answer to, and they would look at you like were crazy,” Rachel Andrae, senior, said. They did have a trick of survival though, and a way to extract concrete substance out of their efforts. Ukrainian translators were present to guide the American students through both their jobs and their relationships with the children, while also serving as best friends and mentors.
Power
T
“The times [I remember most are those] I spent sitting a Ukrainian and a translator just talking. I loved getting to Mattingly, senior, said. Soon their skills with the Ukrainian language grew at an dren learning English. Feeding off of the liveliness the Ukr constant questions and admiration, the American students language that was not their own. “I got really close to my roommate because we would ha late and she would write down words I needed to learn in words she needed to learn in hers,” Steffen said. Amongst staying up late with language lessons, long, t playing was the worship aspect of their trip. It tied the wh guages moved as one, seamlessly, for the same cause. Whi sang in melodious Ukrainian, the Americans kept tune w harmony of language and culture. In addition, everyone wou each other. What really impacted the Americans, though, w enormous vigor. “[Worshipping with them] makes you realize how much us to get excited about God, but all they needed was a kid’s The end of the mission trip came sneaking in the night. the Americans, it was time to pack up and leave their new in the United States. “There was definitely not a moment when I was there th think about it I wish I was back. I can get over the fact that the water is not very good. It’s awesome just to be there,” Sa There was an unmistakable transformation within those to truly impact another’s life for the better left them par more. They are now defendants of the power of philanthrop “I definitely think that [because of the trip] I am more co how they are feeling, so that I can do something about it. It's because if we don’t do it now, who will?” Ellen Wiles, junio Indeed, the mission’s lasting effect is evident both in the c in their continued relationships with some of the Ukrainian “I still keep in touch with a few people I met there, we other and talk about how school is going,” Steffen said. So even as the Ukrainian skyline fades out of view in th to love falls behind them, changing from reality to memory, lanthropy is. Philanthropy is taking the time to care for a str love despite a strong cultural barrier. It is opening up oneself the helper. It is hearing “diakuju,” the Ukrainian word for th giving it back in the most sincere way possible.
Philanthrop
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1. energy Meredith Steffen, Rachel Andrae, and Ellen Wiles dance with some of the Ukrainian children under the worship tent. This was a time they could gather to all be together and simply have fun. 2. friendship Ellen Wiles (top, left) stands with a few of the Ukrainian kids she got to know and helped. 3. joy Rachel Andrae beams at the stage during worship time. The American students would sit with those from Ukraine during this time while people performed. photos courtesy of meredith steffen
3.
n identical rate as the Ukrainian chilrainian children possessed, with their experienced a hunger for culture and
ave this game where we would stay up my journal, and I would write down
tiring days of learning, teaching, and hole camp together, because two lanile the Ukrainian band played songs with the English version, forming a uld play games and truly get to know was the way the kids could praise with
h we take for granted. It takes a lot for s song,” Andrae said. In what seemed like no time at all to Ukrainian home for their true home
hat I wish I wasn’t there. Every time I t there is no air conditioning and that alley said. who went. The taste of what it meant radoxically satisfied and yearning for py. onscious of what other's needs are and s important to put ourselves out there or, said. consciousness of those who went, and n children they impacted. e always say how much we miss each
he bus window and the trip they grew , those who went know what true phiranger. It is sharing both language and f to how helping others can transform hank you, and not just accepting it, but
py
mercy This painting hangs in the Loaves and Fishes building, depicting Jesus surrounded by the worn down of Houston. “[This painting] makes people feel like they are a part of something bigger when they are there,” Jacqui Bontke, senior, said. photo courtesy of Joe bontke
A helping of love
Giving aid to homeless brings inspiration
Jacqui bontke
H
undreds of them stand in the Texas heat. They look tired, dirty and miserable. The groups of 50 men and women seem to never stop walking through the door. The mixed colors of their coverings and clothing all resemble a shade of brown. Inner city Houston is the makeshift home to hundreds of hungry homeless and they gather here for lunch. It is 8:30 AM and dozens of volunteers, including myself, gather for a common purpose. We snack on donuts while we prepare. The men dressed in matching blue aprons grill pork chops while the women mash potatoes and toss salads. I sit stuffing brown paper bags with pre made sandwiches, crackers, toothbrushes, and mini soaps. It is 11:30 AM and we lay place mats on the long wooden tables. Each mat shares a message from a child, an innocent picture, or a bible verse. The kitchen steams up and gives off the smell of flavored food. I grab the hands of the people next to me and each volunteer stands in a larger circle around the kitchen. We bow our heads in prayer. “That’s him, the one leading the prayer. That’s my dad,” I share proudly with my neighbor. It is noon and there are 400 hungry people anxious for their first hot meal in what could be months. The silence of prayer is interrupted by 50 men and women who graciously take their seats among the kitchen. The plates and sacks are placed in front of them. Some wait for an ‘okay’ and others are just too hungry. Another prayer is shared with our 50 guests and within minutes every plate is clean. The plates editor in chief
g on a bench under a large tree with o know them and their stories,” Sara
are cleared, the place mats are replaced, and another 50 enter through the door. Seven times we replace the place mats. Seven groups of 50 eat a plate that is hardly portion controlled. Seven prayers bless the food for our lunch guests. As long as I can remember, my father has been leading that prayer. For years now, His Disciples Cooking Ministry, co-founded by my father, has made lunch in this kitchen, appropriately named Loaves and Fishes. A very special painting hangs on the wall here. The artist depicts the building in the painting and its guests very similar to the people here today. They all stand in line waiting for a meal, but between a bag lady and a man smoking a cigarette is a man dressed in white whose halo lights up the painting. This painting makes getting up early on a Saturday worth it. The message from the image makes my grime covered hands feel smooth. The impact that picture left on me tells me I will be back to feed another 400 hundred hungry mouths. Today I was not receiving community service hours, nor was I paid in any form but experience. However, I did not go voluntarily. My father insisted I see the sight that has brought so many smiles to his face. The sight, though saddening at times and frequently graphic, did keep me grinning from ear to ear. The man in fingerless gloves shook my hand and could not give enough thanks. Women wearing each of their possessions placed their hands on my head and gave me blessings. I only wanted to do the same for them. This concept to me was more than philanthropy. I gave these people a meal, but they will never know how much gratitude they gave me.
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sports
RUNNING through drills with the offensive line, Quarterback Coach Robert Walker polishes up plays.
photo by KATHY ROMERO
New Coach, Seasoned Veteran Quarterback coach leaves Langham after ten years to bring fresh insight MIKELA MELAKIS sports editor
Coach Robert Walker sits in the press box anxious but intently watching the football game. Even being elevated high above the field, the intensity of the game does not elude him. The ball snaps and the play proceeds in slow motion. The sound of his heartbeat rapidly pounds against his chest. His focus is solely on the quarterback. Walker notices his every small success, as well as his hesitations, and mistakes. In a way he is on the field himself going through all the motions of the play. It is his goal, job, and passion to catch these mistakes and fix them so he can help his players reach their fullest potential. Although Coach Walker is new to the school, the everstretching green gridiron is no unfamiliar place. In fact football has surrounded him his entire life. His father was a football coach and when Walker entered the seventh grade he began to play the sport. He continued on playing throughout high school mostly as quarterback but he occasionally played receiver, punted, or late in the game during crucial times played safety. He graduated from Lake Travis High School with a football scholarship to the University of California Los Angles in 1991. As a young and talented player, in 1995 he ranked in the Top 15 all time UCLA passing records. “It was definitely an honor, and I thank those guys around me that allowed me to be able to do that. I attribute a lot of hard work, perseverance, having good players and good coaches around me, more than anything to my success,” Walker said. He, like most players, with endless potential, aspired to play in the NFL. But at the end of his sophomore year his dreams began to unravel when he severely hurt his ankle. Once his junior year began a new coaching staff came in with a desire for a more mobile quarterback. Walker found himself relegated to the sidelines slowly watching his NFL dreams slip away. Slightly devastated but not defeated Walker embraced fate and started focusing on beginning his coaching career. After graduating from UCLA he moved to San Antonio. A few years later a friend of his family, who had recently been employed at Langham Creek, asked Walker if he was interested in a job. Walker interviewed with the head coach at the time, Dennia Demel, and got a position as a football coach. He stayed at Langham Creek for 10 years where he would eventually meet his wife.
“Sometimes in life, you look for new challenges, and for new opportunities, and at that point I was getting stagnate,” said Walker. Luckily for Walker Jersey Village was missing a much needed quarterback coach. Coach David Snokhous, head school athletic director, knew Walker and decided to offer him a job. “Besides the fact he is a good person, he is a good coach. He is probably one of the most respected quarterback coaches in the area. All the experience he gained while being at UCLA is invaluable, you can’t just find that anywhere. Hiring him was a no brainer,” Snokhous said. Eager to take on a new challenge and a better position, Walker accepted the job. “I think if I can just bring my knowledge and experience to specifically the quarterback position then that would be my biggest attribute. One of the years I was at Langham Creek we went 0-10, so I know what kind of hurdles, both physical and mental that the players and coaches have had to overcome,” Walker said. Although he has not been at Jersey Village long his presence and coaching has already started to impact the players. With the new coach, and new season the coaches have been enforcing a new motto, “Hanta Yo,” meaning “clear the way.” “Having a quarterback coach has made my playing improve tremendously. Since he has actually played the quarterback position it’s easier to relate with him on certain stuff. I’ve learned a lot from Coach Walker. He has helped me be better with timing, throwing, patience, consistency and just become a better overall player and person,” Adam Llamas, starting varsity quarterback and senior, said. Walker does not compare his new coaching job to his last one where he tutored three quarterbacks to Division 1 scholarships. Nor does he view one school being better than the other. His only desire is to take his knowledge from the successful years he spent at Langham and throughout his career and apply it to help improve the players at the school to become the best they can be. “At the end of the day the kids are still committed to competing, winning, being good student athletes. I think with the win against Humble they are starting to realize they can overcome their challenges and that if they just believe in themselves and believe in their teammates and coaches, anything is possible. I believe with this team the sky is the limit,” Walker said.
“He is probably one of the most respected quarterback coaches in the area.”
feature
THE INCREDIBLE HOLT
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Football player overcomes hardships to achieve dreams MUMTA MITTAL
layout editor As he lines up with his teammates for the next play, he scans the audience in hope of seeing one person, the only one missing from the stands and his life. Life for senior Chris Holt has never been ordinary; instead obstacles constantly interfere with desire and even normality. All through his childhood he had one passion, football. Not just a sport but a special connection he shared with his father. “Football is a more emotional activity for me. My dad and I had a passion for it,” Holt said. The series of misfortune began one afternoon when he and his eighth grade football team decided to play a friendly game of flag football. In the middle of the game as he went to catch a pass he slipped back into what he thought was just an innocent fall, simply got back up and brushed himself off. Five months later he began to feel sharp pains in his knee which landed him at the clinic. Two months after being diagnosed with an overdue knee sprain, Holt realized that the diagnosis was actually the misdiagnoses that impacted the next three years of his life. For three years, Holt under went hip surger-
ies, due to growth stunts in his right leg. This hindered his ability to participate in football, or any sport for that matter, and life looked as if it would never get any better. “During my surgeries I was in and out of wheelchairs and body casts. I felt like my life was basically over especially since I couldn’t play football. I was always in pain and often had panic attacks,” Holt said. As a sophomore Holt discovered he could play football during his junior year, an opportunity he waited tirelessly for. Although his life was slowly falling back into place, tragedy struck once again. Along with his own health problems, his father suffered kidney failure and lived only with the aid of dialysis monitoring machines. After months of living in the hospital, his dad decided to stop depending on a machine to live. “That summer was really long and depressing, having to sit there and watch my father waste away. We did not really spend a lot of time together as family because we were all grieving in different ways,” Allison Holt, junior, said. Recovering from the catastrophic event became the main focus and Holt realized maturity would be his greatest asset. After all the hardship endured over the past years, Holt strives to make the best with what he has. “From my surgeries, to losing my father, I had to do a lot of growing up. I am grateful that I am the person I am today. My life is the best it has ever been. Family is the most important thing in my life, and I always keep going and stay positive through my trials. When it comes to physical injuries, you just have to keep your head up and never surrender,” Holt said.
“Life is the most precious gift in the world. You don’t know how great it is until somebody loses theirs.”
123 ONE, TWO, THREE, SURGERY
Since then his growth During the first surgery, significantly improved, Holt’s hip required a the rod was removed screw to realign the In the second surgery a during the third surgery. growth discs. He spent metal rod was inserted Two weeks after the two months in a wheelthrough his hips to surgery he was able to chair and began his first stabilize them. He was walk once again. of many years in required to wear a body physical therapy. cast that went around the abdomen and right thigh.
photo by MEREDITH STEFFEN
SPIRIT Chris Holt, jersey number 63, runs out to the football field with his teammates in the second game of the season, Jersey Village vs. Memorial.
PEREGRINE
september ‘09
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CanSenior You Feel It? girls promote Falcon spirit through new club photo by MUMTA MITTAL
KIMBERLY SHEERAN
photo by MUMTA MITTAL
A WORK IN PROGRESS Team Falcon members, Olivia Reed, Tori Salazar, Katie Jennett, and Lauren Filaroska, seniors, support the football team at the second game of the season. While sitting on the Memorial High School stadium stands, the members root for the Falcons as spirit is their main focus. Though the season had just begun, the club gained members through every game.
staffer A mass of students sat in the bleachers, loudly encouraging the varsity volleyball players. Spirit flowed from the students inspiring other spectators to cheer as well, and the gym echoed with positivity. The players kept up with the cheering attendees and played a close game. Olivia Reed and Jazmine Reese, seniors, attended the game. With the goal of inspiring more school spirit, the girls created a new spirit club, appropriately named Team Falcon. “We wanted to make the students proud to be a Falcon at Jersey Village,” Reed said. Team Falcon’s sole purpose is to attend sporting events of all kinds, promoting positivity and attendance. This means that the agenda for Team Falcon will be packed with events for football, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball, track and cross country, swimming and water polo. Samantha Ladewig, senior, plays varsity volleyball. Although the school year has not been long, volleyball season began during the summer. Team Falcon has been behind them since the first game, making an impact.
“I love how Team Falcon supports all the sports because that is exactly what our teams needs. Team Falcon has made such a difference in the crowds in the stands this year. It feel so great to look up into the stands and see so many people there supporting their school,” Ladewig said. In an effort to reach out to even more athletes, Team Falcon will be attending not only home and varsity games, but away games and junior varsity as well. Only two sports, golf and tennis, are exceptions to this rule. “But we will find a way to show our love,” Reed said. Team Falcon has about 150 potential members now and the girls hope to acquire an even greater following as the year progresses. “Team Falcon is a club of school spirit, our job is to go out and support our athletes. If you want to be a part of it, then Team Falcon is for you,” Reese said. For anyone interested in becoming a part of Team Falcon, Reed and Reese advised those people to talk to a representative, Kristin Waller, the teacher sponsor, or attend a meeting.
reflections
PEREGRINE
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issue one
A Clean Birthday Wish EMMA MCKENZIE staff writer
Every morning I wake up, go to the kitchen and grab a glass of water. Every day at school, I drink at least two bottles of water. Then I get home to drink more and more water. Until recently I never thought about how lucky most of us in the United States are. It never crossed my mind that in some places on this planet, children and adults do not have access to clean drinking water. I was selfishly drinking bottles and bottles of water all day, until I found Charity: Water. When I first signed up for a charity website, SocialVibe, I did not have any knowledge about all the different organizations. I began researching the charities before sponsoring one. In my search, I came across Charity: Water. When I read up on this charity, it shocked me. I could not believe that so many people in the world did not have the luxury of clean water. Over one billion people on Earth rely on dirty pond water for a
source of water. When Charity: Water was founded by Scott Harrison, it was just a birthday idea. Harrison asked for 20 dollars from all his birthday guests instead of gifts. With this money, Harrison went to Uganda refugee camps and funded six wells. Harrison’s little dream became a reality and his non-profit organization was established. Soon, Harrison and his team set up an office and exhibits in Time Square, displaying what people in foreign countries have to drink. Harrison’s small, selfless idea, turned into a huge movement. Charity: Water has since raised over ten million dollars and visited India, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya and Honduras providing water to families that would, otherwise, not have had access to clean drinking water. They would still be trekking miles and carrying buckets on their heads full of river and pond water. They would still be drinking the water that is making them sick, if it were not for Scott Harrison’s charitable thinking. One man’s selfless thinking has start-
TANNER STOGSDILL staff writer
A trip to a store called US Toy that changed my life forever. It was a day that was hotter than most in Houston and I was in the car with my mother. She was a second grade teacher at the time and stopped at US toy. I did not want to go into some children’s store to look at all of these little toys that I had outgrown, but my mom was going into the store with her keys. I decided that going into the air conditioned building beat sitting alone in a car in the mid day Houston heat. I started looking down the aisles, just checking it out, when I found the aisle that I would love forever. I passed it the first time I saw it. I thought that it was impossible. This store just could not have any cool merchandise, but it did. I walked backwards to check out the aisle again. A whole wall of puppets graced my sight. I had to have one, or 50. I saw every kind of puppet. I saw from an “old tie your woman down to the railroad tracks kind of guy”, to a big lovable Jewish puppet, to Dr. Phil. I could not leave. I was hooked. I tried them all on, they all felt so right. I am no ventriloquist, but I can pump life into a puppet like nobody’s business. I considered
Teen activist strives for cleaner water in foreign countries
ed a revolution. Harrison has had his charity in ads, on commercials, merchandise and the internet. One man’s giving personality has inspired a generation. He has encouraged churches, schools, children and me to donate. Harrison’s idea has helped people realize that anything is possible. A mere idea of helping the helpless can turn into a huge organization raising millions of dollars and providing hundreds of thousands with water. This September is the third anniversary of Charity: Water. This year, I plan to donate my birthday money to help make the third year of Charity: Water the best year yet. Charity: Water has changed my perspective on drinking water. Each time I pour a glass of tap water, or crack the seal on bottle of water, I think about how fortunate I am to have a necessity I take most for granted, clean water. So this year, run, swim, raise, dance and donate for new wells in more countries. One giving man, one faraway idea and one tough task has given people everywhere the chance to be healthy, the chance to have a better life and the
Simply Pupp-tastic
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chance to be inspired. Scott Harrison has encouraged me to be a better person. He has changed the way I think and the
way I live. Scott Harrison has turned my life into one of giving. I never thought a simple idea and a small charity could change so much.
Thespian expresses enthusiasm for puppets
it, and still do consider it, one of the best places on this big green earth. After trying on a shark, a dragon, and a military man with a slight resemblance to Boris Karloff, I could not leave, but I had too. I was graced by the presence of a “tie you girl to the rail road track” kind of puppet at Christmas, and instantly fell in love. I am still not sure what I was more excited about, the puppet or the car I received. Just one was not enough though. I needed more. I went to the store later on and bought a cop and a big lovable Jewish puppet to add on to my collection. They frequently visited my play rehearsals, and during the last week of school, I carried them around and used them whenever possible. My puppets could not just be puppets. I had them run for officer positions in the drama club. The villain ran for Vice president, and the Jewish man ran for a social officer position. During interviews, they spoke their felt hearts out to the Drama club board. The board loved the puppets and I was, or shall I say my puppet, was awarded the position of Vice president. Since then they have made an appearance at the drama club banquet and in a senior
directed play Much Ado About Nothing. They will show up again and again. They are an extension of me, and with my birthday coming up I expect a new puppet or two to find its way into my possession. Puppets are a great way to be someone else and not be judged, too harshly, for it. Puppets are not just for kids, they can be used by high school students, or even in adult plays on Broadway. Regardless of where they are used, puppets generally can make a person smile. Any product in stores that can make people smile is a worthwhile investment.
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september ‘09
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no Hablo Espanol
Junior learns importance of communication through language barriers
MIKELA MELAKIS sports editor
I was sitting in my dorm room at journalism camp, completely innocent and minding my own business when my phone abruptly rang. I looked down casually to see who it was. It was a number I did not recognize. Immediately I remembered letting my roommate Kathy use my phone to call her uncle earlier in the day. What I did not realize at the time was that answering the phone would open a Pandora’s Box of chaos. “Hello?” I answered. I expected a man to respond in confusion, wondering if this was the number his niece had called him on. I did not expect this man to be speaking Spanish. Not only was he speaking Spanish, he was speaking it fast. Bombarded, I tried to recall any Spanish I could. I had taken two years of Spanish in middle school and even though I cheated through out most of it I still thought I managed to retain some of the language relatively well. When the only word that came to mind was Hola, I realized I thought wrong. “Hola?” I answered back praying that my memory was not deceiving me and this word was indeed Spanish. He started talking again, still in Spanish, and still really fast. I clung onto every word hoping I would hear something familiar. Nothing came. His sudden silence meant he was waiting for me to respond. I thought again. The only other Spanish phrase I could remember was, Donde esta el bano? (Where is the bathroom?)
“Hola?” He asked. Even in another language I could tell by his tone he was wondering if I was still there. I needed an answer and I needed it quick. I figured I might as well try to see if he understands ANY English, because I sure could not understand ANY Spanish. “Hello, I’m Mikela, Kathy’s roommate. Sorry but she is not here right now,” I tried to explain. “Que? No hablo Ingles,” He responded. So that idea FAILED. I thought that maybe by this point her uncle would get the hint that I obviously spoke no Spanish and therefore would be no help in trying to contact his niece. But he did not, and instead he just kept talking. Suddenly I remembered some basic Spanish. “UNO MOMENTO! I begged. He must have heard the desperation in my voice because he finally stopped talking. YES! I had bought some time. Now all I needed was some one who could translate English to Spanish. I got an idea. Maybe I do not need some one, maybe I could use something. DING! It hit me. When in doubt, the internet has the all answers. I quickly ran to my computer, pulled up the internet browser and typed in Freetranslation.com. BINGO. I began entering, “Sorry Kathy is not here. She is in class and will not be back till five.” It translated it for me alright; too bad I am just as bad at reading Spanish as I am at trying to speak it. Growing frustrated I finally said, “Call back at cinco!
Adios!” I decided I would just wait till Kathy got back and informed her he had called. This is exactly why teachers say, “Cheating might help you pass, but it will not teach you anything.” It was painfully clear that I had not learned a word. At the time I did not think Spanish was good for anything besides ordering at Mexican restaurants. Even thought this was not the most dramatic case of needing the language it made me see that I wasted two years of my life not learning something that ended up being semi-crucial. I learned the hard way that, “Donde esta el bano?” will not get you through life, or a telephone conversation.
MACARONI Pasta connoisseur reflects on favorite cheesey recipe MASTER
KIMBERLY SHEERAN
staff writer
I frequently read the Houston Chronicle for my own enjoyment. I have a favorite columnist, the esteemed Mr. Leon Hale, and I opened the September 6th publication of the newspaper to find a particularly enjoyable column written by Hale. He had gone to see Julia and Julie, a recently released movie about two women’s love for cooking. Hale’s wife wanted to recreate a dish that was featured in Julia Child’s cookbook, Mastering the Art of French cooking. He writes a compelling tale about his frequent confusion with a recipe that seemed as complicated as solving a rubix cube. It reminded me of a lonely summer night when I had attempted to make baked macaroni and cheese all by myself. Though the macaroni was very mild in difficulty when compared to Mr. Hale’s dinner of French chicken breast with cream, I’ve never really had much experience in the kitchen and was lost before the stove was even hot. Staring at an old recipe card, my mind wrapped around the concept of using three table spoons of flour in macaroni and cheese, as the recipe called for. I wondered who had thought of that. I was sure that it would not taste very good but I continued on with my dinner, desperate to finish what I had started. I began my adventure by cooking the noodles. Even this was a challenge for me, as I have often over cooked spaghetti before. I set a timer to be sure that would not happen this
time. With noodles on the stove, I turned my attention to making the cheese sauce. I melted butter in a pan and blended in the four in just as the recipe asked me to. My attention was drawn away for a second to the back door, where my dog Rudy was barking to be let inside. Forgetting about my macaroni, I left the stove to let Rudy in. Just as I opened the door, a strange, angry hissing sound came from behind me and I turned around to see boiling water was now overflowing from the pot and steaming onto the stove. I quickly moved the pot to a cooling rack but just as soon as I had done that, a strange, burning smell wafted past me. Yes, it was my cheese sauce. Hoping it could still be saved, I lowered the heat and added the right amount of milk, salt, pepper, and shredded cheese while stirring franticly. The burning smell soon disappeared and I considered it a crisis averted. The next step was to mix the sauce with the noodles and I did that, very well if I might add. I cautiously poured the now cheesy macaroni into a glass casserole pan and set it in the oven to bake. Feeling accomplished, I set out to clean the extraordinary mess that I had made. Thinking about my dinner, my stomach began to growl at me. Forty five minutes later I sat down with a full plate of hot steaming macaroni, and smiling to myself, I took a bite. Although a bit hot, it was creamy and
cheesy and so heavenly that I could barely stand how it melted in my mouth. Now, just a few months after my interesting adventure in the kitchen, I am very aware that it was probably a miracle that my macaroni and cheese turned out so satisfying and perfect. From now on, I know to start with less difficult recipes, like jell-o.
editorial
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ocking with the white and rolling with the purple can be difficult at seven o’clock in the morning. It becomes even harder for Falcons to rock the house when the house is almost empty. Switching seventh period pep rallies to before school greatly lowered attendance and will have a negative impact on school spirit as a whole. After freshman orientation, the Administration faced a very apparent problem with large groups of people entering and exiting the Large Gym with only two doors. Phase two of construction blocks two of the four doors to the Gym creating a problem that exists with any sort of large congregation in the Gym according to the City of Jersey Village Fire Marshall. After much thought, the Administration decided that even though eliminating seventh period pep rallies is unfortunate for students, morning pep rallies will in turn have less attendance, allowing pep rallies as a whole to still exist instead of doing away with them all together.
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The idea of a school where pep rallies are only intended for small attendance leaves some students feeling unmotivated to put forth any sort of school spirit. In the past, school spirit here, in comparison to other Cy-Fair schools, has not necessarily shown the brightest. Many students, though they are proud to be Falcons, will not show their spirit unless they are given a firm opportunity. Taking away an opportunity to promote school spirit is highly unnecessary. High school should be a time that students remember fondly, and events like pep rallies and expressing school spirit make more pleasant memories than taking tests and writing essays. Pep rallies are football’s chance to speak directly to the student body and ask for them to show their support by coming to see them play. Organizations like Cheer, Dance and Band work hard to prepare for their performances and without a strong support from their peers, there is little reward for their work. Step Club and HOLA are hardly seen by students without the opportunity to perform at pep rallies.
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“I would rather have no pep rally then have morning pep rallies,” KIM MERZ, senior, said.
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“[The pep rally] was different. At about 7 am people started to show up. It was productive even though people thought it wasn’t,” NIC DUTCHER, senior, said.
2009-2010
Though construction has put the school between an overcrowded gym doorway and a hard place, the well being of student spirit should remain a priority. Leaving pep rallies during seventh period and moving them to the large commons or the theatre could provide a solution that appeases both the student body and Jersey Village Fire Marshall. Possibly decreasing the sizes of pep rallies by adding more of them is another way student spirit can be both saved and strengthened. Pep rallies themselves do not determine how much pride a school has; spirit is displayed by the students. The pep rallies serve as a student outlet where pride can be expressed. Minimizing that outlet, in the long run, will disable school spirit.
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“I don’t like the morning pep rallies because then seniors don’t get their chance to have the cheering section they usually do,” LAURA GARCIA, senior, said.
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Peregrine Staff
Pep rally adjustments disable school spirit for student body
the
issue one
editor-in-chief JACQUI BONTKE managing editors KELSEY O’BRIANT LAURA HEBERT sports editor MIKELA MELAKIS photo editor KATHY ROMERO layout editor MUMTA MITTAL advertising designer VINCE FLORES delivery manager COURTNEY CALBAT staff writers KINSEY BUTTON, ALISSA GUERRA, LEANDRA LEE, EMMA MCKENZIE, THILYE RINKE, KIMBERLY SHEERAN, TANNER STOGSDILL, JESSE UPPAL staff adviser MARGIE COMSTOCK principal RALPH FUNK
Jersey Village High School Student Publications’ Newspaper Policy
The Peregrine is the official student publication of Jersey Village High School and is published by the Advanced Journalism Newspaper class at Jersey Village High School, 7600 Solomon, Houston, Texas 77040 (713-896-3400). It is distributed free to the student body. Subscriptions can be bought for $15, and copies of the paper will be mailed to your residence. Unsigned editorials represent a majority agreement of the staff. The Peregrine is read in advance of publication by the JVHS administration. Advertising is sold by the 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and full page. The staff has the right to reject, edit, or cancel any advertisement at any time. The advertising policy is stated on the advertising contract. Advertising is not an endorsement from the staff, the adviser, the administration, or the Cypress Fairbanks Board of Trustees. The Peregrine is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference, Quill and Scroll, and the National Scholastic Press Association. The Peregrine is printed by Mirror Publishers, Inc in Texas City, TX. The opinion of readers is held in high regard. Please send all feedback or questions to our address or room 1712. Letters to the editor need to be limited to 150 words. We reserve the right to edit for spelling and grammar. Letters must be signed.
That
Spirit
Early rally brings out prideful few 3.
1. MIGHTY FALCONS As she asked the crowd, “Who are the Falcons? What kind of Falcons,” Valarie Waggoner, junior, got the pep rally goers excited at the first morning pep rally. 2. BEAT ‘EM UP As they sang the fight song, Yessica Castro, Paula Galvan, sophomores, stood with their fellow Gold Dusters. 3. SURPRISE SMOOCH Blind folded, Skyler Womack, senior, unexpectedly received a kiss from his mother. 4. PLAYFUL PRANK Varsity football captains Skyler Womack, Garrett Gorka, Matt Moore, Adam Lamas, seniors, beamed as they discover they were not kissed by cheerleaders, but in fact their own mothers. 5. FLUTES KICK BRASS Sporting their flute section T-shirts, Katie Carvalho and Kelli Hudgins, juniors, scream, “We are the Band!” 6. BANDED TOGETHER Charlie Nguyen and Jacob Triska, seniors, played the school song with the Band. 7. V FOR VICTORY As the varsity cheerleaders performed a cheer for the crowd, Morgan Massad, senior, shouted out cheers.
photo by CARMEN BROWN
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photo by CARMEN BROWN
photo by CHELSEA BOYER
Our performance went great but if there had been more students, it would have felt more like a pep rally.” Julie Jackson, senior
4. photo by ANDREA PRATHER
photo by SHELBY CARTER
5. photo by KELSEY CARROLL
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photo by ANDREA PRATHER
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photo by SHELBY CARTER