The
Peregrine
- Issue 3 Jersey Village High School
Houston, TX
February 2013
JVTV Brings Spirit Back
Gangnam Style Video Elevates School Mood Creating A Masterpiece With the idea to reunite the school like they did last year with the lip lub, Celebrate, JVTV worked with Jamie Meun, senior, to put out the remake of the original video. A story on the video ended up on Houston based, KPRC Local 2 news station, which turned a lot of viewers’ attention to the program and school as a whole, which was one of the goals of the video.
Also Inside:
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pg 8 - 9
photo by Rosa Gonzalez
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Taking The Oathpg 2 A Token From Homepg 4
Parenting photo by Iveth Garcia
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Pushing Boundariespg 13
Raelyn
photo by Sandy Tang
Western Sports
photo by Matt DuBose
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Feature
February 2013
Taking the Oath Senior ROTC members swear into U.S. Army Baxter’s Ribbon Rack Proudest Ribbon
“Its the very first national ribbon that I earned. It wasn’t given to me by Major, it was given to me by an organization. It’s my pride and joy,” Melyssa Baxter, senior, said.
Koenig’s Ribbon Rack Proudest Ribbon
“You have to work for this ribbon, when you are doing your workouts. It means you got a certain percentile, so I feel proud of myself for achieving something physically,” Summer Koenig, senior, said. Honoring With Respect With the storm clouds brewing, wind blowing and rain minutes from pouring Summer Koenig and Melyssa Baxter, seniors, run through their color guard routine. Wrapping the American flag Koenig runs through her routine with pride for her country. Koenig has taken the oath of enlistment to the Army. “I knew after my first year of ROTC I was going to the military. While my JROTC unit is Air Force, after talking to my recruiters I felt the Army had what I was looking for,” Koenig said. Along side her fellow comrade and friend Baxter wraps the Texas flag. Baxter has also taken the oath of enlistment with the Army. “I feel that serving with the Army will be my way of personaly earning my freedom,” Baxter said.
The blaring sun basks them as they stand in position on the hot concrete. Stern faces, bold shoulders, and tight fists. These two young cadets hold the position as they wait for the commands from Master Sgt. Joseph Campbell and Major Dennis Martinez, whom Summer Koenig and Mylessa Baxter, seniors, have been under the leadership and direction of for the past four years. Entering her fourth year in Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) Koenig, holds the position as Corps Adjutant. The Adjutant works directly for the corps commander in fulfilling many duties that are required in daily operations. “The two years of being an officer has given me a chance to lead and over all become better person and a better leader,” Koenig said. Baxter also is in her fourth year of AFJROTC. Baxter currently holds the position as the corps’ Support Squadron commander; it is her responsibility to direct and supervise activities of the other following support staff. It’s her responsibility to supervise the commanders of the color guard, air rifle team, awareness presentation team, logistics officer, awards and decorations office, model rocketry commander, personnel officer, historian, recruiting officer, physical training commander and academics commander. “Being with my friends and developing a sense of leadership is what I enjoy about participating in ROTC,” Baxter said. Four years of dedication with Jersey Village’s AFJROTC, does not end when these two walk across the stage in the spring. Koenig and Baxter have both begun their oath of enlistment to join the military. The first step was to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), which is a test over broad subjects from math to cars. Depending on what branch the person wants to join determines what they need to score. For the Army, Baxter and Koenig have to score above a 30. After an individual passes the ASVAB, a day long process called Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) follows.
“MEPS is basically (a physical) to see if you are fit enough to be in the military. When you pass MEPS you are then sworn into the branch of your choice,” Koenig said. After four years with these two cadets Sgt. Campbell was a little bit shocked when he found out them both of them were joining the military. “I figured that they both knew what they wanted and needed in their life. The military will definitely give them some guidance, direction, training in a career and job security,” Sgt. Campbell said.
photo by Alexander Cruz
photo by Alexander Cruz
“I’ve always wanted to go into the military. Ever since I was little I knew I did not want to be the normal cop or doctor, I wanted to be something greater than myself,” Summer Koenig, senior, said. With 20 years in the United States Air Force, Sgt. Campbell wishes both young ladies luck as they leave high school to enter the military. “Many young people today walk around after high school going from one job to the next, trying to figure out what they want to do, and how to have a steady income. These ladies have determined their short term goals, and I hope that with the help of our US military, their long-range goal will become a reality,” Sgt. Campbell said. With one semester left in the school year Koenig and Baxter look forward to the next few months. With the Army in the horizon, both march towards their future. “There are so many factors that make me want to join the military. But when you grow up in a military family, it just feels like home,” Baxter said By Alexander Cruz
Feature
February 2013
BAB Y TH INK
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IT OVER
Child Development course promotes parenting skills for future through raising of electronic baby C
ries and whimpers of a baby pierce through the night and wake up teenagers trying as hard as possible to get rest and prepare for another school day. Although they are not real parents, the weight of responsibilities lies on their shoulders for one night. Similar to a real baby, the electronic toddler demands for attention and proved students that parenting appears harder than it looks. Playing the role of a parent stood as a difficult and challenging task for Haley Herrera and Delariza Yehson, sophomores, along with Chrissa Burnell and Andrew Guerrero, juniors. The project Baby Think It Over consists of teen girls and boys experiencing how to care for a child and the responsibilities that come with it. Some of the activities include putting the baby to sleep, making it burp, feeding, bathing, and changing its diaper. The purpose of the project stood to give students a realistic experience in the challenges of caring for a child and parenting. “The baby will cry two to three times during the night, interrupting sleep just like a real baby,” Ginger McKnight, Child Development teacher, said. The project also helps create long term qualities and makes students aware about the responsibilities of parenthood. “I couldn’t imagine having a baby, all day every day and that just wouldn’t be my goal to
have a baby right now because I’m not ready to give up my childhood,” Burnell said. One of the hardest parts of the project can be getting sufficient rest for the next day and carrying the baby around. Only getting a few hours of sleep, the students managed to go to school and carry on with daily activities while taking care of an almost real baby. “I had a doctor’s appointment and had to feed the baby for 30 minutes. It then started to cry in the waiting room. I was still feeding the baby when I got my shots,” Guerrero said. Although the project tested the student’s abilities, it also created pleasant experiences that students appreciated. “The thing that I most enjoyed from the project was that it was a challenge for me because and it helped me develop more patience for children,” Burnell said. The assignment similarly helped shaped young minds to think twice before taking in the permanent tasks of raising children of their own and giving up many privileges at a young age. “This project changed my way of thinking because before, I thought caring for a child would be easy but it was harder than I expected,” Yehson said. By Iveth Garcia
Cultivating Future Parents As she instructs her class on how to complete the project, Ginger McKnight, Child Development teacher, believes the project impacted students emotionally as well as physically. ”Emotionally, students got impacted as they evaluate if they are ready for the responsibilities of parenting,” McKnight said. Charming Simulated Infants These imitations of babies have the characteristics of newborns and also the physical resemblance of real babies. photos by Iveth Garcia
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February 2013
A Token From Home
Teacher supports her Army son from across world From the moment a mother meets her child, natural instinct consumes her to keep her child safe from all harm. Throughout their child’s life she expects her child to stay close by with a steady job and family. However, for parents like Ms. Carol Pearsall, web teacher, with a son, Jeff, in the United States Army, that expectation transformed into a harsh reality. “Having my son in the army is an incredible source of pride. Knowing he’s out there fighting the good fight, for our freedom and our country is a very deep and soulful feeling,” Pearsall said. Overwhelmed with honor, Pearsall is immensely proud of her son’s decision to defend the nation, even though it puts his life in danger constantly. She supports him daily by donating to various causes that help troops here and abroad. Also she puts together care packages for the men and women defending our freedom. Happy Holidays Holding the poster given to them by students, the soldiers are proud and full of courage from their family, friends, and others who support them. Jeff Pearsall took a picture of the soldiers gratefully holding the poster after it arrived in Afghanistan.
“In the middle of feeling proud, there’s also constant anxiety, worry, and a feeling of helplessness all the time. As a parent you’re conditioned to protect your child, but there’s absolutely nothing I can do to protect him now,” Pearsall said. Many sleepless nights are the result of Jeff ’s sacrifice, and the cause of many concerns for other members in his family such as his wife Brandy and son Charlie. Pearsall and her husband take care of their daughter in law and grandson while Jeff is away, but like many other military families, having a wife and child at home is emotionally difficult on everyone. Desperately missing her son, Pearsall improvises not getting to be with him by arranging to talk to him on video chat. Although technically she gets to “see” him, the feeling is not the same as hugging and interacting with Jeff. “We Skype on most Sunday mornings, so in a way we get to see him, but it’s not the same as being in the same room as him. There are no tight hugs on Skype, “Pearsall said.
photo by Jeff Pearsall
Served and Serving
JV Teachers and Military Veterans Wayne Barnes - U.S. Army
Joe Campbell - U.S. Air Force Luis Castro - U.S. Air Force Marie Davis - U.S. Army Dustin Goedde - U.S. Army Alain Harvey - U.S. Air Force Richard Hight - U.S. Navy Rob Jensen - U.S. Army Dennis Martinez - U.S. Air Force Ralph Schnur - U.S. Army Travis Hanson- U.S. Army John Spicer- U.S. Navy
Proud Relatives
Trevor Ryan McFarland, E4 specialist U.S. Army, son of Ester A. Berrios, Spanish Cameron C. Marlow, Captain, U.S. Army, son of Ester A. Berrios, Spanish Jessica A. Gonzales, E4, U.S. Air Force, daughter of Mary H. Gonzales, finance Travis Reinhold, Captain, U.S. Army, son of Heidi Reinhold, English Jeremy Wilson, Staff Stg., U.S. Marines, brother-in-law of Lisa Beyer, Professional Communication Stephen Simpson, Lance Corporal, U.S. Marines, son of Kimberly Simpson,clinic
Pearsall understands the importance of the armed forces to her son, day by day her son is figuring out what he wants to do with his life. In addition to those reasons, he is tied to the army by his grandfather who served in World War II. Inspired by his family member’s heroic actions, Jeff chose a similar path not knowing that one day he would be a hero as well. “I think Jeff chose the army as a profession for a combination of reasonsfriends, family, and opportunity. When Jeff got out of high school, he saw the army as a world that could open doors to all sorts of professions, where he could ‘be all you want to be”, “Pearsall said. The tragic Fort Hood shooting took place on November 5, 2009. On that detrimental day thirteen soldiers were killed and another twenty nine were severely injured by a gunman. Jeff was awarded the Army commendation medal for his heroic bravery that saved the life’s of many young soldiers. Without the actions of Private First Class Jeff Pearsall the number of causalities and injuries could the number could have been higher. As a result of this unfortunate event, Pearsall became even more dedicated to sending care packages and support to soldiers abroad. “When you think of one of your kids moving on with their lives, you don’t consider that their lives will be in jeopardy 24/7. It really hit home with the incident at Fort Hood a while back. Jeff was there and helped save the lives of some of the soldiers wounded in the shooting,” Pearsall said. As part of supporting her son and his fellow service personnel, Pearsall coordinated with the junior class president Christian Cordova to make a poster saying “We love our troops” that was signed by the junior class. Afterward they sent the poster to troops overseas. “I really wanted to do a good job with this certain project,” Cordova said. Cordova put forth all his effort and gave up his own time to help Pearsall’s worthy cause, along with all the juniors who signed the poster. Supporting her son and his fellow soldiers constantly, Pearsall shows her true patriotism and love for Jeff. “There’s nothing more honorable than wearing the uniform of a soldier in the US army. I have to trust his command, that they have his back, and believe that they will do everything to keep our soldier safe, and bring him home in one piece,” Pearsall said. By Kelsey Hodges
FebruAry 2013
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February 2013
Wishing Cancer Goodbye
PALS help Raelyn Cutbirth overcome odds “Things are looking good for our little princess,” Leslie Wendt, PALS teacher, said. This is the thought of the PALS teacher speaking about Raelyn Cutbirth, age two. The PALS group has been raising money to help Cutbirth’s family with medical expenses. Cutbirth was diagnosed with rhabdomysarcoma cancer on July 19, 2012. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy and radiation at Texas Children Hospital, and she has a strong chance of recovery. The good news is that Raelyn’s’ surgeries have been going very well. Cutbirths’ family and friends have seen a significant change. Cutbirth introduces herself to the PALS members when she enters the room with her cheerful and bubbly personality. After one meeting, she captures the hearts of everyone who she had met there. When Quanisha Whittfield, senior, first set her eyes on Raelyn, she was filled with emotion.
“She has shown me that even the smallest of beings can be the strongest of all,” Whittfield said. Rhabdomysarcoma is a rare type of cancer, in which the cancer cells are thought to arise from skeletal progenitors. It is the cancer of the connective tissue. The tumor is in her face. It is a rare type of cancer found in children of about one to five years old. In other cases, it could occur in teens aged fifteen to nineteen. The PALS organizations held a car wash, a charity event, where all of the funds went to Cutbirth’s chemotherapy. “There was no set amount that we were trying to raise. We worked to raise as much as possible, and we exceeded our expectations for the car wash,” Whittfield said. They also did a Mistletoe Run, for which Raelyn was the beneficiary. In addition the group has a fundraiser night at Fuddruckers, where all the proceeds went to Cutbirth’s family. “We felt very hopeful going out there. We all hoped that we would get as much support as we gave,” Whittfield said. Her parents have had difficulty funding Cutbirths’
medical bills. The PALS main goal is for the Cutbirth family to have enough money for Raelyn to get healthier. “As of now, she is on the road to recovery, her cancer cells are now dead or dying,” Whittfield said. The PALS are coming up with more ideas to contribute with the Cutbirth family. “We have some events in the works, but so far nothing is confirmed,” Whittfield said. Cutbirth recently presented a picture of herself to the PAL students. “I loved seeing how proud she was as well as how honored my kids were. It was so special that her mom did that for us,” Wendt said. Cutbirth still has to go through weekly chemotherapy treatments. “The doctors feel that by being surrounded by positive people she is healing faster,” Wendt said. Cutbirth also impacted the PALS teacher in a big way. “She has made me realize how precious life is and how important it is to stay positive, and it touches me to seem my PAL students working to make a difference to Raelyn,” Wendt said.
by Semon Adams
Love and Support Jenni Cutbirth, mother, holds her little girl as she finishes presenting her gift. Lesley Resendiz, Ariel Couvillion, Jordyn Kane, juniors, and Selena Cardona, senior, all watch with anticipation with Wendt as Raelyn shows everyone her inspiring display. photos by Sandy Tang
FebruAry 2013
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JVTV takes on task of creating music video to “Gangnam Style” to boost school spirit
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alcons win, falcons fight. Falcons got a fever toooonight. Falcons win, falcons…” At that moment a familiar song started and cut the cheerleaders off. “Oppan Gangnam Style, Gangnam Style” Out came Homero Flores, junior and Jamie Meun, senior, dancing Gangnam Style, in the middle of the gym dressed as Psy. Then after about a minute the cheerleaders, Gold Dusters, band, football players and other students rushed to the center of the gym to dance along. Not a flash mob, not a lip dub, JVTV chose the task of making a music video to the hit song Gangnam Style by Psy for one of their major projects. “I wanted to do a music video because of seeing how much power the lip dub had to raise school spirit. Throughout the summer I thought of video ideas for JV, but none of them stuck. Once Gangnam Style hit the internet, I had found what I was looking for. Thankfully, Psy allowed his song to be used by the public. So no copyright problems, a viral song and you got yourself music for a music video,” Andrew Cordova, junior and director, said. Last year JVTV took on the lip dub as their main project for the year but wanted to do something different while still having a spirit boosting effect this year. Cordova came up with the idea and easily got the rest of JVTV on board. “People ask us all the time when we are going to make another lip dub. We definitely didn’t want to do that again because it had already been done. Since Gangnam Style has been sweeping the nation, we thought this would be a great way to bring the school together and raise spirit,” Cindy Stoker, JVTV teacher, said. The main difference between the lip dub and music video was that the music video filming could span over multiple days with retakes, whereas the lip dub was shot in 10 minutes. The video can also have an infinite amount of editing while the lip dub had none.
February 2013
photo by Rey Contreras
“The lip dub was done all in one take- no editing whatsoever. This time around we got to edit each part, shoot more than once, and have a bit more control,” Idara Akpan, senior, said. While there were obvious similarities between the lip dub and music video, the process for making the video changed a bit due to a different story board and more freedom for clubs to choose what they do. “In step order, we had to organize the groups that wanted to participate, storyboard what we wanted the video to look like, coordinate with the groups and film each section of the video, and finally edit it all together into one great music video. The craziest part was the unpredictably of it all. Waiting to see what each group would do was a bit concerning but exciting,” Shane O’Neal, senior and president of JVTV, said. After filming the video, countless more hours of editing went into making the video complete with multiples of Meun and a Mohammad Khan, junior, dancing atop the water tower. “I didn’t even count how many hours of editing it took. I started editing six weeks ago and just filmed and edited at the same time. I did sacrifice many Fridays and Saturdays to Gangnam Style. A lot of work went into this,” Cordova said. Through this extensive project with communicating with multiple clubs, learning new editing techniques, and filming a video that millions viewed Cordova feels both him and JVTV have grown as a program. “Directing over a hundred people at a time has really caused me to mature and step up as a leader. I realized how vital having team members really is. If it was not for the entire JVTV, I would have crashed and burned a week into the project,” Cordova said. The end result came down to video Cordova can say he is proud of. “We tried our best to make this video as professional as possible. This project tested all of my abilities. I am grateful for this opportunity,” Cordova said. by Evie Sweeten
Showing Off Moves Dancing with past yearbooks Korianna Peterson, senior, Vanessa Morales, sophomore, and Marieke Alsguth, junior, dance for their section of Gangnam Style to represent yearbook. “I think it’s really awesome that JVTV does videos like this. The Gangnam Style video, like the lip dub from last year, brings the school together and boosts school spirit like crazy. The videography is excellent, and the time that people like Andrew Cordova put into this video is really admirable. I’m really glad I could be a part of this amazing project - I enjoy watching everything that JVTV produces, because I always know it’ll be excellent and entertaining,” Alsguth said. photo by Matt DuBose
In Depth
February 2013
Q&A With lead dancers Jamie Meun, senior and Homero Flores, junior
The
photo provided by Andrew Cordova
Favorite part of the video? J: Honestly the credits. H: The Gold Duster scene or the underwater scene! How did you become the lead dancers? J: They chose me. H: I was suggested. Hardest move you had to master? J: The “Hey Sexy Lady” sidesteps. H: The main move. It was just confusing over and over for a long time. How did it feel to perform at the pep rally?
J: My adrenaline was pumping the whole time. H: Getting everyone hyped and having everyone run towards you to create that huge mosh pit was just crazy.
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Equipment Used For Video:
Video Gains Recognition From Local 2 News “I didn’t know what to expect, I knew they were coming so I put on a JVTV The Crane shirt and just waited for Better for technical shots, them, though when I able to get crowd shots watched myself on TV, I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that it was me on television. The first and best feeling I get from Cannon T3i seeing the video on the Has a flip screen held by news was pride for JVTV AJ Gonzales, senior. and all of Jersey Village, all of the work that we put in the video, was fulfilling its purpose, for people to see, and to raise awareness that JV isn’t like other public schools,” Cordova said. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrchvbJeOH8 photo by Trevor Hargis
photo by Natalie Solano
photos by Evie Sweeten
Different Cultures Animanga Club dances in the library for their five seconds of video time while in their outfits from their favorite Animes. Participating in the dance included Heather Twardowski, junior. “We did two seconds of horse-dancing during a montage section. I was dressed as Misa from the Anime “Death Note”. I am rarely able to attend Animanga Club meetings so I wanted to be in the video with Animanga so I could still be involved with them. Overall I really loved the part with all the faculty in the auditorium. It was funny to see the expressions on some of them. The best part of the video is the last part with the dancing teacher,” Twardowski said. photo by Natalie Solano
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February 2013
Getting Rowdy
Heritage leads to bull riding, barrel racing The adrenaline pumps even before the gates open to unleash the beast. Once the gate opens he plans to enjoy the longest eight seconds of his life. With his grip tight and body loose, Austin Cavin, senior, gets ready for the bull to buck him to and fro. Eight seconds stands between him and another belt buckle, stating he once again holds the title bull riding champion. He started when he was three years old riding sheep, and eventually moved up to being a bull rider. He started his career in Kentucky before moving to Texas. He has ridden in Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas and New Mexico. He now rides mostly in Red River and East Texas. “My favorite part of bull riding is the adrenaline rush,” Cavin said. When the bull rushes to through the gates to try and buck Cavin off his back, the adrenaline rushes throughout Cavin’s body pushing him through the eight seconds of insanity exerted on his body. With all the difficulties that come with bull riding, Cavin has his own. “The mental part of getting ready to ride the bull is the hardest part, I put a lot of work and prayer into what I do,” Cavin said. Any normal person would not know how to prepare themselves to be tossed around like a rag doll. In order to prepare for this, Cavin must think of only the best that can happen and not photos by PaoloLacanlale the worse. If he thinks of getting bucked off he will get bucked off. He has to be one with the bull. “It’s just a dance, Questions the bull is my partner, 1. How long do you have to stay on the and I just let him lead,” Cavin said. bull? Instead of riding on 2. What is the most popular breed of the back of a ferocious horse for barrel racing? bull, Stacey Greene, 3. Where did bull riding start? junior, rides on the
back of a horse whose speed averages around 25 miles per hour. She speeds around three barrels in a clover shaped pattern to get the fastest time possible. She has been riding horses in that infamous clover shaped pattern since she was three years old. Greene’s fastest time is 13.5 seconds and with that time she has won over 45 awards. Some of which include 45 belt buckles and some ribbons to accompany those buckles. “Before I ride, I just think of beating the time I set prior to this race,” Greene said. In any sport, the mental part plays a big role. Greene thinks of how she wants the race to end before she even starts it. She sets herself a goal o f which she plans to achieve and rides to make that time. She wants to beat her time every time she races. “When I’m riding, all that goes through my head is to not worry about the clock. I need to ride faster,” Greene said. In barrel racing, the race is against herself. She must beat her personal best time for her to feel accomplished. If she does not then she goes home and knows she must put enough work in to beat her time next race. Greene and Cavin are just two of many teens who participate in western sports. They might not play a major sport for high school, but as they grow older they can get into the rodeo and win more than just buckles, purses full of money and ribbons. They could win saddles and better yet go on tour. Soon they could ride in front of their fellow classmates in Reliant Stadium hearing the roar of the crowd chanting their names. by Matt DuBose
Q&A
“It’s just a dance, the bull is my partner, and I just let him lead.” Austin Cavin
4. What was barrel racing originally created for? 5. What is the pattern of a barrel race?
photos by MattDuBose
A Step By Step on How to be a Bull Rider
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Get some Wranglers, a cowboy hat and boots. Don’t forget to put them on before continuing.
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Get a bull who isn’t too hard to ride for eight seconds. Attach some ropes to it and get ready to hold on.
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After the gates open, hold on for dear life because if you don’t you won’t look like a true bull rider.
Answers 1. Eight seconds 2. American Quarter horse 3. Spain 4. Barrel racing was a sport created for women by women so they could compete with one another. 5. Clover
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Pushing Boundaries Girls defy stereotypes while preparing for state competition The smell of sweat permeates the entire room as the two opponents step onto the mat. They carry nothing, and come without a team to help them. They are equipped only with pure muscle and talent. Eyes filled with determination focus in on who will act as their enemy for the next few minutes. A whistle blows and the two wrestlers start to circle each other like a predator circles his prey. In a blur of flushed faces and muscular bodies, the girl in purple and gold pins the other. Five, four, three, two, one, and the roaring crowd becomes suddenly silent, waiting for the referee to call out the winner. The victor rises with the grin of a champion. “A lot of people think that female wrestlers are just butch looking. But our team specifically proves otherwise that you can be a girl and wrestle hard, “Taylor Mendizbal, senior, said. Contrary to common belief, not all female wrestlers are manly. In reality, they can be all sorts of sizes, ranging from petite to average. Therefore not all female wrestlers are tall or extremely muscular; they are divided into classes based on their weight. “We’re actually very girly,” Adara Avila, junior, said. The girls who make up the team contradict the stereotype that female wrestlers are not feminine. They are normal high school girls who challenge themselves to participate in very physically demanding sport. “Sometimes the guys’ team makes jokes about women wrestling because it’s not as “hard”, but I know that I work just as hard as they do in practice!” Diana Carreon, senior, said. Female wrestlers deserve recognition for the challenges they conquer daily; they prove that being female does not enable a person from taking part in contact sport.
The team’s strenuous practice schedule paid off when they placed third at the Woodlands tournament, and second at the Houston dual championship where they beat Cy-Ridge, the number one team in the district for the past decade. Taylor Mendizbal, senior, is the only girl to stay on the varsity team since her freshman year, and has been a captain since she was a sophomore; she took her place as a leader and older sister to the other girls. “I love how wrestling is never the same game. You control it and when you are winning it feels great. You could be losing and in a split second flip them over and then you’re winning. Wrestling teaches one to never give up,” Mendizbal said. Mendizbal’s passion and talent for wrestling lead the team to the victory that qualified them for state. She was assisted by Carreon, a third year wrestler who shares the captain title with Mendizbal, and is a wrestling state qualifier, regional runner-up and a district runner-up. Together they drive the team to excellence with their dedication to the sport. “I love wrestling because once you step on the mat, you forget about everything. Wrestling became my passion and I really fell in love with the sport,” Carreon said. Carreon uses her passion and love for the sport to vanquish the opponent, a wrestler’s number one priority. From the second her foot touches the mat, to the second it leaves she is a machine, with one mission, to be victorious. Avila is also an important leader of the team, last year she was honored with the most outstanding wrestler award. “I love wrestling because it is the greatest stress reliever; also it is the only sport where you get applauded for beating the crud out of somebody, “Avila said. Wrestling pushes Avila’s boundaries in a setting she can
control. She attains the power to release all of her worries and get everything out of her system while doing something she loves. As the pressure of competing at state intensifies, the captains lead the team together, and with their numerous victories and overwhelming talent, the girls wrestling makes school history while defying the beliefs held by many of their peers. By Kelsey Hodges
District Placings Boys Team Jairo Rico, Fr, 6th Place *Alex Fisher, Soph, 2nd Place Freddie Lopez, Jr, 5th Place *Ruben Salazar, Fr, 3rd Place *Josh Penaflorida, Sr, 2nd Place *Alex Lopez, Jr, 2nd Place *Manuel Yanes, Jr, 2nd Place Aaron Rico, Jr, 6th Place *Yasir Bass, Jr, 4th Place Girls Team *Maria Aguirre, Jr, 2nd Place *Diana Carreon, Sr, 2nd Place *Adara Avila, Jr, 1st Place *Sabrina Salazar, Soph, 2nd Place *Alyssa Culpepper, Jr, 3rd Place *Jenny Landaverde, Fr, 3rd Place *Taylor Mendizabal, Sr, 1st Place *Andrea Hernandez, Fr, 2nd Place
photo by Marieke Alsguth
Taking the Advantage Adara Avila, junior, pins her opponent to the mat with skill acquired from multiple practices. Over powering her challenger, Avila maintains control of the outcome of the match. Struggling, her rival becomes helpless under Avila’s strength.
*Keila Morales, Sr, 4th Place * denotes Regional Qualifier
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February 2013
Fighting to protect other freedoms
illustration by Vanessa Morales
Academy aids freshmen
by Elizabeth Ybarra I, as a freshman, like Freshman Academy because it helps freshmen to understand the school and the importance of our education. It helps us transform from middle school students to high school students, instead of going into a building and being surrounded with upper classmates, who can and do engage in bullying. The school has placed freshman all together in one section so that we can get along with our peers and not make it so difficult to find our classes. The program helps us focus on our grades and it also helps us be more responsible. But many students in Freshman Academy do not like the program. They think freshmen have been isolated as punishment. Others dislike it, because they have older friends in upper grades or some think that the teachers think they are not mature enough to be with older students. I am very satisfied with the way my freshman schedule turned out and how high school has progressed so far. I enjoy being around my age group, we are not only in the same age group and classes, but most are at the same level in our heads as well. There are a lot of freshmen who might not understand or be mature enough for the freedom, like the sophomore, junior and senior students have. Another reason I am comfortable in the Freshman Academy is that I very shy and being around older students I tend to shut down and get embarrassed. Being around my age group I do not have to worry about that. I do not feel dumb asking questions or saying I need help. The ninth graders have improved compared to last year’s freshman class. Many hate to admit it but the Freshman Academy might be the reason why. The program has encouraged many freshmen to continue working hard, keep their minds focused on important things like their studies and not worry about being cool. So in my opinion, I think the program has worked and I appreciate it.
illustration by Vanessa Morales
by Paolo Lacanlale Walking into the building, anybody can see that people differ in their styles and tastes. From those who treat daily life as if they were in the business world, to those who throw on anything bawdy thinking they look good. In response to the latter, schools have created dress codes determining what students can and cannot wear, for example the prohibiting of hats (excluding for religious purposes). I understand that there are certain articles of clothing that are not appropriate for a school setting, but I do not see a reason as to why hats are not allowed. In 1969, a group of students were expelled for wearing black colored arm bands to protest U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. I’m not saying that the issue with schools not allowing students to wear hats equals to the degree of the arm bands, but that they fall under the same right, which is the freedom of speech. The freedom of speech does not only pertain to verbal speech, but to symbolic speech as well. As seen in Tinker V. Des Moines, symbolic speech is defined as anything that expresses one’s belief or thoughts. Hats may not represent a cause, but neither do they hold a negative connotation. Some argue that the prohibition of hats in schools is due to them being gang symbols. Most gangs however, relate themselves more to colors, signs and actions rather than to articles of clothing. With that kind of thinking, we might as well ban every kind of article of clothing that contains a gang related color. Any color that a hat comes in can be found on a shirt or pair of pants. Does that mean that pants should now be banned too? To me it seems like that would be less desirable than students wearing a simple beanie or baseball cap. To wrap up, I personally do not agree with the rule about hats. I feel that the restriction suppresses our right to free speech, even symbolic speech, and our freedom of expression. We are Americans, and Americans are known for their pride in their freedom. So if you take away a part our first amendment rights, you take away a part of what we are. Free.
illustration by Vanessa Morales
People forget meaning of nature
by Iveth Garcia I am sitting in class and as soon as the teacher leaves, for some reason everybody looks down and stares at their phones. I walk through the hallways and I see people’s fingers glued to their phones. It seems to me as if electronic devices have become a necessity in everyone’s lives, an item they depend on. I believe though that there are more important and interesting aspect of life to enjoy than just staring down at a white screen all day. Nature can be very relaxing and is far more beautiful to watch than a screen. Reading a book increases knowledge greatly and opens one’s mind to new ideas. Simply spending time with family can also be a very rewarding experience. I understand if people electronically communicate with family that does not live close, but I just think that social media should not be the center of anyone’s life. If teenagers, including myself, used social media a lot less, many problems like cyber bullying, and physical problems like back pain and eyesight loss would be lessened. Many students stay up late during the night messaging and texting that they deprive themselves of needed rest, therefore lacking the effort to do better in school. Others do not pay attention to the teacher during class and stop doing their work just because they want to be on their phone. I think that if we limited ourselves to a certain number of hours during the day and followed a strict schedule, we could all enjoy social media in a safer and healthier way. Our lives do not need to depend on a virtual world. The world has so much beauty to offer and we should not ignore what God has created for us to enjoy.
StAff EditoriAl
fEbruArY 2013
PErEgriNE - i
ssue 3
tHe
Rude behavior should Stop
15
Lunch ladies deserve politeness, respect from student body
The Student Voice
What type of behavior have you witnessed from your classmates while in the lunch line?
“I
hate seeing friends letting other friends cut in line... but it’s inevitable.” William Liu, junior
“A
t one time I had eight people cut in front of me blatantly; they just looked at me like ‘What are you looking at?’ So rude.” Brittini Crowhurst, senior
“P
eople are rude and pushy. They always cut in line.” Denisse Garcia, freshman
“A
lot of kids act immature like they are in middle school. They cut everyone and have no respect.” Ashton Korenek, junior
W
ith warm smiles, and genuine courtesy the lunch ladies at this school rise at dawn and drive many miles to serve students. They spend most of their days devoted to feeding young people. Unfortunately, students constantly bombard lunch ladies impolitely, such as muttering rude comments when they feel they did not get their food fast enough, or that they made a mistake. Students should be aware of the sacrifices of these hard workers and that they are school staff who deserve the utmost respect Students do not realize all the dedication and precious time that is spent in order for them to get their lunch, and they frankly do not care about the person behind the cash register and how they should treat them. Therefore, the student body should make an effort to remember to be courteous and polite towards the ladies who are always welcoming and kind because they deserve to be treated the same way they treat the students they encounter. Lunch buyers sometimes find it humorous to make fun of or be rude to these ladies adorned with hair nets and aprons, but truthfully words hurt. Also, students are the representatives of the school and should keep that in mind that they interact with others who are bound to share their opinion of the school with people in the commu-
photos and poll by Trevor Hargis
Peregrine Staff Contributing Photographers
Editor in Chief EVIE SWEETEN Managing Editor MATTHEW DUBOSE staff writers IVETH GARCIA ALEXANDER CRUZ KELSEY HODGES SEMON ADAMS JUAN GARCIA ELIZABETH YBARRA PAOLO LACANLALE TREVOR HARGIS
SANDY TANG ROSA GONZALEZ REY CONTRERAS NATALIE SOLANO MARIEKE ALSGUTH Illustrators JOEL MONTFORT VANESSA MORALES Staff Adviser MARGIE COMSTOCK Principal
RALPH FUNK
No, I don’t want that one, give me the one over there!
illustration by Joel Montfort
nity and could spread a bad reputation about its students. Furthermore, words like “please” and “thank you” tend to be overlooked and may be not seem like a necessity to most modern day teenagers, but adults and especially parents seem to seriously appreciate it when adolescents are considerate enough to use them. All people have bad days when they do not care about other individuals feelings. However imagine dealing with almost
over three thousand students with a strong likelihood that a lot of them are not in the best of moods, particularly in the morning. In conclusion students should think twice before overlooking, mistreating and taking lunch ladies at this
school for granted because they are genuinely kind individuals who work hard and actually care about the wellbeing of the adolescents they serve. Above all, lunch ladies deserve all the respect and recognition that students at this school can muster.
Peregrine Staff Opinion
7 YAY 1NAY
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 or email subscriptions can be purchased for $6 and a PDF copy will be sent to your email address. 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 business card, 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, the National Scholastic Press Association and supports the Student Press Center Law Center. 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 1720. 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.
16
The
PErEgrinE - I
ssue 3
Photo Essay
FEbruary 2013
Spreading the Cheer
Concerts close out year on good note Taking the Lead
Stepping up to the microphone, choir members, Carl London, Jake Woodson, Angela Asch, seniors, and Alex Kramer, junior, find the courage to take a lead solo. Letting their voice ring out, the soloists melt the hearts of the family and friends in attendance. “I felt honored to be chosen, and was exhilarated while singing on stage,” Woodson said. “Nothing can match the feeling I get whenever I am able to perform.” Towards the end of the night, the choir alumni join the present choir members on stage to perform the last song. Recalling their own concerts on stage, the past members take up their old parts and end the night with the annual singing of “O Holy Night”.
Helping Out
Making a guest appearance at the choir concert, Gold Dusters, Brittany Bushnell and Ashley Dietz, seniors, perform a routine to the choir’s opening song. Standing on one foot, Dietz takes a pirouette for a spin, executing it perfectly. Bushnell, smiling to the audience, finishes her routine, arms held high holding her pose along with her fellow dancers.
Sending Off
Putting their own spirit into the holidays, the band and orchestra play their best not only for the audience, but for Denis Kidwell, former director. In appreciation for his work, Alex Mindiola, senior, and Michelle Nguyen, junior, present a signed photo frame containing a portrait of the orchestra to Kidwell. After presenting the gift, the players began to perform each of their holiday pieces without skipping a beat. Feeling the music, Andrew Shiau, senior, Stephanie Valle and Louis Bui, juniors, focus on their music as they glide their bows over their instruments’ strings. After the orchestra, the band performed their pieces for the crowd. At the end, Brian Bronikowski, sophomore, stands to receive the applause, holding his tuba for the crowd to see.
photos by Sandy Tang and Paolo Lacanlale