Shaking The Court 8-9
uP ANd over Flying through the air, Kaila Overton, senior, prepares to launch the ball back to the opposing side of the court for a point. She, along with Lauren Greenspoon, senior, led the team to a successful season in which the united the student body to come and support them whether they were home or away. photo by Natassha Arreola
Also Inside • A New Art MediuM - 2
The PEREGRINE Vol. 42 Issue 2, November 2013
Jersey Village High School 7600 Solomon Houston TX 77040
• SAvior of College dreAMS - 3 • BlAziNg PASSioN - 6 • liNked to trAditioN, fAMily - 7 • guN CoNtrol - 14 • lAwNdAle Art CeNter - 16
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New
THE Issue 2 PEREGRINE
Feature
Art Medium
Art instructor inspires students with project
November 2013 Never a Lost Cause The stark black and white jazz acoustic at left was salvaged from a state of disrepair. Hours were spent filling holes and refinishing before painting ever began. PayiNg tribute The telecaster to the right was painted using masking tape to create stripes, similar in style to the iconic Eddie Van Halen Frankenstrat testiN’ Her out In the image below, Daniel demonstrates the playability of one of his painted guitars. Despite having considerable work done, the instrument sounds great.
photos by Joel Montfort
The bright, warm sound of an open chord sounds through the art room; rich, full, and reverberating through the studio. The eye moves toward the beautiful sound, but it stays, not for the music, but for the remarkable piece of art that produced it. Jason Daniel has taught art classes for over a decade. Over the course of his extended career he has taught hundreds of students, focusing on helping them discover their creative potential and develop new abilities. Yet although Daniel gets caught up in the rigors of a teaching career, he has not allowed himself to become ambivalent towards his personal journey as an artist. Daniel endeavors to improve his talents daily, and frequently finds ideas and inspiration in the very students in which he has helped spark an interest. In the 2013 year one of Daniel’s students decided to paint a design on his guitar. Daniel, who has pursued music since a teenager and actively co-sponsors the Guitar Club, was inspired. Soon after his student brought his painted guitar to school, Daniel began purchasing inexpensive guitars off of EBay to experiment on. After acquiring a considerable collection, Daniel finally got the opportunity to work on them, but in a hardly ideal situation. “I had to miss school for a sixweeks because I needed to have surgery. I needed an activity to pass the time while I recovered,” Daniel said. The first guitar that Daniel painted was an old acoustic of the low-end variety. Having focused on landscape painting in college and throughout his vocation as an artist, Daniel felt compelled to start off with what he knew he could pull off. The first guitar ended up more than satisfactory; a depiction of autumn leaves with a sky-blue background. Daniel put the
instrument up on EBay, and it sold quickly. This led to Daniel’s realization that perhaps he’d better continue selling his painted guitars, as he had acquired more than a few too many in preparation for the project. Daniel has continued to sell his painted guitars, although this mostly serves to get them out of the way. “Each guitar has a theme; it’s just like making a work of art. I made a Rasta style guitar, and several that had landscapes painted on them. My knowledge of art has influenced the guitar decorations,” Daniel explained. Daniel’s favorite guitar, a vintage jazz acoustic that has suffered considerable wear and tear in its time, was painted using an experimental technique that Daniel decided to try out. When Daniel purchased the guitar, he did not have particularly high hopes for it. The instrument looked absolutely horrible. It had suffered severe water damage, and in many places the wood was worn thin and in others it was broken entirely. Despite this, Daniel felt the guitar had a certain rugged appeal. Before any painting occurred, Daniel sanded the guitar down, filled the holes as best he could, and primed it. The first part of the painting process involved taping up the guitar, and peeling away the parts that were for painting. This process alone took a considerable amount of time, as every single figure on the instrument needed to be precisely cut out of the masking tape. Only after hours spent cutting out dozens of intricate symbols and designs representing Daniel’s interests, the actual painting occurred. This was actually the easier portion of the task, as the design only feature two colors, black and
white, to create a contrasting design. “I think his guitar project, which was inspired by one of his students, will in turn motivate others to pursue art in other mediums,” Kay Evans, math teacher and co-sponsor of the Guitar Club, said. Daniel has painted multiple guitars since then, and over time his hobby has become somewhat of a habit, leading Daniel to experiment with guitar-kits and numerous other guitar-based projects. Since his collection of guitars has grown so large, Daniel began to loan out his instruments to students in Guitar Club. “The fact that he paints his guitars should invite more people to want to learn how to play. A lot of people don’t have guitars, so it’s nice that he’s letting students borrow his.” Tyler Sweeten, senior and copresident of Guitar Club, said. These guitars are perhaps not so impressive as those he has painted, but the Guitar Club members are appreciative for the chance to experiment with different instruments. Daniel hopes to continue working with instruments, and continually endeavors to come up with new creative ideas for himself and his students. story by Joel Montfort
Jazz 2.0 The guitar above, a hollow-body electric commissioned by a friend, was the second jazz guitar painted by Daniel.
The Issue 2 PEREGRINE
November 2013
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Feature
Savior of College Dreams Faculty member returns to give needed direction With time working against him, he realizes that he still has no idea where to apply. His dreams of going to college are slowly dispersing as he realizes the complications that go along with filling out his application. Entry Term, Major, Social Security, financial situation? All these daunting new concepts fly over the head of the student and he does not know who to reach out to get help. But what he does not know yet is that one man, who will reveal himself as ‘the savior of college dreams’, will show him the way towards the college of his dreams. Clayton Anderson was known around the school as a Spanish teacher two years ago, but left that job to work as an ‘Academic Achievement Specialist’ at Labay Middle School. His experiences at the middle school were enjoyable, but he missed his time working as a Spanish teacher in a high school. When Anderson heard about a job opening up in the faculty he proceeded to research the position, and concluded that it was an opportunity that was right up his alley. He immediately went through the application process and applied for the position. “After a couple of emails, an interview or two, and a handful of phone calls, I was offered the job. I quickly and happily accepted the position,” Anderson said. Lately Anderson can be seen going class-to-class giving out information to students about different opportunities to go visit colleges. He has taken on the role as the “College and Career Specialist” for the student body; and with this change in the structure of the college path finding available to the students, comes many changes in how the school shows its students different college opportunities. The most apparent change that Anderson has pushed is making college visits more available to the student body by scheduling field trips to visit many different departments and programs in colleges and trade schools around Texas. Some colleges they have already visited include Texas State and the University of Texas at Austin. “College Night, Trip to Texas State University for IT Symposium, College 101 day at UT Austin, Spare Welding Academy Open House, college visitors, guest speaker, night presentations, and many other dual credit stuff. That’s all just from the first couple of months of school. Going into the future there will be more trips to different university campuses and endless other visits to provide students with options and people who can enlighten their minds to different possibilities,” Anderson said. Matthew Tesfalul, senior, recently signed up and attended the trip to the University of Texas at Austin after hearing about the event from Anderson. The experience of campus life in
Upcoming College Info Sessions Jan. 21st Paying for College Feb. 11th Career Roadmap March 11th PLAN for College Readiness April 1st Dual Credit
Austin and the learning environment at the university inspired him to apply for admission to the school. “I wanted to tour the campus and experience the atmosphere of a day at UT. The trip was perfect because it was a Friday and they provided transportation. In addition, the trip helped me decide to apply to UT,” Tesfalul said. Other tasks that Anderson has undertaken with his new position include helping students find colleges and scholarships that are right for them, while also giving students the knowledge needed to get the most money and opportunities while they are in the college application process. Moony Cao, senior, regularly visits Anderson for advice on many college related things such as editing her application essays and showing her various scholarships that she could benefit from. “He helped me analyze and edit my essays and gave me a ton of websites to find scholarships. He gives me honest input on whether I am applicable for a certain college or not without hurting my feelings,” Cao said. Students do not always have the latest, or any, information on current scholarships and government financial help programs like FAFSA and it is Anderson’s job to relay this information to the students to make sure they are ready for their future life in college by the time they graduate. Most students look for any kind of advice they can get because they had never had to make a decision as big as this one in their life, and they look towards Anderson to give them the advice they will need to succeed. “Research. Read. Realize. All of the information you need to know is out there. Google your brains out and be self-aware, and you will surely find something that’s right for you,” Anderson said. While Anderson’s job primarily focuses on college opportunities he also is required to have the latest information on career opportunities for students who might not be ready for college, or who just don’t feel like college is necessary for them, and then relay this information back to the student body. Naturally, this has gotten Anderson in touch with the vast amount of students looking for help in their search for future opportunities they can pursue; and the amount of students in need of this help is astounding. “I’ve already spoken with several hundred students, one-on-one, and I’ve also entertained large groups of students regarding their future after high school,” Anderson said. Anderson’s new job has caused him to rethink new ways to help students have a sustainable life after high school, but only time will tell if his new techniques will be valuable in helping the average student receive the most out of what the working world has to offer them. For now, the faculty and students can say that they are glad to have him back. By Trevor Hargis
UT COllege VisiT Clayton Anderson speaks with a representative from the University of Texas to start the college visit.
On The ROad Clayton Anderson gets students ready for the long bus ride to the University of Texas at Austin for the college visit.
photo by Monica Garcia
photo by Monica Garcia
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The Issue 1 PEREGRINE
Feature
Debating Places In a classroom full of around 12 debaters, everyone goes quiet. The judges sit a part from the rest and slowly Christian Cordova, senior, makes his way up to the front, ready to deliver his speech. He recites his name, school, code and finalizes as he acknowledges the judges. He waits for a few seconds, feeling his heart beat faster and faster every second, and waits for the judges’ nod to begin his speech, a speech that every competitor will have to deliver and that in the end will start the discussion and debate, the main part of the competition. The participation of Cordova, Santiago Rosales, seniors, Jessica Hulett, Tristain Mathews, Neerali Shah, Chris Lester, sophomores, and Justin Meun, Noah Kopesky, freshmen, in the Cy-Lakes Invitational, The Spartan Classic competition, helped them value their skills as debaters and learn from their performances. Rosales, who endured many sleep-deprived nights to prepare for the competition, and most importantly, readied himself mentally for the challenges to come, earned first place in congressional debate and impromptu debate, and also earned fourth in extemporaneous speaking.
November 2013
Team earns success through discussion, places at Spartan Classic
“It is a thrill. In a single moment, I can act as a representative of this country, fighting for the interests of the American people and at the same time I’m in a high school classroom with 30 other kids, having the same dream,” Rosales said. Although feeling simultaneously excited, nervous, confident, and at ease, Rosales’ jumble of emotions did not impede him from retaining the important lessons that he learned while competing. “At this tournament, I experimented with different attention-getting introductions for my speeches. At the end of this experiment, I realized that working with what you know (your experiences) is the key to your success. I used a humorous element of my life and saw success. This is a lesson I will implement definitely, not only in debate, but also in other areas of my life,” Rosales said. In the area of novice poetry, Mathews received first place and, although he felt nervous but over joyed, he prepared by reading over his piece numerous times and expected to win first or second place. Their debate teacher and mentor Regina Jennings describes these students as exceptional and worthy of their success, after working diligently for many days, weeks and months. “All of these students have a disciplined work ethic. We are now working on a graded contract where they get to choose what they will be graded on. This allows them to fine tune the events they want to improve,” Jennings said. Lester and Shah, who competed together in the area of Novice Public Forum, placed third and prepared together by having practice debates in class, going over pro and con cases, and making counter arguments for each side. Shah has also earned confidence in how she talks, get rid of stress, worry, and nervousness, and has also realized
that improvement comes from competing. “Obviously, after every round, you feel I should have done this or I shouldn’t have done that, but you just have to accept it and move on. I wish I would have had that in my head during every competition: ‘If you mess up, it’s okay, just move one or keep going’,” Shah said. Meun and Kopesky, other debaters who competed together, participated in the duet acting category. Although Meun felt nervous knowing that competing against teams with more experience would not make the competition any easier, the talent that both students had helped them place fourth in their area of competition. Contributing to the success of the debate team, Cordova, who placed third in extemporaneous speaking, and fourth in congressional debate, and Hulett, who received sixth in oratory, also helped them receive the recognition that they worked for after constant practice, discipline, and preparation. By Iveth GarcIa
How has debate influenced your overall life?
“D
ebate has given me the opportunity to express myself in the most dramatic way possible,” Tristain Mathews, sophomore, said.
“I
t has given me something to do and has provided me with recognition,“ Chris Lester, sophomore, said.
“D
“I
“I
“D
t has opened me up to challenges and meeting new people, definitely changed my life positively,” Neerali Shah, sophomore, said.
t has made me less afraid to speak and share my opinion with others,“ Jessica Hulett, sophomore, said.
ebate has made me a better person overall by improving my speaking skills and work better with people,“ Noah Kopesky, freshman, said.
ebate has made me more open to new people. It makes me feel personal with the elderly,“ Justin Meun, freshman, said. photos by Alexander Cruz
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The Issue 2 PEREGRINE
Feature
November 2013
Street Magic in Halls Illusions impress masses
Diego Gomez, junior, successfully runs a Youtube account with up to 50 subscribers. On his Youtube account he features many of his tricks that he had performed at school. www.youtube.com/user/CrypticMagician
He approaches a table filled with strangers, and asks a young boy to pick a card, he picks the seven of diamonds and places it back in the deck, as directed by Diego Gomez, junior. With the sleight of a hand Gomez performs a mesmerizing trick that leaves the whole lunch table speechless. The seven of diamonds jumps from the deck and appears in his mouth. Years of practice have lead Gomez to turn into a notable face in the school and in his community. Many consider Gomez introverted, and still to this day, he may have trouble connecting with people normally. However, Gomez does not let his timid nature get in his way; in fact he capitalizes on it in his street magic tricks. “For a moment someone can be suspended in disbelief and believe anything is possible. Magic brings out emotion,” Gomez said Some of Gomez’s major influences came after he got addicted to TV magicians like Chris Angle, David Blaine, and Penn and Teller. Watching these shows Gomez realized his passion for magic after buying many instructional books and DVD’s Gonzalez put in countless hours into practicing new tricks. He quickly decided that out of all the possible sub genres of magic he liked sleight of hand the best. Sleight of hand magic involves quick maneuvers to trick an audience or audience member into believing the illusion Gomez just performed. When people think of magic, they think of pulling bunnies out of hats, levitation, and escape artists, Gomez, however likes to take a more personal approach by performing street magic. This type of magic allows for a more hands on approach from audience members
and is traditionally not performed on a stage. Gomez chose to do this type of magic because he enjoys seeing the audience’s faces and likes hearing the immediate feedback of oohs and ahs. “The responses I get from people are wonderful. In a weird way I can live out my childhood dreams with magic, like, I always wanted to be a superhero and with magic. It’s almost like I have super powers,” Gomez said. However, Gomez hopes to pursue wrestling in the future and work in magic to his smack down. “In the future I want to keep magic in my life and do it as a career, but I want to take magic to a different stage. Two things I love are magic and professional wrestling and in the future I want to incorporate the two together,” Gomez said. The future is not so far off for Gomez. Many believe, including several of his teachers, that his persistence and passion in magic will lead him to a successful career in his field and he’s not even a senior yet. “Diego is extremely creative and patient. He can see the ‘big picture’ and works through a lot of problem solving in his work in a very confident and patient manner. He never takes the ‘easy’ way out and seems to thrive on challenging himself,” Debbie Wheeler, art teacher, said. The constant pressure that most students face about the future past and present all seem to fade away for Gomez when he performs. Just the ability to entertain a few students is enough for Gomez for the time being. All Gomez needs to happy is deck of cards a little bit of talent and audience. By TryTon WendT
photos by Rosa Gonzalez
Magic in The air Putting in a lot of extra time Michael Hernandez, junior, another Falcon magician, practices for his biggest performance, Battle of the Falcons. “I spent over six hours practicing for Battle of the Falcons and the hardest part at least for me was building up the nerve to get on stage.”
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The Issue 2 PEREGRINE
Training For SucceSS From right to left. Junior firefighter, Jordan Maher acts as a victim laying in an ambulance. The rest of his co-firefighters are discussing the protocol as part of EMT training. Maher and Bryan Taylor II help put out a house fire. Firefighters put out two different burning vehicles with the help of junior firefighters.
Feature
Blazing Passion
photo by Marilyn Renderos
Breathing heavily and running around, they help aid other firefighters tame the fire that keeps roaring back to life after several attempts to douse it. The smell of burning wood filled the air making it even more challenging to put the fire out. Fighting against the feeling of exhaustion, the junior firefighters keep walking closer to the fire’s heat to prevent the fire from spreading. Balancing school and work seems impossible for most teenagers, but not for Bryan Taylor II, Jordan Maher, Joshua Macon, Matthew Bierwagen, and Mohammed Khan. They volunteer at the Jersey Village Fire Department as junior firefighters. Taylor, Maher, Macon, Bierwagen, and Khan dedicate their time serving the community by putting out fires alongside other firefighters. “I feel that everyone should volunteer in their community for the well-being of the whole, and this is my way to be active,” Bierwagen, senior, said. As a senior, Bierwagen already has an extremely occupied year. He participates in JVTV, obtains the position of corps commander in the
November 2013
Volunteers make huge impact in community
photos courtesy of Jersey Village Fire Department
AFJROTC, which simply signifies that his job requires him to take charge and run the corps. He participates in the National Honor Society, and manages to keep up his grades. Although he already has to balance all of these activities in his life, he still finds the time to volunteer. Bierwagen knew he wanted to take part in the experience watching his mom, Kerri Bierwagen, make the decision to help the community by volunteering at the fire station. Matthew Bierwagen has recently completed a full year of hard work, and has made many memories on duty. Once, on duty he found an American flag in the middle of Highway 290. He stopped in traffic in order to recover the flag. After saving the American flag, he and a friend of his folded and donated the flag to the American Legion. Matthew Bierwagen plans on attending Texas A&M, and majoring in Aerospace Engineering. He has created many great adventures and has formed strong relationships with the people he has worked with, and because of this he will continue to volunteer. “I enjoy the relationship we have
with one another. It is like a family,” Khan, senior, said. Khan, also involved in many school activities, dedicates his time to the fire department. Watching his friends Macon and Matthew Bierwagen, Khan knew he wanted to join in on the experience. He started his activities in June 2013, and already has varied experiences. Khan believes his job goes beyond putting out fires. He feels his job entails him serving and saving the community. He appreciates and learns from the experiences he has made on the job. Much like his co-firefighter, Matthew Bierwagen, Khan plans on attending Texas A&M as well to receive a degree in Petroleum Engineering. Although Khan will not continue to volunteer, he still has created memories he would not have made if he had not joined his co-firefighters. “It allows me to help out my community at a young age,” Maher, senior said. Maher has a passion for the volunteer work he does for the community. He feels honored to do significant activities for the civic at
such a young age. If it had not been for his family influencing him to make the decision to volunteer, he would not have experienced such amazing memories. Maher’s family has a history of relatives that work at the fire station. His grandfather and uncle are career fireman, and Maher hopes to do the same. After high school, Maher has decided to attend Lonestar to earn an associates degree in fire science in order to become a full time firefighter. He feels excitement knowing he will continue to do his work for the civic and have a career he yearns for. These junior firefighters volunteer and get the same responsibilities that other men and women twice their age receive. Taylor, Maher, Macon, Matthew Bierwagen, and Khan dedicate their lives to the community because they have the desire to do so. They make noble decisions that most teenagers their age do not make. The actions the junior firefighters do volunteering glorifies their honor. Respected by many, these junior firefighters continue to save lives and worthily serve the community. By Marilyn renderos
November 2013
The Issue 2 PEREGRINE
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Feature
Link to Tradition, Family
photo by Natalie Solano
Sister passes down leadership of Good Sportsmanship League Linked arm in arm, two members from the cheerleaders, Gold Dusters, band, and Student Council cross the football field to represent the Falcons as the Good Sportsmanship League (GSL). Madison Wiltz, freshman, escorts the diverse group, skipping over the whites lines to meet the opposing team with a basket of candy to exchange. Following her sister’s footsteps, Wiltz leads the weekly tradition at every varsity football game. Wiltz remains the only permanent member of GSL, which entitles her to free tickets to all varsity football games and opportunities to meet new people every week. “My sister asked me to do it because she was graduating and they needed a new representative,” Wiltz said. Kayla Wiltz passed down her position as the head of GSL to her younger sibling to insure the club continued after her graduation. Madison followed her sister’s footsteps and decided to pick up the responsibilities of leading the club as a freshman. “My mom thought it was nice of my sister to let me take her place and that GSL was a good way for me to get involved and meet people,” Wiltz said. Leading a club provided Wiltz an interesting opportunity to start her high school career with, and a chance to expand her horizons. “The Good Sportsmanship League has been around for the ten years I have been here as an assistant principal,” Jeff Roth, GSL administrative sponsor, said. GSL in the past consisted of more than one member. Therefore, Wiltz did not expect to uphold the club as an underclassman. “On the night of the first football game I was very nervous heading down to the field to gather everyone else up to walk across because I didn’t really know exactly what to do. I had to find my way,” Wiltz said. Wiltz exhibited maturity beyond her years by bravely accepting a leadership position of great importance without much guidance. “Madison is a sweet ninth grade lady that has taken control of getting the appropriate information to me each and every week before the football games,” Roth said. Receiving high praises from the people who interact with her, Wiltz takes her responsibilities seriously. She keeps up with the names of the GSL representatives every week and reports the names for the loud speaker to announce.
“Madison gets with Mrs. Yerkes and gets the candy and bags and makes a nice looking gift for the opposing school. She attends every football game and must be there 30 minutes early. She has a sideline pass that allows her to meet the others down on the field,” Roth said. Benefiting from the club, Wiltz meets various people every week from diverse organizations. Different students represent their groups as GSL at each game. Therefore, Wiltz interacts with new people when she gathers them to cross the field. “Madison seems very spirited and friendly towards everyone,” Jaliana Douglas, junior, cheerleader, said. After experiencing GSL as one of the cheerleader’s representatives, Douglas had a lasting impression of Wiltz. “I think Madison does great as her job. She always gives the other team a basket of candy for good luck,” Douglas said. Wiltz makes new friends with every GSL, and gains appreciation from the student body. Although many students question her exact job, they know her position has importance. “It’s awesome that as a freshman, Madison gets to have such a unique job that not many freshmen get to have,” Douglas said. Wiltz’s age compared to her maturity and leadership position shocks many of her peers, and GSL members. “A lot of my friends and peers asked what I was or how they could join, and some thought it was cool or weird skipping across the across the field,” Wiltz said. Despite negative comments and questions, Wiltz continues to love her job. Other members of Wiltz’s class wish they had her position and its benefits. “Personally I like it and think it is a great experience that I will continue for the next few years,” Wiltz said. Creating a family tradition, Wiltz impresses the student body by leading GSL as a freshman at every football game. By Kelsey Hodges
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THE Issue 2 PEREGRINE
Uniting
SportS In-Depth
november 2013
Volleyball success rallies school The
floor shook as a roar filled every home court advantage, corner of the court. Point after point, the roar so it pumped up the escalated to a decibel of a playoff game. players knowing they were Every volleyball game in front of friends and family. It sounded like this whether also intimidated the other team home or away. The crowd’s because no one was rooting for intensity t h e m , ” h e l p e d Mohammad the team K h a n , pull off a senior, said. We deserve credit memorable As the season. s e a s o n because it is what The season progressed the girls have to look back on and the raced kept the team include a sweep of Cy-Ranch at for the playoffs home. The first time that had got tighter, going. If you don’t ever happened in the history of the crowd the match-up, fueled got louder have a crowd, not only the girls, and more but the crowd as supportive. there’s no point in well. T h e y “My favorite helped the playing since no memory of volleyball the season was team to a one is cheering you beating Cy-Ranch 10-8 record, and Cy-Creek the first and received on. time. Those wins were the a lot of credit momentum-builders for for the way Mohammed Khan the entire season,” Kaila they helped Overton, senior, said. at the games. After winning those They made games, the team was fired up and ready to play almost every home game feel like anyone else that stood in their way. They knew a playoff game, they were in the playoff race which included which made Cy-Creek. The race heated up towards the end, the team play and as the race heated up, so did the crowd. like they had a “The crowd was crazy and also very playoff game at supportive. They would come to almost every hand. Each player single match supporting us when we needed it on the team knows the crowd helped the most,” Becca Mauer, freshman, said. them in ways unimaginable throughout the Everyone in the crowd knew how important season. each game at the end was, so they showed up. Sometimes “My favorite memory was when we played they even took props to go with the phrase of the match. Creek at home. Even though we lost, the gym They took ponchos and umbrellas to the home game was so loud it is something I won’t forget. My against Cy-Creek roaring, “Flood the Creek.” team played their hearts out and never gave “The crowd helped a lot. They always pumped us up. I’m so proud of that,” Mauer said. up and go us motivated for every point. We couldn’t The most intense game of the season was the have gotten as far as we did without them,” Lauren game against Cy-Creek. Although it was a heartGreenspoon, senior, said. breaking loss, the school pulled together and The crowd not only pumped up the ladies, but they showed up in ponchos and rain coats for support. intimidated their opponents. They brought the true Their screams got to the point where the whistle meaning of home court advantage to the court. from the referee was barely audible. “The crowd helped the team because we gave them By Matt DuBose
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The Freshman Pack Through every race, the Erwin twins, Ryan Erwin and Shane Erwin, freshmen, run in a pack with the other freshmen to pace themselves and stay at the front of the race. This tactic led to them finishing seventh and ninth at the district meet.
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november 2013
THE Issue 2 PEREGRINE
SportS In-Depth
9
Greenspoon moves further
photo by Natassha Arreola
PumPed uP During the game against Cy-Ranch, the crowd played a huge part in helping push the team. As their screams shook the court, the Lady Falcons swept the game for their first time ever. Emotions ran hot, but with the crowd having their backs, they pushed through and tamed the Mustangs.
Twinning
For six years, she left her mark on every gymnasium floor. The harmonious sound of her shoes squeaking on the floor; with the thought she left her mark in her mind. Six straight years, and finally, Lauren Greenspoon, senior, got recognized by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, a Division One college. “I think Lauren is a charismatic person, who the entire team looks up to. She plays aggressively, confidently, and most importantly, with heart. She is going to do amazing things at UTC,” Kaila Overton, senior, said. Lauren has been a leader of the team since her junior year, and has gained the respect of her whole team through the way she plays. She pumps the team up after they give up a point or score a point, and lifts their spirits whether they won or lost. That was one of her best qualities. “Lauren is an all-around athlete. Just her playing ability on the court makes her a great leader. She is our go to person, and we could count on her to perform. She always also stays calm and will help if it someone may not be performing well on the court,” Becca Mauer, freshman, said. Lauren knows she is good, but does not let her talent get in the way of helping her team. By helping her team, she knows they will get better, benefiting everyone in the long run.
Erwin brothers pace each other
An uneven path stands in front of them as the stampede follows them. Breathe in and out, in and out, and keep a steady stride. Shane Erwin and Ryan Erwin, freshmen, think not of the finish line, but just to run faster and pass the kid in front of them. They keep a steady pace at the front of the pack, knowing that they can make history at the district meet. The Erwin twins stay close to each other, but run their own race. They run with the pack of the other freshman cross country runners that placed in the top 10. Six of the runners placed in the top 10. The only girl runner to place was Ahlam Abdel-Khaleq, junior. She finished in sixth place of the junior varsity girls race. The other five runners to place came from the freshmen boys. Zachary Garza, district champion, Ryan Bronikowski, runner up, Matthew Jiang, sixth place, Shane Erwin, seventh place, and Ryan Erwin, ninth place, freshmen, all finished in the top ten. “I owe my success to my amazing parents and my wonderful coach, Coach Day,” Ryan Erwin said. All of the runners who finished in the top 10 at the district meet ran as a pack for the majority of the race, breaking off from each other to set their own finishing pace at the end.
They made history by having six runners finish in the top 10 for the first time in at least a decade at the district meet. “I thought we did an excellent job at the district meet. Everyone tired their best and we got second which we were all very happy about,” Shane Erwin said. The Erwin Twins finished at the back of the top 10, but contributed nonetheless. Their persistence and work ethics pushed each other and the team to do better than they had before. At the district meet, 16 of the runners ran their personal best time. Shane Erwin was among those who ran their best time at the district meet, finishing ahead of his twin by two places. Everyone pitched in and made history by doing what they were supposed to. They listened to their coach and it paid off in the very long run the district meet had in store for them all. The team has a bright future ahead of it. By Matt DuBose
FINISH
Not only did the crowd and team support her during her time in high school, but she had others support also. “I owe my success to my family and coaches for always pushing me to be better than I was yesterday and never giving up on me,” Greenspoon said. Greenspoon’s determination and success led to her scholarship to UTC. She plans on finishing volleyball through college, and not going pro. Although they did not make playoffs, Greenspoon had a season that she will not soon forget. “My favorite memory from the season was beating Cy-Ranch in three and coming so close to playoffs, while getting so close with my team,” Greenspoon said. Volleyball had one of its best season in Greenspoon’s senior year. Allowing her to finish her high school volleyball career on a high note. Her leadership qualities from her years in high school, will benefit her greatly in her college years. Not only in her college years, but in the years that follow college in which ever career she plans to pursue. The qualities she possess will open up many opportunities in her future not only in volleyball, but her life itself beyond volleyball and school. Her life in the real world. By Matt DuBose
One Game Out The Varsity Football team had their first winning season in district since 2004. They finished 5-4 after beating Cy-Woods 42-0 in what was Mike Maddox’s last game of his career. The team pulled together behind sophomore quarterback DeShun Qualls, sophomore, to finish in fifth place, one game out of the playoffs. “I’m sad to see the season end. We were one of the best teams in the district and we finished just one game out of playoffs. Our senior leadership was amazing, they bought into what we wanted and were a big reason for the 6-4 season,” David Snokhous said.
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The Issue 2 PEREGRINE
SportS
November 2013
Going for the Green(spoon)
Golfer signs letter of intent with UT- Arlington
The PerfecT PuTT Taking his time to line up his perfect putt. Greenspoon spots the ball on the green checking the alinement of the ball on the green, figuring his next move, a crucial part of the game of golf.
Greenspoons Game Average Drive: 285 yards Average Score: 72 (Par) Best Score: 65 (Cypress Lakes) Driver: Ping Anser Irons: Ping i15 Wedges: Ping Tour Gorge Putter: Seemore FGP
major tournament and he shot the lowest round of anyone in the tournament, I knew he was going to be good. When he went out to the City Junior Championship and lapped the field, I thought he was going to be very good. When I watch how hard he works at developing his game, I know he will be great,” Michael Greenspoon said.
“
One of the
coolest aspects
of Jake’s success in golf is that his success has
gotten him noticed by college golf
“
photo by william scales
Eyes locked on the four and a half inch wide hole, nine feet back, this shot determines Jake Greenspoon’s scholarship for The University of Texas at Arlington. This putt will make par, much better than most if not all golfers at the high school level. He must remember all the years he has been golfing just to make this one, crucial, putt. The piercing silence escalates the tension in the air, he putts, UT Arlington, here he comes. Jake Greenspoon, senior, has been golfing since he was eight years old. Even at such an early age, his eyes were locked on one goal, playing in the PGA. Jake was not always as good as he is today though. Nobody noticed him, he just happened to be on the school golf team, and then it all changed. “The biggest turning point in Jake’s attitude towards golf was when he began to accept the fact that every shot in golf you hit won’t be perfect and he had a tournament in which he hit very few fairways but managed to score really well. From that he learned that whenever he wasn’t hitting the ball very well, he could still be very competitive” Michael Greenspoon, Jake’s father, said. This is a lesson many golfers do not accept, and soon becomes the death of their golf game. Greenspoon, however, did not fall into this trap, and it has excelled his golf game leagues above others. “When Jake played in his first
coaches nationally. Micheal Greenspoon
His friends and family have gone to great lengths to support him throughout his golf career, making sure that whenever he needed help in his game he would get it. “I thoroughly enjoyed supporting Jake throughout his golf career, helping him in any way I
could whenever he needed it,” Alice Greenspoon said. Since he has started to preform so well people have started to form expectations of him. In the game of golf that happens to become the largest amount of pressure upon the golfers shoulders. This pressure is what halts most golfers from reaching their dreams. “I try not to let the expectations of others to get to my head, I try to just play my best and enjoy my time while on the course,” Jake Greenspoon said. Golf is a peculiar sport with 34 rules, over 100 sections and subsections, yet with 2000 explanatory decisions, this makes golf one of the most complicated sports rule wise. Golf also happens to be the highest paying sport in the world, with Tiger Woods earning over $78 million. Golf also happens to be one of the few sports where a man of John Daily’s age (47), can compete with men like Rory Mcilroy (24) and still have a chance to win. People wonder what comes next, then after college, then after this after that. Greenspoon is taking one big step, but it is not the final step. The college level is big, but it isn’t the biggest possible. “In the next few years I see him competing at the collegiate level, playing for UT-Arlington and continuing to refine his game, after that, who knows,” Michael Greenspoon said. By William ScaleS
november 2013
The Issue 2 PEREGRINE
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The Issue 2 PEREGRINE
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The Issue 2 PEREGRINE
Feature
november
2013
Running towards Success Cross Country medalist leads pack
photo by Christin Ong
District cross country With self motivation, Ahlam Abdel-Khaleq, junior, pushes herself so that she can have an edge over her competition. During different points of the race, she reminded herself to stay in the lead. Abdel-Khaleq finished sixth place overall out of 130 girls at the district meet.
With her mind fixed on finishing first in the race, Ahlam AbdelKhaleq, sophomore, instantaneously picked up her speed with the scorching heat bearing down on her. Winning; that is the only thing on her mind. Perpetually at the head of the pack, she acted as the pacemaker throughout the race. With excellent form, her legs went into a continual motion as she sprinted towards the finish line, always striving to push harder and finish strong. Abdel-Khaleq’s customary routine consisted of training five days a week and doing an abundance of core work. Running cross country became natural for her since she developed zealousness for running, even though she did not start taking it seriously until she started competing in middle school. They year, she won 1st place at the annual Galveston Day Beach Run. At the Friday Night Meet, she ran a two mile race placing 4th with a time of 13:21. She also runs for the track team which helps her prepare for the next year to compete in cross country races. She placed 2nd in the 800m race. On top of all that “I did not think I would be running cross country, but my cousin
felt like since I ran all time, that I should just join the cross country team,” Abdel-Khaleq said. While she ran for the cross country team, it gave Abdel- Khaleq times to disunite herself from the many distractions that went on in her life. She utilized this opportunity to excel in all her races and push herself to not give up. “I felt like if I could compete in cross country, it would help me as an overall athlete. Sometimes on my days where I am feeling stressed out, running takes away all of my stress,” Abdel Khaleq said. Every day was filled with running, workouts, or rigorous core exercises while consuming lots of fluids. Abdel Khaleq fully acquired the mind of an athlete. She practiced every day and she did not make excuses to not run every day. She reminded herself that this was what she wanted, and she would do whatever she required to do to acquire victory. Abdel Khaleq dedicated her life to cross country. Each cross country meet staying in the front of the race was her main goal. She sometimes additionally needed to surmount the rough terrain and the heat that came with running cross country. In her first
two years of cross country, she became a force to be reckoned with. With the nickname “Ahlam the Bomb,” she crushed several of her own personal records, and has consistently placed in the top 10 of each race that usually includes 120-130 people. “I nicknamed her Ahlam the Bomb, because at the meets, she would explode during different periods of the race when she would get tired. Nearing the cessation of the race, she would pick up speed from nowhere and win the race, or close enough to placing first,” Cross Country Coach Crystal Day said. Every year, Abdel Khaleq aims to beat her competitors and win her race. She has had to endure several obstacles and make sacrifices to be the runner that she is today. From rising early in the morning to go to cross country practice until running until her legs start to ache, Abdel Khaleq still keeps on moving forward. With two more years left of her cross country journey, she is already making a good name for herself. At this rate, there is no doubt that she is going to be a very successful athlete after her years of running high school cross country. By Semon AdAmS
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THE Issue 2 PEREGRINE
Columns
november 2013
Team loyalty goes to favorite sports, which will continue through ups, downs
To those that read my last column and instantly thought, well if Matt is not a Houston Hater, he surely is a fair weather fan. There is no truth in that statement however. The truth of the matter at hand is that I am not a fair weather fan either. I simply chose the teams I root for and have been with them the whole way through. I started pulling for the Cardinals around 2003. In 2003 they finished third in the NL central, behind the Cubs and Astros. They did not make the playoffs, but nonetheless, I have stuck with them since 2003. They have been my favorite sports team to follow because they groom their youth in a great farm system which is how they remain a power house to this day in the National League. I started following the Titans when they drafted Vince Young
(after the Texans passed on him) which was in 2006. Once he got drafted out of the University of Texas, I started following the NFL and chose the Titans to follow. Vince Young was easily my favorite quarterback coming out of college and I got heartbroken when the Texans passed on him in the draft, so became a Titans fan. Titans fans should not be considered fair weather fans because the team has not had a playoff year since,2008 but I follow them nonetheless. In 2008, I started pulling for the Spurs. That season, they went 50-26 and lost in the Western Conference finals. Since I have started pulling for them, they have been a consistent good team that usually makes the playoffs, but lately they have gotten old. Although they have gotten old, I will not leave their fan base, I am here to stay. Overall, I do not follow the teams because of their record but because they are rivals of the Houston teams, and their history
as well. The Cardinals happen to be one of the most historical teams in the Majors by winning 11 World Series titles which is second to only the Yankees. The Titans on the other hand, branched off of the Oilers franchise. When the Oilers moved, the franchise records stayed but the name just changed to the Titans. They kept the same colors as the Oilers to keep that tradition alive. The Spurs themselves have won 4 NBA championships which if fourth among all the NBA behind the Celtics, Lakers and Bulls. The reason, as I have mentioned, I follow the teams I follow is not because of their current success (and yes the Titans have current success), but because of their rich history. Their record also helps as well, but I am not a fan that would leave the fan base because of a poor record. I might be told Titans suck or other such comments, but I stick by my teams no matter what. By Matt duBoSe
Eyes judge personal fashion choices leading to unfair criticism, negativity Walking down the hall, I can hear whispers and see faces filled with disapproval as they assess my outfit of choice. Ashamed, I put my head down because I know other students have made presumptions about me based upon the clothing I had on. I came in terms with the fact that I could not make my peers change their minds about my personality, because my peers think they know about the person I am. Conclusions about a person and their personality typically originate from people’s clothing. People use fashion to self-express, so when people perceive a fashion style that seems odd or peculiar; they make critiques on the outfit and make judgments. Students stereotype all the time, and use the
way people dress to do it. When students see a girl or a guy wearing all black or dark colors, they automatically categorize the guy or girl in the “emo” or “goth” stereotype. I myself can relate to these types of situations. I have had some of my fellow peers assume negative thoughts about me because of how I dressed. In the fifth grade the school I attended enforced uniform wear. I felt restricted to selfexpression, and felt that I could not dress in the clothing that I felt comfortable in. Once, I attempted to wear a tie with my uniform and had a teacher tell me to take it off. That same day other students teased me and told me it made me look like a “try hard”. When I arrived back home, I sprinted to my room and sobbed. I did not want to look like everyone else. I wanted to stand out and be different than others, because I did not have the same personal-
ity as anyone else and neither did they. I believe everyone should be able to express themselves without having people critique them. Everyone has all been through these types of situations and knows what it feels like to have people judge people negatively. People should speak to and get to know a person before they make assumptions about a person’s character. People do not know what another person is going through. Some people do not have the sources or access to “dress nice” on a daily basis. Some people have families that go through financial stumbles, or have religious restrictions. These sorts of obstacles prevent people to dress to society’s standards, and it is not fair for people to judge without knowing another person’s background. I believe that society as a whole should not contribute to these kinds of negative actions. By Marilyn renderoS
Illustration by Joel Monfort
Amendment gives power
As one of the most heated political topics of today’s day and age, attention must be brought to the absolute infringement of the constitutional right of every American citizen, gun control. The second amendment was placed by the founding fathers to give the power to the American people. Not only to own a weapon, but to have a true representation of the power to overthrow a tyrannical government if one comes to fruition. The United States founded on the idea that if the government becomes too controlling and too invasive into the citizens lives, they are allowed, no, it is their duty, to overthrow the government. Other countries that have established strict gun control policies have a higher or unchanged crime rate after they have implemented the laws. Strict gun laws in cities and states such as New York, Chicago and Detroit have not exactly proven effective, as these three cities have some of the highest crime rates in the entire United States of America. New York City had 79,000 violent crimes in 2012. While Houston, Texas, with much less strict gun laws, only averaged around 12,000 violent crimes in 2012. During a home invasion or a crime such as that, many say calling 911 is a safe resort and could save their life. Calling 911 delivers a false sense of security; the average response time from the moment one calls 911 until the police arrive at the door is roughly 10 minutes. A lot can happen in 10 minutes, and if one is not armed you will not be able to protect their home, and their life. There are many instances when a break in results in a murder because the homeowner is home and spooks the robber. If the homeowner owns a gun, they can legally take their life in their own hands, and stop the perpetrator in his tracks. If the government outlaws guns, only outlaws will have guns. This stays true in society as meth, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana are all outlawed, and it does not seem to have really taken them off the streets, this illegality of drugs has caused the up rise of the most massive and powerful criminal organizations in human history, very directly causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people in the world, and the weapons used to cause those deaths, are nine out of ten times, illegally obtained. I do not condone drugs, but outlawing weapons as we have with drugs could cause a massive uproar in illegal weapons trade, and that could have ramifications as far felt as the American economy, and as close to home as crime rate increases. By Will ScaleS
NOVEMBER 2013
THE Issue 2 PEREGRINE
STAFF EDITORIAL
Teen parents handle difficult situation
Stares, whispers, and rumors quickly dominate groups of students as soon as the knowledge of a pregnant girl in school comes out. The huge belly of the girl stands out in a crowd full of what everyone considers normal teenagers. Everyone turns around to see for themselves, others to criticize, others to tease, and all the while, students do not realize the struggles that teen parents go through to make their education possible for them. Teen parents should receive encouragement for staying in school and have all the support possible for them to continue school. Bullying persists throughout the school, attacking teen parents. Students point them out, laugh at them, and judge without having knowledge of how these teens go through many difficulties to have the opportunity to attend school. When teenagers become parents, their priorities change and focus more on their baby than school. Their time also organizes itself to meet their child’s needs, moving school down on their list of priorities.
This proves as a difficulty for them when balancing school time and homework with caring for their baby. Students who do not go through a situation like this should exhibit more consideration and not embrace the prejudices that society uses to symbolize these young parents. The education that teen parents receive becomes more essential in order to go beyond depending on their parents for any financial aid. In order for these parents to succeed, school becomes a necessary process and students should encourage this process. Many of these teen parents find the decision of dropping out inevitable due to economical and emotional problems. Although many argue that these teens have taken erroneous decisions, these decisions should not hinder their education and provoke judgment or bullying. Instead of sarcastic and ridiculing remarks, peers and friends should give hope, encouragement, and urge these parents to continue school in order to provide a better future for their offspring.
PEREGRINE STAFF 2013-2014
illustration by Megan D’Agrella
The Parenting Education class provides more information and helps teens to continue school while being provided with essential knowledge that they would be able to use in their life. Although these teen parents can bring their children to school in order to be cared for, according to Maria Lewis, head counselor, the school does not serve as a day care but rather their main priority focuses on helping teen parents to graduate. Everyone in school should unite to help make the process of graduating for these teens easier and without a negative atmosphere of bullying, malicious, and pessimistic comments. Education for these young parents is essential and will help them become parents as well as students.
Peregrine Staff Opinion
5yay 5 nay
the student
VOICE
What is your opinion on teenage parents staying in school, what challenges do you think might arise from it?
“
I think (teen parents) should continue, it would make the child’s life easier.’’ Brenda Torres, sophomore
“
Just because someone had a child doesn’t mean they should dropout or go into home schooling.’’ Cindy Nguyen, junior
“
15
If you can do it, then stay in school! But it does depend on how much support your parents are willing to give.’’ Edwin Campos, senior
co-editors MATT DUBOSE ALEXANDER CRUZ staff writers SEMON ADAMS IVETH GARCIA MONICA GARCIA TREVOR HARGIS KELSEY HODGES JOEL MONTFORT JULIANNA PEREZ MARILYN RENDEROS WILLIAM SCALES NATALIE SOLANO TRYTON WENDT Contributing Staff NATASSHA ARREOLA MEGAN D’AGRELLA MONICA GARCIA ROSA GONZALEZ CRISTIN ONG 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 (713896-3400). 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.
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THE Issue 2 PEREGRINE
Photo Essay
NovEmbEr 2013
Display foR VisitoRs Art I students painted skulls to form a display at the Lawndale Art Center’s annual Day of the Dead exhibit. Alisa Trevino, Art I Teacher, took three students to the on-site location to put it all together. “I thought it would be a great experience to explore the world of art outside of the classroom. It was very interesting and the Lawndale Art Center was just beautiful. It was also beautiful to see our final product put together,” Diego Flores, sophomore said.
aRt stuDent oppoRtunity The Lawndale Art Center has their Day of the Dead exhibit in honor of all of those who have passed away. Alissa Trevino, Art I teacher, participated because she wanted her students to have the opportunity to have their art work in a gallery and help them meet some art students’ goals.
L a w n d a l e ArtCenter By Natalie SolaNo
honoRing the DeaD Three art students, Lacie Aden, Diego Flores, sophomores, and Ryan Turner, junior, spent a day out in the downtown area putting up the trifold they hand built and painted themselves. Then they hung all of the painted skulls in memory of their deceased loved ones.
among the famous “I never knew that I would be able to get my artwork in a gallery with pieces done by famous people,” Lacie Aden, sophomore, said.
Respect foR family “I participated in this project to show respect to my great grandmother that passed away on the Day of the Dead. And being able to go to the Lawndale Art Center was pretty exciting,” Ryan Turner, junior, said.