Jersey Village High School 7600 Solomon Houston, Texas 77040
Peregrine The
Volume 44 Issue 1 November 2015
PROMOTION TIME
Yearbook tries to increase sales with sweet treats
W “
hen
Emmilyne Thomas Editor in Chief
the
student
body thinks of the
yearbook, we want them to remember the good times and be encouraged to buy a yearbook.” Christine Le, Falcon co-editior
Featured Stories
YEARBOOK PROMOTION BOX. Trying to gain the attention of the students in the Commons Fabi Rodriguez, junior, becomes a live yearbook to pass out ordering flyers. Photo by Juan Torres
To increase sales of the school yearbook, the Falcon yearbook staff participated in a National Yearbook Week competition and won a staff party from their printer, Balfour Publishing. The staff had a lineup of various activities, ranging from chalk messages in the front courtyard, holding up a banners by the buses and walking through the Commons dressed as yearbooks along with various social media networking. The yearbook staff used sweet treats, like Dum-Dums, Sweet Tarts, and Smarties to get the students’ attention and let them know how to order a yearbook at the sales website. “We aim to promote the yearbook and increase sales. Our goal is to make activities enjoyable in order for students to want to see our completed work,” Damaris DeLeon, Falcon coeditor said. “We will continue to push promotions throughout the school year by catching the attention of students and leaving them with good memories,” DeLeon said.
West Side Story Page 2
Artist Creations Pages 4, 5
Miles from Home Page 11
Falcons on the Field Page 13
Fishing nets $20,000 scholarship Damaris DeLeon Contributing Writer
Change affects seniors Cade Schaudel Staff Reporter College and Career adviser CJ Anderson has accepted the role of assistant principal at Bleyl Middle School and the position will now be held by Eric Hernandez, former seventh grade history teacher from Cook Middle School. “Since my second year of teaching, I’ve wanted to have a larger impact on schools and students and I believe I can do that as
an AP,” Anderson said. But the change in office has made some students anxious about their college plans. “I’m really disappointed Mr. Anderson left, he was really good and helped everyone out a lot,” Isaac Soliz, senior, said. Hernandez will use his teaching skills to help students pave the way to planning their career and college plans and scholarship applications and opportunities.
The smell of saltwater covered the area as the contestants focused on the task at hand, all competing for the chance to win $20,000 in scholarship money. Among the 11- to 17-year-olds from different areas of Texas was Tyler Gully, sophomore, who was awarded the scholarship money from the CCA Texas Star Tournament, which took place along the Texas coast from May 23-Sept. 7. Gully began fishing at an early age, but did not make the transition to saltwater fishing until the age of 11. He quickly began to enjoy fishing as a sport, and would even attend competitions his father competed in. “I saw my dad winning all these tournaments, so in the summer of 2014 I began to get serious about it. I began participating in fishing tournaments, and I even won a few,” Gully said.
Gully, like most high school students, is haunted by the thought of future college expenses. So naturally, when the chance to win a great amount of scholarship money presented itself, Gully signed up to compete. “I never realized how great of an opportunity I had until this summer. I won the scholarship and about six other tournaments, which all had a cash prize,” Gully said. Gully has collected a total of $35,000, which he hopes to use to buy a car and to cover college expenses. Gully plans on continuing his saltwater fishing career, and hopes to accumulate more scholarship money by the end of high school to secure his college plans. “Tyler has taken the skill and patience that I taught him and adapted his own style and flair that contributed to him catching the winning fish. Fishing in this
tournament is something our family does together, so it was very enjoyable fishing with Tyler this summer. I am very proud of my son,” Patrick Gully, Tyler’s father, said.
NO FISH STORY. With the winning speckled trout that he caught in the CCA Texas Star Tournament, Tyler Gully, sophomore, also captured a $20,000 scholarship. Photo furnished by Gully family
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News
November ‘15
The Peregrine
Volume 44, Issue 1
PLACE OF ACCEPTANCE
Newly formed Philosophy Club shares ideas, thoughts
Angelo Gonzalez Contributing Writer
Lin Vu Staff Reporter A group of children flock around in a tight circle, chatter fluttering in the air. The space vibrates in excitement as the need for conversation pushes forward. The group resides in room 2265, where Philosophy Club takes place. Here, the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence is discussed heavily. Alicia Melton, junior and president of Philosophy Club describes the club as a place of acceptance. “Personally, I would say it’s a place where everyone can come in and immediately shed their identities as an individual, where you shed judgement, where I am just as much equal to you as you are to me and where we can all share our ideas and share our thoughts,” Melton said. Alexis Doyle, junior and vice president of the club discussed the activities of Philosophy Club. “We share our opinions about different theories and what we think things are. We discuss different theories, we discuss quantum mechanics and we actually talked about what love really was before and people have a lot of different opinions on these things,” Doyle said. Doyle expressed that the motive behind the club was a need for an organization that discussed philosophy. “We created Philosophy Club because many people like to share theories and think about like… What is the universe, you know? So we decided to create a club about it and meet new people and share our theories and opinions together,” Doyle said. Melton expressed that the motivation for the club was from the concept of philosophy and the demand for a more open-minded society. “I would say the concept and idea that perception is literally what makes up the world. If we can understand that all perception is correct and that all perception is relevant, then we can practice a more tolerant type of race. That is a big motivation for me because I believe that if we all practice tolerance and if we all shared our viewpoints and ideas and we’re still able to see them as equal and see them as something that is worth considering then together we practice more contentment,” Melton said.
West Side Story hits Players stage
MEETING OF MINDS. During an organization meeting Alicia Melton, junior, and Alexis Doyle, junior, discuss with members in the newly formed Philosophy Club. Photo by Odalys Delgado
National award goes to debate teacher Gerardo Garcia Staff Reporter Debate coach Regina Jennings will be honored at the Speech & Debate championship in June in Salt Lake City, Utah, for earning her first Diamond Award for excellence in coaching. She will receive this honor from the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA). “I feel very honored because it’s something I always wanted to achieve and I have always seen other people that I’ve looked up to achieve this
award. It’s kind of cool to be a part of them. I am very excited it’s something wanted to achieve for a very long time,” Jennings said Jennings once attended this high school, competing in speech and debate, of which she is now coaching Diamond Coach Awards reflect excellence and longevity in the activity. A coach earns her first diamond Award after teaching for at least five years and after his or her students have earned at least 15,000 points.
On the first of October through the third and again on the eighth through the 10th, the JV Players presented their first performance of the year, West Side Story, by Arthur Laurents. The play was directed by Jayme Norfleet. The play featured students from the school Orchestra who helped bring the music to life alongside the singing, dancing, and dramatic moments of the play. The orchestra followed the conducting of Lauren Martin, one of Jersey Village’s own orchestra organization directors. “It was a pretty new experience, and it was a little bumpy. I met new people and new friends,” Megan Hecklinger, sophomore, said. Performing alongside the dancers and orchestra players, Henry Ginsburg, Collin Rougeau, and Elise Thomas took on the lead roles of Riff, Tony, and Maria respectively.
DEBATE NATIONAL RECOGNITION. Honored to be recognized Regina Jennings, debate teacher, will travel to Utah this summer to receive her award. Photo by Samantha Johnson.
Virtuosi Chamber accepts two members Pamela Jimenez Staff Reporter
SELECT MUSICIANS ACCEPTED. As part of the Virtuosi Chamber Lily Arnold and Mitchel Ramirez will join an elite group of musicians. Photo by Elizabeth Deitiker.
The Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, a orchestra made up of young artists from the greater Houston area, have accepted Lily Arnold, senior and Mitchel Ramirez, junior, to participate. Arnold, plays the flute while Ramirez, junior, plays the french horn. Both have been playing
since the sixth grade. “I did not realize how challenging it would be and how it would impact my life. Mictchel and I rocked the audition,”Arnold said. “It is the cream of the crop, the top people who can get into this orchestra. This was super awesome and the greatest opportunity. Mitchel and I were so excited when we were notified.”
Photos by Iliana Ramirez, Lesly Ventura
Volume 44, Issue 1
The Peregrine
Journey to Japan
Feature
November‘15
3
Duo plan to travel to new educational environments Cade Schaudel Staff Reporter Cherry blossom trees rustle as their petals gently blow down to the students on the walk way leading up to the school. The morning sun shines, and the students find their group of friends, all smiling and laughing together. A scene many may dream of, but either never get an opportunity or lose their drive. However, when someone fully commits to their goals, that idea will never waiver, even in the face of time. Jarod Nguyen, junior, has dreamed of visiting Japan ever since his older brother declined a foreign exchange offer in middle school five years ago. Since then, he has dedicated his time to finding the best means necessary of reaching his destined land. “I decided to just go on the internet and do some research for the cheapest and most reliable exchange program I could find. Eventually, I found a site called Rotary and after reading some reviews and comments, I decided I would go along with them,” Nguyen said. Rotary’s Youth Exchange system offers over 8,000 students the opportunity to spend anywhere from a couple weeks to a full year in a variety of places around the world. Designed for those that truly want to take advantage of this event, one must demonstrate a large amount of community and academic participation to prepare them for the hardships they may face in their new settings. The Rotary website states that “exchanges are for people ages 15–19 who: have demonstrated leadership in their school and community, are flexible and willing to try new things, are open to cultural differences, and can serve as an ambassador for their own country.” Japanese students spend 240 days a year at school, 60 days more than an American student with less time for breaks and more time to study the material. Japanese students also have a higher sense of responsibility as they must clean classrooms and other areas of the school on a regular basis. “I know that the school system there is a lot tougher, but it is also recognized as such around the world and it looks really good on job applications if you have been in a Japanese educational system and have been abroad and learn their culture,” Nguyen said. Much like how Nguyen’s older brother inspired him, he now paves the way for others to follow in his footsteps. Isaiah “Anthony” Lewis, junior, has taken his first steps on that road alongside him on his own journey to Japan. “I’ve always wanted to make a comic store in Japan or own an art company there, but those are plans for the future so I had to wait. Then I heard Jarod talking about this program where he gets to go to Japan for his senior year. I figured I would get to see how the culture and lifestyle of the place is first hand before I actually live there,” Lewis said. After declining the offer once already, Eric Nguyen, senior, harbors no regrets - except one: watching his little brother leave the house at the same time as him. While Eric plans to stay off-campus and visit home often, he will not come home to one of his brothers and will miss the time he once cherished with his younger sibling. “I’m going miss having Jarod around because we have a lot in common and do a lot of the same stuff
together. My youngest brother isn’t old enough to do a lot of the stuff we do, like Taekwondo,” Eric Nguyen said. While he currently has no set major study, Jarod plans to attend classes on business as well as continue his pursuit of martial arts. However, using his growing arsenal of Japanese words, he will attend an internationally recognized school which will give him a major advantage over other contenders in the field he chooses. “Just the fact that I’ve been across the world and immersed myself in their culture for a year shows businesses a ton of character. I plan to broaden my horizons and study all that I can learn about their history and language and other things to give me the best experience I could get,” Jarod Nguyen said. Leaving around the middle of summer, Jarod will depart for the foreign land where he will make his dreams come true through the once in a lifetime opportunity that will forever change his future forever.
STUDYING FOR SUCCESS. Balancing writing his essay and doing work for his future occupation, Anthony Lewis, junior, must plan ahead of life while finishing his homework and assignments in present day school, “It gets a bit tough sometimes with my job and school and planning for Japan, but if I try hard, and be smart about how I work with time, I’m sure I’ll be able to finish,” Lewis said. Photo by Cade Schaudel
FIGHT FOR FIRST. As Jarod Nguyen (right side) puts his training into action, he goes against the assistant teacher to test his might. “I’ve fought him plenty of times, but I think I’ve only actually beaten him once, and that took all that I could give at the time. It’s kind of hard to keep count with your back continuously being slammed into the ground over and over again,” Nguyen said. Photo by Cade Schaudel
BATTLE OF BROTHERS. Despite being very close, it all changes once Jarod (left side) and Eric (right side) Nguyen step out onto the mat of their dojo, and compete for glory. “We’ve fought too many times to count, but I know I’ve won every time we go head to head. He may be my older brother, but he just doesn’t try as hard as me. I’m only one test away from second degree black belt, while he still needs to take two more. I’m the only one with a six pack for a reason,” Jarod Nguyen said. Photo by Cade Schaudel
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The Peregrine
feature October ‘15
Artist creates cavity inducing designs
SWEETNESS ALIVE Lin Vu staff reporter She strains her eyes, honing into her work below her. Lifting her foot off the foot pedal of the sewing machine, she glances at the clock that flashes 4:06AM. Sandy Nguyen, senior, lifts her work to examine it. For almost half of the day, she toils over a small intricate choker to sell on her online business. On the depths of the internet, Nguyen owns a small accessory and trinket shop named Sweetness Alive. She uses the online platform, Etsy to make her business come to life. Nguyen started her internet job with small key chains and resin charms. She now crafts necklaces and small accessories. “I started my business when I was 15 years old. I started posting pictures of the work I was doing… It’s when business started coming. Everyone started asking me questions like, ‘Oh, where can I buy this?’, and I was like oh yeah it’s in my Etsy shop. So I started getting a lot of customers as my follower base grew,” Nguyen said. All of the products in Nguyen’s shop are carefully hand designed and crafted by her on her sewing machine. She runs the shop by herself on a tight schedule. “I run everything by myself. It is tiring, I wish there was someone else to help. Not a lot of people understand how to do these kinds of things,” Nguyen said. Nguyen holds her shop to high standards, dedicated to high quality. “I have really high work ethics. I would never send anything out to any customer if it’s not high quality,” she said.
Work can sometimes be messy for Nguyen, and often hectic to achieve sublime quality. “Sometimes I’ll just rip off the ribbon and rip off the glue and I’ll go to my sewing room and I’ll machine sew everything back down. It’s pleasing to see that it’s much better quality,” Nguyen said. With the dedication Nguyen invests in her work, it leads to frantic schedules and the difficult task of balancing work between school and her job. “I was really stressed out. During that time I had tests in school and lots of homework. I didn’t really do any of it I would just go to school and do all of it at school. I crammed all of my homework in one day or did it at lunch. It was really, really stupid. I was extremely incompetent. This year, I have my own work schedule. Where it’s kind of like, I guess I’m like my own boss now,” she said. Now, Nguyen manages her time wisely, leaving enough free time to tend to her shop and schoolwork. “I have early release so every time I come home from school I work from that time all the way to 6:00. And all the orders I finish from that time I drive to the post office and ship it before they close. And that’s the work for today. And everything after 6:00 is based off like schoolwork, I do all my homework, I do anything I need to turn in tomorrow… So that’s my schedule from now on,” Nguyen said. As well as managing her time wisely, Nguyen plans to manage her money wisely, too. “Well, this year I’m only going to spend $500 and I don’t plan on spending any more. Because last year I made the mistake of spending $1,200 and I didn’t even Continued on Page 5 - Artist creates...
TYING LOOSE ENDS. Planning and processing the first phase of design for her chokers, Sandy Nguyen, senior, pins the ribbons’ folds. In the second phase, Nguyen makes the product come to life, working on it on her sewing machine. Nguyen then finalizes her product and examines it for errors and minor details. Then she packages the product to ship it to her awaiting customer. Photos by Lin Vu
Volume 44, Issue 1
The Peregrine
Volume 44, Issue 1
feature October ‘15
Artist creates cavity inducing designs- Continued from Page 4 make half of my profit back. So, this year I’m going to be really smart and just spend $500,” she said. Nguyen has learned from her long experience in business, expecting a larger profit. “Last year, profit was bad because I had no experience. I had no experience with my Etsy or experience with selling and conventions. This year I’m really confident because I have experience in both so now this year I plan on making maybe over a thousand, two thousand dollars,” Nguyen said. Some of Nguyen’s profit is now contributed from selling at conventions and to the cosplay community. Cosplay is the practice of dressing up as a character from a movie, book, or video game, especially one from the Japanese genres of manga and anime. “Girls into cosplay started buying my stuff and that’s where all my money is going,” Nguyen said. Nguyen now offers her products at local conventions to expand on her business. “During the year I attended an anime convention, and that was the first convention I’ve ever attended where I was like selling at a table with a friend. I invested so much money and there was my mistake as a beginner business woman. I invested more money than I could handle. I couldn’t bring out the workload… I ended up losing almost 600-700 dollars,” she said. Madison Hopper, junior, a returning customer to Nguyen’s shop, previously attended Nguyen’s stand at the convention. “I’d seen lots of cute jewelry and accessories that people had made before and because she was someone who went to my school it made it a lot easier to buy things and not deal with money and shipping and stuff,” Hopper said. Hopper commends Nguyen on the quality of her
products, appreciating the work effort. “It was really great. I could tell she put a lot of work into it and it didn’t fall apart or anything so that was good,” Hopper said. Nguyen says that she would not recommend a job like this to high school students over getting a physical job and disagreed upon it. “I wouldn’t suggest this to all high-schoolers because it’s a very difficult task and it requires a lot of your time. Because I spend six hours a day studying for school and six hours a day working so I rarely have time to work. I stay up all night and I go to school tired but at the end of the day when I come home I still have to study because Calculus is super-duper hard! So it’s like if you’re willing to do this you have to know how to balance your schedule with school and work. It’s the same thing for all actually,” she said. Nguyen describes the technicalities and difficulties that are faced when starting an Etsy shop. “You can’t just start a business because you’re like “Oh I think I’m good enough’, it’s not even that, if you think you’re going to sell, it’s if people want your stuff. It starts off with social media and advertising. People actually want to buy your stuff and you realize that what you give is unique to the community people are more likely willing to buy it. If you offer the same thing as everyone else online, they’re not going to want to buy your stuff, plus it’s more expensive if it’s handmade. Because you don’t want to copy a machine made item and sell it for a handmade item price because no one’s going to want to do that. So it’s to come up with like your own unique idea and own product and sell it and market it as your own,” Nguyen said. Through all these struggles though, Nguyen even has a few success of her own. “It was definitely this summer, because through-
out the school year I was making resin charms and for some reason those weren’t selling so well so I kind of laid off of that business and started investing in my more popular items which were my chokers. I wanted to make better quality items, and so I bought some really pretty expensive ribbon. There’s double satin and it’s really soft and silky and I started using my sewing machine so that everything could be sturdy. On my chokers I would sew everything and then I started marking these with Swarovski crystals, pearls and satin, lace and all these different pattern ribbons. In the summer when I produced a lot of those accessories a lot of people started buying my stuff,” she said. Nguyen decides that this shop will someday aid her in avoiding college. “At some point I want this to become a full time job in a way so that I don’t have to go to college,” Nguyen said. “Every month that passes on I get more ideas, more creativity, more money to buy more products and supplies,” Nguyen said.
WHERE MAGIC HAPPENS. Sandy Nguyen, senior, sprawls her tools and products on her workspace. Photos by Lin Vu
HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AND SENIORS IT’S NOT TOO EARLY TO START THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE! Visit your College Connections Advisor Tuesdays at your high school or sign up for LSC-CyFair campus tours Tuesdays through Fridays! For information, call 281.290.3430.
Save the date Nov. 7 for Cy-Fest 11, a day of free festivities and family fun!! LoneStar.edu Three convenient locations! LSC-CyFair
9191 Barker Cypress at West Road
LSC-Fairbanks Center
14955 Northwest Freeway near Beltway 8
LSC-Cypress Center 19710 Clay Road at Fry Road
Open Doors
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The Peregrine
News
N
November ‘15
Volume 44, Issue 1
ew staff arrives
Passion drives teachers to enter field
Q
Q Q
Eric Williams Staff Reporter
What was your life before you began in education?
A A
“I was a professional student, straight out of high school. I attended college and worked at various jobs to stay financially stable.”- Victoria Le, school nurse
Q
What are your hobbies?
“I absolutely love working out and being crafty. I am a crossfit coach and am constantly involved in community events too.”- Victoria Le, school nurse
What motivated you to be a better teacher ?
A
A
Elizabeth Anderson, English IV
Jason Bannahan, English I
Chelsea Branch, U.S. History
Amy Bryant, English II
Alina Cardinas, English I
Tamara Collier, P.E./Health
Kimberly Gentry, English IV
Jessica Gray, Art/ Photo
Nina Hinson, English I
Amy Hiebert, English IV
Renee Ingham, Spanish I
Joey Mouton, Algebra I
Shelby Slay, ProCom, Swimming
Kyle Stahl, Band
Loni Stelle, English III
Clay Tucker, Personal Fitness
Sarah Vincent, Geometry, Algebra
Lauren Wagner, English II
Megan Williams, Health, Basketball
Nathan Work, English II
“I was motivated to become a teacher because of the opportunities to be creative and develop character.” -Alina Cardenas, English I
Q
What are your hobbies?
“I love shopping,reading, and being around friends and family. ” -Alina Cardenas, English I
What advice would you give those who are considering being a teacher?
A Q A
J. Cherly Simmons,
“I’d say if you have the personality, energy, and drive to do it, it’s a very rewarding profession.” -Renne Ingham, Spanish I, II
Q
What motivated you to be a teacher?
Megan Villarreal , English III
“It was in me since I was a kid I’d gather the neighborhood kids, sit them in my room and be the teacher.” -Renee Ingham, Spanish I, II
What was your life before teaching?
A
“That was along time ago. I moved a lot growing up so I’ve had the opportunity to travel the world.” Kimberly Gentry, English IV
A
“I have a passion for my content and love for students.” Kimberly Gentry, English IV
Q
What motivated you to be a teacher?
Reaction to first year teachers varies from grade levels
“I
f I’m being honest, I was absolutely terrified to have a first year teacher. I have never had a first year teacher in my life and I had no idea what to expect. To make matters worse, my schedule was switched so I walked into the class a week after everyone else. However, when I walked in, Ms. Branch greeted me with a huge smile and I knew the year was going to be completely amazing, and so far I have not been wrong. I could not have
asked for a better teacher,” Emmilyne Thomas, junior.
“I
expected my first year teacher to not really know what he was doing and let us kind of be his guinea pigs. But the farther we got into the school year I dissolved his way of teaching was unconventional but it got the point across very well. One method the teacher used was instead of a class discussion going one by one, he asked
us to write our opinions on a piece of paper and crumple it up and pass it around to discuss other people’s opinions. It helped us see all the aspects there were to be seen,” Gisset Romero, sophomore, said.
“M
y first year teacher know to be a teacher, but she also knows how to be one of us. She knows when to be strict but also knows how to make me enjoy
history. Before this year I did not like history,” Chris Hodge, junior, said.
“M
s. Ingham is an awesome teacher. I love her. What makes her so great is her teaching ethics, like, she puts work into teaching her students,” Celess Narvaez, freshman, said.
Volume 44, Issue 1
The Peregrine
Feature
November ‘15
Mixed Martial Arts
7
Tough childhood leads to dream participation after combining discipline, work ethic
“P
Pamela Jimenez Staff Reporter
ersonally, I feel MMA
is one of the
best sports you can get into. You learn to defend yourself, and
“
most importantly, discipline and work ethic.
Devin Duarte, junior, said.
He eyes down his opponent with a ferocity matched by no one, doing his best to intimidate his opponent before the match starts. He can feel the cold sweat, gather and drip down his face. This feeling he has felt a million times before, but never fails to mesmerize him. Devin Duarte, junior, participates in a sport most people would not dream of doing, Duarte does Mixed Martial Arts, generally called MMA. At the early age of eleven, Duarte had a desire for an activity he never imagined himself doing. “I remember the first time I saw UFC on TV, I was probably in the fifth grade. At first I was into boxing because I’d always watch it. I wanted to be a boxer, until I saw MMA for the first time, as soon as I saw it I was hooked,” Duarte said Duarte had a tough childhood, “I got into a lot of fights, not by choice, I just always had lots of kids provoking me, and it eventually turned physical. I started to like fighting after getting beat up all those times. Silly, I know, but if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t of been where I am today,” Duarte said. Duarte’s coaches made sure that he understood everything being taught should never be used in a real life setting. Duarte’s mom has always stood by this. ““This is a sport, it is not meant to be used on the streets or in school to intimidate others or brag about. They teach discipline and misusing their teaching
is definitely frowned upon. A true MMA student knows and respects,” Duarte said. In any activity people get involved in, it has always been natural to find someone to look up to and learn from. Duarte has many, but one has always caught his eye and brought him back, every time. “Diego Sanchez, Nick Diaz, Cain Vazquez, Dominik Cruz have inspired me a lot. Gilbert Melendez is one that stuck with me through time. He’s not very athletic, but he works hard to prepare and it makes him good,” Duarte said His mother, Nikole Duarte, was not pleased with his choice of activities. With the dangers of MMA and what can happen during a match, the worst thoughts came to mind. “As a parent, I was terrified. You never want to see your child hurt so I was extremely nervous and scared as I had no idea what to think,” Duarte said MMA has had a lasting impact on Duarte’s attitude and state of mind. “Personally, I feel MMA is one of the best sports you can get into. It gets you in great shape, you learn to defend yourself, and most importantly, discipline and work ethic. Honestly if MMA had never become a part of my life I would probably be out in the streets, getting in lots of fights at school. MMA has definitely kept my head straight,” Duarte said. Many are trying to get their name out there in this huge industry, Duarte being one of them. Practice and training is something that’s needed to be done constantly for a greater chance to have
a chance in this business. “I am trying extremely hard to pursue this into a career, I’m working on doing it now. I would love to get paid for something that I’m very fond of, and be in a job for something that I have a passion for,” Duarte said. Most of the life tips that Duarte has learned throughout his life, he has acquired from MMA. Even though people see MMA as a sport that’s just beating people up and just do not and might never understand the meaning of it. Duarte values and uses lots of skills that this sport has taught him. “Discipline, don’t ever let anything get to you, there are way more important things than what you’re focusing on now,” Duarte said Since he started training in this sport, he always kept a focus towards it even when school was tough. Through practice and training, he showed his potential in the sport, and his mother knew this. “His coaches have also complimented on him since day one, they said he’s a natural, he’s strong, has heart and a great chin for this sport. So coming from the experienced coaches, I suppose that he has what it takes to be a true fighter of MMA,” Nikole Duarte said. His coaches are one of the biggest reasons he keeps going. “Devin is not the one to seek attention, or fame in the future. He is not motivated by money, or any other material things that fighting can bring,” Duarte’s coach said Duarte knows where he wants to go in life. Duarte wants to be remembered.
In depth
November ‘15
The Peregrine
Volume 44, Issue 1
Best years of our lives “M Teens open up about life during high school years
yg
Freshmen express fears, hopes, goals for future education
Emmilyne Thomas Editor-in-Cheif The car winds through unfamiliar territory as the passenger stares in awe at the quickly approaching building. The car pulls into the drive and as it inches closer to the intimidating building, wishes of good luck and expressions of motherly and fatherly love get passed around the car. He nervously steps out of the car to begin the next four years of his life and he cannot wait. Although the school year has just started, this year’s freshmen have already begun to make memories in and out of school. Ivy Knight, freshman, kicks off her year with a laughable adventure. “So far my favorite thing that’s happened to me during high school is we were in French and we had to do a scavenger hunt around the school. We were trying to go up the stairs in the front hallway but then the lunch bell rang and we were getting bombarded by students and it was crazy,” Knight said. Freshman year can pose many nerve-racking problems, especially when busy parents get involved. Avery Grant, freshman, has al-
ready experienced the downfalls of a lack of a car. “The worst experience I’ve had so far would probably be a day that I had to stay after school and my mom forgot to pick me up so I was at the school for two hours just waiting. That sucked,” Grant said. Without a full semester under their belt, one can say the fact that some freshman can already see major differences between middle school and high school. Joanna Nguyen, freshman, has come to terms with the differences. “The situation that made me realize that high school and middle school were different was when you walk in the hallways and you don’t really recognize a face because in middle school, you knew everyone but in high school I see new faces every day,” Nguyen said. Even though the freshman have a little more than three and a half years ahead of them, a few have already begun to think about what the future may hold. Kelton Cash, freshman, can already see how his high school career will play out. “I plan on putting a lot of time into sports and working hard in school so I can go to college and we’ll see where that takes me afterwards,” Cash said. With the first few weeks of school over, the traumas of getting lost and going to the wrong lunch have passed. However, the recollections of the frightening, but giggle-worthy, experiences live on. “My worst experience so far was the first week of school. I walked into a senior class and it was the wrong class. They didn’t know where my class was so they took me around the entire school twice and then it turns out my class was right next to theirs,” Nguyen said.
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As an incoming freshman, one might have a few complaints on how intense the pressures and schedule of high school can be. Knight, a member of the band, knows all too well how hectic high school can get. “I would probably change band practices and when we have contests. I really wish I could because sometimes we have contests and games on the same day and it’s just so much work and I’m so tired all the time,” Knight said. Like many young men in high school, Cash has taken up a sport while in high school. As a member of the football team, he can see the various talent levels, as well as age levels. “Being on A team this year for football, I realized how much taller everyone is, especially when you see the varsity team. It’s an amazing difference,” Cash said. Even with the newfound freedom, a few freshmen still wish for change. Among them, Grant, with a hand on her hip, expresses her disdain for the no Nike shorts policy. “The thing that I would change about high school would definitely be the fact that we are not allowed to wear Nike shorts because I think that is absolutely ridiculous. If I want to have a lazy day, I should be able to have a lazy day,” Grant said. Through all the ups and downs of high school, this year’s freshmen certainly have an interesting and eventful four years ahead of them. One can only hope for the best for them.
LET’S GO FALCONS. Cheering on her fellow Falcons Reagan Neider, senior, pumps up the crowd at the varsity football game against the Cy-Ranch Mustangs. Photo by Jessica Sweeten
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Jacob Quintero, senior, said.
Volume 44, Issue 1
The Peregrine
Sophomores, juniors share experience, plan for remainder of academic career Emmilyne Thomas Editor-in-Chief
She walks around her room, getting ready for school while half mumbling, half humming the chorus of Bon Jovi’s goal Livin’ on a Prayer in honor of the start of her junior year. She gleefully dances for high around her room and envisions her upcoming year. to find As a sophomore or junior, students have enough experience in high school nds who to fully understand and apply all the advice they received as freshmen. With up being two years of high school under her belt, Savannah Migl, junior, has learned what or a long advice to really take to heart. “I don’t remember ever getting any graduate advice from anyone, aside from the usual “do your homework” and “pay attention”. I’ve always heard that, it’s never d grades. helped. So I guess the best advice I’ve gotten came from myself a few months o stay ago when I realized that I’m the only person that should matter to me. My acaand not demics and health come before anyone else’s,” Migl said. ht up in Growing up, countless students watched the memorable High School ble. Musical and wondered if students actually danced and sang through the hallways and difficult situations. Unfortunstad, nately, many students quickly figure out that many students frown upon breaking n, said. out into a musical number in the middle of the hallway. “This is nothing like High School Musical and it’s disappointing,” Antoine Joubran, sophomore, said. Football season brings about school spirit, pep rallies, and Friday night football games. The homecoming game reigns supreme as the most attended game out of all the games played. Students of all grades and backgrounds look forward to the game every year. “One of my favorite experiences in high school was my first homecoming game. You feel great cheering on your team and seeing everyone with so much school spirit, I highly recommend everyone to go and support JV!” Gabriella De La Cruz, sophomore, said. The night following the Homecoming game, girls and guys alike get primped for the Home-
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ANGELS AMONG US. While playing his saxophone, Matthew Dean, senior, entertains the stands during the half-time show at the varsity football game against the Cy-Springs Panthers. Photo by Christine Le
coming dance. Although many students attend the dace, some students choose to opt out. “Skipping homecoming is one of the biggest regrets I have made. I skipped it just because I didn’t have a date, but it’s about having fun with your friends on a Friday night not about a date!” Alee Vidal, junior, said. After settling into a grove of high school, sophomores and juniors can often find release from the stressful academics through a sport or two. Among them, Patrick Navarro, junior, found his place on the wrestling team. “My favorite experience in high school so far was in my freshman year when I was a part of the first place district championship wrestling team. At that moment I felt like I had earned my place in my school and my team,” Patrick Navarro, junior, said. For many students, high school is filled with moments of memories and times of missed opportunities. Rommel De Luna, sophomore, understand how it feels to miss out on the chance to make memories. “I regret not going to Disneyworld with the band because I learned even if you don’t have friends to talk to, you can still make your own,” De Luna said. High school presents many challenges and solutions for a multitude of real-life situations, many of them found in junior year. With students of all grades agreeing that junior year stands, unchallenged, as the most difficult year, Matthew Garcia, junior, has come to realize quite a bit about school, life, and self-success. “The world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently, if you let it. . But it isn’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you’ve got to be willing to take the hits, and not point fingers saying you aren’t where you want to be because of him, or her, or anybody,” Garcia said.
In Depth
November ‘15
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Seniors reveal memories, advice for fellow students Juli Perez Managing Editor The student parking lot gradually fills with colourfully chalked cars that all but announce the seniority of the students sitting inside. The kings and queens emerge with matching shirts and plastic crowns to match, effectively kicking off the first day of their final year at the school. Seniority means that in less than a year graduation will occur, and then everyone sets off into the big, wide world that lies behind the student parking lot. Most students would hope to make a significant difference on campus before leaving the school for good. In a case or two, that could mean becoming a part of Student Council, in another, it could mean as little as taking an AP course. There are students around that do not get involved at all, and that is highly advised against. “I’d definitely say get involved. Find something that you like and that you like spending you time on. I’d also say take as many classes as you can. Getting into Dual Credit is most likely your best bet. Take advantage of the little things in high school, study when you need to. You’re only here for four years so make it count,” Kassandra Perez, senior, said. Getting involved does not always mean join a club or organization. Every single student and faculty member that filters in and out of the school has a life of their own outside of the parking lot, so school pride does not need to persist as a time consuming activity. “It’s okay to be silly, and it’s okay to have school spirit on dress up days. I feel like I don’t see enough of it. Trust me, everyone else is doing it and they’re enjoying themselves the most,” Reagan Neider, senior, said. The students that normally decide to participate later on in their high school career, just for the sake of having an interesting credential on their transcripts and college applications, often miss out on key moments in their certain club or organization. Getting involved later on can act as a key to missing the best aspects of a high school career. “My freshman year, we went to the area competition in marching band and advanced to finals that night. To hear our name get called out, to think about how our school was going on to the next level of competition, it was amazing. It felt great to be a part of that,” Matthew Dean, senior, said. Whether a student participates or not, the question of their character remains. Even if one cannot compare high school to the movies, students often still have coming of age moments. “I didn’t realize it when I heard it, but at freshman orientation Principal Funk said ’You will find yourself here.’ Little did I know that it would turn out to be true? At the time it sounded so cliché, but he really was right. I found myself in high school and I found who I really am as a person,” Neider said. Through three years of countless sleepless nights, numerous seemingly impossible group projects, a myriad of forgotten reading assignments, innumerable late night cram sessions, and a multitude of quick runs to the library printer, seniors have managed to pull through thus far.
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Advertising November ‘15
The Peregrine
Volume 44, Issue 1
Volume 44, Issue 1
The Peregrine
Feature
November ‘15
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Miles from home, they find a new world here,
In the U.S. FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS. They comefrom other countries all over the world looking to learn the customs and lifestyles of America, and the differences in between here and their home.
T
Angelo Gonzales Staff Reporter
o experience how life and more importantly how school differed in a country away from their homeland Zosia Szwech, Jagoda Zuzanna Styczynska, Qianhe Yu, Carlota Uriarte-Jerez, and Alessia Lin traveled from Poland, China, Spain, and Italy to this high school in Houston, Texas. “In my school, we begin around 7:30 a.m. and end at 10:30 p.m.,” Yu said. With school now ending at 2:30 p.m. she finds herself in a different situation. “Sometimes I don’t know what I can do with the afternoon. It’s too free,” she said. With that in mind, Yu has an idea of what can fill up that time, thanks to the electives she takes. “I can do anything I want. I can paint, dance, and play the piano. I also want to do some sports,” Yu said. The students have already recognized another difference that affects them here. “When we get to high school, we should think about our future because it is very hard to change our direction. If at first we want to be, for example, a journalist, and at the end of high school, be a doctor, it’s almost impossible,” Szwech said. In addition to having to commit to an intended field of study early in their academic studies some of the foreign exchange students stated that they were not allowed to pick their courses or even at what level they wanted to take it. Yet, that decision differed in this environment. “Here, I had to choose from L, K and AP (level courses), and I decided on AP because I wanted to challenge myself,” Lin said. Beyond the classroom, they received the freedom to challenge their interests here through extra-curricular activities. “I play (the flute) in Spain in the orchestra. It’s so different to play and move at the same time,” UriatreJerez said. She raved about playing her flute in the marching band at the football games and competitions. “It is amazing. It’s so big and there are so many people. I like it,” Uriarte-Jerez said. When thrown into the new environment, some traditions and customs of the new communities and cultures came to surprise the students. “The house is different,” Yu said. “The best thing is you can design yourself house. We can’t make house ourselves, we just can buy house from land agent. Design my own house. What a nice thing for me!”
While the housing surprised Yu, Lin had a much simpler surprise in store for her. “I had a cultural shock about the refilling, like, when your drink has soda, and when you’re finished, they refill it for you. That’s something that doesn’t happen in Italy, it’s mostly little things.” Lin said. Another common shock was of the size and complexity of the campus, with many students getting lost. “The school is so big,” Uriarte-Jerez said. “The first day was so amazing, there were so many people in all the classes, a lot of names I have to remember, it’s complicated.” While visually more people seem present, Szwech actually compared the statistics of the situation. “In my school there are about seven hundred people, and here, there are about three thousand more.” Szwech said. Both of the Polish exchange students shared interesting thoughts on the teachers here in the United States as compared to those in Poland. “In Poland, teachers are more strict, here, teachers are more creative. In Poland, you can have a quiz every single day, or a few times a week, and here, teachers are just trying to make you learn. I think it’s good, I think I prefer it that way,” Szwech said. Similarly, Styczynska noted the teachers’ self-centered approach in Poland, and then the difference in approach here. “In Poland, teacher is always more important than a student, they’re always right. Here almost all teachers are willing to help, they’re kind, when you don’t have your homework it’s maybe not great, but they won’t kill you for that. School here is really for students, to help them, even if they aren’t very talented or good at something. This is one of major things I discovered here, that made me really grateful for being able to experience this kind of education, even if it’s only a year,” Styczynska said. However, with all of these differences in mind, the decision of which school system the students prefer is mostly a blur to them. “I’m still neutral about which school is better, because every one of them has a different kind of development.” Lin went on to explain, “Since you choose the kind of school, you choose also their set up subjects; you don’t have the possibility to choose as in the USA, because you have already done it with the school.” Styczynska had more insight into what changes could inspire positive change in both school systems. “Well, I believe in some balance of everything. Maybe American school could use a bit of discipline and the Polish could try to be a bit less demanding. Both systems are different and it’s great to observe that.” Styczynska said.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS Qianhe Yu China
Zosia Szwech Poland Jagoda-Zuzanna Stycznyska Poland Carlota Uriarte-Jerez Spain Alessia Lin Italy Daniil Evgrafov Russia
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Sports
November‘15
The Peregrine
Season challenges players talent Falcon Volleyball
Versus
Volume 44, Issue 1
Wingspan Injuries cast shadow on future playing Frank Padilla Sports Writer
Cy Falls 3-0 loss Cy-Fair 3-0 loss Cy Woods 2-3 win Cy Ridge 1-3 win Cy Creek 0-3 win Cy Ranch 3-0 loss Cy Lakes 0-3 win Cy Springs 0-3 win Langham 3-1 loss Cy Falls 3-1 loss Cy Creek 0-3 win Cy Ranch 3-2 loss Cy Lakes 0-3 win Langham 3-0 loss TAKING OPPONENTS DOWN. (Top left). Analyzing the scene Ashley Wechsler, senior, plots her next move. To commence the game, Taylor Collins. (Top right) Serves the ball. Setting the ball Rebecca Mauer, junior, prepare for a lethal spike. (Bottom) Photos by Christine Le
District Record 7-7
CC teams ends season with best personal runs Gustavo Rangel Staff Writer Brenaham Invitational The weekend’s course showed no mercy to the varsity boys with dry, and cracked terrain along with steep hills throughout the course, but even faced with what may have seemed as impossible, the runners not only pull it, but set personal records along the way. “It was a tough race mentally, and physically, but you know we just got to push through it as a team, and as individuals,” Shane Erwin, sophomore, said. 47th Shane Erwin: 17:11 64th Angel Solórzano: 17:30 70th Ryan Erwin: 17:36 85th Gustavo Rangel: 17:55 105th Philip Gutierrez: 18:05 Sam Houston University The cross country varsity team had an amazing race at The Sam Houston re-
gional preview on September the 12th, 2015. Even with the track underfoot against them, the team was persistent to finish the race strong. “We all got out. We all stayed fairly together,” Matthew Jiang, junior, said. Angel Solorzano 17:46.7 99 Ryan Erwin 17:49.9 108 Matthew Jiang 18:02.0 125 Shane Erwin 18:04.4 130 Phillip Gutierrez 18:32.4 161 District Meet The varsity boys finish the season off in fourth sadly the team fell short of a few points in order to advance to regional. Angel Solorzano, senor, said “I felt like I tried my hardest ,but it wasn’t enough to accomplish what I was hoping to accomplish” 15th Shane Erwin 17:07 17th Ryan Erwin 17:15 25th Angle Solorzano 17:33
30th Phillip Gutierrez 17:51 31st Gustavo Rangel 17:52
FINISH OF GLORY. In the final stretch of the race Angel Solorzano, senor gives his everything to finish. Photos by Heidi Sefiane
My dad watched the draft on live television, and saw the joy on those guys faces as they thanked their moms and dads for letting them have the opportunity to play their sport, thanking past coaches, thanking God, and saying they looked forward to being a part of that organization. My dad felt nothing but happiness for that person, since they were able to jump start their life by playing a sport for a living. Even though he may not even know them, all he could do was wish the best for that person. Then he began to wonder. He looked down at his knee and saw all the scars on it after the result of one bad hit, that completely destroyed his knee, in the middle of a football game. Then he looked at his right arm that developed nerve damage to where he could not even throw another ball ever again, due him being the number one pitcher on the team and his over use in high school. He began to reminisce about the past. He thought about the endless days and nights he would put in and all the long hours of practice, the heartbreaking losses he never thought he would be able to get through, and all the victories he walked off the field with. He realized that in a split second, he lost everything he worked for, all due to an injury. This happens to high school and college athletes, whether it is the result of their arm being burnt out by their high school baseball coach or just one bad angled hit that destroyed future playing. Many former athletes look back on their childhood/teenage years and feel absolutely devastated that they could not make their dream come true because of a tragic career ending injury and are forced to have regular lives, the usual nine to five jobs. They thought little of their health, just their future. Now many of them say to take care of yourself and do not overwork your body or else you will end up reminiscing about it in your future, just as they are now.
Volume 44, Issue 1
The Peregrine
Team creates records
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Sports November
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vs Cy Woods 74 - 73
Game of the ages. Deshun Qualls and the Falcons offense puts on a clinic and breaks records in the process on the way to earning their second district win.
D-FENCE. Defensive players Clabe Holmes, Khalis Richards, Mason Mireles, and Aaron Palacios take down Cy Creek ball carrier. Photo by Christine Le
Season of breathtaking losses diminish pre-season expectations Courtesy of Varsity Wires
Game by Game
Falcons take first win
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vs Cy Lakes 45 - 21
FINALLY! The Falcons finally got their first win of the season. They took control from the opening play as Deshun Qualls ran 62 yards to the house then threw a touchdown pass to Rokeem Paul to take a lead and not look back from there. Then Qualls threw three more touchdowns to Paul and one more to Charles Brown to get a total of five touchdowns to his name and 363 total yards of offense. Falcons took command and ran away with it winning big 45-21 to earn win number one on the season.
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Frank Padilla Jr. Staff Reporter With the likes of Jordon Williams and Christian Taylor D1 bound, and Lakent Alexis, Elton Crawford, and Christian Jones off to junior colleges, and them being the main components of a ferocious defense the past two years, there was a big question coming into this season, Would the defensive side of
vs Cy Creek - 37 - 42
So close yet so far away. The Falcons had the 31- 21 lead going into the locker room at halftime and everyone felt good about their control of the game. But once again the offense went missing in the second half only putting up one passing touchdown that was caught by Wide Receiver Christian Green and they could not convert the 2-point conversion. Cy Creek turned it on in the second half and came back from being down 10 to taking a five point lead and staying there the rest of the way. Falcons fell yet again 42- 37 in a heartbreaking game and the Falcons continued to search for their first win of the season.
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vs Cy Ranch - 21 - 45
It was all out domination for Cy Ranch as they controlled the game the whole way through, going into the locker room with a comfortable 28 - 0 lead. They just ran everywhere they pleased as the put up 321 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. They only put up 72 passing yards but once again, why pass when you can just run the ball. They even ran a punt return back for a touchdown. Quarterback Deshun Qualls and Running Back Anthony Ajao, junior, both ran in for touchdowns and Wide Receiver Rokeem Paul threw a touchdown pass to fellow Wide Receiver Austin Lynch but they were just meaningless points as they were came in the second half of a blowout 4221 loss and the Falcons fell to 0- 5 on the season.
2, 3
vs Cy Ridge 21 - 45 vs Cy Springs 24 - 28
QUALLS TAKING CONTROL. In the first win of the season Deshun Qualls, senior and quarterback, begins the attack on Cy Lakes. Following the game Qualls was name Player of the Week by Varsity Wires. Photo by Jacqueline Solano.
the ball still be a terror to opposing offenses? Coming off of back to back winning seasons, going 6-4 in both, and falling just short of the playoffs due to a loss in very winnable games to the Cy Falls Eagles in the 2013 season and the Cy Creek Cougars in the 2014 season, the Falcons were not going to settle for anything less than the playoffs. A winning attitude has traveled throughout the whole team, from the coaches to starters to the backups, everyone looked for that one victory that would finally send them over the top and let them get a taste of the state playoffs. “Honestly, we have some of the best talent in the district. We just have to put it together and make it work,” Jacob Clarkson, junior defensive end, said. He believes that the Falcons have the ability to get over the hump for the first time since 2006, nearly a decade later. “Expectations were the same as last season, our defense was going to be a physical team, and put 100% effort into every play,’ Alex Turner, senior defensive lineman, said. Turner, being one of the few returning starters, looks to have a big impact in the
middle of that line. Anticipating a big fight from everyone this year, knowing what the Falcons had done the past two years, no team would just let the Falcons march in and overrun them to get an easy victory. As the season was set to begin at Rhodes Stadium against the Cinco Ranch Cougars, the Falcons felt more than ready to beat up on their entire schedule. That did not turn on out to be the case, as they have been the team getting beat up on in their first 3 games, losing their opening regular season game and their first two district games by allowing an average of 41 points per game. That is not the only disappointing stat through those games as they allowed 439 yards of total offense, 191 of it rushing and 248 passing, a collectively bad effort. Then they fell victim to losing once again for the next three games to fall to an 0-6 start despite being in 2 of those three games. The defense has not been the caliber it has been for the past two years. Everything has gone wrong and now it looked like time for them to persevere through, or else it will be the old Jersey Village.
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Commentary November ‘15
The Peregrine
Volume 44, Issue 1
Head start to college takes different paths Dual Credit offers budget friendly choice
Those that face the dilemma of choosing between DC (Dual Credit) and AP (Advanced Placement) often do not research the entirety of what each offers. While both give students a head start into the challenging work life of college, certain aspects divide the two and can determine the path one takes to the future. In AP classes, the credits one can obtain have earned Cade Schaudel, a nationwide recognition, which means the holder can Staff Reporter apply to just about any college in the U.S. and have a larger chance of securing a spot in their first choice school. However, in order to receive this credit, students must take the national exam known for its extremely challenging content. And even after passing the exam, another school who has a more renowned AP course will always have a step up on even the highest marks on the test, giving no guarantee that one’s effort will earn them their desired position. However, in DC classes, as long as the student passes the course, they will automatically get the credit instead of gambling on a national test they may or may not pass. But while the entire nation does not accommodate the credit, it does have a large impact on schools within Texas which offers a budget friendly alternative. Either option greatly reduces future costs, and pays for itself in homework and assignments, but will provide a massive step in getting closer to one’s ideal future.
AP courses prepare for national credit
Students across the nation take college level courses as the best way to prep for college. They have two paths from which to choose. They can take Dual Credit and receive a Lone Star Community College credit, or they can take Advanced Placement classes and receive a widely accepted credit, as well as have more preparation. Although Dual Credit courses have benefits, they have Emmilyne Thomas, many downfalls. DC students will not always receive credit Editor in Chief for their time spent in their class. At colleges such as Texas A&M, students can only receive credit for classes in a pre-approved list. Rice University do not accept DC hours at all. Also, colleges out of state do not recognize Lone Star DC hours. In addition, students only need a C average to receive credit for the class. A C average has a downside. With only needing to receive a C, I question if the students actually leave the class prepared to survive college. On the other hand, Advanced Placement, has many advantages. Colleges such as Colombia University and University of California-LA, accept AP credit. In addition, the University of Texas, Austin and Baylor University, accept AP, as well. Although many recognize the AP test as notoriously difficult, the national average for more than half of the AP exams is a three or higher. In addition, since colleges only accept a three or higher, it pushes students to work harder and truly learn the material; AP better prepares students for their college career. Although AP better preps students for college, both DC and AP courses stand as rigorous and challenging courses.
Gender neutral products needed Body positivity believes in never leaving anyone behind, regardless Blue for male, pink for female. Throughout the 16 years of my life, I can say that I have been no stranger to gendered products. As a seven year old, the bright colors of a super hero themed toothpaste caught my eye. Obviously convincing myself that hey, a dental product wouldn’t Lin Vu, Staff Reporter hurt, I begged my mother for it. Rest assured, I knew my puppy eyes and quivering lips would win her over. Unfortunately, my mother shot me down and scolded me, claiming that only boys could enjoy superheroes and therefore I needed to pick something else. At the time, I hadn’t fully understood what that meant. The concept of boxing and separating products between genders prevails within our society. The problem with the notion is that overall, it ensues constriction. Gendering products influences and confines self-expression. The baffling idea of even labelling deodorant, soap or color by sex remains predominant. Why do we, as humans, feel the need to label such insignificant things? I believe that anyone should be able to choose what they wish with without the confinement of “you cannot choose that because society deems what you can and cannot like because of your sex”. Marketing pink, dainty things to women and tough, macho products to men reinforces a division that is unneeded. Adding “For Men!” does not change the fact that it is still just an ordinary block of soap. In actuality, by adding a pretty pink font and flowers onto a product and marketing it to women, companies can snag more of your money. If we begin to include gender-neutral products and loosen the unneeded division of obvious items, we can further expand on allowing everyone to express and enjoy themselves without restriction. When you truly think about it, there never really was a difference in these products.
At nine years old, I stood in front of a mirror crying, wishing I could cut my fat off. A nine year old should not develop a disorder that she has never heard about. Six years passed before I could think positively about myself. Body positivity gave me hope, but it also made me lose hope. Body positivity has changed Pamela Jimenez, many people’s thoughts, includStaff Reporter ing mine. Lately being body positive is losing its sole purpose. At first, it had a very amazing message, time passed and it slowly decreased what it was geared towards. The main focus has been all about “fat, overweight, obese” bodies. There are many body types, “thin, healthy, normal, hairy, scarred, stretch marked”. Along with forgetting
those, we are forgetting about burn victims, the disabled, people born without limbs, vitiligo patients, and in reality all types of bodies should be celebrated. Body positive activists theorize if an individual has an “ideal” body type, they have it easy and have everything handed to them, so they do not deserve to be part of this movement. The thing is, though, this movement’s message is about spreading positivity and love. They believe in never leaving anyone behind, regardless of what they look like, what their sex is, what their race is. The double standard between fat shaming and skinny shaming lately has caused a lot of complications. Fat shaming has never been acceptable, but skinny shaming has never been seen as a problem, and nothing compared to fat shaming, comparing the two is “inexcusable”. Everyone should be opposed to body shaming and no one should participate.
Reliance on self promotes confidence in direction, attitude, emotions My father once gave me advice I could not have understood until I made that exact mistake he begged for me not to make. He told me, “Do not ever think you need anyone else in your life. The only person you need to love is yourself, and then you will not need the love of any girl, the praise of me or your mother, or any support from Angelo Gonzalez, any group of ‘friends’.” At the time, I found myself in a Staff Reporter relationship. Naturally, I thought I had it all, and it would never get any better than that. As one would imagine, life went well until we broke up. I still had that same mind set, ignoring my father’s words no matter how much they echoed in my head. I desperately tried to hold onto this thought that I had to have this group of friends that would stand around in a circle at an event to fit in, to feel normal. I experienced a severe depression after the breakup, and I would never really be the exact same again. I could not talk to people the same way, I felt lonely all the time,
and I kept expecting someone to make my phone light up and tell me I mattered to somebody. These events would never happen, but I began to realize how I had been managing all this pain and depression on my own, a feat I never could have done without trusting and defending myself for me and only me. Through that break up, I lost many of my close friends who at one time supported me, and I would have to learn to accept myself and my own mistakes before other people did. I had heard that before, although, in a different phrasing. Then, hen my dad’s words finally cracked me in the face like a baseball on its way out of the park. I slumped in my chair when I made this ironic discovery, and then began to realize the wisdom my father had put upon my shoulders. A person may have been able to read those words off me and shout them at me daily while I ignored them, but nonetheless those words were with me the whole time. Essentially, only I decide when or why I feel happy, and I cannot rely on other people to do it for me.
Volume 44, Issue 1
Kai’s travels thru high school Ale Garcia Contributing Cartoonist
The Peregrine
Editorial November ‘15
Paper preferred over screens
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Open Conversations What is your personal preference of textbook ?
Textbooks vs Online
Pramika Upneja, sophomore Illustration by Ashlynn Smith
Homework and textbooks sit piled and on top of the student’s desk, their eyes glued to the computer screen, the same as it had been for the past half hour. For the sake of the grade, the homework has to get done, but having to read and reread the same paragraph proves taxing. As simple as it may be for the district to make such a drastic change, textbooks were meant to be printed and not virtual. As the millennial generation continues to grow and change, the technology that we have all grown so fond have has too. Still ever-changing, the school system has learned to evolve as well, working hard to make sure that students are able to use the technology we incorporate so often in our home lives to advance participation in the classroom. As much as students appreciate the effort, we may not respond as positively to online textbooks as the district hoped we would, and the research certainly shows. In 2003, Kate Garland, a psychology professor for the University of Leicester conducted a study on 50 of her students. She had asked them to read an introductory economics textbooks and later asked them to take a quiz on the material provided, the catch being that only half of the students read the material from the physical textbooks. The other 25 students were to read the material from the online textbook. Research concluded that online reading did less in terms of memorization than reading from the physical, paper textbooks. This means not only would it take longer to read because students have to read the information more than once, but it makes recalling information later on that much harder. Mark Changizi, a neuroscientist, began to put more of this theory into perspective, placing the blame on “spatial context”- where on the page the information came from. E-books and e-readers often lack page markings and proper margins, making it harder to recall solely because you cannot remember where on the page you read it. Our brains do not have the ability to navigate a virtual passage as well as a paper, but the spatial markings do not make up the entire case against virtual textbooks. We all know that technology keeps getting smaller. The craze is thinner, hand-held, even lighter than last year’s model, but it further contributes to recall failure. According to Jakob Nielson, a web usability expert, the bigger the screen, the better a student can recall information, as opposed to the smaller screen. This has to do with the general and collective short term memory of the human mind. To be able to see all of the information on the page in a quick glance or two allows the information to be stored more efficiently in our memory. Having to scroll or slide the screen makes the text move too quickly and distorts the text, making storage that much harder. Computer research and SmartBoard technology has come a very long way in the classroom and has definitely made classroom interaction possible on a level the baby boomers would never have thought possible, but too much can do more harm than good. The time has come to lead classroom advancements in a different direction and leave assigned reading to the paper. Jersey Village High School Student Publications’ Newspaper Policy
The Peregrine is the official student publication of Jersey Village High School and is published by the Advanced Journalism newspaper class at Jersey Village High School, 7600 Solomon, Houston, Texas 77040 (713-896-3400). It is distributed free to the student body. Subscriptions can be bought for $15, and copies of the paper will be mailed to your residence. Unsigned editorials represent a majority agreement of the staff. The Peregrine is read in advance of publication by the JVHS administration. Advertising is sold by the 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and full page. The staff has the right to reject, edit, or cancel any advertisement at any time. The advertising policy is stated on the advertising contract. Advertising is not an endorsement from the staff, the adviser, the administration, or the Cypress Fairbanks Board of Trustees. The Peregrine is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference, Quill and Scroll, and the National Scholastic Press Association. The Peregrine is printed by Mirror Publishers, Inc in Texas City, TX. The opinion of readers is held in high regard. Please send all feedback or questions to our address or room 1712. Letters to the editor need to be limited to 150 words. We reserve the right to edit for spelling and grammar. Letters must be signed.
“Textbooks are easier to read, and I believe that you always learn better when you have something in your hands rather than looking at a screen.”
Adrian Villarreal, freshman “Physical textbooks get work done better because you can do it here at school, with the help of a teacher and other people around you. There are also some people that say they will use the textbook when they really don’t.” 2016 Peregrine Staff Editor - Emmilyne Thomas; Managing Editor - Juli Perez. Staff Writers - Cade Schaudel, Lin Vu, Angelo Gonzales, Eric Williams, , Pamela Jimenez, Frank Padilla, Jr, Gustavo Rangel, Gerardo Garcia. Contributing Photographers - Elizabeth Deitiker, Juan Torres, Odalys Delgado, Samantha Johnson, Illiana Ramirez, Leslie Ventura, Christine Le, Jacqueline Solano, Jessica Sweeten, Mikelle Wood, Ashlynn Smith, Kassandra Perez, Chris Hodge. Contributing Illustrators - Ashlynn Smith, Ale Garcia Adviser - Margie Comstock. JVHS Principal - Ralph Funk.
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Photo Essay November ‘15
JV the best place to attend high school in the CFISD for . . .
The Peregrine
The Involved
ACTIVITY TIMES TOGETHER. With Jamie Norfleet, theater teacher, Abby Devries, junior, feels the adrenaline rush of the Pep Rally. Performing during halftime Cynthia Garza, senior, shows her Gold Duster moves. During band practice, Alyssa Vasquez, sophomore, prepares for contest. Photos by Christine Le, Jacqueline Solano, Ashlynn Smith
Volume 44, Issue 1
The Student CHALLENGING IRON PROJECT. Involved with her welding project Arely Monge, junior, wears the appropriate head gear. “Welding is something different for me,” Monge said. Photo by Jessica Sweeten PERSONAL EXPRESSION PIECE. As part of her Art IV Studio 3D class Kaylin Berry, senior, gives her sculpture her total and concentrated attention. “It is a way to express yourself through an object,” Berry said. Photo by Mikelle Wood TRY, TRY, AGAIN. In his Physics II AP class Steven Blanco, senior, contructs a heat lamp. “After several tries, we finally got the right portions of liquids, and it finally worked.” Photo by Odalys Delgado
The Athlete
PRACTICE PREPARES GAME. Preparing for his 100 free, 100 back and sometimes the 200 IM Dubros Collin, junior, takes practice laps. “Volleyball was a really hyped up experience,” Cydni Miller, freshman, said. Photos by Kassandra Perez, Chris Hodge
The Celebrated HOMECOMING COURT. Regan Neider, Matthew Monks, Danielle Williams, Sean Cantu, Breanna Hudson (Queen), Jordan Henderson (King), Mariah Lozano, Alberto Gomez.
Pamela Jimenez Gerardo Garcia Staff Reporters