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Jersey Village High School 7600 Solomon Houston, TX 77040 Issue 3 - December ‘11

It’s a Celebration; JVTV creates school spirit with lib dub production pages

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A Place to Call Home

Issue 3 - December‘11 

Life, Liberty, Happiness

One misses country of birth, others welcome new home  by MariztaFLORES, staff writer The inspiring aged copper green woman stands over the water as she holds a helpful light in her hand. The light reassures the doubts of many new citizens. Although the Statue of Liberty does not reside anywhere close to Texas, she still increases the hopes of many immigrants. Increased economic statuses, better educational opportunities and the chance to create a new and better life attracts many people to the land of the free. For some people, the move from their country to the United States bettered their life, but for others it only made them miss and appreciate the life they once had. Moving Day ristian Flores, senior, moved to the United States during July of 2007, his eighth grade year. He moved to the U.S. after his mom made a tough decision to relocate. Her decision to move not only benefited her, but it was also to benefit her family. Not only would she be increasing her chances of employment, but her family would also be given the opportunity to earn a better education. Flores is dissatisfied with moving away from his home town, Monterrey. While living in Mexico, he was content with the way his life played out and the different aspects of it. “It was amazing. The people were great; my family lived so close, so I enjoyed them to the fullest. I miss the food, the society, my family, and the Spanish speaking society,” Flores said. While living in Houston, he has been involved with activities such as soccer, HOLA club, and he also participates in his church youth group. Most people who immigrate from Mexico to the United States plan to create a new, better life in the land of opportunity. Flores wants to go to college to become an architect, but once he graduates he plans to move back to Monterrey. He has made up his mind to move

back, even though he admits that he realizes that there are more economic opportunities available in the United States. He has decided to move back because he feels more at ease in his hometown; not only is he happier in Mexico but he also has a love for the type of architecture present in Mexico. “Architecture in Mexico resembles European architecture and that is what calls my attention the most. Also coming back to the country that raised me would be perfect,” Flores said. With Flores choosing to go back to Mexico, he is choosing to leave behind the family that brought him to this new country, just as his mother chose to leave family in Mexico. The family that arrived in the United States with Flores is unsure of why he would want to leave this land, but at the same time they are supportive of his decision. “I think everyone has a choice, and if that’s what he feels in his heart, he should do it. If you’re confused and don’t know what to do, you should rely on your heart,” Cristian’s brother, said Vague Memories ania Hernandez, senior, feels different about her life in the United States. Moving when she was six, does not give her the opportunity to remember much. She remembers that elementary schools ended after sixth grade and that they had to wear uniforms; girls were only permitted to wear skirts, although now, that tradition might have changed. Growing up in Irapuato, Guanjuato, Hernandez does not recall many problems or issues. However, now she seems to notice a difference because of news reports; she believes that violence in Mexico is not abnormal. “I really don’t remember problems that I encountered, but from what I’ve heard on the news there’s a lot of violence, but I think it’s normal because there’s violence everywhere. I guess people in Mexico just have big families and not enough money,” Hernandez said.

Psychology is a major interest for Hernandez and she plans to become a psychologist after college. Getting to work with people, especially kids, attracted her to this career. Unlike Flores, Hernandez enjoys the new life that has been created for her. Even though she does enjoy the family visits she takes to her hometown, she prefers the U.S. “No I wouldn’t like to go back. If I would’ve grown up over there and got used to it, maybe. But it’s very different from here and honestly I don’t like it, just to visit,” Hernandez said. Adult Difficulty wo teachers from the foreign language department have also experienced the difficulties of adjusting to a new society. Jinetu Huizar and Ana Norton have both traveled from their hometowns to create a better life for themselves. Huizar moved from Cota, the capital of Colombia, just four years ago. Her intention was to become a translator. Huizar explains that when she first moved here, she did not have many daily life challenges, but one of her biggest obstacles to overcome was the stereotypes given to immigrants. “I think the biggest circumstance to overcome is the bad name other immigrants have created. The daily life circumstances were not a problem, God provided for us, protected us and opened doors for us where there were none,” Huizar said. Norton moved to the United States, from a small town in Costa Rica, Alajuela, at the age of eighteen; her dream was to go to college. The beginning of her adapting to American society was different though, she started off lonely, but she quickly made friends because people were courteous and very friendly. Both teachers understand the difficulties of students acculturating into a new society, but even with the challenges, they know that everyone has something to offer, whether it is miniscule or enormous.

Photo courtesy of CristainFlores

LEAVING FRIENDS BEHIND After moving to the United States for his eighth grade year Cristian Flores, senior, never felt completely comfortable with the new country his family adopted. Leaving behind his family and friends made his life difficult, but he learned to adapt to the new society to which he was introduced.

Photo by MaritzaFlores

THANKFUL FOR CHANGE Tania Hernandez, senior, lived in Mexico until the age of six. Even though her memory is limited to her childhood in Mexico, she still embraces Hispanic traditions. The United States gave equal opportunity to Hernandez and her family, giving them the chance to make a difference with their lives. Hernandez plans on becoming a physiologist, where she will attempt to better the lives of others.

Photo by MaritzaFlores

ENJOYING NEW HOME As they talk and reflect during their lunch break Ana Norton, Spanish teacher, and Jinetu Huizar, French teacher, meet with teachers from the foreign language department. Both of them moved to the United States during their adult years. Even though they moved at an older age, they still took advantage of the opportunity to better their life.

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Fady relives moments from his home country’s uproar  by AnnieSANDERS, staff writer The stage quiet. Anticipation in the air. Then suddenly, a bullet. A whisper of the flying fiend came through the open street and with a thud a body collapsed. Fady Girigis, sophomore, looked over with a painful pang of realization and noticed it was his friend the buzzing bullet pierced and it was his body that dropped to the ground. This was what the Egyptian revolution was to Fady: injustice. “The president was like a god; killing people and bombing churches, there was no justice. A person had no freedom and everyone was suffering,” Girigis said. Quite a few events and statistics fueled the fire of the Revolution, including that 20-30% of the Egyptians were under the $2 per-day poverty line, as figured by the United Nations, and also the Alexandra bombing on January 1, 2011. But a single event sparked a flame that set the whole country ablaze. Khaled Saeed, who, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune, allegedly possessed video material of police officers taking part in a drug deal, was arrested and beaten to death in public by a police officer. The country was furious and was called to protest on January 25, 2011. Girigis, while not under the poverty line, felt the pain of the poor, and he had as few rights as everyone else in Egypt did. Driven to protest, Girigis made a decision that unknowingly changed his life as he knew it. Gathered and angry, the Egyptian people made signs to show their opposition to the injustice of the innocent civil-

ian. Since there was no investigation, citizens found it unfair that a person could be killed by a police officer without solid proof and the officer would be let off scotch free. Then the protesters took off, marching and chanting around the city and finally arrived at the bridge to get to Tahrir (Liberty) Square. Instead of a clear view of the town from the opposite side of the bridge they were standing on, they saw a police tank barge itself onto the bridge, forcing a good portion of the crowd to jump off the sides in fear. Then suddenly out of the middle of the protesters emerged a man who simply stood in the path of the tank. “We were all astonished by the courage of this man, so we rushed the tank and let the police officer [inside] go free,” Girigis said. The march to Tahrir Square went well after that, up until the block before the protesters reached the square. The police officers started to throw tear gas grenades to blind the crowd and then aimlessly started to shoot. Innocent people and children lost their lives in pursuit of freedom, including a good friend of Girigis’. The whole country was in an uproar, so Girigis’ family moved to Texas. Though in Egypt Girigis had many friends, few of them were actually Egyptian. With a range of personalities from Scotland to Canada Girigis feels he lost an extravagant life of acceptance when he moved to America. On the up side, he gained the closeness of a supportive cousin that helps him with everything he needs. “America is a very beautiful place,” Girigis said. “But, I just don’t feel at home.”

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Issue 3 - December ‘11

THE LAST GOODBYE

 Photo by Amber Day

Staff members prepare for retirement, new life

 by AmberDAY, staff writer As the young freshmen enter the high school new and exciting surroundings encompass them. They eventually adjust and over time become mature seniors. As they go on into the world as young adults they use all the skills they learned from high school to go out and make a living. The continuous cycle repeats itself over and over again as Sharla Baker, H house counselor, Regina Martin, S house counselor, and Charlotte Krysinski, secretary to the principal, watch different classes of students mature into adults. After saying goodbye to graduating students each year, it is their turn to give their final goodbyes. They will soon go on to transition into a new stage in their lives, retirement. After working at the school for a long time, they have been able to witness all the dramatic changes that have taken place over the years. Baker has been working at the school for 27 years. She has been able to witness all the school’s hardships and struggles but most importantly the changes it has made. “I have worked here since 1985. I even remember when the school use to have a student smoking area, I still find that shocking. I have been through three renovations of the building and I have been through four different principals,” Baker said. Although the school is old, many aspects remain the same. The tradition of school spirit has managed to stay strong throughout the years. With all the foreign exchange students, cultures and nationalities, Krysinski thinks of the school as a little town. “Internally the building itself hasn’t changed. The spirit of the school hasn’t

changed either. With all the diversity and all the nationalities it is just like a little town,” Krysinski said. After watching series of students come and go Baker and Krysinski have rejoiced in the graduating students’ successes and accomplishments. They hope to one day see them out and successful in the real world. All three have helped mentor students through some of their hardest challenges in life as well as minor issues. “It’s a wonderful feeling seeing people who have had seen a difficult time as freshman and accomplish being a successful adult, doing what they want to do,” Krysinski said. Over the long time span that they have worked here they have been able to form close bonds with students, faculty and staff. Krysinski did her best at trying to establish a sense of family. Krysinski believes in handling every event, issue or assignment as if she was helping her own family. “I like being a part of a team. I have always been a team player. I try to help make everything easy. I have always taken ownership of everything that happens in this building. I like the sense of family asthe teachers and the students have always been my main priority,” Krysinski said. After influencing so many people’s lives, Baker and Krysinski are preparing to take the time to focus on themselves. As the days count down to their retirement, Krysinski and Baker prepare for a new and exciting life. Although Baker will be leaving the school industry she will keep some aspects of school in her life by writing a book about education. She will also be living on

“ I think it is bittersweet and I am always going to miss the students and my friends here, but there is a time and place for everything.”

permanent vacation when she moves into a new home. “I am retiring because I’ve purchased some land in New Mexico and I am planning to build a house, live on the land for a while. I am also going to sell my house, write a novel, paint, and just kick back for a while and travel. I have decided that it is time for some new challenges in life,” Baker said. As Baker writes her novel in New Mexico, Krysinski plans on taking her time off to spend with the newest edition to her family, her granddaughter. Although she has worked in the education industry for 26 years, she will never get tired of the hectic school atmosphere. “I am going to spend time with my family, watch my grandbaby and help my daughter out. I am going to miss the teachers, the building, the constant moving around, the kids, all that chaos,” Krysinski said. All though they will be moving on to a different phase in their lives, Krysinski and Baker are going to be missed. All of their work has not gone unnoticed. “Mrs. Krysinski is the brain of the school. She will be terribly missed,” Shannon Fisch, assistant principal, said. When all three retire others will have to take on their roles. Emotionally challenging jobs such a being a counselor can sometimes be a difficult job to take on. The time consuming job as a principal’s secretary can also be challenging, so Krysinski left encouraging words of advice. “Just take one day at a time and listen to what people tell you and be a good listener,” Krysinski said. Krysinski has faith that even after she leaves, the school will still operate the same as it always has. Krysinski will be able to confidently retire assured that the school will go on. “No matter how old I get, things will still go on in this school as they have always done on. It will still be about the same stuff, girls fighting over boys, and people will be

 Photo by Amber Day ALWAYS FALCON DEDICATED As a retiring counselor Sharla Baker completes a few of her final tasks before leaving at the end of the Fall semester.

 Photo by Amber Day PREPARING TO EXIT Finalizing all of her paper work Charlotte Krysinski, principal’s secretary, looks over last details. She is making sure all is prepared for the new secretary that will take on her role after she leaves.

 Photo by Amber Day FAREWELL HIGH SCHOOL Spending one of her last days in her office Regina Martin, counselor, reflects on her days as a counselor and friend to all Falcons. still complaining about the cafeteria food,” Krysinski said. For most people, saying your last goodbye is a hard to do. Krysinski, Baker, and Martin are going to miss working at school, but they are prepared to move on to their new lives. Goodbyes do not always have to be sad, sometimes goodbyes are the start of a new life.

InDepth

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Issue 3 - December ‘11

It’s a

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Months of planning results in historic video, raising school spirit  by ManjotJAWA, managing editor n room 1588, computers line the perimeter; movie posters cover the walls, and located further into the classroom sits a fully equipped studio, home to Jersey Village Television. Tucked away in the corner of the school, the 32 students, along with teacher and coordinator, Cindy Stoker, had an idea. The idea would challenge them, change the way they looked at their school and would ultimately bring the school together. JVTV was on a mission to create the first ever lip dub in the school district. “The initial idea came from watching Shorewood’s lip dub. When I watched it I would show my students, and my students would get kind of depressed. Which I thought the opposite would happen, but they got kind of depressed and they would say ‘We want to do that, that’s such a cool school, why can’t we do that?’ and at the time I said because we’re way too big,” Cindy Stoker, JVTV coordinator, said. For the JVTV students, the lip dub started out as just a dream last year. However they came to realize that just maybe they could pull the production off at the beginning of this year. “My initial reaction was astonishment that we could take on such a task. Making a good lip dub I know would take a lot of work and cooperation that I had never seen from the school, being my first year of JVTV, I didn’t know what to expect when it came to this program but it came to be a very enjoyable experience I would have hoped it would have been,” James Owens, sophomore, said. The first two months of this school year the JVTV students planned and organized the lip dub from the bottom up. Starting out with what Stoker considered the most difficult task; the JVTV members started thinking to select the right song. After days of debating, the team finally picked Kool & Gang’s classic 1980 hit, Celebration. With a catchy beat, simple lyrics, and an overall good feeling the members believed it would be perfect for achieving their goal of bringing the school together and create the prefect theme for the video. By that a time a date was set for lip dub. October 5th 2011 would officially be the historic day for the school and the program. The next step for the filmers was to start focusing on figuring out the route that the cameramen would take. One of the issues was trying to figure out how to show off the remodeled school, yet keep it within the time limit of the song. “When planning out the path for the lip dub, we had to consider a few things. The first was the length of the song and how quick we would be walking the path. The next thing we had to figure out was what classes and ar-

eas we would pass that wouldn’t be bothered by us going by. And finally we had to put people along that path to help us show off our school spirit,” Erica Lewandowski, senior, said. For days, the team walked out the path with the music playing, and eventually they decided upon going from the front of the school, through the administration offices, down the hallway, up the stairs, through the library, down the hallway, over the balcony, down the elevator, and through the commons ending up looking down at a large crowd from overhead. A song, a path, and a vision were ready, and then the team was ready to bring in actual people. Using online document processing and forms from Google; on September 12th Stoker emailed the entire faculty asking for club sponsors and teachers to become a part of the adventure. “At first I honestly thought it was going to be pretty cheesy, but when I saw Magnolia’s video and heard about the 70’s theme, I got pretty excited about it too,” Amy Ngo, senior, said. JVTV had initially expected only about 300 people to be involved. By that Friday the form had filled to 1000 people attending. “I was really shocked when I heard that 1000 people were participating. We sent out the email asking clubs if they wanted to participate and by the next day we had a lot of people signed up. The quick response is what really surprised me, and the fact that everyone is busy with clubs and school but still wanted to participate and show their school spirit is great,” Heath Farrell, senior, said. Crunch Time ith two and half short weeks left, JVTV held a meeting with club sponsors and representatives. The afternoon of October 21st, room 1588 was packed out the door as Stoker explained the different things that would be going on and the rules for the event and the rehearsals. The team had finalized the groups, and each group had been placed along the path and assigned a JVTV director to help them coordinate with the overall vision. “Directing a group of people was quite difficult; you had to find something that went along with the theme that also coordinated with that groups “theme”. Plus, you could barely hear anything since there were SO many people, but it was worth all the stress,” Idara Akpan, junior, said. JVTV had asked the participants to be patient with the team on the first rehearsal on September 27th. At anytime during the rehearsal, a number of JVTV directors were running around making sure everything was ready and in place. After figuring out their mistakes and rethinking some ideas, the team came back the next week

for the last rehearsal on October 4th. “The timing that the camera got to my group was always different for each run, but other than that, I think JVTV was pretty prepared. The good part about the second rehearsal was that they actually marked off where each group was supposed to stand in the cafeteria,” Leah Coleman, senior, said. Mission Accomplished fter a year of dreaming, a month and half of planning, days of sleepless nights, and hours of waiting for video processing; the JVHS Lip Dub was officially uploaded on October 7th 2011. Since then it has had over 16,000 views. In the days after the lip dub, school spirit was at an all time high according to many staff members. “I have not seen such school spirit since the early ‘90s! Kudos to [ JVTV] for pulling off such a grand and heart warming experience,” Marte Parham, English teacher, said. The JVHS Lip Dub continues to spread around the world, and with it, Falcons spirit keeps soaring high with it. The first lip dub in the district, Falcons have more than one reason to celebrate.

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Issue 3 December ‘11

InDepth

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Photo by Cameron Korenek

PUMPED UP SPIRIT Culinary Arts students cheer on the camera at the end of lip dub. Yearbook staff prepare for their part in the lip dub in the library as the camera is rolling downstairs.

Mission:Organization

Nightmare ends in dream production

* By The Numbers 16, 700 Views 252 Likes 12 Dislikes 135 Comments Top Viewing Countries: United States Canada UK Germany

*As of Decemeber 4th 2011

 by ManjotJAWA, managing editor “Easier said than done,” Everyone says and ignores this simple and cliché phrase at least once in their lives. The next time someone says those words to me, I will not ignore them. Being president of JVTV, I knowingly stepped up to organize the lip-dub production earlier this year. Organization comes easy to me because I have a slight tendency to be OCD, but this project redefined the word organization for everyone in the program. What started out as a simple idea to bring the school together turned into my own personal nightmare in little less than week of realizing out what we had to put together and what had to be managed. Being a child of the technological revolution, without hesitation I turned to the Google Docs service. Creating spreadsheets, online forms, and documents that could be shared was the simple part. All it took was a bit of know-how and the better part of the day to get it set up and ready to be released. However, I was not ready for what happened after Ms. Stoker emailed the faculty and staff. Within two days students all over school were Photo by Cameron Korenek getting the news, and faculty rushed to sign up using the online form. Within those 48 hours, our expected 300 participants quickly turned into roughly 1/3 of the school. We had come to a point where there was no backing out and gracefully bowing our heads, this had to happen. Worrying about the camera failing, someone

ED PARTICIPANTS

messing something up, or me missing a minor detail; kept me up and on the edge through the week of homecoming. In the days I did get to sleep, real rest only lasted for two or three hours. On the day of the lip dub, I naturally ran around like a crazed mad-man to make sure we had everyone set place, the poles were out of the doorways, the hallways were cleared and blocked, groups were in the right places, and whatever else was needed. After moving the tennis team away from the library and to the front of the elevator at the last minute, I quietly took my place behind them, ready to roll through the commons. Seeing our main cameraman approach I quickly pushed the elevator button and slid in with the wheelchair behind him. We stayed completely quiet going down to the first floor, and as the elevator doors open, I could feel my heart beating faster after coming out of the giant falcon inflatable. A wave of emotions came towards me all at once. First joy in seeing Mr. Funk waving the camera in, followed by the deep sigh of relief that this was almost over, and then absolute laughter and admiration at the faces I was seeing. My official title under the credits is listed as “Director”, but to me, I’m just another member of the JVTV family. The time and commitment our JVTV family put in made us all directors. No part of this lip dub would have been possible without all 32 members of the team. We had pulled off one of, if not the biggest project we had ventured to create. The nightmare ended a while back, but the song cannot be played in the JVTV studio.

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Comments

“Glad to see Falcon Spirit is still strong! ... Great job folks! c/o ‘90” - houstenor ~ “I wish I had gone to this school, that looks so freaking fun!! :) But I go to Creek :/ “ - iNikkikins ~ “Best high school EVER. ;DD” - Papillondog ~ “Proud to say I will be attending Jersey Village High School next year. Amazing lip dub. The elevator part was my favorite, lolol” -xX1p3ntXx ~ “Congrats to the students and staff at JV! This took an incredible amount of teamwork and spirit, and it looks like you had a lot of fun. Go Falcons!”-jenniferlucas40 ~ “This shows how much we have to ‘Celebrate’ at JVHS. I am proud to be a faculty member, but even more excited that I am a JVHS Parent” -Eheart214 ~ “I’m a Falls grad, but this is just freaking amazing for me. Nice job JV!” - boidflip ~ “ We could not have dreamed of doing this only a few years ago...great job on the progression of the JVTV program and on building the school to have this ability.” -texas04 ~ “This is so awesome. I love my school!!!” - flyman2800 ~

Watch The JVHS Lip dub on Youtube Scan the QR code below with your mobile device or vist YouTube.com/JerseyVillageTV

DUB

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Photo by Cameron Korenek

MUSIC SMILES CHEER Band members perform the cadence at the end of the lip dub. Gold Dusters cheer on as the camera passes them by at the beginning of the walk through the commons.

Features

The Peregrine

Issue 3 - December‘11

Tearing Down Cultural Barriers Seeking knowledge, new experiences in life,

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have one in Germany,” Koettner said. She is staying with her host family, and they have two kids. Koettner says the family has treated her well, and living with them feels like her own family in Germany. She said it was kind of weird in the beginning, but after a while she warmed up to them, and they treat her like their own daughter. “I have been here before and really enjoyed my stay. I wanted to have another experience outside of where I live. I wanted to see different lifestyles and have a different outlook on life,” Koettner said. Weibrecht coped with the drastic change of leaving her family behind. Being at the high school for two months she has really enjoyed her stay and the warm embrace of her fellow classmates. Weibrecht’s Host Family he stays with a single mother raising a 16 year old girl named Christina Wagner that attends the high school. Weibrecht feels welcomed and at home with the love she has received. They have tried to make her feel at ease. Weibrecht and Wagner have had so much excitement together. Wagner tries to make Weibrecht feel at home. “They have been so nice to me, and I enjoy living with them. I’m so happy that there is a girl around my own age because that makes things easier. They have been helping me with different things and taking me places. I feel like I am a part of their little family,” Weibrecht said. At the high school Weibrecht has joined Senior Ladies. She is thinking about joining the Falcon Organization for the Rights of All Creatures (FORC) and the Art Club, but has not decided yet. She also is on the varsity swim team. Weibrecht enjoys the school, especially the school spirit. She thinks it is amazing how much school spirit the school has. “The thing I love about J.V. is the school spirit. I think it is awesome to go to the football games and see everybody cheering. I also think it is really nice, that all sports and clubs are at the school, it makes it easy to join,” Weibrecht said. School System enmark’s’ chool system runs different from the one in the United States. The school Weibrecht went to had only 600 people in the entire school. In their classes they could use their computers in all their classes. They also have more homework assignments than here. Even though Weibrecht is qualified as a senior at this high school, when she moves

 Photo by Cameron Korenek

 Photo courtesy of

 by KiaraBOOKER, staff writer ears inch down their cheeks as they walk away, their hands tremble, their heart pounds as they felt the sweet and bitter taste of leaving their family in Denmark and Germany. Anne Weibrecht, senior, and Laura Koettner, junior, knew coming to the United States as foreign exchange students would change their perspective on life, but did not expect it would become this tough. With a new scenery, friends, language, and new lifestyles Weibrchet and Koettner found it hard to cope with. Allowing them to be open-minded and undertake new experiences, lead them to see different cultures, and many lifestyles. “I decided to come to the United States, because I wanted to try something new, experience another lifestyle and culture. I only choose the United States, I didn’t choose a state, city or area, but I’m really happy at being here,” Weibrecht said. Coming to America oettner decided to come to the United States for new experiences and to expand her education. She has been in the United States before and enjoyed viewing the different lifestyles and cultures, so she decided to come back. Koettner has been at the high school since the middle of August and will extend her stay at the high school for the rest of the year. She is in JVTV and really thinks it is a career she would consider pursuing. “I really like the school. Compared to my school in Germany it is huge and new. I think it is very cool that every room has it own computer. I also like the school spirit we have. We do not

Anne Weibrecht

two foreign exchange students embrace U.S. customs

LIVING THE LIFE Relaxing on a hot sunny day Anne Weibrecht, senior, Lesia Wagner and Chrstina Wagner, junior, relax on the Galveston beach after showing Weibrecht around. While sitting in the sand they decided to take a photo so Weibrecht could have a memoir when she returned to Denmark. back to Denmark she still has to complete two more years of high school before she can continue to a university. Her school does not enforce tardies, passes, dress code, and they do not say a pledge of allegiance. She had never heard of the pledge until she came to the United States. Different Lifestyle n Houston one must have a car, or use public transportation to get around. In Denmark Weibrecht could walk, take a bike, or use public transportation. That kind of transportation is normal in Europe. “It is different here, the lifestyles, culture, school, rules, food, and more. The school is a lot stricter. I had never heard about a tardy, pass, a pledge, and the dress code before I came here. I guess you can say that the schools in Denmark are more free-spirited, and they give the students more freedom,” Weibrecht said. Once one becomes accustomed to a certain way of living they become more relaxed and open. Weibrecht knew the culture would be different, but did not know to what extreme. She knew whatever she could gain in knowledge would further help her understand and appreciate the way Americans live. “The culture is different here, I am not used to going to church every Sunday, I do it two times a year at the most. Here in America, the fast food is bigger; more people eat unhealthy and eat out more. I am used to my parents cooking dinner each day. The only fast food place I had been to before I came here was McDonald’s, and I have only been there maybe three times in my entire life,” Weibrecht said. Weibrecht always wants to call her family in Denmark, but the time difference will not

allow her to all the time. She calls her parents often, about once a week because she has so much to tell them, and to hear how her family is doing back home. She tries not to think about her family, instead focusing on her life here, even though she finds it hard. “Of course I miss home, especially my family and friends, but I am not homesick. If I had a really good day or bad day I just feel like calling or texting them back home. I remember that I can’t because of the time difference and my cell phone can’t do it. I have the most contact with my friends over Facebook and Skype,” Weibrecht said. New Customs eibrecht said there were a lot of new customs she had to get used to, a new school, family, and a different language that were hard to adapt to, but through it all Weibrecht still decided to come. She always tries to be open-minded and try new challenges. “I would not say that I have completely adapted yet, and I probably never will; but it feels more normal for me on each day that goes by. It is a good thing to try not to say no to anything, but instead try it before you make up your mind about it,” Weibrecht said. Koettner also keeps in touch with her family and friends over Skype. She will Skype her mom and dad twice a month just to make sure there are okay. She only has a little time to talk to her parents each month which causes her to miss them, but she knows that being here is a wonderful opportunity for her to experience. “I have to say I miss my family and friends in Germany, but I’m not homesick. I am really enjoying my stay here,” Koettner said.

Issue 3 December ‘11

Sports

The Peregrine  IN DEAD PAIN Struggling to get out of the submission he’s put in, sophomore Manuel Yanes’, face shows the pain he must be feeling. But part of wrestling is to fight through the pain. If he gets out, he can put his opponent in his own submission or pin him. To win the match, the wrestlers have to fight through the pain that is being dealt to them by their opponent. Any wrestler can give pain but it is not the amount a wrestler can give, it is the amount the wrestler can take. DELIVERING THE PAIN Taking charge in the pursuit of beating their opponents, Alton Brown, sophomore, and Diana Carreon, junior, go on the defensive side. “Constantly working during practice really does pay off during an actual meet,” Carreon said.

Photos by Megan Flores

Third Year at Home

Staying in shape takes new form for wrestling team

Photo by Angelea Caton

 by MattDUBOSE, staff writer A blue mat under the lights in a gymnasium sat there vacant, and two wrestlers with headgear and high-tops appear from a locker room and prepare to wrestle. The tension rises as they begin, and grunts grow louder and louder. The teenage wrestlers throw each other around as they strategically set the other up for a pin. The match goes on for minutes as the judges tally the points up for each wrestler. With multiple opponents and multiple schools at the match, the rivalries rang not only between schools but between the wrestlers. “The discipline that is required and the dedication needed is my favorite part of wrestling,” Diana Carreon, junior and weight class 102, said. Wrestling is a tough sport for anyone. It requires them to learn moves others might not know, and those moves must outwit and out-muscle the opponent. “My favorite part of wrestling is the adrenaline and feeling you get while you wrestle,” Taylor Mendizabal, junior and weight class 138, said. When the adrenaline gets pumping in the body, the wrestler becomes a different person. They change and become more active, more excited, more pumped. Adrenaline while wrestling leads them to attacking the opponent not defending against them. The adrenaline pumping through Mendizabal could explain why she is 5-1 on the year and 40-19 overall. She has also placed in all of her tournaments and medaled too. “The fact that you are in shape makes wrestling fun for me,” Juan Garcia-Perez, senior and weight class 170, said. In order to wrestle or play any sport an athlete needs to be in the best shape of their life. If they are out of shape, it makes them weaker, slower, and more vulnerable to the techniques the opponent throws their way. By being in shape they make it as hard on your opponent as they can. Giving the opponent a challenge will eventually add fatigue to them and tire them out. This leads to them being sloppy and the Falcon’s wrestler taking advantage of that to win. “Using different techniques to beat people is my favorite part of wrestling,” Manuel Yanes, sophomore and weight class 152, said. Wrestling is a sport full of multiple techniques. Each wrestler has their own special technique that they use to their advantage in the match. By using different techniques each time it throws off the opponent and gives an edge, which is

what every wrestler wants to do. “Having a team there to support you and keep you going is my favorite part of wrestling,” Yasir Bass, sophomore and weight class 220, said. Any athlete will say that a team having their back is a good essential, but in wrestling if people support them that’s different. When they wrestle, they don’t have somebody on the mat helping them against their opponent they have them self. With all the Falcons backing each other up and acting like a team this boosts the morale of every wrestler on the roster. A boost in morale is what every athlete dreams of, as well as having a team to be there for you. “What makes wrestling fun for me, is the way I can take all my anger out on my opponent,” Alex Fisher, freshman and weight class 113, said. Many wrestlers are told to harvest their anger and take it out on their opponent. Fisher is one of them. By harvesting anger to use it on the mat against an opponent become a fiercer wrestler. This gives a feeling of being invincible which is a good feeling for a wrestler. “I fell in love with this sport freshman year, and will do it for as long as I can,” Freddie Lopez, sophomore and weight class 120, said. Lopez is like most athletes. They fall in love with the sport they play and cannot stop. Sports are addicting. If someone wanted to pry an athlete away from the sport they have played for many years it is going to be hard. The hardest task for an athlete to do is quit the sport they love which is why many do not. “The fact that it is you versus another person, so winning is the greatest feeling of accomplishment,” John Arechiga, senior and weight class 285, said. Winning. The most wanted word in sports is winning. Any athlete wants to win. Whether it be respect, a championship, or a new contract athletes must win. Winning in Arechiga’s case gives him a feeling of accomplishment. That is the greatest feeling he has in wrestling. So by Arechiga winning he might get respect, but more important to him is he feels accomplished. To him that is all that matters. Kevin Casula will coach the Falcon wrestling team for his third year straight. Wrestling has only been on campus for three years; before it was here the wrestlers had to go work with the Cy-Fair wrestling coach at Cy-Fair. “Our success is dependant upon many variables; however we will compete to the best of our abilities. Wrestling is a very technical sport with a steep learning curve,” Casula said. Casula is sure that his wrestling group will perform to the best of their abilities. He hopes this leads them to a successful year the Falcon athletic program would love.

The Peregrine

Columns

First amendment rights cherished through all ages  by JasmineWHITE, guest columnist As Americans we expect a lot from this nation and strongly believe in the freedoms and rights of individuals. We fight for what we believe in, in order to keep the country righteous and maintain open views, so that the diverse races and/or beliefs are not overlooked. With this freedom we can easily forget how lucky we are to even be able to give personal viewpoints, opinions and that other countries do not have this luxury. How easily students come home from a school day, turn on the television, and boom the world is at their finger tips. I am thankful for the freedom of the press because the public stays informed of the good and the bad, and the government is not able to hide much from the public eye. In other countries dictators and their governments monitor news released to the people. If the person in power does not want it published, it will not be seen. For example, after the Tiananmen Square incident in Communist China, it was wiped from the Google search engine because the leader did not want the world to know about the terrible atrocities occurring. In addition I am thankful for freedom of speech, my most cherished right in the Bill of Rights. This right gives the American people their voice. Without this right American citizens would be silenced. An opinion is a person’s greatest weapon and the right to express it is the key to keeping a democracy in a country. If it were not for this, many would be in jail or dead because everyone in the world has spoken against at least one president, one mayor, one senator and or one law. Although one can freely speak for what they believe, the government has found a way to limit that.

During war time the doorway for what is allowed is narrowed, if what one says threatens the safety of others. These are okay with me because they are a source of protection. When freedom of religion was established America became the national melting pot and minority religions from other countries sought refuge in the United States so they could be who they were, and worship who they wanted. Other countries punish, single out, and kill those who are different, especially in religion. In the U.S. one is allowed to be whom they are without hiding because this society has accepted that everyone may not accept Christian beliefs. I am thankful for the freedom of religion because I can imagine if the majority was Buddhist, I would not be welcome as a Christian, and might be punished for what I believe in. I have friends from every religion and it is interesting to hear their beliefs. Different people can co-exist. All of the rights of the first amendment tie in together to allow us to appropriately use them. The right to assemble and petition are to ensure that we have the chance to carry out our opinions and challenge government entities. Without these the others would be pointless because no one would be able to organize a group to protest or get hundreds of signatures to show that many of the people want a change. In other countries and in our past those who assemble have been killed, arrested or injured. To help avoid that, there are certain areas one is allowed to assemble in. This again is a restriction, but it is one that the government passed in order to insure the safety of people. We are lucky to have our first amendment rights and should cherish them, but also should respect a certain level of restriction, because sometimes too much freedom can be a bad thing.

Issue 3 - December ‘11

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illustration by Khoi Dao

Walk, not talk in hallways

 by HaileyZERA, guest columnist “Riiiinnngggg!” “Oh no! I’m gonna be late to class! Time to push through all these people standing in the middle of the hall,” I thought to myself. Little did I know that all these people standing in the middle of the hall would not move because they arestanding there chit-chatting. They stood there oblivious to all the other people trying to get to class. I first noticed this blockage on the first day of school but I thought that it was only that way because people were not sure where they were going, but three months later and they are still not sure where their classes are. They feel the need to stand in the middle of the halls and talk amongst themselves instead of just going to class and talking then, or just talking at lunch. The countless tardies I have accumulated because I could noteven get through the hallway to my classes are ridiculous. It is a relief when the administration tries to do something by telling people to use other stairs, however that is not always effective because a week after the new rules are enforced, people just go right back to going up and down one stairwell and clogging up the hallway all over again. The combinations of 50 people continuously trying to fit on one stairwell going up and down, plus lazy people that make the outright decision to stand in the middle of the hallway and talk, allow for a very difficult journey from class to class. If I felt like pushing and crawling my way through a jungle of people, I would go to the mall on Black Friday, but its not Black Friday, it is just school hallways. Last time I checked there wasn’t a sign in the hall that said, “Stop here for Social hour!” There is no need to stand and block everyone’s way just so you can talk and accomplish nothing in that five minutes that you have to get to class. It is called the “passing period” for a reason.

Gold Duster loves her team

illustration by Khoi Dao

 by LondonLEMAY guest columnist Commitment. Determination. Tradition. Desire. Spirit. Family. When people ask me what it means to be a Gold Duster, that is what I say. Being a member of the drill team means upholding the highest reputation, while balancing school, home life and, of course, knowing the dances. If that seems easy to you, try out. As for me, the challenge it brings is a constant struggle, although it is a constant reward. Dancing is what I love to do. I could dance by myself at a studio, but I choose to dance with a team. If that means maintaining the grades then that is what I am going to do. It is not easy. I feel like I am always sacrificing time. I miss talking to my mom about my life, and having tons of time to study, but every time I am on that stage, contest floor, or field, I know I made the right decision. I have my red lipstick on, wearing all black ready to tryout for the last time. I have contemplated this over and over again, gone over the pros and cons. Pros: I am with my friends, practically family, that I have been with my whole high school career. I get to perform. And do what I love to do, DANCE. Cons: I make the time sacrifices, that I have been making for the past three years. My decision: Try-out again. During my senior year I want to be a Jersey Village Gold Duster.

Editorial

Issue 3 - December ‘11

SPIRIT OF HELPING

The Peregrine

Smaller number of custodians increase efforts, boost spirits

illustration by CARMEN RESENDIZ

he first ones at school, they open up the building for incoming students. They inspect the school every morning for any safety hazards or spills for the comfort of learners. Any spills or accidents that need to be cleaned are taken care of by these dependable workers. Not only are they involved in the care and maintenance of the school, but they participate in the learning environment by displaying sociability and goodwill to others. The school’s custodians fit the role of a responsible, welcoming character that students can look up to, and should be thanked for the amount of work they do. Custodians have a wide variety of duties to do daily, and their effort can be physically shown in the cleanliness of the school. Of their many tasks, they must empty NAYS YAYS wasteb a s The position k e t s , disin-

Peregrine

fect tables and floors, and check to see if faucets and drains are working properly. They take care of vacuuming and sweeping the floors, to keep all surfaces dust-free. They also clean door glasses, put away and set up tables for lunch. In addition to their numerous tasks, the school custodians present a cheerful disposition to students, interacting with others. Their bright attitudes liven up the environment, encouraging the students in a blissful manner. The day workers, Cheryl Landry, Rhonda Jackson, and Rosy Jiminez, are considered the “heroes of the school” by many, as they help out with anything that needs assistance. Many of their duties go unnoticed by others, and should be recognized. Students do not realize that school custodians do much more than just cleaning. They help out with minor issues with individual teachers, with FedEx and UPS deliveries, and any other favors that someone may need. The 40 hours a week that they contribute to this school is a tremendous help to the students and teachers, and the school would not be able to run

without their assistance. Although much time and effort must be put into being a custodian, they are able to make an honest living and earn a competent wage. However, the CFISD budget is diminishing, while school expenses are rising. As a result of the lack of funds, the district has cut 41 million dollars from its budget in the past two years. Included in these cuts, was a percent of school custodians, who were fired as of last year, due to these budget cuts. Nonetheless, the smaller number of custodians has increased their efforts to get the same amount of work done. The quality and quantity of work has not changed, despite the recent reduction of employees. Because of them, students can take pride in their school, increasing their spirits, and motivations to study in an apt environment. Through the custodians’ meticulous work and reliable attitudes, students are able to learn in a clean, fresh environment and have the influence of their bright, smiling faces everyday.

the

student

VOICE

“ I think the work the custodians do in the school is great. If we did not have them, our school would be What do you think about the work that custodians do a dirty disaster. I think we would thank them” for the school?    HAILEY ZERA, senior

“ The people that clean the school should be appreciated because their staff got cut this year, which means that have more work with fewer people to clean.”    DIANA CARREON, junior

“ I think that the custodians do amazing work. There are a lot kids in the school and the custodians work to make sure we have a nice, safe, clean environment. ”    BRIAHNA TAYLOR, senior

11 

PEREGRINE STAFF 2011-2012

editor-in-chief JOEY BETH GILBERT managing editor MANJOT JAWA illustrator KHOI DAO staff writers LEANDRA LEE SARAH CHO AMBER DAY ANNIE SANDERS MARITZA FLORES KIARA BOOKER MATT DUBOSE BJ MONDESIR guest contributors HAILEY ZERA JASMINE WHITE CARMEN RESENDIZ LONDON LEMAY staff adviser MARGIE COMSTOCK principal RALPH FUNK

JERSEY VILLAGE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT PUBLICATIONS’ NEWSPAPER POLICY

The Peregrine is the official student publication of Jersey Village High School and is published by the Advanced Journalism newspaper class at Jersey Village High School, 7600 Solomon, Houston, Texas 77040 (713-896-3400). It is distributed free to the student body. Subscriptions can be bought for $15, and copies of the paper will be mailed to your residence or email subscriptions can be purchased for $6 and a PDF copy will be sent to your email address. Unsigned editorials represent a majority agreement of the staff. The Peregrine is read in advance of publication by the JVHS administration. Advertising is sold by the business card 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and full page. The staff has the right to reject, edit,or cancel any advertisement at any time. The advertising policy is stated on the advertising contract. Advertising is not an endorsement from the staff, the adviser, the administration, or the Cypress Fairbanks Board of Trustees. The Peregrine is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference, Quill and Scroll, the National Scholastic Press Association and supports the Student Press Center Law Center. The Peregrine is printed by Mirror Publishers, Inc in Texas City, TX. The opinion of readers is held in high regard. Please send all feedback or questions to our address or room 1720. Letters to the editor need to be limited to 150 words. We reserve the right to edit for spelling and grammar. Letters must be signed.

Issue 3 - December â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;11

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Egg

Photo Essay

Issue 3 - December ‘11

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Physics project gives opportunity to experience opposite forces

lPhoto by Angelea Caton

1. Trusting Earth’s Gravity Knowing that her box was well built Peyton Brooks, junior, drops her egg from the medium height. Physics classes went to the school’s bleachers to test the boxes they built to protect eggs from the force of gravity.

lPhoto by Angelea Caton

2. Hoping to Succeed Scared that their egg might not make it, Spencer Nguyen and Ivie Lao, juniors, wince as they drop their box. “I was disappointed in our results as our project did not make it to the final round,” Nguyen said. 3. Unsure of Result Not knowing whether his box will properly protect his fragile egg Andy Garcia, junior, drops his box from the highest height. This activity was one that students looked forwarded to as part of their Physics course.

lPhoto by Breann Gonzalez

4. Hoping for Achievement Checking her box Linda Banda, senior, looks to see if her egg survived the fall. Students were only allowed to use specific materials to cushion their eggs.