The Pioneer

New interm principal Al Marsh

STUCO hosts yearly leadership workshop

Team Tanner rallies again

the pioneer austin high school established 1930

october 2013 • 3500 memphis • el paso tx 79930 • volume 83 issue 1

homecoming 2013 King Pedro Arellano

&

Queen Arlene Morales

news

austin pioneer • october• 2013 • 2

New interim principal introduced at community meeting

ashley nava reporter

A community meeting was held September 25th to introduce new interim pricipal, Mr. Al Marsh, who addressed pressing school issues.

“The first thing I need to do is get up to speed on things. I’m not coming in and saying all things must go my way. I need to learn how things are handled here and then go from there. I welcome any suggestions. I agree communication needs to improve.

Changes will be seen. If you feel you have been mistreated you find me,” Mr. Marsh said.

During the meeting, students and parents were able to voice their concerns in regards to principal

Dr. John Tanner’s removal in late August, counseling concerns and questions regarding a recent local news report on the rehiring of an employee that was removed last year for allegedly attacking a student.

“My concern is that this person is still here. I don’t feel safe that my two children are here. We know why Dr. Tanner is not here. You met with the student council, they asked questions and they weren’t answered. If this person has to be watched it must not be safe,” parent Dolores Tapia said.

Human Resources’ Robert Almanzan was on hand to answer any questions.

“One of my rules in human

resources is to make sure all sides are reviewed and for all parties to be heard does take time. Part of tonight is to tell the community where we are at. We are here to provide other assistance. At this point in time there is nothing we can do to speed up the investigation. What I want to convey in my experience is that we look for equality and fairness,” Mr. Almanzan said.

In relation to this issue, Mr. Marsh, who most recently served as an administrator at Chapin High School preferred to look into the future.

“Students need to continue to move forward. The situation is going to play out the way it’s going

to play out. I want them to know that I am here to help with the healing process. I respect Dr. Tanner, and I can’t imagine what he’s going through but we need

to keep moving forward. We need to focus on the positives here at Austin, you don’t have to look far to find them,” Mr. Marsh said.

Interim principal Mr. Al Marsh answers questions from concerned parents at the community meeting. photo by: Ashley Nava

Assistant principal Mr. Mark Tegmeyer moves to CISD

Former assistant prinicpal Mr. Mark Tegmeyer speaks at rally held on August 31. photos by: Ashley Nava ashley nava reporter

After having worked as an assistant principal for three and a half years, Mr. Mark Tegmeyer’s

last day was Monday, September, 30th.

“I don’t want to leave, but the atmosphere with all that has happened at Austin has been

SDOC Academy under new leadership

lisa rosell reporter

Mr. Scott Graves has been named the new coordinator of the Sandra Day O’Connor Academy, after former coordinator Ms. Kelly Dickson did not return this school year.

“She was a great asset to the academy and was very supportive of the students as well,” fire tech instructor Chief Joseph Savage said.

The SDOC Academy operated with out a coordinator for just over two months, since the start of the school year. Savage said the instructors, such as himself, were responsible for keeping the academy going.

“It is the responsibility of the instructors and the students to continue to move the academy forward. Just because Ms. Dickson is gone, there should be no reason for the academy not to function.

This is a time when our strengths should show, the academy should move forward. All of us need to accept responsibility and push ahead,” Savage said.

A major concern for academy students and parents was that of the uniform.

“The uniforms last year were around $80 and were brown pants

with a button up khaki shirt. We had to wear black shoes and a belt,” senior Vianey Grajeda said.

The uniforms have been changed from those worn last year. Each student was informed of the new uniform policy. The policy included the following: -Mondays: Every cadet will wear the same academy uniform, which will consist of Dickies Navy Blue pants, Dickies navy blue shirt, white crew t-shirt, black belt, black socks, and black shoes -Thursdays: uniform will be the same with the exception of the shirt. The shirt will be a career path polo shirt. Fire and Public Servicered, Law enforcement- navy blue, Law/Legal- grey.

“I think these uniforms are better, plus they’re cheaper. I’m sure a lot of people will be wearing them since they can be locally bought, unlike the ones from last year,” Grajeda said.

The new uniforms are to be bought by the students starting October 7th.

very hard on my family. They’re frightened for me and I feel I have to leave to have some peace of mind. I can also say it’s been a distraction, I don’t feel that I have been able to do my best job for the students and that bothers me very much,” Tegmeyer said.

While others turned their backs on the challenges that came along with students, Mr. Tegmeyer embraced them and used that as his motivation.

“I will miss seeing students of Austin High School succeed and begin to believe in themselves and have the kind of success that no one, including the school district, ever thought possible. It’s been one of the most meaningful and fulfilling experiences of my life,”

Tegmeyer said.

Despite the hardships he has endured the past few months, he looks back fondly upon the memories he has made.

“My favorite memory is always graduation, every graduation I’ve ever been to, seeing the students get their diploma and achieve what many of them never thought they would.

Graduation always showed me I was doing my job,” Tegmeyer said.

Although Mr. Tegmeyer accepted the job to be the Testing and College Readiness Facilitator at Canutillo High School, he will always bleed brown and gold.

“I want them [the students]

to know how special they are to me. I believe in them and I want them to continue to believe in themselves. I’ll be a panther in my heart, always,” Tegmeyer said.

Mr. Tegmeyer gives students words of encouragement at the rally.

Team Tanner rallies again for principal’s return

ashley nava reporter

On August 31 , students, faculty, and parents were out of bed early Saturday morning to peacefully rally in an effort to bring Dr. John Tanner back after he was put under administrative leave due to an “employee relation matter”.

“I am simply here to support Dr. Tanner and make the district aware that my school and I do not appreciate their actions towards Dr. Tanner and refusal to open up to the community about the situation. I hope this rally inspires them to further consider bringing out much-needed principal – and father – back on campus,” junior Mark Castaneda said.

When the news first hit the papers, students and faculty were in disbelief.

“I was shocked. There are no words that can convey how much betrayal this man is suffering. First it was from the district; now it is from people whom he thought supported him. People who he thought he was fighting along with turned their back on him,” physics teacher Mr. Datton Nguyen said.

Having been put on leave ten days prior to the first day of school, students noticed the atmosphere change upon walking through the doors on August 26th.

“I believe it has put us students in a depression. Not seeing him here on the first day of school, not st

welcoming us back was hard. I think it has hurt all the seniors the most because Dr. Tanner is always here telling them to apply to colleges and helping them with their college essays. Not allowing him to be here is hurting the school rather than helping,” junior Frankie Tapia said.

Students see more than just a principal when they look at Dr. Tanner. He is a prominent figure

that has influenced their lives.

“Dr. Tanner always made Austin feel like a family, a close-knit community. There is really no hostility on campus at all. Everybody is comfortable because Dr. Tanner was able to create that atmosphere for us. Without him there is no guidance, this family is missing its leader,” senior Santos Cervantes said.

The students and faculty gather to peacefully protest the removal of principal Dr. John Tanner. photo by: Aaron Betancourt

Austin alum Hector Campa returned to Austin to support Dr. John Tanner. photo by: Aaron Betancourt

editorial/news

austin pioneer • october• 2013 • 3

Saying it Like it is

by: Ijhanea Bunting

After being put on administrative leave last spring, Principal Dr. John Tanner was placed on leave once again two weeks prior to the beginning of the school year.

With the absence of Dr. Tanner, many of the school’s traditions are falling by the wayside.

While previous classes have gotten the opportunity to experience being inducted into the panther family, the current freshmen and new students have not, as the convocation has yet to occur this year because of the uncertainty of his return. Not that it would be the same without the person that started it all, Principal Dr. John Tanner.

Senior Saturdays have also been postponed until further notice. By the time they do take effect, the deadlines would have come and gone. In the past, the school has seen 80 percent of seniors get accepted into a four year university. We will have to wait and see if the numbers will

be just as high with Dr. Tanner gone.

This year just isn’t the same as the entire administrative team has been wiped out with the exception of Ms. Nancy Love. Most students including upperclassmen are still not familiar with the new leadership.

Some administrators have left on their own accord or have been placed on administrative leave as well. In order to make the high school experience the greatest for students, the school needs leadership. Many students would like to get to know the new staff.

While hundreds fought for his return last year, it’s a slap in the face by EPISD. Principal Dr. John Tanner has made the halls of Austin more than just a school, he made it a home for many.

Until then students continue to struggle with adjusting to being without who many considered a mentor, friend and even father figure.

US stay out of Syria

jose nava reporter

Syria is in the middle of a civil war between the government and the rebels (the protesters). More than 100,000 people have been killed, two million displaced and more than half of the victims are women and children. There is no reason for us to attack because if we intervene it would put us in a situation we shouldn’t be in.

First of all, we can’t afford to supply our military for a possible war. We owe trillions, why should we even consider the attack? War costs a lot of money. There is no reason for us to attack.

Second of all, we shouldn’t be spending any money, we just got out of a long war, why get into another one? Aside

from the money, consider the families of those who serve.

They are worried sick for their family members because they are in dangerous places.

Last but most certainly not least, it’s none of our business, we need to work on our own problems and fix ourselves. There are plenty of issues that need to be fixed in this country, like the economy, unemployment, immigration reform, gay marriage rights, gun control, debt and many more. Through peace and consideration, we can advance as a country. This is the only way be can become a stronger nation.

New fac/staff members on campus ijhanea bunting reporter

Over a dozen new staff members walk the halls as the new school year begins.

“I love Austin because the library is the best place in the school. We get to help everybody, all the kids and all the teachers,” librarian Katherine Morrill said.

Amongst the new staff, is the new librarian Ms. Katherine Morrill, who previously taught 5th grade science. She has been teaching for 19 1/2 years. Before she decided to become a librarian, she wanted to be a pilot.

“I was halfway through my pilot lessons before I went back to graduate school. I saw the position open and I watched it for a while.

I finally applied and in June, I had the interview with Ms. Juarez,” Morrill said.

Along with Ms. Morrill, Mr. Fernando Villa has joined the staff as a math teacher.

ashlyn kelly reporter

Over 200 students, including a group from Chapin attended a leadership workshop in the PAC. Ms. Laura Price, a well-known leadership advisor was the featured speaker.

“In my opinion she inspires everyone to be a great leader and make a difference in the world, as well as on someone’s heart,” senior Kieanna Camacho said.

The cost to participate was $5.00.

Representatives from various clubs, organizations and sports teams were selected to attend. Each member of student council was assigned to a group of students.

It was their goal to get everyone involved and to help develop leadership skills.

“This experience changed my life. It made me feel like a leader because my group was

2013-2014

Freedom of the Press Student publications guard freedom of the press as the right of all people in a free society.

It carries with it freedom and responsibility to discuss, question and challenge action and statements of the student body, administration and other public figures. Student journalists reserve the right to speak unpopular opinions and the privilege to agree with the majority.

while my wife and I are exercising, and at Memorial Park,” Villa said.

Mr. Villa runs a tight ship, but he still likes to make his math class a fun-learning environment.

“I have a sense of humor. I like to laugh and I like to joke around, but it’s hard because at the same time, I have to be firm with the students,” Villa said.

The new staff includes: Lee Grillet Corinne- Solis Williamson Mary Peticolas Hector Montes Barbara Peterson Allison Soelter Norberto Gerardo Erika Ramos Ryan Rodney Fernando Villa Katherine Morrill

STUCO hosts leadership workshop

the pioneer staff editors ijhanea bunting lisa rosell the pioneer staff janeth acosta jace aguilera aaron betancourt judith escobar isabel galarza maria guerrero ashlyn kelly jose nava ashley nava jose olivas israel perez adviser jessi almanzar

“Before I was a student at UTEP, I worked in retail for 16 years. I was the Assistant manager for Home Depot for six years,” math teacher Fernando Villa said.

Villa’s choice to teach at Austin has a lot to do with his family history.

“Aside from being familiar with the school, my family history is here. All my sisters came here, even though I graduated from Burges. I remember going with my sisters to cheerleading practices and football games with my brothers at a young age. My wife works here too. My oldest son graduated from Austin, and it is my daughter’s last year here,” Villa said.

Mr. Villa enjoys seeing students that attend Austin in the community.

“I live in a community close to the school. I enjoy seeing students at the local Wal-Mart, on the track

michelle garcia reporter

cooperating. Everyone was getting along as well as getting involved. I actually had control of my group,” senior Frances Roman said.

The workshop had a circus theme. As a team, each group had to come together and create a chant, motto, song and a mascot. This had to be completed within 45 minutes. When time was up, the groups had to perform in front of the crowd.

“I was very confident in my group because we all worked together and made sure our chant, motto, song and mascot were completed on time. Our song turned out to be a rap titled Figgly and the Figglets. To create our mascot, we had to use one of our team members as our guinea pig.

We had to use powdered makeup, lipstick, and eyeliner to make him look like a clown. Then we tied balloons to his ankles and used tissue paper to make his hair. He also wore a tutu as the finishing touch. It was a difficult task but I made sure everyone felt included,” Roman said.

After each group performed, the student council members introduced themselves

and began teaching everyone a few of their chants and bonding activities such as meet and greets and partner connections.

These activities were used as icebreakers and to make everyone feel welcome.

“At first it was a little difficult to break the ice because there were some students that were shy and didn’t really say much, but then I broke everyone up into 3 groups and assigned them a job.

One group came up with the motto, another came up with the chant and the last group came up with the song. A few others, including myself had to create our mascot.

He was a clown named Figgly.

This caused everyone to open up and participate,” Roman said.

As everything came to a close, Ms. Price shared a song with the students that she felt was very inspirational. The song was I Was Here by Beyonce Knowles. She gave everyone a copy of the lyrics so that they were able to follow along. Some students began to cry, others sang along.

Future of convocation tradition uncertain

The annual convocation for freshmen and new students has been postponed until further notice.

“Students dress up really nice.

Everyone looks sharp and I see pride in everyone. Parents really seem to enjoy seeing their kids being honored like this,” history teacher Hazel Tipton said.

This convocation tradition was started by principal Dr. John Tanner back in 2008. Tanner was placed on administrative leave back in August pending the outcome of an employee relations matter.

“This tradition should be continued and become a panther tradition. I would really want Dr. Tanner to continue with us in this wonderful ceremony that he started and if he is here or not his heart is here and he would

be proud to know this ceremony is continued,” Tipton said.

Senior Adan Hernandez reflected back to his freshman ceremony.

“Our convocation was held after school. It was exciting knowing we were welcomed and that we got a lot of attention. The ceremony grew each year and I feel sad that it has been postponed and that Dr.Tanner is not here. I have been in this ceremony for three years and if Dr.Tanner is not here it will not be the same,” senior Adan Hernandez said.

Two years ago the convocation started a new tradition. The class of 2015 started the claw hand sign, representing the panther’s spirit. It was held in the PAC during school. The entire school, family members, alumni, and d i s t r i c t o ff i c i a l s a t t e n d e d .

“I think this ceremony was a great idea by Dr.Tanner. I really appreciated it because it was the beginning of my high school year and felt that doing this ceremony gave me luck on my first year. It should be continued to welcome freshmen and keep Dr.Tanner’s tradition,” junior Evelyn Hernandez said.

Junior Evelyn Hernandez hoped this convocation continues and that Dr.Tanner is here to welcome freshmen and new students like he has the past years.

“Not having Dr.Tanner in the ceremony will not be the same because we need him to be complete. But if we do it without him this convocation, we will remember him for starting this ceremony,” Evelyn Henandez said.

Coach Ruben Batista named Outstanding-Ex Student Council set out a dessert and treat table for students to enjoy at the 2013 homecoming dance. photo by: Ashley Nava

homecoming 2013 Top Row L to R: Fernando Ramirez, Jace Aguilera, Anthony Briones, Janoi Cabrera Middle row: Valeria Gerdea, Daniela Tapia, Misty Saldana, Priscilla Saucedo Front Row: Perdo Arellano, Arlene Morales, Frances Roman, David Maldonaldo photo: by: Ashley Nava

ashlyn kelly reporter

From dress up days and parades to an over 10 minute firework show from R. E. McKee stadium, another homecoming w eek was celebrated by the Austin community.

Seniors Arlene Morales and Pedro Arellano were voted homecoming queen and king.

“It was nice to be royalty for a whole week. Students and teachers that I didn’t even know congratulated me on winning and were constantly telling me how beautiful I looked,” Morales said.

The entire court was announced over the campus intercom system the week before homecoming.

“It was a little awkward at first

because I was running against really pretty and outgoing girls plus I had won junior homecoming princess the year before so I didn’t think people would vote for me consecutively. When I found out the winners were going to be announced on the intercom, I was already imagining how embarrassing it would be if I didn’t win. When I heard my name, I was so excited that I even pretended to flip my desk ecstatically and a couple of my classmates laughed at me,” Morales said.

Mike Dee from Power 102 provided music for the homecoming dance. There were over 250 tickets sold and the theme was Dancing Through the Decades.

The varsity football players show their school spirit by throwing candy to the children of the community during the homecoming parade. photo by: Ashley Nava

“I would compare the homecoming dance to a rave because the music that the DJ played was almost the exact same music that you would hear at a rave. It also had those flashy lights that you see at raves and parties,” Guillen said.

Senior Alexa Castaneda attended the October 5th dance that was held in the PAC. “The 2013 homecoming reminded me of a quinceanera because the DJ played the same kind of music you would hear at a quince and a lot of people were dressed up as if they were a part of a quinceanera court.

Everyone was dancing and having a good time including myself,” Castaneda said.

Batista wearing his sweater that was awarded by the Austin Alumni Association photo by: Aaron Betancourt ashlyn kelly reporter

The cheerleading team wait for their cue to perform at the traditional homecoming night rally. photo by: Ashley Nava

Dance Team forms an A with their pom-poms during their performance at the night rally. photo by: Ashley Nava

The Austin Mascot, Henry the Panther, greets fans during the homecoming parade. photo by: Ashley Nava.

Post parade fireworks photo by: Aaron Betancourt

Angel Sanchez, Ruben Chavaria, and April Reygosa “turn up” and get the night started on the dance floor at the 2013 homecoming dance. photo by: Ashley Nava

The Austin High School Alumni Association selected former head football coach of 14 years, Ruben Batista as the Outstanding Ex during homecoming week.

“I was surprised and very humbled to be chosen for the Outstanding Ex. It was unexpected and I was overwhelmed, but I was extremely proud. I took this as an honor to my siblings and parents who also graduated from Austin High School. There are a lot of great members of the alumni and I am proud to be one of them,” coach Batista said.

As a student, coach Batista participated in a few clubs and organizations as well as sports.

“I wasn’t in very many extra-curricular activities but I was a member of the football team. I was also in the senior class organization as well as the Geology Club. I wasn’t a big fan of Geology but I was the teacher’s pet and I was asked to be a part of the club. I was a social student and would say I was well-liked by teachers. I had very awesome high school years. I wasn’t exactly the best student, but I was a good student. I maintained B’s and C’s. I enjoyed every year of high school,” coach Batista said.

Batista keeps a great connection with his friends from high school who are also apart of the Austin Alumni Association.

“I have great friends and I am still very close with them today. I leaned on them heavily because they all played a big role in my life. I do my best to keep them involved as well as myself,” coach Batista said.

Batista spent a total of 14 years of his career at Austin.

“Being the head coach had its ups and downs. It definitely isn’t exact science. You have to manipulate things everyday. It’s very important to be a good citizen and help better people. There were a lot of great students that came in and began out very rough, but they lightened up and it was easier to fix their wildness. In the end, we kept them smooth and they left in better condition,” Batista said.

sports

austin pioneer • october• 2013 • 6

Coach Rodney Ryan heads varsity football team

alex olivas reporter

Coach Rodney Ryan has taken over as the varsity football head coach. Taking over for recently retired Ruben Batista, Ryan is motivated to bring pride and tradition to this team.

“Back in the 1990’s and even a couple years back, Austin had a great football team, not only this, but it had lots of pride and tradition and that’s something I’m looking to bring back,” Ryan said.

Ryan has gained experience coaching football throughout the district.

“I use to coach football at Austin back in the day, and I did that for seven years. After that, I

went to Burges and coached over there for two years. After that, I went over to Andress and coached for two years. Then, went back to Burges and coached for three more years and I’m finally back where I started, Austin,” Ryan said.

Ryan himself was a high school football player and later went on to playing college football.

“I played high school football back in Houston, Texas where I graduated. A couple years later, I came to El Paso and played college football at UTEP,” Ryan said.

One of Ryan’s most memorable moments while playing for UTEP was at a game against Tulsa.

“I played corner back at UTEP

for three seasons 93, 94, and 95.

One of the things I remember the most as a player, was at a game against Tulsa. Right after a punt, I went and hit the ball carrier which caused him to fumble, and it helped UTEP score a touchdown in the next play,” Ryan said.

Ryan has introduced a new offense and defense to the team.

“It’s going to be a tough season and the players are a little behind since we are introducing a new offense and defense to them, but with more playing time and practice we will get better and better,” Ryan said.

Coach Ryan discusses plays with junior running back Ricky Olivas and senior quarterback Martin Bolanos. photo by: Ashley Nava

Boys & girls cross country set to run at district meet ijhanea bunting reporter

The district Cross Country meet will took place October 26th at Emerald Springs.

“I prepared for districts by putting in a lot of mileage.

Going to districts, I hoped to place in the top ten to compete at regionals,” senior Yessenia Salais said.

Boys Cross Country received second place at the McNeil Invitational held in Round Rock, Texas on October 5. Girls were met by stiff competition, and finished strong.

“We have been doing very great. Two of us recently broke Boys & girls cross country team gather for a cheer during a morning our own personal records, pep rally. photo by: J. Almanzar Gloria and I. We all did really

great at Round Rock for it being a state course,” Salais said.

To prepare for the district meet, boys and girls cross country teams practiced in the morning before school and in the afternoon. Morning workouts consist of a threemile run. The afternoon workouts are stricter. On different days of the week, they have specific workouts.

“On Mondays, we run ten miles. On Tuesdays, we run five miles. On Wednesday, we do speed workouts. On Thursdays, we run about 4 miles but under a certain amount of time. Fridays are typically the easier workouts,

where we run three miles and do stride outs,” senior Danny Gonzalez said.

While competing at districts, some runners were trying to break their personal records, while others were trying to impress scouts standing on the sidelines.

“I started running cross country my sophomore year because my friend, Walter, encouraged me because I am a long distance runnner in track.

Plus, I like the competition.

I’m trying to impress scouts with my running times, so that I can get scholarship offers. If I get a scholarship, it means that I have accomplished one of my goals,” Gonzalez said.

Volleyball team overcomes vandalism in San Marcos jace aguilera reporter

On August 5th, the Austin High School volleyball team officially began their 2013-2014 season.

The varsity team left El Paso to San Marcos on August 28th for the Ragin’ Rattler Labor Day Volleyball Tournament hosted by San Marcos High School.

“We played against very competitive teams and we played at their level. This trip brought us closer as a team and more together as sisters,” senior Jennelle Villa said.

Some of the players, however, went through a tough time when their van got broken into and some of their belongings were stolen.

“Some backpacks and wallets were stolen. The important thing

is that no one got hurt,” coach Jennifer Villa said.

Although the girls faced tough times, they managed to pull through and continue to play through the rest of the tournament.

“For me it was like a rollercoaster.

There were good times and bad times. The good times were when we did good against high ranking teams, the bad part was when our stuff got stolen,” Villa said.

When the team got back to El Paso, they focused on preparing for district games, which began September 13th.

“We work 110%. We put forth the extra endurance and push ourselves because we know the more we push the better we get,” Villa said.

According to Villa, working as a team is the key.

“I have confidence in our team, we play well as a team, we have a well rounded team,” coach Villa said.

According to Villa, volleyball is not just about physical strength.

“I think our mental game has improved drastically, Mental game comes with maturity, we have young players and people who have no varsity experience yet, Even though its their first year at the varsity level, it is as if they play unafraid and as if they’ve played varsity since 7th,when we step on the court you can tell we have game,” coach Villa said.

Senior Alexa Castenada jumps to spike the ball against her oppenent. photo by: Ashlyn Kelly

VARSITY VARSITY football volleyball NOVEMBER 1

Austin vs. Jefferson @ Bowie NOVEMBER 9

Austin vs. El Paso @Sun Bowl Stadium

OCTOBER 29 Austin vs. El Paso @El Paso

health

isabel galarza reporter

austin pioneer • october• 2013 • 7

Johnson & Johnson changes Tylenol label

Johnson & Johnson will release a new warning label on the cap of Tylenol. This cap is to warn the customers of possible consequences of taking too much. They came up with this label after several people sued the company for severe liver damage. The warning will cover the cap of the bottle and it will be written in big bold red letters.

“If you follow the correct amount of dosage you will be fine. It’s when you overdose with Tylenol that causes liver damage,” nurse Margaret Schuyler said.

Tylenol released a warning label in 1994 about liver damage when combining alcohol following a lawsuit.

In 2002, the Food and

Drug Administration made every product containing acetaminophen carry a warning label of severe liver damage when not taken correctly.

“We became a society to be quick to sue, so the companies are forced to put warning labels on the products and not only that because Tylenol is such a common drug people just take as many as they want not caring about the outcome,” Schuyler said.

The recommended dosage is two pills every six hours and with this new label, it will make sure people are aware of it. Medical experts say the symptoms that occur within 48 hours are; nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue and diarrhea.

However, as it progresses, the symptoms become more

serious requiring urgent care.

“I took Tylenol for about two years, at first it was working but after a while it stopped working, so I started to use more and more but nothing bad every happened to me,” senior Allysa Thomas said.

J&J says the warning will appear on the cap of each Tylenol bottle sold in the U.S. and will read ‘contains acetaminophen and always read the label’. The label will make it explicitly clear of the outcomes of taking too much. Tylenol is the first of these products to include such a warning label on the bottle cap.

“I think this label is a good idea because people need to be warned of the outcome if they take too much,” Thomas said.

questionnaire to 19,000 children from 6th to 12th grade in 2011, three percent admitted to trying an e-cigarette at least once. In 2012, the number rose to seven percent, which is equivalent to 1.8 million students.

“It seems more teens will be more likely to try it because teens probably think it causes less harm to their health,” Alvarado said.

Although adolescents are still more likely to smoke conventional cigarettes, health officials are worried that electronic cigarettes can spark the use of tobacco products in teens. The study found that 20 percent of middle school children that use e-cigarettes have never used a real tobacco product. When asked the same question, only seven percent of

high school students admitted to not using regular cigarettes. The study concluded that teens use e-cigarettes then move up to real tobacco products by high school.

“I think it’s better than actual cigarettes because it spreads less toxins in the air. I rather smoke an electronic cigarette because there is less nicotine in it,” junior Quiana Ponce said.

Results may influence the Food and Drug Administration to regulate e-cigarettes, so that are kept out of the hands of children.

FDA works to keep teens away from e-cigarettes

ijhanea bunting reporter

Recent studies suggest that kids are getting their first dose of nicotine through electronic cigarettes, and then moving up to real tobacco products. Electronic cigarettes are battery-powered cigarettes that release nicotine and sometime flavorings through an aerosol vapor. They are meant to be a safer alternative to regular cigarettes.

“They are actually more harmful than smoking actual cigarettes, so they will cause more health problems in the long run,” advanced health teacher Alex Alvarado said.

According to new studies by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, when issuing a

only

$60

City hosts 5k for child obesity prevention

maria guerrero reporter

The El Paso Parks and Recreations Department hosted a free Child Obesity Prevention 5K Walk/Run on September 28th at Marty Robbins Recreation.

“This is the first year for this event and Carlos Martinez came up with the idea,” Recreation Leader Nicolas Sias said.

The event started at 8:00 a.m. and ended when the last person crossed the finish line.

“This is the first year we do this event because September is the child obesity month and we decided to make this event to try to educate children about the obesity problem,” Recreation Program Supervisor and event organizer Carlos Martinez said.

The event was reached out to families from all over El Paso and was followed by an information fair.

“Family, outreach programs from all over the city were more than welcome to come and join us and we want to attract people to teach about obesity because it’s a serious problem,” Martinez said.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 16.8% of Texas’ younger children are overweight, and

among the adolescents in high school, 15.6% are overweight.

Meanwhile in adulthood, 65.9% are overweight.

“I will say sedentary lifestyle plays a big role in obesity,” coach Alex Alvarado said.“Eating well balanced meals and minimizing junk food and fried food, and exercising three times a week will be good to prevent obesity.”

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, 35% of adults age 20 and over are overweight and 11% are obese.

“I will say middle aged people are obese because they stopped exercising as much as they did when they were younger,” Alvarado said.

Obesity can cause a lot of damage and it can be very serious and can even lead to the death.

“High blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes are some of the effects of the obesity,” Alvarado said.

About 30 people laced up their running shoes, and hit the pavement to show their support for people who are suffering from obesity.

A limited amount of yearbooks are left!

Get your copy today in the business office or online at: www.yearbookforever.com

entertainment aaron betancourt reporter

austin pioneer • october• 2013 • 8

Apple releases iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c

Apple developers were proud to announce iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on Tuesday September 10th at the Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, California, and released the new improved features.

The new features on the new iPhone 5s were designed with features a smart phone had never had before until now.

People were cheering for the features, Apple CEO Tim Cook released at WWDC. The new iPhone 5s has features like improved camera, with a new slow motion option, shooting up to 120 frames per second.

designed to “take on the challenges of everyday use, to a greater extent”, with the new A7 Chip, and M7 motion coprocessor chip. The

A7 chip can now take on double the multitasking, making the iPhone 5s two times faster than the iPhone 5 that was released on September 21st of 2012.

A7 has better and faster game processing for more fluent, and better experience, of threedimensional gaming.

The M7 chip is a new motion processor. Instead of waking up the A7 chip to track the motion of the phone, it will handle the job itself, “saving two times more battery life,” Apple says.

IPhone 5c that was also released Tuesday, was also designed with new features and a new look. The C in the device name iPhone 5c stands for color, and cheaper.

Tim Cook mentioned iPhone 5c was designed for people that cannot afford iPhone 5s, or previous version iPhone 5, and was designed “for the colorful”.

IPhone 5c is now available in five colors, green, blue, yellow, hot pink, and white, made from a fine plastic material, glossed with special scratch protection paint. Inside, the phone is reinforced with a metal frame, which also helps work as an antenna to boost the signal for 3g and cellular services too.

IPhone 5s and iPhone 5c are now available at any Apple retail store.

certainly our goal. When I received the email saying we achieved it I couldn’t wait to let the staff know,” journalism adviser Jessi Almanzar said.

Almanzar submitted the book to Columbia University in New York for judging. The yearbook is judged by three categories: reference, verbal, and visual.

“Our total score was 894 which is very,very close to 900, 100

away from the maximum score of 1000. The scoring gives us an idea of how we did as a whole but we really pay close attention to the judge’s comments and feedback they send us,” Almanzar said.

One comment in particular stood out among the rest for Almanzar and the Round Up staff.

“For me, the judges comments meant a lot because they are selected by a prestigious university, and they were very encouraging and helped us to get the ball rolling for this year. Two comments that really made me beyond happy was that our captions contained significant information to provide

the reader with meaningful details about each topic. The other mentioned that the quality of feature writing compares favorably to professional journalists,” Almanzar said.

The Round Up yearbook has a facebook page called Round Up Yearbook.

“Austin’s a very special place and our book showcases that.

Students may not realize it now but it is actually pretty cool to be able to look back at all four yearbooks after they graduate. I get calls almost on a weekly basis of former students asking for yearbooks from the 70s, 80s and

90s,” Almanzar said.

The award winning Round Up yearbook also recently received a first class rating from the National Scholastic Press Association and has been inducted to the Walsworth Publishing Gallery of Excellence.

“The gallery is awesome because our publishing company prints extra copies of our book and uses them as samples for schools all over the country,” Almanzar said.

A personalized copy of the Round Up yearbook can be purchased online with a credit or debit card at www.yearbookforever.com.

to be one of the captains of the pink panthers,” junior Cheyenne Rivera said.

Being on the dance team not only takes physical commitment.

Dance members also must accept financial responsibilities.

“As the dance captains we have responsibilities for example we have to raise money so that we could be able to get all our costumes for the recitals,” Junior Emily Morales said.

The Pink Panthers team dedicates much of their time rehearsing.

“We practice Mondays through Saturdays all of our routines so that when is time for us to dance in recitals, football game, a pep rally or on a competition we can do our routines without any mistakes,” Rivera said.

The team also works up a sweat with routine workouts.

“Conditioning for us is very important because we have to be in shape so that we could be able to make our stunts perfect without getting injured,” Morales said.

With competition right around the corner the Pink Panthers gear up and intensify their schedule.

“Competition season is very hard because we’re here Monday trough Sunday working hard keeping the Hip-Hop title is not an easy job to accomplish.

Hopefully this year we will not only bring home our defending title but also the jazz title,” Sierra said.

Purchases Apple had made last year had people imagining what the new iPhone’s features would be. Rumors were being spread that the new iPhone would use your fingerprint, to unlock the phone, instead of the traditional four digit pin. August of last year showed that Apple had purchased biometric technology. Biometric technology involves using the most important key we carry everyday, the finger.

The rumors were confirmed true on September 10th of this year.

The new iPhone was announced to in fact have a biometric home button. Now with just a touch of the home button with your finger, you can unlock the device, and

make iTunes purchases.

Apple claims the iPhone 5s is

Columbia Press Assoc. gives Round Up gold rating

judith escobar reporter

The Round Up Yearbook earned a gold medal rating after three years of consecutive silver medals from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

“Getting the gold rating was

Trio of captains lead dance team homecoming cont.... janeth acosta reporter

With their dance instructor, Evelyn Serrano, recently on maternity leave, captains senior Ruby Sierra and juniors Emily Morales and Cheyenne Rivera lead the Pink Panther Dance Team.

From fundraising to choreography the girls wear many hats as captains.

“When I joined my sophomore year it was a big challenge picking up on everything. I didn’t think I was going to be able to achieve as much as I have now,” senior Ruby Sierra said.

One of the co-captains didn’t believe that she was going to be one of the captains.

“I was extremely relieved because for me it was an honor

Students at the homecoming dance get ‘down’ on the dancefloor.

Andrea Porras and the Austin High School choir sing the National Anthem.

Miguel Martinez shows his school spirit during homecoming week on Neon Day.

Captains Ruby Sierra, Cheyenne Rivera, and Emily Morales performing during homecoming pep-rally. photo by: Aaron Betancourt

Ashlyn Kelly ‘wants change’ on Hobo Day.

The Austin High School JROTC lead the homecoming parade before the night rally.