The Sidekick - Issue 5 - April 2012

In-Depth pg. 12-13

Definitely Maybe Ent. pg. 17

Coppell High School

185 Parkway Blvd. Coppell, TX 75019

Track Feature

Sports pg. 22 www.coppellstudentmedia.com

Vol. 23 No. 5

April 2012

Divorce rates hit home for CHS students Military

siblings come home Sammy Robben Sports Editor

Photo illustration by Brian Hwu

Divorce rates in the United States have been fluctuating around 50 percent in recent years. These numbers have begun to affect CHS students.

Madison Ford

Entertainment Editor

“We know the divorce rate in this country is, give or take, around 50 percent. In other words, half of marriages will end in divorce,” Licensed Clinical Social Worker and co-owner of Coppell Counseling Janie Garrett said.

These numbers affect many both indirectly and personally.

However, the stories behind these numbers hold their own truths and lessons that cannot be summarized with numerical statistics.

As these records would suggest, those affected by divorce surround us constantly. Divorce,

however, is more than a rupture of a family; it is a journey for those who experience it. In Coppell, students have faced their own trials from divorce, and through them have walked away with a unique perspective.

One student who has lived with divorce the majority of her

life is senior Keaton Ozymy. Following her parents’ divorce when she was 3, Ozymy grew up under the umbrella of separation.

“I think it is better when you’re younger because it is all I have ever known - the divorced family,” Ozymy said. “I was too

see Students on pg. 9

Last fall, many military families breathed their first sigh of relief when President Barack Obama’s election promise of ending the war in Iraq was fulfilled. The end was in sight for the war that started more than nine years ago when missiles hit Baghdad in March 2003.

Though it was a relief to hear that this war was ending, families would not breathe their last sigh of relief until their loved ones were home and safe.

For one Coppell High School senior, that sigh of relief would not come until after a Skype session and a devastating phone call. Senior Mattie Daily always knew her big brother, United States Army captain and ranger Ashton Daily, was brave, strong and courageous, and it was no surprise when he joined the Army and was deployed to Iraq for the first time in January 2009 and to Afghanistan in September 2011.

Just two weeks after arriving in Afghanistan, Mattie spoke to Ashton in an unsettling Skype call, just a day

see Military on pg. 15

To see more go to Coppellstudentmedia.com

Junior rising to fame Lacrosse team honors Ainsworth with country career Addy Buigas-Lopez Business Manager

ReverbNation recently updated the list of top country artists in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and coming in at number 50 is CHS junior Bethany LaPrade.

LaPrade has been involved in music since elementary school. When she was 9, she began to pursue acting, always listing singing as one of her skills. As she grew up writing songs and covering her favorites, her passion for music developed, and when she was in middle school, she recorded her first song and put it on MySpace.

Before long, her love for music flourished and she was encouraged by her friend and act-

Photo by Addy Buigas-Lopez

ing coach Cody Linley to join the Septien Entertainment Group, a musical development program known for working with other successful kids who have ended up with Disney contracts. However, it was not until she had an accident that forced her to quit cheerleading that she decided to pursue a serious career as a solo artist.

“There is so much work in getting to where I am now; I can’t even begin to explain,” LaPrade said. “It’s not just singing. There’s a lot to do. I would say the hardest part is the viral exposure because it takes a team of people, and you have to be consistent with everything you do.”

see LaPrade on pg. 10

Junior Bethany LaPrade performs as part of the New Tech Hope for Africa Art Auction at Barnes & Noble this February.

Photo by Ivy Hess

Julianne Cauley News Editor

It is never easy to find a positive in a time of tragedy. This year the Coppell boys lacrosse team is doing just that as they support fellow teammate, Matthew Ainworth, after the death of his older sister.

On Jan. 3, 2010 Coppell High School graduate Elizabeth “Libbie” Ainsworth died from a traumatic brain injury caused by a car accident. Just 20 years old, Libbie was a sophomore studying at Auburn University.

In order to show its support for their teammate, the lacrosse team is using the death of Libbie in order to play for a purpose this season.

Libbie was a loving and inspiring young woman who positively impacted everyone she encountered through her optimistic and outgoing personality that made her a fun person to be

around. Her role in her younger brother’s life led the team to use her legacy as support for Matthew.

“Matthew is a big part of our team, and we thought that we

“We have things to prove and someone to play for, which drives us.”

-Henry Busch, junior

should honor her life and support Matthew throughout the season,” junior attacker Henry Busch said.

“We have things to prove and someone to play for, which drives us.”

Their support is visually represented as the players have a pink sticker with her initials on their helmets, and the back

of their shooter shirts say ‘RELOADED’, but the L and the A are red while the other letters are white. These symbols serve as a constant reminder of their purpose for playing.

“It was mainly my team and my coach who put this all together,” senior Matthew Ainsworth said. “Coach [Alex] Poole came up with the highlighted initials on the shooter shirts and [senior] Chase Porter made the stickers to put on our helmets. It was all a surprise to me.”

In such a difficult time for Matthew, he states that his teammates have been very uplifting and are great to play with and be around.

The motto ‘RELOADED’ is inspired by the graduation of many key starters for Coppell.

This season, students and opponents are questioning the Coppell team’s championship merit after it

see Coppell on pg. 20

news Paying it forward through weekend spent in poverty

page 2

Tanner McCord Staff Writer

For the third year in a row, Valley Ranch Baptist church will be holding its annual Poverty Simulation. The point of the simulation is just as the name implies: to allow the typical middle to upper class citizen to live the life of a homeless person.

“The purpose of Poverty Simulation is for people to gain a fresh, new perspective of poverty,” VRBC youth pastor Rich Roush said. “To taste it, to feel it, to live it for a weekend. To have their lives and their view of poverty changed.”

The PovSim lasts for two days in South Dallas, this year beginning Fri. April 27 and ending on Sun. April 29. The cost is $35 to sign up in April, however, all sign ups end on April 16. During the two days, students and adults that have signed up get the full homeless experience including their food coming from soup kitchens and their bed being a sleeping bag under a highway.

Last year, the local FOX news channel actually caught up with the Poverty Simulators and did a full out report

april 2012

on how compelling it was that someone would pay to live the life of a person who may not be able to afford to participate in the simulation themselves.

“Spending two days on the streets with the homeless doesn’t sound like an ideal weekend, but that’s exactly what a group of north Texans are doing and they’re actually paying for the experience,” FOX News reporter Peter Daut said in the report.

In order to keep the validity and full experience of the simulation present, there is very little information provided in regards to the schedule of the simulation. Senior Holly Conradt attended the simulation last year and claims that it is something you have to do to fully understand the concept.

“Part of the experience is not knowing what you are doing.” Conradt said.

However, a brochure on the Valley Ranch Baptist Church website does include that participants will be experiencing no more comfort than the minimum that an actual homeless person has.

According to the brochure: “No one has ever been

hurt during this experience, but the simulation will stretch participants outside their comfort zones to face their own materialism and cultural values, and to refocus on the biblical mandates.”

The simulation has consistently tested the participants and opens their eyes to the world around them; however, the experience goes far past the visual due to the compelling nature of the whole experience.

“It does not allow you to live the same,” Roush said.

“There has to be something about you that has to be different. If not, then you are just not being honest with yourself.”

Since doing the poverty simulation, several participants have begun volunteering weekly at homeless shelters and soup kitchens and those who do not have the time for volunteer hours still take every opportunity to help a person in need.

“People treat homeless people like they are not really people. Just pretending they didn’t see them on the side of the street begging, they just look the other way,” Con-

radt said. “But because of the Poverty Simulation, you begin to see them as people and not just a burden to society.

They’re people with a family, they have feelings, they have a life story that no one knows about, because no one cares about them.”

A common misconception about homelessness is that the people there are in that situation because they chose to be or did not work hard enough to try and relieve

themselves of the situation.

However, this is far from true, as a vast number of homeless people either have mental disorders, are war veterans or have made mistakes that they are more than willing to fix.

“What I think the Poverty Simulation does is a lot of education.” Roush said. “How to see them, how to relate to them, and understand their poverty. I can’t help but notice the poverty now, and feel the injustice of it all.”

Graphic courtesy of Valley Ranch Baptist Church

MARCH IN PHOTOS

Senior forward Tanner Lines walks down the field, escorted by parents Bill and Sandra, in honor of senior night on March 27.

Photo by Rowan Khazendar

Junior Frankie Reeder works on her still life in Tamera Westervelt’s AP art class on March 29.

Photo by Jack Ficklen

Vivace! members Zeb White, Jen Olson, Dylan Schnurman, Diana Nyakundi and Chase Worthington perform a preview of their spring show at the Boys Photo by Jodie Woodward

april 2012

news

page 3 Photo by Rowan Khazendar

Girls find perfect prom dress fit from another Taylor Kristen Shepard Staff Writer

Each year during prom season, Coppell High School girls are given the opportunity to shine and spend the night looking like a celebrity. However, not everyone is comfortable paying the Hollywood price.

This led CHS English teacher Brynlea Taylor to start Coppell’s Project Prom, a service that rents new and gently used dresses to girls at no cost.

Girls are notorious for spending hundreds on making their prom night special. From hair to nails to makeup to shoes, the expenses that contribute to making the night perfect add up quickly. For most girls, the most expensive of the purchases related to prom is the dress.

Costing anywhere from $50 to $750, these prom dresses are important in making prom attendees feel like princesses.

As a CHS guidance counselor and mother of three

daughters, Mindy McMinn understands the strain placed on girls to look their very best. In fact, she has gone through the process three times.

“I have three girls who are each a few years apart, and I know how much pressure prom can be,” McMinn said. “Even with getting a date you know you’ll have a good time with can be stressful enough. Then you have to worry about the hair, the makeup, the shoes and of course, the dress.”

McMinn’s youngest daughter Cate graduated from CHS last year, and she noticed that even over the course of sending her daughters through high school, the desire to achieve perfection has become more and more overbearing.

“I applaud Ms. Taylor for organizing this, because there is a need,” McMinn said. “I see so many families that are struggling to make ends meet. The rest of the student body would be shocked. Coppell is such a

sheltered town where the fact that these needs exist is ignored. Something as small as renting out a dress can make an impact and save a lot of money.”

In a town like Coppell, where financial struggle isn’t something that surfaces much within CHS, Taylor saw a need that hadn’t been addressed by any other service in the community before.

“In Coppell, people don’t always see that others are struggling financially. It’s something that can be hidden and may not even be severe,” Taylor said. “It can be hard to come up with several hundred dollars to buy a dress to wear once. You never know a person’s situation.

I have met people who live in large houses with little furniture [inside] and things like unemployment happen.”

When Taylor started the organization in 2009, support flowed in quickly. She was able to obtain several dozen dresses

from her cheerleaders and female students who had extra dresses they did not wear. Taylor even contacted several dress stores such as Group USA at Grapevine Mills, who donated dresses to Taylor’s cause.

Things weren’t always as easy, however, as Taylor faced trouble in sorting the dresses and gaining awareness.

“When we first got our dresses, I called in some of my cheerleaders to help me sift through what we’d gotten,” Taylor said. “Some of the dresses wouldn’t have worked at all. I had to ask my girls whether they would wear the dresses to make sure that they were reasonable to lend out. I didn’t want to offer dresses that wouldn’t make someone truly happy.”

After facing the daunting tasks of sorting dozens of dresses, Taylor faced the issue of spreading the news. Through a banner, several posters and a shout-out on the daily an-

nouncements, Taylor was able to speak with girls who would benefit from the service.

From this moment, she knew that confidentiality would be extremely important.

“I know how uncomfortable asking for help can be,” McMinn said. “It’s not something fun to do and it is so very important that girls feel like they have access to the service without being publicly recognized. [Taylor] works very hard to make sure that girls feel very comfortable in their search for a dress.”

Project Prom isn’t just for those who don’t have the extra money, the service is also useful to girls who would rather save money and look for a more cost effective alternative to retail shopping. It is both practical and economical to rent out a dress and pay for its dry cleaning than to purchase a new dress to wear once.

Students begin to put focus on their distractions ADHD by the numbers Tolu Salako Staff Writer

A student in the middle of class is just itching to jump out of their sit. The student is constantly scolded for talking too much and disrupting the class. Unfortunately these students do not understand why they act this way, not knowing that they may be diagnosed with the popular neurological disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is one of the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorders in children. Mostly diagnosed in boys, the symptoms may include lack of Attention, impulsive behavior and hyperactivity.

As of 2007, parents of 5.4 million people ranging from 4 to 17 years old were receiving medical treatment. They reported approximately 2.7 million, of those children were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.

“I normally notice [that students with ADHD] have a rapid heart rate, are rather anxious and their blood pressure is high.”

Coppell High School nurse Beth Dorn said.

Though ADHD is a significant health issue for some, the term has been used casually, as if the idea of being distracted at

times means they are automatically diagnosed with this neurological disorder.

Some students at CHS believe they are legitimately diagnosed with ADHD, and some think students use it as an excuse for their behavior. To be a diagnosed with ADHD, students must exhibit six or more attention or hyperactive/impulsivity symptoms before the age of 7, and these symptoms must be present for at least six months.

Focus can be a challenge for some teenagers and there are students in America that will use the prescription drugs such as Adderall, Dexedrine and Ritalin to deal with their ADHD. Worst of all, these drugs can be easy for students to get ahold of.

“There is a possibility that ADHD is over-diagnosed because many people are sometimes looking for an excuse for their lack of focus and bad grades.” Dorn said.

Some students think their might be a possibility of them having this neurological disorder because they believe that they exhibit many of the symptoms, however they refuse to receive medication or any sort of special treatment.

“I think that ADHD is ridiculously diagnosed,” sophomore Mary Claire Phillips said. “People get restless and get lazy sometimes which does not mean that

they automatically have ADHD/ ADD.” Disregarding how common this disorder is among the American population, there are people at CHS that cope with their ADHD on a day-to-day basis. These students have had to deal with years of medication and problems with concentration and schoolwork before they were officially diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Teachers and parents are usually the first to sight ADHD symptoms before those with ADHD. “I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was in fourth grade in which I wanted a lot of attention and at times disrupted the class.” junior Shelby Jurca said, “I am on several medications an I do not believe that ADHD should be used as an excuse. ADHD is something you have to control.”

ADHD is a serious neurological disorder that students should not take lightly or be used as an excuse for lack of focus.

Students need to talk to a qualified physician if they believe that they may suffer from this disorder and not self-diagnose themselves.

“I definitely would recommend for students to go see a doctor if students believe they have ADHD since it is a serious problem.” Dorn said.

3%-7%

Statistics courtesy of www.cdc.gov

of school-aged children HAve ADHD AccorDing to tHe psycHiAtric AssociAtion

9.5%

or 5.4 million children 4-17 yeArs of Age HAve ever been DiAgnoseD witH ADHD, As of 2007

22%

is tHe increased percentAge of cHilDren witH A pArentreporteD ADHD DiAgnosis

13.2%

of boys were more likely tHAn girls (5.6%) to HAve ever been DiAgnoseD witH ADHD

news Documentary promotes kindness in Coppell youth page 4

april 2012

Christina Burke Staff Writer

Hundreds of teenage girls and their mothers poured into the Coppell Middle School West Auditorium on March 20 to find kindness and stand together against girl-on-girl bulling. The smell of popcorn wafted through the room as it filled with anticipation for a documentary said to be a revelation in girl world.

Finding Kind is a documentary, presented by IndieFlix, that strives to help girls set foot on the common ground of kindness and respect for each other. It was directed, written and produced by two Pepperdine University students, Lauren Parsekian and Molly Thompson, who set out on a cross-country venture to uncover just why it is that girls are so mean to each other. The movement they created became known as the Kind Campaign, and has set out across the country to bring awareness to the cruelty of girl world.

This documentary caught the attention of Coppell Middle School West counselor Gretchen Pace when an announcement was sent out from her children’s school district.

“Finding Kind interested me as a middle school counselor, a previous high school counselor and a mother,” Pace said. “My own 6-year-old is starting to go through this as well. In all the districts that I have been in, it has concerned me. I have seen too many hurt girls to not want to be

able to do something about it. The positive approach interested me.

We have all been bullied and we have all been bullies. I liked the kind apologies and the healing pieces of the program.”

Through school announcements, emails and street signs, word of Finding Kind spread through Coppell. The thought of viewing this documentary intrigued many women to bring their daughters to this one of a kind learning experience. Pace was amazed at the turnout of the event as the auditorium continued to flood with females of all ages.

“The turnout was amazing.

We were hoping for 100 people, and even that would have been fabulous. This far exceeded our expectations, and we were very excited,” Pace said.

Finding Kind is an overall hit with its viewers. It contains very relatable angles about girlon-girl crime for everyone. Its powerful stories are very moving within the hearts viewers, and it generates eye-opening perspective within girl world. Parents, students and Coppell ISD employees were all able to take something out of it to promote finding kindness within their lives.

“The documentary was very good; I enjoyed all of it. I hope it reaches a lot of children. I wish more came, but I am very happy with the turnout,” parent Diane Onstott said. “Just listening to the bullying and remembering it, I was able to relate back to the meanness as it was 30 years ago

Mockingbird Elementary

Kathryn McMacken, Challenge teacher at Mockingbird Elementary, was recently awarded the Coppell Gifted Association (CGA) Educator of the Year. Left to right: CGA Representative Julie Madigan, CGA President Elizabeth Chappell, McMacken and CGA Representative Tracy Fisher. Photo courtesy Mockingbird PTO.

when I was in school. Now I am more worried because of the technology and the cyber bullying. It is a scary world.”

Fifth grader Peyton Storch heard about Finding Kind through her school, and chose to attend. She claims the documentary was worth watching and admitted that she could connect with the stories.

“I kind of connected with some of the people because I got bullied when I had just gotten to school,” Storch said. “If you do not have any thing nice to say, then do not say it at all.”

The genius factor behind Finding Kind was the ability to get people thinking about the meaningless things that girls do to tear each other apart. The fact that something as big as the Kind Campaign sparked from the passion of two college girls is very inspiring.

“I thought Finding Kind was brilliant. I just love to see young people realize that they can change the world,” teen leadership teacher Nicky Fryman said.

“It does not take doctors, lawyers or presidents to change the world, but just young people who have a passion for an idea and a fueling to share that with other people.”

Finding Kind was an eyeopening experience that does not need to be forgotten. It can really change the way girls in Coppell treat each other, and everyone should be exposed to the stories and emotion that result from the cattiness of girls whether they attended the documentary or not.

“I do not want it to be something that we pull in for one night and then put it away and never address it again. This is something that we need to show the

girls; we have got to find a way to make this accessible to our kids in the future,” Fryman said. “Making a club like this at Coppell High School would be phenomenal.”

Photo courtesy IndieFlix

New Tech High @ Coppell

The Hope for Africa club at New Tech High hosted an art auction to benefit the Touch a Life foundation. Left to right: seniors Sloane Ansell, Brianna Williams, Maggie Gross, Haley Mathews and Jessica Berdan. Photo courtesy Julie Starkey.

Denton Creek Elementary

Coppell Middle School West

Eighth Grader Pratheek Sharyala won this year’s 2012 CMS West National Geographic Bee for the second year in a row. He is pictured (right) with Social Studies Chair Diana de Waal. Photo courtesy Vern Edin.

Harald Mallwaitz, a Coppell Family YMCA volunteer, and the firefighters and paramedics from the Coppell Fire Department Station #3 spoke to the kindergarten classes of Denton Creek Elementary about the benefits and uses of stuffed animals for the second annual Stuffed Animal Drive. Photo courtesy Harald Mallwitz.

Keeping up with CISD

Have an event you’d like to see here? Email photos and info to cwofford@ coppellisd.com

..

opinions

april 2012

page 5

: N O C / O R P Should race be a factor in determining college acceptance? d e t p e c c A Diversity is still important.

It is an attempt to end discrimination.

A few weeks ago I sat in English, watching student after student raise their hand, each offering up a slightly different opposition to the case for affirmative action. The class is almost entirely white—an occurrence that is not uncommon for Coppell High School. Here at CHS, the student body is approximately 60 percent Caucasian, 20 percent Asian, 12 percent Hispanic and six percent African American.

Our nation has always taken pride in the idea of equality for all. But nearly 200 years after the founding of our nation, African American students and Caucasian students were not even allowed to attend the same schools. Affirmative action aims to reverse the effects of long-term discrimination by finally giving minorities a chance to receive the equal opportunities to which they are entitled.

Despite the fact we are now guaranteed the same rights, remnants of the Jim Crow laws, Trail of Tears and other negative acts aimed at minorities are still visible through the socio-economic background of many minority citizens.

For this reason, opponents of racial affirmative action in college admissions often argue that socioeconomic affirmative action would be an acceptable alternative, as in affluent towns such as Coppell, the difference between minority and white residents is slim to none. Nationally, however, the two factors correspond so closely that the difference would hardly be noticeable.

A 2004 study by Century Foundation looked at the 146 most selective universities and found that African Americans and Latinos would account for 12 percent of the study body if admissions were based on racial preferences, and 10 percent if based on socio-economic preferences. The same study found that if admissions were based on academic achievement alone, black and Latino students would account for a mere four percent of the student body.

I know that in Coppell it can be difficult to see the effects of the inequality of the past. After all, we are not truly diverse in terms of race or economics. But you do not have to look far to neighboring

Race plays a role in college admissions

Many minority students are not provided the same opportunities.

Even with a perfect GPA, great test scores and an extensive list of extracurricular activities, certain students may be passed up by the college of their dreams because of one deciding factor: their race.

This nation claims to be a country of equality, but race still plays a vital part in college admissions. According to the University of California, as of 2004, one-third of public colleges and private institutions claim to consider race in their admissions.

This gives a disadvantage to those who have strived for perfection just to be left empty handed because somebody who has had the same opportunities as them was born a different race.

Colleges try so hard to make their campuses diverse that they pass up students who are more talented just to meet a “quota” to make their campus look cultured and different. According to the U.S Department of Education and National Center for Education Statistics, in 2009, 62.3 percent of white

students applied for an institution of higher education while only 14.3 percent of black students and 12.5 percent of Hispanic students did.

African American and Hispanic students are given precedence over white and Asian students just because a lower percentage of those races apply to certain colleges.

If an African American or Hispanic student genuinely beat my scores, my work and my effort, that would be one thing, but by letting them slide by the system and have an advantage over me when they could very well come from the same economic and educational background is unfair and insulting to both parties involved.

Giving other races an advantage in college admissions is basically lowering the standard for them, it is a college telling them that they don’t expect as much out of them so they get a free pass. If this isn’t racism, I don’t know what is.

It is a student’s choice to study. It is a student’s choice to suc-

ceed. Race shouldn’t play a factor in how far a student can go academically. It is a student’s will that pushes them, not the color of their skin.

In 1996, a Supreme Court ruling in the case of Hopwood v.

Texas prohibited the use of race in public university admissions in the state. However, in 2003, the Supreme Court ruled that once again, race could be considered in college admissions.

College admissions offices should consider the type of school the student attended and the opportunities they were given at that school based on their socioeconomic level, but nobody should be given a leg up just because they are white, Asian, black or Latino.

The issue has been brought back to the attention of the Supreme Court after a white student filed a lawsuit against the University of Texas after a minority student with a weaker academic record was admitted to the university and he was not.

Affirmative Action

communities like Lewisville, Carrollton and Farmers Branch to see that things in Coppell do not accurately reflect the situation throughout our state or nation.

As a white student myself, I can see where my classmates’ frustrations come from. Back in English I listened as students argued that minority students should simply try harder academically to earn their admission into colleges. But perhaps their generally lower academic achievements is not due to a lack of effort, but to high amounts of effort placed elsewhere in their lives.

My own sister teaches eighth grade math at a Title I school in Arlington, meaning it is a very poor school that receives a lot of government help. My sister talks about her students who, by no choice of their own, are forced to take on the responsibilities that their parents do not or will not do.

She is amazed at the stark contrast of life in Coppell compared to the lives of her students who are almost all minorities. While the typical Coppell student may juggle SAT prep classes and

club sports apart from their schoolwork, her students are babysitting younger siblings while their parents work multiple jobs. Even at age 13, most of them have little hope of graduating, much less ever going to college.

Even though the issue at her school is based on economics, the fact is that these minority students have been impacted by a past that will take perhaps generations to completely overcome as they become part of a cycle of dropping out of school and having low-paying jobs.

Until the unique needs of economically-challenged students— who are often minorities—are addressed and those students have the same advantages as the typical Coppell student, colleges must continue to use affirmative action as a step to break the cycle of poverty.

Lauren Ussery Design Editor

Skin color should not determine college acceptace

To achieve campus diversity colleges are denying students who are proven smarter and harder working. College’s main goal should be to have a campus of the brightest and best – not the most diverse.

The Supreme Court will make its decision regarding the University of Texas student in October, and as of now the outcome seems completely split. It is probable that four of the nine judges will strike down any racial consideration while the court’s four liberal judges will uphold it. The final decisions will more then likely come down to justice Anthony Kennedy.

To prepare students for a bright future, they shouldn’t deny them the opportunities they deserve. We are a nation that promises equal opportunity.

This should start with our education system.

Applicants cannot control race, but they can control their high school performance.

Some minority students come from priviliged families.

Denied

Kara Adkins

Online Copy Editor

What do you think?

“I think affirmative action defeats the purpose of treating everyone equally on the same level.”

Caroline Gibbons, senior

“I’ve always lived in the US but people see me as Indian. They need to see me as American first, Indian second.”

Hasika Sarathy, senior

“If you go to school in Coppell, you have a better chance of going to college. But if you live in a less privileged area you may need help getting into college.”

Paul Chandler, sophomore

. . opinions

page 6

april 2012

Editorial

Quality lost in film adaptations The results are in

Books. The idea of reading evokes fear in many students. Not because of the difficulty of the novel, but just because of the time and effort reading takes. Yet, when film adaptions hit theaters, suddenly everyone around you has read the novel.

While film adaptions are supposed to be a visual version of a beloved novel for the series’ fans, it has now become a method to get people to read the book.

This idea ultimately began with the Harry Potter series that included seven very long books. While students passed by the bookshelf before the films, when the movies began hitting theaters, students scrambled to get their hands on the books. Libraries could barely keep the books on the shelves as students tried to read all the novels before

the final film was released. Although it is wonderful that upcoming movies push kids to read, it makes you wonder how popular the series would be if a movie never came out.

For example, take The Hunger Games that premiered March 23. The first novel in the trilogy has been out since 2007, but has not become truly popular until information was leaked that a film version of the novel was hitting theaters. So did those who read the books really like the novels or just read them to say they did?

All these films had enormous hype before they actually came to theaters. Not only did this hype cause many to go see the movie within the opening weekend, but also it also made many read the novels in order to better understand the movies when they

saw them. Most students were interested in the books because of the movie, not actually because of how good the books were.

This is definitely not fair to the author of the novels and the books themselves. Just as you cannot judge a book by its cover, you also cannot judge it by its film adaption. Most of the time, the film does not do the book enough justice and ends up making the books less popular. Other times it just makes people rely on the movies rather than going out and reading the book.

The film is always going to differ from the book itself. It is not possible to fit a 700-page novel into a two-hour movie. Just as you cannot judge a book by its cover, you also cannot judge it by its film adaption.

Graphic by Lauren Ussery

Underestimation at its worst “I’m perplexed!” she shouted as she twirled around in her tutu, pretending to be a fairy whose magic had suddenly stopped working (as a result of the wicked witch, played by yours truly).

“Wait. How do you know that word?” I asked, staring at this 5-year-old girl, feeling just as perplexed as she was, and thinking that I had, once again, underestimated someone.

When I first began babysitting, I was terrified beyond belief. I kept thinking to myself, “How am I supposed to talk to her?” I couldn’t recall my own intellectual capacities at different developmental stages of my life, so how was I supposed to gauge others’? The only advice people could offer me was to speak to these children as I would speak to anyone else. It was then that I suddenly realized I have no idea how I speak to anyone.

It struck me, after I offered this 8-year-old boy, “a cookie if you’re extra, extra good!” that I may be the most patronizing person on the planet. It took time and several botched baby-

sitting shifts to finally figure out the trick; I had to stop assuming I was smarter than these kids.

It is one of my worst traits, but I take people at face-value. I look at people relative to myself and decide how smart, funny or awkward they are. If you do this too, stop. It is bad. The worst thing we can do is underestimate our peers.

Just because someone isn’t the class clown does not mean they don’t sit in the corner and whisper hilarious comments to their best friend. Just because someone isn’t in the top 10 percent doesn’t mean they’re not intelligent. Just because someone acts awkward in certain situations doesn’t mean they lack people skills. People are so much more than we make them out to be.

I too have been underestimated (by the same token, I have been overestimated, but that is a different issue altogether).

Although their intentions may be honorable, when someone tells you, “Wow, I didn’t know you were smart!” after a class dis-

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cussion, it is difficult to muster up a smile and an expression of your “gratitude.”

As teenagers, we are constantly aware of how we must appear to others. We are often told that our peers are too busy worrying about themselves to scrutinize us, but we are all guilty of doing just that. We scrutinize in an effort to boost our own self esteem. Such is the nature of the teenager.

Despite my being an unusually good judge of character in most situations, I cannot know a person based on rumors I hear or first impressions they make or just unwarranted preconceptions of them that end up being unfair. People are capable o f so much more than we give them credit for. And it took a 5-year-old fairyprincess-doctor to teach me that.

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Asking someone/getting asked 34.41% Money 11.83% Organizing (groups, dinner) 29.03% Attire 24.73%

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The Sidekick is the official student newspaper for Coppell High School. Its purpose is to inform, entertain and provide an educational resource for its readers. This newspaper is a public forum for student expression and thus student editors make all content decisions.

The Sidekick is a member of ILPC, NSPA and JEA. The Sidekick was the NSPA Pacemaker Finalist in 2002, The Dallas Morning News best newspaper honorable metion in 2006, Best Newspaper and Best Website in 2011 and received the Award of Distinguished Merit in 2003 and 2008 and is Broze Star recipent for 2009 from ILPC. The editorials and columns presented in this

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april 2012

. . opinions

page 7

McCaskey looks at atheism from different point of view Atheism is debatably one of the most controversial topics in the religious world. However, similar to most American misconceptions about the Muslim religion, the so-called “facts” most people use to describe atheism are, at their core, false.

I know many atheists, I know many Muslims and I know many Christians. All three of these categories contain some of the most accepting, loving and overall great people I have ever had the good fortune of meeting.

The unfortunate part of human nature is that we allow one bad egg to ruin the batch.

Extremists on all three sides have tarnished the reputation that all three groups have worked so hard to create. From atheists who insult anyone who is remotely religious, and project a “superior race” like attitude, to the Westborough Baptist Church, who show up to gayrights functions and events to protest the “immorality and sin” of the gays, to Muslim terrorists like Al Qaeda, extremists cause

generalizations.

To understand what atheism is, we must first examine what atheism stands for. Atheists, contrary to popular belief, do not hate religion. Atheists do not hate God. Atheists do not go out of their way to attack your religion.

Atheists do not hate you. You should not hate them.

Most atheists are more than accepting of any religious members of society.

Atheists simply

because they choose to be, because they want to be, and because it’s just the right thing do.

Atheists are accepting, tolerant and exhibit all the qualities Christianity prides itself on. They simply choose not to believe in an almighty power or an afterlife.

The unfortunate fact of atheism is many religious people become upset and agitated about

Graphic by Brian Hwu choose not to believe in a higher power. They believe you should not need a reason or a reward to be a good person. Instead of acting on behalf of a higher power, they act on behalf of themselves.

They are good people

the subject.

While most Christians are accepting of atheism, choosing to see the differences and push past them, some choose to handle it in a much different way. Many of my friends have been cussed out,

shunned by close friends, and one schoolyard situation, the atheists had a drink thrown on him. Why are the kids bullied by the kids are religious people so offended who get bullied. Society has by atheists? made religion a problem, Why do Atheists do not hate God. and the religious they choose are angry. Out Atheists do not go out of of frustration, to reject criticism their way to attack your they turn to those and instead religion. Atheists do not with no faith, make personal the one’s they see hate you. as responsible for their assaults on the individuals? I really cannot say. problems. Things are out of hand, In today’s “politically and things must get better for correct society” Christians everyone’s sake. and Muslims alike both Atheists and the oppression are being persecuted. they face have been swept under Christians are the rug to accommodate the forced into the religious. It’s time we bring this shadows.

Ever issue to light. It’s time we fix the since 9/11, Muslims problem that no one have taken a notorious in society wants to amount of heat for being recognize. It’s time “terrorists” and the reason for we accept atheists. “the problems in the world.”

Remember the golden Atheists have become the rule, treat others the punching bag of the frustrated way you want to be religious members of society. treated.

They see atheists disagree with their religion, and take it as a personal attack Lance McCaskey from a sinner bound to Staff Writer hell. If you put it in a

As year ends, uncertanty abounds True happiness not tied to College. Huh. Even the word still seems kind of foreign to me, as I am sure it does to many juniors and seniors. The strange magical event called ‘graduation’ is suddenly here when, years ago, I thought it would never come.

When I was younger, there were many things I thought I would have by this point in my life. I thought I would have a job. I thought I would have won several awards for my beautiful writing and would be well on my way to becoming an accomplished author. I thought I would know who I was. I thought I would know what I wanted to do with my life.

I thought things would just make sense.

I hate to burst your bubble, little me, but only one of those things came true.

And while it is nice to have a good paying job, my life def initely did not turn out the way I thought it would.

I know I am not alone in thinking this. When I talk to a lot of my friends, the same topic of conversation comes up: what are we going to do with our lives? Half of us do not even know.

It’s not even just what I am going to do as a career, but what am I going to do for a hobby? Will I do basically the same thing I do in my free time that I do now?

Will I lose touch with all of my good friends?

Will I be alone?

But, even under all of my

uncertainty, there is a little speck who thinks about these things, of hope: I do still have four years but I am pretty sure other seniors, of college. Even though four not just in this school, but around years go by very fast, maybe that the country are thinking the same will give me enough time to get way. We change so much in the together four years of high school alone, what I and we do so much We change so much in the more changing in colneed to four years of high school lege when we are finalget together alone, and we do so much ly free of the restraints and find that we put on ourmore changing in college selves out what in high school. it is that when we are finally free So I have no idea who I would best of the restraints we put onwill be then, and I don’t fit me, whohave much idea of who in high school. ever I am.

I am now.

Because even whom I So who am I? It seems think I might be now may be (and like it would be such an easy probably is) different than who question to answer, but somehow actually emerges through it is not. Sometimes I say or do something and I think ‘Why did I do that? Is that really something I would do? Or is what I was thinking at that moment just a product of what my friends thought?’

The line between what I think and what is just a regurgitation of my friends’ thoughts is almost non exsistant.

A n d while I think a lot of people feel that way, it’s still really difficult. I mean I should know exactly who Kelly Marie Stewart is.

I’m in the best position to know exactly who Kelly Marie Stewart is.

But I just don’t.

Graphic by Brian Hwu those university doors and heads into the workforce.

But even so, I still wonder: will it be me? It may not be the same person, but will it be me?

Kelly Stewart Opinions Editor And will it matter?

Maybe it really is just me

high school relationships

There have been many peoA solid relationship is beple in our lives who have told us tween two self-fulfilled people. If to love others just as we love our- the relationship broke off, their selves. But there is a giant loop- happiness would not leave with hole in this statement. them, but they would sustain hapIf I hated myself, it would piness within themselves. be much harder to love others.

If a single woman or man If I looked at myself in the mir- is not happy within himself or ror and criticized every aspect of herself, I do not believe they are myself, I would have the tendency ready to be happy together, much to criticize every aspect of my less support one another in a parents, my best friend or even a healthy way. boyfriend.

I have heard the cries of If I criticized myself and plenty of friends that they are picked mysingle. But I ask them one quesself apart, I tion. Do you really The truth is that many need a guy to fulfill would feel as girls are afraid to be you? Because you if others are doing the single. It is as if there is a need to look in the same to me. mirror and realize void in their hearts, and how L e t’s beautiful you be honest, looking in the mirror or are before someone middle school their accomplishments else thinks you are is the awkward have not been fullfilling beautiful. period. Girls get If this is you, enough. catty and guys will it is OK. Conficause a lot of the catdence comes with tiness. We really begin to desire time, and effort. Loving yourself relationships with one another, is hard when others point out but the mean words and experi- flaws in you. ences in middle school create a Most of the time, girls like lasting effect on our high school to rub it in that they have a boyexperiences. friend, because they still feel inseThe truth is that many girls cure themselves. The next month, are afraid to be single. It is as if the relationship has ended. there is a void in their hearts, and You must think about why looking in the mirror or their ac- you like the guy in the first place. complishments have not been ful- If you just want him because you filling enough. might feel fuller in the end, or if Their thought? “If I can’t you want a relationship to give love myself, I will find someone medicine to your heart. else to fill me.”

In a healthy relationship, the Why do you think most relationship isn’t the medicine, high school relationships do not rather that you can last? There is too much depenstand on your own dence between boy and girl and two feet. too much intimacy in the hall ways. Both could not be sure of themselves, so one slips up and says something or acts out when their life has been invested in a romance based on mutual use and insecurities.

Erica Rohde Staff Writer

..

opinions Prescription drug abuse spaR controversy

page 8

After 40 years, the American budget for the “War on Drugs” has racked up an impressive $1 trillion with the hopes of ridding the country of illegal drugs.

However, prescription drugs are hitting a little too close to home and are not getting the attention they deserve.

In the United States, more than 2,500 teens everyday will abuse prescription drugs for the first time. This alarming statistic is often overshadowed by constant attention to illegal drugs, which are not pharmaceutically and professionally manufactured.

What is even more concerning is that the government is making billions of dollars a year from selling prescription drugs without even realizing the drugs are dangerous.

When taken properly and for the correct reasons, prescription drugs can be beneficial in terms of minimizing pain for those coming out of surgery, relaxing those inflicted with extreme anxiety and also increasing mental focus in people with ADD. However, when abused, prescription drugs can be found to cause nasty withdrawals, unbearable dependency and unfortunate

side effects that can put a user close to death if medication is misused or combined with other substances.

The most commonly abused drugs in today’s society for recreational use in teens are Adderall, Hydrocodone and Xanax. Although these drugs are used for completely different reasons, they all pose the risk of addiction and fatal side effects.

For instance, Adderall, a stimulant that is commonly abused in the school environment, is used for people who have Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD. As a student, I have seen the use of this drug far too many times. Although this drug has the ability to make a person more efficient and focused, long-term abuse can lead to mental psychosis, addiction and depression.

Opiate prescription drugs can also be devastating to an abuser. Pain medications such as Hydrocodone and Oxycodone are commonly prescribed to those with chronic pain.

The downside to this is that many patients, if they are using correctly, do not use their entire prescription. This means many

x

parents will unknowingly leave their leftover bottle of narcotics in the family medicine cabinet.

Teenagers have struck a gold mine using prescriptions as a free source of drugs. The teenager most likely will not die from consuming Hydrocodone, but the effects of combination of Hydrocodone with other drugs or alcohol can be severe and sometimes fatal.

I believe parents need to be more educated on this subject, seeing as they are most likely to inadvertently give their children prescription drugs without knowing the consequences.

In addition, the government and medical society needs to back up and see beyond the money they are making.

The first step is to limit the prescriptions. Far too many people are on medications that are simply unnecessary. Doctors are far too lenient in today’s world when it comes to prescribing medicine to people claiming they have such disorders that require medications like Adderall and Hydrocodone.

The focus of the War on Drugs needs to be directed towards what we’re doing in Amer-

Graphic by Brian Hwu

Friendship not so black and white

Do you remember watching The Color of Friendship? I very specifically remember this Disney Channel Original Movie being my first introduction into a world of inequality and unjust behavior.

Raised in a household in which I was taught that everyone was equal, I remember being appalled by the crimes one group of human beings was committing towards another.

I was raised in a house of foster children, and remember considering a group of mixed race children to be my temporary ‘brothers and sisters,’ so it was hard for me to accept that there was a time when people were treated unfairly just because of the way they looked.

As I’ve grown up, society has melted my sheltered view, and I have been forced to see the world as it really is - a place that can be both unfair and closed minded to those who are different.

The death of Florida 17-year-old Trayvon Martin has sparked new racial questions and furthered the national race discussion, bringing up tough talking points that are targeting many Americans as racist and closed-minded. Martin is being classified as a victim in America’s ‘culture war,’ forcing government agents and political superpowers to question the role race plays in America’s society.

As the story progresses and the controversy grows, I

myself have begun to consider how race has shaped my own life, and have found one thing: it hasn’t. I’m not claiming that race doesn’t play a role in our current society, and I’m in no way under the impression that no one sees skin color as a major character trait, but I feel like blaming certain actions on America’s ‘race war’ is an ignorant and uneducated claim.

As Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Leonard Pitts said, race is a term both meaningful and yet profoundly meaningless. There is no definition of ‘black’ or ‘white’ that holds any relevant scientific precision. We are taught to believe that the differences between blacks and whites are self-evident and everpresent, but social rarities do exist in which people are raised race-blind. Consider Gregory Williams, president of the University of Cincinnati, who remained ignorant of the fact that his father was an African American until he was 10 years old.

In the grand scheme of things, race is a relatively new delineation. The original European immigrants did not consider themselves “white,” but Irish, German, Italian and English. The same is true for African Americans who saw themselves as Mende and Songhai, not “black.” It wasn’t until the two cultures were thrown together that either race was considered ‘inferior’ to the other.

Just as both blacks and whites were able to create a line between races that is almost impossible to ignore, it will be the job of both groups to overcome the stereotypes that have been implemented. The idea of a ‘race war’ is one that is generally thought as a group in the majority demographic being unaccepting of others and the differences, but it reality it is an issue that must be addressed with efforts on both sides.

If we plan to change the way things stand, we must first start by changing ourselves.

While many blacks feel whites have victimized them, many whites feel they have been unfairly judged by minorities. Until we break down the walls that prevent us from seeing the opinions of the other side, we will continue to live in a society of separation.

Let’s end the race war. Let us be the generation that rises above all stereotypes laid out by our processors and proves that we are smarter, better and more accepting than those who came before us. America can exist with the conceived notion of one race and those who live in such a world will be better for it.

ica and how we can prevent our children from becoming addicted to these liferuining substances. This can be done through truthful educational seminars in our schools that inform children the proper information on drug use.

American drug companies are raking in the money from prescription drugs while the government continues to keep the public eye on illegal drugs as our main concern.

It is apparent that researchers are finding more and more medical and psychological benefits from illegal drugs like Graphic by Brian Hwu The marijuana, psilocybin (magic power behind this drug is still a mushrooms) and LSD. mystery and has been concluded Marijuana has specifically been used to treat glaucoma, nau- to produce many spectacular sea, appetite loss and also as a and unexplainable benefits. The drug allows users to think positherapeutic pain reliever.

Although not legal for rec- tively about life by expanding reational use in the United States, their minds and bringing them 16 states have legalized marijuana closer to themselves spiritually.

Why not instead of fundfor medicinal purposes. These ing a war that cannot be won, we new regulations make it clear that research these drugs that make some of these outlawed drugs such an incredible impact on the may actually have a monumental life of a human being? effect on the human body.

The list of concrete eviRecent studies on psilocydence goes on and on, but the bin conducted by doctors at Johns bad part is, most of the public Hopkins University found after will never observe this informaexperimenting on 18 subjects tion as it is not publicized on who ingested psilocybin over a the TV or politically praised. It course of five eight-hour sessions, is about time for Americans to 94 percent of those subjects said wake up and realize that we have it was one of their top five most these tools that we are being told meaningful experiences; 39 perwe cannot use, but for the sake cent said it was the single most of whom? meaningful experience of their Although the effectiveness lives. of these drugs is highly controThe doctors involved in the versial, I believe that in order to experiment concluded after the come out on top of the War on experiment that “magic mushDrugs we need to take a closer rooms” have a substantially high look at some of these “bad” ilpositive affect on long-term psylegal drugs to see pochological health. In addition, the tential use and in report stated that the drug “ofturn shift this effered long-lasting psychological fort to the plague growth and helped people find of prescription peace in their lives — without the drugs on today’s negative effects.” society.

Even Steve Jobs, former Apple CEO, credits his success and broadened life style saying, “Doing LSD was one of the two or three most imporDyer Whitt tant things I have done in Staff Writer my life.”

the bottom line

48%

Mary Whitfill Features Editor

april 2012

of people have used a prescription drug in the last month

2.3or provided each year of physician office 74% billion drugs are ordered visits involve drug therapy

The most frequently prescribed

therapeutic classes are

analgesics, antihyperlipidemic

agents and antidepressants Statistics courtesy of www.cdc.gov

april 2012 Graphics by Haley Madigan and Lauren Ussery

features

page 9

Students look beyond negatives of parental divorce continued from pg. 1

young to understand the reason behind the situation, but looking back at it I feel like it was the right decision for them, now that I’ve been able to see it and look back on it and be in a mature state of mind.”

In addition to maturity, Ozymy has gained a sense of respect for parents who have to raise their children independently.

“I have more respect for single parents because I understand how hard it is,” Ozymy said.

“My mom had a really hard time financially after the divorce, and she still struggles with it today. So I think I can have more respect for people who are trying to survive individually and raise a family.”

However, while Ozymy has found positive outcomes of the divorce, she will admit that there have been challenges along the way.

“My parents still to this day fight over who has me for what holidays,” Ozymy said. “I mean they do it every single year.

Christmas it’s always ‘Well he had you last year for this and he had you for this’ and well she did this weekend.’ It kind of gets out of hand sometimes. Christmas is really the biggest one. Even this past year there was so much bitterness. I just hate hearing it, so I don’t bring it up.”

This tendency to feel caught in the middle of both parents is common among children of divorce.

Ozymy’s father concedes that divorce is especially hard when there is a child involved.

Finding the balance between what is best for the couple and what is best for the child is often challenging for everyone involved.

“It’s been my experience that the best thing to do in a divorce with a child is to make it amicable for the child’s interest,” Derek Ozymy said. “You can’t be selfish; you have to come to the best decision for the child.

Senior Blake Varnell has similar experiences to Ozymy.

Following his parents’ divorce when he was 13, Varnell has taken on a more independent role in his family, and much of the communication between households lies on his shoulders.

“I grew a lot more independent, just because I had to be responsible for all my own stuff,” Varnell said. “[My parents] don’t really talk to each other, and I have to do all the accounting. I had to sign myself up for all my

classes. A lot of people have their parents, but I really don’t. All my school stuff I sign myself up for.”

Garrett is well aware of the changes that occur in children’s lives following divorce, and encourages parents to be supportive throughout the process.

“We know the children that go through divorce, there are certain factors that make it easier for them. And one of those is minimizing conflict between the two parents,” Garrett said. “Really the biggest factor in terms of how kids do through divorce is really the level of conflict that their parents have. If it just ugly, nasty, court rooms, legal battles, kids do most poorly with that. But if you have two parents that realize they have to co-parent kids, and that they can go their separate ways and still be respectful and talk about the kids and pick up times and school issues, and other functions that the children are involved in, amicably, that is what you want, that is the best. “ Holidays are also a challenge for Varnell, who has had his fair share of contention in regards to whom he shares special occasions with.

Despite Varnell’s acceptance of his parents’ divorce in his

“Things happen for a reason. If they were still together, I don’t think we would be as accomplished, coming to the United States and all that. ” -Bruno Chiquini, senior young teens, he concedes that the process of divorce would be easier for children if they grow up with it from a young age, or have already moved out when it occurs.

“I thought I was at a pretty good age because I wasn’t quite a young adult but I wasn’t still really a kid,” Varnell said. “Ideally it would either be when children are around three and they grow up knowing it and understanding it and living with it, or when they were grown up out of college because you don’t have to deal with the repercussions of [your parents] splitting up.”

Divorce, however, does not always have perfect timing.

Whether or not the split was the best thing for the family seems to be a large factor in how children view their parents’ separation.

“I could definitely tell it was for the better, them being apart,”

Varnell said. “They were always mad at each other, and it’s actually a lot better now. They don’t really communicate a whole lot.”

While some students’ lives maintain a sense of familiarity following a divorce, there are also instances in which this occurrence can change the fabric of the family’s life dramatically. For seniors Bruno and Patrizio Chiquini, the divorce of their parents when they were 3 led to a strong bond with their single mother, and an eventual move to the United States from Mexico.

“It was definitely for the best,” Bruno said. “Things happen for a reason. If they were still together, I don’t think we would be as accomplished, coming to the United States and all that.”

The divorce led to an estrangement between the twins and their father. After initially splitting time between parents, their visits with their father became less and less.

“We’ve been totally separate for everything,” Bruno said.

“I don’t think he has helped at all [with] in any financial stuff. He hasn’t really played a part in any aspect of our lives.”

A single parent for the majority of her children’s lives, the Chiquini’s mother, Leticia Sanudo, has faced struggles raising three boys without a father.

“The balance problem for me was balancing between the mother and the father figure,” Sanudo said. “As the mother I have to play the caring, always-be-there part, and as the father figure, being the disciplinary, harsher parent. So that’s the real balance I had to work with.”

Unfortunately, as in the Chiquinis’ situation, both parents are not always willing to offer the financial and emotional support necessary in raising their children. Bruno and Patrizio are fortunate though to have an upbringing that they are proud of.

“For me I can say that I am very happy with what our mom has done for us,” Patrizio said.

“Sometimes I wish I would have had that male role model to guide me in some stuff, but besides that I’m pretty happy with how things turned out.”

The roles of parents often change following divorce, but Bruno insists that his mother did an admirable job raising him and his two brothers.

“I’m pretty content with just having my mom,” Bruno said.

“She does a good job playing both

roles. I think she did a good job raising us. I feel content relationship-wise, but when it comes to finances, I do sometimes wish it would be easier if you had money coming from both ways, rather than just one.”

Not only does divorce affect the finances of a family, it can change the framework of the family as well. Ozymy, Varnell and the Chiquinis all gained siblings and step parents their parents’ remarriage following divorce, and while their relationships with these new family members vary, it cannot be denied that the dynamics of their family life have changed.

“If [the divorce] hadn’t happened at the time it did, then I wouldn’t have the family that I have now,” Ozymy said. “I wouldn’t have two sisters and a brother, and I wouldn’t have my stepmother. It would be a different dynamic altogether.”

Ozymy’s relationships with her half-siblings and stepmother are so close that the clichéd misconceptions of such connections are blurred.

“My stepmom has been more of a mom to me,” Ozymy said. “I don’t mean that in a bad way toward my mom whatsoever, but I see my stepmom more than both of my actual parents. Everyday I would come home from school and she would be the one to take care of me because she worked from home.”

Despite their unique experiences with divorce, these students’ views on marriage are optimistic. “ A t least for me, it has motivated me to stick with it,” Patrizio said. “If I’m going to marry someone, I’m going to try to make it last forever, simply because that’s the right thing to do. If I want to have a family, I want to have all the things that come with a family, all the benefits.”

Bruno sees a marriage as not only a commitment to a partner, but to the children as well.

“For me, I just learned that it had to be more of a teamwork,” Bruno said. “If you are marrying a person, you have to be sure to not jump from person to person, because it wouldn’t just affect you as parents as a couple, it will also affect your kids. It’s not just like a marriage for two people together;

it is more than that.”

This optimism for the future is balanced with a realism that will forever be with children of divorce. “[Marriage] definitely scares me more,” Ozymy said. “I know you definitely shouldn’t be scared of that kind of stuff, but I feel like it kind of happens to everyone.

I mean everyone thinks they’re making the right decision when they’re getting married to begin with. But then it’s like in the end, looking back on it after you’ve been divorced, you feel like you’ve seen failures in the marriage all along.”

Divorce is not always preventable, but according to Garret, counseling can be a positive route to turn to when facing trouble in a marriage.

“Thankfully we have a lot of good outcomes,” Garrett said.

“Marriage counseling is probably the toughest type of counseling that can be done, in that you have two people that you are dealing with, and you are walking a tight rope sometimes between them.

And certainly, not by any means, can we save all marriages. But we do have a great deal of success in helping people. Basically when we do marriage counseling with a very troubled marriage, it’s like tearing down a house and rebuilding a new one. There are so many issues in the old structure.

The way I look at it is kind of taking away the old and building in some new things.”

I n re g a rd s to the s t a g gering number of divorces in the world today, it is sometimes easy to diminish the difficulty that those who experience it are going through.

Regardless of its increase in occurrence, the complexity of the situation has not lessened.

“A lot of bad thing happen to a lot of people,” Varnell said. “A lot of people experience death, but we still comfort the people who are going through it.

Now it’s not so extreme obviously with divorce, but it is still rather traumatic. Different people take it different ways. I didn’t take it that hard but my sister took it a lot harder than me. It is a really personal thing.”

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features

april 2012

LaPrade climbs the charts of promising country stars continued from pg. 1 Soon after beginning her voice classes, LaPrade was invited to join the Master Artists Program, a small, handpicked group of exceptionally talented artists that focuses on career development.

“Most students are not invited to the MA program so quickly, and she considers it an enormous honor to be accepted,” mother Elizabeth LaPrade said.

“Her years of hard work paid off, and now her future is brighter than ever. We are so proud of her.”

After experiencing such rapid success, Bethany hopes to continue in the music industry throughout her life.

“I never really thought it was a realistic career choice, and I never really thought it was possible,” Bethany said. “But if there is anything [my voice coach] Linda Septien has taught me, it is that it is completely possible, especially considering where I am now.”

Her first show dates back to November as a fundraiser for Taylor’s Gift where she and several other Septien students sang. In memory of her friend Jha’Kyric Nixon, Bethany wrote an original song titled “Sing With You.” “There was not a dry eye in the house,” Elizabeth LaPrade

said. “It showed me how the music she writes can touch so many people; it heals hurting hearts and makes a difference in other people’s lives. I love that.”

After seeing the profound effect of Bethany’s music, it was not long before her career took off. She has since performed in many venues with audiences of all sizes, from singing the national anthem in front of 9,000 people at the National Cheerleading Competition to singing original songs and covers for local fundraisers.

“I write all the time,” Bethany said. “Life experiences are what I would say is the inspiration for my original songs. I have had some rare experiences that make for interesting songs, so it’s not all about relationships. But of course, I do have a few of those too.”

Bethany’s singing has also taken her to performances at the House of Blues, Six Flags Over Texas, Fort Worth Championship Rodeo, Wylie Opry and other local spots. Her increasing popularity and success in country music has recently placed her on ReverbNation’s list of the top 50 local country artists in the DFW area.

“When my mom ran in to tell me, I freaked out,” Bethany said. “I wasn’t expecting something like this to happen so fast.”

ReverbNation is the lead-

ing online music-marketing platform, creating its lists by taking into account how often people listen to her music, watch her YouTube videos, look at her pictures, like her Facebook page, follow her on Twitter and share her widgets.

“She has so many supportive people out there,” Elizabeth LaPrade said. “She could not climb the chart without her fans.

It’s so wonderful that her fan base has started right here in Coppell, with her friends, teachers and family right behind her with so much love and support.”

Bethany’s fans are always at her functions, supporting her with every performance.

“She just has an amazing voice,” sophomore Natalie Hinson said. “It is amazing how she lost almost everything [with her accident] and is so successful now.”

Her growing fan base has allowed to her to reach her dreams and grow as a singer and as a person. Above all, Bethany said her experiences in the music industry have been a learning experience for her.

“It taught me that passion can get you anything,” Bethany said. “It doesn’t matter what people say; if you have enough passion, you will succeed.”

To see more go to Coppellstudentmedia.com

Photo courtesy Elizabeth LaPrade

Upcoming Performances Fri April 6 - 8 p.m.

Dunn Bros in Addison Sat April 14 - 9 p.m.

Hailey’s Club in Denton

april 2012

features

page 11

Photos by Lauren Ussery

Senior Carolyn Mason works on a globe she has converted into a lamp during third period AP 3D design (above left). An aisle at Thrift City shelves various household appliances. An advocate of reusing materials, Mason has been known to incorporate such appliances into her artwork (above right).

Mason illuminates passion for art, engineering Lauren Ussery Design Editor

Like any good art student, Coppell High School senior Carolyn Mason is finding it increasingly difficult to see the floor of her bedroom. The clutter of supplies that can be found goes beyond the common paintbrushes, canvases and Prismacolor pencils.

Rather, it is an accumulation of tools, once-worthless objects and a vast amount of glue.

Mason’s unusual inventory is reflective not only of her artwork, but of her personality as well. From a young age, Mason bemused her family with her interest in creating art from various objects, such natural materials like sticks and leaves from the backyard, or LEGOs that she used to create impressive structures.

“When I was little, my uncle bought me one of those [Alexander] Calder mobile sets where you hang stuff with wires,” Mason said. “I was really young, like 6 or 7.”

Eleven years later, Mason still displays a passion for creating new things. After taking three years of middle school art, Advanced Art I and II and AP Drawing, Mason entered her seventh consecutive year of art as the only AP 3-D Design student at CHS. To accommodate Mason’s course selection, she was placed in art teacher Tamera Westervelt’s third period class, where she is able to work independently as the AP 2-D Design class is held simultaneously. The relaxed structure of the 3-D course suits Mason well; she has come to appreciate the freedom she now has to use available resources when creating her pieces.

These resources vary greatly.

On a typical day, while most students are working at desks, Mason is running back and forth between the art and engineering rooms, or perhaps searching outside for new materials. While these students pull out their red grading pens, Mason experiments with a circular saw.

“I have used a lot of the engineering room power tool equipment,” Mason said. “I have used wire, wood, glue, saws, drills. I have even used the heat gun—it’s really fun.”

The large range of power equipment is certainly enough to make onlookers wonder about what the final product will be.

Like the other AP Studio Art students, Mason spent the first semester creating eight pieces in different mediums for the Breadth section of her AP portfolio. In the second semester, her focus switched to the 12 pieces needed to complete the Concentration section.

The inspiration for her concentration stems from a debate she had with a friend. Insulted by her friend’s accusation that lamps are boring, Mason felt that she could do lamps justice by turning them into works of art, while maintaining their functionality.

What makes Mason unique is her desire to reuse materials in her artwork, which ultimately enabled her to take the focus of lamps and apply to it a deeper meaning.

“The simple term for my concentration is lamps, but more specifically it focuses on how to create something functional out of trash or useless items,” Mason said. “These items are useful not only in making the lamps pretty,

but also in the sense that they can illuminate the illuminated.”

While it takes a keen eye to make works of art, it takes a keener eye to spy useful items out of everyday “junk.” According to Mason, it is important to know the right places to look.

While most of Coppell remains asleep, Mason has been known to beat the sunrise, joining the few dedicated and experienced garage sale-goers who are brave enough to get an early start on the hunt for bargains. The benefit of these sales is the higher quality of items than can normally be found elsewhere.

True to her age, however, Mason prefers to sleep in. With hours starting at 10 a.m., thrift stores have become an invaluable resource.

“When I go thrifting and I find a light, I have to get it,” Mason said. “But because thrift store lights are notorious for not working, before I leave the store I’ll find an outlet and actually test it. I also always look to see if it’s cheap.

If it’s too expensive, then I can always go find it somewhere else.”

Among her favorite thrift stores are St. Vincent de Paul in Dallas, Christian Community Action (CCA), Goodwill and Thrift City.

The trash you took out on garbage day could become the focus of Mason’s next piece. While it may seem odd, Mason strongly believes that some of the coolest materials can be found in neighborhood garbage bins.

“The key to looking into other people’s garbage is to find places where the trash has become scattered and you can see what’s sitting out, like a LIFE game— yeah, I took that one time,” Mason

said.

Like creativity itself, Mason is not bound by these options.

Material, she claims, can be found anywhere. Although left-brainers may shake their heads at this theory, Mason’s most interesting story comes from a completely random encounter.

“One time I was on a bike ride in Virginia, and I found this pipe on the side of the road that I really wanted to take home,” Mason said. “So I ended up taking it with me on the 20-mile bike ride back.”

“Carolyn’s inventiveness is definitely reflected in her artwork because she’s always adding her engineering skills to her pieces by making them light up or move,” Westervelt said. “But she’s always been very inventive—trying something out of the ordinary, or trying something that’s harder than the given assignment, pushing it to the limit.”

Mason’s parents have not always understood this drive she possesses for her artwork.

“I think at first my parents were annoyed that my projects took up so much space,” Mason said. “But we don’t really have any artistic people in the family, so they’ve grown to appreciate what I can do.”

But with a father in the breast cancer research field, it is no surprise that Mason is also talented in math and science. True to her other interests, Mason is enrolled in an aerospace studies class, General Engineering EXCITE 4, AP Calculus BC and is the project manager for an afterschool robotics club—all the while balancing AP 3-D Design, GT/AP English IV and online government.

While many students would be overwhelmed at her hectic class schedule, Mason exhibits the focus and determination needed to handle the workload. The effort she puts in can be seen in all areas of Mason’s work—from the detail in her art pieces, to the complexity of the 120-pound robot she helped create. Mason still manages to amaze even her closest friends.

“One time Carolyn found a piece of wood and stapled a picture of her sister’s dog onto it and gave it to her as a birthday present,” senior Emma Hair said. “She did it with a wood burner, and she would work on it every night after her parents and sister had gone to bed, sometimes staying up until two or three in the morning.”

When asked if she prefers art or engineering, Mason laughs.

“People ask me which one I prefer all the time,” Mason said.

“I think I’m definitely more of an engineer who thinks like an art student.”

Mason has her goals set high for the future. Although she will not know the status of her acceptance until April, Mason’s first choice school is Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Beyond college, Mason hopes to end up at NASA, specializing in mechanical and aerospace engineering with a robotics focus.

Even though this pathway may be light-years away from the work Mason does in her 3-D Design class, she still believes the experience is valuable.

“I think most of all, my experience in art will help me to have a creative eye when I’m building things,” Mason said.

To see more go to Coppellstudentmedia.com

page 12

in-depth

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Natural gas emits less CO2 than coal and almost less CO2 than oil, making it the cleanest fossil fuel source available.

30%

reduce its dependency on foreign oil, the natural gas drilling industry across the country has skyrocketed exponentially, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. North Texas sits atop the Barnett Shale, a rich formation from which natural gas is extracted.

The most noticeable drilling sites have gone up around D/FW Airport, but local gas companies have also begun extracting natural gases from beneath the homes of Coppell residents. An abundance of drill sites have begun to appear around Coppell, Grapevine and Flower Mound, notably around Grapevine Fellowship Church.

“There are tremendous amounts of natural gas in this country,” Barnett Shale Energy

Education Council executive director Ed Ireland said. “Over 100 years worth at the current rates of consumption, and that has the potential to help the country move toward energy dependence.”

Once a hole is drilled, gas extraction companies can run pipes into the Barnett Shale miles from the site in any direction. Coppell residents have begun selling their mineral rights to energy corporations so the natural gas under their property can be extracted. In exchange for the permissions to extract gas from their land, landowners are paid a onetime compensation that typically amounts to a few thousand dollars.

“We actually call it ‘mailbox money’ because you don’t have to do anything to get it; it

just shows up in your mailbox,” Ireland said. “The United States is the only country in the world where landowners own their mineral rights. When you own a piece of land, you own it all the way to the center of the earth, so for any development of the minerals, the land owner gets paid.”

While the selling of mineral rights has the potential to provide landowners with extensive monetary benefits, natural gas drilling doesn’t come without its risks. Environmentalists are scrambling to increase regulations to protect the earth from drilling mishaps.

One of the most controversial topics when it comes to natural gas drilling is “fracking”. In efforts to speed up the natural progression of hydraulic fracturing, energy companies have created frack-

By Mary

Natural gas comprises of all energy used in the United States and is directly linked to jobs and economic health

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Natural gas serves approximately million homes

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ing, a process in which 20,000 to 80,000 gallons of liquid are forced through the rock, allowing gasses to escape more quickly.

A concern raised by fracking is the chemicals used in the fracking fluids. As of now, energy companies are not required to disclose what chemicals they force into the earth, but as of Feb. 3, the Interior Department is drafting rules that will require companies to inform the government of chemicals used on public lands.

Having learned about the process of natural gas drilling in her AP Environmental Science class, senior Rachael Swaldi thinks the possibility of drinking water being infected by fracking chemicals is too high of a risk to take.

“If pipes break underground, all those nasty chemicals could get in the water and make people really sick,” Swaldi said. “We

watched videos where people whose houses had been drilled under could set their water on fire because the chemicals had infected their wells. That could happen in Coppell.”

While he says that all precautions have been taken to prevent chemical spills underground, John Meyer of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Dallas branch admits it is impossible to clean up 100 percent of pollution in ground water.

“There is a possibility, and I don’t think anybody is discounting it, that during the fracturing operation there can be a failure in the engineering,” Meyer said. “We know from about 30 years of our program that you can take a gallon of a contaminant and put it in an aquifer and you will never get it out. You can generally recover some, but to get to a point where is it fit for human con-

sumption again is very difficult.”

Ireland said the chances of a leak into the water table are almost nonexistent.

“There has been a lot of study of water as related to natural gas and the results are very clear,” Ireland said. “There is not any connection, there is not any scientific study that has shown a connection between natural gas drilling and the water table. Here in North Texas, the Barnett Shale is between 7,000 and 8,000 feet deep and the water table is about 1,200 feet so you’re talking about over a mile of rock between the water table and where the shale is.”

In addition to water contamination concerns, Swaldi also thinks air pollution is something to worry about.

“Think about it, with all of the burning and

drilling and chemical releasing that happens, there is no way none of it gets into the air,” Swaldi said. “What are we really breathing with all of this going on?”

Ireland says extensive testing has been done to ensure that abnormal levels of harmful residue do not enter the air.

“I would say the air in the Barnett Shale is probably the most studied air in the country,” Ireland said. “The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has already put six or seven permanent air monitoring stations in the Barnett Shale. I computed recently that those air monitors have conducted 115,000 air tests and not one of them has ever produced any level of any chemical compound that is any where close to a health problem.”

When asked what she was most concerned about when she sold her mineral rights,

Coppell resident Katherine Puckett said environmental impacts were barely a concern.

“Chief exploration went door to door in our neighborhood providing flyers and offer letters for our mineral rights,” Puckett said. “The drilling itself was thousands of feet below our property so from our stand point, in our home, we weren’t concerned. The neighborhood was concerned with the noise levels and aesthetics, rather than the harmful effects.”

Both Ireland and Meyer agreed that noise was a minor concern, but that it is for the most part under control.

“In a lot of the drill pads that go in around residential areas, they put up great big sound barriers,” Meyer said. “It absorbs a lot of the sound and reflects it straight up. That’s one of the problems that was addressed fairly quickly.”

Graphics by Haley Madigan Statistics courtesy of the American Gas Association, www.aga.org

features

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april 2012

Story by Sammy Robben, Sports Editor Michael Fernandez, St. Edwards University Q: What is the hardest part of living on your own in college?

A: In high school, I usually put things off until the last minute, but in college I spend the day studying and going to class, and to keep me from going stir-crazy I keep myself busy by running errands, working out, going out to eat and sleeping.

Lizzy Kerpon, Duke Q: What are the benefits of college athletics?

A: We build a strong group of friends through the sense of community being on a team provides. We have a solid support group through our teammates, coaches, advisors and the athletic staff. It keeps us focused on what is important because we have something that holds us accountable. We have tutors and advisors who are always there to help and keep us on track with our studies and to help us reach our potential academically as well as athletically. Being an athlete at a school like Duke is amazing because the entire school supports you; your classmates, friends, professors and faculty all care about how you are doing.

Texas A&M University Q: What is the best way to choose a roommate?

A: It is different for everyone. I ended up rooming with a friend from high school, and I have loved it. It has been nice to have someone I know with me. I also know a lot of people who did room-surf. It’s a website that helps you find a roommate who will be compatible with you based on your personality, interests and habits. From what I know, it turned out really well for a lot of people.

Hannah Yates Benjamin Osiecki, University of Georgia Q: What is the work load like compared to high school AP and dual credit classes?

A: The workload in college is a lot more reading-based and doing assignments based on those readings. In AP, it occasionally involves some reading, but there is a lot more in college. I only took a couple of classes through dual credit in high school, but from what I have heard, there was not a lot of work in those classes. The college classes I have taken as a freshmen have had more work. The most important thing to do is to stay ahead of the game with school work and homework. Once you get behind, it becomes very hard to get caught up. Time management is everything and having good time management helps you get through.

Q: What should students consider when picking a major?

Q: What is the hardest part of living on your own in college?

A: The hardest part of living on your own is actually eating good food. Dorm food is gross, and it is hard to leave good homecooked meals. When I came to college, I did not think eating was going to be my biggest adjustment, but making sure I am eating healthy food and trying to avoid dorm food has been hard.

Melissa Welty

A: Picking a major can be a hard decision, but even if you do not know what you want to do going into college, you should take classes you think might interest you. Internships and networking also helps a lot because you can gain experience and determine the type of work setting you want to be in.

Ellie Rose, University of Oklahoma Q: What is the sorority rush process like?

A: Many people believe that rushing can be scary, but I would not call the process scary – it is more intimidating. I believe if you put your best foot forward and have a positive attitude, it can be a very beneficial and exciting experience for freshmen going into college.

Jake Luttmer, University of Texas Q: What are some of the biggest adjustments you had to make?

A: The biggest adjustment I have had to make is learning how to really manage my time because there are so many things to do in Austin, and with the added responsibility of making your own food and doing laundry, it is difficult to find time to get your homework and studying done. I have also had to become more independent and not rely on others’ help, for example getting up on time for classes. In high school, I always had my parents to wake me, schedule any appointments I need and make sure I got there on time. Now I have to do that on my own.

Danielle Herubin, University of Alabama Q:What are some of the biggest misconceptions about going to college?

A: The biggest misconception about college is that the classwork in college is more difficult. The actual classwork is about the same level of difficulty as high school. The most challenging thing is to prioritize and make sure everything gets done. Also, the professors do not give any review sheets or that many assignments. You are expected to learn the material on your own. You should spend the same time out of class going over the content as you do in class.

april 2012

features

page 15

Military family members touching down in Dallas Photos courtesy Lisa Armstrong and Paulan Daily

continued from pg. 1 before her family would get another call that he had been injured in combat.

“When I picked up the Skype call he was really short and really tense,” Mattie said. “He really wanted to know where our mom and dad were and was pretty upset when he couldn’t talk to them.

I tried to talk to him and I was just rambling on about homecoming and football season. I could tell he didn’t really care, but if I wasn’t talking he wasn’t either.

“Eventually I had to go to work so I told him I loved him and that I missed him and even through a computer screen I could feel him say ‘Mattie I love you so much, I’ll talk to you soon, tell mom and dad and Weston [brother] and Lauren [sister] and the whole family I love them’.”

It was the next day, while under heavy fire in Afghanistan, that Ashton suffered severe injuries after a smoke bomb exploded in his hand. Later that week, the family learned that Ashton’s right hand was going to be amputated.

“Everything got really dizzy and I couldn’t hear what my parents were saying, but I just kept nodding, blank faced,” Mattie said. “Eventually I finally got the gist that Ashton had been under really heavy fire and he and some of his men were completely covered. He, being the captain of his

platoon and therefore responsible for all of his men’s lives, stood up and began to pull the pin on a smoke bomb so they could allude their attackers and run to the next point.

“As he went to pull it the smoke bomb malfunctioned and exploded in his hands and in his face.”

Unfortunately, these uneasy phone calls or messages are not uncommon for military families.

New Tech sophomore Mackenzie Armstrong could only talk to her brother, Navy Aviation Electrician’s Mate Second Class Petty Officer David M. Forcey, Jr., through occasional Facebook messages and emails. Forcey, who has been deployed to Somalia and the Indian Ocean, would occasionally contact her online to keep in touch with his little sister.

“I wasn’t too scared when he was gone, but I was always sad after I heard from him,” Armstrong said. “It made it more real that he wasn’t here when I couldn’t talk to him. It always made me feel good though, if he posted something on my wall about what I was doing.”

For her mother, Lisa Armstrong, her only communication with her son came from the hope that he would see her Facebook posts and occasionally respond.

The reality that they may not be able to talk to or hear from their loved ones every day, every week

or even every month can be one of the hardest parts of war for military families.

“I really missed him when he was away at sea for six to seven months at a time and I couldn’t even text him,” Lisa said. “I would write on his Facebook and hope that he would take the time to read it every week or so and write back. I heard from him about once a month when he was at sea.”

“I’ve learned that family is the strongest bond anyone can have.

I’ve learned that change is the only constant in life, and that’s what makes it beautiful.”

-Mattie Daily, senior For both sisters, their brothers’ homecoming was one filled with mixed emotions of extreme joy and love, as well as harsh realizations about the effects of military service.

For Mattie, the happiness of seeing her brother at home safe was matched by the reality that her brother would struggle with simple everyday tasks for the rest of his life. It is a struggle that many families can relate to as nearly 2,000 American soldiers are wounded every year, according to the Defense Manpower Data Center.

“When Ashton gets to come home from his base in El Paso, it is a mix of emotions,” Mattie said.

“I love seeing him, I love hanging out with him. He is the smartest and funniest guy I know, but sometimes it kind of hurts too. It is hard seeing someone that you have always viewed as the strongest person you know struggle with little things like holding a spoon or writing their name. His hand is not getting better as fast as he wishes and it is really hard to see him struggle, and even harder to see him get frustrated.”

Though the effects of war have been hard on Ashton, Mattie is quick to say that they have only strengthened the relationship with her brother.

“My brother being in the military hasn’t changed my relationship with him, it has only strengthened it,” Mattie said.

“When I was 5 he taught me how to tie my shoe, and when I was 17 he taught me how to get through the hard stuff.”

For other families, it is realizing just how much they have missed their loved ones, how long they have been gone or that they have to go back that hits them the most when soldiers come home.

As a sister, Mackenzie cherishes the day her brother will be home for good.

“I am very happy when he comes home,” Mackenzie said. “I will be even happier when he gets

out of the Navy in June, and he’ll be living in Denton so we will be able to see him more often. That day will not come soon enough for me.”

Often, people are quick to take advantage of the simplest things in life, but military families have a different outlook. Every hug, every call, every moment together is a gift that they will cherish.

“When he first comes home, we all spend most of our time hugging him all the time and I find myself just staring at him not believing he’s home at last,” Lisa said.

The lessons learned from the soldiers and their families are those that every American needs to keep prevalent in their life. These families are faced with challenges constantly, but come out with strength.

“I’ve learned from having someone so close in the military is to never take anything for granted,” Mattie said. “My brother could have died that day. He could has lost his sight, his hearing, his hands, everything. We sit at home with our iPhones and our perfect health while hundreds of big brothers are across sea with broken ping-pong tables and spoiled milk. I’ve learned that family is the strongest bond anyone can have. I’ve learned that change is the only constant in life, and that’s what makes it beautiful.”

entertainment april 2012 Unknown hotspots offer new prospects for students

page 16

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As an appetizer I ordered a traditional Vietnamese spring roll, which was unlike any spring roll you might order from Panda Express. Rice is essential in many Asian countries, especially Vietnam, so I was not surprised to see that the roll was made with banh trang wrappers instead of deep fried dough.

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Banh trang wrappers are essentially rice flower mixed with tapioca flower to create a thin, fresh wrapping for spring rolls in both Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. I actually loved them, because they were so subtle that the flavors of the filling were not overpowered by the grease you would find on fried dough.

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I will say that I liked the food a lot. I ordered the ‘Taste of Poland” which But the spring roll only slightly prepared me for how much I would love my main was simply a few specialties on one plate. It included pierogi which to me course. I ordered a chicken curry clay pot, which was a clay bowl filled with rice, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli and chicken, which was as satisfying as good ol’ com- looked like some sort of ravioli, golabki which was beef wrapped in cabbage, Polish sausage which speaks for itself and sauerkraut salad all served on potato pancakes. fort food. The secret must have been the thick sauce that everything was soaking in. It did not take over the meal but instead added its perfect kick of spiciness Even though I picked around the sauerkraut, I had no problem cleaning the rest of my to it. plate. I learned that pierogi is actually so different than ravioli. The cheesy and meaty filling was encased in fried dough rather than noodles. I also learned that polish sausage is to die I have been to hundreds of chain restaurants that specialize in cofor. lossal amounts of impersonal food that was probably stored in a freezer before ending up in front of me, but only The sausage, which was my favorite, had a hint of sweetness to it that really won me over. It Mai’s gave me culture, patience, pride and was lightly glazed with some sort of caramelized coating that hit my taste buds by about the tradition within one simple meal. third chew and left an aftertaste making me want more. And once I finished, I moved on to the golabkis and the pierogi. The pierogi was delicious and reminded me of a warm kolache As Amerwith its chewy dough and hearty meat filling. icans we consider fettuccini alfredo from Olive Garden as Italian food.

The golabkis is another story. I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of boiled cabBut what I know real Italian food to be is actually bage leaves wrapped around minced beef. It looks slimy and kind of tasted slimy. quite different and hard to find, especially in Texas. Pietro’s And the pork, onions, rice and garlic on the inside were so mashed together Italian Restaurant near Lower Greenville Avenue is a godsend. that it was a bit unsettling.

As a test, I ordered bruschetta for an appetizer. I cannot tell you how many Thankfully, the more I did not understand about the food the times I have eaten a restaurant’s butchered take on this Italian classic, but I had happier I became because that was exactly what I was high hopes that Pietro’s would do it right. Which they did. They used just enough ripe, looking for. And no place gave that to me betdiced tomatoes without applying too much olive oil. Because bruschetta is made simply ter than the Polish chef behind the by topping olive oil, basil, garlic and tomatoes atop a baguette, every ingredient is imporkitchen doors. tant. Too much ricotta in lasagna is not nearly as noticeable as too much oil in bruschetta.

Underneath it has a tomato base, warm from the just baked crust. The dough used for the crust is also made from scratch and tasted unlike any pizza crust I have ever had. That is really all I can say about it. All I can advise you to do is try it for yourself.

And once you finish it, order a cannoli. Cannolis are a traditional Sicilian dessert that take practice to master. It a dough mixture wrapped around a steel tube, fried in popping, sizzling oil then filled with a ricotta based filling. They are unlike any cake or cookie a la mode you might find at chain restaurants, and I urge to try Pietro’s take on them.

rah Police a S y Like Deep Ellum, bSundance e in Fort Worth has r one-of-a-kind Square a stores and restaurants as well uas a bigger source of entertainment.

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strip in Sundance Square, there are several theatres that offer contemporary plays. The Circle Theatre is in the Sanger Building and offers innovative, live plays in a small, cozy setting.

Not only does Sundance Square have constant entertainment, it also hosts citywide events as well. In the past it has hosted 5K runs for cancer that run through the square.

On top of being an excellent source of entertainment, Sundance Square has great dining restaurants. Uno’s Chicago Grill, better known as Uno’s, is an extraordinary deep dish pizza restaurant. All pizzas are baked fresh, and the crust is so thick and crunchy that it is worth the price. Uno’s also has a similar dessert pizza to that of the popular BJ’s pizookie.

For another interesting thing to do, try a carriage ride around the square. Prices are not too bad, and it is definitely something you do not have in Coppell.

It is a really great place to be at night when all of the buildings are lit up.

Another quirky place in Deep Ellum is Lula B’s, and like Art and Antiques, it is a perfect place for a pack rat, with the addition of a second floor that can be likened to a walk in closet. The clothes are not organized in any particular order as they are packed on racks. There is a wide range of clothes including from the 70s and 80s. The employees are full of smiles and tips to help you make the most of your experience.

Not far from Deep Ellum is McKinney Avenue with lines of restaurants including chains like Smashburger and unique cafes like Breadwinner’s. Breadwinner’s is a house-turned-café and offers unique, original meals, but the main thing to look for is their desert. All freshly baked, the deserts offer a variety of flavors and tastes.

Drive-In by S y x ala The Galaxy Drive-In ara

theater is located about an hour e Gaway in Ennis, but it is entirely worth the h drive.

lice Po

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Of course I plan to return for their lasagna, deep-dish Sicilian pizza, bruschetta and cannolis. But what I really look forward to is seeing Pietro again and listening to his stories spoken in a foreign tongue.

lice Po

If you are a fan of cheese and lots of it, you will love the deep-dish Sicilian pizza. What impressed me was how so much cheese on a pizza could looks so fresh. There were no pools of grease atop the pizza, no grease trickling down your arm when you pick it up, nothing but cheese. It was pure mozzarella: Melted, gooey and addictive.

ra h

all shapes and sizes, antique dishes your grandmother may have owned and unique furniture are spread across the floor. The aisle space is about two feet wide, with the occasional suitcase sticking out in the aisle. There is no doubt that Art and Antiques is the ideal place for a hoarder.

Th

The lasagna is a carnivore’s dream. It was mounted with meat, stuffed with meat, and swimming in meat. And this meat was also bathing in a creamy tomato sauce which was laced with a flavor that you cannot find in Ragu. The noodles were made from scratch, giving them a distinct taste.

eep Ellum by S DPiles a of old cameras of

They offer newly released movies that are currently showing in regular movie theaters. The drive-in is open every night and each screen plays two movies, one at seven, and one at nine. It only costs $6 for two movies on one screen, which is cheaper than one movie at AMC.

After you pay, you drive into a field with your screen and park next to a set of speakers on stands. It helps if you have some kind of truck so that you may park backwards and sit in the bed to have a more enjoyable experience.

The drive-in asks that you do not bring outside food in because it has its own concession stand. The concessions stand is affordable and offers a wide variety of food.

The Galaxy Drive-In is definitely a fun place to go on a night out, and it is definitely worth the experience.

april 2012

Purpose of Jordan Bickham Staff Writer

Chris Brown waltzes on stage as fans below go wild, ready for his Grammy performance. But instead of his typical impressive break dancing and a trickle of lip-syncing, his show consisted of jumping on giant blocks while he attempted to lip sync, but failed miserably.

A half an hour later or so, a quiet country duo called The Civil Wars stand on a small stage, ready for its first performance at the Grammy’s. Starting off slowly and quietly, but quickly building, the duo proved it was perfect for the show, with powerful vocals and seamless harmonizing. But as their performance wraps up, the camera quickly switches to teen superstar, Taylor Swift, who steals the spotlight with a mediocre performance.

As a devoted music fan, the live performances of my favorite artists are just as important as their studio sound on their album. However, with the most popular artists of today, their concerts usually do not even resemble the perfect sound they have obtained in the studio. For me, I consider this as having little genuine talent.

So why are they so popular?

entertainment

page 17

entertainment

In entertainment today, the goal is to be simply entertaining. While this may fulfill what the name implies, the field used to maintain a focus on artistic value. Entertainment has been sacrificing quality and talent and replacing the goal with entertaining the masses. Entertainment has become strictly business; it is not an art form anymore.

Not only is this obviously

These raunchy comedies are created specifically to rake in money, not to impress audiences with a unique story line and artistic filming techniques. Even though there are many films that do not receive the credit they deserve, this industry has not sold out as much as the music industry has.

But even some mentions of the film industry’s downfall were visible at the recent 84th Academy

the awards ceremony.

These presenters could definitely be funny without having to be inappropriate, just like great comedians and surprisingly good actors Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis were easily the most entertaining as they took the stage with cymbals and white band suits.

Although the awards were given out to those who truly deGraphic by Haley Madigan

seen in the music industry when artists who have bestseller albums take the stage and cannot even resemble the sound that is so loved on their record, but this can also be seen in the film industry. With films like Bridesmaids and Superbad that rely on the raunchy humor that teenagers love, the films have no artistic worth.

On the other hand, films like The Art of Getting By and 50/50 do not receive equal credit.

Photo courtesy Definitely Maybe

Awards that took place Feb. 26.

While phenomenal actors such as Sandra Bullock and Natalie Portman got the honor of taking the stage to award equally incredible winners involved in the film industry, leading actresses of the atrociously raunchy film, Bridesmaids, got to give out three great awards as they attempted to entertain the crowd with inappropriate jokes. Although they did not receive any awards for the film, thankfully, they still were one of the largest attractions at

served it at the Academy Awards, not judged by the public and what they think, but by experts in the subject of entertainment, the Grammys did not fare as well. Adele got the awards she deserved at the Grammys and British music awards, but singers such as Rihanna received high awards that many other singers deserved more.

Many can argue Rihanna is a great singer, but as seen on the Grammy’s she could barely sing live without going off pitch, when many other singers could easily make it through a song on live TV. But they are not the ones getting the chance to and they are not the ones getting credit.

These things beg the question, what is the true purpose of

entertainment in society today?

Is it to display an entertainer’s true talents or is it just to entertain the masses? As an avid music lover and viewer of movies, I find that entertainment today lacks talent in many cases, especially in music.

Many singers do not possess the true talent it takes to be an award-winning singer, but because of what most people enjoy today, singers do not have to have talent to be an award winner. Singers such as Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and even Britney Spears take the stage as some of the most influential people in entertainment.

But do they really deserve that title? Most of them are a terrible, inappropriate influence, do not write their own lyrics or are able to sing live on stage without assistance. Even sweet, popular country artist Taylor Swift has trouble staying on pitch during performances.

On the other hand, there are plenty of artists with incredible talent who do not get the credit or fame they deserve, bands such as City & Colour, or The Black Keys. Hearing them in comparison to the popular artists of today, you wonder what makes them popular. But popularity depends on what the people are interested in, not the true talent, which should actually be the ultimate deciding factor.

Even though most of the popular artists today do not have what it takes to be talented artists who can actually sing live without any help, who can write their own lyrics and who can entertain the masses without profanity, do not be discouraged. While these true artists seem difficult to find, they are actually everywhere, if you only open your ears and eyes to true talent.

Definitely Maybe rocks community with unique style Thomas Hair

Online Copy Editor

There are thousands of aspiring bands spread across the nation in thousands of communities.

Some bands have a guitarist. Some have a pianist. Some have a really great singer.

But how many local groups can say that they feature male vocals, female vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, trombone, trumpet, harmonica, drums, saxophone and flute? Not very many.

Coppell is home to a band that can say just that. Definitely Maybe is an eight-piece adult band describing itself as Dallas’ premier party and wedding band.

Having eight members playing a wide variety of musical instruments gives Definitely Maybe an infectious energy onstage.

“Their energy onstage is great,” Pink Soles team captain Jackie Brainerd said. “They really enjoy

performing and you can tell. They interact, anytime they can, with the audience. When we did our 5k in the park, the most common comment was that people loved the band.”

Audiences also love Definitely Maybe for the sheer amount of music in its repertoire.

Definitely Maybe is a cover band, meaning it does not write original music, but they have a set list spanning multiple genres and hundreds of songs. The band is constantly expanding its enormous playbook of songs and will even learn requested songs for a specific event.

“We’re a horn-driven rock cover band,” Coppell resident and lead singer Mike Dunn said.

“It’s insane the amount of music we play. We play everything from James Brown, funk, disco and Chi-

cago all the way into modern stuff like Maroon 5.”

Definitely Maybe traces its

roots all the way back to 2003, when guitarist Scott Curry and bassist Gary Tatsch began jamming with each other to restore their passion for music. After some time with an unstable lineup, Dunn was inserted as lead vocalist in 2004 and provided leadership and solidified the band’s sound.

Jacob Frasier jumped aboard to provide drumming services, while Dwayne Pedigo, Jason Ellison and Carl Lundgren each play various horn instruments, giving the band a jazzy edge. Definitely Maybe has maintained this lineup ever since, and added Medea Richey as a second vocalist in 2009.

Though she is the only female member of Definitely Maybe, Richey has fit in perfectly.

“We have a lot of fun, a lot of goofiness, a lot of things that only we understand. I’m definitely one

of the guys; I’m not a diva,” Richey said. “A lot of girls in all-guy bands just lock in with their microphone and that’s all they do, but we’re not like that.”

The band plays in venues all over the Metroplex, but many of Definitely Maybe’s members reside in Coppell, and the band plays at Coppell events throughout the year.

Since Definitely Maybe broke onto the Coppell scene, it has played at local events such as the Fourth of July Parade, Earthfest, Holiday in the Park, Relay For Life, Pink Soles and at numerous Coppell ISD schools and private weddings and parties.

“There are not a lot of hornbased bands that play everything we play,” Dunn said. “We have a niche; we are not a cookie-cutter band. Coppell has its own rocking horn band. We bring our style of music to Coppell.”

Members of Definitely Maybe must balance demanding performance schedules with weekly rehearsals, not to mention every day life. All eight members of the band have time-consuming day jobs. Dunn is a well-known realtor, while Pedigo and Ellison are both

teachers.

Each member of Definitely Maybe must balance family life and outside career with the timedemanding schedule of Definitely Maybe. It requires many a rehearsal, many a late night in Tatsch’s home studio to maintain the massive set list and spirited onstage chemistry.

Their commitment to Definitely Maybe is based entirely upon passion for music.

“We have eight people that understand what it takes to run this thing,” Dunn said. “We do a lot of volunteering where I don’t think we charge because we understand the importance of music. The guys are really committed because they love it.”

Definitely Maybe’s dedication to entertaining audiences with soulful music has earned them a loyal following here in Coppell.

“We schedule our events around when the band available.

The band is very well received, audiences love it,” Brainerd said.

“When we did the barbecue cookoff a year ago, it was pouring down rain but they set up and played.

They could’ve very easily said no, but they’re dedicated.”

page 18

entertainment

april 2011

Hunger Games stays true to best selling youth novel Mary Whitfill Features Editor

The Hunger Games is not a children’s movie. Don’t take your kids to see it, don’t see it if you’re squeamish and don’t see it if you aren’t ready to ward off a physiological demon or two.

Do go see it if you are looking for an almost perfect adaption of a book that has won the hearts of young adults across the nation.

That’s right. Perfect. Well, almost. I would say the first Hunger Games movie is the closest thing to perfect I have seen in a long time. Director Gary Ross is able to put everything into perspective, and the casting is almost exactly what I pictured in my head when I read the first book so many years ago.

Based in a futuristic version of North America, the country of Panem is divided into 12 districts where hundreds of thousands of oppressed citizens reside. Following an uprising in which the districts rebelled in attempts to defeat ‘The Capitol,’ the country’s leadership has created a bloodthirsty event called The Hunger Games. In the games, one boy and one girl from each district, ages 12 to 18, are chosen at random to participate in a fight to the death shown on live television, a viewing mandatory for all citizens of Panem.

The story follows a young girl from District Twelve, Katniss Everdeen, who volunteered to take her twelve year-old sister’s place in the games, and Peeta Mellark, the boy tribute from the same district. Guided by a drunken previous victor Haymitch Abernathy, the two tributes are forced to leave everything behind,

including Katniss’ best friend Gale, to fight in the vicious game directed by head game-maker Seneca Crane. Not only does the story follow the lives of those involved in the games, but the lives of those left behind and the lives of those forced to watch. As the story progresses, the audience becomes more and more invested in each individual character, making it impossible to remain emotionally unattached.

While on the whole, I would give the movie one of the best ratings of any I have ever seen, it is easy to say why I feel this way: I have read the books. While I sit anxiously in the theaters waiting for The Capitol to do this and the characters to do that, I can not help but realize that had I not read the books, this would seem like nothing but a bloodbath of innocent children.

District Twelve is desolate, The Capitol is disturbingly ignorant, Rue’s father is appropriately devastated and Seneca Crane sends a chill to the center of my spine that remains until his downfall. The settings are unbelievably true to the books, and the emotions felt by the characters are portrayed in a way only those with true talent could pull off.

From Haymitch to Cinna to Katniss Everdeen herself, each actor does a stunning job of capturing each individual character. I want to hit Haymitch as much as I want to hug him, I want Cinna, Katniss’ stylist, to be my new best friend and I want Katniss on my side in a fight. I want to educate Effie Trinket, a mindless drone of the Capitol, I want to overthrow President Snow and I want to put Gale in a safe place an never let him leave. I am emotionally in-

vested in The Hunger Games.

As a reader, I understand the symbols of rebellion, the estranged relationship between Katniss and her mother and the way Katniss felt she owed a debt to everyone around her. As someone who stepped off the street, I see nothing but the souls being sucked out of 24 children and an ignorant body of people thinking it is acceptable entertainment.

For a book adaptation to be truly successful, it needs to capture the hearts of both dedicated fans and story-ignorant moviegoers alike. If I were a person who knows nothing of Katniss’ motherly personality, nothing of Gale’s damaged persona, and nothing of Peeta’s need for acceptance, I would think The Hunger Games was is the most disturbing movie I had ever seen. Book adaptations need to be able to stand on their own. That is a true victory.

All in all, the first of the fourpart movie series does a solid job of introducing the major characters and getting through the important plot points with no major hang-ups. While the movie is a non-stop fight-to-the-death film, it succeeds in being something much more interesting and much more necessary – a fascinating character drama that captures the core themes of the book.

Photos (top to bottom): Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks, left) and Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) star in “The Hunger Games.” (Courtesy Murray Close/ MCT). Director Gary Ross is pictured on the set of “The Hunger Games.” (Courtesy Murray Close/ MCT). Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, left) and Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) star in “The Hunger Games” (Bottom left). (Courtesy Murray Close/ MCT).

Act of Valor portrays challenges of U.S. Navy SEALs

Photo courtesy MCT Campus Chase Porter Staff Writer

This May, the world was informed that a group of elite warriors, the Navy SEALs, had taken out the elusive Al- Queda leader, Osama Bin Laden. With this event the interest in the Navy SEALs was reborn and now everyone can see first hand what they do in Act of Valor.

On Feb. 24, Act of Valor was released, and within a week it became the No. 1 movie in the country. It is fast paced and suspenseful because of the use of real life Navy Seals and is emotional to see what these men give up.

“When I heard this movie was coming out I was really interested because of all the hype surrounding SEAL Team Six,” senior

Daniel Chac said.

The action is one of the best I have seen recently. The use of live ammunition in some of the sequences added to the intensity and every artificial explosion and bullet impact will make you tense.

Even though the action is as close as you can get to the real thing, looking back on it, every battle is incredible one sided towards the Seals which I thought may have been a little exaggerated.

While watching this movie, keep in mind these are not actors; they are professional soldiers. The acting that they display, I actually enjoy because their use of technical military slang is much needed, but some of the scenes are a tad awkward. During the action the acting is great but the dialogue following the action between the

team members and their families is just a little unnatural.

“The acting definitely wasn’t the greatest but the action was really cool,” sophomore Davis Haddock said. “Some of the talking was a little awkward but the battles made up for it.”

Obviously (from the trailer) you can tell the effects are fantastic. Cars exploding and the amount of gore was exactly what the movie needed to keep the attention of the audience. The only downside of the effects were that some of the muzzle flashes from the weapons stood out because of computer animation.

This film is special not only because of the Seals themselves but the equipment that they were allowed to use. Special Navy SEAL equipment is given the

spotlight in some instances such as a reconnaissance drone, a submarine, and a few other vehicles.

These gadgets don’t contribute to the plot but they sure do make for some cool scenes.

While watching the movie I was too focused on the action but walking out of the theater I had to wonder; was that a recruitment video? I feel like it is definitely to pull more people into the military but also I believe it is to show the sacrifice members of the military make. Yes, it may have been for recruitment but is that really a bad thing.

“When I was watching the movie I didn’t think any thing of it but when I talked to other people about it I was kind of curious to see if this was just a recruitment tool or not,” senior Clay Ross said.

The plot line of this movie is definitely in tact but it felt pretty strung together by the battle scenes. It is a little too predictable and honestly, it felt like a first person shooter game like Modern Warfare 3. Not to mention the first person camera angles in some places, the movie is a video game that you didn’t have to play.

All in all, this movie is really cool but not a whole lot more than that. It is a very unique action film that I think needs to be seen but it is not a memorable experience. To much of the focus was on the action and destruction and not enough was put on the drama of the situations unfolding.

I recommend this film to all that love a good action movie and for those who are curious about what our military personnel do.

april 2012

entertainment

page 19

Invisible Children coming into view with viral video Jordan Bickham Staff Writer

As our generation constantly checks social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, these sites have become a source of not only entertainment, but also the most current news. And this fact is exactly what Invisible Children used to their advantage.

Invisible Children is a prominent organization focusing on the war raging in Africa today. The organization focuses on three main goals of making the world aware of the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) through films, campaigns to channel energy from viewers of said films and to operate programs provide protection and assistance to those affected by the LRA in Africa.

While the organization has had a huge part in helping the people of Africa today, they still need a lot more help. With Joseph Kony, the ringleader of the LRA, still on the loose, freedom is still farfetched, but with Invisible Children’s new Kony 2012 campaign, everyone’s on the lookout for Kony.

Originally formed in Uganda, the Lord’s Resistance Army’s original goal was to create a theocratic government based on the Christian 10 commandments, but instead has captured over 30,000 children to use as warriors or sex slaves and has displaced more than 2.1 million people in its 26 year history.

Even though the army is not active in Uganda today, it has

moved to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic and South Sudan. Invisible Children has been working for nine years to help Africa, but has started a new tactic this year with the Kony 2012 campaign. This campaign aims to make sure that the world knows Kony as the world’s worst war criminal, and that efforts to stop Kony are st rengt hened with a better strategy.

Surprisingly, this campaign was spread not through the news at first, but through social media sites. The Kony 2012 film created for the campaign was quickly dispersed through sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Tumblr in an effort spread the message.

“I was on YouTube and I was looking at the most viewed videos of the week

Goyne said. “People have been passing it around like crazy, posting it on Facebook and stuff, so it seems like it’s working.”

Most have discovered the organization just through the passing of the Kony 2012 campaign’s film, which has received over 86,000,000 views. Among these viewers is senior Keaton Ozymy, the president of the Invisible Children club at CHS, who found out about the campaign after a fellow club member posted the video on the group’s Facebook wall.

“It did its job, but there’s a lot of controversy about it because it wasn’t the right way to go about it,” Ozymy said. “But as marketing you want people to talk about you whether it’s good or bad because the awareness is there now. People now know what Invisible Children is and what they do.”

Invisible Children has been a club at CHS for quite some time. With various fundraisers and visitations from the organization itself, the club is well known at Coppell. The only problem is that many have not been aware of what the club actually does. Many view Invisible Children as that “African supporting club” along with Hope for Africa, but are not aware of what the club specifically aims to do.

Because of Kony 2012 and its popularity among our generation due to social media sites, many students now understand Invisible Children, but others remain skeptical “We still have those older generations, who no matter what it is or how great it is, they are going to reject it,” Ozymy said. “Then they are going to talk to their children, our generation, and it would just trickle down. If your parents do not feel like it’s credible every child believes that their parents are always right.”

While Goyne has already seen the film, he is still uncertain of what the organization’s funds are truly going towards.

“There have been a lot of rumors going around about them, so I’m not really sure what to think,” Goyne said. “When they come to our school, they seem pretty believable, but people are saying that a lot of its fake. That a lot of their money goes to their movie and video funding rather than the cause they are actually trying to support.”

Although social media is an effective way to spread the word, it can also make viewers question the legitimacy of the cause and even the organization itself. But while some are unsure about this cause, many continue to support Invisible Children and believe that they are doing the right thing.

“After seeing Invisible Children come to our school a few times, I’ve become a supporter of their cause,” sophomore Sydney Owens said. “Without social media being a source for their marketing, many people would still have no idea who or what Invisible Children is. While this method caused bad speculation, it also created a lot of support for the organization and brought attention to what’s going on in Africa, which was their main goal anyways.”

#Kony2012

“Without social media being a source for their marketing, many people would still have no idea who or what Invisible Children is.”

-Sydney Owens, sophomore where the Kony video was the top one with 50-something million views, so I decided to check it out,” sophomore J.P.

Photos courtesy Kony 2012

april 2012

Coppell Lacrosse supports teammate with new motto continued from pg. 1

graduated nine players from last year’s state champion.

The Cowboys want to establish Coppell as a perennial state title contender that is not just powered by one class of players.

The Ainsworth family is honored by the teams respect for Matthew and the family in this time of grief.

“It meant a lot to have the support of the lacrosse organization throughout this difficult time for our family,” Matthew’s mother Jean Ainsworth said.

“They call it playing with a purpose. Every time they step out to play, they will all think of her. She was a huge part of Matthew’s life

and they are all supporting him by doing this. They are playing as a team to bring honor to Libbie’s name and more importantly they are bringing support onto the field for Matthew to let him know that every player is there for him.”

Though many members of the team did not personally know Libbie, she continues to touch their lives even after her death. The team is inspired by Matthew and wants to honor his sister every time they walk onto the field.

“I personally did not know her although I dedicate the season to her,” Busch said. “Having Matthew as a teammate and seeing his loss just puts a fire in all

of us to play for her and the Ainsworth family.”

For Matthew, losing Libbie changed the way he views his life, and has made him cherish the time he has with the people he loves. Even without her cheering on the sidelines Matthew continues to play for her because he knows it is what she would have wanted him to do.

“I cannot really answer for everyone, but I think it put things in perspective and is a motivator to play hard because you never know if it’s the last time you get to play,” Matthew said. “I know I think of her every game, and I play my hardest for her because it would make her proud.”

Libbie Ainsworth 1991-2012 Libbie and Matthew Ainsworth, siblings, smile for a picture at an Auburn University football game. Members of the Coppell Lacrosse team are showing their support for fellow teammate Matthew by making T-shirts and stickers in honor of Libbie, who passed away in early January.

Photo courtesy Matthew Ainsworth Photos by Ivy Hess

Graphy by Brian Hwu

ess

sports

page 20

Other sports

overshadowed

If there is one thing that Coppell High School does not take well, it is losing. When the football team stumbled so badly that it did not even make it into the postseason playoffs, many were shocked and felt that this loss meant no other sport could win. The Coppell Cowgirls volleyball team was the first to prove this theory wrong. In November they won the Class 5A state championship. In November, the Cowgirls played seven playoff matches in order to get the opportunity to go up against the McKinney Boyd Lady Broncos in the Class 5A state championship match.

The Cowgirls, who had already played one close match in

the state semifinals, were determined to beat the Lady Broncos, which they did in a very close four game match. Though the Cowgirls were consistent throughout their season and maintained second place rank in their district, it is fair to say not many people expected the state win. With everyone’s focus put on the Cowboys’ disappointing season, the Cowgirls seemed to have come out of nowhere, but in reality they had been overshadowed by the monster that is Coppell football. We placed so much emphasis on the Cowboys and the many ups and downs of their season that we forgot about all other teams at

CHS. Vo l leyball was not the only team to prove that Coppell’s success went beyond the football field. In February, CHS had two more teams representing Coppell in state competitions.

Junior Hayden Henry represented Coppell at the state swim meet in Austin. Henry qualified for the meet in the 200 freestyle, which is also one of the event in which Henry holds a record. He broke this record last year with a time of 1:46.34.

Swimming is not known for its widespread attention at CHS, and many were surprised to find out we even had a student fast enough to make the state meet.

The same weekend that Henry went to compete in the state swim meet, a number of

by football season losses

boys and girls wrestlers went to compete in the state wrestling meet. The Cowboys and Cowgirls had six wrestlers compete in the state meet including seniors Sam Rice, Kaleb Richardson, Avery Sauders and Samantha Tudor as well as with juniors Daniel Murillo and Stephanie Martinez.

Of the six competitors, Rice was the only one to not only place, but become the state champion of his 285-pound weight class. Rice was well known among CHS students for his recent commitment to SMU for football and his role on the Cowboys football, but his wrestling career had managed to remain under the radar.

At CHS

we have a tendency to define ourselves on one thing, but all of these teams have proven that our school’s success does not rest on the success or failure of one team.

This should be remembered as our soccer teams and baseball team continue to strive for a spot in the state tournament.

We cannot be a school that puts so much stress on one sport that others fall by the wayside. We must remember that every team is as important and their success cannot be measured by the success of another team.

Sammy Robben Sports Editor

april 2012

sports

page 21

Van Winkle to lead Cowgirls as second year captain John Loop Staff Writer

Being captain of a high school varsity team is one thing.

But doing that twice is a whole other story.

Add in the fact that third baseman and catcher Alicia Van Winkle was an underclassman when the coaches first told her she would be taking the reins of Cowgirl softball, and it all gets put in perspective.

“It is not common to have a sophomore as a captain alongside two seniors,” Van Winkle said.

“You wouldn’t expect an underclassman to be able to handle that much responsibility, but I took pride in that and worked hard through fall and spring, and that is what helped me regain the captain role my junior year.”

When coach Katherine Krug told Van Winkle last year that she would be taking the driver’s seat, she was honored.

“She started off as a freshman on varsity,” assistant coach Mandy Owens said. “And that’s a big deal. She took that role as a freshman, and she knew she would have to do some extra work.”

The Cowgirl softball team will need all the locker room leadership it can get this season after finishing with a 9-17 record and in sixth place out of eight teams during last year’s season.

“We have had a great start in district [play],” Owens said. “It depends on what team shows up

on any given day. Our kids just seem to work well together.”

Van Winkle has gained a lot of experience in the game of softball, since she first picked up a glove at age five.

“I have is a lot of experience with softball,” Van Winkle said.

“Since I’ve been playing for more than 10 years and at a gold level for three.”

Her experience also helps keep her teammates in line.

“Alicia is a confident, loud, straightforward, get-things-done kind of girl,” sophomore Erika Zimmer said. “She has a great work ethic and she keeps us focused when we are on the field.”

Both Van Winkle and Zimmer were privileged enough to be starters for the 16U Texas Glory Gold this summer when the team placed second at the Primer National Tournament in California.

“Alicia is an amazing player,” Zimmer said, “When I played with her on our select team, which went to nationals in California, she had a lot of pop in her bat and was fielding cleanly.”

Van Winkle calls her performance in the tournament a defining moment in her career. She led the team to a record-breaking finish.

“The ESPN California Premiere National Tournament is the biggest tournament we play in

Pitcher Alicia Van Winkle instructs her teammates before a game last year as a sophomore captain. (left) Photo by Brian Hwu

[club b a l l ] ,” Van Winkle said. “My team (Glory) took second place. If I remember correctly we were the first Texas team to ever make it that far in California.

It is probably the highest achievement of my softball career.”

Van Winkle verbally committed to Appalachian State University in North Carolina in September of last year.

This has had a major influence on Van Winkle’s teammates, especially Zimmer.

“I look up to her a lot,” Zimmer said. “She is so confident and driven. She’s already committed to her dream college, which is something I’m working on.”

Sitting currently just behind rival Southlake Carroll at fifth in District 7-5A, the Cowgirls (4-6) will need to generate the offensive spark they need to push themselves into the playoffs.

“I think that we are really starting to come together this year,” Zimmer said. “We are a strong hitting team, our defense is

pretty darn good, and our pitching is just getting better and better. We’ll just take it one game at a time.”

Van Winkle is excited to lead the girls out onto the diamond for another season as their fearless captain.

“As a captain, you take on more responsibilities, so it has changed my approach [to the team] for the better,” Van Winkle said. “It helped me understand the meaning of putting the team first, but also trying to make those around me not only better athletes, but better people too.”

sports Runners get a head start, stay on track to succeed

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april 2012

Coppell standout pursues running career at SFA Lauren VerDuin Staff Writer

When it comes to jumping hurdles and running relays, senior Valerie Osamor is no professional track star, but her drive and determination has allowed her to become the athlete she is today as she verbally committed to Stephen F. Austin State University.

Osamor began her track career in the seventh grade running the 400-meter dash. Her love and interest for the sport quickly expanded as she continued track throughout middle school and into high school.

The summer before sophomore year, Osamor started running for a summer track team where she began to become more serious about the sport.

“I began to truly love running track and I knew that I wanted a scholarship to run in college,” Osamor said.

Giving up playing basketball her junior year, Osamor focused her attention on only track and began to see results. Her junior year everything started falling into place as she broke her personal record of 57.2 seconds for the 400-meter dash, qualifying her for regionals. It was here that she broke her personal record yet again at 57.07 seconds.

“I started receiving letters after regionals congratulating me on my success, but because of scouting

rules, they could not officially offer me any sort of scholarship until the summer after my junior year,” Osamor said. “This summer some scouts actually came to my house to talk to me about their schools.”

One school in particular caught Osamor’s eye; a college that would not only provide her with the best resources to mature as an athlete, but one that would allow her to bring part of Coppell with her.

“Landon Massey, who graduated last year and was also in track with me, told me to look at SFA,” Osamor said. “I called them to let them know I was interested and they later contacted me over the summer.

I went down for a visit and really loved everything about it. The track team there was so similar to Coppell.

They were a family that worked hard together, but they had fun doing it.

The coaching staff was the same way.

As I talked to them I noticed how passionate they seemed and I knew I could grow so much running there.”

Following her visit this summer, Osamor verbally committed to SFA in February after receiving a partial scholarship. By keeping up her grades and attendance, Osamor continues to strive as not only an athlete but a student as well.

“In order to keep my scholarship I have to work hard and not slack off. I have to pay attention to my grades because it’s kind of like high school where if you fail you can’t

play,” Osamor said. “I often times go to math tutoring because I struggle with pre-cal. The major I want to pursue involves math, so I know that I need to keep my math grade high along with my other grades to keep my track scholarship.”

As Osamar drops her time in the 400 each year, track coach Roxanne Farris, has continued to watch her become a more efficient runner through the use of better technique and form.

“Valerie is a hard worker who never complains and always gives 100 percent effort,” Farris said.

“Her positive attitude helps make the tougher workouts seem a little more bearable. She makes everyone feel part of the team no matter what grade they are in or what events they compete in.”

Due to Osamor’s hard work to her lively personality, Farris and teammates have enjoyed working with her over the past three years and wish her the best as she moves forward in her track career.

“Working with Valerie has been such a fun experience,” senior Delanie Durso said. “She is always so light hearted, and her easygoing personality keeps the team going.

Her willingness to work hard will allow her to succeed in her future track career.”

Shane Murray Valerie Osamor Murray looks to prove his talents this track season Lance McCaskey Staff Writer

Renaissance man Shane Murray is looking to prove himself in more ways than one this track and concert band season.

After an unsuccessful end to the cross-country season, failing to advance out of district, Murray and his fellow varsity runners are looking at this track season to earn redemption.

Murray, who has been successful in the past, looks at this year as his chance to prove himself to the track community of North Texas.

“I think your junior year is probably your most important as a runner,” Murray said. “You don’t get a free pass.

People expect you to compete and give results. I feel I have to prove myself this year, not just to my coaches or colleges, but to the entire track world.”

Murray runs the 800-meter dash, and the mile for the Cowboys track team. While he is a strong runner at 800 meters, his true event is the mile. At Coppell Relays, Murray smashed his previous personal record with a 4:29 mile, finishing in the top ten. Murray, though, still expects more this year.

“The 4:29 was a sort of bittersweet time for me,” Murray said. “I was happy with the time, but not with the result. I let the race get away from me,

and could have placed better. I need to race smarter in the future if Coppell plans on winning anything.”

High expectations are not the only thing on Murray’s mind. Just seconds from the school record, he hopes to make history by the end of this track season. “[Coppell Relays] was a good race, but I still feel I have more to offer,” Murray said. “I’m only nine seconds from that school record, and I would love to put my name on the wall. If I race smart and train hard in the coming weeks, I don’t see why I can’t reach and exceed that goal by the end of the season.”

Murray’s lesser-known talent, the trombone, also comes with high expectations.

“My brothers were both very successful in the band program here at school,” Murray said. “I feel the pressure to perform well in music because of the great success my brothers had before me. I feel like I need to carry the torch, so to speak.”

Murray is not only a strong individual competitor, but also a leader for the distance team and the trombone section. Murray was the only junior trombone to be named a member of “The Leadership,” a group of students that lead the marching band. Younger talents look to him for leadership and advice, and he is widely respected

among the athletes at Coppell High School.

“Shane is a great runner, we all know that, but he’s also a great leader on and off the track,” freshman Mark Jeska said. “He is fun to be around, but knows when its time to get to work. He leads by example, and isn’t afraid to tell you if he doesn’t like what you’re doing The same is true in band. He expects you to give him the respect he’s earned, and leads by a great example on the field.”

As the season heats up, Murray and his teammates are already looking toward the future of the Coppell track program.

“Shane and I are both going to be seniors next year,” New Tech junior Brantley Young said. “This is it for us before we head off to college. This has been a solid year, track wise, and I really think we can build on it for next year.

If all goes according to plan, we should be at the state meet next season.”

One thing is certain; the track team is ready to prove themselves to the state this coming season, and show they have what it takes to win.

“We have shot next year,” Murray said. “If we put the work in, with our new district, I don’t see why we can’t be a successful program next year. I’m tired of building the program. It’s time we start winning.”

Photos by Brian Hwu

april 2012

sports

page 23

Photo by Rowan Khazendar

Golfers aim for progress with elite training opportunity Julianne Cauley News Editor

For the Coppell High School golf team, this could be a year of firsts. Many members of the team are aiming to achieve golf’s first state title, and with a unique opportunity for eight of the school’s golfers, this goal could likely become a reality for the entire team.

“The expectation for our team is to go to state before we leave CHS,” junior Daniel Dickens said.

“We all realized that is what we wanted at the end of last year. This year, when we broke the school’s record for lowest team score in Photo courtesy Lexi Kearney September and got second in the regional Junior Lexi Kearney concentrates on her swing preview; we then realduring practice. She participates in a special ized we could actually program called Shawn Humphries’s Golf Perdo it.” formance

The regional preview allows players to play a round on the course used for the regional tournament. Dickens, along with fellow junior Lexi Kearney, is in the Shawn Humphries’ Golf Performance program. “[The program] consists of a select group of golfers who are interviewed and evaluated before they are allowed a spot in the program,” Kearney said. “It is designated for elite golfers who wish to play college golf and take their game to another level.”

Humphries declined comment for this story.

To be included in the program, there is a selective application process. It begins with a referral to see Humphries and is followed by an interview. He and his assistant observe ball striking and then the interview is concluded with a meeting in the clubhouse at Cowboys Golf Club in Grapevine. The group-training program is broken up into different skill levels: developmental, select and elite. Applicants are put into a group so the people the golfers are training with have the same dedication and goals.

“I have always loved golf, from the day my dad first put a club in my hands,” Dickens said.

“He was the one who taught me all I knew about golf until the start of my sophomore year. One of my good friends and I were playing and he told me about this great program he was in and I saw how much it has helped his game. He talked to Shawn for me and a week later I had an interview with Shawn to get into the program.”

The impact of Humphries on the CHS golf team is evident among the participants.

Kearney has been working with Humphries for about a year now and says she has seen her scores have noticeably dropped 10-15 strokes.

“I have known Lexi my entire life and we have golfed together since we were 12,” junior teammate Tiffany Hagen-Breitenwischer said.

“Since she has been going to Shawn’s, I have noticed a big improvement in her game and her scores have dropped. It is the same way with the others who are in the group.”

Most of the other Coppell par-

ticipants hear of Humphries’s program through Dickens and Kearney.

“When I started to play better in the spring of my sophomore year, I started to tell people what I was doing to get better,” Dickens said. “I started recommending a lot of the Coppell golf team members to come and find out what it was all about. A lot of my teammates have now joined the program and it has brought their game to a whole different level.”

Other Coppell players involved in Humphries’s program are juniors Landon Moody, Sumner Little and Travis Underwood, sophomores Hannah Jiao and Taylor Icenberger, and freshman Payton Cupstid.

“I always like to see my team and my friends do good at what they love,” Dickens said. I really feel like by always training with my friends and teammates it has made me a better leader and has brought our team closer together.”

This elite program causes the players to work longer, harder and more consistently in order to achieve the entire team’s goal of going to the state tournament.

page 24

. . the sidekick

April 2012