The Sidekick: December Issue

theSidekick

Local Health News pg. 4

Coppell High School

185 Parkway Blvd. Coppell, TX 75019

Holiday Cheer

In-Depth pg. 12-13 Opinions pg. 8 www.coppellstudentmedia.com

Vol. 23 No. 3

December 2011 Photo by Sammy Robben

Volleyball kills competition en route to first state title Sammy Robben Sports Editor

Every point, every match, every long practice and hard workout led the Cowgirls to their first ever state title, and while the win may be satisfying, it would never have been possible without the journey before it.

“This medal is how I will

remember this season,” senior setter Sarah Arnold said. “All these girls, I love them so much and we went through all this together and getting here together has been incredible. We have worked really hard and to come out and finish and be number one, it feels amazing.”

Throughout the Cowgirls’ journey to the state tourna-

ment they only lost four matches and two fell at the hands of the Southlake Carroll Lady Dragons, who also beat the Cowgirls for first place in the district championship. It wasn’t until the Lady Dragons were upset by Grapevine in the area playoffs that the Cowgirls became real state hopefuls.

“We just kept saying that

we worked too hard to let it go down here,” junior middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu said. “So we knew that with this extra chance, there was no doubt in our mind that we would take it.”

The Cowgirls finished their regular district season with a record of 11-2 and an overall record of 34-6.

Though every match was an important step in the Cowgirls quest for a state title, their surprising comeback against the Hebron Lady Hawks was one of their most

see Champions on pg. 12-13 To see more go to Coppellstudentmedia.com

Censorship discussions Robinson family fosters kindness take shape in Congress Sarah Police Staff Writer

Photo illustration by Rachel Bush, Brian Hwu and Lauren Ussery

Caroline Carter Staff Writer

In a generation where social media has become an essential part of many people’s lives, the possibility of government censorship over the Internet seems nearly impossible.

But with the recent push of bills such as the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Intellectual Property Protection bill, the futures of websites such as YouTube and Tumblr are in question.

Lamar Smith of Texas, who is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced SOPA to the US House of Representatives on Oct. 26. SOPA’s purpose is to help the government and copyright holders gain control over online piracy along with increasing the penal-

ties for engaging in intellectual property theft.

The bill would also give a wide range of control to private companies, singers and actors as it would give them the right to be able to send in a request to Internet sites such as Google or YouTube and force them to cut off access to their work.

“As a parent, I understand that there are a lot of things on the Internet that as a parent that it would be easy to say that there should be censorship but also as a journalist I see things in a different way,” KCBY instructor Irma Kennedy said. “It is scary to think that someone will now make a choice of what is censored for us; I don’t like someone dictating what you can and

see Censorship on pg. 2

It took a minute for John Robinson to compose his thoughts when asked about the experience of fostering children. After resisting at first to becoming a foster parent, Robinson knew his life was changed forever.

Robinson, physics teacher and wrestling coach at Coppell High School, and his wife Carolyn have been fostering children since 2006.

When a child is deemed unfit to live with their parents, they are put into state control.

They are put into foster care where they temporarily live with a family until the state has decided what the child’s best interest is.

Some children stayed with the Robinsons for years, others a mere 24 hours. Luckily, most

of the children they foster get adopted.

“Our first little boy came to us as a newborn; he was a very happy baby,” Carolyn said. “We watched him learn to sit up, crawl and then walk. He loved music, he loved to play with balls and drop things down the stairs.”

“We watched him learn to sit up, crawl, and then walk.”

-Carolyn Robinson Fortunately, the children the Robinsons foster have vibrant personalities.

“One time he discovered magic markers and decided to color on our couch,” Carolyn said.

“We still have a few marks to remind us of this precious curious little toddler.”

So far, the Robinsons have

fostered five children.

“We had two babies for two days,” John said. “Then we had a baby boy and we got him when he was three weeks old. We kept him until he was six months old and his grandmother took him.”

Not all of the children they foster go to live with family but all of the children leave the Robinsons because they have a better future ahead of them.

“It’s nice to help to get them off to a good start,” John said.

Carolyn, a stay at home mom, found herself with extra time on her hands as her three boys were moving on to high school. She wanted to do something with her newfound spare time and while the decision to foster was a tough one for her husband, it was easy for her.

“I was trying to figure out what I should do with my spare

see Robinson pg. 11 Photo courtesy of John Robinson

The Robinsons were inspired to become a foster family.

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news

december 2011

Censorship bills threaten HOLIDAY HOUSE future of Tumblr, YouTube continued from pg. 1

cannot say.”

Although the bill has gained a tremendous amount of followers ranging from teenagers to adults, Congress has yet to back out of the continuation to pass the bill. Although there is no set date for the passing, Congress notes that the passing could happen at any time. This would result in a change in the way people use the Internet forever.

If SOPA does eventually pass, the Internet as well as free speech will change drastically.

Furthermore, the government will have control over which Internet sites to block by using methods that both China and Iran use, though the creators of the bill state that the intention is not that same as China’s Great FireWall, which is the nationwide Web censorship the country uses.

Kennedy, who traveled last summer to China along with several other teachers and administrators, experienced how censorship can affect the way journalists write.

“One of the principals with us was blogging and he had mentioned that we had been to Tianenmen Square,” Kennedy said. “The government then had shut his blog down for giving away this information when all he was doing was blogging for his school and students to follow him. When you experience something like that you get a different understanding of freedom of speech. But there are certainly some parts to the bill that are beneficial.”

One of the new laws that the bill will implement is that it will become a felony to use copyrighted work that costs more than $2,500 to license.

For example, if one were to post a video of themselves singing a cover to a popular song on YouTube, this would now be considered a felony if there is no credit given, or in some circumstances if it is a copyrighted song at all.

SOPA currently has a number of companies and organizations that are pushing for the bill to pass including the United Chamber of Commerce, the Motion Picture Association

of America and the American Federation of Musicians. All of these companies are paying a great deal of money for the continuation of SOPA. However, many students of Coppell High School have become outraged with the thought of SOPA passing. With websites such as Tumblr and YouTube frequently visited throughout the day, passing the bill would cause many changes to the way teens use the Internet.

“It is really hard to imagine what the Internet and social media will be like if SOPA does pass,” EMAC Academy sophomore Emma Eells said.

“Websites like Tumblr are very important to me. I get on them periodically throughout the day.”

Eells, a staff member for the CHS Round-Up yearbook, uses Tumblr to post her own photos as well as re-blog other photographers’ photos and videos.

“Whenever I post a photo that wasn’t taken by me, I always credit the website or blog that I found it on,” Eells said.

“I know that since I am a photographer myself, I wouldn’t want someone taking credit for my work. Most people do give credit when they post stuff, but not everyone does which can get frustrating if it is your own work.”

Eells says that the majority of the people she knows of do give credit to a photographer’s work. She does however agree that SOPA would be able to reduce the amount of intellectual property stolen on a smaller scale.

“It would definitely decrease the amount of people who illegally download songs, so that would be one good thing from the bill,” Eells said.

“I just think that in the end SOPA would destroy a lot of creative opportunities for people. It’s a difficult situation to decide what the right thing to do is.”

This is another point brought up by many of the bill’s opposition. In a recent article, James Allworth of the Harvard Business School said SOPA “contains provisions that will chill innovation and tinker

with the fundamental fabric of the internet.”

Not all people strongly disagree with the bill. With minor adjustments to the bill, some say that it will help improve the Internet, as artists will now be given proper credit for their work.

“I believe the proposition of the bill is something that will be very beneficial for artists,” sophomore Sydney Owens said.

“The music industry is too often pirated through the use of illegal downloading sites and our singers, songwriters and producers aren’t receiving the credit they deserve.”

Online piracy and illegal downloading costs the U.S. economy an estimated $58 billion in losses every year as well as 373,000 jobs. If SOPA were to pass, illegal downloading would be somewhat eliminated, but there is still the issue of popular sights being black listed.

“Whenever someone decides to illegally download the material that these people have tirelessly worked on to perfect, they are cheating not just the artist alone, but everyone involved in the process,” Owens said. “Overall, I feel like this bill is necessary for today’s artists to receive the proper recognition they deserve for their efforts in music production.”

Though the future of the bill is uncertain and could pass or be declined any day, there are several ways to voice one’s opinion including an online petition. For more information on SOPA visit www.fightforthefuture.org.

Photos by Brian Hwu

Shoppers admire the crafts being sold at the Holiday House on November 14 at CHS.

With Love Cupcakes sold their traditional and gourmet cupcakes at the Holiday House.

Shoppers sort through racks of clothing to find something they like at the Holiday House.

Graphic by Brian Hwu

news American teens lack political knowledge, interest december 2011 Sarah Police Staff Writer

Graphics by Brian Hwu

It is a teacher’s most dreaded question: Why is this important? Teachers hate hearing the question, and if it does not come, they ponder what made the difference. Did they do something right?

Throughout the nation, some high school students remain uninformed about the outside world. They find subjects that do not relate to them meaningless and are more focused on other things. While some youths focus on the latest Katy Perry song, few others are focused on the presidential nomination.

This situation is no different at Coppell High School.

“There are so many distractions in school and extracurricular activities, and I do not have time to keep up with everything,” senior Caroline

Gibbons said. “I do think people are too caught up with trends to pay attention to the news.”

With the primaries fast approaching, students, particularly seniors, need to know significant facts about each of the candidates and how their proposed policies will affect them later on.

High school students are the next generation of voters, taxpayers and lawmake r s .

A n d many students a t CHS feel the path of our future is completely up to us.

“We are the next generation of voters, and who are you going to rely on if we cannot rely on ourselves?” senior Hasika Sarathy said.

Similarly, many teachers agree students need to show more concern about what will happen in the future.

“Policies are made every day that will affect them not just in college, but beyond,” English teacher Susan Creighton said.

“It will affect them when they

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get to buy a house, the choices they have for occupations, how they get to repay their college loans.”

With the world of technology expanding, source availability is growing as well. The Internet is making it increasingly easier for students to keep up with current events.

“I keep up [with politics] mainly online, and I try to look at as many news sources as possible,” junior Matt Shaw said.

However, some feel the information students are being fed may not be 100 percent straightforward.

“It has been proven that the network news is extremely biased toward the left. There was a study done a couple of years ago that did a survey of the political position not just of the reporters but the producers and the directors and everybody involved in a news show,” Creighton said. “ABC and CNN came out 85 percent Democrat while Fox news came out at 55 percent Democrat.”

While some of the information students research may be biased, many people believe it is particularly crucial for juniors and seniors to be well informed because they will be taking big steps into the world in the upcoming years.

“It is especially important for the upperclassmen to be informed because they are at the age where they are closer to voting, and if they are informed about all of these issues, then

they can make a good decision, and they can vote accordingly,” junior Jackie Suh said.

Others share the opinion that students, whether they can vote or not, need to remain involved in Coppell.

“They need to be involved initially on a local basis,” Creighton said. “Some politician once said all politics are local. And the meaning beyond that was the effect of what we do trickles up. In order to have a groundswell of support for any movement it has to start locally so you can see the impact nationally.”

The Republican candidates have been competing for the nomination for a number of months now, and some candidates have had old “ghosts” come out about them.

Controversies may hurt their campaigns because they show a lack of honest character.

“I would want a president to have a good moral character and not do the shady things like offer money to keep dirty secrets,” Suh said. I know everyone is human but there is a certain extent to how you should act if you have that role of power.”

Before these scandals came out it looked as though Herman Cain was set to receive the Republican nomination. He has risen from a “nobody” to a potential presidential candidate in mere months. He has gotten a lot of Americans attention because he is a business man not a politician- which is exactly what many people think we need.

Cain has been flagging swarms of media attention through his controversial 9-99 plan. This will include a nine percent business tax, a nine percent national sales tax, and a nine percent individual flat tax. However in early December Cain withdrew his candidacy.

Texas Governor Rick Perry has strong opinions about public education. He thinks if there is money sitting around then it should be spent on education instead of firing teachers or not having enough textbooks.

With the scandals coming out about Perry, there is also one main contender left from the Republican Party: Mitt Romney.

Like other candidates, Romney seems very focused on creating more jobs in America.

President Obama is most likely to get the nomination for the Democratic Party and will most likely be competing against Perry, Romney, or former Speech of the House Newt Gingrich. According to McClatchy-Marist poll, Obama has favor in 47 percent of America. But many people are concerned that he hasn’t done what he promised when he was first elected.

“In the beginning when Obama was running for president I was in favor of him just because I thought he would make change and I know he’s getting the troops out soon but it didn’t come as quickly as I would have liked it to,” Suh said.

“I just don’t see any change from the past.”

Underdog worthy of presidential nomination

BLOG from the web

Read more at www.coppellstudentmedia.com

This article will not make John Huntsman win the Republican Nomination. In all honesty, it probably will not even help. And that is a shame.

Before I begin, I want to get one thing straight: I have been a supporter of Barack Obama since he first started his presidential campaign. I have been behind Obama since I first saw his 2004 Democratic National Convention speech and heard him remind me that “there is not a liberal America and a conservative America – there is the United States of America.”

What attracted me to Obama was his message of “hope” and “change.” Not only was he eloquent and exciting, but he was telling it like it is. Many people

thought he was too inexperienced and that his name was too different and his skin too dark, but he was different and I believed he would do things differently. I was wrong.

Jon Stewart put it best when he said “I have been saddened to see that someone who ran on the idea that you cannot expect to get different results with the same people and the same system has kept in place so much of the same system and same people.”

Before I am a democrat, a republican or a moderate, I am an American. I want this country to work. I hoped Obama would change the system he preached against through his years of campaigning. He hasn’t. Therefore, he is not the best choice to be presi-

dent of the United States.

Now, that does not mean Obama is the worst choice either. It does not mean he cannot succeed. I will vote for Barack Obama… unless his opponent is John Huntsman. Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Ron Paul, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann have done nothing that leads me to believe they would be better presidents than Obama. Huntsman has.

Huntsman stands out for the simple reason that he does not try to stand out. As Anthony Bergen wrote, “Romney flip-flops, Gingrich is kind of a creep, Ron Paul is out-of-touch and unrealistic, Bachmann a n d Santorum are religious nuts, Herman Cain is a clown, and Rick Perry is a joke.”

Huntsman is reason- able. We need reasonable leaders. This country was formed by reasonable men in an era that was actually called “the Age of Reason.” While the founding fathers may not have gotten everything right, every decision they made was supported by thought and reason. John Huntsman is a man of reason.

While voters flinch at the idea of calling anyone a moderate, moderation is exactly what the United States needs. Moderation does not erase core beliefs. I am not going to change mine and I do not want my president to change theirs. Huntsman is a worldly and

sane leader.

Huntsman is for civil unions for same sex couples, but against same sex marriage. That is not what my perfect president would believe, but it was Obama’s stance in 2008 and I am willing to compromise. Huntsman is pro-life and against abortions in the second and third trimesters. I respect h i s pro-life stance (I disagree with it, but I respect

didate. It will be difficult for him to clinch republican support, but I believe the he would have a shot at the presidency. Huntsman has a platform that manages to appeal to youth, democrats and minorities. All other candidates are running for the GOP nomination.

Huntsman is running for the president of the United States.

Mary Whitfill Features Editor

it.) As for evolution and climate change, this is what Huntsman tweeted in August: “To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy.”

Will John Huntsman win? I hope so. Can he win? Absolutely. He is the most formidable opponent to take on President Obama and he is the most appealing GOP can-

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news

december 2011

Coppell takes pride in restaurant inspection results Mary Whitfill

Features Editor

The City of Coppell Health Department (CHD) is responsible for protecting the public health of Coppell residents by inspecting for food safety in restaurants and grocery stores, as well as both public and private schools.

All business and organizations that provide perishable foods are subject to regular inspections in order to maintain their food permits, documentation is necessary for the continuation of their business.

How frequently each establishment must go through inspection is based on their potential ‘risk,’ which is determined by analyzing the types of food served, the preparation steps, the volume of food and the locations health history. Within in the last few months, over 150 restaurants, schools and day care facilities have undergone inspection and the results have been released to the public.

“The inspection results give consumers a ‘snapshot’ in time of an es-

tablishment’s sanitation and cleanliness procedures,” community information officer Sharon Logan said. “The restaurants in Coppell work closely with the Environmental Health Department and its inspectors to provide a safe, quality product. Working together in this manner helps to accomplish the restaurant’s goal of providing a quality product for its patrons, as well as the Health Department’s goal of protecting public health.”

When inspected, facilities are given demerit-based scores as estab-

lished by the Texas Food Establishment Rules. Demerits are given for each critical violation, which could include anything from combining different types of shellfish in the same container (229.162(12)) to a facility that presents possibility of physical injury (229.162(51)). Based on their demerit accumulation, a facility receives a rating of either excellent, good, acceptable, poor or failing.

Overall, Coppell public facilities performed exceptionally well when evaluated by the CHD. Out of the nine CISD elementary schools, three middle schools and two high schools, only two schools received a score that was not perfect. Cottonwood Creek (CCE) and Town Center (TCE) elementary schools were the only schools to receive any type of demerit at all. TCE received four demerits and CCE received five, knocking them out of the ‘excellent’ scoring range.

“My kids go to Town Center, and while I’ve never been worried

about the food safety, this makes me wonder what they are doing differently and why they are falling behind,” TCE parent Allison Harrison said.

“I’m still not worried, but I hope it doesn’t turn into anything more severe.”

Town Center received one critical violation for expired milk bottles, and three non-critical violations for a broken milk case, damaged weather stripping and shrimp being thawed improperly.

CCE received one critical violation for the milk cooler being warmer than the standard temperature, but the issue was corrected while the inspector was present.

Outside of the public school system, a few Coppell restaurants performed below the bar. While a large number of facilities got perfect scores and none failed, restaurants such as Frida’s Mexican Grill and Italian Express received a rating of ‘poor’ with 21 and 22 demerits respectively.

Frida’s Mexican Grill earned 21 demerits for a variety of reasons, including consecutive meat cooking and storing temperature is-

The City of Coppell Health Department recently inspected over 150 restaurants, schools, and daycare facilities that overall performed very well. (To the left) From top to bottom, these restaurants received rankings from best to worst.

Graphic by Brian Hwu

sues. It was reported that their chicken, beef and taco meet was cooked at a temperature 30 degrees too low and their chicken refrigeration was up to 10 degrees warmer than the temperature required to keep bacteria from entering the area.

Italian Express, located on MacArthur Blvd., earned 22 demerits with 10 of them cited as a ‘critical’ problem.

Some of the more serious demerits came from hygienic issues like the kitchen sink not having hot water for employees to wash hands and cross contamination, caused by storing raw eggs on top of ready to eat foods.

While these restaurants raise some cause for concern, other popular places performed exceptionally well in their inspections, including newest Coppell’s newest restaurant, Schlotzky’s.

“We have to wash our hands if we leave the kitchen for any reason and we use separate knifes to cut everything,” senior Schlotzky’s employee Sydney Salerno said. “We clean off the kitchen counters periodically throughout the day, and we can’t let the different ingredients touch each other. This is important not only for cleanliness, but also in case someone has allergies or can’t eat certain foods.”

Also clinching perfect scores were frequently visited restaurants Biggby Coffee, Guero’s Mexican Grill, Marble Slab Creamery, Wendy’s and Which Wich.

. . opinions

december 2011

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Is it okay to change grades for UIL activities?

636465666768 69 70

PRO High school is extremely busy for the average student.

With extracurricular activities, clubs, and difficult classes, it is hard to balance everything.

This lifestyle is especially difficult for those dedicated to extracurricular activities. With practices, rehearsals, performances and games constantly going on, there is not much time to sit down and concentrate on homework for a few hours.

Because of this, many students who spend all their time involved in extracurricular activities struggle with their grades and may even fail. But failure results in exclusion from games and performances, making all the time they pour into these activities pointless.

“Any grade below 70 in any class (other than an identified

Students should be rewarded for dedicating time to their activities.

class eligible for exemption) or a student with disabilities who fails to meet the standards in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) may not participate in extracurricular activities for three school weeks.”

Those who are dedicated to their extracurricular activities should not be penalized, and that is exactly what this UIL exception rule tries to save these students from.

This rule states that a student in an extracurricular activity who is making a 65 or above (up to a 70, which is passing) in a Preap or AP class can obtain a waiver, have their teacher sign and agree to the terms and conditions, and their grade can be rounded up to a 70 so they can be passing and can continue to participate in these activities.

While many would argue

CON Any student athlete would agree: it is not always easy balancing education and sports.

Some students play more than one sport and take multiple difficult classes, and oftentimes, their grades start to slip.

But, it is OK to fail, as long as they are performing well on the court, right?

Wrong. More often than ever before, UIL rules are being bent and stretched to accommodate student-athletes who are failing classes. These exceptions spread the message that education is second to athletic performance.

Picture the football player who is all too focused on the upcoming game and blows off his Thursday morning math test. He did not grasp the concept, and is now failing the class. The majority of students would flash into

The rule helps students get their act together.

that this rule is an unfair academic rule for team players, the rule actually helps students get their act together. By having to obtain a waiver, these students realize the true extent of slacking off in class, and this encourages them to participate in class more and in their extracurricular activities a bit less.

This lets them know they need to balance their lives and focus more on their schoolwork if they want to continue pursuing what they love. This rule acts as a wake up call to these students, but it still allows them to participate and continue their extracurricular activities.

Most students focus more on their activities outside of school, and because of this, many of them pursue these activities as future careers instead of aca-

Students will The rule sends not take their courses as the message seriously. that education is second to athletic performance.

heart-attack mode, if they got an assignment covered in red ink.

Fortunately, this football player will still have a chance to make it on the field despite his failing grade. Too many times, this is simply the player’s main concern. UIL places rules that allow athletes to pay less attention to their classes by allowing them to round a 65 in a Pre-AP or AP class to a passing 70 through the use of a school-issued wavier.

You could argue, “They’re athletes. These athletes work hard during practice and sometimes they just cannot balance it all.”

However, in the vast majority of the cases, any given student will rely on their intellect above their athleticism throughout their life.

Careers in sports are not reliable enough for students to make their priority, and these curves and waivers just feed the

Balancing classes is hard for some students.

What do you think?

“If they are dedicated to an activity that takes up a lot of time and also are taking high level classes, they should be given some slack if their grades are within the 65-70 range.”

-Tara Henry, senior

demic-based jobs. When you are passionate about something, it is difficult to focus specifically on anything else.

That is why these students are able to let their grades slide without necessarily compromising their futures. It does not mean they are bad students; it just means they are not focused and they should not be punished for that alone.

Even though students should learn to balance academics and extracurricular activities, they still need to be given a chance to get everything together.

Dedication to something as grueling as football or time consuming as band is difficult to do, and students should be rewarded for pouring so much time and effort into these activities. It is OK for them to receive a slight grad-

Bumping grades does not teach students a life lesson.

idea to student athletes that sports will carry them through life.

Too many times, small town athletes blow off their class load to accommodate long hours of practice. These athletes fail to see the bigger picture. They may be the star of their high school team and have their future lined up for them, but injuries happen. What one star player has relied on so heavily can be gone in a minute.

Any injury, from a torn ligament to a paralyzing concussion, can strip a player from his scholarships and even his career. Of the 30 million school-aged Americans who play sports, 3.5 million are injured.

According to a study by Children’s Hospital, one of every four of these injuries will be serious. And in reality, people who base their careers on athleticism alone are standing on thin ice.

“AP classes are difficult and a lot more time-consuming than regular classes. I believe that if a student is willing to put in effort, that they should be rewarded with some grace.”

-Dave Garrett, Government/ Economics teacher

These dedicated students are needed for the wonderful sports teams and programs at the school.

ing curve that rewards them for their dedication.

If we did not have students who were dedicated to what they did, we would not have the wonderful sports teams and programs that we have at our school.

If students did not pour in all their time and effort, we would not have any chance going to large competitions or having the best band or sports teams in the country. Without dedication, how could anyone be the best of the best?

Jordan Bickham Staff Writer

Careers in sports are not reliable enough for students to make their priority.

Even if the athlete avoids all injuries, there is no guarantee they will make it beyond high school level. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), 0.03 percent of high school basketball players, men and women will make it to professional level. Even if an athlete is in the three percent of high school students to make college recruitment, it poses the question: then what? College is four years, and once your school hands you a diploma, your athletic career is over.

If a student’s failing grades are bumped up time after time, they’re being deprived of the life skills and lessons that will make them successful in other areas of their lives. The heavy class load and upper level content that makes high school curriculum so intense does more than pound

information into our brains. The hours we spent working and learning are teaching us, as students, life skills that will help us be successful in the workplace and as adults.

Anyone who argues that we will not use math in life has never filled a tax return; just as anyone who bashes Biology has most likely never had to understand a medical condition. Sliding by in classes at the price of playing for a team can be costly in life.

“No, because it isn’t fair to the students who aren’t involved in extracurricular activities.”

-Jessica Oliver, junior

Kristen Shepard Staff Writer

. . opinions

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Editorial

december 2011

Holiday cheer not present as students get older

When we were young we had high expectations when holidays rolled around. We knew that every year on Dec. 25 Santa Claus would eat our burnt cookies we set out for him. Every Halloween buckets of candy would be dumped into our living rooms from a pillow sack. And every Thanksgiving we waited anxiously for the blessing to be said so we could begin feasting.

Yet time has caught up with us over the years. It seems the holidays are not as jolly as they used to be. The Christmas lights no longer leave us in awe, the Thanksgiving meal is just a reminder to spend extra hours at the gym, and Halloween is just another night to catch up on homework. Nobody warned

me us that in return for growing older, the magic of the holidays would disappear.

We are not ‘bah humbug’ kinds of people. We still love the holidays, but it seems to be for different reasons. As Christmas rolls around we are not looking forward to going Christmas caroling or writing Santa a mile long Christmas List like we did 10 years ago. We are looking forward to two weeks away from school and being with our family.

Maybe in some ways it is as if the true meaning of the holidays has set in as we have aged, but in others it is sad to think magic only existed for us when we were young. The lights, the music, the feeling of peace and joy - it all seemed so fascinat-

ing when we were children. Although we now have a much better understanding of the holidays, we no longer feel them like we used to.

When we were children we wanted nothing more but to grow up, but now we would love to put our aging on hold. Our parents always warned us that being a child would be the best days of our lives, and maybe in some aspects that is true. We were able to wear mismatched clothing and still look cute. We had fairy tales told to us every night before going to sleep. And we were wonderstruck by every single present under the Christmas tree.

Now, Santa Clauses in the mall creep us out, and we stress about the cost of each Christmas

Veterans serve close to home

I love America. I even have a button that says so.

The first Sunday in December, I went to D/FW Airport on an assignment for newspaper.

The weather was dreary, the traffic was horrifying and my mom would not stop singing along with the radio.

We were going to greet soldiers arriving home for a two week break before the holidays, when they would be deployed once again. But all I had on my mind was getting interviews for my story then getting the heck out of there.

When I arrived, after wandering aimlessly around the airport for 30 minutes, I entered a room decorated from top to bottom with colorful signs, presumably made by children, reading things like “We love our soldiers.”

The scene is sweet: family members congregated, waiting patiently for their loved ones to return after several months of service; children running throughout the terminal; but the most impactful scene is happening off to the side, where a group of several elderly men stand, all decked out in patches and medals, the smiles on their faces never faltering.

I walk over to ask if any of them would like to be interviewed, and they are more than willing to talk. Jim, Frenchy, Keith – they all have a story to tell. There are veterans of the Korean War and Vietnam wars, with Purple Hearts and badges reading “Trouble Maker.” Each of these men has seen war, made countless sacrifices throughout their lives and is determined not to stop.

They keep talking to me even after I had turned off my recorder and put my pen and paper down. They tell me about their experiences during and after the war, about their families, their inspiration and their friends.

This group of men have so much in common with one another, but what holds them together as longtime friends is the tradition of greeting the soldiers arriving home on leave.

Jim, “The Trouble Maker,” has been going to DFW every Sunday for seven years to greet the troops. He and his friends make a habit of treating today’s soldiers how they would have liked to be treated when they were in the service.

During the Vietnam and Korean Wars, the Amer-

2011-2012 Staff Editor-in-Chief

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Michelle Pitcher Mary Whitfill

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Opinions Editor Kelly Stewart

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Photos/Graphics Editor Brian Hwu

Wren Culp

Addy Lopez

Kara Adkins Ben Cowlishaw Thomas Hair

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Kimberly Del Angel Coleman Armes Jordan Bickham Christina Burke Jay Carroll Caroline Carter John Loop Lance McCaskey Tanner McCord

ican public viewed the military as a shameful representation of our country. Not realizing the full extent of the sacrifices these soldiers had made, people would gather in airports, not to greet the soldiers, but to harass and ridicule them as they passed.

But this does not discourage them.

Jim (can you tell I was quite fond of Jim? He was the cutest old man.) said he has seen veterans who have done nothing with themselves after the war, who “sat on their sorry bottoms.” These men are doing anything but that.

The support they show for our country and the members of the military is inspiring.

So let me rephrase my earlier statement. I love Americans.

The men and women who will do everything in their power to help our country and encourage others to do the same are worth fighting for.

present under the tree. Aging brings this new practicality we never had to take into account before. We never thought we would want to go back to those awkward years where we had gap teeth and frizzy hair, but looking back they do not seem so bad.

Although the magic we felt on holidays when we were young no longer exists, we refuse to believe that magic disappears all together. We like to think magic still exists; it is just more rare and harder to come by. The day we graduate and move our tassels to the side we will feel that magic.

And years from now when we start our own families, that magic will return.

Maybe the holidays have

changed, and maybe life is moving too fast for us to even catch our breath, but that does not mean that the joy has disappeared. This world is just so hectic it is hard for us to take a minute and truly enjoy all of our blessings.

This Christmas season we are going to build a gingerbread house and eat the entire thing, are going to stay up all night anxiously awaiting Christmas morning and we are going to sit around the whole day in our pajamas listening to Christmas music. Because no matter how old we get and no matter many responsibilities we are hounded with, there will always be days reserved to act like kids again.

Comments

from the web Bible in public schooling

Very thought provoking article. This should be required reading and discussion by school boards and teachers throughout the country. Ignoring the Bible and the importance of it as a book that has changed the world is like ignoring the Holocaust and pretending it did not happen. Thank you for this intersting article. -Susan

Cooking for the Cowboys Thank you Dyer for writing such a positive article. It gave all the “lunch ladies” a big lift to have us portrayed positively for a change!

- Gina Honza

Political journalism requires new practices, brings new challenges “Great article. I don’t follow twitter feeds or any of that, so it’s good to know that there still people who are set on keeping the political journalism field alive.”

-John

Michelle Pitcher Editor-in-Chief

Sarah Police Chase Porter Chris Reagan Erica Rohde Tolu Salako Kristen Shepard Seth Slover Corrina Taylor Jordan Thompson Annie Wen Dyer Whitt

Photographers and Graphic Designers Rachel Bush Jack Ficklen Ivy Hess Rowan Khazendar Haley Madigan Trevor Stiff Jodie Woodward

Advisor

Chase Wofford

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

paper reflect the view of their writers.

Advertisements are sold as full, 1/2 page, 1/4 page and 1.8 page sizes in black and white or color.

For more information you may reach the adviser in his classroom (D115) or by phone at (214) 496-6239.

To read more stories by The Sidkick staff members, and also to find videos and photos, you can visit coppellstudentmedia.com.

The Sidekick welcomes all letters to the editor, but letters must be signed before consideration for publication. Send letters to cwofford@coppellisd. com. or bring them by D115.

december 2011

. . opinions

page 7

Taylor investigates clubs, finds more than expected

Graphic by Brian Hwu

On the Coppell High School website, under the “student activities” tab, there is a list of all the student organizations including all the various clubs that are offered. Unfortunately, it only states the name of the club and the teacher who sponsors it, not giving the reader a good idea of what the club actually does.

It is because of this that I decided to attend a different club every day after school and summarize what they are about.

This way it is easier for students to choose what club they want to join, and have more than just a name to influence their decision.

On Mondays there is Latin Club in Katie Cowhig’s room

(C108). The idea of Latin Club almost scared me off at first. I was picturing strict kids just sitting around speaking in Latin; I was pleasantly surprised when I

The club was relaxed and students felt free to lounge on the floor or desks; some even took off their shoes to reach the maximum level of comfort. was greeted by a group of eager and happy students.

The club was relaxed and students felt free to lounge on the floor or desks; some even took

off their shoes to reach the maximum level of comfort.

Latin club starts at 4:00, and as soon as it starts, so does the students’ excitement.

The particular meeting that I attended was to inform the members of the Junior Classical League (JCL) competition. This is the Latin competition version of UIL. The officers, senior Christina Wagner, sophomore Daniel Sanders, and senior Michelle Bizzell made sure to keep the excitement going as they presented to the members the details of the JCL competition.

If you are interested in learning Latin or are in a Latin class then stop by Ms. Cowhig’s room to join in on the fun experience of speaking Latin with a close group of friends.

On Tuesday I decided to get a look at the newest club to arrive to Coppell, the Gay-Straight Alliance Club. Brian Rohloff, a history teacher, is the sponsor of this club, who provides his room for the club to use.

The club consists of a variety of people joined together in support of the serious issue of accepting people even if they have a different sexual preference. President senior Daniel Markbrieter and Vice President senior Melanie Duck and co-vice presidents Junior Stephen Miligan and Sophomore Mary Philips willingly accepted all the people who walked in the doors, creating a hospitable environment.

At the meeting, the members got the chance to vote for the different officer positions in the club, historian, secretary, trea-

surer and, surprisingly, a head baker. Markbrieter, along with other members thought it would be fun to offer baked goods dur-

The club consists of a variety of people joined together in support of the serious issue of accepting people even if they have a different sexual preference. ing the club, so head baker junior Kimberly Del Angel was instated. Along with the head baker, there is treasurer senior Caitlin Monse, secretary is sophomore Anita Dodia, and the Historian is senior Brian Hwu. This club consists of many empowering officers and is sure to be a big accomplishment for Coppell.

On Wednesday there is Drama club, held in Ms. Tabor’s room (F107), this is one of the most exciting (and loud) clubs.

Every minute is filled with excitement and the lively chatter of all of the students. When I walked in the door I was greeted with friendly faces and homebaked cookies.

At this particular meeting the members got put into groups and designed this year’s Drama club t-shirts. Ideas were flying through the room and everyone was involved in designing or coming up with fun ideas.

On Thursdays there is the less known Improv club.

Improv, being the shortened form for improvisation or the act of improvising; in this club stu-

dents play a variety of games: Taxi, house party, and pterodactyl which have been seen on improv shows such as “Whose Line is it Anyway?”

This ecstatic club is led by an equally enthusiastic president, junior Amanda Clark, who makes sure everyone is involved and is having a good time. The students in Improv are there not only to have fun, but to also learn how they can improve on their acting and improvisation skills.

For fellow theatre lovers or people who just want to be hyped up and have a good time, Improv club will welcome you with open arms. Meetings take place in Clara Caussey’s room (D223).

On Fridays, the majority of the students want to go home so they can begin to enjoy their weekend, which is why there are only few (if any) clubs available after school. No need to fret however, because after the weekend there are still plenty of other clubs to try out.

I encourage all students to attend at least one club that sounds interesting, because it will open you up to a fun and unique experience similar to my own. When exploring these clubs, I was inspired to join some of them myself.

Coppell has many clubs that will fit your need. So stay after school one day and try something new. You will not regret it.

Corrina Taylor Staff Writer

Graphic by Brian Hwu

Whitfill ponders career, changes in political journalism With presidential primaries right around the corner, this newly registered voter has shamelessly been doing nothing in her spare time but obsessively following the newest possible leaders of the free world. As a whole-hearted political junkie, I take pleasure in researching stances on con-

Yes, I want to provide for myself by practicing in a dying profession on the topic of generally scummy people. troversial issues, voting records and, of course, finding out if the National Inquirer has anything interesting to say about the next possible president.

I want to be a political journalist. I want to be loved (hated) by the people who mold our country. Yes, I want to provide for myself by practicing in a dying

profession on the topic of generally scummy people.

But as I haunt Politico and follow PresidentialElection (@2012_President) on Twitter, I cannot help but wonder about the changes that technology has brought to the field of presidential reporting and if this updated field is really something I want to be a part of.

In my mind’s eye, I am R.W. ‘Johnny’ Apple Jr., not the voice behind another political newsfeed with a 140-character maximum.

No longer do reporters rub elbows with presidential contenders vying for votes in small towns in Iowa. No longer do they know candidates in a way that voters do not – up close and personal, after hours and off the record. No longer do they have weeks, or even days, to dig deep and analyze before they have to churn out a story.

Heck, many reporters do

not even have time to turn out what Johnny would consider a story because they are so busy tweeting, blogging and shooting 60 second video clips.

But journalists, no matter the medium, are not the only ones who have changed the way we do things. It was not even a decade ago that presidential wannabes were talking to reporters, schmoozing with them even, because whether or not they loathed or loved them – they needed them. In presidential races of yesteryear candidates were often seen sauntering into the world of the working class so that reporters could get to know him. They talked sports, music, movies and issues and these sessions were off the record.

Not anymore.

In the words of Political chief political columnist Roger Simon, “Nowadays, a reporter considers herself or himself lucky if the press secretary returns the call.”

To put it bluntly – politicians have cut out the middleman.

They prefer using Youtube, Twitter and Facebook to communicate directly with their voters.

I cannot help but wonder what changes technology has brought into the field of presidential reporting.

They simply do not have a strong need for the old fashioned reporter.

In an interview with Lear’s magazine, Apple said the following: “Newspaper people love impossible dreams. I suppose we are reckless sentimentalists. If we did not love impossible dreams, we would not still be working in an industry whose basic technologies were developed in the 17th century.”

While that technology has shifted drastically since Apple’s death in 2006, the impossible dreams have not. I hold my hope for the future of my desired field in the fact that political reporting is still very much about distributing information that is important to the functioning and the future of democracy.

Maybe it is the resilience of that dream – instead of the tweets, the blog posts or character count – that still defines who a journalist is. Maybe it is the curiosity. Maybe it is the tenacity. Maybe is the willingness to root out the truth at all costs. But either way – I am proud to be a part of it.

Mary Whitfill Features Editor

page 8

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opinions ‘Tis the season to be greedy

december 2011

Graphic by Brian Hwu

‘Not everything that you enjoy is pointless’ Stewart comments on value of ‘wasting time’ I will be honest: whenever I sit down at my computer to check my e-mail or Facebook – my homework is done of course – a part of me feels strangely guilty for wasting time not doing anything productive.

I know this is not just me; it seems like doing something pointless that does not build up your future is frowned upon in society in general. Pointless things are seen as a complete waste of time, or in extreme cases (such as in those pessimistic books in English class about a catastrophic dystopian future) the downfall of the world. Watching TV or playing video games is bad because they do not exercise your brain; spending time on the computer is bad because you spend too much time ‘plugged in’ and not enough time in ‘the real world’; reading magazines is bad because they are not good enough reading material.

Why does everything you enjoy have to be bad? So what if it has no point? That is the point of pointless things; they allow people to rest and do something fun after a long day.

Students especially spend most of their time doing important things. Getting ready for college takes studying; getting good grades and taking on enough activities to stand out among applicants, practicing and taking the SAT and the application itself is a long and arduous process.

This is not including everything else students have to do: projects and tests, long hours of studying and endless homework – all to get ready for

our futures. Students deserve a break from things every so often too, and we need a chance to unwind and forget our problems.

Just because people like to sit in front of the TV and do something mindless for a while does not mean the world is going to end up like Fahrenheit 451, just as playing video games are not going to make every gamer a violent maniac.

People who argue that reading books is a much better pastime probably mean well, but think about it; if we somehow lived in a world where books had been invented after TV or video games, there would be a large number of adults arguing that books were worse for you than the more conventional method of entertainment. We have been conditioned to think these older mediums of storytelling are better than the newer ones, for the sole reason that they are older.

There are millions of books just as ‘bad’ as TV and video games.

Try to imagine what working your mind – annotating a book for a deeper meaning, doing some mental exercises, thinking about deep things – all the time would be like. Exhausting. It is good to rest your mind with pointless, mindless things for a while sometimes.

Kelly Stewart

Opinions Editor

The thought of Christmas conjures up images of large Christmas trees decked out in ornaments, presents all over the floor, and tons of food, but is that what Christmas is truly about?

Christmas is a holiday based on religious beliefs and celebrating the birth of Christ.

But with the invention of Santa Claus and presents appearing under the tree, the holiday has begun to lose its religious roots.

Christmas was first introduced on Dec 25 by Roman pagans through the holiday of Saturnalia, a weeklong period of lawlessness that ended on Dec 25. In the 4th century AD, Christianity adopted the holiday in hopes of converting pagan worshippers to Christianity, but there was nothing Christian about the holiday.

To fix this, they named the concluding day of Saturnalia to be Jesus’ birthday. While this is how the holiday began, the invention of Santa Claus did not come till much later with St. Nicholas.

St. Nicholas was a historic fourth-century saint and a Greek bishop of Myra. Due to many miracles he performed during his lifetime and his reputation for secret gift giving (such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out), he easily became the model for the modern Santa Claus.

The image of a jolly, chubby, older man came from the 1823 poem originally called “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” but is now known famously as “The Night Before Christmas,” that described him with twinkling eyes, merry dimples,

rosy cheeks and that he was, “chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf…”

After this, other writers and artists continued to change the original European St. Nicholas bishop into the modern, elf Santa Claus.

With the evolution of Santa Claus into a man who slips down the chimney and scatters presents under the tree for the good children, came the commercialization of the Christmas holiday. When businesses noticed the appeal of Christmas, they pounced, attracting people to their goods with the promise that they will be the perfect Christmas presents.

While the season of giving among loved ones is always a positive aspect of the holiday, it should not overshadow the true purpose of the tradition.

Christmas is supposed to be a time of family connection, love and religion, but the true meaning has been overlooked with the promise of toys, a visit from Santa Claus and the thought of a North Pole. Instead of children looking forward to a family dinner and a nice break, they look forward to the morning when they get the toys they had been anticipating all year.

Giving and receiving gifts with friends and family is always wonderful, but when it takes away from the religious aspect and the true meaning, there is a problem.

I have definitely seen this modern aspect of Christmas first hand at my own house. With two younger siblings, the tradition of Santa Claus in my

house is still going strong. While I look forward to visiting family and traveling, my brother and sister become delirious over the promise of gifts on Christmas morning, making their anticipation the only thing they focus on while visiting family.

This promise has made children greedy and focused on material items rather than making family connections that last a lifetime. Toys are thrown away within a few years, but family remains for years to come.

One great time to make these connections is during the Christmas holiday. But now, kids only care about toys, so these connections are not made and family seems unimportant.

What happened to the traditional Christmas dinner? What happened to Christmas caroling through the neighborhood?

What happened to Christmas being about family and religion?

As society becomes more selfish and the need for new stuff increases, Christmas becomes more and more commercialized to appeal to everyone. As a religious holiday, Christmas attracts specifically those who practice that religion, but as Christmas becomes less about religion and more about gifts, it now appeals to everyone, making it a universal holiday.

While Christmas being a holiday everyone can enjoy is not bad, the fact that its meaning has completely changed over the years is not so good.

Christmas should be about making memories, close connections with family and gathering around the fire. Some families still celebrate it as such, but the majority has bent their own traditions to fit within society’s image of a classic Christmas holiday.

Now, Christmas is a seen as a day where kids ignore family and dive into presents, as relatives compete to give their family members the grandest gift.

Gifts cannot replace love, and Christmas cannot be replaced with a commercialized, general holiday that has no true meaning.

The holiday that is supposed to represent love and family has become an empty holiday that relies on the promise of Santa Claus and gifts.

Jordan Bickham Staff Writer

Photo by Rachel Bush Graphics by Haley Madigan

december 2011

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features

page 9 Graphics by Haley Madigan

books on sparknotes

3 4 1 2 Hardback books sparked out of existence by Sparknotes things you did not know about SPARKNOTES John Loop Staff Writer

On the morning of a big reading comprehension test, students in high schools across the nation turn to the online book summarization source Sparknotes for last minute cramming.

In this age of ever-changing technology, typical high school English students are moving away from the traditional pattern of in-class novels, and more towards the easily understood version on Sparknotes.

English teachers on the CHS campus, including EMAC Academy English teacher Clara Caussey, said Sparknotes is a valuable resource for deciphering difficult texts, but it does not make up for reading the actual novel.

“When we do Shakespeare in here, most of the kids think ‘Oh, this is just too hard,” Caussey said.

Sparknotes was first created as an online dating site, but when its owners, Harvard students Sam Yagan, Max Krohn, Chris Coyne and Eli Bolotin, realized its audience was mainstream high school and college students, and the purpose of the site was not as beneficial to the targeted market.

They then changed the design and the intention of the site to something more appealing and more susceptible to the everyday high school audience. The first six of the now thousands of classic and novelty texts were published to the site shortly after, which were Julius Caesar, A Doll’s House, The Iliad, Macbeth, The Scarlet Letter and A Tale of Two Cities.

At first, many students were skeptical that the authors were writing legitimately, but they soon caught on.

According to the Sparknotes website, the philosophy is not that much different from the majority of the teachers’ opinions. Although stated plainly on the site that Sparknotes is not to be associated with any type, form or fashion of cheating, students still abuse that rule.

“I look at cheating in layers,” Caussey said. “If you use the summaries as a way to get around reading the novel, then you are only cheating yourself.”

Caussey thinks Sparknotes and its multitude of short chapter summaries only helps on tests that are fill-in-the-blank and multiple choice tests if you need to provide a sequence of events, or details on a certain part in the book.

“When I ask my students to do a more in-depth test or assessment on a specific book where they need to include multiple pieces of textual evidence, it won’t help if you just read the summaries,” Caussey said.

Within the large population of everyday readers, many prefer to go by the site instead of the actual novel because of time constraints.

This leads to less and less library traffic to check out the classics.

“I’d hope that students are not taking advantage of Sparknotes and limiting themselves by not reading their assigned books,” CHS librarian Michael Cooke said. “However, librarians are eternal optimists.”

A great example of this would be students who are in AP level English, like senior Jahnavi Udaikumar, who is swamped with home-

work and barely enjoys reading for pleasure because of the rigor of the coursework.

“We all know that, with all the AP courses and the workload, there really is no time to sit down, relax, and read a good book for pleasure, let alone read it for an assignment,” Udaikumar said.“When resources such as Sparknotes are available to them, students will use those resources to their advantage opportunity.”

Udaikumar also said her GT/AP English teacher Matt Bowden is in consensus with many others on the school grounds and in the nation.

“My English teacher does not consider Sparknotes a resource because as we all know, most kids are likely to just not read the book and use Sparknotes and be done with it,” Udaikumar said.

However, she does think that, in time, there could be a resolution.

“If we truly committed ourselves and promised to read the book in the long run, maybe our teachers would be willing to change their minds,” Udaikumar said.

Both Dante’s Inferno and Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night are recommended to read on Sparknotes by Udaikumar. She says that these books do not use a familiar English tongue or the type of colloquial tone that can be related by teens used by teens or students today, making it progressively harder to understand as a student reads further into the novel.

Many sophomores in PreAP English II are complaining about William Golding’s 1954 classic Lord of the Flies, because of the jumpy plot.

“I am willing to give them a crutch to help develop their higher level thinking skills.”

Caussey said.

5

how the site originated Sparknotes, originally called The Spark, was founded by Harvard students Sam Yagan, Max Krohn, Chris Coyne and Eli Bolotin in 1999. It included study guides for literature, poetry, history and more.

how much the site is worth Barnes & Noble bought Sparknotes in 2001 for approx. $3,555,000. Since it operates without charging users, revenue is obtained through advertising.

student life blogs online When you need a study break, Sparknotes also offers a section called SparkLife, which features blogs, advice columns and threads for members to chat with each other.

most popular time to surf The number of visits to Sparknotes.com peaks to its highest at the end of December with just over 10 million hits, and dips to its lowest in July with 2.5 million hits. This is no surprise, seeing as the website can serve as a useful tool for semester and final exam studying, while many students prefer to ignore summer reading assignments.

college prep features A little-known feature of Sparknotes is its test prep aid.

Content and services related to the SAT, ACT and AP tests as well as a college search provide users with the preparation they need on the journey to college.

Graphic by Brian Hwu

Information courtesy of Sparknotes.com and quantcast. com/sparknotes.com.

features

page 10

New standarized test replaces state-wide TAKS assesment Lance McCaskey Staff Writer

This year’s incoming freshmen will no longer take the one test that every administrator, teacher and student in Texas knows well, the TAKS test.

The educational board in Texas has decided that the class of 2015 will be the first class to take the STAAR (State of Texas Assesment of Academic Readiness) instead of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills after the class of 2014 graduates, the TAKS test will officially come to close.

“This year’s freshmen will take only the STAAR/EOC tests,” CHS Assosiate Principal Michelle

Kellen said. “They will be required to take 12 tests, pretty much over the major subjects like Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.”

The TAKS test covers material over general topics. The state felt that this was not measuring what the student learned, but instead how much they can remember over time. The STAAR is an end of course assessment, and is individualized to what the student learned that year. The state feels this is a better assessment of what the students are learning.

“These tests are designed to be more rigorous and challenging than the TAKS test,” Kellen said.

“They also only test one year of material, as opposed to the TAKS which can go up to three or four years back in curriculum.”

While the STAAR test may show more student development

Teachers weigh in...

“As a chemistry teacher, having a comprehensive test at the end of the year will work better for my curriculum.”

Kristie Rose, Chemistry

and individuality, it has put increased pressure on the staff and students of Coppell High School.

Last year, students were chosen at random to take sample tests in order to give the STAAR board feedback, and help them prepare their test for the following year.

“Last year we had the students do field tests for the STAAR. The basic purpose was to make sure that the STAAR tests were fair to the students,” Kellen said.

“If we gave a World History test to sophomores, and they all scored a 40 percent, we and the board would know that the test would need to be easier, and vise versa.”

While these field tests may have taken away stress and problems for the incoming freshmen and future classes, they added what seemed to be unnecessary stress to the current upperclassmen.

december 2011

“We were forced to go down there and take the field tests,” junior Jake Nichols. “It wouldn’t have been that bad, but my teachers took them for a grade. It was taking two final exams, and final exams are really hard. I didn’t know what to expect, and it really stressed me out.”

In the future, the plan is to ease stress on students. The student has three chances to pass high school, instead of just one exit-level test.

“There are three EOC’s for each core subject, math, english, history and science. For each EOC you take, you get a certain number of points. At the end of the three tests, if you have enough points, you pass high school,” Kellen said. “This should put less pressure on the students if anything. Its just like taking a final exam, and you have more than

Robert Gribble, AP Physics “The new test is more relevant to what students learn.

It is an end of course exam not an evaluation based on what students have learned through all their science classes in high school.”

one chance to pass. If you’re weak in a section of math, for instance, it’s not the end of the world.”

In the Coppell Independent School District, standardized testing adds to our already rigorous curriculum, making some question the purpose of tests like the STAAR and TAKS. “Standardized tests were instituted in Texas to help the schools like I went to that had a very simple schedule. We had maybe half of the standard ciriculum that other schools like Coppell had,” math teacher Michael Fields said. “In Coppell, tests like the TAKS slow down the students.

They make us cover material that is simpler material that holds us back. The STAAR will allow us to cover what we would like, because it’s based more on complex subjects instead of the basics.”

“This will better evaluate students because it is no longer just minimal skills, it is requiring students to think logically through multiple step process.”

Karen Nix, World History Photos by Ivy Hess

Powerlifter raises bar for unique student athletes Dyer Whitt Staff Writer

The original Metroflex Gym in Arlington is home to more than 100 professional and awarding-winning body builders; the gym is also the training facility of choice for Coppell High School junior Andrew Chalk.

Chalk is a typical CHS student with the intriguing goal of becoming the best power lifter for his age and weight.

At his first competition back in August, Chalk proved his worth in the sport as he walked off the stage with the first place medal; a confidence boost that is still fueling his urge to succeed.

The route to success however is not as smooth as it sounds.

Training for power lifting consists of countless hours in the gym, a strict diet and grueling workout consistency.

“It’s hard in every aspect, but while I am in the gym, I turn into an animal and quickly get in the zone,” Chalk said. “Mental strength is just as important as physical strength.”

An ironic contrast to Chalk’s bodybuilding was his past hobby and interest for cycling. As a cyclist, Chalk focused on his legs as a main source of strength. Taking up power lifting, he now implements upper body exercises into his daily workout routine. As

a cyclist, Chalk participated in races around the Dallas area and avidly rode the streets with a passion.

“When I met Andrew as a sophomore, we jokingly began calling him ‘Andy Legstrong,’ to compliment his legs which were extremely ripped from cycling.

He definitely puts all he has into fitness,” senior Sam Kim said.

Chalk’s love for cycling began to fade after a few accidents.

He severely hurt his knee after making a fatal sharp turn while on a ride and required months of physical rehab. In the end, it just was not the same for Chalk.

“After my accident, I didn’t feel like biking, but I knew I had to find something to fill that empty void,” Chalk said.

Searching for a new hobby he could embrace, Chalk turned to weight lifting as an alternative to cycling. He signed up at local gym, Express Fitness, and soon fell in love with the “gym rat” lifestyle.

“Lifting compliments my life so much; I can’t see myself doing anything else,” Chalk said.

After becoming comfortable with lifting weights, Chalk decided to pursue powerlifting.

Last summer, Chalk contacted his current coach, Josh Bryant, with the opportunity of becoming a member of the Metroflex Gym. Bryant trained Chalk for almost

three months before participating in his first competition.

Training consisted of lifting almost daily at both Texas Family Fitness and Metroflex. Andrew felt confident and comfortable with his regimen and never looked back. However, his mother Denise Chalk, was reluctant to hand her son over to the sport.

“I worried that Andrew might hurt his back, neck or another part of his body by lifting too much weight,” Denise said.

“But he has a great coach who helps him with the proper lifting techniques and has provided him with an exercise regime tailored to his current ability level.”

With his second competition less than a month away, Chalk is confident his training will pay off and help him push through with another first place win in the books.

“I’m pumped for my competition date. I have friends and family coming from all over to see me and that is great motivation,” Chalk said.

Through pursuing the sport of powerlifting, Chalk has also discovered a new life goal that he is very passionate about.

“I want to major in business and minor in nutrition so I can own my gym and help other people be successful in the sport,” Chalk said.

As a powerlifter, discipline

has influenced Chalk greatly and he sees great improvement in all aspects of his life everyday.

“Powerlifting has given me

great focus on my education and what I want to do for the future. It has been a life changer to say the least,” Chalk said.

Photo by Jodie Woodward Junior Andrew Chalk devotes countless hours each week to powerlifting, a sport he believes has helped him grow exponentionally both physically and mentally.

features Robinson family welcomes underprivileged children december 2011 continued from pg. 1

time. I wanted to do something that would help other people,” Carol said. “I met another foster mother at a high school football game and when I went and introduced myself she said they were desperate for foster families. And so I left that game thinking ‘this is what I want to do.”

When she approached John, he was hesitant, thinking that they have already raised three children, why do they need more?

Although he did not immediately jump on board, he eventually knew it was the right choice to become a foster family.

“My wife loves children and feels like that’s her god given gift,” John said. “And so she said I think we should be a foster family and I said I think that’s a bad idea.“ He agreed after months of debating and after making the tough decision to start fostering, the Robinsons then had to worry about how their children would react.

“I thought my own children at best would be ambivalent and at worse they might be jealous.

Then the opposite came true.

They have been a blessing to all of

page 11

us,” John said.

Not only has the whole family transitioned to the fostering, but it also has helped John and Carolyn’s three biological children. At the time Lee was 19, Ben 16, and Matt 13. “(Fostering) has taught my older sons how to love someone who hasn’t been loved,” Carolyn said.

John and Carolyn’s compassion is not just left at home as John brings his love when he coaches students on the wrestling team.

“He really cares about where we come from and how to make us better and he really wants us to shape into great men,” sophomore wrestler Cole Hansen said.

After telling their children about their big decision, the Robinsons needed to take numerous steps to prepare to foster. After expressing interest in fostering there is a required class that prepares parents to foster.

They also do background checks and have a case study done on the home. A case study is when a social worker can stop by the home and examine it and make sure it is suitable for a child.

After they were approved to foster, they got a quick response.

“They called the first day. It’s good but sad too because it meant that there are that many babies out there [that need help],” Carolyn said.

John says fostering is easier without the normal expectations that are expected of your own children. Currently, the Robinsons do not have any foster children in their care.

The Robinsons will be getting back on the list to foster another baby in early December.

They hope to continue to foster children and give children a better future.

“We have expectations for our own children but none for our foster children,” John said.

“We can just love them without holding back.”

nity that are having children at a young age, they still need our help and support and unlike many other school districts, Coppell has no built-in support for young mothers,” Patty said.

Patty recognizes the need for the organization after her own personal teen pregnancy.

“I was four months pregnant when I graduated from Cop-

pell High School in May of 2008. I was shocked when family, friends, teachers and peers supported me and lifted me up,” Patty said.

“When I first discovered I was pregnant I was afraid that everyone would judge me or reject me.”

This judgment and rejection is what YoungLives fights to keep from happening to teenage mothers.

“YoungLives allows girls in this situation to be real together and face these hardships with arms locked,” Patty said. “Yes, they were irresponsible and got pregnant, but we have to consider that another life is involved, and by giving the mom a second chance we are also creating a brighter future for the child.”

A support system is crucial

Foster Care by the Numbers

28,883

children in Texas foster care

26

Photo courtesy John Robinson

The Robinson family has devoted years to helping underprivileged children in the DFW area. As dedicated foster parents, they have welcomed many children into their home who would otherwise have no where to go.

percent of foster children are under age five

10,769

children in Texas foster care are waiting to be adopted

Statistics from kidsarewaiting.org

Pregnancy support group thrives in local churches Julianne Cauley News Editor

In reality television, teen pregnancy is often portrayed as a lie. Drama between boyfriends, parents and friends are shown, but the real hardships of being a young single mother are not depicted.

In Coppell, YoungLives was created in order to supply the emotional stability needed to succeed as a single, teen mother.

YoungLives is a part of YoungLife, which is a non-profit Christian organization. They are not affiliated with a church and accept every girl regardless of their religious beliefs. YoungLife’s motto is to love every kid, everywhere, no matter what. YoungLives is specifically for teens that are pregnant or have experienced a pregnancy previously in life.

“Most people will say that Coppell does not have a teen pregnancy problem, but statistics say otherwise,” Coppell YoungLives creator Katie Patty said.

According to YoungLife area director Christian Hemberger, 30 percent of teen women are pregnant before age 20. Though this is not the majority, Coppell is still in need of such an organization.

“Even if there are only a handful of girls in our commu-

Photo by Ivy Hess The YoungLives club, led by Katie Patty, meets as a support group for teen moms in Coppell and Lewisville.

for the development of the mother and the child. Less than two percent graduate college before they are 30. YoungLives gives the mothers an opportunity to support each other and learn from “mentor moms.” Each mentor has had an experience with an unplanned pregnancy. Other community members that help these women by watching their children while they are meeting with YoungLives.

“I cannot even imagine how busy these girls are, so to help give them a chance to dedicate some time to meet with other girls is such a blessing,” junior volunteer Natalie Oden said. “Any help is beneficial for them.”

Whether they help with babysitting, finding a job, filling out college applications or just going to coffee, these women make a huge impact on the young teen mom’s lives.

“I am now in my fourth year at the University of Texas at Arlington majoring in Biomedical Engineering. In two years I will have a Master’s Degree,” Patty said. “This is a huge achievement for a young single mom… My success is completely due to the support and love I have received; it would be impossible to do it on my own.’”

features Future seen through new eyes

page 14

This generation is racing to grow up. Almost any kid in high school, if asked, will easily tell you what it is they are trying to escape from.

The top of the food chain has become a crowded place. Going back in time sounds like the perfect solution to students who feel defeated by standardized tests and GPAs. Unfortunately, every generation seems better when it is a part of history, despite its hulking walls that had to be overcome.

“Students have become obsessed with their college choice as opposed to if they can actually afford it,” AP teacher Kevin Casey said.

Casey attended South Grand Prairie High School, which at the time was much smaller than CHS. When he graduated in 1980, he planned to attend college with more on his mind than just being accepted.

Today students feel they are suffering from what is actually a great privilege. Growing up in a moderately upper class area, students push and shove to be simply accepted into their college of choice – parents are often in charge of the financial concerns during this point. But as Casey sent out his applications he asked himself, “Can I afford it?”

Education has greatly changed over the years; studentteacher relationships did not always exist the way they do now.

“Teachers were once regarded as more of authority figures than they are today,” Chemistry teacher

december 2011

fer. If there is a will, there is a way. You determine your own future.”

Dasilva did not believe Bob White said. she would be able to get into If a student Texas A&M, an expensive were to go back and very popular college in time to the amongst students at CHS. mid-1960s and But she took advantage of attend White’s the opportunities colleges high school in provide that they did not Milwaukee, Wis., used to, and is now a freshthey would not man at A&M. be developing reOur generation has to laxed friendships fight against rough currents with their teachin order to reach tropical ers like students waters. We must work harddo today. In fact, er to compete with a world the classroom that has been strengthened was a place in by mankind’s revolutionary which manners creations. But storms have were most often been and always will be used by students. fierce and violent, and ever Photo by Rachel Bush After-school tuso reccurring. toring was very Search engines’ endless knowledge of today as opposed to the older encyclopedia search method may The teenagers of today intimidating, be- make learning more convenient, but students still struggle with generational hardships in school. remember 9/11 and how cause that meant something she actually worried es. It is not difficult to understand they watched their parents they would be on a more personal about. why many of them want to just run cry in fear of doomed peace. Hublevel with a teacher.

“We had it easy – we didn’t away from it all. bard cried the day her teacher Now, tutoring is avoided sim- have to grow up fast,” Hubbard said.

But running away from hard chokingly announced to the class ply because it means extra time at According to Hubbard, life work would never be practical, es- that President Kennedy had been school. Students have many other was different in the 1960s and ‘70s. pecially not if you were to go back shot. resources if they are struggling in Girls did not wear makeup as early in time. How many trips would you “We wondered what has a subject, most which can be found as they do now. There were no SAT be willing to take to the library to happened to the world,” said Hubon the Internet. Students are not ex- prep classes, dual credit classes, and read textbooks and encyclopedias? bard, as she wiped tears from her aggerating when they complain that no AP classes at her school. No- Reading is a dying hobby – imagine eyes. education has become more chal- body was worried about their Texas reading entire books, dreaming of And still, 47 lenging; however, they are wrong Instruments calculator getting sto- an easier way to understand them. years from now to think they would be better off 30 len; they did not exist.

Students back then dreamed about we look back years ago when ‘dinosaurs roamed “The first AP chemistry test what one day would actually be to those days, the earth’ and encyclopedias were in was in 1963, but the Milwaukee called Sparknotes. thinking they not untouchable dust-collectors in school system was not that progres“Now anyone can go to colwere easier. the back of libraries. sive,” White said. “I never heard of lege,” CHS 2011 graduate Julie Vicki Hubbard is an account AP classes let alone attended any.”

Dasilva said. “Maybe not everyone executive for the Fort Worth StarAnd yet, White still attended can go to a prestigious school, but Telegram. College was not some- college without the fears and inse- there is at least one college that anything she thought about until her curities most students endure today one can get into. People can even Jordan Thompson Staff Writer senior year. Even then, it was never even after taking multiple AP class- go to junior college and then trans-

Distracted driving decisions lead to destruction

makeup, brushing their hair, shaving, they never realize how what they are doing behind the wheel affects their driving on Students are often warned the road, sometimes until it’s about the dangers of multiple drivtoo late,” the representative said. ing distractions, including texting The biggest distractions while driving and having too many teen drivers face are reinforced friends in the car. These points are to students all the time, which often rehashed to the point that can cause them to lose meanthey lose meaning, until someone ing. Different laws are in place actually experiences an accident to prevent teen distractions, that can be attributed to not focusincluding regulations for cell ing on the road with hands at tenphone use and the number of and-two. people a teen can have in their Getting in a car accident at car. a young age has multiple rami“Cell phones are of course fications to begin with. Possible the biggest distractions, along injuries, repairs and skyrocketing with having a car full of friends. insurance costs are always threats That’s why we have the graduwhen a teenager is involved in a ated licensing laws, but even wreck. If it is found that the driver then, teens don’t fully learn how at fault was distracted, it throws in distractions are affecting them,” the potential of further punishment the representative said. from the law.

For those that are involved in an accident and are lucky enough to walk away unscathed, they learn an invaluable lesson that few of the age grasp until it happens to them.

“I’m always really conscious of my surroundings while driving,” Rapert said. “I avoid playing music too loud, and I tune out my friends’ conversations. Staying safe is more important than anything else.”

The simplest of tasks can turn into a dangerous distraction when it occurs behind the wheel.

“I’m still mad at myself for causing all of that damage for something as simple as changing a song,” Patterson said.

“Now I won’t do anything like that until I’m at a red light or Photo courtesy of Alex Rapert stop sign. I do whatever it takes After another driver ran a red light and hit her car, junior Alex Rapert wonders if she could have avoided the accident had there been no distractions in her car. to avoid distractions.”

Ben Cowlishaw

Online Copy Editor

Even if one driver is not directly at fault, a serious accident can occur if the driver of the other vehicle is distracted, as in the case of junior Alex Rapert. While turning left at a traffic light, another driver ran a red light. While she was not at fault in the accident, she admits she may have avoided totaling her car had she not been distracted by her friends riding with her.

“I had the green arrow and started turning left, but with the music a little louder than it should have been and also talking with my friends in the car, I didn’t see the other car running the red light,” Rapert said. “I always thought if I didn’t text and drive or any-

thing like that, I would be fine, but clearly anything that can take your mind off the road can lead to an accident.”

Junior Brandon Patterson was involved in a single-car accident that he can also attribute to a simple distraction.

“I was just changing the song on my iPod, and I accidentally hit a curb pretty hard,” Patterson said. “It hit so hard, it destroyed the front axle and left my car un-drivable. It’s unfortunate, just from looking down for a quick second, my car needed more repair than it was worth.”

While many students understand and take precautions when dealing with driving dis-

tractions, others may not see them as being so severe until it hits home. A representative from Sears Driving School in Lewisville explains that while some teens consciously avoid distracted driving, others do not take it as seriously.

“At that age, rehashed warnings about distracted driving don’t hit home for most,” the representative said. “For those in accidents, they get it. For others, however, it’s hard to say.

Some teens understand [distractions] are a problem, but others don’t think it’s a big deal.”

Adults can be just as guilty as teens, which does not make for a strong role model when teens are learning to drive.

“Adults are just as bad about driving distracted as teens. Putt i n g on

features senior madrigals captains

december 2011

Emma Hair

Kristy Liang

How did you get started singing?

I was told by my mom to do something musical as an elective in middle school.

Define you experience in madrigals in three words.

Amazing, hard, awesome.

What is your favorite book series?

Harry Potter

What is your favorite music genre?

Any music is fine with me. There is no particular favorite genre.

Who would you consider a role model? My middle school choir director

What is your biggest pet peeve? When people interrupt or talk over others because it’s disrespectful.

page 15

Brindan Martin

Tori Mills

How long have you been singing? Since I was a baby What has been your favorite part about madrigals? We have an awesome director.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of school?

Working out and singing

Kelly Baker

Alexandra Len

What is your favorite choir memory? Performing in the Describe your experience Vatican during the varsity trip in Madrigals? I love every- to Italy last Spring

How did you get started singing? I liked to sing in the car when I was younger, so I joined choir in 6th grade.

thing about it. Everyone in Madrigals is close, What do you plan to study in college? Pre-med with a and it’s great to have vocal music minor friends who share the same passion as I do.

What is the best part about madrigals? The beautiful music we make.

What do you want to major in?

Advertising

What is your favorite movie of all time?

National Treasure

Where would you like to attend college and what would you like to study? Texas A&M or Baylor, and Business

Photos by Rowan Khazendar Graphics by Haley Madigan

What is your favorite hobby? Singing, without a doubt.

What was your inspiration to join Madrigals? I had many friends who were in Madrigals and they told me about their fun experiences, so I wanted to join them.

What is your favorite video game? Portal 2

What provoked you to begin singing? I began singing at a very young age, and when the opportunity presented itself to sing in a serious setting I rose to the occasion.

When did you start singing? I’ve been involved with school choir since 3rd grade, but I’ve always loved singing.

What is your favorite choir memory? New Orleans Varsity Choir trip 2010. Awesome time, no doubt.

Grant Akerly

What will you miss most? My friends. It always turns out that my absolute best and strongest friendships are formed in choir, so I’m definitely going to miss seeing them everyday. Oh and the music.

How did you get involved with Madrigals? I like singing and I have friends in the group.

Where do you plan on going to college and what would you like to study?

Brigham Young University. I don’t know yet about the degree.

I know I wanna play ping pong though.

Hanuy Kim At what age did you discover a passion for singing? Mom told me to join choir in 10th grade What is your favorite TV series? Glee If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three items would you bring? Piano, Water, and a Sandwich

Cory Weidman

What is your favorite version of Pokemon? Gold version for the GBA. By far best version.

Christian Van Hoose

page 16

entertainment december 2011 quickly developing as rap artist Seth Slover Staff Writer

In a country where musical talent is abundant, it can be difficult for young musicians to succeed. Coppell junior Raylon Hart knows that, but it is by no means stopping him.

Hart, a rapper under the name of “Lil’ Ray,” has been rapping since age 12.

“I’ve always had a love for music, particularly for rap,” Hart said. “I grew up on rap, and I learned that I enjoyed making it myself.”

Over the past few years, Hart believes he has produced close to 220 songs.

“I have a lot of inspirations that really inspire me to make music,” Hart said. “True lyricists like Tupac, Biggie and Bob Marley are my musical influences, but my parents and Photo by Trevor Stiff

grandpa also have a lot of influence on the raps I write.”

While many young people enjoy rapping or singing as a hobby, it is often problematic for artists to find someone who is willing to help produce their songs. Fortunately for Hart, this problem has been easily solved.

“My cousin has his own studio and is able to give me lots of different beats,” Hart said. “It’s a great process for me. I write the lyrics and give him an idea of what I want, and then we collaborate to decide on the beats that best fit the song.”

The next step for Hart is getting signed.

“Right now I’m underground, meaning I’m just rapping on my own,” Hart said. “My goal is to get signed and be able produce music under a record label. Right now I’m just doing what I can to get noticed and get seen. I recently got a manager so that should help the process of getting gigs and things like that.”

Facebook, YouTube and datpiff.com are media outlets Hart uses to publicize his music.

Through websites such as these, many CHS students have become intrigued by Lil’ Ray. “I’ve listened to some of Ray’s songs, and he’s really tal-

ented,” junior Logan Hawk said. “It’s really cool that he is doing this and is developing as a rapper. I hope he achieves the goals he has for himself.”

Friends who have known Hart since his pre-rapping days admire his progress.

“When Ray first came to Coppell in middle school, we had no idea he was such a talented rapper,” junior Wade Green said. “It’s awesome that he has come such a long way with his music.”

Not one to put all his eggs in one basket, Hart has goals outside of music, including attending college and developing a stable career. Well balanced and levelheaded, Hart realizes that rap can always be a hobby on the side in addition to a separate career.

For now, though, Hart is following his dream, looking for people to collaborate with, and to help publicize his music. He has a new mix tape coming out soon, followed by his first full album.

To check out Lil’ Ray, find his self-titled fan page on Facebook or on YouTube under the username “raylonhart.”

Aspiring rapper Raymond Hart, commonly known as “Lil’ Ray”, poses for the camera. Hart released his first album “Relentless” last October and is continuing to release new rap singles every couple of weeks.

gel berly Del An

Kim

Staff Writer

is happy. mantic. It ro is It . g n azzli Music is d is life. such . It g in out b a n d s T h e ss h it re p w e d e b is It pelin, uld we Where wo each B oys, Led Z ep dged artB le s, w e o n atl as The B e and many more ack of music? (If e s c ie fa ix e P , th o d h an d s W ch ange r e v of these b et re s fo e m a n e rn ists who th earest Inte recognize you don’t gest you grab the n g has I highly su .) w op-culture ur o p N y . r e tu rc n u e c o so 21st y, reduced American ut it bluntl it content or p to d n a , c d degenerate either sexually expli with a catchy r e to th in e c g si to u ng m ed nd why so ords slapp babbling w difficult to understa lee (pardon G tune. It is rmed by the cast of ile so many o h rf w e s p rt rs a e h v co music c p to ledged. s) o k e n u n a c k w g ; I h av e me, Gle in a m re ists thin talented art ative music is my rs, s for hou r d n a b Altern n w o u n o k y rr lesse ce; fo listened to ser ve a second glan e you three e and they d re (and sanity), I giv ted artists. su a le p n pprecia ow and undera of fresh air. u n k n ow n th a r a bre It is time fo

The unknown underappreciated

&

g n i d l u o g ellie STATUS: UNDERAPPRECIATED

Goulding is only the second artist (after Adele in 2008) to top both BBC’s annual “Sound off…” poll and win the Critic’s Choice Award at the BRIT Awards the same year.

Her unique electronic-folk, or “folktronica,” music style allowed her album “Lights” to climb to No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and sell over 380,000 copies by the end of 2010 after its release.

Her voice complements the techno music. She creates masterpieces through song, each crafted to tell a story. The narrator: her voice.

The British sensation not only sounds spectacular on tape, but her live performances show immeasurable amounts of talent and enthusiasm. Her ability to constrain the strong wavering notes during her performance takes skill and practice.

“Lights” features a great variety of songs that explore different aspects of techno.

Photos courtesy of Atlantic and Polydor.

Graphic by Haley Madigan

irdy bSTATUS: UNKNOWN

Imagine Adele, age 15. After winning the music competition Open Mic UK at age 12, Jasmine Ven den Bogaerde, or Birdy, has increasingly become more popular in both Europe and the United States as a distinguished indie and alternative artist.

This young phenomenon demonstrates a very distinguished and mature voice through her whimsical dreamlike tunes that feature a variety of instruments such as the harp, violin, cello, flute and the vibraphone (similar to the xylophone).

Her ability to go from high to low notes is both striking and impressive for her age. “Birdy” her self-titled album, was released Nov. 7 and features her hit single “Shelter.” What is significant about this young sensation are the lyrics behind her songs. Instead of a repetitive chorus like many songs, her lyrics go deeper to explore human nature, daily life, and of course, the inexpressible aspects of love.

The album is more on the slow side, and has a coaxing rhythm. This, however, is Birdy’s style, and what distinguishes her mesmerizing and melodramatic voice.

ed sheeran

STATUS: UNKNOWN

In June, Ed Sheeran’s breakthrough single “The A-Team” debuted at No. 3 on the UK chart.

A mix between Michael Bublé and Bruno Mars, Sheeran possesses ridiculous talent.

His music has a carefree feel and contains a valuable meaning behind each song; his sound is very soothing and dreamlike. The ambience of his album “+” is open and welcoming. Sheeran conveys feelings through his music that are both overwhelming and fulfilling, like a sip of hot cocoa on a winter night.

At first glance, Sheeran appears to be an ordinary guy, but his catchy boyish persona makes for a good clean reputation with great sound. This is the kind of music would listen to on a rainy day or long car trip. It is the kind of music that makes you happy.

The radio no longer serves as a medium for diverse music. It is time to venture out on our own and find new music. Give these artists a chance. You never know you—might discover the next hit sensation.

december 2011

entertainment

page 17

Twilight saga approaches end; fans evolve with time Jordan Bickham Staff Writer

Twilight fans remember when the first installment came to theaters Nov. 19, 2008. And of course, everyone can recall the packs of screaming, love-crazy teenage girls with their obsession for the handsome vampire Edward Cullen played by Robert Pattinson.

While Twilight is not the greatest, with mediocre acting, lame special effects and fake passion, every fan was satisfied, addicted and ready for more. However, the unveiling of the first part of the final installment of the series on Nov. 18 left many with wonders as to what happened.

Where were all the screaming girls? Where were the Twilight Tshirts and posters? Is the fandom ending before the last movie even comes to theaters this summer?

Sophomore Twilight fan Francesca Graham does not think so. Following the saga from the very beginning, she argues Breaking Dawn Part One, the beginning of the end of the Twilight saga, is just as much a hit as Twilight was in 2008.

“It’s the best one so far; the special effects were really believable, and they weren’t too cheesy,” Graham said. “It was just a really good movie, definitely my favorite so far.”

On the other hand, freshman Chloe Moino is very disappointed with the movie, especially after all the positive attention the movie was getting.

“The beginning of the movie was decent and actually very sweet, but that’s where it stopped. The ending was h or r i b l e and was way too much,” Moino said.

“O ve r a l l, the movie was incredibly

gory, disturbing, and very strange.

I would not go see it again.”

While the movie was gory and strange, sophomore Claire Brown thinks it was unique, intriguing and was an improvement on the previous movies in the series.

“Although the movie was not great, it definitely improved from the very first movie in the series,” Brown said. “Kristen Stewart’s acting improved and the plot was more complex than a teenage love story.”

After seeing Breaking Dawn recently, I somewhat agree. Not being a Twilight fanatic, the movie is shockingly better than the previous three. With a unique plot and improved acting, the film is definitely the best so far, but that still does not mean it is good.

In the beginning, I was a Twilight fan, and after reading the first book, I was hooked. I read the entire series diligently and even went to the midnight premiere of the first movie. The theater was packed with teenage girls, just waiting to get a glimpse of the real life Edward Cullen on the big screen for the first time.

But that is where the excitement stopped for me.

After watching the movie, I was devastated. The film does not live up to the greatness of the book, but those who had never read it were in love. While it seems like the excitement for these movies has dwindled, many still anticipate the films in theaters.

“I guess all the hype about it got me interested,” Graham said. “Everyone had read the books and were talking about them. My mom really wanted to see the movie [Twilight], and we rented it, and I really liked it. So I watched the other movies.”

While the number of people who are excited about the Twilight films has dwindled, fans still showed up hours early to get in line for the midnight showing of Breaking Dawn for the Thursday night premiere, including Graham.

Graphic by Brian Hwu

“I’ve seen all the movies, but this was my first midnight premiere for the series; and it was all sold out, there was a big turn out,” Graham said.

The premiere made a huge impact, and the fans that went spread the message of the improvement of the Twilight saga, causing crowds to go to the movie, even if they were not interested.

“Many of my friends went to the midnight premiere and came to school the next day tired, but happy they went, saying that the movie was much better than the previous movies,” Brown said.

“Because of this, I decided to go, and even though it was not my favorite movie, I was still impressed.”

Although Brown did not attend the midnight premiere, going to the movie a few days later was still a challenge and had the same feeling as if going to the midnight showing of the film.

“Even though it was a few days after the premiere, the theater was still crowded, and tickets were scarce,” Brown said. “I had to get to the theater 30 minutes earlier to try and get a decent seat.”

Outwardly, not many showed their excitement with Twilight T-shirts or by dressing up like at previous midnight premieres for the saga. At the first movie premiere, almost everyone showed their support of the series through fan wear, but this year, there was almost none.

“We didn’t dress up, but there was almost no one there that was dressed up anyways,” Graham said. “I saw a couple of Twilight T-shirts like ‘I love Edward Cullen,’ but I only saw two people wearing that and that was it.”

While the enthusiasm for the series has died down a bit, it has not been diminished, and the movies are still a hit among many audiences, teenage girls especially.

The series may be almost over, with the second part of the Breaking Dawn storyline coming out this summer, but the interest in the series is not over yet; we still have a few more months of Twilight fans swooning over Edward Cullen, so get ready for Breaking Dawn Part Two coming up.

Director Billy Condon talks with actors Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson during the filming of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.”

(MCT)

The Twilight Saga stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, left to right, show their hands after leaving an imprint in wet cement at the handprint and footprint ceremony in the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, Thursday, November 3, 2011. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times/MCT) CA

One big draw to the Twilight Saga is the cast starring actors (from left) Kellan Lutz (Emmett Cullen), Nikki Reed (Rosalie Hale), Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen), Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan), Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black), Elizabeth Reaser (Esme Cullen), Peter Facinelli (Dr. Carlisle Cullen), Ashley Greene (Alice Cullen), Jackson Rathbone (Jasper Hale).

Madrigals make magic, mayhem, music at feast

Madrigals Sai Panguluri and Jack Robertson raise their glasses for the "Wassail Toast" tradition at the start of the annual Madrigals Feast. The feast, which provides dinner and a performance from CHS's chamber-style choral group, was held on Friday, Dec. 2 and Saturday, Dec. 3.

Senior Grant Akerly plays the role of the jester.

The Madrigals’ retelling of the story of Orpheus took a different approach to the portrayal of the characters: Emma Hair was cast as Orpheus, and senior Cory Weidman as his love.

For the full story of the Madrigal Feast, go to page 15.

For more on Madrigals and other Coppell High School performances, visit www.coppellstudentmedia.com.

Senior Emma Hair recites her lines during the feast. This year's play (within a play) was "The Tragedy of Orpheus," a retelling of the classical tale of the Greek philosopher's attempt to retrieve his wife from Hades.

Photos by Lauren Ussery

entertainment december 2011

page 18

REVIEWS The Sidekick Hugo holds key to a good movie Wren Culp Webmaster

Hugo in simple terms is a grand and elegant love letter to movies signed by a master of filmmaking, Martin Scorsese.

Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) is a bright young boy who spends his days running about a train station in 1930s Paris fixing and maintaining the clocks. His father, whom he was fixing an old Automaton with was killed in a fire and now lives an orphan “inside the walls” of the station.

Hugo now feels terribly alone and the world around him is collapsing. His mind is becoming unstable and he is sinking further and further into sadness.

Then Hugo meets Georges Melies (Ben Kingsley), and the two begin to learn about each other while learning about themselves at the same time.

Each of them has their own struggles and pain, but through each other learn to accept what lies in their past.

Hugo also meets Georges granddaughter Isabelle (Chloe Moretz) at the station and the two immediately become friends. Isabelle is what Hugo really wanted the most it turns

out: A friend.

The film is an adaptation of the popular historical-fiction book The Invention of Hugo Cabret that was written and illustrated by Brian Selznick.

When the book was released in 2007, Scorsese bought the rights to the film immediately.

This film is beautiful to say the least. It’s poetic and imaginative whilst still giving the audience a sense of adventure. I loved every part about this movie and it is definitely in my top 10 for the year.

To me, the film is a reminder to follow your dreams no matter what. Life is rough and overwhelming sometimes but it’s also the only one we’ve got. The film reminded me simply that life is made for living.

Scorsese in some ways made a mirror into his own life.

You can see and feel his hand gently and gracefully moving the movie along with elegance.

He does an outstanding job directing this movie.

It is interesting to see a filmmaker who had made movies such Goodfellas and Taxi Driver take a stab at a familyfun adventure and do so well with it. It just goes to show that Scorsese is a filmmaking genius. Rating: A-

Graphic by Lauren Ussery

Hugo

Skyrim

The Walking Dead

A-

A+

A+

Photo courtesy MCT Campus

Skyrim soars above and beyond Lance McCaskey II Staff Writer

One of the most anticipated games of the year has taken the video game world by storm and is setting new sales records across the board. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has taken the Elder Scrolls series to unimaginable new heights, with over three million copies sold in a span of 48 hours.

Skyrim, as the gaming community calls it, is the latest addition to the Elder Scrolls series of games. For those who have not played the games, Elder Scrolls is a planet, split up into different countries. Each game so far places you in a different country; one of these countries is Skyrim.

With the country currently in a brutal civil war between the Empire and the Rebellion, you start off as a prisoner on the brink of execution for being a rebel. After you create your character, you are thrust into a world of magic, dragons, mountain ranges, vast plains, caves, dungeons, kingdoms and much more.

The Elder Scrolls series prides itself on the fact there

is no multi-player experience. While most may question how long they can make a campaign last, Bethesda, the company that created Skyrim, has taken care of the problem.

The main campaign itself lasts over 1,000 hours, more than enough to keep you occupied for months.

Along with side quests, and the ability to join different guilds and clubs, one can make this game last years. But here is the best part: the game never ends. Throughout the campaign, and even after you finish, the game randomly creates new quests for you the complete. This is truly the first never-ending game in history.

Not only will the gameplay blow you away, but the top notch graphics will take your breath away. The attention to detail is remarkable, and is as realistic as a video game can get. No graphic was left unfinished, from the top of every mountain, to the bottom of every dungeon. Even the giants and mammoths seem real enough to be in the room with you. With the HD cord on your console or the Ultra graphic setting on your com-

puter, you feel as if you are in the game itself.

While the game seems perfect in theory, every game has its flaws. During the creation of your character, you must pick one of 10 races, all of which are good at different tasks. It is virtually impossible to try everything out and see where you want to go from there. Without the proper equipment, you cannot appreciate the game’s graphics for what they are on the highest setting, and many of the game generated quests do not last more than a few minutes and are mundane.

The game has flaws, but to me, it is still my favorite game of the year. I enjoy the quests. I love the graphics. The fact that what you say to certain characters could affect the outcome of your entire campaign makes me think and analyze my every move. While some will not admit it, I think we can all enjoy a good dragon slaying every now and then. This may be where my inner nerd flag fly, and so be it. Skyrim is one of the best games ever made. Play it. It speaks for itself.

continues to capture audiences

Wren Culp Webmaster

every other show of its nature deals with: death, destruction, drama and a whole lot of blood.

But “The Walking Dead” really sparked my interest for a couple of reasons. The show is not about zombies, or as they are called in the show walkers. The show is about the human spirit and what events and people can build or break it.

We are thrown into the mix of a group of survivors who are only really gett ing to know

The zombie genre in entertainment has been dying a slow and ugly death for the last couple years. Let’s face it: no one has really quite nailed the formula to produce a high quality piece of work that deals with bloodthirsty “creatures” feeding on humans.

For the longest time I’ve not been a believer in all the guts and moaning, but then based on some recommendations from my friends, I hesitantly started the show “The Walking Dead”.

I was in Rick Grimes love.

For those who are in the dark, “The Walking Dead” is the critically acclaimed “zombie apocalypse” TV show run by one of the best television networks in the world, AMC. It deals with what

each other. The main protagonist, police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) is reunited with his wife and son and his police deputy Shane Walsh (Jon Berthnal).

There group deals with the standard apocalypse problems: lack of food, protection and shelter. They also encounter conflicts and trials with other survivors in and out of the group. Each person comes from a different background of life, with different morals and beliefs.

So when T-Dog

Glenn

tough decisions have to be made for the group, things get tense real quickly.

But let me stress again, this show is not about walkers or guts, even though there is plenty of that. It’s about the human will to survive.

Before it was a show however, “The Walking Dead” was an award winning graphic novel created by Robert Kirkman. The show almost perfectly corresponds with events in the graphic novels.

Frank Darabont, the director of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, along with producer Daryl

Carol Sophia

Lori Grimes

Carl Grimes

Andrea

Dale Horvath

Gale Anne Hurd got the show off the ground and moving with AMC backing it financially. AMC ordered not just a pilot but an entire season based on the strength of the source material, scripts and the fact that Darabont was involved.

Just to prove that this show is worth checking out, AMC renewed the show for a third season after the first episode in the second season.

Why? The season two premiere delivered the strongest telecast for any drama in basic cable history.

What turned me on most about the show is the humanity of it all.

There are multiple scenes where you almost feel bad for the walkers.

The characters are all well developed and make the show shine.

I definitely recommend checking out this show on AMC. Shane Walsh Rating: A+

photo courtesy MCT Campus

Plan to start watching? Get to know the main characters.

december 2011

entertainment

page 19

Pie Five at a Glance Pie Five fills local pizza craving Prices $$

Price: 9” Specialty pies: 9” Custom pie: 6” Kid’s pizza: Salads Desserts:

$6.49 $6.49 $3.49 $2.99 -$6.49 $1-$2

More Information

Service

Service: Informal, welcoming and helpful Ambience: A darkly lit open seated area, booths, stools and tables - reserved warehouse feel with an open kitchen

Location: Las Colinas - 6440 N Macarthur Blvd.

Hours: Sunday - Saturday 11 AM - 10 PM Website: www.piefivepizza.com Wheelchair accessible: Yes Smoking area: None Alcohol: None

Kimberly Del Angel Staff Writer

What is round, cheesy and ready in five minutes?

Call it the Subway of pizzas; Pie Five has revolutionized the pie. In an ambient soothing environment, the smell of pepperoni and sausage engulfs the restaurant while casual music plays overhead.

Hidden on the corner MacArthur Boulevard and Irving Lane, this eatery is surrounded by small shops in a miniature plaza in a relaxed location.

When you enter Pie Five, your attention is immediately drawn to the metallic walls and casual environment.

Friendly smiles grab your attention upon walking up to the food line; employees are very helpful and make an effort to help their customers understand their procedures.

As a first time guest, a man who appeared to be a manager welcomed me to Pie Five and explained to me the options on

the large menu overhead.

Each Pizza costs $6.49— no matter the option. After I made a selection they built the pizza right in front of me.

Within about a minute it was put into a rolling oven that quickly navigated my food through it.

Pizzas are personal sized, perfect if you are going to be dining alone or with a friend.

With a family it is important to take into consideration how many members will be joining you for dinner and purchase either a pizza for each individual or one for every two people and an extra (just in case).

The open environment is perfect for families, allowing them to chat among themselves and enjoy their meal freely with little to no distractions.

A bite into my first slice was not as amazing as I thought it was going to be. The crust was thick and flakey—just perfect. As for the content, it did not provide the wow factor. It was simple; it could have been

better had the ingredients been richer and more unique to give it a memorable tang.

It wasn’t bad either; the special Pie Five High Five featured a medley of Tuscan marinara sauce topped high with pepperoni, Italian sausage, bacon, ham, beef, mozzarella and cheddar. The cheese was too much, but it is a definite hit for kids.

Their famous pie holes on the other hand are to die for. The heavenly dough balls tossed in powdered cinnamon sugar are paired with a decadent rich vanilla dipping sauce (caution: the contents may cause finger licking side effects). They are a steal too; you can purchase five pie holes for $1 or 12 for $2.

Overall, Pie Five distinguishes its own character that is well suited for families looking for a quick meal or broke high school students on a low budget. I would very much recommend this for pizza lovers looking for tasty new locations.

The Hunger Games makes its way into theaters Caroline Carter Staff Writer

Students, faculty anticipate arrival of The Hunger Games movie Filled with action, romance and sacrifice, The Hunger Games trilogy provides its readers with an exciting experience. Because of the great response the books received, Lionsgate turned the series into a science-fiction drama to be released in the spring of 2012.

Set in futuristic, postapocalyptic North America, 12 districts within the nation known as Panem are required to send one boy and one girl to compete in a televised battle, known as the Hunger Games, where only one person will survive in the end.

When protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, volunteers to take her younger sister’s place in the Hunger Games, she embarks on a journey like no other. Forced to compete for food, shelter and life itself, Katniss, along with fellow competitor Peeta, give all they have in order to be the last one standing.

Producers hope to stay true to the book as many loyal fans do not want the movie to shy away from the true

Graphic by Lauren Ussery

meaning of the book. Coppell High School librarian Lex Anne Seifert finds that the trilogy already processes the elements needed for a great movie.

“You have a really strong female character,” Seifert said, “The genre is that dystopian society which students tend to like. You also have the concept of where kids are put in battle and have to fight to the death is fascinating and appealing. What would you do?

Would you sacrifice your life like Katniss did for her sister?

Those ideas are interesting to explore.”

Unlike many series that are driven to one particular gender, The Hunger Games is a popular read among girls, boys and adults.

“It’s not a girly book, and it’s not a guy book. Everybody likes it, even adults,” Seifert said. “With a very unique plot and a cool setting, it is a story that everybody will love.”

Not only has The Hunger Games become a favorite for teens to read, the series has also become a required reading for some English classes.

Academy English teacher Clara Caussey assigned the first two books in the series for her freshm a n Eng-

Phots courtesy www.barnesandnoble.com

Need a gift for the holidays? Check out these trending books:

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo Photo by Jack Ficklen The Hunger Games will be released in theaters on March 23, 2012.

lish class last year.

“I thought it was a good choice for students because it wasn’t difficult to read but the content was mature and provided good discussions, plus it was cross curricular with Geography” Caussey said, “It is interesting to look at what our world could be if we let it become bad.”

Caussey, who is also a fan of the books, looks forward to the movie being released but is skeptical on whether or not the book will be portrayed the right way.

“I am looking forward to the film… but I am concerned about how this novel that is so much about what is going on inside of Katniss’s mind is going to be portrayed on film” Caussey said. “They did a good job of casting it, but it will still be different than how I pictured it in my head however I think it will be good.”

Staring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, the film is set to be released in the early spring 2012. With images from the film just released along with the official trailer, many

students are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the film.

“I am so excited for the movie,” sophomore Alex McCracken said. “I read the books before they became popular, and I am hoping that they will do a good job when making the movie. I have seen the trailer, and I’m impressed so far.”

The two minute and 36 second trailer showcases the tone of the movie along with glimpses of scenery and costuming of the characters.

“The trailer really showed a lot of the important scenes that are in the book,” McCracken said. “I liked how it fully gave the plotline so if someone hasn’t seen it then they would at least know the basic premises of the movie.”

“Overall I was very pleased with the trailer,” McCracken said, “I have high expectations for the movie, but judging from the cast and trailer, it looks amazing.”

Though the film has big shoes to fill from the beloved series, The Hunger Games appears to be a great film. The movie premieres on March 23, 2012.

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

The Son of Neptune (Heros of Olympus #2) by Rick Riordan

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

sports Holst goes out with a bang, wins tournament MVP page 20 Chase Porter Staff Writer

After spiking the ball into the face of the competition, senior middle blocker Kierra Holst not only hoisted the Class 5A state championship trophy above her head, but she was also awarded the tournament’s most valuable player.

The Cowgirls defeated McKinney Boyd on Nov. 19 in four games to win the first state championship in CHS volleyball history.

“I was extremely surprised when I got MVP,” Holst said. “I didn’t expect to go all the way from the beginning of the season but winning state and getting the honor of MVP was incredible and has made a great senior year.”

The 6-foot-4 standout started playing volleyball a little later than most of the girls on the team. While many of the girls began playing at the club level before middle school Holst started at age 14. She quickly fell in love with the sport and since then has played on club teams and has been a member of the varsity squad for three years.

“I really enjoy volleyball because it is fast paced and really intense because you are constantly playing,” Holst said.

Throughout this season Holst was a huge player for the

december 2011

Cowgirls. Not only does her height contribute to her success on the court, but her ability to get up on the net to block and also to pick where she spikes was definitely a contributing factor to the Cowgirl’s victory.

“She’s a tall, explosive player that brings a lot of intensity to the team and really leaves it all on the court,” junior outside hitter Cassidy Pickrell said.

In the championship game Holst had outstanding statistics gaining 19 of the team’s 41 kills.

Also, Holst had five blocks and two aces in the four-match game.

No surprise there though, earlier in the season Holst was also awarded blocker of the district by the coaches within the Cowgirls district.

“I didn’t achieve MVP on my own,” Holst said. “I couldn’t have done it without the defense and the setters.”

Holst not only was a top player for the team this past season, but she was also a major leader for the girls. With a new coach at the beginning of the season Holst made it a point to try and bring the team together in practice and in games.

“This season I really tried to lead and be example,” Holst said.

“I tried to talk all the time on the court to keep up the intensity.”

Volleyball coach Julie

Green, this being her first year with the Cowgirls, was extremely impressed with Holst throughout the season and looked to her in big games.

“She does a great job blocking but at the same time she can strike from pin to pin,” Green said. “She also showed up to practice ready to work and ready to play. She’s just such a dynamic player and I feel like her passion for the game motivates all of us.”

Green agrees Holst more than deserved the MVP award while they were in San Marcos because of her defensive and offensive attributes.

“Kierra was all over the place,” Green said. “She really made a difference at state not only because of her skill but because of her ability to step up and make big plays in big moments.”

After this incredible season for Holst she will continue playing volleyball in college at the University of Oklahoma.

“When I visited I wasn’t extremely excited about the school but I really liked it afterwards because they have a great team and great coaches,” Holst said. “It feels a little bittersweet to be done with Coppell volleyball because I liked playing with all of my friends and it is sad to leave them behind, but at the same time I’m really excited for college.”

Photo By Sammy Robben

Senior Kierra Holst is rewarded for her skill and leadership as she is named the Class 5A State Championship MVP.

A true champion

Green makes history with back-to-back state titles Erica Rohde Staff Writer

Photo By Sammy Robben

The intensity and experience of coach Julie Green during the state finals led the team to their first state championship.

The coach behind this year’s 2011 volleyball 5A state champions may just have a winning streak of her own, which is no coincidence.

Coppell volleyball coach Julie Green led the Cowgirls to its first state title, but before she tied her lasso and slipped on the 10-gallon hat Green, led Lake Travis to a 4A state victory.

“I have been lucky to work at places that are breeding grounds for success,” Green said.

“Good athletes, very supportive parents. I have gotten very good schools.”

But anyone engaged in a sport knows that it takes a good coach to be truly successful.

“She had us working really hard during practices,” junior right side hitter Erica Bohannon said. “It’s never less than 100 percent. She expects so much out of you and pushes your work ethic as far as it can go.”

Throughout her coaching experiences, Green has developed her coaching philosophy on and off the court through watching her kids.

“One of the things I learned was that kids learn differently,” Green said. “I run practices differently everyday so I can get them to understand new ways around the court. Someone might not understand the blocking or timing. This is also how I teach my kids in the class room.”

Green was learning how to coach back when she played for Fairfield High School’s 3A basketball, volleyball and track teams, and even channeled her school spirit as the school’s mascot.

“I just loved to compete,” Green said. “After high school

I went and played volleyball for four years in college. I knew I probably wanted to be a coach.

But it was mainly my basketball coach that had inspired me, being a history teacher, which was kind of what I wanted to do. He was very good at it.”

Green brought all she had and learned to her first year as the Coppell’s coach, challenging the girls from day one.

For senior middle blocker Kierra Holst, this is her third year on Varsity. She has her own take on what Coach Green brought to the court for her first year.

“She brought unity and fight,” Holst said. “She taught us that we need to fight for everything, and she makes very good

“I challenge them in every way possible so that when they step out on the court they are ready for everything.”

-Coach Julie Green judgements.”

From the first practice, the players knew they would be pushed and expected to work hard every day.

“I challenge them in every way possible so that when they step out onto the court they will be ready for every scenario,” Green said. “My drills are fast paced and focused. The practice should be more difficult than the games.”

According to Green, there are many other ways to learn great team strategies; from learning what other great coaches have to say. Green read many books on

volleyball and attended many volleyball clinics where she sat and listened to other coaches speak.

“It’s not just colleges or clubs that you learn from,” Green said.

“There are great examples at the high school level.”

The passionate coach also took her love for the competition and her respect for other coaches to make it a little fun for her and the girls. Throughout her years of experience, Green has developed her own list of what she calls her list of “Coaching Royalty.”

“These are coaches that I really respect,” Green said. “One example being the Head Amarillo coach. When my kids see one of them they will point them out and laugh about it.”

Green believes very strongly in the power of teamwork and not being a selfish teammate.

“It’s a huge thing,” Green said. “A couple of years before Lake Travis went to state I had a group of kids who just did not like each other and wanted their own awards. It comes in the nature of being an athlete. We didn’t play very well. Everyone this year didn’t want to disappoint each other.”

One of Green’s favorite matches during the season combined all of teamwork and enthusiasm.

“The regional quarterfinal game against Hebron was amazing to watch,” Green said. “We beat Hebron in the third round.

They just didn’t quit.”

Though Green brought the girls to state, she and her team still stay by the same mottos.

“When we play we don’t talk about wins,” Green said. “Whatever is on the scoreboard happens. I want them to play hard. Then the scoreboard typically takes care of itself.”

december 2011

sports

Sports still enjoyable from the stands Madison Ford

Entertainment Editor

I am athletically challenged. While many were excelling in rec league soccer in elementary school, I was standing in the goal dancing to Britney Spears and missing the ball.

While this ineptness seems like it would inevitably lead to a hatred of all things sports, this is not so. Despite my lack of athletic ability, I cannot help but enjoy the atmosphere of live sporting events. Granted, the majority of the time I do not understand what I am watching, but that does not detract from the experience.

How can someone who does not understand the game itself, the core of a sporting event, truly enjoy it? To this I say;

there is much more to a sporting event than meets the eye. Perhaps what holds most of the appeal is the sensation of being a part of a team. It is as if you are a cell that is both small and essential to the working of an organism. It may take effort to explain to me exactly what is happening during a football game, but the thrilling atmosphere of a live football game, or any game for that matter, is easily understood.

When I say live, I mean live.

Watching sports on television for me is like watching someone solve a high-level math problem as a form of entertainment. I can’t follow it, and therefore I find it exceedingly boring. It is only when I am live, in person that the full effect of a sport wins me over.

I was recently discussing this notion of non-sports fans enjoy-

ing sporting events with a die-hard sports fan who sees the subject in a different light. They felt frustrated by those who attended games and never even turned around to watch the players because they were too busy drinking and being disruptive to those around them. I can completely understand his frustration, but this is not the type of behavior I am referring to when I express how sporting events can be enjoyable even if you are not a fan.

The joy of attending a live game is almost just the opposite, because what brings the true appeal is that for just that one day, you get to be a “fan.” You get to be competitive and cheer for your team and groan at the players’ mistakes (even if you are only groaning because you noticed everyone else was). You get to be swept up in the culture of the game.

page 21

» CHS sophomores Johnathan Ferree, Trent Armstrong, Hank Howard and Clay Kemp show their school spirit at the game against Justin Northwest on Oct. 21.

These experiences are not simply beneficial due to their opportunity to indulge the inner-fan; they can make memories that are lasting. When you reflect back on that day at the ballpark when you were a kid, is it the plays that occurred that bring you comfort, or rather, was it the bonding you shared with your father? Were those football games you attended special because of the final score, or because of the shared sentiments of your family on the ride home from the stadium? I probably could not tell you one technicality about any of the live games I have attended, but I remember many in great detail due to the memories that were created there.

I will never forget the first time I attended a minor league soccer game where my aunt’s English friend explained to me the ins

Photo by Lauren Ussery

and outs of the game. I yelled for each goal as if my life was on the line. The many scores of the Rangers games I have attended will forever be clouded behind my memories of sitting among friends and family and interspersing our minor anguishes and excitements with laughter under a warm Texas sun. And I think I am still in awe from the first time I attended the new Cowboys Stadium, which left me and my friends in amazement as we took in what was perhaps the most grandiose sports stadium we had ever encountered.

Perhaps screaming along at a sports game without understanding why is a sort of mob mentality; or maybe it’s a perfect combination of people and purpose that can only result in a smile.

Graphic by Haley Madigan

Volleyball sets bar higher than ever

Senior Kristen Dickerson and junior Erica Bohannon embrace after a heart-warming victory.

Photo by Julianne Cauley

After an upsetting football season that left Coppell High School disappointed and shocked, the Coppell Cowgirls volleyball team made school history by being the first volleyball team at CHS to win a state title.

Now, with this exciting win behind us and pride restored to CHS, the only question is: how can we top it?

We have already seen the pressure to stay on top cause a Coppell team to crumble once this year. The Coppell Cowboys 2010 football team was undefeated in district and lost only by one point to Euless Trinity in the regional finals.

This year, with the pressure to match or even go beyond their success, the Cowboys had a 3-4-district record and did not even make it to playoffs.

Every loss or bad play struck the Cowboys hard as they fell farther and farther away from last year’s success, and the same could be possible for many other CHS teams trying to match the Cowgirls state winning success.

Going into this season, the Cowgirls had nothing to lose.

They had no past to live up to, no reputation to uphold, and no one expected much out of them. They defied the odds and proved everyone wrong when they won the Class 5A state championship, but with a relatively young team and only four graduating seniors, some are questioning

with many players over six feet tall. The Cowgirls have both the talent and the resources to go all the way again but it could be their mentality going into the next season that gets in their way.

It will be important for the Cowgirls, and other CHS teams, to go into their season not trying to prove

they whether are as Graphic by Brian Hwu the pressure g o o d to stay on top as they will be too much w e r e before, but as a for them and fellow CHS teams. new season and new team ready Many of the players and to prove what they can do. Their coaches have said that the Cow- own mentality could be the make girls have every opportunity to it or break it factor for these win state again next year. They teams. The Cowgirls often begin will have two-time state winning playing scared and safe when coach Julie Green, nine of their they are afraid to lose and 13 team members returning and if they continue this an unmatched height advantage habit into next season,

it is sure to be a hard one.

For the CHS teams yet to play their season, do not be worried, you are sure to see the usual rowdy support from CHS fans regardless of the season’s outcome. Every team is ultimately searching for the same thing: a state title, but in reality not every team can have it. With this in mind, teams should focus on having fun and playing their best, not always beating the other schools or even being the best in their own.

As the Cowgirls celebrate their history making state title, they have already started to look ahead with high hopes of repeating their success.

“I think we can do it again,” freshmen rightside hitter Kylie Pickrell said.

“Let’s go for a two-peat!”

Sammy Robben Sports Editor

sports Basketball gets ball rolling on promising season page 22

december 2011

Chase Porter Staff Writer

With the varsity basketball team starting out strong, with a season opener win against Plano East on Nov. 15, the team is hustling to get the underclassmen up to speed.

Last year, the Coppell High School basketball team had a very productive season, finishing 13-0 as district Champions. Nine of the players from last year’s team graduated, leaving this year’s team under new leadership and a roster full of underclassmen.

“We had a special group last year, and graduating nine seniors is a little unusual,” basketball coach Brad Chasteen said. “We have four returning varsity teammates who are all great players, but we have a pretty inexperienced team this year. We are going to have to find some depth during the non-district games.”

The team’s official season started Nov. 2, beginning practice for the season opener on Nov. 9 against Plano East. To prepare for the upcoming games, the team has been conditioning and practicing every day, focusing on execution of the offense and defense.

“To prepare for the season we have been conditioning a lot,” senior captain Jett Raines said.

“We have also been working on our offensive execution to help get the less experienced players ready for the season.”

With only four veterans on the varsity team, senior forward and guard Austin Mankin, post Jett Raines, point guard Warren

Oishi and sophomore post Simi Socks, will have to lead the team.

They all agree that this year’s team is already showing signs potential, but it will be a very different season without their former teammates.

“The team this year is young, but is already starting to show a lot of talent and maturity,” senior captain Warren Oishi said. “Since only three of us have had experience on varsity the younger guys are having to learn quickly.”

Despite having young players on the team, the biggest challenge this year for the team is the different type of line up. This season the Cowboys roster is much taller than the past years, forcing both the coaches and players to make strategic offensive and defensive changes. These changes include using the height of the players to the Cowboys advantage rather than having shorter players who were outside, quick shooters.

“We have a new style of play from last year which was more of a run and gun offense, but this year we are trying to take advantage of our height,” senior captain Austin Mankin said. “With our big roster we are going to try and play an inside out offense which means we are going to try to force the ball inside to the guys on the paint.”

The Cowboys scrimmaged Creek View and Trinity on Nov. 9 and will scrimmage L. D. Bell and Love Joy on Nov. 12 at the CHS gym.

Their season opener against

Graph ic by H aley M adigan

Photo by Trevor Stiff

Photo by Trevor Stiff

Varsity and junior varsity boys basketball players practice rigorous drills and scrimmages everyday after school in preparation for the oncoming Basketball season.

Spirit of competitive cheer

Plano East is a continuing 15-year tradition. The Cowboys are Caroline Carter prepared and Staff Writer hope to get positive moBack tucks, mentum for toe touches and the rest of the round offs: all baseason. sic skills needed to excel at cheerleading.

November marks the beginning of competitive cheerleading, a huge undertaking for many high school girls.

Most girls participating in high school cheer are also involved in competitive cheerleading outside of school. The two main teams in the area are Spirit o f Texas and Cougar Cheer.

Sophomore Mikayla Wecker, a member of the CHS JV cheer team, is in her fourth year as a comp et itive cheerleader and is currently on Cougar Cheer.

“When you are on high school cheer, it is not all about talent and skill level,” Wecker said. “It is about

CHS cheerleaders prove themselves through huge time commitment while polishing skills

cheering your team on, staying positive and giving support for the players. But competitive cheer is all about talent. Your goal is to get put on the highest team possible.”

The season for competitive cheerleading begins in November and lasts until late spring. In hopes of getting a bid to Worlds, a highly competitive national competition held in Orlando, Fla. every year, the cheerleaders must spend countless hours in the gym.

“Practices are two to three hours, not to mention tumbling classes on top of that,” Wecker said. “In one week, we are probably in there seven hours.”

With many hours of training, Wecker hopes to possibly continue cheering at the collegiate level.

Many former CHS cheerleaders have gone t o cheer for some of the top schools in Texas, including Abby Drake, Keely Leonard and Macaully Shumate, who are all members of the University of Texas a t Austin cheer squad.

“Out of high school, I would love to become a college cheerleader,” Wecker said. “College cheer is like high school cheerleading, but is also slowly becoming competitive cheer as well. So you really get the best of both worlds.”

For junior McCall Trueblood, who has been Graphic by Haley Madigan

cheering for nine years and is currently on the Spirit of Texas team, the bonds formed with fellow cheerleaders mean more than any competition or trophy.

“It teaches me so many things,” Trueblood said. “You learn teamwork and leadership because you are on a team with 20 to 30 girls. But probably my favorite thing is the bond you form with the other girls. You go through so much together and start out strangers but end a family.”

Trueblood is a member of the varsity cheerleading team at CHS and says cheering on a competitive team significantly helps improve her technique for tryouts.

“Competitive cheer definitely helps me maintain my skills for high school,” Trueblood said.

“The skills you need to make the CHS squad are high level skills and require practice on a regular basis in order to become consistent.”

CHS varsity cheer coach Tiffany Ganss says there is often a correlation between the skill level of girls on high school cheer and competitive cheer.

“With the girls that are on competitive squads, they keep their skills more consistently,” Ganss said. “While some girls get it for tryouts and then lose it. The girls are going so many times a week to practice and stay fit.”

With many commitments such as sporting events, the cheerleaders have a very hectic schedule.

“Varsity cheerleaders already have football games, plus an occasional two hour practice after school,” Ganss said. “And they still have their competitive cheer at night. I honestly don’t know how they do all of it.”

december 2011

sports

page 23

Coach Collins brings new energy to girls’ basketball Photo by Jodie Woodward

Coleman Armes Staff Writer

As the 2011-12 girls varsity basketball season tips off, the young team is full of potential and energy, excited about what they hope to accomplish.

The new energy also comes from its new head coach, Nicole Collins.

Collins comes from J. Frank Dobie High School out of the Houston area, where she excelled in volleyball and basketball. In volleyball she was a middle blocker and her senior year her team went to the regional semis. When it came to basketball, Collins was a point guard who lettered all four years. She also earned many honors for basketball being all district all four years, all region her junior and senior year, and all state her senior year. Her team also reached the regional quarterfinals her senior year in the state tournament.

Her skills on the basketball court got her a scholarship to Baylor University, where she would play from 1998 to 2002.

She would also become starting point guard on the team from sophomore to senior year.

“Baylor basketball taught me how to persevere and how to really work as a team,” Collins said. “It also taught me accountability and responsibility.

I learned to commit to a goal and how to achieve it.”

Sophomore year, her team at Baylor had lost many seniors and finished 7-20. In her junior year the team went 21-9 and also made it to the women’s college basketball tournament where they lost in the first round to Arkansas.

Senior year, Collins and

the Lady Bears continued to improve and came into the season ranked in the top 25, also a first for the program.

They finished second in the Big 12 tournament and ranked seventh in the country entering the women’s college basketball tournament. However they were upset in the second round when they played Drake but finished with a record of 27-6 on the year.

At Baylor, Collins also had many personal achievements. She made the Big 12 all-academic team all four years and also played on the Big 12 all-stars team. This was a team that went to Europe and played European pro women’s basketball teams. She also was a captain on the Baylor team sophomore through senior year and left Baylor being top 5 in assists and top 10 in steals all time at Baylor.

However Collins was not always interested in coaching basketball. At Baylor, Collins majored in forensic science.

While taking a year off from pre-med Collins worked at a hospital for two years in the radiology department, which she really enjoyed.

During this time however she met with her old high school coach and he suggested that Collins look into coaching and that he thought she would be good at it. Collins did just that and became the girls freshman coach at Fort Worth Dunbar High School.

The varsity girls team won state in her second year, allowing Collins to learn what it takes to achieve state at an early year in her coaching career.

From there she went to Mansfield Summit High School

and was the girls JV basketball coach. The girls varsity team went the regional semifinals while she was there, again exposing her to a good team and what it takes to be good.

Collins left Mansfield Summit to become the girls varsity assistant at Cedar Hill High School for three years. There she and the other coaches took a girls varsity team that hadn’t been past the third round in playoffs for five straight years to the state semifinal in the second year. From Cedar Hill she landed her first head coaching job here at Coppell.

Here at Coppell, Collins has big plans.

“In terms of the girls I want to change their mentality on how they approach the game,” Collins said. “I want to show them how hard they really have to work. I want them to refuse to lose and refuse to quit.”

This new energy has impressed many, including her fellow coaches.

“Coach Collins and I share the same passion and desire to be successful, which in turn makes us great competitors,” assistant varsity girls coach Jason Hodges said.

Her varsity players have taken notice of Collins passion as well and are excited at what she brings to the table and the future of the program.

“She is extremely competitive, very fiery, and loud when she coaches,” junior Kara Williamson said. “She has played for the best of the best and knows exactly what it takes to get there. She has very high expectations and is very hard working.”

Coach of the varsity girls’ basketball team, Nicole Collins, works hard to lead the team in a successful season.

Cowgirls look forward to club, off-season games Christina Burke Staff Writer

The Cowgirls are currently in the midst of playoffs and are about to move to the next level, not only at CHS, but also for their individual competitive edge.

Many students are proud supporters of the volleyball team home and away, but they may not know that the volleyball season never really ends.

Immediately after playoffs are over, the girls will begin trying out for and practicing with their club teams.

Split up by age divisions and multiple teams, the players compete with the best of the best all over the nation. Ten of the 13 players on Coppell’s varsity team competed at the national tournament in June.

Competitive volleyball, like any competitive sport, is a very time consuming commitment. In Coppell, players work on their skills around four hours a day. Most girls have been playing since fourth grade and are very familiar with this issue.

Although players who are still participating in the school playoffs are not allowed to try out for teams with the rest of their age groups according to UIL rules, the girls are not worried because of there strong-standing relationships with their current teams. “[Volleyball] is your life,” junior Cassidy Pickrell said.

“You don’t realize how much time you spend on it until you are really out of it for a good amount of time.”

As an outstanding outside hitter, Pickrell has an abundant amount of passion for the game. She is especially fond of the club season. “[Club] is just a different competitive level. You’re playing with the best of the best of your age group, not the best of the best for your school,” Pickrell said. “High school is great but your playing with girls that

opportunity way for girls make themselves known in the next level of the game.

While some Coppell players are already committed to colleges, others are working just as hard as they continue with their high school careers.

Sophomore Lindsay Stivers has been playing volleyball for about six years, and her hard work has recently paid off by getting moved up to varsity. After playing for many years, Stivers can speak for the

whole team when she says that a lot of time and effort goes into volleyball year round, but there are always benefits. “[Volleyball] consumes a lot of our time, but I feel like it’s worth it,” Stivers said. “I really enjoy all of the friendships that are made. Other than the sport, that’s always been my favorite part.”.

Along with getting more practice and playing time, club volleyball also allows girls to meet others from around the

area. It is a time for teams to bond and build strong friendships together.

In the meantime, as soon as the intensity of playoffs winds down, Coppell volleyball will soon begin the off season, and things at school will begin winding down.

“After the playoffs, we are going to work in the weight room; we’re going to get stronger and faster,” sophomore outside hitter Kate Dicken said.

I really enjoy all of the friendships that are made.

Other than the sport, that’s always been my favorite part.

-Lindsay Stivers, sophomore aren’t even in your grade. I like club a lot because that is where you get recruited more for college, you meet girls from other schools, you make friends with people on other teams from different places.”.

Club volleyball is the most important time of year for a competitive player. Teams travel to regional qualifiers not only to try to make nationals, but also to get noticed by top notch colleges. Coaches often search for the best upperclassman to recruit from Dallas national qualifying tournaments.

These tournaments are a good

Looking forward from the State Championship game, the Coppell Cowgirls will begin focusing on their competitive club teams.

Photo by Ivy Hess

page 24

. . the sidekick

december 2011

Boggle Your Brain Sudoku

Crossword

Fill up the grid with the numbers 1-9. Numbers can only be used once in a row column, and box.

Look at the clues and fill in the blanks with the best word.

Across 4. What Frosty’s nose was made of 7. Kissing Plant 8. “Come on, it’s lovely weather for a _______ ride together with you.”

9. Eight days of gifts 10. Where the Grinch takes place

Down 1. The man who slides down the chimney 2. The most famous reindeer of all 3. The infamous holiday dessert 5. Special Hanukkah candelabra 6. Canadian winter celebration