The Sidekick - Issue 4 - March 2013

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VOLUME 24 ISSUE 4 MARCH 2013

COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL WWW.COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM

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People covers Taylor’s Gift

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185 W PARKWAY BLVD

Shooting for new club

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COPPELL, TEXAS 75019

National Signing Day

Real shattered dreams experience guides Sims family MICHELLE PITCHER

Photo by Rachel Bush

Editor-in-Chief

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t was Christmas night 1999 and a crowd had gathered on Belt Line Road around a fiery crash. Two were dead, and one family would be changed forever.

Students are told from the time they are able to drive about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. They are told not to drive drunk, not to ride with a drunk driver and never to let someone they know get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. One Coppell family learned firsthand the full extent of the effects of drinking and driving.

The Sims family was driving home from Arlington after Christmas dinner with family. Three-year-old Elizabeth sat in her car seat singing along to the worship CD that was playing through the speakers. Her 13-month-old brother, Nathan, sat next to her in the backseat in his rear-facing car seat. The weather was nice as their father, Jerry, drove down Belt Line Road.

They were about a mile away from home. The kids’ mother, Sara, who was sitting in the passenger seat, saw headlights in the distance.

Jerry, Sara, Elizabeth and Nathan Sims recall a fateful drunk driving accident on Dec. 25, 1999 that provides them direction and perspective.

As the family drove home that night in their Ford Expedition, a 19-year-old Coppell High School graduate driving a Dodge Neon was headed in the other Photo by Rachel Bush

direction down the two-lane road.

He and his 21-year-old female passenger were both under the influence of alcohol. As the Neon veered into the wrong lane, the

two cars collided. The drunk driver and his passenger were both killed.

“The very first thing I did was put my hand over to see if Sara was OK, and I felt the broken [femur],”

Jerry Sims said. “I knew right

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

Wilcox shares special bonds NATALIE GILBERT

Photo by Rowan Khazendar

Staff Writer

Friends and teammates of Jacob Logan, who died in October, huddle to pray after an emotional game against Flower Mound on Oct. 19.

Faith hits the field

Role of religion expands in sports SAMMY ROBBEN Sports Editor

They may win first in a race or throw the perfect pitch.

They may be state champions or just the average athlete with big dreams. Whatever their accomplishments are, several Coppell High School athletes are quick to give the credit to someone else.

For them, the glory goes to God.

“A lot of people play better when they realize that their talents are gifts that have been given to them that they have developed and ultimately they can give the glory to God,” assistant baseball/football coach and Fellowship of Christian Athletes sponsor Clint Rushing said.

“They may not always be the best player but they get the most out of their talent and are generally

see Athletes on pg. 23

Heavy workloads and extra curricular activities makes school hard on even the healthiest of students, but the level of difficulty for students who have disabilities or diseases is taken up a notch.

This is where Betsy Wilcox comes into play.

Wilcox is an employee for Coppell Independent School District; however, she does not necessarily teach at a CISD school. Instead, she teaches at homes around the community. She is a homebound teacher for students who have injuries or diseases serious enough to make the student miss at least a month of school.

As it may seem, this job is not an easy one. According to Wilcox, many tasks outside of the job description are vital to be successful with students and their parents. These tasks

Betsy Wilcox, a homebound teacher, helps students like senior Aswin Narayanan who have serious injuries or diseases to facilitate learning.

include a variety of necessary abilities from creating relationships with her students’ teachers to having to endure the loss of a student.

Despite the hardships Wilcox bears, she loves her job. She will be retiring at the end of the 2012-13 school year.

Wilcox has worked with hundreds of students over the 24 years she has held this

position and has loved every one of them.

Walking into room B231, the first thing you notice is her photo-filled wall, which from a guest’s perspective consists of pictures of her students, notes they have written her and pictures they have drawn for her, but for Wilcox, it is a

see Teacher on pg. 10

2 news

MARCH 2013

echnology akeover

Introduction of iPads in classrooms transforms traditional lesson plans CAROLINE CARTER Staff Writer

Five years ago, a classroom equipped with a Smartboard, Apple products and a set of laptops for students would not have existed. But as Coppell schools become more innovative in the way curriculum is taught, this is becoming a reality.

“As a school district, Coppell is way ahead.” career and technology education department chairperson Shelly Redding said. “Students have to have the technology survival skills when they leave Coppell no matter what path they go on. Coppell has equipped students with the necessary skills for the real world by giving them access to all of this technology.”

Since providing such a large amount of technology for students and teachers to use is not something occurs over night, extensive planning and funding had to occur first. This began first at the district offices.

“When someone wants an initiative or program, we discuss it with Dr. Turner and his staff and share what we want to do,” CHS Principal Mike Jasso said.

“The proposal is then presented to the school board.”

The latest addition to Coppell High School’s technology includes personal iPads for the teachers.

“The district felt like in order for us to be able to provide this for our students, our teachers need to be well versed in iPads,” Fine said.

Given to the high school teachers before the holiday break in December, the iPads are one way CISD continues to surpass other districts in 21st century education.

“The iPads are giving teachers more flexibility and are allowing them to think outside the box,” Fine said. “Since Apple has tons of free apps, teachers can explore the thousands of apps and find which work best for them and then pass that on to their students or other teachers.”

In addition to providing new ways to teach curriculum, the iPads have also provided an easier way to take notes and transport documents from the school to the teacher’s home.

“I have used the iPad for classroom observations, and it has given me the flexibility to not have to lug my dinosaur laptop from the school to home,” Fine said. “You can take quick notes at meetings, and the calendar app is able to transfer between my iPhone and iPad. My life would not function without that type of technology.”

Feb. 18, a staff development

day, will serve as an opportunity for teachers to become more accustomed to their new piece of technology as well as discover new ways to use the iPad. “If you get a piece of technology and don’t know how to use it, a lot of times it just sits there in the box,” Redding said. “It is great that the school district is letting us come together to teach one another. The best way for teachers to learn is from each other. I am eager to see what apps teachers in different subjects are using and if I could use the app it too.”

Redding, who has been a teacher for 26 years, knows the importance of finding interesting ways to teach students new curriculum. iPads and other forms of technology such as Smartboards and interactive websites have been able to accomplish this.

“Instead of lecturing for 55 minutes, I could show you a video, an app, or an online activity that would bring a topic to life,” Redding said. “This would make the most boring topic interesting to students. I am hoping that the teachers are finding ways to teach the same curriculum, but we are adding an interesting and fun aspect to it. Technology gives teachers a way to get more on the level of students. If we are boring, students are not interested and will not listen.”

Students at CHS also like the direction that teaching is headed. Sophomore Sarina Naik finds that the use of technology makes it easier to understand difficult material.

“The SMART Boards and available laptops have been a huge help for me.” Naik said. “I like the SMART Board because in math class, my teacher can easily post her class notes to her website. I can go online and access these anytime I want to. The Apple laptops are also nice because I can make a really good video project, even though I do not have some of the high end software at my house.”

Though the new forms of technology are being added, Redding says that it is important to remember that the technology is not replacing good teaching but instead serves to aid and make it better.

“Sometimes I think people get the impression that the more technology there is, the better the education will be,” Redding said.

“This is not necessarily true. The teachers we have at CHS are great, and technology should be used to assist them. It should not ever become a replacement for a good teacher or teaching.”

With great responses thus far from teachers and students, the iPads are just the beginning of the technology-driven curriculum in Coppell.

Graphic by Julianne Cauley

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Educator Feedback Anthony Poullard

Academy Spanish II, III PreAP Spanish I

“The iPad has helped me stream line what I am doing. It has helped me become more efficient in teaching and it also engages my students in a different way.”

Amy Wilkinson

Academy English III

“The district’s gift of the iPads has opened up new possibilities and new opportunities to extending new things in the classroom.”

Michael Fields Geometry

“The iPad has shown me a lot of possibilities but until the kids get their own, we can’t do a lot of things together. I tried to incorporate the flipped classroom in my class, but I did not need the iPad to do so.”

Jodie Deinhammer

Anatomy and Physiology

Technology in the classroom takes learning to a different level and forces the teacher the teacher to be more of a facilitator. The iPad program gives us another resource to use to create relevant learning experiences.

MARCH 2013

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The

Storches Photos by Jessica Rivera

The Spread The Storch family’s story told on page 122 of People Magazine’s January 2013 issue

Local heroes featured in People Magazine CHRISTINA BURKE Features Editor

Flip to page 122 of People Magazine’s January 2013 issue to see the faces of Coppell’s very own Todd and Tara Storch, founders of the nonprofit Taylor’s Gift Foundation in the “Heroes Among Us” section.

The well-known locals have been on the radar since the launch of Taylor’s Gift in March 2010 after their 13-yearold daughter Taylor died in a tragic skiing accident in Colorado and donated her organs to save five lives.

The locally started Taylor’s Gift Foundation has grown extensively in the past three years and is now beginning to be recognized in the national spotlight after writer Alicia Dennis of People Magazine sought out Todd and Tara Storch.

“We were contacted by a writer and eventually an editor last year about the work we were doing with the foundation, and they wanted us to do a follow up to a meeting with Patricia Winters, Taylor’s heart recipient,” Todd Storch said. “We met with the writer, and I had a meeting with People Magazine in New York while on business.”

Dennis heard about Taylor’s story from a colleague, and thought it would make a wonderful piece about ordinary people going through extraordinary difficulties.

“I was moved by the grace and strength of the Storch family,” Dennis said. “In the midst of such a devastating loss, they tried to find something that would help others. I am so inspired by them and I felt that they can inspire others. It is amazing how many people can be touched by something because the story is beautiful. It is a really exciting, wonderful part of my job.”

Although a brief one page spread, the process of writing the article took an extensive amount of time to complete. A few brief face-to-face meetings and several phone calls later, the story was finished and ready to be published.

The complete article includes a brief summary of Taylor’s story and how that inspired the foundation, along with input from Taylor’s organ recipients. The Storches knew they had done something good by sharing their story nationally.

“It’s never easy to lose a child, but we know our purpose in life is now to help others,” Todd Storch said. “Losing Taylor was the hardest thing we have been through, but the good that has come from donating her organs and the work of the foundation is making the world a better place for others. That’s a beautiful thing and opportunity we take seriously and to heart.”

The article also features Winters, who received Taylor’s heart after the skiing accident in March 2010. Winters became well acquainted with the Storches after Tara Storch wrote her a letter after the transplant. Winters jumped on the opportunity to take part in the People article, thankful for what Taylor has given her.

“Losing Taylor was the hardest thing we have been through, but the good that has come from donating her organs and the work of the foundation is making the world a better place for others.”

-Todd Storch, father “[Taylor] has given me life- the ability to live a normal life with my children, go back to work and function as a human being,” Winters said. “You always envision not wanting to know who gave your heart, but Taylor is a part of me, she always will be, and I feel like I need to be a better person for her.”

Students who were friends of Taylor continue standing by Taylor’s Gift and are thrilled to watch the organization thrive through opportunities like this.

“It is a wonderful thing to see the Storches be able to share their story with everyone on a national level in such a popularly read publication,” junior Kasey Tucker said. “Inspirational stories spread through media can have such an effect on the lives of others, and the article in People is allowing for the opportunity for Taylor to change more lives.”

The Storches believe they are blessed to have so many people support their work through the foundation and look forward to the audiences that can be reached by being featured in People.

“It was real exciting [getting contacted by People],” Tara Storch said. “To know Taylor’s Gift is going to get an opportunity of national publicity is an absolute blessing. National media has made Taylor’s Gift known and put us on a different platform.”

Talk of Taylor’s Gift through national media will be proving important for the foundation as it draws more attention to organ donation and as Tara and Todd Storch come out with Taylor’s Gift: A Courageous Story of Giving Life and Renewing Hope, a book to be released April 1.

The book presents the story of the Storch family and Taylor’s organ recipients getting through difficult times with faith.

Taylor’s Gift teaches everyone that they have the ability to make the world a better place. Registering to become an organ donor can save numerous lives, and telling people about organ donation can have even more widespread effect. With an article in People Magazine, Taylor’s Gift has the opportunity to reach an entirely new audience with every issue picked up.

“Our hope is that we can continue to help others through our foundation, and consistently reinforce that we all have a gift within,” Todd Storch said. “It is very easy to outlive yourself.”

For more information about the Storch family or how to become an organ donor, visit www.taylorsgift.org.

Photo courtesy Todd Storch

Patricia Winters

Recipient of Taylor Storch’s heart

Read the People Magazine article about the Storch family’s story

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news

MARCH 2013

Sidekick 5K, fun run supports life with Taylor’s Gift KRISTEN SHEPARD Staff Writer

For the Sidekick Staff, February is always a busy month.

D115, The Sidekick Newspaper’s headquarters, is abuzz with contest entries and designing the March Issue. This year, The Sidekick staff is extra busy in preparing for and setting up The Sidekick’s first annual 5k and fun run, Sidekick Strides for Life. The Sidekick will be raising money to produce new issues and supporting local charity, Taylor’s Gift.

The scheduled date for the Sidekick Strides for Life 5k is March 23, which gives the Sidekick staff less than two months to organize the event.

In her second year as The Sidekick’s business manager, senior Addy Buigas-Lopez came up with the idea of a fun run based on the success of several of Coppell’s other 5ks.

“I’m familiar with and have participated in many 5ks around the area, and I know they are a fun way to turn a profit and raise funds,” Buigas-Lopez said. “Each year, The Sidekick works to come up with a fundraiser and a community service activity, but the 5k will allow us to do both in one event.”

On March 23, Andy Brown Park East will be filled

with runners, walkers and joggers of varying ages. Until then, registration is open at all CHS lunches and will open soon online. The cost is $30, and anyone, whether or not they attend CHS, can sign up to participate.

Profits from the registration fees will go to The Sidekick to help cover the cost of technology, printing and competitions for the staff. T-shirts are included with the $30 registration fee, with $10 going to Taylor’s Gift.

Taylor’s Gift was founded in 2010 striving to promote awareness and participation in organ donation.

The organization is based in Coppell and was created in

memory of Taylor Storch, an 8th grade student at Coppell Middle School East who died in a ski accident.

When her parents, Todd and Tara Storch, made the decision to donate her organs, she was able to improve the lives of six people.

“Having opportunities to partner with local events is always great to bring attention to our mission,” Taylor’s Gift Founder and Presi d e n t T o d d Storch s a i d . “ [ M y family] has lived in Coppell for nearly 20

years and this is a community that is built on compassion and service. Partnering with The Sidekick and the Coppell schools is always fantastic.”

Through the proceeds from booths and T-shirt sales, Taylor’s Gift will be able to add funds to its annual scholarship account and help provide financial assistance to those touched by organ donation.

For the 5K to succeed and raise as many funds as possible, The Sidekick will be looking for as

many interested participants as possible. Students can receive an NHS hour for signing up, or be exempt from an Anatomy blogging assignment.

“We think this will be a

success because Coppell has a large population of active residents who we think would be eager to participate” Buigas-Lopez said. “The hardest part of planning up to this point is working with the City of Coppell to have the event insured, it’s a lot of paperwork and little things you wouldn’t think of.”

The entire Sidekick staff is coming together to make the event a success. Some staff members are running in the event itself, while others will be working the registration table or passing out cups at water stops.

Staff members will be passing out forms and collecting registrations on stage at lunch throughout the school week up until the 5K date.

Forms will also be available on the event Facebook and outside room D115. For all participants under the age of 18, a parent or guardian signature is required for liability purposes.

In the two months leading up to The Sidekick Strides for Life 5K, the Sidekick staff will be busy planning and preparing, though not without excitement and anticipation.

“This is a good fundraiser because it’s different,” editor-in-chief Michelle Pitcher said. “A lot of organizations have traditional fundraisers that they do every year, so there’s a lot of room for new ideas. We’re really excited to get out into the community and try to do some good.”

is so much tenser now than it was ten years ago. It’s forcing me to do a lot of growing up.”

James’ Facebook page has provided her with the opportunity for direct contact with readers. Several of her fans post feedback on the wall, and James does her best to respond to all of her feedback.

“I just finished, Broken Illusions,” reader Terri Coleman said. “My mind is racing. I keep retracing my readings. I am so crazy about this trilogy. I am dying to get my hands on Fragile Darkness. My breath was simply taken away.”

Before she had contact with fans via social media, James sought out a teen writer who could serve as a mediator and give her insight as to how teenagers today think and talk.

James contacted the coordinators of the Coppell Gifted Association writing competition, and they led her to senior Aimee Hyndman.

“I got to read the manuscript of [James’] books before they were published,” Hyndman said. “She wanted to be completely sure she was representing the teenage voice well.”

The experience was good for Hyndman, who is an aspiring writer herself. While she plans to major in creative writing in college, she looks to pursue a career in editing or publishing while continuing to write in her spare time. Hyndman, like James, believes that there is a lot of potential for the YA genre, although she refers to the market as “crowded.”

“I definitely think YA is a more popular genre right now,” Hyndman said. “I think I’ll stick with it because there are a lot of tropes and themes that I like to cover with teenage characters and young adults. I do think I’ll try to transition more to adult stuff as I get older. I like to sample in every genre.”

James’ editor has advised her to stick with YA thrillers as she moves forward. The market for this type of book, however, is difficult to predict. The market seems to center around one series at a time, typically those that are to be made into movie adaptations.

James points out the difficulty book stores have predicting the popularity of a book or series. Stores tend to feature popular authors, but those franchises take up shelf space that could go to new authors.

“There are a ton of good books out there that come and go,” James said. “People give so much attention to trendy books that they ignore all of the other material out there.”

Despite the arduous search for “discoverability,” James says that any young authors who are looking to enter the market should pursue their goal with all of their passion.

“My biggest piece of advice is to do it and follow your gut,” James said. “Believe in your ability, and don’t let anybody tell you what you can’t do. The things you feel most passionately about are the ones that are most compelling when they come out.” *Author’s pen name

Graphic by Haley Madigan

Local author succeeds in writing Young Adult novels MICHELLE PITCHER Editor-in-Chief

Coppell resident and mother Ellie James* awoke from a vivid dream one night and was struck by inspiration. She knew immediately she had just stumbled upon her next great adventure as an author.

With the enormous success of books like The Hunger Games, Twilight and novels by John Green, the audience for Young Adult (YA) fiction has grown exponentially in the past decade. James, who had previously published 22 novels in the adult fiction genre, decided to foray into this new frontier.

She recently published the third installment of her YA suspense trilogy Midnight Dragonfly.

The trilogy chronicles the adventures of a 16-year-old psychic living in New Orleans.

The opening scene of the first book, The Shattered Dreams, which depicts a group of teenagers breaking into a purportedly haunted mansion, is almost exactly the scene James witnessed in her dream.

“When I sat down to write the proposal for the book after I had the dream, I didn’t have a formula I was following,” James said. “I really didn’t know what I was going to do with it. I was just writing what I was seeing. It was very intense to me.”

James, who was writing short stories and novels while still in high school, grew up in Baton Rouge and attended Louisiana State University, majoring

in journalism. She then went on to pursue a career in market research, a job that brought her to Coppell 20 years ago.

“I had a corporate job; I wore suits to work,” James said.

“Whenever I was on an airplane and I would read a book or watch a movie, I would rewrite the ending in my mind. I was constantly coming up with stories, and after a while I started writing them down. When my first book sold, I realized I wanted to leave the corporate world and pursue a career in writing.”

About 12 years and 25 published books later, James is still taking chances with her writing.

Before the publication of her YA trilogy, James wrote exclusively suspenseful adult mysteries.

The hardest part about her transition, she says, was not coming up with the idea; the hardest part for James, who has a 9-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son, was to quit thinking like a mom.

“I had a hard time getting into the mindset of a brave teenage girl,” James said. “My first instinct would always be to call the police, but my editor would have to remind me that my characters would take action. I had to teach myself to quit protecting her.”

The transition from adult novels to YA fiction has not only challenged James’ writing style, but it has introduced her to an entirely new readership as well.

Around the time James published her first YA novel, social media were beginning to take the world by storm. The change, she says, has made all the difference.

“The experience with these books has been so different because social media has changed everything,” James said. “Suddenly there is a much louder platform for readers to talk about books and writers to interact with readers. Everything Photo by Michelle Pitcher

Coppell mom Ellie James* has been testing her writing in the genre of Young Adult fiction with The Shattered Dreams.

opinions 5

MARCH 2013

Extra taxes on items from “sindustry” raise controversy Graphics by Haley Madigan

Vending machines upon vending machines line the walls of schools, public libraries and even local recreation centers across America—captivating their prey through perfectly packaged honey buns, florescent pouches of Skittles and bags of sour cream and onion Lays chips.

Modern day society has developed a fast-paced food industry, where lives have transformed into drive-thrus, concerned only with low costs and rapidity.

According to The Center for Disease Control and Preventions, an estimated 17 percent of children and adolescents ages 2 – 19 are obese. This number solely represents the plight of the youth of America. Another estimated 72.5 million adults in the U.S. are obese as well, putting them at a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some forms of cancer and early death.

With staggering numbers such as these, the U.S. is the world’s most obese country. It appears that politicians may finally be answering a long-overdue wakeup call.

Couch potatoes beware: the following policies might burn a hole in your pocket.

Heated controversy has been brewing around the country regarding a sin tax.

This means that the government would tax products or services that are perceived as vices, such as unhealthy food, alcohol, tobacco and gambling.

While the main argument against this policy is it would be ineffective and detrimental for lower and middle class citizens, if a short time period was held between inflation of cheap, unhealthy food and the deflation in expensive, healthy food, the change would lessen the strain on the poor.

Sin taxes could be an enormous boon in the fight against obesity. Just a 3-cent tax on each 12-ounce sugared soda would raise $51.6 billion in revenue over a decade (The Joint Committee). However, there are two caveats. First there would need to be a significant tax increase so that people actually think twice before buying a chocolate bar over an apple. Second, the tax revenue must be placed directly into federal, state and local programs that would serve to promote lifestyle changes.

Only by moving our culture to one where movement is a daily necessity will we be able to deter Americans from a sedentary lifestyle and effectively take hold of the newly established “sin taxes”.

While a one-time tax itself may not reduce obesity, it helps more than it hurts.

California’s tobacco tax, employed in 1998, has successfully used revenues to fund a wide assortment of health programs for families with young children. Over time, the cigarette tax has increased and the programs have expanded. Most importantly, consumption of tobacco products has dropped.

Did you know that 50 billion dollars is spent yearly on alcohol products? What about the 40 billion on tobacco products (Business Insider)?

These are not numbers to be proud of.

Sin tax implementation will ultimately accumulate large cost savings as well as reduced health complications and lower insurance premiums.

We need to realize these goods being labeled as “sins” are items that should not be considered necessities but only occasional indulgences.

It is time to stop hiding behind “can’t” and “will not” and initiate something that could change the face of the American people by reducing the appeal of dollar menus and convenient vending machines.

It is time that we begin a movement to change the face of America.

Kimberly Del Angel Entertainment Editor

Millions of Americans are directly affected by the recession; even though things are looking up, people are still without jobs and are in debt. The source of the problem is our nation’s $16.4 trillion debt.

For many politicians, the obvious solution seems to be raising taxes. Politicians pose the question, “while we are taxing more, why don’t we heavily tax the ‘bad things?’” The hope of this “sin tax” is that Americans will be discouraged from their vices by the increasing prices.

The government gets more money and citizens will realize the error of their ways and quit purchasing “sinful” items such as alcohol, cigarettes and gas. Yes, using gas is considered to be a sin now.

As of 2013, 30 states have cigarette tax rates of $1 per pack or higher. The highest tax rate in the country is in New York with a tax rate of $5.85 per pack, while Texas has a rate of $1.41 per pack. Do smoking citizens deserve this increased tax?

Some may argue they deserve it because smoking is bad, but when did it become the government’s place to tell us what is “sinful?” What about the taxes on gas? Do people deserve to pay more for using a necessity such as gas? The excise tax in Texas is an additional 20 cents per gallon.

Minimum wage is $7.25, while the average American household will spend $4,155 on gas this year. A minimum wage household will make about $14,500 gross income assuming they work 40 hours a week. This means they will likely spend around 33 percent of their income on gas.

This is unacceptable.

Sin taxes are not progressive (a tax that increases as your earnings increase, so people are taxed based

off of their incomes).

They are a flat rate. If someone from the upper class were to buy a sin tax item, they would not be as affected as individuals in the middle and lower classes.

Low-income Americans, the largest consumers of sin taxed products, are already being hit the hardest by this recession.

Now we are adding on sin taxes to make matters worse. Other taxes are better about distributing the heavier load on the upper classes so the lower classes are not bombarded with expenses. However, the sin taxes make no effort to relieve the lower classes – seemingly targeting them.

Do these taxes even make a difference in consumption of “sinful” items? Twelve percent of smokers making $90,000 annually can deal with the trivial expense of the added taxes, but the 53 percent of smokers that make less than $36,000 are greatly affected by the additional tax.

Individuals in New York are often driven to illegally buy untaxed cartons from Native American shops to avoid the heavy taxes. They are now considered criminals for something as trivial as saving some money.

Sin taxes may bring money to the government, but they are doing so in an unfair way. The government should not have the right to deem something sinful just to make tax money off of it. People have the right to make their own choices and if they wish to partake in acts that are not healthy – that is up to them.

All these taxes are doing is taking in money from people who need it more than anyone else. A sin tax will not help solve the recession in the long run. It will send more and more people spiraling into poverty.

We should address the real issue at hand (it is not gas and alcohol) and budget for it accordingly. I believe the government should focus on fixing itself from within before it starts to heavily tax its citizens on moral grounds.

Corrina Taylor Staff Writer

“I am in favor for taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, and snacks since they are bad for your health. [The price] will get so high, people will not want to buy it anymore, which will help them quit.”

“Because they have negative externalities, a higher tax would be okay. I am all for it, especially with tobacco because people who do not smoke can get cancer from it.”

“I am against almost all taxes on anything. It would be almost pointless; people would still buy everything and I do not think it will make that big of a difference.”

“The sin tax is a good idea to enforce because it can help reduce obesity.

People will start to buy healthier options like broccoli instead of chips because their cost is lower.”

Wendy Little Child Nutritionist

Seth Endelman Junior

Rachel Gruebbel Junior

Neha Purandare Freshman

6 opinions

MARCH 2013

Editorial

Potential law mandates gun possession for teachers The recent school shooting in Newtown, CT, left America’s heart bleeding. The story of the 27 victims, including 20 children, shocked America. In response, a call was made for a serious reconsideration of American gun laws. One solution proposed to preventing further atrocities like this offered the idea of allowing teachers to bear arms within the classroom.

Unfortunately, this issue leaves students on the edge of their seats.

It seems odd to think that the solution to school shootings would be to bring more guns into schools. However, there is no doubt that armed teachers would cause someone planning a shooting to hesitate. Teachers

are responsible for the safety of their students.

Currently, 42 states have laws against carrying guns in schools. The other eight states range in their laws. In New Hampshire, there is no law against carrying a gun onto a campus unless you are a student.

However, guns are lethal weapons that end lives with the pull of a trigger. That is a lot of power for a teacher to have. For a plan like this to be even remotely possible in a reasonable sense, teachers would have to undergo extensive training, certification and even possible psychological testing. Do our schools have the money for this?

Even if the schools could muster up the funds to train

teachers about gun usage and safety, it is money better spent on resources for the students and school.

Also, what is stopping guns from getting into the hands of unstable teachers? Even the smallest breakdown when combined with gun access can lead to terrible results. The infamous UT Tower shooting of 1966 was committed

by Charles Whitman, who appeared to be a normal, sane and intelligent college student. After further investigation, research found that Whitman developed a tumor that impaired his judgement.

In a sense, it was impossible to predict the UT shooting, and putting weapons in the hands of teachers across the nation only makes it more possible for vio-

lence to occur. Even if we could ensure that all teachers were responsible enough to carry a gun, we would not be able to make sure the guns stayed out of the reach of students.

Guns are also a threat to the comfort of students. Knowing that your teacher holds a concealed weapon is enough to make you feel uneasy as you sit in 3rd period.

Districts also go out of their way to make sure teachers learn proactive measures to protect their students against hurricanes, fires, and tornadoes, but are we doing enough to prevent school shootings? We have to remember that a shooting is still an extenuating circumstance, and that the shootings we see on the news

reek of a mental health crisis more than a gun control crisis.

A school’s number one priority should be the safety and education of its students, but taking part in this expensive gamble is not a risk worth taking. We have to get guns away from students, and when a mental illness strikes, it sometimes does not matter who holds the gun.

There are plenty of precautions our schools can take to make campuses safer, but placing weapons in the hands of teachers will likely cause more problems than it solves. The best way to prevent shootings from campuses is a combination of lockdown procedures, mental health reform, and measures to keep all guns off campuses.

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Graphic by Lauren Ussery

Common ground harder to find Today’s students try so hard to have nothing to talk about.

Pop culture has been redefined in the past few years, with “alternative” and “indie” movies and films gaining more recognition than what would have been previously defined as “mainstream.” Individuality is more important than ever, and common ground is becoming harder and harder to stand on.

Whenever a formerly unknown band gains popularity, its die-hard fans begin to abandon ship for fear of having too much in common with their peers. A movie playing at the Angelika theatre is inherently better than one that plays at Movies 8 because there is an assurance that the general populace will not make the trek.

There are certain events – like the Super Bowl or the Grammys – that capture the attention of the nation. People plan parties to celebrate these rare occasions.

Social media are inundated with commentary and humorous takes on the event. Every so often – maybe twice a year – people are able to share a meaningful experience with one another.

The ever-diversifying educa-

tional methods of the 21st century are sending me and my peers on completely divergent paths. When we enter high school, we not only have the opportunity to choose which campus best suits our learning style, but we get to choose which path to embark on when we get to our respective campuses. We are bombarded with information about the Academies, AP classes, Dual Credit, International Baccalaureate – every smaller community detracting imperceptibly from the larger one.

If I were forced to interact with one of the several hundred seniors with whom I’ve never had a class, I would find myself desperately searching for conversation topics. “So how about the traffic in the student parking lot?” isn’t exactly the type of riveting conversation I’m looking to engage in on a daily basis.

We are becoming independent thinkers, independent people. And with this transformation, we are becoming more and more distant from our peers.

The problem is not limited to high school. Institutions of higher education are becoming progressively

more accepting of flexible course loads; several of the country’s top universities do not have any core class requirements. Not only does this decrease the holistic value of a student’s education, but it deprives him or her of the opportunity to form connections – make a study group, walk to class with the same people every day, always having something in common with your classmates.

It is not enough that my peers face the same generational problems that I do (the most pressing of which currently is the short battery-life of my netbook).

It is crucial to the defining of a generation that we share experiences as well. My generation may not protest at Berkeley or be the deciding voice in a historic election. We may never witness the birth and death of an era (disco, anyone?). We may never be easily defined. But it is not too late to look around and remember that maybe individuality does not need to come at the expense of relationships.

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Michelle Pitcher Editor-in-Chief

2012-2013 SIDEKICK STAFF

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 named Best Newspaper by The Dallas Morning News in 2012 and 2011 and Best Website in 2011 and 2009.

NSPA recognized Coppell Student Media as an Online Pacemaker finalist in 2012 and the ILPC recognized the website with a Gold Star Award in 2012, 2011 and 2010. ILPC also recognized the newspaper with Silver Star Award in 2012 and Bronze Star

Awards in 2011, 2010 and 2009.

The editorials and columns presented in this paper reflect the views 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 Sidekick 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.

opinions 7

MARCH 2013

Misconceptions fueling perception of eating disorders EATING DISORDERS [AT A GLANCE] 8 million ANONYMOUS Staff Writer

I would spend hours facing a mirror every day, squeezing parts of my body in awkward positions, hating myself, and it was not long until my obsession with outward appearances took a turn for the worst and resulted in anorexia nervosa.

We have all heard the stories or read articles about this disease and how teenage girls starve themselves in the name of looking perfect. We judge them so easily, believing that they are stupid for hurting themselves.

“Don’t they know how important eating is?” you would ask.

“Don’t they know that they could die?”

Yes, as a person who was once diagnosed with this disorder, I have heard all of these annoying questions multiple times, but let’s get something straight - people don’t become anorexic overnight. Anorexics do not decide that they want to be abnormally skinny at 13, and anorexia is most definitely not “a cry for attention” either.

So let’s take a little trip into the mind of a person diagnosed with anorexia who walks the same halls as you, sits in the same classes as you, and completes the same assignments as you, yet who you still tend to judge now and then.

It is Monday morning and you wake up at 7 a.m. to take a shower, brush your teeth and make your bed. You go downstairs where you are supposed to eat the most dreaded meal of the day - breakfast. It is relatively hard to escape this meal, but you have a strategy.

You say good morning to your mom and try to rush out of the door, but your mother stops you: “Hey, you forgot breakfast,” she would say. You use the classic excuse, “I have tutoring – I’m going to be late. I’ll get something from the school store,” and walk out of the house.

Before, your stomach used

to rumble during your morning classes, but now you are used to being hungry. Soon, you start to like your stomach rumbling and you tell yourself that it is the sound of your fat dissolving away.

Later that day, you find yourself staring in your bathroom mirror squeezing the fat on your stomach. You hope to get rid of it, so you will try again tomorrow.

So as you can see, it is a cycle, and as a somewhat chubby 13-year-old in middle school surrounded by slender, hourglass-figured Coppell girls, it was imminent that I too would be influenced and try to emulate their outward appearance.

With months of “hard work” I not only emulated their appearance, but I went to the extreme. Once I passed out during practice from lack of sustenance, it was then that my family knew I had a problem.

My parents were never mean to me, and they gave me plenty of attention, so don’t blame them for my problem. It is always your go-to: blame the parents for the c h i l d ’s mistake.

My anorexia was all on me because I wanted to be thin.

People always tend to think that once the young girl goes to therapy and tells her sappy story to her friends and family, she is automatically cured. This is never the case.

Sure, I might look healthy on the outside as of right now, but

there are times that I slip back into my old habits. I automatically start counting calories when I see food, and there are times that I unconsciously skip meals because I am so used to it. And no matter how hard I try, there will always be that voice in my head telling me to go back to my old ways.

The next time you judge a person diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, you may need to look a little deeper. No reality show or sappy teenage television drama will give you the complete understanding of anorexia nervosa.

I hear these misconceptions on a daily basis and it is something that I will have to deal with for the rest of my life. Anorexia nervosa is a serious problem that haunts a person for the rest of their life and it is not fair to them if you continue to judge them.

Americans are diagnosed with an eating disorder

9 out of 10

people diagnosed do not get treatment 95% of people with these disorders are between

12 and 25

Eating disorders have the

HIGHEST

mortality rate of any mental illness 50% of girls between

11 and 13

already see themselves as overweight

Grades inaccurately representing students’ work

School revolves around grades. Though some may argue, grades help form your future. Typically, the better your grades are, the better the university you are admitted into.

The better the university, the better the career and thus the better lifestyle you are able to live.

Though grades are such a vital factor in a stu-

dent’s life, they are not always fair. Some grading is based on the opinion of the teacher. For example, essays are graded without a precise standard. Each grader has a distinct preferred writing style, just as every student is a different type of writer. A student who receives a 70 on a paper from one teacher could receive a 100 from another teacher with different preferences.

Such variation in grading is related to a teacher’s bias as well. Some students have reputations as slackers while others are known as overachievers.

These reputations are not overlooked by teachers; in fact, they are even embraced at times. If a student shows he or she

cares about a high grade, teachers may be more willing to give them a higher grade. This does not grade the assignment; it grades the student.

It is often reputation and expectation that determines the final grade. Teachers have preconceptions of what a student’s assignment will be like. My friends and I have joked many times that if a teacher sees a certain name on a paper, either consciously or unconsciously, a certain grade will be given whether it deserves it or not.

Unfortunately, such bias creates a cycle. If a student has already built a reputation of slacking, a teacher will continually expect the work they turn in to be mediocre or worse. Even if the student attempts to work harder and become a better student, the bias from the teacher stands as a barrier. Even if the work the former slacker turned in could deserve an A, it is tainted with preconceptions. This leads to said

student becoming discouraged, believing their efforts will amount to nothing - and therefore they return to slacking.

Bias toward a teacher could also affect grades. People who absolutely abhor their teacher do not try as hard in that class.

This sort of relationship also results in immoral decisions. Students feel as if they have the right to cheat or copy off each other with the justification that the teacher is incompetent. Thus they do not learn the material properly. They do what they can to get through a class instead.

Such bias is seemingly inevitable and goes both ways in the student-teacher relationship.

There are always going to be star students who try their hardest and students who slack off. Even so, fairness is a too often neglected option.

Instead of putting names on assignments, teachers could adopt a numeric system. Each stu-

dent could be assigned a number, unknown to the grader, to be put on the work. Therefore, when grading, there would not be any unfairness. The anonymity of the work would be lifted after the work has been graded in case the student or teacher would like to talk about the assignment and the resulting grade.

With such a system, each student would be given a fair chance. Students would also be graded purely on the work they turn in and not on favoritism or preconceptions. This way, a grade is no longer “given,” it is earned by the student.

Tina Huang Staff Writer

8 opinions

MARCH 2013

Te’o hoax serves as reminder to be cautious online

Graphic by Haley Madigan

The Internet is truly a wonderful place.

You can instantly access a pool of information that is more vast than all of the written information in the history of mankind combined. You can watch every movie ever filmed and listen to every song ever recorded. You can form communities and interact with real people from across the globe who have the same unique interests and passions as you.

As someone who uses the Internet for just about all of the activities above on a daily basis, I can testify that it is easy to forget that the Internet is basically the new Wild West. It is an open frontier with exciting possibilities but no rules. And where there are no rules…chaos often ensues.

The recent scandal surrounding celebrated Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o is a startling reminder of the need for responsible and cautious behavior when communicating online. Te’o met his girlfriend, Stanford student and leukemia patient Lennay Kekua, online and maintained a relationship with her for many months. In September of 2012, Kekua reportedly died and Te’o gained worldwide sympathy.

In January, a shocking twist in the story surfaced: Lennay Kekua never actually existed.

Every detail of her existence was fabricated. Te’o never actually met her – communicating with “Lennay” only by Internet chat and by telephone for several months.

Little did he know, a man named

Lance Armstrong, once the symbol of physical perseverance and triumph, became the face of deceit when he confessed to doping while training for his seven Tour de France titles.

Not only did his confession tarnish his reputation, but it revealed the dishonest nature of the sport of cycling. Armstrong, and many other cyclists, believed doping wasn’t cheating; it was a way of leveling the playing field because “everyone was doing it.”

Some believe that taking drugs is only cheating in a technical sense. They feel we should legalize this practice so it isn’t cheating anymore because almost everyone is doing it anyway.

Consider this timeless question: “If all your friends jump off a bridge, would you?” Just because supposedly everyone is doing something doesn’t make it ethically right.

Allowing alternative enhancements would defeat the point of sports. It becomes, not a competition of skill and hard work, but of whose body can tolerate more drugs. We might as well watch robots pedal up a hill, score a touchdown or make a hole-in-one.

Some argue that the sole point of not cheating is to avoid having an unfair advantage over others. I argue the point of not cheating is one word: integrity.

While cheating in the athletic arena is a common problem with professional and even student athletes, an even more popular form of cheating is academic dishonesty. An admittedly informal 2007 poll conducted by the popular website CollegeHumor revealed that 60.8% of 30,000 respondents confessed to cheating on their assignments and tests.

The same poll revealed that 16.5% of them didn’t regret it.

As technology advances, students invent new methods of cheating. Young people have a new shadow: their cellphone.

It goes wherever they go and is every dishonest student’s best

friend. Students take pictures of notes and tests and text-message friends for answers.

Even in subjects that do not involve black and white answers, such as English courses, students find a shortcut. There are databases for essays, such as Paper4Less, Cheathouse.com and Schoolsucks.com where students can find a paper for their nearly every need, and if not, they can pay for one.

SchoolSucks.com founder Kenneth Sahr stated that his website receives around 8,000 hits a day.

Instructors teach timeless novels, so ideas are recycled.

Writing a paper about the totalitarianism in 1984? There’s an available essay for that. The power of knowledge in Frankenstein?

The impossibility of certainty in Hamlet? There’s a cheat for everything. Teachers are trying to educate youth about classic novels, writers and playwrights, such as Shakespeare and Ernest Hemingway, but in reality, generations are passing by without really understanding these concepts. They are doing what they feel they have to do to get by.

While methods of cheating continue to change, so do students’ definitions of cheating.

Students rationalize cheating by telling themselves it’s only a completion grade, only a book report, only one class, only one time.

Only.

The definition of cheating should not change with the importance of a task. Cheating is cheating. It never happens only once.

Students argue that grades determine their future. If they don’t get good grades, they can’t get into college, and they won’t be able to have a nice job and will end up living in a van down by the river. They feel people care about what grade they get, not how they get it.

People do care how you get it; they just don’t know how you got it.

Ronaiah Tuiasosopo was behind every chat message and every phone call from the “love of his life”. Te’o was the victim of a cruel Internet hoax.

I have “friends” who I know only from online interactions.

It can be easy to let your guard down, but we must remember that no matter how well we think we know an online acquaintance, in the Wild West that is the internet there is no way of knowing the true intentions and persona of the individual behind the familiar username and avatar.

If Te’o, a fellow student, can be deceived and manipulated online, it can easily happen to high school students in Coppell as well.

The ability to connect with

anyone in the world is what makes the Internet so great.

However, this also means that anyone in the world can connect with you – whether you want them to or not.

Part of growing up and becoming a responsible adult is realizing that the whole world is not your friend. There are people in the world, and people on the Internet, who will want to harm you and manipulate you to get what they want.

Don’t be lulled into thinking that it is a rare occurence.

The MTV program “Catfish: The TV Show” presents the stories of dozens and dozens of people who have fallen victim to shocking deception on online dating sites and social media.

The best way to avoid ending up like someone on “Catfish” is to routinely use safe and cautious practices online.

A third of sexual predators take advantage of weak privacy settings on social media sites to find exploitable victims. Lennay Kekua’s photos and personal information were stolen from an unrelated woman’s profile.

Check your Facebook privacy settings and ensure that

only the right people can access your critical information.

A University of Massachusetts study estimates that people are three times as likely to lie online and that there are more fake profiles on sites like Facebook than real ones. Don’t be naiive.

Never believe anything someone hiding behind an online username says without question, even if you feel like they are as trustworthy as a real-life friend.

The Internet is a wonderful place that can enrich and enhance your life in many ways, but reckless and irresponsible behavior while using it can have severe consequences.

Whether you’re posting in a forum or chat room or using websites like Facebook and Reddit, always practice caution in order to protect yourself from falling victim to scams and lies like Manti Te’o did.

Read more about Online Hoaxes on pg. 14 Thomas Hair Opinions Editor

Cheating like Armstrong does not equalize field

Photo Illustration by Rinu Daniel

Cheating, whether on the court or in class, has become all too easy in today’s hyper-competitive world.

That brings up another point: students have no problem with cheating as long as they don’t get caught. That is evidence of distorted values. Teachers, employers, coaches and parents need to instill and promote integrity.

Receiving a zero on a paper or getting kicked off a sports team doesn’t seem to do the trick.

The punishment system is ineffective. Students and athletes just learn how to beat the system.

Students cheat when the teacher isn’t looking. Athletes stay clean on drug testing days. Defendants are innocent until proven guilty.

It’s all about not being caught rather than the virtue of being honest.

Young people pick up cues from the adults around them, corrupting their values. Four-thousand U.S. and Canadian schools revealed half of all faculty members admitted to ignoring cheating at least once. Teachers need to follow through and use the same weapon students use to cheat against them: technology.

For instance, Turnitin.com can

help teachers compare students’ papers to all the available literature in its database and scan for plagiarism.

Adults should not tolerate cheating, and more importantly they should explain why it is intolerable.

Some students argue that they have to cheat because many assignments are graded on a curve. How they do depends on how everyone else does, so they feel that deciding not to cheat when others do will put them at a disadvantage. Other students decide to cheat in courses they feel will not benefit them in their future career. Everyone has a reason. There’s always an excuse.

There’s always a circumstance.

That is moral relativity.

People need to understand that cheating is wrong. Period.

If they can rationalize cheating in one circumstance, they are more likely to rationalize it in another. They are basing their values about cheating on a situation instead of absolute truth.

With this mentality, cheating becomes more severe. First you cheat on a math worksheet, then a term paper, then your college applications, then in your career, then on your taxes, then on your spouse, and then you end up looking back wondering why your life is in ruins.

This is what happened to Lance Armstrong. He felt that he could control and manipulate everything in his life, and he did.

In fact, he said the only times he’s felt out of control were when he had cancer and during his interview with Oprah Winfrey.

One day, the truth will be revealed. Or, like Armstrong, your history of shortcuts and lies will weigh you down and you will confess. Cheating has more consequences than a zero or a stripped Tour de France title. Every action builds character and that character determines your destiny.

Nikki Dabney Staff Writer

features 9

MARCH 2013

Battle with body image keeps teens struggling “I work out everyday,” Overman said. “I make it a comFeatures Editor mitment to myself to aim toward a healthy lifestyle. It shouldn’t “Why can’t I look like that?” be about being in some kind of This question is often posed competition to look a certain by teenagers who define them- way; it should just about being selves based on society’s expec- healthy and fit with good eating tations of perfect body image. habits.”

Though perfection can never be Pressures to achieve a cerclearly defined, everyone has an tain body image can develop idea, and the concern of being destructive actions in anybody. accepted is never ending.

Some of these pressures even Teenage students judge come from school activities. each other without second For high school sports thoughts, and it is difficult to teams, weigh-ins used to be a ignore what customary other peo“When teens look in the and someple say. For times they mirror and search for their still are at the this reason, students at- flaws, they over exaggerate college level. tempt variand over analyze the little Today, stuous methods dents are still ‘imperfections’, tearing to maintain a challenged to certain body themselves down.” quickly gain image.

-Caroline Overman, junior or lose weight “A lot for sports like of girls are wrestling. trying to be skinny because they “[In the past], if a girl didn’t see the attention celebrities and maintain the weight she had models get because they have when she first made the team good bodies,” junior Caroline then she would be put on probaOverman said. “The image peo- tion,” Lariettes drill team direcple see in the mirror is what the tor Julie Stralow said. “Certainly level of their self esteem is deter- girls developing eating disorders mined by. When teens look in was the number one reason why the mirror and search for their directors stopped doing it [in flaws, they over exaggerate and the 1990s]. In my opinion, I over analyze the little ‘imperfec- don’t think it matters what size tions’, tearing themselves down.” a dancer is as long as she works As students continual- hard and can do the dances with ly idealize the bodies they see proper technique.” on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion It is extremely dangerous to Show and Miss America Pageant, tell someone they have to achieve imperfections stick out like sore a certain weight or appearance to thumbs on their own bodies. The be good enough for something compulsive need to make them- because they will go to extremes selves look like that can drive to make sure it is achieved. them towards “I don’t advocate trying to lifestyle meet some sort of unrealistic changstandard,” Coppell yoga es. teacher Lucinda Bordonaro said. “It is better to take in to consideration your own Graphic by Sophie Nauyokas lifestyle, and focus on your own needs to be on being fit rather than trying to fit in a cookie cutter mold.”

Working out and eating right are good habits to develop for students who crave a better body. How-

Photo illustration by Jessica Rivera and Rowan Kahzendar

CHRISTINA BURKE

Standing in disbelief in front of the mirror, teenagers often see many negative qualities that are only staring back at them in their minds.

ever, these things are easy to give up on, especially at a young age. Students think it is easier to turn towards other alternatives like dieting and cleansing to get quick results that make them feel better faster.

“Diets for most people don’t work at all because they are short term, but when that time period is over the weight comes back,” Bordonaro said. “I understand [the students’] desire to be

healthier, but diet alone doesn’t usually get the results that you want.”

Striving for a healthier lifestyle is so much more than a quick change. It cannot just be about cutting calories or exercising more, but about how the two methods work together for the benefit of each person.

“It all comes back to reexamining your relationship with your body and not trying to be

like other people, but trying to be your best self,” Bordonaro said. “Part of that is finding an exercise regimen that fits you so that you can make it part of your lifestyle.”

While it is always good to strive for better health, there is no need to get defeated by not being able to reach “perfection.” Good body image can be achieved by feeling great, not looking like an unrealistic image.

According to students...

“The pressures society places on us are rediculous. Though they are so crazy, people still feel compelled to conform to society’s requirements.”

“It is stupid to just look at someone’s appearance because people only get the surface appearance of who they are instead of getting to know the real them.”

-Olivia Brooks, junior

-Sheridan Miller, sophomore

“People tend to want to fit in, and I personally don’t like that because everybody is different and unique in their own way.”

-Gabino Garcia, junior

10 features

MARCH 2013

Runners endure long race in memory of teammate KRISTEN SHEPARD Staff Writer

Running is no new activity for seniors Katie Sandfort, Alyssa Shelton, Ali Ische, Clayton Hemphill and Alex Riggs.

Through all four cross country seasons, these runners made strides as athletes, but on New Year’s Eve 2012, they completed a marathon, one of the most arduous and intense races a runner can complete.

The New Year’s Eve Double Marathon was made up of 26.2 miles in four six-mile loops at Celebration Park in Allen.

Shelton and Sandfort have braved long endurance runs with the cross country team since freshman year, when both girls ran on the varsity team. Hemphill and Riggs have been leaders on the boys

Photo courtesy Katie Sandfort

team as captains and as athletes.

Following long weeks of training and preparation, all four runners completed the marathon in memory of their teammate Jonah Blackwell, who passed away in late October.

“We started planning to run the marathon in about October after Jonah died,” Shelton said. “Running a marathon is a huge accomplishment, and it was something we wanted to do before graduation and for Jonah.”

With the help of Katie Sandfort’s father, JD Sandfort, Shelton and Sandfort were able to rally support and runners to compete in the marathon or half marathon.

A total of 16 runners participated in memory of Blackwell.

“Everyone in charge of the marathon was really supportive and flexible with our group,” Sandfort said. “My dad told us to get

him a list of participants and he would take care of the rest of the forms and registration. He knew I was busy with school and was very helpful in pulling this all together.”

Training for the marathon included distance endurance runs up to 19 miles, which Sandfort and Shelton completed on both weekdays and weekends.

Throughout their training, they kept Blackwell in their minds and in their hearts as inspiration.

The weather was not on the runners’ side on race day, as temperatures were below 40 degrees and light rain dripped on them.

“Alyssa and I joked around while we ran, and when it started raining we decided that Jonah had made it rain on us,” Sandfort said. “Jonah always messed with us, and was probably laughing as we ran through the rain.”

Other than the rain, the race

Photo courtesy Alex Riggs

went well for Sandfort and Shelton, despite some severe muscle cramps around mile 17.

“At one point I cried,” Sandfort said. “We just knew we had to finish and how good that moment would feel.”

Several other members of the cross country team completed the half marathon, a distance of 13.1 miles. These members included seniors Keaton Looney and Ynno Madlambayan, juniors George Fairchild and Stephanie Bilka and sophomore Noah Freedman. Flower Mound High School seniors Tyler Park and Evan Epps, who were also close to Blackwell, completed the half marathon. Ali Ishe ran the marathon, but was unable to finish due to recently being sick.

Katie’s mother Kirsten Sandfort, along with several other cross country and Coppell moms, vol-

unteered with the marathon, and other cross country team members came to support the runners.

“I’m so proud of Katie and Alyssa for running the marathon,” sophomore Emily Dunn said. “To be honest, I was miserable because it was raining and cold, and I wasn’t even running.

It is a really big deal for them to finish a full marathon.”

When asked if they would run it again, Shelton and Sandfort had different responses.

Shelton vowed to never put herself through such pain and agony again, but Sandfort left the option open for the future.

As these runners finished their races, they were rewarded with food, thermal blankets, water and medals, but no reward could compare to the feeling of accomplishing something great in memory of a beloved teammate.

Seniors Katie Sandfort, Alyssa Shelton (left) and Alex Riggs (right) cross the finish line of the New Year’s Eve Double Marathon in Allen.

Students ran the marathon and half marathon in memory of late teammate and friend Jonah Blackwell.

Teacher retires after years of changing students’ lives continued from pg.1 wall of memories.

After working with kids who have had severe diagnosis or been in accidents, Wilcox has learned to go into each student relationship based on hope. Throughout her years, most students have retrieved their health, but certain circumstances have not ended as hoped, which according to Wilcox, is the hardest part about her occupation.

“You have to have a sense of humor, you have to have spiritual strength and you have to go into each relationship with the attitude that this [student] will be fine,” Wilcox said.

Parents of the students Wilcox works with rant and rave about the wonders of support she provided for their children and themselves.

CHS Spanish teacher Yvonne Arista also had a child who was taught by Wilcox. Arista’s son Christian needed to have open-heart surgery as a sophomore at CHS and then as a junior went through surgery to remove a tumor in his liver.

Wilcox was the contact between Christian and CHS. She would arrive at Christian’s house ready to work if he was, always taking health as a priority and knowing when to work or when to rest.

Wilcox played an important role in Christian’s life as well as his mother’s.

“She would make me feel at ease because I was so worried about his health and his school,” Arista said. “She always put things in perspective with me and said his school is important, but his health is more important.”

Photo by Rowan Khazendar

Homebound teacher Betsy Wilcox has made a difference in senior Aswin Narayanan’s life. She has changed her students’ perspectives of school and kept them from falling behind.

Describing Wilcox as a positive influence, Arista said she could always bring a smile to her son’s face, which was difficult during a tough time.

“She has this way with kids to where kids just adore her,” said Arista, whose son unfortunately died from his illness. “It was a great relationship between the teacher and student. She treated Christian with respect, and he looked forward to her visits and working with her.”

CHS 2006 graduate Diana Singer was diagnosed with pancreatitis the spring of her junior year.

Because of her diagnosis, Singer was in the hospital more days than she was out; therefore, she was in need of a homebound teacher.

From the spring of her junior year throughout her senior year, Wilcox helped Singer continue her courses and achieve the nearly impossible: graduating with her class.

“I whole-heartedly credit

me graduating on time to Mrs. Wilcox,” Singer said. “There are not words to describe how amazing she is.”

Singer and Wilcox’s friendship continued even though homebound teaching did not.

Singer’s studies continued through college as she attended Texas Christian University.

One student was particularly touched by Wilcox’s teaching efforts. Senior Aswin Narayanan sees Wilcox as his inspiration in school and beyond.

“When I first met Ms. Wilcox, I was upset because I couldn’t be a normal boy [as I was going through chemotherapy], but Ms. Wilcox made me feel a lot better about myself,” Narayanan said. “Her smile and how she talked about her daughter who went through cancer made me feel more at ease. She became the one person I could talk to about my problems seeing as she always knew

how to make me feel better.”

Her influence on Narayanan, however, extends further than education. Wilcoz has influenced his future plans, as well.

“Ms. Wilcox has been one of the biggest influences in my life,” Narayanan said. “She is one of the biggest reasons why I want to become an oncologist for kids; like Ms. Wilcox had done for me, I can help kids feel better about their situation.”

Based on the statements of Arista, Singer and the others Wilcox has worked with, she has a contagious positivity about her that shines in every situation. “ H e r e x p e r i e nc e s have made her an understanding and caring person, which has influenced my behavior and her other students’ as well,” Narayanan said.

“She has

even given me a bigger sense of respect towards my teachers.”

Because of this and Wilcox’s other distinctive qualities that made her such a success at her job, Wilcox’s retirement is a loss for CHS. “[Wilcox’s retirement] is a big loss for Coppell,” Arista said.

“She is irreplaceable, and no one will be able to fill her shoes.”

When asked about her decision to retire, Wilcox said it would be hard to leave her students, but with a daughter moving in from New Zealand and a grandson, Wilcox wants to be able to spend time with and take care of her family.

“When a flower gets old sometimes it loses its smell,” Wilcox said. “I am not young anymore, so I think it is time to pass the torch to someone new.”

features 11

MARCH 2013

Pool, HST students look to ‘can’ poverty with pantry thing that can make a meal is appreciated.

Staff Writer “We serve an average of two to three families a week, someFive years ago when Health times as many as seven,” Pool Science Technology (HST) Teach- said. “On Saturdays or weekday er Ray Pool realized Coppell fam- evenings we open up the pantry ilies were struggling to meet ends, and let the families take what they he started the Coppell Food Pan- need.” try, which is a confidential service Families in need either conthat provides food to families who tact Pool directly or are forwardare struggling to make ends meet. ed to Pool by teachers and guidOn top of teaching, coordinating ance counselors. From here, Pool the HST programs, and parent- makes the arrangements to help ing, Pool and his students go out the families out as much as they of their way to need, whether it is get food into the one time, weekly “Mr. Pool is a really or monthly. Famhands of struggling families. cool teacher and ilies can stop by at The pantry person. He does not almost anytime, itself began as Pool makes a have to do the food as students accuspecial effort to pantry, but it is mulated canned accommodate foods from fundbusy schedules. something he does raisers around the because he cares and Families can then campus. Organigather any meals, we are happy to help ingredients zations like the or National Honor snacks they need him out.”

Society (NHS) - Kevin Songco, junior and take them and the Public home.

Service Acade“We might my (PSA) donated cans towards not have had, or at least seen, a Pool’s mission, and continue to need for a food pantry in the past do so. Five years later, the pantry years,” CHS Principal Mike Jasso is still active, and Pool’s classroom said. “But the reality today is that has developed what looks like we have got a growing number of a small grocery store aisle filled families that struggle. That does with canned foods. not mean anything other than “We stay after school or that is the reality and we need to come in on Saturdays to get these help this cause.” families in need food,” said Pool.

Pool is not alone in his can “We work hard to accommodate collecting efforts. Though NHS their schedules because we want and PSA donate, his students are to help them. [Unemployment] the largest contributors. He atcan happen to anyone; no one is tributes much of his success to immune and it is worth going out his students, who help him stock of the way to help these families.” shelves, sort cans and replenish The pantry contains an as- the inventory. HST junior Kevsortment of foods, from canned in Songco, among others, helped vegetables and soups to cereals with the pantry one Saturday with and pastas. According to Pool, the his family. most popular items are canned “People sometimes think meats and dry pastas, but any- that Coppell does not have pov-

KRISTEN SHEPARD

erty or that we do not need a food pantry,” Songco said. “This just proves that those people are wrong. There is poverty everywhere, some people just are not always obvious about their need, especially here in Coppell.”

Not only is the food pantry continuing to exist, Pool is also working to expand the pantry to other Coppell ISD campuses in an organization that will be called Coppell Cares. With the help of these CISD campuses, Pool hopes to use the food pantry to help struggling families across the entire city.

Pool’s work with the Coppell Food Pantry has not gone unrecognized. Teachers and students think very highly of Pool and his efforts, and at the January staff meeting, Pool was awarded the February Teacher of the Month for his work with the food pantry and teaching.

“One of the greatest things about Ray Pool is his heart,” Jasso said. “He is one of the most kind-hearted and genuine individuals that I know, and I count him as a friend. Not only does he do a good job of being a teacher, but he also embodies characteristics and morals that make him so great as an all around person.”

Pool’s students share the excitement over his award, and think that the recognition is well deserved. His students see Pool as a leader inside and outside of the classroom, and from Pool, these students see the importance of local charity.

“Mr. Pool is a really cool teacher and person,” Songco said.

“He does not have to do the food pantry, but it is something he does because he cares and we are happy to help him out.”

To see more go to Coppellstudentmedia.com

Photos by Rinu Daniel

Thousands of non-perishable food items have been collected for the CHS food pantry since it started five years ago. The pantry was started by health science teacher Ray Pool, and is continuing to grow.

in-depth 13

12 in-depth

Traumatic drunk driving accident provides Sims family perspective, direction

drunk driving hits home

Nathan, Elizabeth, Sara and Jerry Sims revisit the location of the crash 13 years ago along Belt Line Road.

continued from pg. 1 then that it was bad. The kids were screaming in the backseat, and I was torn.”

About a half dozen cars stopped to offer help, according to Jerry Sims. One of the drivers who stopped was a male nurse, and he took Sara out of the car and checked for injuries. Jerry then took the kids away from the scene. As he ran up the road with Elizabeth in his arms, a woman called out and said she would look after her. He entrusted this woman with his daughter and went back to the car to try to figure out what exactly was going on.

“I went back 15 minutes later, and Elizabeth was playing with a puppy and laughing,” Jerry Sims said.

“None of these were people that we knew or ever met again. There were a lot of miracles that night.”

Elizabeth and Nathan were taken to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas to have their bumps and bruises looked at, and Sara Sims, who bore the brunt of the trauma, went to the adjacent Parkland Medical Center. She sustained five broken bones: a broken fe-

mur, which required two surgeries, three broken ribs and a broken hand.

Sara Sims’ parents, Clyde and Betty Reed, as well as their son Craig Reed, who is a priest, went to meet the family at the hospital. Once there, Clyde and Craig went to be with the kids, while Betty went to care for her daughter.

“Elizabeth was kind of quiet and big-eyed,” Clyde Reed said. “She sat on my lap and just kind of clung to me for almost an hour. It was obvious that there was something going on in her mind.”

After Sara Sims stabilized, the kids’ grandparents took them back to their home, where they stayed until their mother was released from the hospital. Clyde and Betty did not realize the accident had involved a drunk driver until they read about it in the newspaper.

“The way it was written up in the paper almost made it seem like Jerry was at fault, and that was upsetting,” Betty said.

As the dust from the crash began to settle, the Sims family was saddled with growing debt, medical issues and the emotional stress of being involved in an

accident that led to two fatalities. Despite these struggles, the family decided not to hire an attorney to deal with the lengthy legal process ahead.

“We thought that they had suffered enough,” Jerry Sims said. “Everyone involved had insurance, so we figured we would let the insurance take care of it and not get an attorney involved.”

A year and a half after the accident, before the statute of limitations was up, the Sims family decided to contact the families’ insurance companies, seeking monetary assistance after Sara Sims’ second surgery.

After being met with hostility and negligence from these companies, Jerry Sims decided to hire an attorney, a decision that extended the legal process for more than a year.

“They were treated, in my opinion, rather shabbily by the insurance companies,” Clyde said. “There was a lot more sympathy and credit given to the two people who died than the Sims family, which was picking up all the pieces because of the accident.”

Once the legal matters were settled, Jerry and Sara Sims were left to deal with the emotional effects the accident had on their family. After a long period of deliberation, they decided not to contact the families of the two people who died in the accident.

“We talked about it a lot, especially when we wound up having to get an attorney involved,” Jerry Sims said. “We never got the chance. Our attorneys told us not to contact them, and our families told us not to contact them.”

Elizabeth, who is now a junior, was having difficulty coping with the sights she witnessed after the accident. For several years after the crash, she would not let her parents light fires or burn candles because the memory of the blazing car was still too vivid.

“When I was little, I remembered a lot more based on what my parents have told me,” Elizabeth said. “But now all I really remember is the fire, and it’s kind of a fuzzy image. Fortunately a lot of the more

EVERY DAY IN AMERICA

27 PEOPLE DIE

graphic details have been blocked from my memory “I was very focused on my career. We were just kind now.” of doing the Coppell thing, trying to overachieve. It Jerry and Sara Sims decided not to suppress any reminded us of what was important.” of their thoughts or feelings about the accident. They As the Sims family healed with time, the story wanted to talk it through with Elizabeth before any of their pain grew more and more pertinent. long-term emotional damage could begin to take root.

“It’s a teachable moment,” Sara Sims said. “You “A counselor came to talk [me and my brother] don’t ever want to be in a situation where you have through and see where we were,” Elizabeth said. “It caused something like that. It’s given us a lot of opwas about a year after the accident had happened. My portunities to teach our kids how to be better drivers. parents talked it through with me to the best of their We try to teach other kids as well when we have the ability. Since then, I’ve asked questions and kind of opportunity to speak to a youth group or to students.” figured out what went on at the time.”

Coppell High School has historically been vigiEven with the counseling and a trip to a thera- lant in its efforts to discourage students from drinkpist to work out her trust issues, Elizabeth believes the ing and driving. Every two years, the junior and seaccident had a lasting effect on her personality. nior classes put on the Shattered Dreams program, “I’ve always been an independent person, and I which reinforces the idea that tragedy can happen think a lot of that is because I had to take care of my- to anyone at any time. For the Sims family, however, self during that time,” Elizabeth the reminder to not drive under the said. influence comes more often than “Something like that is every other year.

As Sara Sims recovered, she never done and over with. was forced to use a walker for sev“There’s really not a week, or eral months due to her broken fe- It’s something you live with even a day, that goes by when you mur. Nathan, who was just learndon’t think of it in some aspect,” Sara for the rest of your life.” Sims said. “I’ll be driving through ing to walk at the time, would Sara Sims, mother hold on to his mother’s walker town and see the cross and wreaths and walk alongside her. Aside that hang on the fence where the acfrom helping her son learn to walk, she was unable to cident happens, and it’s a constant reminder.” do much to care for her children.

It is not enough for students to make wise deci“Sara could not take care of her 1-year-old who sions about their own ability to drive safely; the Sims still needed his diapers changed and needed to be family discovered firsthand that remaining aware of hugged and picked up and loved by mom, but she the possibility of drunk drivers being on the road is couldn’t do it,” Betty said. just as important, as anyone can be affected at any With time, Sara Sims recovered and was once time. again able to care for her children. She even went on “It’s amazing how quickly things can change,” to run three marathons after the rod was taken out of Sara Sims said. her leg.

A family of four on the way home from a holi“My legs could have very easily been crushed,” day dinner can be disrupted forever. Two young lives Sara Sims said. “I healed very quickly. I was given the can be lost because of one poor decision. Spreading chance to walk and run, so I took it.” awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving, it The tragedy, Jerry Sims believes, centered them seems, must be a constant pursuit. as a family and gave them more perspective.

“They try to tell you that it’s done and over with, “We were blowing and go- but something like that is never done and over with,” ing at the time,” Jerry Sara Sims said. “It’s something you live with for the Sims said. rest of your life.”

AS A RESULT OF DRUNK DRIVING

AN AVERAGE DRUNK DRIVER HAS DRIVEN

31% OF TRAFFIC-

IN 2011, DALLAS COUNTY

RELATED DEATHS IN 2010

HAD THE 2ND HIGHEST

INVOLVED ALCOHOL

NUMBER OF DUI ACCIDENTS IN TEXAS

AMERICA SPENDS

DRUNK 80 TIMES

$132 BILLION ON DRUNK

BEFORE FIRST ARREST

DRIVING EACH YEAR

Sims reflects on a

When I first got my permit I would panic as soon as my hands touched the steering wheel. My mind would suddenly be bombarded with apprehension and images of serious car accidents.

While this fear is normal for new drivers, the root of my panic was far from usual.

The panic-inducing images came from real car accidents that actuELIZABETH SIMS ally happened to me in the Staff Writer past, the most tragic happening when I was just three years old.

The dangers of drunk driving have been drilled into our heads

riving Drunk d er g is no lon l a n o s r a pe e matter. Th an f o t c a p im related alcohol- has t acciden g n everlasti nces e consequ iver r d e th on the but also d n a y il m fa infriends volved.

THE MOST FATAL

ALCOHOL RELATED

cciden

CRASHES OCCUR

BETWEEN 2 AND 3 AM

t, a p p

since elementary school. From guest speakers to programs like Shattered Dreams, we cannot escape the warnings of potential consequences of drinking and driving.

As the years go by, this message falls to the back of our minds more and more. We pass off what we are hearing with thoughts like, “that will never happen to me” or “I did not drink that much - I can drive” or “I would never drink and drive.” There are two things that are very wrong with this mindset.

Anybody can be in a drunk driving accident, whether they drink and drive or not. When I was 3,

lies strong moral principles as teenage driver

my family was in an accident with a drunk driver on Christmas night. The driver collided with us head-on, and his car flipped on top of my family’s car. Our cars caught on fire, and the driver and his passenger were killed on impact. My mother broke five bones and the rest of us were battered and bruised.

I am certain my family did not plan on getting in the accident that night. We were just driving home from my grandparents’ house in Arlington and happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This

automatically rules out the mindset of “that will never happen to me” because it certainly can happen to you.

Fortunately, we were able to recover from the accident, but the families of the drunk driver and his passenger would never truly recover.

This brings up the second issue with the thoughts we use to justify drunk driving. They usually include the words “I” or “me,” but drunk driving is not just a personal matter. It can have a ripple effect that stretches to everybody who knows you and surrounds you.

While you may think that you are OK to drive, one wrong decision has the potential to drastically change your life as well as the lives of your passengers, other drivers and their loved ones. Those involved in the accident feel the initial impacts, but it is those who know you and surround you who worry or possibly mourn.

My family was directly affected, but our extended family and friends also suffered because they were worried about us. The other driver and his passenger were affected directly

and paid with their lives. Their family and friends felt the effects of this accident for years because they lost loved ones so suddenly.

Though this knowledge may not stop people from drinking, it might make them think twice before getting behind the wheel. Anyone, drunk or not, can get in an accident, and you are not the only one who is affected by your decisions. Drunk driving is no longer a personal matter. Your loved ones should be considered before you decide you are OK to drive.

Photos by Rachel Bush *Photos not associated with Sims accident

Statistics courtesy madd.org, cdc.gov and 511tx.gov

March 28

Coppell High School presents

shattered dreams

[

[

Juniors and seniors explore the consequences of underage drinking and driving. Buckle up for this powerful event this spring.

14 features

MARCH 2013

Student finds ‘catfishing’ an online-dating reality Photo by Rowan Khandezar Graphic by Sophie Nauyokas

ANNIE WEN Staff Writer

A little speech bubble pops up beside his name. He is typing.

She waits anxiously for his reply.

It has been a few months of this- messages sent back and forth peppered with heart and smiling Emojis, hundreds of texts and hours of phone conversations.

In a world increasingly becoming more technologically dependent every day the allure of online relationships has grown tremendously. Previous generations cannot imagine being committed to someone you have not seen in person or someone you met on the Internet. But it is common nowadays.

Twenty million people are members of the dating website eHarmony.com. Fifteen million people are members of Match. com. The annual revenue from the online dating industry is $1.409 billion according to Statistic Brain.

More and more people are venturing away from the conventional methods of meeting someone. Instead of looking for love at the coffee shop or at the grocery store, people are sitting in front of their computer, filling out a 400 question survey about themselves and waiting to see who the dating services match them with.

However, there are online relationships that do not come from a dating service. Facebook has made it possible for anyone to meet anyone else and become “friends”. Messages can lead to

there he tried to force me into his car. If my family hadn’t been there I don’t know what would’ve happened to me.”

“Where else can you go to find 200 women who are single and ready to go on dates in all of 20 minutes?”

-online-dating service user *Steven Hoff

Following college football star Manti Te’o’s online-dating scandal, students admit to seeing similar problems on dating websites like Match.com.

the exchange of phone numbers, which leads to texts and phone calls. On top of that applications such as Facetime and Skype makes maintaining a relationship possible without the two people ever actually being with each other.

This technology also makes it possible for people to pretend to be someone they are not. The recent news surrounding Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o has exposed how easy it can be for someone to create a social media profile and essentially create a person out of stolen photos and a

faked voice. There is even a term for it: catfishing. Advanced technology makes it easier for people to be tricked. You may be completely honest about yourself but you cannot vouch for the person behind the other screen. *Trish knows this first hand.

“When I was in middle school I started chatting with this guy online,” Coppell High School student Trish Cox said. “We talked for a while. I thought he was a good guy. After a period of time we decided to meet up.”

The danger of meeting with someone you only know online is

the fact that you do not know him or her. They could tell you things about themselves but you do not know if what they are saying to you is the truth. For some people it is easier to connect with someone they do not know because it takes away judgment. It is also riskier and sometimes there are serious consequences.

“My mom told me not to go meet him,” Cox said. “We had a huge fight over it. I didn’t listen to her and I went to go meet him anyway. Some of my family members followed me to our meeting spot but I didn’t know. When I got

Why are so many people looking for love in strangers? As the world continues to move forward people are becoming busier and more preoccupied. With factors like school and work to think about personal relationships can be a difficult thing to balance on top of getting an education and holding down a job. People are finding it harder to take time out of week to go out and do something where they might meet someone. It is easier to let someone else do that for them.

“Where else can you go to find 200 women who are single and ready to go on dates in all of 20 minutes?” online-dating service user *Steven Hoff said. “It’s convenient and takes some of the awkwardness out of dating.”

However as many people as there are venturing out into the online dating world there are still people who prefer the old-school methods of dating.

“I think you should spend time with someone in person,” senior Hannah Griffiths said. “That way you really get to know their personality.” *Name has been changed

features 15

MARCH 2013

Miller shoots for best, organizes Sporting Clay Club KRISTEN SHEPARD Staff Writer

Most people would agree guns and schools are a bad combination, but seniors Julie Miller and Carter West are looking to mix the two in their new Sporting Clay Club, where Coppell High School students will have the opportunity to practice and perfect their aim in recreational sporting events while learning the importance of gun control and safety.

The idea for the Sporting Clay Club started when Miller approached Outdoor Adventures teacher Bill Parker with the idea last semester. Miller wanted to round up a group of students interested in recreational shooting and launch a club where the group could shoot skeet, trap and clay.

“At that point, I hadn’t met Julie and did not have her in my class, but she walked into my classroom and said, ‘I want to start a shooting club’, and I thought it was a great idea,” Parker said.

Parker teaches students about hunting, archery and other outdoor sports in his Outdoor Adventures class. Each year part of the curriculum includes a unit on hunting, which encompasses information on gun usage and safety.

“Safety, safety, safety,” Parker said. “Obviously guns are very dangerous and powerful, and we will not be taking the importance of gun safety lightly.”

For Miller, shooting is no new activity. Her father is a hunting enthusiast, and Miller has been involved in hunting for as long as she can remember. Miller

hunts deer, ducks and turkey in plied for the grant, and with the their respective seasons and shot money will be able to kick off the competitive skeet with the Youth club up with a head start moneTarget Foundation (YTF). tarily.

When she moved from Each week, the students will Oklahoma to Texas last year, the meet up on Tuesday or Saturday absence of a Future Farmers of to shoot 50 clay. Their first meetAmerica (FFA) and 4-H club was ing date will be Feb. 12, where disappointing. the students will attend a seminar “I got bored,” Miller said. about shooting safety and gun “The clubs I was used to in Okla- handling. homa did not exist here, and I deMiller, the president of the cided I might as well start up my Sporting Clay Club, is assisted own.”

by West, who has The idea helped Miller recruit “My favorite part club members and of a shooting club is unlike organize meetings. about shooting is any other club Miller, West is getting to be outdoors Like at CHS to date. drawn to shooting as The Sporting and competing against a sport.

Clay Club is “ M y others” not advocating favorite part about -Carter West, senior shooting is getting guns or guns in schools, but rather encouraging to be outdoors and competing their use for recreational purpos- against others,” West said. “I’m es and competition. looking forward to starting prac“Guns protect us, but they’re tice as a team, and on Feb. 23 we lethal weapons and they have to will be hopefully shooting in our be used responsibly,” Miller said. first competition.”

“Of course we need gun control, One of the biggest obstacles but the concealed handgun law in starting the Sporting Clay club is perfectly effective. The people was the cost. Recreational shootresponsible for these awful shoot- ing and hunting is an expensive ings are not law followers, and no hobby and school clubs consislaw can prevent this.” tently have trouble with their So far, roughly 20 CHS fundraising efforts. Membership students have signed up for the fees for the Sporting Clay Club toSporting Clay club, and a group of tal $400 for ammunition, gun usparents has taken charge of some age, facility rental and other gear. of the smaller details like transThe club hopes to eventualportation and timing. T-shirt or- ly fundraise to help soften these ders are in the works and a sched- costs. ule is in progress.

There really are no footsteps One of the biggest contribu- to follow in creating this club, as tors to the success of the club was CHS has never had a hunting or a $9,000 contribution from Mid- gun related club, but Miller and way USA, a nationwide outfitter West are enthusiastic to see it take for shooting and hunting gear. In off. The Sporting Clay Club will December, Parker and Miller ap- certainly be “shooting” for the best.

Photo by Rachel Bush

Senior Julie Miller holds shells like the ones that will be used in the Sporting Clay Club.

Photo by Lauren Ussery

Photo by Lauren Ussery

Members of the Sporting Clay Club travel to Elm Fork Rifle and Pistol club to practice for their events.

Photo by Rachel Bush

Shells, like the ones shown above, are part of the equipment required to compete in shooting sports.

Members of the club pay a down fee to have access to ammunition, rifles, and other needed tools.

So far, roughly 20 Coppell High School students have signed up to join the Sporting Clay Club.

16 entertainment

MARCH 2013

Eight steps to having a fulfilling, eventful weekend NIKKI DABNEY Staff Writer

We live for the weekend, counting down the days. When it comes, we end up sleeping more than we expect and doing less than we want.

Sunday rolls around and we wish we had more time. The problem is not a lack of time; it is a misuse of time. Next weekend, fill your life with adventure. Try something new. Follow these steps to have a weekend you will always remember.

Take a hike, earn for charity

Einstein Bros. Stop Go to the new Einstein Bros. Bagels in Coppell. It is located at 155 S. Denton Tap Rd., Suite 100. Order a Power Protein Bagel with peanut butter. Its 14 grams of protein will give you sustained energy for the rest of the day. Before you pay, grab a Doggie Bagel to bring home to your pooch.

1

Download the Charity Miles app on your iPhone or Android and take a hike through the Coppell Nature Park. The app tracks your distance and you earn money for the charity of your choice. Bikers earn 10 cents per mile; walkers and runners earn 25 cents per mile. You can get fit and help a charity you are passionate about at the same time.

8:00am

9:30am

Photo by Addy Buigas-Lopez

Photo by Rowan Khazendar

2

Find some unique treasures Visit the Grapevine Market in Downtown Grapevine on Main Street.

It is open every Saturday and offers an array of unique items, such as handmade jewelry and antiques. You will find yourself a treasure that is one of a kind.

3

11:45am

If you are ready to witness “the best manhunt in history” (and you are 17-years-old or older), watch Zero Dark Thirty. The filmmaking duo behind The Hurt Locker – Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal – track SEAL Team Six, the special-ops team that eventually brought down the terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

1:25pm

Photo courtesy MCT Campus

Photo by Rowan Khazendar

Get a taste of Italy

Discover your slavery footprint

Take someone special on a date they will remember for the rest of their life – a trip to Italy! Maybe not. But they will get a taste of Italy on a gondola ride through the Mandalay Canal in Las Colinas. Prices start at $135 and include a bottle of sparkling cider, a box of gourmet chocolates and a singing gondolier.

5

Go to slaveryfootprint.org and take an interactive quiz to find out how many slaves you employ from the products you use and your lifestyle.

This is the generation to end slavery and human trafficking and this will bring us one step closer.

4:40pm

7:00pm

Photo by Rowan Khazendar

Photo courtesy Mandalay Canal

Go to Founders’ Plaza on Texan Trail in Grapevine. It is designated as a plane-watching park, located right next to the D/FW Airport runaway.

There are binoculars to view the planes closely and a radio to listen to the pilots communicating their landing and takeoff. It is a great place to clear your head and think about how you want your own life to take off.

7

4

Write a letter to yourself to be opened in six months. Talk about your weekend. Remind yourself what is most important to you. Tell yourself to enjoy life. Say where you want to be in that time. It might be just what you need to hear.

7:30pm

9:30pm

Photo by Rowan Khazendar

6

Photo by Rowan Khazendar

8

entertainment 17

MARCH 2013

Through fashion, Gruebbel standing out from peers CAROLINE CARTER Staff Writer

As she walks around the halls of Coppell High School in a hot pink blazer from the 1980s and a bright blue skirt over polka dot tights, junior Rachel Gruebbel is hard to ignore.

From Chloe dresses to Chanel blazers, Gruebbel owns an extensive collection of clothes, rivaling that of many accomplished professionals in the world of fashion.

“I have always had a love for clothes,” Gruebbel said. “Clothing is such a unique way to express yourself, and you can do whatever you want with it. I love to wear different time periods, and always change up my style.”

Although it may seem otherwise, Gruebbel has not always been outgoing in her sense of style. After leaving a private school in South Carolina during the middle of her freshman year of high school, Gruebbel decided to embrace her style, even though she was the new student.

“Back in South Carolina, I never felt like I fit in, and I was also shy,” Gruebbel said. “When I came to Coppell, I wanted to show who I was and embrace my shyness. I am not very good at public speaking, so I used my clothes to express myself. Fitting in is pointless, and I try to express that to people with my clothing.”

The range of clothing that Gruebbel has acquired is extremely unique compared to

most teenage girls; her two biggest collections include shoes and hats.

“Out of all the things I own, I probably have the most hats, which is a little odd since I cannot wear them to school,” Gruebbel said. “I have hats from the Edwardian era, and most are from the 1950s or 1960s since they tend to be easier to find. My favorite hat is from the 1920s, but my favorite fashion item is shoes.”

There is no question that Gruebbel does not have a fear of heights considering some of the high heels she has worn to school.

Her five inch red Marni heels are among the most notable.

“I love huge shoes with huge heels,” Gruebbel said. “Wearing such high heels is very unexpected since most don’t wear statement shoes regularly. It is a little weird to wear five inch heels normally, but I still do it.”

Unlike many people interested in fashion, Gruebbel does not have one particular style.

“Some days she will be wearing clothing that are very 1930s and then the next day it’s something from the 1990s,” junior Nathan Leonard said. “She once wore this mink, fur cape and looked like she was going to a movie premier in the thirties.

Everyone in IB is always on his or her toes to see what she wears because it is always so different. We can kind of tell what her mood is by what she wears.”

The majority of Gruebbel’s clothing comes from Vintage Martini, a local vintage clothing store in Carrollton that has been

featured in Vogue. After spending a lot of time at the store, Gruebbel was offered a part time position by the owner.

“The owner and I became good friends, I was offered a small position,” Gruebbel said. “I have gotten many high end pieces from Vintage Martini for a really good price. My favorite part is this section in the store called the Graveyard, which has very old, torn up pieces but by luxury designers.

“I have gotten a few items

by Bill Blass and Norman Norell, who were big designers in the 1960s. All I have to do is stitch up the pieces.”

While working at Vintage Martini, Gruebbel was given the opportunity to meet the blogger behind Bag Snob, Tina Craig, a prominent fashion blog posting solely on designer handbags and purses. After meeting Craig, Gruebbel was inspired to create a blog herself.

“I never really thought about blogging but Craig said that designers and companies would send her all of this merchandise and invite her to parties,” Gruebbel said. “I also did not know that you could make a career out of blogging. I had always wanted to get my foot into the world of fashion, and seeing her blog made me realize that how I could do it.”

Fashionspizza.com, Gruebbel’s blog, has served as an outlet for her after her busy school day.

Gruebbel started fashionspizza. com in November and has already gained a good amount of followers among her peers.

“Fashion is an extension of

Photo by Regan Sullivan

Junior Rachel Gruebbel expresses herself through outgoing, vintage outfits that display her personality.

one’s personality, and this shows through Gruebbel’s blog,” junior Sree Lingam said. “I know it can be a lot of maintenance to dress nicely every day, but she is really interested in fashion. Her blog is interesting, and it is taking off very well.”

Recently, Gruebbel has begun considering a career in fashion as it has always been a dream of hers.

“I have been thinking a lot about fashion design,” Gruebbel said. “I sketch a lot what I like to wear or different clothing pieces from 1920s since I love the dropped waist style and the beaded clothing.

I recently got a sewing machine as well. I would kill to one day go to Parson’s in New York. That would be my ultimate dream. Even just getting to wear fun clothes is enough for me right now.”

Sandoval pursues music through Christian band NATALIE GILBERT Staff Writer

Junior Myles Sandoval would sit, fascinated, in the church pew, mimicking his church band’s drummer with his hands. As the habit continued, he began to play the drums himself. It was not long before what started out as a hobby turned into something that had the potential to be much more.

Aspiring to be a musician is a popular dream for a 7-year-old.

However, a high school student continuing to pursue his or her musical endeavors and succeeding is rare. Regardless, Sandoval sought out a band.

With immediate support from his parents, friends and siblings, the activity became a hobby he carried on for years.

After 10 years of playing the drums, Sandoval became a member in the Christian band Yesterday as Today.

Because of his father’s position as the pastor at Templo de Alabanza (TDA) in Oak Cliff, Sandoval grew up with a life full of faith and spent long periods of time at his church, which is where he met some of the members of his current band.

The band and its gigs started off small with only three members and a scheduled concert once a year at TDA, but over time, the band and its popularity grew.

Photo courtesy Myles Sandoval

After years of practice, junior Myles Sandoval acts as the drummer in Christian band Yesterday As Today.

Three years ago, lead vocalist and Myles’ older brother, Brian, introduced fellow 2010 CHS graduate friend Neil Simmons into the band as a guitar player.

Just a short year and a half ago Donnie Chambliss, whom they contacted through Craigslist, joined as a guitarist as well.

As a band, Yesterday as Today has been involved in festivals such as Unsilent Night, South by So What and Battle of the Bands.

According to Sandoval, they were all good turnouts especially with

the battle of the bands win in Arlington two years ago.

In addition to the band’s entrance in festivals and competitions, it also performs at local bars and churches, which gives the members good feedback for future reference.

“Sometimes we will get praise from our audience, and sometimes we will get blank stares, but we take in everything people give us,” Sandoval said.

Currently, Yesterday as Today is preparing for multiple

competitions and performances throughout February and March.

These performances include traveling to Fort Worth and Abilene to perform and compete with up to 70 other bands.

To prepare for this, the band has been practicing hard day after day to keep the songs fresh in their mind. They have also written some new material including four new songs to record in studio within the next few weeks.

Bass player Abel Barrientos has been playing guitar since mid-

dle school and currently writes lyrics for Yesterday as Today.

“We are one of those bands that goes through struggles that everyone else does, but we write about how we go through it with God,” Barrientos said.

Yesterday as Today is also working to release a new extended play (EP). This compliation of six songs will include their four new ones in addition to two others and is expected to be released in April.

Upcoming shows and studio recordings are not all they are anxious about, however. The band has recently been working with a manager for a new agency and is hoping to get signed soon.

Even though Sandoval is the youngest of the members, he contributes a lot for the bands stability. He keeps time measurements and keeps the members on tempo as the drummer and is also described as the stronghold of the band.

Barrientos grew up in the church with Sandoval and his brother Brian and describes him as one of the best drummers he has had the opportunity to play with. His talents add a lot to the band.

“As a brother, I will support him in whatever he does,” Brian said. “But for him not to pursue a career with his talent would be a waste because he is so confident with the drums and he is good.”

18 entertainment

MARCH 2013

Local band goes backstage, presents first look at music CORRINA TAYLOR Staff Writer

Students are murmuring on the other side of the curtains, waiting in anticipation for the talent show to begin.

The performers are backstage going over last minute details.

Some details more important than others, one band struggles in the last 15 minutes to come up with a name for their band.

They look at their surroundings hoping for inspiration to hit, when all of a sudden a disco ball comes into view.

Backstage Disco consists of sophomores Christian Meyer (guitarist), Daniel Jones (drummer), Coleman Loose (bassist) and Gaurav Bagaria (singer). This group of friends has known each other for years, through sports and school.

It was not until December when the band was formed.

Before Christmas break the students got together and practiced for three weeks straight to learn the four songs needed for the talent show. At the time, the main objective for them was to enjoy themselves and prepare for the show.

“I just have fun with [being in a band] - I hope we don’t lose sight of that,” Meyer said. “The moment you don’t have fun is the moment that it is not worth it. Music can’t take us anywhere bad if we’re having fun.”

When the band performed at the talent show, the audience requested a drum solo from Jones. Once he began to play, Meyer, on impulse, began to play Seven Nation Army by White Stripes. To his surprise the rest of the band began to play the song, and they pulled off a song they had never practiced together.

“When we start playing,

smiles just pop up on all our faces because it’s really exciting,” Bagaria said. “I would say it’s been pretty rewarding.”

Being friends, the band members have fun with their music and enjoy every minute of it. It has come to be something they look forward too.

“I like playing music; it is my favorite thing,” Loose said.

“Music is my mythical creature.”

Although it did not win the talent show, the band had a great experience. Audience members were excited and some even went home to like Backstage Disco’s Facebook page and follow the band on Twitter.

“Overall they did a fantastic job,” judge of the talent show Andrew Patterson said. “Honestly it was a matter of more experience, they are very good they just need to get on stage as much as they can so they can learn how to interact with the audience and draw them in.”

Students who have known

the members for years are excited about the band and became some of their biggest fans.

“All of the members are my friends, which makes me like [the band] even more, but all of them have something unique to add to the group, which I love,” sophomore Jenna Waters said.

“They all bring their individual talents into one group, and it always turns out amazing.”

Since the talent show was a success, the next step is playing in more venues and writing original songs. The band is hoping to play to raise money for Relay for Life and play at the actual event on Apr. 27 as well.

Though the band does not have any original songs at the moment, it is currently working on songwriting. Each student participates in a sport through the school and has busy schedules, but they put time aside every Sunday to practice.

Individually, they have begun to write riffs and are hoping

to collaborate soon to write their first original song.

“We are going to see how it goes when we start writing our own stuff - that’s when the real judgment will come,” Jones said.

Once the original songs appear, it will be a snowball effect, more YouTube videos will be produced, a website may be created and its fan base will begin to grow.

Being only sophomores, the group members have plenty of time to play throughout their high school career. For now, the focus is to have fun with what they are doing and enjoy the music.

“I’d love just getting our name out in Coppell and playing in Coppell at different events as much as possible,” Bagaria said. “And if it is get to be more than that, that’d be great. But I’m content with anything, as long as we get to keep playing together.”

GAURAV

COLEMAN

DANIEL

CHRISTIAN

Photos by Lauren Ussery

Like them at Backstage Disco

Follow @BackstageDisco

Modern day cinema takes dark twist on classics, more TOLU SALAKO Staff Writer

It used to be all about the happy endings, where the two lovers live happily ever after and the audience leaves the theatre in a relatively good mood. However, movies are no longer as happygo-lucky as they were before, and those screened in theatres today are a lot darker and more intriguing.

For many years, superhero movies were quite prevalent in theaters. Superman, one of the first superhero movies to make it to the big screen, had a relatively happy ending. The plot was easy to follow, and there were no major twists in the original Superman movies by Richard Doner or in Bryan Singer’s 2006 adaptation.

Hollywood has decided to bring Superman back to the big screen, but instead of remaking the film that we have seen a dozen times, acclaimed director Christopher Nolan, has made the Man of Steel darker.

“I am really excited for [Man of Steel],” senior Matt Smith said. “The trailer looks really interesting, and I really think it will be better than Superman Returns. The only reason I am actually interested in watching [the

movie] this summer is because Christopher Nolan is directing it, and his movies are always great.”

The latest trend in Hollywood is to create thought-provoking and eerie films, believing they will appeal more to the masses. Nolan’s films, such as the Batman franchise, Inception and The Prestige and Man of Steel, can be classified as such and are enjoyed by many Coppell High School students. Receiving high ratings from critics, Nolan’s movies are recognized worldwide and have broken box office records yearly. Not only does Nolan participate in this “dark movie phenomenon,” director, Marc Webb worked on the newest Spiderman film, The Amazing Spiderman, starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone.

“The Amazing Spiderman was a far better film than those that starred Tobey Maguire,” junior Kyle Ballard said. “It was a lot darker and I thought the characters were more relatable. The Spiderman franchise was always dark, but the newest one did a much better job and had the right amount of humor, sorrow and action.”

Remaking popular films has always been Hollywood’s specialty. Some of the most recent eerier remakes include the Spiderman films, Hansel and Gretel, The

Wizard of OZ, and Superman.

Childhood stories that many grew up reading have been adapted into huge Hollywood films.

These innocent fairy tales, where the prince finds his princess and they both live happily-ever-after are no longer taken into account in these reboots. Take for instance Snow White & The Huntsman; it did not necessarily have a happy ending. Snow White never really got the expected happy ending, and she never really gets her Prince Charming in the end.

“I was at first

ver y hesitant to watch [Snow White & The Huntsman], but I decided to give the movie a go anyway,” junior Michelle Mayes said. “I really enjoyed the film, and I thought it was really interesting that they turned an innocent classic into this really dark film. I loved it.”

During the spring, there were two Snow White films: Mirror, Mirror and Snow White & Hu nt s m an .

Snow White & The Huntsman made over $56 million during opening weekend while Mirror, Mirror made only $18 million.

Many critics shared the same view, preferring the darker tone in Snow White & The Huntsman.

“In turn, the roughness of those characters [in Snow White and the Huntsman], along with the scratchy earth tones of Greig Fraser’s cinematography, make possible episodes of enchantment that f e e l fresh e v e n to eyes t h a t have seen everything under the digital sun,” A.O Scott from The New York Times wrote in his review of the film.

“A terrifying slog through the dark forest, a serene sojourn in the garden of the fair-

ies, a visit to an encampment of women and children — each of these scenes casts its own specific and effective spell.”

The majority of students have enjoyed the emergence of darker films being released, believing that it has affected their perspective on certain issues and that they can learn many things from these types of films.

“I feel like for darker movies, it is easier to feel emotion and it makes the storylines seem real,” Smith said. “Teenagers relate better to darker movies because it is the struggle that one goes through that defines them. Not everyone has a happy ending, and therefore not many relate to the characters in those movies.

People are defined by the struggles they got through, and characters in these dark films show just that.”

igan Mad ey al H by Graphic

entertainment 19

MARCH 2013

Established artists tribute others through covers BEN COWLISHAW Staff Writer

Every year, decade and generation is described by a set of songs that define the times. Today’s artists were inspired by yesterday’s stars, and often show appreciation for those before them by covering songs with their own creative twist.

Here are four incredible covers by already established and influential artists.

Johnny Cash covering “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails Thom Yorke covering “After The Gold Rush” by Neil Young Mumford & Sons covering “England” by The National Cee Lo Green covering “Reckoner” by Radiohead

Reckoner

Cee Lo Green Perhaps the most intriguing covers are when genre lines are dramatically crossed. Cee Lo Green, also known for being the lead of Gnarles Barkley, has become known to frequently perform a tribute to Radiohead in many live shows with a cover of their In Rainbows single “Reckoner.”

Radiohead is no stranger to being covered by other artists. Their infamous 90s

Green does the ethereal ballad justice, which explains why his cover has become such a fan favorite at his and Gnarles Barkley’s live performances.

Hurt

Johnny Cash Johnny Cash was one of the fathers of country music while also establishing himself as one of the most influential artists in rock h i s t o r y.

He

the most critically acclaimed of the series and the last of his albums Cash would live to see released, being certified gold before his death and platinum soon after. It features mostly covers, similar to the other American Recordings, and was recorded with the help of other artists, such as ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante.

Cash included a cover of the mid-90s Alternative Rock song “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails, an acoustic guitar based rendition that also features the intense pounding of a piano through the emotional climax of the song.

After the Gold Rush Thom Yorke

England

Mumford & Sons While the band does not receive frequent radio airplay, The National garners a lot of attention from Alternative and Indie Rock fans, including other musicians and even President Barack Obama.

Mumford & Sons, who only recently became a household name in rock, covered “England” from The National’s 2010 album High Violet during a recording session. The version of the song was never part of a published work, but audio recordings have sprouted online.

Mumford & Sons effectively captures The National’s drowning indie rock anthem and adds its own famous folk sound, while keeping it very close and personal; their cover makes the listener feel like they are in the studio with the band.

epic. There are very few moments in music that give me chills, and this is definitely one of them.

Cash’s selection of this very dark song creates a sense that Cash premeditated the timing of the recording and release of it to be near his death; soon after his wife died, Cash’s health quickly declined and he knew very well that he was close to his death.

“Hurt” is meant to bring acceptance to Cash’s death while also memorializing his legendary career. “If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself; I would find a way.”

anthem “Creep” gave them their first taste of stardom, and to this day re- m a i n s one of the most frequently covered songs in rock. But “Reckoner” is a very different animal.

The song came 14 years and six albums after “Creep,” and represents a completely different musical style of the band.

Making the cover even more challenging, front man Thom Yorke sings in his famous high pitch falsetto through the duration of the song. Despite this,

Graphic

by Jord an Bick ham & Sophie Nauyok as

had an active career until his death in 2003, which was followed by a pair of posthumous releases as part of his American Recordings series.

Roughly a year before his death, Cash released American IV: Man Comes Around, one of

T h e song is accompanied by a music video of a visibly aged Cash playing the song in his home, with flashbacks of his life and career that can only be described as

Yorke, the eccentric front man of the British rock group Radiohead, has long discussed the influence Neil Young has had on his career as a song writer and musician. Several years ago, Yorke had the chance to meet Young and asked him permission to perform “After The Gold Rush” in live shows.

Young approved, and went as far as to let Yorke use the very piano Young recorded the original song on. One or two verses of the song is occasionally performed by Yorke as an intro to Radiohead’s song “Everything In Its Right Place” in the band’s concerts.

Yorke performed the song in its entirety as a solo on Young’s piano in a Bridge School Benefit performance in Mountain View, Calif. Yorke’s famously recognizable voice allows him to affectively convey the song as having meaning to him without departing Young’s original sound.

What do students consider the ‘perfect first date?’

By Shivani Burra

d i a S e H

Dating is a big part of high school, and the perfect evening is different in the eyes of many students. From simple nights of just going for a walk or extravagant dinners and a walk downtown a first date can be challenging to plan.

We got the inside scoop on the perfect first date.

“I believe what makes a date perfect is having it with the right person.

Someone you really connect and have a good time with, no matter where you are or what you are doing.” ~Chris Overcash, sophomore

Graphic by Rinu Daniel

She S aid

I like something unusual that will let people just have fun and a setting where you can be yourself. I feel like a concert would be a great first date. ~Logan Astudillo, senior

“I think you should do something unconventional like going to a museum or the duck pond. I think the movies are lame and I wouldn’t take a girl to one for a first date.”

“I think the perfect date would be a day at the aquarium then just walking around downtown, just something really simple. Nothing too fancy so that I can be myself.”

~Nojan Masoory, senior

~Madison Pickett, sophomore

20 sports

MARCH 2013

UNDERCLASSMAN TAKES LEAD IN VARSITY SOCCER Photo by Rinu Daniel

Sophomore Stephen Tower walks off the field after shaking hands with Plano West after the final preseason game on Feb. 1.

ALEX NICOLL Sports Writer

It seems everywhere you look a new star high school athlete is popping up across the nation.

Turn on ESPN and its guaranteed that there will be a story on how a football player committed to this college or how a basketball player broke his state’s alltime points record.

Sports are getting younger, faster and stronger, which means that the athletes are as well. On a typical varsity team you would usually find it consist of seniors and some juniors. It makes sense since these are usually the prime athletes in the school. However in today’s day in age this is changing.

Gone are the days of varsity athletics being dominated by upperclassmen, it is now the underclassmen’s turn to make an impact.

“The level of play we are getting is starting to get better at an early age so we are developing earlier. It gives us a better chance to go out there and step onto varsity,” sophomore varsity soccer player Stephen Tower said.

Tower, no stranger to success, had already been on JV during the 2011-12 season, but was moved up to varsity during the offseason and then was kept on for the actual season.

The call-up was not that surprising to Tower, but it was still an honor for the young player.

“It was encouraging, but at the same time it made me realize how hard I had to work,” Tower said. ”Everybody is bigger and stronger and older than me, and they have already earned their spots. Coming on as a sophomore was motivating but it was encouragement to work harder.”

Boys soccer coach Chad Rakestraw saw something in him that he felt would benefit the team. However he did not just automatically move him up. It was a process.

Since Tower was on JV as a freshman there was no hiding his skills as a player. When it came time for call-ups, Rakestraw asked JV coach James Balcolm what guy needs to get some playing time with varsity in the off-season and Tower’s name popped-up.

Tower was put to the test against the varsity players of the nationally ranked Cowboys, but Rakestraw saw the potential in him.

“We knew last year, as a freshman, of his potential; we just needed to see more maturity and more mental toughness for him to come up and play on varsity,” Rakestraw said.

It does not hurt when you have been playing since you were four on club and school teams, and being invited to national camps kind of helps too.

“He is a very quality player when it comes to the technical aspect of the game: his cuts, his distribution, and his tactical awareness. He knows how to play any position on the field. He under-

Photo by Mia Ford

The boys varsity soccer team huddles together while they get excited for the start of their game against Marcus on Feb. 15.

stands the game and kind of what to do in any situation,” Rakestraw said.

These opportunities are what Tower thinks have helped him make it this far in soccer.

Every practice, every scrimmage, every game Tower feels have made him better.

“I make sure to focus on the little things, like if we are in practice and coach says pass it to this foot instead of that foot, I am going to pass it to this foot,” Tower said.

However for everything Tower does well, he still is young and has much to learn before he will be a leader on the Cowboys.

One problem that everybody has noticed is his struggle with mental toughness.

To his own admittance if he makes a mistake in practice or a game he takes himself out of it. He will throw his hands up, or hang his head.

“His main weakness is his self-esteem. It is just up to us to let him know that it is not a big deal and that he is a good player,” senior captain Drake Lovelady said.

His teammates are getting him to push through this problem. Something Tower greatly appreciates.

“Everyone is a family here,” Tower said. “They are so encouraging. I guess I’m considered the baby so they look out for me.”

His coaches attribute this problem to a little bit his personality but mostly his age. As an underclassman his maturity is less than is desired but Rakestraw is

A with Stephen Tower & Q

looking to help him.

“We talk to everybody about encouraging when the guy needs encouragement. If he needs a kick in the butt then kick him in the butt,” Rakestraw said. “If Stephen can get over that hump and the guys can help him build him up a little bit then he will be a big part of what we do as a team.”

Tower views his tactics a little bit differently though.

“It usually gets getting yelled at,” Tower said. “I’ll usually put my head down and start walking around but usually my teammates, like the captains will tell me to pick my head up.”

In the fall the coaches put the team through leadership training and character building exercises to make sure that the players can power through situations that Tower suffers from.

Right now though, he is just happy with his on-field performance. A starter half the time and a role player the other half, Tower brings something to the team they desperately needed: some stability.

“He was needed more in the back to give us some more control. Being a possession team that is an important aspect of our team and of our philosophy,” Rakestraw said.

They evened moved him to outside back which is a difference from his center position on JV last year, which shows his versatility.

You might think that being a sophomore he might struggle to keep up with the varsity guys.

Don’t think so fast.

“I think I can match up with them pretty well but I need to work on my mental game,” Tower said. “They have had at least one to two more years on varsity, so their mental game is really strong and they have the physical ability to compete.”

Even his teammates who you usually are tentative to having younger guys playing with them rave about him.

“He is a real young talent.

I mean he is only 15 and already playing with us and he is only getting better so he will help us out in future years,” Lovelady said.

A big obstacle for every underclassman is to prove themselves not only to the coaches but most importantly the players.

Those guys will make or break him in an instance based on performance but that didn’t seem to be a problem for Tower.

“The first couple of days I think he impressed some of them to the point where they are like ‘Oh ok this guy can play,’” Rakestraw said.

For what he lacks in size, his skills, who his coach compares that to soccer great Lionel Messi based on his quickness and ability to read the field, make up for it.

Being on varsity is always an honor and there is always a reason for a coaches’ decision to put a player on the team. In this case Rakestraw saw a future star.

“He has a lot of potential to do great things not only for this program but for the next level,” Rakestraw said.

Photo by Rinu Daniel

Who is your favorite soccer player?

My favorite soccer player is Mario Balotelli because he is the only black person on the Italian national team and the people yell racist things at him, but he doesn’t stop playing his hardest and also he is a great striker.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

My pre-game usually consists of a lot of silence and music in order to get my mind to focus. It helps me to forget what else may be going on in my life and focus on the game. I also like to watch my old highlights to pump me up.

Sophomore Stephen Tower puts on his jacket after playing Plano West in the Cowboys final preseason game on Feb. 1.

MARCH 2013

13 college bound Cowboys JOHN LOOP Sports Writer

The dotted line was signed 13 times on Feb. 16 at Coppell High School as 13 CHS varsity athletes made their college commitments official.

The three biggest signings of the day were D-I commits Cameron Smith (Arizona State), Josh Self (Air Force Academy) and Willam Udeh (New Mexico).

Smith caught 59 passes for 1,071 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior in helping the Cowboys advance to the second round of the playoffs.

Udeh finished his career in Cowboy uniform with 192 total tackles (106 solo, 86 assist), including 30 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks.

After signing the letter of intent sent straight from the Sun Devils’ athletic department, Smith felt ready to step on campus in sunny Tempe, Arizona.

“It is a blessing, to be hon-

est,” Smith said. “I am just trying to picture myself there and I really believe that it is a great fit for me.

The coaches believe in me, here and there; I am just ready to get to work and do my thing.”

The recruiting haul is the Cowboys’ biggest in a while, and football coach Joe McBride was happy to see these guys get to continueto the next level.

“They are all very good players,” McBride said. “Those schools are excited about having them and see a significant future for them.”

Smith fractured his pelvic bone last season, forcing the then-junior to miss all but five football games. McBride was anxious to see if Smith could hold up this season, but the senior exceeded McBride’s expectations with a spectacular final season.

“I knew he had the ability,” McBride said. “I just did not know if his injury was going to hold off enough.

He has always had a ton of ability.

It was just a matter of him having a year where he stayed healthy.”

With the biggest class of seniors yet, the anticipation of the Class of 2014, which includes top-tier defensive end Solomon Thomas and running back Gavin McDaniel, McBride knows the future is bright for Coppell football.

“It is exciting,” McBride said.

“We would love to have that kind of representation every year. It also feeds the fire inside of these younger guys, you know, ‘I wanna work hard and I will be at that table next year’.”

Cowgirl soccer players Paige Jacobs (Oklahoma), Katie Frank (Southwestern University) and Kayla Peterson (Arkansas) all signed letters of intent in the wake of an undefeated preseason and District 5-5A matches beginning on Friday against Hebron.

Brantley Young, who signed with Dallas Baptist University, led the Coppell Boys Cross Country team this season, and is now jumping headlong into track season.

Photos by Regan Sullivan

sports 21

2013 Signees Brantley Young, cross country Dallas Baptist Paige Jacobs, soccer, midfield University of Oklahoma Luis Carreno, football, defensive lineman. Sam Houston State Leighton Light, football, offensive lineman Central Oklahoma Cole Odette, football, defensive lineman Texas A&MCommerce Cameron Smith, football, wide receiver Arizona State

Left: On Feb. 6, 13 Coppell High School athletes made their committment to play their sport at the collegiate level. Right: Senior outside linebacker Tanner Masters signs his letter of commitment to play football at Eastern Central University in Oklahoma.

Katie Frank, soccer, midfield Southwestern University (Kans.)

Kayla Peterson, soccer, defender Arkansas

Omari Cole, football, defensive back Central Oklahoma Tanner Masters, football, outside linebacker East Central University Colby Mahon, football, quarterback Southern Arkansas

Josh Self, football, tight end Air Force Academy

William Udeh, football, defensive lineman New Mexico

22 sports

Graphic by Haley Madigan

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Pickrell earns prestigious honor ALLISON ARNOLD Sports Writer

Sophomore Kylie Pickrell, was awarded the title of Prepvolleyball.com National Sophomore of the Year. She also led the state with 1,390 assists throughout the season.

The pressure of a defending state champion can be overwhelming. The pressure to be the only setter on that team seems impossibly frightening to most.

However, calm, cool and collected sophomore setter Kylie Pickrell makes it look easy. This year, Pickrell was awarded the title of Prepvolleyball.com National Sophomore of the Year.

Playing competitively since she was 10, Pickrell has always had a natural feel for the game. Growing up playing the sport, she has always been one step ahead of everyone else her age making her a stand out player to anyone who saw her on the court.

Because of her talent, it was no surprise to anyone when Pickrell made the varsity team at Coppell High School as a freshman.

“I saw something in Kylie from the very beginning,” Coppell coach Julie Green said.

“From the first moment I saw her play I knew she was something special, and now it’s incredible because everyone gets to see what I see in her also.”

This year, Pickrell ran a 5-1 offense, meaning she was the setter for every play. Dealing with

very talented and older hitters such as seniors Chiaka Ogbogu, Erica Bohannon and her own sister Cassidy, it is very easy to get intimidated and even scared to get a touch on the ball. However, Pickrell used the older, talented hitters as an excuse to step up, not back down.

“Playing with older girls was obviously intimidating at first,” Pickrell said. “But for me, that meant that I just needed to step up even more and get them the set that they need to put the ball away.”

After finding out she won sophomore of the year, Pickrell was very surprised and confused.

“All of my club teammates and coaches texted me during class congratulating me about winning sophomore of the year.

I was so confused and I had no idea what was going on because I wasn’t expecting to win something as big as sophomore of the year,” Pickrell said.

In addition to sophomore of the year, Pickrell also led the state with a whopping 1,390 assists. Also known for her other impressive stats such as 290 digs, 55 blocks and 87 kills, it surprised people who were seeing her play for the first time and discovered she is a sophomore.

“The first time I saw Kylie play was in middle school when I

played at Coppell Middle School West and she played at Coppell Middle School North,” sophomore defensive specialist Ashley Rich said. “We played against her team in seventh grade and I remember thinking what an amazing player she was. She hit so much harder than any of the other girls on the team. So far, she’s improved so much and it’s been incredible playing with the sophomore of the year this season.”

Pickrell hopes to play volleyball far past her years at CHS. “I hope to get a scholarship to a competitive Division I school after I graduate and then hopefully go on to play at the Olympic level,” Pickrell said. “I love the sport and I want to play it for as long as I can.”

For Green, Pickrell is a one of a kind out of the many volleyball players she has coached in the past.

“Never in my years of coaching have I had a player whose goal was to go to the Olympics,” Green said. “I’ve had girls that I’ve coached that have wanted to get a scholarship and go to a great college and be successful, but I’ve never coached a girl with goals as high as Kylie’s. I think she can eventually make it to that level if she keeps playing and improving.”

2nd 1st 3rd Ogbogu awarded Texas Gatorade Player of the Year Photo by Lauren Ussery

Photo by Regan Sullivan

Photo by Rinu Daniel

TANNER McCORD Sports Writer

One Class 5A state championship is already quite a feat, but two in a row is downright impressive. One common denominator and dominator of both tournaments is senior Chiaka Ogbogu.

The 6-1 senior middle blocker ended the 2012 season with an incredible 486 kills and 144 blocks and a hitter of the year award from LoneStar Volleyball, not to mention the team as a whole winning the team of the year award for LoneStar as well. Immediately following the state championship, Ogbogu as well as her teammates, senior right side hitter Erica Bohan-

non and sophomore setter Kylie Pickrell, were named to the AllState volleyball first team.

Not only is she recognized throughout Texas, Ogbogu is the winner for the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year. Fifty athletes were chosen for this award, one per state, and then there is a national award for the overall player of the year for which Ogbogu was a finalist.

“Anyone can win [the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year], so it was really cool that I got the opportunity to be a part of that,” Ogbogu said.

On top of her national success, Ogbogu was chosen to be a part of the All-American tournament, where again she made first team. The tournament took place in Kentucky over three

Photo by Rowan Khazendar

(Left) Chiaka Ogbogu is honored by a banner that hangs in the gym, signifying this award. (Above) During Senior Night on Oct. 19, Ogbogu and her parents honor her successful season and four years as a varsity player. (Right) Ogbogu celebrates after the final championship point in the state tournament against New Braunfels on Nov. 17.

days starting Dec. 14 and while she was there, Ogbogu got the opportunity to watch the final four tournament where her future school, the University of Texas took home the first place trophy.

Despite her success on the court and national recognition, Ogbogu never put herself above others and played selflessly to benefit her team, not for her own personal satisfaction.

“Chiaka solely wants the team to win,” head volleyball coach Julie Green said. “She doesn’t care about stats or what spot she’s playing in. She just wants to win, so she puts her focus towards the team goal.”

Due to her focus and her teammates’ focus, the ultimate goal has been accomplished.

“It’s just incredible getting to play with someone who is so good and has such a bright future,” Bohannon said.

Bohannon has also played with Ogbogu outside of high school on the club volleyball team Texas Advantage (TAV).

“With our club team last year we got second in the nation, and the year before that got fifth,” Bohannon said.

At the Feb. 8 pep rally, the 2012 volleyball team was recognized by the nationally recognized website Maxpreps as the No. 1 team in the nation.

Maxpreps.com is a national database of high schools all over America that contains the sports each high school plays and the teams’ stats, as well as individual players and their stats.

Every single school was ranked out of strength of schedule, games played and several other stats and statistically, the Coppell Cowgirl volleyball team was superior to every one of the 16,000 teams registered on Maxpreps.

Team play is extremely important, and as Green said, it is Ogbogu’s main focus. Her intentions on the court are not to further herself but for the sake of the team. The awards and accolades that came with her success were simply a result of her raw athleticism and drive for success.

“I’m basically getting recognized for something that I love doing anyways,” Ogbogu said.

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Photo by Rinu Daniel

Athletes use faith to help achieve on field success continued from pg.1 the best teammates and can take the values that they have learned into other areas of their life.”

With almost 20 Christian churches in Coppell and a number of other religious places of worship, it is nearly impossible for religion to be taken out of any part of every day life. The overwhelming presence of faith can be seen in the success of sports at CHS. For senior pitcher Jake Elliott, it is remembering those he has lost and living the best life that he can that pushes him to be the best he can be.

Before every game Elliott draws a cross along with the initials K.S and J.L to honor former Coppell baseball player Kiefer Smith, who graduated from Coppell in 2010 and drowned in Lewisville in 2011, as well as to honor classmate Jacob Logan who died earlier this year after cliff jumping with friends into Possum Kingdom Lake. Both the cross and the names serve as a constant reminder of the lives lost and people to play for.

“We have someone to play for. We are not just playing because we want to win,” Elliott said. “Without God we would not have anything. I would rather play for God than play for the winning. It is just a game.”

During games, team and individual prayers help Elliott to focus on what is truly important.

“Our team always prays be-

fore games,” Elliott said. “I pray on my own before games. It gets me mentally prepared before games because I know that God is with me every step of the way and He doesn’t care whether we win or lose. We are just doing it for His glory.”

One instance in particular that Elliott credits to his faith is his participation in the Connie Mack World Series last summer. Before this Elliott had only pitched in front of close to 500 people, but here he played in front of almost 7,000 fans.

“I knew God was with me the whole time because I definitely could not have done that all on my own,” Elliott said.

As a leader on the team, Elliott is spreading his faith onto his teammates. Together, the team is reading a book called Not a Fan about becoming more than just a “fan” of Christ.

“Not only will it bring us closer to Christ but it is also going to bring us closer as a team,” Elliott said. “We will be bonded through Christ.”

In the presence of faith in Coppell has always been strong, recent events of this year have made the presence even more known. Last October, the CHS senior class lost two classmates within three days. As Coppell students tried to heal from their incredible losses, many looked to faith. The student section began to chant “God is good” and at the Cowboys first playoff games bible verses could be seen around the stadium.

Fellowship of

Coppell High School seniors Jake Plotsky, Jake Elliott, Kate Rohrbough and Leah Yates listen during a discussion at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting.

“The tragedies brought a lot of people closer to Christ because there was really nowhere else to turn,” Elliott said. “Jacob showed everyone the importance of having God in their life.”

Logan inspired his classmates by living a life centered on God, and after his death it served as a constant reminder for those in pain.

On Sept. 23, in one of Logan’s final tweets, he said, “Jobs, sports and people will fail you.

God will not. He is a righteous savior that has not and will never fail you” giving inspiration to all of his classmates.

“I know that there will come a time when you cannot play sports anymore and you have to live for more than earthly things,” Elliot said. “I know that I have to live for God because he will always be there and sports will not.”

Fellowship programs also serve as a major part of the growing faith of CHS athletes. Along with countless church organizations is the Fellowship of Christian athletes chapter in Coppell, which meets every other Monday at 7 p.m. at the GracePoint student center. Led by Rushing and track coach Don Kemp, they hope it is a place that athletes can grow in their faith.

“Ultimately if you are playing the game just for the game or yourself you are missing the point,” Rushing said. “Our goal is to leave our programs, leave our school, leave our community in a better place then when we got

FCA

here.”

Senior track team members Leah Yates and Kate Rohrbough also help lead FCA. Being involved in FCA helps them in more ways than one.

“You cannot do anything alone, and you always have the Lord but then it is so helpful to know you have other people that can hold you accountable or talk through things,” Yates said. “It is a relationship with Him and you cannot have a relationship with someone without talking to them and spending time with them.”

For these two girls, there is no question that their faith plays a role in all aspects of their life.

“There is no difference between my running and my faith,” Rohrbough said. “It is not segmented like Sunday morning is reserved for God. God is with me forever, and I would not be able to do anything without him.”

Rohrbough competes in the 300 meter hurdles and it is not just a before race prayer that helps her get through, but praying throughout the entire race.

“Whenever I ran with another track club my coach used to point to the track on the end of the 200 meters, and he called it the prayer zone because by then you are so tired that all you can do is pray like ‘God make my legs move so that I can get through this’,” Rohrbough said. “When I am running my 300 hurdles whenever I am coming down that last straight, and I am so tired all I can do is pray.”

These athletes use their faith

in God to provide them strength and comfort in times when they are tired or nervous as well as a new outlook on tough situations.

“It puts me in a better mind set because I know that he will help me,” Yates said. “So I know I don’t have to worry about it or be nervous because he will help me through it.”

One aspect of CHS not always seen from the stands is the coaches, many of which are strong in their faith and use it to coach their athletes.

“We have a lot of great Christian coaches and I think the fact that so many coaches are religious just sheds a light onto all of their athletes because you can see that they have a difference in them,” Yates said.

Coaches believe sharing a faith with their athletes helps form a bond between the coaches and the players as well as helping in the players’ mindset.

“It creates a strong bond that can help both the athlete and the coach,” Kemp said. “ Those players have something to play for. It makes winning better and gives them a reason to get back up and keep going when they lose.”

For these athletes and so many more, their talents and successes have nothing to do with them and everything to do with God. They know they cannot do it alone.

“Without Him I can’t do anything,” Yates said. “He is in every aspect of my life.”

Christian Athletes

Coppell High School senior Jake Elliiott writes down his goal for his life as an activity at the Fellowship of Christian athletes meeting.

Photos by Mia Ford

Coppell High School seniors Kate Rohrbough and Leah Yates pray at the end of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes metting.

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