P.6 Student’s Interest in Politics (or lack thereof) | P.3 Website Review: WolframAlpha | P.4 Dear Abby P.7 Healthier Lunch Menu | P.11 New Office Workers | P.6 Learning Foreign Language
Denison High School 1901 S. Mirick Denison, TX 75020
November 2010 Volume 9, Issue 2
Student Participation in Extra-Curriculars at an All-Time Low Faith Turner Staff Writer
Cina Catteau Editor-In-Chief
What goes on in theatre behind the scenes is a mystery. What the theatre kids are like when they are not singing and dancing on stage to “Bippity-Boppity-Boo” is something only those in theatre are truly privileged to witness. That could be a good thing. “We watch Sid when he falls off of pianos” Junior J.Q. Ivers said. As people walk into the “Green Room” everyone is eating and bustling after a run through of a song on stage. Kids in half costumes eating pizza pockets are sitting at tables situated in a half circle in the middle of the room. They then see theatre director Mrs. Jordan through the window in the room and decide to see what’s going on in her room. “Mrs. Jordan, I got a present for you. It’s all...pretty and stuff,” senior Sid Coleman said. So one goes to sit on the tan couch and watch as they try and ultimately fail to play the Paganini trailer. Paganini is one of the fall plays theatre produced. It is about a famous violinist who is tempted by the devil, greed, lust and all other earthly human faults. “Paganini was a great experience and I just know every one will love it” said senior Courtney Babb.
As a student body and as a newspaper, students focus their attention on other students who are doing things, particularly those involved in extracurricular activities. It’s in those organizations that students seem to have the most fun, to express themselves the best, and to make the greatest impact on the community. Denison High School has a wide variety of strong extracurricular programs for students to get involved in, from our theater department to the Touch of Gold, to
Effects of Suicide Felt at DHS Jamie Branscum Copy Editor
COMMENTARY Suicide should not be a last resort. A person should never feel like ending their own life is better for them and everybody else. It is not. Recently, many teens and preteens have ended their life for diverse reasons. Had
these kids known what affect their death would have on their community or would have searched for another solution to their problems, these kids would not have committed suicide. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of older teen death in the United States, according to www.statisticstop10. com. Reasons that
lead students to commit suicide are even more astonishing: they are bullied at school, are tired of doing certain things, his or her loved one passed away, they feel left out or not loved, and so on. Recently, a seventh grade boy in Denison took his own life for reasons the public does not specifically know.
Whatever the reason, he will be remembered for his life, not his parting. Every person is worth something in the eyes of many people and the legacy they leave behind is appreciated perhaps more than the person could ever imagine it being memorialized. CONTINUED ON P3
What’s Inside -page 12-
Breast Cancer Awareness Month -page 6,7-
Neewollah: a DHS tradition
-page 10-
The Club: fun or dangerous? -page 11-
Party Pit pumps up the game
all kinds of sports to UIL Academics. With the diversity offered by such activities, one would think that all students would take advantage of at least one of these programs. However, students at this school seem noticeably less involved than those of other schools. A 1992 study by the National Education Longitudinal Study found about 80% of students involved in activities, while 38% of Denison students in a poll reported that they spent no time outside of school on extracurricular activities. CONTINUED ON P12
Upcoming Events All Semester Denteens Coat Drive November 15-16 Student Success Fair 4-8 PM November 22-26 Thanksgiving Break November 25 Thanksgiving Day November 26-December 26 Holiday Lights at Loy Lake Park December 2 Christmas Parade Main Street December 10-11: 7 PM December 12: 2 PM Willy Wonka Performances DHS Auditorium December 14: 7 PM Choir Concert Grayson County College Auditorium
Fiction
The Final Sleep Cina Catteau Editor-in-chief Monday, November 17, 2029 Her hand was shaking as she put it down to the paper, as she began the signature that would change the future of the world. She had read the extensive contract so many times that it was ingrained in her head; the wording was absolutely perfect, of that she had made sure. And yet, as she began the first fateful letter “J”, her stomach turned with butterflies. She looked up nervously into the eyes of the man sitting opposite the long conference table, who nodded and smiled reassuringly. Instead of reassuring her, however, this
confident glance made her hand shake harder and a cold sweat to break out on the back of her neck. How could anyone be confident when so much was at stake? She could feel the 20 sets of her coworkers’ eyes staring at her, and she tried to take a deep breath. Glancing back down at the paper in front of her, she completed the signature, with less than her usual precise penmanship. Julianne Pratt, spelled out for the world to see, endorsing the final stage of research on the world’s first drug to completely eliminate the need for sleep. I dreamed of myself sitting in front of a mirror, the intricate metalwork framing my familiar face.
I knew it was me, but judging by appearance, the logical part of my brain said it wasn’t. The woman in the mirror was darker than me, with a friendly bob and a smile that was more genuine than any that had ever appeared on my face. Yet this woman seemed hesitant, nervous, as though she had unpleasant news to deliver, or she wasn’t completely comfortable with what she was doing. She looked herself in the eye, in the mirror, and I felt her looking into my eyes as well. “Hello,” she said, her voice breaking momentarily in nervousness. “My name is Zara. You can imagine how silly I feel doing this, speaking to myself in a mirror. But in my world, our situation is
so desperate as to make feeling a bit silly a worthwhile price to pay, if anything at all should come out of this. I have been chosen, as a spokesperson for my people, to make an appeal to you, and by extension, to your world. I am their leader, their president, if you will, and I see that you are an influential person among your people, particularly regarding a recent development in your technology that I believe is called Antisomnia.” I’ll admit, strange dreams were becoming pretty common. With the hectic life I led at work, stress was bound to overflow into my dream world too. I wished my dreams would let me have some peace from thoughts of Antisomnia,
but as that was all my head was filled with nowadays, I suppose it was only to be expected that I should dream of it as well. “You see, I live in a different world than you. But in a way, I am you. Our scientists have drawn several hypotheses regarding this connection, but all that we know for sure is that we are attached to you; we share the same mind, in a sense. You are the master of this shared mind, you control when it functions for you and when if functions for us. This control you possess is without your knowledge, in a way: when you fall asleep, you yield your mind to us, to our people in this world. It is a difficult concept to grasp for you, I am sure, as it is still
hard for me to wrap my mind around, although it has been long discovered among our people. But if you accept the truth of my words, as I pray you will, you will see our dilemma. We only have function of our minds when you fall asleep. This drug, this Antisomnia that you have created, will cast our race into oblivion. For if you are awake all the time, we will never be.” I saw the me in the mirror say these words, and then I saw her eyes drift closed, snap open again, and fall shut once more, as if she was fighting sleep. I heard a beeping in the distance, getting closer and closer, as my alarm welcomed me back to the real world. To
be
continued...
Review: The Mortal Instruments Kayla Robinson Staff Writer
http://www.denisonisd.net/education/components/scrapbook/ default.php?sectiondetailid=7274&
Editorial Policy The Stinger newspaper is a studentgenerated publication that is produced, edited, and maintained by the DHS journalism staff of room 105. The Stinger encourages student expression and is designed to be a forum for open discussion. As part of its mission to serve as a medium for debate, The Stinger supports and accepts letters to the editor. All submissions must be signed by the author and delivered to room 105. The staff reserves the right to edit any material. Editorials appearing in The Stinger represent the sole views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the administration or those of the DHS Journalism Department.
November 2010
Commentary A series filled with the dangerous adventures of the “Shadowhunters” as they fight to kill demons seemed at first to be a dark, magical world too difficult to get through, especially for a girl with no knowledge of anime or fairies. Written by Cassandra Clare, these novels have opened up entirely new topics to me while weaving a tightly spun web of romance perfect for a teenage girl’s imagination. Only three years ago the first book, entitled City of Bones, emerged as a new take on magical realms. The justification that the humans in the story are unaware of Shadowhunters comes from “glamours,” a magical layer set on items to imitate the unappealing. This idea is also seen in the Harry Potter series as an explanation of how Hogwarts is hidden from “muggles,” a connection I, as a Harry Potter fan, couldn’t help but latch on to as another reason why I love the series. The main characters are Clary Fray, a redhead girl thrown into the demon-hunting story without any training and Jace Wayland, a Shadowhunter boy who will win your heart with his “rune” scars and white blond hair. Another principle character is Simon Lewis, Clary’s best friend who, if you get caught up in the romance aspect of the story, will lose some importance as Jace and Clary eventually get closer. The characters fight demons and are caught in the middle of a confusing history of the previous generation as the plot thickens with treason and two-faced stories of Jace and Clary’s parents. Each book
O P I N I O N
follows the same pattern in title with the second and third books entitled City of Ashes and City of Glass. To be released in March 2011, the fourth book in the series is entitled City of Fallen Angels, followed by City of Lost Souls and City of Heavenly Fire, all to be published by 2013. Recently, the first book in a prequel series dubbed The Infernal Devices has been published to explore the Victorian era of Shadowhunters, hopefully adding insight to the twisting plot of The Mortal Instruments. The Infernal Devices books will follow the same concept in title with the first being The Clockwork Angel, the next The Clockwork Princess, and after, The Clockwork Prince. A good idea for reading these novels is to curl up with a blanket and some hot chocolate in a quiet corner of a room to lose yourself in a world with perfectly imperfect characters created to tempt your imagination of the impossible.
Page 2
Website Rewiew: WolframAlpha.com Cina Catteau Editor-In-Chief COMMENTARY I don’t think anyone could claim that the Internet is not a valuable resource—its database is so extensive, in fact, that sometimes it becomes difficult to get clear, con-
cise information without digging through hundreds of over-complicated and irrelevant pages. There are many diverse services that the internet can offer, and finding the right website to give the right information is never an easy task. So we, as students, are left with several options. First,
we could do without the internet and live in blissful ignorance. Yeah, right. Second, the option that many of our numbers choose, we could slog through the sea of information on the web, hoping that what we are looking for will make its way into our searching hands. Or, the third op-
tion remains: we can use WolframAlpha. WolframAlpha, found at www.wolframalpha. com, is not a search engine-- it calls itself a “Computational Knowledge Engine”, which not only sounds more impressive but is much more effective. Instead of re-routing the user to
websites that might or might not contain the desired information, WolframAlpha just gives the information to you. All you have to do is know how to ask. The functions of this website are too many for me to name, but I will say that it can give you basic information about just about anything. If you’re in calculus, it can give you derivatives. If you’re in algebra, it will solve an equation or factor any number. It can balance chemical equations, define any word, calculate descriptive statistics, find out what genus a dog is in, see what happened on any date (and what phase of the moon there was), find out the median age in Finland, or convert units of weight or length. However, the site is hardly limited to academic functions. If you
want, you can encode text as a bar code or Morse code, play the A minor scale, find out your own IP address, or see who the artist of a song is. It can solve for missing words in a crossword and solve a cryptogram, and show you the yearly distribution of SAT scores. It’s an amazing resource that gives you direct information without endless searching. The only drawback of the site is that it’s a little difficult to figure out how to phrase your question to get the right feedback, but whenever you have trouble, there’s a helpful “examples” section of the site that shows how to phrase your input. It’s a website unlike any that I have ever come across, a site that combines many of the functions that make the internet the resource that it is.
Suicide Has a Powerful Impact on DHS Students CONTINUED FROM P1 When someone commits suicide, the people around them are affected in one way or another, even if they didn’t know the person personally. I know that Grant’s death has me thinking about the way I treat my siblings and about the people I pass by everyday that might want to end their lives. If everyone would take into consideration the consequences of making someone feel left out, then maybe suicide could be totally prevented. Family is not to blame in the case of Grant’s death, or
in many suicidal cases in the world, but certainly school life plays a major role in putting suicidal thoughts into the minds of individuals. There are many other ways to handle grief besides suicide. If there is one reader that is thinking about suicide, just know that time can heal wounds, and death is certainly not more desirable than waiting for something better to happen. Most things are never as bad as they seem to be. Never be afraid to go to www.suicidehotlines.com for more information.
SHERMAN (903)893-1141
DENISON (903)465-9272
Allen’s .
Air Conditioning
Heating
PLUMBING HEATING AIR CONDITIONING ELECTRICAL “SPECIALISTS” November 2010
24 Hour Emergency Service
3030 S. EISENHOWER PWKY. DENISON, TEXAS 75020 JOHNNY ALLEN
O P I N I O N
Page 3
Dear Abby: Friendship Advice Abby Staff Writer
would like to confront her about it, but I’m afraid she might become angry or violent, and if I break off our friendship, she may become depressed, possibly even suicidal because she doesn’t have many other friends. I feel like I need to stay friends with her, but I don’t know how much longer I can take her abusive behavior without becoming depressed myself. Please tell me how I can make this right. Sincerely, Frustrated Friend
Dear Abby, I have this friend who believes she has to be right all the time. When ever I try to say something, she always jumps in and tries to correct me. For example, when it comes to bands. I give someone information on them and my friend tries to say the opposite, and claims she is right. It’s really annoying, and I really don’t want to be friends with someone who has to be right ALL THE TIME, what Dear Frustrated Friend, should I do? First and foremost, you Sincerely are a special person who deserves Wronged Teen to be treated with kindness and compassion. Nobody deserves Dear Wronged Teen, This is also a type of friendship to get emotionally or physically abuse that does not need to be put harmed by another person, up with. However, have you tried to especially by someone thought to talk to her first? Has she listened? Or be a friend. Does this person always does she still persist on being correct try to humiliate you or make you in every aspect? Toxicfriendships. feel powerless? Do they push you org is site that has helpful facts on around? Do they get angry when how to get out of or solve harmful your attention is not fully on them? states relationships. This issue really goes Improvingyourworld.com back to the first story I did on abusive that “The ultimate goal for any relationships and even though it is less abuser, whether it is relationship severe it is just as serious and just as or friendship wise, is that they harmful to the emotional states of the have complete control and power.” persons involved. “Ending a close Do not give them that power or friendship is not an easy thing to do interest. Stand up for yourself and but sometimes it is the wise thing to do the way that you feel. I know you because if you cannot find reasonable are concerned about your friend’s ways of dealing/coping with your toxic emotional state, but the emotional friend, remaining in the relationship toll is far less now and far more could do more harm than good,” temporary than the permanent said toxicfriendships.org. Everyone emotional toll this situation will take goes through these experiences for a on you if you let this behavior persist. reason and in the end its makes you However, improvingyourworld.com a stronger person, but there is never also states “the emotional benefits a reason to stay friends if you don’t are endless.” Improvingyourworld. want to. It is always your choice and com is a website with advice on a no one else’s. Always remember that wide range of problems including you are in control of your life and no your’s, and might be a helpful tool for you. Another great website to go one else! to that will help you further and tell Sincerely, you how to get out of an abusive Abby friendship is toxicfriendships.org. They have discussion groups so Dear Abby, I have this friend. Let’s call that you can talk to other teens her “CB.” We have been friends for a having the same problem as you. Best of Wishes, long time, but she makes fun of me Abby a lot and even hits me sometimes. I
The True Value of Main Street Denison
Despite downtown’s “deserted” appearance that was lamented in the last issue, new life is starting to appear behind the antique facade. Here, one Main Street shop owner comments on the true value of our unique town and its inhabitants. Dear Editor, Regarding the article in the October issue of The Stinger characterizing Denison as a “Ghost Town,” I feel an obligation to debate the author’s opinion, mainly because the article negates the fact that there are many people working to transform our community in a positive way. I do wonder if people see how much we actually do have to offer down here on our, let us say sleepy, not deserted, Main Street. Yes, the economy has taken its toll, as evidenced by several shuttered businesses, so we need to celebrate doors that are opening. Downtown is seen as an “antique city,” when really this town has the
opportunity to become a destination. You may say that I am a hopeful, hopeless romantic for being in love with this city, but I’m okay with that. Some of the best people I have ever met in my life make up this community. Come downtown and visit the brand new vintage shop near Heritage Park, or the brand new bath and body boutique close to Watson’s on Main. We are not deserted by humans, but ignored by expendable income. In the past, the function (or non-function) of our city has many residents frustrated or apathetic, which unfortunately hurts the business
owners who keep on keeping on. Compared to most of the rest of the world, America is young and is just now putting importance on its history. Some think that downtown is ancient history, but it is very much alive with loft residents of all ages, shops of all kinds, and hosts many events throughout the year that residents look forward to. So please, even though we are small, take the time to dig a little deeper while you are here and you just may be surprised. From: Allison Jones Wild Lotus 613 W. Main St.
Downtown Denison bustles on a Saturday afternoon at a car exhibition in Munson Park. For a comprehensive list of events in Denison, visit denisontexas.com
501 W. Woodard Denison, TX 75020
903-465-8383 903-465-5034 Fax
November 2010
O P I N I O N
Page 4
Teaching Transformation: Active Learning Contrary to traditional teaching practices, new studies and personal experiences by one of our staff members show that a more active style of teaching, including the integration of hands-on activities and connections of curriculum to the outside world, may be more beneficial to students. Emmi de Vries Staff Writer
Students get a good understanding of their material through lab practicals.
Commentary The teacher is standing in the front talking while bored students are listening, taking notes. Everyone is paying attention, knowing that there will be a test next class. This is how teaching in school can look like and it’s not even uncommon. Certainly, this traditional form of teaching, known as frontal instruction, is reliable to impart big amounts of information, but does it help to acquire long-term knowledge? I think it does not. Students may pay attention at the moment, just to pass the tests, but how much of this huge amount of material do they still recall when they are grownups, or even in the next year of school? The sad truth is, not much, which often makes it necessary to repeat certain things over and over. There is an alternative, however, called active teaching. This much newer philosophy contains many different ideas to construct a lesson. Short written exercises, group work, class games and student or class debates are just some examples for the methods of active learning, which are then combined with parts of the original frontal instruction. After the principle learning through playing
Below: learning with friends undoubtedly makes school a more enjoyable experience.
and exploring, students gain skills that are important for school as well as for the life afterwards. I have experienced both of the above forms of teaching and in my opinion active learning is more profitable for students, because it is a healthy mix. I think kids learn better with out the pressure of too many tests and a heavy burden of dispensable information. As the famous Albert Einstein once said, “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school”, and I agree. A good general knowledge that is vitally important in life can be built simply by taking in the world and paying attention to it. Therefore it is not necessary for teachers to try to force knowledge into students, because they won’t succeed anyway. Nothing kills the essential motivation like a pressure to be perfect, to please others. Yet, a hundred years ago active teaching would have been unimaginable and even today some teachers are not convinced. Old teachers especially stick to traditions, unable or unwilling to change old habits. Nevertheless, with every year active teaching gains popularity and, so, maybe some day all schools will catch up on this vivid and refreshing way of teaching.
A New Type of Friend: Frenemies Mikayla Ross Staff Writer
n “Keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer.” Is this the philosophy that is reliable? Many times people become hostile to one another after something has come between them and they try to cut at one another’s throats. Too many times, the backstabbers within us are unleashed and it can get very difficult to tame ourselves and act the right way. Once you’ve dug a hole too deep to climb out of things can go haywire. So, in order for some people to plan revenge or to just know who is being talked about by whom, we become friends or acquaintances. To know what is going on, or to be “nosy”, we put ourselves in a group of people who we usually would not put ourselves with and truly cannot stand, gets on our nerves, and are “two-faced.” Whatever it is we call it, we know we shouldn’t put ourselves into other’s lives just to hurt whoever it is we are aiming at, and yet, we still do that. Vengeance can be a very dangerous weapon if the person gets carried away. Rumors are spread, accusations are made, and friends are torn apart. So the question asked is if you should stay close to your enemies or make peace. The answer to that question is up to you. You decide what is right and what is
November 2010
wrong in your life, I am just here to help decide on what you want. I, personally, would not be friends with someone I do not like; I get annoyed too easily so the friendship wouldn’t last very long. But I do truly treasure the friendships I have and have made, and I would hate to know that I could be friends with someone simply by putting our differences aside and not dwell on everything from the past. Moving on is a priority if we intend to forgive and forget. I am not one that holds grudges or finds something about someone to dislike, so I can say that I don’t really have any “frienemies” or people I do not like. I try to be friends with everyone. We should consider things like “The real reason for why I do not like the person,’ “Are we making things up, or are we jealous, or do we just not have a reason?” You need to have a reason to not like someone; not liking them “just because” is, to be honest, very rude. Did you ever give this person a chance? They’re probably the coolest person you met, or they might be the funniest person in the whole school. They might have done something to make you upset, but was it directed at you? Was what they said an accident? Before you go off and start rumors and gossip, talk to the person and explain to them why you feel this way and everything you want them to know. Not confronting the problem firsthand and going around talking to other people about it makes you also seem like a coward to others. Don’t be a coward, don’t be the lion in
Wizard of Oz, and be the scarecrow. Be fearless. You’ll never know what can happen if you just confront the person up-front and be nice. They would probably change whatever it is that is offensive, and they might want to be your friend after you explain things to them. They probably were already your friend and they want to stay friends.
O P I N I O N
Making a big deal about things and jumping to conclusions will get you nowhere. Fighting fire with fire just gives you a bigger fire. Fight fire with water, or the fire extinguisher, and end the big mess. You only get one chance at life, so why waste that chance making enemies? Friend or foe? Which would you rather have?
Page 5
“X” Lacks Political Interest Faith Turner Staff Writer
COMMENTARY Do you know when the next election is? Do you care? If you don’t care you should! Children born of a baby boomer, a child of the eighties, are called Generation X or the Millennial Generation. Generation X is the most racially diverse generation in history! We are also the biggest. X even beat out the Boomers. So, what does this have to do with politics? According to the National Voting Statistics, in the next election youth, aged eighteen to twenty-five will make up thirty-three percent of all votes. That’s one third of all people in America! Are you still telling your self “so I’m just one small person,” in that apathetic attitude? Well, don’t! You matter because you have an opinion. In political campaigns, have you ever noticed how politicians do more things for the elderly, such as better healthcare, cheaper medication, and better hospice? That’s because elderly people in the past have been the ones to make up the majority of voters. X can change that! We have opinions. If the youth starts to make up a larger number of votes then our opinion as a whole will be recognized on a national level. “I don’t really care or have an opinion on politics,” senior Shelby Greer said. Why not?! Form an opinion. Do research and ask yourself what the politician is going to do for you. A politician is going to go after votes and therefore campaign in favor of the people s/he knows will vote for him/her. What are his goals for America’s youth? Will he help you further your education? Will he help our economy so you can go shopping more with the extra money you’re making at your new job? Even if you circle a random name on the ballot, the vote will still matter. If there was a sudden increase in youth voters the politician will take interest in the youth of America, in our generation, and in you.
November 2010
Learning Foreign Languages Emmi de Vries Staff Writer Salut! Welcome to this tour through the diversity of foreign languages. Erfahre neue, atemberaubende Tatsachen, über das Lernen von Fremdsprachen. Disfrute! Well, that should clear things up. Presently about 6,500 different languages and forms of communication exist all over the world. The most spoken tongue is Mandarin Chinese, followed by English and Spanish. Another thing to know about languages is that some of them are related to each other, such as Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French, which all come from Latin and are therefore called “romance languages”. German, English and Swedish all originate from the Germanic language.
Worldwide, approximately 90 such language families are known. Closely related families are often summarized into bigger groups. An example of such a “mega family” is the Indo-Germanic, which contains Latin, ancient Greek, Germanic, Slavic and ancient Indian. Knowing different foreign languages besides one’s own mother tongue always opens various opportunities. It also helps in getting well-paid jobs and makes it possible to spend time in many foreign countries and speak to the natives in their tongue. Communication is an important part of human nature, and being able to
communicate in more then one language is, therefore, always an advantage. Languages help to learn and understand another culture, but learning them in the first place can also be tricky. “It is like a puzzle or code that you have to figure out,” French teacher Tessa Neighbors declared. Not everyone has an easy time learning a language simply because everyone is different and has different initial conditions. The degree of difficulty of a
tongue is influenced by many elements. The original language, the persons ability, and even the effort someone puts in the task of learning a language can change its complexity factor. The ultimate answer, however, to the question of how to learn a new language is to use it a lot. In addition to that, everyone has his or her own tips and tricks. “The key is not only studying it, but also talking to natives in their language,” junior Lukas Evers said. “You might not learn a lot of grammar rules with that, but [you learn] vocabulary and
understanding of the language.” Nevertheless, for some people certain languages are more difficultthanotherssimply based on grammar or pronunciation. “Korean is really, really hard to pronounce and the way you have to write is totally different from English or Spanish. You have to be very careful what you write, because mistakes can have different meanings,” senior Alex Mayorga said. No matter, however, what tongue one chooses to study, “every new language is like an open window that shows a new view of the world and expands your attitude towards life”, as the American author Frank Harris once said.
We Don’t Sit, We Party Pit Kayla Robinson Staff Writer
The Denison Party Pit is a scene of enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and support for the football team every Friday night where countless high school students cram together to scream their hearts out. This gathering of students inspires school spirit for the Jackets while facilitating bonding of friends over common attitudes. “I love that all of the seniors get so into it and that it’s just fun. If I could change something, it would be to get all the underclassman more into the game,” senior Toby Caudill said about the Party Pit atmosphere. The Party Pit is run by seniors at the
Senior Adam Bucher displays his spirit in the Party Pit. Photo by Taylor Bogle
The Party Pit crew links hands for the Alma Mater. Photo by Paisley Brady
F E A T U R E
games, who direct the chants, including the famous “Hoo-Hah!” “We sometimes lose team spirit. Some people decide to sit down when we still have time on the clock. We don’t sit, we party pit,” sophomore Erin Noah said. The common opinion on the bettering of the Party Pit has to do with getting more people involved and pumped up for the entire game. Despite its advantages, the Party Pit can also be uncomfortable for those who aren’t fond of rude language, the throwing of things, and loud, clamoring bodies. “I love the Party Pit, but sometimes it’s a little overwhelming especially when I’m surrounded by tall people screaming nasty words at each other,” sophomore Callie Keese said. Peanut shells tend to fall from the sky on unsuspecting students while yelling for the football team, and teenagers’ conversations include enough inappropriate words that, if they were to be censored, a techno beat would be created with the beeps. The Party Pit is a way for high school students to show team spirit and create a loyalty to the Jackets that will be remembered past their high school careers. Hoo-hah!
Page 6
Student’s Eternal Question: the Purpose of Homework Jamie Branscum Copy Editor
Homework is... Early in practice for your the year and even before the school year started, brain-- to succeed, students at Denison High School have complained about to excel. the quantity of homework and the amount of time needed
Why... assign homework if... students won’t do it?
to finish the assignments and don’t realize the importance of working for their education. Some students refuse to complete the homework by themselves, because they find the homework pointless. “It makes you think. Why do teachers assign homework if they know the students won’t do it,” English teacher Lou Chandler said. Mr. Chandler went on to state that homework does reinforce the teaching in the classroom. The rational for giving students work to be done outside of the school hours is that the work is training for the mind. “Homework is practice- how does practice help a basketball team win games? Or a trumpet player learn music and excel? Homework is that practice for your brain- to succeed, to excel,” physics teacher Renee Burroughs said. Still, some critics deem homework as the demon of school. Homework, however, can give every student solo time to see if s/he can do the work. “I think homework is a positive thing. We all hate it, but it tests how well we really know the subject or what we are doing… (The purpose of doing homework is) to better our skills alone,” junior Victoria Brown said. Homework does coincide with the curriculum taught during each lesson and helps build the student’s cleverness in relation to the subject. Frequently, students wonder why they are learning “useless” things like post- elementary science and challenging mathematical concepts. When teachers are asked this question, they don’t always have the time or patience to explain the answer. “You are learning to be independent thinkers and problem solvers in this class- something that you will use every day of your life,” Mrs. Burroughs said. The answer given above will, perhaps, not be understood by many students until experience gives them a better understanding in the future. The answer may not be as simple as the students presume it is. Complicated or not, an education involving practice in the classroom and at home is meant for the advantage of every pupil.
New School Lunch Menu Leaves Many Students Hungry for More Satisfying Options Students in the lunchline debate over which healthy option they should choose. Photos by Cina Catteau and Jerrika White
November 2010
Jerrika White Managing Editor Most students have taken notice of the new school lunches being served in the cafeteria. Cherry tomatoes in place of rolls, celery instead of French fries, and chicken wraps rather than cheese burgers. The lunch room is taking a step towards healthier lunches by making changes such as these. However, some students say they would rather be unhealthy than eat the new lunches. “Everything is really healthy now. Some of the changes are good, but then again some of them are pretty gross. I eat lunch in the cafeteria every once in a while, but I would rather not eat the new stuff they’re serving,” senior Teresa Martinez said. Some students have stopped eating in the cafeteria as often as they used to, because they don’t like the food being served in place of the options that were available for lunches last year. M o s t students are not too
F E A T U R E
happy about the changes being made. “You get more options on what to put on your food, but the lunches are still gross, even more disgusting than last year,” senior Taylor Miller said. Besides the changes that were made to the menu, there is another change that has been put in place that make some students upset. “I don’t like the new lunches. And on top of that, we pay $0.10 more for lunch and it’s still disgusting,” Miller said. With such drastic changes being made and the cost of lunch going up, students expect more from their lunches. Some students agree that these new lunches just aren’t cutting it. In fact, some have even complained that the lunches being served now do not satisfy their mid-morning hunger. “The lunches that are served up now don’t fill me up. Maybe it’s just me, but I eat “lunch” at school, and then go home and have to eat lunch again. Lunch time at DHS has turned into snack time,” senior Joel Maresh said. O n c e accustomed to the old lunches, it’s hard to jump right in to a totally different type of lunches. Making the transition from chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and a roll to the
more recent lunch of a chicken wrap, mixed fruit, and sliced cucumbers is difficult for some students to deal with all at once. Maresh expresses his understanding of a healthier meal for students, while also debating the fact that these new lunches don’t fill him up, leaving him hungry for the remainder of the school day. “I like that they are trying to make things healthy, but they shouldn’t be doing it at the expense of not having enough food to fill people up. I respect having a healthy lunch, but these new lunches are causing overindulgence at other meals,” Maresh said. In Maresh’s case, he eats two lunches: one at school and one at home. If the students’ hunger is not satisfied at school, then they will most likely eat again once they return home. This would most likely defeat the whole purpose of a more healthy lunch, because chances are they’re not going to eat something that would be especially healthy at home. However, it is more than likely that the new and improved healthy lunches will continue to be a part of the daily school menu in hopes of creating a healthier student body. However, whether or not the new lunches will actually do any good remains a mystery.
Page 7
Neewollah gives students a chance to express their talents. From left to right: senior Craig DaCosta, sophomore Melody Jarvis, seniors Marc Jackson and Abby Allen, junior Peyton Marshall, freshman Bryan Batts, Senior Tim Hoover, and senior Shannon Choate. Top Right: Junior Deanna Wood. Photos by Paisley Brady.
M S Neewollah is the talent show of the school year, the one chance to show off the special thing that everyone’s going to remember someone by. Neewollah has been in this school for so long, everyone comes to hear people sing, dance, rap, tap, and anything that’s out there. Preparations for Neewollah can be very hectic for those who are performing. Scheduled mandatory practices are a must if someone wants to be in the show of talents. In addition, Neewollah Royalty must
be chosen as well. “I’m indifferent, but I think it’s pretty cool,” Neewollah Royalty candidate and sophomore Hayden Cottingame stated about being on Royalty. In Neewollah, the Royalty is basically a popularity contest about who the students of each class grade think should represent their grade in a positive way. They are chosen before the actual talent show starts and dress up as a character of choice. Raising money is also involved for Royalty.
“I It tak and I on ro royal Finle Th in Ne and and b thing abou thing down it will “I ing, I nior C with a
being
Mikayla Ross Staff Writer
It’s very interesting. kes time and effort I think I should be oyalty because I’m l,” junior Lamonica ey joked. here are a lot of acts eewollah this year singing, dancing, bands are the main g in the show. With ut 45 acts, everyg has to be narrowed n to five minutes so l not take so long. I like the girls dancI think its fun,” seCarlos Garcia said a smile. Many dances are g done this year
and the ones who are in it must be ready to show. Courageous girls and boys are excited to show what they’ve got to the student body. And many people attend this show. “I’m excited for Neewollah, I like the adrenaline rush I get when I’m singing,” freshman Jordan Ross said. Adrenaline is more than likely going to pass through ones nerves if going out in front of a lot of people. Some act on it and love it, others may crack under the pressure, but everyone
loves watching students perform. “It’s awesome,” junior Quentin Ellis said. Almost half of the student body attends along with parents. It gets pretty crowded in the auditorium, and more people are coming this year. “I’ve never been, but I’m looking forward to this year. It’s going to be incredible,” sophomore Allie Martin said. Neewollah does not have that many scary, creepy, talents so there is no need to be afraid when going.
Club Afterlife: Teen Not Spot Jerrika White Managing Editor The middle of last school year marked the beginning of a popular trend for teenagers of this generation. Going clubbing has become one of the most talked about weekend adventures since students discovered that not all clubs have a requirement of 18 years of age and older. The most popular of these underage clubs: Afterlife. “The club is
awesome; especially Afterlife. If you haven’t been, you should definitely consider going. There are lights, dancing, and event nights when you get to dress up and stuff,” senior Brooklyn Neal said. It is said that lights, music, dancing, and meeting new people are what make the club so appealing to these young teenagers. However, some say that Afterlife, as well as other clubs of the same nature, are not appropriate for 17 year olds. “Nearly everyone who goes
to the club ends up rolling. And even if you don’t, touching the sweat of someone who is rolling will send you on a body roll. In my opinion, I just don’t think that teenagers should be getting messed up like that. And definitely not when they’re in Dallas,” senior Alex Elk said. Some students disagree with Afterlife being a reasonable hangout spot for teens because of supposed drug use. However, some feel that these teenagers that are attending the club should be responsible enough
to say no when offered drugs, such as ecstasy, or “rolls”. “Afterlife is a perfectly okay place for 17 year olds to go on the weekends or whenever. If you’re going to the club, you should know that there is the possibility that you will see someone rolling. But what’s the difference when you can walk down Main Street and see two crack heads within ten minutes? Just because you see someone cracked out doesn’t mean you’re going to automatically want to do some crack. It’s just a matter of control and
responsibility,” senior Marissa Bruton said. Bruton argues that just because drugs are around you doesn’t mean you have to use them. However, most teenagers can be easily manipulated, which puts them at a risk of doing ecstasy if put into the right kind of circumstances such as going clubbing, which makes clubs like Afterlife seem like a bad idea to some students. “I think the whole aspect of clubbing is fine, but when it comes to taking pills, such as ecstasy, and getting rides home with strangers from Dallas, it makes it pretty
dumb,” Elk said. Most would agree that Afterlife can be a suitable place for teenagers to hang out as long as drugs are not thrown into the equation. Lights, music, dancing, and hanging out with friends are considered appropriate to most people. Hopefully as the trend of going to clubs continues to grow, the use of drugs at these clubs will eventually die down, making clubs such as Afterlife a more appropriate source of entertainment for young teens.
Above, on right: the inside of Club Afterlife teems with young people looking for a good time. Left: the inconspicuous exterior of Club Afterlife. Courtesy Photos
Those Tedious Driving Tests Mikayla Ross Staff Writer It’s inevitable now. Not many can ignore it. The one test that some teenagers of this generation care most about has just arrived: the driving test. On September 1, 2009, a Texas law passed saying that it is required for a person to take the in-car exam driving skills test in order for that individual to obtain their license. There are a few advantages to this law and a few disadvantages Many people ask why this test is necessary or if it’s a good thing. Well, the
November 2010
test would keep more safe drivers on the road and more reckless drivers off the road. It’s well known that when the in-car exam is being taken, more careful decisions are made just to pass the test. When the license is finally in the hands of the teenager, they loose that focus they had for the test and get out of hand. Now that’s not always true, but it happens more often than not. This law was passed to make sure that people at least know how to drive. But some people get ready to in-car test and fail from stress and nervousness. “I think it’s stupid. I’ve
been able to drive for a long, long time and nobody drives the way the [state] wants you too,” junior Austin Ratcliff said. One little mistake like forgetting the turn signal coming out of parallel parking can cost someone their license, even if the driving part is great. It’s also highly important to be on guard while taking the test because anything and everything will be judged. “I don’t have my license, but I have my own car. I love not having to rely on people for rides,” sophomore Allie Martin stated. For those who have cars,
it must feel good to know that relying on someone to take them places is not something that is necessary. Of course, one needs to have a license in order to drive the car. “I probably should invest in getting my license though,” Martin confessed. It can be difficult to obtain ones license, especially now that the in-car exam was established. A few tips to help relax for the test before it’s taken is try listening to soothing music to get the nerves and mind cleared. It might just help make everything so much easier.
F E A T U R E
Page 10
Office Workers Keep the School Running laughingly answered when asked why she chose to work in a high school. After working at a furniture store, the rush of high school would At the beginning of another school day, most seem, to some, overwhelming. students are preparing themselves for tests and “I love the fast-paced day, and it is [fastclasses. This morning routine applies also to the paced],” Cole said. office workers of Denison High School, although Mrs. Crooker, having originally worked in their first thoughts of the day include bracing the counselor’s office here at Denison High, is themselves for the barrage of phone calls, irate delighted to be involved in the busy atmosphere parents, and students. This year the school of the main office. These women work together; welcomes two new office ladies, Mrs. Rita Cole always aware of what to do in any situation even and Mrs. Marsha Crooker. when new things are thrown their way. There’s no time for questions as these “I thoroughly enjoy the students…every day hardworking women tackle the day’s fast-paced is different,” Crooker said about her favorite part style. Several simultaneous conversations are of the new position. handled as the phone incessantly rings and Between answering the phone and addressing parents constantly stream through the door. a parent’s question, Crooker explains the only “I needed a job and it was a job,” Mrs. Cole “scary” part of working in the main office. “You have to be careful,” One of our faithful office workers poses with Crooker expressed the TA’s whom they have grown to love. in response to the Photo by Brie Osmon many situations in which the office ladies find themselves in that intimidate potential workers. These office ladies work constantly to ensure the safety of the students and the smooth running of the entire school. This effort is observed by the many office aides that work alongside Cole and Crooker. “These women are extraordinary…it’s an honor and a privilege,” Kayla Robinson Staff Writer
Hectic school days keep our office workers on their toes. Photo by Brie Osmon
2A senior office aide Robbie Mercado said after running another errand. The office aides acquire a taste of the work it takes to keep a school in line by constantly having to find students all over the campus. Office aide Brooklyn Neal explained their work as “taking notes everywhere,” a typical example of the mundane acts repeated at full speed with a clear head that the office ladies must attend to. “It’s an amazing experience,” office aide Tim Hoover said, regarding the time he spends with the new office ladies.
The Holiday Season Approaches Despite the fun and food offered by holidays, they retain the meaningful values of family time and spiritual renewal for some Jerrika White managing Editor COMMENTARY The holidays are drawing closer with every day that passes, and I’m slowly becoming ecstatic. The second half of the year has always been my favorite. With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all in three months, who couldn’t love it? Halloween is awesome because you can be anybody or anything you want. It’s more of a goofy holiday, rather than a serious one focused around a biblical lesson. So, you can have fun with it and get a little crazy with your scary costume. Plus, you get free candy! Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Eating so much of Grandma’s homemade stuffing that you feel like you could puke, watching the football game with Uncle Keith and Papaw, and fooling around with all the little ones: this is what my Thanksgiving usually
November 2010
consists of. Thanksgiving gives a chance for the whole family to come together and enjoy each other’s company, along with all the good food. However, Thanksgiving is really all about giving thanks, obviously. Some people seem to forget that small fact once they’re lost in the peach cobbler. However great Halloween and Thanksgiving may be, Christmas will always be my favorite. Having everyone together, each cuddled up to keep the cold away and a smile on every face; it’s just the best. The presents only make it that much more enjoyable, but even without the gifts Christmas would still be my favorite. The whole meaning behind it seems to change the way people think, even if it’s just for the day. Jesus’ birthday was such as special day, it seems like every Christmas is almost magical because of it. Maybe that’s why it’s my favorite.
F E A T U R E
Page 11
Student Lack of Involvement in Extracurriculars
continued from p1 The source of this uninvolvement remains a mystery, since those who do participate enjoy it immensely. “My favorite part of being involved in extracurricular activities is doing what I love to do. I think by being involved, I have more chances to express myself. I really value that,” sophomore Katie Burkhead said. Denison, while offering a wide range of strong extracurricular programs, does not offer as many options as some other schools. Some students still maintain the belief that if only Denison had more activities to offer, a greater proportion of the student body would be involved. “People might not be involved in extracurricular activities because the school doesn’t offer things that everybody is interested in,” junior Celsey Walker said. No high school student could deny the fact that school is a stressful place. Between jobs, grades, and other responsibilities, fun activities are often, and
November 2010
unfortunately, the first thing to get pushed to the side. “Work took up too much time for me to participate in anything, and it’s hard to keep my grades up. The only thing that actually interested me I couldn’t participate in because I’m a senior,” Patricia Plaza said. Despite the fun environment offered by extracurricular activities, another negative aspect of involvement is the time constraints that such activities put on students. Especially for those taking upper level classes, participation in time-consuming organizations takes away from time spent studying or, sometimes, even sleeping. Students with jobs are also forced to make the tough decision between being involved in school and working. “I don’t participate in school extracurricular activities because I have a job,” senior O.T. Simpson said. Many students who are involved, however, consider the time constrains a small price to pay for the benefits of
extracurricular activities. “The time constraints can be very stressful. Usually if anything, I have to give up an hour of sleep here or there, along with some study time. However, I find it completely worth it,” Burkhead said. Still, though, many students really have nothing better to do—when asked why they didn’t participate in extracurricular activities, some students responded with legitimate reasons, such as “not enough time.” Others replied that “Facebook is more fun.” Anyone who claims that browsing a social networking site is more fun than becoming a truly social person has missed the whole point of what extracurricular activities are all about. Their very purpose is to let students have fun, express themselves in an entertaining way, and develop beneficial relationships with other students. However, the fact will remain that in high school, some would rather keep up with the lives of others than get a life of their own.
Unforseen Dangers of the New Drug, k2 K2 was originialy hailed as a legal alternative to marijuana. However, research has proved it to be even more dangerous than its illegal counterpart. One student shares his negative experience with the drug. Jerrika White Staff Writer In efforts to find a loop hole in the law, k2 was created. Marijuana may be illegal, but k2 is supposed to give the same kind of high without breaking the law. However, many cities, including Sherman and Pottsboro, are banning the new alternative due to bad reports and health risks. One student who has had a bad experience with k2 speaks out against the fake cannabis. “I was put in the hospital for 5 days due to a heart attack caused by k2. Smoking k2 can lead to brain damage, heart attack, and long term heart damage,” senior J.J. Sergio said. With a personal experience to learn from, Sergio has recently become more educated on the effects of k2. Most students only know what they’ve heard about k2. Not many take the time to research and get the actual facts, which
F E A T U R E
can lead to some misconstrued rumors about the synthetic marijuana. “I’ve heard about some of the health risks, but I’ve never researched it or anything. Everything I’ve heard was on the news about people dying and stuff,” senior Taylor Miller said. Most people only hear about the health risks when someone has died or been seriously affected from smoking k2. H o w e v e r, some still feel that the ban is unnecessary and will just lead to a new substance with a new high and new health risks. “The ban doesn’t really affect me in any way. I wasn’t a user, but I know people who did use k2. I think the ban will do more bad than good. Something else will be invented to the job of k2 now that it’s illegal
in some cities,” Miller said. Some have come to the conclusion that as long as k2 is illegal, p e o p l e are going to come up with another solution that could possibly have health risks and long term effects that are worse than k2’s. On the other hand, some feel that the ban on k2 is a necessity, considering the lives that have been lost on account of smoking k2. “Overall, I think the ban is a good thing because the more cities that ban it, the more people’s lives are being saved,” Sergio said. To ban or not to ban, that is the question. Van Alstyne and Bonham have jumped on the bandwagon, outlawing k2 within their city limits, along with Sherman a n d Pottsboro. Many people are left wondering if Denison will be next.
Page 12
Gymnasiums v. High Schools Emmi de Vries Staff Writer Kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, college. This is the basic American educational system. Everything is orderly and planned out. Parents as well as students prepare the way for college. Money is saved and special tests are taken to earn credit. Sometimes playing a sport or participating in clubs even gets somebody a scholarship. There is not much room for making decisions, not much variation. Most Americans take this system for granted and have never heard of anything else. The truth, however, is that many different kinds of education are found all over the world. German and American schools, for example, are different to the core. The only things they really have in common are teachers, students, a school building and the duty to help to prepare their future. A comparison can be informative for students as well as teachers. Compared to the American education system shown at the beginning of the story, German students just have to go through elementary school and high school. The first includes the grades 1 to 4, while the high school starts with 5th grade and can go up to 13th. In addition to that, parents can also send their kids to a
kindergarten starting at the age of three, or preschool at the age of five if they wish. It is also possible for very talented or intelligent students to skip one or more grades in their school career. This story, however, will focus on high schools. In Germany, there are three different ratings of secondary schools. These are the Gymnasium, the Realschule, and the Hauptschule. The Gymnasium is with 13 years, the highest form of education you can get aside from the education at a university. The latter, however, is not a musthave. At the German variation of junior high school, called Realschule, students can graduate after 10th grade and start an apprenticeship. Nevertheless, they are not allowed to attend a college, even though their “graduation” equals that of an American high school, according to the German website www. abitur-ausland.de. Almost the same applies for the Hauptschule, which is not comparable to anything in America. Students here can finish after 9th and then begin their working life. “I wish students in high school had a choice in the type of school to attend, because I believe that students would benefit from trade high schools, high schools for those seeking to attend college, or high schools for technology integration,” history teacher Patti Cornelius expressed. Considering the basic
school system, she might be right, but otherwise American schools have much more to offer then German ones. They provide a broad range of classes and after schools activities, such as sports, band and various clubs. German schools, however, have a fixed syllabus for every grade and students can’t choose their subjects. The only exceptions are foreign languages, where the kids usually have two or three different ones from which to pick. “The worst thing about German schools is that there is not much choice of classes, especially those that give you knowledge of things you can use in your job,” junior foreign exchange student Lukas Evers reported. As a result of the lack of a course system, German students stay in the same classroom and with the same people everyday. The teachers come to their classroom rather than the other way around. The schedule, on the other hand, changes every day. With up to fourteen different subjects a week, this shouldn’t be a surprise though, just like the fact that the lessons are shorter. German students usually have between 6 and 8 classes a day. In this system every lesson has a length of 45 minutes. Another very important part of school is the grading, of course. The difference here already starts with the way to express the grades. In America they are given in letters or percentage,
while German schools mark their students with a number between 1 and 6, in which one is the best and six the worst. Also different is the criteria after which teachers compose a grade. In America all that really counts are test and quizzes. A bad day can bring down a student’s grade, no matter if the teacher knows that he or she could do better. To prevent this from happening, the German education system has based the grade on at least 70% oral presentation. This includes talking in class and answering the teacher’s questions, as well as paying attention, doing many projects, giving talks and even doing homework. “If I could change one thing about American schools, it would be homework. The teachers complain about grading it, so they maybe shouldn’t give it in the first place”, freshman Brinlee Crump said. Contrary to those in America, German teachers seldom grade homework. Instead it is used to prepare the students for the lesson and give them an opportunity to discover questions they might have, which are then often discussed in class and build the lessons foundation. In addition to that, the German students have more time to finish the homework, because they have more classes, and therefore a longer period until the next lesson in a certain subject. Their school day in
general is also shorter. School in Germany is usually over around one o’clock, but older students are an exception to that rule. Furthermore, while Americans have fixed schedules, most German schools can cancel classes if they like or need to. During this short period of time in school, however, most German high schools don’t offer lunch. Some don’t even have a cafeteria, but with only two fifteen minute breaks, there isn’t enough time to eat a big meal anyway. Instead they usually have to spend the time in a courtyard, where they can play, read, talk to friends or just sit or stand around. “The breaks between the lessons are one of my favorite things about German school,” junior Juliane Waack said. “They give you time to talk to your friends and classmates and in some cases to do homework you’ve forgotten.” Then again there are rather serious parts of school. Rules. An important thing in American schools is the student handbook, which provides everyone with tons of information about rules and the consequences for breaking them. “I like it that they are lenient on the dress code, rules, and certain things”, Crump admitted. Compared to most German public schools, however, even DHS dress code would seem extreme. Most students in Germany couldn’t imagine that the school
would try to tell them what to wear. Also, forbidding students to exit the building or the school area after school or to deny them passage in the halls without a “pass” would be entirely new for most German kids. “The most unlikely thing about American schools is the fact that you need a pass to go around in the hallways. It seems a little bit extreme to me,” Waack said. In general most schools in Germany can manage to fit their standard rules on two pages, and the enforcement is not as harsh as probably in some American schools. For example, German teachers and principals are less strict about late arrival for lessons or missed classes. Nevertheless, America has something that can probably not be found on Germany. The “school spirit” of American high schools, which is composed of events, plays, dances, football games with a broad range of entertainment, is unique. “The absolute best thing about American high schools is their school spirit and the wide variety of extracurricular activities, because it involves you more in the school,” Waack confessed. So it becomes obvious that, wherever you go, school is an important part of culture, and no matter how different both forms of school might be, they definitely serve their purpose, because everyone’s life in America and in Germany begins with education.
An example of a gymnasium-type school is this one in Germany.
November 2010
F E A T U R E
Page 13
Theater: The Personalities Behind the Curtain Senior Craig DaCosta skillfully plays his role in the fall production, Paganini. Photo by Brooklynn Allen
CONTINUTED FROM P1 However, theatre isn’t just the performers; there is also the technical aspect of it. Lights, Curtain…Action. Maybe not.
“I impale myself constantly during the making of plays,” senior Derek George said. The conversations had in theatre are dramatic, but entertaining, pun
Stellar productions require much behindthe-scenes work. Photo by Brooklynn Allen
5 Random Facts
Odontophobia is the fear of teeth. Isaac Asimov is the only author to have written a book in every Dewey-decimal category. Dr. Seuss coined the word “nerd.” 7-UP : The seven stands for the original 7 ounces to a container, and the “UP” indicates the direction of the bubbles. A law in Kansas requires pedestrians crossing a highway at night to wear tail lights.
intended. “I love you but quit putting Sunny Dee’s in the freezer!” Director Mrs. Jordan said as a student rambunctiously walks by sipping on the orange drink. Some of the many witty phrases from backstage were said by senior Craig DaCosta. “I live to frolf…that is, Frisbee-Golf,” said DaCosta. “He’s the wit of this department,” junior Ellie Margolias said. “Don’t give the boy more credit than he deserves” Mrs. Jordan said in return.
“Yes, Mrs. Jordan on the other hand, is more funny than any one gives her credit for” DaCosta said sarcastically. With all of the characters in theatre things are getting busy this year. They have Cinderella for the elementary students, and they are organizing and hosting the statewide event for Texas Techie Competition. Even though they have a big load this year, this close group of student should have no problems. “Every one is like a family in this department. We stick up for each other and it’s so amazing,” junior Samantha Kuneman said.
Support For Football Team Low This Year Jamie Branscum Copy Editor
given enough support for the players. Some argue that the fans will start cheering for the players as soon as they Denison has been known for taking pride start winning more games, but fan in its high school football team. This year, support is supposed to be present to along with a tough season, support for uplift every player on the field, which the team has gone down, from negative can aid them in their performance. comments to less cheering in the stands, as “…the cheering and support in seen by some residents. Although the Yellow some situations can help boost the Jackets have not won as many games as confidence of the players and help in the past, players think them to make a big The football team sticks that encouragement for play,” Conrad said. together through trials. the team should not be The team has been Photo by: Emilee Bizzle down. able to score against “I do not think the fans their opponents this are supporting the team year, showing that they as well as they should. are capable of making A lot of fans young and big plays. Many believe old get up and leave that the number on the if the team is losing or scoreboard at the end of doing [badly] or they the game does not fully don’t come to the game reflect the amount of at all, showing that the effort the team shows. level of support the fans have is very low,” “It doesn’t matter if we are losing, our quarterback Rian Conrad said. boys play their hearts out and a faithful Science teacher Stacey Counce does following would mean a lot to every player, not agree that the amount of support for cheerleader, Stingerette, band member, the football team should depend on the and coach. They haven’t given up yet, so success of the team. She says that this don’t give up on them,” cheerleader Taylor year fans, especially students, have not Bland said.
Faces of DHS
Photos by: Courtney Clapp, Emilee Bizzle, Lauren Hancock, Brie Osmon, and Brooklynn Allen
November 2010
F E A T U R E
Page 14
Spotlight on Music
Paramore Brand New Eyes Over 2 million records sold, three gold and one platinum single, a gold DVD release, countless sold out tour dates and numerous awards and nominations including the 2008 Grammy Nomination For ‘Best New Artist’ Award, you can say that Paramore has reached mainstream stardom. Arguably one of the most anticipated releases of 2009, ‘brand new eyes’ is by far the band’s most personal album. Produced by Grammy Award-winner Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Kid Rock, My Chemical Romance) and co-produced by the band, the long-awaited follow-up to 2007’s platinum certified second album, ‘Riot!’ The 11-track collection is unquestionably Paramore’s best and brightest album to date, fit to burst with all the exuberant melodies, breathless hooks, and irrepressible energy that has made the Nashville-based band one of the most popular rock outfits in recent memory. Review
by
www.amazon.com
What We
Crossword and Sudoku courtesy of The Washington Post
Heard “
“
I live to frolf-- that is, frisbee golf. -Senior Craig DaCosta
F U N
“
November 2010
“
“
“
I can’t take away your life... without due process of law. -AP Government teacher Norma Boren
You’re really heavy for your weight. -Senior Daniel McKearan
Page 15
Breast Cancer Awareness Denison High School shows their support by “pinking out” Munson Cina Catteau Editor-In-Chief
Above: DHS cheerleaders prepare to rock the pep rally while sporting thier pink camo. Photo by Brooklynn Allen
Something different was going on at Munson Stadium on Friday, October 1. The game was already different, because it was homecoming, as evidenced by the presentation of sweethearts before the game and the announcement of homecoming queen at halftime. There was something else, however. It seemed that more people than usual, even guys, were dressed almost entirely in pink. Pink isn’t exactly a manly color in most people’s opinion, but that’s exactly the point. Pink was worn to draw attention to breast cancer, a deadly disease that afflicts over 1.7 million women in the United States alone. Students and members of the Denison community took part in the “PinkOut Munson” night and other activities to segue into October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month organization is dedicated to promoting awareness, sharing information, and providing access to breast cancer screening services. “The students
and community have participated in a fundraiser to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month. They sold pink “Jackets” T-shirts, as well as used all pink flowers for homecoming. Girls were encouraged to wear pink dresses in an attempt to Pink-Out Munson,” senior StuCo president Bianca Means said. Another product of Denison’s efforts to contribute to National Breast Cancer Awareness Month was a donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation in the name of a DHS alumnus. The Susan G. Komen foundation is the worldwide leader of the breast cancer movement. The foundation has invested more than $1 billion towards raising breast cancer awareness, increasing early detection of breast cancer in women, researching a cure, and ensuring quality care for those diagnosed. Thanks to organizations like this one, nearly 75% of women over 40 receive regular mammograms, compared to 30% in 1982. The five-year survival rate has increased to 98%, a dramatic increase from 74% in 1982. The federal government devotes $900 million each year to
breast cancer research, and over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors stand testament to the effectiveness of such programs. Hopefully, Denison High School has been able to help the progress of this movement which impacts the lives of so many. “Student Council is all about helping serve the school and help the community. We saw this opportunity as a chance to show our support to breast cancer awareness. I hope that the community sees that Denison High School is reaching out to others and trying to make a difference,” senior Student Council president Bianca Means said. The fight is not over. Without a cure, 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and although treatment for the disease has advanced enormously, every woman is still at risk. Every dollar donated and every pink shirt worn makes a difference and is one more step towards a time when breast cancer will be a disease of the past. Thanks to all the students, parents, and members of the community who are helping women overcome this obstacle.
Below: Senior Austin Ross shows his support with his pink outfit. Photo by Lauren Hancock
Above: Senior Chase Bertles and junior Brooke Barron wear their matching pink to show respect for the cause. Photo by Courtney Clapp
November 2010
S P O T L I G H T
Page 16