April 2, 2015

TSTRATFORD HE

RACLE O

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Volume 42, Issue 8

shsoracle.com

College Rejections pg. 3 Canes vs. Chick-fil-a pg. 4 Spartan on Broadway pg. 11

E D A R G

E H FAKING T pgs. 8-9

@stratfordoracle

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Service with a smile Community Service is cooler than it seems

AN OPINION OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD There is a unique joy that can be found in sharing your time, skills, and gifts to help others. Community service is an under appreciated activity in our society.

Obviously, we live in a community that is much more fortunate than many. Most students at Stratford have some sort of home to go to, favorable living conditions, and access to amazing resources and education that lead to bright futures for each of us.

Yet there are many even in our own city who are not nearly as fortunate us. As we are lucky enough to live with these privileges, it is our responsibility to use our gifts to help those who do not share our favorable circumstances.

Community service is not only important, but can also be very fulfilling for those who serve.

What makes service more enjoyable than simple work is the gratitude given to the servers by those who have been served. There is also a strong sense of accomplishment felt by those who serve as a result of knowing that they were able to bring light to someone else’s day using the simple gifts that they possess.

Community service is a win-win situation, in which both the servers and the served groups benefit.

Another enjoyable aspect of service work is that of being able to strengthen or forge new relationships with others. Being able to meet with new people who are different from those that you would typically interact with is an intriguing and extremely beneficial experience. Likewise, serving with a group of friends can be very fun, and powerful service experiences can strengthen and intensify the already existing bonds of friendship.

Though many people associate community service with physical work, there are numerous opportunities to serve others in our community in different ways. Many service opportunities involve simply interacting with other people. These opportunities can involve anything from tutoring students to spending time with the elderly. There are basically service opportunities catered to any particular person’s interests and skill set.

Yet despite the many benefits and variety of service opportunities, people still seem to resent the concept of performing service work.

As we have moved into a more sedentary technological society, the value of hard work has been diminished. With increased indoor activities, students are less likely to be doing outdoor work. The need for physical service work is just as demanding as ever, but people are less willing to do it.

Students in our community often do not think of the needs of others less fortunate than they. This can be partially understandable considering the stresses that are placed on students at Stratford who are heavily involved in school work and clubs and organizations, but students should still be more interested in finding ways to help others in the com-

munity.

Another aspect potentially inhibiting service work is that students are often forced or otherwise obligated to do it. Various service-based organizations like the National Honor Society and The Academy of Science and Engineering have minimum service-hour requirements that, while obviously good-intentioned, can make community service seem like more of a burdensome requirement to students who already have busy academic and extracurricular lives.

But beyond the all-too-real conflict of not having time to help others, there is an unspoken stigma against going to help others. Students can often be afraid to go help others in unfamiliar environments as they do not like having to meet and interact with an entirely new group of people. Instead of fearing the action of voluntarily interacting in an unknown environment, students should view this as an opportunity to expand their horizons and learn through working with a different, new set of people.

If you have never participated in service work before, then a great opportunity is coming up for the Stratford community. Last year, Stratford held it’s first ever school wide service event called “The Big Day”, in which over 500 students participated in numerous service activities, including painting the back wall of the business complex near the baseball fields green.

This year the Big Day is back and better than ever.

Instead of working on one large job like the painting of a wall, the different clubs and organizations at Stratford are working on individual community projects catered to their organizations interests.

Leaders of the clubs at Stratford have been hard at work in Leadership Council meetings planning the Big Day, and numerous businesses and families have donated funds to support the different projects. Chick-Fil-A has even graciously donated breakfast for all of the Big Day participants, but the most important part of the Big Day is the student volunteers who choose to give up their time for the sake of helping others in the community.

So if you have not yet signed up for the Big Day, you’re wrong. Go sign up. Right now. Essentially every organization at the school is participating, and if you don’t have an organization, you could even sign up with newspaper.

So come out on April 25 and show your support for the Stratford community. It is sure to be a fantastic time.

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STRATFORD ORACLE STAFF 2014-15 Editors-in-Chief Justin Todes Scott Kennedy

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Associate Editor Ashley Karolys

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Opinions Editors Emily Fishman David Humphrey

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Photo Editors Maggie Vickers

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News Editors Cameron Henkel Maxine Tran Culture Editors Ashleigh Garrett Olivia Siciliano

Rebecca Williamson

Taylor Brittain Photographers Arturo Benitez Abigail Boessling Christi Gregory Gabby Broussard Tea Sharp Kailie Henckel Samantha Weed Madison Bigler Haley Grace Francis Jordyn Richards

Sports Editor Jacqui Comparin Reporters Taylor Morris Tina Kang Noelle Flores Caroline Harger

*Editorial Board Members

Ads Editors Abbey Duke Emily Copeland Sarah Sturgis Ads Staff Rebecca Tarver Kendall Marbach Phoebe Lamay Harper Jones

The Oracle newspaper is the official, school-sponsored student media of Stratford High School, 14555 Fern, Houston, Texas 77079, 713-251-3454.

The Oracle is published monthly by the Journalism Department, and is also available online at shsoracle.com.

The newspaper is a member of Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, and Interscholastic League Press Conference.

The Oracle serves as a public forum of student expression, and is open to contributions submitted by the readers. Readers may submit material via e-mail to info@shsoracle.com.

All letters to the editor must be typed and contain the author’s full

Lindsey Jenkins Natalie Raley Grace Heckmann Emily Brown Lauren Carr Kara Ferguson Matthew Chavira Alexandria Economides Nathaly Cortez Suzy Frazelle Design Editor Victoria Shin Staff Artists Erica Jeon Molly Richter Rachel Torres Allison Rice Claire Pena Interim Building Principal Danny Gex Advisor Janice Cummons

name, grade and signature. Submitted material is subject to editing based on space and/or content. The opinions expressed are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, the staff, the administration or the school district.

The staff is responsible for the content of the publication, and strives maintain professional standards of accuracy, objectivity and fairness. The editors reserve the right to determine whether submissions will be published.

The Oracle staff strives to produce a newspaper that covers the entire Stratford community, and welcomes freelance submissions.

Cover Photo: Paul Brastrom

Words of wisdom

ADVICE FROM YOUR OPINIONS EDITORS

There are some people who say that endings are just another beginning. These people are wrong. Endings are endings. Period. It’s over. When you finish a book, you don’t get to read that story for the first time ever again. When you finish all the levels in a video game, you can definitely play that game again, but that’s not a beginning, it’s a restart. Foolish wide-eyed optimists that say that the end of high school is just another beginning fail to give endings the emotional weight and gravitas that they deserve. Yes, college lies at the end of high school, but that’s a completely different experience that should be viewed separately and not simply as a continuation of the prior life experience. Barring any catastrophic, Benjamin Button-esque circumstances, you will never go to high school again. This is something that should be felt and not brushed aside for the old adage of new beginnings following an ending. When relationships end, do you view that as a new beginning? NO. You view that as a time to sit in your sweatpants, eat ice cream out of the carton, and marathon Netflix.

So if there is a piece of advice we could give to the senior class, it is this: feel all of the things when you graduate. Don’t listen to the smiling grandparents who tell you the ending of high school is the beginning of the rest of your life. Just go home, cry, and get over it.

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Guide to Getting Over Your College Rejections Rejected by your dream school? Yes, it stinks, but it’s not the end of the world.

AN OPINION OF JUSTIN TODES The wait is finally over. Yesterday marked the conclusion of this year’s college admissions period, with the final decisions arriving last night. It’s an exciting time for students who got into their dream schools, but for those who received the dreaded “we regret to inform you,” it can really sting.

However, rejections can also be helpful, allowing us to realize that while things may not have gone the way we initially had hoped, it is not the end of the world. Here are some tips to help you cope and move on.

The college you go to does not have to define your future. Sure, it may be a huge selfesteem boost for those who are accepted to Ivy League schools, but in no way do the Ivies guarantee success. You are the only one who will determine the path of your life, and your hard work is what will result in success, not your alma mater. After you graduate from college and move on to the workplace, the stakes become much higher as competition steepens.

It is hard work that results in success in the real world. Sure, you may have been rejected by your dream school, but you still have your whole life ahead of you, and you will have an infinite number of possibilities to reach success.

Your application does not define you. To say that a college admissions officer can truly get to know you through your application is, quite frankly, insane. Sure, you write essays,

which give you a chance to represent yourself outside of the quantitative data, but the reality is that colleges care way more about your GPA and test scores than anything else. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that one’s GPA and test scores actually give colleges insight on you as a whole. The college didn’t reject you, they rejected your resumé, so don’t get worked up over that rejection letter. Remember that you are defined by your accomplishments, and are much more than a GPA or a test score.

A rejection makes you stronger and prepares you for the future. Life is going to be full of rejections, so it’s best that you get a taste of it early on. Experiencing rejection, while it does hurt, will only make you stronger in the long run as you enter a relatively unstable job market.

College admissions is like throwing darts.

Face it: the odds were never in your favor. With so many highly-qualified students applying to so many schools, it is virtually impossible to predict your chances of getting in. With the number of applicants increasing exponentially each year, it is almost as if college admissions is done by lottery. Don’t take your rejection too personally.

Transferring is always an option. While it may sound daunting to go through the whole college application process again, if you truly are set on a certain school, don’t throw out the option of transferring. Knock out your first

April Fools is Actually Foolish

When the tomfoolery goes too far AN OPINION OF ASHLEIGH GARRETT

April Fools is just a day that gives the immature hooligans a reason to make their nonsense level reach new heights. Is that something we really want to encourage students to do?

No. Some people just take this day to a new level, and not only is it immature, it’s not even funny. People pull pranks everyday, so why should there be a special day dedicated to the childish obsessions?

One will admit that some of pranks are funny and a few are fine to pull, but April Fools always goes over the top - so much so that it gets annoying.

There are the classic pranks, like putting whipped cream on someone’s face while they’re sleeping. While those pranks can be pretty funny, you can go over the top real fast. In some cases, it goes too far, such as putting a peanut in someone’s food. No big deal until you find out they are allergic to nuts.

Another example of a hurtful prank is faking a college rejection letter from a person’s favorite school.

Even if it is intended only as a prank, it is NOT funny to jokingly crush a person’s dream.

The latter prank happens every year, and each year, students freak

out over a lie. They have worked hard to build up to the moment of college applications, and sending all their hard work and hope down the drain with a fake rejection letter is not only irresponsible and childish, it is downright cruel. They set goals to go to college and further their education, and the matter of their future is serious and definitely not a joking matter.

I can see the humor in this “practical joke,” but it is extremely scary for the people receiving the letters. It was stressful enough just applying to college, and a fake rejection letter adds more unnecessary stress to hopeful students.

Yes, people like to joke around with friends on a regular basis. Having fun is often the best part of a friendship, but not when it goes too far and one party gets hurt. April Fools pranks need to be toned down before anyone else becomes a target for a practical joke.

Since April Fools is dedicated to pranks, they become more elaborate and dumb every year. When will the day come that April 1st becomes an ordinary day with some laughs and no overboard pranks? It’s not that hard to be nice to one another.

year of college with killer grades, and then apply again to your dream school. You’ve got nothing to lose.

The people you know matter more. It may seem valuable to attend an Ivy League school for undergraduate study, but it makes a lot more sense to spend the money on a prestigious graduate school. If you have more than one degree, employers are going to give the higher degree a closer look. And whether you attend graduate school or not, where you earned your degree won’t matter after your first few jobs. Who you get to know and how hard you work will help you excel, not the name of the school on your diploma.

Whether you end up at your second, third, or even fourth choice school, you can still succeed. Warren Buffett was rejected from his first choice school and attended the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. As the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett has consistently been listed as one of the world’s wealthiest people. Buffett didn’t let his rejection define him. Instead, he moved on, graduated from a college further down on his list, and ended up becoming one of the most successful people alive.

Yes, rejection is hard, but don’t spend too much time moping. Instead, celebrate the schools you did get into and realize that you are the only one in control of your future. Your future is still bright, and if you set your mind to it, you are going to end up successful.

Editorial Cartoon New drivers are rude parkers

GRAPHIC BY ERICA JEON

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Go Bombers!

an opinion of

ASHLEY KAROLYS

After almost a year of college audition coaching, eight auditions, a lot of hard work, one rejection, and campus tours, I have finally decided that I will be attending Ithaca College in upstate New York.

It is such a relief to finally be saying that I am done with all of the stress of choosing where I am going to be spending the next four years of my life.

I am so grateful for the love and support my friends and family have been giving me and I am even more grateful for the sacrifice my family is going to be making to send me to college. Both my mom’s and dad’s sides of the family are chipping in to help pay the tuition rate. Because Ithaca is a private school, it can get a little pricey, but I know we will be able to figure everything out.

My mom especially is a big part of why I am able to say that I am going to college. With my insanely busy schedule, she supported me so much and helped to keep me sane throughout this long, stressful process.

Both of my parents paid for me to go and audition on campus for a lot of my schools, and that alone costs a fortune.

My brother, Nicholas, and I visting Ithaca before I made my final decision.

Now that I am done with the pressures of being accepted into musical theatre programs, I can finally relax and have a life. I sacrificed a lot in order to audition for these schools, including missing two shows of “Bye Bye Birdie”, and it feels so great to know that all of that hard work paid off.

Now all that’s left to do is buy the decorations to perfect my Mickey Mouse themed dorm room. Of course it had to be Disney themed. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’m extremely excited for the next four years and what they have in store for me. Now I can say I live in New York which is just too cool!

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Chicken Fight

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AN OPINION OF EMILY FISHMAN AND DAVID HUMPHREY PHOTOS BY REBECCA WILLIAMSON of three chicken fingers with the accompanying sides and a drink, there are dozens of With the recent opening of the Chick fil other menus a across the street, your favorite food critics items. Shakes, figured it was high time to stage the ultimate salads, nugchicken battle between Cane’s and Chick fil gets, and even a. breakfast give Chick fil a’s 1. CHICKEN QUALITY menu some Chick fil a chicken. In a word: perfection. vital variety.

Perfectly breaded, completely fresh, and not The added at all greasy. bonus comes Verdict: 8.5 with the option of grilled 2. SERVICE QUALITY chicken, Although it is understandable because which allows they are very busy, Chick fil a customer a diverse service is nothing to write home about. They group to all were friendly and promptly delivered us our eat at Chick The Chick fil a food. fil a and still The good stuff The famous waffle fries and chicken sauce is good, but Verdict: 7.5 find somestrips are on full display nothing special. It thing they Drivin’ through is good, but not necessary to the meal. like.

The staffers or- It is distinctive, but one could do withVerdict: 10 der their meal out it when ordering chicken.

5. PRICE of choice in the Verdict: 5 In a head to head comparison with its convenient two 4.

MENU VARIETY competing neighbor, Chick fil a comes out lane drive thru.

It seems there is truly something for ahead. There are many inexpensive menu everyone at Chick fil a. While this comoptions, and the standard meal is fairly parison was based on a meal decently priced for what you are getting.

3. QUALITY OF SIDES This category was broken up into two parts: fries and sauce.

Chick fil a is distinctive for its waffle fries, and they are a personal favorite of one of the reviewers. The waffle fries are not greasy enough to feel like a bad decision, but they still feel like an indulgence. The “wedge” waffle fries are a bit too much potato, but the waffle fry formula works.

Verdict: 8.5

VS

Raising Cane’s is a strong chicken competitor, and it definitely showed.

No longer the new kid on the block, Cane’s is an established player in the world of chicken.

3. QUALITY OF SIDES Yet again, this category is broken up into fries and sauce, although it is worth mentioning that the Texas Toast served with the Cane’s meal is heaven in a piece of bread. However, focusing on the fries themselves, the staffers found that although enjoyable, they lacked any interesting flavor or texture, and they were a bit limp. They were not quite salty enough and it is the opinion of the staffers that they would taste pretty awful if eaten cold or reheated as leftovers.

Verdict: 4.5

The sauce, The holy grail The chicken, fries, Texas toast and however, 1. CHICKEN QUALITY is another believed Cane’s sauce look appetizing.

Although Cane’s chicken is undeniably story, and awesome, it just isn’t the perfection that misses the mark. As of writing this, there are most will is Chick fil a. The chicken is bready, but only four options on the Cane’s menu, and agree that occasionally soggy, and doesn’t hold up to that is not likely to change. Essentially, all the sauce is reheating. Enjoyable, but not memorable. that is being changed is the amount of their absolutely Verdict: 6 chicken, fries, toast, or coleslaw you are orfantastic. dering. Cane’s has a formula, and they stick 2. SERVICE QUALITY A simple approach Although there isn’t a The staffers to it, but with little variety.

The servers at Cane’s are some of the Verdict: 2 lot on the Cane’s menu, it does what have no friendliest people in the food service idea what it does perfectly. industry. They have a silly and fun greeting is in it, but 5. PRICE for the drive thru, and their employees allove it just the same. Everything served at Cane’s has always been the pricier option, ways have a smile on their faces. There a few Cane’s (except maybe the coleslaw) tastes but our staffers were surprised at how little Stratford alumni working at Cane’s and they better with Cane’s special sauce. the two restaurants differed. Additionally, are always excited to see Spartans in search Verdict: 9 the amount of food you get for your money of some chicken. at Cane’s feels like a lot more than Chick fil Verdict: 9.5 4. MENU VARIETY a, so although it is the pricier option, it feels Unfortunately, this is where Cane’s really like it is worth it.

Total: $6.09

6. FINAL THOUGHTS Chick fil a is a great establishment, and that is shown in the way they care about the community. They participate in many outreach activities in the area, and they have been particularly supportive of the Spartan community. Although it is a large franchise, and growing every day, they still maintain that family-owned feel.

Aftermath of a feast After a full meal, the

carnage is on full display. The staffers tabulate their opinions.

Price: $6.59.

6. FINAL THOUGHTS Cane’s is a good restaurant who knows what they’re doing and sticks with it. They also participate in many community outreach programs, although seemingly less that their competitor due to their smaller size.

They have a cool design in the interior and their customer service really takes the cake.

Cane’s has established itself in the Spartan neighborhood, and despite the new competition, it isn’t likely to go anywhere.

A heated debate Your Opinions editors,

seniors David Humphrey and Emily Fishman, have an intense discussion on the merits of Cane’s sauce.

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Paul Brastrom Advances in Reflections Contest Q&A with Nationals-bound Senior

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WRITTEN BY ELLIE HERRMANN

A tradition started in 1969, the Reflections contest sees hundreds of entries from many talented students, and this year was no exception.

Throughout Texas, students in grades Pre-K through 12 have the opportunity to express themselves through their artistic abilities for recognition and awards.

This year, Stratford senior Paul Brastrom has received the highest recognition awarded at the state level: the Overall Award of Excellence.

The thirty students given this distinction were chosen among 1,023 entries in six different categories.

Brastrom, entering

in the filmmaking category with his documentary entitled “Dare to Be Creative”, is excited to advance to Nationals. Read an interview with him below:

an outlet for that.

Q: When you start-

ed filmmaking, what made you know that it was something that you liked and something you wanted to continue?

There’s nothing to be nervous about, it’s all done.

I’m excited about the possibility of winning, or being mentioned at the national level.

Q: Did you know It’s just a lot of Q: What made you A: when you were filmfun. The process is start making films?

Was there someone who inspired you to do it, or did you just fall into it?

A: I guess I just kind

of fell into it. People had been trying to get me to take a class at the Guthrie Center for a long time, and I decided to take filmmaking.

I’ve always had an interest in technology, and it was kind of a way for me to have

interesting - making films and hanging out with people and shooting is really fun. It’s just enjoyable to go out and watch things come on the screen.

Q:

What are you most looking forward to or nervous about for Nationals?

ing that this was going to be a good one?

A: When I’m doing

documentary, I never really know how it’s going to turn out until I start editing it.

I don’t know, I really like doing it because you get to meet people and talk to them and learn their story.

How did you tie A: I have no idea! I Q: in the theme of the guess I’m most...well I’m not really nervous about anything.

Reflections contest, “The World Would Be a Better Place

If...”?

A:

I made this film and I was like ‘Yeah, I should definitely enter it in the Reflections contest.’

I was thinking everyone was going to do something along the lines of bullying - the world would be a better place if there were no bullies or if there was no hate or something.

I wanted to try and take a different spin on it, like the world would be a better place if everyone would try to be creative, be different, think their own ideas, and think their own way, instead of what everyone else was doing.

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News In Brief

BY MAXINE TRAN and CAMERON HENKEL

April 9- Theater Competes in UIL Students in theater participated in a UIL One Act Play, Bright Ideas. Bright Ideas is based off of Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth.

They recently preformed Bright Ideas, and advance to bi-districts on April 9.

Senior Exam Schedule Tuesday, May 26

7:50-9:23 Period 2 exam 9:29-11:11 Period 4 class Seniors will eat during their regular A day lunch time A lunch 11:11-11:41 6th Period class 11:47-1:20 6th Period class 11:17-12:50 B lunch 12:50-1:20 1:26-3:00 Period 8 exam

Wednesday, May 27 7:50-9:23 Period 3 exam 9:29-11:11 Period 5 exam

Thursday, May 28

9:29-11:11 Period 4 exam 11:17-12:50 Period 6 exam for B lunch students 11:47-1:20 Period 6 exam for A lunch students

Friday, May 29

7:50-9:50 Period 1 exam 9:58-11: 45 Period 7 exam

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Underclassmen Exam Schedule Friday, May 29 7:50-9:50 Period 1 exam 9:58-11:45 Period 7 exam 11:45-12:15 A Lunch 12:21-1:30 5th Period class 1:00-1:30 B Lunch 11:51-1:00 5th Period class 1:36-3:00 Period 3 class

Monday, June 1

7:50-9:45 period 4 exam 9:55-11:50 Period 6 exam 11:50-12:05 Lunch 12:05 Buses leave

Tuesday, June 2

7:50-9:45 Period 3 exam 9:55-11:50 Period 5 exam 11:50-12:05 Lunch 12:05 Buses leave

Wednesday, June 3

7:50-9:45 Period 2 exam 9:55-11:50 Period 8 exam 11:50-12:05 Lunch 12:05 Buses leave

Seniors Earn Free Chik-Fil-A

Seniors Andrew Bourdan and Nicolas Hirsc won theChik-Fil-A’s promotional offer.

As part of their opening Chik-Fil-A offered a years worth of Chik-Fil-A to the first 100 customers.

1/4 Page Chik-fil-a Open for breakfast, chicken minis are a great start to the day 753 North Dairy Ashford Road

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Spartanaire Spring Show WRITTEN BY RILEY TIMMRECK PHOTOS BY ARTURO BENITEZ

Stretching to success: Spartanaires teach stretching techniques to elementary school girls at a camp in anticipation for their upcoming show.

The Spartanaire Spring show Dancing Through the Decades opens April 9, an event that the team has been waiting for all year long. The Spartanaires will be performing to well-known songs from every decade, including music by The Beatles and Elvis Presley. For the seniors, this will be their last time to take the stage and dance as a Spartanaire. The team members have been working hard and fund raising for weeks to get ready for the upcoming show. On March 7, they hosted a camp for elementary school girls to earn money for the show and the organization. Performances will be April 9-11. Visit sbisdshs.blogspot.com to buy tickets for the show. Regular admission is $16, but students can buy tickets for half price on the day of the show.

Comfort in the Classroom

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WRITTEN BY NAZLEE KHADJEHEIAN

The desk you are currently sitting at in your class- said. room may soon be going away. That’s right- the At the last meeting, furniture samples were set hard, blue plastic chairs and plain desks you have up at the Guthrie Center where over 300 students to sit at for hours on end may see their end in SBISD were able to try them out and give their opinion. high schools.

“We chose Guthrie because students from all four of It’s been years since the the high schools attend high schools have seen classes there, and we an update, and Execucould get feedback from tive Director of Operaall schools in one place, tions Christopher Juntti rather than having to is heading up a project to take the furniture to each change this. high school,” Juntti said.

“Our goal is a simple An early aspect of the one,” Juntti said, “To furniture selecting proupgrade as much classcess that has thoroughly room furniture as we can been taken into considin a way that will make eration is the need for a positive impact on the movement and comfort. classrooms of our high An able table: Students try out sample furniture at the A presentation was givschools.” en by a Stantec expert in Guthrie Center Juntti is also working classroom ergonomics with the Director of Planning and Construction, Tra- about the study of people’s efficiency in their workvis Stanford, to assist with the transition, as well as ing environment. the SBISD Purchasing Department and representa“His presentation really honed in on the fact that tives from the architectural firm Stantec to help find no one wants to, or can, sit still in an environment the latest classroom furniture. In addition, a com- for extended periods of time,” Juntti said. “We kept mittee has been made up of all of the district’s high this option in mind as we looked at student chair opschools’ principals and one teacher from each cam- tions. pus to provide the classroom perspective.

“District leadership is aware that the furniture in “The committee has met several times as we have the four high schools in the district has not undergone from a conceptual process to pairing down op- gone a significant upgrade in a long time,” Juntti tions and getting furniture samples to try out,” Juntti said. “There are lots of options out there.”

Aloha from Choir Ohana STORY AND PHOTOS BY NOELLE FLORES

Rest at sunset: The touring choir students had a chance to let off steam at a secluded beach after an exciting day of activities

Silence on the seas: The war memorial is a common attraction on the island

One of the most popular and perfect places to make a spring break getaway is the island of Hawaii.

This year, students in the SHS choirs traveled to Oahu and were invited to perform a selection of songs at the dock of the Battleship Missouri in Pearl Harbor, where Japan signed the treaty with the U.S. that ended World War II. Prior to the performance, the students, teachers, and parent chaperones toured Pearl Harbor, which provided a unique experience for the group.

“Growing up, I’d always known about Pearl Harbor and learned about it in history, but it is such a different experience actually being there,” junior Dani Greene said.

“It was so surreal that we got to honor

all the veterans through our songs and were able to truly comprehend the magnitude of what happened on December 7, 1941,” junior Adriana Coffman recalls. “It was a great experience at Pearl Harbor to just be standing on the ship that was actually in the war and to be singing in honor of those who represented our country.”

The group participated in a wide variety of activities during the course of the trip. After singing at Pearl Harbor, the choir performed at the Hale Koa Hotel, a resort exclusively for war veterans and their families. Following the program, the students enjoyed an authentic Hawaiian luau evening, complete with hula, traditional kalua pig and poi, and fire dancing.

Other activities enjoyed throughout the week included a group hike up the Diamond Head State Monument, a tour of the Eastern Shores of the island, a scavenger

hunt around Waikiki Beach, and snorkeling at Turtle Canyon.

The final night was spent with a beach side Hawaiian barbecue picnic, more hula dancing, and an ocean side ukulele performance. The trip was an overall success for the choir - an unforgettable, fun time spent with friends and ohana!

Fun in the forest: Students explored fascinating specimens found only at the island

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FAKING Â Â THE Â GRADE

You really need a 92 on this test. You studied until you fell asleep last night but you still don't quite get it. As you brace yourself for failure, you see what could be your saving grace: a scantron in sight and a teacher who doesn't see you.

We've all experienced some variation of the situation above. We might be trying to keep valedictorian status, trying to pass, trying to keep exemptions, or just trying to please our parents. But does that make it okay to cheat?

For most people, there is no easy answer. The school's policy is strict and clear, and no cheating of any kind is allowed. And even though the policy is fairly specific about what qualifies as cheating, it's impossible for it to cover every possible scenario, which, in some students' minds, leaves some gray area.

Instead of simply giving our opinion, The Oracle decided to give students a chance to voice their thoughts on the issue. The information on this page was taken from a poll of over 300 anonymous students.

Is cheating contagious?

75% of students don't feel pressured to cheat 45% of students respect those who don't cheat 60% of students think it's okay to let others cheat off of them

How common is cheating?

Students say . . .

''

If everyone else gets valedictorian from cheating then that's an unfair advantage if I don't.' ' _ Anonymous student

''

Students constantly worry that they are not good enough, and some people give in. Insecurities have a big part in cheating..' ' _ Anonymous student

of students think teachers catch Very Little of cheating that occurs

29%

of students who cheat say they are Not Afraid of being caught

45%

of students say they would Never report any kind of cheating

of students responded that they believe it is Never okay to ch eat

What counts as cheating?

Do students care about cheating?

Students say . . .

Giving or copying homework answers Copying homework from the internet Telling someone if a test/quiz was easy or hard Sending/receiving pictures of a test/quiz Using notes, cheat sheets, or phones during a test/quiz Looking at another student's paper during a test/quiz

24%

Everything in the school system today is based on grades and how many extra things that you do. I think that all of us, as students, feel the need to cheat in order to set up a good future. But honestly it's really frustrating to look around and see the people that are at the top of our class seem to cheat the most.' ' _ Anonymous student

50%

of students think some or most teachers make it easy to cheat

44% "Because they're lazy and don't study" 36% "They're pressured and feel they need to cheat" 14% "They don't understand the material" 5% "Everybody cheats so they do, too"

''

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68%

Why do people cheat ?

54%

of students have used phones, notes, or cheat sheats on a test/quiz

Giving someone specific details of a test/qyiz Giving someone a

STORY & GRAPHICS BY SCOTT KENNEDY

t PHOTO BY ARTURO BENITEZ

general overview of a test/qyiz

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Backstage Rebecca

Pictures with performers before Halsey concert

We are the New Americana Introducing Halsey, an up-and-coming singer-songwriter WRITTEN AND PHOTOS BY REBECCA WILLIAMSON Ashley Frangipane, better known by her stage name, Halsey (an anagram of ‘Ashley’), is a twenty year-old alternative singer from New Jersey. Her career began in 2012 when she posted a parody of Taylor Swift’s ‘Trouble,’ which ridiculed the alleged relationship between Taylor and One Direction’s Harry Styles. After gaining a large social media following, Halsey was signed by Capitol Records, and her career took off with great momentum.

Halsey is currently headlining the American You(th) tour, along with Young Rising Sons and Olivver the Kid, and recently played shows in Dallas and Houston. Both concerts sold out within minutes, and after attending both concerts, this was not a surprise.

one was ecstatic. The concert began with one of her new songs, ‘Castle,’ followed by a crowd favorite, ‘Empty Gold.’ The entire audience at both venues sang along to every word, and it was such a surreal experience getting to be finally see one of my favorite artists live, surrounded by hundreds of other fans.

A highlight of the set list was ‘New Americana,’ one of Ashley’s earliest songs.

This tune is a true anthem of the American teenager, and hearing everyone around me scream the lyrics gave me chills. The concert continued with a mix of tracks from her EP, Room 93, and recently released songs that have quickly become fan favorites, and

Left to Right: Senior Rebecca Williamson pictured with Halsey, Steve of Young Rising Sons, Andy of Young Rising Sons, Olivver the Kidd, Halsey, and Halsey signing autographs at the VIP hangout in Houston on March 20 at the House of Blues.

Rising Star

BY: RACHEL TORRES

Both shows were played at small, intimate venues (“Club Dada” in Dallas and the “Bronze Peacock” room at House of Blues in Houston).

This environment helped add to the haunting effect of the show, and guaranteed that everyone was close to the stage.

The first two acts did a great job at pumping up the crowd, and by the time Halsey took the stage, every-

of the best crowds she had ever played for.

During the second concert, she stopped between songs and said “Houston, you are the loudest show I have ever played!” This was met by ear-splitting screams

from the entire audience, confirming her assertion.

Whilst Halsey is a relatively new face in the industry, she is quickly making a name for herself. Ashley is known for her determination, and for all of the work that she has done to get to where she is. In June, she will begin touring with Imagine Dragons, and will once again be making a stop in Houston on July 16. In a recent interview, Ashley announced that her debut album, ‘Badlands,’ will be released in August.

Backstage Meet and Greet

Singer Ashely Frangipane, better known as Halsey, performs her song “Is There Somewhere” at her concert at Club Dada in Dallas, TX. on March 20. Halsey is an alternative artist who is quickly taking the music world by storm.

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was concluded with her first single, ‘Ghost.’

Prior to the Houston concert, I was able to talk to Halsey and ask her a few questions about her experience on tour so far. When on the subject of gifts that she has received from fans, Ashley exclaimed “[My manager] is sick of all the pink and glittery gifts that I’m getting, but I love them and keep them all on the bus!” She also mentioned that the Dallas show was “totally insane,” and one

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Nature vs. Nurture AFellow StarSpartan Among Us What role do genes and environment play on personality? cast as lead in National Touring Company WRITTEN BY ASHLEY KAROLYS

WRITTEN BY OLIVIA SICILIANO

While most seniors are getting ready to tually about. leave to go to college, senior Caitlin Ehlinger “I was familiar with ‘42 Street’, but I has other plans. You may have seen her as didn’t know the show inside and out,” Ehthe murderess Roxie Hart linger said. “I got the script in Stratford’s production of from [theatre teacher] Cece “Chicago”, or maybe as Ani[Prudhomme], and I read ta in “West Side Story”, but it and I started learning all now Ehlinger is moving on the music just in case I got a to bigger and better things. call back, which at the time I Recently, Ehlinger travthought was a stretch.” eled to New York and auLittle did she know she ditioned for the national would end up having four touring company of the callbacks after the first musical “42nd Street”. round of auditions.

“I was so nervous and “I watched the movie and anxious and excited beI watched tons of YouTube Caitlin Ehlinger’s headshot she cause I’ve always dreamt videos and I knew who Ranof auditioning for Randy used for her audition for the dy Skinner looked up to in [Skinner],” Ehlinger said. national tour of “42nd Street”. the dance world, like Eleanor “The fact that the opporand Ginger,” Ehlinger said. tunity was here was thrilling, but nerve “So I watched old YouTube videos of them to wracking at the same time.” Skinner was the familiarize myself with that style of tapping original choreographer for the revival of the because Randy’s is very similar.” musical and auditioned Ehlinger himself.

Just days after returning home from ten Just two weeks before, right after Ehlinger days of auditioning in New York, Ehlinger redecided to make the journey up to New York, ceived the call that she had earned the role she began researching the musical to pre- of Peggy. pare herself for what was to come. First was Ehlinger will be the youngest to ever play getting the tap dancing to perfection. the role professionally. The previous person “I was so excited and so I got a piece of who held this title was Catherine Zeta-Jones. plywood, and I promised myself that I would It has been announced that the tour will tap every night for an hour and make sure be going to Dallas and Fort Worth. that all my sounds were clear,” Ehlinger said.

Break a leg Caitlin! We’re all rooting for Next was learning what the show was ac- you!

Were Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein born geniuses, or did they become that way?

The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest issues in psychology. It tackles the question: what makes you who you are? Nature, (what is inherited or genetic) or Nurture (environmental variables and influential experiences)?

In the nature debate, it is known that certain physical characteristics are passed down from biological parents in a correlative relationship. However, these facts have led to the debate on whether or not physiological characteristics (behavior, personality attributes and mental capabilities) may also be passed along before we are born.

Nativists believe behaviors not observable at birth emerge later in life, as a product of maturation. For example, maturation dictates attachment in infancy, language acquisition (ability to learn languages so easily at a young age), and even cognitive development in its entirety. Overall, all behavioral characteristics are the result of evolution, and individual differences are handed down genetically by parents.

In the nurture debate, it is assumed that the human mind is a blank slate at birth, gradually filled as results of experiences.

Physiological characteristics and behavioral differences are a result of learning, and it is how you are brought up that governs the physiological aspects of child development.

People who take the nurture side, or empiricists, believe that people can do or become anything, regardless of genetic background.

Top Tweets of the Month Maxine Tran @maxine_tran

My sister didn’t want to go to school today because she was mourning over zayn leaving 1D 8:47 AM - 26 March 2015

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INTERACTION WITH THE WORLD INTROVERTS(I)

often like working alone or in small groups, prefer a more deliberate pace, and like to focus on one task at a time.

EXTROVERTS(E) are energized by people, enjoy a variety of tasks, a quick pace, and are good at multitasking.

ABSORPTION OF INFORMATION SENSORS(S) are realistic, like

Ryan Brown @ryanbrown03

College basketball is stressing me out more than school 6:43 PM - 22 March 2015

to focus on facts and details, apply common sense and past experience to come up with solutions to problems.

INTUITIVES(N) focus more

Kylen Chen-Troester @nihaokylen

My cousin just said “eyebrows oh freak” and I just don’t RUV^ OV^ [V [LSS OLY [OH[ P[»Z HJ[\HSS` ¸VU ÅLLR¹ 7:22 PM - 21 March 2015

on possibilities and the big picture, easily see patterns, and value innovation and creative solutions.

Today, very few people have taken an extremist stance for either position, since there are too many facts that cannot be deduced into an “all or nothing view”.

Despite that conclusion, some people have tried to make a reliable way of fitting the complex human personality into a definitive model. Current models that have been made allow the prediction of someone’s likely behavior based on their personality traits. They are typically divided into four categories; how a person interacts with the world, how they absorb information, how they make decisions, and their organizational methods.

Each category has two sub-categories; introverts and extroverts, sensors and intuitive, thinkers and feelers, and judgers and perceivers. The personality type is ultimately found by picking one sub-category for each of the four categories. The letter near the name of each sub-category is then taken to make a 4 letter acronym for the specific personality type. For example; a person may be an INFJ. This person is more introverted, are intuitive, may be more sensitive, and are more organized and prepared.

However, it’s important to remember that our personality is only one factor in what influences our behavior. Personality type models made today describe how people belonging to a specific personality type are likely to behave. The predictions of the model are not definite answers or restrictions, they are simply indicators or tendencies to inspire growth and better understanding between individuals.

What personality type do you have?

INTP, ENFP? Find out using the charts below.

DECISION-MAKING

THINKERS(T) tend to make

decisions using logic, objectively weigh pros and cons, and value honesty, consistency, and fairness.

FEELERS(F) tend to be sensitive and cooperative, and decide based on personal values and how others will be affected by their choices.

ORGANIZATION JUDGERS(J) tend to be organized and prepared, stick to the plan, and follow most rules.

PERCEIVERS(P)

prefer to keep their options open, like to be able to act spontaneously, and like to be flexible with plans.

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The number of spikes on a softball cleat.

7oz

12

The weight of a softball

The average length of a softball bat

30

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33in

The number of softball players on the varsity team.

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ONE ON ONE with.... Coach Willis

Q: How did you become involved with baseball?

A: As soon as I could pick up a bat and ball I’ve been throwing and swinging. I played baseball in Little League, High School, and college, and it was in college where I really got the idea to get into coaching.

Q: What brought you to coach Stratford baseball?

A: great opportunity at a great school. Stratford has always had a reputation of a school that is not only an academic power, but and athletic one as well.

Q: What do you want your players to learn from this sport?

A: Baseball is a sport that everybody who has ever played it thinks they are an expert at.

I want my players to understand the game at the highest level and see things that the ordinary player or fan doesn’t see.

Q: What is your favorite memory at Stratford?

A: I have too many to name just one. I have a few favorites from every season.

Q: What is the moment when you were the most proud of your team?

A: The proudest moment would be defeating #3 ranked Kingwood in the Regional Quarterfinal round of the playoffs in 2010. We were heavy underdogs and the kids put together a perfect game of pitching, defense and hitting.

Spartanaire Overcomes Heart Condition

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WRITTEN BY TAYLOR MORRIS GRAPHIC BY VICTORIA SHIN

Anyone who has walked into the trainers room can tell you that athletes come and go constantly, injuries are a given when doing vigorous activity. But what about students with pre-existing conditions? For students with health conditions there is a constant health risk and precautionary measures have to be taken at all times.

Sophomore Spartanaire Emma George understands this first hand. She was diagnosed with supra ventricular tachycardia (SVT). SVT causes George’s heart to beat too fast which results in a lack of oxygen.

“Having SVT makes dancing a lot more challenging. I have to take it slower than everyone else,” George said.

Spartanaires, being one of the only organizations that doesn’t have an off season, leads to little to no down time during the school year. Morning and after school practice on top of competition, spring show and football games is physically demand-

ing and can cause wear and tare on anyone. For George, a single practice can be difficult to get through, but her love for dance overcomes the difficulties that come along with having the rare heart disease. The dedicated sophomore talks about her love for dance saying, “ I adore dance, it’s what I’ve always loved to do.

Even though I have SVT, I can still have fun with everything I experience with and in dance,” she said.

Dealing with SVT is no easy task, but George has learned several tricks to stay on top of her heat condition. “I mentally try to calm myself down which helps to lower my heart rate,” she said.

On the outside looking in many people would think, is it even worth it? Having to go out of your way to dance and practice for hours on end? But to George it’s not just a hobby, it’s a passion.

George talks about her feelings towards dance saying, “It’s what helps me escape and find myself at the same time.”

THE

SCHEDULE Track:

4/2 SHS @ Rice Invitational 4/14 SHS @ District Championship

Baseball:

4/2 v. Magnolia West 7 p.m. @ Magnolia West 4/7 v. Waller 7 p.m. @ SHS 4/10 v. Magnolia 7 p.m. @ Magnolia HS 4/14 v. Tomball 7 p.m. @ SHS 4/17 v. Brenham 7 p.m. @ Brenham HS 4/21 v. Spring Woods 7 p.m. @ SHS

Softball:

4/2 v. Magnolia 6:45 p.m. @ Magnolia HS 4/7 v. Tomball 6:45 p.m. @ SHS 4/10 v. Brenham 6:45 p.m. @ Brenham HS 4/14 v. Spring Woods 6:45 p.m. @ SHS 4/17 v. Tomball Memorial 6:45 p.m. @ Tomball Memorial 4/21 v. Magnolia West 6:45 p.m. @ SHS

Position: Outfield Favorite Movie: Secondhand Lions

Lucky Number: 13

Biggest Competition: Tomball

Goal for the season:Hit a home run and make the playoffs

Favorite Quote: “When

life throws you a curve ball, drive it to the right.”

Harley Rowland

Jake Rielly

Position: Pitcher and Outfield

Toughest competition: Brenham

Dream Job: Petroleum engineer

Walk out song:

“Silver Scapes” by Chronic Crew

Dream School: A&M

Favorite quote:

“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and sometimes it rains.”

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Spartans Hit It Out of the Park

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PHOTOS BY ABBY BOESSLING AND NATAYLA POMEROY

Strike ‘em out

Home Run

Senior Jake Rielly pitches the ball at the game on Thursday, Feb. 26 against Morton Ranch Mavericks. The final score was Spartan 4 and Morton Ranch 5.

Junior Kyle Davis goes up to bat at the game against the Mavericks on Thursday, Feb. 26.

Huddle Up

The varsity softball team meets at the middle of the field to discuss strategies before the game.

Teamwork

Make It Count

The softball game on Saturday, March 7 was the Lamar Consolidated round-robin tournament Senior Harley Jo Rowland rounds third where SHS played 3 teams. base to make a run.

Bases Loaded

Sophomore Connor Hannigan waits for the pitch to strike out the batter.

3 Strikes You’re Out

Junior Kayla Smith goes up to bat against East Bernard high school during their game on Saturday, March 7. The game ended with a final score Stratford 3 and East Bernard 9.

Batter Up

The varsity baseball team played against the Mavericks at Morton Ranch High School for their first game of the 2014-2015 season.

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GLAZED OVER AD 1/8

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