Staff Photo
Halloween superstitions p. 8
Volume 39, Issue 3
ORACLE Friday October 28, 2011
Diving sensation p.12 Photo by Caroline Demeris 14555 Fern Drive, Houston TX 77079
Chorus of Nerves
Scared Sober
Choir members advance in UIL
Samantha Stazo
Stacks of sheet music accompanied by fluttering nerves are typical symptoms of a choir member participating in UIL. Some depend on this competition to get their letterman jackets while others audition just to see how far they can advance. Choir officers are required to participate. The preliminary round was Sept. 24, and those who advanced got to participate in the auditions for region, which was on Oct. 22. For districts, some participants waited up to nine hours to sing. “Before auditioning, every participant waits in the cafeteria for their number to be called. We played Apples to Apples and did a lot of homework,” said sophomore Hannah Lindsey. After waiting, an adminis-
Sparties
Drunk driving simulation hits students Photo by Annie Rice
see page 3
trator calls a voice group and they wait their turn to sing. “I was nervous that I would lose my voice. Also, when you are auditioning, you are put into a room with a curtain and you can’t see the judge’s faces, which freaks me out. I’m not sure why, but that curtain scares me,” junior Annie Elliot said. The judges listen and critique a person’s tone, pitch, musicality, and if the person “came in right”. “The fact that [freshmen] are up against juniors and seniors with more mature voices maker me nervous,” freshman Katie Moore said. “This is my first year to audition and I actually only signed up because it is a requirement for choir officers. Since I am naturally a competitive person and have now made it onto the next round, I want to see how far I can go,” senior Sarah Slack said.
then and now
Graphic by Sarah Davis
see page 13
2
NEWS
Friday, October 28, 2011
The Oracle
Stolen Away
Unlocked cars put students in jeopardy Tayler Hannes
Picture a student pulling up to school in the morning in a
rush to get to class. The last thing on their
mind could be to remember to lock their car. Leaving one’s car unlocked is a very costly habit and it’s a safety concern that needs to be broken in at
an early age. “On average, three cars are reported to me as broken into on campus a year, and several others go unreported,” said security officer Brad Farley. Main targets for autorelated thefts are students w h o
Graphic by Sarah Davis
leave their cars unlocked with items visible that would sell for a high price. “Most incidents are a result of cars that have been left unlocked or from students who have left their windows down,” said Farley. “Lock your doors. Also, keep valuables out of sight. Put them in your console or under your seats.” Another main reason for theft is students bragging about what they have in their car to other students. “Just last year, an expensive sound system was stolen from a car,” said Farley. “It was invisible from the outside, but the student mentioned it to others and after, it was never recovered.” To test this, members of the Oracle staff and Farley checked all the parking lots around the school looking to see if cars were locked or unlocked. Three teachers left their cars
unlocked and five had their windows down. Seven students had left their cars unlocked and three left their windows down. Within the unlocked cars were items such as iPods, keyboards, jewelry, clothes, watches, and CDs. These items were easy to spot and available to anyone who could open the car door. Around $480 worth of items could have been taken with little hope of the owners ever getting the items back. The Oracle staff was never questioned about why they were looking into cars and opening random car doors. Seven witnesses passed as staff was checking cars and nobody questioned the staff when opening car doors. They all either weren’t paying enough attention or didn’t care to interfere. The reporter’s suspicious activity was also never reported to Officer Farley.
The first thing that a person should do when they notice something missing in their car is to go to Farley immediately to file a police report and make a list of items that are missing from your car. Farley will determine the point of entry. After that, he will review the camera footage and look for leads as to who did it. With all the missing things, however, very few stolen items are ever recovered. Even with the 218 cameras around the school, there is always a need for updated equipment. Improved camera systems are expected as early as next year. A reported incident will not always be solved and a student might never recover their missing items. With such a slim chance of stolen items being returned, eliminate the chance and keep car doors locked and windows up. TAKING A STEP FORWARD • The permanent Up Only signs were put up on the main stairs on the third floor to enforce the change from last year. “The 2nd floor landing was the worst,” building principal Chris Juntti said. “That area was always packed full and very unsafe. This is why we also created the Walk and Talk policy a few years ago.” The policy will just be enforced during passing periods during the day, but not during classroom instructional time. “There are many staircases that students can take besides the main staircase,” said Juntti. Photo by Jacob Pennington.
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CRAWFISH BOUDIN
GUMBOS
ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE ETOUFFEE
SHRIMP PIES
The Oracle
Friday, October 28, 2011
Returning to Learning
Libyan Liberty
The Genius Bar helps out curious students Layla Shahhosseini
White Macs, iPads, and laptops hide in the library’s chambers, replacing the books. This change has caused the library to be renamed the Learning Commons. “We wanted to change the name because the library is no longer a place to work in silence,” librarian Janis Benefield said. “It’s a place for learning, creating, working, and crafting ideas.” Last year’s launch of the library coffee bar is a perfect example of the Learning Commons’ new atmosphere. Coffee and hot chocolate is served every Friday morning from 7-7:40. Also enhancing the learning experience is the recently opened Genius Bar. “It is a creative and innovative way of sharing a technological experience,” Benefield said. The Genius Bar aims to help students with any and all difficulties with technology. “People who are experts in some form of technology can take part in this,” Benefield said. “With their area of special knowledge, they become members of the ‘Brain Trust’ and volunteer to share and help others who want to learn what they know.” Some of the programs that the Genius Bar specializes in are Google Chrome, Garage Band, Docs, and Edmodo.
The Brain Trust volunteers are willing to teach anyone who wants to learn about the subject they have mastered. “We are here at various times,” said Benefield. “We are trying to get someone to staff it throughout the day, but we are just getting started. I’ve had the idea since the beginning of school. I’m glad that I have a lot of people helping out who are a part of the Brain Trust.” The first faculty member to be involved with the Genius Bar is Debate teacher Kristi Goemmer. Her specialty is Drop Box. “My Brain Trust ended up being this program called Drop Box,” Goemmer said. “It allows file sharing, and I can download it through all my computers in the classroom. It helps for researching more efficiently. There is a phone application for it also.” Although Goemmer is an expert in Drop Box now, she had some difficulty with it at first. “It’s a really neat program that I didn’t get at first because it was really confusing,” said Goemmer. “But, I found out how to use it, and I think it’s really cool.” She is always available to help anyone that wants to learn about Drop Box. Even though not every member of the Brain Trust is in the library all the time,
SONIC HEADLINE • The Sonic located off Dairy Ashford and Barryknoll was rated as the location with the 3rd fastest service in the United States. The ranking was based off of customer reviews that were uploaded online. Photo by Samantha Hicks.
senior Jasmine Perez, who specializes in MacBooks, is in the library for most of the day. “I’m a library aid and I’m here almost every morning before school,” Perez said. “I usually have people in the li-
NEWS 3
brary in the morning asking me for help.” For students interested in being involved with any aspect of the Brain Trust Program, contact Benefield, who is in the Learning Commons every school day.
Genius Bar Brain Trust Griffin Swank Microsoft Office Internet Problems Windows Specialist
Ms.Goemmer & Mr.Avis
Maddie Stone
The streets of Tripoli, Libya became a red, green, and black sea on Thursday., Oct. 20 as news of Mummar Gaddafi’s death reached overjoyed Libyans. Libya entered a civil war early this year when major political protests against Gaddafi’s government began on Feb. 17, 2011. 10 days later, on Feb. 27, 2011, anti-Gaddafi forces established the National Transitional Council of Libya, which acted as the political face of the protests during the conflict. Once Tripoli fell in August, Gaddafi took refuge in his hometown of Sirte, Libya, one of the last loyalist strongholds. However, while
attempting to flee Sirte, he was wounded in a NATO air strike. Rebel forces captured and shot him around noon Libyan time. After his death, Gaddafi’s corpse was dragged through the streets of Sirte much in the manner of Mussolini’s body back in 1945. “The social studies department was very intrigued by his death,” said AP World History teacher Julie Abrahams. “I know things are going to go better for Libya now. But for a country with no history of democracy, it might be difficult for them.” Libya is moving towards being a constitutional democracy with an elected government.
Drop Box Specialist
Travis Bardwil
14008 Memorial Drive
Jasmine Perez
(281) 531-7550
Installation Macbooks Hardware/Network Problems MackBook Specialist
Alex Laws Universal Help
Matt Lathrop Macintosh Specialist
Ericka Martinez Portal Access Log-on Problems Microsoft Office MacBooks/iPads
TAKE IT TO STATE • On Oct. 22, the band performed at the Region 27 UIL Marching Competition where they received ones from all three judges. On Oct. 29, the band will be competing at the Area E Marching Competition in Waller. If they are ranked in the top two then they will advance to the State Marching Competition in San Antonio. Photo by Stephen Martinez.
As former students from so many years ago, we are so excited to open in our old neighborhood! Come check out our great food and enjoyable dining experience. Visit us at the corner of Kirkwood and Memorial.
www.rippsgrille.com
HIGH-ENERGY SCHOLAR • Every year Reliant Energy partners up with the Houston Texans and awards multiple students with scholarships. This year senior Brian Skulski was awarded a $5000 scholarship to the college of his choice. Skulski was awarded the scholarship for being an outstanding athlete and member of the community. Photo by Samantha Hicks.
4
NEWS
Friday, October 28, 2011
The Oracle
Shattered Dreams
Car crash simulation educates students about the dangers of drunk driving Annie Rice Maddie Stone Jackie Mask
welcometomaddieland Maddie Stone I’ll be the first to admit that I have inappropriate reactions to bad situations. Newspaper crisis? Hyperventilate and snap at bystanders. Common App stress? Cry all over my mother at 10 p.m. I have a tendency to overreact and I’m not afraid to admit it. But college apps and newspaper problems can be fixed within a class period. It’s when I have a prolonged reaction to something that I start to overreact even more. Anyone who went through the program will agree that Shattered Dreams was traumatic. Going to jail was not fun. Being wrapped up in a body bag was not fun. Watching Code 3 trauma patients come in was not fun. And I’ll say it one more time—having to play dead for my parents was one of the worst things I’ve ever experienced. But it’s been a month. I should be over all of that by now, right? I still feel a little off. No matter how much sleep I get, I’m still tired. When I drive at night, I wonder whose life is going to be ruined tonight. And when my sister accidentally hit me in the ear the other day, I launched into a monologue about brain injuries and bleeding ears and death. The worst, though, is when I hear the kids who weren’t in the program talk about it. “Shattered Dreams was so unrealistic.” “I bet kids went out and got drunk anyway.” “It didn’t impact anyone.” Look at me! It impacted the hell out of me! I never want to be the cause of someone else’s death due to something dumb like drinking too much (or texting while driving). Obviously, if it’s January and I’m still behaving irrationally, I’ll go get help. But for now, just remember that not all of us can get up and dust off our clothes as fast as you may be able to. In short: 1) Stop being insensitive 2) Don’t drink and drive
NIGHTMARE ON FERN • (left) Seniors AJ Justice and Maddie Stone pretend to be unconscious during the simulation. Justice was declared dead on arrival and his body was taken to the morgue after being zipped in a body bag. Stone later died at Ben Taub Hospital and had to be identified by her parents. Photo by Annie Rice.
JAWS OF LIFE •
KEEP BREATHING
(below) Fire fighters who volunteered for this event used the Jaws of Life to pry open the car doors. The cars were donated to the Shattered Dreams program from past auto mobile accidents around the Houston area. Photo by Jackie Mask.
• (above) Senior Isai Martinez is taped to a backboard by a firefighter and paramedic team. The paramedics have to participate in a drunk driving simulation in order to work for hospitals. Photo by Jackie Mask.
MAKE THE PAIN GO AWAY • (left)
During the simulation, students such as senior Aggie Tutia had to discover the crash and call 911. “I couldn’t stop trembling,” said Tutia. “I thought I was in a dream. I thought I would wake up. It was really overwhelming.” Photo by Annie Rice.
KEEP HOLDING ON
• (right) Senior Matthew Greene is removed from the wrecked car on a backboard. The paramedics who volunteer for Shattered Dreams treat each actor as though the situation is real and they are actually injured. Each student in both of the cars had a neck brace put on them. All injuries were examined by paramedics in the ambulances and the actors even received bandages for their wounds. “The paramedics did a good job, they were very calming” said Greene. Photo by Annie Rice.
The Oracle
Friday, October 28, 2011
ADS
5
NEWS From Court to Class 6
Friday, October 28, 2011
The Oracle
Teachers make interesting career changes Maddie Stone
It’s a safe bet that many juniors and seniors are sitting at their desk right now wondering what on earth they want to major in college and what they want to be when they grow up. Students are constantly told that it’s okay to change their minds as they go through college and the real world and not know which path they want to take. Both Chemistry teacher Elianor Vessali and football coach and Algebra I teacher Michael Levine are a testament to that statement— Vessali and Levine were both lawyers before they became educators. Vessali’s desire to become a lawyer stemmed most from an interest in working overseas. “I have an international background and was always interested in international business,” said Vessali. “I
didn’t have a business major Vessali. so law school seemed like the As Vessali’s certification is best way to get in.” science composite, she is eliVessali attended Texas A&M gible to teach any kind of sciand majored in Biomedical ence. When a teaching posiScience. She then went to law tion for chemistry opened up school at South Texas College at Stratford, she took it. of Law. She then began workVessali now enjoys the more ing overseas, specifically in laid-back environment of luxury detail. teaching. “I liked the “In the internationlaw field, al side and it’s very getting to “I wasn’t really finding what I fast-paced,” work with wanted at the time, so I made a said Vessali. global com“[Teaching] career change.” panies,” said is a more -Elianor Vessali Vessali. balanced However, work life.” Vessali soon began to look for Levine, on the other hand, something more. wanted to become a lawyer so “I wasn’t really finding what I he could challenge himself. wanted at the time, so I made “It was a good intellectual a career change,” said Vessali. challenge,” said Levine. “I Vessali’s decision to become liked being around smart a teacher was influenced by people.” her own family’s background. Levine graduated from Wil“My mom’s an educator, so liams College in MassachuI’ve always been around edu- setts and was a high school cation and enjoyed it,” said football and basketball coach
“
before entering law school at the University of Virginia. He worked in litigation trials involving liability. Like with sports, Levine enjoyed the competitive side of being a lawyer. “When I got to trial, that was competitive,” said Levine. “It was a lot of fun to compete.” However, Levine soon returned to coaching football and teaching. “[Coaching and teaching] is more fun,” said Levine. “I like working with kids and making a difference.” Levine also enjoys the challenge of teaching math. “I like numbers,” said Levine. “I like trying to get kids to enjoy and understand math.” Vessali and Levine are proof that no one should be tied down by any one career move-different job opportunities are always available to anyone willing to work hard and go for it.
Freshbusters Katie Gregory Caroline Demeris
“My sister Lexie Jenkins told me how she got pushed down the stairs several times at school. She said it would probably happen to me sometime...it hasn’t! Guess we know who got the clumsy genes...”
Lindsey Jenkins
“A bunch of upperclassmen told me that the seniors would be selling elevator passes and that I should get one. I soon found out that there was no such thing as elevator passes.”
Regan Smith Photos by Katie Gregory
The Oracle
Friday, October 28, 2011
Countdown to...
MUSE
3 Days... until
Halloween
“Feed Me” If You Dare Little Shop of Horrors, a comedic musical featuring a man-eating plant and hilarious singing, is now in production at the Stratford Playhouse. This musical features Seymour Krelborn, played by junior Hayden McMordie, a nerdy orphan who is offered a job by Mr. Mushnik, played by senior Evan White, a local flower store owner. Seymour soon falls in love with co-worker Audrey Fulquar, played by junior Annie Elliot. One day, while seeking fame and fortune, Seymour buys
a mysterious plant from a street vendor. The plant, who he names after Aud r e y , hungers for the taste of human blood. The plant,
Audrey II, controlled by sophomore Steve Krueger, grows to a monstrous size due to his human diet. As the plant grows bigger, Seymour soon has a problem: will the plant eat him along with everyone else? Come out and support
Culturally Obsessed
“Holla! Its gonna be awesome!” -Ellie Weaver, 10
7 Days... until the
Little Shop of Horrors to open at the Playhouse Kaela Beasley
muse 7
the Playhouse with this hit musical that is sure to “eat” you off your seat!
Showtimes: Friday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.
“Cool.”
Guns N’ Roses -Freddy Price, 10 concert
12 Days... until the
Mayday Parade Concert
“That makes my heart fill with puppies and rainbows.” -Catherine Frost, 11
Students fascinated with countries and heritages other than their own Esther Jeon
If anyone asks me what I want to be when I grow up, my response is simple: I am going to be the future mother of 13 British-Asian red-headed children. My children will be Stormageddon, Amelia Pond, Lily Evans, and if I have twins, they are fated to be Fred and George. There are a lot of conclusions to draw from my so-called ambition. One reasonable conclusion would be that I am as mad as a box of cats, which is certainly not incorrect in any way. There’s one very obvious conclusion though, and that is that I am as Anglophilic as any Anglophile can get. I adore all things British, from their glorious accents to their wonderful music. My Saturdays are spent watching Doctor Who, a British television show that inspired the names Stormaged-
don and Amelia Jessica Pond, as well as the new Stars series Torchwood. The final Harry Potter movie lured me out in the wee hours of midnight in a ridiculous Professor Trelawney costume. And any Harry Potter fan should recognize the names Lily Evans, Fred, and George as characters from the explosively popular series. I might appear to be in an insane minority of people, but I’m really only a speck in a sea of people very obsessed with different cultures. From East Asia to Europe, students seem to share my fascination with cultures that are oceans away from their own respective society. Meet sophomore Diana Ruiz, your everyday, average teenage girl struggling to get through high school. She might be just like you, but she happens to have the rare skill of being fluent in three differ-
ALL AROUND THE WORLD • (above) Americans have been
known to be obsessed with various cultures because of their “melting pot” heritage. Photo by Ariyan Almassi
ent languages. She speaks English and Spanish fluently, thanks to her Colombian-American roots, and is also fluent in Korean. Korean might seem like an odd language for her to know, but there’s nothing surprising about it when she indulges in Korean television and music regularly. Her favorite band is JYJ, and she presently watches the Korean drama Protect the Boss. She currently looks forward to satisfying her curiosity of the Korean culture at the Korean festival in Discovery Green on Saturday, Oct. 22. Chris Wallace, another sophomore, shares the cultural fascination with Diana,. However, he immerses himself in Latin American culture. Wallace enjoys the peculiarly spicy taste of Spanish cuisine and the unique, energetic Latin American beats
are no exception to his infatuation. He regularly moves to a kind of Latin dance called Trival, a dynamic combination of techno and regional Mexican music, and Reggaeton, a breezy blend of Puerto Rican and Latin urban music. One of the reasons for such fascinations with other cultures is the fact that the wonderful city we reside in, Houston, TX, is a peachy urban oasis bursting with flavors of countries from around the world. As the fourth largest city in the country and a hub for the oil business, Houston is a collection of bits and pieces of ethnic flare. We might seem a bit bizarre in our fancies and fondness of different kinds of cultures, and it’s not too hard to understand why. However, for the students, this only really reaffirms the cultural diversity that inhabits the classrooms and hallways.
8
muse
Avery’s Anecdotes
Avery Falick Perfection. It seems to be what everybody is striving for in high school. Perfect grades, perfect outfits, perfect experience. Why would people want their time in high school to be described by a word located in the dictionary between “penguin” and “pinball”? The Merriam Webster dictionary defines perfect as “being entirely without fault of defect; flawless.” By this definition, a “perfect” high school experience just doesn’t seem plausible. But what is a “perfect” high school experience? Getting all A’s, being in a relationship, having plenty of friends, going out and partying, and making some bad decisions that all seem to work out in the end without any real consequences? Sorry to break it to all of you who think you’ve wasted your time in high school if you don’t have this exact experience, but scenarios like this happen in movies, not real life. Maybe you’ll get an “F” on a major test grade and have to struggle to get your grade back up, or maybe you’ll get in fights with friends or family and not have everything work out in the end. Homework gets forgotten, friends come and go, bad decisions are made that actually have consequences and that’s okay. These imperfections are not going to ruin your life. To be cliché, the bad times are what end up making you grow and develop into the perfect you. I am not condoning just letting life leave you behind in high school, as you should try to get involved and try your best in school but if you don’t get to go out and party every weekend, and instead stay home and do homework, or watch a movie with your family, you will not have wasted your time. You are exactly where you are supposed to be at this point in your life, and hopefully you realize this and don’t try to manipulate your life in order have some dream high school experience. As the great Hannah Montana once said, “Nobody’s Perfect.”
Friday, October 28, 2011
The Oracle
Halloween Superstitions
Elizabeth Pocevic, Crystal Wilson
Have you ever noticed that some people hold their breath while passing a cemetery? Doing so will keep bad spirits from entering your body.
Watch out when you slam a door! Slamming a door may hurt a ghost who will then haunt you for the rest of your life.
Do you believe in ghosts? Well if you’re trying to get on their good side, it’s a good idea to carry a lump of bread in your pocket. It serves as an offering.
If you wish to see a witch riding a broom in the sky, wear black clothes at midnight on Halloween and walk backwards.
To find out who your future husband will be, put an apple under your pillow at night and you will meet him in your dreams.
Did you know it was once believed that all black cats were actually the devil or had been eaten up by evil spirits?
Don’t go to sleep thirsty! A ghost might enter your body in search of water. If the body is awoken too quickly, you may not have time to get back and you will die.
Listening to the winds on a crossroad on Halloween will reveal to you all the positive things that will occur througout the next year.
If you happen to see a spider on Halloween, know that it means a spirit of a loved one is watching over you.
If a bat flies into your house, beware! You may have some ghost or spirits visiting!
a
Do you know someone whose birthday is on Halloween? These people sometimes have special ability that allows them to see and talk to spirits.
The fear of the number 13 has affected people in many ways, and it’s even believed that Friday the 13th is a haunted day.
10 BACK OF PAGE 9 BACK OF MUSE
The Oracle
Friday, October 28, 2011
Out With The Old and In With The New So Stratford, as you may have noticed we got the shaft. In a classic case of “selling out”, the newspaper has moved the Backpage to page 10, the back of page 9, behind the article titled “Secret Life of American Teacher”... Honestly, they might as well have tarred and feathered us and left us in the sun to boil. We have rather fair skin so believe us, we would boil. Now we are sure you are wondering, dearest Backpage, why you are on the back of page 9? The answer is a communist regime that teaches high school students to drive. What does that even mean? We will tell you what it means. It simply means that Safeway Driving School has
bought a full page ad that has been placed on the back page and therefore we have been extirpated from our rightful throne on THE Backpage. But life goes on. When you fall down you might as well stay down so no one else messes with you. Just try to become one with the ground and stay there. That’s how we live. So now at our new location, we are trying to pick up the pieces and start over again. We spend almost all of Newspaper class unloading our junk from the U-Haul truck and into our new location. This is just the beginning in our recovery process. We are still slumbering in our cozy cocoons waiting to burst out into the beautiful
butterflies that we will soon become. So what we are saying Stratford is that there is a silver lining to this debacle of a situation. And eventually, after all of the hours of moving boxes and therapy sessions, we will make it through this stressful time. This new Backpage is going to soar to new heights. We are just a couple of peacocks and we’re ready to spread our wings. When you go to sleep tonight, sleep peacefully knowing that everything is fine over here at the Backpage and that the two of us will be watching you sleep.
Photo by Jackie Mask
The Backpage moves to their new home...
Sweet dreams, Stratford. -The Backpage
Photo by Ariyan Almassi
Where in the world is the Backpage? Burger King!
Graphic by Kelsey Hunter
12
SPORTS
Friday, October 28, 2011
It’s Game Time
Many organizations contribute to Friday football frenzy Leslie Bustamante Valeria Chelala Samantha Hicks
Diving In With Phoebe LaMay
The Oracle
HIT IT • (Above) The band is one of the most important aspects of Friday night football. They bring the life out of the fans and keep them excited. Students are always seen “air drumming” along with the drum line during the pep rallies and games. Without the band, spectators wouldn’t have music to cheer along to or stay pumped. Photo by Annie Rice.
SPINNING
• (Above) After a long offensive drive, Coach Jeff Greene gives senior offensive lineman Cole Edwards an encouraging yell. In this game against Spring Woods, the Spartans were able to take down the Tigers with a final score of 54-13 to seal a homecoming victory. “It was a great win to start off the homecoming weekend,” said Edwards. The offense and defense were showing there best effort during this game, with junior corner back Jordan Bernstein catching an interception for a touchdown, and the defense only letting up two touchdowns. Photo by Katherine Kennedy. PAINTING THE START • (Right) The senior Tri-Theta girls spend their summer painting banners for the football season. Each group consists of around 12 girls, who take the time to design signs for each pep rally and each boy on the Varsity football team. Aside from all their hard work, each group is assigned a football game to paint two run-through banners, one of beginning and middle of the game. The brightly colored banners are put up around the school to give spirit to students before the Friday night games. Photo by Katherine Kennedy FRIDAY NIGHT YELLS
• (Left) The Color Guard brings excitement to the half-time show, where they are accompanied by the band. They spend 2-3 hours everyday after school to perfect their routine. Photo by Katherine Kennedy
Spiking to Volleyball Victory
Mary Margaret Weaver
The volleyball team played Magnolia West as a district game on Sept. 27. The Lady Spartans beat the Mustangs with a much needed victory, 3-1. Moving on to their next district game the team played the Northbrook Raiders and defeated them 3-0. After beating Northbrook the Spartans went on to play Waller. In the game against Waller the opposing teams played all 5 games with the final outcome as Waller on top, winning 3-2. Next the team played Magnolia at home, beating the Bull-
dogs with a clean sweep, 3-0. After the win the Lady Spartans played Brenham and were defeated fast with the final score of 3-0, Brenham on top. To start off homecoming weekend the team played the Spring Woods Tigers here at home. It was an easy win for the Spartans with a final score of 3-0. It was also a great way for the ladies to show off their talents. The Junior Varsity volleyball team is predicted to end their season second in district ranking. The volleyball team continues to improve and give their best effort.
COLORS
• (Left) Going in for the kill, freshman Ashley Fritcher tries to even up the score for the JV volleyball team. Fritcher is one of only two freshman to make the JV team this season, the other one is Charlotte Stevens. The team lost in a close match against Montgomery halfway through the season. The JV team has had a successful season, winning first place in the Fort Bend Tournament and winning the consolation championship in the Klein Tournament. “Our grueling practices paid off with a great season because of a great coach,” said sophomore Ashton Cabla. Photo by Katherine Kennedy. SERVE’S UP
Photos by Caroline Demeris
Samantha Hicks
Diving is one of the most competitive sports in the world. It requires not only skill but also mental preparation. Years and years of practice and focus go in to the making of a successful diver. Phoebe Lamay, a freshman, is well known in the diving world for her success at such a young age. LaMay is competing with two teams as of right now. One of these teams is the Spartan Swimming and Diving team. The other is the prestigious Cougar Diving Club. As an athlete, most of her time is taken up by her training. She attends diving every other morning at 5:30 AM and then she goes to the University of Houston every day after school to train with her club team. LaMay has traveled a tremendous amount, not only in the country, but outside of the U.S. as well. Diving has recently allowed LaMay to travel out of the country to Medellin, Columbia. While in Columbia, LaMay dove in the Pan America diving meet. She placed third in Synchro. In December of this year LaMay will be traveling to Indianapolis to compete in the International Meet representing the United States. Some major countries attending this meet are Canada and
China. In the Junior Nationals LaMay received first place in Synchro, fifth place in three meter, and fourth place in one meter. Three meter is the equivalent to what most people know as a high dive. The Olympics are most diver’s ultimate goal and LaMay is one step closer to reaching that goal. She has qualified for the Olympic Trials in two different events, Synchro and three meter. The Trials will take place in June 2012 in Seattle. Synchro is one of LaMay’s top events. Her Synchro partner is Chloe Helmink. Helmink attends Willis High School and is also very successful at a young age of 16. One of the reasons that LaMay is so inspiring is that at the end of this summer her dad was killed in a car accident. Going into her first day of high school with this tragic event on her shoulders was not easy. What is even harder is to continue doing the things one do at their normal schedule to keep up. LaMay has overcome this and has been able to keep her self focused on her dream of the Olympics. The most important lesson to come out of LaMay’s life is to persevere and to keep striving towards one’s goals. LaMay has been given many opportunities to contribute to the world of diving, and she has fulfilled all of them.
The Oracle
Evolution of Dance
Friday, October 28, 2011
OPINIONS13
From weigh-ins to wigs, the drill team from years past paints a different picture than today’s squad
Amy Brajenovich The Spartanaires of the 1970s were very different than those today. Their uniforms alone were entirely different from what the team wears now-satin sleeveless tops and blonde wigs with big hair was the style. They also wore a big white hat attached to the wig as well as bright green eye shadow, dark red lipstick and a stiff white belt that made their skirt blow outward. Some think that Spartanaires is bad now, but just a few short years ago it was completely different. Just twenty years ago, uniforms and strictness were at an extreme. “The most stressful thing about being a Spartanaire was when we had weigh-ins every week to see if we made our individual weight requirements in order to be allowed to perform on Friday nights,” said former Spartanaire Julie Conger, class of 1978. “Some girls would not eat for the whole week or make themselves vomit in order to make the weight requirement. I know a few of the girls that have developed eating disorders because of the weight requirement rules.” Weight wasn’t the only issue that the girls had to be concerned with. For example, demerits were given for just one single mark on their tennis shoes, not having their blonde wigs in place just right, or not having the hat pinned on in the perfect location. Demerits still exist today, but for viable reasons. If someone forgets the correct attire or behaves out of conduct, they get a demerit. However, the girls are no longer required to have the same hair color or their shoelaces tied in the
Oracle Staff
KICKS FROM THE PAST•
(Above) As the Spartanaire class of the 1970s preform their trademark kick line at Darrel Tully Stadium, they sport the typical uniforms worn in that era. Photo courtesy of the Yearbook staff.
EXPRESS YOURSELF• (Above)
The Spartanaires one sees today spend a lot more money on equipment and materials than the ones who came before them. They show it by decorating everything with their classic Spartanaire flair. Photo by Samantha Vanston.
exact same position. Weigh-ins and wigs did not only occur with the Spartanaires. They were actually common for most drill teams in the 1970s. Some high schoolers today have been raised by former Spartanaires and drill team members who were taught that, in order to fit in, you must be a certain weight and have a certain look, even if that means submitting to drastic measures such as fasting or bingeing. This fact could have an effect on the increase in girls with eating disorders. The Spartanaires of 1978 only had one director that choreographed and taught all dances to the girls-about 100 members. Conger remembers that the team would reach from end zone to end zone because they had so many members. They had multiple class periods for
the Spartanaires to learn the dance skills that the director taught for each grade level throughout the day. Tryouts were held every year in the spring. Every member on the team had to re-tryout if they wanted to be on the team the following year. To decide who made the Spartanaires, the director and officers picked which girls would make the team. Today, judges are brought in from out-of-district in order to have an unbiased opinion of who makes the team and who does not. In all of the Spartanaire routines from past years, they had some sort of kick line. As the times have changed, we notice that a lot of the Spartanaire dances are hip-hop. Over 20 years they have become much less classical, and more modern to the times. However, Conger had many wonderful memories about
being a Spartanaire. “I had fun everyday even though it was a lot of work,” said Conger. “It was all worth it because I have made lifelong friends that I still meet with every summer. With Facebook, I have found even more former Spartanaires that I have gotten connected with.” Some of her favorite memories are that the girls were all like family growing up together. Summer competition camps at SMU in Dallas were also one of her favorite times. “Very hard work but just a blast at the college dorms and at the competition with everyone!” said Conger Trips were also a highlight for all the girls. Going to the Rose Bowl Parade and performing there in Pasadena, CA, as well as the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL, were great trips for Conger. Conger said she only has
UNIFORMLY TOGETHER• (Above) A group of Sparta-
naires from the 1970s wait on the side of the football field for their scheduled halftime performance, with flags and hats in tow. Photo courtesy of Yearbook staff.
one bad memory of the entire three years of being a Spartanaire-the year they went to the Liberty Bowl to perform in Memphis, TN. “It was so cold that all of the girls were freezing to death in the bad weather,” said Conger. “We had our sleeveless Spartanaire uniforms on in 45 degree weather.” Despite difficult trips like the Tennessee one, Conger
couldn’t emphasize enough how much fun she had as a Spartanaire during her high school years. Compared to 20 years ago, the changes the Spartanaires have made are drastic. Now, they have expression and freedom. Although some rules have stuck, the Spartanaires no longer have to completely conform in terms of weight and appearance.
Advisor Janice Cummons Editors-in-Chief Annie Rice, Maddie Stone, Avery Falick, Rachael Brennan News Editors Samantha Vargas, Layla Shahhosseini, Sara Boyle News Reporters Chandler Callahan, Esther Jeon, Samantha Stazo, Ara Luz Muse Editors Caitlin Hilton, Hannah Price, Paige Tormey Muse Reporters Kaela Beasley, Janelle Blackwood Sports Editors Samantha Hicks, Valeria Chelala, Leslie Bustamante Sports Reporters Gene Crocker, Alex Newton, Elaine Parizot, Elyse Stieber Opinions Editors Michelle Evans, Lydia Sweet Opinions Reporters Andres Acosta, Caroline Suchman, Jackie Velarde Photo Editors Katie Gregory, Amy Jordan, Mary Elizabeth Schnake Photographers Ariyan Almassi, Maddie Byers, Caroline Demeris, Faith Figueroa, Jackie Mask, Jacob Pennington, Logan Tinkler, Samantha Vanston, Amy Brajenovich Copy Editors Ammarah Tariq, Marina Khalid Backpage Staff Sloan Braband, Michael MacCrory, Blake Schrieber Staff Artist Kelsey Hunter Design Editors Isabel Deakins, Harrison Vaporciyan Design Staff Gil Sanchez, Kali Venable Ads Editors Leslie Baker, Caroline Schrieber, Katy Wilson Ads Staff Stephanie Slaughter, Mary Margret Weaver
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OPINIONS
The Oracle
Friday, October 28, 2011
Think About Tradition
Standards have changed for earning a letterman jacket Andres Acosta
Tradition. Tradition is what comes to mind when someone mentions a letterman jacket. Traditionally, the letterman jacket was awarded to the star players, both in high school and in college, for their athletic achievements and contributions to their school’s varsity sports team. This tradition traces its roots back to Harvard University, where its varsity baseball team first embroidered an English-style “H” onto their uniform shirts in 1865. The captain then selected the players who he believed had contributed the most to the team and let them keep their embroidered shirts, while the rest of the team was required to return them. Nowadays, the letterman jacket is called such because of the letter, usually the
school’s initials and colors, that decorates the left chest side area of the jacket. The letter is a type of award, usually referred to as ‘lettering’ when earned, that is placed onto the jacket. Though in movies the letterman is usually worn by the popular jock, that stereotype doesn’t hold true in real life. In fact, it is almost completely the opposite. The categories that a person can letter in have become much broader than just being a member of a varsity sports team. The categories have expanded to include excellent academic performance, extracurricular activities, and meeting certain goals and standards at school. The letterman jacket has strayed from what it once was and stood for, and more importantly, tradition. It has expanded enough to include some of the most mundane
“achievements” that hold no real significant value. The wider range of opportunities for students to letter most likely stems from the
LETTERMAN JACKET • The Stratford High School letterman
jacket as worn by a current Stratford High School student. Staff photo.
idea that all kids should have a fair and equal opportunity
Use Your Brain Please
Common sense should never be ignored Lydia Sweet
In the immortal words of Voltaire, “Common sense is quite rare”. Common sense is a loosely defined idea. It mainly includes being able to detect the obvious. Some people and groups seem to completely overlook common sense and go on their merry way. There are people that truly think celebrities should be elected into public office. If these ideas spread, the U.S. would be the laughingstock of the entire world. Our celebrities are mainly famous for being idiots, so electing them into an office of power is illogical. Rick Perry. There aren’t words to describe the lack of common sense this man possesses. When asked about his views on gun control, he said “use both hands”. Yes, he probably meant it as a joke, but it makes him seem like a joke. The last person we want as our president is someone who is a joke. Whoever thought Sarah Palin needed her own TV
show should be punished. What kind of government official has their own TV show? Apparently the type that has no self-respect. The whole idea of a politician having a TV show seems ridiculous. If they have that much drama in their personal life, how could they ever focus on political issues? Also, the fact that Palin lets the general public witness her stupidity seems like a bad move. Where was her mind when she agreed to do that show? Common sense can also be applied in everyday settings. For example, a person is walking down a hall and decides to stop and block a large part of the hall while talking to a friend. The person should realize other people need to get places and they are being a road block. Driving is another area where people choose to ignore common sense. Driving is possibly one of the most dangerous activities people do and they sometimes don’t use their brain. Turn signals. They were built
to achieve a goal. In other words, society is diluting the original definition and symbolism of the letterman to fit the mold and standards of a
into the car’s design for a reason. Use them! Drivers cannot read each others minds, so turn signals are very necessary. Tailgating is another example of a shortfall of common sense. When a person tailgates, they aren’t accomplishing anything. Most of the time, it just makes the person in front of them want to slow down even more. Complete stops before speed bumps are unnecessary, but it also isn’t okay to not slow down at all. Common sense allows a person to find a middle ground. There is a saying that is along the lines of, “There is no such thing as a stupid question”. False. If no common sense reasoning is applied to the question, stupidity will ensue. Take a moment and think about the question. Don’t just blurt it out without any thought. Don’t fall into the trap of having a vacuous space in place of a brain. Use the common sense entitled to the human race.
wider range of people. The fact of the matter is that
not everyone can be a star athlete or player, but that shouldn’t lead us to lower the standard just because we feel bad for those who were not born athletic. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. It is not possible to be a winner all the time, and it is not possible to be the best at everything. Just being the best that you can be is all that matters. Some kids just aren’t made to perform at the athletic level that is demanded by the qualifications and standards to earn a letterman, but that should not mean that the bar should be lowered or the categories expanded. If the bar or standards are lowered so more people can achieve it, what prestige or significance that come with it is left? All you are left with is an insignificant award that anyone can achieve. Besides personal emotional
Learning No Longer
few teachers who, I hate to say it, didn’t act like they wanted High school is supposed to to be here. Some have even be four of the best years of said, “I want to go home”. our lives. It is a time in which By having work thrown at we make mistakes, learn us in massive increments from them, and develop into with little enthusiasm, it is the people we want to be. We no wonder so many of us leave behind childhood habrefrain from engaging in its in order to develop insight assignments and find our on the world around us as we classes boring and difficult. become young adults, Maybe the work load prepared to face our wouldn’t seem like futures. so much if the subHowever, over the jects were presented years high school priA lot of the teachers I have had here in a more exciting orities have shifted. at school don’t encourage me to do manner. What used to be a well in my academics which makes Although I do beplace to learn and get me not want to come to class in the lieve that the way excited has become mornings.” lessons are presented every kid’s nightmare. to us has a heavy efWhen 200 randomly -Ashton Cabla, 10 fect on our will to selected students were learn, I don’t think asked if they felt like the teachers are enschool was consuming their 200 students as to if they tirely at fault or the center of lives emotionally or socially, thought our school has a pos- the problem. 148 of them said yes. itive, enthusiastic learning Society in general has “I don’t have time to do any- environment, a shocking 163 heightened the standards for thing fun anymore, I come students said no. what is considered accepthome, do homework, eat din“A lot of the teachers I have able. College has become ner and then hit the books had here at school don’t en- more competitive, parents again,” said an anonymous courage me to do well in my have become pushier and the junior. “You’d think the week- academics which makes me media has proposed other end would be a break, but it not want to come to class in pressures that distract kids is more like extended time to the mornings,” said sopho- from what is truly important. get more school work done more Ashton Cabla. Eduction over all has taken or try to catch up on sleep. I personally have had quite a on a entirely new meaning.
Kali Venable
My life right now consists of school and solely school,” said an anonymous junior. For many of us, the stress school brings seems unbearable-an everlasting burden on our shoulders. But does it have to be this way? Why are kids not wanting to participate in learning? Upon surveying the same
value, little significant value is exactly what it has. It is hard to admire something when you walk down our school’s hallways and half the students walking down the same hallway are wearing them. It undermines the tradition and value of the letterman to lower it to such a level. It is not something that should just be handed out. A letterman jacket should be earned the way it was supposed to, by honoring the achievements it was founded on. We are not all the same, so we should not be struggling so hard to make every single person feel like it. We all have different talents, different skills, and different areas in which we excel. We do not need to tarnish the letterman jacket making it an option for everyone, instead we should create another award of equal value as a counterpart to the letterman.
“
The Oracle
Friday, October 28, 2011
OPINIONS15
It’s a Rich Man’s World With the money issues so many people face, should parents help their kids, or should they be forced to get a job and manage their savings responsibly? Chandler Callahan Jackie Velarde
School, sports, and a social life can take up most of a teenager’s time during the week. For the student who does all of these things, there doesn’t seem like there is any time for a job or extra time to spend on trying to make money for themselves. Having their parents to help out on some of a teen’s everyday things can make a world of difference for them. As long as the parents are smart enough to make their child understand that they will not have this all their life, they can enjoy having the privilege of their parents caring and making their high school years more enjoyable. Your parent is legally responsible for you until you’re 18. Once you are on your own or going off to college, it is your choice if you’re going to choose to earn a little extra money or just stick to what your parents choose to give you for your necessities. Some may argue that you will not have the skills of those who did not have parental support before they left for college. Having a little extra spending money for gas and other necessities you need throughout the day cannot do you harm. It begins teaching you what you will have to look forward to when not given that extra money. Opening a savings account with the extra money you are given instead of spending it
all at once can help in teaching you responsibility, selfrestraint, and life-long skills about putting away money for a rainy day. A savings account is a good way to show your parents and friends that you are mature enough to handle yourself with the money that they give you. Some of us have to do things for our parents that require money as well. Transportation for your younger siblings who are not able to drive can become costly. It is reasonable that your parents assist you in the money you are spending for gas to take them around. There are many times when you have to be somewhere for a specific reason, and having the money to get around is necessary for a teenager. There are many reasons why parents should chip in for the many needs of any high school student. We have multiple responsibilities that we need some help on while maintaining an appropriate reason for it. Also, as of now, a high school student’s vocation is to be just that, a student. If some kids choose to put a little extra cash in their wallets, that’s a personal choice. But for now, excelling in school, staying active in extra curriculars, and relaxing with friends should be a student’s top priorities, not thinking about whether they have enough money
to purchase something. If kids are taught to manage their money by their parents with an allotted amount, they should thrive financially in the future. It is very difficult for us to manage our time, let alone our money. We should have our parents help while they can still offer it. We already have to focus on the stresses of college and our future, we should not have to worry about money until we have to. Forcing a high school student to be responsible for all their own expenses is a lot to put on a young person’s shoulders. We should not have to worry about this just yet. There will be plenty of time in the future to worry about money and the world of expenses on our shoulders. For now, we should be focused on our future and how to get there.
Michelle Evans Elyse Stieber
Money is one of the main aspects of every teenager’s life, whether it being for a shopping spree or a dinner out with friends. Teenagers who desire money will find a way to get it, whether they get a job or beg their parents. However, some of our parents are unable to be swayed. A lot of kids nowadays have to pay for expenses such as gas and clothes completely on their own. In order to learn financial responsibility, parents force their kids to manage their money appropriately. Unlike middle school, we can’t just spend every penny we get the moment we earn it. In high school, we have to learn to save. There are things more important than the latest clothes we don’t have or the newest Call of Duty. Some of us have to save for college or a car. Once people start getting their license, there isn’t a young soul out there that doesn’t desire a car and some money. Whether it’s an expensive luxury car or a beat-up, broken down car is irrelevant: a car is still a car. Cars, however, do not run on their own. They are fueled by the expensive gas of this economy. Some get these items the easy way:
Mommy and Daddy pay for it. Many, however, have to work to pay for it since it is not a necessity to everyday life. When paying for your own gas, you become way more conscious of where you go and how much gas it takes to get there. For those of us who pay for our own gas and other expenses, we know how it is. We go where we need to go rather than driving around for an hour. We park and turn off the car, rather than sit in the air conditioning for hours on end. At the end of the day, if we can save a quarter of a gallon of gas, it’s worth it. It’s harder to do a ton of fun activities and drive wherever when you know that it is at your own expense. It makes you appreciate more things and not to take anything for granted. Learning to manage your time and money is essential. When the gas meter seems to go from full to empty in a matter of days, the places we travel to go under more consideration. Mommy and Daddy, unfortunately, can’t always pay for everything. If only it could be as easy as having them pay for everything our entire lives. Once we reach the stages of adulthood, it’s all on us. We have to pay our rent, our bills, our taxes; we have to pay
for all of the things that we had never been exposed to in our teenage years. There is the extreme, and there is the minimum. Some parents only make their kids pay for gas and a few other, small expenses. Some have a monthly budget that their parents offer, but then everything past that is at their own expense. Then there are the parents with the extremity. Some kids have to pay for college completely on their own, along with a car and other necessities, of which they have been saving for since they can remember. Parents teach their kids that past a certain point, there is no more outside help. We see it everyday: people on the streets, some people applying for bankruptcy and loans. The world’s economic state is at its lowest, and we need to learn to manage our money now more than ever. We’re focused on college, and money, and our future that seems so scary. Unfortunately, we have to grow up even if we aren’t ready. If we don’t learn financial responsibility now, perhaps we never will. Parents aren’t being mean and heartless when they refuse to give us the few extra bucks that we “need” for that new luxury. They are just teaching us life lessons for the future and making us rely less on them and more on ourselves.
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Friday, October 28, 2011
The Oracle