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tigertimes
volume 53 no. 3 • dec. 17, 2013
I photo illustration by Sydney Steed
texas high school • 4001 summerhill rd • texarkana, tx 75503 • www.tigertimesonline.com
n a nation renowned for its opportunities, it seems the old struggle for social equality is still present. Minority groups are degraded because of the stereotypes people have come to accept about them. While there have been many positive changes in the way people see others, the stereotypes are ever-present in the minds and hearts of Americans. >>page 12
what’s happenin’
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tiger times dec. 17, 2013
what’s inside
this issue
3NEWS 4
Student describes hearing damage
“The two most common forms of hearing damage caused by exposure to loud sounds are equally devastating to the ears as they are to lifestyle.”
FIGHT Sophomore Jessica Emerson fights for the ball after getting a rebound off of Pittsburg. “We played Pittsburg over the break,” said Emerson. “It was really fun getting to come out during Thanksgiving to play. We fought really hard, and it was a lot of work. But like always, we had a great time.” photo by d. rogers.
-Selwin George, guest writer
6OPINION 7
Success is possible without college
“It proves that a person provides a certain level of high intellect that is needed within society.” -Brad Lenaway, 11
9FEATURE 15
Taking the next step
“I really look forward to getting my assistance dog, Miss Pip. I feel like it’s going to help me a lot to be more independent and keep me going.” -Emily Orr, 12
17SPORTS 17
Bounce it
“I think we’ve got a chance to be a pretty good ball club, we’ve got a good group, a lot of seniors, some guys who have played varsity for awhile. We’ve got a chance to win a district championship and go a lot farther than that if we get everyone on the same page and we continue to improve like we have since the last month we started before school practice.” -Jacob Skinner, basketball coach
20 ENTERTAINMENT 20
Rosie vs. Hillary
“We present to you feminism in its most blatant forms: Rosie versus Hillary.” -Sydney Schoen, co-editor and chief
Basketball games keep on
SEMESTER EXAM SCHEDULE
GOING THROUGH HOLIDAYS
DEC. 18
Boys’ and girls’ basketball are getting ready for district. With a holiday full of practices and games, the players can barely call their holiday a break. The boys have three games, the girls have two games, and both teams will be participating in two tournaments. These athletes’ holidays are full of travel with little time to slow down. CHRISTMAS BREAK DEC. 23-JAN. 3 Students are eagerly awaiting their two weeks off of school. Everyone is looking forward to something different. “I love a lot of things about Christmas break,” junior Russell Thomas said. “My favorite part is being with family that I don’t get to see everyday.”
HOLIDAY SOCCER CAMP DEC. 31, JAN. 2 The girls’ soccer program will host a holiday soccer camp for boys and girls. Camp for ages 5-9 will be Dec. 31 from 9 a.m. to noon, and camp for ages 10-14 will be Jan. 2 from 9 a.m. to noon. It will be held in the multi-purpose building, and there will be a $25 registration fee. “The varsity girls always help run the camp,” senior Caroline Byrd said. “I actually love getting to help all the little kids. I think it’s really fun.”
BUILDING FOUNDATION FOR SENIOR YEAR JAN. 13 Building Foundation for Senior Year workshop will be held in the Sullivan Center for all sophomores. “Students will learn strategies of how to prepare for the ACT or SAT,” said Mark Schroeder, director of college and career readiness. “Parents and sophomore students will have the opportunity to review the PLAN and PSAT results and learn how to make wise decisions on choosing AP or DC courses for their junior year.”
AP/DC WORKSHOP JAN. 30 An AC/DC workshop will be held in the cafeteria on Jan. 30 for all students who would like to attend. “Whether a student wants to take an AP or DC class is up to them,” assistant principal Bettie Stark. “Both AP and DC classes can prepare students for college and allow them to receive college credit. In the workshop, AP and DC teachers will be giving presentations about the pros and cons of their classes.”
Burrr!
A1/B1: A2: A3: 1st Lunch: 2nd Lunch: 3rd Lunch: 4th Lunch: A4: 1: A5/B5:
DEC. 19 8:30-9:50 9:55-11:00 11:05-11:35 11:05-11:35 11:35-12:05 12:05-12:35 12:35-1:05 10-2:20 2:25-3:45
B2: B3: B4:
8:30-9:50 9:55-11:15 11:20-12:40
DEC. 20 A2: A3: A4:
8:30-9:50 9:55-11:15 11:20-12:40
• Breakfast will be served each morning. Regular lunches will only be served Wednesday. Students may purchase sack lunches on Thursday and Friday at 12:40. • Buses will load in the teacher parking lot by the cafeteria. • Students will remain in class for the entire period. • Students are not allowed to take semester exams early. All exams will be given on the date assigned unless it is a DC course. • All DC students are required to attend their DC course on the day of semester exams. • PE/athletics/band/cheer/drill team will report to their class at the designated times. • Students who do not attend semester exams will receive an unexcused absence. • Students who have DC class at the college will report to the cafeteria during their TC scheduled class.
With the recent drop in temperature, students are pulling out their rarely used hats, scarfs and gloves. This is a pain for some, but others are happy about the weather change. “I like the cold,” sophomore Rachel Lewis said. “Although it take a while to get used to, I like layering up and being comfy and cozy.” TEACHERS’ TEA Organizing the food that members have brought, seniors Bailey Vaughan and Laura Davis, chairwomen of the tea, make sure they have everything ready before lunch. Rosebuds hosts the tea every year for teachers around the holiday season. photo by c. clem
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tiger times dec. 17, 2013
MOVING ON UP
DECA students earn promotions at BY TYLER SNELL staff writer
LOOKING AHEAD Working as a crew leader for Sonic, senior Brianna Bristol knows her hard work ethic will help her in future employment. Bristol is part of the school’s DECA program. “I hope to keep moving up in any jobs that I have in the future,” Bristol said. photo by j. rostek
PROMOTION Behind the register, senior Johnny Mendoza works at Justice in Central Mall. Mendoza was promoted to Leading Brand Representative. “I love helping people and being able to make a customer happy,” Mendoza said. photo by j. rostek
WORTH THE WAIT Her job as a fuel clerk at Super 1 Foods has taught senior Ge’Quasha Whitfield how to work hard for an advancement and deal with customers. “I’ve been waiting for this position patiently,” Whitfield said. photo by j. rostek
The student workforce that have to hold a job and still balance schoolwork, continue to advance in the working world. They are earning promotions and prosper at their jobs. “I was promoted to Sonic Crew Leader where I have a lot more responsibility,” senior Brianna Bristol said. “I plan to pursue my own career and my job right now. It’s good training to be a hard worker.” Each job helps the students to discover their talents and advance to higher positions. “My job has helped me come out of my shell and learn better communication skills and learn a new level of responsibility,” senior Johnny Mendoza said. “I plan to stay at my job, and hopefully become an assistant manager.” Moving up the corporate ladder is what students aim to do in order to better themselves. “I want to get an even higher position and earn more raises,” senior Ge’Quasha Whitfield said. “I like my job because of the friendly environment and flexible hours.” Having extra hours from school to do homework enables DECA students to have more time to focus on their customers. “I love helping people and being able
local establishments
to make a customer happy,” Mendoza said. “I honestly feel like it [my job] is what I’m good at.” The DECA program has helped students discover their strengths as well as helped them with challenging situations. “One morning I had to explain to them [the customers] that our system was down and we couldn’t take orders,” Bristol said. “It was stressful and really difficult, but it was an interesting experience.” Challenging and random experiences are ones that can help the student workers to move forward and learn different traits. “I’ve learned to control my attitude especially with the customers,” Whitfield said. “One time, this lady from France came in and I had to help her count American money.” The different circumstances help the students to move forward and help their different customers.“I like serving my customers and making sure they leave happy,” Bristol said. “That makes me feel well that I did my job and its just nice to have people being pleased with my service.” Making customers happy and pleasing them gives positive feedback to help with getting promotions. “I was extremely excited about the promotion due to the fact my manager gave me my keys and told me I deserved it,” Mendoza said. “Plus it was my birthday, so it just made it better.”
Queen poet
Senior’s poetry featured in book BY TYLER SNELL staff writer Pen and paper came together to make a poem that was featured in a fellow Texan’s poetry book. Chau Dong had her poetry published in the book, “Hometown, Texas: Young Poets & Artists Celebrate Their Roots,” written by Texas poet, Karla K. Morton. “I was really shocked when I found out that I was being featured,” senior Chau Dong said. “I found out when Tina Veal-Gooch told me just recently, two years after I wrote it.” The waiting period can be longer than anticipated for some. Dong was anticipating how she did all the way until her senior year. “I was entered in the contest during my freshman year, 2010,” Dong
said. “My English teacher, Mrs. Ray helped me with submitting my poetry.” Teachers help students with creating works that are well written. Sometimes students’ work is entered into contests and they win. “I was the only one to take the assignment seriously,” Dong said. “So, it was really nice to see that I won.” Winning the contest gave Dong inspiration to write more poetry. “I have a poetry book that I want to save and show to my future family,” Dong said. “I’ve written in it for the past four years.” Four years gave Chau time to watch everything that has happened in her life. Dong’s hometown has crime that helps her with creating the stories of her poems. “My inspiration comes from
PUBLISHED AUTHOR Relaxing on a couch in the library, senior Chau Dong looks at a book. Dong recently had one of her poems published in a poetry book, “Hometown Texas.” photo by s. rogers
the all of the unsolved mysteries in Texarkana,” Dong said. “I liked writing the poems and plan to continue writing.” Inspiration comes from life experiences for many poets. Dong uses the history of Texarkana to add to her poems. “I love the history and dark stuff about Texarkana like the Phantom
Killer,” Dong said. “It was still hard to write about the history and mystery.” The mystery in Dong’s life and town encourage her to continue with poetry. “I plan to continue writing poetry,” Dong said. “Living in a small town, my teachers and adults in my life inspire me with writing stories.”
“Hometown Texas: Young Poets and Artists Celebrate Their Roots” is an anthology of poetry and artwork by middle and high school students across Texas. The book was compiled by 2010 Texas Poet Laureate Karla K. Morton.
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tiger times dec. 17, 2013
HOW
LOUD IS TOO LOUD?
“WHILE THESE SIDE-EFFECTS MAY NOT INVOLVE TOTAL DEAFNESS, THEY MAY INCLUDE ISSUES THAT HAVE AN EQUAL OR GREATER DETRIMENT. IT ALL STARTS WITH DECIBELS.”
BY SELWIN GEORGE guest writer The general public may believe that hearing protection is only necessary for construction workers, musicians and mechanics. The unfortunate reality is that most people encounter sounds too harsh for their ears, perhaps even on a daily basis. Although no one will become completely deaf after listening to loud music for a short while, continuous exposure to loud sounds will cause hearing problems over time. While these side-effects may not involve total deafness, they may include issues that have an equal or greater detriment. It all starts with decibels. It is likely that the average person has used or heard of the decibel at some point. Put simply, it is a measure of the intensity of a vibration--how loud something is. But the decibel scale is a little more complex than it appears. The scale is built on the logarithmic function, with “0” representing the softest sound our ears can possibly hear. Essentially, 10 decibels is 10 times louder than zero, 20 is 100 times louder than zero, and 30 is 1000 times louder than zero. With this scale in mind, everyday sounds seem
SELWIN GEORGE, 11 photo illustration by s. steed
to be louder and are louder than we think. Sounds of 85 decibels and higher do cause small, but permanent, damage. Over time this accumulated damage can cause severe hearing damage. The two most common forms of hearing damage caused by exposure to loud sounds are equally devastating to the ears as they are to lifestyle. Tinnitus, more commonly known as “ringing in the ears,” can become so painful and loud that it can cause insomnia and inability
to engage in conversation. Inner ear damage involves the death of cells that hear certain pitches due to overexposure. This can also lead to inability to understand basic conversation. People diagnosed with either of the conditions are known for suffering from chronic depression. Thus, whether working with loud machinery, listening to loud music, participating in a concert or driving on the highway, one must be sure to wear those earplugs and protect those ears.
How Loud is Too Loud? Permanent Damage After 15 Minutes
Permanent Damage After 1 Hour Safe
0 Softest sound
60
90
85
Normal Heavy city conversation traffic
Power mower
100
110 115
Wood shop, Rock snowmobile concert
120
150
Stereo system Ambulance Firecracker at max level siren
Happy Holidays Enjoy the break. Check out tigertimesonline.com for more stories
tiger times dec. 17, 2013
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tiger times dec. 17, 2013
EDITORIAL
State debates future of Algebra II With the legislature deliberating on the curriculum of Texas high schools, role of Algebra II is uncertain
“A monthly cell phone plan charges $5 for the first 300 text messages used and $0.15 for each additional message. On this plan, what is the number of text messages that must be used in a month in order to make the average cost per message $0.05?” (Answer: 400) With curriculums being changed what seems like every year, students may feel as though they will be able to slack now and work later. However, this is not the case; otherwise, students may not be able to solve the above problem. Algebra II is currently being contested as lawmakers discuss the future of the class requirements to graduate. Next year’s seniors may only be required to have three math credits to graduate from high school, instead of the normal four. The bare bones math courses–Algebra I, Geometry and Math Models–would leave the average student unequipped to acquire anything close to a college degree. If the requirements were to be changed, we might will see a large amount of students taking the minimum route to avoid math. This would be catastrophic for high schools because students will not be able to be admitted into colleges and students will stop challenging themselves. Most high school students plan on attending college after their graduation, but this could become much harder on a student if they lack the foundation of Algebra II. College classes, such as precalculus and trigonometry, are almost impossible to understand without Algebra II because math requires multiple layers and skipping a layer is impossible. Also admittance into colleges requires four years of math credits, so graduating on this new three-credit plan will potentially disqualify the minimum-plan graduate from admittance into colleges. Algebra II should be taken allowing students to either graduate with a firm understanding of some advanced math or allow students to continue to succeed in college. Algebra II is even important for students not moving on to college. Math has, and will always be, about solving puzzles. In the
workforce, problem solving is key to not only the people in charge, but to the individual worker. Taking four years of math in high school will give students the resources they need to overcome problems in the workforce. Also, Algebra II gives students a good grip on simple equations and how they relate to real world concepts, such as the example given at the beginning of this editorial. These are real world equations that everyone will confront; therefore, there is no reason not teach everyone about them. From the demands of advance college-level math, to the personal demands of the workforce, algebra is everywhere. So two years should be dedicated to this common subject. Three years of math lacking Algebra II will never allow our workforce or our college students to succeed.
SPEAK OUT
Do you think taking Algebra II is important? “Depending on what your career goals are, you should decide whether or not to take it, because most will never use it.” Ryan Fant, 12 “Yes, because in careers like medicine and engineering, advanced mathematics is required.” Austin Ryden, 11
“Yes, if you’re going to be taking higher level math, which in college is required, you need the foundation of Algebra II.” Leah Crenshaw, 10
“No, most jobs do not require the foundation of Algebra II.” Jasmine Campbell, 9 “Yes, because most careers require higher math skills.” Alejandro Hernandez, 9
tiger times Texas High School 4001 Summerhill Rd. Texarkana, TX 75503 (903) 794-3891 Fax (903) 792-8971 The Tiger Times is a student-run publication. The contents and view are produced solely by the staff and do not represent the opinions of the faculty, administration or TISD board of directors. editors in chief Josh Klein, Taylor Potter, Sydney Schoen news editor Madeline Hunley viewpoint editor Amanda Hackleman feature editor Maggie Coleman sports editor Robert Hoover entertainment editors Caroline Purtle & DJ Mack advertising editor Adam Graves business manager Rachel Stuart photo editor Sydney Steed staff writers Olivia Corbett Daniela Correa Molly Crouch Conor Diggs Jessica Emerson Ben Gladney Anna Graves Abigail Hill Brad Lenaway Caroline May Kristin McCasland Brianna O’Shaughnessy Tyler Snell JB Wells Hannah Williams photographers Zach Baker Kelsi Brinkmeyer Carlie Clem Lauren Gibbert Paige Huddleston Sabrina Larson Alyssa Olade-Galvan Savannah Pritchard Faith Rhone Duchess Rogers Sara Rogers Josh Rostek Carli Sharp Bailey Vaughan advisers Rebecca Potter & Clint Smith principal Brad Bailey members ILPC, CSPA, NSPA The Tiger Times is the official student publication of Texas High School. The primary purpose is to inform the students of the school, while practicing the ethical canon of journalism. Letters to the editor may be dropped off in Room 50. Each letter must be signed and include the student’s grade. Letters are subject to editing. The Tiger Times also accepts advertising. Advertising is sold for $5 a column inch. All ads must be received at least two weeks prior to publication.
WHY I IDOLIZE ‘YEEZUS’
Reasoning behind the popularity of Kanye West Ambitious. Complex. Intelligent. Confident. Musical Mastermind. These are some of the key traits to Kanye West, who is a genius, evident in his last album “Yeezus.” I’ve always looked up to Kanye as one of my role models. I try my best to look at things and act toward situations like he would. With this being said, I am more confident, ambitious, complex, and already almost a genius. To tell the truth, Kanye was never expected to become a extremely successful person. Record executives and other people always talked down on him, made fun of his clothes and didn’t take him seriously at all, yet he still persevered to become a better rapper and ignored people Creative Commons who didn’t Kanye West believe
STAY FLY
CONOR DIGGS/staff writer in him. Him doing this shows me that no matter how many people get you down, or make you feel sad, it should not matter because haters only want to see you fail and not let you become as good as you can be. Additionally, the best thing about him is how he is the American Dream personified. I want to be able to jump on top of a stage to speak freely, poetically, complete nonsense, and inspiration, while hearing thunderous rounds of applause for my thoughts. It’s a really good feeling to know that people are listening to you and wanting to hear your voice. I want to be extremely successful with loads of money so that I can have a $500,000 car, with a multimillion dollar home, filled with expensive furniture, and a closet full
of the top clothing designs with a special section for my minks. It would also be great to have an awesome woman like Kim Kardashian to call mine. All of these luxuries motivate me to do well in school, get a good paying job, never give up, and live life to the fullest. If Kanye can do it, so can I. Not to mention Kanye West is just as popular as the Pope. It’s awesome that a man walking on Earth can be compared and contrasted to a higher authority. I guarantee that you could almost ask anybody around the world who Kanye West is and they would know it. Just like the Pope himself. Hopefully, I can be like him and be as cool and popular. That’s one of my key goals. I want to obtain all of the popularity he has. Henceforth, this is why I idolize him. I hope that my Vans will stay forever white, that when I walk in to school everybody knows I’m the man, that the swim team finds success, that my friends stay safe, that Orange Fanta is around forever, and that my swag will always be on indefinitely.
My experience as an inexperienced hot yogaist In the United States, it seems like people are always coming up with new ways to stay in shape. Over the years, I’ve learned that the majority of these methods won’t work and are just a way for companies to get lazy gullible people to spend their money. However, after the popularity surrounding hot yoga, I decided to try it myself. Hot yoga is the practice of yoga in a 100 plus degree room. I first heard of this new fitness craze during the summer and I have to admit that I initially thought it was pretty stupid. After all, we live in the south, somewhere where summer temperatures easily exceed 100 degrees daily. If you want to do free hot yoga class, just do it outside in the middle of the afternoon. However, after attending an actual hot yoga class for the purpose of writing this article, I have to say that I did have a slight change of opinion. Before this class, my limited experience with yoga consisted of 10
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CHLORINE IS MY PERFUME
KRISTIN MCCASLAND/staff writer minutes of Wii Fit approximately two years ago, so I had no idea what to expect as I walked into the 105 degree room. The room reminded me of a dance studio with a mirrored wall and a wooden floor; however, it had very low light. Just enough to see what was going on. It made me feel like no one was watching me or would notice if I made an utter fool of myself. Even though the lighting relaxed me a little, I was still prepared for 50 minutes of torture. I knew that you had to be somewhat flexible
to do yoga. I also knew that what little flexibility I had went out the window when I quit dance. However, the exercises that the instructor had us do focused more on strength than flexibility and I was able to do most of them without using the modifications for beginners. Afterward, I was completely disgusting and dripping with sweat, but I felt calm and relaxed. Overall, it was a surprisingly good experience and I would recommend that you try it at least once. Tip: If you decide to give hot yoga a try, bring your own yoga mat or a towel that you can put on the provided mats. The mats, having been used by many different people, smell slightly like my brother’s old socks and if you use them, you won’t smell any better. Enjoy! There are a couple of places in town for hot yoga. I went to TXK Yoga where classes were $7. Bimini Yoga has classes for the same price.
Success doesn’t always include college education Success is what every human-being strives for. No matter if it was a native from 300 BC to the entrepreneurs of the early 20th century, success is the predominant motivation of all people. The only thing different between these time periods MARCHING is the variable of THROUGH LIFE society. Instead of fighting for survival and honing the skills to hunt or farm, people of today’s society BRAD LENAWAY/staff writer now fight for the survival and success of their livelihood in a capital-driven economy. Instead of honing the skills to make a bow, hunt and gather food, people now must hone a different set of skills: those specifically associated with what is offered by colleges and universities. To graduate from a college or university is a great thing. It proves that a person provides a certain level of high intellect that is needed within society. What is good is that school districts and schools endorse college enrollments and help students get into college by offering guidance, college level classes, and even administrator mentors. However, the misconception painted by school districts is that without college, a person will never succeed in life. This is severely wrong and has probably done more harm than good by causing the crave for diversity to dwindle and the strive for greatness to disappear. I’m not the best test taker, and I’m not alone. Granted, that is a strange statement, but it is true. It is like preparing for a debate or audition, and everything studied for flies from the mind as nervousness and anxiety takes over. The same goes for tests. For example-- consider the ACT or SAT as a judge to a person’s livelihood, just as a Broadway casting director is the judge for the beginning of an actor’s star career. The feelings of anxiety are the same; however, the ACT and SAT are literally just tests, and nothing else. It does not decide who a person is, and it doesn’t decide what the person must do in life. Another crazy thing, it doesn’t even have to be taken to have a life. A person does not have to go to a large college or university to make a living. Investing into the skills already possessed, if other subjects seem too hard or impossible, is a legitimate and prosperous alternative. Now this has to be taken within reason, this is not a reason to skip or flunk a class. The point being made is that if a person is horrible at English or history, but is good at welding, mechanic work, or writing stories, he/ she should not be shunned and told that they cannot make a living because these ventures are “impractical”. A person can make a living from what is seen as impractical by society, and all of the mentors and advisers should continue helping those students, not just give up on them. Granted, there are impractical and far fetched ventures like trying to become a physicist overnight, but having a wish to become an actor is not impractical. The market is competitive and hard, but what actor or inventor made their fame and fortune by taking the easy route?
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tiger times dec. 17, 2013
Spread the awareness REQUIEMS FOR ROSES
Diseases other than breast cancer deserve same amount of recognition Pink. Pink ribbons. Pink gloves. Pink wigs. Everyone jumps at the chance to wear pink. It’s for a good cause. It really is. But is it the only good cause? Breast Cancer Awareness Month is by far the most celebrated disease awareness period. People run marathons for it. Dress up for it. Donate large sums of money. All in the name of discovering a cure and rightfully so. But amidst all the breast cancer festivities, we forget that it’s only a small portion of the world’s medical issues. Everyone knows about October being all about raising awareness for breast cancer. And, honestly, this disease probably merits a period of time dedicated to its diagnosis and prevention. It’s a serious issue. The problem arises when it begins to overshadow the other awareness events in this time frame. It’s also National Depression Month. It contains National Mental Health
TIGHT COVERAGE
TAYLOR POTTER/co-editor in chief
Awareness Week and National Bipolar Awareness Day. But breast cancer is the one everyone jumps on board for.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall wore green shoes in support of mental health awareness, he was fined $10,500 for a uniform violation. Marshall, who was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in 2011, was given the NFL’s blessing to wear the shoes as long as he was willing to pay the price. Of course, all of the money from on-field fines are donated to charity. But odds are, it’s not going to mental health
“Even the National Football League makes exceptions to its strict uniform policy so players can wear pink. But when Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall wore green shoes in support of mental health awareness, he was fined $10,500 for a uniform violation. “ Even the National Football League makes exceptions to its strict uniform policy so players can wear pink. But when
research. With all the public focus, one would think that breast cancer would be the deadliest form of
cancer. But lung cancer easily beats out breast cancer in terms of deadliness. But even so, breast cancer gets all the funding and support. Why? According to lymphoma survivor Jen Singer, it’s because “breasts are sexy.” To a point, this is true. With all the fun little campaigns such as “Save the Ta-Ta’s” and “I love boobies” going around, we can agree that it’s considered a little more sexy than some of the “less stylish” cancers. But breast cancer is still the second most common in women (after skin cancer) and killed about 207,000 people between 2003 and 2007. It’s still a big deal and deserves a significant portion of funding and support. But it shouldn’t be held as above all other diseases. Breast cancer survivors should not be more respected than those who survive lymphoma or rectal cancer. Diseases are diseases. Survivors are survivors. Let’s just keep it at that.
DEADLIEST CANCERS 47.9
Lung & bronchus
21.9 Female breast 21.8 Prostate 15.5 Colon & rectum 11 Pancreas 7.8 Ovary 6.9 Leukemias 6.1 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 5.9 Liver & Intrahepatic Bile Duct 4.5 Corpus & Uterus Statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Rates per 100,000 persons for males and females of all races in 2010.
5 MUST-HAVES FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER
THE 1
Welch’s Red & White Sparkling Cocktail
Get ready to pop open one of these bad boys for the holiday season. Welch’s Red and White Cocktail are both non-alcoholic drinks that the whole family can enjoy. You can pick up a bottle of this fun drink at Albertsons for $2.97.
LIST 2
December Must-See Movies
This month has some good must-see movies. Some of these come out Christmas Day, so if you’re looking for something to do, check these out.The most hyped are “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” out Dec. 18, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” out Christmas Day, and “Labor Day,” also out Christmas Day.
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Watching the Ball Drop
Compiled by Conor Diggs
There’s nothing more festive than watching the ball drop in Time Square on New Year’s Eve. Gather around friends and family and take part in the final countdown to the new year. Watch it drop on NBC Channel 6.
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Christmas Lights and Trees
X-box 1 or Playstation 4
Get ready to choose a side this Christmas when you put one of these on your wish list. Either pick the X-box One, around $499, and support Microsoft in its campaign to be on the top of the ladder, or purchase Sony’s Ps4, around $399 and up, and support their claim to be the best console ever.
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It’s that time of the year again. Houses will be adorned with beautiful lights and decorations outside to make them look amazing. But don’t forget the perfect tree. Head over to the Evergreen Christmas Tree Farm in Pleasant Grove (6702 Richmond Road) for some of the best trees in Texarkana.
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“I want him to impersonate Mrs. [Cedina] Campbell because I want ‘her’ to have to say things like, ‘[Mr. Kyles] is a better teacher,’ and, ‘I love the Cowboys.’” Lance Kyles, history teacher
“While I am a ‘National Treasure’ fan, Nic Cage seems to be kind of nuts in real life. So I’m sure Andrew’s impression of “I think that he is diametrically him would be hysterical.” opposed, politically, to President Ben Norton, 12 Obama, so I’d like to see his take on the president.” Chuck Zach, history teacher
photo by j. rostek
“I want him to impersonate [senior] Dawson McGonagill because then it’d be even harder to tell them apart.” Linda Teeters, math teacher
photo by s. steed
Praising the overachievers is overrated. So here’s to the class clown. Graduating in June, class clown and senior Andrew LeGrand will leave behind a legacy of, self-proclaimedly, “blessing” TISD with his impersonations, freestyle, and dance moves. “There’s a time to be serious, and there’s a time to be funny. And most of the time, it’s funny time,” LeGrand said. “When I was in fourth grade, I used to ride the football bus with my dad, and listen to all the football players rap. They would start letting me rap with them, and then I just got really good. I started doing impressions with Coach [Scott] Mennie since he was our coach on the football team. During practice, when we were all on the struggle bus, it made it really funny to mess with him. I would say I got my dance skills from Jesus, but some of the dance moves I do, Jesus wouldn’t approve of. [Probably] Magic Mike and middle school dances.” A class clown by nature, LeGrand still maintains academic success, retaining an almost perfect GPA. Understanding the importance of his future, he balances his jokes with books. “I think he’s actually a very serious student,” history teacher Chuck Zach said. “He takes his schoolwork seriously, but he enjoys having fun while he’s doing it. I think it’s a healthy, refreshing outlook that he
has. He doesn’t have to be so serious that he stresses himself out; he’s not so class clown-y that he fails his classes. I think he’s got a great balance between the two.” The paradox of juggling both academics and humor is noted by more than just teachers. Normally surrounded by monotonous, note-taking students in accelerated classes, LeGrand offers relief to a normally routine ordeal. “I think Andrew’s so funny just because he can do the absolute best impressions of people, and he can do the most random and crazy things when you least expect it,” senior Ben Norton said. “I guarantee that you could go all the way to India, and you still couldn’t find a better belly dancer than him. He could imitate any one of our new teachers this year within the first two weeks of school. Senior Assembly may need to be a ‘one man show’ this year with him doing every skit.” The blatantness of his impersonations should not be confused with hatred, LeGrand emphasizes. Rather, it’s all in the name of making something that’s mandatory feel more compelling. “I don’t impersonate people because I don’t like them; it’s just because it makes people laugh,” LeGrand said. “I’m just embellishing the characteristics that students see, especially the ones that students see in teachers. That’s why all the students and faculty get ‘it.’ It’s not making fun of anybody; it’s just making school more fun. Which is what I’m here to do.”
mo ns
BY SYDNEY SCHOEN co-editor in chief
photo b y j. k lein
Senior balances impersonations with schoolwork
credit: Creative Com mo ns
credit: Creative Co m
Ode to the class clown
“I would love for him to mock me, honestly.” Madeleine Pellegrin, 12 photo by l. gibbert
ABursey-Reece beautiful mind shares his opinions on life BY ROBERT HOOVER sports editor
photo by j. rostek
In the halls of the school, you might catch a glimpse of him if you are lucky. As a senior, Bursey-Reece has had time to formulate many opinions on various topics. Bursey-Reece is, according to friends, a modern day philosopher. He is observant and not one to miss details. His eyes see all, which gives him the right to declare the appearance of anything he sees fit.
On his celebrity crush “My celebrity crush is Emma Watson, because she’s pretty and classy. She also has the whole British accent which is nice. I would marry her if I could.”
On the mascot “Our tiger mascot is too cliche. A lot of schools have big cats for mascots. Liberty Eylau has a leopard, and then you have Wildcats and panthers. It’s not really original. We should have a tree or something.”
On his own sitcom “If my life was a sitcom, I would want to be in ‘The Proud Family.’ My life would never be boring, because you’ve got Oscar who’s really crazy and the mom who tries to keep everything together. It just doesn’t get better than that.”
On his doppelganger “Childish Gambino would be my doppelganger if I grew my afro out a little more and had a slightly bigger nose. As of right now, he isn’t.”
tiger times dec. 17, 2013
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THE LAND OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES? America has long been known as the country of freedom, equality and acceptance. However, minority groups within the country have been stereotyped and discriminated against for years. This has led to the degradation of others based solely on their age, gender, race and/or sexuality.
AGE IS BUT A NUMBER
Sophomore advocates for gender equality, respect from peers BY MOLLY CROUCH staff writer
Junior argues young age shouldn’t be associated with immaturity
Clean the house. Watch the kids. Cook the food. Do the laundry. That is “women’s work.” Go to work. Make the money. Pay the bills. That is “men’s work.” Many people preach of equal rights and the famous “We can do it!” campaign, but there are still women being put second just because of their gender. “I know that there are a lot of sexist men that believe they are superior to women,” sophomore Logan Smith said. “If you put a woman in a man’s job like welding or carpentry, we can do it just the same, if not better.” When given the opportunity, women have risen to the occasion. They’ve proven themselves just as sufficient as men. “Men do think that they are better than women, and that they can do everything better,” said Smith. “I think that
BY MADELINE HUNLEY news editor
There are many things that limit us from achieving our goals. Race, gender, sexuality, and age all play an important role in discovering who we are and what our purpose in life means. Whether the purpose is to support your family or make something out of yourself, these expectations can be altered just because of an age, race, gender, or sexuality issue. Applying for a job can be difficult to some due to the absence of valid identification or a flaw in the hours one was asked to work. Although these small problems can be fixed in a short amount of time, age is something that cannot. Junior Kiarra Bagsby is one of the many people who was denied a job opportunity because of her age. “I applied for a job and was told that the only way I could get it was if I had a permit,” Bagsby said. “After months, I finally got a permit, but ended up not getting the job. I wish they would have just told me I couldn’t have the job because of my age instead of making me wait and putting so much effort into it.” Family, being one of the most important priorities to Bagsby, is one of the main
photo by s. steed
GETTING OUT OF THE KITCHEN
photo by s. steed
reasons why she applied for a job at such a young age. The money acquired could make a huge difference for her family and take the stress off of her shoulders. “At the time, my family really needed help, and I wouldn’t be able to get [a job] because of my age,” Bagsby said. “It was kind of expected because I know some jobs don’t hire until a certain age.” It has been over a year now, and Bagsby is currently working a job that provides reasonable hours and a good wage to help her family and herself. After going through the trouble to attain this job, Kiarra feels some issues, other than applying for a job, are unfair when it comes to age. “I think it’s unfair how when we go to the movies, we have to pay the adult ticket because of our age, even though we can’t see the adult movie,” Bagsby said. “We pay the exact same as the adults and are limited to our movie choice.”
TO READ ABOUT JUNIOR JESSI CHAPMAN’S STORY OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUALITY, SCAN THE QR CODE. photo by s. steed
women have showed their strength, and I would just go into anything, and show them that you can do it––just so that they would give you a chance.” To most women, society has pricked and prodded at the image of the perfect woman, and they seem to have come close to perfect with Hollywood actresses. “I think that society has thought of what women should look like, and then they use Hollywood films to do that because we go into the theaters and say, ‘I want to look exactly like that!’ We model ourselves after that person when we can’t,” Smith said. “Society has definitely played a huge role in Hollywood, and in turn, Hollywood has played a huge [role] in women’s [lives].” From the hottest fashion to the newest hairdo and prettiest makeup, Hollywood’s actresses play not only roles in money-making movies, but also roles in the lives of many women today. “Jennifer Lawrence once said that she wasn’t going to starve herself for the role of Katniss. She wanted girls to go in the theaters and say, ‘I want to be like Katniss,’ but she didn’t want them starving themselves to do it,” Smith said. “That’s why she’s a role model for me because she’s not going to not eat to look perfect for a role, but she’s going to do everything she can to still fit the role and still be a good role model for girls.” Women may have been previously suppressed to only gathering and weaving, to housework and childcare, but women are no longer viewed that way. Women may have earned the right to vote in 1920, but the struggle for true equality is still waging today. “I think women should try to be everything they want to be, no matter what men or anyone else says,” Smith said. “We should just be ourselves, and not try to fit what other people [think we] should be.”
READY TO BREAK THE MOLD Sophomore doesn’t let race define her BY MAGGIE COLEMAN feature editor
It’s a part of history. The endless judgement of race if you’re not the stereotypical white man has paved its path throughout the years. From the beginning of the slave trade, to the Civil Rights movement in the ‘60s, race has been defined people in American society, no matter how big or small its role is. Racism might not be as big in the current century, but for some people, they know it’s still with us today. Sophomore Ahja Cherry has dealt with the stereotype for as long as she can remember. It’s become a part of how some people are defined, but Cherry is determined to not let that be a part of who she is. “People aren’t [all] racist, but it’s always in the back of their mind,” Cherry said. “Stereotypes are so real sometimes. I hate the common stereotypes. I mean they can be true, but there’s exceptions to every rule.” Although Cherry tries her best to break the stereotype, she finds it hard to change
people’s minds about how they originally view her. She has to go above and beyond to try to prove people wrong. “I feel like people don’t give me a chance because I’m black,” Cherry said. “I feel like I have to push myself more to prove that I’m not like the rest of ‘them.’” The past can’t be forgotten, nor can it be changed, but Cherry realizes the feat she’ll have to overcome to break the common misconception. “I wish that it really didn’t matter,” Cherry said. “But based on history and what people have done, you can’t shake the things that happened in the past. If you’re Islamic, you can’t shake the mold. I can’t shake the mold of black people, but I can try.” Cherry’s had her own share of denial due to whatever makes her “different.” She sees past the differences that set people apart. “I went into Family Dollar, and they told me that they didn’t have a job for my kind,” Cherry said. “I don’t know what they really meant––if they meant woman or black. I was just upset, so I left. I don’t really fit in with anybody. I don’t act like these people. I don’t look like these people. I mean I don’t see color. I see people. I have no malice in my heart. I just want to help, and if you ask me to do anything for you, I will go above and beyond. I see past all of this.” Cherry’s plans for the future are to change people’s misconceptions, and while she understands the difficulty, she knows she can achieve her ultimate goals. “I’m not going to put myself in that situation for somebody to say, ‘Oh, she’s just doing that because she’s black,’” Cherry said. “I do it because I’m a good person. I do it because I’m smart, and because I have my stuff together. I want it to be, ‘She’s smart because she’s smart.’ I’m good because I’m good. I’m black because I’m black. I’m not bad because I’m black.”
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tiger times dec. 17, 2013
Christmas: Just Like Home
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Foreign exchange students share personal holiday experience
Ann Jan. 7. Christmas is not as important as “In my country, we have Christmas on
Outi
New Year’s in Russia, and that is why we do it before. We still put up a tree and all that, but we don’t put up stockings. It will be different here in America without my family. We will eat different food here. I’m very excited to spend Christmas with my host family because I think of them as my second family.” Ann Kharlamova, 11
“During Christmas time, I spend time with my family mostly. Christmas is on Dec. 24, so it’s a little different than here. We go to the forest and chop down our own Christmas tree, then decorate it. Santa Claus comes and gives us personalized presents. Things are a little different than here in the United States. In Finland, we have a lot of snow. That will be the main thing in that is different.” Outi Juruaven, 11
Frankie “In Thailand, we do Christmas almost the same way. My parents decorate the house and put up the tree. The day before Christmas we go to school, but we don’t have class. We get to eat and play games all day. The holidays will be different here in America. My host mom reads us a story a day for the month of December, and that is something new to me. I also hope to see snow for the first time. It does not snow in my country, and I will not get to see it again for a long time.” Frankie Tirasuwannasuk, 11
Caspar
BY ADAM GRAVES advertising editor
READY FOR THE FUTURE In her choir class, senior Emily Orr interacts with her classmates. Orr plans to attend Texarkana College after graduation. photo by c. sharp
MOVING FORWARD
Senior makes plans to attend college
photos by l. gibbert
BY TAYLOR POTTER co-editor in chief For her, high school isn’t the end of the road. No, high school has only been part of her journey. The hours spent cooking, checking out social media and vacationing in Colorado during high school were great. The hours spent recovering and overcoming were hard. But it’s all in the past. Now, it is time to look to the future. And for her, that means getting set for college. Senior Emily Orr was born with cerebral palsy, which came as a result of the umbilical cord being wrapped around her neck four times. Her brain lost oxygen during the birth process. “Cerebral palsy doesn’t shorten my life span, and my condition will not get worse,” Orr said. “I can’t walk or use one of my arms.” But despite her hardships, Orr has been focused on going to college to study graphic design and where she will work afterward. “I plan to go to Texarkana College,” Orr said. “I want to work for my dad at Orr Chevrolet and my mom at Four States Living Magazine.” Throughout her high school career, Orr has managed to keep a positive outlook. But there have been some disheartening and difficult times. “I had surgery on my arm that doesn’t really work,” Orr said. “They broke my right
“We basically do Christmas the same way in my [Denmark]; we put up a tree and everything. This year in America will be different, because of the food, but I’m happy I don’t have to hear my mom ramble on about stuff.” Caspar Hinrup, 11
arm, put pins and a plate in and I was in a cast for a long time. It bothered me all the time. I had to take medicine constantly for the pain.” But she wouldn’t have been able to overcome her challenges if it weren’t for the help of two important people in her life. “My mom works hard to make my life better,” Orr said. “My aide, Ms. Miller, has helped me do so many things that I can’t do alone. She is a great woman and she cares about me and takes care of me.” The help her aide, Vivian Miller, has provided won’t stop after high school. She plans to continue assisting Orr through college. “I hope Ms. Miller will always be a part of my life,” Orr said. “I know she will have a good impact on me in the future.” In addition to the support from her family and her aide, Emily will be getting a new type of help through a service dog in July. “I really look forward to getting my assistance dog, Miss Pip,” Orr said. “I feel like it’s going to help me a lot to be more independent and keep me going.” Having overcome so many challenges of her own, Orr offers advice to others who may also be dealing with serious problems. “Keep your head up and do what you can to stay out of trouble,” Orr said. “Be positive because some people have it a lot harder than you do.”
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sports
tiger times dec. 17, 2013
BY DJ MACK
co-entertainment editor
WITH DISTRICT PLAY QUICKLY APPROACHING, THE VARSITY BOYS’ BASKETBALL TEAM IS LOOKING TO BEAT THOSE TEAMS THAT GOT THE BEST OF THEM LAST YEAR. THEY ARE
Senior Darian Kidd looks for a teammate across the court in the game against Paris. photo by c. clem
OUT FOR REVENGE “I’m not the most athletic person but when it comes down to it, I’m pretty good at passing, so it just comes naturally to me. I’ve played basketball almost all of my life so it’s just like tying my shoes.” Gage Martin, 11
After getting past the defender, senior Taylor Jackson goes up for a layup against Paris. “We won this game by 30,” Jackson said. “I got a great rebound, followed by a score. This season will be good because we’re coming together as a team.” photo by z. baker Senior Success Blevins looks for a lane during a match against Paris. “I was bringing the ball down the court moving toward the goal,” Blevins said. “This year will be good because of our fast break up and down the court.” photo by z. baker
The Tigers are back again and are eager to prove that they have what it takes to earn the title of best in the ArkLaTex. The boys varsity basketball team has began playing their new season and is now determined to show everyone that their loss to Marshall and Hallsville last year was a fluke. “We lost because we didn’t have a lot of chemistry, it was like single player,” senior shooting guard Jamal Ray said. “Now, we’ve got a lot of chemistry because most of the team is seniors, we got our chemistry back, so I think we’ll do good.” With the team’s miscommunication problem fixed and new respect for each other’s abilities, the boys varsity basketball team feels stronger than ever. “I mean whatever we have to do to succeed. First we’re gonna win district this year, I know it, I’m gonna claim it already,” senior guard Telvin James said. “We’re gonna make it far in the playoffs. We will have a winning season.” The team is led by coach Jacob Skinner who has high hopes for the season and good expectations for the players. “I think we’ve got a chance to be a pretty good ball club, we’ve got a good group, a lot of seniors, some guys who have played varsity for awhile,” Skinner said. “We’ve got a chance to win a district championship and go a lot farther than that if we get everyone on the same page and we continue to improve like we have since the last month we started before school practice.” The team is taking precautions during their strenuous practices to make sure that every possible roadblock to success is removed. “The obstacles we may face are if people fall out, they don’t know their role, because we don’t want this person to do everything and make him feel like he is the team,” senior shooting guard Darian Kidd said. “I know what I have to do. Jamal knows what he has to do. Success [Blevins] knows what he has to do. Jackson knows what he has to do.” Not only does the team have new found confidence since last season, they also have a new reason to give it their all this season after their loss to Whitehouse. “Losing to Whitehouse showed us that we still need to work on working together as a team,” senior Taylor Jackson said. “We’re gonna shake this off and push forward. We’re gonna win next time around.”
“I’m very confident but I know that I have to stay humble at the same time because I know that there are other people out there who are better than me, so I just go out there and give it my best.” Donovan Davis, 12
“I bring a really good element to the team. I have confidence in myself, but I believe there is always room for more improvement. We work hard and our efforts are going to show for it.” Telvin James, 12
“I believe I’m on the same level as everyone else on the team. I know we’re gonna win, and we’re gonna go all the way.” Taylor Jackson, 12
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My Brother, My Idol BY MAGGIE COLEMAN feature editor It was a typical night. Junior Jarion Anderson and his brother, Texas High alumni Joe Anderson, were lying on the bed watching the NFL 2012 draft. The draft came to an end when Joe got a call. It wasn’t a recognized number, but when Joe answered, he realized it was a call to play for the Chicago Bears. Due to the fact that he wasn’t selected during the draft, he became a free agent, and this call has been been a blessing to more than just Joe. Jarion has seen Joe’s college life as motivation to be the best. Joe graduated Texas High and decided to attend Louisiana Tech. When things didn’t go as planned, he transferred to Texas Southern, a division one college
PUSH IT TO THE LIMIT Junior wide receiver Jarion Anderson kneeling on the sidelines. photo by c. sharp
in Houston, Texas. “He’s shown me that it doesn’t matter what school you go to,” Jarion said. “It’s what you do at that school, and him coming from a small college just motivates me to work harder and to work every day to get better and better.” Jarion uses his brother as determination to do even better. He strives to exceed what Joe did in order to push himself as hard as he can go. “I look up to him,” Jarion said. “But then again I don’t because I want to be better than him.” His family has been there through everything and is just another reason to do the best he can in order to go to the highest level. “Just seeing them smile and seeing them stay strong makes
Brother’s success pushes junior to achieve want to work harder,” Jarion said. “Everything they do for me, I owe them a lot. Hopefully one day I can pay them back.” Jarion has high hopes for next season since it’ll be his last. He wants to make his brother proud and do what God has planned out for him. “Next season, I’m going to break my brothers record, get over 1,000 receiving yards, get past the first round of the playoffs and hopefully win district again,” Jarion said. “I need to be a leader in the team and just motivate everybody to make sure they do their job because we have to regroup. We have a lot of people coming from JV. As me being on varsity for three years, I feel like I’m a leader of this team, and I have to lead them in the right direction.”
SWINGING TOWARD STATE BY HANNAH WILLIAMS staff writer The golf team is making history. The boys’ team is currently ranked No. 5 in the state, while the girls’ team is ranked No. 7. “I think it’s pretty awesome,” coach Jay Brewer said. “Most of the teams that we’re going against are from Dallas and Houston. Now, we are getting extra recognition and have a higher ranking.” This fall the boys’ team played three tournaments, had two wins and placed second in the third tournament. “We played well during the [our last] tournament, and we ended up winning the tournament over Highland Park,” sophomore Grayson Jones said. “Of course, there is room for improvement. Everyone did really well that
EYES ON THE PRIZE Junior Russell Thomas lines up his shot at the Tiger Golf Classic. The boys’ team is currently ranked No. 5 in the state. photo by c. sharp
Top-ranked teams prepare for spring season weekend, but with us beating Highland Park, that will motivate us to improve even more.” Junior Russell Thomas agreed that there is room for improvement. “As a team, we did well. We left a couple of shots out there, but we still performed great,” Thomas said. “We all could have improved somewhere, but everyone did great. In golf, there is always room for improvement. No matter what, you can always do better.” The girls also performed well during their tournament a few weeks later. “As a whole team, we did good.
We definitely could have done better,” senior Kamron Westbrook said. “The first day was worse than the second day because the scores were high.” Though the tournament was a good experience, the girls recognize that there is room for improvement. “We have lots of room for improvement, but we are pleased with the outcome. We got third overall, and the team that beat us is a 5A team, who got second place and there is also a 4A team that wins state almost every year,” Westbrook said “This time, they won first place overall. With that,
we are going to be able to take our what need to improve on and hopefully progress to be able to move onto state.” Brewer said the girls’ team has a tough spring season coming up. “They should be ranked higher for as hard as they practice,” Brewer said. “We probably should end up beating the teams ranked higher than us right now.” With a successful fall season wrapped up, Brewer said they will be determined to do even better in the spring. “If both teams play well, we will qualify for state,” Brewer said, “which would be awesome.”
EASY DOES IT Junior Emma Edwards sinks a put. ”This was one of the best tournaments, although my putting hurt me a lot both days.” photo by a olalde-galvan
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Lassoed into life
Lady Tigersharks give up shaving
Junior born into family of die-hard Dallas Cowboys
For the average non-swimmer, No Shave November may seem like a feeble excuse for men and women across the nation to release their “inner caveman.” For the Lady Tigersharks, however, No Shave November serves an important function. “You get used to the pull of the hair when you swim,” senior swim captain Madeleine Pellegrin said. “ And when you take the hair away, suddenly it removes the pull and makes you feel faster and slick.” To be at their fastest, the Lady Tigersharks won’t be shaving their legs until their Regionals meet in February. “It’s mostly mental,” junior Genesis Vega said. “The difference may only be tenths of a second, but when you dive into the water after you shave, it makes you feel unbeatable.” Since the Lady Tigersharks don’t shave their legs for four months, shaving at Regionals can be quite the ordeal. “We have shaving parties at the hotel,” senior Katelyn Dobbins said. “It’s just a bunch of swim girls with endless amounts of shaving cream and razors sitting in the floor, shaving and talking.”
There are many things that grow on people once they are surrounded by this thing for a long period of time. In my case, the colors of a team that my family seems to live off of every Sunday. The Dallas Cowboys. Navy blue and white seem to be a color scheme around my house whenever the Cowboys play on a calm Sunday afternoon or evening. But when I say calm, I mean completely out of control and crazy. Yelling at the television or screaming at Romo to pass the ball are comments that I have gotten used to over the years. Let’s just say my spirit is nothing like my parents whenever a game comes around. Drastic measures have been taken in order for my family to show their overwhelming love for the Cowboys. A few years ago, they came to a conclusion to name my new dog, Tony. You guessed it, after Tony Romo. My first reaction to this decision came
UACCH
BY KRISTIN MCCLASLAND staff writer
MADELINE HUNLEY/news editor across as relaxed and calm, but inside, I knew this was not the smartest path to take. Losing a game leads to my family calling my dog by the name of “Pup” or “Dog” because they feel it is unnecessary to refer to him as Tony after the quarterback who may or may not caused the loss. In 2010, the Texas Stadium, where the home Cowboys games were presented, was demolished by a controlled explosion in order to build a better and more improved stadium. A few seats were saved from the explosion and were put on sale for the public. Two of those seats are currently sitting in my house as a little reminder of how much my family loves the Dallas Cowboys. I support the Dallas Cowboys as much as I can throughout the season, but nothing will ever amount to the spirit that comes from my parents. This team has grown on me over the years and I will always remember them as the No. 1 team in my parents’ heart.
HAIR-RAISING EXCITEMENT Members of the girls’ swim team gather for a photo with their latest trophy. In order to increase their times, the girls won’t be shaving their legs until February. photo by c. clem
The upperclassmen may be accustomed to this strange tradition, but some of the new swimmers were reluctant to join in. “I thought [No Shave November] was a trick the seniors were playing on us,” freshman Linley Murdock said, “I was really surprised when no one was actually shaving.” As No Shave November comes to an end and others start to pick up their razors, the Lady Tigersharks will still have three long months of self restraint before they can shave. “During No Shave November, guys always grow out their facial hair,” Vega said. “But it takes power for a girl to grow out her leg hair for four months.”
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The Jo-Bros are No-Mo
jonasbrothers.com
tiger times dec. 17, 2013
Boy band break-up leaves some burnin’ up BY ANNA GRAVES staff writer The news that has fan girls burning up. On October 3, the beautiful brothers, Nick, Joe and Kevin confirmed that their band The Jonas Brothers had split. “I feel like they were a part of my childhood,” sophomore Anna Catherine Boudreaux said. “Now that they’ve broken up, I’m realizing that I’m being pushed further and further into not being a kid anymore.” The brothers claimed that their music career was interfering with their family life. Although it took some time for the boys to admit it to each other, their decision to split was unanimous. They once dreamed of the day when the songs that they played would blast through the speakers in your car. But at the end of the day, they had to keep it real. “We’re choosing our family, because it was becoming toxic,” Kevin Jonas said to People magazine. “It was the most real, the most intense conversation that we’ve had in our lives together.” They know they can get a little crazy, and they know they can get a little loud. And they’ve always accepted that. That’s just the way they rolled. But now, they’re grown up. Kevin, the oldest, is starting a family, and the three brothers each have different opinions on
WRECKING BALL
DOLL
“At first it starts out as just a little headshot and I’m thinking this is going to be good, you know because she is just starting to cry and then it’s like boom! And it’s just her naked on a wrecking ball, and I was just like, ‘what is going on right now?’ No one ever saw it coming. It wasn’t wrong. I mean in a lot of people’s eyes it was, but it was a statement nonetheless. It was funny.” Lydia Walker, 12
“I saw the music video for ‘We Can’t Stop.’ It had the doll in it she was kissing. It was very disgusting. It was inappropriate and she just kind of crossed the line of what is OK and what is not. It was not OK to pretend that a doll was her ex-boyfriend. It just wasn’t good for her image and she should not have done it. It runined her even more than what she already had.”
SLEDGEHAMMER
ROBIN THICKE
“I don’t hate her. She has some OK songs, but I just don’t understand the ‘Wrecking Ball’ video. What is the point of licking a sledgehammer? Doesn’t that taste bad? Can’t she keep her clothes on? Her music is OK enough without needing some other form of attention.”
“I felt like it was appropriate for the club, but not for public television. It violated Robin Thicke’s manhood. It was kind of weird and kind of creeped me out. I didn’t think it was necessary for that to happen. Watching the music videos of dancing teddy bears and stuff was really weird.”
Tyler Bewley, 10
Carson Jones, 9
where they want their career to go. Calling it quits was the only way to save their personal relationship. “The Jonas Brothers were brothers just like any other family,” sophomore Nick Kelly said. “They all had the same passion of making music. In doing so, they created a lot of memories. Now that they’re apart I think it’s devastating for the Jonas’ [family], and hopefully they get back together.” While some fans are still trying to get over the fact that their number one childhood band is no more, some fans stay partial to their favorite. “Well I only like Nick,” sophomore Kip Williams said. “So as long as he does good in life, I don’t really care.” The Jonas Brothers made quite an impact on many young lives. For those more in touch with JB, coping with the big news has been more a struggle. I went into a short term depression,” junior Lauren Gibbert said. “I locked myself in my room and listened to their songs all day. I mean, what is life without The Jonas Brothers?” For the die hard fans of the Jonas Brothers, this tragedy is a S.O.S. Jo-Bro fans across the nation are blasting old albums, wiping their tears and trying to stay positive. Because after all, when it falls apart, you’re feeling lost and all your hope is gone, don’t forget to hold on.
Miley wrecked them all BY OLIVIA CORBETT staff writer From wrecking balls to teddy bears, there is no object safe from the elusive, twerky when threatened, possibly lick granuloma covered, Miley Cyrus. As her pent-up celebrity angst grows, so does her list of victims, who have remained silent about the incidents. It is not yet clear whether this is because of a post traumatic stress induced mutism, or if perhaps...they fear yet another attack.
Kallie Phillips, 11
FOAM FINGER
GIANT TEDDY BEAR
“Ewe, it was very inappropriate. She shouldn’t be doing that in public. There’s kids out there. She was wiping her butt with the foam finger and twerking on it. Why was she doing that?”
“I think that Miley Cyrus opened a creative gate when she cam out of the giant teddy bear. she basically broke boundries for the generations to come on pop culture. She took the world by a storm”
K’tianna Davis, 12
Kiari Walker, 12
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HILLARY VS. ROSIE The evolution of feminism personified in icons BY SYDNEY SCHOEN co-editor and chief Either depicted as a power hungry woman in a pantsuit who ain’t got no time for a man, or as a hairy, unhygienic girl who just wants to be one of the “bros,” self-proclaimed feminists capture a bad rep. But women have come a long way from Little House on the Prairie days. Feminism is simply a way of celebrating advances and idealizing that gender equality isn’t just a dream, but a right. Generally speaking, women have changed their perception of happiness. Independence is now synonymous with euphoria. Gone are the days when women were forced to rely on marriage to a man for a successful life. Now, we may love ‘em, but we don’t need ‘em. To depict the evolution of feminism, we present to you feminism in its most blatant forms: Rosie versus Hillary.
ROSIE THE RIVETER
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON THIS PANTSUITWEARING POTENTIAL 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE LOVES WORK, HER FAMILY AND THE U.S.A. THERE’S LITTLE LEFT TO WANT.
Despite your political affiliation, Hillary Clinton personifies new age feminism. She goes after what she wants. This pantsuit-wearing potential 2016 presidential candidate loves work, her family and the U.S.A. There’s little left to want.
Rosie the Riveter, the woman depicted in the iconic ‘40s war poster, embodied the transformation of a housewife to a working woman. As one of the first feminist icons and with the poster’s popularization in the ‘80s, it’s hard to make a case against “her.”
PROS: Can I mention pantsuits again? I love her pantsuits. I love them because they marginalize the differences between men and women in the workplace. She wears little makeup, proving that you don’t have to be “done up” to be taken seriously as a professional. She is also known as Hillary Rodham Clinton; the use of her maiden name is uber feminist. Plus, her political success without the aid of her husband or without letting his scandal be her downfall, gives her major womanhood points. You go, Hillary Rodham Clinton!
PROS: The visibly physically strong woman illustrates that women are just as capable as men in the workplace, especially given the shortage of them in context. Proudly proclaiming that “we can do it,” Rosie epitomizes the sisterhood amongst Those With The Mood Swings. We may fight over hearsay (see Sharkeisha), but if one of us is wronged, we’ve all been done wrong. CONS: Despite the call to action this poster presents, Rosie’s downfall is her face. While depicting a strong woman, she also displays that despite having strength, you still have to wear eyeliner. With a face full of makeup and a red rag with polka dots, Rosie presents a woman who improbably has to be cute to be awesome.
CONS: OK, I’m going to have to go there. It didn’t aid to the sisterhood to have Rodham Clinton stand by her admittedly unfaithful husband. While not letting it hinder her professionally, it’s upsetting to know she didn’t seek total independence. She is choosing to remain a wifey.
ROSIE EPITOMIZES THE SISTERHOOD AMONGST ‘THOSE WITH THE MOOD SWINGS.’ WE MAY FIGHT OVER HEARSAY (SEE SHARKEISHA), BUT IF ONE OF US IS WRONGED, WE’VE ALL BEEN DONE WRONG.
Artist gets young start, creates images reminiscent of the past BY ABIGAIL HILL staff writer
Featured Ar
tist
- Za ch
Po
ll we
Junior Zach Powell has been drawing since he could remember, doodling his way through elementary school and into the start of highschool. In his latest years, sketches have a psychedelic style with common themes. Usually incorporating music, celestial scenes, or expression of his point of view of government. “My work usually looks like it could be a concert poster from the ‘60s or ‘70s,” Powell said. “The whole world is art. There’s no
definition of beauty because everyone has an opinion. That’s what art is to me––my opinion on the things that fall in my head. I just draw what I think.” Peace, hope, sparks of color, music, spiritual scenes, etc., the list goes on and on. “You can’t really care what people think; I mean, there’s always somebody who [isn’t] going to like you somewhere,” Powell said. “I can’t impress everyone, so why not impress myself?” And that’s exactly what Powell does. So keep your eyes peeled for rad pictures and artists like Powell.
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tiger times dec. 17, 2013 know what you’re going to get.” And unfortunately, Jenny gets Zombie AIDS from reusing needles.
Titanic
MOVIE MAKEOVERS WITH UNDEAD
Genres clash as cinema characters take on zombie apocalypse BY JOSH KLEIN co-editor and chief
All truly great movies have at least one of three cinematic elements in them: explosions, spaceships and zombies. By adding one of these to any movie, the entertainment value is increased exponentially. There is no movie that wouldn’t be improved with the introduction of zombies. From romantic comedies to historical documentaries, the addition of flesh eating beasts would change a film from box office flop into
an Academy Award winning blockbuster. Hollywood take notes, as we at the TigerTimes alter history, rewriting the cinema classics to include zombies.
Forrest Gump
Possibly cinema’s most likeable protagonist, Forrest Gump, takes on the zombie apocalypse on his journey to find his true (AIDS riddled) love. The All-American running back clearly has a physical edge over the zombie horde, and he must have saved a bus load of baby kittens in a past life because someone
upstairs is looking out for him. However, Forrest is right around zombie levels of intelligence. This, coupled with his knack for saving legless lieutenants, causes Forrest to run back into a pack of zombies, one of which bites him on the buttocks. Fortunately for the most lovable man on the silver screen, who always seems to get out of everything, the Army manages to save his butt (literally) with a medical breakthrough. Jenny on the other hand becomes increasingly reliant on drugs, and in the words of Momma Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never
THE EMMY’S
AWARDS
101 BY CONOR DIGGS staff writer
Many wonder the difference between the Emmy’s, Oscar’s, Tony’s, and Espy’s. These awards are all great achievements in the field of theatrical arts and to receive one takes great talent. They all have special names and may get confusing at times, but this here will help you out if you get confused.
are the recognition of excellence in the TV industry. They are presented in various specific ceremonies held annually throughout the year, from honoring nationally televised shows to locally produced programs. Each one has their own group for voting and picking procedures. Also, the various ceremonies each have their own group of award categories. There are Primetime Emmy’s, Daytime Emmy’s, Sports Emmy’s, and many more.
THE ACADEMY AWARD
are the awards given for greatness of cinematic achievements. The Oscar’s statue is officially named the “Academy Award of Merit” and is one of different types of Academy Awards. This show is organized by the “AMPAS,” or the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. The longest best picture was the notable Gone With the Wind and the only flim to take home all the nominations that it was given was Peter Jackson’s movie Lord of the rings: Return of the King which was based off of J.R.R Tolkien’s famous book.
Jack Dawson is a typical hoodlum that excels in nude painting. Rose Dewitt Bukater is a high class maiden born into a life of luxury. On the maiden voyage of the Titanic, the two star crossed lovers meet and it’s love at first sight. But before the duo can elope off into the sunset, zombies appear! They now must struggle through a plagued cruise liner in an attempt to reach a lifeboat and escape the undead. After battling their way through the bowels of the ship and Rose exhibiting her prowess with a fire axe, they make it to the top deck only to witness the Titanic kiss an iceberg. Now in the frigid ocean surrounded by the undead, Rose hogs the liferaft, letting Jack freeze to death. So much for true love.
How the Grinch stole Christmas
On Christmas Eve the Grinch descends on the little town of Whoville. As he rounds up all of the Christmas cheer, as Grinches are wont to do, a little zombified Suzy Who emerges. His night caper is quickly transformed into a challenge of survival. Without the love of Christmas swelling his heart, the Grinch is an immoral beast. This plays out to his advantage, as he utilizes the poor Whos’ Jing Tinglers, Flu Floopers, and Who Hoovers to separate Suzy Who’s head from her body. After fighting his way out into the streets, the Grinch uses his sleigh as a battering ram, running over the citizens of Whoville, leaving a trail of dismembered body parts and Christmas paraphernalia.
THE TONY’S
are the achievements of recognition in Broadway theater. These awards are also known as the “Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre.” The awards are given out by The American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League in New York City. These awards are presented for productions and performances. There are at least twenty six different categories actors and actresses
THE ESPY
is a title presented by ESPN (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award). The cable television network recognizes individual and team athletic achievements and other sports-related performance that went on during the year. The Espys are usually more relaxed with comedic sketches. Unlike the other awards, however, these are chosen by the fans and are awards for athletics and not for theater arts.
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photo story
New robotics member, Brett Minor, a junior, judges a round of the competition by writing the score sheet for the middle school competitors.
Working behind the scenes by announcing, playing DJ and controlling the video feed are junior Selwin George, sophomore Paola Gabrielle and senior Josh Wilson.
While helping clean up the obstacle course, senior JR Portwood helps place middle school students according to the competition.
Moving through the
CEO of the robotics club, Matthew Crawford, announces the winners of the competition.
Senior Tyler Foster and freshman Peter Azille intently judge a robot on its obstacle course during the competition. “Last year, a bunch of high schoolers went to the middle school and they inspired a lot of the middle schoolers to join robotics,” Azille said. “We couldn’t bring all the middle schoolers over here, so we decided to hold a competition that was practically the competition we go to, but it was our version of it.”
OBSTACLES
Robotics team organizes simulated competition
The robotics club organized a faux competition at the Texas Middle School campus’ black box to select the top robotics members from the middle school to compete in their first competition of the year. The high school members campaigned at the middle school the previous year to boost admittance into their club. The rate of members in Texas Middle School robotics has significantly risen, allowing only limited numbers of members to be selected for competitions. The Texas High students judged robots programmed by the middle school students to run an obstacle course. The competition was organized by the high school robotics in order to simulate an actual competition to prepare the middle school students. story and photos by Savannah Pritchard
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tiger times dec. 17, 2013