Tiger Times Feb 10 2012

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tigertimes

volume 51 no. 4 • feb. 10, 2012

Check out the pudding eating contest online

texas high school • 4001 summerhill rd • texarkana, tx 75503 • www.tigertimesonline.com

Is summer here yet?

What am I going to do do with my life?

Am I smart enough?

Will I go to college?

Where’s the party?

How does everyone see me?

photo illustration by hannah patterson and art students

news

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Mark your calendar Yearbooks

Yearbooks are still on sale, but the price has changed to $60. Students who have not purchased one may obtain order forms from a yearbook staff member or in Room 50.

Students are encouraged to preorder yearbooks because the price will increase again after they arrive in May.

StuCo

There has been a new student council meeting date added to the calendar. All student council members must attend on Feb. 16 in the Dan Haskins’ Student Center.

The annual student council dinner theater is taking place on March 4, and this year there will be two showings. The first will be a matinee, taking place early in the afternoon.

Tickets to this show will be $5 with a concession stand available during the performance.

Later that night the same show will be preformed. Tickets for this performance will be $15 for a dinner and a show. Tickets can be purchased from any StuCo member or from Susan Waldrep in Room 23.

Newspaper Vs. Newspaper Versus is the new video series where a member of the newspaper staff challenges a student, teacher or administrative staffer to a game that plays to his or her strengths.

The first Versus challenge took place between co-editor in chief Carlye Hudspeth and junior Drake Welch. Hudspeth challenged Welch to a pudding-eating contest. To see this challenge and future ones, go visit www.tigertimesonline.com.

tiger times feb. 10, 2012

Final show of ‘Charlie Brown’ to be Sunday Christina Harris staff reporter The Tiger Theatre Company is gearing up for final performances of “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,” which opened Thursday at 7 p.m. in the John Thomas Theatre. The show tells the story of an ordinary day in the life of popular comic strip character Charlie Brown.

“There are lots of funny lines right out of the comic strip,” theater director Micah McBay said. “It is like the Charlie Brown TV specials, short scenes and songs all from the comics. So it is a non-traditional plot that is not linear.”

Junior Marissa Hagood said the musical doesn’t follow a particular sequence.

“What Mr. McBay is going for is to bring the comic strips to life and have an overall great show,” Hagood said.

The musical was written by Clark Gesner in 1967 and is based on Charles Schultz’s comic strip “Peanuts.”

“I like the entire play,” freshman Alex McBay said. “There is always something good about Charlie Brown and he is my favorite character from ‘Peanuts’.”

Besides the play being likable, it also is a way for students to express themselves.

“The best part about the show is being

Playing the part of Snoopy, sophomore Peter Garrett rehearses for the musical “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” Monday night in the John Thomas Theatre. The next performance of the musical will be tonight at 7 p.m. photo by caroline prieskorn

able to be on stage in front of everyone,” senior Skyler Alton said.

Time and preparation have been put into the production to make it entertaining.

“To prepare for the show I sit in a dark room and get myself into character,” Alton said. “It helps me keep from not messing up my lines as well as the rest of the cast, because one line off can mess up the next person and leave the cast standing there, leaving an awkward pause.”

One unique trait about this show is that it is double cast.

“I thought that it was a fair way of getting everyone involved,” sophomore Peter Garrett said. “So, basically everyone who wanted a part got one.”

The two casts will alternate shows the four days the production takes place.

The show will run through Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door for $7 for adults and $5 for students. TISD employees will get in free.

“We’ve all worked very hard,” junior Jenny Wyrick said, “and hopefully our hard work shows through our performances on opening night.”

New pizzas make hit, but were one-day demo Zachary Baker staff reporter Students may be having more of the Smart Mouth Pizzas for lunch, as soon as the food services staff gets approval to continue to offer them.

They held a one-day demo of the pizzas last month. After they receive approval, students will have a choice between pepperoni and sausage for $3 each.

“The pizza tasted professionally made,” senior Cameron Bailey said. “The price is reasonable because the pizza is actually of better quality.”

Child Nutrition Manager Ruth Giles said students may have gotten excited about them a little early. The kitchen has to have a vent hood installed, and then it has to be approved by the fire department.

As soon as that request is filled, the child nutrition staff hopes to have them availabe

for students to buy in the snack line.

Over the past few years, the cafeteria has been making improvements to accommodate students. “[The pizza] tastes amazing and the most important thing I liked about it was that it was cooked the way I like it,” junior Morgan Norfleet said. “I was excited to try it when I saw it in the snack line one day, but now they are always out before I get to them.”

tiger times feb. 10, 2012

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news

EOC brings end to Tier II release John David Goins news editor Getting out of school early for Tier II after passing all the TAKS tests will be a thing of the past next year with the implementation of STAAR and End of Course testing. Since the administration of these tests occurs later in the year, test results won’t be back in time to allow for a Tier II early release incentive.

“I feel like the EOC’s are putting so much stress not only on teachers, but also on the students,” junior Madeleine Russell said. “I think students who pass all of their EOC’s should still be rewarded by getting out of school an extra eight days early.”

Currently, the proposed calendar for next year shows that school will be in session until June 7 with graduation scheduled for June 9.

“Seniors were already getting out early when they weren’t taking the TAKS test at all, so the same should still apply,” Russell said. “I hope schools across the state can come up with a way to convince the education board of Texas to let us out of school early. I’m ready to graduate now.”

This year’s freshman class is the first to be required to take EOC test, rather than the traditional TAKS tests. Because of this, freshmen will be transported to the Texarkana College campus where they will take their tests. Other students will remain on campus.

The current plan for EOC scores is to count them as 30 percent of a student’s second semester course grade. There

will be three levels of scores: 69 for unsatisfactory; 90 for satisfactory; and 100 for advanced.

“I think the EOC test and the STARR test are a good way to test over the subject you’re taking,” math teacher Jackie Nix said. “Texas has had many tests throughout the years and each time they give a new test, it gets harder, so it will be interesting to see what happens. The test will be stressful on administration, teachers, students and even parents.”

Students who do not pass the tests will have to re-take them the following year, along with their regularly scheduled tests. Passing all EOC tests is required for graduation.

“I believe the EOC will be more effective even though it is worse in the perspectives of the kids who have to stay longer,” sophomore Madeleine Pellegrin said. “I feel that the students should not be able to move up in course strength unless they pass their EOC.” Since semester tests will be during the last week of school, students could still possibly get out early for exemptions.

However, it is likely not smart to fill up the calendar with summer activities that week.

“There is a possibility that students could still be getting out early. There is no need to panic about it at this point since semester tests will be that week,” Schroeder said. “I wouldn’t suggest that students schedule camps or community service before June 9, because there is a chance you might be taking semester exams.”

TAKS test dates

Are you going to shed a tier?

LAT Math 10 - April 23 ELA 10 LAT - April 24 ELA EXIT - April 24 Math 10 - April 24 ELA 10 LAT - April 25 Math EXIT - Apri 25 Math 11 - April 25 Science 10, 11, EXIT, LAT-April 26 Social Studies 10, 11, EXIT-April 27

How do you feel about EOC? “It is not a fair assessment of our knowledge because we haven’t even learned part of it. We have worked hard to get out of school early and now we get stuck in school longer.”

Maggie Coleman, 9 “They are putting too much weight on one test, which is making education harder.

It is more difficult on the students to have to stay the extra weeks.”

Chau Dong, 10

“It stinks that we have to be here for Tier II. Why did it have to be our senior year? 2013 is an unlucky number.”

Justin White, 11 “I like having Tier II because if you passed TAKS, then you would get out earlier.

Our class is lucky because we don’t have to take it, and I heard that it’s a very hard test.”

Holly Hackleman, 10

EOC test dates English I Writing - March 26 English I Reading - March 27 English III Writing (Field Test) March 26 English III Reading (Field Test)March 27 Algebra - May 7 Biology - May 8 Geometry - May 9 World Geography - May 10

news

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tiger times feb. 10, 2012

Pond has interesting past jacob hill & john david goins staff writer & news editor

The pond, though a beautiful addition to the campus landscaping, has been a target for student pranks from quite some time. Since the building of the current campus in 1967, stories have circulated about plunges into the murky water.

Additionally, there have been slight changes to the structure since its early days. The early pond included a fountain and was home to several ducks.

Despite these transformations, the pond’s legacy reaches out to the students

who have taken glorious dives that launched them into Tiger history.

Most of the stories about the pond’s past center around the notorious “freshmen plunge.” These have been gathering since 1968 when apparently being thrown into the pond was a form of initiation.

Karen Lansdell, class of ‘77, shares her story.

“It was routine for freshmen to be thrown into the pond,” Lansell said.

“Luckily for me, my sister wouldn’t let them throw me in the pond, but I was sure swung and led to think I was going for a swim.”

Robert Bunch from the class of ‘77 shared his

story in a Facebook post. “I remember taking a swim in that same pond our senior year. It was on the way to lunch, while running I looked up to see where I was parked. I then realized I was running in mid-air.

I landed in the water and went completely under.

I swam to the other side crawled out and went home to change.”

Some may even remember when students found a 10-foot alligator protruding from the pond on Feb. 20, 1984. As students and teachers gathered around the animal, teacher Audrey Martin-Henderson made sure the creature was dead, then had her six strongest

students lug the beast through the school and into her classroom, a story in the 1984 yearbook reports.

Superintendent Paul Norton said the pond is something that makes the campus unique.

“I love the pond, and I love what it brings to THS,” Norton said. “We have talked for years about different things we could do incorporating the pond into different events and some classes have used it for educational purposes.”

Norton said there was some discussion about whether to eliminate the pond when the math and science building was constructed.

The alligator in the picture was found dead in the pond beside where the current math and science building exists. The Tiger, 1984

“It was a topic that was approached at the time,” Norton said, “but the feeling was to keep it because it brought something special to THS and a lot of alumni, etc, expressed a desire for the pond to stay.”

At present, Norton said

there has not been any discussion on filling it in.

Austin Byrd’s plunge was yet another blimp into the pond’s past and hopefully, for the sake of tradition and student prosperity, new traditions wll continue, but in new directions.

Visit the online site for more stories and videos:

www.tigertimesonline.com

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viewpoint

tiger times feb. 10, 2012

staff editorial

Blood drive needs more donors Speak Out

Texas High has been hosting blood drives for decades, but no year has been quite such a disaster as this one. Numbers have dropped from the 2010-2011 school year to the 2011-2012 school year from more than 400 units to 243. This disturbing occurrence has many contributing factors--and has led to many consequences.

In years past, walk-ins (or people who “walk in” the day of the blood drive and volunteer to give) have contributed at least a third of the blood collected throughout the year.

Walk-ins are generally easier for students, as they can leave any class they have extra time in, since they don’t have to have a pre-arranged appointment. It is also allows for students who forgot the day of the blood drive, did not find someone to sign up with, weren’t sure if they would be able to give blood, or were on the fence about giving to begin with.

For the previous two drives, walk-ins were eliminated, as it supposedly posses too much of a temptation for students who wish only to get out of class; once released, there is no way for administrators to monitor these students.

With walk-ins no longer acceptable,

the only way a student could donate through the school is by signing up ahead of time. These sign-ups are now required to be turned in to the administration ahead of time (up to 5 days before the actual drive). Students who had not actively attempted to sign up may not get the chance to donate.

The reason for these new restrictions is simple, as it all boils down to one problem--the administration is trying to keep students from skipping class.

This is a valid concern, and one that the administration is required to consider.

However, making sure that the school is able to give the most blood possible-something that saves lives--should come before the possibility that someone may take advantage of the system.

Administration does encourage blood drives, and these new restrictions are designed to force organization and responsibility on those wishing to donate. However, because the restrictions (which are negotiable) are in place, students need to make sure they are both signing up ahead of time if at all possible and being careful to follow all rules and regulations while on the school’s campus, so that privileges are not taken away.

Letter to the editor

This year under new administration, several small, tedious rules have been added. With the build-up of so many things and the additions growing more and more, the student body is overwhelmed.

With that said, when Austin jumped in the pond, the “threats” for punishment were ridiculous. When the rumors regarding his punishment were spread, the school was outraged. Byrd’s leap was “the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

If you hear nothing else, please hear this: The students have been under so much pressure with the rules/expectations continually rising that we could not take one more thing. Austin, as I have told him, is an idiot for jumping in the pond. But this turned into, for most of us, something more than Austin’s punishment. #FreeByrd became a way for us to unite and make the administration understand that we are affected by every

tiger times Texas High School 4001 Summerhill Rd. Texarkana TX, 75503 ( 903 ) 794 - 3891 F ( 903 ) 792 - 8971 The Tiger Times is a student-run publication. The contents and views are produced solely by the staff and do not represent the opinions of the faculty, administration or TISD board of trustees.

decision they make, and we just want them to care and listen to us.

They don’t have to ask us before rules are made, like my parents don’t have to ask me before they make rules, but when my parents care enough to explain their decisions to me, I am more likely to not feel like it is “just one more demand” and comply happily. For the most part, there has been a communication error between administration and the students.

We feel like they are abusing their power, and they feel like we are going out of our ways to disobey.

On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the day after the incident, Mr. Bailey came to the leadership classroom to meet with my class about the whole ordeal and discuss our thoughts versus his. We held nothing back and he seemed to understand.

We proposed the idea that he make a video for TigerVision, and meet the student body in the middle. Instead of not

editors in chief Emily Hoover Carlye Hudspeth managing editors Elizabeth Cook Ashley Diggs advertising manager Natalie Banks news editor John David Goins

viewpoint editor Brianna Sellers feature editor Wynne Tidwell sports editor Autumn Sehy entertainment editors Mary Claire Boudreaux Davis Payne photo editor Hannah Patterson

Because of the current shortfall, administrators have decided to allow another blood drive at the beginning of April and to allow for walk-ins, though these will be closely monitored to make sure that students are not abusing the process. While this change is applauded, it alone will not ensure that we get the necessary units of blood. That’s where the students and staff must come in: You must be willing to donate.

The real point is this: with the new ideas about blood drives, the school is down over 150 pints of blood for the school year. This is a radical change not only for the school, which loses a $500 scholarship and the appreciation of the United Blood Services, but for the community. It is estimated that six out of 10 people will need blood during their lives, and the blood collected from Texas High goes to our community first.

A loss of this magnitude is not easily compensated. And it shouldn’t have to be. The numbers are down due to restrictions, as well as lack of volunteers.

As long as there are students willing to donate, the school should allow them to do so. Now, while they are, students and faculty should make this a priority.

letting us do anything involving #freebyrd, saying “Please, no yelling #freebyrd or having it written on your skin, but if you feel the clothing/shirts are appropriate, you are free to wear them.” Literally, 30 minutes after our talk, he went and made a video and did exactly that.

In my opinion, this is where it should have ended. He went out of his way to listen to us, to care, and to compromise with the student body.

Texarkana Independent School District is an amazing place to be. It is not fair to give them a bad reputation in the media for this one issue.

The public needs to see this perspective and understand that this has actually turned into a positive experience for the high school. The administration knows now what they need to change and the student body, for the most part, is grateful.

Emily Speer, 12 staff writers Zachary Baker Angela Derrick Christina Harris Jacob Hill Casey Hitchcock Shayla James Shelby Kelley Josh Klein Dawson McGonagill Abigail O’Gorman Daniel Pellegrin Mackenzie Phillips

Do you think students should be required to sign up prior to the blood drives or do you think they should be able to take walk-ins?

“There would have been more people donating if they let any 16-year-old donate.”

Hannah Currington, 10 “You need to give blood for the right reasons, instead of trying to get out of class. They need to do it to help someone with a life-threatening disease.”

Miles Coleman, 10 “I think it is crazy and if they are volunteering, let them do it.”

Zack Norton, 9 “To be honest, I really don’t know what to think, but having to register ahead of time is too extreme.”

Chase Stone, 11 “In some cases, it’s necessary [registering], but they should be more lenient. I mean, it’s for a good cause.”

Sterling Steed, 12 compiled by Josh Klein

Taylor Potter Riley Rogers Isabella Saporito Sydney Schoen Madison Sewell Hannah Wren

Amy McCoy Claire Norton Caroline Prieskorn Haley Rushing Brianna Sellers Hailey Woods

photographers Ruth Arnold Katie Black Taylor Coleman Allison Fahrni Alex Garner Casey Hitchcock

advisers Rebecca Potter Clint Smith principal Brad Bailey

members ILPC, NSPA, CSPA The Tiger Times is the official student publication of Texas High School.

The primary purpose of the Tiger Times is to inform the students of the school, while practicing the ethical canons of journalism. Letters to the editor may be dropped off in Room 50. Each letter must

viewpoint

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tiger times feb. 10, 2012

#FREEBYRD

Movement will resonate forever in our halls When faced with a movement as collectively unifying and as emotionally charged as #FREEBYRD, not speaking out can be difficult.

Senior Austin Byrd’s jump into the pond Tuesday, Jan. 31, ended with an alleged punishment of three days suspension, 20 days DAEP and a ticket, and, while not all of these punishments actually occurred, the students exploded and the movement was quickly dubbed #FREEBYRD. Austin heroically emerged from the murky water, and belly flopped into the presence of the legends that have graced the walls of Texas High.

Soon, however, it stopped being about the punishment and transformed into the focal point of the student body’s frustration against the Administration’s attitudes over the past six months. #FREEBYRD went from concern about punishment to a student-wide backlash against a pattern of disregard to our feelings since the beginning of the year.

To all of those outraged students, Austin was simply our Archduke Ferdinand; we couldn’t believe that Administration would think that they could just give a student such a massive punishment. We felt like cattle and the only thing we could do was yell “FREEBYRD” and hope that we would be heard.

Students were told to go home after refusing to remove disruptive words.

in my opinion

daniel pellegrin/staff writer When I think “disruption” I think fight, not writing. It’s not as though the slogans were profane or actually caused students to disrupt the educational process. They were simply a small gesture of the students’ feelings toward the recent changes.

The Administrators have the discretion to determine what is disruptive, but their interpretation determined that students with unmarked academic records needed to be sent home because of a word they printed on their shirts, bodies or cars. This is customary of the current Administration and serves to make the point: as a whole, the Admin expects students to behave in a negative way, and when they perceive that someone is defying the rules, they jump on them with such a knee-jerk reaction.

This year we experienced some growing pains with the new Administrators coming in and the old Administrators moving up.

I know how Texas High was once run and the new changes seemed more like edicts

from the principals than joint decisions by the School Board. Because of how quickly the new rules went into place, everyone had their reasons to be angry, and they used #FREEBYRD to express it.

It’s unfortunate the situation wasn’t handled better in the beginning; it would have saved the school district huge amounts of embarrassment. Sending model students home for silently demonstrating their disapproval; I’m surprised it didn’t cause an even bigger demonstration.

There were a few cases where we as a student body could have handled this a bit better. However, we were angry and felt that we as a student body had been wronged. Our actions would not have gotten out of hand had the Administration not made decisions, regarding this incident and others over the course of the this year, so recklessly.

The student body, while showing a unified movement, were unable to communicate our cause to anyone outside of Texas High. We weren’t unified enough to explain that, while this was about a student’s punishment, the underlining cause was the Administration’s attitude over the last year. If we had planned this more carefully and not jumped to conclusions so fast then we might have gotten more attention, and the effects would have been more widespread.

But, we were all given a first hand demonstration at the awesome ability

that we as the student body have to come together for a cause, however loosely it may have been we understood what we were going for. The school got a sense of working together for the first time, and that idea is the best thing that has come from the movement.

We were more unified than we knew, and while it seems like nothing really became of the movement except some T-shirts and a lighter sentence for Austin, let’s not forget that the Administration, which has rarely taken our input into consideration when decision making, went to the Leadership classes specifically requesting counsel on how best to handle the #FREEBYRD issue. From there, they changed their decision on displaying Freebyrd slogans.

So if this entire ordeal has taught us one thing, it’s that sometimes it’s more effective to be blunt when staring into the face of an issue. After all, while the appropriate response would have been to file the necessary forms and submit them to the proper authorities to be ruled upon in a timely fashion, the impact we would have created probably wouldn’t stand the test of time.

But in our organized, yet scattered, our civilized, yet crude, our important, yet insignificant efforts, which we call a movement, there is no denying that what we have done will resonate though the halls of Texas High and in the minds of those who will soon walk after us.

Reality apes ruin American television It is fair to say that our generation is obsessed with worthless shows such as Jersey Shore, Chowder, and The Real Housewives of [Insert City]. The rise of the idiocracy in American television is astounding. I distinctly remember when entertainment had an indication of intelligence, however, nowadays, the TV is filled to the brim with morons screaming over shoes.

TV is not alone in this world overflowing with idiots. As of late, I think a baboon is running the film industry.

Piranhas, Troll 2, and Shark-topus alone give me an image of a monkey throwing unspeakable things at film executives. So in this horrid barrage of unfathomable stupidity, the average teenager’s frontal lobe is malnourished and deprived of any creativity.

in my opinion

josh klein/staff writer At its prime, TV was all about making us laugh and occasionally tugging on America’s heartstrings. Great shows such as Pete and Pete and Alfred Hitchcock are timeless masterpieces. The few shows of the same caliber are few and far between nowadays. TV has gone from projecting

values to your family to projecting vomit upon your children.

When I pulled up google and saw the top searches, I lost all faith in humanity.

The results are ludicrous; Taylor Lautner beat out presidents and other people that actually contributed to society. The constant need to appeal to the ignorant masses is the reason why terrorists hate America.

Alas, hope is not entirely lost. New movies such as The Artist, and Hugo have given me faith that maybe we are not a lost cause. For every season of Toddlers in Tiaras, there is another 30 Rock, Downton Abbey, or Mad Men. These shows actually contain a storyline and have multiple layers. Even though the orangutans have some comedic value, they fall to the wayside to shows that actually contain

sentient thought.

Everything “acceptable” does not have to have a huge twist or be on the verge of obscenely complex. Sherlock Holmes, Mission Impossible, and even Toy Story are exemplary movies. They are relatively easy to follow and each of them have captivated their audiences. They are also movies where one does not have to be an artsy movie critic to enjoy them. These films are simply great.

America does not need to follow the uncultivated, myopic apes on TV! America does not need to deteriorate into a mass of illiterate imbeciles. America needs shows that cause people to think and analyze, we do not need howling monkeys. If we are going to remedy the egregious offences of American television, the monkeys need to be silenced.

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viewpoint

tiger times feb. 10, 2012

Just the devil in a new dress The pen is mightier than the sword.

This has been proven over and over again throughout history. The one tool that man possesses that may trump the power of dried ink is the spoken word. Libel can discredit, violence can silence, but the words of a great man spoken will reverberate in the ears of those who hear forever.

African-Americans have learned this lesson well. From the arousal of rebel thoughts by Nat Turner to the slaves of Virginia, to current president Barack Obama’s “Yes We Can” victory speech in Chicago’s Grant Park, the AfricanAmerican man has used the magic of speech to convey a lasting message. Yet within today’s youth, this power has been mishandled and underestimated.

The hip-hop generation is caught in a downward spiral propagated by no one other than themselves. Rap music is full of messages of getting through the poverty, living through a life of despair and managing to make it to the light at the end of the tunnel, yet the youth listening to these rappers hear only one word.

in my opinion

ashley diggs/co-managing editor This word is used as frequently as “the” by young blacks. This word is what pigs called my grandfather. This word is what the master screamed as he cracked the whip one time too many on the dying, regretful slave. This word dripped like putrid sludge from the mouths of white teens who spat upon the Little Rock Nine.

This word has connotations of ignorance and worthlessness. This word is as vile as any expletive. This word is a symbol of everything horrible the Africans have faced since they arrived in America.

Yet somehow, in the twisted minds of today and yesterday’s youth, it has become embraced.

This word means you are my brother.

This word means I’ve got your back. This word means we are “cool.” This word is orated repeatedly in every hood anthem since the late ‘80s. This word is okay to say, just not with a hard R. This word defines the pride of the majority of African American youth.

It cannot be spoken if you are not a member of the “club.”

I can only say it because I lived that, bro.

My ancestors lived that, bro.

If you say it you mean it as an insult.

If you say it, it’s offensive.

If you say it, you’re racist.

If I say it, I mean it positively. I’m trying to make it. I’m gonna treat my girl like a queen and put my mom in a palace.

But, it’s not okay. It’s not positive, no matter how much you misconstrue it or change the pronunciation. In an era where skin color is losing its significance, where little white kids are wearing Lebron

James’ jersey, black kids are wearing Josh Hamilton’s jersey, and Hispanic children admire Yao Ming, this word casts a dark shadow over the African American race.

It makes the African American race look like a joke to everyone else. No other word with such a negative connotation has been made into such a staple in the jargon of those it degraded.

This word is the plague of the black man but the culture that is embraced chooses to continue to let the rat infect their food. Anyone who uses the word is a fool and is fooling himself. There is no upside. There is no OK time to say it.

Snap-back backwards, Coogi jeans sagging, chains brighter than the sun, and rims that cost more than a house payment is the definition of style, class, and coolness.

Yet for every rap song that glorifies the word, for every black man that drops out of high school, every black teen that calls himself and his friends the word continues fueling the fire of ignorance that burns the African American race.

This word is the devil in a new dress.

must list

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MustList

tiger times feb. 10, 2012

THE

By Mary Claire Boudreaux, Taylor Potter, Davis Payne & Zach Baker

1

The Oscars The 84th Academy Awards are taking place on Feb. 26. The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, are the big league accolades for anyone in the film industry. With Billy Crystal hosting and providing the much appreciated comedy breaks, this year’s awards broadcast should be a blast to watch and probably the only thing on TV on a Sunday night. See page 18 for more information

2 Mardi Gras

Whether you are on Bourbon Street in Baton Rouge or at your favorite cajun’s house in Texarkana, Mardi Gras, celebrated on Feb. 21, should never go unnoticed.

Tons of traditions are celebrated without knowing the purpose of them. The king cake, for example, is supposed to be a way to pick the Queen of Mardi Gras; whoever finds the baby inside, is the queen. So bring out that mask, throw on those beads, pig out on king cake and celebrate Mardi Gras.

The top 5 things to watch for in February

4 Ghost Rider Nicolas Cage returns as he plays his role as Johnny Blaze in “Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance.”

Although he is still struggling with his curse as the devil’s bounty hunter, this time he risks everything as he teams up with a group of rebel monks to save a boy from the devil and possibly rid himself of the curse forever. This is a must-see movie if you love Nicolas Cage, have seen the first “Ghost Rider,” or you’re just looking for a thrilling movie to see with your friends.

3 Ringo Starr Album The former “Beatles” drummer released solo album No. 17 on Jan. 31. The album only adds up to a little less than 30 minutes but is full of five new songs, two covers and two re-records. This album, simply named “Ringo 2012,” is perfect for Beatles fans or just fans of under-appreciated talent (if you can get passed his lack of singing ability).

5 Valentine’s Day

If you’re struggling to find the perfect gift for your sweetheart and don’t mind spending a little money for a personal touch, look at customized m&m’s from the Mars Company. You can choose your colors, write your own message or add a picture and select from a variety of packaging options. Shop now and you can save 10 percent on an order of $30 or more.

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teen mind

tiger times feb. 10, 2012

submitted photo

ruth arnold

These are just a few of the unredeeming characteristics of a teen.

But looking inside, the baggage kids bring to school might put into retrospect the way they act.

brianna sellers

brianna sellers

submitted photo

photo credits to cliffsmith1002, CreaticeCommons

Angst. Impulse. Risk.

teen mind

10 madison sewell staff writer

a silent strength wynne tidwell feature editor

May 13th 2006 A girl was taking an afternoon walk.

It relaxed her, she always took walks. She felt safe, she had walked these streets a million times. Nothing was out of the ordinary on May 13th. The only difference was that the sun was setting and it would be dark soon. She remembered her aunt’s rule about coming home before the street lights turned on and started to amble back home.

Three men then appeared in her view, and her instincts told her to be wary.

Where she grew up it was best to be wary, especially with men. Men weren’t meant to be trusted. She gave rise to a slight suspicion, but her instincts were subtle, her pace didn’t quicken, and her eyes remained fixed on the road. She kept walking.

The men let her pass. Not a word spoken.

A small wave of relief washed over her, but she wasn’t sure why. She was only 12 years old. She couldn’t imagine why three grown men would want anything to do with her.

The moment of relief was short-lived.

When she reached the stop sign, another man grabbed her. The first three were quick to follow.

What she did next didn’t matter; she struggled, they ignored; she pleaded, they wouldn’t listen; she screamed, no one heard.

She was alone and they were relentless.

Each of the men had their turn with her and on the corner of Roosevelt Street a girl was brutally raped-- again and again and again.

The girl was motionless. She was

sprawled out on the street and helpless.

She didn’t know what to do, she didn’t know who she could go to.

It was dark out now. Her aunt would be worried. She wiped off the dirt and stumbled home.

“You alright?” asked her aunt.

She was mute.

She finally spoke: “I’m sore and tired, that’s all.”

“You musta went to play basketball with the big boys,” the aunt laughed and left.

The girl was alone again.

She took a shower and cried herself to sleep. Not a word spoken.

Now Six years have passed, but the memory will never go away, those men will always be there and she will never get back what she lost.

She stayed in her room a lot, preferring the solitude it offered her. The days of long walks and play were over.

“As I got older I stopped trusting people, my attitude changed, just the person I was changed.”

Her friends and family asked what was wrong. She said nothing. They just shrugged and assumed it was a phase.

It’s probably just some teen angst. She’s getting to that age you know.

But it wasn’t angst or age that made her act like that. It was the rape.

Eventually the girl spoke out. She told a few friends and family about the rape, the secret she had harbored for three years. ”I didn’t feel anything [after I told them]. The fact of the matter is, I was still raped.”

She didn’t want pity, she didn’t want stares and she certainly didn’t want to always be the victim.

He holds open the door to the main hallway.

Many pass through without a thank you.

Few even notice he’s holding the door.

But he always does.

It doesn’t matter who you are, he’s going to hold the door for you.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes.

He’s got to get to class.

He lets go of the door and plunges into the sea of people in the hallway.

It’s a Friday in late January in 2011; teachers are notified.

He has been withdrawn from Texas High.

There’s no one to hold the door of the main hallway now. Few notice. *** Glen Oaks Hospital, Greenville, Texas.

There’s not much to do there.

It’s boring. But he has his history books.

They make it a little more bearable.

He was going to school here now.

They thought he was going to be gone for awhile.

Walk down the hallway, a grown man shouts.

He flinches from the unexpected noise and looks at the man continuing to shout gibberish.

The psychologist that he’d been seeing once every two weeks since his step-dad moved in said that it’d help him.

They had movies, but only a few. Every wall was white. There was not much decoration.

A few windows, but that’s it.

He didn’t know how long he was going to be there. Hopefully not for long though.

He’d be happy to go home.

Every day was the same: Three square meals. Meeting with doctors.

Tests. The same boring movies.

But he doesn’t have any physical sickness.

Glen Oaks Hospital is a mental institute. *** Flash back now.

Mom’s got a new husband, a big man with short grey hair and a quick temper.

The kid hits his leg on the coffee table, and shouts out in shock and pain.

A normal reaction from anyone.

His step-dad doesn’t think so though.

“NO SHOUTING IN THE HOUSE!”

His step-dad stomps over and slaps him in the face.

He yells out again.

His step-dad keeps hitting him, his hand clenched in a fist, until his mom steps in.

“Stop! He’s my son. I know how to raise him!”

His step-dad suddenly stops and stalks away to cool off.

A deep anger stirs in him. Disgust.

But there’s nothing he can do now.

He carries on with his business.

In the morning, there are bruises on his face.

He goes to school and still holds the door for people. No one notices. He doesn’t talk much, anyway.

He’s shy. Regardless of that, he still passes out the calculators in math class. *** Weeks have passed since his step-dad has moved in.

He knows to be careful around him now.

11 words. But this class he most enjoys. He knows everything about feudal Japan and the World Wars.

He sits relishing in what he loves.

Maybe he’ll study history in college, or maybe biology. He’s fascinated by that, too.

He focuses on that, anything to keep his mind off what goes on at home. *** The verbal and physical abuse is too much.

The hitting is at least once a week.

The yelling, daily. All for stupid reasons.

He takes his sweet tea into his room to drink while he does homework.

His step-dad explodes. Yelling and hitting him with a flyswatter. All over a glass of tea.

Another time, he drags him outside for talking back. The memory goes black.

Everything seems to be getting worse.

He argues more with his mother, the one person he considers closest to him.

He hasn’t slept well in weeks. He hasn’t eaten in two days.

The psychologist calls it “depression.”

He used to just try and forget about it, but now it controls his life.

“It’s gotten severe,” the psychologist says. “Maybe it’s time to look into some other options.”

He packs up his clothes.

Tomorrow, he’s going to Glen Oaks. *** It’s been a year now. He’s on Abilify, a strong anti-depressant, and medication to help him sleep.

The yelling and hitting have dwindled.

Things seem to have turned around.

He smiles more.

He talks more. Life isn’t so bad.

Through it all, he’s maintained a good attitude. Never once has he snapped, broken down, stopped being polite.

It’s that quiet inner strength that sets him apart. No one would guess that he’d been through that.

It just goes to show, you can’t judge someone by looking at them.

You have no idea what someone went through that morning. They may be like him, hurting, but unable to do anything.

Next time, remember that when someone holds the door open for you or passes out the books.

Please, don’t forget to thank them.

unnoticed courage

Every little thing he does seems to set his step-dad off.

His beatings start to come for no apparent reason. But there is nothing that can stop it. He takes it. He’s learned to keep quiet. It just makes it easier.

Still though, he’s angry. Why does he do this to him?

Late at night he lies in bed, unable to sleep.

The mental stress is such a heavy burden.

He hasn’t slept well in quite some time.

The next day he’s back at school in history class. No one really thinks twice about him.

When he’s called on, he has trouble finding

brianna sellers viewpoint editor She’s now a size six.

Still not good enough.

She paces, left to right. Why the hell is this taking so long?

She should be her size by now.

Not this.

Love handles, cheeks to fill a mouthful, thighs that can barely squeeze into those designer jeans she’s been dying to wear since the day she bought them. They’re a size two. She didn’t even try them on.

She knew they wouldn’t fit. They were her goal; almost just a fantasy.

And she’ll still try to cram them in, but they just won’t fit. *** She stepped in front of the mirror, nothing but a bathing suit on.

She didn’t like feeling naked.

Her friend was having the last swimming party of the summer.

Just like the rest, it would be a swimsuit catalogue of slender girls, prancing around like a flock of gazelles. Nothing could touch them.

She wanted to be them.

She stared at herself, pressing the palms of her hands to the granite countertop just to stretch her torso.

It made her feel a tad leaner, but it wasn’t enough.

Next year would be different.

Same friends, but new school. She’d be the underdog. It was time for change. *** 2 months later.

She had the same schedule every day. Wake up. Skip breakfast. Go to school, eat lunch. Come home, and make way to the nearest bathroom.

Always the nearest bathroom. Always instantly when she got home.

Then she’d watch an episode of “That ‘70s show” recorded from the

night before. She adored Jackie. The gorgeous, skinny, confident girl. Everything she wanted to be. So she’d watch it, every day, envying the girl she wished she was.

But late nights working on Geometry and getting over her parents’ divorce wasn’t the worst of her problems.

She made her way to the place where she could weep in the surrender of calories from the meal before.

Throwing herself over the toilet because she felt guilty for eating almost six grapes.

Six grapes.

The tickle at the back of her throat became a familiar feel.

“Oh, you’re not fat! You’re just a little thick, ya know?” a friend would joke around about.

That sure helped.

She made another trip to the bathroom. *** 1 month later.

She held her head higher everyday while sucking in her guts in to make it seem she had the “dream body.” She longed for that tan, flat stomach with some amazing abs.

She wanted it, more than anything.

Anything. Willing to do whatever it took.

She’d make another trip to the bathroom.

And again. And again. *** Mid-March, a Tuesday morning, she took those jeans out of her closet.

She stared at them for a minute. Maybe they would magically jump on her legs if she did it long enough.

Her hopes weren’t too high. She didn’t expect anything less than another disappointment followed by another meltdown.

But she’d try once again to squash herself into those dark-blue Lucky Brand jeans anyway, praying to God somehow they would get around her waist.

She slipped them on. Inch by inch, they slowly rose up her seemingly new, thin legs.

But they weren’t new, they were just less.

She sucked in more air then her lungs could possibly hold, almost choking on her breath.

Make the moment last. They were soft on her skin. For every bit more that fit, she felt prettier.

That was the point.

A bit of excitement flushed when she was able to stand and zip them up- at the same time.

They were on. Not too tight so that they strangled her legs, cutting the circulation off.

She felt good. No, good was an understatement.

She felt flawless. *** The girl is now a size two.

But when she looked in the mirror, she didn’t see flawlessness.

She didn’t see the “rockin’ bod.”

She didn’t even see herself.

She saw the girl who wasted away to skin and bones. Someone who she didn’t recognize, at all. It finally hit her.

She sat at the edge of her bed with her head down and slowly slipped them off.

She took off those jeans and laid them back neatly in her closet.

It’s been over a year now since she quit.

Knowing it’s completely and utterly the most disgusting thing she’s ever done, she always questions why she started, or even sometimes, why she stopped.

hidden habits

a collection of unforgiving tales, by students who wish to stay anonymous, but still want a voice

teen brain

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tiger times feb. 10, 2012

Teen Brain Development

How what we do, and who we hang out with, shapes who we are

With the increase of scientific technology, scientists have discovered more and more facts about the teenage brain that are quite surprising.

Many things that they believed to be true, like that the human brain stops developing at the end of childhood, have been proven wrong. They have now discovered that the brain actually finishes developing with the end of adolescence and that during the period between childhood and adulthood, the brain is becoming more complex.

As our brain develops, things called axons, long nerve fibers that send signals to other neurons, become coated with a substance called myelin, the white stuff in our brains. This process increases the transmission speed a hundred times over.

Along with the increases in transmission, other smaller extensions of axons either grow stronger or die off based on how much we use them. Also while these axons are being lost, the cortex, the outer layer of grey matter, used for complicated thinking, becomes thinner but, at the same time, more productive. It is as if our body was in the process of getting rid of an old computer, and upgrading it to a newer, faster model.

However, beyond just being faster, the brain undergoes huge changes in the part of the brain that controls judgement, decisionmaking, impulse-control, planning, and organization. Emotions are also affected by this, but that begins in adolescence. Both of these sections don’t reach full maturity until 25, as

opposed to what scientists recently believed.

Another major change to the teenage brain is when the amygdala, part of the limbic system, gains greater control

of the prefrontal cortex, which is used for planning, impulse control, and higher order thought.

“The frontal lobe,” personal counselor Ann Bishop said, “does not fully develop till your early twenties.”

Now the amygdala connects sensory information to emotional responses, so with the hormone changes of adolescence gives teenagers intense feelings of rage, fear, aggression, excitement, and sexual attraction.

Because the limbic system is in control of the prefrontal cortex during this stage, that means teenagers are more controlled by emotion rather than logic.

With the increase in brain processing, teens become better at thinking abstractly, this allows for harder class courses and an increase in social anxiety. This means teenagers are seeing themselves through the eyes of those around them.

Peer approval is shown to be a major motivator in teenagers. This explains the insane, and sometimes, dangerous situations teens participate in when they are around one another.

“In the case of peer acceptance,” Bishop said, “that usually peaks around middle school.”

So while we as teenagers project an image of invulnerability and full-fledged adulthood, we are just in our last stages of brain development. The things we do and the people around us, play a major part in shaping who we are as individuals and will prepare us for the rest of our lives.

“During high school is when teenagers are really figuring out who they are,” Bishop said.

compiled by Jacob Hill and Mackenzie Phillips/ staff writers

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tiger times feb. 10, 2012

coping with cancer

Freshman remains brave in dealing with devastating news angela derrick staff wrtiter

“I get these text messages saying how brave I am.

I am only brave because of my friends who look up to me.” Morgan White, 9

Sleeping at home, waiting for the phone call that will change her life.

Silence.

Time slows down. The wait is agony.

A ring breaks the silence.

Morgan immediately wakes up, her heart already racing, stomach turning round and round. Sickening, frightening, churning. What if it’s not okay?

She starts to walk to her living room, but stops at the sight of her mother in tears.

Something is terribly wrong.

Her mom gives her a hug and tells her everything will be all right.

Confused, Morgan waits for an explanation.

It turned out she was right to begin with: everything was not okay.

A few months ago Freshman Morgan White was experiencing intense headaches. She’d been taking headache medicine prescribed by the doctor for her cluster headaches, and though it helped for a while, the headaches worsened at the start of school.

“I couldn’t sleep through the whole night,” Morgan said. “I would wake up crying.”

Her parents tried to schedule an appointment in hopes of finding the real cause of Morgan’s headaches, but couldn’t get in until December 1.

December 1, 2011 After a long, tiring wait, the doctor is finally able to see her.

Soon, they should have an answer.

All the same, Morgan feels confident that her solution will be simple.

“I just thought it was a migraine problem,” Morgan said.

Unsure of what is causing Morgan’s inability to sleep through the night, the doctor prescribes sleeping pills. However, Morgan feels sure that the pills won’t make much of a difference.

“I knew that the sleeping pills weren’t going to help,” Morgan said. “I knew the headaches were definitely not from getting sleep.”

December 8, 2011 Once again, Morgan and her parents were back at the doctor.

“I was a little scared, but once it started it I wasn’t as nervous,” Morgan said.

Chemo gives her a few nasty side effects: nausea and a few headaches.

Morgan continues with her life.

The first round of Chemo is successful.

While in the hospital, freshman Morgan White is surrounded by stuffed animals she has received from family and friends. In December, Morgan was diagnosed with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, also known as nasal cancer. submitted photo

This time, they refuse to leave without an MRI. Her family insists because of the intense pain Morgan still deals with daily.

“The medicine helped a little,” Morgan said. “[But] I still had extreme pain.”

Morgan just wants to get the MRI over with.

“It took so long,” Morgan said. “I was already nervous enough, and the wait just made it worse.”

December 9, 2011 The MRI results come back... and Morgan is rushed to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

The doctors have discovered a mass in her nostrils. They have no idea what the mass is, and they’re worried.

Everyone around her seems worried about her health, but softball was at the forefront of Morgan’s mind.

“I was just afraid of not being able to play,” she said. “Softball is my life.”

December 12, 2011 Morgan is at Little Rock hospital with her parents.

The doctors aren’t sure what the mass is, but they’re worried that it’s cancerous.

This is a blow to the whole family, but Morgan takes it pretty well in stride.

Surely, she can’t have cancer–she’s a 15-year-old girl in high school.

The idea is absurd.

Even so, they have ordered a biopsy.

The results come back conclusive; the most ridiculous proposition in the world, Morgan has cancer.

“She looked over, pointed to her muscles, and said, ‘do you see these muscles? I’m strong, I’ve got this!’,” family friend Logan Porter said.

She is diagnosed with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, also known as nasal cancer.

Despite Morgan’s positive attitude, the news still came as a shock.

“I was frightened when they told me the news; I never thought it would be as bad as it really is” Morgan said. “The journey had just begun.”

December 13, 2011 Today, Morgan begins her first round of Chemo at Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

The doctor slits the high left of her chest and places a port inside. Medicine will be tunneled through this, but it is still something of a creepy experience.

January 6, 2012 Second round of Chemo is beginning.

Even though Morgan isn’t very nervous, she has prayers going up from all of her friends.

Though Morgan is working to keep everything in perspective, her parents are having trouble dealing with the reality of her cancer.

Everyone is worried; no one knows exactly how to prepare or react.

Fortunately, Morgan’s second round of Chemo goes even better than her first round. The headaches are starting to back off a little.

“I haven’t really had very many side effects [from the second round],” she said.

“My throat and mouth are the only things bothering me.”

January 25, 2012 Morgan goes to softball practice and enjoys getting to see her girls again.

“I love playing softball,” Morgan said.

“The field is like my backyard.”

For Morgan, softball signifies everything that is normal about her life.

“It felt really good being back on the field,” Morgan said. “Even though I didn’t have the energy to run a lot, I still enjoyed it.”

Morgan’s softball girls are helpful while she is playing, just grateful that their friend was able to be with them.

“I enjoy having my teammate back,” Morgan’s sister Breagan White said. continued on page 19

feature

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tiger times feb. 10, 2012

The girl behind the signs madison sewell staff writer Shuffling through the sea of faceless students, she stands out. Most look at one another in the hallway indifferently. Everyone is the same. Just another nameless body passing through the corridors in the infinite crowds as if in a trance. Yet, when she passes, all eyes go to her. Everyone has seen her. She’s “that girl with the signs,” but who is the girl behind the notebook?

Freshman Olivia Landrum walks down the hallway of the math and science building, a blue legal pad clutched in her hands with “Happy Belated Birthday” written on it. Everyone double takes. Many people realize what it says and laughs. This is exactly what she hopes for.

“One day, I found a piece of paper on the ground that said ‘You’re cute,’ and decided to hold it up all day as a joke,” Olivia said. “I noticed a bunch of people laughing, and thought if I could brighten those people’s days for one day, why don’t I

just do it everyday?”

So it began. Every day since the beginning of the third six weeks, Olivia carries a different sign through the hallways of Texas High. There are no limitations on what they say, whether it be “you are amazing”, “Insert random comment here” or “Biscuits, yes.”

“I just come up with the ideas off the top of my head, usually when I’m laying in bed at night,” Olivia said. “All of them are inspirational, complementary or funny.”

At first glance, Olivia seems like a normal girl. A girl who loves Streamline youth ministries, band, and debate. In a school with the student body numbering well over a thousand, it’s hard to stand out, especially for freshman. Olivia, however, is known. She’s broken the trance, put a smile on the zombified faces.

“It’s my goal to make people’s day,” Olivia said. “Some people tell me it’s stupid or I’m just wasting my money, but to know I made some one’s day just a little bit better makes it all worth it.”

Freshman Olivia Landrum holds a sign in the hallway between classes. It’s her way of trying to brighten someone day. photo by katie black

Hate or heritage?

Confederate flag continues to be controversial symbol that my friends and family share,” sophomore, and owner of a Rebel Flag, Andrew LeGrand said. “Just because I In 1861, it was created. think it represents my culture doesn’t In 1863, it was updated. mean I think it should be taken away, or It became feted. not allowed to be used.”

Even though racism appeared to be LeGrand’s beliefs are echoed by interrelated. senior Shelby Clowers.

Now, in 2012, it’s debated.

“It’s nothing to do with racism,” The question has been restated: Clowers said. “It’s a mind thing. If you Should the Confederate Flag be think it is [racist] then you need to catch hated? up on a history lesson.”

In November of 2011, an “In popular culture, it has been used Sophomore Vernicia Griffie eighth grade student in New by racist groups to represent white disagrees, believing the Confederate Jersey was reportedly suspended supremacy. It’s hard to separate the Flag all relates back to slavery. for wearing a Confederate Flag “I see that everyone has different historical value from the perception viewpoints sweatshirt. This student, Torri on everything, but in Albrecht, was born in Virginia this instance I don’t see how it can of it as a racist symbol.”

Lance Kyles and refused to take a piece of be taken as any way other than her “heritage” off. This demonstration Flag can be seen as something of hate. racist,” Griffie said. “If you want to leave has been praised by some and criticized “Historically, [the Confederate slavery in the past then keep things that by others, for racism is often called Flag] represents the states that seceded are related to slavery, which would be into question when a person is seen from the Union in the Civil War,” the Confederate Flag, in the past.” displaying the Flag. This situation U.S. History teacher Lance Kyles said.

With the quarreling and has caused people to reflect on the “In popular culture, it has been used disagreements that associate with the connotations behind the most infamous by racist groups to represent white racism, or lack thereof, it appears that symbol of Southern Pride. supremacy. It’s hard to separate the it’s safe to say that the only thing that It’s been over 150 years since the historical value from the perception of it can be agreed is that there will always dawn of the Civil War, but controversy as a racist symbol.” be disagreements. And with said still remains when the topic of the People argue, however, that it disagreements comes offense.

Confederate Flag is addressed. Much doesn’t emanate racism and shouldn’t “The flag is historic,” U.S. History of the controversy stems from the some be something that is not allowed to be and Political Science teacher John 500 radical groups that use the Battle worn in schools. It, in their opinion, is Littmann said. “Regardless, it needs Flag as one of their symbols. only part of the ancestry of the South. to be left in history and not paraded However, the South especially “I think [the Confederate Flag] around. It serves no purpose other than attempts to convey a message of represents the heritage and culture to upset people.” “heritage, not hate” when the matter is sydney schoen staff writer

brought up, and insists that it is only a part of the South’s history. But schools (i.e. Albrecht’s school) see the uproar that could potentially be caused by wearing the Rebel Flag.

In fact, Texas High students are not allowed to wear a shirt depicting the Flag “because it would cause a disruption to the educational environment.” This emphasizes the belief that the original meaning of the

5

Questions

with Junior Victoria Knowles zach baker staff writer

Junior Victoria Knowles gives some responses to some of our wackiest questions.

Q: If you could pass or annul any law, what would it be and why?

A: “I would like to make abortion completely illegal.”

Q: If you were a tree, or animal, what kind of tree or animal would you be and why?

A: “I would be a white tiger. Because they are beautiful and rare!”

Q: If you could trade places with anyone for a week, dead or alive, famous or not, real or fictional, who would it be?

A: “I would change places with Lisa Valastro (the Cake boss’ wife), because he is an amazing baker and I would love to have him as a husband!”

Q: If you were a superhero, what would your superpowers be, and what would people call you?

A: “I would like to be Wonder Woman. She is just plain AMAZING!” Q: If aliens landed right in front of you, and offered you anything you want, in exchange for any position on their planet, what would you want?

A: “I would want to be a senator! Like Queen Amadalla from Star Wars!”

Mrs. Rosie

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tiger times feb. 10, 2012

&

faith hope love

The first week Rosie Warfield-Mcgill opened the building at Faith Love and Hope, there was a robbery.

Warfield-Mcgill, known as Mrs. Rosie, was planning a garage sale fundraiser for the new organization.

“Some of the kids passed by and looked in the window and saw the items we had, and they broke into the building,” Warfield-Mcgill said. “Someone had told me of one of the children they saw carrying some of the items out of the building.”

Warfield-Mcgill could have called the police. Calling the police wasn’t what she had created Faith Love and Hope for, though.

“I went to their house, seeing them for the very first time,” Warfield-Mcgill said. “I told the parents what they had done. I refused to call the police on them because I’m trying to keep them out of the system.”

Warfield-Mcgill’s goal is simple: Keep children out of the judicial system in order to keep the kids out of foster care. She has had over 250 foster kids and found that often when foster children get in trouble they are moved to a different home.

“I see so many many children that are victims of circumstances, and a lot of them fall into the judicial system,” Warfield-Mcgill said. “I feel like giving them the opportunity to show that someone does care.”

That Saturday, Warfield-Mcgill left home early to clean the Faith Love and Hope building and continue with the garage sale with the few items she had left.

“When I drove up to the building around 8:30, there were 19 children standing outside waiting on me,” Warfield-Mcgill said. “They thought the school had left them there. At that time I knew what I was getting ready to do was the right thing.”

Warfield-Mcgill’s organization, Faith Love and Hope, has been running successfully since that day in 2000. She continues to run the organization after school on weekdays, providing children with tutoring and extracurricular programs.

“To say that [Faith Love and Hope] has a positive effect on 100 percent of them, I would be lying,” Warfield-Mcgill said. “If 50 percent had a positive effect, I would be proud.”

Organization provides help for kids

autumn sehy sports editor

A

pproximately three in 10 students will fail to graduate from high school each year.

The key to fighting the dropout rate is to make sure that children are able to keep up with their grades.

“When the children are here, at least 80 percent are below their peers on their grade level,” said Rosie Warfield-McGill, founder of Faith Love and Hope. “My goal is to get them on their grade level, so they will take pride in themselves, their school,

and their community.”

Pride is evident at Faith Love and Hope. Warfield-Mcgill has one major policy that she makes sure is never broken: no sagging.

“We had a guest speaker come once,” worker Kimberly Hawkins said. “He was sagging, then Mrs. Rose had to ask him to leave until he could fix his pants.”

Pride is also shown in the way the children respect Warfield-Mcgill.

While at Faith Love and Hope, Warfield-Mcgill is often surrounded by children with questions, comments, or concerns.

“I feel like giving them the opportunity and show that someone does care,” Warfield-Mcgill said. “They often grow up too fast because they have to take on a parental role.”

Not only does Warfield-Mcgill effect the children, the children have changed her life.

“Negligence,” Warfield-Mcgill said. “Low self-esteem. Depriving of many kids in life that other kids have because finances go toward alcohol.

There’s the same effect with drugs. It makes a child grow up if they want to survive. I would like to see them enjoy their childhood.”

The Cheerleaders Ayngel Kade from College Hill Middle School likes going to Faith Love and Hope when there are parties, and she doesn’t have to do homework. Yet, she finds time while at Faith Love and Hope to do both her homework, and go to cheerleading practice.

She’s bored when she’s not at Faith Love and Hope.

“I go to Faith Love and Hope because my mom sometimes doesn’t know how to help me with my homework,” Kade, a fifth grader, said.

“And I don’t like to stay home bored.”

Watch television. Do homework.

Eat. Sleep.

That’s all Kade does when she doesn’t go to the youth organization.

“When I go to Faith Love and Hope, I eat and go outside and play,” Kade said. “Then, I come in to do my homework then go to cheerleading practice.”

At Faith Love and Hope, children do at least one activity outside of homework. The drum line there is award-winning.

“It’s the best because I’m on drumline,” Shayquiczeya Ellis, a fifth grader at College Hill Middle School, said. “It also helps us learn about

division, and it helps us get good grades.”

Not only do children have activities at Faith Love and Hope that they can do, they have the ability to go to the Faith Love and Hope store.

“We get dollars when we’re good,” Kade said. “We get them when we come to Faith Love and Hope, too.”

Kade and Ellis are both cheerleaders at Faith Love and Hope.

“We’re best friends,” Kade said.

“We have other best friends, but we’re bestest friends. We’ve been going to Faith Love and Hope together since first grade.”

Take time to make a difference to a child It’s after school and I’m skipping swim practice. I’m a mess, my backpack is thrown on the floor of the car and papers are falling out. I’m in a hurry to get to Faith Love and autumn sehy sports editor Hope.

I get there 20 minutes early, so I can take notes on the atmosphere.

Kids. Everywhere. Their ages range from 5 to 18. The older ones help out.

There is a woman at the front desk- Mrs. Kim, the only full-time worker other than Mrs. Rosie.

A young boy comes up to me.

“Hi!” he says.

I’ve never met this kid. I chat with him

for a while. This is, until the children go to work in their rooms. I’m supposed to start interviewing them, but I’m scared.

It’s silly, being scared. I’m afraid the children won’t talk. I’m afraid to write about them. I keep worrying that someone will get angry at me. I want to help the children.

I could do it the easy way and volunteer for the day. I could do it the hard way and interview the children and write about them.

I’m scared that I won’t do Faith Love and Hope justice if I write about it.

I’m scared that I’ll make assumptions or that I’ll not give them the attention they deserve. Because they deserve the attention.

For the last eleven years, Faith Love and Hope has given the children in Texarkana

the ability to get tutoring and a voice that will give them a direction. There are many children in Faith Love and Hope who come from difficult households–and Faith Love and Hope helps the children live as just that–children.

I came into Faith Love and Hope scared that I couldn’t make a difference for the children. After being there, I can see that I was wrong in my thinking.

Faith Love and Hope needs all the help it can get.

Taking the easy way out and helping for one day instead of doing my work made me realize that there are rooms full of children who all need tutoring and a few tutors to help them. The children help each other with their homework if they don’t have anyone else to help them, and sometimes their peers don’t know the work

either.

There’s only one Mrs. Rosie and one Mrs. Kim. There’s at least three to four rooms full of children.

I’m disappointed.

Constantly, I hear about the low quality of education in the United States. The way to improve the quality of education is to provide help to the children who need help with their education.

Yet, there are classrooms of children looking for help and few people are giving it to them.

It’s not difficult to help the children in Faith Love and Hope. All it takes is an hour or so a week to tutor children. Faith Love and Hope is open Monday through Thursday at 2300 Preston St. Texarkana, Arkansas. They can be contacted at (870)774-0214.

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tiger times feb. 10, 2012

The making of a great athlete Coaches define what they think is meaning of success autumn sehy sports editor

More than what meets the eye Custodian describes benefits of martial arts involvement Sydney Schoen staff writer

photo illustration by Autumn Sehy. photo by Amy McCoy

The definition of a successful athlete is questionable. A successful athlete could be the state tennis champion; the slowest swimmer on the team but also the team captain; someone who successfully juggles soccer and perfect grades and multiple clubs.

New athletes come every year, taught by coaches who have seen successful athletes come as freshmen and graduate as seniors with sports scholarships.

“I’ve found, through the years, that if you can find kids that have the ability who will really put in a lot of time and work hard, that’s as big as anything,” athletic director Barry Norton said. “You know, the kid that will put in time and dedication. If you can have those things, then you have a chance to be successful at whatever you choose athletically.”

Success also has different requirements for different sports. What makes a champion tennis player does not always make a champion basketball player. An athlete who swims laps for two hours in the morning does not necessarily make a great defensive football player.

“The difficult thing about tennis is that you’re out there by yourself,” tennis coach John Watson said. “In a lot of team sports, you can rely on your teammates if you’re down or if you’re playing bad. In tennis, it’s just you. You have teammates to encourage you on the sidelines.”

Athlete success can lead to success in other parts of an athlete’s life. Sometimes though, an athlete seems to shine only in their sport. Throughout the year, though, coaches have found traits common in successful athletes.

“I think you see dedication, and I think you see a great kid,” Norton said. “How you define a great kid, I don’t know. A lot of times they have a bright smile on their

face. You see the people that are committed, that are dedicated to what they do.

They set goals for themselves, and they’re a good quality person.”

Success often follows good athletes into other areas of their lives.

“It’s hard to be good in one aspect of your life,” Norton said. “It’s hard to be a great athlete, whatever sport it is, and be bad in the classroom or be a bad boy, or be a bad girl off the field, or be a bad son, daughter or sibling. I think excellence is a habit in your life.”

Good habits must accompany the ability to take constructive criticism.

After mopping, sweeping, scrubbing, and cleaning up after approximately 1,867 students, custodian Katrina Flatt couldn’t be more tired. She rushes home, anxious to get some rest. There, she thinks what a difference a year has made.

Just a year ago, Flatt had been living in Bryan, Texas, where she partook in somewhat of an unusual activity: Taekwondo. In fact, Flatt was a Second Degree Black Belt Recommended before coming to Texarkana to work for Texas High.

It took Flatt’s parents a lot of convincing before she was allowed to participate at the age of 12.

“I begged my parents to put me into martial arts for five years, ” Flatt said. “[Then], they put me into

“[A successful athlete is] being able to be coachable and being able to take the hard work, along with the criticism, that makes someone a better person when somebody tries to criticize them,” track and cross country coach Pat Daniels said.

“A person who is well balanced spiritually, family-wise and team-wise will be able to cope with different situations.”

Being able to cope with different situations is how some athletes are capable of being successful in seemingly any sport they do. It’s how some athletes are able to excel despite obstacles and how some athletes break records that were seemingly

unbreakable. They are capable of coping with the pain, the repetition and the mental skill the sport takes.

“In high school, being a successful athlete goes back to how you measure successes,” Norton said. “Is it by winning the gold medals and by doing different things?

And I think it is. I mean, we can’t discount winning at all, but I think so many things can define success in athletics. It’s learning how to work hard, persevere. Sometimes even though you work hard, it may not be enough. But success is to keep lugging, to keep fighting, to keep trying to excel and be the best you can possibly be.”

Taekwondo.”

After she persuaded her parents into letting her attend classes, she jumped at the chance to participate.

“I got picked on a lot when I was younger,” Flatt said. “I wanted to be able to defend myself.”

Although she’s no longer involved in Taekwondo since leaving Bryan, Flatt hopes to get back into the sport.

“I would like to get back into martial arts to get back into shape,” Flatt said. “It’s a great stress reliever.”

The benefits, she admits, go farther than just being physical.

“I learned a lot about respect and self-discipline.”

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Being on team takes family mentality Gender does not define an athlete riley rogers staff writer The relationship between athletes and coaches is a delicate balance between trust, respect and leadership. It is different for every athlete and every coach, but especially between male and female athletes. The dynamic of these relationships starts with a strong foundation.

“I think you have to talk to kids about other things than just sports,” football coach Scott Norton said. “You have to make sure they know that you care about them.

So, I think if you can build a good relationship with the kids, they will play their hearts out for you.”

The relationship for males and their coaches is trust and being cared about, the feeling of having a mentor. For females, it’s honesty and being listened to, but both boys and girls want respect.

“I am honest with [my athletes], and they are honest with me,” girls’ soccer coach Dustin Holly said. “We have a mutual respect for each other that allows me to be hard on them and push them to be the best they can be.

I will listen to what they are saying about the game and take their opinions into consideration. All of my athletes know they can come to me with questions, concerns, and comments, and I will listen to them.”

Along with respect, comes heart. It’s what shows a player’s, or coach’s, love for the game.

“Playing with heart is not something that is hard to find around here,” Norton said. “When an athlete has made it to the high school level, they love the game they play. There is too much hard work that goes into preparation for a season for a kid to not enjoy what they are doing.”

For both male and female athletes, it’s the love of the

Juniors Michael Stanley and Natalie Copeland discuss soccer. photo

by Hannah Patterson

game that gives them the drive to keep going, not just scores and records.

“If you didn’t love the game, then there is no way you could make it through all the practices, the long season, and the off-season workouts,” Holly said. “I also think all my athletes want to win. We spend so much time preparing for each game that if you don’t love it and don’t want to win, then you are in the wrong activity.”

For Norton, it’s all about staying positive and encouraging his players.

“I want them to feel good about themselves,” Norton said, “and know I’m on their side when we step on the field.”

Male athletes like the feeling of being comfortable with their situations, while females understand the criticism,

even when they don’t like it. They need the same person to tell them what’s wrong and to offer praise.

“Athletes are sometimes the hardest on themselves, so as a coach I need to keep their spirits up and working hard,” Holly said. “They know I care about them, so any criticism or praise I give them is understood.”

Each athlete is different and responds differently to situations. Norton said he tries to find ways to motivate athletes other than yelling, but sometimes it helps the athletes realize the urgency of the situation.

“Some athletes get motivated when a coach yells at them, some work harder,” Holly said. “With others, you have to pull them aside from the group, and one-on-one tell them what they are doing wrong and how to fix it.

Everyone responds differently, so it is my job to very quickly figure out how to motivate my athletes.”

Competition is a way to motivate all athletes; someone wins, someone loses.

“Competitiveness shows coaches which players will leave everything on the field,” Norton said. “We do a lot of drills during off season training that are very competitive. You always like to see that kid that is really competitive and works extra hard. Our job is to bring that competitiveness out in all our athletes, and make sure they are working hard.”

Whether it’s relationships, heart, yelling, encouragement or competition, athletes–girl or boy– are more similar than they are different. The dynamic of being an athlete is simple, playing something you love with people you love, like family. It’s all about passion, feeling like you belong, and depending on people who depend on you.

“My athletes are very close,” Holly said. “We are constantly preaching a ‘family mentality’ and it has worked. Every player on the team can be themselves without fear of ridicule. They treat everyone the same.

I think that makes our team better because everyone of them is willing to fight for each other. It’s all about your team, your family.”

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Picks for this year’s awards Best Picture

Favored- “The Artist”; my pick- “Moneyball” The best picture award is widely accepted to be the proudest award a movie can be given. This year the davis payne favorite is “The Artist”, which has garnered almost entertainment editor universal acclaim. This is weird because it is a silent film, which is incredibly rare during modern times. My prediction, or rather my bias, is “Moneyball.” I am definitely partial to “Moneyball” because it is a sports film, but the film has also received great reviews. It has a powerful story that deals with a baseball general manager struggling to turn his falling team into a force to be reckoned with. It is an inspirational movie that is great for any audience.

Best Director

Favored- Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”; my pick- Martin Scorsese, “Hugo” Again, “The Artist” is the favorite for another major award, which is a testament to its brilliance. Still, I have to go against “The Artist” with director Martin Scorsese and his film, “Hugo.” “Hugo” is Scorsese’s first film to direct in 3-D and that clearly wasn’t a problem, due to the film having almost all good reviews. Scorsese is the driving force behind “Hugo’s” compelling story and manages to masterfully draw in the audience. He fully deserves this award.

Best Actor

Favored- George Clooney, “The Descendants”; my pick- Brad Pitt, “Moneyball” “The Descendants” is a drama movie that is also a heavy competitor for best picture.

George Clooney does an undeniably good job at portraying his character’s emotions as the movie goes on. My bias, though, is Brad Pitt in “Moneyball.” Pitt plays a baseball general manager that is down on his luck. He doesn’t just portray his character, he practically is the character, almost being the person instead of simply acting as him.

Best Actress

Favored and my pick- Viola Davis, “The Help” For once, I agree with the favored nomination. Viola Davis wonderfully played her role in the film, “The Help”. Viola Davis plays a maid that opens up to a writer named Eugenia Phelan, about the discrimination that black maids are facing. She brilliantly captures the seriousness of the situation which her character finds herself in. I fully agree with her being the favored nominee.

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tiger times feb. 10, 2012

ACADEMY AWARDS

These all-time favorites are sure to be the ‘Worthiest of the Worthy’ past winners abigail o’gorman staff writer The Academy Awards are a rather hit-and-miss affair.

Oftentimes politics and pretensions rather than actual merit determine who goes home with the little gold statue, and the Academy is a bit shoddy at predicting which films will be forever beloved and which will fade into movie oblivion. And yet, by some cinematic miracle, they occasionally get it spot on.

While some of the winners from Academy Awards passed are cringe-inducing (Shakespeare In Love? Really?), others are undeniably fantastic. The following honorees are, in my opinion, Worthiest of the Worthy.

Best Picture- Lawrence of Arabia If I asked you whether you’d like to see a four hour-long movie that painstakingly chronicles the struggles of a long-dead British war hero, and that most of the film is spent lingering on long-distance shots of sand dunes for five minutes and questioning the protagonist’s sexuality, and that they show said protagonist’s death in first two minutes of the movie, and that there are no female characters in the entire thing, what would you say? I hope it’s some variant of “OMG YES, I would ABSOLUTELY like to see that movie!” because the film in question, Lawrence of Arabia, is exorbitantly amazing. It’s the epic film of epic films, and undoubtedly one of the best movies ever made. The first time I saw it, I was planning on being bored out of my skull, but I was sad when it was over, because this movie rocked my face off. Despite its rather convoluted narrative, it manages to capture the viewer’s rapt attention for its entire duration, even during the aforementioned sand dune shots. Somehow, it seems to be more of a journey than a movie, and what a journey it is!

Best Director- Stephen Spielberg, Schindler’s List When you watch Schindler’s List, it can be rather difficult to appreciate all its nuances through the veil of your own tears. Its director, Stephen Spielberg, is at heart a sentimentalist, and Schindler’s List is sentiment at its best. Every little touch, from the decision to shoot the film in black and white to that heartbreaking scene with the little girl in the red dress, is perfectly suited to draw the appropriate response from the viewer and highlight the film’s purpose of illustrating the power of kindness against the terrible backdrop of the Holocaust. It is Spielberg’s magnum opus and represents the peak of his talent. Combine his directing with excellent performances from the cast and you have a film that most definitely deserves its accolades.

Best Screenplay- Citizen Kane Ah, Citizen Kane. It is a film that refuses to shove the typical high-handed cinematic morality onto the viewer’s lap and allows him to form his own opinions about its protagonist, a filthy-rich publishing tycoon by the name of Charles Foster Kane. Orson Welles, who wrote, directed and starred in the film at the tender age of twenty-five, most likely modelled the

character after William Randolph Hearst, a newspaper magnate known for his yellow journalism and underhanded business tactics. Kane could easily be one of the politicians we all know and (don’t) love, constantly fighting for the national spotlight and the admiration of the American voting body. The topic of love comes up frequently in the film, though not necessarily in the usual romantic way. Kane spends his life vying for the love of others- his wives, his coworkers, the public at large.

However, he does not, or is unwilling to, realize that in order to receive love one must first give it- a type of selfishness that most of us have experienced, however ashamed we may be to admit it. From the opening scene to the closing credits, Citizen Kane exhibits masterful skill in writing, and for this I award it best Best Screenplay.

Best Actor- Laurence Olivier, Hamlet In the history of movies, few greater atrocities have ever been committed than the unspeakable horror which occurred at the 1974 Academy Awards, when Art Carney won Best Actor for his performance in Harry and Tonto. What’s that you ask, dear reader? Why do I so despise the innocuous and grandfatherly Art Carney? Don’t get your knickers in a knot, reader. I don’t hate Art Carney. I merely find it maddeningly infuriating that two of the greatest performances in two of the greatest films of all time, Al Pacino in The Godfather Part II and Jack Nicholson in Chinatown, were passed over for Best Actor in favor of Art Carney’s role in a road trip movie about an old guy and his cat. In a perfect world, Pacino would’ve won and I would’ve picked him as the best Best Actor. Since the Academy is full of curmudgeonly buggerers and he didn’t, the honor goes to Laurence Olivier in Hamlet. Few actors could have delivered the flowery, Shakespearean language in Hamlet with such natural and realistic emotion, and Olivier performs the role with a genuineness that would put most contemporaryset dramas to shame. Coincidentally, this version of Hamlet was the only adaptation of a Shakespeare play to ever win Best Picture. That’s how good it is.

Best Actress- Louise Fletcher, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest When it comes to evil, Louise Fletcher’s Mildred Ratched could teach Hollywood’s classic repertoire of smoothly smarmy Bond villains, sneering Indiana Jones-style Nazis, and spandexclad supervillains a thing or two. A nurse in an insane asylum, Ratched rules over the inmates with an iron fist, and goes to horrible lengths to subdue them when they threaten her control. Fletcher makes Ratched’s character chillingly real, never committing any of the dreadful clichés usually associated with movie villains. Fletcher’s captivatingly frightening performance makes an interesting contrast to the usual sort of roles to which the Best Actress Oscar is awarded. They say that villains are easier to play than good guys, and if your goal is to ham it up as a cackling evildoer then they may be right, but playing an uncontrived and convincing villain is a devilishly hard thing to do. Louise Fletcher makes it look easy. You’ll never look at nurses the same way again.

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tiger times feb. 10, 2012

All about the ‘Man Card’ Maintaining your card: rules of the game cards are a sign of masculinity. If a non-masculine thing is committed by any player, a card may be taken. If a card is removed, it shall be torn in half and thrown away. If the accusation is made, and there is a debate over whether the card is taken, all decisions are made final by the Commissioner, Abigail O’Gorman. The last person to hold a card is appointed bragging rights, and the title of The “Manliest Man of All Men Ever to Be a Man.”

zach baker staff writer

•

Fish for sharks...with your teeth.

• Box a bear...and win.

• Chop down a tree...with your bare hands.

• Leave a bruise...on Chuck Norris.

• Skydive... into a hurricane.

• Shave your head... Like a friar.

• Kill a fly...with your gun.

• Ride a tiger...to school.

• Sneeze...with your eyes open.

• Eat a 6lb steak...raw.

Eat lots of red meat Steak, venison, lion Dress to impress Boots, athletic attire, full suit of armor

Talk about manly things regularly Hunting, sports, how you grew a moustache Drink Dr Pepper 10 A drink for true men compiled by Jacob Hill

Wear a purse Satchels don’t count.

alpha-fail

Ways to earn a man card:

alpha-male

One little card with a picture of a the animated “He-Man” and the words “1 Man Card.”

That’s all it is, but it expresses so much more in the eye of the beholder. Each participant in the game was given three “Man Cards” and given the rundown on what they are about. The man

Singing Taylor Swift It doesn’t matter if your “girlfriend” gave the CD to you.

Touching other men Unless it’s a handshake.

Reference something from Seventeen Magazine No one cares if that’s all that’s in your bathroom.

brianna sellers

She’s the man: Ladies, earn your man card As soon as I get in a relationship, I realize that I need to work on removing a man card. For example, just the other day my boyfriend was hannah wren watching a football game and I noticed it staff writer was time for the airing of “The Notebook.”

“This is the big game,” he kept saying.

“Please.” I looked into his eyes.

He immediately changed the channel to fit my satisfaction.

Whipped.

It’s a good thing to have your man whipped and in check because they need to understand two things: 1. Women give life, so therefore, we are superior.

2. You may work hard, but we work harder.

Although guys strive to make us happy, there is always room for improvement.

Just because you give me flowers doesn’t

mean the thing you said last night was appropriate. If you were whipped, then that statement never would’ve crossed your mind in the first place.

So ladies, when you’re just about to get into a relationship, one thing you need to keep in mind is that having your man in check allows you to have full control of what goes on in your relationship. In order to put your man in check, you have to know when he’s whipped.

Here’s five ways to know for sure if you’ve been successful:

1. He asks to hold your handbag when the two of you go shopping.

2. If he volunteers of his own free will to buy you Starbucks.

3. If you give him a curfew, and he follows it.

4. If you go out in public wearing matching outfits.

5. If he’s ever told you “I don’t wanna lose you.”

Once you’ve achieved any of these then, congratulations ladies. You have just obtained a man card!

Friends, family give freshman hope in battle with cancer continued from page 13

to me.”

January 27, 2012 Morgan and her family are headed back to Little Rock for her third treatment of Chemo.

“I wasn’t really nervous about it this time,” Morgan said. “I was just ready for it to be over.”

She has a few headaches after this treatment, but nothing nearly as bad as they were.

“I get these text messages saying how brave I am,” Morgan said. “I am only brave because of my friends who look up

Back in Texarkana, Morgan’s story had reached the Young Philanthropist Club.

The White’s family friend, Logan Porter, had spoken to the club about the severity of Morgan’s cancer and the sacrifice the White family was making.

Christmas gifts and eating out were no longer enjoyed by the White family.

The family had devoted weekends and summers to softball. Softball was the White’s passion. But that too was gone. All of the family’s time and money was spent on Morgan’s treatment.

After hearing of Morgan’s struggle, the club’s decision was unanimous.

All were in favor; the money would go to the White family.

“The family was thrilled about the donation,” Porter said. “They thought it was so nice of the club and nearly cried.”

January 28, 2012 Third round of Chemo started.

“I am feeling pretty good,” Morgan said. “I don’t get nervous about treatments anymore.”

Morgan came back to school on Thursday, Feb. 2.

“I can’t wait to see my friends, and go to softball practice,” Morgan said.

Morgan has not finished her treatment but she is still doing fine.

It’s a long process, but Morgan is only looking up.

“I try to stay positive about everything,” Morgan said. “The tougher I am the better off I will be.”

Morgan is counting down the days until she can come back to the softball field.

She only asks that her friends and family keep her in their prayers.

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tiger times feb. 10, 2012