Wildcat Tales: Issue 2, Volume 69

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CLASS PRESIDENTS’ AGENDA

Inside:

Q & A with Samer Amous and Ryan Dusek

By Zane Vakser

Q: When you were elected as senior president, you spoke of a suicide prevention program, how has that been coming along?

A: That program is going along smoothly, we’re just trying to find the logistics of it. It’s probably going to happen either at the end of this year or the beginning of next. It’s a topic that requires a lot of delicacy, so we need to find an adequate speaker. I’m trying to work out a pep rally so we can have a guest speaker talk to the students about how to deal with suicide, and how to overcome it if any of them are dealing with that themselves.

Q: What caused you to become aware that this was an issue that needed to be addressed?

A: Me personally, I’ve had friends both before and after the election who had suicidal thoughts. Not that that’s necessarily correlated, but with everything that’s going on and the news of Robin Williams passing away because he took his own life is a very horrific thing, and it needs to be touched upon. The school system doesn’t really do a decent job, they don’t even try to talk about it, and I think it’s a good time to start.

2

Read the finale to Suhina Chopra’s two-part series for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

4

All in a day: The struggles of a high school student.

8

Learn about why lacrosse is not considered a UIL sport.

Q: What else have you been doing in the school to improve it and what have you accomplished?

A: This year I’m having a meeting with all the club presidents so we can improve the school and better spread information from one club to another, because that’s something we don’t really do well here at Plano – intercommunication.

Q: How has being President changed your outlook on the school, and how has this affected you as a student?

A: There are a lot of things that people don’t realize people in a leadership position have to do. I was in six or seven meetings with the administration trying to get our needs as students, junior and senior, into administrative eyes.

Photo by Haley Samsel

Amous outlines his goals for the school year at the first President Council’s meeting on Oct. 15.

Q: By the end of your term as senior president, what do you hope to have accomplished?

A: The suicide prevention program is my number one priority, that’s what I want my legacy to be. There are a lot of presidents who didn’t do anything notable that was worth remembering them by. I really don’t want people to remember me by, ‘Oh this guy was class president, he was funny, and kind of cool.” I want people to remember me as that guy who actually tried to benefit our school. It’s not just me. I’m trying to make everyone else happy to make me happy.

Q: Anything else you would like to be known about your future plans or time in general as President?

A: If there’s anything the school needs, anything a student needs or wants changed come to me, I’m open 24/7 and I’m all ears because it isn’t just me.

Whatever the students need, whatever you need, I’m here to serve you guys. You voted for me so you can have a voice and I’m here to provide that for you.

Check out www.wildcattales.com for an interview with JCP Ryan Dusek.

CONSTRUCTING SUCCESS

Student engineers prepare for upcoming competition

By Jameriya Owens Take part A and go attach it to part B across the room. Only catch is you cannot move and you have to use everything you know about physics, math and other technical subjects. You need to construct something that will do it for you, and starting from nothing but ordinary parts.

This is how mechanical engineering teams from different schools get together and test their capabilities. Seniors Jordan Christian and Jason Hutchinson try to balance a hectic schedule and also be a part of the team.

“We’re both in AP Computer science, and that takes up a lot of time,” Christian said. “And we’re both in football too, so that also makes it difficult if we need to work after school.”

Christian explains what the engineering team is trying to

accomplish by getting together with other teams in the metroplex at this event.

“Our goal is to build a working robot that delivers and puts together a small scale windmill,” Christian said.

According to Hutchinson, while taking on this challenge and competing against other teams across the area, the troop has to dedicate a large amount of personal time to the project.

“We usually get there around seven in the morning and get out of there at maybe 8:45, right before school starts,” Hutchinson said. “We put in quite a bit of time.”

In the competitions, the different teams are each prompted to build a robot capable of completing pre-determined challenges such as picking up parts, using levers and

crossing over bridges. All of this is simple training for these students to see what the everyday life of being an engineer is like.

“It’s cool to get to know how engineers work,” Christian said.

The primary motivation of the majority of members is to be an engineer. This experience allows the students to get more involved in their aspirations. For Hutchinson, being on the team is just a small step into his future.

“Most of us want to be engineers,” Hutchinson said. “We think the team is definitely helping us to get hands on experience with building stuff and being able to go through the whole design process.”

Despite the amount of intense work outside of school and other classes, the team spends a huge amount of time together making

sure they’re prepared in time for the competition on Oct.18.

“Our goal?” Hutchinson said.

“To win the competition and go on to the statewide level.”

Photo by Jameriya Owens

Jordan Christian hard at work, making further improvements on the robot. “We work together and come in early to accomplish our goal,” Christian said.

Feature

Think pink: part two

2 THE WILDCAT TALES

OCTOBER 17, 2014

By Suhina Chopra

The representative pink ribbons, merchandise and logos desensitized to it. It's what I grew up with, it's what I know, are seen almost everywhere around us to spread breast but I didn't really think much about it until a couple years cancer awareness. We all know what they are for and why ago," Dusek said. they are important, but raising awareness means something Dusek explained how he never really knew how bad the vastly different when the cancer hits close to home. cancer had gotten until a few weeks before she died when The disease personally affected junior Jordan Ayers when she was admitted into the hospital. Though he was assured her mom was diagnosed with Stage 3 that it was nothing serious, breast cancer in June 2012. days turned into weeks, and “It’s definitely changed our whole eventually it was exam week, family’s outlook on life," Ayers said. adding to his stress. Dusek "It’s shown us that you can’t just say was soon informed by his 'that’s not going happen to me.'" sisters that his mom was, in Her mom has gone through the fact, not going to make it. mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, "She was always like 'make and chemo, but nothing has seemed sure there's enough pictures to help. Now, the doctors are starting in my slideshow when I die' her on an experimental chemotherapy, cause she always wanted us called Arimidex because it taken orally, to take her picture, and we that does not have known certain were like 'mom that's not results. funny,' but now that I really "She has to get her blood taken think about it she was really every Friday and it has a lot of side preparing us, which was effects. Since it's experimental, we strange because it would Photo submitted by Jordan Ayers always upset me so much don't really know what's going to Ayers and her mom pass time together while her happen," Ayers said. when she would talk about Ayers explained how this mother waits for her chemotherapy treatment. “Most herself dying, but she really people now see her with her hair and assume she’s experience has taught her not to take cancer free and healthy,” Ayers said. “But she’s not.” did prepare us,” Dusek said. things for granted. She's realized “She definitely knew what people always assume that nothing can happen to them, or was going to happen, but didn't tell us because she knew it someone directly related to them. would upset us all the time.”

"As kids, we have this idea that our parents are never Dusek also explained how it was initially strange to him going to die," Ayers said. "The cancer just kind of brought that his sisters would now be his guardians. Although he realness to the situation.” and his family have slowly gotten used to the situation, he This became reality for Junior Class President Ryan still has some days where he gets down, but he knows that Dusek when his mom passed away from breast cancer in his mom prepared him so he could have a better life.

June 2013.

"It really affected me in the way that my whole life really Dusek described how the cancer had always been a part did change," Dusek said. "It definitely made me a stronger of his life since his mom was diagnosed when he was one person." and a half with stage one. However, the cancer eventually According to Ayers, the experience has shown her how spread to the rest of her body. quickly things can be taken away. Because of this, she tries "A lot of people find it strange that I throw around that to support her mom as much as she can by taking her to my mom has breast cancer so lightly because I was kind of appointments, buying her gifts and constantly telling her

that she loves her.

"My mom is a teacher, and so she knows a lot of people," Ayers said. "All her fellow teachers have done lunches and auctions for us, to the point where everyone was getting involved. Her whole school knew her."

Ayers’ mother has gotten a lot of support from her fellow co-workers and community, who have organized events in her honor. Their family has participated in the Susan G. Komen Run for the last two years and has always bought the merchandise, which provides donations for medical organizations.

“Raising awareness doesn’t really mean being aware for yourself," Ayers said. "But being aware that people in your community are going through this and that you have to support them through it."

Raising awareness for breast cancer has been a tradition in junior Midori Anderson’s family ever since her grandmother was diagnosed when Anderson was in the fifth grade.

"I didn't think it was such a big deal at the time because I was young so I didn't really know what it actually did to you and how bad it was," Anderson said.

Hence, raising awareness has become less of a passion, and more of a custom in her family.

"Don't tell my mom this, but I think it's more a tradition," Anderson said. "She's really passionate about it, but I keep it as more of a tradition."

Anderson’s mother, who works for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, helps organize many awareness events such as the Race for the Cure, at which their family volunteers.

“Raising awareness means teaching everyone about the cancer and checking yourself," Anderson said. "I love how it shows people that you can do something."

Friends, teachers, mothers, sisters, grandmothers, daughters -- anyone can be affected by it. In fact, 1 percent of its victims are men. However, according to Dusek, it is very difficult to perceive how important this cause is until you have actually experienced it.

"My mom was the strongest ever, she fought for 15 years," Dusek said. "The woman is my inspiration in every aspect. It just made me realize, this is going to sound cheesy, but you never really know what you have until it's gone."

Feature

3

Connecting cultures The hallways are filled with people of many cultures with people hailing from countries such as Sweden, South Africa, Spain and Australia. Although these cultures may be different, they intertwine with certain aspects of American culture. The school is truly a melting pot.

Junior Deepanjli Donthula lived in Australia for the first seven years of her life. Although she was born in India, her father got a job that relocated the Donthulas to Aussie territory. Last time she visited Australia was in 2010.

"I only remember the trivial things," Donthula said. "For example, they have different words for things. A car park is what they call a parking lot."

Junior Gabriela Ochoa is a foreign exchange student from Madrid, Spain. She is going to be in America for 10 months total. Different from the States, Spanish students learn English starting at just five years old.

"We know English," Ochoa said. "In some schools, all or most of the classes are in English, but not mine."

American customs and attitudes towards other countries are very different than Spain's, according to Ochoa.

"The food is different, and there is no bullfighting," Ochoa said. "There are a lot of people that don't like bullfighting in Spain, but there's still a lot that do."

Junior Christiaan Adriaanse was born in South Africa, and moved to the United States just before kindergarten.

"I processed it like a vacation," Adriaanse said. "I was too young to realize what was actually going on. I didn't know anybody when we got to America. I wouldn't speak.

By Maggie Cross

THE WILDCAT TALES

OCTOBER 17, 2014

They thought I couldn't speak English so they put me in ESL, but once they got me to talk, they couldn't get me to shut up."

Despite moving so young, Adriaanse said he still remembers Africa vividly and continues to maintain South African traditions.

"We speak Afrikaans at home," Adriaanse said. "I can read and speak it fluently."

Junior Jesper Dovren comes all the way from Gothenburg, Sweden. He Ochoa visits a popular tourist site on the Spanish-Italian Photo submitted by Gabriela Ochoa is an exchange student and is in Plano border, an island called Ibiza. “It was so beautiful there,”she said. until June. Dovren made the 7,973 km expensive. I probably go to Germany most often." trip from his Swedish home to America, Patriotism in Sweden is also very different. It is considered where he knew no one. disrespectful to wear their flag on a t-shirt. However, it is "My father did it when he was my age," Dovren said. "I common to see Swedes wear an American-flag t-shirt. Not was excited to do it myself." only is that different, but school is as well.

Dovren focused on the excitement of the new "I love your tests here," Dovren said. "They're so easy. experience and still keeps in contact with his friends and We don't have multiple-choice tests, so if I recognize an family at home. When he came to Texas, it was not what he answer choice, there's a big chance I get it right." was expecting to see.

Dovren said that the stereotypical assumption that all "I expected a lot more cowboy hats, boots and horses," Swedes have blonde hair and blue eyes applies to most of Dovren said. "Everybody knows about Texas, California, the population, while in America, there is more genetic and Florida in Sweden. But that's about it." variation.

According to Dovren, in Europe it's common to travel "It's really cool," said Dovren. "I love the diversity in across the continent for vacation.

America."

"It's not that hard, traveling," Dovren said. "It's not

Going the distance

Relationships weather time apart

With school, work and family from each other it can be difficult to incorporate must find new ways a relationship into the mix, let to communicate can alone one where you rarely get differentiate long to see your significant other. distance couples from But for others a long distance others. relationship is worth sustaining.

"They are different.

Senior Derrick Draeger met You have to find other his girlfriend of almost a year ways to connect with when he started working at each other," JCPenny. At the time, Draeger Draeger said. was a junior while Bianca Pery "Bianca and I was a senior. The couple knew make it a goal they may end up in different to face time places when college rolled each other around, but decided to go for every night. I it anyway. Eight months later guess there's a Pery graduated high school and stigma with long moved to California to study at distance that it's Berkeley. not as real as Photo submitted by Derrick Draeger people who are "When she left she wanted to stay together," Draeger said. Draeger presents his long-distance girlfriend Bianca together a lot, "I was still on the fence but of Pery with gifts after a prolonged period apart. Pery but in the end if course once she was gone I currently lives and studies in California. you really love decided that I wanted to as well. someone then it's to stay with her because they see College for me is right around the how much I like her. They think worth it." corner and I'll probably be going it’s pretty impressive that we made Senior Kyle Jones out to California to study." knows what it is like to it four months without seeing The fact that being together each other." be away from the one he again is within the couples grasp The girl who worked with loves as well. Jones and is a large factor that keeps the and introduced the couple has a Lauren Vandergriff met in relationship going. But what really boyfriend who recently made the band at Clark High School makes the distance worth it is move out of state as well. his sophomore year and knowing they have someone they "I guess my experience has her freshmen year. Twenty can relate to and enjoy being with been a little bit easier than other months into the two year no matter how far away they are. peoples because the friend that relationship, Vandergriff "I think she's a real catch introduced me to Bianca has a moved to New York when because she's smart, of course boyfriend that also went off to her father got a job offer. beautiful and she gets my sense of Berkeley," Draeger said. "So both "I love her," Jones said. humor which is really important of us are here and our significant "She's easy to be around in a relationship," Draeger said. "I others are in California. We have and to talk to, she makes was just like, is there really anyone four-way chats where we all talk to me feel good whenever who is better for me out there? I each other."

I'm with her. We weren't didn't think so."

Having a group of friends happy that she had to Many long distance relationships that are also in long distance leave but it wasn't worth can be hard when the people relationships has helped them throwing everything around you have significant others all stay connected with their away." who are in the same place and get significant others.

Not seeing each other to see each other often. Luckily, can be a real downer "We're all really good friends," the people in Draeger's life have Draeger said. "We'll also plan trips for the couple, but they made the transition a little easier. together. We all pool our money still find opportunities "My parents are really supportive together to help everyone see each to connect and see each about it," Draeger said. "They other. So it's a little easier because other. help me get to the airport to see I have a support group for it."

"She came down her and they really encourage me here to visit SMU over The way couples far away

homecoming weekend and got to go with me to the dance. Also, about a month after she moved up north we met up in New York City and got to see the city together, so that was really cool."

The couple sees a future together past high school and has hopes to be reunited if Vandergriff decides

By Emily Perez

to attend SMU in Dallas, Texas.

"I see her a lot less, which sucks but really, it hasn't changed too much about how we connect as a couple," Jones said. "We still talk every day and if anything it just makes it more special when she comes back."

A day in the life of an honors student

HOUR ONE: EXHAUSTED I awake to “The Office” theme song blaring from my phone speaker. My mind wonders to the night before when I had set the song to play as my alarm.

That means it’s 5:30 A.M. I was supposed to get up and finish reading chapter 8 for the AP U.S. History (APUSH) test today. That thought is far from my brain as my eyes flutter shut, my breathing slows, and my mind drifts to clouds and sheep and all of the clichés.

By Kelsey Campbell

HOUR TWO: APPREHENSIVE As I become conscious, I shoot my right hand to where I know my phone is waiting for me on the nightstand. I bring the screen into my vision and peak one eye open. My view sends a jolt through my spine. The glowing white numbers 7:53 flash before my eyes. I over slept. I have to be at school in an hour. I panic and hit my knee as I stumble out of bed and into the shower.

The pursuit of Z’s

By Cameron Drummond

W

HOUR THREE: ANXIOUS With two minutes left until the nine-o-clock tardy bell rings, I hustle to class. I take the last sip of my Red Bull - the only thing keeping me awake, the true breakfast of champions, the fuel to my fire, - and toss it into the nearest trash can.

The bell rings and I collapse into my chair a second after.

I am only able to relax for a moment as my first period teacher dims the lights and I take out the necessities spiral, pencil, eraser, highlighter. Less than a few ticks of a clock later, I am lost in an array of bolded words, eraser shavings, and the impending doom of carpel tunnel.

hether it be due to excessive amounts of homework, an obsession with electronics or the persistence of procrastination, teenagers seem to suffer from a lack of sleep during the school year.

The case is no different for senior Eric Lee. “I think sleep is kind of a resource in that you need sleep

to survive,” Lee said. “But there are people who don’t sleep so that they are able to finish their work.”

The National Sleep Foundation states that sleep is of integral importance to a person’s overall health and well-being. They recommend that teenagers get 9.25 hours of sleep per night to function at an optimal level, an amount that Lee falls short of.

“I would say that I get about five hours of sleep on an average school night,” Lee said. “If I have to give up some sleep in order to finish work, I do that.”

In addition, the National Sleep Foundation claims that only 15% of teenagers receive 8.5 hours of sleep on school nights.

“A big part of why teenagers do not get enough sleep is procrastination,” Lee said. “Also, sometimes school just overloads you with work and the way school works, it needs you to do all this work in basically no time.”

However, junior Colin O’Donnell said he maintains a healthy amount of sleep each school night while also completing his homework.

“Each night I get around eight hours of sleep,” O’Donnell said. “I spend my time wisely. I do my homework right when I get home, which allows me to get it done by the time I want to.”

O’Donnell said he believes that school, work and technology play a role in teenagers sleeping so little.

“Most teenagers do not care about their grades and will just play video games or do other stuff rather than their homework,” O’Donnell said.

“But also, many kids stress about their grades too much, or wait until the last minute to do things, so they are up all night.”

Junior Jake Smillie partly

Choo

Sle Gra Ext concurs with O’Donnell’s reasoning as to why teenagers are, in general, sleep deprived.

“Especially now in today’s time, they have other activities to do such as homework, sports and clubs,” Smillie said.

“It just takes up a lot of time.”

Smillie believes the main cause for teenage lack of sleep relates to the amount of homework saddled

How m do y

0-3 h

HOUR FOUR: DREAD

4-6 h

Now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for - the APUSH test. I’m one of the first people in the classroom. I take my seat, my right foot nervously tapping for the remainder of the passing period. When the bell rings, my teacher comes strolling in with a Diet Coke in hand. “I could really use a Diet Coke,” I think wishfully. As my teacher joyfully passes out the tests, my neighbors and I exchange anxious “good lucks”. There’s a lurking cloud of fear above our desks - we are all simultaneously embarking on separate suicide missions.

HOUR FIVE: DISAPPOINTMENT I trudge out of class defeated. My face is filled with shame. There is no way I passed that test.

I’m a junior - this is the year it matters, this is the year that defines the rest of my life. That one failing grade could be the determining factor between University of Texas and Collin County’s local community college.

I know I can do better, I have to do better.

7-9 h Photo by Cameron Drummond

Junior Jake Smillie often struggles to finish all of his homework each night, resulting in fatigue the next day. “I try to get my homework done as quick as I can,” Smillie said. “But it usually ends up taking me forever.”

HOURS SIX TO NINE: HECTIC The next few class periods fly by in a chaos of extensive note taking, urgent hand raising, and random chit chat. When I arrive at my last period, a huge sigh of relief escapes my mouth. “It’s almost over,” I think to myself as I walk into physics. But it’s never “almost over” when it comes to physics.

The last hour of my day is filled with theories and equations that I will one day credit my wrinkles to.

HOUR T DETERM

On the 12 minut my house, I make of all the thing tonight. I walk game plan. D from my skin. Bu comfortable. And

upon them.

“For most people, the main cause of sleep limitation is the amount of homework, especially if you’re in honors or AP classes,” Smillie said. “For me, on average, I’m at about four hours of homework every night.”

Junior Ethan Spross faces a different issue with regard to the duration of his sleep intervals.

“For me, I feel more tired when I sleep more,” Spross

ose Two:

pattern is disturbed.”

A recent May 2014 Harvard University based Nurses’ Health Study found that those who sleep in excess of nine hours a night suffer from poor sleep quality, which can affect memory and thinking skills.

“I believe that you should have a set sleep time and always fall asleep at that time,” O’Donnell said. “If you do not complete your school work, you should not stress about doing it because in the long run, you will do better with good sleep.”

Lee also uses deadlines to dictate his unique sleeping pattern.

“The moment I go home, I take a 45 minute to onehour nap,” Lee said.

“Then I wake up and work until one or two in the morning, maybe even three if it is that much work.”

Lee said he is comfortable with his trade-off of sleep for homework productivity.

“Being able to do well in school requires either a high intelligence or studying your school work,” Lee said. “I just happen to take frequent naps to try to juggle it all.”

eep ades tracurriculars said. “I don’t know why, it’s just one of those things for me that I have to work around.”

Spross tries to only sleep about six hours a night in order to keep himself in balance.

“I think feeling tired as a result of too much sleep is a legitimate issue,” Spross said. “Sometimes your body just can’t respond the way it normally does once its sleep

much sleep you get?

5%

hours

hours

hours

50%

Out of 40 students surveyed

TEN: MINED

te car ride from school to e a mental list in my head gs I need to accomplish into my room with a Determination radiating ut wait. My bed looks so d I’ve had such a long day...

44%

Wishing for fish

By Erienne Terpak

Photo by Taylor Norris

Conservation and fun are important parts of fishing to senior Tanner Doidge, the founder of Fishing Club. “I have really gotten into it, and I’m hoping other people will too,” Doidge said.

S

Graphic by Ariana Levya

tudents are willing to give Fishing Club another go this year despite how abruptly the club and its efforts were put on hold last year. According to social studies teacher Steve Leonard, last year’s unexpected roadblocks got in the way of the club’s ambitions.

Not only did the pond freeze over, becoming too cold for the fish to live in, but in an effort to clean the pond, it was dyed and became far too acidic for the fish. According to senior Tanner Doidge, the pH was five when it should have been closer to seven.

“We had just gotten our approval to become a functioning club when the pond died,” Leonard said. “So it kind of put a hold on things. But Tanner came back to me this year and said, ‘Do you want to give it another try?’ and we do.”

Thanks to the dedication of Doidge, students’ dreams of taking care of the pond might come true.

“The whole reason why I wanted to start it up again is because I really do love fishing,” Doidge said. “We’re going to fish because it was a tradition back in the earlier years of this

HOUR ELEVEN: PEACEFUL The next 58 minutes are the best of the day. I carelessly drift in and out of dream land. A land where I’m in the top ten percent, where there is an absence of dark circles under my eyes, where life is easier.

school, and I wanted to bring it back and make it come alive again.”

The club’s main emphasis is conservation. Leonard said the students will focus on taking care of the pond and making it a healthy environment for fish to live in.

“Nature is going to have to restore the balance and the chemistry in the water, but it’s our plan to begin restocking it,” Leonard said. “You have to get small fish, put them in there, and give them time to grow.”

Junior Edward Shan said he loves to fish and is interested in joining the club. According to Shan, it’s something to pass the time and can be experienced even at an early age. Shan also supports the club’s idea of catch and release.

“For me, the whole thing is just about the experience, not fishing to eat,” Shan said. “You can go other places for food, but when you catch a fish it’s like, ‘thanks for biting!’ and you just let it go.”

Occasionally the club might meet specifically to fish, to clean up or even to have a recreational event. Leonard suggested a fishing tournament or going out

to area lakes as starter ideas, but since the club is student run, the students will get to decide what they want to do. Leonard also emphasized how important the resident ducks are to both the club and the school as a whole, the reasoning behind Plano’s annual Duck Week.

“It’s a whole week of events to celebrate our ducks,” Leonard said. “Rumor has it that many years ago some kids from Plano East, as a prank, came over and killed all of the ducks in Plano’s pond. Then they started Duck Week in the spring to celebrate the ducks instead of abusing them. So the pond is very, very important to Plano.”

Fishing Club has a goal similar to that of Duck Week -- to raise awareness. According to Leonard, the club hopes to convince kids to take better care of the pond and their environment.

“I think any success we can have in bringing the pond back will be the best part,” Leonard said. “If we can stand there at the end of the school year and say, ‘the pond is alive again,’ that will be a success.”

HOURS TWELVE TO TWENTY- ONE: EVENTFUL I rise from my nap groggy but get right to work. 3 AM comes sooner than expected and my eyes are fighting to stay open. My homework pile doesn’t seem to have shrunk since five hours ago when I first set sail on this doomed journey. Thoughts like “Is it really worth it?” and “Will my good ever be good enough?” flood my brain. I end the unsuccessful night by waving my white flag, setting my alarm to play “The Office” theme song at 5 the next morning, continuing the series of never ending unfortunate events we call high school.

Arts & Entertainment

6

THE WILDCAT TALES

Sport or Art? Planoettes discuss classification of dancing

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You look straight at your lover.

You can’t help but to think how delicious she looks right now. You have waited all day for her and you are so happy things turned out the way they did. You bring your lips closer.

Your mind is racing. You think, “are they hot enough for me?”

Finally, you slurp your noodles.

ria

Guilty pleasure ramen

ya

well as the dedication it takes to be successful. Page remains healthy mentally and physically every day.

“We’re not required to eat any certain way or eat certain foods,” Page said. “Our director just wants us to eat normal but also not eat so much junk. We are required to eat before performances and practices though -- just to make sure no one passes out.”

Senior Tristen Lassiter used to dance and said he considers dancing as a sport.

“There’s a competitive nature behind it,” he said.

“I think that’s what makes it a sport. Absolutely.”

Dancing may be an art, but it also takes athletic skill, hard work and a lot of time. According to Planoette Captain Savannah Hintz, dancing requires dedication as well as mental and physical stability.

“Dancing isn’t something that comes naturally,” Hintz said.

“To be a good dancer, you have to put in a lot of hours. Just for Planoettes, I probably put in about 25 hours per week.”

The Planoettes rise every morning to practice for at least two hours in addition to practicing every Thursday with the marching band. The lieutenants do more, with practice every morning before school, during 4th period and occasionally after school as well.

ap hic by A

According to the University Interscholastic League, or UIL, dancing is actually considered a work of art. When someone is dancing, they are able to display a story or a message. They are not scoring points or running up and down, they are changing their character through technique and expressions. Yet people tend to forget sometimes the hard work and time put behind the art. Dancers condition and stretch almost every day. So is it a sport or an art?

Junior Kimberly Klena has been dancing since she was two years old. She’s been dancing at KJ Dance for almost 15 years and has received multiple scholarships and rewards for her outstanding performance.

“We hardcore condition and stretch a lot,” Klena said. “I dance for at least four hours every day.”

Statistically, dancing increases energy, helps the heart and increases overall balance ability, just like a sport. A misconception of dancing, however, is the strict diet.

“People expect dancers to not eat a lot,” Klena said.

“But personally, I eat a lot because I need that energy.”

Senior Maddy Page has been dancing on and off since she was six years old and has been on the school drill team since freshman year. She said she is familiar with the critiques of and techniques to dancing, as

By Corey Picklesimer and Zane Vakser

It's safe to say that no one would listen to The Cure if their music was of terrible quality but still made you just as sad. With this in mind, I have to ponder why anyone would eat Beef ramen. Beef flavor still has the general taste of cheapness that accompanies every type of ramen in addition to bearing the distinguishing trait of tasting like hot garbage. At times during consumption, I had to do a double take to make sure I was eating ramen noodles and not gnawing on the leg of an actual cow. If you have any respect for yourself, don't eat beef ramen.

Roast Chicken

If you can’t get up the energy to go to the store for turkey and trimmings, Roast Chicken ramen is always an option as it embodies the flavor of Thanksgiving dinner. God bless Momofuku Ando for the invention of instant ramen and providing affordable dinner replacements.

Lime Chili Chicken

Never have I eaten a noodlebased edible and wondered how someone could mess up this badly. Lime Chili Chicken accomplishes the seemingly impossible by tasting nothing like lime, chili or chicken. With what is almost unanimously known as the best type of ramen, the chicken flavor, one would think that the core of this flavor would be at least comparable to that of the more renowned seasonings. Lime Chili Chicken will open your eyes to all the bad decisions you've made in life that led you this -- most importantly, why you picked it up over any other flavor. If blindfolded and forced to consume this most unholy of ramens, I would confidently claim to have just eaten "Warm Sand with Lemon Aftertaste" flavor.

Shrimp

Shrimp is quite a perplexing flavor. On the one hand, there is nothing inherently wrong with the flavor. It certainly tastes like shrimp, which is exactly what you'd want from something labeled as such. On the flip side, the flavor is so subtle that one may as well have flavorless noodles or make the jump to chicken flavor, because in its current state the flavor is just a redundant mess. The shrimp doesn't know what it wants to do to my mouth.

It teases me with its hint of shrimp, but ultimately leaves me hanging out to dry and wanting more.

Creamy Chicken

OCTOBER 17, 2014

By Nina Dillon

“We practice just as much as any sport,” Page said. “We are a team. It’s a competition and practice makes perfect. It’s a sport.”

Planoettes prepare for an upcoming Photo by Nina Dillon performance.“Some mornings we’re here before the sun comes up,” Page said. “I watch it rise while I’m at practice.”

Banding together

Area bands gather for post-game fun

By Vincent Tellez Every football season, the band kicks back and socializes with band members of other Plano high schools. After watching the student sections get covered in pink and blue baby powder at the Oct. 3 game against Plano West, the bands diffused the schools’ rivalry at a meeting under the bleachers.

“It was an interesting opportunity to get to be in a crowd of people that like band as much as I do,” junior Joshua Williams said. “I had a wonderful experience getting to meet some of the West kids, especially the West tuba section.”

Head band director Jeremy Kondrat said the bands have had postgame socials since he started teaching here in 2001. He and James Hannah, the head director at West, coordinated the

event in order to give their students a chance to meet new people that share their love for music and marching.

“The band directors from PSHS and PWSH work together with the band booster parents to set this up,” Kondrat said.”We think it is so important for our band students to support each other across the city.

We also recognize that many of our students are friends across town and want to foster those relationships.”

Along with the West band, Plano East’s marching band also has the tradition of meeting up with the band for half an hour of meetand-greets.

According to junior Ben Parker, the post-game social with West gave the band the opportunity to relax and see familiar faces from competitions.

“It was really fun because usually band is a really tight-knit community so we only see the band people who are in Plano Band, and it was really exciting to meet other people from different bands,” Parker said. “You meet a lot of people from different schools at All-Region, and it was really cool to catch up with them and see how they’re doing.”

The band members also got to share their stories of their past experiences on and off the marching field while enjoying cookies and sodas from the band moms.

“Meeting someone from West is different than meeting from West band,” junior David Zhou said. “When you’re in band it’s already something that you have in common. You can talk for a long time about stuff in band.”

Do you like smooth rides on the lake? Creamy Chicken is like a smooth ride in the caddy with your favorite rapper. It is a little oily, though. If you don't like overly greasy food items, you may not like it. Also, it doesn't have a whole lot of flavor compared to other ramens of the same brand. It may be because I had already tried a bunch of ramen in one sitting, but this ramen would have to be my least favorite. As much as I like chicken ramen, the slimy part of this didn't taste that good to me.

Hot & Spicy Chicken

If you like spicy food, you will love Hot and Spicy Chicken.

Here comes the familiar flavors of chicken -- but wait, theres a kick. The spice in this can’t be beaten. A word to the wise, when you get cup ramen instead of the ramen you prepare, the quality will be poorer. But for 30 cents that is still a steal and you are able to take your ramen everywhere..Think of all the romantic places you can take your cheap lover.

Seniors Jackie Holman and Emilie Wilie share a laugh with Used with permission of Steve Champion members of the Plano West band after West lost the football game, 17-14. “It was great to see friends we hadn’t seen in a long time,” Holman said. “The rivalry just melted away.”

Opinion

7

Dressing the part

October 17th, 2014 Volume 69 Issue 2

By Lydia Sebany

One of the reasons I can’t wait for the weather to start getting cold is to be able to enjoy those chai tea lattes and not feel like I’m in the “Anaconda” music video. I completely understand the Texas heat – my band camp tan will prove it – but is it really necessary to only wear the bare minimum?

In the first week of school, about 100 students were reported to have been dress coded and yet no one was sent home or told to go to ISS. Although our school is made up of 2,700 students, 100 people violating dress code every week becomes substantial, especially after almost two months of school. At first, it made sense that one of the accused was forced to change their outfit.

But later on, passing through the hallways as the day progressed, I would see an occasional butt cheek and, if I was really lucky, the way-too-low cut shirt. I began to become confused as to why one person had to change because of their tank top, but others who

were roaming freely could wear a tube top or short shorts.

It is a form of evolution, humans covering up less and less, but there comes a point where it is taken too far. Yes, it is just our bodies, and some of us 16 to 18 year-old students are mature enough to handle it.

But let’s be real – we are in a school full of hormonal teenagers that find limits to be nonexistent. This is a distraction to those in school trying to focus on their education.

Now I know what you’re thinking. what about one’s right to express themselves through fashion? I am completely for this – sign me up to be an advocate.

What I am addressing is all the skin that should be covered up at appropriate times. This is also when “I’m tall, so the fingertip rule shouldn’t apply to me,” needs to get thrown out the window. There should not be any assumed exceptions because of your natural height. If someone can wear a dress because they have shorter limbs, get

over it and wear something else.

You are blessed to be the way you are – embrace the length, don’t fight it.

This topic is not only in effect for females, but for males as well.

Several posters lining bulletins in A building discourage the use of hats indoors as well as sagging. Their effectiveness is a mystery because of the inconsistency of the dress code enforcement.

Some say that the issue lies with our parents, others say it is the administration. I say it’s both. It starts at home, where parents should deem it appropriate to tell their child when their outfit is and isn’t suitable to wear to school. If the student gets past the first line of defense, it is all in the hands of the administration to stop the dress code violation. If the entire staff was dedicated to being consistent with the

Crossing the line

Torie Brannen

Print Editor-in-Chief

Haley Samsel

Online Editor-in-Chief

Sonam Benakatti Managing Editor

Ashley Stuber

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Taylor Norris Photo Editor

Anna Villano

Assistant Graphic Editor

Terry Quinn Adviser

issue, it would eventually become nonexistent. But, in the end, it really comes down to how responsible our generation is going to be about this issue.

It begins with you, and how you choose to represent our school and yourselves. When you finally decide on something to wear, it should not be something that you hide from anybody. Be confident in what you are wearing, knowing your parents are proud to let you reflect on them. Same goes with

Video sparks outcry against sexual abuse

the administration - if you are trying to dodge a subschool principal or any vice principal, you’re adding more work for yourself.

Don’t be the person looking at twenty-year old pictures, regretting their fashion sense during the good ol’ days. If that means spring cleaning will come a bit earlier than usual, then let it be. Let’s all agree that fall couldn’t have come any sooner this year.

By Bethany LaMastus

Glorified prankster Sam Pepper has over acting this way is normal, and that you cannot anger, pain and guilt.

2,000,000 subscribers on YouTube and over get punished for it.

“Something in my mind just said ‘get to the 123,500,000 views. If you take a look at his The pinch prank series has been removed and door.’ It was so dark in there, but I knew there channel, you find that much of his content is Pepper’s representative company has dropped was a little bit of light coming from under the based on picking up women or making them feel him. He has received tons of backlash from other door, and I just wanted to get to the door,” uncomfortable in some way, shape or form – YouTubers. Laci Green, acclaimed YouTuber anonymous said. “But I didn’t make it to the and calling it a “prank.” and host of her own sex ed web series, wrote door. And I said ‘stop you’re hurting me.’ I said His most recent series of videos that so many times.” have recently sparked controversy.

The rest of the video is emotional and The “Fake Hand Ass Pinch Prank” painful to watch, but her story needs to video consisted of Pepper hiding his be heard. After she had gotten through hand underneath a large sweatshirt the gut wrenching description, she and approaching women under the explained why she felt it was important pretense of asking for directions. for her to come forward with this story.

While they were distracted, Pepper “I’m not making this for revenge, would reach out from under the and I’m not making this to ruin a career sweatshirt and grope the unsuspecting and I’m not making this for attention girls. because I would have done that a Part 2 was released and the gender long time ago,” anonymous said. “I’m roles were switched, where one girl making this because I don’t want to would violate multiple guys. Part shut up because that’s what he kept 3 contained the big reveal that the Photo from YouTube telling me.” previous videos were a part of a In a screenshot of one of his videos, Sam Pepper shows how he hides his hand Although the girl refuses to go to the social experiment. He claimed that to fool women before he pinches their backsides. police because of her fear that Pepper the purpose for these pranks were to shed light an open letter to Pepper that has already gained will be able to afford great defense lawyers, this on the fact that men are sexually assaulted as over 100,000 signatures from personalities like issue is still affecting women all over the world. well as women, and people should eliminate this Tyler Oakley, Hank Green, John Green and One in six women will be sexually assaulted at gender bias. more. least once in their lives. Sixty percent of these However, Pepper’s failure to label the original “It is very disturbing that we live in a world assaults never make their way to a police report. video as “Part 1” clearly showed that he was where the violation of women and girls’ bodies Pepper cannot keep these actions up and get trying to diffuse the situation without having the is not only funny, but profitable, and can garner away with it. Sexual assault should not exist in decency to take responsibility for his actions. considerable notoriety and views on YouTube,” this world, let alone be glorified by an immature This theme of sexual assault has appeared Green said in her letter. prankster. Sexual assault and rape are not jokes. numerous times on Pepper’s channel. He has In light of this video, many girls have Pepper is suspended from YouTube for the grabbed women’s hands and tried to pull them come forward with stories of their personal time being, but he will be released from that away from their friends and boyfriends. He has experiences with Pepper. The allegations towards in no time. So the next time you think about forced his mouth on that of an unsuspecting girl. him include sexual assault, soliciting nude photos clicking on a Sam Pepper prank, remember how He has physically restrained women on the street from a minor and rape. he’s violated countless women in an attempt to with a lasso.

One anonymous girl accused Pepper of rape, make assault something worth laughing at. No Sam Pepper needs to be held accountable for and explicitly described her encounter with him. matter the excuses or jokes that he or any other his actions. For him to promote rape culture in She does not say her name or show her face in predator makes, assault is assault. Do not be the this way shows his mostly teenage audience that the video, but you can hear her voice shake with person to encourage it.

Staffers Nathan Allen Mohona Aziz Mari Brown Kelsey Campbell Suhina Chopra MaryClare Colombo Maggie Cross Nina Dillon Cameron Drummond Ella Hunt Tashy Hunter Min Ji Kim Gabe LaBounty Bethany LaMastus Gabrielle Lammons Arim Lee Piper Nowlin Jameriya Owens Emily Perez Corey Picklesimer Rose Rana Lizzy Ritchie Lydia Sebany Stephanee Smith Vincent Tellez Erienne Terpak Falyn Traina Zane Vakser Abigail Werner

Mission Statement:

Wildcat Tales is a student produced publication that serves to educate, inform and entertain the student body in a professional manner which will provoke thought while upholding the principles of a free press. The publication is a forum for the students of Plano Senior High School. Any opinions expressed in Wildcat Tales are the opinion of the writer and of the writer only.

Policy:

Students and faculty are encouraged to send in any questions, comments, concerns or criticisms to be published.

Letters to the editors can be put in the envelope in room B208 or emailed to The Wildcat Tales at pshs.pub@pisd.edu. The staff reserves the right to edit a letter for grammatical errors and space issues. Any errors found in the publication will be rescinded in the following issue. Additional and daily updates can be found at our website www.wildcattales.com.

Past issues can be viewed at www. issuu.com/wildcattalesonline.

Businesses wishing to advertise in Wildcat Tales can email us at pshs. pub@pisd.edu. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisements deemed to be inappropriate.

Wildcat Tales is the official student publication of Plano Senior High School 2200 Independence Pkwy Plano, TX 75075 469.752.9336

Sports

8

Stranding the runner

THE WILDCAT TALES

OCTOBER 17, 2014

Baseball player caught in Hurricane Odile

By Arim Lee After winning a gold medal in his first tournament as a member of Team USA, senior Mitchell Hansen thought the next few days would be filled with celebrations and congratulations. He never imagined that he and his team would be forced to face the danger of a natural disaster.

Hansen made the USA Baseball 18U National Team roster as an outfielder last Aug. after attending a six-day tryout in Houston.

Hansen tried out alongside 44 other standouts who aspired to be a part of the national team as well.

“We would play everyday and we

Hansen runs to first base practice.

would have a three hour practice in the morning and then that night we would play a nine inning game,” Hansen said. “We did that probably for four or five days straight and so it was extremely tiring. But you got to know all the guys that were there and hang out with all of them. It was hard, but it was fun.”

Although Hansen felt he did well in the tryout, he held doubt about making the final roster.

“I didn’t know, it just all depended on if I played well in those trials,” Hansen said. “I did play well in those first couple games and so I had a good feeling about it. But going up to it, I had no idea.”

Following the selection of the final 20-man roster, the team made its first international appearance in the COPABE Photo submitted by Mitchell Hansen 18U Pan during an at-bat at a Team USA American

Championship, scheduled to be held in La Paz, Mexico from Sept. 5 to Sept. 14. The event’s final game was cut short due to concerns about Hurricane Odile, with Team USA being rewarded the gold medal after going 8-0 in the tournament.

“It was crazy because we thought we were going to have flights out Monday morning, and then Sunday night the hurricane hit,” Hansen said. “We didn’t know how bad it was going to be. We got worried because the airports were pretty much completely destroyed and thought we wouldn’t be able to get out for weeks. we went crazy thinking of how we were going to get back to the states because obviously we were not going to stay there for three weeks.”

The hurricane was classified as a Category 3 storm with wind speeds of approximately 125 miles per hour.

“The power was out and there was no electricity and the cellular towers were down,” Hansen said.

“Everyday it got more and more scary. In Cabo, where we were supposed to fly out of, it was hit worse than where we were. There was looting and people were going

Soccer soulmates Coaches double as sisters-in-law

By MaryClare Colombo Girls soccer coaches Heather Morse and Mary Clarke have their dream jobs, but they have something in common beyond their careers - they’re practically blood related. They are in their second year coaching soccer as both best friends and sisters-in-law.

Morse and Clarke began coaching soccer together after former coach Diane Davey retired in 2013. The pair met at age 12 and were soccer teammates at the University of Oklahoma.

When Morse moved to Plano to pursue coaching soccer, she met Clarke’s brother Jeremy and started dating him two years later.

They married in 2008.

“She’s my best friend, she’s my sister-in-law, she’s my family,” Morse said.

“We’re on the same page.”

According to senior forward Delia Rospigliosi, Morse’s and Clarke’s coaching styles complement each other -- Morse coaches intensely while Clarke is more reserved. Rospigliosi thinks this allows the coaches to give different perspectives on the game and balances out their personalities.

“Coach Morse develops our athletic instinct and is upbeat and full of energy,” Rospigliosi said. “Coach Clarke is more about the logical side, appealing to soccer intelligence.”

According to Clarke, these differences don’t impair the coaches’ ability to work together and communicate the same message.

“I think it works very well,” Clarke said.

“My strengths are her weaknesses and her strengths are my weaknesses.

We’re all about building the kids up on and off the soccer field. We want our scope of influence to be much greater than Photo submitted by Mary Clarke the soccer field.”

Clarke, left, and Morse, right, are best Senior goalie friends and sister-in-laws. “We are a very Myriah Batchelor good mix,” Clarke said.“We have the said she feels the same philosophy and set of values.”

strong bond between the coaches, which contributes to their ability to coach their athletes as parents would mentor their kids.

“They’re big on respect and giving life lessons,” Batchelor said. “I look up to them as role models. They lead by example.”

Morse and Clarke are mothers to their own children outside of their soccer teams. Their oldest children are four months apart and their youngest are one month apart. According to Morse, the coaches’ personal relationship isn’t all that different from their professional -- they can bounce ideas off of each other and understand each other’s reasoning.

“Our relationship is not at all different,” Morse said.

“We are such good friends and we’ve known each other for so long. The only thing I would say is different is we have just a little bit different coaching styles.”

Morse said her job allows her to keep her energized and feeling young.

“This is what life’s about,” Morse said. “It’s about family, and it’s awesome to be able to work with your family. We are very blessed by our relationship. I would never leave.”

and she luckily left before everything hit,” Hansen said.

“There were a lot of parents there and they were worried because the focus was to get the baseball team out and the military wouldn’t care about the parents because their priority was on the players.

It was kind of scary in that sense.”

In order to get back home, Hansen said the team had to leave the country in an unprecedented manner.

“We got out through the Mexican military,” Hansen said. “Mexico hosted this tournament and they were kind of responsible for Photo submitted by Mitchell Hansen getting the baseball teams Hansen, pictured right, poses with a teammate out, so that kind of helped after winning his first tournament as a member us.” of Team USA. In the end, Hansen said into stores and stealing and it got he and his fellow team members pretty crazy.” were able to get back to the U.S. Hansen said he and his team safely, finally leaving the chaos in were in a very delicate position, Mexico behind. with family and friends at home “We ended up flying out worried about their condition. The Wednesday night,” Hansen said. team had no communication with “There was another storm about the U.S after the storm hit. to hit Friday. We had a window of “My dad was with me. My when we had to get out. Luckily, mom was there in the beginning we did.”

Defending the goal Athletes argue for UIL recognition

By Kelsey Campbell Plano offers a variety students who don’t have the lacrosse, practices are three of UIL sports for its money to play a chance to times a week - Mon., Tues. students -- the list ranges play,” Lootens said. and Thurs. for an average from swimming and of two hours. The players diving to basketball, from are expected to practice golf to soccer to football. individually during the week Missing from this list is an as well to keep up their skills. organization that contains Unlike Lootens, junior Drew over 60 male students -Benton, has been playing lacrosse. lacrosse for six years. He According to the Esri practices the standard six Development Center in hours with the team, and an Washington, D.C., until additional two hours outside recently the majority of of team practices. lacrosse programs were “I’m only able to practice located in the northeast U.S. two hours because even There are now 143 varsity on nights when I don’t and junior varsity teams have lacrosse I stay up till Photo by Kelsey Campbell across Texas, as stated by Lacrosse players scrimmage after one in the morning doing the Houston Chronicle. school. “Lacrosse has made me homework,” Benton said.

Plano’s program began a better person,” junior Denilson Benton said the amount Ortega said. “I get to represent my 23 years ago, whereas the school.” of time and commitment he football program has been had to make to play lacrosse around since 1900.

According to Associate has been overwhelming.

Junior Sean Lootens has Principal of Facilities and “It’s only going to get been playing lacrosse for Student Activities Glenn worse when spring season one year.

Davis, for lacrosse to be starts- we will start having “I think one of the reasons an official UIL sanctioned more games and practices, lacrosse isn’t a UIL sport is sport, it will have to be even on Saturdays,” Benton because it isn’t popular in approved by the legislative said. “It would be cool if this area yet,” Lootens said. council. lacrosse was a UIL sport “In the past five years, it’s “UIL has said in the past because then the band and really blown up.” that they will not consider cheerleaders would be at our The average cost of adding sports that do not games.” lacrosse equipment and have both boy and girl Lootens said that despite other necessities is $1300. components to it,” Davis the packed schedule and For players who can’t afford said. added stress that goes hand these fees but still wish Unlike the UIL sports in hand with lacrosse, he to be a part of the club, offered at Plano, such as doesn’t regret his decision to the lacrosse team at Plano football and basketball, non- start playing. offers payment plans.

UIL athletes have to practice “It was a sacrifice I was “If lacrosse was a UIL outside of the normal 9 fine with making,” Lootens regulated sport it would give to 4:15 school day. For said. “I love lacrosse.”