Issue 9 April 4, 2012

www.wildcattales.com

The Wildcat Tales volume lxvi

April 4, 2012

Issue Nine

Plano Senior High School

Plano, TX, USA

Track season continues

Super students

The Shins review

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Page 6-7

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The Bucket List The water damaged paper is so fragile that even the slightest mistake in unfolding the paper may result in an unwanted rip. After unfolding the torn paper, a list of words, many of which are illegible, become visible. By now, senior Kelsey Jones may have begun to explain the meaning of the blemished paper and by then one can see that they are holding in their hands is her take on a bucket list.

“It was ninth grade, my friend and I would always hang out but we never had anything to do,” Jones said. “So one day we just randomly decided to make a list of stuff to do and called it a bucket list.”

Jones’ best friend wrote a bucket list that originally had 29 items, 31 now, that range from drawing a straight line to opening a door with a paper clip to buying one of each candy at a candy store.

As they attempt these actions, they highlight them on the list.

“One of the things that I’ve tried to do on the list was to order a pizza with cheerios on it,” Jones said. “We went to the California Pizza Kitchen and I called the waitress to ask her if she could make me the pizza. We couldn’t find cheerios, so I bought a bag of animal crackers to put on the pizza.

I think I looked like I was about to die begging our waitress to put the animal crackers on the pizza.”

Unlike other bucket lists, the

By JP Salazar

one that Jones carries around is less personal. The things on the list aren’t meant to give her a feeling of self-accomplishment, but are more for the entertainment, as she accomplishes the list with her friends. In one instance Jones dyed her hair and bangs fire truck red.

“I thought I was so cool, but it was just so tacky and so gross,” Jones said. “It was one of those things you regret later on. It was supposed to be temporary but I used a permanent dye by mistake and had to walk around trying to hide the strands of my hair for three weeks.”

Jones admits that her take on a bucket list may not be the first that pops up in someone’s head.

“It started out as more of a joke so that my friends and I could just take it out whenever we wanted to, instead of wasting a perfectly good day away,” Jones said. “Some people might think it’s a lame bucket list, but it’s all about having a good sense of humor towards life.”

The bucket list has been through a lot physically, including a mauling by both of Jones’ dogs, fire damage and frequent trips through the washing machine.

Jones said she is happy that she has something memorable that depicts the journey she’s gone through with her friends.

“The bucket list won’t ever get an upgrade; it has to stay like it is,” Jones said. “It has character. It reflects my friendship and how it’s been revolving for all these years, how everything’s been so crazy, and we have all these memories to share. We will always have something to do and talk about because of the list and one day I might even share it with my kids.”

Students participate in Relay for Life

By Dani Sureck

Cancer doesn’t sleep; and for 12 hours they won’t sleep either. Relay for Life is coming up and hundreds of participants will be walking to raise money for cancer research. Junior M.K. Baird will be a cocaptain for her team for the second year in a row. Baird first became involved in Relay for Life during a National Junior Honor Society project in eighth grade. Because Jasper High School did not offer the project her sophomore year, she decided to stay active and create her own team. On April 27, 2012, John Paul II will host the local annual Relay for Life event for 12 hours, starting at 7 p.m.

Her co-captain goes to the captain meetings,

while Baird tries to get people to join their team.

As of March 23, 2012, 40 teams had already signed up with over 300 participants and over $40,000 raised.

“One night I walked 25 miles, but I really enjoyed it,” Baird said. “You’re walking with people that have survived cancer and hearing their story. You also meet people that live with people with cancer and you hear from them.”

Each team must have at least one member walking at all times. The first lap of the race will be dedicated to survivors of cancer.

Baird and Nataly Keomoungkhoun decided to start their own team because they have both been affected by cancer

and wanted to help make a difference.

“My great uncle had prostate cancer and both of my grandmas had melanoma,” Baird said. “And I had a friend that died when she was 3 due to leukemia. Their stories inspired me to start my own team and stay involved with the American Cancer Society.”

Each of the 11 members of Baird and Keomoungkhoun’s team has set an individual goal to raise $100 and the money raised goes to the American Cancer Society.

To help reach the team’s overall goal, the National Honor Society gave a donation project credit for donating to their team.

During the Relay for Life event, the

American Cancer Society will discuss different cancers and survivors will share stories throughout the night. Baird said she feels that this is more effective than focusing on a specific type of cancer for the race, like the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Race, because it brings a broad range of survivors and people together.

“I think that the ACS has strength in members,” Baird said. “Since the organization is so big, they can help a lot more people and do a lot more to raise awareness of different types of cancers.”

Sports

April 4, 2012

Weir’s era comes to a close Six time state title coach retires after 35 years

By Eilie Strecker

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decades, Weir said he has seen young beginners develop into high school players over the years.

“I had one kid in a camp as a first grader and then 12 years later he played for us at the high school,” Weir said. “I’ve had triplets, I’ve probably had 30 sets of twins, and we’ve had so many brothers throughout the years. We would have one come up and play and then three years later we’d have another one and that’s in the family. I’ve had a father and son combination. It’s just been exciting over the years to see some of those things happen.”

Ever changing club soccer teams outside of high school, Weir said has increased players’ dedication to both club and school soccer, which has helped the team achieve a higher standard as well as helped the players get into college. With his 2009 state championship team, Weir has six players go on to Division I teams.

“You get to see just how smart these kids are and how much they enjoy playing school soccer,” Weir said. “I think that was something that was just fantastic to see and it left a major impact on me.”

Of these six players, two went to Duke, one to George Mason, one to The University of Chicago, and to Notre Dame. Weir’s coaching has not only influenced players on the field but also off.

“Coach Weir has always told us that there is more to life than just soccer,” Day said. “He’s influenced a lot of great young men and his kindness and coaching have helped numerous young men become the men they are today.”

While Weir said he is excited to spend time with his family and travel, he said he will always remember being the head coach of the boys’ soccer team.

“I think coaching will hopefully continue with soccer here and that it will expand,” Weir said. “Since I was in high school, I played a lot of sports and it’s always something I enjoyed, so I think if you do go into coaching, you’ve got to do it with a lot of passion because it’s a tougher battle today with grade, it’s a tougher battle working with young kids, but it’s a rewarding experience and it’s well worth it.”

CoachBobWeir

After 35 years of coaching boys soccer, head coach Bob Weir is going to retire.

“It’s been my whole life, and my career,” Weir said. “It’s allowed me to have a nice income, and it’s allowed me to have children and put them through college. Just as a career it’s been tremendous for us.”

Even though Weir’s retirement is on the horizon, he said he is focused on finishing the season and going to the playoffs. Working with these kids, Weir said, has been a life-changing experience.

“I will miss meeting with the players and the different kids and the experiences we’ve had,” Weir said.

Weir said the consistency of running a good program has left him with some great memories. He has taken his team to state multiple times and has had six winning teams.

Senior Mitchell Day said his experience as a player has been improved by Weir’s coaching.

“So many players have come through this school and have played for Coach Weir, so being a part of the team is truly an honor,” Day said.

Having coached for over three

Photo by Maddie Patton

DrewDeaton

Photo by Maddie Patton

KevinMcgiuero

DarrylThompson

Photo by Maddie Patton

DylanMuckey

KennyStice

Off to a running start

Photo by Cristina Seanez

Photo by Cristina Seanez

SamMorell

Sports

April 4, 2012

Photo by Maddie Patton

Track team competes at the Plano West Invitational Meet The track season got off to a wet start when a series of bad weather days cancelled two meets. When that happens, the meet is not rescheduled; instead, the team just loses a chance to compete.

Recently at the West Invitational on March 29 the boys varsity team placed sixth while the boys junior varsity team placed second. The girls varsity and both junior varsity teams placed in fourth place.

Upcoming Meets Thurs. April 5 Ron McNeill Co-Ed

@Kimbrough

Tues.-Wed. April 10-11 District 8 5A Boys

@Marcus HS

Wed.- Thrus.

April 10-11 District 8 5A Girls

@Marcus HS

Fri. April 20 Regional (Qualifiers)

@Frisco HS

Photo by Maddie Patton

Freshman Jenny Ahlqvist leaps over the hurdle.

Photo by Cristina Seanez

Sophomore Taylor Pegram races to the finish.

Photo by Maddie Patton

Liar Vansteenkiste clears the hurdle.

Photo by Maddie Patton

Senior Michael Bain sprints past Wolves runner.

Photo by Cristina Seanez

Sophomore Aderica Christan hands off the baton to junior Johnson Cossa.

Soccer season ends Boys soccer

Girls Soccer

Overall

Overall

W

L

T

W

14

3

7

9

District

Senior Brent Wise and sophmore Michael Brezovsky fight for the ball against Lewisville player #14.

T

14

2

District

W

L

T

W

L

T

8

2

4

3

11

0

The boys soccer team ended the season in first place. The team will compete in the playoffs Photo by Jennifer Pastrana

L

The girls soccer team finished in seventh place Photo by Clarissa Reeves

Senior Alli Murphy sprints after the ball.

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News

April 4, 2012

Senior class photo cancelled due to scheduling

By Daniel Hinson The class of 2012 will not participate in the iconic panoramic photo spelling out Plano. The photo was originally scheduled on Oct. 12, 2011, the day the juniors took the PSAT and the seniors were on campus, but it was postponed due to rain.

“The schedule is all messed up anyway, so it works out well,” principal Sarah Watkins said. “Finding another day like that is non existent short of making the seniors come to school on one of the TAKS days, and most of the seniors are like ‘Yay, it’s TAKS, and we don’t have to come,’ so there weren’t any other days.”

While the administrators were searching for other days to pull the seniors out of class to take the photo, another question was raised how many of these photos are actually sold?

“There aren’t that many students who buy the photo,” assistant principal Glenn Davis said. “For a lot of people, it just isn’t that big of a thing. Is it being done for the student body? Or is it being done for the school?”

Davis said that missing class time is why Plano, along with other schools, have canceled the photo.

“We decided to put it on hold right now,”

Davis said. “We haven’t had one person call or one person complain about it.”

In the past, other senior traditions have ended. There used to be a graduation baccalaureate service prior to the graduation ceremony, a religious service whose attendance dropped every year.

“It reached a point after all these years that nobody cared to have it so we just quit doing it,” Davis said. “It went away, and no one ever raised a question about it, no one ever pitched a complaint. Unfortunately, I feel like the panoramic picture is the same way.”

During Davis’ first years at Plano, the panoramic photo sold over 1000 copies.

Last year only 135 photos were sold out of a class of about 1300. The number has been hovering around 10 percent of the senior class for the past few years.

Davis said part of the reason the sales for the photo started to dwindle was because in 1998 the photo started appearing in the yearbook.

“When we put it in the yearbook several students were, like, ‘Why do we need to buy that if it’s just going to be in the yearbook?’” Davis said. “It never recovered from that. I think the fact that

we were doing it in the yearbook for a long time hurt the sales because you had brothers and sisters coming up and saying, ‘Don’t worry about buying it. It will be in the yearbook.’ When we took it out of the yearbook people started asking questions.

‘What happened to the senior picture?’”

In 2002 the photo stopped appearing in the yearbook. However the sales continued to fall.

“The tradition of the senior picture just didn’t mean as much to people,” Davis said. “I think that’s the thing. People are, like, ‘What do I do with this thing now that I’ve got it?’”

However students don’t believe this is a tradition that should be let go.

“The tradition should be continued,” senior class president senior Eric Kim said. “If profit was one of their main goals then it makes sense to cancel the photo.”

Kim believes this decision should have been put to a vote with the senior class before it was cancelled.

“It should have been more of a student body decision,” Kim said. “We’ve seen this picture throughout high school and middle school. It’s pretty cool that we can spell out Plano with our bodies. I thought we were going to do it, and now it’s sad.”

Watkins hasn’t decided if the cancellation of the panoramic photo is permanent.

“I don’t know if we will do it again next year, but I’m not sure of the value,” Watkins said. “I think you follow tradition when tradition is of value. I’m not sure if you should follow tradition if there is no value in it. That’s the question in my mind.”

Archive photo. Class of 2008.

DECA prepares for international competition

By Alyssa Matesic

Seven senior members of the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) will travel to Salt Lake City on April 17 to compete at the International Career and Development Conference (ICDC). Fourteen thousand high school competitors, advisors, businesspersons and alumni from all 50 states, Germany, Guam, Ontario, Quebec, South Korea and Puerto Rico will meet at the conference.

In order to compete, students must have taken a course that is relevant to DECA like marketing or entrepreneurship. However, DECA members may be at a disadvantage competing among such a diverse and potentially more prepared group at the ICDC. “It is extremely competitive,” Career and Technology and Marketing teacher Lois Hollingsworth said. “Many students have taken marketing classes beginning their freshman year. Our students do not have the opportunity to take a marketing class until their junior year, so it is much more

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challenging for them.”

DECA competes in three major types of events: Individual Series, Team Decision Making and Written Events. Each event type has numerous sub-categories, and students choose which topic to compete in based on their interests and potential career paths. In addition, all students take a 100-question multiple choice exam. Senior Randall Methe, who currently works as a mechanic at Sid’s Auto Clinic, will compete in Automotive Service Marketing, a sub-category of the Individual Series event. He will be given a paper detailing a scenario in which he will act as the manager of an automotivebased business, like Pepboys. He will have 10 minutes to prepare a presentation on increasing sales or creating new marketing strategies for the business to a qualified judge that will act as his boss.

“I know cars inside and out,” Methe said.

“I know how the business works. I know how to run the business, how to manage it, how to market it, how to promote it,

advertise it, I’m not nervous in the least bit.”

This year, all DECA members qualified for state competition in Corpus Christi and most made it to the ICDC. DECA vice president senior Javier Rodriguez said that if he wants to do well internationally, he cannot let nerves get to him.

“You have to be confident,” Rodriguez said. “If you’re not, you can’t make it. Then you start stuttering, you turn red, sweating, and those are signs of weakness. You have to know what you’re going in there for, you have to know what you’re going to say, you have to prepare. If you don’t, then you’re not going to make it.”

Both Rodriguez and Methe plan to pursue business, finance and marketing fields professionally. They said that DECA will help them get there with the skills it gives them and the opportunities it provides.

“It’s really well-known internationally,” Rodriguez said. “Universities really like it, especially if you’re a business major. Even after college, if you’re looking for a job, your

boss may have been in DECA. It helps now and later on in life. It’s like a fraternity kind of, but no parties, sadly.”

Though the DECA sponsors provide those going to competition with vocabulary lists to enhance their speech, mock multiple choice exams and practice role-play scenarios, Methe said that those who do well have some degree of natural ability.

“What helps out is if you don’t really have stage fright or you don’t get nervous in front of people,” Methe said. “If you’re good with coming up with things off the top of your head, that’ll help a lot.”

In Salt Lake City, certificates, medallions, trophies and some cash prizes will be awarded to those who present themselves the best in front of the judges, who are actual business professionals. The DECA sponsors said those awards are not too far out of reach this year.

“The students who are competing this year are very talented, and we believe that they will do very well,” Hollingsworth said.

Features

April 4, 2012

Students prepare to go to Ivy League colleges

By Kathleen Shaffer With internet browser open, senior Susan Bin waited for the admission results from Harvard.

“I felt like Mark Zuckerberg at the end of the Social Network because I kept pressing F5 to refresh the page,” Bin said. “I was trying to distract myself, but my friend and I kept checking tags on Twitter and Tumblr about Harvard to see if the decisions had been sent out. When the email showed up I was freaking out and clicked on it, but immediately I put my hands on the screen because I was scared to see what the email said. On the side I saw a banner that said ‘Please come visit us in April!’ I started taking my hands off the screen slowly. After I read the first word, congratulations, I started screaming. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack.”

Bin toured colleges in the Northeast during spring break, while she was still a junior. Originally, Bin was considering going to an art school where she could focus on a specific skill and industry, but after visiting Harvard, she decided to apply there using the early admissions program.

“The more I thought about liberal arts education the more I realized that I felt like going to just an art school would be robbing myself,” Bin said. “I love art, but I don’t want to focus only on it and study if for four or more years of my life. It wasn’t until last spring that I started objectively considering going to an Ivy League school because instead of being good at just one thing, you can be good at everything. In the summer I took the application really seriously and went from, I think I can do this to ‘wow, I really want this.’”

Bin said that writing articles, being involved in art and designing web pages were all things she enjoyed and helped her in the application process because it set her apart from everyone else.

“School and grades didn’t define me,” Bin said. “I chose to do things I could put my heart into and be passionate about. For me it was never about the destination, but rather the journey. I never thought I would get into an Ivy League school, but doing things I really wanted to do and really going for it helped me in the end.”

Like Bin, senior Jessie Zhou got involved with activities that helped with the application process of an Ivy League school. Zhou was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania with the help of her achievements in art, and plans to minor in art. The capability of pursuing a major in the medical field and minoring in art appealed to Zhou.

“I chose to go there because I think it is fairly strong in both art and medicine,” Zhou said.

“Ivy League schools have a reputation of being all work and no play, but I feel like at U Penn I’ll be able to enjoy myself because I’ll be studying things I find intriguing.”

Although Zhou’s parents wanted her to go to an in state school originally she decided that because of the opportunity she was given at U Penn.

“I know my parents are going to miss me, but I got accepted into a really good school so they’re encouraging me to go,” Zhou said.

“The fact that I got into U Penn is really exciting and I can’t wait to go. I haven’t visited the campus yet, but from everything I’ve heard there are a lot of activities to get involved in and it’s a great school. I want to be able to have a balance between social activities and studying and I think this is an Ivy League school that offers that.”

Senior Kelvin Wang will be a freshman the University of Pennsylvania like Zhou. Wang plans to major in biomedical engineering and applied to the university because of the large endowments for research.

“I think the students are able to get a really good education at U Penn because

of the funding they have available,” Wang said. “Undergraduates are able to work on research with PhD or graduate students.

I’m interested in the medical based research because I applied under a bioengineering major. I’ve done research in the past that was in a different field, last summer I was UTD and did research using carbon nanotubes to create sound. With all the opportunities I’ll be given there for the research as well as the other fields they have available it made it my top choice.”

Despite having family in the Northeast, Wang said he doesn’t really know many people in the area because he has always lived in Texas.

“I don’t have any really close friends that are going to college with me so I’m going to have to meet all new people,” Wang said.

“I’m looking forward to it because I think there will be a lot of other students at the school in position as me.”

Similarly to Wang, Bin said that meeting new people is something she is looking forward to, but she is also anticipating the different style of life.

“Something I learned at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is that if you put yourself out there, you’re going to find others like you,” Bin said. “I found people that I never knew could possibly exist outside of my head in the illustration department and people that are completely unashamed of liking things. There is a class in French on the Harvard course directory about Transnational Francophone Literature and another about Nazi art appropriation, things like that are so me. I know Harvard is going to be challenging, but I’m looking forward to pushing myself to excel and using internal motivation. Like it says in the musical Yale admissions video, ‘I came because I wanted to learn and I wanted to learn from the best.’”

Photo by Kathleen Shaffer

Senior Kelvin Wang

Photo by Kathleen Shaffer

Senior Jessie Zhou

Photo by Kathleen Shaffer

Senior Susan Bin

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Features

April 4, 2012

The late night show Pursuing a childhood dream, senior Tina Sharma hosts a radio show

By Shezal Padani

P

Photo submission by Tina Sharma

Sharma hosts the annual India Night at the SMU campus.

Photo submission by Tina Sharma

Sharma with supportive mother at an event.

Photo submission by Tina Sharma

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retending to host a radio station on her childhood vacation cruises as “Terrific Tina” has transformed into a new opportunity allowing her to take her childhood experiences to the next level. After being asked to be the emcee for India Night, an event held every year at SMU by the India Association of North Texas, senior Tina Sharma set up an appointment with a fellow emcee, and soon had the opportunity to host a worldwide radio show. Sharma is now the youngest host and manager of FunAsia, a radio show that embraces the cultural aspects of the South Asian community.

“I have covered a huge range of topics,” Sharma said. “I also ask callers questions because I want to not only bring together our passion for music, but I also like to interact with people and find out what is on their mind. It’s fun because I get the experience to not only get to connect with people of all ages who have a passion for music, but I get to communicate with people around the world. I learn so much from everyone and every time I finish my show, it makes me want to go and learn more about the creative minds that people have.”

The radio show is hosted live from Dallas on 104.9 FM. As radio host and manager, Sharma goes on air every Friday night for at least three hours. Although music is an integral part of the FunAsia radio show, Sharma said that the show incorporates various discussion topics ranging from basic subjects to deeper and more controversial topics.

“It allows them to open their eyes up and see a new perspective,” Sharma said. “I cover topics on not only recycling but also topics that discuss what life is about. I sometimes ask people to describe life in one word or phrase, and people really start thinking about it.”

Although Sharma enjoys the experience, she said she has a heavy responsibility to make sure she does not offend anyone and is easily understood when she is on the air.

She said it is important to articulate well and speak at a steady pace, but most of all have fun. She said these qualities as well as a few others are necessary for any radio host to portray while running the show.

“You have to be aware of the community,” Sharma said. “You cannot be aware of merely what is going on in the local area,

but you also have to know what is going on around the world. You need to be patient.

Sometimes people have a hard time trying to tell me their opinion, so I have to help them figure out what they are trying to say. You need to be outgoing, fun and very sociable.

When you are on the radio you want to be able to grab someone’s attention with what you are saying. I try to be the person I would want to listen to on the radio, someone who makes me laugh a little but also lets me get into the music.”

According to Sharma, the ability to improvise is an important skill that is required for hosting a radio show. Due to the vast number of worldwide callers, the comments are always unexpected.

“It cannot be rehearsed because you don’t know what callers will ask you,” Sharma said. “You have to be able to think fast, think quickly and think on your feet. These characteristics are necessary for someone who is speaking on such a big platform.

When people call in, I listen closely to every single word and the tone of their voice. It’s a challenge every time, but it’s a challenge I like to take up and use to improve my skills and better myself.”

Being a radio show host at 18 can be nerve wracking, according to Sharma.

However, her mom has been there every step of the way and has inspired her to pursue her passion, and most of all, to never give up. Sharma said her mom reminded her to think back to when she was 6-years-old and pretended to host her own radio show on family cruises. Sharma said her mom not only inspires her, but is always there to offer advice.

“She is always there helping me out and telling me to project my voice,” Sharma said.

“I admire that, because without her I would not be as confident as I am now.”

Although Sharma has had the support of her mom throughout her entire life to help her mature and grow from “Terrific Tina” to the current manager and host of FunAsia, she said that being a radio show host has also allowed her to improve and better herself into a grown adult.

“I thought that maybe because I am young, the way that I speak or the assumption that I don’t have enough experience would affect the reaction of my audience, but surprisingly I have had positive feedback,” Sharma said.

“People call me from all over the world and a lot of people say that they like my voice. I

receive a lot of positive feedback, and good constructive criticism. I take every comment that I get in a positive way to improve myself and make sure that everyone enjoys the show. Listening to criticism has taught me to enhance and improve my communication skills in not only speaking, but also in any type of communication such as writing or speaking on the phone. I have learned to project my voice and communicate with people of all ages and nationalities. Without this show, I would not have been exposed to this huge community that we have out there.”

Senior Kelly Widder visits Sharma once a month to see how her show is going. She has known Sharma for 13 years, and has always been there for her. She said she is proud of Sharma and what she has accomplished.

“We tell each other everything,” Widder said. “We call each other sisters because that is basically what we are. We do everything together and over these years I have just become so proud of her because of the radio station. I like listening to her because even though I don’t understand the language, the songs are so upbeat and exciting. Watching her do what she does is really cool because she is so confident and has a media personality, so she is good with people and is not shy. I have noticed what she has accomplished, and I mean, what other teenager has his or her own radio show?

She is always so busy but she makes sure to set time out for her family and friends. She knows what she wants to do in life and she is already making a difference being only 18.

She is such a mature woman already and I really look up to her.”

Sharma said that this show is important to her not only because it has allowed her to grow as a person but also because it brings together the global community.

“No matter what age you are, or what race you are, whether Indian or American, it is important because we allow people who want be active in the global community the opportunity to interact with the rest of the world,” Sharma said. “The show provides a platform to bring together all of our ideas and comments. We all have a common passion to share our ideas and we all have a love for music. It is good to learn about other cultures and learn from each other. It brings the entire global community together, which is extremely important.”

Features

April 4, 2012

Speeding to the finish line Despite family’s saftey concerns, senior Katelyn Johnson races cars as a hobby

By Erin Ball

Johnson has raced cars since she was 9 years old and said that “it never gets boring.”

W

hile some 8-yearold girls spend their Christmas mornings unwrapping dolls and dresses, senior Katelyn Johnson spent hers unwrapping a real life go-kart. Her passion for racing has continued ever since then.

A week after watching the movie “The Right Track” about teen racing sisters Erica and Courtney Enders, Johnson begged her parents to let her race.

“At first, my mother’s response was very sarcastic,” Johnson said. “She said, ‘Yeah, okay.’ No one in my family had ever raced or knew about racing. She figured I would forget about it in a week.”

After not gaining success with her mom, Johnson asked her father. He finally agreed to look into it, and within two weeks, she was at her first race track. Johnson said this bond between father and daughter has continued throughout her career.

“Since I started racing at 9, it has always

Photos submission by Katelyn Johnson

been something I do with my dad,” Johnson said. “Although he doesn’t drive, he goes with me to almost all my races. My mom and sister have also become very supportive of my racing and how busy I always am.”

Johnson’s main racing season is from November to February. She usually only gets one weekend off each month during that time.

“I don’t get a lot of free time, but when I do I really like to hunt or just spend time with friends that I never get see,” Johnson said.

“It takes a lot of effort because over the last several years, I had to practice a lot during my transition from karts to cars. It all paid off, though, and my season went really well.

I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Johnson’s success with racecars has earned her many awards and sponsors. In the past two years, she has begun placing at national events. Last September, Johnson competed at the TireRack Sports Car Club of America Solo National Championship in Lincoln, Nebraska, and took home first place.

“I compete to gain publicity and to get

recognized by sponsors,” Johnson said.

“It’s hard trying to maintain them, but at the end of the day it’s all about hard work.”

To continue with her racing, Johnson will be joining the Kansas University Racing Team as a freshman this upcoming fall. There, the team will build and compete formula cars which are single seat motorcars. It is another type of racing that Johnson will have to learn.

“In racing there is always something to improve on,” said Johnson. “It never gets boring.”

Driving cars at high speeds comes with many risks. Four and a half years ago, Johnson injured her back in a wreck where her car rolled multiple times and was badly damaged. Johnson had to switch to a different type of racing called autocross which is on pavement and around a timed course, whereas she had previously been racing on dirt and wheel-to-wheel with other cars. This racing has a lower chance of wrecking which is better on her back.

Johnson said that despite the wreck, she still finds time to race as much as before.

“I’ve had surgery two times and it finally started to get better in the last two months,” Johnson said. “When you spend your time going through turns as fast as possible and trying to get around the track, there is always the possibility of getting hurt.

However, to me, this small chance of danger is well worth the joy that I find in racing.”

Johnson said that overcoming these fears is a large part of being successful.

“After every wreck I’ve had, no matter how small, it is very scary,” Johnson said. “I just have faith because I really love what I do. I know I have to get back on the track and finish.”

For more information on Katelyn Johnson’s racing career, visit www.katelynracing.com

Page Seven

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Page Eight

April 4, 2012

Features

April 4, 2012

If you really knew me

Junior’s sister perseveres through development therapy

H

Weiner poses with his parents and sister.

Left to right: Max, Amy, Zoe and Lee

By Haley Bunnell

e saw all of the commotion - the worried looks on his parents’ faces after the pregnancy. Doctors everywhere, all around him. At five years old, junior Max Weiner didn’t understand what was going on.

There were no health problems or diseases reported in their family history. There were no complications during the pregnancy.

Everything seemed perfectly normal. But it wasn’t.

It wasn’t until the baby was a day old that the doctors suspected something was wrong.

Not knowing what the problem was, Max’s mother Amy Weiner underwent genetic testing and a few weeks later, the results came back showing positive for a chromosome six

deletion. Others in the world have deletions on chromosome six, but there have not been any other records that they know of, of the same break that Max’s sister Zoe Weiner has.

After she was born, the family was in and out of the hospital and in countless doctor appointments. For Max, this change took some adjusting to. Lee Weiner, Max’s father, and Amy introduced Zoe’s circumstance slowly, giving him more details as he got older and could understand it better.

“My parents just told me that my sister was not like most babies and was different,” Max said. “I adjusted really fast and it became normal to me. It is stressful, but other than that it is a normal life. It might not seem like it, but it is to me.”

At 4’ 3’’ and weighing 45 pounds, 12-yearold Zoe is developmentally delayed and has had a lot of medical issues. She cannot walk or talk, has a tracheotomy to breathe and is fed formula five times a day through a tube in her stomach. She receives medical attention daily, seeing a neurologist, a geneticist, an ear, nose and throat doctor, a physical therapist, hypo-therapist and many others.

“The most challenging things are taking care of all her daily needs and making sure she stays healthy,” Amy said. “It is very much like you do when you have a baby.”

According to Max, one of Zoe’s treatments, hypo-therapy, where she rides horses to improve her motor skills and balance, is a great experience for Zoe. “With this therapy she is able to do

more normal stuff,” Max said. “Just being able to see her be integrated in an activity like this and see her enjoy it so much is great.”

Last spring, Zoe took her first steps, a special moment for the Weiner family.

“It was a big achievement because she was never able to do that before,” Max said. “It was nice to see her make a little progress. She can walk, if you hold her, and she can walk to you, but she can’t walk on her own right now.”

Just like other families, the Weiners eat out and do other activities together, but they have to plan ahead, packing the formula and tubes since she cannot eat food from restaurants. Since she cannot walk well, she is pushed around in a stroller just like a baby is. Even though taking care of Zoe requires more patience, preparation and time, Amy said she is thankful to have Zoe in her life.

“Zoe has taught us so much about what is really important in life,” Amy said. “She loves so unconditionally and really brings so much joy to our family. I know that we would not change a thing.”

Amy and Lee said they strive to provide a normal life for Max, and have made sure to stay pretty grounded. Because of Zoe, Max has participated in PALS, Partner P.E. and Frisco Miracle League.

“I learned not to judge people based on their disability and that has given me a new point of view on how to look at people,” Max said. “I learned a lot about special needs and the troubles with it, the process of it and how hard it is to have something like that in your family.

It has also helped me be able to talk and

Photo submission by Max Weiner

explain to people about a touchy subject.”

Amy said that because of these experiences Max has grown and knows how important it is for special needs kids to have peers interact with them.

“Zoe is so lucky to have a brother like Max, and I know that as parents we could not feel prouder of the young man he has become,” Amy said. “I know that growing up with a sister like Zoe will have a huge impact on who he becomes as an adult.”

Although times can be difficult, Max said he appreciates the experiences he’s had.

“If you really knew me you would know I am glad to have such a unique sister,” Max said. “I have a close relationship with her, even though I can’t really talk to her. She is my sister and means a lot to me, and I am thankful for her and what she has taught me in life.’

Photo submission by Max Weiner

Weiner smilles with sister Zoe Weiner.

AP English students uncover and discover

By Paul Burnham In what is being called a “celebration of life” project, seniors enrolled in AP English IV will present a 15-minute exhibition of themselves in class next month. The fourphase project which started in January was developed by the English department three years ago to replace the senior research paper.

After spending the entire semester compiling several elements of the project, seniors will develop a presentation of artifacts from their childhood, literature examined over the past four years, as well as artwork the students feel a strong connection to.

“Our department decided a few years ago that the one thing kids love most is themselves,” AP English IV teacher Vanda Terrell said. “They certainly love to talk about themselves. However, going off to college, most kids haven’t figured out who they are. This project is a unique way to allow them to uncover aspects of their lives that haven’t been visited in a long time.”

The long-term assignment has several deadlines over the course of this semester.

Part one requires students to reflect on past literature that they’ve read over the years.

“When we look back at what has been read over the course of their education the possibilities are endless,” Terrell said.

“Look at “Hamlet” - action vs. inaction - and authors like Voltaire. There are some incredible works out there. I’ve

given them countless speeches from great orators like Gandhi, Kennedy and King.”

Senior Hannah Murray has been working on this project since its introduction, and appreciates the project more than she originally anticipated.

“It’s no picnic running around trying to find elements of your life in 16th century literature or in poems written during Napoleon’s reign,” Murray said. “Although when you go back and read a passage that you haven’t picked up since you read it as a freshman, it’s pretty neat reflecting on the past. As detailed as this project is, I’m having a really fun time uncovering things about myself.”

While literature is a key element of the celebration project, personal “artifacts” are required to make the presentation more effective. Items selected have no boundaries, something that teachers like Terrell and her colleagues said are crucial for the project to be successful.

“I’m still piecing together my artifacts,” Murray said. “I’ve picked out a green blanket that I had when I was little - it went everywhere with me. It’s been in my drawer for the longest time and with all the wear and tear of toddlerhood, has now been reduced to the size of a notecard. The song ‘Paradise’

by Coldplay is one of my favorites and I listen to it all the time because I feel a connection to it that I can’t explain. My favorite movie is

‘Gone With the Wind’ and has been so for as long as I can remember, so I’ll bring my VHS copy of that in on presentation day as well.”

Because discovery of self is the ultimate goal of the project, taking time to develop it is crucial. Senior Courtney Mayden felt that she had a good understanding of herself, but said the project has taught her just the opposite.

“I went into this thinking, ‘Piece of cake.

I know myself better than anyone,’” Mayden said. “While I have yet to uncover anything life-altering about myself, I’m taking my time reflecting on the elements of my life that made me who I am today. It was reassuring to know that I am who I always thought I’ve been and that my values are pretty solidified.”

While not claiming to have completely pieced together her life, Mayden emphasized that the project has taught her some valuable lessons.

“This project has shown me that I have very strong convictions,” Mayden said. “The things I believe in are set in stone and this project is teaching me that no matter what pressures or expectations are put on me, what matters in the end is that I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do and as long as I am proud of my accomplishments, then no one else’s opinion really matters.”

Both Murray and Mayden have high expectations for presentation day, eagerly awaiting the presentations from their classmates.

“We’ve been going to school with most of these kids for the past four years or so and some of them, since grade school,” Murray said. “The crazy thing is most of us have never said a word to each other,.

We have no idea what everyone else’s life is like. This assignment is going to really open our eyes, I think, because we will get to see everyone’s true colors come out during their presentation.”

Mayden said she is looking forward to seeing what boundaries are going to be broken during presentation.

“Aside from learning about each other,” Mayden said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how far kids went with this.

It’s an AP class - these kids don’t mess around. When we received the assignment, we were literally told that the possibilities were limitless so I’m anxious to see where people are coming from and how in the heck they ended up at this point in their life.”

Students will present their projects in the first few weeks of May, following the AP exams. Terrell said she is looking forward to seeing what this year’s students have in store.

“I’ve been blessed with a really neat group of kids this year,” Terrell said. “With every year, I continue to be amazed at how creative and diverse our AP kids are and that’s what the best part of it all is. Uncover and discover.”

Page Nine

Review Sugar Queen Cupcakes Stonebriar Mall Decked out in fairytale decorations and bright pink walls, this store is hard to miss. The Sugar Queen cupcake is the most popular of the flavors. It was wedding cake with a simple almond-butter cream on top, and was priced at a reasonable $2. Because the cake was dry and did not taste like wedding cake, it did not measure up to its expectations. The almond frosting was phenomenal, though. In the Red-Velvet cupcake, the cream-cheese frosting was sweet and smooth and the cake was much better than the first. It helped the bakery redeem itself. The princess theme in the store was perfect for a fiveyear-old’s birthday party, it distracted from the less than satisfactory cupcake.

April 4, 2012

Dimples Cupcakes Main St Dallas North Tollway,Frisco Though the store is very out of the way, it is worth the drive. The bakery provides many choices of flavors.

For each day of the week there are only certain flavors available for order to ensure maximum freshness. A favorite is the Cookies ‘N Cream. The cupcake had chocolate chip frosting and crushed Oreo cookies on top. Another flavor was the Lemon Cupcake. The frosting was vanilla with a hint of lemon. It was good, but there needed to be more lemon flavor in it. The cake was good but almost had too much lemon. The balance was just off. However, it was spongy and moist, just like it should be. Both were absolutely worth the $3.

Velvet Bake Shop Preston Rd/212, Frisco These cupcakes blew the others out of the water.

One of the most loved is the Snickers cupcake. It was a dark chocolate cake with butter cream frosting.

The cake was filled in the middle with warm caramel.

Though it was messy, it was love at first bite. The frosting was covered with different kinds of nuts and drizzled with even more caramel and chocolate syrup. The second flavor was Raspberry Vanilla.

The cupcake was simple yet incredible. The cake was rich vanilla swirled with raspberry flavoring. It was very moist and fruity. The frosting was light and fluffy cream topped off with a raspberry. Although $4 is expensive, the cupcakes made the shop a top competitor.

By Maddie Patton

QUIPS

CAT

By Matt Wood

By Eilie Strecker

1

Taylor Swift won Entertainer of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards, but the fun was cut short when hosts Blake Shelton and Reba McEntire joked about her alleged relationship with Tim Tebow. Apparently this Superstar athlete has been Enchanted by Swift and they have started their own Love Story.

The Hunger Games came out breaking box office records everywhere. They followed the perfect formula. Good story + good film making + super attractive actors = new teen sensation.

3

One Tree Hill is finishing up their ninth and final season. After high school marriages, murders, psycho stalkers, life threatening diseases, and far too many relationship problems, this show has finally run out of dramatic events. There are simply no more scandals left to be had.

The Three Stooges movie is going to be coming out on April 13. What’s not to love about three fully grown men acting completely ridiculous?? Actors like Will Ferrell and Sacha Baron Cohen have been making careers out of it for years.

5

2 4

Favorite Facebook Quote: So here’s the thing…I know we have seen it 6 times but how do you feel about going to see the hunger games again tonight?? Thoughts?? ;)

Page Ten

After an extended hiatus, and his collaboration with Danger Mouse in Broken Bells, James Mercer has returned to work with The Shins. Their March 20 release “Port of Morrow” is the first record to be released separately from the band’s label, Sub Pop. With a blend of ethereal atmospheres and spectral vocals, James Mercer combines the acoustic clarity of “Chutes Too Narrow” and the dream-like landscapes of “Wincing the Night Away” to show that he hasn’t lost touch with The Shins in the slightest.

The album begins with an insistent thumping bass drum, as though Mercer were trying to make it abundantly apparent that his songwriting ability hasn’t tarnished, and beats anew on this release.

“The Rifle’s Spiral” then falls into cascading drums as reverberating verses spill out from the ever-poetic Mercer, saying “Primitive mirror on the wall, to fortify your grim resolve, and made a glitz of a shopping mall, another grain of indigent salt to the sea.”

“It’s Only Life” is a monumental step for The Shins, taking a simple melody, expanding it to such grandeur, and then causing it to crash down, leaving only a distant xylophone shimmering and fading out.

Not letting up on his penchant for Lewis Carroll allusions, he touches on the worries of slipping from reality, saying “It’s only life, it’s only natural; we all spend a little while going down the rabbit hole.”

Halfway through the album, “Bait and Switch” allows Mercer’s new back-up band to shine and come through. It features some synthetic drum sounds and oddities, which sound reminiscent of Broken Bells, to create a full and unique sound with glassy guitar leads that pierce through the thick fog of ambient noise.

The standout song, however, is “40 Mark Strasse,” which is powerful both sonically and

lyrically. The title comes from a street name in Germany where ladies of the night roam, and the lyrics tell a story of a distraught childhood, riddled with social strife and parental dismay. Coupled with this is a calm, soft acoustic guitar part that transitions into an overwhelming combination of echoing backing vocals as if calling out for help, and melancholic keyboard tones. As he mentions that they “play in the streets at night” and to “not let these Americans put another dent in your life,” he tells the story in a supportive fashion, imploring them to stay strong despite their conditions. It shows that Mercer has grown up, and is less of a cynical poet and more of a fatherly storyteller.

The album also features something The Shins have never had much of - a rhythm section. With weighty bass lines in “The Rifle’s Spiral,” and hand claps of “No Way Down,” Mercer shows he hasn’t neglected the background instruments on this record.

Mercer’s falsetto is noticeably absent in most of the album, but he pulls it out for the title track, “Port of Morrow,” to add to the Pink Floyd-esque ambience and eerie sauntering and swaying beat of the song.

It feels very much like Broken Bells, but a bit more organic in its absence of programmed drums. The song is a culmination of the album, which starts at a relatively high energy and then peaks, but wanes as it progresses to reach a full circle resolution.

The main issue that the album suffers from is just being too short. It’s diverse, it has unexpected pleasant turns, and keeps true to the style of the band, but ends abruptly after ten songs. However, after such a long departure from the band, this release is a very welcome addition to the strong offering of albums by James Mercer.

April 4, 2012

An Artist ’s Eyes

Opinion

By Alyssa Matesic

I remember looking like a sloppy tourist that day. My hair was down and tangled between the straps of my cross-body bag and camera.

My Italian flag shirt was hanging off one shoulder. At any given moment, my eyes were covered either by my sunglasses or my lens.

My mom and I stood in the middle of the square. We were probably stopping the flow of Vespas and pedestrians a bit, but we were too engrossed in what was before us to care. We had just come down from the top of Brunelleschi’s dome and were looking at it from below.

I lowered my camera and pushed my sunglasses over my head to look at everything more clearly. I tried hard to understand how the people of Florence could so easily walk by such a masterpiece every day. The kiosk workers, it seemed, hardly appreciated the beauty of what was on their postcards and key chains. I determined that if I lived as a Florentine, I would either be endlessly inspired by my surroundings or go mad because of them – for nothing I could create would ever amount to the same level of artistry.

I didn’t see the man walk over; he seemed to appear out of nowhere. He had dark features and was wearing a black coat. I wasn’t suspicious, though. He seemed harmless.

“Excuse me, I saw you from across the square and I knew I had to draw you,” he said to me in an Italian accent. “You see, I walked a long way for you.” He gestured to an empty stand near the base of the dome.

He followed up with a number of

flattering comments, all of which I brushed off shyly. After a brief exchange, my mom and I agreed to have my portrait drawn and followed him to his station.

I know that, to some extent, his compliments were simply him trying to make a sale. But there was something genuine about him – something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

I sat down on a stool facing him and he pulled out a sketchpad and charcoal pencils. His hand began moving swiftly and smoothly down the page – it was obvious that he was starting with my hair. Though I couldn’t see the picture, I could see his hands, which were almost more interesting to me. They were worn and coarse and tinted with black where he had touched his medium – artist’s hands, I thought.

A thousand languages passed by me.

The people speaking them would pause behind the artist, stare at the drawing, then glance at me, then look back at the drawing.

Some would finish off with a nod. Others a smile. One laughed. Most just walked away.

The man’s name was Arthur, and he came into the square and drew every day.

He lived the life that I had been pondering the moments before his approach – life surrounded by beauty. He had easels set up around the stool – there were caricatures, which he said were ugly and he just did for the money, and watercolors of places in the city. Watercolors were his true passion, he said, but they were less popular than caricatures and portraits.

He then began working on my eyes. I

A f t e r weekend study sessions, hundreds of hours spent at SAT classes, cramming for AP tests and countless mugs of coffee, you finally receive the letter. The big envelope that reveals your future. For four years, you have poured all of your blood, sweat and tears into receiving this letter with the word “Congratulations” printed on the page. Now that you hold your acceptance letter in your hands, all that stands in between you and attending this dream college are tuition fees. But these are not just small, three digit numbers, they’re large expenses, some even five digits long.

According to the College Board website, from 1997-98 to 2007-08, tuition fees at public state colleges have increased 54 percent, an average of 4.4 percent each year. These rising costs have limited students’ choices on which universities

to attend because some of the colleges are asking too much of their attendees. It is unfortunate that it has come down to students choosing between their favorite college and the college that they can afford, when both colleges should be one in the same.

Among students, it seems as if staying behind and attending a community college is an academic stigma.

Students act like going to a community college is a last resort effort, only for those who have nowhere else to go.

Some people may think those who choose to attend Collin or Richland College were lazy throughout their high school years, not caring about their grades and therefore not able to get into any other colleges. Others might believe going to Collin is a decision made because a student is too immature to go elsewhere; they still need to rely on their parents to make dinner, wash their clothes or drive them around. While some of these theories may be true, maybe a student did not get accepted anywhere else, or maybe they’re simply not ready to leave the nest, others should realize that attending a community college is not a ridiculous idea that should be avoided.

We believe it is a great way to save thousands of dollars

The Wildcat Tales April 4, 2011

Copy Editor

Daniel Hinson Eilie Strecker

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Online Editors-in-Chief

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Amber Robinson

while receiving a good education. According to the Collin College website, 12 classes only cost $410.00 during the fall semester of 2011. Families can save a substantial amount of money by just having a child attend Collin for only one year alone.

Community colleges are a smart idea not just for the frugal. Attending a college nearby allows students to stay at home, live with family and mature over time. If students who want to leave for college freshman year are not prepared to live out in the real world by themselves, it might be best that they stay home an extra year or two to learn different life skills that equip them for living alone.

Students should not completely rule out attending a community college, avoiding it like the plague. Instead, they should highly consider going to one for a year or two before setting out for that fantasy college. Their chances of being accepted are higher, and their pockets will be fuller in the end.

The Wildcat Tales is a student produced publication that serves to educate, inform and entertain the

Staff Writers

Jessica Allman Erin Ball Emma Barishman Haley Bunnell Paul Burnham Danielle Deraleau Miles Hutson Stephanie Jabri Yeesoo Lee Alyssa Matesic

color of his eyes – I was too absorbed by what was behind them.

There was a story.

“Deep. You’re deep. I can see it in your eyes,” he broke a long run of silence. “You’re a romantic, eh?”

“A bit, yes,” I responded.

I hadn’t said anything to lead him to believe that, and yet he knew.

And I knew he was one, too.

After a few more minutes he was done.

I was nervous – I didn’t know what to expect. He turned over the sketch to me.

It was absolutely beautiful – she was absolutely beautiful. But she wasn’t me.

There was only a single feature that he accurately represented: my eyes. I wasn’t upset, though. A part of me didn’t want to see my face looking back at me.

I believe that for those 20 minutes, beginning with when he saw me across the square, he pictured me how he wanted me to be, not how I actually was. There was an idealization there. I realize, in retrospect, that I have done the exact same thing here with him.

Maybe that’s how I saw Italy as a whole – some perfect abstraction that doesn’t physically exist in so wonderful a form. But I’m okay with that. I’m okay with living with a bit of inaccuracy mistaken for accuracy in my mind – my memories are much more

Mission Statement:

Volume LXVI Issue Nine

Editors-in-Chief

continued staring off behind him at all of the people passing by.

“Look straight at me,” he said. His pencil was moving in tighter circles now, and every once in a while he would smudge a line or two and add to the blackness on his hands.

I was worried that holding eye contact for so long would be uncomfortable, and it was at first. I felt scrutinized. I wanted to cover my face or check a mirror – I didn’t like having someone look so deeply into me. I feared that he saw my flaws, my weaknesses, everything that I try to hide. He was a stranger, and yet he saw me closer than most people I know have.

He began making conversation; I suppose to lighten the intensity of the situation. I think I talked more than he did – I told him about living in Texas, and about how I want to be a photographer and a writer. He just smiled and kept working.

After watching him draw for some time and looking into his eyes for the moments in between, I realized that I was seeing him just as closely as he was seeing me. When he would glance up, he would squint and furrow his brow – the expression was somewhere in between concentration and heartbreak.

The creases around his eyes deepened, as did those in his forehead. For as much as I looked into them, I cannot recall the

Kimberly Mei Shezal Padani Maddie Patton Kathy Santiago JP Salazar Cristina Seanez Kathleen Shaffer Josh Spruchman Dani Sureck Matt Wood

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 The Wildcat Tales is 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 The Wildcat Tales can email us at pshs.pub@pisd.edu. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisements deemed to be inappropriate.

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

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Page Eleven

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April 4, 2012

Issue Nine

Plano Senior High School

Plano, TX, USA