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wildcat ales plano senior high school
plano, tx 75075
www.wildcattales.com
volume 67
may 31, 2013
Valedictorian to speak at graduation
Photo taken from PISD.edu
English teacher Mary Stanton poses with superintendent Richard Matkin and school board vice president Nancy Humphrey at the district’s 48th Annual Salute to Service Employee Recognition Event, which was held at Southfork Ranch on April 11. Stanton was honored for her work as an English teacher and department chair.
Retiring teacher reflects on 37 years at Plano
By Kaitlin Humphrey After 37 years of teaching at Plano, English teacher Mary Stanton will retire this year. She received her degree from University of Colorado and began her career as a teacher in Colorado. Stanton, who enjoyed going to school, decided to follow what she was good at and continue her path in English. “I always had to stay after school for talking too much,” Stanton said. “I guess it’s kind of payback now because I have students who can’t be quiet in class. I think, ‘That’s the way I was.’ I love teaching my subject. I’m a believer in students knowing the literature of their country and connecting it with history.” Stanton has never taught classes below the 10th grade level and said she enjoys teaching high school students. She has taught junior English more often than senior English. “They’re almost adults,” Stanton said. “I like that I’m able to treat my students as adults for the most part.” Stanton’s least favorite part of teaching is the time it takes to read and grade her students’ essays. Because of the extensive amount of time consumed in grading papers and her love for teaching, Stanton is torn over her decision to retire. “It’s actually one of the reasons why I’m retiring,” Stanton said. “I can hardly grade papers anymore. It takes one day every weekend. I’ll normally spend all day Sunday just grading papers, so that’s a bad thing. I’ve even told my students that if I could come here, go into the room, teach, leave, get in my car and go home, then I would. It’s just all the other stuff, like grading essays and the lack of free time.” Although Stanton has no specific plans for after she retires, she said she would like to spend more time with her
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granddaughters, volunteer in their elementary school’s library and travel more often. “I can’t wait for the freedom it will bring,” Stanton said. “I think it will be nice to get up when I want to, pour a cup of coffee, watch the ‘Today’ show or ‘Good Morning America’ and then go ‘It’s 9 a.m., I better get ready.’ We’ve been moving to a bell here, but I think it will be pretty interesting to not move to the bell anymore.” Throughout Stanton’s time at Plano, there have been multiple changes made to the school. “Most students don’t know what it was like here at Plano 37 years ago,” Stanton said. “I feel like I’m kind of a keeper of the history. For example, there’s an urban legend surrounding Duck Week that Plano East hung our ducks, or Plano West came and killed our ducks. But actually, we have Duck Week because Plano West doesn’t have ducks. It’s kind of an in-your-face ‘we have ducks and they have a fountain that doesn’t work.’” Along with the school, the type of students has also changed over the 37 years. “When I first came here, there was no East and no West,” Stanton said. “It was just us. We had everyone. There were farming kids from way out in Parker; we had the kids from over in the eastern inner city part of Plano. I was here when it was over-capacitated, and the hallways would just be in total gridlock. In every class there were 35 kids. It was really different having a smoking area for students. I still can’t believe it; I had taught before and had never seen anything like it. It didn’t last very long though.”
Read more about Mrs. Stanton and other retiring faculty and staff members on www.wildcattales.com
From left to right: Diane Davey, Edith King, Diana Cain, Nancy Dreiding and Valerie Krajcir. All are retiring this year.
By Brooke Combs She knows how nerve-racking it can be standing in front of a crowd, but it isn’t stopping her from making a perfect speech. This year’s valedictorian, senior Alieen Huang, is currently preparing the speech she will give during graduation on June 12 at the Dallas Convention Center. “I’m going to be talking about the importance of schooling and the importance of friends and family providing emotional support to get through high school,” Huang said. “As for the specifics, I’m not really sure what I’m going to say yet.” After five years in debate, senior Devin Guthrie decided he should try out to speak at graduation. “My speech background and my success in oratory have helped me,” Guthrie said. “I’m used to this kind of thing. I was just thinking about it and I thought I had something important to say.” Huang said she wants to focus on what high school has taught her throughout these past four years. “High school has provided so many trials and tribulations for us to go through and senior year is really a year of maturity,” Huang said. “I want that to be reflected in my speech.” Huang plans to talk to different types of students throughout the school in order to help her craft a successful speech. “The valedictorian speech is supposed to be a reflection of our years in school and the entire senior class,” Huang said. “I’m trying to ask people of different backgrounds about what their experiences were so that I can write a speech that’s more reflective and relates to everyone.” Guthrie’s speech will revolve around the idea of keeping your inner child. “Imagination and creativity is typically associated with younger kids,” Guthrie said. “Generally people view this transition from high school to college as something you should leave a lot of behind you, but I’m talking about how we shouldn’t.” Huang is hoping to finish her speech within the next week. After she completes the speech, she will find someone to help her proofread it. She also plans on talking to any speech teachers who are available to listen to her delivery and help her perfect her speech. She said she wants to make her speech a balance of comical and reflective moments. “I’ll probably be adding in some jokes or pop culture references, but for the most part, I want my speech to be something reflective, applicable to everyone and inspiring,” Huang said. “It’s not going to be so serious that everyone is completely solemn, but it’s not going to be a joke.” Like Huang, Guthrie also plans on making his speech both humorous and serious as well. “I think it’s safe to say my speech will be a little funny,” Guthrie said. “I think with humor there can be a serious message.” Huang said she is working hard to give the senior class the best speech she can give. “Some people blow off the valedictorian speech and make a joke about it, but I definitely don’t want to do that,” Huang said. “Everyone in our class deserves to carry an inspiring message with them throughout their college and life careers.” She believes that other students have taught her that grades don’t define who a person is. “Grades don’t really determine how smart a person is,” Huang said. “If there’s anything that I have learned this year, it’s that some of the smartest people I know aren’t ranked very high up there. The school system isn’t reflective of what kind of person you are or what your interests are.”
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The 2013-2014 Editors
Left to right: Tehreem Shahab, Leslie Parker, Rachel Chen, Alexis Harris, Alexandria Oguntula and Pryanka Hardikar
Copy Editor: Rachel Chen
Usually when I try out for something, I make sure that I actually have a chance at making it. I have never had one of my dreams come true before and usually, it is because I am too afraid to try. In 7th grade my sister brought home a copy of The Wildcat Tales and I decided that one day, I wanted to be an editor. The idea of becoming an editor and writing for the newspaper has remained and achieving my middle-school dream has been fantastic. My favorite part of writing articles is being able to put everyone I interview’s stories into words and I cannot wait to continue doing so next year as copy editor.
Print Editor: Alexis Harris
In 10th grade I tried out for newspaper because I loved to write. It just made sense. I wanted to practice writing every day to improve myself, but I ended up wanting to make the paper better. I wasn’t only in love with my own words in print, I was in love with each and every other person’s story. I fell in love with journalism. I am obsessed with this school. I could not imagine being a wolf or a panther – I am a wildcat. This paper is full of wildcats, but I want more. I want it to represent each part of Plano. From taking pictures of football practice and of Mr. Plano candidates to writing about political figures, the paper is a compilation of our year. I am proud to be the curator of something so representative of our student body. I am proud to be a 2013-2014 editor.
Social Media Editor: Layout Editor: Leslie Parker Tehreem Shahab Becoming an editor for my high school newspaper is something I’ve always wished to become. At a very young age I fell in love with journalism, the rush of breaking news stories, the anticipation of what I would find unfolding the paper. I love what a newspaper does for people. I love that inside a newspaper you can find everything going on in the world around you, and through it you get to be a part of everyone else’s lives. Most of all, I love that newspaper is becoming bigger and better. It’s entering the digital world and in this world the possibilities are endless. My hope is to launch our school newspaper into social media and make it a constant go-to place for students of this school. I can’t wait to see what the future holds. It’s an honor to have been selected to lead the Wildcat Tales into the fast developing world of social media. I’m excited to capture this year’s highlights, heartbreaks, and happy times, but most of all I’m excited to publish them for all of you.
The reason I joined newspaper was not because I love writing. Not because I have taken that class before. Not because I thought it would be easy. It was because I wanted a voice, not only for myself but for others who have so much to say but never get a chance to. For those who have unique thoughts and stories but never get a chance to tell them. Newspaper gives people the ability to say exactly what they have in mind and it also gives them the choice to let the world know their name or hide in anonymity. Either way, their voice is heard and even accepted by some. I learnt that newspaper contains pages of stories each told from different perspectives. That’s the beauty of it. There is so much diversity in it and so much opinion. I absolutely love it. And to be able to say that I will be spending another year reading, writing and creating this paper leaves a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.
Online Editor: Priyanka Hardikar
At first, newspaper was just a class and I was just a girl in the process of finding herself. But soon, it became my identity. It all began after I was assigned my second story. This was my first big story and I had no idea how to approach it. And then I met Janira, a deaf teen mom, and she told me her story. That was the moment - having the opportunity to meet people who I would have never met otherwise and personally hearing their stories and the shattering or the exciting truth of their struggles, sorrows, joys and aspirations is lifechanging. Everyone has a worthwhile story to tell. As online editor I hope I can not only take the online newspaper to the next level, but also create a newspaper more memorable and different than ever before.
Business Manager: Alexandria Oguntula Being on newspaper this year has changed my view of the school and has opened up a new career for me. I have always had a passion for writing and it has bloomed throughout the year. This past year I have grown more and know more about myself than I have in the past three years of high school. It has been an amazing journey and now the only place to go is up. I am incredibly lucky to have the opportunity I do for next year. As the year comes to a close I look back with fond memories and look forward with excitement for next year. As business manager, I understand how important advertising is to the paper and intend to improve the paper with hard work and by setting goals for the year. I know that together the staff members and I can make a great paper next year.
senior ales To the Graduates of 2013:
Congratulations, Graduates, on reaching this step in the journey of
your life. My one wish is that you continue to work hard to achieve your goals. In the coming years, I expect that I will hear great things about each of you. I ask that you remember what Jim Collins wrote in his book, Good to Great, “Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline.” In other words, no plan for success will work unless you do.
As you look around at your classmates, you’ve probably thought that
success just comes more easily to some than others. Perhaps you’ve thought, He makes good grades because he’s smart, or She’s a natural athlete. In actuality, their success at math or a sport or art has come from the decision to work hard and stay on track doing so. Booker T. Washington had it right: “Nothing ever comes to one that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.” The beauty of all that hard work is that the end result will be yours. You will own it and feel it, and it will become a part of who you are.
For now, celebrate today’s accomplishment. Just be ready tomorrow
to roll up your sleeves and get to work again. The next phase of your journey will take you along the road you build. The tools are in your hands now, and we all wish you great success.
Congratulations, Sarah Watkins
senior section
2013
Photo by Maddie Patton
Where are the W ILDCATS
headed now?
71.8%
going to college in-state
4.2%
going to college in Oklahoma
4.2%
going to college in Arkansas
17.2%
going to college in other states
2.3%
enlisting in the military or attending an academy
.35%
going to college out of the country *Statistics calculated from responses to StuCo’s college poll
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ine um l m line r D c ssi y dr u r Cla nishing ent ever a t S fi p Lone et it ion, e I had s p l p Com he peo m t anha wit h it h. -Paul Br day w
Photo by Alexandria Oguntula
Watching and experiencing all of Plano Senior girls go against the norm and come together to show that natural beauty overpowers society’s definition of beauti ful any day. The All -Chelsea Deteau en foo tb Photo force t by Jen o be re all g ame – w nifer P astran a ckoned e show ed t ha wit h. t we ar ea Meg an
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ums making m d e v lo I lub! ial g C at s C wit h spec of in r s t a n C e e d h u t T ne es robably o er s for t h and g ar t er ing t hem wa s p of my li fe. eliv nce s needs. D g exper ie in d r a w e r t shtein t he most bmitt Photo su
-Stephanie
Daniel
Bli
Photo by Brooke Stene
y Ekiriwang Photo by Am
e en ever yon h w t h ig n e n use it wa s o . Prom bec a t any stre s s u o h it w e m ti had a g re at t -Iz z y Oster
Teaching the preschoolers in the Early Learning Center because I learned what I want to do in the future. -Rachel Alexander
Winning Mr. Pla no wa s a nice ego boost. -C am Wenrich
Photo by Reyna
Hernandez Ph
oto by La ura Jones Winning B e st Music al wit h my Cur t ains C a st.
and t his ye ar e m a g ll a ot b my fir st fo le exper ience. o t t n e w I ab a memor wa s quite awane
-A sh Son
it
-Ryan Bar
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“Giulia Romani. Having a class with your best friend makes time fly faster and the class more interesting.” -Olivia Munoz
“My friends from my fashion design class. We all became such close friends and our study tour to NYC just brought us even closer, I love them” -Lindsey Rudick
“Mir Ali! We are football rivals. I’m a Saints fan and he is a Cowboys fan. ” -Jessica McMillian “Gloria Markov. We have three classes together so I kind of have to like her. ” -Sonia Woiton
“Maddie Jones relates to my life the most and always sings to me.” -Erica Hunter
“Matt Corbin, because he is the funniest kid alive, hands down. ” -Parker Balcom
“Garrett Beutel. His curly blond locks brighten my day.” - Cole Constien
“Hamza Nadeem has to be my favorite classmate of all time. No matter what, he drops whatever he’s doing to answer any questions I have.” -Elizabeth Wirta
“Mo Senteney. She kept me entertained. ” -Amanda Morton
“Cam Wenrich, because he gave English class pizzazz.” -Destine Krenik
“Talha Wahed from Weight Training, because it was great playing basketball against him.” -Asad Syed
“Frances Adams because she’s such a wonderful girl who’s always ready to help and has a bright smile on her face that never seems to go away.”-Jennifer Paez
“Tori McClue. I honestly could not have made it through the day without seeing her every morning in zero hour.” -Kennedy Hogle
“Bilal Sheriff. He was my partner in Special Education PE and made me grow as a person and be joyful.” -Daniel Katani
Senior year is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I really found out who was there for me! Way more insane than I expected.
-Amber James
-Andrea Ramon
There are big ships and there are small ships, but the best ship of all is friendship.
We made it! -Mir Ali
-Casey Clark
This senior year was such a blast, but I can’t say I’d be sad to leave my class.
-Gennie Balanon
I learned more about myself this year than a three years before.
-Zachary Davis
To attempt to summarize any year, let alone senior year, would do the year a disservice; this year leaves me without words.
-Adam Jurecki
Th riva tak
-V
Stressful but rewarding and continuously celebrated.
-Anna Montgomery
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all
To summarize my senior year in one sentence is not possible, it was too awesome.
-Jake Stanford
The craziest, slowest, fastest, wildest ride I have ever been on.
-Athen Andrade
Overall a bad case of senioritis.
It was a year of realizing dreams I never thought would come true.
-Tanner Mayorga
-Ashley Gaudlip
Wish it wasn’t over yet.
-Isaiah Thompson
he number of laughs I shared al the number of breaths I’ve ken this year.
Victoria Braud
I came, I learned, I conquered. -Maryellen Oltman
My senior year is something I’ll always remember; it was full of first experiences like acceptance letters and last experiences like prom; things I will always cherish as we look forward into our futures.
-Melissa Smith
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By Alyssa Matesic It was the end of my fifth grade summer and 7 a.m. was still far too early to be awake. couldn’t wait for her to move out. Like when she pinned me down on the couch and tickled I jumped down from my top bunk bed – no one actually slept on the bottom one – and me until I couldn’t breathe. Or when she pushed me into the corner of a coffee table, giving walked in an eyes-half-open daze to the window. As I pushed the thin purple curtain aside, I me a gash in my forehead that needed eight stitches. heard the front door opening and closing repeatedly downstairs. I looked down and saw my But as she drove away that summer day, I realized that I never actually wanted her to go. family moving around hastily in the driveway. Without her, the house was emptier. I was lonelier. And it hurt knowing that she would The car was already packed full. Junk piled in every possible space: pillows, closet never call Westwood Drive her permanent address again. Instead, it was the more-exciting organizers, hangers, boxes of clothes, stacks of books. Was it time already? Hollywood Boulevard. I didn’t want to miss it. I couldn’t. I cried a lot standing in the driveway that morning, watching my sister fade into the Without brushing my teeth or getting dressed, I thumped down the staircase as fast as distance. And I cried when I went back to my room, feeling overwhelmingly alone after possible. I reached the front yard just as they were about to leave, out of seeing her empty room. I felt that day like I lost a piece of myself, of my breath and still adjusting to the light. home. My sister stood beside her navy blue Lumina as blond and brightI guess I thought that leaving for college was more eyed as ever, ready to get out of Plano and move to the West glamorous. Balloons and smiles. Gifts and enthusiasm. Coast. My parents loitered around silently, failing to find Meaningful parting words and laughter. Certainly not the right words even after 18 years of preparation. the melancholy, serious goodbye that I experienced. But Their somber eyes proved their smiles fake. looking back, I understand now that moving out has little I don’t remember saying much of anything, but to do with celebrating independence and more to do with I distinctly remember just standing there. Arms strengthening family. It isn’t about the self, it’s about the crossed. Bare feet on the stone driveway. Eyes people left behind – the people who pack up the car and sad and hollow. then watch tearfully as it drives off. The people who pick up Illustration by Priyanka Hardikar t h e I stood there as my sister hugged me. It was genuine, pieces of home and try to sew back together whatever remains. but far too short – almost as if she was just leaving for the weekend. H e r The people you long for once you are 1,550 miles away. excitement enveloped me but failed to change my mood. It has been seven years since Lauren left, and soon it will be time for me to do the same. I stood there as my dad got into the passenger seat, his expression still overcast. I knew But instead of a blue Lumina it’ll be a white Chevy, and instead of the West Coast it’ll be the he wasn’t looking forward to driving home in an empty car halfway across the country. He East. Then, rather than watching the car pull out of the driveway into a new life, I’ll be the already felt a deep sense of loss. one in the driver’s seat. And I stood there as the engine started – an unfriendly, aggressive sound. The wheels I see leaving for college as a kind of rebirth, a new start. It involves a lot of loss and turned slowly at first, then sped up until the blue car was just a dot on the horizon. I waved reshapes every relationship, but in a sense it is the most honest test of love. As I drive away weakly, but Lauren was already gone. Just like that. from my house that day, I’ll glance in the rearview mirror to remind myself who, after 18 I knew it wasn’t for forever, but things changed permanently once she left. My mom years of building relationships, will continue to stand by me through the next phase of my converted her room – the one adjacent to mine – to an office, clearing out all of its Lord life. of the Rings and Star Wars paraphernalia. For once, I had the whole bathroom, including That day will not be about me. It will be about tears and weak smiles, unspoken goodbyes double sinks, to myself. It was quieter, naturally. No more waking up in the middle of the and feeble waves. But it will ultimately be about love. night to house alarms as Lauren tried to sneak in past curfew. No more Muse or Mutemath Because I know the people I leave behind in my driveway are the people I won’t leave blasting through the door. No more late-night movie marathons that seemed to start just as behind in my heart. I was trying to fall asleep. There had been times – many times – when I thought Lauren was an awful sister and I
By Kaitlin Fischer The ride there was almost as exciting as the game itself. You could feel the electricity in the air as we waited for our train to arrive, and when it finally did, we ran to meet it. Everybody wanted to be the first one to get on the train. We stormed onto the Dart wearing our maroon and blowing our vuvuzelas. This was the game we were waiting for. This was the playoffs. We yelled and screamed on the ride to Southern Methodist University. Only five guys led the cheers, but no one seemed to notice. In the end, it was all of us in unison that made the Dart the loudest it had ever been. We painted our faces – some more than others – and yelled at the top of our lungs for the entire drive. I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough voice left for the game itself. When the train finally stopped at Mockingbird Station, people were anxious to arrive at the stadium and immediately pushed out of the doors. We ran the entire way there – 10 minutes of just running. I soon realized how out of shape I was, but continued on, not wanting to lose sight of my friends. The people we passed took a second glance as a crowd of 50 or more high school students sprinted through the streets of Dallas. We moved with adrenaline and excitement, knowing that in only a few minutes we would be able to watch our favorite team play. And for some – for me – possibly watch them play for the last time. SMU stadium was larger than what we were used to, but it didn’t stop us from crowding together. I was squeezed by people on my left and on my right, but as I looked around there were empty stands stretching out on both sides. We were like a giant family, staying as close as we could to each other. As the game began, we watched our team storm the field and we waved our paper paws. If someone were to take a picture of us from an aerial view, all they would be able to make out would be a sea of maroon seemingly moving as one. They wouldn’t hear the chatter of friends or the screaming of angry fans, but they would hear the chant that was repeated over and over from the crowd.
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Mission Statement:
may 31, 2013 volume 67 issue 12 Editors-in-Chief Alyssa Matesic Jp Salazar
Layout Editor Shezal Padani
Copy Editor
Photo/Graphic Editor
Kimberly Mei
Cristina Seanez
Adviser
Business Manager
Terry Quinn
Kathleen Shaffer
Jessica Allman Rachel Chen Brooke Combs Kaitlin Fischer Priyanka Hardikar Alexis Harris Kaitlin Humphrey
Plaaano! Plaaano! Plaaano! The fans on the other side of the stadium couldn’t begin to compare to Plano Senior’s fans. Only a few people were scattered across their bleachers, and the few that were there only sat. They didn’t seem to even notice that the game was being played. We, on the other hand, were there to support our school and cheer on our boys. We were their spirit. That night our football team lost, meaning it was the last game of the season. But when we left to return to the Dart bus our excitement still lingered.We were exhausted and all we wanted to do was to go to sleep, but the support for our team never went away. Even though we were no longer the loudest people, we continued to talk about the game to each other, remembering key moments and exciting plays. Some people continued to yell “Plano!” on the walk back to the bus. This is what I will miss the most when I leave Plano next year. Even when we lose, our pride never goes away. If the college I attend has half as much spirit as Plano does, I’ll be happy. Because at Plano the student body doesn’t create spirit. We are the spirit.
Staff Writers
Myiah Jones Alexandria Oguntula Leslie Parker Maddie Patton Alexis Sendejas Tehreem Shahab Laura Jones
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 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 Wildcat Tales can email us at pshs.pub@pisd.edu. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisements deemed to be inappropiate.
Wildcat Tales is the official student publication of Plano Senior High School 2200 Independence PKWY Plano, TX 75075 469.752.9300