t
wildcat ales plano senior high school
Signs of love
plano, tx 75075
www.wildcattales.com
volume 57
issue 2
october 12, 2012
Deaf student raises hearing daughter By Priyanka Hardikar
It’s been six months – six whole months. And yet junior Janira Benitez’s life hasn’t returned to normal, nor will it ever. At least not how normal used to be. Now she has a new normal. Benitez believes that she was born deaf in New York, as she doesn’t remember ever hearing voices. She later moved to El Salvador, her mother’s homeland. The family moved to Texas when she was 6-years-old, torn by the tragedy of her father passing away. Her father was operating a bulldozer for construction, but he was not very experienced and lost control of the brakes. “I was watching the movie What a Girl Wants and at the end when the girl finally meets her father and dances with him, I cried knowing I’ll never get the chance to dance with my dad, nor will my daughter ever get to meet him,” Benitez said. “It’s tough talking about my family. I don’t really call it a family because my mom wasn’t really there for me growing up and I never really got to know my father.” Benitez never had a close relationship with her mother or her four sisters because of their communication barrier. Only her older sister Jennifer bothered to learn sign language. However, even she is beginning to forget what she knows. Benitez’s life took a turn when she got pregnant her
sophomore year. Her relationship with her mom shattered because her mom did not support her 100 percent. Benitez made the decision to move in with her boyfriend, senior Tyler Davis, and Davis’ mother agreed to become her guardian. Benitez currently lives in a separate apartment with Davis and some friends. The couple is hoping to move to their own apartment in January. “I am blessed to have my daughter, and my daughter’s father who has stayed with us through everything,” Benitez said. Benitez met Davis at Vines High School, where they had biology together Benitez’s freshman year and Davis’ sophomore year. It was love at first sight for Davis. “Her personality stood out to me,” Davis said. “Her personality was very sweet, very kind and very respectful to others.” Benitez’s best friend, junior Bailey Mendoza, also stuck by her side through everything. They are still friends today. “Deep down, we still know each other; we still laugh at each other. We’re still the same,” Mendoza said. “In my head, hearing friends come and go, but deaf people stay forever. Because in the deaf world you know everyone and they’re always there for you, no matter what. You can always connect to them. But it’s harder to communicate with your hearing friends.” Continued on Page 6
Eyes on the goal
Three takes on varsity soccer tryouts
By Rachel Chen The players sit anxiously in a circle awaiting their fate. For some, this could be one of the best moments of their soccer career. For others, this could be the point where it all ends. Varsity soccer tryouts began on the first day of school and lasted for about two weeks. Even though the soccer program begins in ninth grade, varsity is generally comprised of juniors and seniors. During tryouts, soccer coach Doug Adams had the players do a number of different drills to determine how well the students could play offense and defense and to see what kind of stamina they had on the field. For senior varsity soccer player Jessey Hein, preparation began years before his tryout. “I started prepping really in middle school when I started thinking about high school soccer,” Hein said. “Freshman year I came in, tried out, made JV, and then you just keep working to get to varsity level. During the summer, you work hard to keep your skills up and then just hope you make it to varsity.” When he first started playing soccer for fun, senior Abdulwahab Ahmed endured condescension from more experienced players. “People would call me stupid and tell me, ‘You Photo by Alexis Sendejas don’t know how to play, why are you playing?’ Senior Jesse Hein gets Ahmed said. “I just ignored them and kept on playing. ready to take a shot at the goal. I want them to know how people like me, when I was there, feel. They want to play but they can’t, but they’re trying their best. They have to give them a chance.” Ahmed did not make varsity. Unlike Hein, he did not have previous experience with Plano soccer to boost his confidence. Continued on Page 3
Beat of his heart
Healing continues
Teacher cares for grandchildren after tragedy By Myiah Jones Holding back emotions of a painful past, by hiring private investigators. Terrell’s husband English teacher Vanda Terrell continues to heal was away from home multiple days continuing from the memory of when her daughter was his search for Brittany, leaving Terrell behind. kidnapped at age 15. “I just felt useless and hopeless,” Terrell said. In 2000, Terrell and her husband both quit “I was broken. I almost committed suicide and their jobs, sold their home and left everything our marriage was falling apart. It actually was a they knew behind to serve in a mission trip in phone call from my son that stopped me and I a small village in Bacalar, Mexico. Along with fell to my knees as I answered the phone and their daughter Brittany, they built a clinic for the hearing his voice really gave me hope because I people in the village. Due to legal complications, realized I would never be able to talk to my son only months after the build started, it was again. I just felt that it was an affirmation from cancelled. The Terrell family was left with an God that I had to push forward.” abundance of free time to explore the foreign On June 6 at about 2 a.m. Terrell received country. In their exploration of the area, they a phone call from her daughter. She had been met a restaurant owner named Aldo. Little did found in Mexico City. Brittany immediately they know this meeting would change their lives. stated that she did not want to come home, she Her voice was strained and distant as she was pregnant and she was in love with Aldo. recounted the incident. “On January the sixth, he took my daughter,” Terrell said. “It took us six months to find her and five years before she would return home.” A few weeks after her daughter’s abduction, Terrell and her husband promised each other they would not leave Mexico until they found Brittany. The funds for the clinic build were transferred into the search for Brittany. However, those funds dwindled, so they began to use their own money. The Terrells spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying Photo submitted by Vanda Terrell to find her. Nearly broke, they returned English teacher Vanda Terrell’s granddaughters Maria, April and Sonya home to the U.S., continuing their search lounge on a lawn bench.
Drumline captain shares experiences
By Brooke Combs His passion for band began in the sixth grade. But after attending football games during middle school, he realized his true calling was drumline. Freshman year at Vines, senior James Darling tried out for drumline and made it. “It was a smaller drumline than Jasper’s,” Darling said. “We all got really close. We were all working towards the same goal and spent a lot of time together.” Junior year he tried out for snare drum and got it. More was expected of the percussionists now. “It was a weird adjustment because they expected you to play differently and get
Photo submitted by Janira Benitez
Junior Janira Benitez and her boyfriend senior Tyler Davis spend time with one another outdoors.
things quicker,” Darling said. “It took a lot of extra practicing to get things down.” For the second time Darling tried out for a spot and got it – this time, captain of drumline. There was no real audition for the position. The audition was basically their performance the past year or years in drumline. All Darling had to do was write an essay about what keeping up with the tradition of success at Plano meant to him. “It’s a lot of stress being captain but it’s very rewarding,” Darling said. “Everybody comes to you with their problems, like when they get frustrated when they’re not playing well enough or if something isn’t going as
Continued on Page 6 well and you’re expected to solve everything. But when something hits you can take pride in the fact that you helped that happen.” Besides taking care of his team, his responsibilities included tapping off the exercises and warm-ups. He had to illustrate good leadership. But in addition to being captain, he had to manage being in band as well. “I practice band three days a week, and two days a week in drumline,” Darling said. “Band requires three different shows for us to learn and the drumline show is a hard show itself. We have to learn a lot of music very quickly.”
The people Darling associates with and works with to create a well-developed drumline are also his best friends. “The friends are usually the best part,” Darling said. “The music is amazing and just actually playing drums is fun, but the people you get close to through all the hard work is like no other experience.” Although drumline gets to participate in the Friday night football games they also get a separate show with just themselves as the drumline, called drumline competition. Darling said these shows are important and crucial to drumline’s representation. Continued on www.wildcattales.com
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october 12, 2012
Homecoming court:
STUCO announces underwater homecoming theme By Tehreem Shahab
Based on one of the songs in “The Little Mermaid”, the homecoming theme has gained a lot of critical acclaim. Student Congress is in charge of organizing the event, to be under the theme “Under the Sea”. The junior and senior chairmen for the student relations committee, Molly Huser and Sonia Woiton, visited a warehouse in Dallas and observed all decorations and planning requirements for countless party themes. Five themes were picked, out of which three were elected by the student relations committee. These three themes were finally presented to the whole Student Congress body, who then elected their favorite theme. “Originally the themes were ‘Under the Sea,’ ‘Circus’, ‘Greek and Roman’, ‘Eastern Asia’ and ‘London’,” Huser said. “We just picked out the themes we thought we could do a lot of stuff and decorations with.” It took some time for STUCO to decide what theme to elect. “There were some rowdy people, you know, who didn’t want to vote for some reason,” junior Matthew Caldwell said. “So it took us a while to get down to one idea.” More than half of STUCO voted for “Under the Sea”. However, some people still disagree with that choice. “I voted for ‘Circus’, because the theme we have is very cliché,” Caldwell said. “It is based on the songs in ‘The Little Mermaid’ and it was literally the prom theme in the
movie ‘Back to the Future’.” Even though the theme may be cliché, some do not believe it is such a bad idea. “It’s a good theme even though it is a little cliché,” Lau said. “I guess that is why people don’t like it, because people want something unique, something just for Plano. Plano has always been about tradition.” According to Huser, the student relations committee has been working extremely hard on the theme and is excited for some of the decorations. “Our centerpiece for the table this year is going to be very interesting,” Huser said. “We’re also using balloons as bubbles, just to give it that touch.” For those who have been worrying about what to wear according to the theme, Huser said they have many choices. “Girls could probably wear something like a blue shade or maybe something coral,” Huser said. Lau also believes that the theme is not the only thing that will define the dance. “It’s not really a big deal; I mean if people don’t like it, that’s too bad. Then they should try being in STUCO,” Lau said. “The theme doesn’t dictate what you’re going to wear anyways.” At the same time, Caldwell believes that people have made an unnecessarily big deal about the theme. “It’s not bad. There are some things you can do with it, like adding fish or bubbles,
maybe a treasure chest here and there,” Caldwell said. “It could have been worse. They could have just said, ‘Hey, the theme is nothing. Just dance.’ I mean you have to look at it from a positive perspective, they are at least trying.” Also, Caldwell said that the after party is what most people are really psyched about. “Most people are only going to dance for a few minutes, and then they go to the after party,” Caldwell said. “People shouldn’t even say anything unless they are going to spend more time at the dance itself.” Likewise, Huser does not think this year’s homecoming is going to be such a flop, even after the theme was criticized. “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion,” Huser said. “But I honestly believe it is going to be extremely fun, and people should really attend the dance.” The theme for homecoming may have been used before. It may have been criticized and it may be a little odd to some people. But according to Huser, it is an opportunity to learn from the past. “Sonia and I wanted to do something classy,” Huser said. “This theme may have been done before, but that is the best way to learn from past experiences and give it our unique twist.”
Kaitlyn Ayrton
Moriah Senteney
Salsabil Rashid
Sloan Iverson
Natalie Demarest
Lucas Friedberg
Josh D’penhad’souza
Steve Thotakat
Alex Newell
Billy Quach
Check out our nominee Q&As at www.wildcattales.com
Photos by Cooper Weinstein
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october 12, 2012
Poms up for pom squad
Photo by Alexis Sendejas Senior Kelsey Hopson at pom squad practice.
T hey twirl, they high kick, they cheer. Pom squad,
a mix of cheerleading and drill team, was created by drill team coach Meredith Walraven last year. Walraven herself was on a pom squad. “It’s a dance team but they perform at the basketball games during half time,” senior Arely Pedroza said. “They cheer for them instead of the cheerleaders coming or the drill team performing.” Some of the members never tried out for cheerleading or drill team.
By Laura Jones They went directly to pom squad because it fit what they wanted to do more than drill team or cheerleading could. “It’s not what people think it is, that it’s just the girls that didn’t make it into drill team or cheerleading. Some people think that. It’s actually not. The people in it do know what they’re doing,” Pedroza said. “Last year, I did a dance class here and I really liked it, so I thought I would try out for pom squad and I made it. I like that it is a small team, so we all get along very well, and it’s not too much pressure. Also it’s just kind of fun, it’s very loose. Of course we get down to work, but we do have fun.” Some members, who were in drill team, decided to be in pom squad because it requires fewer hours and has a more relaxed atmosphere. However, it is still a dance team and has similar aspects to drill team. “I was in drill team last year, and I liked it a lot, but I wanted something more flexible, and kind of to get a different vibe,” junior Kelsey Hopson said. “So I joined pom squad because it is still dancing. But it also added cheer, so I thought that would be really fun. Drill team tryouts are more competitive than for pom squad. Pom squad’s a class, instead of an extra-curricular activity. We will take our time to kind of make sure
Cats on the prowl
everyone is caught up and everyone has the same opportunity to make it.” An added benefit for some is that they find the basketball games to be much more interactive than football games. “I like how it’s at basketball games instead of football games because it’s kind of a new feel,” Hopson said “You’re really close to the students in the basketball games. Lots of people cheer along. When you’re on the field for drill team you’re really far back, and you can’t really see where people are. You work so hard and finally going out and feeling that applause at the end is a really good feeling.” Planoettes is a much larger group of girls. With a smaller group, it’s easier to feel more included with the group and with their dances. They have the ability to help create the dances since the group is so small. “When there are so many girls it’s hard to feel that sisterhood with everyone,” Pedroza said. “But I do think being a smaller group and being more involved in choreographing the dances, and having a say in what you’re doing is nice.”
Three takes on varsity soccer tryouts
By Rachel Chen
Football: October 21
vs. Mckinney Boyd
Volleyball: October 16 vs. Plano East October 19 vs. Plano West
Baseball: October 21 alumni game
Bowling: October 16 - 18 tryouts
Come support our Plano Wildcats!
Photo by Alexis Sendejas
Senior Jesse Hein overtakes an opponent.
“I’ve practiced a lot,” Ahmed said. “But I have a problem. It’s like I don’t have enough confidence when I play, especially around people that I don’t know. So when I play around people that I know, I play well. I wanted to try for Plano because it was something new and I’d never tried it. I mean, I never played on something official with a coach.” Tryouts took place during the varsity soccer class period, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Those who are enrolled in the class but did not make the varsity cut are usually asked to be in another class.
However, the fall semester is like a semester-long tryout for some, because Adams occasionally keeps more players in the class than the number of students who will be on the actual team in the spring in order to help the class with practice. “They are good kids and we see something in them that we could use,” Adams said. “Or they’ve been around for a while and they practice with us.” For the coach and students alike, actual cuts are never easy – even for Hein, who is on varsity this year for the third time. “I hate cuts,” Hein said. “I feel really bad for them because everyone is working really hard on the team and they all want to be a part. Unfortunately, there are not enough spaces and it’s not like football where everybody gets to play. It’s a certain amount of jerseys, and unfortunately, some people do have to get cut. But to the kids that got cut, just work really, really hard. You know, if you want it bad enough, you can make it. I’ve seen kids that hadn’t made it freshman or sophomore year, but they work hard on their team or whatever by themselves and when they come back, they
actually make the team. It can happen. You just have to put the time into it if you really want it.” However, the time spent preparing and practicing for tryouts can be disheartening for players who have been cut. “You still have that feeling, you’ve worked hard,” Ahmed said. “I was waking up at six in the morning every day to eat something and go run, for about one and a half weeks and then, for nothing. Plus, I don’t have a car to come to school, so my dad had to bring me to school every day.” Even though Adams has coached for 12 years, making cuts has not gotten any easier. “A lot of times you actually feel sorrier for the kids as you get older because when you’re younger, you’re just, like, ‘Sorry, that’s just the way it is,’” Adams said. “As you get older you feel a bit more sympathy for the kids who just want to play, but just don’t have the ability at this point. It’s tough, but you have to sit there, think about it and convince yourself that you made the right decision for the team.” Although Ahmed tried out as a senior and was cut, his passion for soccer has not wavered. “Whenever I see a soccer ball, I just want to play,” Ahmed said.
“People say you learn from your mistakes. I consider this a mistake. At first I didn’t try harder, now I have to try even harder. On the first half of the tryouts, I didn’t do well. But at the last half, for myself, I think I did really good – but I think he didn’t have time to see me, so that’s why. I didn’t prove a lot for him.” Even though Hein made the cut, soccer is not always about winning for him. “I cried last year when we lost in playoffs,” Hein said. “It was the last game for the seniors I was really close to and the last game for my season. I just couldn’t hold back the tears. I was really, really sad that we lost. I was frustrated; I thought we could do better and I was sad because you work so hard for a year with a certain group of kids. Especially for the seniors, it was their last game; it was Coach Weir’s last game, and I really thought we had a chance at winning state. But unfortunately, we came up short and it was just a bunch of emotions.” Regardless of his disappointments, one lesson has remained true for Ahmed. “Keep on trying,” Ahmed said. “Don’t say, ‘just screw it.’ Never give up.”
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october 12, 2012
Senior Braylan Campbell tackles past, moves into future By Alexis Sendejas
I have a lot to prove because I have only been on the team this season or because of my past, which is difficult for me to deal with sometimes. But then I tell myself that if I go out there and be the running back that Coach wants me to be and do what my team needs of me this season, they will come look at me. Then I will get my chance.” With hope of a future in college ball and making his family proud, Campbell is sure that he will not make the poor decisions he made in the past. Regardless of the temptations the future may hold, Campbell knows exactly what he wants and will not stop until he reaches his goals. “In life, you do not always know what to do or say, but you have to bump your head a couple of times before you figure something out,” Campbell said. “That is how you learn to be successful, and when I am able to be that I will be able to do things for the people I care about one day. I always joke with my mom and tell her I will buy her a Cadillac one day because she wants one so bad. I would buy one for her before I got my own car.” Reflecting on his past, Campbell said he is happy with himself now. He feels as if he is doing something worth being proud of and bragging about, unlike
8.2% of students have had their car broken into
21.4% of students have gotten a ticket
8.2%
of students have been arrested or searched
Photo by Alexis Sendejas
Senior Braylan Campbell, running back for the varsity football team, practices after school.
H
e just wanted to have fun. So he did. One thing senior varsity football player Braylan Campbell never counted on was not being able to play football because of these “fun” actions. “I would go to a game almost every Friday night my junior year to hang out with people. Every time I looked on that field and saw someone doing what I was not allowed to do, but could do it ten times better, it made me angry,” Campbell said. “I think that was when I realized I needed to get my act together, do what really counts and be as focused as I used to be.” During the last week of summer two years ago, Campbell was arrested for partying. He then went to juvenile detention center for a month. “It was hard being there and being surrounded by a bunch of bad kids,” Campbell said. “I knew that I never wanted to be there or be like those other kids. When I got home it was good to be around people I knew rather than troubled kids.” Campbell entered the football program last school year, after he paid his consequences. Spring football was just wrapping up. “When Braylan entered our program, he was behind most of the guys,” football coach Steve Thomas said. “But he started out with a positive attitude and a hard work ethic that allowed him to go far on this team. He has earned his spot on varsity, regardless of what he has done in the past. Everybody deserves forgiveness, and that is why I am here. To encourage and support kids like him.” Campbell played junior varsity football his freshman and sophomore years. This is his first season on varsity. “Playing on this team is a privilege,” Campbell said. “It was a weird transition for me at first from JV to varsity, but now this far into this season, I know what I am doing, and we all mesh together. Kind of like glue.” The team eats dinner together and covers each other’s tabs from time to time. They hang out together. They spend over five hours practicing together on a daily basis. Campbell said this helps create their brotherly bond, and has helped him become a better person. “The boys do not just play together, they grow together and support each other,” Thomas said. “When someone is down or about to meet their breaking limit in practice, the other coaches and I know that the boys will encourage their other teammates to keep going
and push harder. That is what makes our program so special.” Teammates are not the only people that have helped encourage Campbell to play hard and stay smart with his actions. Campbell said his mother is the person that fuels his drive to be a good person. “My gift from God is my mom. She is who I work hard to make proud and who I strive to please,” Campbell said. “There was this one time I made a good run and she read about it in the paper and she was just so happy. I felt so proud, and that was probably the best moment for me ever.” Even though Campbell is dedicated to football, there are times where he just wants to stop and give up. He keeps pushing because he knows he has to. Not just for his coaches, fans, or teammates, but for his mom who is in and out of the hospital due to an illness. “There have been times where I have been in so much pain and I am so tired and I just want to walk off and be like ‘I am done’, but then I think about my mom being sick, laying in her hospital bed,” Campbell said. “That is when I realize if she can go through that pain, then I can go through this and make her proud. She did not choose her pain, but I chose mine, and it helps me to be a better person.” With all the hard work and dedication the boys put into their team, college scouts have started looking at individual players for a future in college ball. “No colleges are looking at me yet,” Campbell said. “Sometimes I feel like Photo by Alexis Sendejas
partying. “The past is the past, I have made my mistakes,” Campbell said. “But I am who I am, which is not defined by my mistakes. I am a Wildcat. I am a football player. I am not going anywhere. There are not that many things I am good at, but football is one. I will not stop playing, and my past has helped me realize that.”
If a student gets attacked during school hours, they should contact a teacher or whoever it may be depending on when it happens. If it happens in the parking lot, I would prefer you call 911 if you are hurt. Try to remember things about the attacker – height, weight, glasses or not, did he speak with a slur, walk with a limp. Anything you can try to remember to tell the police.
9.2%
of students have had their wallet stolen
*statistics based on a survey of 9
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october 12, 2012
By Alexandria Oguntula
T
hey speed to and from Chipotle to make it before the bell. If they’re lucky, they’ll avoid a ticket. One officer wants to make sure students know how to deal with the stress that can come from a pull over. Officer Kermes went to Plano in 1982 and now patrols his same high school campus, pulling students over if they break the law. “I grew up here, I know all the streets,” officer Scott Kermes said. “Nothing has changed since I went here except the students and the cars. Some of the teachers are still here.” Kermes explained that there are multiple ways a police officer can stop a student – not only by pulling up behind a car and flashing the red and blue lights. “One is pulling up behind you,” Kermes said. “Second one is we can have an officer down the street with a radar—he can radio ahead and we can flag you over. Third way is we can flag you over ourselves.” There is a standard procedure students should follow if pulled over for any reason. Following the procedures shows compliance with the law and that the student has nothing to hide. “Put your hands on the steering wheel where we can see them,” Kermes said. “If it is at night, flip on the dome lights. We are going to come up to you and we are going to tell you who we are and why you got stopped. Do not spout off ‘What do you want? You can’t stop me like that, I did not do anything,’ or ‘I was not speeding’. I may not be pulling you over for speeding.” In addition to speeding, the police can stop students for a broken tail light, to check registration, to check licenses or to arrest if they have an arrest warrant. If they should happen to find anything illegal or suspicious, the officer has the right to search your car. A one-on-one contact is when a police officer flags someone over
98 students
by himself based on his own observations or any suspicious behavior he notices. “Most of that takes place either in the neighborhoods or during lunch hour, before school and after school, if I see you with contraband or cigarettes, or if you are with marijuana,” Kermes said. “Anything I see that one could conceal it in I can check. Say my driver’s license is in my backpack. Do not jump out of the car and start fumbling through there; the officer may want to look in there first. Officer safety trumps convenience.” Junior Christina Padilla was pulled over during her lunch period when returning to class after lunch one day and was clueless as to what to do. “I was not paying attention to how fast I was going until he was right behind me and I freaked out,” Padilla said. “Apparently I was going ten over forty. I was really scared, and even though I was honest about it, he still gave me a ticket. My parents were the worst; it took me forever to get my keys back.” Junior Andrew Bramlett had a similar situation occur when he was speeding while heading home one night. A ticket was not the only thing Bramlett received, however. He was also sent to driving school so the ticket did not remain on his record. “The McKinney officer was pretty stern about it,” Bramlett said. “I did defensive driving school and definitely learned not to speed because my parents were so mad.” For some, dealing with the police can seem intimidating, but there are ways to make the experience run smoother. But what’s the best way to handle getting stopped? “Do what they say,” Kermes said.
34.7% of students have had an electronic device stolen
Staff Editorial
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21.4%
of students have been sexually harassed
42.9% of studentshave not had any of these experiences
very morning he receives a pile of mush and forces it down his throat. Rather than glancing out the window at the vibrant autumn leaves and pumpkins splattered around what used to be his neighborhood, he remains motionless, trying to imagine what it would be like to see something other than the bars of metal that stand tight and firm before his eyes. Instead of living his life, he wastes away in a cell. Every morning he counts down the days until he will have the chance to prove he has learned his lesson. But that day will never come -- one mistake was all it took, and he was sentenced to a life in prison with no chance of parole. This isn’t a new story. Headlines flash across the screen almost every day updating us on yet another person being sent to jail for murder or similar crimes. It is only fit that the individual committing the crime is forced to pay the consequences. Killing someone is never an option and is certainly not acceptable. Although as a functioning society we have the obligation to punish the wrongdoers, what happens when a mere teenager, yet to celebrate his or her 18th birthday, commits the crime? There are always exceptions to the rule, and this is one of them. The physical and emotional capacities of a teenager and an adult are extremely different. Society acknowledges this disparity, as there are numerous legalities in place limiting the abilities and freedoms of teenagers. From driving laws to voting requirements, a teenager is just not treated the same way an adult is, and all for good reason. It is psychologically proven that the mind of a teenager is not fully developed. The frontal lobe of the brain does not develop fully until a person is in their twenties. This lobe plays a major role in managing judgment as well as emotional and impulse control. Therefore, a young teenager committing
8.2%
of students have been assaulted
an act of murder should not be addressed in the same way an adult would be. With a mind not fully developed, the actions and behaviors of a teenager are rash and irresponsible. The stereotype that teenagers are rebellious is not merely a label, but is proven by psychological data that states that teenage minds are not physically built and matured the same way as an adult mind is. Furthermore, there is no way of telling what the teenager will be like when he or she grows up. Who are we to judge the future of another human being based on unrepresentative actions? Sentencing someone younger than 18 to life in prison without parole is a crime itself. Not only is the psychological data evident to prove it, but it’s important that a teenager has the chance to redeem himself or herself. Research supported by the National Center for Children Exposed to Violence indicates that children exposed to violence in the home have impairments in emotional and cognitive development and are at a higher risk for becoming violent themselves. Households such as these are not a basis for a solid moral upbringing and can lead to major issues when it comes to a child’s idea of right and wrong, which only amplifies in adolescence. Therefore, it is imperative that the older generation set good examples. It is never okay to commit murder, but a young teen who has yet to turn 18 should have the chance to prove him or herself through parole. It’s hard to understand that the mistake one makes at age 15 is still being paid for when one is 40. Very few adults would make the same choices they made at 15. The important factor that comes along with mistakes is a chance to learn and become a better person. On Sep. 30, California governor Jerry Brown signed into law a measure that allows juvenile offenders sentenced to life in prison without parole the chance to petition for release after serving 25 years. On Jan. 1, this law will come into effect. We take with immense gratitude this heartfelt decision for offenders to be offered a chance to redeem themselves and hope that other states can begin to follow this example. We have faith that the government will provide a tiny ray of light in a dark room as hope for a brighter future to those who deserve it.
After they have had an accident in the parking lot, I have had plenty of students come to me and say ‘I did not know what to do, so I just kept driving.’ Or ‘I just sat there and the guy drove off.’ A lot of the time people do not think about those things but be aware of your surroundings. Not all calls are worthy of 911. Students need to remember the number to the main precinct: 972-424-5678.
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Deaf student raises hearing daughter By Priyanka Hardikar
Mendoza, who is hard of hearing, the same mistake I made because it because my family doesn’t think I or partly deaf, has known Benitez is so hard, and I wouldn’t want her can attain it. I want to prove them since the fourth grade when they to go through what I have to go wrong. I want Bella to have someone met at Davis Middle School in deaf through. I hope other people think she can look up to, to be someone education. Mendoza recognized before they do anything because she can always come to for help and that Davis liked Benitez even before really, it is so hard being a mother. support. I want to be there for Bella, Benitez herself did. I mean some have their parents to no matter what.” “The way Tyler looked at her and help them, but I don’t have that. I’m Benitez’s relationship with her flirted with her – I could just see it in really on my own.” family has not improved much. She his eyes,” Mendoza said. It’s changed the way Benitez visits them every few weeks when Unlike her parents, Benitez’s looks at the world – she looks at she misses them, but her new and 6-month old true family is daughter Bella now Bella and can hear. Benitez Davis. is ensuring good As Benitez’s communication best friend, with her Mendoza feels daughter by a connection teaching her how to Bella. She to sign. acknowledges Benitez has when Benitez a baby monitor dealt with that vibrates her stress in a when Bella positive way. cries or makes “I remember a sound. She holding Bella, also owns a and that’s when video phone I knew that I that is similar would love Bella to FaceTime and be there for – it allows her Janira and her,” to contact the Photo submitted by Janira Benitez Mendoza said. doctor with Junior Janira Benitez, senior Tyler Davis and their daughter Bella enjoy a dip in the pool. “When she first told an interpreter me she was pregnant, on the line. Benitez signs to the reality. She said people have judged I was heartbroken – only because I interpreter, who then translates to her for the wrong reasons. knew she was going to go through a the doctor. “I hated knowing that they were hard time from school and having a Balancing schoolwork with the staring at me everywhere I went,” baby and trying to find a babysitter responsibilities of motherhood is Benitez said. and everything. But I admire Janira challenging, but Benitez and Davis However, Benitez never let it because she, thankfully, didn’t drop have found a way to make it work. upset or affect her. out. She did all her homework. She “Whenever we have problems, we “Bella will always be the first thing didn’t make excuses. She found a find a way through it, for Bella,” on my mind,” Benitez said. “She is way to do all the work and she made Davis said. “We take turns with her.” the reason for my motivation. She sure that she went to her doctor While Benitez and Davis are at gives me the happiness to want to appointments and things were going high school, Bella spends her day graduate and become someone in to be okay between her family and at Children Montessori, near Vines. life. I want to be able to provide for her friends. She made sure she got The second Benitez arrives home, her a good future.” everything checked off of her list. she becomes a mother. She said she Mendoza also frowns upon She knew what was going to happen cherishes her time with Bella until it the stereotypical opinions that after she had Bella, and how hard it is Bella’s bedtime, at 8:30 p.m. Her formed around Benitez during her was going to be. And it still is hard eyes began to water as she spoke pregnancy. sometimes. But sometimes it’s not about her hopes for her daughter. “We are young and in high school, so hard because Bella is just a cute “I just want the best for her. I we don’t go out or get a job and we little adorable baby, and she looks don’t have a kid. exactly like Janira.” It’s kind of hard Jeanine Meyers, Benitez’s for us to see the mentor for AVID, boosted Benitez’s reality she has to confidence and acted as the parental face,” Mendoza figure that she needed at that time said. “We don’t in her life. Benitez met Meyers know how it is freshman year in deaf education. sleeping with a “I admire Mrs. Meyers’ soft heart baby every night. and compassion for me,” Benitez We don’t know said. “Just how she stops doing what how tiring it is. she is doing to support my needs in How costly it is. school. It’s so sweet of her to ask, No one knows ‘Is there anything I can do for you?’” that unless they Benitez said Meyers gave her have a baby. I moral support, repeating “You are think looking a smart girl, Janira; I know you can at the reality do it.” is making her Mendoza admires her best friend stronger.” most for her never-ending strength Although and persistence. being a mother is “Sometimes her family wasn’t Benitez’s number there for her, but she got through one priority, that. She got through her pregnancy she remains and she had Bella, and sometimes motivated to stay she had a hard time at school, but in school. she got through that too,” Mendoza “I want to said. “She is just one strong person Photo submitted by Janira Benitez Bella Benitez enjoys a joy ride on a shopping trip. prove to my family that – like a superhero.” I will be fine without grew up always wanting to play a their help. I want to graduate from sport, but I couldn’t – my mom school, for Bella. I want to go to wouldn’t let me,” Benitez said. “I college for Bella because no one in *Interview was conducted with the help of want her to have everything that I my family has ever gone to college,” an interpreter. Benitez verbally answered the never had. I don’t want her to make Benitez said. “I want to be the first questions.
october 12, 2012
Teacher cares for grandchildren after tragedy By Myiah Jones “My husband and I never entertained that idea,” Terrell said. “The fact that she wouldn’t want to come home. We wanted her so desperately to come home.” A few years after Brittany spoke with her parents she then contacted them again. By then she had given birth to three daughters and a son: now 11-year-old Maria, 10-year-old April, 6-year-old Sonya and 4-year-old Michael. Deciding she no longer wanted to be a mother, Brittany gave guardianship rights of her son to Terrell’s sister-in-law and of the three girls to Terrell and her husband. “It was very difficult for me, having to deal with the language barrier, trying to communicate with the girls using the little Spanish I knew,” Terrell said. While she was happy to have her grandchildren with her where she knew they would be safe, taking care of them did require huge adjustments. “It has been a big financial struggle, getting beds and having to put our girls in daycare,” Terrell said. Today, the family continues to adjust to life in Texas. There are psychological challenges for the girls, and through that, Terrell has developed techniques to handle the different obstacles.
Photo submitted by Vanda Terrell
English teacher Vanda Terrell and her daughter Brittany share an embrace.
“Maria, the oldest one, has a lot of angst and anger. We go to a class once a week that helps her deal with her issues,” Terrell said. “April, the middle one, has what’s called a meltdown. It can happen over the smallest of things, like if her hair doesn’t fall right. She completely shuts down and doesn’t talk to anyone. I’ll go in and sing her a song or do something silly and she’ll snap out of it.” Trying to give the girls multiple opportunities at school, Terrell got them involved in school activities. “It’s routine now. I have two in soccer, and one’s a cheerleader,” Terrell said. “We attend parent nights at the school and try to be involved as much as possible.” Through all the obstacles, Terrell has found a way to accept the struggles of her past. She has written a book titled “White Butterfly” where she explains in detail the events of her daughter’s kidnapping. Although thousands of copies have been sold, she still refrains from letting her granddaughters read it. “I want them to have every opportunity to grow and nurture and be all that they can be,” Terrell said. “I don’t want anything to be a hindrance on their education, or on their love for people, on their outlook on life or their love for a man and the love for their mom. I try to tell them as little as possible to protect them. They aren’t ready and they may not ever be ready and I truly dread the day.” As a family, they are on a new journey where a second chance carries multiple meanings for Terrell. “We try to find the positives, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Terrell said, “I’ve gotten a whole new perspective on life raising the girls and the biggest thing was forgiveness.”
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october 12, 2012
Songbird
By Alyssa Matesic His eyes were bright despite the darkness surrounding us. Mine fluttered about, never quite settling on one object. I focused on the stars above us. The wooden panels of the deck we were sitting on. The neighbors’ lights that peeked out over his fence. Every so often I dared to match his gaze, but I could never reply with the same intensity. He already had love in his eyes – a passion that I was hesitant to embrace so soon. We had only met a few days prior. Conflicted, I snapped my head away from him and unconsciously watched the horizon. I fought battles inside my head: Is this right? Am I wrong for feeling something? Where do we go from here? I wrung my hands in my lap and bit my lip. He remained quiet, letting me sort it out on my own. I eventually turned back to him. We embraced the silence, for we didn’t need words to convey our thoughts. I held eye contact this time, but our connection wasn’t merely physical. Our minds were in unison; our souls were in harmony. In that moment, I became his and he became mine. A hint of a smile formed on his lips.
At first, I pulled away as his hand sought mine. But he pursued, and I gave in. He placed his hand under mine and carefully lifted it, as if handling a fragile ornament. Slowly, he closed his eyes and brought the top of my hand to his lips. He gently lowered it but continued to hold on tightly. Then he raised his left hand and grazed my cheek with his fingertips. We intertwined our hands in every way possible, not letting go for a moment. That was the only communication we needed. As the blackness around us deepened, the stars became more brilliant and our eyes followed the same pattern. The night grew older, but we were unaware of time. If a voice from below hadn’t brought us back to reality, we would’ve never said goodbye. We spent our last moments of that night under a single streetlamp in the middle of the road. Yellow light enveloped us as we held each other close and touched our foreheads together. We rocked
back and forth, dancing to silent music. The melody was within us. “I feel like I should kiss you right now,” he whispered. I could feel his breath, and I was tempted to close the tiny gap between our lips right then. “Maybe someday,” I smiled. Reluctantly, we parted. I held onto his hand as he began to walk away, and when our arms were fully outstretched he turned back to me. “I hope that someday is soon.” He took another step, and I let my fingers slide down his palm and caress his fingers before they fell into the air. At 10:58 that Sunday night, I felt like everything in my world had finally aligned. And it was just the beginning – the opening interlude to our never-ending symphony. Before that evening, I had been a bird without a song. The notes I sung never quite lined up, and I lacked the company of another voice to help me. I was living in a constant state of dissonance;
I needed to find the music. Without it, I was missing something. I could not soar. Then, on a clear Sunday night, I heard my songbird. I was saved. The sound was foreign and shocking at first, as I had become so used to silence. But I let each pitch – beautifully sung and perfectly in tune – surround and comfort me. I cleared my throat, took a deep breath, parted my lips and let myself become a part of the melody. I could sing again. The songbird was my escape – my path to happiness. And he still sings for me today. Our only enemy now is time. It’s as if an invisible hourglass is hovering over us, counting down the seconds until we have to separate. In less than a year, we will likely be thousands of miles apart. I don’t know that I’ll be able to hear my songbird from that far away. Or that our melody can even stay in tune for that long. All that I know now is that we will continue to compose our chorus for as long as we can. We will harmonize. We will be in unison. We will sing our song until we run out of breath.
Cage number 62
By Kaitlin Fisher Walking up and down the aisles, I first noticed their sad eyes. The way they would stare up at me as if my attention was the only thing they needed at that point in time. One pushed its body as far up in the small cage as it possibly could, tail wagging excitedly back and forth. I reached down to rub its head but then moved on quickly; cage number 62 was my destination. In my head I counted down the cages: 90, 89, 88, 87… As I grew closer, I began to wonder what he looked like. Was he playful? Maybe he was a lapdog that loved to cuddle next to you at night. I reviewed the papers that the woman at the front desk had given me. Male, age 9, weight 26 pounds six ounces, color gray. I could picture him in my head, cute and lovable. In my head he was the type of dog that played fetch. I could throw the ball once, twice, a third time – each time he would bring it loyally back to me. Coming back to reality, I saw the number 62 etched into a dull metallic plate. This was it. This was the cage I needed. Opening the door, I heard the hinges creak, just one more reminder to me of how little devotion these dogs had had in their lifetime. The newspaper covering the floor was crumpled and wet, either from water tipping or an unmentionable I would rather have not thought about. There was a towel thrown down, apparently meant to act as a shield from the cold concrete, but it looked as if it hadn’t been washed in at least a year. Two bowls sat beside the worn-out towel, one upside-down, I noted, giving reply to my curiosities from earlier. Finally, my eyes caught sight of the reason for my visit. Curled in the back right corner, a
By Logan Crossley
small mutt lay sleeping. Reaching in, I picked up the dog and held him close. His fur was scratchy, his breath smelled of rotten fish and, as he began to wake, I noticed his eyes had begun to yellow from age. None of this mattered to me, though. As this dog pushed his muzzle under my chin, all I wanted was for him to love me. As I stood in the middle of the aisle feeling the warmth of the dog against my skin all I could think about was how this dog had never known a true home. Maybe he had been adopted once, maybe even a second time, but each time he had ended up back in a small cage in a run-down animal shelter. This poor dog had never known what it could be like waking up in a warm bed, running around in a backyard or sneaking scraps from the table. Nine years full of abandonment – yet he still cuddled against my chest, unafraid to love. The cold concrete beneath my tennis shoes began to crawl up my legs, shooting chills throughout my body, so I started to walk with the dog back to where I had originated. Wanting to keep as much time with the dog as I could, I took slow steps, looking down at him as I walked. A thought ran across my mind, but I quickly shoved it away. “Don’t make this harder than it already is,” I told myself.
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wildcat ales
Mission Statement:
october 12, 2012 volume 57 issue two 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 Joe Diller Kaitlin Fischer Priyanka Hardikar Alexis Harris Kaitlin Humphrey
Naming him would cause too much of a connection, and I had already made more than I wanted to. I found the door that read “Vet Area: Authorized Personal Only” and pushed my way through while unconsciously pulling the dog closer to me, not wanting to give him up. How could I love this dog so much in such a short amount of time? I blamed my sentiments on the situation at hand. The veterinarian moved into my line of view. I halfheartedly hoped she didn’t notice the dog and that I could turn to walk down a different hallway. The wave of her hand made my heart sink to my stomach. I followed her into a room decorated with posters of animals of all kinds: puppies, kittens, fish, snakes. Everything was there. I watched her mouth move, but no words seemed to escape them. It was the pointing of her hand to the bed that gave my signal to put the dog down. I had prepared myself for this, and yet I still didn’t feel ready. Looking down at this dog one more time, I knew I couldn’t let him feel abandoned anymore. I couldn’t walk out of this room knowing that this dog had never known the true love of an owner. I knew what I needed to do, not only for this dog but for myself also. “Good night, Bo,” I whispered, and walked out from the room.
Staff Writers
Myiah Jones Maddi Marshall 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.
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Wildcat Tales is the official student publication of Plano Senior High School 2200 Independence Pkwy Plano, TX 75075 469.752.9300