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wildcat ales plano senior high school
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Sunflowers for Conner
Student, teacher remember By Kathleen Shaffer former classmate She pulls out a folder and a package was sitting on the edge of a table and
of pictures from her bag. Slowly, one by one, she spreads out a handful of pictures on the table and opens the folder to reveal love letters tucked in its side pocket. Each picture and letter embodies a moment in her two-anda-half year relationship. Fidgeting with the pictures, senior Paige Phillips opens up about Conner White. Conner’s older brother, Chandler White, discovered him unconscious on his bed in his apartment on Feb. 28. Chandler called an ambulance, but the paramedics were unable to resuscitate Conner. The next day, Paige saw that she had a missed call from Conner’s father. Her first inclination was to call Conner, but her mother encouraged her to call his father first. “I was so anxious,” Paige said. “When I called I said, ‘Is he okay?’ Mr. White responded, ‘No, darling, he’s not.’ I was like, ‘Tell me he’s in the hospital,’ and he paused. I lost it. I
Photo submitted by Paige Phillips
I literally dropped to my knees and started screaming. I did that for about 20 minutes. I don’t know what I was saying exactly.” Conner told Paige he began experimenting with drugs at age 12 with Chandler, who was a sophomore. “His brother and friends were offbeat kind of people,” Paige said. “He smoked with them; he was the cool little brother. He explained Chandler to me like he was God and the devil.” The next year Chandler moved out of their mother’s house. Paige said their mother was an avid runner who wore down her knees and after a surgery went wrong, became addicted to pain medication. Conner had lost his access to other drugs, so he began using his mother’s pills. “He was very lonely,” Paige said. “Conner was one of the most sensitive, genuine spirits I’ve ever met, so he got hurt very easily.” After one of his teachers found one of his essays disturbing in seventh grade, Conner was sent to Seay Behavioral Health Center in Plano. After completing inpatient care and starting the outpatient program, he began living with his dad and attending Schimelpfenig. On some weekends, Conner would go back to Arlington to spend the weekend with his mother. They would go shopping and have movie marathons. “They would have ‘Mom and Conner dates’,” Paige said. “He was a mama’s boy. When we first met he really liked fashion, and he knew about all different kinds of movies, even like ‘80s cheesy movies and romantic comedies. I know she loved them. She wanted everyone to be happy and I think that’s how Conner was.”
Conner White sits in a grassy area at the Gexa Energy Pavillion during Riot Fest, a music festival.
Planoettes to showcase talent at Spring Show By Priyanka Hardikar Spring Show. It’s such an honor because you have worked so hard for this. You have a whole new identity, and it is such a release to not have to think about anything and just dance.” Hill said what distinguishes the Spring Show from structured pep rallies is its variety of dance styles, including contemporary, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop and choice dances, where dancers are allowed to select the dance style that suits them best. The dances follow a theme – this year’s is “heroes”. The opener is a jazz routine, followed by a daddy-daughter routine which focuses on the seniors who are about to leave for college. The senior and junior
volume 67
issue 9
april 3, 2013
ONE-ACT PLAY
Photo by Kristen Rosello
Seniors Cam Wenrich and Julia Bauer practice a scene from the play “A View from the Bridge”. At the district UIL One-Act Play Contest on March 23, Wenrich won Best Actor, Bauer won Best Actress, junior Tom Mizell won All Star Cast, senior Ansley Hamilton won Honorable Mention All Star Cast and junior Skyler Moore won Outstanding Technician. The cast and crew won first place overall, and will take their performance to the area competition at the Terrell Performing Arts Center on April 12.
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Time to shine Throughout the year, they have performed at pep rallies and football games what Planoette drill team officer senior Alex Hill calls a “sassy jazz.” This April 11, 12 and 13, the Planoettes will showcase their talents, accomplishments and style at their annual Spring Show. “It’s fun when people see you in class and then see you dance. It’s a whole new experience, and they have new respect for you,” officer senior Alessandra Morales said. “I think the best moment is when you walk out on the football field and you see every Plano student and you’re just so excited to perform and show people why you love to dance. I think you get that same feeling at the
www.wildcattales.com
Couples make long-distance relationships work By Alexis Harris
The alarm buzzes at 5:30 a.m. Her phone lights up with his name and “Good morning” on the screen wakes her up. This is the start of junior jazz routine showcases Laura Jenkins’ day – not after a warm cup of the seniors who have coffee, but after that first text. been here for two years, She is one of three students, including senior and the juniors, who Amanda Morton and junior Elle Cullers, who are becoming the new work to maintain a relationship with someone dancers for next year. miles away – 985, 837 and 107 miles away Hill said her personal respectively. favorite is the officer Jenkins started dating her boyfriend, Mason dance, an emotional Weis, 10 months ago. Weis moved to Michigan lyrical to the song “Angel on Aug. 15, 2012, three months into their by Your Side”. relationship, because he received an offer to play In addition, officers or for a hockey team in Detroit. He has been back sergeants choreographed to visit three times. their own choice dance “We try to do different things every time we in pairs. While officers hang out,” Jenkins said. “We will go to a hockey are responsible for Photo submitted by Laura Jenkins game, then hang out at my house, go see a movie, the overall team by Junior Laura Jenkins shows off a ring given to her by her go out to dinner one day – we try to do a month’s conducting practices, boyfriend Mason Weis on Christmas. worth of things but pack it all into one week.” choreographing and Morton’s boyfriend, Erik Dartsch, lives in River Falls, Wis. They met last spring break on a cruise. managing squads, the “I’ve been on a couple of cruises and nothing like this ever happens. I didn’t expect a real relationship sergeants are leaders to come out of it,” Morton said. “It started because we went to this party on deck called a traffic light within the team who party – you wear red if you’re taken, yellow if you’re complicated and green if you’re single. All the guys host extra technique were dancing together, just joking around, but then they split up – that was the moment that decided practices and help everything. He started walking our way and I didn’t know if he was going to pick my sister or I since we answer questions. hadn’t talked yet. He asked me to dance and it was like a dream come true. We started talking and we figured out how much we had in common. My sister and I had a curfew. It felt like Cinderella, that we Continued on page 3 had to rush off before anything could really happen.” Continued on page 6
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ne s 2 Student, teacher remember former classmate april 3, 2013
By Kathleen Shaffer Continued from front page Conner continued living in Plano and attended Vines. He completing community service hours. Once, while talking to found out during exam week of his freshman year that his his sub-school principal, Conner broke down. He told him mother had passed away from an overdose of painkillers. about his depression and drug use. After his court progress “He was always like, ‘What if I could have been there for check-up, he had to go to jail for three days, then rehab for my mom? She was by herself,’” Paige said. “I always wish I 30 days, which was extended for five to six weeks. could have met her and he always said she would have loved During that time the couple was only able to talk on the me and how we were alike.” phone for 10 minutes per week. However, they were able to Shortly after Conner’s mother died, Paige and Conner write letters to each other, and Paige was able to visit once. started talking on Facebook at 4 a.m. one night after “He sounded really optimistic,” Paige said. “I was really commenting on a mutual friend’s status. Paige had noticed proud because he sounded sincere about stopping. He tried Conner at school and heard stories about him from friends. being sober a lot. When I went to go visit him everyone was She identified him as “the green pants dude”. like, ‘Oh, we’ve heard so much about you. He talks about “He was so different from me,” Paige said. “At first you all the time.’” he would be like, ‘You are such a cool girl, why don’t you After Conner got back from rehab he attended Evolution, have a cool guy? I’ll help you find your Prince Charming.’ a charter school in Richardson. Obviously he was hinting at himself, like real smooth, but “He wanted to learn for the sake of learning, and that’s it made me have butterflies. It was the best thing that could why he hated the charter school,” Paige said. “He basically have happened. He treated me like a princess. He was my did online ‘scavenger hunts’ and Googled everything. It was Prince Charming.” really degrading because someone who is so intelligent and Paige was aware of his drug use, and the only thing that enjoys learning shouldn’t be demoted to that.” worried her was his safety. Besides going to school, he went to an intensive outpatient “I met him when he needed me, and I took care of him,” program four days a week. He was drug tested at the IOP so Paige said. “He tried so many medicines, at one point the he was not able to smoke marijuana. Instead, he began using doctor pretty much told him it wasn’t the software that was different types of the synthetic drug K2. damaged, it was the hard-drive. They were saying there was “He got zombie-like,” Paige said. “I would want to go do nothing they could do. All the things that had happened to things, and he didn’t want to leave the house. It came down him couldn’t be taken away, so he took drugs.” to me seeing him only if I made the effort to go over there. Photo submitted by Paige Phillips At Vines, Apathy took over Senior Paige Phillips and Conner White celebrate their two-year anniversary the couple our relationship. I by going to Stephan Pyles in Dallas for dinner. would meet up thought maybe it things would work out between us. He had so much hope.” Part of the reason Paige decided they needed space was before school. was just a phase, Conner woke but it made me because she wanted to have a more conventional life, while up early every very sad. Having Conner would be unhappy with one. “To live in the world you have to go to school so you can mor ning doubts about our because he relationship scared get a job, so you can be a part of the world, and he didn’t had to bike 45 minutes to school, and at the end of the day me. I questioned if we were in love anymore. It made me want to be a part of the system,” Paige said. “I wanted a normal life. He tried to do stuff to make me happy. Two he would go to Paige’s house. feel guilty.” “We were attached at the hip,” Paige said. “The connection When they were apart, Paige felt neglected, so she made weeks before he passed away I kept telling him things were we made when we started talking just kept getting stronger, her decision. The week before Valentine’s Day this year, really different and we needed to be independent. I had to figure out who I was because Conner and Paige were the and it never went away after all that time. We grew so much Paige broke up with Conner. and changed a lot. We grew into two different people, but we “I thought it was going to be mutual, but he said he still same person for such a long time.” They did not talk for four days prior to Conner’s death. grew side by side.” felt the same,” Paige said. “Even if he was checked out for During the summer before 11th grade, Conner moved out those two months, I was there. I wasn’t going to change my Paige worried about him, but her mind was put at ease of his father’s house and got his own apartment. He started mind. I broke his heart; I wasn’t really ready for that. I didn’t when she heard that other people had talked to him. Even talking to Chandler again and had his first experience with even get a last kiss goodbye. We hugged for so long but he though they had not spoken, because no one found a letter she believes he died from an accidental overdose heroin, despite Paige’s protests. Conner did not have of heroin. access to heroin very often. As Paige described the sadness she feels after “He overdosed more than once,” Paige said. “We losing her ex-boyfriend, tears rolled down her never really talked about it that much. The first time cheeks. he did he was scared and said he would never do it “All that’s left is the emptiness you can’t fix,” again, but he would crave it. Whenever he would Paige said. “I can be happy and enjoy things, but mess around with dope I would be like, ‘You can’t this sadness is still there. Conner would always tell do that, you can’t do that to me because you know I me he was depressed, and I could tell he was on the can’t deal with it. I don’t know what I’m going to do verge of tears. He hurt so badly. He wasn’t made to if I ever lose you.’ We talked about that a lot, how I deal with this world; it was so bad to him. He would would always need him. Now I don’t have him, and always be like, ‘No, I don’t want to talk about it, and I still need him.” it’s not going to help.’ I didn’t understand, but now At the beginning of 11th grade, Conner missed I do because he’s dead and I realize it’s out of my almost two weeks of school due to mono. Truancy control. It hurts and I can’t fix it. That’s how he felt was filed against him, but he continued missing days about his mom. Talking about it wasn’t going to because he was too depressed to go to school. bring her back or fix your family messing you up. That year, the two were in Sheila Holsinger’s Everything that made him sad was something he American Studies class. had to carry around, but now he’s free.” “I think that the people who did know Conner The day after his funeral, Paige sat with Conner know what a tragedy it is to lose someone who is for three hours, saying her final goodbyes before truly brilliant,” Holsinger said. “I don’t know if he his body was cremated. The letters and small notes knew how much he had to offer. He did live 18 years, from friends and family who attended the funeral but it’s a waste that we can’t know what he could have laid in the casket, as well as sunflowers she bought accomplished. He could have been one of the great for him. thinkers or writers – really whatever he wanted to be. “I was so proud he was mine,” Paige said. “He He’ll forever be the funny, great kid in my class. I’ll was a gift. He was so beautiful. I always told him. never know who he could have become. It’s heartTo him it was just something I said – but I meant it. breaking.” One of the first things he told me was he really liked Holsinger said she was used to students taking flowers and I asked which ones were his favorites. timed writings more seriously, but Conner’s essays It was important to me that he had his sunflowers.” were so sarcastic and humorous that she read them Paige said she believes the breakup happened out loud. During class discussions, Conner would so she would be able to handle the loss – otherwise often have a perspective that Holsinger said was hard Photo submitted by Paige Phillips Senior Paige Phillips visits Conner White while he is at rehab participating in an inpatient program. she would never be able to let go. She believes he for other students to grasp, and he was able to make lived his life and it was his time. connections unlike any of her other students. wouldn’t let me kiss him, there was so much hurt in his eyes.” “He was so wise and he lived out his life in a short time,” “I think sometimes he got discouraged that he couldn’t The day they broke up was the last time they saw each make everybody understand everything he understood,” other. Conner was persistent in trying to get Paige back, but Paige said. “I didn’t know a love like this was possible, and he Holsinger said. “To be honest, he would say things sometimes she thought it would be best for the two to learn to live set a standard. Actually, now I have him forever. He will be the best guardian angel, better than anyone I could have ever that I couldn’t understand. He was so bright I think it was without each other. hard for him to relate to people, in a way. He would start “That warm feeling didn’t go away, but he needed to get asked for. He knew I loved him, and he loved me so much. talking and some of the things he would say were mind- everything together,” Paige said. “And I knew I didn’t want I feel like he’s with me. When things are going really good I blowing. We would try to keep up.” to deal with this right now. He graduated a week after we feel like it’s because of him. He has given me permission to Due to his truancy, Conner continued going to court and broke up and had a job lined up at Burger King; he thought be at peace.”
He could have been one of the “ great thinkers or writers – really whatever he wanted to be. ”
april 3, 2013
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Planoettes to showcase Baseball players shave heads talent at Spring Show in celebration of making varsity
By Priyanka Hardikar Continued from front page Hill and Morales Recognizing that the Spring choreographed the 9/11 Show is the last major event contemporary dance, which for the seniors, Hill said she has movements that reflect feels bittersweet, though more the victims and pays tribute sad than happy. to them. It is danced to “I’ve literally been with these Evanescence’s song “My girls all through high school Immortal”, with black clothing and we’ve all been there for and two lights on stage to each other for so long that it’s represent the lights in New going to be weird not getting York where the Twin Towers up every day at 6:30 and not used to be. Officer senior being with them,” Hill said. Morgan Ericson and first Morales said the show ranked sergeant senior Ali this year is very dynamic, with Roberson choreographed a unexpected transitions from dubstep, modern dance about hardcore hip-hop to sensitive a mad scientist. The finale ends lyrical to sassy jazz that will the show traditionally, with the excite people. The girls have to girls performing their classic adjust the dances and set to fit high kicks and wearing their the stage and worry about how uniforms. 68 girls will look as a whole. Junior Rachel Daniels said Hill said it is about precision her favorite parts about the and making such a big team Spring Show are the props appear to be moving as one and costumes, specifically the person. spear she dances with for the “My favorite is when people gladiator-themed dance and come up to us and they’re like the coliseum the Planoette ‘Whoa, who knew you could dads built. The coliseum dance like that; who knew allows the girls to dance at two you could get down and do different heights. hip-hop,’” Hill said. “You can “The fact that the spear show people what you can do is taller than me makes it hard through your dancing, and you to use at first; you have to can express yourself in a way watch the angles and make that you can’t otherwise. You sure no one hits each other,” can showcase the essence of Daniels said. “But I’m sure who you are and what you’re the audience will be impressed going through at that moment with our ability to dance with by challenging yourself. It’s them and amazed by our a way for us to decompress. enormous prop. I’m excited Although drill team is stressful, for them to see it.” the dancing aspect of it is what we love.”
By Alexis Sendejas The clippers turn on. Their buzzing grows louder and louder as they approach his head. Before he knows it, all his hair is gone. Those who tried out found out in late January whether they made the
players get their hair cut into different with what they got. These guys are my hilarious designs,” Landingham said. best buds so I don’t sense any hard “It started back a few years ago and feelings on me.” has been part of the campout ever Junior Connor Brady said the since.” haircuts should not change or bring Junior John David Kaufman said negative attention to the team but there were some crazy haircuts. instead bring the boys closer. He said Kaufman couldn’t help but laugh only one thing matters to the team at when Coach Robertson made the the end of the day. “When district play starts we don’t boys shave off these silly hair dos. care what we look like,” Brady said. He said it was fun while it lasted. “All that really matters to us is how “We had one kid with a target we perform on the field and what shaved into his head,” Kaufman we can do to improve. As a team we said. “Another kid just shaved like to have fun, but the game is most the back half of his hair and the important to us.” funniest was this one guy that just With no regrets on his new hairdo, left a curl in his hair. He looked which consists of only the back of really hilarious.” his head being shaven, Connell said Landingham said he went into he is proud to be on a team that that night expecting to get his participates in such a unique and fun hair cut. But when the morning tradition. According to Connell, it approached after an all-nighter, will change the vibe for both those senior Michael Crawford, who Photo by Maddie Patton Junior John David Kaufman keeps his eye on the ball the team considers the “pro head on the team and for others. at the game against East on March 28. “Shaving our heads brings us shaver”, fell asleep. Landingham closer together and everyone sees it,” varsity baseball team. Junior Austin said he wanted something cool and Connell said. Connell chose to celebrate making the memorable on his head and felt that team this year by shaving his head. He no one else could give him wasn’t alone, though – several other a good cut. However, he team members and past alumni have said he does not feel that his teammates disrespect participated in this celebration. “It’s a statement that makes us feel him for not getting his hair like we are all the same,” Connell said. shaved. “Really, it comes down Junior Michael Landingham was selected to play varsity at the end to being an option unless of his sophomore year. Though the you’re a freshman, but teams are different for spring and fall, so many do it because it Landingham expected to make varsity has become a tradition,” said. this spring and was prepared for the Landingham annual team campout at one of the “Everyone who got theirs cut had a design in mind Photo by Thomas Kerwin varsity player’s houses. “The funniest part of it is when anyway and were happy The baseball team listens attentively to the national anthem before the game against Mckinney Boyd on March 19.
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april 3, 2013
3-D artists create masterpieces
Young au
By Priyanka Hardika
Photos submitted by Andy Serie
By Brooke Combs They get two hours each day in class to complete their projects, but sometimes it still isn’t enough. Art AP Three-Dimensional Design students had to perfect their pieces before submitting them into the annual Visual Arts Scholastic Event competition on February 16. VASE is a district-wide competition where 2-D and 3-D students submit either a piece or pieces of their artwork to compete to make it to the state level. Senior Jonathan Lanza submitted a box with a cassette tape attached to it in the middle to mimic an explosion. He made it to state and is expected to compete on April 6 at College Station. “There are art activities you sign up for to do the day of the competition,” Lanza said. “They change the activities every year. I’m not sure if I will win or not at state. Whoever wins in the activity they sign up for wins $100.” On the other hand, senior Richard Huynh did not qualify for state this year. His submission was disqualified from VASE because judges believed his sculpture was too similar to a famous artist’s work. “I submitted a spoon that represented a sunflower,” Huynh said. “It looked like this one artist’s piece, an artichoke made out of spoon heads. I felt like it was unfair that I got disqualified because my piece didn’t look like the other artist’s work. My teacher thought the same thing too. When I actually looked at the picture it wasn’t similar whatsoever. The technique wasn’t the same and neither was the structure. I think I would’ve made it to state if I didn’t get disqualified.” Junior Josh Fox, who submitted a sculpture of a robot, also didn’t qualify for the state VASE competition. He still has a passion for 3-D art and works at least three hours a day outside of class on his pieces. He believes 3-D art was a better choice for him than 2-D art. “I was sick of drawing all the time and I wanted to do something that required more work,” Fox said. “I wanted to have to do more work than to see something flat on a piece of paper. I wanted to make something where I had to move to actually see it.” Huynh believed he could bring more to art 3-D AP. “I felt like 3-D was something I liked more compared to 2-D,” Huynh said. “2-D is another element of art. It is more visual in another stance within art. When it comes to 3-D it’s something where you have to focus everywhere. It’s actually creating something you can physically feel.” Lanza decided to take the 3-D art class because of past experiences he has had working with his hands. “I like actually putting my hands on my art,” Lanza said. “I took three years of wood shop, so I kind of had a head start. Fox said 3-D art students have to struggle with the amount of hard work and thought they put into their work and deal with the fact that they might not get recognized as much for their work as 2-D students do. “Generally 2-D students get more credit because there’s more of them and they don’t have to deal with more issues than we have to do,” Fox said. “Drawing does take work but it’s not as hands-on work. We spend more time having to deal with three dimensions versus two dimensions. We have to think, ‘Does this look right in each way that you look at it?’ instead of ‘Does it look right looking at it from one angle?’”
Senior Richard Huynh’s sunflower sculpture, which is made out of spoon heads.
Senior Jonathan Lanza’s sculpture of a box, in which he used tape from a cassette to create an exploding effect. He advanced to state VASE, which will take place on April 6.
When junior Mazvi her mother asked her a She casually wrote do buy one for her, but o eyes on a blue, college “I wondered, ‘N should just start writin crush on, so I started on writing.” Like B. Moyo, senio at a young age – in fou “My best friend an our one little spot, and “It was our thing. And Wulf published her under the pen name over her own. After h a unit on brain functi write a fictional book a dissociative disord different personalitie her book is told fro a different personalit different emotion. Ea a different name. “It isn’t cut-and-d much time getting beh Wulf said. “I think the I visualize it. It’s a very into how the disorde personalities see each what the main charact Wulf was one of publishing’s first custo having difficulty findin found Teen Imprint teacher’s convention. nothing printed on th Barnes and Noble refu her book can be bou introduced a second time with the spine la several months, and ending editing proce challenge. “It was my des
Senior sews own designs
By Laura Jones It’s three weeks before homecoming. The perfect dress differs from girl to girl – it could be a ball gown or mermaid dress. For senior Roselina Vo, now is not the time to pick out the perfect dress, but to make it. “It was quite a sporadic act,” Vo said. “I didn’t expect to make my own dress, but when it came down to finding the perfect dress I just couldn’t find the right color, size and fit. Preparation takes about a week depending on the type of style and what type of accessories I want to add. Ideas for dresses come easily to me but actually making the vision come to life is the hard part. My homecoming dress took a total of three days. I don’t feel as if my dresses are Sherri Hill high quality, but they are of my highest quality. I feel as if they could be sold in a department store if I actually had higher-quality items to use on my dresses.” The designs for her dresses are her original works; however, she is inspired by the fashion around her and admires specific fashion icons. Moreover, Vo said she has her own unique sense of style. Her homecoming dress was light pink and short. The bust was covered with raindrop-like sequins down the dress. “I would say I look towards Twiggy,” Vo said. “I loved her era and
the way she was sporadic with her fashion sense. Katy Perry is also one inspiration when I draw up ideas for dresses. Every dress she has worn is crazy-colored and jeweled out. She knows how to make a statement. My style varies – I am all over the place. Ask my friends. I could be wearing bright colors and the next day wearing black like a punk. My designs are elegant and colorful. I try to hit home with having a sweet, innocent look but most of all it has to compliment the person who wears it. ” Now Vo is planning on wearing a dress she made herself for prom. It has a corset top with a sweetheart neckline and a beaded shoulder that drops down. It will either be light blue or white.
Vo’s 2012 homecoming dress design.
“Prom has been a dream for m Vo said. “I wanted my dress to be favorite part is actually making the dr my vision from paper, to me actually dress.” According to Vo, sewing is a trad has passed down from generation to “I used to watch my grandmothe garments for Chinese New Year, as my everyday wear,” Vo said. “In the made me want to sew and design as as she did.” While some make dresses with a sewing machine, Vo favors a different approach – the more time-consuming process of sewing by hand, which she was taught by her grandmother.
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april 3, 2013
uthors discuss publishing books
ar
through. It was knowing that I had to start somewhere she was relieved and pleased to get somewhere,” Wulf said. “It was the feeling of by their positive feedback. She accomplishment with how far I’d already come. It was said it is the unanticipated, being able to say ‘Hey, I did this.’ I hope everyone will like suspenseful ending that sets it and remember my name, to look up my future books. I her book apart from others. hope it’ll make them think about psychology.” Although she hasn’t Last semester, Wulf started a manuscript called defined her writing style yet, “Hourglass” that she hopes to pitch this June. It is a B. Moyo has a love for reading science fiction fantasy novel that revolves around time and through it is exposed to or Darien Wulf ’s passion for writing also began travel. The main character, Chiraz, time travels from the other styles of writing. Her urth grade. 19th century to the 21st century and encounters his rival, favorite author is Jodi Picoult, nd I would sit on a playground during recess, in Cael. and B. Moyo praises Picoult d we would make up stories together,” Wulf said. “I create the characters, and then let it run from there,” Photo by Priyanka Hardikar for her voice and imagery. d then I went and turned it into writing books.” Junior Mazvita B.Moyo reads over the favorite parts of her book. Wulf said. “I start with an idea and build on it – kind of “You can totally write book “Jacques13” in the summer of eighth grade like taking marble out of the ground and picking at it. You whatever you want. You aren’t Melissa Heartsfeild, a name that she preferred just have to let the characters come out. You don’t know how it’s going limited. I think that’s the coolest thing about writing,” B. Moyo said. her English teacher Leah Anne Kleiman taught to come out; it just does.” “I’m a free writer. I can’t be told what to write.” ions and psychology, Wulf became inspired to Wulf is planning on studying film and digital media at Baylor The plotline and character of the television series “One Tree Hill” k about a person with University. Her dream job is to work for inspired B. Moyo’s “Pictures of You”. Even though she faced the der who develops 13 Disney, be like Tim Burton and work behind hindrance of writer’s block, she didn’t stop writing. es. Each chapter in the scenes. “Writers block isn’t a joke. It’s the worst thing ever. I would sit there om the perspective of “It would be great if I had a really good and know what I want to write, but I wouldn’t be able get it on paper,” ty and is driven by a book that everyone liked and was able to B. Moyo said. “I could’ve taken the easy way out, but I wanted it to be ach personality also has turn it into a really awesome movie myself. good. I had to think. I had to get it right. I just had to tough it out and The author couldn’t say, ‘I have no idea how get through it.” dry facts, but spends so this works. It’s up to them’ because I would It took her nine months to complete the book. Her goal was to get hind the personalities,” be like, ‘I know exactly how this works. her story published. Her older sister, who writes stories for fun, didn’t e audience will like how It’s up to me,’” Wulf said. “Storytelling is think B. Moyo was serious about publishing. y different take. It goes my passion. When you write a believable “I could only work on it half a day because I would get really er works and how the character and story, people really enjoy it and frustrated and be like ‘I am so done with this. I’ll just pick up where I h other. You really get it changes something. It’s when you read a left off tomorrow. I’ll have fresh new ideas,’” B. Moyo said. “I believed ter, Jacques, is feeling.” book and you see something in a different in it and had faith that if I was putting this much time and effort into Teen Imprint KidPub way – that’s when a story is impacting you. it, it had to be good enough. Looking back at it, I think ‘Wow, did I omers. After Wulf was Only characters can do that. They come alive really write this?’ Usually when I’m writing, I’m in a zone. It made me ng a publisher, Kleiman through their thoughts and actions – through happy to look back and actually be proud of my work.” KidPub at an English their humanity. I’m telling the story like they B. Moyo used Xlibris Publishing, and said she appreciated its . Because there was are real people. They make mistakes and they commitment in publishing her story. Her book can be found at Barnes he spine of “Jacques13”, overreact, just like us.” and Noble, Amazon, Kindle and eBooks.com. Although she hasn’t used to sell it. However, Unlike Wulf, B. Moyo’s book “Pictures come up with anything specific to write about yet, she said she will ught on Amazon. Wulf of You”, published on September 24, 2011, never stop writing. She said the best feeling is knowing that she has the edition last year, this tells the story of a laid-back, unpopular girl option of writing and publishing, and actually doing so. abeled. Publishing took named Ava Hastings who ends up dating “At a point, I was like “Oh my gosh, I can’t do this. This is going Wulf said the neverthe captain of the soccer team, much to to be such a fail,’” B. Moyo said. “But sometimes you just have to go ess was her greatest Photo submitted by Darien Wulf everyone’s surprise, including her own. head-on with something that you really want to do. You just have to Senior Darien Wulf presents the cover of her book, B. Moyo said she expected her friends to see it through and do it because you could be so close. You just don’t “Jacques13”, which she was inspired to write after learning about sire to see the project dissociative disorder in eighth grade. comment on how cliché the book was, but know it yet.”
dition her family generation. er sew beautiful well as for e end, it well
One of Vo’s sketches for a future dress.
“It may seem like a pain, and trust me, it is – but the outcome of blood, sweat and tears is beautiful,” Vo said. “I have learned how to sew with a machine, but I don’t use it as often. Mastering sewing is quite a tedious task. I am still learning, but it took me three years to master what I know now with my grandmother. I hand sew all sequins onto each dress.” In college, Vo plans to incorporate her love for fashion into her education. “For the longest time I wanted to pursue a career in fashion but now I want to be an art teacher,” Vo said. “Truly those two do match up in a sense. I do plan on minoring in fashion and hopefully learning to expand my creativity toward dressmaking or clothing design. I don’t sell any of my designs, but I have made dresses for my sister’s dances and I enjoy designing and taking the time to make a dress suited for that certain someone.”
Vo’s sketch of a dress for her sister.
me at Plano,” perfect. My ress – seeing y wearing my
Senior Roselina Vo poses in her self-designed dress during homecmoing 2012.
ita Bassoppo-Moyo (B. Moyo) was in third grade, and her sister to write down Christmas wishlists. own “notebook”. She didn’t expect her mom to on Christmas Eve she unwrapped a gift and set e-ruled notebook. Now, what am I going to do with this? Maybe I ng,’” B. Moyo said. “There was this guy I had a a whole story about him. And then I just kept
Photos submitted by Roselina Vo
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Age gaps strengthen sibling relationships By Alexandria Oguntula He picks them up from school and takes them to the park. Senior Wassim Drissi said he ensures that his little sisters, aged 6 and 2, have everything they need. “With the youngest one it’s kind of like I’m a parent with her because I take care of her all the time,” Drissi said. “I change her diapers. I used to feed her. I potty trained her – she just finished that.” Drissi feels the distance in age between him and his sisters makes their relationship quite different from that of most siblings. “If your sibling is your own age then you would have a lot of the same interests,” Drissi said. “We are going to have a lot of differences – especially with the younger one. That is a whole other generation. I think it’s almost like practice for having a kid. There are kids my age who do have kids, so I think this is a safe way to know what it will be like. To my parents I am the babysitter and driver, so I am a big help with taking care of them.” Drissi said he has discovered that with such young siblings, what others may consider an ordinary fast food run becomes an adventure. “I sometimes take them out to eat,” Drissi said. “If I take them to Subway they always get so excited over that. I guess I’m just that big brother.” With a sister just a year younger in the house and a halfsister who is 32 and does not live with her, junior Bete Workye said she notices the contrast between the roles each sibling plays in her life.
“While my younger sister and I bicker from day to day, having an older sibling is not the same,” Workye said. “She can act her goofy and fun, but she can also have a motherly side, making sure nothing happens to us.” In the past, having an older sister has led to what she calls “the most embarrassing moment of my fifth grade life.” “I was invited to a birthday party,” Workye said. “She said I had to take my little sister with me. I told her it was invitation-only and it’s not her friend, but my older sister said it was unfair for my little sister not to go and we ended up having to call the girl’s parents to ask if she could come.” Photo submitted by Wassim Drissi Workye said she and her older sister have a more Senior Wassim Drissi, dressed up in a tuxedo morph suit, celebrates Halloween with his serious relationship with each other than she and 6-year-old sister. to be there to give them advice and say, ‘I’ve lived through her younger sister do. “I definitely have a more mature relationship with her,” this, I can help you out.’ I am really excited for that. I want to Workye said. “My older sister and I will help each other no see what kind of teenagers they will be.” As for Workye, having an older sister, who she said has matter what and treat each other with more respect.” been through much more than she has, allows her to not Drissi believes his age gap allows him to witness moments only see the good in life, but to prepare for its pressures as in his sisters’ lives that he would not have otherwise. well. “I took my older little sister to her first gymnastics class,” “I see her as a role model in some ways,” Workye said. Drissi said. “I remember she started doing cartwheels and “I also see her as a good eye-opener to the challenges of everything. I was so proud of her.” life and what I can learn from her mistakes. I think she has Along with what he will see as they grow up, Drissi is more pressure because my sister and I are so much younger excited about what is to come later in his sisters’ lives. than her.” “I just want to see their teenage years,” Drissi said. “I want
Couples make long-distance relationships work
Continued from front page By Alexis Harris Morton and Dartsch continued talking for several months before making it official in Cullers said people are quick to August. Dartsch flies down every two months to see her. Most of their communication assume, sometimes trying to set her up occurs via texting, calling or Skype. with another guy after forgetting that she “After the cruise, within five minutes of knowing I had Skype he went and bought a has a boyfriend who lives somewhere camera,” Morton said. “We Skyped every night for a good four months.” else. Similar to Jenkins, Cullers has found Morton’s parents are now very close with Dartsch. Morton said parental involvement in upsides and downsides to being in a longthe relationship allows it to work better long-distance. Their parents paid for them to travel distance relationship. to San Francisco for a spring break vacation together. “In some ways, not seeing each other “His dad is really supportive of the relationship,” Morton said. “His dad is the whole every day both helps and hurts us,” Cullers reason he came for spring break. Money is such a big issue because plane tickets are so said. “It helps because every time we see expensive.” each other it’s special. Just having the Cullers has been dating her boyfriend chance to hang out with him is special. It’s Mason Cole for 10 months. Cole lives hard when there are some days I just want in Whitehouse, Texas, near Tyler. His to see him right then but I can’t. But it’s grandfather lives in Denton, where he stays worth it.” the night when he comes to visit about every Morton said her classmates often other weekend. Like Morton’s, their families question her decision to be in a longhelp them see each other. distance relationship. “My parents really like Mason,” Cullers said. “It’s hard when there are guys here, “My brother is in a long-distance relationship but in the end I always compare them,” Photo submitted by Amanda Morton Senior Amanda Morton and her boyfriend Erik Dartsch also. After seeing how it’s kind of hard for Morton said. “So many guys are just dumb, enjoy a Mavs game over winter break. him they can see how it would be easier if but he definitely isn’t. I can talk to him Mason lived closer, but about everything I’m interested in: art or cars. Even though he is both of our parents are so far away, he ends up having every single quality I would want in good with how it works a guy. He’s athletic, he’s a hard worker and it’s just all there. There and don’t have a problem will be guys here who can make me laugh, but I laugh at a lot of with it.” things, so it has to be more than that – he’s always the best option.” Weis’ living situation is Having known her boyfriend as a friend for almost six years different from Dartsch’s prior to their relationship, Jenkins said they have an even stronger and Cole’s. Weis lives bond now. with a billet family, which “We click very well,” Jenkins said. “He’s very outgoing and I’m Photo submitted by Laura Jenkins is similar to a foster family very outgoing and he makes me laugh. It makes me happy just to Junior Laura Jenkins and her boyfriend Mason Weis watch the Byron Nelson golf tournament. for hockey players. They talk to him. I don’t have to be with him for it to make me happy. As act as his family until he moves back to Plano to live with his parents. cliché as it sounds, there isn’t anyone else I would rather be with.” “I was always close with his family, but I think him leaving made us Jenkins, Morton and Cullers have each experienced nearly a year closer because we had to get better at communicating if we wanted to of living apart from their boyfriend. According to Jenkins, trusting make it work,” Jenkins said. “I think that being closer to his family and each other when faced with miles apart is the deciding factor in a seeing his family while he was gone made me feel closer to him indirectly. relationship. I think that’s why I started hanging out with his family more.” “The biggest thing with a long-distance relationship is that you Nevertheless, Jenkins and Weis find ways to share their lives together have to trust each other,” Jenkins said. “At the beginning that was throughout the day. the hard thing for us, I think that caused the most fights. We have “When he was here we were still close – we would hang out a lot, gotten a lot better about it now. If we are putting in the effort to but him leaving has made us better at communicating,” Jenkins said. be dating 2000 miles away and we have been dating for 10 months, “Texting, calling and FaceTiming are the only way to communicate on a we try to remind each other why we have worked this hard to Photo submitted by Elle Cullers daily basis. When he first moved we kind of fought, because it was hard Senior Elle Cullers and her boyfriend Mason Cole pose for make it.” on both of us.” homecoming pictures.
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By Kaitlin Fischer Had it really been that long since I last saw him? My head counted eight years, but no – that couldn’t be correct. The last time I saw him was when my grandmother had passed away. Or was it after? My mind was fuzzy – it must’ve been the car ride we were on. We had been driving for three hours, headed for Lake Charles, La. I was happy to hear we were going to visit my grandpa in Shreveport on our way to my Aunt Johnny’s house for Christmas. Well, happy enough. Worries still ran through my head. What if this was the last time I saw him? Could I make it count? A lot more seemed to be resting on this stop than just a friendly visit from family. My grandpa and I were not related biologically, but he was the one that I grew up knowing. My grandmother and he married after my mother moved out so she didn’t have as strong of a relationship with him as her younger sister, my Aunt Khara, and he did. This, along with my grandfather not living in the same area in Louisiana as the rest of the family, made it difficult for me and my family to make time to visit him. When my Aunt Khara decided to go to Louisiana with us, she requested that we visit my grandfather. I looked out the window at the road ahead. It was country on both sides and we were driving on a gravel road. We must have been
By Alyssa Matesic Part of me wishes he believed in God. At least then there would be some comfort – some idea as to where his soul could be right now. Even though I’m not particularly religious myself, it’s hard to comprehend that his whole being has suddenly ceased to exist. The only place I can find him now is in my memory. We met sitting next to each other in the far left corner of Mr. Bailey’s ninth grade World Geography class. He had shorter hair back then and wore looser pants, but his attitude was the same. He’d make snide, often-offensivebut-always-witty comments under his breath, and I’d smirk, never losing my focus on the PowerPoint at the front of the room. Once, after a particularly clever comment, I made eye contact with him and laughed. He always looked either sad or pompous, but in that moment he smiled the most genuine smile I think I’ve ever seen. Somehow, that small understanding led to friendship, and I came to realize that all he ever wanted was to feel accepted. And I accepted him. I was there when he first thought he fell in love, and then when he actually did. I was there when he pierced his ear and wore safety pins as earrings, though I am pretty sure that was unsanitary. I was there when he told me he loved me – that he just cared about me a lot – though all I could respond with was an awkward shrug. I was there when he promised me he would stay sober, as long as I supported him. I was there when he slipped up on that promise. Then, eventually, I wasn’t there. In the summer between 10th and 11th grade, time seemed infinite. Conner and I planned to celebrate his 17th birthday sometime, and I fully intended on doing so. I decided I would buy him a cake – or maybe make one myself – as long as I could confidently guess his favorite flavor. We discussed our plan every time we talked, but we
getting closer. I knew he lived with my uncle and his family on their land, where there are horses and you can shoot guns without getting in trouble. It sounded perfect for him. Before this, he had lived deeper in Louisiana, so the country was his place of choice. I wasn’t sure where in Louisiana, though, and as I fought to remember I realized that after my grandmother died I never knew where he moved to. What happened to him? The only connection I had had with him had been through her. It was not as if we didn’t have a relationship. I remember taking long car rides to Louisiana and the first place my family would stop was at my grandmother’s house. I would look forward to running into the house and giving my grandfather a huge hug. He was a shorter man, but I had always felt safe in his arms, like he could protect me from anything. But I was much younger then. Things could change, and that was what I was afraid of. The car turned onto another gravel road, and
houses began to appear on each side. We had arrived at his neighborhood, or whatever they call it in the country. I glanced over the land. There were cows grazing in open pastures and a colt was running around his mother playfully. My eyes landed on our destination. There was no driveway except more dirt and gravel contrasting the grass that covered the acreage, and at the end of that makeshift driveway stood the man on our mind. I had forgotten he had back surgery. The cane he now carried served as an instant reminder of that. He seemed to have shrunk in height, but that also might have been from the slouch he seemed to have acquired. I watched him walk to our car and I couldn’t help but feel sad for him. He obviously had great difficulty, and I wanted to walk arm-inarm with him to help him. He stumbled up to us anyway, happy we were there to visit. And he was genuinely happy. The smile and look of gladness in his eyes made my nerves disappear. Here was my grandfather, whom I hadn’t seen in God knows how long. Why was I nervous when I could’ve be excited instead? Yes, it could have been the last time I was ever able to see him, but that just meant I should make the best of it. And that’s what I planned to do. I would make every second with him count because for all I knew it would be my last. With that in mind, I climbed out of the car and ran up to give him a hug.
kept pushing the date back farther and farther. In the meantime, I got him a present. He was really into wearing random junk as jewelry at that time, so I made him a bracelet. I dug up my mom’s jar of old, mismatched buttons and strung some on an elastic band. I had to guess Conner’s wrist size, which made me nervous, but I figured I’d adjust it if he needed me to. The final product was pretty heavy and bulky, but I knew he’d love it anyway. I liked thinking that when he wore it, it would remind him of me. Maybe that would comfort him in his moments of darkness. Then I had my mom drive me to Barnes & Noble to buy him a sketchbook, since I figured he needed a place to keep all of his writings and drawings. But none of them were cool enough, so I left with just a plain black one. At home, I covered it with words and pictures – Conner stuff, like melting clocks and animals in top hats – as well as some more buttons. The result was a messy, peculiar, yet somehow beautiful collage. It represented him well. On the first page of his sketchbook, I wrote him a note. I told him to keep pursuing his art because he was truly talented – no one thought like he did. I said I wanted him to know happiness as well as he did sadness, and that I would still be there whenever he needed me. I knew that when he read the last two words of my letter he’d smile giddily, like he had in World Geography that one day. “Love, Alyssa.” That was my way of telling him I more than accepted him. I wrapped his two gifts in newspaper – the Dallas Morning News comics section – since traditional wrapping paper didn’t suit him. His presents, topped with big red bows, waited patiently on my bedroom dresser. Then his 17th birthday turned into his 17-and-oneweek birthday, then his 17-and-two-months birthday, then his 17-and-one-half birthday. Our conversations became sporadic and detached. I didn’t see him around much. But
his gifts stayed on my dresser, unopened, gathering dust with each passing day. Eventually I had enough of staring at them; they had become irrelevant. In a fit of frustration, I ripped his gifts open and threw them in the trash. Along with them, I threw away most of my conscious thoughts of Conner. He was no longer a part of my daily life, and I assumed he didn’t need me anymore. We both moved on. I can’t help but feel regret – the deepest regret I’ve ever felt. I keep rereading our last conversation and sighing at its coldness – I never even responded to his final message. I keep wondering if I abandoned him, if somehow I could’ve prevented this horrible outcome. I keep thinking that maybe, had things been different, he would’ve been wearing my bracelet when he passed. It could’ve been with him forever. Though our friendship never recovered to what it once was, I don’t think we ever became any less of friends. I was always a voice in the back of his head and, I now realize, he was always a voice in the back of mine. Despite the days our friendship spent gathering dust, I have a sense of peace knowing that I meant a lot to him and he meant a lot to me. I think we had that small understanding. In an attempt to make up for lost words, the night before his memorial service I wrote him a letter that he can keep now until the end of time. I signed, “Love, Alyssa.”
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Mission Statement:
april 3, 2013 volume 67 issue nine 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
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