Issue 5 8 December 2011

www.wildcattales.com

The Wildcat Tales volume lxvi

December 8, 2011

Issue Five

Plano Senior High School

Plano, TX, USA

Boys basketball shoots off

The Descendants Review

A tribute to Dr. Otto

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Page 7

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The decision to wait Students’ views on abstinence

By Haley Bunnell

She was dressed all in white, he in a black tux. They both stared into each other’s eyes and swore to each other that they would live happily ever after.

She had waited for that perfect guy. The one she could give everything to, and she gave him the most precious gift she could – her virginity. Not only did she wait, but he as well. It was on their wedding night that they were able to share their most precious gifts. Brett and Mary Scarborough have been committed and in love for 23 years.

“I do believe that it is a gift,” Mary said. “A gift that God gives for a husband and a wife. When they wait for that person that God has picked out for you, then it is a special gift. It is something that is shared.

God made it, and it is wonderful.”

Brett believes that there is a time and place to have sex and that teenage years are just not the

best.

“There are a lot of good reasons for abstinence that

everyone gets taught at school such as avoidance of sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies that either lead to

child birth or abortion,” Brett said. “I think everyone believes there is a place and time for a

child in your life and 10th or 11th grade is just not the best time.”

According to Brett, there are many temptations during the

By Paul Burnham teenage years, but there are ways to resist the temptations.

“I don’t think it’s unlike a lot of other challenges we face,” Brett said. “For example alcoholics have to avoid situations that put them in a spot of temptation. If you stay out after curfew you put yourself in a situation where you’re more likely to get in trouble or find yourself with the wrong people at the wrong time. So part of that is just trying to understand what those boundaries are, or what the situations are that can lead to temptation.”

Both Brett and Mary grew up in Christian households that believed strongly in abstinence.

Just as their parents waited, they did as well, and have raised their two children to do the same. Their daughter senior Sarah Scarborough goes to church every Sunday continued on page

4

District sues state due to budget cuts

By Alyssa Matesic

After much research, conferencing and discussions, the decision came unanimously amongst the school board members at the Nov. 15 meeting.

PISD will join Highland Park and Lewisville in a lawsuit against the state. Similar coalitions across Texas, including Houston ISD, Dallas ISD and Austin ISD, have formed, all with the same charge at hand: the state is failing to adequately fund its public education systems. The districts claim that Texas is violating constitutional education requirements and that recent budget cuts have sunk school finances too far for them to operate smoothly.

The district is not a stranger to state lawsuits, and neither is Texas. The state has been found guilty of deficient funding before (in the case of West OrangeCove v. Neeley). According to principal Sarah Watkins, other

approaches to amending the problem, such as traditional lobbying, will not suffice.

“I think [suing] may be about the only option we have at this point,” Watkins said. “Lawsuits are ways that have been used before; [the district has] gone this route before. It’s reasonable to take this as the next step.”

PISD Board of Trustees vice president Nancy Humphrey claims that increased funds are vital for not only a successful education system, but also a successful society.

“Unfortunately, the legislature has set the precedent in the past that it will only be motivated to make changes to school finance if it is sued to do so,” Humphrey said. “I feel that adequate funding for education is essential in preparing our young population for the future and, relatedly, is critical for the success of our state and nation overall.”

Annually, the suit will cost PISD around $60,000, and is expected to last at least three years. This cost, however, is not significant enough to damage the districts’ finances further, as it is a small fraction of the $476 million annual budget. In a past lawsuit, the district was reimbursed much of the legal fees after its victory.

“Currently, we believe that we have a good legal position and, therefore, feel the upside potential associated with prevailing in this lawsuit will be well worth the investment in legal fees,” Humphrey said.

If the district wins this suit, programs and staff that were previously cut may be renewed. Watkins believes more funding would lead mostly to securing current and hiring more staff members at Plano.

Despite the suit’s outcome, however, she believes the district will remain successful.

Top 10 News stories of 2011

“We’ve had to struggle with finances before, but we have a really good sense of what kids need to be ready for the next step, and I think we’re going to stay focused on that,” Watkins said. “As long as we do stay focused on that, I think we’ll continue to provide an excellent education for our students.”

Watkins explained that school district news, while maybe not immediately applicable to everyday life, is important for students to think about when pondering what the future holds for their children.

Schooling options may be different for the next generation.

“I don’t know of any institution that does more for ensuring a democracy and a capitalist economy than schooling does for those students who take advantage of it,” Watkins said. “I hope it stays around.”

1

Terrorist leader Osama bin Laden was captured and killed

by American Navy SEALs after a 10-year manhunt.

Fourteen years after his mother’s death, Prince William wed Kate Middelton.

3

After nearly 3 months of deliberating, a jury ruled Casey Anthony not guilty in the death of her daughter Caylee.

After 30 years and 135 missions, NASA launched it’s final manned space shuttle.

5

6

Only months after his resignation, Apple cofounder Steve Jobs passes away from pancreatic cancer.

The self proclaimed “99%” started a global movement, protesting major banks’ financial policies.

9

4

While attending a campaign rally, Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head by an astranged gunman who killed six others.

An “Arab Spring,” sparked by social media, caused revolutions in several prodominately Arab countries, overturning governments and calling for democracy.

7

2

8

The worst earthquake and tsunami in Japan’s history destroyed millions of homes and took the lives of thousands.

After being run out of office, Libya dictator Moammar Ghadaffi is captured and killed in his home town of Sirte.

10

News

December 8, 2011

Students drop classes to a lower level

By Miles Hutson Classes are either hard, confusing, overly time consuming or no longer fit life plans, so students are dropping them. Some teachers have already seen 20 students leave their classes and know that more plan to drop.

For junior Alison Contreras, AP French 4 class is taking too much time and effort.

“It’s too much of a challenge,” Contreras said. “I already have my language credit, and I’m not really interested in French anymore.”

Contreras said that it is a hard class, but that she could do better if the curriculum changed. “[The teacher could improve the class with] a little less independent learning and a little more one on one,” Contreras said.

French teacher Jody Lubbers said that students do a little bit of discussion and vocabulary, and always have tutorials available.

“I’m a little baffled because I’m always available to students,” Lubbers said. “There’s a fair amount of one on one as far as partner work and this kind of thing.”

Junior Devin Guthrie is dropping from Honors Physics to regular physics for the same reason as Contreras.

“I think it’s a hard course,” Guthrie said. “But I think it would be a lot easier if there were more lectures or review [instead of the independent learning] involved in the teaching,” Guthrie has been spending time in tutorials, but he thinks that his time in class could be better spent.

“Most of the stuff is learned through labs, and they send you off to do your lab with not very good instructions,” Guthrie said. “That’s where you’re deriving your lessons from.”

While their reasons for dropping classes are the same, Guthrie and Contreras have two different counselors, and they said they are worried that the difficulty

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of actually dropping their classes will be different.

“It’s probably not going to be a problem for me, because my counselor’s very nice and understanding,” Guthrie said. “But from what I’ve heard from my friends, the process of switching classes or dropping classes in general is very dependent on who you have as a counselor.”

Other students, including junior Marcus Cashaw, are dropping their classes because they aren’t what they expected. Cashaw is dropping Journalism next semester.

“I thought there was going to be more writing,” Cashaw said. “[Ms. Quinn] teaches us about the newspaper and stuff like that. I just wish she was giving more stuff where we could interact with each other.”

Teachers cited other reasons that students drop classes.

Diana Cain said that the reasons she most often hears cited are that students are either taking too many AP classes or that the material is too hard.

“They know what they’re getting into in the spring, and they should plan better,” Cain said.

Students have also dropped Computer Science teacher Cynthia Gallatin’s class for reasons she disagrees with.

“There are some students who drop because they’re getting a B, and they have to be perfect at everything,” Gallatin said. “They have to get that GPA, and that bothers me because I think they really should challenge themselves.”

Gallatin says that some students, however, are making the right decision.

“Sometimes they’re not cut out for AP Computer Science and need to drop to the regulars version of it, and some of them realize they’re not cut out for Computer Science at all,” Gallatin said. “That’s fine, it’s just not for everyone.”

Some students aren’t dropping for any reasons related to

their class, but because they have changing ambitions. For junior Corrina Ojeda, who will graduate after the fall semester of her senior year, Yearbook no longer fits into her schedule.

“I actually took it because I really like getting stories and I really like getting pictures of everything, and I thought it would be neat to do something different,” Ojeda said. “[But] I didn’t know I was going to [graduate early].”

Ojeda’s graduation plans changed when her family decided to move to California during her senior year.

“I don’t know how it is over there, because in schools they do different things,” Ojeda said. “I’d rather just get it done over here.”

Faced with less time, Ojeda opted to take a class that will help her towards her long term goals.

“I wanted [to take] Law Enforcement,” Ojeda said. “I like dealing with CSI stuff and watching all that, so that’s what I want to do in the future.”

Ojeda said she hopes the class will help her reach her goal of going into Criminal Law and Justice.

“I would want to be able to pursue that knowing that I at least know what’s going to happen,” she said. “We basically talk about different aspects of it and what it requires for us in the future, like how to determine different criminology and different laws.”

While some students will be dropping classes at the end of the semester, it is evident that their reasons are as different as the fall leaves. Gallatin said that she recognizes these differences.

“Sometimes it’s the right thing to do,” Gallatin said.

“Sometimes it’s not.”

December 8, 2011

Basketball season begins

Sports

By Kimberly Mei

Photo by Paul Burnham

Senior Michael Akomer runs a drill during practice.

T

he boys basketball teams have begun their season determined to dominate the court. The season began on Nov. 15 against Naaman Forest. Despite recent losses to Jesuit and Duncanville, both the varsity and junior varsity teams said they are confident and pumped to take on other schools.

The varsity boys hold a record of 4-6, and the junior varsity boys are at 5-3.

However, point guard junior Teekay Biti said he anticipates more victories, like their recent 76-41 win against Skyline.

“We’ve had many tough losses that we

should have won,” Biti said. “The worst part of being on the team is working so hard in practice, and then not finishing what we worked so hard for by not getting the win. But as a team, we feel as if we are beginning to gel more, and we will get the W’s for Wildcat Nation.”

The varsity and junior varsity teams practice six days a week and lift two to three times per week. They work through their offensive and defensive sets in groups and occasionally drill together.

“We need to shoot the ball more consistently, especially from the three point line,” head coach Phil Parlin said.

“We need to run our offense better, and I am confident we will. Our defense has been really good, and I do anticipate that staying the same throughout the year.”

Practices stress team chemistry in addition to physical endurance and strength.

“Before we go to practice we have to memorize a quote and one player is chosen to repeat it and explain its significance,” junior varsity forward junior Matthew Salazar said. “All these preparations really help us grow as a team. It really teaches you to have trust in your teammates.”

Parlin said he hopes that his players will walk away this year with new knowledge of teamwork in addition to knowledge of the game.

“I want [my players] to get a great understanding of what it takes to play as a team and sacrifice personal glory for team glory,” Parlin said. “I love the quote from John Wooden, ‘It’s amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.’”

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Features

December 8, 2011

Jeff Meyer: More than just a substitute

By Stephanie Jabri

While his students know him as a substitute, Jeff Meyer is also a computer consultant and father of twin girls, seniors Melissa and Samantha Meyer. Even though he has only been a substitute for three years, he loves what he does.

Before he was a sub, Jeff lived in Florida where he started his own computer consulting business. This allowed him to have a flexible schedule to be able to spend a lot of time with his daughters. When he and his family moved to Plano for his wife’s job in 2008, he continued helping his clients through means of phone calls and internet use.

“What I like about computer consulting is that it is like being a doctor,” Jeff said. “The computers are not working and people don’t understand why they are not working. They get frustrated, so I come in and kind of do a medical diagnostic on the computers to figure out what the problem is and fix it.”

But six months after the move, when his daughters had adjusted to the new school system, he began thinking about taking another job in addition to computer consulting.

“I made a commitment to the girls that I would be available to them and make sure their adjustment went well,” Jeff said. “Then in their second semester, I said that I was going to start looking for [another job].”

His daughters suggested that he become a substitute teacher and were fine with him taking substituting at their school.

“It’s nice because I get to see him,” Samantha said. “We get along; we have a really good relationship. I will see him in the hallway and be like ‘Hi Dad.’” Jeff believes that substituting in the same place his daughters go to school further deepens their relationship.

“I love being able to see them every day,” Jeff said. “I love the communication we have, when they are talking about [school], I know what they are talking about. It always makes conversation easier. Also, I can bring problems or situations to them from this job and ask if they have any advice on how I can better reach a student. They have that kind of advice because they are among their peers.”

Jeff said that he is fortunate that his students are well behaved for the most part.

“My daughters will tell you that I have a look that I give when someone goes across the line,” Jeff said. “I think that students naturally try to test the sub, but I just come in and lay out my expectations.”

In the future, Jeff hopes that he will receive his teaching certificate by next year so that he can become a full time teacher in the social sciences department.

“I think it is great [that he wants to become a full time teacher],” Samantha said. “It makes him really happy. I can tell this is what he really wants to do.”

Jeff said he has always wanted to be a teacher but didn’t realize how much he would enjoy it until he started substituting.

He loves being able to interact with students. He enjoys working with teenagers because of their unique situation of transitioning from high school to college.

“I am one of those people that believes that God puts you where you are suppose to be,” Jeff said. “[Substituting] went really smoothly, and I love it every single day.”

Photo by Stephanie Jabri

Students stand for abstinence

By Haley Bunnell

and Wednesday and believes that God said that sex is for a husband and wife.

“Abstinence to me means waiting until marriage, being abstinent through my actions and thoughts, not thinking about doing something sexual and therefore not committing it,” Sarah said. “It’s very hard in high school and in high school relationships. I always set the guy straight before we even start talking.”

Sarah wears a purity ring every day as a reminder to not have sex before marriage.

Even though there are outside pressures, she is sticking with her commitment.

“I don’t ever want to forget that,” Sarah said. “The last thing I want to do is disappoint God or myself by doing something as stupid as having sex before marriage. I want marriage to be different from anything else, different than a normal relationship. I want it to be special, and if I give myself to someone now or later on and it turns out they’re not the one, then what’s left for my future husband?”

Like Sarah, senior Lance Lanier has chosen to remain abstinent. He has also decided to

stay away from high school relationships.

“Abstinence is something that is very special to me,” Lanier said. “It means waiting for the right girl who God has for me. It’s an opportunity to practice patience and self-control. It means resisting temptations now for my wife in the future. Being that high school doesn’t last forever and people are going to go their separate ways, I think it would be best to be single. It’s just the way of life I feel is best for me right now.”

According to Lanier, it is especially hard for him to resist the temptation because he is a guy.

“Nowadays, most couples consider sex to be a necessity to express their love for each other,” Lanier said. “When you are dating someone, and you become closer and closer, you want to show them how much you love them. With the world saying that the only way to do that is to have sex with your girlfriend or boyfriend, I can say that it has been extremely difficult to follow through my different ways of showing my past girlfriends my love. It has been painful to stick to my word. Most people don’t understand.

Some may think that it is dumb or weird for

me to hold back, but to keep my promise for my future wife is far more important to me than their opinions. I have had second thoughts and I have been tempted, but my Lord has given me strength to resist.”

Sarah has overcome some similar challenges as well. She has even had a guy break up with her because she wouldn’t give in.

“It’s been hard because nowadays teenagers move faster than normal,” Sarah said. “Everyone talks about how awesome it was and how I should try it. The reality is that just because you had sex doesn’t mean he’s not going to leave you, and it’s not going to make him love you. It gets even harder when you really like someone and you have to set boundaries so things like that doesn’t happen. It’s hard to slow down in the heat of the moment and what helps me is if I don’t put myself in a situation to where it can happen. It has never failed.”

Lanier believes he is strong enough to resist the temptations, but if the girl is perfect for him, then it doesn’t matter if she is a virgin or not.

“I would still be with my future wife even

if she wasn’t a virgin,” Lanier said. “It would show her how much I love her because I waited. If she wasn’t, then that’s ok, because God has forgiven my sins, and I forgive her. I would still love her the same way. If everything is right and she is everything I am looking for and she isn’t a virgin then that is fine with me. For me, the one thing I look for in a girl is for her to have a relationship with God, and if she didn’t before and she had lost her virginity, then that’s fine as long as she is a Christian when she is with me. ” Even with the pressure, Lanier wants to express his love to his future wife, instead of a temporary girlfriend.

“I want to make known to my future wife, the love I had for her before I even knew her,” Lanier said. “To be able to say that I waited for her my whole life and for her to know that she is special. To express how important she is and will be to me. In my opinion, your virginity is something that you give to the person you will be with for the rest of your life.”

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Page Four

December 8, 2011

Saying goodbye

Features

Superintendent reflects on time, leadership in the district

By Daniel Hinson

Marking the end of 17 years, Jan. 31 will be Dr. Doug Otto’s final day as superintendent. Prior to his arrival in 1995, Otto served as superintendent for four other districts in the Midwest.

“The average length of a superintendent is somewhere around four years, so I always kidded that as long as the school board didn’t know that I would be okay,” Otto said. “I have had other offers, but when you look at them, I’d be leaving the best for something less than that. We have great teachers and principals. The public has always been supportive of the school district. I don’t know where I would go.”

Since his childhood in rural Illinois, where teachers were the role models, Otto knew he wanted to be an educator. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in business education from Illinois State University, he taught business education at a high school and later became a principal in Taylor Ridge, Illinois.

In 1981, the school board was ready to make a change and get a new superintendent.

“The school board came to me and asked if I was interested in being the superintendent, and really at that time I wasn’t interested,” Otto said. “I wanted to go to a larger high school, but I thought about it, and I made them a deal. I would consider being the superintendent if they would do an applicant search. If I surfaced as the best candidate, then

I would take the job. But I felt they needed to do that to make sure I was the right person.”

After the retirement of former PISD superintendent Dr. Wayne Hendrick, Otto filled the position. During his tenure he was named as one of the 12 Tech-Savvy Superintendents from across the nation by eSchool News. In 2001 he was nominated Texas Superintendent of the Year by Region 10 Service Center. In 2008, he was named as one of 21 Leaders for the 21st Century by Inside Collin County Business.

Since his arrival to the district, Otto has also seen the district grow to its 55,000 student enrollment. However, with state budget cuts and having to provide funds to poorer districts, the population growth has not been matched financially.

“It has always been a fight to get more money,” Otto said. “I have always had faith in our teachers that they would do what they could with whatever money they had, but the more resources they have, the better they can do.”

Despite financial struggles, Otto Middle School opened in 2009 in the district’s east side. Otto said there is no greater honor to a man than to have a school named after him.

“Every time I walk up to the school, I pinch myself when I see my name on it,” Otto said. ”I keep myself from going out there because if I didn’t I would be out there every day telling them to clean that

corner or that corner. It makes me glad that I stayed so long. It makes me glad that I have been involved in the community. I know it doesn’t happen to many people, so I am eternally grateful, and to think that I can continue to live in this community, and visit a school that has my name on it. It has been a wonderful tribute. I hope every day I come to work that I live up to the reputation that goes with having your name on a school.”

Although he hopes to continue in the education field and become a part time professor, Otto said there is one thing he will miss most about his job as superintendent.

“Not many people can just walk into our schools and walk around and be welcome and see teachers and students,” Otto said. “When I leave office Feb. 1, I will no longer be able to do that.”

Still, he has found things to look forward to upon his retirement.

“I want to spend more time on a terrible golf game,” Otto said. “I want to spend more time visiting my brothers and sisters and mother who live in Illinois, and my grand kids who live with us here in North Texas. I’ve added it up, and I have gone to over a thousand school board meetings. I am anxious to find out what is on television on Tuesday nights.”

Photo by Daniel Hinson

Dr. Otto emcees the McMillian High School dedication on Nov. 15.

Did you know?

Education: Bachelors in business education, Illinois State University. Masters and Ph.D. in educational administration, Illinois State University.

Previous Superintendencies: 1981-1984: The Rockridge Community Unit School District, Illinois.

1984-1987: North Scott Community District, Iowa.

1987-1990: Metropolitan School District of Warren Township, Indiana.

1991-1995: Anoka-Hennepin School District, Minnesota.

Honors: 2008: Named as one of “21 Leaders fro the 21st Century” by Inside Collin County Business.

2002: Inducted into the Illinois State University College of Education Hall of Fame.

2001: Selected as the Region 10 Service Center’s nominee for Texas Superintendent of the Year.

A new tradition

First generation college graduates make way for their families

By Ashley Gaudlip As the first semester comes to a close, seniors are preparing for college and life after high school. For some seniors, going to college means they will become the first in their families to earn a college degree.

Excited to begin college next fall, senior Rhiannon Sigel is ready to start a new chapter in her family history.

“It will make me feel accomplished to be the first person to actually finish college and get my degree,” Sigel said. “And I’ll be the first person who is able to support a family and not end up living off what my parents have to live off of.”

Counselor Bruce Richardson, who is aware that studies have shown that 67 percent of jobs in the next 20 years will

require on-the-job training or a college degree, said he supports these students.

“To me, it’s amazing for those students,” Richardson said. “They see the struggles parents have gone through, or maybe older siblings have gone through, and they’re determined to go above and beyond. I whole-heartedly applaud those students.”

As Sigel prepares for college, she has realized that she wants to study art or web design so she can design websites for companies.

“I’m looking forward to getting my degree and getting more into the art aspect of my life,” Sigel said. “I want to be able to show people what I can do.”

Sigel has wanted to go to college since

she was young and relates her college goals back to the support of her teachers and of her family.

“My family is really encouraging me,” Sigel said. “They’re like ‘You want to go to college. You want that freedom, and you want people to see what you can do.’ A lot of families don’t have that support, so [teenagers] don’t get encouraged to go to college, and they can end up on the streets.”

Richardson stressed the significance of family support when it comes to students going to college.

“It’s really important for students,” Richardson said. “Studies show that the students that go to college who are, on average, more successful, are those who

have that support from parents, guardians, older siblings. The support really helps, and the earlier you can emphasize the importance of going on to college, and not as a possibility but as something you are going to do, it’s more likely a student will do it.”

Overall, Richardson said he believes in the importance of a college degree in the job market.

“I think it’s very necessary for students to go to, not necessarily a four-year school, but a two-year school or career school,” Richardson said. “I think the statistics show how important going on and receiving some type of education and training is very important.”

Page Five

Opinion

December 8, 2011

a piece of infinity

By Alyssa Matesic

There were millions of them. I gazed upward; darkness had encompassed all but the sky. I was deaf and mute, but thankfully not blind. What I held before me was infinite, and for a moment, so was I. The torturous wind froze my veins and reminded me of my humanity, but I didn’t want to return. The stars held me in a trance.

I believe they said it was some of the best stargazing in the world, and I wouldn’t doubt that for a moment. Hawaii had given us all we had asked for – heavenly beaches, rainforests and seafood – but spending our final night on a mountain 9,300 feet in the sky was its most perfect gift.

We got there before sundown and watched the stars slowly reveal themselves. At first, it was something I’d seen as a child when we’d go out to the country for a night.

Then, once night transformed from a mere transparency into a completely opaque curtain, I tilted my head and realized the sky had transformed, too. I didn’t know that that many stars existed – that that many of anything existed.

That was the moment I lost my senses, save for my sight.

I tried to assign one of my troubles to each of the pieces of incessant fire, but failed within the first 10. I tried to assign each a name of someone I loved, but my heart is given to far too few. I tried to speculate the largest, the brightest, my favorite – all were impossible. I started to group them in 10s, drawing circles in the air around them.

Suddenly, a shout, and my count was gone forever.

I decided to leave it at infinity. I brought my head down – my neck ached from the strain. My hands shook from the cold. My ears throbbed at their new awakening. Dark masses were everywhere, moving freely and gawking; none recognizable. I had never been so afraid of the dark.

I followed the herd, completely blind, and finally saw in the distance what had awed them: the night was so clear that the constant volcanic eruption on a neighboring island could be seen. A red glow disrupted the blackness far out in the distance. I stared for a moment, but my picture was suddenly interrupted by a white, moving circle. I followed the line up to the stars, and then down to Earth. One of the guides had a laser pointer.

She outlined constellations and told their stories – grand stories of war, betrayal, love. I wanted to set myself among them. I wanted to have an immortal story in the sky, a place whose existence challenged the boundaries of time. I asked her where Virgo was – my closest bet to finding a place I could label as my own.

“I’ve never been able to see her,” she shrugged and pointed in a general area. “Somewhere over there, I think.”

I was lost again. At that moment, to not have a place in the sky was to not have a place anywhere on Earth, either. I thought that by seeing myself in the stars I would become

Fight for the future

By Maelyn Schramm

Superintendent Dr. Doug Otto believes teachers are the “heartbeat of our district.” They deserve to be rewarded for their long hours in and out of school. Not only do they serve as teachers, but also as mentors for their students. Many people often overlook teachers’ hard work, but Dr. Otto praises them for their effort.

But rewarding the teachers for their hard work is easier said than done, as the school district faces obstacles concerning funding. During the Nov. 15 meeting, the Board of Trustees agreed to unite with the Highland Park and Lewisville school districts in a lawsuit against the State of Texas. Board members feel that the state does not give them an adequate amount of money to give students a quality education.

Many people target educators, accusing them of not preparing their students or teaching them ineffectively. But it is difficult to be influential, successful educators with poor funds. It is difficult to hire teachers and pay for various educational books, learning programs and activities like field trips and guest speakers. We believe that even though good funding does not necessarily equate to good teaching, it is still helpful and beneficial for schools to receive.

The district faced budget cuts this past year, resulting in many staff members losing their jobs. Class sizes have grown, especially at the elementary level. This creates a problem because there are not enough teachers to handle the students.

However, many students learn better in smaller classrooms. Teachers find it easier to notice when a student is struggling, and students feel more confident speaking up in a clamer, more controlled environment, with fewer eyes gazing at them. If the lawsuit can provide funds towards adding back teaching positions that were lost last

Page Six

year, then the class sizes would decrease and the learning environment would be more effective.

Dr. Otto said he had feelings of “helplessness” when he saw teachers and staff members lose their jobs last year.

Teachers, especially young ones, lived in fear of needing to find a job for the next school year. Many students were outraged when a favorite teacher or coach was cut, and teachers were hurt when their friend and co-worker was let go. But, with fired teachers and the students’ education in mind, the district decided to take action by filing this lawsuit. Dr. Otto points out “it is not in our country’s and state’s best interests to reduce our investment in the future - our students.” Today’s students will be businessmen, doctors, CEOs and other workers in 10 or 20 years. They will be running the country. We believe the state hinders the future workers’ education by reducing district funds and therefore restricts the country’s potential in the future.

Students in the Plano, Highland Park and Lewisville school districts are fortunate to have such a tremendous board that genuinely cares about their education. The Boards are willing to fight for their students, even if it requires a great deal of money, time and effort. The districts understand that the students’ needs go before their own. We believe the students need a better education, one that will send them off at graduation prepared to face the real world, one that requires more funding. Although the district is better off than many other districts and offers a great education, “the trend in reduced funding must be curtailed,” Dr. Otto said. It is not just for the students, but it is also for the future.

more complete, but instead a black hole consumed me.

Their twinkling mocked me; I was envious. I desperately searched for Virgo and myself, but couldn’t find either of us.

I sighed, and my breath swirled around me. The cold then froze not only my veins, but my heart. I stood among the crowd of shadows indefinitely; then, something odd danced along the top of my line of sight. I glanced up just in time to see my first shooting star. I was too shocked to make a wish, but I felt my heart thawing out.

In attempt to find another, I found myself in a similar state of trance. After traveling to each horizon and back again, I began to realize the sky was not unchangeable; it was a canvas. I drew with my finger a million different constellations of my own and realized there were an infinite number of them, too. They could be created from any direction, with any choice of points and any decided shape.

It was a connect-the-dots with no limitations. I didn’t have to settle for a predetermined destiny; I could create my own.

We started for the car, and I had trouble separating myself from the celestial scatterplot. As I reached the door, I cast a perfect last glance and caught another fatal fall dissolving before me. I closed my eyes briefly.

I wished to find my own piece of infinity.

La-La Land adventures

By Paul Burnham

My mind, more often than not, runs completely in the opposite direction of where it should. This has proven itself a blessing in many areas of my life. However, on occasion I find myself thinking about anything and everything but what I should be centered on. By the same token, I conceived the idea for this column in economics when I should have been thinking about currency exchange and the FDIC. Somewhere between the two PowerPoint’s, I found myself in la la land, where I was struck with an extremely bizarre concept. On the list of strange things I’ve thought about, this very well be my pièce de résistance. I imagined that I was stuck in a world where I wasn’t allowed to express my negative thoughts and when someone or something upset me, I lashed out by complimenting them and shouting positive thoughts. If this sounds stupid, imagine me getting fired from a job and instead of telling my boss how I really feel, I scream about her beautiful hair and how I think that one day she will bust out of the service industry and make it big. Imagine me getting involved in a fender bender with a woman putting on her mascara. Both drivers upset, I express my feelings through acknowledging her fancy new engagement ring and the interior of her car is well stitched.

Today at the gym, The Eagles blaring in my ears, some guy walked by and gave

me a snotty look. Thinking of all the nasty things I’d like to say to him, the thought of my econ wonderland popped into my head.

Now, instead of planning how to tell this chauvinist that he should lay off the juice for a bit, I was visualizing me going up and telling him how there should be more guys in this world that are a positive influence on kids and getting them active because clearly, people can’t help but notice that he spends way too much time in the gym.

These are prime examples of the parallel that is my ADHD. While in reality, I would never do something insensible like telling some GNC gold card member I think that he’s a nice guy, it has certainly got me thinking - I need to be nice to others.

I am just as guilty as anyone for saying gnarly things about people, regardless of how well I know them. While keeping my mouth under control is an entirely separate mountain to climb, I think a good start would be complimenting the people I see every day and saying nice things to them.

I’m going to tell someone that I think he’s doing a great job, and I’m going to tell someone that I think she’s beautiful. I’m not looking for good karma, and a pat on the back is out of the question. All I want, is to make someone’s day a little more positive because I like when people are happy, and I think we all need to lighten up a little bit.

Dear Reader, First off, let’s just say we do not play sports, so we don’t quite know what those people are called. We would also like to apologize for the geographical confusion.

Michigian is not, and will not become anytime soon, a state.

Our staff t-shirts acknowledge the fact that “we write good,” but we haven’t quite figured out how to spell good. Our other highlights include the hockey team playing Plano West and students taking interest in Vet. Tech. Our star football player Rex Burkhead graduated in 2009, not in 2008 after his junior year.

Thank you for your patience while we learn how to use a dictionary.

Wildcat Tales

Review

December 8, 2011

Bagels galore

By Emma Barishman If you don’t like bagels, you clearly haven’t been getting them from the right place. I thoroughly enjoy bagels and consider myself to be a connoisseur of the delicious, round, breaded food. Below I have rated the three local places from which you might get your bagels.

Einstein Bros Bagels (Independence/Legacy) Einstein’s, as this place is affectionately known, receives the number one rating in my book. Not only are their bagels top quality, but they come in a wide variety of flavors, from the traditional plain to the seasonal pumpkin. This particular store has wonderful c u s t o m e r service; the employees know me by name and know my regular order. This chain also offers a variety of coffees and flavored drinks. If you’re looking for a great seasonal drink, grab a mint hot chocolate.

It tastes like Ghirardelli chocolate in liquid form. Just amazing!

Benny’s Bagels (Coit/Park) This quaint little store is in its second month of existence at its Coit/ Park location. It’s farther from my house, but it’s close to school so it might make a nice lunch spot. There were about eight types of bagels and a few types of pastries available.

The bagels lived up to their New York style with a slightly crunchy outside, but the inside of the bagel was a little dense.

Basically, the cake doughnut of the bagel world. The taste was delicious though. The store offered a lot of types of coffee but just regular hot chocolate. The man who owns the store was very sweet and personable; he moved the store to its new location because it is closer to his Plano home than his store in downtown Dallas.

Quality: four stars Customer service: four and a half stars Affordability: five stars Variety: five stars

Quality: two stars Customer service: one star Affordability: four and a half stars Variety: five stars

To m T h u m b ( C o i t / L e g a c y ) The bagels were more expensive than those at the other two stores, though none of them were very expensive. The consistency of the bagels was more like that of a loaf of Mrs. Baird’s bread.

They were very tasty as bread, just not as bagels.

Of course, as a grocery store, Tom Thumb does offer a great variety of food, cream cheese, and drinks to go along with your bagels. As I checked out, I was entertained with stories of drinking horse milk by the bag lady while the checkout lady boredly stared at the cash register.

Quality: three and a half stars Customer service: four stars Affordability: five stars Variety: three and a half stars

A George Clooney fest The Decendants movie review

Rating: C

By: Eilie Strecker The Descendants was a disappointing attempt at an emotionally charged dramatic comedy. The movie began with a tragic accident in which wife and mother of two Elizabeth King (played by Patricia Hastie) goes into a coma.

At first this sets the proper mood of sadness and grief. The plot thickens when it’s discovered that Elizabeth was having an affair with successful real estate agent Brian Speer (played by Matthew Lillard) and was planning to divorce her husband Matt (played by George Clooney). Up to this point the movie was believable and heart felt.

Unfortunately the movie then

turns into a George Clooney fest.

He is in every scene after this and it’s basically a tribute to watch him act a mediocre part.

It felt under-rehearsed, like it was being read from a script.

Almost as if the director could only take one shot and then move onto the next scene. The storyline was good, but the actors lacked the execution necessary to make the audience truly connect with the two dimensional characters.

The attempted comedy in this movie was centered around an obnoxious amount of cussing, which instead of being ‘awkward funny’ fell short and was simply awkward. Elizabeth’s daughter’s

friend Sid (played by Nick Krause) was totally random and unnecessary as he added nothing of consequence whatsoever to the movie.

The biggest complaint about this movie however, is that there are no surprises. It’s incredibly easy to predict and slow. If audiences have seen the trailer, then they have seen every essential part of the movie.

The film makers left nothing to discover. The trailer sucks up all the funny and passionate scenes, leaving the rest of the film to be nothing more than a fluff filled corpse of a wasted nine dollars.

The Decendants Fox Searchlight Pictures. © 2011

The Wildcat Tales

December 8, 2011

Mission Statement:

Volume LXVI Issue Five

Editors-in-Chief

Copy Editor

Staff Writers

Daniel Hinson Eilie Strecker

Meital Boim

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

Editorial Editor Online Editors-in-Chief

Maelyn Schramm

Diva Gulati Madison McDaniel

Business Manager

Layout Editor

Adviser

Meaghan Pulliam

Terry Quinn

Amber Robinson

The 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

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

a free press. The publication is a forum for the students of Plano Senior High School. Any opinions expressed in The Wildcat Tales is the opinion of the writer and of the writer only.

Policy: Students and faculty are encouraged to send in any questions, comments, concerns or criticisms to be published. Letters to the editors can be put in the envelope in room B208 or emailed to The Wildcat Tales at pshs.pub@pisd.edu. The staff reserves the right to edit a letter for grammatical errors and space issues. Any errors found in the publication will be rescinded in the following issue. Additional and daily updates can be found at our website www.wildcattales.com. Past issues can be viewed at www.issuu.com/wildcattalesonline. Businesses wishing to advertise in The Wildcat Tales can email us at pshs.pub@pisd.edu. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisements deemed to be inappropriate.

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

469.752.9300

Page Seven

Photo essay Habitat for Humanity

On Dec. 3 in a neighborhood near downtown Plano, Habitat for Humanity club members participated in their first build. The house will go to someone in need in that community. Twelve students from the club participated in the build, along with students from the southern part of Collin County. The students worked through the rain, mud and cold temperatures to put up the frame of the house. Two more builds are scheduled for later in the school year.

Photos by Michael Nicholson

December 8, 2011

Issue Five

Plano Senior High School

Plano, TX, USA