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The Wildcat Tales volume xlvi
September 23, 2011
Issue One
Plano Senior High School
Cross Country Photo Essay Page Six
Lake Texoma By Yeesoo Lee Lake Texoma, one of the biggest reservoirs of the United States, is currently unavailable to visitors and locals. Due to a drastic increase in blue green algae, also referred to as Cyanobacteria, the lake has been announced off limits by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. All water contact is restricted and officials state that as long as the blue green algae is present, the water is unsafe for people and animals. Junior Joseph Burkman owns a lake house on Lake Texoma and came into direct contact with the growing algae problem “The water level and condition are both pretty messed up with the drought and algae, so it was pretty hard to get our boat out there,” Burkman said. Although the lake prohibits direct contact with water, boating is still permitted and the lake has not been shut down. “The algae stinks, too, so you can’t swim in the water, plus it makes the local hotel pool packed,” Burkman said. The lake possesses many harmful effects to people and animals. “This toxic blue green algae is not just algae. It causes skin irritation, nausea or diarrhea in cases if swallowed or inhaled,” AP Environmental Science teacher Kevin Yoder said. No deaths have been reported due to coming in contact with the algae. “It’s fatal in extreme cases and poisonous to wildlife,” Yoder said. Not only does the current condition and algae problem of Lake Texoma create conflicts for the locals, it also affects students. “My grandpa owns a lake house on Lake Texoma, and each year our whole family goes up and spends time together,” junior Callie Conley said. “This summer, we didn’t even go to the lake because we knew even if we did go, we wouldn’t be able to do anything in the water.” The algae blooms and low water levels have not only interfered with vacation plans but have also made an impact on the local businesses. “My grandpa called us and told us that all the stores and shops look like they’re going to be closing down,” Conley said. “The weekends are supposed to be the time where the businesses rake in most of their profits, but it looks like that won’t be happening this year. Hopefully, the problem will clear up soon so the local businesses can pick back up again, and people will be able to enjoy the lake once more.”
Plano, TX, USA
63rd Annual Emmy Award Review Page Eleven
White Guard Page Nine
Rezoning for West: Take Two
School Board discusses options for Plano North Senior High School By Haley Bunnell
The proposed future site of Plano North Senior High School. The site currently houses Jasper High School Members of the school board, parents, community members and school faculty congregated at the Sockwell Center, sharing their thoughts and views over a realignment proposal on Tuesday, Sep 6. The board committee discussed a realignment option of turning Jasper High School into Plano North Senior High School to decrease the amount of students at Plano West. This comes a year and a half after realigning the district because
of the addition of a sixth High School. Superintendent Douglas Otto stressed that the proposal is only a scenario, and will be further discussed. Attempting to persuade the board to eliminate the proposal, parents and faculty spoke in front of the board. “It disheartens me that we are standing here once again less than two years after discussing this very same issue,” resident Tom Schmit said. “After the contemptuous and fracturing
rounds last time, to invite this discussion is irresponsible, and to ignore the advice from groups of people and administration and board who diligently went through this is beyond insanity.” The room was split. Those who wore red were opposed to a fourth senior high school. “I am strongly opposed to a fourth high school and the associated boundary issues,” resident Mark Johnson said. “We do not need, nor can
Photo By Daniel Hinson
afford, a fourth high school. You still have the opportunity to what is right. Say no to the fourth school and no to the boundary drama. We don’t need it.” Attendees who wore white wanted to balance the schools, and support the idea of Plano North Senior High School. “I urge the board to consider solutions that promote
Continued on page 2
Budget Cuts Wound the District By Alyssa Matesic & Miles Hutson
The PISD budget plan was cut $25 million this year. Faced with this budget shortfall, the school board reduced programs and staff across the district. The casualties of these reductions included some 223 teachers, 79 of which came from secondary schools. This toll also fell on Plano. According to Associate Principal of Curriculum Tracy Franco, the school lost seven or eight teachers, the majority of whom came from the career, technology and elective courses. “They were scattered across different departments,” Franco said. “The areas that we reduced were low-enrollment courses anyway, so none of the core classes suffered in terms of higher class size, and all of the electives balanced pretty much because those numbers were low anyway.” Primarily, the teachers dismissed were chosen based
on their time in the district. “Bottom-line adage is ‘last one hired, first one fired,’ so it goes on seniority,” Franco said. “I think it’s the best way because it takes all the emotion out of it. It just goes to the number, to that date. That’s the fairest way I think.” Debate coach and Communication Applications teacher Cheryl Potts saw some of her fellow Comm Apps teachers, including Patti Weinbrenner, cut under these policies. A consequence of these shortages is heightened class sizes in various departments. “Any class that has larger numbers is going to be more difficult to control,” Potts said. “There’s going to be more grading because you have more students submitting work products, and it’s a speech class so we’re going to have a really hard time making it through the curriculum with everyone
giving
speeches.”
The increased size of her classes has also impacted her ability to interact with students. “Most students will not get as much one-on-one as they would be able to get,” Potts said. “Larger classes have been demonstrated to be not as effective as smaller classes.” Tech theater teacher Erin Stanley has also been directly affected by the cuts. Due to the lack of funding for a fulltime tech teacher at Plano and full-time theater teacher at Wilson Middle School, she works half time at both schools. “It’s a challenge because I want to be here and there for both groups of kids at all times,” Stanley said. “I just physically am not on campus all of the time.” Other elective courses have also seen cuts. The total budgets of all electives have been reduced by 10-15 percent, leaving teachers and students
without certain opportunities that were offered last year. “Cuts have to be made somewhere,” speech coach and former UIL prose and poetry sponsor Karen Wilbanks said. “But extracurriculars are what keep students in school.” Plano will no longer compete in all UIL competitive events due to budget strains. While the music events are still supported, some academic events have been sacrificed: poetry, prose and policy debate among the less fortunate. Entry fees, transportation and hotel costs, when added, create an expense that the school cannot afford. That expense multiplies if further rounds must be participated in. “If we do well, then that all comes out of the UIL fund when we advance, and we
Continued on page 3
News Rezoning for West By Haley Bunnell
Continued from cover educational and sociable experiences for all of PISD students,” resident Sherry Tammit said. “I am supportive of the board looking at this issue, and to see how we can get a balance between our high schools.” In 2009, the school board decided to fix all of the schools in the district including the split of Jasper. Instead of students going to Plano Senior and Plano West, all students were realigned to go to Plano West. However, now the concern is whether or not Plano West is big enough to hold all of the students by 2014, there will be a total of 3,200 students. There will be a $17 million renovation for Plano West, which is a concern to many if that additional construction will still be enough space for the students. “For people saying bigger is better, and get more choices, I don’t agree with that,” resident Julie Anderson said. “My daughter sits in a class where there are over 40 students, and there are not enough seats for everyone. The teacher does not have time to go around and answer questions. My daughter walks in a cramped classroom and there are not enough lockers for every student. I can’t imagine what it will be like when she enters Plano West, and it’s the biggest class.” It would cost $38 million to
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convert Jasper into a senior high school which many argued the district can’t afford. “This is money we don’t need to spend when we our experiencing an economic recession,” resident Bill Snyder said. “I don’t max out my credit cards unless I absolutely necessarily have to. Why spend money we don’t have to spend for a problem that is not a major problem?” It was mostly parents and faculty who spoke about the proposal. However one student, who will be directly affected by the changes showed her views at the meeting. “When I go to Plano West, there will be more students than the school is built for,” seventh grader Katherine Cable said. “It is so hard for the teachers to control everyone, and I cannot imagine how it would be with double the students. I know that tonight you are talking about a lot of ways to fix this problem. What I want to ask is if you can’t fix this problem by moving students to school, will you promise to spend the money it takes to fix it? Can you promise if we do our jobs as students, will you do yours, too? Will you build more classrooms, and hire the teachers we need for all the extra students? Finally, will you give up your job if you don’t live up to these promises?”
September 23, 2011
Plano Senior to Host the Oscars by
Ashley Gaudlip
With Homecoming only weeks away, Student Congress is preparing for this year’s Oscar-themed dance. Each year, Student Congress plans the Homecoming’s theme and decorations. This year, after narrowing down the options to a few possible themes, some of which included 70s and fairytale, Congress members were shown photographs of the different decorations that would be used with each theme. Then, Student Congress held a meeting where they voted to decide the winner. “At the meeting, when they were discussing it and really talking about it and voting, it really seemed to go over well,” teacher and Student Congress sponsor Elizabeth Doyle said. “They liked the idea and it seemed like a very big group consensus that this theme would be enjoyed by all.” Although not every Student Congress member voted for the Oscar theme, even some who voted for the other themes are still content with this choice. “I voted for fairytale because I liked the decorations and I think every girl should get to have their fairytale.” Junior Megan Rund said. “I still think the Oscars theme was a good choice because the guys might like it more, and I think it’ll be fun.” The different aspects of the Oscar theme seem to appeal to students “I think that everybody likes the idea of dressing up, the photographs, the idea of being a celebrity for a night and wearing the fancy ball gowns,” Doyle said. “There was even some discussion among students of almost doing an ‘Old Hollywood’ theme in their Homecoming group. I think really and truly it’s just the idea of being a little bit imaginative for one night and feeling like the celebrity.” Each year, Student Congress purchases all of the decorations based on what they are able to find. With certain standards they have to meet, it can
limit the themes that are available. “When we go to the store, it’s what has the most that we can work with,” Doyle said. “There are some options like the beach. It is two palm trees and a cardboard cutout. That’s not going to decorate the cafeteria. That’s not going to fulfill what the students want to see, so we look for the more decorative options. A lot of students think that we are capable of making all these decorations. The problem is we can put all these funds into making them, but we have nowhere to store them. Doing a new theme and making it our own isn’t really feasible. The other problem is the school doesn’t like us to repeat themes. We have to have so many years apart between themes. That also limits the options.’’ With Homecoming only weeks away, Student Congress is working on finalizing all of the décor. Decorations are purchased at a Dallas-based party supply store. “There were chairs that directors sit on, a huge movie clapper, really tall golden Oscar statuettes.” Chang said. “We’re probably getting a red carpet. They also have a fake theater box office that we might use.” This year, there will also be some new additions to the Oscar décor that weren’t seen at last year’s Arabian Nights themed Homecoming. “Considering that last year we didn’t have balloons because the balloon guy didn’t show up, this year we’re actually having a few balloons,” Chang said. “They haven’t done Christmas lights for a while, and we’re doing those inside the cafeteria.” Chang believes that the decorations and theme are appropriate for the occasion. “I think it’s the best choice we could’ve had.” Chang said. “A lot of people say it’s overused, but it’s mostly sophisticated for what we’re dressing up for.”
News
September 23, 2011
Expenditures cut in wake of decreased state funding
Continued from cover
By Alyssa Matesic & Miles Hutson always advance,” Potts said. “We’re always at regional. We’re always at state.” Less funding means fewer chances for speech and debate students to compete. “Because we’ve got such large numbers, it’s really hard for us to give everybody on the team plenty of opportunities to compete,” Potts said. “We can’t take everybody. It’s too expensive.” Even though fewer Plano students will be able to participate in events, hopes remain high for successful performances. “For 14 consecutive years, Plano has had someone in the finals,” Potts said. “We’re not going to give that up. We’re really good at it.” Plano’s theater programs have also seen cuts. First period theater, which previously was a children’s theater group that performed for elementary and secondary students, is now just an advanced theater class. Theater teacher Gregory Arp reported that the theater stipends budget, or yearly budget, has been reduced by 10 percent. That budget funds the UIL one act and tech theater competitions, but all other show expenses – including play rights, sets and scripts – rely on previous saving and fundraising. “We’re lucky here that we have a booster club,” Stanley said. “I think coming up, we have three fundraisers
happening at one time, which is probably one of those things that we need to do.” Despite the new hits to extracurricular programs, the staff trusts that they can still succeed this year. “The big phrase I keep on hearing is that teachers should do more with less,” Stanley said. “As a teacher, we’re faced with all kinds of madness. You get creative and you adapt, and that’s often even better for the kids.” This year’s cuts aside, the district is still only half-way through cutting the funds that it needs for a balanced budget. Further cuts will have to be made, amounting to a total of $50 million. “If we have to go through what we went through last March it’s going to be very difficult,” Franco said. “As it was in March, I hope we don’t have to cut anybody.” However, the control over how much money PISD receives from the state lies with the state legislature. “I wish just one time that they were here and with us and walking hand in hand with us to see what it is we have to deal with besides just giving a number and saying, ‘Okay, reduce by $60 million,’ because it’s people and their livelihood,” Franco said. “I just don’t think they think things all the way through without actually being here to know what we do.”
New to Town: Students from out of state By Emma Barishman Between them, these girls have moved seven times, lived in four different states, and met thousands of people. Senior Kelsey Jones has moved six times. She’s lived in three different states, sometimes jumping back and forth between two of them. “I like Plano best,” she said. “It’s my hometown and there’s nothing like coming home.” But Jones appreciates the unique draws of other places she has lived, as well. “Alabama is country,” she said. “I don’t know why I like that, but I just do. It fits me, somehow.” Though Jones moved many times, finally settling in Plano a few years ago, she found something in common in all the places she lived. “The people are all pretty much the same,” Jones said. “There are always the same cliques no matter where you go and people always kind of do the same thing, in every place.” Though some students would disagree, Jones also found out that schools around the country are similar when it comes to difficulty level. “Plano is not much harder than other places,” Jones said. “At least we don’t have to go to church early every morning like my private school in Alabama.” Jones noticed that classes are much larger than those of her other schools. “There were only 12 people in my entire eighth grade class,” Jones said. “Here, there are so many people in every individual class.” While Jones has moved many times in
her life, some new students are making their first location change. Senior Elizabeth Watson moved from Michigan over the summer. “I lived there my whole life,” Watson said. “But I officially took up residence here at the end of June after my mom got a better job opportunity here.” That was in time for her to join in on school activities. “I’m part of the marching band,” Watson said, “But I would like to join some other clubs, like Psychology club and maybe a foreign language club. I have a lot of friends who speak French and I want to see what goes on in there.” Joining marching band in time for summer marching camps meant that Watson experienced Texas heat right away. But she didn’t mind. “I was always freezing in Michigan,” Watson said. “But Texas is warm. I love it.” Watson finds Plano to be different from her school in Michigan in a few different ways. “There’s more stuff to do here, and the academics are better,” she said. “The teachers explain things better but classes that you guys take senior year, I took freshman year, so my schedule is all mixand-match.” Not only are the classes different, but Watson says that the school policies are different here in Texas than they were in Michigan. “We had hall monitors at my old school,” she said. “The administrators here are more relaxed on policy, but it works because kids respect it.”
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Features
September 23, 2011
5K For Nicole LeGrow
By Stephanie Jabri
Almost 40 percent of teenage deaths occur due to motor vehicle accidents. Nicole LeGrow is part of that statistic. On July 8, 2010 the 16-year-old Jasper student accepted a ride from a friend on her way to a lake house. She was killed in a car wreck when the driver lost control of the vehicle while traveling at an unsafe speed. Since then her family has been actively raising awareness for teenagers’ safe driving by handing out cards with Nicole’s story on them. With so many cards requested, there is a need for fundraising. “[Over all] we have probably given out about 11,000 cards,” LeGrow’s mother Sharlene said. “A lot of [the cost] is postage and sending stuff out.” In order to raise money for the “Nickels from Nicole” cause, the LeGrow family has decided to host a 5k and one mile walk on Saturday October 8. The race starts at 8:30 a.m. at Oak Point Park Amphitheater. Registration is $20 for the walk or run, and for kids under 12, the price is $15. Registration is available online or will be available the day of the event starting at 6:30 a.m.
“What we hope to do with the proceeds from the run is to obviously continue with the nickel cards in a much broader fashion, but also hope to do a scholarship program as well,” LeGrow’s father Jeff said. “We don’t want to charge for [the cards]. We want this to be easy to get out there, to touch more kids. What we are trying to get out of this is purely awareness.” The scholarship that they are going to set up will be available to PISD high school students. The students will enter a video, instead of writing a traditional essay. “The topic would be how you would influence your friends to drive safely,” Sharlene said. “I think the culture has to change among the 16 and 17-year-olds, where recklessness and goofing around behind the wheel of a car has to be a bad thing. That’s the mindset that has to change,
“Keeping her memory alive is what we hope happens.”
Globe Trotters By Eilie Strecker
that’s what is killing the teenagers. The school board is all on board for that.” As long as they are able, the LeGrows plan to continue to raise awareness about the number one killer of teenagers with the cards. On these cards, there is Nicole’s picture, a snippet of the news article written about her death, a short biography of who she was and a nickel with adhesive tape that can be taken off and stuck to a car dashboard to remind drivers to stay safe. “What started out as a quirky idea which we wanted to give to her friends and family, has turned into something much bigger,” Jeff said. “We expected Plano to pitch in and adopt this, but outside of Plano we have shipped hundreds and hundreds and sometimes thousands of cards out to other states, who had no idea who Nicole was but see what a simple and
Every year the counselors get stacks of paperwork for new students. Some of whom are transfer students from local schools, some from out of state, but then there are some students who come all the way from foreign countries. “I love it so far,” junior Christin Dober said. “Everything is bigger and more multicultural.” Dober has only been in the U.S. for a month and is from Germany. She is here to study at an American school for the year. “In Germany I think it may be a little harder but I like it more here because you get to choose the classes,”
Foreign exchange students ex-
“It is panding their horizons in Plano. very different here but they are not big differences, they are little things,” Teissonniere said. “Before I lived in Paris so yeah it’s a big city also, but now I live in Normandy so it’s not the same. People come in pajamas, it’s weird. In France it is very different and that would be ridiculous. Along with America’s wardrobe choices, differences were also noticed in our food industry. “There are many fast food resturants,” Dober said. “I eat at them every day, but I don’t really like it. I want to eat more healthy.” Teissonniere also acknowledges
j
Dober said. “I think every day having the same schedule is better than having a class with everyone once a week or so. Also, here there are different buildings and we just have one, and here it is so much bigger.” Like Dober, junior Geoffroy Teissonniere from France, notices the differences in the school systems. “In France our schedule every day is not the same classes, it’s different,” Teissonniere said. “You start at 8:30 a.m. and finish at 5:00 p.m. and it is much smaller. There is eighth grade through twelfth grade but it is much smaller. I am in French class here and it’s easy, it’s like sixth or fifth grade in France. I think if the classes were in the French language, it would be easy, but its in English so sometimes I don’t understand. History and English are hard, but I think in a few months it will be easier for me.” Teissonniere who is also staying for the year found when he got off the plane that American’s were not exactly as he expected they would be.
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powerful message it is.” According to the descriptions of people who knew her, Nicole was a kind soul who had many friends. “Just in her life she interacted with so many kids,” Sharlene said. “So among the kids that knew of her, there was a big scare [when she passed away], as there should’ve been.” But her parents believe that the message they are sending out will stick with people Nicole didn’t know. “[The LeGrows] want to reach the kids that Nicole hadn’t met yet,” senior Anna Fischer said. “Keeping her memory alive is what we hope happens. We don’t want it to fade after a while. It makes people aware of the reality that anything can happen.” Nicole’s friends and family miss her, but they now look to their goal of raising awareness in order to save lives. They want teenagers to know that they need to be responsible behind the wheel of a car and that there are consequences for their actions. “It was a horrific death and it was a wrongful death,” Jeff said. “It shocked this community. It should not have happened.”
the major difference in food. “I miss French food. American food is gross, and I am scared of getting fat here because I eat all the time and when you eat fast food it’s like you eat and then two hours later you are hungry again.” Despite the fast food, the thing that really surprised Dober about America was the school sports. “Here there are team sports that are very famous,” Dober said. “In Germany we don’t have school teams that are famous. I had never seen a football game before and it was very cool.” The foreign exchange students are studying in America to learn English and to experience the differences in another culture. “My first goal is to speak English because all this is new, I don’t know anyone and I don’t really know anything, but from my first day to now my English is way better,” Teissonniere said. “Also for the experience and the future of a new life.”
September 23, 2011
Finding Your Niche
Features
By Kimberly Mei
DECA is a club for business, entrepreneurship, leadership, and cookies. DECA sponsors Tricia Cannon and Lois Hollingsworth have a partnership with baked goods company Otis Spunkmeyer. Meetings are held every week to make the cookies, which are then sold every Wednesday in B203, two for $1, as a fundraiser for the club. “We turn on the most crazy music while we’re baking cookies, and everyone just starts dancing,” senior Javier Rodriguez said. “As soon as you join DECA you feel like you are part of the family. It’s really good to know everyone on a deeper level.” Members also get together for Mavs Night and Stars Night. However, DECA kids are not just having fun— while running their cookie sales and spending time together, they learn to be leaders, solve problems, and work alongside actual businesses. DECA members are then put to the test at annual District, State, and National conferences. “They test you on a different category that you learn about,” Rodriguez said. “The only requirement for DECA is that you have to be in Entrepreneurship, Dynamic Marketing, Design Marketing, or Sports Entertainment and Marketing.” In order to join, members should get a form from Ms. Hollingsworth and Ms. Cannon’s room, B203, and have $20 for a T-shirt. “I joined last year,” Rodriguez says. “I had Ms. Hollingsworth first semester for Entrepreneurship, and I needed a club to join. It turns out—it is my favorite club. I’m running for President this year.”
Warning: If it sounds like there is a rock band inside of A building, there is. But have no fear, there are no screaming fan girls – it is the Guitar Club. The members meet every Wednesday in room A129 to share their zeal for music. “A lot of people are just like, ‘Oh, you know, Guitar Club is all kids with guitars,’” senior Zach van Duyne said. “But actually we had some kid in there last week with a synthesizer plugged into a computer, and there were a couple of kids who wanted to try singing, but we don’t have any drummers yet.” Guitar Club is open to kids who are musically talented, as well as guitar players. The club performs at the Homecoming Parade, Stay Day, and the talent show. “We’ve all been preparing outside of the club,” van Duyne said. “We come in on Wednesday afternoons and play through each song and give each other feedback on what could be done to improve the performance. I’m hoping we can destroy the talent show this year.” Van Duyne, who aspires to be a musician, enjoys listening to heavy metal as well as Lady Gaga. “Guitar Club is a good way to meet people with musical taste like your own,” van Duyne said. “If they want to come and they’re like, ‘I want to listen to Taylor Swift’ or some more mellow pop stuff, they’ll find people to play with too, because there’s a lot of guys who like more bluesy, folksy, pop stuff.”
FFA is a place where one can hang out with friends and raise a hog. Founded in 1928 as “Future Farmers of America,” FFA is a national organization that allows students to explore and practice in agriculture-related fields. Today it is “The National FFA Organization,” as it has evolved to become a club for more than just “future farmers.” “It can be for anything, from being a veterinarian to actually being a farmer, to having a lawn-mowing business,” president and senior Hunter Seymour said. “Agriculture is really a misunderstood subject in urban and suburban cities because it’s really more than what everybody thinks it is. Agriculture’s for everybody, it’s not just for farmers.” FFA is also about developing leadership and meeting new people. Students in teams of four compete against each other in different Career Developmental Events, or CDEs, to try to win the four top spots and advance to the state level. Seymour’s favorite CDE is Wildlife, where he studies plants, laws, safety rules, and animals. “We have really good Agriculture teachers who will teach you everything you need to know,” Seymour said. “You don’t really have to have first-hand knowledge of anything.” FFA meetings include game sessions where members can get to know each other better as well. “It’s just a really good social aspect of high school,” Seymour said. “I come in, and I’m happy to see everybody because I get to meet people all the time.” Meetings are the first Thursday of every month in B145A. Members must be enrolled in one agriculture science class for one semester.
Page Five
Features
September 23, 2011
The Running Man By Meital Boim
Senior Michael Bain runs ahead of the
competition.
Senior Kenny Stice perseveres to finish the race.
Bain sprints to finish the five kilometer race. He won first place in the 5A boys race 7:30 a.m., senior Michael Bain has run four to four and a half miles. Days alternate between high and low difficulty workouts, easy being an additional five or seven mile run in the afternoon. Every Tuesday, Bain drives to Richardson to run up and down hills. On Sundays, he runs eight to 10 miles on his own. “It gives you a sense of accomplishment when you’re done with it,” Bain said. “It makes you disciplined, and getting to meet other runners is always fun.” Two summers ago, Bain attended a University of Dallas running camp with athletes from all over Texas, where he trained with three workouts a day – a morning run, a pool workout and speed running. The camp ended with a ten mile run, with college runners each leading a group of runners. “They were going so fast that all of the high schoolers ended up falling way behind and slowing down,” Bain said. “How good all the college runners were made me want to be like them, so now I want to run in college. I’m definitely not as good as the college runners, but I feel like running in college can really help me improve.” Bain remembers last year’s seniors signing with colleges. 2010 Nike Cross Country National champion Rachel Johnson signed with Baylor last January. “Now Baylor is my number one choice, but I’m looking at quite a few schools because you never know if you’ll get on the team,” Bain said. “It sounded like I have a good shot, but the coach hasn’t told me exactly what I need to do to be on the team. If I sign with the team, I could possibly get some sort of scholarship, but I wouldn’t get much because you have to be really good.” Through his training with 2010 graduate Juan Sanchez,
Bain learned a lesson in running philosophy. “We were running seven miles, and I was trying to keep up with him,” Bain said. “He was way better than me at the time, and he was jogging backwards telling me to keep up with him. He was telling me that it’s all mental, whether you can go faster or not. Obviously, it’s not all mental, but it made me realize that there’s a mental side to running, where you have to be in shape but you also have to have the mental attitude.” Bain uses a specific mental attitude to get him ready for meets. “I try getting angry before the race,” Bain said. “Not pissed off. Just in that competitive mood. It gets the adrenaline going, and trying to beat certain people helps you run faster.” Having run against the same schools - Plano East, Plano West, Marcus, Southlake and others - year after year, Bain has been competing against some of the same runners. Nikolai Horbovetz runs at Plano East. “We’ve been pretty close during races,” Bain said. “He’s always been a little ahead of me at every race, so I try to push myself. This year so far he’s beaten me at every race, but it’s nice to have someone to try to stay with.” Horbovetz is not Bain’s only competition. The Southlake boys team is ranked second in the country. “Their entire team is very good, and I need to beat at least a few of the top six to go to state,” Bain said. “I usually end up doing better than I’m ranked. I’m just hoping to have a good day and beat some of them.”
Junior Frances Adams strides hard to finish strong.
Reid Thompson sprints to the finish line.
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Features
September 23, 2011
Rivalry Runs Deep Paws vs. wings The Plano tradition and rivalry By Meital Boim
as seen through the eyes of one player
Photo By: Kelsey Young
Senior Kevin Merrill gains yardage against Lakeview Centennial Rivalry with Allen runs through senior Kohl Rast’s blood. His oldest brother was a White Guard, the second oldest played basketball, and both have competed against Allen. “They know the Allen rivalry very well,” Rast said. “We live over by Allen, so we get a lot of the fans come around our house. Being that Allen has been winning consistently over the last few years, my brothers both can’t stand Allen.” An offensive lineman, Rast has been preparing for the September 23 game. Rast’s oldest brother Brandt may fly from Idaho to watch the game. “Throughout my whole teen years he’s told me how much Allen needs to lose and how much we hate them,” Rast said. “He’s instilled that hatred in me. I’ve always looked
up to him, so it’s a little nerve wracking, but he’s just there to support me, so I want to go out there and do what I can.” The middle of five kids, Rast has continued the family tradition with his younger siblings, one at Vines and one at Williams. “I’ve made sure they hate Allen,” Rast said. “I don’t know how much they know about it yet, but they’ll be happy if Plano wins. My little brother plays basketball and football. Hopefully he’ll be a future Wildcat.” Rast’s siblings and parents have been to many of his games, cheering him on. “My siblings like to come out and watch me play,” Rast said. “My parents have both pushed me to keep playing and keep working as hard as I can so that I’ll
actually have a chance to play. This year I’ve actually gotten my chance, so my parents have really supported me. It’s good to know that they’re there to support me and they enjoy watching me do what I love.” Although Plano had a 13-7 lead through the first half of last year’s game, Allen won. “That was frustrating because that was one of our better games that we’ve played against them, and they still came out with a win,” Rast said. “We’re trying our best to prepare for this game. I think we have a better offense this year and a better team and we’ll do well. I can’t really predict a victory or a loss, but it’ll be an entertaining game.” Despite the support of his family and the team’s practices, Rast worries about the game. “They’re big, so I’m a little nervous,” Rast said. “We get to go against the big old 6’6” 300 pound guys. We’ve already gone against three or four 300 pounders on the defensive line, and it’s not easy to move them, but we’ve been getting used to it. I’m a little worried, but I feel like we can do it.” To prepare for the game and increase their chances of winning, the team has been watching recordings of previous Allen games, such as last year’s Plano-Allen game, the game from the year before and Allen’s first three games this season. “We’ve been trying to see where their weaknesses are and see where their strengths are and try and break that down so we can put that into our scheme – our offensive and defensive – and get ready for it,” Rast said. “We look for different tendencies that they have on the film, so if their defense favors one side or if they’re stronger on one side, then we’ll try to implement plays that are going the other way or to put passes where the zone is the weakest. Then our defense looks for plays that they run consistently, and they try to prepare for those plays especially.” Rast attributes the success of the preparation to Allen’s constancy. “They keep the same coaching staff, and the quarterback’s been the same, so it’s been pretty consistent between the years and between the games,” Rast said. “They put in a few new trick plays, but for the most part, they’re the same throughout the film.” Rast anticipates a tense and focused game. “We’ll all be nervous because this is the biggest game of the year, but we’ll be psyched,” Rast said. “We’ll be
ready because we’ve been waiting for this for our whole lives, trying to beat Allen.” Contemplating the players’, coaches’ and other teams’ reactions, Rast imagines a victory. “I think there’ll be a lot of celebration,” Rast said. “We’ll be really excited, but the coaches will help focus us and will be ready to prepare for the next week. It’ll have all the other teams think that they have to beat us because we just beat the number one team in the state. They’ll all be aiming for our heads, trying to beat us, but we’ll also know that we can beat anyone, and that’ll raise our level to even higher than it is.” Allen has won seven of the last eight years. “If we lose, it’s just another week,” Rast said. “We have to move past it and get ready for the next game. One loss isn’t going to ruin our chances to make the playoffs, and we’ve got to know that, and we’ve got to focus.” Rast predicts that although there are no district changes, the team’s chances at the playoffs will change from past years. “We’ll play a team like Coppell, and I think we’ll be more ready for them this year,” Rast said. “They lost a lot of good players, and we got a lot of new good players, so I think we’ll be ready and we’ll play well against them.”
Photo By: Kelsey Young
Center Kohl Rast hiking to quarterback Richard Lagow
Page Seven
Sports
September 23, 2011
The Other Boys of the Fall By Erin Ball
White Guard has been working side by side with the cheerleaders since 1995. They are an exclusive group of senior boys chosen based on their enthusiasm, confidence and willingness to try new things. The White Guard is active around campus and easy to spot, but not many people truly understand what makes this team so unique. Last year’s senior guards were looking for the perfect applicants to fill their shoes. They encouraged as many people as they could to join the team. “I had cheerleaders left and right talking to me about trying out, as well as Mr. Shaw, who was one of my teachers,” senior Matt Theodore said. “The old White Guard set up pre-practices for us that were a lot of fun. They pretty much got us all going.” The promoting paid off. This year is a very special one for White Guard. Not only is this the first year for sponsor, Fred Sanders, but it also marks the highest level of participation in its history. There are 13 active members and one mascot that make up the team.
“The more people, the better it is,” senior James Jackson said. “All of the guys are awesome. I couldn’t ask for a better team.” Bringing the guys and the girls together into one cheerleading squad this past summer taught the guards how important it is to be adaptable. “I’ve always taken a leadership role in everything I do, but adding girls to the mixture adds a new challenge since we’re so different,” Theodore said. “It teaches you a lot about teamwork.” White Guards can be seen at all varsity football games. They are well known for running the famous P-L-A-N-O flags, throwing free t-shirts into the stands during half time and their signature pushup series, which honors each point scored throughout the game. “There’s nothing we enjoy more than making this year awesome for all of our seniors,” Theodore said. “Being on the field with the team and cheering them on is a great honor.” One of the main jobs the guard has is assisting the
cheerleaders with their difficult stunts and yelling along with the cheers. A few of the guys have special skills of their own such as handstands and toe touches. “We did a lot with stunts this year like learning to do back tucks, and more complex lifts,” Theodore said. ” I know we‘re overall better than last year’s team in that aspect. We have cooler tricks and much better tumbling.” The guards have duties off the field as well. They are in charge of many of the spirit activities that take place throughout the week. “We’re responsible for organizing comedy skits and pep rallies,” Theodore said. “It helps with your charisma and really breaks down your ability to be awkward or embarrassed.” Theodore said the White Guard is proud of what it has accomplished so far, and the team is looking forward to enjoying all that’s left of their final football season. “White Guard is the place to be,” Theodore said. “We love our school. It’s what we do.”
SWIM, CATS, SWIM
The swim team’s captains have similar goals for the team: dominating at local meets and going to state. The main idea of being a swimming captain is to bridge the gap between the varsity and the junior varsity along with being a liaison between the coaches and the swimmers. Senior Edward Hunt has been on the swim team for four years. He understands the responsibility of being a captain from observing them in previous years. “For the first two years the captains have had a pretty great responsibility of leading the team,” Hunt said. “[Their primary responsibility is] talking to the coach and explaining that to the swimmers. Usually the coaches aren’t in the water with us and usually don’t swim with us. So the captains can work with the swimmers in the pool, instead of the coaches telling the
swimmers what to do from the deck. I just wanted to help out the younger swimmers like I have been helped in the past.” The team has a different make up of swimmers then the teams in the past. “There are only three or four seniors on the team so it is a pretty young team and we don’t have a lot of underclassmen,” Hunt said. “I am looking forward to helping them and all of us improving together as a group, instead of just the seniors just going all out and going to state.” The team has to overcome the loss of four swimmers from last year. “Every year we lose people, that is always a problem,” senior swim captain Douglas O’Laughlin said. “We lose a lot of depth every time we lose people from our team.
By Daniel Hinson
The problem is we don’t have the depth of the people we used to have. For example we might have had five people for each event and now we only have about one or two. Senior Ashley Ezell knows the captain will motivate the team. She believes that if every team mate pulls their own weight and step up to the plate the team will do really well at all the meets. “We are working really hard and the coaches are pushing us like more so than they have in the past years.,” Ezell said. “We are doing a lot more yardage and running. We’ve run at least 12 miles every week. It’s not very much fun but it is needed.” The captains are looking towards the end goal. “I am looking forward to going to state,” O’Laughlin said. “I think we have a good chance of winning this year.”
Swim Captains 2011-2012
“I am looking forward to all the improvement we will make this year because we have a pretty small team and a pretty young team.” Senior Edward Hunt, Varsity
“I think we’ll have a good team this year. We took some hits from last year when we lost some really good swimmers, but I think we should be able to go to state this year.” Senior Doug O’Laughlin, Varsity “We have a great season ahead of us and will be working hard thoughout the year” Senior Greg Tabanian, Varsity
“I want to make the school proud of the team. Also I want the team to win at every event and win at every meet.” Senior Louis de Torcy, Junior Varsity “This year is just having and spending time with all of my friends, going to meets, and missing school. I am looking forward to this last year of swimming and getting my times up.” Senior Pablo Morales, Junior Varsity “I think we should really do really well this year and beat all the other high schools.” Junior James Murphy, Junior Varsity
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Page Eight
“I am so excited that I am a senior and a captain and I can’t wait to get the opportunity to stand up in front of the team and tell them how great we are going to do.” Senior Ashley Ezell, Varsity
“We have to make sure we keep all the girls on task and make sure we all go towards our common goal, which is to win at meets. We have to make sure it is fun for everybody and not too serious. I am looking forward to state.” Senior Melissa Leonhardt, Varsity “I am excited to be a role model for the girls. This year our goal is to get as many people to state as we can.” Senior Shannon Rogers, Varsity
I hope to get the team to be united and to make sure the team works well together. I hope everybody does his or her best at competitions.” Senior Adelina Sun, Junior Varsity
“Our job as captain is to bring the JV team more together and bridge the gap between the two teams. I hope we go really far this year. I hope our swimmers win in their meets and for the whole team to go to state.” Junior Magdalena Cortez, Junior Varsity “I like being a captain because we get to help other swimmers out and organize events at the meets.” Junior Samantha Dewees, Junior Varsity
September 23, 2011
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Page Nine
Opinion
September 23, 2011
Is it worth it| Teens, texing & driving
By Maelyn Shramm
“Red light. Text text text. Green light. Send. Throw the phone to the passenger seat. Red light. Text text text. Green light. Oh wait! I’m not done! I just have to finish this text really quickly and…sent.” Many teenagers are guilty of going through this process on a regular basis. Some of them only do it when the text is absolutely urgent and their friends must know what’s going on, while others feel no shame in texting and driving even if there aren’t any red lights or stop signs. It has become a bit ridiculous over the years. The texting and driving rates have gone up and it has become a much bigger problem. According to online studies, 48% of 12 to 17-year-olds claim that they have ridden in a car while the driver was texting. As they say, “what comes in must come out.” If teenagers view drivers – adults or adolescents - texting while driving, their minds subconsciously receive the message that texting and driving is okay, so they will proceed to do the same. This domino effect can be seen when anyone goes out for a spin. If he simply looks to his left and right, he’ll find drivers of all ages tapping away at the miniscule keys, sending “What’s up’s” and “I’m hungry’s” to their friends and family, who might also be texting while driving. Thanks to Facebook statuses, Twitter and texting, teens have it engrained into their minds that everyone wants to know what they’re doing every second of every day. This
is not true. As much as it hurts, your best friend does not care if you’re about to hop in the shower or go out to eat a burger. Likewise, others do not want to read a text saying “I’m driving to Wal-Mart,” so what is the point of texting and driving? It seems that your friends can survive without hearing from you for at least fifteen minutes, if not more. Many teenagers suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder, and those who do not are easily distracted by a variety of things: a song that randomly popped up in their heads, a bird flying by, a notification, or a text. It’s a distracted generation, and how most teens drive reflects their short, goldfish-like attention spans. Teenagers actually admit that texting is the number one distraction while behind the wheel. Research also reveals that each year 21% of fatal car accidents involving teenagers are a result of cell phone use. This number is expected to increase as much as 4% annually. When driving home from school, a student will be much more focused when his cell phone is sitting in his backpack pocket behind the driver’s seat. And although he might be practically itching to reach back and take it out during the quick drive, he is much more alert and in control than when his phone is resting on the seat beside them. Sometimes the best way to avoid distractions is to get rid of them completely, even if it is a difficult challenge. Drivers should avoid distractions as much as possible,
Your Hemline Irks Me By Paul Burnham
The sight of the 2,641 other students I attend class with is, to say the least, a feast for the senses. The wide range of personal appearance varies from Harry Potteresque cloaks to True Religions and Prada bags. Somewhere in between these margins lies a select few ladies who don’t quite understand the term “finger length,” and boys who have yet to discover the concept of wearing a belt. While I could go on for days as to my thoughts on mom jeans and pajamas as day wear, I feel that my least favorite of the dress code violations are seemingly more pertinent. The walk through the cafeteria in the mornings is, more often than not, a sight for sore eyes. Hundreds of girls, after spending hours plastering on makeup and frying the living daylights out of their hair, sneakily walk past the subschool offices doing what I refer to as The Pull Down. The Pull Down is a two part motion that combines pulling one’s skirt down and sliding one’s fingers up just enough to make them look somewhat close in distance. After doing The Pull Down, you walk directly behind your less scantily clad friends to further the effect, where you then run swiftly to class. While you may have fooled the only people who can stop you from dressing this way, I hope that you know in the back of your head that behind you, I am at a great loss of appetite and any clear thoughts once in my head have now been tainted with the burning image of your upper thigh. On your own time, your choices in clothing (or lack thereof) are solely your own. At school however, you’re on someone else’s time, and, frankly put, the only people you should be impressing are your teachers. As tasteless as skimpy clothing may be, there is one fashion faux pas that really sends me over the edge. Sagging. I’m not sure who invented the phenomenon we know as sagging, and I’m also not sure what kind of drugs possessed them into thinking that it would be attractive or fashionable, but I do know that it is flat out disgusting. When I see someone wearing six pairs of pants and not a single one around his waistline, a variety of questions come to mind. “Who taught you to dress yourself ?” and “Why do you insist on burning my retina like that?” accompany thoughts on why anyone else would think that it was attractive. I’m so thrilled that guys find Fruit of the Loom and Hanes to complement their oversized jeans but I’m sure that a nice leather belt would suit them much better. As if the view from behind wasn’t bad enough, the walk of a “sagger” really is the icing on the cake. At first I thought the duck walk was a way of courting the opposite sex. However, it didn’t take me long to realize one was a direct result of the other and therefore, unavoidable. My efforts to stop the aforementioned fashion faux pas’ are nonexistent. There is nothing I can do to stop people from dressing the way they do and, in reality, the only people who can are eventually going to catch onto your sneaky ways. Just know at the end of the day that your fashion choices are frowned upon by other functioning members of society like me. In the “real world” we’re going into so fast, you really will be known as “that girl” or “that guy,” and your chances of going places will be drastically limited, more so than they are, trying not to trip on the waste of your jeans or worse, having your left butt cheek slip out in the middle of a lab practical. On that note, keep it classy Plano.
Page Ten
for the sake of everyone else’s safety and theirs. Sidetracked drivers are much more likely to run into another car, an animal, or even an immovable object like a telephone pole or a street sign than drivers whose eyes are directly on the road. If you are not convinced to stop texting and driving after realizing it’s risky behavior, maybe you should think about the ramifications of being caught: drivers can be fined up to $200 and insurance prices can increase once you receive a citation without even getting into an accident. And while many students do not pay for their insurance, it is doubtful good ole Mom and Dad will be chipper and willing to spend extra money because of their child’s filthy habit. Teens with minimum wage jobs cannot afford paying off such costly tickets and insurance rates. Spending $9.25 on Friday night movies alone can empty a wallet quickly. So next time you’re texting with your thumbs and steering with your knees, imagine how many lawns you have to mow or how many Friday nights you have to babysit before you are able to pay off those hefty fees. In order to avoid hitting mailboxes, murdering innocent bunnies, or accidentally ramming into other cars, it’s best if teens put away the phones during their drives, no matter how long they last. You could be saving someone else’s life, or even your own.
They Could be Lost It’s two hours until midnight when I get a text. “I’m not okay.” It’s from one of my best friends. I respond frantically, my heart pounding so hard that I swear it’ll burst before I can get an answer – What’s wrong? I’m worried. Do you want me to come over? Please answer me. I’m coming. Without a rebuttal to stop me, I desperately change out of my pajamas and walk to his house in a daze. My soul has left my body. I am empty. Adrenaline, or maybe its terrible counterpart, is all that fuels me. In the dark, my destination looks infinitely more terrifying than it had during the countless summer days I’d spent there – the days of no sorrow, no worries, no second thoughts, none of this. His bedroom window shows no light. His car is out front, but any signs of life in the house are absent. That’s what scares me the most – what if there isn’t life anymore? “Are you in your room?” I wait a few endless minutes for an answer. “Yes.” Slowly, I open the large, now unwelcoming door. It creaks, and I jump at the sudden break in the silence. I’m blind in the house, but I know it well enough to feel my way around in the dark. I reach his bedroom door. I take a deep breath, relieved that I hear Avril Lavigne playing inside but still terrified of the prospective scene. He’s lying on his bed, curled into a ball such that he resembles a fetus more than a 17-year-old boy. I find my way next to him and try to pry open his fisted hand. His face is buried in his pillow. “Can you give it to me?” “No.” “I won’t take it for good, just for right now.” He uncovers a pocketknife, freshly used and covered in blood. It’s that moment when I hear him cry. The sound is sharp and excruciating, a wail finally escaping from some secret place in his mind. He sits up but avoids my gaze. I become a ghost, watching but not being seen. Hardly there at all. In his eyes I’m reminded of all the damaged males I know. I ask God silently why He had to create hurt, and why He
By Alyssa Matesic
had to give it to them, of all people – these supposed masculine, protective figures who have been stable columns throughout my life when I was too weak to stand. Suddenly, I’m crying too. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, boys aged 10 to 24 are more likely to die from suicide than girls of the same age. A 2008 survey revealed that 83 percent of the successful suicides in that age group were male. A 2004 report states that only 4 percent of adult males take antidepressants, compared to the 10 percent of women that do. The conclusion to be drawn from this is clear. Guys are hurting and are remaining consistently wounded. The male species, as a whole, is trained from the start to be strong in all aspects. Emotional weakness is to be suppressed, forgotten, or denied. But on nights like the one I intimately experienced, that weakness exposes itself; in some cases, it is overwhelming to the point of no return. If I didn’t have some kind of magnetic force propelling me to become close to nearly every depressed boy I meet, I’m afraid that I wouldn’t ever know of this phenomenon. Guys have a way of hiding their emotions – a way of bottling things up – that makes their hurt oftentimes undetectable. But when you witness the sudden transformation of a man in your life into a fragile, endangered, raw mortal, you blame yourself for not having noticed their crisis before. I learned a lesson that night: don’t underestimate the vulnerability of the opposite sex. Though they are strong, they are human. They could be lost. There are a few simple treatments to help any prospective victim. Listen. Observe. Be there. And, if it gets to the point where the damage done exceeds the aid of words and presence, seek out a remedy greater than yourself – even if involving authority seems inappropriate. It could be the difference between a dark house and an empty one. After hours of emotionally draining advice-giving, or just sitting there idly as a ghost, more times than not I’ve heard in two words the entire essence of my message: “You helped.”
Review
September 23, 2011
Loose Change 9/11:
63rd Emmy Awards
Complete Bias
By Eilie Strecker
By Daniel Hinson
Jane Lynch rocks the 63rd Annual Emmy Awards with an amazing performance. The 63rd Annual Emmy Awards began with a skit in which Jane Lynch sang and danced through the different sets of television shows and grooved her way right onto the lit up Emmy stage. With a chorus of backup singers and dancers, Lynch dazzled the crowed with an original show tune encompassing this year’s television highlights. Up first for the evening were the Comedy Series awards. Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon were greeted with an enthusiastic round of applause, after which they predictably performed a comedic skit, ending in a fist fight and an admiring letter from Fallon to Kimmel. Unfortunately, the attempted comedy fell short as the punch line lingered too long in a ‘wannabe funny’ joke. The Comedy Series category was dominated by Modern Family, winning Supporting Actress (Julie Bowen), Supporting Actor (Ty Burrell), Directing (Michael Spiller), Writing (Steven Levitan and Jeffery Richman), as well as reciving the Outstanding Comedy Series overall. However, Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) did snag the Leading Actor award ironically presented by Charlie Sheen. Sheen gave a rehearsed congratulations to the Two and a Half Men cast saying, “I wish you nothing but the best for this upcoming season.” Though he looked out of place and uncomfortable giving these happy regards, Sheen’s gesture was at the very least cordial, unlike so much of what media has portrayed of him. The presentation before the award for Actress in a Comedy Series was entertaining as all the nominations (including Amy Pholer and Tina Fey) ran up on stage as their names were called, acting overly anxious and looking out to a standing ovation. This act left people laughing all the way to the announcement that Melissa McCarthy (Mike and Molly) had won. The skit finished off by presenting McCarthy with a tiara and a bouquet of roses, giving her the unmistakable look of a pageant winner. Then came the awards for Variety or Music or Comedy Series. This began with yet another musical number by the cast of SNL which went for a slightly provocative approach, leaving audiences to show appreciation in a respectful and slightly awkward applause. The Daily Show with John Stewart won, for the ninth year running, the overall award
as well as the award for best writing. SNL’s singing number did not reflect on, Director Don Roy King as he got best directing. The awards for Drama Series came next. This category had a wide assortment of winners, from Martin Scorsese (Boardwalk Empire) for directing, to Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) winning best actress, to Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) winning best actor. The Outstanding Drama Series overall went to the show Mad Men. Their speeches were unenthusiastic and solemnly given but well within the time limit. However, Lynch spiced up the sluggish tone the show was beginning to take with another crowd pleasing song and dance, in which she played Donatella with crazy makeup and a terrible wig. With her was the cast of Jersey Shore, acting ridiculous as ever while she sang, “watching these kids is like watching the Cirque du Soleil.” One of the more anticipated awards categories was Miniseries and Movie or Dramatic Special. The main dominator of this category were Downton Abby, winning Writing (Julian Fellowes), Supporting Actress (Maggie Smith), Directing (Brian Percival), as well as winning the overall Outstanding Miniseries or Movie award. However, they did not get all the awards, as Lead Actor went to Berry Pepper for his performance in The Kennedys, and Kate Winslet won Lead Actress for her performance in Mildred Pierce. Her acceptance speech was distinct and modest with lots of speed talking and quick breathing disbelief at receiving the award. Also during these awards, the traditional In Memoriam video was presented while a capella group sang Hallelujah. Past actors such as Elizabeth Taylor, were included in this presentation. The singers were very talented, and the song and video mix created a very nice combination, perfect for the respectful moment. Overall, this year’s Emmy Awards were decent. The awards were traditionally given, and Jane Lynch did a very good job as the host, getting multiple laughs and applause for her quick witted humor. However, the show seemed to drag slightly in the middle, and many of the jokes fell flat with that awkward pause just before the envelope is opened. The Emmys were entertaining enough if you are a television fanatic, but they didn’t have the ‘wow’ factor necessary to get the average television watcher’s attention.
The Wildcat Tales September 23, 2011
Editors-in-Chief
Copy Editor
Daniel Hinson Eilie Strecker
Meital Boim
Volume XLVI Issue 1
Editorial Editor Online Editors-in-Chief
Maelyn Schramm
Diva Gulati Madison McDaniel
Business Manager
Layout Editor
Adviser
Meaghan Pulliam
Terry Quinn
Amber Robinson
Staff Writers
Paul Burnham Jessica Allman Erin Ball Emma Barishman Haley Bunnell Danielle Deraleau Ashley Gaudlip Miles Hutson Stephanie Jabri Yeesoo Lee Alyssa Matesic
In honor of September 11, 2001, it is appropriate to honor those who lost their lives on that fateful day. It is also appropriate to call attention to all of the misguided attempts to pin the events of that day on the Bush Administration. The documentary Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup implies that the Bush administration was responsible for the events on that day. The Loose Change series is a series of documentaries released from 2005 through 2009 and were the brain children of writer and director Dylan Avery and his team of producers Korey Rowe, Jason Bermas and Matthew Brown An American Coup starts out with seemingly random events ranging from World War II events to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. The film addresses the fact that President Johnson knew that nothing had happened in the Gulf of Tonkin, but insisted that an incident occurred to bring the American people into the war in Vietnam. Finally the film cites a think tank group that wanted to overhaul the United State’s military where the only way to achieve this goal is if there was “a new Pearl Harbor”. An American Coup wants the viewer to draw a conclusion that because past events were known before hand September 11 had to be a planned attack. The premise of this film is to fuel the fire of those who think the attacks of September 11 were orchestrated by the United States government. The documentary calls into question the events of that fateful day and whether the Bush Administration was honest about what happened. There is however one huge problem associated with An American Coup. A good chunk of the information present is incomplete. One of the first major points that An American Coup tries to make is that multiple war games (drills conducted by different departments of the government where terrorist like attacks are simulated) were conducted on September 11. These war games send fighter jets in different directions away from New York City and Washington DC leaving these cities “unable to defend themselves”. What the movie fails to mention is how many war games are conducted on the other 364 days of 2001. Another area of An American Coup where information was incomplete was in the part about the collapse of the Twin Towers. The film cites other buildings that had fires for longer periods of times and didn’t collapse. However the film fails to note the materials those other buildings were made of as well
as how hot those other fires became. My absolute favorite part of An American Coup came during the Pentagon section. The film tries to support the theory that the Pentagon had to have been struck by missile because the damage done to the building wasn’t wide enough to have been caused by an airplane. The film fails to interview any structural engineers who would have said something along the line of an airplane would not leave a cookie cutter outline in the side of a building. The film also states that American 77 couldn’t have struck the side of the building because no parts of the plane were found. Yet a photograph is shown while the commentator is talking that shows some soldiers running in the foreground and a piece of fuselage shown in the background. As absurd as An American Coup was, I was impressed at the images from September 11 this film used. There were different video images and photographs from that day that I had not seen in other September 11 documentaries. Another positive aspect from this movie was the amount of graphic simulations used. An American Coup used multiple original simulations of planes striking the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and flight paths. And they looked professional. An American Coup claims they will not be silent until a new investigation of September 11 is opened. The film makers tell the viewers to “Ask questions, Demand answers.” All I ask of anyone who watches this film is “Ask questions, Demand answers.”
Controversial documentry exposing several conspiracies reguarding
9/11
Mission Statement: 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 a free press. The publication is a forum for the students of Plano Senior High School. Any opinions Michael Nicholson expressed in Wildcat Tales is the opinion of the writer and of the writer only. Shezal Padani Madeline Patton Rachel Romanczvkiewicz Policy: Students and faculty are encouraged to send in any questions, comments, concerns or criticisms to be Katiria Santiago published. Letters to the editors can be put in the envelope in room B208 or emailed to Wildcat Tales JP Salazar at pshs.pub@pisd.edu. The staff reserves the right to edit a letter for grammatical errors and space Cristina Seanez issues. Any errors found in the publication will be rescinded in the following issue. Additional and Kathleen Shaffer daily updates can be found at our website www.wildcattales.com. Past issues can be viewed at Josh Spruchman www.issuu.com/wildcattalesonline. Businesses wishing to advertise in Wildcat Tales can email us at Dani Sureck pshs.pub@pisd.edu. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisements deemed to be inappropriate. Matthew Wood
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Page Eleven
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Page Twelve
September 23, 2011