Volume XLIV Issue 4
LV Berkner High School
1600 Spring Valley Road
February 8, 2013
Richardson, TX 75081
ID mandate
New rule makes school IDs more visable
Helping out homeless Page 2
New video game consoles? Page 7
Commentary
2
February 8, 2013
Eye-opening journey with homeless Abby Hawthorne
Editor-in-Chief Over the winter break, I traveled with a friend and his family to visit a church in Dallas that ministers to the homeless. This organization gathers every Saturday morning to serve breakfast and lunch, distribute donated clothes and administer the Christian message to the homeless of downtown Dallas. I had never participated in any organization of this sort, and to be honest, I was a bit nervous about placing myself in such close proximity to these people so desperately in need. Sure, I wanted to help out as much as anyone and this cause seemed just as worthwhile as any other volunteer program I had heard of. However, I still had a slight twinge of concern for my safety and well-being. Would I, a shy, 16-year-old girl, be safe and comfortable around these people? And how much good could I really do? In retrospect, I am disgusted with the worried thoughts that quickly flew through my mind after I agreed to volunteer. By lumping the homeless into groups of “these people� who might somehow be capable of harming me, I had reduced them to a sub-human status. Yes, this new experience was incredibly good for me. I needed a perspective check. I needed to volunteer there that morning. As soon as I arrived at the church that cold Saturday morning at the end of December, I was put to work in the women’s clothing section. Donations were organized by types of clothing articles and set up on racks and tables in the courtyard outside of the church. Within 10 minutes before the first few homeless started trickling in, my hands were freezing and my toes were numb. I inwardly groaned to myself, dreading the next few hours I would have to stand outside in the freezing cold, behind this table strewn with various purses, belts and pants. However, as soon as I saw
the line of the needy grow larger and wind its way around the courtyard and behind the building, I immediately took back the mental complaints I had made. These people were bundled up in a hodge-podge of assorted jackets, sweaters and scarves, some carrying no more than a plastic Target bag to hold all of their possessions. And here I was, wearing nice mittens and earmuffs, bundled in an expensive winter coat, dreaming of my warm bed at home and the hot chocolate I could make to warm myself up while I snuggle by the fire in front of the television. Studying the people in this line, and the differences between them and me, caused me to feel sympathy for these poor folks. I became somewhat embarrassed that I was so fortunate and they were not. But even this feeling, as my thoughts changed from concern for my safety to impatience with the cold to sympathy for the homeless, was not appropriate. By feeling sorry for these people, I still was diminishing them to a less-than-human level. The pity that I felt only served the purpose of classifying us into two separate categories: them, with next to nothing, and me, not wanting for anything. I had not yet met the people to whom I was giving my time, and my biggest lesson from this experience had not yet been learned. People began coming through the clothing area and sifting through the donations. It was apparent that many of the homeless had come to this service before. A few even greeted some volunteers by name. What struck me the most, as I helped women search for an article of clothing they desired or bag up their items, was the cheerfulness with which everyone greeted each other. Of course, there was a tired look in their eyes and creases of worry in many faces, but even the quietest of the group treated everyone they met with courtesy and carried themselves with a refined sense of pride and dignity. These people, who had lost
everything, somehow found a way to remain cheerful and retain their self-image. For this reason, I was careful not to mention a word about how cold I felt or how tired I was, and I forced myself to put a smile on my face and genuinely help those who asked to find what they desired; because if people in such need found a way to stay joyful and courteous, then I must as well. I remember one woman in particular who let out a shriek of joy when she came upon a pair of fuzzy, purple boot-slippers. They were two sizes too small for her feet, but she took them anyway, with the eager look of a child who had just received a long-awaited toy. The volunteer who was helping in the shoe area commented on how warm they would keep her feet, and the woman excitedly nodded her head and thanked the volunteer over and over for the shoes. As I helped to pack up the rest of the clothing items and pass around plates of lunch to the homeless hours afterward, I kept thinking about the woman with the shoes. When was the last time I opened a gift with that much excitement and enthusiasm, especially if the present was not my size or not exactly what I had wanted? How did this woman find the joy and hope within her to respond so eagerly, when she was in the midst of facing so many hardships? Why do I allow myself to lose my joy and enthusiasm when I am faced with a struggle in life, and she, who has struggled beyond anything I could possibly imagine, can get so excited over a pair of too-small used shoes? By the end of the morning, my experience volunteering with the homeless changed my perspective immensely. I no longer feared for my safety or complained about the cold or felt sorry for the men and women whom I served. Instead, I saw each person as a human being, with as much right to a meal and a set of warm clothes as anyone else. I saw each person as a parent or sibling or neighbor
Letters to the Editor In order to provide an open forum where students can discuss topics affecting their lives and education, the Rampage accepts Letters to the Editor. We offer the opportunity to encourage students, faculty members and patrons of the school to voice their opinion and use the newspaper as a medium for debate. We reserve the right to condense letters so they may fit the space requirements, or delete any that do not meet our standards of propriety. All letters must be signed; however, names will be withheld on request.
or spouse. I saw each person as someone who longed to be loved; as someone who grew up with the same dreams and hopes and fears as me; as someone who got an unlucky break but makes the best out of it; as someone who has their priorities in order. I went to the church in downtown Dallas that morning hoping to touch the lives of a group of people in need, and they ended up touching mine. Through this experience with the homeless, I realized that people in the world exist who know how to make the best out of disaster and how to retain their joy and dignity,
even without a roof over their heads or a warm blanket over their backs. In 2013, I strive to set my priorities straight. Many people left the courtyard that afternoon with a bag of new clothes in their hands, a warm meal in their bellies and a smile on their faces, thanking the volunteers and wishing us a merry late Christmas and a happy new year. I left with joy in my soul and a resolution in my heart to alter my perspective of the world and forever remain grateful for the multitude of blessings in my life.
Berkner Rampage 1600 Spring Valley Road Richardson, TX 75081 Editors-in-Chief Abby Hawthorne Ciara Mason Features Editor Harmony Holder Sports Editor Neyat Abraha Photo Editor Evelyn Alonso Assistant Photo Editor Charlie Gallegos Graphics Editor Gabe Medrano Staff Writers Tre Chappell Chinonye Duru Karilyn Gregson Forrest Milburn Michelle Pinilla Scarlett Smith Photographers Mario Espinoza Justin Jennings Maylan Raymundo Gaby Rodriguez Sponsor/Advisor Jarred Goodall Principal Mr. Ron Griffen
News
February 8, 2013
3
Band runs off video game music hits Forrest Milburn Staff Writer Mortal Kombat, Halo, God of War, PacMan, Tekken, Pong, Pokemon, Final Fantasy, Mario and Sonic are all examples of widely famous video and Arcade Games from the past and present. Many people around the world have most likely played one or more of the listed games at least once in their lifetimes. The graphics, the storyline and to some extent, violence and humor, are some of the important factors in why these games are widely popular all over the world. But one aspect of popular videogames tends to get overlooked: the soundtrack. According to Lydia Perkins, Berkner high school Bassonist and performer in Richardson’s Video Games Live concert, video game soundtracks are starting to be recognized for their quality and complexity, in addition to their respective video game. Video Games Live concert exhibits Richardson ISD fine arts talent by performing symphonic or“Video Games Live is a concert chestrations of popular video game soundtracks. (Photo provided by www.videogameslive.com) that was started by two big names in the video game industry, who like for us, we played Mario BrothVienna, London, Mexico City, Beijing picked to perform for Video Games I have played Skyrim, so being able ers, but in addition we also played and more. Live. I really liked it, because normalto hear that soundtrack was really Skyrim. So there’s a bunch of different This year was the first year Video ly in band, we tend to play one specif- cool. The guy who was speaking was contrasting pieces that were perGames Live has come to the Richic genre of music, while at the concert, also really funny and he told a lot of formed,” Perkins said. ardson area. A concert was held in I got to hear a whole new genre,” said jokes,” said Trinh. Video Games Live was produced late January at the Eisemann Center. Perkins. If you weren’t able to experience the by Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall, Instead of using a professional orchesSongs performed, included the amazing concert phenomena at the and first showcased on July 6, 2005 at tra, the producers decided to choose themes and soundtracks to God of Eisemann Center, you may still be able the Hollywood Bowl, where the Los the top players from the Richardson War, Legend of Zelda, Mega Man and to catch the next performance. It will Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra perschool district based on their All-Remore. be in Houston and is still in the works formed to an audience of about 11,000 gion audition results. Most likely to Kelly Trinh, a senior and viola player in terms of a set date and time. It will people. After that performance, Video showcase the district’s talented fine at Berkner high school, had a very be a fantastic experience for people of Games Live has expanded across the arts department. good experience while attending the all walks of the video game world. world, having the first ever videog“I was one of the highest scoring concert in late January. ame performances in Vancouver, Bassoonists in Richardson, so I was “I don’t really play video games, but
School cracks down on student ID badges Harmony Holder Features Editor Four years ago, the I.D badge policy changed, and this year it has changed again. Before Berkner was lenient with whether or not students had to wear their I.D.’s visibly, but due to recent events such as the shooting in Conneticut and people entering school campuses that were not their own, RISD has changed this policy as of Feb. 4. The faculty at Berkner did not regularly enforce the policy where students have to wear their I.D. badge visibly. Now, students must always wear their I.D visibly. This policy came about because there had been many recent incidents where schools had students or others who enter schools with no pertinent business on the campus. Former BHS teacher Mr. Daniel Baham shared a story, from years ago, in which a student from Richardson High School entered
Berkner’s campus during a school day. “When I worked at Berkner, I spent my afternoons visiting different classrooms and assisting teachers with technology in their classes. One afternoon, as I was walking from one room to another, I saw a student let another student into the building through one of the parking lot entrances. I didn’t recognize the student who came in, so I asked if he had a Berkner I.D. He told me, calmly and respectfully, that he didn’t go to school at Berkner but rather Richardson. When I asked why he was on the Berkner campus he replied that he was there to visit a friend. I walked with him to Ram Central and once the staff there began talking to him, I left.” The consequences for students not wearing their I.D.’s is similar to the tardy terminator consequences. If a student shows up to class with his/her I.D not visible around the neck then the
teacher is instructed to send him/her to the tardy terminator, where they will keep track of how many times students have not worn it. They will be sent to purchase a new I.D. if they do not have one. If students report to the terminator a certain amount of times, just like tardies, parents are contacted. As the number of violations pile up, Saturday detention and ISS come into play as well. “I hate the new policy because now I have another thing to worry about always having to stay out of trouble for school. Plus I.D.’s ruin your outfit,” said senior Brittany Tillman. Also, some students in organizations argue that on days they wear their uniform they should not have to wear their I.D. Sophomore Lydia Cahill said, “If I am wearing my Bando sweats then it is pretty obvious I go to this school. I shouldn’t have to have any more proof that I do. If an I.D.
is worn to show that I do go to Berkner and I am suppose to be at the school then why would I wear it with my uniform. My uniform should make it pretty clear I do attend Berkner.” However, Journalism teacher Mr. Jarred Goodall agrees with the new policy
and hopes it continues to be emphasized in the future. “I am always for schools promoting safety for our students,” Mr. Goodall said. “Our students should be thankful that this rule was made, especially in light of recent events.”
The Langua
What is your partners language? According to author Gary Chapman, there are five languages of love. All, or only a few, may actually pertain to you, but the important message sent across the pages of this book is to learn your partner’s love language. I was a skeptic too, until a strong advocate for the book, Mr. Jeff Bishop, had a conversation with me about how he happily applies the message to his marriage. His wife has learned how to convey that she loves him by learning Mr. Bishop’s love language and he has done the same for her. “The five love languages us one of the best concepts I have ever heard about. It’s changed my marriage. Instead of two grumpy people feeling unappreciated and unloved in the same household, we now understand each other. I have learned how my wife sees love and now know what to do to make her feel appreciated and cared for.“ Chapman claims that people adhere to five different means to communicate love: · Quality time: This person loves eye contact, shared activities or just any form of bonding time. · Receiving gifts: Often buying gifts for their significant other these people will want to be shown love through gifts of self, buying something for them with meaning or just giving them something to let them know you were thinking of them. · Words of affection: People who want constant verbal affirmation enjoy it when their partner showers them with compliments and are often sensitive to criticism. · Physical touch: If this is the language of your partner they will be very affectionate or, as some like to call it, touchy-feely. If you deny your partner some form of this affection they may feel unloved. · Acts of service: Some people love doing things for others, these people also enjoy it when this is done for them out of love, not obligation. Simple things like cleaning for them or helping them out with something unexpectedly.
Fun Facts Jazmine likes to call Alejandro ‘Nuggets’ and they have been together for almost two years! -Alejandro L.and Jazmine J.
What’s something romantic you do for your partner? “We like to go to the place where we first met.” -Kain G. and Yvette R.
Now available at Barnes and Nobles and Half Price Books.
A cute gesture Marco has done for his girlfriend is give her a Hello Kitty and both agree that their better half can be hard headed and stress out too much. -Marco B. and Leslie V.
ages of Love
Easy Gift Ideas for Valentines Day Have flowers delivered to your valentine’s house or work place. Don’t forget to have all the details worked out! Not a fan of flowers?Why not send a bouquet of fruit? Edible Arrangements can help you.
Candy is always great but traditional mixed chocolates can get a little old. Try making your valentine a fun snack or giving them a gift basket that has some of their favorite little treats! You can also go on mymms.com and personalize your own m&m’s for your valentine!
Got a valentine that likes little thing-a-ma-jigs and doodads? Thinkgeek.com and Amazon have fun little gadgets for an easy price. You can almost never go wrong with a stuffed animal. Theyre cheap, cute, and something your valentine will see and remember you by.
Reviews
February 8, 2013
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Theatre say ‘bye-bye’ to Birdie
Junior John H. gets in tune with the other cast members of the BHS’ theatre’s winter show, “Bye Bye, Birdie.” The BHS’ theatre performed the musical in the auditorim on Jan. 31-Feb.2 (Photo provided by Scarlett Smith.)
Scarlett Smith Staff Writer This winter’s theatre production was the musical ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ which premiered on Jan. 31st and through Feb. 2nd. ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ is about a rock star named Conrad Birdie who is drafted into the army. Before he goes, his manager, Albert Peterson, wants to have him kiss a fan as a symbolic goodbye kiss to all his fans on The Ed Sullivan, Show while singing a song written by Albert. The fan chosen is Kim McAfee of Sweet Apple, Ohio. However, problems arise when Hugo, Kim’s boyfriend, becomes jealous, Rosie wants Albert to quit the music business so they can settle down, while Mae, Albert’s mom, tries to break him and his girlfriend Rosie up. In the end though, Rosie and Albert have a happy ending. “My favorite character was definitely Rosie. Brighton Yoder did a wonderful job. Her dancing was the best part of the show,” said junior Roberto Rios. The important part of Kim McAfee is played by senior Samantha Copeland, who has spent almost everyday working with everyone preparing for the show. “The most stressful part is making sure I have everything ready for the show and making sure I don’t miss any cue or entrance,” said Copeland. Along with Samantha, there are many other important parts in the musical. Conrad Birdie was played by senior Matthew McLaughlin, Albert was played by junior William Harris and Mae was played by senior Haley Meeks. “The best part of the show is being around such fun, supportive and awesome people, and the excitement of performing,” said Copeland. Since November, the cast and crew have been rehearsing every Monday-Thursday until 6:30 p.m. During winter break, they rehearsed the choreography, and in January they would practice on Satur-
days as well. “Getting ready included a lot of practice and doing my lines over and over again,” said Copeland. The co-director, Mrs. Camille Haley, has put a lot of work in making her first musical production at Berkner High School and has made it a show where many people can get involved. “We also have adults and teachers in the musical as well as junior high students, so I’m trying to make it a community type production. Sometimes it’s hard to organize the peoples’ schedules and organizing all the things (props and costumes) that go into a big show takes time,” said Mrs. Haley. Along with Mrs. Haley, the co-director, Mrs. Laura Jordan, made sure everything from the lights, sounds and sets were ready for the show. The choir director, Mr. Doug Council, was in charge of making sure the chorus and cast sounded good for their musical numbers. Behind the scenes, senior and stage manager Gar-
ret Jones made sure everything else ran smoothly. “To make a musical run you dont just need the actors. It takes a strong set, lights, mics, props and movers to make it all work,” said Jones. Without the tech crew, the scene of the musical would be non-existent, their would be no props to make the musical more realistic and no mics to hear the leads belt out their tunes. “The actors spend months getting all of the theatrical parts perfect. In the last two weeks before the show, the tech adds in their effects and the show comes together,” said Jones. This year, the DSM judges attended one of the shows to choose nominations for the DSM high school musical awards this summer. Last year, Berkner received 7 nominations for its musical but no awards.
Features
February 8, 2013
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Future console upgrades on way Tre Chappell Staff Writer Normally, when a new console is launched, the Internet is set on fire with anxiousness and speculation. That didn’t happen with the Wii U and that makes me wonder if we even need new consoles? The current generation of consoles is almost seven years old, and that means that their hardware is at least four years out of date. Even with that being said, the currently being made continue to look beautiful. Since I’m more of an Xbox fan, we will start with them. Last year, specs leaked for the next Xbox, codenamed Durango. Those specs claimed that Durango would have a 16-core CPU. But is that necessary? Personally I am anxious, even though I’m a proud owner of an Xbox 360 and I do not see the need of a new console, it would be exciting to see what this new console can do. On the other hand, the new Xbox is supposedly five times as powerful as the current iteration. If it is actually that powerful then the graphics and power could make for a gaming experience that is out of this world. Lionel Gardner, a senior animation student, said, “Xbox has lost the battle between it and PlayStation for years. I hope this new Xbox will set a new mark for gaming sys-
tems”. So, I am not the only one who wants to see what the new Xbox will be able to do and how it performs against its long time rivals, Sony and Nintendo, or even the newcomer Valve is working on. After the Xbox, comes Nintendo’s Wii U. The Wii was a revolutionary console that introduced motion controls to gaming. Nintendo has become the jet setter of the gaming world but when does it become innovation just for innovations sake? The Wii U is a second screen to go with your Wii. It allows gamers to take their games on the go, like the PS Vita does for the PS3, or the Microsoft SmartGlass is attempting to do with Xbox 360. In addition to the others is Sony’s newest PlayStation, codenamed Orbis, the PS3 got off to a rocky start with the system being overpriced, so Orbis will have to watch out for the same trap. Sony’s console undoubtedly had the best graphics of this generation and Orbis is expects to keep that tradition going. Last but most certainly not least; is Valve’s attempt to bring your computer to the television screen… the Steam Box. This is Valve’s first time putting out a console, but it is not a beginner when it comes to building a media center to buy and play games. They own Steam, a website, that al-
Freshman Isidlo G. manuvers through “BlackOps2” on Playstation 3. Although video game consoles function better than ever, the companies continue to strive for improvements. (Photo provided by Charlie Gallegos.) lows you to download, make and play hundreds of games on your computer. The Steam Box won’t have an optical drive, which will make it smaller and cheaper, but it also means that you will need an Internet connection to
even buy a game. The Steam Box will be the first console to completely do away with discs, which might not be a big deal to their normal fan base but may turn off the average console gamer. Like I said earlier, I’m
anxious for the new consoles to see what they can do, but I won’t be one of the people buying any of them day one. How do you, the reader, feel about this?
Dio dives into classic album Karilyn Gregson
Staff Writer Over the break, I delved through the cd’s and albums that I got for Christmas and the one that stood out to me the most was Holy Diver by Dio. Seeing that I’m massively obsessed with Dio at the moment, I decided to review it. Also, I thought it would be a fitting tribute to the late, great, Ronnie James Dio, who passed away on May 16, 2010. Ronnie James Dio started out professionally singing in a band called Elf. They would frequently open for Deep Purple; the band Ritchie Blackmore left, before forming the band Rainbow. To accompany him, he asked Dio to be the singer. Dio sang on three Rainbow albums, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Rising and Long Live Rock and Roll. Dio left Rainbow after an invitation to join Black Sabbath as a replacement for Ozzy Osbourne. Dio did two albums with them, Heaven and Hell and The Mob Rules before leaving in 1982. Dio then started his own band with Vivian Campbell, Jimmy Bain, who played bass on Rainbow’s Rising when Dio was still in Rainbow, and Vinny Appice, who was in Black Sabbath with Dio. Holy Diver starts out with the powerful, energetic song, “Stand Up and Shout.” Afterward, it is followed up nicely by the title track, “Holy Diver.” The song is very religiously controversial because it’s said to be describing, “the beast’s heading to
Hades,” but I don’t believe any of that, and I don’t think anyone else does either. Other than that, it’s a fantastic song and it’s always played at Dio concerts. The next song, “Gypsy,” is where I usually begin listening. I love this song and how it starts out. The riff is just amazing. Following is “Caught In The Middle.” The opening riff sounds a lot like “Lady Strange” by Def Leppard, which is why it always takes me by surprise, but it’s an amazing track. “Don’t Talk To Strangers” is the song that follows. The main reason I bought Holy Diver is because of this song. It starts out slow and then the guitar really kicks in, making the song really intense. This is one of my favorite songs from the album. Next is “Straight Through The Heart,” another intense song, mostly because of the heavy drumbeat. This was one of the songs I would listen to often when I only had The Very Beast Of Dio, the greatest hits album. Now my Dio library has expanded, thanks to my friends who love them too. Following that is “Invisible.” There’s a quote from this song that repeats on everything Holy Diver related. It says, “If your circle stays unbroken, then you’re a lucky man because it never never never has for me.” When Dio sang this line in Holy Diver-Live, he sounded like he was going to cry. The song starts out similar to “Don’t Talk To Strangers,” with the
slow intro but gets more intense. Honestly, I prefer the live version of the song, but it’s still a great track. I couldn’t possibly imagine a song to follow that up, but “Rainbow In The Dark” came next. Although it’s probably one of Dio’s most popular and overplayed songs, along with “Holy Diver,” I still love listening to it. “Rainbow In The Dark” was also the first Dio song I’ve ever heard. It’s the song that got me to love Dio so much. It’s always been close to my heart. By the end of the album, I am usually tired of listening to it and I want to move on to something else, but this time, it was different. After “Rainbow In The Dark,” I was still hungry for more Dio. Luckily, “Shame On The Night,” was at the end waiting for me. Just looking at the name reminds me of the bass-laden intro. After “Shame On The Night” was over, I was sad because it marked the end of the album, but I realized that I could just listen to the album again, so I did. The producer also happens to be Ronnie James Dio, the lead vocalist and he did a great job of producing the album. I don’t believe he’s produced any other bands, but good job to him anyway. I would recommend this album to anyone who has two ears and a heart. If you like Dio, then you might want to check out Rainbow or Black Sabbath. Also, you might also want to check out Holy Diver-Live, a recording done in London in 2006.
Features
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February 8, 2013
A night to celebrate BHS cultures Annual culture event to take place March 5
Michelle Pinilla Staff Writer For many years, Berkner High School’s melting pot of cultures has been displayed for students, parent and teachers to learn about and enjoy. Multicultural Night has been a hit each year and just keeps getting better. The various cultures are not only presented by not only the student body, but parents meet the teachers while they’re enjoying themselves. “It’s a great experience to see all the diversity that we have at Berkner,” sophomore Mandy Nguyen said. Each year, the number of parent’s going to Multicultural Night increases. Before this tradition started, not many parents attended, but now the cafeteria is packed. With the help of BHS Assistant Principal Ms. Karen Black and PTA members, this special night has been a huge success. “The purpose of Multicultural Night is to showcase some of the cultures represented at Berkner High School. It’s also designed to allow parents an opportunity to meet with their child’s teachers. Each year, I strive to make Multicultural Night more of a success via increase of participants and viewers,” Ms. Black said. The night will include food, displays of cultural examples from many nationalities, and performances from several clubs and organizations. Groups such as Bandoleras, Ramblers, Dance, Level Two Japanese class and several more groups are expected to perform and/or set up displays. Sophomore Bandolera member Harmony Holder thinks Multicultural Night is a great event to perform at. “I think it will help get our name out there and for people to see us, if they haven’t yet. I like the opportunity to perform for a different type of crowd.”
BHS’ eighth annual Multicultural night will take place on Tuesday, March 5 in the cafeteria. One group in particular that was present last year was Ms. Shigeko Metcalf’s Japanese class, she and her class will once again be joining the cultural event this year. “They performed a very popular Japanese drama, baked Japanese cookies, and displayed origami figures. The kids enjoyed it all,” she said. More cultures that will be displayed inclue Spanish, German and French,
with their foods and entertainment all for enjoyment of their audience. “We shared gummy bears, German chocolate, and pictures from Oktoberfest, it was really fun,” German teacher Ms. Mitra Ernst said. Arisdelsi Nuñez, sophomore who has attended Multicultural Night, said, “It’s really interesting to learn about different cultures and tasting their type of foods. You can also meet
new people and you have lots of fun!” Multicultural Night will be held in Berkner’s cafeteria, on March 5, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. If interested in having a good time and getting to know about the BHS student body, then stop by and learn more about each culture. “It’s really fun because isaw many things from around the world,” junior Michael Belete said.
Soccer teams aim for goal of playoff berth Both teams off to good start in district, on way to playoff return Chinonye Duru Staff Writer
Last season, the BHS boys’ soccer team won the district 9-5A title, rising all the way to a number 3 national ranking. This year, along with the BHS girls’ soccer team, the boys want to return to the playoffs. “There is only one way to improve and that is to practice like you play,” said BHS boys’ soccer coach Juan
Beracochea. Last season was Berkner’s first trip to the playoffs in six years and the first under coach Beracochea. The team progresses with each practice, and uses practice as a game-like experience. “Soccer season has been great so far. I’m looking forward to a great rest of the season,” said junior Mohammed Alrawi. Like the boys, the Lady
Rams soccer team finished last season in the playoffs. The girls also seek a playoff return. As the season continues, the team uses film study to seek out flaws. So far the team has been wonderful, but it continues to work on team bonding. “I love the team this year. Everybody gives their best. This season is going to be great,” said junior Kelly Baxter. There are new players to the team this year, even some who are new to the sport. The new players continue to
adjust. “We have some really good players that are playing new positions and are new to the team,” said BHS girls’ soccer coach Chuck Brandon. Both the girls and boys opened district on, Jan. 29, against rival Lake Highlands. The boys fell short against the Wildcats, 2-0. “QUOTE” While the boys lost, the girls defeated the lady Wildcats, 3-1. “The girls did a great job. They definitely dominated and did what they needed to win,” says coach Brandon.
The boys followed their district-opening loss with a 0-0 tie against Jesuit on Feb. 1, while the girls were off. Both teams followed with 1-0 wins against Sunset on Feb. 2 “It was a really good game, and it was the best we played all season,” said sophomore Teresa Schuman. Both teams’ will have their next games against Pearce tonight at 7:30 p.m. The girls will host Pearce, while the boys hit the road.