Softball season pg. 18
CCTD performs The Crucible pg. 8
PALs and Best Buddies go to APE Field Day pg. 9
CCISD debuts District Challenger Columbia stadium By Anna Scheuring Reporter
On March 11, the new Clear Creek ISD Challenger Columbia Stadium opened its gates to the public after nearly two years of construction. The multipurpose stadium will serve as the home for CCISD’s five high schools. The stadium was originally planned to debut before the 2015 football season with the hopes of hosting games, but the constant rain showers delayed the grand opening. “There’s not much you can do about Mother Nature. Every time we had a shipment of concrete delivered or needing to be delivered, that’s when the big rains came,” Bill Dawes, CCISD Director of Athletics, said. The Challenger Columbia Stadium stands for the purpose of not only facilitating sports and activities in CCISD, but also honoring the fourteen fallen heroes of Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia. The deaths of the astronauts in 1986 and 2003 had a strong impact on the CCISD community, as students and faculty in CCISD knew the crew-either as a friend or a family member. The stadium will stand in honor of the explorers so current and future students will always remember the legacy that the brave men and women astronauts created on their final missions. At the opening ceremony, the five
CCISD schools walked on to the field through their school mascot inflatable tunnels, represented by their athletic team
as the Clear Springs JROTC presented The Colors. Senior Mariah Pardo, former Clear Creek volleyball player and Dart-
and band. Hundreds of people Photo by Katie Rodriguez mouth commit, welcomed the gathered in the stadium seats to audience. The CCISD Board watch the introductory video for the stadi- President Dr. Laura DuPont then added um. The video highlighted the phenomenal to the introductory ceremony, calling the progress from dirt to a beautiful stadium. new stadium “just right for CCISD”. More The Clear Creek High School Symphonic speeches followed from JSC’s Center DiChorale opened the event with a flawless rector Dr. Ellen Ochoa and from Astrodeliverance of the Star Spangled Banner naut Mike Fincke, who spoke on behalf
of NASA. In a touching and memorable moment, the Clear Brook Celebrities performed a dance while the voices of George Bush and Ronald Reagan echoed the stadium with their well-known speeches that confronted the Challenger and Columbia mission disasters. Many family members of the fallen astronauts were present at the ceremony to watch their loved ones be honored. They were given a Legacy Brick as a token of remembrance of the crew, and an identical of the brick was laid into the wall of the stadium. The stadium can hold up to 10,000 people. The press box includes a film deck and a control room that will be entirely student-run for the purpose of further educating the film and production students in CCISD. Football plays and track events can be watched on the new scoreboard, a 34-foot by 19-foot LED screen. The stadium also includes air-conditioned restrooms, a field house that can act as a banquet and lecture venue, and an expansive concession area. The facility will accommodate soccer and football games, track and field meets, graduations, robotic competitions, local community events, band competitions, and a district wide Science Fair. The Challenger Columbia Stadium hosted the District Track meet on April 11 and April 13, and the Region III Track Meet on April 29-30.
Annual Pink Bow Classic football game ends in tie By Emily Ruthven Around Creek Editor
The class of 2016 battled the class of 2017 in the annual Pink Bow Classic football game at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, April 13. The game ended in a 6-6 tie. Both teams were given an after school practice for the game to determine positions and practice plays. On game day, all participants of the Pink Bow Classic were fed Chick-Fil-A, cookies, and fruit. Then, the teams took the field. In the first half, both teams held each other off decently, keeping the scoreboard at zero until there were 7 minutes left in the half. Then Mackenzie Pruitt, a junior receiver, scored a touchdown. Juniors in the audience cheered. The half ended with a score of 6-0, juniors. At half time, the junior and senior boys dance team, dubbed the Swagaliers, put on an elaborate show. Songs from their three-minute performance include Price Tag from the movie Pitch Perfect, Drool, Single Ladies, Whip/Nae Nae, Fergalicious, Hit the Quan, and Run the World. “I was excited to show the world our dance,” Hunter Kim, senior co-captain, said. Kim was quite excited to perform the dance. “I bedazzled my shirt with pink and clear diamonds,” he said. “Pink Bow is a boy’s one and only chance to
act like a girl and be praised for it.” Each Swagalier wore a cavalier skirt, leg-
sic started but only continued for about 15 seconds before cutting out. The boys,
Photo by Leo Solis
gings, pink or purple socks, the Pink Bow Classic official t-shirt, and pink ribbon on the shoulders of the shirt. Junior and Senior lieutenants and captains wore the official cavalier maroon and silver sequin hats. “Its fun to put yourself out there and do something that isn’t traditionally done,” senior co-captain Drew Huddleston said. When the boys first took the field, the mu-
however, continued their dance regardless. The crowed cheered in support of the team. The Swagaliers were more than half way through their dance and the music still had not returned, so they stopped. The crowed chanted for “music!” After a few dead minutes, the music finally returned and the team was able to complete their dance. “Its really fun to do something like this.
Everyone tried really hard and we all cared a lot. I danced my little heart out,” junior Swagalier Jordan Better said. Dance moves included, The Whip, blowing kisses, a kick line, and imaginary hair flips, which made them feel “fabulous.” “My favorite part of the dance had to be the kick line,” senior Swagalier Tyler Ashorn said. Some dance moves were certainly more elaborate and difficult than others, according to the Swagaliers. “The hardest dance move is the ‘human centipede’ in Hit the Quan,” Robert Gonzales, a senior Swagalier, said. The human centipede dance move is essentially The Worm, but with multiple people. Each Swagalier completed a push up directly after the preceding Swagalier had completed theirs. “Being a Swagalier means being a part of the best dance team this side of the creek,” Gonzales said. At the start of the second half, the senior running back Anna Scheuring scored a touchdown. However, the juniors held them off from any further scoring. At the conclusion of the game, the senior and junior teams met in the middle of the field, begging for overtime. However, administrators decided it was best to end the game in a tie. The junior-senior competition will have to wait another year before it can be settled once and for all.
2
Opinion
What is something people don’t know about what we do as staff in newspaper? “There are major roles amongst us that are given based on our
“As Editor-in-Chief, I both run the class and have final say on the layout and
writing and technical skills.
stories in the paper. Because the class
If one proves him or herself
and paper is entirely student run, I do a
enough in writing they can
lot more than just edit.”
become managing editor, who
- Emily Berthiaume (12)
makes sure everyone is work-
“We do ad calls where you have to talk to whole paper.” seven different - Troylon Griffin II (11) businesses “The amount of business every week.” experiences you recieve from the - Anna Scheuring HiLife really makes newspaper (12) more than a class. Its a chance ing and makes edits on the
to grow and prepare for the real world.” - Alyssa Lobue (10)
“We get free tickets for events and write about them.”
“Photographers go to events and load their photos into our server.” - Jose Mares Jr. (10)
“Most people don’t know that we are completely student run and sell our own advertisements. The responsbility this kind of environment teaches us is beneficial and unique.” - Lindsey Loechel (10)
“In order to print the paper, we call local businesses and try to sell ads. We learn to be salesmen, reporters, and photographers.” - Evelyn Salinas (11)
“People don’t know we do a lot for our school like take photos.” - Kevin Briones (12)
- Tiffany Wade (12)
“We cover almost all school events and get pictures for every organization.” - Asiel Velasco (11)
“People don’t know all “We have festivus parties the time and after every issue where we eat food, play games, and talk the dedication that goes into an issue.” whole period!” - Alayna Grover (10) - Issac Villarreal (11)
“We learn to work with high tech cameras and photoshop.” - Aleida Solesky (11)
“Editing weeks, where we assemble the newspaper, are one of the most stressful times of the year.” - Emily Ruthven (11)
“We take pictures with each other.” - Alyssa Hutchison (9)
“We learn leadership skills by working our way up to be editors.” - Hannah Pearson (11)
“We go to events and take pictures.” - Justin Staton (9) “We all have to work together to create a newspaper once a month.” - Katie Rodriguez (10)
“We write stories about current events around the globe.” - Leo Solis (12)
2015-2016
HiLife Staff
Principal: Jamey Majewski Advisor: Wynette Jameson Editor-in-Chief: Emily Berthiaume Managing Editor: Troylon Griffin II Design Editor: Hannah Pearson Features Editor: Emily Berthiaume Teen Interest Editor: Alyssa Lobue Sports Editor: Troylon Griffin II Around Creek Editor: Emily Ruthven News Editor: Tiffany Wade Advertising Manager: Issac Villarreal Photo Editor: Evelyn Salinas Hannah Pearson Online Editors: Evelyn Salinas Leo Solis
Photographers: Alyssa Hutchison Jose Mares Jr. Katie Rodriguez Aleida Solesky Justin Staton Asiel Velasco Kevin Briones
Reporters: Lindsey Loechel Anna Scheuring Alayna Glover
Published at Mirror Publishers in Texas City www.creekhilife.com For ad rates call: (281)284-1889 Fax: (281)316-0587
3
Editorial
Emily’s Editorial: Women on money?
By Emily Berthiaume Editor-in-Chief On April 20, 2016, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced that abolitionist and humanitarian Harriet Tubman would be the new face of the $20 bill, moving slave owner Andrew Jackson to the rear of the bill. Around 2030, when the bill is released into circulation, she will become the first women to ever be the face of U.S. national currency in the long racist and sexist history of our country. Harriet Tubman is one of the greatest figures in American history. Born into slavery, she escaped and made thirteen missions back to the South, freeing approximately seventy slaves and their families using the Underground Railroad. She fought for women’s suffrage, and was quoted as saying “I suffered enough to believe it” when asked if she thought women should be allowed to vote. She was a spy for the Union during the Civil War, and was the first women to lead an armed
expedition in the war, guiding the raid at Combahee Ferry which freed 700 slaves. However, her accomplishments are not enough to earn her a spot nation’s currency. Out of all the great men and women in American history, she really did not have the most impact in the long run. Women should be on American money, eventually. Men did not and will not exclusively affect American history, and therefore they should not be exclusively honored. However, as of today, I do not believe that any woman has contributed as much to American history as the current men on the money, mostly due to sexism. A woman has never been elected president. This needs to change, and it will in the near future. But until the passage of the 19th amendment in 1920, women were not even allowed to vote in elections, yet alone run in them. This stems from the inherent sexism that was historically prevalent in America and the world in general. Women are and have always been just as capable of being president as men, but have not yet because of societal expectations and the general thinking that women are inferior that was standard for so long. Because of this, women have not made as valuable contributions to American history as men have. Yet. We honor presidents, one Secretary of the Treasury, and whatever it was Benjamin Franklin was on our money. We honor those who changed America so drastically that it would not be the same today had they not existed. Harriet Tubman accomplished much in her lifetime for what she was allowed to accomplish. However, what she
did does not stack up with what presidents such as Andrew Jackson did to shape America. Tubman freed 70 slaves in her lifetime, Abraham Lincoln legally freed them all forever. He was able to accomplish this because of his position as president, which Tubman could never even dream to achieve at the time because of her gender and race, regardless of how capable she was. Andrew Jackson was the seventh president, served as a courier during the Revolutionary war, helped lead a decisive victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812, and played a
early in his career. This is just one aspect of Prince that truly demonstrates his musicianship and his talent. In his first five albums, the raw, maximalist energy that he puts into every song is evident. Guitar, drums, saxophones, bass, piano, bells, cymbals, bongos and synthesizers are just a few of the instruments that encompass what one hears on those early records. The amount of hard work and time Prince must have put in playing all these instruments separately and then putting them all together is something only Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, an admitted fan of Prince, and Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco have done, and the fact that Prince did such a thing first speaks for itself. For Prince, making his music was everything, and he proved this by putting his heart, soul and energy into his music. Unlike many artists at the time, like Michael Jackson, who would release an album every four years, Prince produced and released albums at a rapid rate, with a new album coming out almost every year. Friends and associates noted that Prince would work day and night, with recording sessions lasting 24 to 36 hours. Prince’s tour manager Alan Leed once said that for every song on Purple
Rain, “there are 30 to 40 songs that didn’t make the cut because they just didn’t fit.” Then there’s the music itself. Look at the artists that have cited Prince as an influence, and you will see just how eclectic his music was. Even today, people have trouble describing exactly what genre Prince’s
heroes is fickle and constantly changing. Alexander Hamilton seemed he would be the first to be given the boot a couple years back, as he was never even president, until a hip-hop Broadway musical about his extraordinary life and untimely death became hugely popular. If something as simple as Hamilton could save Alex’s face, why is so much weight given to whom America honors? Who we hold in esteem is constantly shifting because of the way morals change over time. It is not fair to judge a founding father by the moral code of today. Achievements to history cannot be qualified by the failings of a personal life, as the two have nothing to do with each other. If we judge every detail of every historical figures life by what we decide is right or wrong, there is no one left to honor. All historical figures are problematic (Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War, Washington signed into law the first Fugitive Slave Act, Hamilton was involved in the slave trade, etc.), yet we can choose to honor them for what they accomplished while understanding that no one is perfect. Jackson did not deserve to be removed from money any more than any other founding father. Harriet Tubman, while an important historical figure, does not deserve to be on money any more than other women whose accomplishments were just as or more important, such as Susan B. Anthony. The history of our country is fraught with mistakes, but we must honor those whose contributions to the course of America were the most significant.
“I have always been afraid of banks.” - Andrew Jackson major part in acquiring Florida from Spain. He stopped South Carolina from seceding during the Nullification Crisis, dismantled the Second Bank of the United States, and even recognized Texas for the first time. Manifest Destiny was his war cry, and he pushed for America to move west. Beside his accomplishments, there were some failures. He signed the Indian Removal Act, starting the Trail of Tears, was a slave owner, and introduced the spoils system. He was by no means perfect or even honorable. However, he did shape the country into what it is today. Without him, America would be vastly different. The same cannot be said about Harriet Tubman. Who America chooses to honor as
Troylon’s Talks: Remembering Prince
By Troylon Griffin II Managing Editor The loss of Prince is something that has truly shaken the music world. News sources and musicians make no exaggeration when they say that the world has loss a true artist. Prince was indeed the innovator and the visionary. Prince is an exceptional artist for many reasons. Compared to greats like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, only a small amount can be written about him. When VH1 ranked the 100 Greatest Artists of all time, host Jim Sheer noted that Prince was definitely one of the most “mysterious” voices in music. As demonstrated by the private ceremony for his death, Prince certainly was a private artist. One thing that many may not know about Prince is that he played all the instruments one hears on his album, especially
multiple occasions. Prince never gave in to the popular audiences. While Michael Jackson made what was desired and popular while still being original, Prince made what he wanted and it was that alien sound that attracted his fans. Prince released albums every year whether they were liked or not, and as a way to relieve himself from his contractual obligations to Warner Bros. Prince’s refusal to give in to the masses can be seen by how his music cannot be found on any music streaming service such as Spotify and Pandora, and isn’t even officially on YouTube. Prince was a genuine artist who felt that only he should make money from his music. .Music journalist Toure wrote in his book I Would Die 4 U, a book on Prince’s success, that icons tell generations what they’re feeling before they know it and can articulate it. Well, I certainly agree with Toure when he says that Prince was one of those people. Many were shocked by Prince’s music at the time when it came out, but it wasn’t long before many were taking inspiration from Prince, both lyrically and musically. No one was playing all their instruments at the time and making the same sound as Prince, and it was this that made him gain a following and ultimately become a legend among a pantheon of legends.
“The most important thing is to be true to yourself. But I also like danger. That’s what’s missing from pop music today. There’s no excitement or mystery.” - Prince music is. Music critics and magazines try to say that he was a new kind of rock star. But obviously some say otherwise. While Prince’s music did have elements of rockPrince was even inducted to the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2004- he certainly wasn’t just rock. For reasons we may never know, Prince never tried to make his music worth one label. One song alone isn’t just rock or pop or R&B, but instead is a maximalist, twisted, eclectic amalgamation of genres both mainstream and underground. There’s a reason Prince never gained the same popularity of Michael Jackson, whom Prince has been compared to on
4
News
President Obama makes history by visiting Cuba By Emily Berthiaume Editor-in-Chief
President Obama became the first sitting president in 88 years to visit the island nation of Cuba during a historic visit in late March, 15 months after he announced the restoration of diplomatic ties between the United States and Cuba. Obama participated in an official state dinner, held a bilateral meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro, spoke to entrepreneurs and dissidents, attended a baseball game, and addressed the Cuban people in a historic speech. A decades-long trade embargo, which Castro called the “the most important obstacle to our economic development and the wellbeing of the Cuban people” is still in place between the United States in Cuba, and can only be lifted by Congress. While Obama has made it clear he wishes to remove the embargo, he recognizes that it will not be done by the end of his term. The Obama administration has eased restrictions in Cuba, including making it easier for individuals to travel to Cuba by themselves and not in a tour group, allowing American companies to hire Cuban nationals, and adjusting the U.S. banking system to process money from Cuba. Direct flight agreements and the direct mail delivery are also in the works; the recent first direct mail delivery included a letter to President Obama.
Some lawmakers did oppose the trip, including some Cuban-American Democrats and Republicans who do not agree with the normalization of rela-
“frank” and “at times awkward” exchange between the two world leaders included traded criticism of their countries, however, both claimed to be committed to con-
U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro shake hands before delivering remarks to the people of Cuba at the El Gran Teatro de Havana on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, in Havana, Cuba. (Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/TNS)
tions between the two countries while the Castro family is still in power. Obama declared a “new day of openness” between the U.S. and Cuba at his dual press conference and meeting with Raul Castro at the Revolutionary Palace. The
tinuing on a path of normalizing relations. While press conferences in which journalists ask tough or prying questions are commonplace in the United States, Castro seemed flustered by the onslaught of questions, and quickly became defensive when
asked about political prisoners held in Cuba. “Give me a list of the political prisoners and I will release them immediately,” Castro said. “Just mention the list. What political prisoners?” Castro also stated that countries like the United States that do not provide healthcare, education, or equal pay to all citizens should not criticize Cuba, and the military base of Guantanamo Bay should be returned to his country. “I affirm that Cuba’s destiny will not be decided by the United States or any other nation,” Obama said in the speech. “Cuba is sovereign and rightly has great pride, and the future of Cuba will be decided by Cubans, not by anybody else.” Obama then attended a baseball game of the Tampa Rays vs. the Cuban National team with wife Michelle and daughters Sasha, and Malia. In a speech to the Cuban people the next day, Obama called for the U.S. and Cuba to “leave the past behind” and make a “journey as friends and neighbors and as family, together” to the future. “I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas,” he said to applause. “I have come here to extend the hand of friendship to the Cuban people. Not everyone agrees with me on this,” Obama said, “but I believe those human rights are universal. I believe they are the rights of the American people, the Cuban people and people around the world.”
Brussels airport bombing kills 35 and injures 300 By Tiffany Wade News Editor
On March 22, terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium killed 35 people and left 300 others wounded. The death toll later increased when four people that were injured in the blast died in the hospital. That morning, two homemade bombs exploded in the check-in area of the airport, followed by another bomb at a busy subway station. A third bomb was found unexploded at the airport, but the two that were detonated blew holes in the roof and maimed scores of people as they waited to check their baggage. As police searched for suspects, they carried out 13 raids around the area and took nine people in for questioning. Six of them were released and three remained in custody. Those three men were charged in Belgium on Monday March 21 and were accused of participating in the activities of a terrorist group. However, investigators have been tight-lipped about the specific allegations against people who are in custody. In the days since the attacks, a number of people were arrested and charged, only to be released later when investigators said the evidence against them was not conclusive. Their names are listed in an 11-page security bulletin that was circulated among Euro-
pean law enforcement agencies on March 23, the day after the Brussels attacks. Two other bombers who were a part of the attack were brothers Khalid and
fied as Faycal C. who was charged with “terrorist murder” was being set free. All but one of the suspects were said to either have connections to Abdelha-
‘’Nous sommes Bruxelles’’ (We are Brussels) is written on a small Belgian flag next to flowers and candles outside the stock exchange at Place de la Bourse in Brussels on Tuesday, March 22, 2016. (Federico Gambarini/DPA/Zuma Press/TNS)
Brahim el-Bakaoui. Brahim took part in the attack at the airport, where 11 people died and Khalid struck at the Maelbeek metro, where 20 people died. Furthermore, authorities announced that a man they had identi-
mid Abaaoud, the leader of the stacks in Paris, or Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor among the Paris attackers, who was arrested earlier in Brussels and was declared as Europe’s most wanted man. The third bomber, however, remained
anonymous within the investigation. “It clearly is a setback,” Paul Cruickshank, CNN terrorism analyst, said. “They clearly at a certain point, perhaps based on eyewitness reports, believed that he might have been at the airport, might have been involved. They clearly do not now believe that…so there’s this manhunt that goes on.” Authorities in Belgium and the United States have a list of people who they believe he could be, and they are following leads from multiple places. “The lack of identification to me is surprising,” Philip Mudd, a former CIA official and CNN counterterrorism analyst, said. Belgian police renewed their call for tips about the suspect and released a video revealing him walking through the airport, however, they remained unable to identify exactly who it was. At the airport, officials said they were trying to get things up and running, but more work needed to be done. Hundreds of staffers conducted tests of a temporary setup for security screenings, checking in and checking luggage. “The simple fact,” the airport said, “is that a restart in the short term is not possible in the devastated infrastructure.”
News
5
Apple refuses to unlock encrypted phone for FBI By Alyssa Lobue Teen Interest Editor
Apple’s case against the Federal Bureau of Investigation officially ended March 30, 2016. This argument was due to the FBI’s demand for Apple to extract data from one of their products. The product was seized by the DEA and the FBI and handed over to Apple when they were unable to overcome the security measures of the phone. The product was a phone formerly owned by Syed Rizwan, one of the two shooters that carried out the San Bernardino shooting. The FBI had asked Apple to make a customized version of their security system for the iPhone to unlock the encrypted evidence. Apple then released comments about why they are unable to access the phone. “The FBI had asked a court to order us to give them something we don’t have. To create an operating system that does not exist- that would be dangerous. They asked for a backdoor to the phone, specifically to build a software tool that could break the encryption system that protects personal knowledge on every phone,” Apple stated. James Comey, representative for the FBI, followed Apple’s comment by his view on the possible consequences from the broken encryption. “My agency’s battle with Apple over privacy can be described as one of the hardest questions I’ve seen between government [and a company]. The only way forward would be to engage conversation and negotiation to find a proper balance be-
tween security and privacy,” Comey said. According to a New York Times/ CBS News poll, 50 percent of voters said Apple should help the govern-
safety. Some of you might have one of our products on your person right now, and when you think about that, there’s probably more material stored on that than a thief could
FBI Director James Comey testifies at a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., on March 1, 2016. The FBI and tech giant Apple faced off at the congressional hearing over hacking into the encrypted iPhone of a terrorist killer. (Yin Bogu/Xinhua/Sipa USA/TNS)
ment unlock the phone, while 45 percent opposed. The poll provided evidence showing that people’s attitudes toward government surveillance has relaxed. After Apple and the FBI testified for over five and a half hours, there were no definite conclusions. However, the court case gave both sides time to present their case more clearly. Apple’s general counselor, Bruce Sewell, challenged FBI’s director James Comey at the hearing that was seen by the House Judiciary. “Hackers and cyber criminals could use this to tamper with privacy and personal
steal by robbing your house,” Sewell said. He then continued to show the cooperation Apple had given to the FBI. “We have a team of dedicated professionals that are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to assist law enforcement. When the FBI came to us during the aftermath of the San Bernardino attacks, we gave all the evidence we had related to their enquiry. And we went beyond that by making Apple engineers available to advise them on a number of additional investigative options,” he continued. Comey responded with a simple rea-
son for wanting the thorough search. “Fourteen people were slaughtered and many more had their lives and bodies ruined,” Comey said, speaking of the murder committed by Rizwan. “We owe them a thorough and professional investigation under law. That’s what this was. The American people should expect nothing less from the FBI. We are simply asking for access to a single device. We don’t want to break anyone’s encryption or set a master key loose on the land,” he said. Apple explains the possible consequences through their filing of the case. “This is not a case about one single phone. This is about the department of Justice and the FBI seeking through the courts a dangerous power that congress and the American people have withheld: an ability to force Apple to undermine the basic security and privacy policies of hundreds of millions of people around the globe. The FBI has asked Apple to weaken the security of our products. Hackers and cyber criminals could use this to wreak havoc on our privacy and personal safety. It would set a dangerous precedent for government disturbance on citizen’s privacy and safety,” The file stated. On April 22, Apple was to attend a federal court hearing, but new material from the FBI said they may be able to unlock the phone with a method that will not require Apple’s consent has postponed this hearing. This unnamed third party showed the FBI a new alternative and was paid a one time flat free for the solution. “For Apple, this proved that the FBI should be trying harder, rather than asking Apple to undermine security protections. For the FBI, this has certainly been an embarrassment to have gone to this effort when there was another route,” said Susan Landau, an expert at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. On March 29, FBI officially announced the no longer needed Apple’s help and ended the case. The third party who helped the Justice Department will not release their name or any personal details at this time. The Department of Justice also released a statement that said they have no current plans to continue using this method. “We’re only talking about this phone right now. We refuse to say that this would have anything more to do with other phones. We generally work with state and law enforcement officials around the country,” They said. The FBI has yet to say what they have been able to find on the phone while the public has been left to question whether they will find anything valuable, such as further attacks that have been planned or their communication. Many experts on security and privacy have spoken to the FBI about unveiling the exposed data to Apple so they can mend the software.
6
News
Pakistan Easter bombing targets Christians in park By Anna Scheuring Reporter
dead and injured, lying here and there,” witness Mohammad Arshad said about the explosion that ripped through the busy park. The attack on Sunday was not the
rise. Over 10,000 citizens gathered in Islamabad on Friday, two days before the terrorist attack, protesting the Pakistan laws to change to adopt the Muslim Sharia law. On March 27, while families celebratThe growing issue has created conflict ed Easter at a local park in Pakistan, for the minorities in a primarily Islama suicide bomber detonated a bomb, ic country, as the 2 percent Christians killing 74 people and injuring another in Pakistan anger the core of Muslims. 362. Claimed by the Pakistani TaliPakistani security began arrestban, the act of terrorism was targeted ing numerous terrorist suspects or astowards Christians celebrating Easter. sumed facilitators throughout Pakistan “Members of the Christian comfollowing the bombing. Over 5,000 munity who were celebrating Easter suspects were gathered and released today were our prime target,” Taliban for questioning 2 days after the atrepresentative Ehsanullah Ehsan said. tack. Ammunition and weapons were Ehsan continued to say that killing womrecovered from the scene. The police en and children was not a goal, though are also investigating who worked it was a price paid to hit their main tarwith the lone bomber in the attack get, the male community of Christians. as the mastermind. The Pakistani On Sunday, Pakistani families Army is conducting raids throughwere enjoying the day at an amusement out the populous cities of Pakistan. park. While children played and neigh“Right now in Rawalpindi, Mulbors mingled, a bomb tore through the tan and elsewhere, operations are park without warning. Though the atongoing, intelligence agencies and tack was targeted towards Christians, Rangers and army troops are carry14 Christians and 44 Muslims were ing out operations,” Army spokeskilled. Horrifically, over 20 children Pakistani people mourn over the death of their relatives outside a hospital following a suicide blast in Lahore, man General Asim Bajwa said. were killed. The bomb killed a maPakistan, on Sunday, March 27, 2016. 65 people were killed and more than 300 injured when a suicide bomber hit a Prime Minister Sharif responded jority of women and children, due to the public park in Lahore. (Sajjad/Xinhua/Zuma Pres/TNS) to the attacks, condemning the actions. spot that was chosen for the attack, acfirst in Pakistan to strike with religious “Our goal is not only to eliminate cording to NBC News. A Christian man “Everyone will get their turn in this named Sohail, who decided at the last motives. In March 2015, suicide bomb- war, especially the slave Pakistani media. terror infrastructure but also the extremmoment to venture to Iqbal Park with his ers targeted a Christian community in La- We are just waiting for the appropriate ist mindset, which is a threat to our way four children and wife, now waits for his hore, killing 12 people and injuring doz- time,” Ehsanullah Ehsan said on Twitter. of life. I want more proactive coordina6-year old, who is in surgery and in criti- ens more. The Pakistani Taliban warned Unfortunately, the Taliban ter- tion between law enforcement and intelliof more attacks to come on social media, cal condition. The bomb also killed 10 rorist group was true to their word. gence agencies. Provinces should speed up after claiming the attack. In 2013, more members of an entire family, all Muslim. The extremist group has also intelligence-based operations against terthan 80 people were killed when suicide “I was standing there near the seesaw warned of more attacks in the future. rorists. We must take this war to the doors bombers released a bomb in a church in when the blast occurred. As we rushed over The Easter park bombing fell in the of terrorist outfits before they are able to the city of Peshawar. The Pakistani Talihere we saw a pool of blood and people, both midst of tensions in Pakistan beginning to hit our innocent countrymen,” Sharif said. ban, known for their deadly attacks on schools and minorities, also claimed the bombings that took the lives of 150 people in Peshawar at a school later in 2014.
Freshman found murdered on UT Austin campus By Fizza Gilani Reporter
Haruka Weiser, a freshman dance major at University of Texas at Austin, was walking back to her dorm from rehearsals on the night of Sunday, April 3, but she never made it. Friends reported her missing the next day, but it was two days after her
disappearance that she was found by campus officers in Waller Creek, murdered. A homicide investigation commenced. Initially, police would not reveal many details. But lab tests and analysis confirmed that she was sexually assaulted and strangled. DNA samples collected from the victim’s body were identified as belonging to Meechaiel Khalil Criner, a 17-year-old
homeless man living in Austin. Furthermore, police believed Criner matches a figure seen on surveillance footage from the night of Weiser’s death. The tapes revealed a man biking to the path Weiser regularly took to her dorm. He arrived about ten minutes before her class ended, and on camera, appeared to be attempting to open the doors of a parked van. The man left on the bike minutes later, but returned at 9:38 p.m. Surveillance footage also showed a woman walking toward the alumni center and looking down at her cellphone, around the same time. The man pulled out “what appeared to be a shiny rigid object” as she passed him, according to the affidavit reports. The stranger followed the woman across a bridge, and is seen again at 11:47 p.m., walking with a slight limp and carrying a duffel bag that matches Weiser’s. Police found Criner near a trash fire on campus Friday. He was arrested and taken into custody. According to CNN, bond was set at $1 million. He was charged with firstdegree murder, and will be tried as an adult in court. Research into the suspect’s background revealed that while he was growing up, his family was investigated on several occasions due to separate concerns. He had been under the care of Child Protective Services until he ran away in late March. As a child, he had endured abuse and bullying in the foster system and school. The foster care agency responsible for Criner, LifeWorks, has also recently been scrutinized after news of recent child deaths was revealed and a federal court announced the entire Texas foster care system to be inhumane.
The death came as a shock to everyone on campus and in the city. Police chief Art Acevedo told CNN “that there had not been a homicide on campus since 1966.” According to one of Weiser’s friends, Jaelynn Blount, it’s “…kind of scary to think that could have been me or any one of us.” To protect students from future attacks, security at UT Austin has been increased, and warnings have been issued to students to be careful. According to the president’s university, Greg Fenves, police patrols have also been increased, 20 state troopers have been sent to help with security, and the police have conducted a security review, checking all security technology to ensure that it was working. In addition to that, the university announced that they would provide transportation for students and staff during the evenings and late nights. The College of Fine Arts reported that it would pay for students using Ubers, taxis, or Lyfts after sunset. Since Weiser’s passing, there have been multiple events remembering the bright young girl. Her family recounts her passion for dance and her commitment to it, being involved in ballet and hip-hop since she was a pre-teen. The university’s community decorated the path where she was killed with banners, candles, and flowers. A walk was arranged, outlining her path since her disappearance. It started at the F. Loren Winship Drama Building, where she was last seen, and ended at Waller Creek, where her body was found. Weiser will certainly be honored by all at UT for the life she lived and remembered for the tragic death she died.
News
7
Houston receives record rainfall, experiences flooding By Lindsey Loechel Reporter
At least eight people have been declared dead since the city of Houston was bombarded by intense rainfall and flooding on April 18. The swift rising of the waters created grave threats and dangers for the citizens of Houston. In addition, the flooding has put local shops and business out of working order, which poses its own risks to the residents. Schools and city buildings, as well as several office buildings, closed because of perilous road conditions. Harris County officials have declared Houston a disaster area, and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said that more than a thousand homes have reported flooding, including homes that have never flooded in the past. The ground is so saturated that roads and several walls in local buildings have collapsed. The downpour proved too much for drainage systems to handle, resulting in dozens of Houston subdivisions being flooded and highways submerged in the overwhelming floodwaters. Portions of northwest Harris County and the surrounding area saw rates of two to four inches of rain per hour. Other areas of Texas experienced recent rains that were expected to cause rivers to crest later in the week, which was expected to cause floods in downstream areas such as the Houston area.
The Texas Medical Center prepared its facilities for massive rainfall, including the use of a sophisticated
live television. Audiences watched as a man drove his car into deep floodwaters and yelled out from his window, disori-
Army National Guard vehicles allow rescue workers to check on the welfare of residents who decided to stay in their homes during Brazos River flooding in the Horseshoe Bend area of Parker County, Texas, on Tuesday, April 19, 2016. (Joyce Marshall/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS)
weather alert system that gives the medical center extra time to activate gates and doors that block excess rainwater. Amongst the many unbroadcasted disastrous situations, one was captured
ented and afraid, “What do I do?” KTRK reporter Steve Campion rushed to his aid and called for him to swim, meeting him in the water and helping him to safety. While the main concern of rescuers
was to save trapped people, there were also many horses nearby in desperate need of aid. Harris County sheriff’s deputies saved several horses from drowning as a local stable was inundated by floodwaters. Sheriff’s spokesman Ryan Sullivan said deputies used boats Monday to reach the horses, some of which were tethered and had to be cut free. Several of the horses belonged to Cypress Trails, a Houston-area stable that offers trail rides. Sullivan said the horses from Cypress Trails were guided to land for loading into livestock trailers and transported away from the flood scene. He had no immediate information on the fate of other horses seen struggling in water up to their necks in the area near Cypress Creek. The Cypress Trails stables are just north of George Bush Intercontinental Airport in an area where some nearby roads flooded Monday following the sudden and heavy rainfall. More than 470 flights were canceled in Houston after storms dumped about 16 inches of rain on the area, including a reported 335 cancellations for flights departing and arriving at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Monday. William P. Hobby also cancelled more than 135 flights. More than 40 districts and universities cancelled school Monday and several of the following days as heavy rain and flooding overwhelmed parts of Harris County and threatened nearby areas.
8
Around Creek
Theatre advances in UIL One Act Play with The Crucible By Emily Berthiaume Editor-in-Chief
The Clear Creek Theatre Department performed their UIL One Act Play The Crucible at Dickinson High School on March 24, advancing on to the next round and becoming the District 24-6A District Champions. The Crucible by Arthur Miller dramatizes the Salem Witch Trials during 1692 and 1693, telling the story of married couple John and Elizabeth Proctor. Although the original play is in four acts, for the purpose of the competition it had to be cut down to one 40-minute act. “Cutting is tough because in my opinion The Crucible is such a monumentally genius work,” head director Bradley Hewlett said. “To look at Arthur Miller’s words and just start gutting them, I hate it. It almost physically hurts to do it. It took me about five passes through to get the cut.” The Crucible was not an immediate choice to perform this year for Mr. Hewlett. “The Crucible was always a script I said I would never do,” he said. “In my opinion, it’s one of the top ten American plays. It’s one of those I feel like you don’t mess with unless you feel you can do it well, especially for One Act. I always thought it was too tough for high schoolers, but this year during fall show I saw some of the progress the girls were making and it clicked and I felt like this is the right fit for us. The more I thought about it, the more I tried to talk myself out of it, and then I realized it is the right show.” The biggest challenge the CCTD faced in this year’s production was their lack of stage and space for rehearsal. Due to construction, the auditorium and accompanying stage was not available for any part of the rehearsal process. Instead, the actors had to make do with limited space in the cafeteria and borrow Falls’ stage for a couple of rehearsals and their pre-competition public performance. “Rehearsing in a cafeteria was really hard,” Sierra Boudreaux, who played Tituba, said. “Not having a stage at all,
and then being thrown onto a stage a couple days before competition day, was really hard because the dimensions of the cafeteria and the fact that we had no light board and barely any sound. It
“Everyone was trying to go between Australian, Irish, and British, so it’s been hard. We improved a lot, though. I just tried to sound like Russell Crowe.” District competition day went well
Photo courtesy of yearbook
was completely different than performing on a proscenium stage.” However, Boudreaux believes that their limited access to stage space may have helped their performance on competition day. “Not having a stage made us stronger,” she said. “We didn’t take that time for granted. We tried our hardest when we did have a stage, which was only three times before competition. It really made our performance stronger because we appreciated what a stage could do for our performance.” Because The Crucible is a period show, the actors were required to learn and nail tricky colonial-era American accents. “The accents were difficult,” Cole Hutto, who played John Proctor, said.
for the CCTD. The show ran smoothly and was almost over when the lights went completely black on the stage. “I knew as soon as the lights went off, I knew that we weren’t going to advance because I had never heard of a show advancing that didn’t finish,” Zoie Ellis, who played Elizabeth Proctor, said. Boudreaux felt the same way. “All the actors stay on stage the whole time, so there’s no where you can go to show any kind of emotion,” she explained. “Luckily, when the lights went down, my back was to the audience. As soon as the lights went black, it felt like ‘alright, we’re done.’ The cast started crying a little, and we tried to hide it, but it felt like a letdown.” The play was running slower than
usual, so the stage manager Jerrica Burke who was calling the show decided to cut the lights in order to avoid exceeding the maximum time limit. Although the last bit of the show was cut off, the actors still felt confident in their performance. “There was a lot of dialogue lost, but we still did really great,” Hutto said. Mr. Hewlett was happy with final product of the show. “The performances on contest day were the best they had done it,” he said. “Everything went exactly as well as I hoped it would, considering the limited time we had to practice on a stage. I told them I’d rather have a performance that good that didn’t end than having one a little faster that wasn’t as well acted.” After they performed, the actors waited to hear the results. “Going into competition day, you always hope you advance,” said Boudreux. “You put your heart and soul into your show for months at a time, so you hope, but you never know.” When “The Crucible, Clear Creek High School”, was announced as the first advancing play, the cast and crew stood and clapped. “When we were the first show they announced, and I was so shocked, I couldn’t believe it,” said Ellis. “The feeling of advancement was better than it would have been had we been 110% confident in our performance,” Boudreaux said. “If everything had gone perfectly, it wouldn’t have been as exciting to advance.” In individual awards, Ellis received AllStar Cast, Hutto received honorable mention, and Burke received a technical award. The show then performed again at the Bi-District level at Dickinson HS on April 2. Although it did not advance to the area level, The Crucible did have a great run due to the hard work of the cast, crew, and directors. “At the end of the day, it’s more about us just being kids and doing this art that we love,” Ellis said. “As long as we put on our best show and we feel good about our performance, that’s more important than any kind of award or advancement we can get.”
Around Creek
9
PALs & Best Buddies participate in APE Field Day By Emily Berthiaume Editor-in-Chief
More than 1,000 students, staff members and volunteers from every school in the Clear Creek Independent School District recently gathered at Walter Hall Park in League City to host the annual Adapted PE Park Day. For more than 30 years, this event has offered CCISD students with disabilities a field day full of activities accessible to students with all ability levels and physical limitations. Nearly 300 Peer Assistance and Leadership (PAL) students from every high school set up and operated booths, while students in the high school Best Buddies program were paired one-on-one with a student with disabilities for the duration of the day. The Clear Creek High School PALS ran the soccer, golf, bowling and football booths, each one designed especially for students with disabilities. “It was really rewarding to see how excited the students got when they were able to participate in activities like the soccer game,” said CCHS senior and
PALS member Carolina Sarria. “We
A fun run for each grade level gave every
Photo by Hannah Pearson
even had some who were in wheelchairs and were able to make a goal, which just added to their happiness.” Other booths included face painting, inflatable bounce houses and snow cones.
student a chance to earn a medal and participate in an active event. “My favorite part of the day is always the end portion when the students, Best Buddies and PALS get together to
dance because it’s nice seeing all schools collaborate together,” said CCHS Best Buddies Chapter President and senior Lisa Nhan. “There’s that expression ‘dance like nobody’s watching’, which is what ends up happening because everyone there is focused on having fun and accepting each other. No one is judging anyone for how they’re expressing themselves.” Adapted PE Park Day is unique in that it celebrates the differences and abilities in all students, which can be a confidence booster for those who might not be able to participate in a regular school field day. Best Buddies and PALS give students the opportunity to create relationships with their peers who they might not have been able to meet otherwise. “Best Buddies has taught me about how it’s so much more important to let our differences bring us together rather than create boundaries,” said Nhan. “At the end of the day, programs like Best Buddies and PALS are about being a better person, and Adapted PE Park Day is just one example of the ways the programs get us involved.”
Creek UIL Academics competes at District level
By Troylon Griffin II Managing Editor
Clear Creek students enjoyed success at the UIL Academics 6A District 24 meet. The meet took place over the course of two days, on April 5 and 6. Creek’s competitors placed in the top ranks in 12 events, including Current Events, Computer Applications, Computer Science, Headline Writing, and Ready Writing. In Ready Writing, senior Lisa Nhan achieved first place. In the event, competitors are given two hours to choose between two prompts, which requires the writers to craft an expository essay without any outside information to help them. For the district meet, Nhan had a choice between writing about compassion or prejudice, with her only assistance being quotes from Harper Lee and Monica
Lewinsky on the given themes. Upon being given the prompt, Nhan knew she wanted to write about compassion. She felt this way she had recently begun to listen to podcasts by Story Corps and On Being about the compassion of storytelling. “As soon as I read the prompt, I felt like it’d been written for me since I spent so much time reading and listening about the current state of journalism,” Nhan said. “So, I decided to write about passion in media and news reporting and how I would change it.” The next day, Nhan learned she achieved first place because of her essay. Having participated in Ready Writing since her sophomore year, Nhan was proud of her achievement. “It felt really great because I’d competed before but had never done that well,” Nhan said. “And since it’s senior
year, I knew I wanted to do really well and it was nice to achieve that goal.” Emily Berthiaume, editor-in-chief of the HiLife, participated in nearly all of the UIL journalism events and found success in several of them. She achieved first place in Headline Writing, second in Current Events, and fifth in Editorial Writing. “I was so happy to make first in headlines!” Berthiaume said. “I was discouraged after the first day because no one had placed in any of the journalism events. It felt good to win something for my team.” Of all her events, Berthiaume was most surprised by her success in Current Events. In the event, competitors must take a multiple choice test about various current issues that are prominent in the news. As tie breaker, the students then write an essay that elaborates on a current issue. “I happened to know a lot of in-
formation about the essay topic, and that’s what really helped me,” Berthiaume said. “After the test, I walked away thinking I did terrible because the multiple choice part was so hard.” Creek placed highly in its debate and prose events as well. Alisha Sood earned fifth in informative speaking, Greyson Gilliam placed first in persuasive speaking, while teammate Christina Morrison placed fourth and Anusha Jiwani placed sixth. Peyton Linder achieved fifth in prose interpretation. Bryce Dai gained sixth in computer science and Creek as a whole placed third in computer science. Both of Creek’s cross examination debate team placed in the high ranks, with Team 2 placing second and Team 1 in fourth place. All advancing students will compete in Regionals on April 30.
Around Creek 10 New Environmental Club begins volunteer work By Emily Ruthven Around Creek Editor
recruitment, poster-making, and emailing to several environmental beneficiaries, the
Students of Clear Creek High School continued to show their care for the community when juniors Cameron Carter, Emily Ruthven, Jordan Better and Jacob Machula created the Environmental Club. The organization hopes to “better our community and local ecosystem through extensive volunteering, whilst crafting active and caring members of society,” Carter said. The idea for the club sprouted from Carter’s mind. “Back when I was at Seabrook Intermediate, my science teacher, Mrs. Youtes, had an eco-club. I was a part of it and every Friday we would pick up each classroom’s recyclable trash. Seabrook, like many other schools in CCISD, had discontinued their recycling programs due to budget cuts, so it was really important for us to make sure we continued to reduce the trash in landfills,” Carter said. “Mrs. Youtes inspired me.” Now with more influence as an upperclassman, Carter called out to his peers, asking them to become officers for the club. “I chose them because they have both analytical and leadership qualities,” Carter said. All four officers hold leadership positions in the marching band for the 2016-17 school year. Jordan Better is a drum major, Emily Ruthven is the clarinet section leader, Jacob Machula is a captain, and Cameron Carter is a trumpet squad leader. After a few meetings, extensive
club was ready to begin the pursuit of their mission. The Environmental
their first volunteering opportunity on March 25 at Armand Bayou Nature
Center. Students helped create a new sensory for young kids.
Photo courtesy of Environmental Club
Club
had
garden
“Most of us went to the location of the new garden and a few of us stayed behind in a small little garden digging up Shrimp plants,” Ruthven said. “Maria and I had a lot of fun together. I had a lot of fun with everyone. It was tiring. We dug up deeply rooted plants. There were at least 75 of them,” Ruthven said. “I was really sore the next day. But, it was awesome because they let us each take a Shrimp plant home.” Volunteering let the student’s bond over community service. “It was really nice to disconnect with technology and connect with nature instead,” Maria Rozo said. The volunteers offered their abilities as young people to help the older members of the nature center. “It was neat that we achieved something that they couldn’t physically do,” Better said. The new sensory garden will become one of the most interactive parts of the center. “Volunteering there had a great impact. It was hard work but everyone enjoyed serving the community,” Machula said. The club had another volunteering event on Saturday, April 16 at the Sam Houston Earth Day celebration. “Environmental Club is all about being a part of something larger than yourself. We want to bring together a group of friends to serve our environment,” Machula said. Anyone can join the organization at any time. All they must do is attend a meeting in B120 on a Wednesday.
Around Creek 11 Scholarship fundraiser tournament to be held at TopGolf By Emily Berthiaume Editor-in-Chief
Clear Creek High School faculty and staff is set to host a golf tournament at TopGolf in League City in order to raise the needed funds for scholarships and campus beatification projects. It will be held on May 22 from 3PM to 6PM. The tournament, currently not open to students, will cost $80 per player. The price covers the cost of golfing, food, and soft drinks throughout the tournament. A silent auction and goodie bags will also be available to players. The idea for the tournament came from Mrs. Donahoe and Principal Majewski, as money needed to be raised for the Bockart scholarship, which is normally given to graduating seniors at Senior Awards Night, and the Weber Award, which is traditionally given during the graduation ceremony. “TopGolf is new and it’s so popular, and Mr. Majewski and I had been trying to come up with different ways to raise money,”
Mrs. Donahoe said. “We talked about a
that I have experience with because
dance, but none of the administration was too happy about that. Golf is something
my children played, and so I said let’s do TopGolf, because it’s so popular.”
The money was specifically needed this year for the scholarships because the funds previously set aside for them need to be replenished. “There used to be a faculty play, and that’s how money was raised for scholarships,” Mrs. Donahoe said. “They haven’t done that in a while, so the funds have diminished and we needed another fundraiser.” Money raised at the tournament will also go towards campus beautification projects, such as leveling the courtyard, pulling out overgrown bushes, and installing new benches and grass areas. Mrs. Donahoe said that hopefully one day a gazebo could be placed in the courtyard to replace the classic gazebo that was torn down during the first rebuild of the school. Although the tournament is not open to students this year, it may be next year after seeing how everything goes. Parents of students, community people, staff members, and staff member’s families are encouraged to sign up to play.
2015-2016 sta Editor-in-Chief Emily Berthiaume
Advertising Editor Issac Villarreal
Photographer Aleida Solesky
Photographer Kevin Briones
Managing Editor Troylon Griffin II
Teen Interest Editor Alyssa Lobue
Reporter Anna Scheuring
Photographer Alyssa Hutchison
Advis Mrs. Jam
News Ed Tiffany
Photogra Katie Rod
Repo Alayna
6 Newspaper aff
sor meson
ditor y Wade
apher driguez
orter Glover
Photo & Design Editor Hannah Pearson
Online Editor Leo Solis
Around Creek Editor Emily Ruthven
Online Editor Evelyn Salinas
Reporter Lindsey Loechel
Photographer Asiel Velasco
Photographer Justin Staton
Photograher Jose Mares Jr.
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Features
Danny Willett wins 80th Masters golf tournament By Lindsey Loechel Reporter
Danny Willett became the first European to win the Masters tournament since 1999, and was also the first from England since Nick Faldo’s similar win in 1996.
when he signed up with some friends for an inner-city golf scheme that was created with the goal of getting kids off the street and giving them something constructive to do.
from the manicured greens of Augusta National. About 12 at the time, Willett had just been introduced to golf The 80th edition of the Masters Tourby his father on a family trip to Wales. nament was held April 7–10 at Augusta While Willett’s introduction to National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgolf was humble, it was on the mugia. Danny Willett won his first major nicipal course at Birley Wood where championship with a score of 283 (-5), his devotion to the sport would begin. three strokes ahead of competitors Lee “The most noticeable thing was in Westwood and defending champion Jorthe winter when he was getting better, dan Spieth. Spieth headed the tournahe’d stay there until it was absolutely ment from the first round until the 12th pitch black, chipping and putting under hole of the final round, where he hit his the lights of the club. I’d said to him, ball not once but twice into Rae’s Creek, ‘It’s pitch black, freezing cold, you making a quadruple-bogey seven. should really be going home.” Peter The Masters Tournament, started Ball, Willett’s first coach said. “His abilby Bobby Jones and Clifford Robity to work was incredible,” he added. erts, is one of the four major chamAfter four years of working with pionships in professional golf. The Ball, Willett quit college after a month tournament is scheduled for the first and moved to Jacksonville State Univerfull week of April, and it is the first sity in the United States, where he dediof the majors to be played each year. cated his life to golf. Now, his hard work Unlike the other major champihas paid off, earning him the triumph of onships, which change locations each winning the 2016 Masters Tournament. year, the Masters is held each year at While Willett achieved the title the same location, Augusta National of a champion, competitor Jordan Golf Club, a private golf club in AuSpieth faced a devastating defeat. gusta, Georgia. Due to the fact that the The passing of the symbolic green hits a shot from a sand trap along the 10th green during the final round of the Masters on Sunday, April Augusta National Golf Club holds it, the Jordan Spieth jacket to the new winner is always 10, 2016, at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. (Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer/TNS) tournament is an invitational event; theredifficult for the reigning champion. fore the field of players is smaller than Although he is widely known for his These sessions took place next to Billy Payne, club chairman, expressed those of the other major championships. professional golfing skills, Willett’s jour- a housing development in Sheffield, his undying gratitude to Spieth for beAfter defeating his competitors, ney to the green jacket began 16 years ago England, about four thousand miles ing “such a splendid champion this year.”
Astronaut Scott Kelly returns after year in space
By Anna Scheuring Reporter
American astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian astronauts Mikhail Kornienki and Sergey Volkov returned to Earth on March 1 in Kazakhstan, Russia. Kelly and Kornienki, who were both in space for over a year, joined with Russian astronaut Volkov who was stationed at the ISS for over five months, came home. The mission, which launched in March 2015, will pave the road for future missions to Mars and beyond. The 340day duration of the mission was a practice for the 30-month span of time that future missions to Mars will be. Some of the key focuses of the mission are seeing how the human body reacts to weightlessness and stress, among other bodily conditions, during long time periods in space. Scott Kelly set a record as the first American astronaut to habitat space for the longest duration stationed, as he was stationed on the International Space Station for 340 days. American astronaut Scott Kelly is also part of a first time experiment with his identical twin Mark Kelly, a retired astronaut, called the Twins Study. The two became the test subjects in
the study to examine the parallel effects that space has on the human body. The “astro-omics” study will lay the foundation for the eventual development of precision medicine-based countermeasures for astronauts that may contribute to future missions to Mars, according to NASA. The Kelly brothers will be used to advance the study of biomolecular sciences in space relative to Earth. The Twins Study will be a part of cancer research advancements, as Scott will be have been exposed to larger amounts of radiation compared to Mark. Now back on Earth, Scott will go through over a year of medical studies alongside his brother to test the differences. One very noticeable change between the twins was that Scott Kelly grew two inches over his year in space, due to the lack of gravity, though it is not permanent. Scott Kelly shared over 1,000 personal pictures he took in space on social media, including breathtaking pictures of auroras, sunsets, sunrises and large weather cells, such as Hurricane Patricia. Kelly even discovered his own green thumb, growing flowers and a variety of plants in space, even making his own bouquet of space-grown flowers for Valentine’s Day. Kelly spoke about his time in
space, saying that the duration impacted him not just physically, but emotionally. “I’m normally more of like the tough fighter pilot kind of guy, but... I think I’m a little more compassionate now. I think it does change you when you spend all this time removed and detached from Earth. And you follow what’s going on on Earth, and mostly what the news reports is not good stuff. We should be doing better. We can do better. We’ve got this great planet down there. Let’s take care of it and let’s do a better job,” Kelly said. Kelly will be going through 30-40 days of post flight rehabilitation including baseline strength, balance and stamina and then over a year of studies for the Twin Studies. Space has many effects on the human body, including shrinking muscle fibers, increased exposure to radiation and more. The differences are going to be fundamental in the enhancement of technology that will make future missions to Mars safer. “The most noticeable effects are the loss of flexibility, you get really stiff,” NASA flight surgeon Rick Scheuring said on the effects that space has on the human body. “We don’t really see as much loss of strength now because they have such a good exercise program up in the
Space Station, so they don’t come back as weak or as out of cardiovascular conditions like they used to, but they still do to some extent. It’s more balance, stamina, and flexibility. Someone like Scott Kelly actually does better than most, because people who are shorter and have shorter necks do better than taller people.” Upon Kelly’s preparation to end his mission, he handed command to fellow U.S. astronaut Tim Copra. NASA doctor Rick Scheuring, flight surgeon for astronauts on ISS and the league doctor for all of the musculoskeletal injuries that the astronauts suffer, will be shadowing in the process of Scott Kelly’s reconditioning. Scheuring works with any injured astronauts to guide them back to rehabilitation. “I personally am not doing any exams as much as just observing Scott’s reconditioning program, so I observe and monitor him and his flexibility, primarily in hamstrings, gluteal muscles, the stiffness in his spine and other areas related to flexibility. I also monitor the progress in terms of how he is able to regain his balance that he lost in space,” Dr. Scheuring said.
Features
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SeaWorld ends breeding of captive orcas and shows By Tiffany Wade News Editor
SeaWorld announced on March 17 that it would stop breeding captive orcas, also known as killer whales. They claimed that the 24 orcas currently under its care would be the last generation of the animals at its three United States theme parks. The theatrical shows that demonstrated what the orcas could do will be replaced with more natural orcas encounters. This move is said to be a major shift for the company. “It was the biggest decision in the history of the company. They are making the right decision,” Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services, said. The company’s treatment of killer whales gained broader attention following the 2013 release of Blackfish, a documentary that linked the orcas’ captivity to their increased aggression. The film focused on an orca named Tilikum, which killed SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010. “As society’s understanding of orcas continues to change, SeaWorld is changing with it,” SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby said. “By making this the latest generation of orcas in our care and reimagining how guests will encounter these beautiful animals, we are fulfilling our mission of providing visitors to our parks with experiences that matter.”
Tilikum is recently being closely monitored as it appears to have a bacterial infection in its lungs that is resistant to treatment and its health is continuing
by more than half in the past three years. “There was a guilt before that made customers uncomfortable to come to the park because of the whales,” John Gerner,
During a night performance at Shamu Stadium, trainers direct killer whales on March 20, 2014 at SeaWorld San Diego. (Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times/TNS)
to deteriorate. The orca has been around for 23 years and is one of the park’s most prolific breeders with more than 20 calves. The park has seen attendance decline at the three locations since the release of Blackfish. The stock price of the publicly traded company has dropped
managing director of Leisure Business Advisors, said. “Now that that is gone, they may come even more because they can enjoy it without the guilt, and also because they know this may be the last time they will be able to see some things, like the orcas.” A year ago, plans for an expanded
orca habitat were approved by the California Coastal Commissions, but only if the end of captive breeding of the orcas was agreed upon. SeaWorld was not in favor of this and went to court, arguing that the commission had no such authority to make this demand. The company ended up taking up the offer to end the captive breeding. The theatrical shows will fade out one by one, starting with San Diego next year, followed by San Antonio and Orlando in 2019. The company also announced a partnership with the Humane Society of the United States, an animal advocacy group, to bolster conservation efforts. “We will introduce new, inspiring, natural orca encounters rather than theatrical shows, as part of our ongoing commitment to education, marine science research and the rescue of marine animals,” SeaWorld said on their blog. To improve park attendance, industry analysts claim that the company needs new attractions to catch up with competitors such as Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Universal Studios Theme Parks. The company has several new rollercoasters in the making and recently unveiled images of a new signature submarine ride in the San Diego Park. “They should keep focus on nature-based attractions, like an aquarium or other marine attractions that are not as controversial,” Gerner said.
North Carolina enacts new controversial rights law By Alayna Glover Reporter
On March 23, North Carolina’s governor signed a bill that prevented cities from allowing transgender people to use public bathrooms as well as locker rooms assigned with the gender they identify as, along with restricting cities from passing nondiscrimination laws. This new law took effect before the city of Charlotte could pass its own law allowing transgender individuals to use public restrooms that correspond with their chosen gender. However, the state law was not passed without argument. Two transgender men, a lesbian, the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina (ACLU), and Equality North Carolina sued Governor McCory, Attorney General Roy Cooper III, and W. Louis Bissette Jr., the chairman of the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina and want a judge to declare the state law unconstitutional and a violation of fed-
eral laws banning sex discrimination. In the state House of Representatives, about a third of the Democrats voted for the law along with the Republicans, but in the state Senate, all 11 Democrats walked out of the chamber in protest, leaving the 32 Republicans. Supporters of the new law state that allowing transgender individuals to use the restroom of their choice would give easy access to potential predators to enter, claiming they were transgender. Opponents of the new state law say that other places that passed the transgender law have not had those problems. “One of the biggest issues was about privacy,” Tim Moore, North Carolina House Speaker, said. “The way the ordinance was written by City Council in Charlotte, it would have allowed a man to go into a bathroom, locker or any changing facility, where women are -- even if he was a man. We were concerned. Obviously there is the security risk of a sexual predator, but there is the issue of privacy.”
Before the North Carolina law was passed, Carcano, a 27 year old transgender man, and Gilmore, a 52 year old lesbian woman, used men’s restrooms and locker rooms on public campuses without any problems. Gilmore and her spouse traveled the state and checked into public accommodations as a lesbian couple without fear of discrimination. Now, Carcano and Gilmore worry potential violence and bullying will cause substantial harm to their mental health and well-being. The lawsuit reads how lawmakers made no attempt to cloak their actions in a veneer of neutrality, but instead openly and virulently attacking transgender people, who were falsely portrayed as predatory and dangerous to others. Governor McCory defended the new state law by saying Charlotte’s ordinance on bathrooms was a “radical breach of trust” and the new North Carolina law would “stop this breach of basic privacy and etiquette,” and “the basic expectation of privacy in the most personal of
settings, a restroom or locker room”. However, the groups further pressed that lawmakers introduced and passed the law in a “process rife with procedural irregularities,” and did not cloak the discriminatory focus. Attorneys for the challengers said that while they are not overly optimistic that it will happen, they hope to persuade the General Assembly to overturn the law when they return later March or early April for the beginning of the legislative session. “The rhetoric on display last week by some members of our legislature showed just how transparent their anti-LGBT motives were,” said Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality NC. “Not only did they keep the bill language secret until the morning it was introduced but it only took 12 hours to pass and sign into law a bill with terrible consequences for thousands of North Carolinians. … Now is the time to be on the right side of history, because together we will show the politicians that North Carolina refuses to be a leader in bigotry.”
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Teen Interest
“Practically perfect” Mary Poppins comes to TUTS
By Emily Berthiaume Editor-in-Chief
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s “practically perfect” musical production of Mary Poppins flew to the TUTS stage at the Hobby Center for Performing Arts from March 8-20. The musical, with music and lyrics by the Sherman Brothers, George Stiles, and Anthony Drewe, and book by Julian Fellowes, is a fusion of the Mary Poppins books by P.L. Travers and the classic Disney movie. The Mary Poppins musical originally premiered on West End in London in 2004 and on Broadway in 2006. The heartwarming story of a magically kind nanny saving troublemaking children captured the hearts of many, and when it closed on Broadway in 2013 it had run 2,619 performances, making it the 30th longestrunning show in Broadway history. TUTS’ production was choreographed and directed by Linda Goodrich and starred Christina Deciccio as Mary Poppins. Other actors included Danny Gardner as Bert, Courtney Markowitz as Mrs. Banks, Drew McVety as Mr. Banks, Kelly Lomonte as Jane, and Sean Graul as Micheal.
The show is characterized by its catchy songs, elaborate dance numbers, and bright sets and costumes. Classic songs such as A
and Practically Perfect. One of the most notable performances was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, which was set in
Photo courtesy of TUTS
Spoonful of Sugar, ChimChim Cher-ee, and Jolly Holiday, are of course included, alongside numbers just for the musical such as Playing the Game
Mrs. Corry’s shop, a lady who sells conversation. Although she has run out of conversation, she does have fifteen letters left, out of which Mary creates
the magical word. The dance number also includes a sort of spelling-out of the word using the actor’s movement. Step In Time is another notable performance, in which Jane, Michael, Mary, and Bert perform the number with many chimney sweeps on the roof and later inside the Banks residence. Although every member of the cast was extremely talented, the child actors who played Jane and Michael were particularly impressive. Graul’s deadpan delivery as Michael often caused the entire theatre to burst out in laughter, and Lomonte’s angelic singing voice as Jane was simply beautiful. Other elements original to the play included the character of Neleus, a statue of a mythological creature in the park that Mary Poppins brings to life to dance and sing. Miss Andrew, Mr. Banks’ evil childhood nanny, is another character added to the play. Overall, the musical is a faithful adaption of the classic Mary Poppins film, with a few delightful additions guaranteed to charm audiences of all ages. TUTS’ production certainly lives up to Mary’s selfdescribed “practically perfect” attributes.
American Idol airs final episode after fifteen seasons
By Anna Scheuring Reporter
After fifteen years of making dreams come true and turning ordinary people into stars, Fox’s hit American Idol concluded with its last standing ovation. The finale closed its curtains after crowning Trent Harmon the title of the final American Idol. American Idol began on June 11, 2002. The show was so monumental, as it was the first television show where the American people were able to be a part of the voting process that turned ordinary people with dreams into rock stars. The show had open invitations for tryouts in populous cities around the United States, and people from all walks of life came to prove their talent in front of the three judges. The prospects waited in lines all day just for their short interval of time to perform for the golden ticket to Hollywood. The original judges of American Idol - Paula Abdul, the infamous Simon Cowell, and Randy Travis - offered their opinions and then decided either yes or no. The majority vote would either send the singer home or to Hollywood. Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman cohosted the show in its first seasons. Starting from the first season, the show gained more and more viewers every night until it set records with the most views in TV history. Some seasons it was the most watched show on television at the time. Since its premiere, American Idol has debuted some of the best musicians in the industry, such as Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Phillip Phillips, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, Kris Allen, Scotty McCreery, and Katharine McPhee. The last season began just like the previous fourteen. Ryan Seacrest opened up
the show, leading nervous contestants into the audition. Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban returned as judges for the final season. Auditions were held in
impress the American Idol judges and producers, as judging was not open to people yet. Eventually, a Top 14 formed into the semi-finals, and weekly performances with
From left, American Idol contestants La’Porsha Renae, Dalton Rapattoni, and MacKenzie Bourg take a seat during a dress rehearsal for the March 24th episode at CBS Television City in Hollywood, Calif. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times/TNS)
Denver, Savannah, Little Rock, San Francisco, and Philadelphia, among other cities throughout the US. Kanye West even made a surprise visit to San Francisco to perform. After the week of auditioning, Hollywood week aired in four episodes. The contestants were tested physically and emotionally in a group and solo setting. The time in Hollywood narrowed the competition to 24 contestants, who than performed to
the theme week were targeted toward the millions watching through the television screen. Some stand out performers from the final season were La’Porsha Renae, Dalton Rapattoni, Olivia Rox, Trent Harmon, MacKenzie Bourg and Gianna Isabella. The finals took place over six weeks and seven shows, the singers being weeded out by judge voting and the audience vote. Idol alumni Kelly Clarkson came back to
the show as a guest judge. For the first time with six remaining contestants, the men and women were paired to sing duets. For the Top 5 week, the finalists performed songs fan-requested on Twitter. Sia and Stevie Van Zandt made an appearance as guest mentors for the week. When three contestants remained, Dalton Rapattoni was eliminated, making the Final Two La’Porsha Renae and Trent Harmon. On the final episode of American Idol, 13.3 million viewers tuned into Fox to watch one last star awarded the legendary title. In the end, Trent Harmon was voted the 2016 American Idol. As confetti floated from the roof one last time, Harmon performed the original song Falling. The show at Dolby Theatre brought back the people who built American Idol, including the three original judges and dozens of previous contestants. Throughout the tedious weeks, stars such as Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Adam Lambert, Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Kris Allen among many others performed. President Obama even congratulated Idol on its successful 15 seasons, using the platform of the Finale to promote participation in the democracy by voting. “This show transformed television. It inspired young artists and captivated audiences across the country. And it taught America what it means to be ‘pitchy.’ American Idol has achieved something else as well: for over a decade, this show has motivated millions of young Americans to vote – often, and with enthusiasm. We should do the same in our lives as citizens of this country that we love,” said the Commander-in-Chief on the show’s success.
Teen Interest
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Batman v. Superman proves entertaining but polarizing By Troylon Griffin II Managing Editor
The much-anticipated Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice has been in theaters for several weeks. Its first week, it broke box office records, grossing a large amount of money, only to break numerous records in box office drops the following week. This has likely been due in part to the largely mixed to negative reviews the film has received. The film currently has a 29 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.3 on IMDb. Critics and movie goers have cited several reasons for this, such as writing, character development and small plot elements. However, while the film has some obvious flaws, the criticism is quite overwhelming and very undeserving. The film is probably one of the best comic book films in years, and is a representation of what the dark, serious DC cinematic universe is supposed to be. The plot of the film is a rather simple one. Eighteen months after the events of Man of Steel, in which the city of Metropolis was devastated by Superman’s battle with the powerful General Zod, Metropolis has been rebuilt. However, as a result of Superman and Zod’s battle, as well as various other events, the world is questioning the credibility of Superman as a hero and whether he should be allowed to act the way he does. Many flat out despise Superman or are just cautious of his potential ability to destroy the world. Two people with these sorts of feelings are millionaires and philanthropists Lex Luthor, and Bruce Wayne, a.k.a the dark vigilante Batman. While Batman does not flat out hate the hero, he certainly keeps his eyes out on him to ensure he stays in line. Superman himself, on the other hand, is questionable of Batman, who has been active for twenty years now, but has caused recent controversy for his downright brutal treatment of criminals. Lex Luthor, knowing of the
heroes’ prominence and likely suspicion of one another, sets in a series of events that will conclude with the two fighting and possible destruction of one another.
gether through its two most iconic heroes. This idea is in many ways the epitome of what is good and bad about the film. The writing of the film is flawed in that
The battle between Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) is lifted in large part from the 1986 graphic novel “The Dark Knight Returns.” (Clay Enos/TM & DC Comics/TNS)
Of course, coupled with this plot are little details and plot lines that are meant to set up the upcoming Justice League film. These details include the inclusion of Wonder Woman, who ultimately joins at the end of the film, as well as the inclusion of the infamous monster Doomsday, who causes Wonder Woman to join Batman and Superman in battle against the creature. While there is clear oversaturation here, it only emphasizes the film’s subtitle Dawn of Justice. What may come as a surprise to many, due to how the film was marketed, is that the film isn’t necessarily about Batman and Superman fighting. It is instead a large set up for bringing the Justice League to-
it tries to cover too much. The film in many ways is an exploration of the DC Cinematic Universe as a whole, or at least the worlds of Batman and Superman. The film also has an issue in how it tries to set up the Justice League by bringing in Wonder Woman and other characters throughout the film. Its final act, while very entertaining, suffers from oversaturation because of how it introduces Superman’s iconic enemy Doomsday, who infamously killed the Man of Steel in the bestselling Superman story The Death of Superman. Doomsday acts as the final threat that brings Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman together to plant the seeds for the forming of the
Justice League. However, the creature’s presence in the film does not ruin the film, but nevertheless may seem like too early of an adaptation to comic book fans. One would think that Doomsday would not be included until at least the third Superman film in the new franchise. Despite such flaws, the film has many pros that outweigh many of its cons. The film’s set up of Batman and Superman’s fight is amazing and one that feels like something right from a comic. The film as a whole flows like a comic and the entire film feels like an adaptation of a DC graphic novel. Even its cinematography is one that looks like it is taken directly from comics. This is something that should definitely appease comic fans. As for the actors, all of the major players in the film give great performances. Ben Affleck is the biggest star of the film, as he proves that he truly has gotten better at acting over the years, and may very well be the best Batman seen on film. Only the flawed writing eclipses the actor’s performance, but this is up for the debate. Gal Gadot, despite her limited screen time proves that director Zack Snyder may have actually known what he was doing when casting the inexperienced actress. Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor is certainly a good performance, but whether one likes the casting choice of him is a matter of taste. The film as a whole is one whose elements are a matter of taste. If moviegoers want to see a film that has many plot lines and takes itself very seriously in a comic book manner, then this is the film for them. However, those who are used to the Marvel film formula, which is a bright toned and family oriented film, may not like the film. Batman v. Superman was certainly made for comic book fans and its direct adaptation of various comic book elements, as well as its ability to bring two of comic’s most iconic superhero films together are just some of the reasons that Batman v. Superman is one of the most impressive but polarizing films to come out in years.
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Sports
Athletes of Creek softball season comes to close the Month Troylon Griffin II Managing Editor
Austin Adams Austin Adams has been Creek’s varsity baseball team’s starting left fielder for two years. His coach has noted that he “has moved positions to help the team, and this season he moved to second base.” Austin also hits in the leadoff position for the team and his coach has described him as doing “really well at these two positions” and really helping the team.
In one of their most successful games all season, Creek’s softball girls defeated the Friendswood Mustangs by a score of 17 to 9 in five innings. The game elevated Creek to fourth place in districts. “We all played a heck of a game,” Coach Cash, Creek’s softball coach said. “We’ve probably scored more runs this year than we have in the last two years combined.” The Wildcats scored their first run in the game when Brianna Aranzeta hit a one run triple and scored on an error for a two to zero lead in the first inning. Ashley Ramber scored teammate Madison Petrella on a one run single and Lindsey Leistad mashed a two run double to right center for a five to zero lead. The first inning was then finished with a one run single for a six to zero lead. The second inning included a total of eight runs. These included Ramber hitting a two run double. Brianna Aranzeta then hit a grand slam over the left center field wall and into a Friendswood neighborhood,
extending Creek’s score to a 13 to 1 lead. It wasn’t long before Creek scored again when Madison Petrella hit a solo home run to left for a 14 to 1 lead. Friendswood showed signs of catching
Photo by Aleida Solesky
up when they began to score, including a one run triple that led to the score being 14 to 5. Two more runs by Friendswood in the bottom of the third inning, with a two run single, led to Creek’s lead only being 14 to 7. Creek ended up stopping this attempt to catch up by putting up three more runs in
the top of the fourth inning when Madison Pretrella connected on a one run single and Katlyn Rivera mashed a two run double for a 17 to 7 lead. Two of Friendswood’s players each drove in one run apiece but it was too late, as the game was run-ruled after five innings. The winning pitcher for Creek was Julia Brentzal, who pitched in her first game back from injury. The game was just one of many games played in the District 24-6A race. The game corresponded with Clear Spring’s victory over Brook, Clear Fall’s victory over Lake and Brazoswood defeating Dickinson. The 2015-2016 season has been one of losses and wins for the team. The Wildcats have won four out of their seven home games, and three out of their four away games. These include wins against Clear Brook, Clear Lake and a previous win against Friendswood. Since then, Creek’s softball team has played games against Clear Springs and Dickinson. In their game against Dickinson, the team lost with a score of 6 to 8, and as a result will not be going to playoffs.
Villanova wins 2016 March Madness
Riley Bullen Riley Bullen is the starting center fielder for the varsity softball team. Her coach describes her as an “outstanding leader on the varsity team” who works hard everyday. “She hits fourth in our line up and is hitting 375 right now. She has always been a team leader. She plays an outstanding center field, runs down just about every ball hit to her, and has one of the strongest arms on the team.”
teen”. Teams included Kansas, Maryland, Miami, Villanova, Oregon, Duke, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Indiana, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Virginia, Iowa State, Gonzaga and Syracuse. Games of the sweet sixteen were played throughout March 24 and 25 in Oklahoma City.
Villanova crushed the Oklahoma Sooners with a score of 95-51, the largest win over Oklahoma by a record 44 point 64 collegiate basketball teams from margin. North Carolina was proven to be across the nation entered into the March superior to Syracuse with a score of 83-66. Madness tournament on March 17. From “The Cinderella story of the No. 10 those 64, 32 emerged victorious. Texas Syracuse Orange came to a bitter end on teams saw both victory and loss during Saturday night as the Tar this round. The Baylor Bears, Heels cruised to an 83-66 win ranked number five in the and cover. The cover brought west, were defeated by Yale, North Carolina’s ATS run to who ranked number 12 in the 8-1 over its last nine games, west, by a mere four points. including a 4-0 run through However, the Texas A&M Agthe last four rounds of the gies, ranked number 3, tasted NCAA Tournament,” acsweet victory when they eascording to SB.nation.com ily conquered the 14th best Some thought team in the west, Green Bay. that the games were The Aggies’ rival, the Texas a bit disappointing. Longhorns, experienced a “It was an anticlimactic heartbreaking loss when the Final Four in a lot of ways, as Northern Iowa Panthers’ own both teams won by doublePaul Jesperson made half digit margins. Second-seedcourt shot at the buzzer, leaded Villanova buried Oklaing his number eleven team to homa by a record 44-point Villanova beats North Carolina 77-74 to win the NCAA Championship game on victory with a score of 75-72. And so Longhorns fans Monday, April 4, 2016, at NRG Stadium in Houston. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia margin, while top-seeded North Inquirer/TNS) Carolina stemmed the tide late were Panthers fans on Sunday in a big win over Cinderella story SyraTeams of the elite eight included against the Aggies, but it was with more cuse,” said NCAA Basketball Newspaper. Kansas, Villanova, Syracuse, Notre Dame, than a little twinge of bitter sweetness. The championship game was played Oklahoma, Oregon, Virginia and UNC. “It was a well-played game after what in NRG stadium on April 4 at 8:00 pm Most of the games between the eight resultwas overall a remarkable season from Texbetween North Carolina and Villanova. ed in relatively close scores, with the excepas, but it hurts to end up on the wrong side UNC was favored to win. Early in the tion of the Oklahoma and the Oregon game. of this. At the same time, Northern Iowa game, North Carolina took the lead but The final score resulted in a triumphant win played well enough throughout most of the Villanova followed closely behind. In for the Sooners with a score of 80-68. Othgame to be deserving of the win and capitalthe end, Villanova’s efforts were proven er members of the final four included Vilized at the end with an amazing play,” said Wescott Eberts of BurntOrangeNation.com. lanova, UNC, and Syracuse. The final four unsuccessful, as North Carolina won the Sequentially, 16 teams remained, be- games were played consecutively on April game with crowd-crazing buzzer shot. coming apart of the selective “Sweet Six- 2 at Houston’s very own NRG stadium.
Emily Ruthven Around Creek Editor
Sports
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Boys water polo celebrates senior night and victory Troylon Griffin II Managing Editor
Creek’s water polo team enjoyed a night of both celebration and victory as they won against Manvel, while celebrating their annual senior night. The meet was a home game, with Manvel serving as opponent, visitor and loser, as Creek won with a score of 14 to 3. The senior night served as the final home game for Creek, in which coaches, teachers and teammates honor senior water polo players. The night began with the girl’s water polo team playing their game, in which they too were victorious against Manvel’s girls team. The girls played before the senior celebration due to not having any seniors on the team. Senior night celebration commenced, in which the graduating seniors enjoyed cookies and other snacks with their family, coaches and teammates. Senior Kinley Foster and his coach Anne Woolweaver highlighted how the senior players were honored in a dramatic manner. They told how the seniors removed their nameplates from the roster board by climbing up a ladder and taking it off. The players would then receive a rose and thanked their parents for all the support they have given. Parents also gave their child a water polo ball to autograph. Foster highlighted that the night was a wake up call for how close high school was to ending for him. “I never really thought about how close I was to getting to my home game
and my senior night,” Kinley said. “When I heard my name I was like ‘Wow, I’m leaving and this is the last home game.’ Part of was relieved because I’m ready to move on and go to college. But part of me was really hit by nostalgia and memories of playing in that pool. So it was kind of
one of “the best games because everyone played as a team working together towards the goal.” She went on to say how the team improved on certain skills before the game. “We had worked on some areas of the game in practice during the week and it was nice to see them implement-
Photo by Jose Mares Jr.
sad, but it was all good.” Coach Woolweaver and Foster gave notice to many highlights during the game. In the first half of the game, the team scored nine points. Because it was senior night, seniors were allowed to play throughout the entire game. Coach Woolweaver noted that every senior scored a goal that night and that the game was
ed and run successfully resulting in scoring and winning the game.” Woolweaver said. One major highlight was how senior Kenneth Francis’ entire family showed up to support him. Kenneth made both his family and friends proud when he scored in the third quarter off of a pen-
alty shot. Kinley Foster noted that he has struggled with staying in athletic programs due to having muscular dystrophy. “Because it was senior night, every senior had to score at least once,” Foster said. “So we were really trying to get Kenneth an opportunity to score. When he finally scored everyone went wild. He even scored a couple more times.” Coach Woolweaver expressed her proud feelings at Francis’ scoring. “I am thrilled that Kenneth has been part of the team and that he was able to score multiple times including scoring a penalty shot during senior night,” Woolweaver said. “Kenneth has worked hard to compete at the varsity level and it was nice to see him be successful in front of the home crowd and his family and friends.” The game was ultimately a success, and one that reminded even Coach Woolweaver that this was a night to be proud of and to remember regarding her seniors. “I will miss the seniors,” Woolweaver said. “They are an awesome group of athletes. Most of the seniors I have known for more than 4 years as they attended the clinics that the high school team runs when they were younger. To see these athletes mature and grow, not only in athletics, but academically and socially has been a treat. They are a reliable, fun loving group of athletes that are always willing to help. When the boys won state the last time these athletes were freshman and they set a goal to win state as starters in the game and I am looking forward to them fulfilling that goal.”
PHOTOFINISH 20