May 2013 Issue Cougar Claw

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clingy

absent-minded

inarticulate

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aness rorvou m s g pi ryantic z

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ir pl re ay s fu po ls n lo s pp i y bl fusle e h n e

maluble

lovable half-hearted

indecisive

free spritied

adventureous naive

teen brain

dishonest

sarcastic lively

reckless idealistic dependent social

e dic t i c eent n c oergrd enkwa aw d stic

They’re just wired differently

competitive

i u al i o later

stupid

over dramatic passionate m

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de i n la nopresse zy se va d reb lf tiv an i e e s l gs hu lio h tun ng us im or ry pa gan

gulible

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experimental arrogant playful self-concious careless pointless

Graduation requirements about to change, Pg. 4

smelly

fashionable

Baseball team continues playoff march, Back Page

introverted exotrverted

It’s a great day to be a Cougar (fan), Pg. 10-11

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post secret

crisis hotline: 713HOTLINE 713259TEEN 7132281505 Crisis hotline is a 24hour anonymous hotline for those looking to overcome obsticles like fear, isolation, abuse, physical disability, health, language, age, income, location, problem type or timing of the crisis.

Adviser: Jerry Fordyce Co-editors-in chief: Rain Shanks, Leanne Haas Photo Editor: Evan Bradley Sports Editor: Leandra Carty Ads Editor: Eric Elliot For a complete list of the Cougar Claw staff, check out our online edition at THSCougarClaw.com Letters to the Editor Policy: The Cougar Claw publishes letters to the editor in both print and online editions. These can come from students, parents,faculty/staff and others with an intrest in school. Letters will be edited for grammar and length, but the author’s intent and point of view will never be compromised. All letters must be signed.

Questions, comments or concerns, contact adviser Jerry Fordyce at: jerryfordyce@ tomballisd.net phone: (281) 357-3220 x2303 fax: (281) 357-3248 Tomball High School 30330 Quinn Rd. Tomball, TX 77375

Dear Editor,

Charles,

I’ve often wondered how someone, such as yourself, could be so passionate about something, so passionate that they won’t rest until they achieve that goal. It seems to me, like it gives us all a purpose.That, without it, we feel useless. Which is why I will always encourage all the people I know to be passionate about something because it’s what we all need.

Unfortunately, the school staff deemed the whole student population unworthy of eating lunch outside after incidents last year. But this year, students involved in UIL have been given their atrium privileges back.

Page 4 has the full story. Hopefully more access will follow.

- Rain Shanks

- Garrett Leger As there are two editors, I assume when you use the word ‘you’ that you are grouping us into one all-knowing editor-like entity, creator of newspapers and readers of letters to editors.

Anyways, we’re glad we are an inspiration to you, as we really are passionate about this publication, and often do work on this publication until our fingers bleed. (What is sleep?

What is a bed?)

- LeaRain HaaShanks

Dear Editor, The atriums are so beautiful. Why don’t we use them? I’m not really from Tomball, so I don’t know what happened, but we shouldn’t have to suffer to what other people have done. It would be awesome to be able to eat lunch in the atrium for a change.

- Charles Buford

Dear Editor, Why can’t we hear more about some of the clubs or organizations here in school, and what they do? I’m in ROTC and we do a lot for the community. Can some of the things we do for the community be in the paper to inspire others to take action in their communities? It takes a small jump start to make a difference.

- Jared Ontiveros Jared, I think it would be great if we could highlight some of the wonderful things ROTC does for Tomball. We just need to be in the know, you know? If we don’t know what’s going on with ROTC, it’s hard to make a story of it. You have to remember that there are many other clubs and classes in the school, and they all expect to get attention in the newspaper. I would love to get ROTC in the paper

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itor lettr terstothe edio

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and online as well, but the getting the information part- that has to be supplied to us. This goes for any organization on campus that feels they are doing something newsworthy. Just contact us- we love news ideas.

- Leanne Haas

Dear Editor, I was just wondering why is it that we stopped doing the Dance Party Friday videos. I really look forward to coming to school on Friday and being able to start my second period off with a smile or a chuckle of laughter.

A lot of students have been complaining about Dance Party Friday not being there anymore. What do we as students have to do to get that privilege back?

- La Travia Fountain La Travia, That question is more for the broadcast class than newspaper. Everyone loves the Dance Party Friday videos, but they’re difficult to make because not a lot of students participate in the making of them. The video team often laments that everyone wants to see the Dance Party Friday videos, but nobody wants to actually dance.

If you have more suggestions for the KTHS broadcast team, you can drop them off in room 1201.

- Rain Shanks

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THS steps in, helps out West Micaela LaPeer staff writer Last month, in the town of West, Texas, a fertilizer plant caught fire and exploded on April 17, 2013 at around 7 P.M. The victims were mostly firefighters who responded to the call; 14 people were killed, more than 200 were injured, and over a hundred homes were destroyed in the area.

THS has raised over $8,000 in donations collected by FFA, as well as from sales from the Cougar Den coffee shop and the Red Cross Club’s muffin stand.

Student Council collected money from all three lunches one week.

“When people have hard times, it is always an honor to be at a school where everyone steps

up, and lends a helping to make a difference for so many.” Dio said.

FFA teacher Jessica Reeves thinks the motivation came from the fact that the tragedy happened “so close to home.”

Coach Badley grew up in West, and has many friends still there.

His house that he rents out is still intact.

“Every time a name of a new victim comes out, it hits home” Badley said.

The Salvation Army has donated about $200,000 to the West, Texas victims. Many rumors went around that the Boston Marathon and the West Explosion were connected, but they weren’t related.

Senate passes STARR reform bill Leanne Haas Co-editor in chief Stressed out about the end-ofcourse exams the school just wrapped up? Don’t be.

As the second year of the EOC testing period comes to an end, freshmen and sophomores can let out a sigh of relief.

The STAAR tests have been a pretty heavy weight for underclassmen, with the threat to determine success or failure in a class, an obstacle to graduation, not to mention the fact that the test covered a lot more material than the previous TAKS test.

But recent changes in the state legislature could mean significant changes to the tests, dropping the 15 required EOC tests to just five.

Beyond this, House Bill 5 also eliminates the power the test has over

Atrium passes reward UIL competitors Freshmen and sophomores may not remember a time when the two big glass-encased outdoor areas were packed full of students eating lunch. Well, they’re called atriums, and if that word seems foreign, it’s because until very recently, the two areas had remained vacant for nearly two years.

That all changed recently, when atrium passes were given to students who had participated in Academic UIL competition in mid-April. The pass is an “admit two” card, so the person with the pass can bring a friend.

“We wanted to do something to recognize these students for going the extra mile to represent their school,” said Academic UIL Coordinator Jerry Fordyce. “Being able to enjoy springtime weather out in the atrium is the least we could do for them.”

For some students, the pass is a great relief from the everyday school routine.

“I’m so glad we actually get to go outside, it

helps me calm down a bit if school is stressful,” said Alexis Aguilar, who competed in journalism at multiple UIL events.

But even with the perks of being able to escape the hallways for a breath of fresh air during lunch, there are still drawbacks to being one of the few students with an atrium pass.

“The pass is a key to something that used to be free for everyone to go to,” said Spencer Wingert, a recent UIL competitor.

“Since no one goes to the atrium, the pass is utterly useless.”

It is true that the number of students allowed in is slim, but that’s for good reason.

Two years ago, multiple fights occurred in the atrium, making it hard for APs to detain those involved since the area is enclosed and the entrances can quickly become blocked by students.

There were also serious problems with litter in the atriums; it wasn’t uncommon for the

a student’s grade; it can currently count as 15 percent.

“It’s better that they won’t be counting the test as 15 percent of my grade, because they make it so hard that I’m afraid I can’t pass my class.” said sophomore Rebekah Neidigk.

But the bill doesn’t just alleviate strain from standardized testing, but curriculum as well. The bill could eliminate Algebra II from the graduation requirement.

“I think eliminating the requirement will be fine,” Algebra II teacher Sherri St. Germain said, “As long as there is an underlying class to replace it.”

Nothing is final yet, until a final measure gets Rick Perry’s signature.

But big changes in testing and graduation requirements are coming.

Leanne Haas Co-editor in chief

entire atrium to be filled with discarded bottles and trash after lunch.

While the academic team was open to all students, those who are not part of the academic team may harbor some resentment.

“Technically, it is fair since it was decided the passes were a reward for those who represent our school,” said top ten-percenter junior Karine Wilson.

“However, if they are limiting access because of behavioral issues, then the top ten percent should be able to use it,” he added, “as that category of students aren’t typically violent or disrespectful.”

There has been no decision on whether to expand the program next year, but for it to be successful, that might be necessary.

Sean McElvogue declined the pass offered to him as a UIL participant, for a simple reason: “I didn’t want to go in the atrium because no one eats out there.”

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Just wired differently

careless

hopeless romantic

careless

chemical paths synapses creates and when they do they become stronger.

This is important because when you’re a teenager “it’s more about building and sculpting an environment that whatever type of thinking the person has practiced can sustain” according to Melissa Moritz, Tomball’s anatomy teacher. During adolescence you can only build and in adulthood you can only sustain.

In the last ten years or so, more extensive research has been done on the teen brain. Former beliefs showed that the teen brain was thought to be completely developed at a young age and that it was the same as an adult’s, just with less experience and skills as to how to use it correctly.

MRI technology has advanced so that scientists are now able to look deeper into the inner workings of the human brain.

Even court systems have acknowledged that teen’s brains are wired differently and can’t be prosecuted for the same things adults do because they are in a different stage of maturity than adults.

Even though wisdom is something that doesn’t reside in the adolescent brain until about the age of twenty-five, there is no denying that some teens are just more aware of not only their surroundings or circumstances, but themselves as people.

This does not mean to imply that the straight-A student does not make mistakes. All young people will make mistakes.

Actually, the capacity to make mistakes could be considered as a superpower of sorts for the teenage brain. The teen’s

absent -minde d

- John Green, “Looking for Alaska”

agile brain has the power to mute out that voice that says “I don’t think this is possible, I don’t think I can do this.”

Teens are also able to absorb more than adults. When they want to accomplish something, they consider themselves invincible.

Quite literally in some ways, a teen’s ability to comprehend new material is highly sensitive and the way they respond to different atmospheres is almost at its maximum.

“We’re more outgoing, we put different priorities first and have a more fun-oriented agenda than adults, but some of us are aware of our choices and the impact and are able to use that fun-oriented theme in life decisionswhich can be beneficial,” said sophomore Mark Taylor.

Teens control what they want to take from what they see. They decide what they want to listen to and they decide how they want to feel. The fact that this will happen for the rest of their lives is true, but they are able to absorb what they learn faster and use what they learn as building blocks for who they will become at a faster rate.

Basically, teens are less likely to make the best decisions because their brains aren’t developed enough to think through the consequences of their behavior.

But there is also a dramatic change with the connections of the brain pathways at this age. Myelin is developed around the brain’s nerves cells, a fatty substance that coats the neurons which makes them faster and more responsive.

When you’re a teenager, the layer of myelin starts to become thicker, allowing the brain to build pathways so the cells are able to communicate better.

What this means is teens are a hundred times more sensitive to new things than ever before.

Think of this as little people running around as fast as they can, catching each other in mid-sentence, squeezing past each other as they regurgitate the events of their day in little meaningful whispers.

That’s a teen’s brain.

selfish

“When adults say “teenagers think they are invincible” with that sly, stupid smile on their faces, they don’t know how right they are.

We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken.

We think that we are invincible because we are.”

playful sloppy sleepy innovative

Imagine you’re driving after you just got your license. It’s dark and no one is out. The speed limit is 45, but you decide it’s okay to go around 60. It’s a straight flight. Your foot gently increases the pressure on the gas pedal. The thrill becomes an immediate transaction of adrenaline.

Your foot becomes heavy, and you allow it to.

When the teen brain endures this type of experience - the type Alexis Aguilar that keeps them from staff writer doing something they’ll regret, but their limbs keep moving, eyes keep still and their mind suddenly becomes outside themselves - they are enduring a whole process in the frontal cortex that seems obsolete since the crisp air seems like a better solution than being logical. This process is part of the unique, oftentimes “crazy” teen brain.

Decisions are made in the frontal cortex, which is the outer layer of gray matter, where lots of conscious and complicated thinking happens. During adolescence, the brain is barely able to access the front of the cerebral cortex.

“It’s not that they don’t have a frontal lobe- and they can use it. But they’re going to access it more slowly.” said Frances Jensen, a Harvard expert on epilepsy.

This region of the brain supplies good decision-making abilities and enables someone to behave “appropriately,” have a sense of self awareness, the ability to handle social interactions and capability to understand people.

Gray matter becomes more efficient and stronger during a process called synaptic pruning which was explained by neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore as a process that’s a lot like clipping a rose bush.

If the dendrites aren’t used, they soon wither away and the other ones become stronger, much like clipping a few dead roses to make the useful ones stronger.

Dendrites are these branch-like extensions that start to become thinner. Neurons use these to receive signals from axons.

The dendrites and axons communicate and work with each other through the

r gulible rebellious irresponsible ove dramatic

Understanding teens

Your Future, Your ChoiCe! At Lone Star College-Tomball, you matter. We want to help you advance toward that meaningful career best suited to your talents and abilities. We believe in doing all we can to make your college experience productive, enjoyable and profitable.

What can LSC-tomball do for you?

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It Takes Corage

Senior ropes in first album

W

hen Senior Tori McClure was eleven years old, she took her first guitar les-

son.

“My mom just kind of stuck me in a guitar class as something to keep me busy- and once I picked it up, I never put it down,” she said.

Three years later, on her 14th birthday, she had her first gig at Main Street Crossing.

“Looking back, I was so, so, so nervous,” she said, recalling her uncle going up to the general manager, Matt Davis, who was playing that night, mentioning his niece knew how to play the guitar.

She played a few songs that night at Main Street Crossing, but it was only the beginning of the music career ahead of her.

Leanne Haas “Today, I play at Main Street Co-editor in chief regularly,” she said, in a monthly “Young Artist” showcase the venue hosts.

“Naming it ‘Courage’ just made sense, because I finally say everything I felt,” she said.

Four years after her first performance, she found herself performing at Main Street Crossing at her first album release show.Tori’s album, “Courage”, was released on April 14th, the day of the show.

Tori was first inspired to start on her own album when she won the school’s Talent Show with her original song “Try This Out” she co-wrote with the same manager who, four years ago, met her on her 14th birthday to sing at her first gig.

“We realized pretty quick that we had really great writing chemistry and didn’t stop,” she said.

The majority of the songs, she says, are about “relationships she’s been in- from wanting just a simple ‘fling’ of a relationship, to the heartbreak of a guy that moves away.

Not wanting to sound “too Taylor Swift-y”, Tori explains that “not all of the album is about boys,” she said. “You have listen closely and read between the lines on some of the songs.”

She explains that one of her songs in the album, titled “Talk, Talk, Talk” was written for “all the people that have ever liked someone in a band, because, if you ever meet or talk to them, the majority of the time, they have a tendency to flirt.”

But the song reveals the theme of the journey toward maturity, confessing her inner thoughts.

“I feel like a lot of people can connect with someone that they have a bit of a flirtation-ship with, but it’s never turned into anything more,” she said, “so you’re kind of left wondering, ‘Is this going anywhere?”

But Tori believes that it’s not just the lyrics and the voice that have helped build her success so far, but her supportive friends.

“Throughout this entire process, they’ve not only been there to motivate me and encourage me musically, but also be there for me as friends,” she said.

And the night of her show wasn’t the exception, where she had the chance to play all of her album’s songs in front of her friends who had been with her since day one.

“She’s been my best friend since before the guitar was in her hand, and when she picked it up I watched it click,” said senior Savannah Lee. “I love Tori’s music-because it is so her. Those words are words that came up in our conversations or ones she called me about because she was excited that they flowed so well.”

A career in the music industry didn’t seem too far away a month prior to her album release, when she had been competing in Houston Rodeo’s “Rodeo Rockstar” competition.She competed in the youth division for ages 16-21.

At first, she had to send in an audition video where people voted for the best online, in which she sang an original song, not included in her album.

The top 10 most voted-for videos from each age division moved on to the next round. Tori was one of the ten from her age group, going on to perform at the live competition on the Kids Country stage at the rodeo.

Tori made it all the way to the preliminary round, where she chose to sing an original song on her album - “Kiss Me Quick”. When the judges critiqued her, they admired how beat up her guitar was, telling her that it showed she had been practicing a lot.

“Which I do,” she said, “but I also just have a tendency to run into things whenever I have my guitar in my hands”.

The judges also noted that she had a “universal” voice.

Before she knew it, though, the competition was over, and the winners were being placed.

“When they got to first place of the Youth Division,” she said, “they said my name.

“It was a total surprise, because everyone in my division was so talented and had gorgeous, big voices, and here I am- with my not-so-big voice with a huge check in my hand for five-hundred dollars and a Houston Rodeo belt buckle.”

Tori will be returning to the rodeo next year to be in the Houston Rodeo parade.

But as she anticipates next year’s possibilities, she is reminded of the long road ahead of her.

Tori plans to go to Texas A&M to major in General Studies while she continues to pursue her musical interests.

“There’s so much to see and do- and to get to play music, travel, and tour everywhere would be a dream,” she said.

But even as her life changes seasons, she will always remember her roots.

“I’ll always be a Texas girl at heart,” she said.

Hear a song from Tori’s new album! Log onto the newspaper’s website at THSCougarClaw.com to listen, and catch songs by other THS singers as well.

music & events

4/29 5/3 5/4 5/5 5/8 5/8 5/9 5/9 5/12 5/29

Airborne Toxic Event Rehab The Band Perry The Wanted/Carley Rae Jepsen The Killers Three Days Grace Daddy Yankee Air Supply Whitest Kids U’ Know Black Moth Super Rainbow

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9 House Of Blues Scout Bar Nutty Jerry’s Bayou Music Center Bayou Music Center Warehouse Live Arena Theater Dosey Doe Fitzgerald’s Fitzgerald’s

Senior’s rodeo art sells for $25,000

Amanda Jentzch’s colored-pencil drawing took her 67 hours to complete, but paid off after it sold for $25,000 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Senior Amanda Jentzch didn’t expect what every student whose work is auctioned at the she was about to hear, her heart pounding rodeo can only take back with them a maxifaster and faster, as she stood in front of the mum of $2,000. The rest of the money goes to crowd of bidders at the rodeo eying her artcharity. work as if she were Amanda’s rodeo art from last year went to Leanne Haas showing an animal. auction as well. Though her art did not sell for Co-editor in chief She held up her nearly as much as it had this year, she still redetailed colored-pencil ceived the maximum of $2,000, which she had drawing, the one she spent over 67 hours on, used to help buy a car. the vibrant colors woven together intricately.

This year, though, she plans to put that monThere were many attractive aspects of the ey towards college, planning to attend BYU in drawing, but a black and Idaho in the fall. Amanda white border collie in the accredits her family to her bottom left of the picture art skills, having grown up caught the eye of one buyer in a house full of artists.

- and that’s all it took.

“My sisters and I, we The auctioneer rambled drew all the time. Art was off numbers that could always around me.” she hypnotize. But the very last said, growing up in a family numbers were hard to miss. with an architect dad, artist “I heard ‘twenty-five mom, graphic designer step thousand’ and I was like brother, a crafty younger ‘What?’!” said Amanda, sister (whom Amanda bewhose artwork went further lieves is her biggest critic), into competition than anyand her older sister, whose Amanda Jentzch one else’s from Tomball. previous painting had made it The drawing - taken from a picture Amanda the rodeo as well. took of her dad’s friend leaning down, in full Even with a big background in the arts, howcowboy attire, to his black and white border ever, Amanda says she doesn’t think she will collie named Cash, had just been bought for make a career out of it. $25,000.

Amanda plans to attend BYU in the fall. She “Cash is the money maker,” she joked. says she wants to be a park ranger someday, Although her drawing sold for a large sum, making art more of a hobby.

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ITS A GOOD YEAR TO BE A...

FOOTBALL

WATER POLO

Tomball cougar football team went 6 and 1 in district and 1 and 1 in play offs.

Girl’s water polo fought their way to regionals this season, finishing in 8th place. The team is completely composed of underclassmen, with sophomore Taylor Gourley to lead them to victory next year. The boys are currently at state in Dallas, taking their first victory 16-9 against Alamo Heights.

SOCCER

Tomball high school soccer team was in district 8-0 with an overall season of 21-3.Met

VOLLEY BALL

Tomball high school volleyball team ended their season 21-3. All sixteen varsity players were honored as an all district selection.

SWIM

CROSS COUNTRY

The team fell 3 points from making it to regionals however Rachel St. Martin placed first at district and regionals and placed seventh at state

Seniors Andrew Ellison and Joseph Cumos each advanced to the state meet this year for the Tomball aquatic program.

TRACK

The girls moved to a crazy good district this year and not only came out on top at the district meet but won first at area.

Although star runner Rachel St. Martin was out for injury, Caleb beacham made it to state in the 800.

BASKET BALL

Our lady Coogs went 14-0 in district and 30-8 overall. They fought hard in the regional finals until their season was ended in Georgetown, 41-30.

SPORTS FAN

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SOFTBALL

The softball season district record was 10-4 and their season record was 17-10.

They made it to the bi-district championship and went into their last game with the expectation to win. Not coming out on top was hard on the team, but they put their best faces on and were proud to have made it as far as they did.

Next year, Kayla Boucher, Lexie Comeaux, Savannah Sandoval, and Kiana Workman are returning and expected to lead their team back into the playoffs.

“I believe our strength will lie in the experience that this team will have playing together,” said coach Benita Dunlavy, the winningest softball coach in Texas.

“Building pitching position and working on back up for our back up pitching positions would be our weakness and something that needs to be worked on.”

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t n u o c l l u f e th Leandra Cardy sports writer

Coogs a step closer to elusive state title

The baseball team is on a streak, running their way deep into the playoffs.

“I feel like we have a good shot,” said senior Dillon Menville. “We’ve been doing good and climbing our way to the top. I definitely thought that we would make it this far, and I’m proud of the team for doing so well. Our goal was to be undefeated but we’re still in the playoffs so it’s okay.”

Their biggest goal is to make it to state.

“Playoffs are the first step to top that goal,” said baseball coach Tim Dyson. Dyson also stated that their biggest competition is “Friendswood, Georgetown, and Brenham.”

One of those competitors fell over the weekend. Tomball trailed

Friendswood Friday 3-1 in the bottom of the 7th, but rallied to tie before the rain fell. The team was at bat in the 8th inning, and they started the game on Saturday where it was stopped on Friday.

Nick Banks reached on an error and Anthony Lucas doubled to drive in Banks and win the game 4-3.

“We want to be the first Tomball team to make it to state and win the title,” Menville said.

The next step on that road to a state title starts Thursday. The Cougars face Ridge Point in a bestof-three series in the regional semifinal.

They play Thursday and Friday at 7 and Saturday at 2, if needed. All games are at Stratford, their record now lying at 28-3.

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