In the News SCHOOL & COMMUNITY NEWS 2-3-- Find
out what the upperclassmen did during their beginning of the year retreats.
FEATURE 6-7-- Halloween is almost here. Visit the
ENTERTAINMENT
10-11-- The election
feature page for lots of fun facts about the holiday.
is coming soon. Who will you vote for?
8-9-- Want to know more about the
SPORTS 4-5-- What’s new in
origins of scary movies? Check out the entertainment page.
HC sports? See page 4 and 5 for more details.
EDITORIAL
FINE ARTS/ SPIRITUAL LIFE 12-13-- Young Life and D-groups have arrived. See how you can get involved.
the
Stang
October 2016
Houston Christian High School 2700 W Sam Houston Pkwy N Houston, Texas 77043
Volume 15 Edition 1
Homecoming is better in Texas
Students create lifelong memories at Oscar-themed Homecoming
# by Hope Cubbler, Stang Staff
AND THE WINNER IS... Mrs. Karen Diven and seniors Jacob Lutey, Brooke Attaway and Kelsey Lehane enjoy the Homecoming dance together. The Student Council spent many hours decorating the gym before the dance.
Homecoming consists of many highlights, such as homecoming king and queen, spirit week, the football game, dressing up, fancy dinner, loving friends, and new memories. The homecoming court is composed of dukes and duchesses from each grade excluding the seniors, who nominate four classmates for homecoming king and queen. This year’s dukes and duchesses from each grade are freshman Bailey Andrews and Garri Smith, sophomores Autumn Nicholas and Andrew Leblanc, and juniors Claire Ogilvie and Addakin Thomas. The seniors nominated for king and queen were Sarah Kate Elliott, Mitchell Richter, Shelby Krummel, Cooper Budd, Bryce Ott, Emma Brown, Laura Kobs, and David Hebrank.
The king and queen were announced during halftime at the football game. Many were anxious to hear the results of the voting. In the end, it was Sarah Kate Elliott and Bryce Ott who were crowned homecoming king and queen. Senior Shelby Krummel said, “It was such an honor being elected for homecoming court this year. I felt silly and overdressed compared to everyone else, but I enjoyed it.” Once the winners were announced, the Homecoming court got the opportunity to ride around the track in expensive cars in order to show off their attire. Addakin Thomas said,”It was an honor being able to represent my class in the homecoming court, and having the football team win the game made homecoming a lot better. I had a really good time dancing with my
friends.” In addition, Mums for Water is an organization that our school raises money for during the week of Homecoming. Students buy buttons for $30 to help children in Nicaragua have clean water. These buttons can be added to girl’s mums or guy’s garters to help a great cause. At the end of the week, our school ended up raising almost $4,527! At the end of the night, our football team dominated St. Mark’s School of Texas with a final score of 42-17. The student section went wild with excitement and enthusiasm throughout the entire game. Davis Dingeman said it was, “a truly remarkable game to witness. Great to see our Mustangs doing so well.” While many said cheering for our boys throughout the night was exhausting, the support from the students truly spurred the football team on to win. On Saturday, October 8th, the night of the long awaited Homecoming dance finally came. This year, the theme of the event was “A Night at the Oscars.” Friends typically get together prior to the dance to attend a fancy dinner. Rachel Nichols said, “I had friends come back
home and it was great to see them all again and spend time with them at a dance. That definitely was the highlight of my hoco experience.” The dance DJ was the Arvin brothers, and they hyped up the night with numerous WE WANNA BE ROYALS Homecoming King and smash-hit tunes. The Queen, Seniors Bryce Ott and Sarah Kate Elliott, stand music selection was in the spotlight during the October 7th homecoming half-time. The entire school voted for the senior king a consistent mix of upbeat songs and calmer and queen. melodies, so the couples could take a breather and slow dance with their date. A picture station was placed outside of the gym, with many hilarious props available to liven up the photo and create even more hilarious, goofy memories with friends or a homecoming date. A water and popcorn stand was also available FOOTBALL PERFECTION The football team makes for the student’s the homecoming night perfect as they run onto the field. The team soundly defeated St. Marks 42-17. enjoyment. Our student council worked hard to make homecoming a special, unforgettable experience. In the end, Homecoming was a time to come together and make high school memories that will stick with each person their whole life. Most students who attended homecoming this year say that they would go again MUMS FOR WATER The Mums for Water commitand, hopefully, have tee holds the sign for the amount of money raised even more fun in the for the Granada Education Center for running water. The committee helped to raise over $4500 by selling upcoming years. buttons.
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October 2016
School News
Grandparents Day is annual tradition Special day for students and grandparents sets record for number of grandparents in attendance
# by Ehmry Ritsco, Stang Staff
LOVING ON THE GRANDS Grand parent’s and students enter the chapel on Grandparents
Day, which took place on September 22, 2016. They enjoyed the worship band, Doxa Dance Company, and a student made video during the program.
On September 22, 2016, Houston Christian hosted its annual Grandparent’s Day event, and many student’s grandparents attended this year. The event consisted of an introduction given by Dr. Livingston, then a regular Thursday chapel service, and a lunch between grandparents and grandchildren. Dr. Livingston welcomed all the visitors as they entered the chapel. This was a time where students were still in class, so grandparents were able to experience the school on their own. The welcoming did not last long before students came flooding in. As the chapel service began, the worship band performed many songs, including a crowd favorite “Oceans.” Following their performance, a video was played, which was a compilation made by students talking about the way they feel about their grandparents. Looking around the room, it was extremely apparent how touched the grandparents were by this small act of kindness. Once this video was over, the Doxa Dance Company performed
in their graceful ballet style. After the performances, the speaker Tre Little, who is the pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church and a family man, came on stage. He gave a powerful message relating back to this year’s theme of salt versus light, and also touched on the importance of grandparents. Chapel was ended with a thoughtful prayer from female chaplain Leslie Arnold. After this, lunch was served in the Metro Gym, where students ate with their grandparents for the final part of the event. Senior Stef Trowbridge said, “I love getting to spend the school day with my grandparents.” Another senior Chandler Whiteford said, “It was great to be able to add this to all the memories I’ve already shared with my grandparents.” The day as a whole was a success, and a record number of grandparents showed up for the day. Keeping a good relationship between students and their grandparents is one of the many reasons for this special day.
Master’s Jabbawockeez win Gold
Senior Retreat’s winning team worked hard for their prizes # by Brittany Mcvaugh, Stang Staff (Masters Jabbawockeez members: Brittany McVaugh, Jasmine Matta, Travis Dixon, Charlie Goode, John Gualy, Patrick Hurley, Allison White, Allison Couch, Austin Fuzat, Emma Brown, and Daniella Baltazar) --(((put this at the end of the article))) Senior retreat occurred at the end of the first week of school at Carolina Creek Christian camp, and ended with victory for Masters’ Jabbawockeez community group. There were multiple games occurring throughout the retreat against different community groups, which would be added up at the end of the retreat to select a final winner. Masters Jabbawockeez were overly ecstatic with their victory, in fact, Travis Dixon, one of the winning community group members, said, “I am so honored; this was an unexpected victory and I would like to thank and congratulate my other teammates for their effort.” The team claims they won by going into the retreat and the games with a positive attitude and taking a thoroughly thought out approach into the games. The team visibly showed their team spirit through their enthusiasm and teamwork. John Gualy said, “We, as a team, tried our hardest and really worked together,
which really put us on top.” Masters Jabbawockeez won two games that could not be forgotten, the Princess and Warrior game, which involved dressing up one male member as a princess using toilet paper, and dressing up one female member as a warrior using tinfoil. These two unforgettable games are what put the team on top and really showed off their extraordinary skills. The team’s enthusiasm and well thought out approaches to the games, such as determining a plan and knowing how this plan could impact the team in good and bad ways, clearly came from their desire to win the prize. This outstanding and desirable prize was the first place prize, which was a free drink from the coffee bar made by Cory, the head barista of the school’s coffee bar, and a spirit dress day of the student’s choosing. Second place won a free drink from the coffee bar, but no spirit dress. Lastly, third place won spirit dress, but no free drink. The team desired all these prizes and wanted to try for first place, instead of settling for second or third. There will be a new winning team each year, so with that in mind the question is raised: Who will win next year? Good luck Class of 2018!
BEAUTIFUL DO Master’s Jabbawockeez team member,
Patrick Hurley, has his hair styled during a team activity at senior retreat. Patrick’s team won enough challenges to be the overall winners.
Juniors and Sophomores Kick Off Year with”Time Warp” Retreat
“Time Warp” themed retreat had student body united to decode puzzles about school # by Emily Villarreal , Stang Staff The beginning of the school year offers students a fresh start with endless possibilities of furthering their learning, developing new friendships, acquiring new skills and cultivating the strengths they already possess. But, many students share the outlook that the end of summer is the end of excitement and fun. So, in an effort to boost the morale and the school spirit of the students, the school’s faculty devised a retreat for sophomores and juniors to get the students excited for what the school year holds for them. The retreat took place Monday, August 29th and students had to work together with their
community groups to solve a series of of puzzles about the school’s origin and core values to uncover a prize in an activity called a “Time Warp.” The retreat kicked off with a special lunch, created by none other than the school’s head chef, Gabriel. The lunch was comprised of chicken and waffles and doughnut holes, courtesy of Shipley doughnuts. Junior Faith Brown said the food was, “a nice break from the everyday lunches-” the school provides for students. After students ate lunch with their new community groups and caught up with fellow classmates, they
headed to the Chapel. In the Chapel, Bible teacher Mrs. Skufca explained the activity the students would be doing. She said the activity would “hopefully teach [the students] a little more about the school’s history, and give [them] a break from normal classes.” Students raced to grab the resources and informational packets provided by the faculty to help them complete their “mission.” When the students finally decrypted the locks on the chest students the chest opened which showed a message notifying them they completed their end goal. The retreat offered sophomores
and juniors a chance to regroup into the community and allowed sophomore and junior transfers to learn what being a Mustang is all about. The Time Warp Retreat undoubtedly ignited sophomores and juniors for what the upcoming school year has in store for them.
Community News
The Stang
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Class of 2020 Student Council begins term Why are you excited to be part of STUCO? # byJasmine Mata, Stang Staff President: Kate Welsh “Before I even knew I would be chosen for Student Council President, I had told myself I needed to run. I made this decision because I knew how much I loved Houston Christian and wanted to make sure that my fellow students felt the same about their school. Now that I am part of StuCo, I am most excited to make a difference one way or another and help the school to become an
even greater place than it already is.” Vice President: Jade Mata “What I’m excited about in student council is to be involved, help out our school, and get to know people. I decided to run for student council because I wanted to be able to share my opinions and help the school become stronger.”
Representative: Ellie Ashby “I am most excited about being a voice for the Freshman class of 2020 and serving Houston Christian High School, the first school I have really and truly felt at home at. I ran for Student Council because I wanted to give back to the school and help it run as smoothly as possible.” Representative: Quint Adamo “What I am most
excited about Student Council is getting the chance to work alongside other great student leaders. I am also excited to serve on the council because it is very fun and I get the opportunity to represent the freshman class. I decided to run for Student Council because I had served on councils before at my middle school, but Student Council was not one of them. I wanted to see what Student Council was all about!”
FRESHMEN STUCO representatives this year from left to right, Quint
Adamo, Elli Ashby, Jade Mata, and Kate Welsh. They were elected early this year by their class.
Bryce Ott, Student Council President , Gains His Voice Student Council is the voice of the student body # by Sara Wray, Stang Staff
HAIL TO THE CHIEF Bryce Ott is an important leader
within the school as the student body president. He has been president of his class since freshman year and is also a football team captain this year.
At Houston Christian, the voice of the school comes from the Student Council. When students have complaints or suggestions about policies, they can take it to the Student Council. Then they inform the administration about the students’ suggestions. Some of the things they have already accomplished include spring final exemptions for all grades, allowing the student body to wear outerwear other than Houston Christian’s, and allowing students to eat freely on the rug in the Student Center. The president of the student council is Bryce Ott, who has been president of his class since his freshman year. As Student Council president, he is responsible for coordinating school events: homecoming, Powder-Puff game, and Mr.
Mustang. Bryce is known as a leader by many of the faculty members and students, and said he always enjoyed leading others. He leads from a Christian standpoint and said, “I try to lead with a Christian moral compass where my decisions and actions are righteous in the eyes of the Lord.” Bryce has only been the president for a month of school, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t accomplished anything. They have been working on Homecoming and have also fixed the water fountain upstairs in the English department. His goal as president is to serve the student body and to find ways to make Houston Christian’s environment more enjoyable. He hopes to accomplish this through school events like the volleyball tournament and
Powder-Puff game. Bryce said, “Student Council is here to serve the student body. We love this school, and we do our best to make the Houston Christian environment as enjoyable as possible.” Bryce says that he hopes to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he will be able to use his knowledge of leadership to lead men and women as an officer in the U.S. Army. He said the most valuable thing that he learned being president of the Student Council is how to delegate assignments when coordinating school events. Bryce is on the track and football team, and is the captain of the football team, where he has another opportunity to lead.
Presidential News Update
Voters remain undecided as election day gets closer # by Emily Villarreal, Stang Staff
As the campaigns for the presidential candidacy push forward, the two major candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, have received criticism for recent actions by both Democrats and Republicans. On September 15th, Hillary Clinton returned to her campaign trail after being diagnosed with pneumonia. The Democratic presidential nominee’s health has been under great speculation by the general public and her opposing counterpart in the race, Donald Trump. In response, Hillary released her public health records, and Trump did as well, on hit T.V show, Doctor OZ. Trump has also
been under fire for his new policies on women’s maternity leave. Trump’s proposed child care plan will incorporate a series of new taxes to make childcare more affordable, but only women would receive paid maternity leave, not new respective fathers. Opposers say Trump’s new child care plan perpetuates gender stereotypes and negatively impacts women’s employment trajectory. On September 15th, Trump made headlines for finally acknowledging that the nation’s current president, Barrack Obama, was born in the U.S. In 2012 the then-businessman/ millionaire tycoon, claimed Obama had faked his birth
certificate, and led the birther movement against the president in the midst of Obama’s reelection campaign. Five years later, Trump has finally withdrawn his prior claim, but now insists Hillary was the one to start birther movement controversy to begin with. Predicted Presidential Election results based on recent data collected from registered voters: According to recent pollings, 44.9% of Democratic voters are currently predicted to vote for Clinton, leading with a new +0.9 increase, while 44.0% of Republican voters are predicted to vote for Trump.
NEVER TRUMP? or NEVERHILL? Presidential Candidates, Hillary Clinton and
Donald Trump, shake hands beginning a presidential debate. This year’s election is said to be very unpredictable due to the large amount of people that don’t like either candidate.
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October 2016
Sports
Cross Country runs their GUTS out for God Cross Country runners constantly improves and encourages each other # by Spencer Osato, Stang Staff
Running cross country might just be the ultimate endurance test. The sport forces athletes to run long distances on difficult terrain, while maintaining a constant pace. Most of the coaches and parents think this year’s cross country team has been able to do this exceptionally well. So far, this season’s team has run to the best of their ability, and have been able to represent the school well. One thing that numerous cross country athletes don’t like is the mandatory morning practices. While plenty of athletes despise this, many say that they would rather have morning practices because it offers them a chance to run at a cooler time in the day, as well as conditioning them to run more, as they get less tired in cooler weather. It can also teach the athletes endurance, since they must keep running even though they are tired. This is the type of mentality that head coach, Coach Davis, wants to instill in his runners. Coach Davis always tells his runners to “run your GUTS out.” The acronym means to run to Glorify God, give Utmost effort, put the Team first, and redefine Success. Many say the team takes
this acronym to heart, as each member of the team constantly encourages one another, cheers each other on, and tries not to leave a runner behind in a group run. According to Coach Davis, running Cross Country is not about winning, but is about taking the GUTS acronym to heart. If the team can do this, then the team has succeeded. As a result of the athletes “running their GUTS out,” plenty of runners improve both physically and mentally. Many say that when another person pushes someone to keep going, that person most likely will not stop and may even try to do better. The other person can help push another to the finish line, and, as a result, can help the other person do better than he or she thought possible. This is exactly what Coach Davis wants to happen when he encourages his athletes to run their GUTS out. He wants his athletes to run to the best of their ability. Ultimately, this can result in improvements in endurance and physical ability, as it pushes runners to do better than they thought they could. This mentality of “running your GUTS out” has stuck with runners throughout the season, and has resulted in
TEAM UNITED The cross country team has been running hard all season. The vigorous training and encouragement has resulted in improved race times and team unity.
runners improving their times. Numerous personal records have been broken, as well as some runners coming close to beating school records. Also, “running your GUTS out” has caused some runners to do exceptionally well in events they have never competed in before. As the season goes on, many
say there will undoubtedly be even more personal records broken. Each runner tries his or her best in each race, and it ultimately pays off with physical, mental, and spiritual improvement. If one chooses to run cross country, he or she can expect hard workouts, difficult races, and great team unity from running their GUTS out.
Football takes it all as the new season begins to get harder The football team starts off the season well # by Brittany McVaugh Stang Staff
The football team has been preparing for this season since the beginning of summer 2016. The team chose three specific captains to lead this year’s team to victory. Cole Little, Bryce Ott, and Matt Strickland are three of the small number of athletes that have been playing since their freshman year, and were chosen to be this year’s captains. The football team has been making tremendous victories, and has worked and improved greatly since previous years. The football seniors are especially motivated, so they can leave their last year of Houston Christian football with a great season. Along with the improved team, the students have especially made an improvement in the student section and in team spirit. Pate Hamza, senior football team member, states, “This year’s football team has especially been motivated during games, because of the improved student section, which I believe has helped us win.” The football team has had a good beginning season and almost undefeated with a 4:1 ratio.
The football team’s latest game with Episcopal School of Dallas was a proud and intense victory. The boys started off not doing so well, but quickly pulled it together and worked together as a team. The two teams began to go head to head throughout the game and were either tied or separated by a point or two. In the last five minutes of the game, ESD scored a touchdown making it difficult for Houston Christian to catch up. HC began to start losing hope in winning within the final minutes, but did not give up. In the last three minutes of the game, Houston Christian made a touchdown putting them ahead by one point with a score of 42-43. Houston Christian football has never before beaten the Dallas ESD team, which brought the players over the top with excitement after their victory.
FOOTBALL FRENZY The football team is ready to take on any competition. So far, the team has been able to defeat most of their opponents, proving to be a force to be reckoned with.
Football team starts season with astounding win
Football Team annihilates Kipp Academy # by Hope Cubbler, Stang Staff The kick off game of the season was said to be full of energy and excitement. The theme of the game was 1950’s, and many supporters came out dressed in their attire ready to cheer. The team started by punting the ball to Kipp Houston, and was followed by an utter shut down of their defense. Along with the team’s outstanding offense, the boys blocked a punt and ran it for a touchdown. Incredulously, this happened once more and was followed by a score by Isaiah Munton. The team continually began to kick the ball and score, while also using their defense to stop the opponents. The boys view football as more than just a sport or a hobby. Isaiah
Munton said, “Football is not just about scoring touchdowns, it is about winning.” One of the fans in the stands, Cole Willingham, shared about the rowdiness of the student section. “The football game was an experience that I will never forget. I learned many things about the game of football. Every minute I watch the game made me think about whether or not I should play football. And the support and spirit from my fellow classmates is truly inspiring.” While the game was concluded with an obvious win of 66-0, the joyous attitudes of the students provided a better sense of victory and pride. Another team member, Ryan
Delongchamps, explained, “The football game was fun and it was a great experience beating a team of that caliber.” Many of the players agreed that this was a wondrous way to start the upcoming season and hope to have a continual winning streak. Ryan also shared, “The first football game was exciting and I look forward to the rest of the season.” Our players practice with their whole hearts to ensure our school continues to come out on top. Due to the team’s continual wins, the boys encourage more students to come out and support with colorful spirit.
HOME GAMES ARE BEST The football team metally prepares for their first home game. The team had a great start, as the team gained a dominating victory over Kipp Academy.
Sports
Cheer hypes up the crowd Cheerleaders excited to support the school for the upcoming year # by Ehmry Ritsco, Stang Staff The cheer team does a lot more than just cheering. They are the leaders of participation at both games and pep rallies. The team also creates posters, plans the pep rallies, and creates fun activities, and this year is just beginning for both varsity and junior varsity. There are many leaders on the team, including the two senior captains seniors, Sydney Welling and Brooke Phillips. They are assisted by another senior who is the social director, Kelsey Lehane. She is in charge of speaking at and leading the planning of pep rallies. The final leader is junior, Ashley Read, who is the Chaplain of the team. She said, “The cheer season is going well so far, it has been super fun spending time with these girls, while supporting the school at the same time.” The cheerleaders have also been working very hard in practice to perfect their cheers, dances, and stunting. Although some people argue that
cheerleading is not a sport, based off the effort put in, most consider it definitely is. The girls have a very busy schedule due to practicing multiples times a week and cheering at every football game. The cheerleaders are in charge of preparing for and running pep rallies, and they choose everything from themes to games. In order to have a theme, they let the entire school know and get approval for a dress up day from Dean. They also create huge posters just for that pep rally. Then they make up games for participation from the different grade levels. This preparation is extensive, but makes the pep rallies much more enjoyable for the entire student body. One of the biggest cheerleading events is the homecoming pep rally. According to Ashley Read, the glow in the dark theme is one of their favorites. The homecoming pep rally is special particularly because the senior football players
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Stang Shorts Homecoming Highlights
Cheer for home The cheer squad hopes to pump up
the crowd and help lead the football team to victory. The cheerleaders practice routines and cheers to try to hype up the crowd at home games.
participated in a dance, which required the cheerleaders to prepare even more . Overall, the cheerleaders have had a great start to their season
and hope to continue on this way. They are working hard on cheers and pep rally preparation. They love to support the school while having fun at the same time.
Harrell Family Strength and Conditioning Center opens to phenomenal reviews New state of the art athletic complex opens on campus
# by Sara Wray, Stang Staff The school recently opened their new athletic complex. It was donated to the school by Willie and Forrest Harrell, and it is called the Harrell Family Strength and Conditioning Center. Forrest Harrell used to be a student at Houston Christian. During his time here, he played on the football team, and he was captain his junior and senior year. His dad is still a coach for our football team. After founding was complete, the school held a groundbreaking ceremony on February 4th. Construction on the complex officially started in March. The athletic complex was built near the track and the football field. Once construction was finally completed, on August 1st, the school had a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the complex to the students. The complex was made just before football season, so the players could practice there. Rachel Beakley, an intern for the Dynamic Sports Training at Houston Christian, said our complex is “better than the student rec center at A&M.” The Harrell Family Strength and Conditioning
The Stang
Center is 7,000 square feet and has two floors. The walls facing the track are lined with windows so the students can look out to the field as they workout. There are 4 four tvs set up in the complex for audio visual needs. One of the football captains, Bryce Ott, said, “the new athletic complex is state of the art and will not be taken for the granted. We are very grateful for the new complex and it will benefit the school for years to come.” There is also a turf area upstairs for the athletes to use for conditioning. There are hired trainers who help strengthen athletes for all people who wish to work out there. Many have benefited from the development of the new athletic complex. According to athletic director Dan Lee, “the Harrell Strength and Conditioning Center is one of the best high school facilities in the state.”
Athletic Complex The Harnell Family Strength and Conditioning
Center offers both students and teachers opprtunities to workout. The building gives the athletes new equipment to work with to get stronger..
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October 2016
Feature
Top 5 Horror Movies Current horror movies are here to scare # by Brittany McVaugh, Stang Staff Don’t Breathe Don’t Breathe came out on March 12, 2016. This movie is a twist on regular horror movies, which usually contain some kidnapping or demons. Instead, Don’t Breathe contained three rebellious kids hoping to make their lives better with money, these three kids hope to rob a secretly wealthy neighbor, who lost his sight in Iraq. The kids seem to have everything figured out and suspect this robbery to be easy. However, what they do not understand is the blind man perfected how to detect everything with his other senses. This put the kids into a predicament and now have to try to stay alive, while being in stuck in an experienced, exarmy blind man’s home. The Conjuring 2 The Conjuring 2 came out on June 10, 2016. This movie is a popular form of horror consisting of paranormal activity and demonic possession. The film follows demon hunters Ed and Lorraine Warren as they travel to Enfield, England to help a single mother of four get rid of the evil in their home. During the investigation, one of the daughters becomes possessed by this evil spirit, causing destruction and heartache to the family and friends involved. This movie was rated as an 82 out of a 100 on a famous movie review website, Rotten Tomatoes. 10 Cloverfield Lane 10 Cloverfield Lane was a horror movie sequel to the popular film, Cloverfield. However, the sequel did not seem to have any connection to the first movie, which seemed to disappoint most audiences. The second movie seemed
Candy Poll # bySara Wray, Stang Staff
to include a different type of theme including aliens, but also the fear of people being kidnapped by a deranged old man. The second movie ended up being better than audiences thought and received 22 percent higher in positive ratings than the first Cloverfield. If audiences like suspense mixed with horror, this is the movie for them. The Boy The Boy came out on January 20, 2016. This horror movie theme was similar to a popular, old scary movie known as, Chuckie, because of its feature of a doll coming to life. The Boy was a horror movie that consisted of a troubled young boy mistreated by his parents, who forced him to live through a doll, while being locked in a basement. The parents attempt to escape from the “doll,” causing horror and the risk of death for others. The Forest The Forest came out on January 7, 2016. This movie was based on a real life forest in Japan (Aokigahara forest) where people supposedly go to kill themselves. This urban legend also states that anyone who stays in the forest overnight will be killed by the angry spirits of others who have killed themselves in the forest. An adventurous sister decides to explore this forest, but does not return for weeks. This causes suspicion to her sister and causes her to look for her. The sister felt the need to help her, because of the struggles they have both been through. This movie is full of plot twists, suspense, and scares, so if that is what you like, check it out!
Halloween has lengthy strange history
The inside scoop on the origin of Halloween # by Hope Cubbler, Stang Staff Halloween is a time of frights and festivities, while also allowing individuals to dress up and get free candy. This holiday is typically viewed as the one night of the year when someone can truly be someone else. However, some take this mindset to the extreme and go all out in creating their costume or decorating their house. Halloween is celebrated around the world, but most people do not stop to think how Halloween originated. Halloween arises superstition of mythical creatures and tends to frighten some people. Some of these scary creatures include: ghosts, witches, goblins, black cats, fairies, and demons. Halloween is thought to go as far back as the
Iron Age, when the ancient Celtics celebrated the festival of Samhain. This festival consisted of people wearing costumes and lighting bonfires to ward off roaming ghosts. Also, in the eighth century, Pope Gregory III allotted November first as a time to honor all the saints and martyrs. This day was called “All Saint’s Day,” and contained certain Samhain traditions. Many countries around the world now celebrate this holiday and call the evening before Halloween “All Hallows’ Eve.” Today, many people celebrate Halloween different ways, This includes trick or treating, throwing Halloween parties or festivals, dressing up, and/ or handing out candy. While Halloween is celebrated around the world today, there are many different superstitions that go along with the holiday. Halloween is believed to be the one day of the year where ghosts come back to the earthly world to haunt humans. Because of this myth, people thought they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being confronted, people tended to wear masks and costumes to avoid being recognized by the ghosts and hoped to be mistaken for fellow spirits. The souls of the dead were thought to revisit their old homes on Halloween with sinister intentions. Halloween was also thought to be the most favorable time for divinations concerning luck, death, health, and marriage. It was the time to placate the supernatural powers
controlling the processes of nature and was the only day in which the help of the devil was invoked for blessings and success. While there are multiple legends associated to Halloween, one of the more popular ones includes the Jack-o-lantern. The legend of the Jack-o-lantern is explained through “Irish Jack.” Jack was a stingy drunk man who tricked the devil into staying in a tree as to not take his soul. The devil reluctantly agreed, and when Jack died he was turned away at the gates of Heaven for living a life of drunkenness and selfishness. Because of this, Jack went to the devil who also rejected him in order to keep his promise. Obviously, Jack had no place to go and was condemned to wander the earth. But as Jack was leaving hell, the devil threw a live coal at him. Jack took this coal and placed it inside of the turnip he was eating and has been roaming the earth ever since with his “Jack-o-Lantern” in search of a place to rest. Eventually, pumpkins replaced turnips, since it was much easier to symbolize the devils coal inside a pumpkin. The idea of trick-or-treating is related to the ghosts of the dead in pagan history. This meant the ghosts that were thought to wander about the houses of the living were greeted with a banquet-laden table. At the end of the feast, masked and costumed villagers representing souls of the dead paraded to the outskirts of town leading the ghosts away. Halloween has become a holiday that a multitude people around the world celebrate, and is truly appreciated by the candy industry.
Scary!!
The Stang
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Urban Legends terrify the masses Scary stories are told to cause terror around Halloween # by Spencer Osato, Stang Staff Halloween is a time of scares and horror, and many like to watch scary movies or tell horrifying stories. Most Halloween stories have been passed down for years, and have become urban legends. While most of them are made up, some of them are based on true events. However, despite being merely myths, people still get scared from these legends to this day. One of the most famous Halloween urban legends is the Black Mask of Death. The story goes that in 1962, a person dressed in a black mask killed all but seven people at a Halloween party because they did not express the typical symbols that many associate Halloween with in actions (which are mayhem, murder, and madness). Rather, people were expressing the symbols through playful, non-violent costumes. Because people were not expressing the symbols in behaviors, the killer decided to lock the doors from the outside and try to kill all those at the party with a kitchen knife. Supposedly, seven people had survived the massacre, and the killer was never found. However, the story continues by saying that in 1969, the FBI found a black mask resembling the one worn by the killer. Now, many say that if someone breaks a tradition of Halloween (like blowing out the candles in a Jack-o-Lantern before midnight), he or she will be hunted down and killed by the killer. However, the many holes in the story prove the story to be false. For example, it is not possible for someone to lock the door from the outside and still be able to stab and kill the victims. Also, no murders like this were reported around that time. Many think the most famous retelling of this urban legend is from the 2007 movie Trick r Treat. In the film, one of the characters decides to extinguish a Jack-o-Lantern before midnight, and is killed by a child looking, goblin type creature who is posing as a trick-or-treater. The creature hunts all those who break any of the traditions of Halloween. Another famous Halloween urban legend has many parents checking the candy a person gets before eating it, as it may have been tampered with or poisoned. The story goes that some people distributed candy that had been poisoned or had razor blades in them to children. Although some of the urban legend is exaggerated, this type of thing has happened before. Many say the most infamous and disturbing example of this is the murder of eight-year-old Timothy Marc O’Bryan at the hand of his own father, Ronald Clark O’Bryan, on Halloween in 1974 in Houston, Texas. Ronald, nicknamed the CandyMan, had laced his children’s Pixie Stix with cyanide, and tried to get them to eat it. Out of
the five children, the only one who ate the candy was Timothy. The motivation for the murder was that Ronald was in debt, and he wanted to claim the life insurance money on his children. In order to do this, he tried to poison his children. Ronald was convicted of the murder in May 1975, and was executed by lethal injection on March 31, 1984. After this event, many parents have become more skeptical about candy their children receive, and who or where they got it from. Although there are many more famous Halloween urban legends (including Bloody Mary and the killer in the back seat), many think the ones described above are the scariest. Although most of these legends are just stories, it is thought to have helped shape society by making people more careful around Halloween. Urban legends have played a big part in shaping modern-day Halloween and giving some people a good scare.
Phobia really means fear # by Emily Villarreal, Stang Staff
One crisp Autumn eve, I had the opportunity to venture into the world of fright at the renowned haunted house franchise, Phobia. Houston’s biggest haunted house attraction included three separate houses, each themed differently to represent different aspects of horror. Immediately after I arrived on Phobia’s grounds, I was succumbed with a overwhelming sense of uneasiness, in response to the new eerie ambiance. The moment I stepped foot on the grounds I, along with other incoming guests, was greeted by a variety of villainous characters. The most haunting figure I encountered was the killer clown. Chainsaw in hand, he would chase unsuspecting visitors, leaving them shaken before even
entering the haunted house. This scene was equally entertaining to watch as an outsider, as well as nervewracking, while in fear of being the clown’s next victim. I first ventured into the Insane Asylum themed house, which was decked with blood and gore. Inside was a dark maze, meant to simulate the terrors one might face in a haunted abandoned mental institution. Everywhere I turned, I was struck by a new fright. Ghouls, dressed in hospital patient attire would attempt to leave me uneasy as they jumped out of unassuming corners. The house provided multiple jump-scares, but still lacked an ability to emulate an “authentic” sense of danger, or to strike real fear into the hearts of visitors. But overall, the first house was
successful in providing thrills and chills, perfect for any horror lover, and audiences of all ages. (Rating: 8/10) The second house I went into was the quintessence of classic horror. The haunted house theme was basically the “classic abandoned home,” chock full of supernatural elements, such as: ghosts, zombies, and elements of psychological horror. Much like the first house, many character actors jumped out to spook unsuspecting victims. The house once again proved to be a good time but, I feel the haunted house’s basic theme has been played out, and lacked an element of creativity. (Rating: 7/10) I unfortunately did not have the opportunity to visit the third house, which
depicted a gruesome haunted pirate ship scene. According to other visitors, the third house was the scariest. Because I never properly had the opportunity to experience the third house’s wonders, I can’t accurately give a review; I can only provide you with other visitors speculations. As I reflect on my “Phobia” experience, I can only recall fond memories. Phobia’s -all in good fun- blood curdling horrors truly ignited the Halloween spirit within me. Horror aficionados to casual halloween lovers will love all that Phobia has to offer, and is a definite mustsee attraction. This autumn, make sure not to miss out on the tricks and treats of Phobia!
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October 2016
Entertainment
Horrifying history of horror movies revealed Horror filmmakers scare audiences throughout history # Spencer Osato, Stang Staff Many say, when done right, horror films can play a big part in influencing culture and society. Throughout history, horror movie makers have been looking for new ways to scare audiences. Many say it is easy to create a horror movie, but extremely difficult to make a great one that will leave a lasting impression. In order to do this, many filmmakers feel the need to come up with new and original horror movie ideas. However, some decide to ride the coattails of what people in modern society feel is “scary,” but may end up diluting the subject so much that it is not considered “scary” anymore. With this mentality, horror movies have had to morph throughout history in order to keep scaring its audience. The history of horror goes as far back as the 1890s. Many say the first type of “horror movie” came out around this time. Some say the first “horror movie” was Georges Méliès’s 1896 silent short film, Le Manoir du Diable (or The House of the Devil). The film is about a vampire incarnation of the Devil as he encounters various phantoms in his castle. Although many consider this the first horror movie, the film was not intended to instill fear into its audience. Rather, Méliès intended to entertain his audience and make them wonder. But, the underlying themes and characters were so dark that it ended up scaring the audience instead. After this, more and more filmmakers started making horror movies with the intention to scare audiences. Some think the most influential horror films of the 1920s came from German Expressionists, including F. W. Murnau’s 1922 film, Nosferatu (which is an uncredited adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula). This is considered to be the first full vampire-themed film, and it still influences horror movie makers to this day. Others think horror movies really started to take off around the 1930s-1940s, especially with the success of Universal Studios’ Gothic Horror film series in the early 1930s. This series included many classics, such as Dracula (1931), the second film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933), The Mummy (1932), and The Wolf Man (1941). These monster movies played a huge part in the influence of horror movies, and some are still considered “scary” today. Around the 1950s-1960s, further advancements in technology allowed for scarier, more creative films to be made. As monsters went away, Doomsday or Demonic movies began to take their place. For example, many alien invasion, infection/mutation, or 3-D horror films
were being made. Some of the most popular included House of Wax (1953) (which used the 3D effect to bring the audience into the movie) and the film adaptation of Richard Matheson’s The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), a film in which a man is exposed to radioactivity and, as a result, shrinks uncontrollably. Around the 1960s, the slasher film began to become popular, including films such as Peeping Tom (1960), which was considered to be the first slasher film, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960). Other popular horror films of the time were Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (1963), Night of the Living Dead (1968), and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). Around the 1970s-1980s, supernatural horror movies started becoming popular. The movie that many think popularized the genre was the critically-acclaimed film The Exorcist (1973). The film, which was based on the novel by William Peter Blatty,who also wrote the screenplay, follows 12-year-old Regan MacNeil,played by Linda Blair, as she becomes possessed by a demon after playing with a Ouija board. The film was so scary to its audience that there were reported cases of people passing out in the theater and needing medical or even psychiatric care,especially because grotesque scenes like the famous head spin. But what many found the most scary about the film was the fact that a 12 year old was constantly shouting obscenities. The film was a fan, commercial, and critical success. It was also the first horror movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the 1974 Academy Awards. Because of films like The Exorcist, many horror films began to explore subjects and themes of “evil children,” such as The Omen (1976), Stephen King’s Carrie (1976), The Shining (1980), and Poltergeist (1982). In the mid-70s, many horror movies began to explore natural horror. Many think the most well known of these movies was Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic, Jaws, one of the first summer blockbusters, and one of the many reasons why people are afraid of sharks. In fact, after the movie came out, many people were too scared to get into the ocean. Around the 1970s-1980s, many slasher-style horror films were released. The most famous of these movies were perhaps John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980), Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Child’s Play (1988), and Hellraiser (1987). One thing that most of these movies had in common was a low budget, which many think influenced the start of low budget movies, or
“B-movies,” including movies such as Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy, Gremlins (1984), Fright Night (1985), and many more. During the early 1990s, sequels to popular horror movies became popular. These included sequels to A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Halloween, and Child’s Play. However, most of these films were hated by critics. But, that does not mean that critics hated all of them. Many critics liked movies like Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994) and Silence of the Lambs (1991). In fact, Silence of the Lambs was not only the first horror film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, but also was the third film to win the “Big Five,” winning Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Anthony Hopkins, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Jodie Foster, Best Director, Jonathan Demme, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Other famous films of the time included films such as Candyman (1992), Scream (1996), Sleepy Hollow (1999), The Blair Witch Project (1999), and many others. Despite the previous success of horror films, many say the genre went quiet during the early 2000s, and entering into the 2010s, remakes, found footage, and supernatural films were popular. But, many fans think the films around this time had been overdone, and, therefore, were not “scary.” However, many say that the genre still has fire, as some modern horror movies are simply terrifying, like Insidious (2010), The Conjuring (2013), The Conjuring 2 (2016), Lights Out (2016), Don’t Breathe (2016), The Babadook (2014), Spanish film REC (2008), and many others. Plenty of older films are also getting a future remake or sequel. These include films like Halloween (2017), Friday the 13th (2017), Hellraiser (2017), Leatherface (2016) (prequel to Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Saw: Legacy (2017), Annabelle 2 (2017), Insidious Chapter 4 (2017), and plenty of others. TV Series are now beginning, including Psycho (Bates Motel), Silence of the Lambs (Hannibal), Scream, and The Exorcist. Horror films have gone through great changes throughout history. From monsters to supernatural, many say horror filmmakers are always trying to come up with new ways to scare audiences. Because of this, most of the horror films that scare people are able to influence future filmmakers, as they are a part of culture and history. Without this form of entertainment, many think that films would not be the same today.
Annual Music Festival returns to Austin
ACL brings large crowds to Zilker Park # Ehmry Ritsco, Stang Staff Austin City Limits, usually abbreviated as ACL, is an annual music festival held at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. This event lasts three days on two separate weekends. The festival dates for 2016 were: September 30th through October 2nd, and October 7th through October 9th. Each weekend brought in a massive crowd, and high profile performers from all over the United States, and about 450,000 attended each weekend of ACL. There were also eight stages set up in Zilker Park that were booked with back to back concerts all day. This year’s lineup was packed with very populars artists. Weekend one and two both shared the same headliners, which were Radiohead on Friday, Kendrick Lamar on Saturday, and Mumford
& Sons on Sunday. Since these were the headliners, their concerts lasted two full hours rather than just one. There were also artists that performed throughout the day. These artists varied based on the weekend one attended. Some of the other high profile performers who attended included: Flume, Chainsmokers, Schoolboy Q, Kygo, and Major Lazer. ACL doesn’t only have concerts, it provides a large variety of food options and souvenirs. The food options are known as ACL Eats. ACL Eats includes a large group of restaurants that support ACL, and are local to Austin such as: Tiff’s Treats, Torchy’s Tacos, and P. Terry’s Burger Stand. As for souvenirs, there is a big selection of ACL inspired attire
and posters. These change every year because there is a new logo for each year of the festival. These logos make the attire unique to a specific year. On the other hand, ACL offers an innovative way of purchasing these items without having to carry around cash. When someone gets their ticket it has an activation code that allows them to link their personal information with the ticket. Along with personal information, people can link their credit card with their ticket and scan it to purchase items at the festival. ACL is a major event that happens every year and is highly anticipated. People from all over the U.S. attend, and is an extremely popular Austin fall event.
Fun at ACL Pictured here, is the crowd enjoying the live
music. Weekend two, October 7th til the 9th, had the largest amount of people from all over Texas.
Entertainment
The Stang
TV shows premiere this fall
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Many TV shows are starting and returning the Fall # Ehmry Ritsco, Stang Staff Many highly anticipated new shows are set to air this fall. Along with new shows there are many shows that are returning. Fall shows have begun to air on networks and will continue through November. Avid fans are looking forward to these up and coming releases. There are an abundance of new shows making a debut, ranging from dramas to comedies to horrors. The range gives audiences a wide variety of new interests to invest time into. On Wednesdays, Lethal Weapon is the new show to watch on FOX. Many people are looking forward to this show. It is based off of the 1987 movie with the same title. Then on Thursdays, there are two new shows to look forward to. One is The Good Place, on NBC, This show is a comedy about heaven and a girl named Ellen wondering if she is actually
good enough to be there. The other is a new show Pitch, on FOX. It is about Ginny Baker, the first female baseball player, while hitting on discrimination issues. Lastly on Friday, there is another new show The Exorcist, which is also on FOX. It is a serialized version of the 1971 novel, by William Peter Blatty. Although it is said to have a slow start, it may keep audiences interested. Several others are set to be released soon, and these are some of the most anticipated. Returning shows have conjured up just as much anticipation. Die hard fans patiently wait for their favorite shows to return, and now their dreams are coming true. Many beloved shows return again this fall for another season. These returning shows start on Mondays, with Big Bang Theory on CBS, and Gotham on FOX. Then on
Tuesdays, New Girl and Scream Queens return both on FOX, along with The Flash on the CW. On Wednesdays, there is American Horror Story, on FX, Modern Family on ABC, Blackish, also on ABC, and Arrow on the CW. Next on Thursdays, there is Supernatural on the CW and Grey’s Anatomy on ABC. Finally, on Sundays there is Last Man on Earth and Bob’s Burgers, both on FOX, Along with these shows, a highly anticipated revival of the beloved show Gilmore Girls premieres on Netflix November 20. These returning shows will surely not disappoint. This year’s Fall TV line up, is made to impress. Some shows have not been listed, so it would be smart to check a local entertainment guide. Now is a great chance to catch up on things missed out on, or prepare for premieres of new and returning shows.
Latest Season Releases Many shows have come back this fall or are just now being released. Grey’s Anatomy, a popular tv show, has been airing for eleven years, and made its return recently.
Kendall Jenner takes over Fashion Week Great attendence and famous audience # Brittany McVaugh, Stang Staff
NYFW Kendall Jenner struts down the run-
way for the Vera Wang fall fashion line. New York Fashion Week was a huge success for designers.
The designers of New York fashion weeks fashion lines chose a particular, well known model to show off their new fall clothing, Kendall Jenner. Kendall Jenner participated in three famous shows, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, and Vera Wang. She has been being given a hard time for her career, because of her family. Although, Kendall is part of the Kardashian family, she is one of the few actually working for her career and is known to be in the top three most paid models. Kendall Jenner should be defended from the cruel insults she receives because of her family. Kendall does not gain as much support from the public as she should, However, sister, Kylie Jenner showed her
excitement and support for her sister with her boyfriend, Tyga through her snapchat and social media, during her performance throughout fashion week. New York’s Fashion week brought a huge crowd to the shows. There were multiple familiar faces to us all including the popular beckham family, Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, and Tyga. The Beckham family showed their support for wife and mother, Victoria during her spring lines appearance in New York’s 2016 fashion week and becomes the Beckhams “number one fan.” The popular singer, Taylor Swift, brought big talk about this year’s fashion week, as she made an appearance to support friend,
Gigi Hadid and get a first look into Tommy Hilfiger’s new fashion line. Tyga, Kylie Jenner’s boyfriend, made an appearance with Kylie Jenner to support Kendall Jenner in her big moment as a model for multiple known fashion line shows. This years fashion week took a twist and appeared different than the previous fashion week shows. Multiple designer looks took unexpected twist and instead of sticking to only summer/spring clothing they mixed in fall/winter clothing. This year, New York’s fashion week took an exciting turn, and will continue to keep things interesting. What will be different next year?
Newest releases hit top charts
Artists change music forever # Sara Wray, Stang Staff
The year of 2016 has been very exciting in the world of entertainment. Many new albums have already been release, and most hit the top music charts within minutes of their release. Some of the most notorious to hit the top charts range from Drake’s Views to Frank Ocean’s new album, Blonde. Rihanna was the first to release her album, Anti, in January. Her album was greatly anticipated by all her fans, and went in the top 10 on BillBoard’s 200 chart. Kanye West’s album, The Life of Pablo, was released in February, but he refused to put it on iTunes. Kanye released his album on a site called TIDAL. This music site requires a monthly subscription, which annoyed many fans. The album was then downloaded illegally by viewers, until its final release on Spotify and Apple Music. The album will most likely never be able to be purchased on iTunes. The title suggests he views his life as that of the infamous Pablo Escobar, although the singer/rapper is known to be millions of dollars in debt. Beyonce’s album Lemonade, was another new release that came out in April. The album is mostly about her husband, Jay Z, and his infidelity.
The music videos that came along with this album show her walking down the street hitting cars with a baseball bat, clearly depicted the anger she had towards Jay-Z. The album hit home with many fans who have once felt the same way. Beyonce’s songs have always been known to be very empowering for women, which this album proves. There were many more albums that also came out this year. This includes Drake’s album Views, which lasted at number one for ten weeks. Drake’s hometown is in Toronto, Canada, and the album is a tour through this city. One of his songs, “Too Good,” featuring Rihanna, rekindled their chemistry. Drake also features in Rihanna’s song “Work.” Frank Ocean dropped his album, Blonde, after depriving his fans of music since his last hit, Channel Orange, which was in 2012. His music has always been unique and different than other artists. His album still remains on the top charts on iTunes. He also hit number one on Billboard’s 200, being the third largest album debut of 2016. Travis Scott is one of the newest albums to come out- Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight. His album went to number one on the iTunes top charts almost immediately after release. It featured
songs such as “Through the Late Night” and “Goosebumps,” and was a huge hit for his fans. Young Thug has also dropped his new album, Jeffery, and there is still more to come from many other artists, such as Mac Miller and Tove Lo.
Yeezy Season The Life of Pablo was one of the biggest
hits from the new album releases. Kanye West is the artist for this album, and he is touring for it now.
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October 2016
Editorial
Undecided voters give up freedom by not Voting
What an undecided voter should think about the government #Spencer Osato, Stang Staff election, some are decidedly against both candidates. Therefore, these people choose to not vote. As in the case of Trump vs. Clinton, many see the choice as if they are choosing a lunatic or a con artist to run the country. But if these people do not vote, do they really have the right to complain about the one who wins the election? As I see it, people can answer this question one of two ways. The first is Voting Buttons Voting buttons represent the writers column that people who can vote, but and express the colors; red, white, and blue. It represents the right choose not to vote, should to vote. be able to complain about Discussions are happening all the one who wins the election. Many over school and the town about who say this is because they have freedom of people will vote for in the upcoming speech in America. So, many feel that Presidential election. However, this they should be able to speak their mind election year has many people undecided no matter what. By being an American on who to vote for. However, like in every citizen, people believe they have the right
to choose if they want to vote, and can speak their mind about the one who wins the election. The second way a person could answer this question is that if a person who could vote, chooses not to vote, then he or she has no right to say anything about the one who wins. If the voter does not participate in government, he or she has no right to speak against it, even if he or she has freedom of speech. If one does not show his or her support for a candidate, then he or she has no right to speak poorly about the one who is elected. I believe although people have the right to freedom of speech, if a person did not vote, then he or she should not speak badly about the winner of the election. The person who did not vote was given the opportunity to actively participate in government, and that person passed it up. If he or she passes up this opportunity, then he or she has no right to speak negatively about any part of the government. However, if a person did vote, but the candidate he or she voted for did not win the election, then I believe that person has the right to speak his or her mind about the candidate who won. If
a voter participated in government, then he or she has the right to say anything he or she wants about it. But, again, if a person who can vote decides not to vote for either candidate, then he or she should not talk negatively or even positively about the candidate who won. That person remained undecided, and gave up on the opportunity to speak his or her mind about the other candidate. The person who does not vote has given up part of his or her right to freedom of speech. However, the person who does vote has the right to say whatever they want about either candidate. The undecided voter decided to not participate in government, and, therefore, should not say anything about it. If someone wants to have a voice in government, then he or she should study up on what issues are relevant, and pick a side based on what he or she believes should be done. Once a side is chosen, then that person should choose leaders who represent his or her beliefs. In other words, if someone can vote, that person should take the opportunity to actively participate in government.
Behind the Scenes: the real DSP life Camille Giuffre and Sarah Byars
This past summer, the Distinguished Scholar Class of 2018 flew to London, England to discover all the possibilities for research topics and to gain cultural knowledge. Led by sponsors Karen Stuart, Sara Welshimer and Ryan Klasen, the Scholars enjoyed many sites and attractions such as Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, and the Globe Theatre. The Scholars loved walking, playing, and biking in all of the beautiful London parks. Camille Giuffre’s favorite part of the trip was our tour of Oxford led by a cute, enthusiastic tour guide, Christopher, who had everyone’s attention with his bubbly personality and interesting facts about Christ’s Church Cathedral. And then the ladies saw the ring on his finger… *sigh*. Sarah Byars documented everything on the trip as she always had her camera in hand taking photos, but her favorites were of the amazing architectural features, as there was a vast mixture of modern and old buildings. Sarah also enjoyed practicing Spanish at the Royal Observatory Museum since she listened to the whole tour in Spanish. In Greenwich, the Scholars stood on two
hemispheres at the same time as they straddled the Prime Meridian at the Royal Observatory, and all the ladies especially loved shopping on High Street, even Courtney. Due to the many miles the Scholars both trudged and strutted, Camille eventually had to buy new shoes because the only pair of shoes she brought were her fashionable boots. Unfortunately, Sam Shapiro and John Bergeron were not concerned about fashion as the two were seen in the worst style of sweatpants known to man, but thankfully, Mrs. Stuart saved London from this sight and made them change. Because Sam’s PS3 was confiscated at the airport, he was able to focus on the history of the Tower of London, and how it evolved from a prison, to a castle, and even into a zoo. Many mornings were frantic as Ryan Hirschbuehler took a little too much time to style his hair causing John to miss breakfast and hold the entire group up for a timely departure. The weather was typical for London - cold and rainy, but the beautiful scenery made up for it. Lest anyone think this was merely a vacation, upon returning to the hotel, the Scholars formed many research questions
Do dress code rules go too far? #Emily Villarreal, Stang Staff Each academic institution holds a slightly varying set of guidelines dictating what’s appropriate for students to wear. Ideally, “Dress code policies” maintain modesty and sanctity within a school’s learning environment, but many ask to what extent is student’s attire the school’s concern and when do dress code policies cross from protective to oppressive. The harsh criticism female students face under these policies is where most dress code opposition originates from, and the positive intended purpose becomes distorted. In relevance to Houston Christian high school, the most regarded issue involving dress code is girl’s skirt length. But once again I believe the overarching authority deteriorates as policies cross into
over what they had observed and experienced that day. London was a wonderful opportunity for the Scholars to open their minds to the “Big Picture” and amazement of the wonderful world God has created. Also, it was a time to bond with Mrs. Karen Stuart, their teacher for the next two years. Sadly, Sierra Wilbur and Jake Fritsche did not go on this adventure, and were missed on the trip. Maybe next year?
DSP Trip The DSP students stand infront Buckingham Palace, during their trip to London. Many say the trip was worth it!
Objectification or protection of dress code rules
institutionalized misogyny, infringement on students expression of creativity and enforce objectification. It is a common rule of thumb at most uniform schools to require girls to wear skirts no less than three inches above the knee. The issue does not arise within the policy itself, but rather from the preconceived notion behind why it must be followed. Female students are told by school authorities they are posing a distraction to their male counterparts within the classroom because of their skirt length. Not only does this reasoning offer a large amount of hypocrisy, it also justifies the notion boys shouldn’t be expected to control their sexual desires around girls, which in return leads to societal normalization rape culture/ sexual assault. The central idea that rape culture and victim shaming thrives off is, “she was asking for it because of the way she dressed,” and so when young boys are conditioned to hyper sexualize girls at such a young age hurts gender relations in such bigger picture. The fact that school’s use skirt length to shame girls and attack young girls character and morality is
where the issue lies. At Houston Christian boys are dress coded for their shorts length, even though they are definitely more than three inches above the knee (which trust me, many are; as on trend with frat culture). By creating and following dress codes that have separate standards for boys and girls, it teaches girls that they are mostly perceived as objects, only as valuable as how they look. In my opinion, dress code rules aren’t about just clothes themselves, they represent patriarchal assertion of power; to which many onlookers believe is a retrograde from institutionalized sexism. But regardless of personal views, dress codes will always be a stagnant aspect of student’s educational lives and should not be disregarded. Students should not rebel against current dress code rulings, but rather challenge existing policies negative preconceived notion, and help to reformat the existing dress code rules, as a response to the society’s progression.
Editorial
The Stang
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How should Homecoming proposals be done? Should girls expect a boy to go over the top when they ask them to homecoming? # Ehmry Ritsco & Hope Cubbler Stang Ehmry: Every year, football season begins in the fall, which means that it’s time for Homecoming. All over Instagram, Twitter, etc. one can see examples of homecoming proposals. These proposals range from wild stunts to simple posters. Football and homecoming are a huge part of high school social events all over the United States. These things are often looked forward to with high expectations from both students and parents. Since these standards having been set so high, girls often expect over the top homecoming proposals, but is this something that should be the norm? Guys should put thought into the way they ask girls to homecoming. It should be special since it is a special day, but girls should not always expect
something over the top. If a guy puts thought into asking someone, just the fact that he chose to ask them should be enough for a girl. The girl should be flattered and excited no matter what they receive. It is not okay for a guy to text a girl in order to ask her to homecoming, or for any date. It is only acceptable to let them know that they intend to ask, so the girl does not get asked by someone else before. Boys need to be mature enough to ask someone face to face, if they think they are mature enough to attend a dance in the first place. Hope: Another issue that many face during homecoming season is rejection. A girl should not reject a guy simply because she doesn’t
feel he put in enough effort into asking her. Just because she thinks it was not enough effort does not mean the boy did not give it his all. He might have tried very hard to come up with something sincerely amazing, but it did not turn out as great as he intended. It takes a lot of courage to set oneself up for either acceptance or rejection, so girls should be respectful of feelings. Overall, girls should expect thoughtful proposals when being asked to homecoming, but not over the top. If a girl thinks she is a getting a personalized blimp just for homecoming she needs to rethink what she really wants out of this occasion. Homecoming should be a flattering and fun event for everyone who attends, with or without a date or over the top proposal. Also girls should respect boys in the way of rejection, just
like boys should respect girls when they ask them which means: no texting the question and no unfair
HOMECOMING DATE? Many like to ask a person to
homecoming in the most creative way possible. A student asks a fellow student to homecoming in a sweet and thoughtful way.
If I were president... October library contest winner # Laura Kobs If I were President, I would do everything in my power to get impeached in the most ridiculous way possible. I know I cannot make laws, but with the power of persuasion I would do everything in my power to make life, not difficult, but at definitely less fun for everyone. If you think I can’t do it just ask LBJ. He sent us to Vietnam just by berating Congress members in the bathroom. Have you tried saying ‘no’ to the person outside your bathroom stall while you have no toilet paper and they have a nice, soft roll right there. Thought not. My Vice president would be Vermin Supreme. He has been running every year as a third party candidate since 2004 and he is known for wearing a boot as a hat and carrying a large toothbrush. I need a man with a good history of politics by my side to help me. His policies include that everyone will get a pony, whether they want one or not. It does not matter if you can or cannot care for the pony. You will get it bucko! And like it! And you are expected to take care of it. Or else you will be taxed. Horse taxed. Horse taxes is a real a thing, that I just made up. My President cabinet will be all cast members from the movie Space Jam (Get Slam!) Even the dead ones. And I don’t mean the voice actors of the Looney Tunes, I am talking about the Looney Tunes themselves. Michael Jordan will be shooting hoops in my court. Daffy Duck can be head of Homeland Security. And Porky Pig as Secretary of State. My first act as President, would be to ban Doritos. Everyone loves that stuff. Imagine the public’s reaction. Hilarious. Well, not for you, but for me. I’ll probably
put some fake science research up saying that they are the leading cause of cancer. I would ban Starbucks, but I don’t want to be assassinated. Second act will be to go to war with North Sudan. Sounds scary? Well it ain’t. In fact some guy just bought the land for his daughter so she could be a princess. We are going to war with a seven year old. The population is literally three people. Oh man, I would be a jerk to go to war with a little girl. But it would be worth it. I would just waste our military uses on it too. Get the Navy Seals with their armor and helicopters to just bother them. No guns of course, but like, using Nerf and water guns. Just set a huge base there and waste money like we already do with our military program. Fourth act would be to replace all our paper currency with bees. Just bees. Like a dollar is eight bees and a twenty would be forty bees. And they have to be alive or it doesn’t count. I don’t know whether to have little leashes for them or to just put them in jars, but I’ll let the Supreme Court sort out the details. Fifth act will be on our school system. I know for years that we are not reaching our full potential, so I propose a way to reach beyond ourselves. Under the science that we humans have five senses, I plan to let American children study their sixth sense. That’s right. A sense of humor. From now on all children are to have three years of clown college under their belts in order to graduate from any college. You’re welcome. You know what? All movies are banned for being inappropriate and offensive. All movies. If it has any sign of creativity, originality, or life, it will be considered offensive. So that is why only Adam Sandler movies will
be allowed. You might be wondering, Putin. Also make prank phone calls on ‘Why are Adam Sandler movie the phone. allowed?’ Well, my young walnut, it “Hi who is this?” is because anyone in those movies are “This is the President of the already dead in their career and are United States.” creatively washed up. “Very funny and I’m the Then, I shall change the Queen of England.” national anthem from the Star “Oh, sorry I thought I put you Spangled Banner to the 10 hour Nyan on hold.” Cat YouTube song. It seems befitting But yeah, I would be like the Internet in a way, wouldn’t you agree. Also Obama but like, ALL the time. anytime someone wants to sing “Amazing Grace,” they will have to In conclusion, vote for me, I’ll waste sing “Mr. Sun” instead. But with the your time. With Love. same amount of passion. Like those ladies before a baseball game. Truly Your President. beautiful. Also the new, and first, national language of the Editor-in-Chief-- Spencer Osato United States Co-Editor--Hope Cubbler will be… puns. That it. Just Co-Editor--Jasmine Mata puns. You can Stang Staff say them in Hope Cubbler, Jasmine Mata, Brittany McVaugh, any language, Spencer Osato, Ehmry Ritsco, but as long it 2016-2017 Emily Villarreal, Sara Wray is a pun, that’s the language. I don’t care if Adviser--Heidi McCurdy it is more of a dialect. It. The STANG is published 8 times per year online at www.houstonchristian.org, and is free to the Will. Be. Puns. student body, faculty and staff. Advertising is available to businesses, parents and students, but Let’s The STANG reserves the right to refuse advertisement based on appropriateness for HC Students. For advertising information please contact Heidi McCurdy at see, what else 713-580-6044 or email at hmccurdy@houstonchristian.org. can I do to be an annoying The STANG is a student run newspaper and the views and opinions of The STANG do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the faculty, staff and Board of president? Houston Christian High School. Ban memes. Like, Letters to the Editor: Please email your comments to hmccurdy@houstonchristian.org. I won’t do The STANG reserves the right to refuse or edit inappropriate content of comments. anything to try to get Mission Statement: The mission of The STANG is to inform, entertain and encourage the readers by providing rid of them, insight through school, community and global affairs, in order to raise questions and provide but I’ll just answers. To obtain the truth, which is the basis of our paper, we will incorporate research from a wide variety of sources. Although we write to entertain, we will balance our humor say it and let with real information about the world around us. In all we do, we promise to uphold our that become a Christian values by writing with quality and integrity. meme within itself like with
STANG
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October 2016
Fine Arts
Interview with new Fine Arts Directors
Getting to know the new Fine Arts Directors # Spencer Osato, Stang Staff Many
new teachers always come with the new school year. This year, HC hired two new Fine Arts Directors: Mr. Nady Benyamine and Mr. Mark Bailey. In order to get to know more about them, both were asked a series of questions with regards to who they are, how it has been working at the school, and what they hope to achieve with their students. 1. So far, what has it HC’s New Choir Director: Mark Bailey (pictured here) been Like working at is head of the school’s choir department, aswell as HoustonChristian? teaching a history of jazz pop in rock, worship band, a. N. Benyamine: Working and piano. He is married to our librarian, Hannah Bailey. at Houston Christian has been amazing. The staff and students here is so welcoming and inviting. The Fine Arts events being produced this season are incredibly diverse, which makes a great learning experience for apprentices. I’ve been longing to work with a professional christian educational environment company for some time now and it has been everything I have ever dreamed of. I admire everyone’s commitment to the work on what we are trying to accomplish this school year. It’s just wonderful to be a part of this School. b. M. Bailey: B oth faculty and students have been extremely welcoming! I am so glad to be working with such talented colleagues and musicians. The pace is a bit different than public school and the academic expectations are much higher and more intense. 2. How did you find out about this opportunity? a. N. Benyamine: I am originally from Michigan, and when I got married to my wife in Houston about a year and a half ago, I found this opening for the orchestra director position on the TMEA website and applied for it. b. M. Bailey: I found out through the HR Department that this job became available. 3. What would you say is your favorite thing about this year so far? a. N. Benyamine: My favorite thing this year is the collaboration I get to do with my Fine Arts colleges. Music teachers sometimes tend to stay in their own bubble, but Here at Houston Christian Fine Arts Department, we are all a great team. I love to bounce ideas back and forth on how to improve our musical productions that we get to do together throughout the year. We became more than colleges but also great friends. b. M. Bailey: M y students. They are such impressive young men and women and I find that their hearts and minds are so open to new ideas and music making. 4. Have you worked other places besides Houston Christian? If so, where at and how does it compare to working at Houston Christian? a. N. Benyamine: Yes, I started and built an orchestra program in Oxford, Michigan for seven years. I also worked as a High School Orchestra Director in Fort Bend ISD for one year. This is the first time I work in a Christian Private School. Working in a private school feels more like a
family. Communication with staff and students is a lot easier and faster paced than in public schools. b. M. Bailey: Atascocita Middle School for 3 years and La Porte High School for 4 years. Both as Head Choir Director. 5. What made you choose to work at Houston Christian? a. N. Benyamine: Houston Christian provides the opportunity for me to share my love and passion for music within a my believes which is so hard to find in the education world these days. I also love the support they have for the Arts and Music. b. M. Bailey: There is much more freedom to talk about my faith and be more personable with my students. There is much more relational emphasis and community. 6. What are you most looking forward to this year? a. N. Benyamine: Most definitely our concerts and field trips as well as seeing the students progress and excel on their instruments. b. M. Bailey: The Christian environment and high levels of music expectations. 7. What has been your favorite part about Houston Christian? a. N. Benyamine: The students believe it or not! They are so wonderful to work with. They love to learn and are super fun to engage with. b. M. Bailey: The music making and trips with my students. 8. What has been your favorite memory so far at Houston Christian? a. N. Benyamine: My favorite memory so far is playing my electric violin alog with the students worship team. b. M. Bailey: The food..seriously...I love the food at HC. 9. What do you wish to achieve with your students this year? a. N. Benyamine: I wish to continue to grow our orchestra program in performing level and in numbers. I also would like to provide as many opportunities for our school to promote the orchestra to all the middle schools that feed into Houston Christian community. b. M. Bailey: S inging pop music Open House with the Chamber ensemble. 10. Are there any stand out students so far this year? If so, who and why? a. N. Benyamine: Students that stand out to me are Ga Young Tsao and James Wilson. They are both quite talented students, very committed HC’s New Orchestra Director: Nady Benyamine to their instrument and are is head of the school’s orchestra department, as very dedicated to our orchestra well as teaching piano and advanced piano. Look out for his great electric violin as well. program. b. M. Bailey: I want my students to walk away from my rehearsal hall loving music and the process of making music. My choir officers really stand out so far to me because they are such amazing leaders and their hearts are so devoted to the choir department.
a bible verse for the new year....
Ephesians 4:22-24: “To put off your old self, which belongs to yod is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to
put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
As we readily face the new school year, we should be reminded that God forgives our past and we have a new beginning. Start off this year strong, and keep in mind the love God has for you!
Spiritual Life
The Stang
Student Chaplains: Revealed
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Sarah Kate Elliott and Mitch Richter plan for a great year as student body chaplains
# by Jasmine Mata, Stang Staff 1. Why did you decide to run for chaplain? M- I decided to run for chaplain when I was listening to Leslie give a sermon about the lies that the devil speaks to us. Being a chaplain was already on my mind from Mike introducing the idea to me, but the lie that Leslie said that stood out to me was, “You’re not holy enough for that.” And that was when I knew that God was telling me that he wanted me to run for chaplain. SK- I ran for chaplain because I have always looked up to the chaplains in the previous years. They were all very encouraging to me, and I wanted to encourage others through Christ in the same way they encouraged me. 2. What goals do you have for the student body this year, and what do you plan to do to help these goals along?
M- My goal for the student body is to be a leader in a world of darkness. Because we go to a Christian school, we are fortunate to be able to learn and freely believe in Jesus, so my hope is that we take that knowledge and serve our community around us. SK- One of my goals for the student body this year is to have a community where we can be real with each other. I want to be open with others so they feel they can be open and vulnerable with their friends. 3. Do you feel a sense of responsibility to the students as chaplain? If so, what? M- There is a tremendous responsibility for chaplains; Sarah Kate and myself can never make a mistake without someone yelling “HA! CHAPLAIN MADE A MISTAKE!” That sounds discouraging, but it has actually
helped my life tremendously, as it has brought upon this sense of accountability to be responsible and to really think about what I do and how I lead other students. SK- I do feel a sense of responsibility to the students. It is my job to be there to serve and support them whenever they need it. 4. What are you most excited about in your role as chaplain for this year? M- This year, the thing that I am most excited for is planning a chapel, as Sarah Kate and I can put together something that hopefully the entire student body can enjoy and relate to. SK- I am most excited to get to know underclassmen and pour into their lives this year. 5. Did you take any advice or learn anything from watching the chaplains from previous
years? M- I learned from last year’s chaplain, Neil Kerrigan, that no matter how hard life may seem, God is greater than all of our obstacles and to persevere, as it is never permanent. SK- Emily and Neil gave us a list of advice last year that has really helped me. They encouraged Mitchell and I to be open and not be afraid to share what is going on in our lives. 6. Overall comments? M- I am very honored, as well as excited, that I am Houston Christian’s chaplain, and I look forward to what this year will bring us! I know that God has great plans for the student body, and I can’t wait to see them unfold! SK- God is going to work in powerful ways this year in each student’s life! I am so excited to see what He does with this year!
D-groups work for more people YoungLife returns for another year D-groups become more individualized to meet needs
# by Emily Villarreal, Stang Staff
On October 24th, D-groups will be back and better than ever. HC chaplains have been working hard training future d-group leaders to help spiritually guide underclassmen throughout the rest of this school year. For those unfamiliar, D-groups is a organization of upper classmen with great passion for sharing the Lord’s word who each mentor a group of lower classmen as they navigate high school. D-groups provides an opportunity for students alike to walk together in faith, and see what it means to be a Christian with real life application, amongst the toils and pressures high school ensues. D-groups unites a group of likeminded believers. While the premise of D-groups remains the same as in years prior, the Chaplains have revised D-groups organization to cater to the differing schedules of students.
group.
Unlike previous years, d-groups will not be held at 6:30 Monday nights. Leaders will meet up with their girls and guys based around their individual schedules; the specified date and time is all up to the preference of the
In order to develop more intimate relationships within the group and so leaders can focus on individual discipleship, the groups will also be significantly smaller and one leader will lead 2 to 3 girls or guys. These changes in D-Groups formatting will only enhance student discipleship experience, and allow greater spiritual growth. Students will be able to sign up for D-groups in upcoming chapels, and D-groups will kick off with a introductory meeting for all participating in D-groups. D-Groups is an amazing opportunity for students to immerse themselves into Houston Christian’s culture, and develop their relationship with Christ, for years to come . Students: Make sure to check out D-groups and see what it can offer you!
Tonight, yes tonight!!
# by Jasmine Mata, Stang Staff
Three years ago, Houston Christian started their very own chapter of Young Life. Young Life is an evangelistic club throughout the United States for teens. In the club, students meet after school for fun and fellowship with each other. Young Life is led by Hayden Pottkotter and his wife Jillian. The first year, Young Life was held at the YMCA near the school on Thursday nights. Since Young Life has become such a large part of the student body, it is now held upstairs at the school in the student center. All grades are welcome to participate, and it is a time when all the students are able to bond with each other through fun and games. Each club consists of games, singing, and a message given by one of the leaders. When you first walk into YL, you are given a raffle number, and at the end, if your number is called you get a prize. This year, YL meets on Monday nights at 7:47, and according to the Young Life leaders, each club is “guaranteed to be the best Monday night of your week.” Young Life does offer a couple of trips you can take throughout the year. For example,
this past year many students went on the Frontier Ranch trip, which was a camping trip in Colorado with students that are a part of Young Life programs at different schools. Senior Isabella Baar-Hill said, “They don’t lie when they say it’s the best week of your life.” Another participant, Collin Mckenzie said, “Spending a week in Colorado without technology was eye-opening. I met some amazing people and had the best week of my life.” This year, the juniors and seniors are going on a skiing trip to Colorado. There were 20 spots, and all the spots filled up in a couple of days. Young Life is a great way to meet new people and grow closer to your friends and God. So, come join every Monday night here at Houston Christian at 7:47 pm!
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How much do you know about Halloween? Take this quiz to test your knowledge on this fun holiday! # by Jasmine Mata, Stang Staff 5. What percent of adults pass out
.F An 1. swer C s 2. D 3. B 4. C 5. D 6. A 7. T 8. F 9. T
candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween? a. 80% b. 90% c. 20% d. 70% 6. What is the most popular city to Trick-or-Treat in? a. Houston b. Seattle c. Nashville d. Dallas 7. True or False : Jack o’ Lanterns were originally carved from Turnips. 8. True or False : Trick or Treating evolved from an ancient English tradition. 9. True or False : Ireland is believed to be the birthplace of Halloween. 10. True or False : Children are three times as likely to be killed by a car on Halloween night.
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1. How much money is spent each year on Halloween Candy? a. 5 billion b. 10 billion c. 2 billion d. 1 billion 2. What is Halloween ranked as a commercially successful holiday? a. 3rd b. 4th c. 6th d. 2nd 3. Why was black chosen as a traditional Halloween color? a. To represent bats b. To represent darkness c. To represent pumpkin stems d. To represent the night 4. Why was orange chosen as a traditional Halloween color? a. To represent bats b. To represent darkness c. To represent pumpkins d. To represent candy corn