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Bright colors, hard work and school spirit: Senior Parking Spots
Check out the New Principals!
Friday Night Football Fans
Inside
Pages 4-5 One Small Landing for Curiosity, One Great Life for Neil Armstrong
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October 2012 Volume 11, Issue 1
The
“From the Stinger to...”
2012-2013
Denison High School 1901 S. Mirick Ave. Denison, Tx 75020
Happ y Halloween! From the
Edi tor Kayla Robinson Editor-in-chief
This issue has been a whirlwind from the very beginning. Scrambling to finish pages during Homecoming week was a definite challenge. Between missing school to prepare for the assembly and a super short deadline, the seniors on staff had a crazy week. So, I’m proud to present to you the Halloween edition of The Buzz! While we tried to bring you others news, the prospect of creepy crawlies and spooky shows won us over. Those of us on staff are proud to say we love the Halloween festivities. We hope you enjoy the spectacular season and are not too afraid to get dressed up with the kids and go Trick-or-Treating!
Happy Halloween!
Halloween in... the awkward years Callie Keese Copy Editor
Halloween is an exciting time for many people. The leaves start to change colors, the weather finally takes a turn for cooler temperatures, and personalities come out when people dress up for Halloween. There is one troubling aspect, though, for high school students-what is the cut off age for trick-or-treating? “You’re never too old for trickor-treating! As long as you have
the guts to get in costume, and ask for candy then people should give it to you. It’s a holiday after all,” junior Holden Webster said. Another point in this confusing debate is that there is another option for a fun Halloween-more Halloween parties are available for teenagers. “I am planning on going to a rocking Halloween party! Not exactly sure what I’m going to
be yet, but definitely something good,” senior Sydney Muldrew said. If students still want to go trick-or-treating, there are always alternatives to snatching candy from terrified children. “An alternative would be ‘Trick or Treat so Kids Can Eat’. You collect canned foods instead of candy and donate them to a local food bank,” senior Caitlin Cato said.
Spirit Week at DHS Mandi Elrod
Managing Editor Spirit week has been a tradition at Denison High School for many years. When students enter this school from the middle school, they enter with the expectation that spirit will be a part of their life from that day on. “Spirit week means showing school pride and respect for your school and classmates, I always try to show my school spirit by pepping up the other students, and wearing my soccer shirts that have the school logo on them,” senior Charice Hamilton said.
At least twice every year, a week is put aside and known as “spirit week.” Recently the students and staff of DHS celebrated the Battle of the Axe spirit week, and showed their true colors. Each day, there was a different way that people showed their spirit. Everyone, including the teachers, principals, and lunch ladies got into the spirit. “When spirit week comes around, I always plan on showing spirit just like I do every week, with my upmost support for all
the positive things that happen at this school every day. It’s one of the greatest feelings anyone can have, it’s great to be a yellow jacket,” Principal John Parker said. Anyone who enters the building can tell almost instantly how important the week is. The walls are covered with posters and announcements from students and staff. Most signs are home made by the art club and student council, each with a message of love and support for the school.
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COMING
EVENTS Football
November 2nd
Against Greenville ~ Senior Night ~
November 8th @ McKinney North
Boys Basketball November 3rd Scrimmage Girls Basketball November 6th Against Anna
Swim Team November 17th @ Frisco
2 SchoolLIFE
Freezing Fun at Denison’s Fall Fest Kayla Robinson Editor-in-chief
At noon on Saturday, October 6th, the Denison Main Street Fall Festival was in full swing, catering to crowds that were simultaneously swaddled in heavy winter coats and shivering from gulping down homemade lemonades. The temperature during this peak hour of the festival differed 27 degrees Fahrenheit from last year, dropping to a shivering 51.8 degrees while patrons attempted to enjoy their turkey legs and kettle corn. The almost overnight change in temperature from October 4th to October 5th came as a shock to what would normal-
ly bring hundreds of shortsclad, burning up, sweating citizens on a warm Saturday. “[Business] is really good. We decided to sell hot chocolate today and we have been having to go back to the store m a n y times to get more. I think we
are the only booth with hot the money goes to Denison chocolate today, but our bake FFA to support our chapter. sale is doing well too. All of We use it to pay back our students t h a t s h o w animal p ro j ects, so to kind of cover the cost of having to raise an animal,” senior Lauren Joie said. Those
who hoped to also stay out of the cold while enjoying a hot drink frequented the Country Java instead, creating a steady flow of people through the building throughout the day. “Country Java went through over 300 gallons of milk between 7 am and 3 pm. The line was to the door all day and the owner told me that they doubled their record breaking day. She told me that by the end of the day she couldn’t put the 30lbs of weight on the espresso machine with her hands, she had to jump on it,” Student Council director Jamie Dugan said.
The Goods and Bads of Treats Mandi Elrod
Managing Editor
Edi tori a l Polic y The Buzz newspaper is a student-generated publication that is produced, edited, and maintained by the DHS journalism staff of room 105. The Buzz encourages student expression and is designed to be a forum for open discussion. As part of its mission to serve as a medium for debate, The Buzz supports and accepts letters to the editor. All submissions must be signed by the author and delivered to Room 105. The staff reserves the right to edit any material. Editorials appearing in The Buzz represent the sole views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the administration or those of the DHS Journalism Department.
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Halloween is that special time of year when people dress up and for one day become someone else. It’s the kind of day where scary is no longer a word, it is a passion. Little children dress up in costumes that reflect their likes and dislikes. They then go from door to door seeking candy from people who don’t think twice about handing it out. There are many ups and downs to this tradition. For instance, parents and adults tell their children for years that trusting strangers and especially taking candy from them is bad, but when Halloween comes around suddenly it’s okay to do so. “Halloween is a contradiction. It’s confusing to be told one thing, and then told something different later,” senior Kelly Hughes said. Of course there are also many ups to this festive holiday. Like most celebrations, many people get
together to celebrate Halloween. This holiday brings families close together and makes it a joyous occasion for adults and children alike. “I know that ever since I was a child, I’ve always been closer to my family during the holidays, especially during Hal-
loween because it’s our favorite,” junior Dallas Bibb said. There may be many things people could say about Halloween: to insult it, to change it, to undermine the very idea of it, but the spirit of Halloween is still alive and celebrated throughout the world.
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Opinion 3
The Sims Supernatural: Combining Virtual Reality with Fantastical Creatures Callie Keese Copy Editor
Since early 2000, The Sims has captured the attention of gamers young and old alike. Although it is not the stereotypical video game, each sequel has sold over a million copies worldwide and has released at least five expansion packs per sequel. Sims Supernatural, the newest expansion pack for The Sims 3, was released in early September and has blown away avid fans. “My sisters and I have been fans of the game for a while now, so when a new expansion pack comes out, especially one as cool as this, we look forward to it,” sophomore Martha Hayes said. In Supernatural, players are introduced to a new town named Moonlight Falls where humans and magical creatures such as zombies, witches, ghosts, and fairies reside. Players have a choice between which creature their character can be, with the only limitations being zombies, which have to be created via elixir. “I’ve been playing The Sims forever and I have always liked the ones with magic so I decided I would give it a try. I love it! It’s so much fun and I like to turn people into toads,” senior Maria Hayes said. Of course with any huge release, there are some disappointments. “A rather unappealing aspect are the zombies, if for no other reason that they are disappointing. They pose no threat and are created by your choice, and even if they are able to tear off an arm you always have an elixir to reverse the effect and continue on,” sophomore Francis Merenda said.
Women Must Stand Jacob Staton
Contributing Writer COMMENTARY In history, women have always been treated unfairly. Always cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the kids. Women couldn’t get an education. It was always the men. But then a group of women said they were tired of men always getting their way. One woman was named Susan B. Anthony, and a group of women all wanted their rights that they deserved. They got it, and it changed history. Now women can vote. Women can get jobs and an education. But are they really free? Today you see women still being treated unfairly. I see guys make fun of girls, calling them fat, or ugly. Sometimes I see guys hitting girls. For what reason does any man need to hit a woman we don’t know. But it’s time to make a stand, and say that girls should not take this anymore. I will admit there are some guys out there that to treat girls with respect. They treat them like girls, not animals. For those guys reading this keep up with the great work! For the girls reading this I hope that you make the right choice, and remember that there is another way!
The Sims 3 gains an uncanny aura with the launch of expansion pack The Sims 3: Supernatural and its Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, and all-new Fairies.
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They
m a o R
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p e e r C ms...
o o r s s a l C d n u Aro Kayla Robinson Editor-in-chief
Every year teenagers are faced with a monumental decision of what do to for Halloween. Some plan parties, some watch scary movies all night, and some dress up and go trick-ortreating. Here at DHS, the student body is split on whether or not they’ll be trick-or-treating. In a poll of 100 students, 51 said that yes, they will be trick-or-treating this year. “I’m pretty excited for Halloween since it’s my sister’s first Halloween. She’s one and I taught her to say trick-or-treat. We’re both going to dress up; she’s going to be a baby kitten,” senior Brittyn Chester said. Out of the other half
of students, most are planning on celebrating Halloween in at least one way or another. The premiere of Paranormal Activity 4,
proceed to eat the candy while watching Paranormal Activity 4,” sophomore Rider Calhoun said. For those who cringe
“I’m probably going to dress up, as usual, like Darth Vader. I’ll be collecting candy and then I’ll proceed to eat the candy while watching Paranormal Activity 4.” Sophomore Rider Calhoun strategically placed two weekends before Halloween, promises to keep many teenagers busy. “I’m probably going to dress up, as usual, like Darth Vader. I’ll be collecting candy and then I’ll
at gross or scary Halloween events, Main Street promises a fun and safe trick-ortreating experience with its annual Monsters on Main event on October 31st from 6pm-8pm. Families can also catch the Halloween
classic, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, at the Rialto Theater at 5:30, 6:30, and 7:30 for $1 each. “The main thing I plan on doing is the annual pumpkin carving contest with my brother Matthew and my boyfriend Joel. I always win. We don’t really decorate for Halloween; it’s basically the pumpkins on the front porch. The Stingerettes have a party every year doing something new each year like a scavenger hunt downtown, or watching a scary movie in the woods. The one thing that remains is the great food and the couple costumes,” senior Rachael Wood said.
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Scarecrows - A History Lesson DevanHolly Staff Writer
Scarecrows have been used for over three thousand years by farmers to scare birds away from their crops. Over time, their roles in society have morphed into both an adorable icon of autumn and an apparition of someone’s nightmares. “[Scarecrows] terrify me. They look like stuffed people. Crows aren’t scared of them, only people,” sophomore Eunice Faullon said. Scarecrows appear in all kinds of media, such as in the Batman comics, and in The Wizard of Oz. Scarecrows have evolved from their origi-
nal use in farms, and have become more personified in stories, movies, and poems. “I think they could still use [scarecrows] in the field and as decoration because they were used originally for the fields,” freshman Macy Clum said. Scarecrows are continuing their jobs in the fields as well as invading people’s dreams and nightmares. Despite being replaced by modern technology, thereby losing some of their effectiveness, they still appear in many places in modern society. “Well, there’s one thing that stayed the same, and that is a scarecrow meaning stay away; now it means stay away-scary things ahead,” sophomore Juliann Heglund said.
C ommuni t y
Spirit Week at DHS Continued From P1
The student council leader, Mrs. Dugan, keeps the school alive with her words of wisdom and support throughout the year. “Spirit week is a chance for an entire school to come together with a common purpose, even students who aren’t involved with many extra-curricular activities can easily participate. I plan on showing spirit by participating in dress up days, and creating many more events such as the friendship luncheon and the canned food drive,” Jamie Dugan said. Most schools throughout the world get together and raise their hearts to the students and staff throughout the year, but at DHS the entire town as well as the students and staff get together to show love. Each game is usually packed with screaming fans, anxious for games to begin. It’s spirit in and out, with the colors of black and gold.
Photo by: Kaylee Sanders
Drought Causes Corn Shortage Devan Holley Staff Writer
Corn is an ingredient found in most foods, but, due to a drought, this year’s corn yield is at its lowest since 1997. Due to the lack of corn food prices are expected to rise. America produces forty percent of the world’s corn, but due to the drought that has stricken the country the amount of corn harvested has drastically dropped. Ten to thirty bushels an acre are being produced in farms that usually harvest about two-hundred bushels per acre. Poor countries relying on America for grain will have trouble keeping up with the raising prices on corn, and will feel more of an impact from the drought than Americans will.
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Due to a mandate imposed by President George W. Bush about a third of the corn harvest must go to the production of ethanol. This mandate poses a problem for livestock owners. Corn is needed in feed and makes up two thirds of a turkey’s diet. It is also present in the diets of other poultry, cattle, pigs, and other livestock, but with corn being used for ethanol, obtaining feed for livestock will become more difficult. Pressure is being put on President Barack Obama to abandon the mandate, at least temporarily, so that livestock can be fed. Even if the mandate is abandoned, ethanol is a cheap and cleaner way of oxygenizing
gasoline, and, according to the 1990 Clean Air Act, gasoline companies must produce a cleaner blend of fuel. An average of three hundred thousand barrels of ethanol are used for gasoline a day. As a result of the lack of corn for livestock feed and ethanol, food and gas prices are expected to rise. It is suspected that the true shock of the drought will not hit America until late winter or early next year. Some farmers are killing their livestock early because they cannot afford to feed them. This will lead to a sudden surplus of meat, followed by a shortage of meat products, along with high prices.
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Se a sona l 7 It’s Not All Tricks this Spooky Season: Psychic Powers Day Halloween Calls for Creepy Treats Devan Holley Staff Writer
Mandi Elrod
Managing Editor
Imagine a world with no treats. To have never taken a bite of a moist piece of cake or a light and fluffy muffin right out of the oven. Without treats there would be no holidays, no Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even Halloween. Halloween was invented in the early 1800’s. At first it was just a time to dress up and scare other people, but eventually it became tradition to give out candy to the children who dressed up in their costumes as a treat. Candy, cakes, and caramel apples are only some of the many treats people have come up with over the years. Scary Spider web Cupcakes: These delicious treats from tablespoon.com take cupcakes
to a whole new level. Instead of just a boring old cupcake, kids get the chance to enjoy a cupcake made specifically for Halloween. It’s fun, creative, and delicious.
Tombstone Cookies: These cookies from myrecipes.com are baked to sheer perfection, and
laid into a creamy chocolate base, with a texture much like Dots. It’s an interesting twist on a treat perfect for Halloween. Crispy Phyllo Wrapped Hot Dog Mummies from FoodNetworkKitchens.com, give a perfect twist on typical pigs in the blanket. Instead of biscuits though, phyllo dough is used to make the design on the snacks. When candy costs too much, and the giving out of candy gets boring, some people turn to giving out treats to the children around the neighborhood. Recipes for some of these can be found in numerous cookbooks and on websites all over the place.
How to survive a Zombie Apocalypse Melody Jarvis staff writer
Zombies. They’ve been a tall tale for decades now. From infected humans to the brain craving undead, they have touched the lives of people everywhere. Some people are excited for the zombie apocalypse, thinking maybe they’d fit in, or wipe out an entire race of man eating, gut drooling, moaning monsters. Others are learning and teaching people to be prepared, observing tactics on protecting themselves for the dawn of the zombie apocalypse. The first thing anyone should know is that zombies are not a matter to toy with. Bites, any blood splatters, infected matters, are all potential health risks. The second thing is that you cannot be afraid to defend yourself no mat-
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ter who you believe is behind the growling mouth. Now how to defend yourself, there is the fun part. Obviously watch out for a few things like the teeth, better yet the mouth in general: one bite and you’re done. Decapitation is always your best route if you want a for sure, quick way to get through a crowd. If you’re going for skill points though, blow things up. Decapitating requires something sharp; blowing things up means you have to have a little more imagination. Shelter is survival. You must have a place in which to squat in when there are any wounded, or when nightfall comes about. If you’re outside when sunset comes, count yourself out of luck, especially if you’re alone. Which brings
me to my next point, unless you’re Tallahassee from Zombieland, do not be ALONE. Travel in packs at all times, because when it comes to zombies you do not want to be stuck with a ratio of 1: countless. Always have a catchy line when you’re plowing through the undead, it makes it a little easier to keep going if you’re trying to be cool, instead of screaming like a young girl with a monster in her closet. And finally keep moving forward. Never ever lose hope that there is something or someone out there besides you and your pack. So this year on Halloween if you see a heard of undead, brain craving slugs, just keep swimming. Never give in, and whatever you do, don’t say “bite me.”
Legend has it that October thirty-first, the dead and cursed walk the Earth, so why not celebrate with Increase Your Psychic Powers Day, a holiday that dates back to nineteenth century England. “Ouija boards are not as much fun when nobody in the room believes in ghosts, but if I did I would totally use one to gain psychic powers,” senior Devin Wible said. There are a variety of paranormal abilities that can be practiced on Increase Your Psychic Powers Day such as dowsing-the ability to find objects, aura reading, telekinesis and many others. Many people find such things hard to believe, and for good reason. This year an experiment by Professor Daryl Bem to prove the existence of psychic powers was proven wrong after scientists replicated his test only to receive different results. Bem’s experiment was considered proof of psychic powers after he asked a group of one hundred students to memorize a list of words and recall as many as possible. He discovered that the words they
recalled tended to match up with a list of randomly selected words, however, scientist have reduced it to a simple fluke. “I don’t like fortune telling. It’s not based off anything real. It’s just a prediction that has less than a one percent chance of coming true,” sophomore Michael Kemp said. Many people allegedly have psychic powers, one of them being Tom Cruise. In Scientology people are trained to enhance their psychic powers. Cruise is classified at an “OT VII” stage of psychic powers, allowing him to control MEST: matter, energy, space, and time. There are other psychics and believers in Scientology, but skeptics are still, well, skeptical. “Some of the psychic powers requires one to be mentally passive, so as to be able to tune in to other minds, thus letting in some external powers, which might have a negative influence,” Remez Sasson of SuccessConsciousness.com said.
Sophomore Kyle Wright Jarvis expresses his fascination with zombies by this rendering of a realistic zombie.
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Time For
Timmerman The DHS Choir Department gets new leadership Callie Keese Copy Editor
Over the summer, DHS gained a few new teachers, one of them being choir teacher Nicholas Timmerman. “As a Masters graduate candidate from Austin College, I student taught at DHS. I enjoyed the programs that I was involved in, and I had large ideals about plans for the choir and musical theatre programs. I wanted to give the choir something to be very proud of,” Timmerman said. Timmerman started student teaching at DHS during the spring semester last year. He also began to help with the musical theatre’s production of Legally Blonde, showing off his theatre skills. “As the Assistant Choir Director, I was able to travel with the AC Choir to France where I performed with the choir, sang solos, and conducted in various cathedrals including Notre Dame de Paris,” Timmerman said. This year, hopes and expectations are high for choir program at DHS. “My hopes for the choir are to take them to competitions and trips where we bring home trophies that represent a win for every choir member,” Timmerman said.
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