The Marquee Volume 34 Issue 3

the marquee

M 4

Senior pursues engineering passion through NASA course

Vol. 34 issue 3 dec. 9, 2019

•

22

Highlights of the football season recapped

Edward S. Marcus High School

•

24

What do you do for the holidays?

5707 Moriss Road Flower Mound, TX 75028

THE MARQUEE STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF Samantha Thornfelt MANAGING EDITOR/PHOTO EDITOR Emily Lundell DESIGN EDITOR Tara Connick NEWS EDITOR/DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR Madi Olivier FEATURE EDITOR/OPINION EDITOR Reya Mosby SPORTS EDITOR/ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Michael Minton GRAPHICS EDITOR Emily Seiler REPORTERS Adriana Pueskens Shriya Mukkavilli McKenna Cowley Alyssa Cheatham Ayra Charania Nikhita Ragam Samson George DESIGNERS Amber Luther Ryan Baker Esmeralda Arellano PHOTOGRAPHERS Maya Hernandez Kaitlyn Hughes ADVISER LaJuana Hale Associate Adviser Corey Hale PRINCIPAL Will Skelton The Marquee newsmagazine is a student-generated publication of Marcus High School. It is produced, edited and maintained through the efforts of the school’s advanced journalism class. The Marquee is designed to serve the school and community as a forum for open discussion and student expression.

The Marquee encourages letters to the editor as part of its mission to educate, inform and provide an open forum for debate. All submissions must be signed. The staff reserves the right to edit all material. Editorials reflect the opinion of the staff, not necessarily that of the administration. Signed columns or reviews represent only the opinion of the author. Advertising rates are $70 per 1/8 of a page, with discounts available. Patron ads are available for $100. Online advertisements are also available. For more information call 469-713-5196. The Marquee is a standing member of ILPC, TAJE, ATPI, CSPA NSPA, JEA and Quill and Scroll.

cover emily Lundell

On Nov. 20, choir held their annual event called Choirgiving, where free Thanksgiving meals are provided for staff. Librarian Nancy McGinnis stops by the choir room to grab a late lunch. photo KAITLYN HUGHES

CONTENTS

6 8 12 26

hope and healing Butterflies give district employee new outlook on life

reaching new heights

Student discovers passion for flight through ROTC scholarship

Shooting their shots

Basketball discusses the start of the season

seasonal MOVIES Christmas classics ranked

LISD LENDS A HAND

Students help with tornado restoration STORY NIKHITA Ragam DESIGn esmeralda arellano photo maya hernandez The Student Advisory Board collected 21 boxes of school supplies and $440 in gift cards for the district-wide donation drive held for Dallas ISD. AP Human Geography teacher Tracy Jennings’ classes brought in the most donations during the two week drive that ended on Nov. 8 and won a pizza party.

“I feel so blessed to be in a community where people have such big hearts, and they open up and give when people are in need,” Student Advisory Board Head Nema House said. “We’re very happy with the results we got.”

••• While the Dallas Cowboys were playing the Philadelphia Eagles, captivating the attention of thousands of fans on Sunday, Oct. 20, 10 tornadoes ripped through North Texas, destroying houses and businesses along the way.

A few days after the tornados, LISD Superintendent Dr. Kevin Rogers emailed staff, urging schools to contribute to Dallas ISD’s restoration efforts.

House spent that night on the phone with her family friends as the tornado barely missed their house.

“We’re in the closet. We have blankets over our heads. Sirens are going off,” her friend told her.

House prayed for her friends that night.

Eventually, the sirens stopped, indicating that they were safe and secure.

Though no deaths were reported, Dallas ISD suffered heavy damage to schools from the tornadoes. Thomas Jefferson High, Carey Middle and Walnut Hill Elementary School are no longer open, displacing nearly 3000 students.

DISD is currently relocating students to nearby campuses and developing a plan to rebuild all three schools.

House is also deeply saddened by the complete demolition of Thomas Jefferson High School. When she was growing up in Dallas it was one of the best schools in

Student advisory board members junior Ryan Steen and seniors Alec McKisic, Ethan Lowry, Corbin Duncan, Patrick Black, Joseph Addicott and Steven Sanfelippo helped organize school supplies before they were donated to Dallas ISD.

the area, and House was shocked at the extensive damage they incurred.

“That area was the heart of Dallas,” House said. “TJ was a prestigious school in my days.”

“

I feel so blessed to be in a community where people have such big hearts.

- Nema House, Student advisory Board Head

Private schools in Dallas have also been impacted by the tornadoes. St. Marks and Epsicopal School of Dallas both experienced damage to their gym and football fields. Although both schools are still open, students have been using neighboring facilities at The Hockaday School and Greenhill to conduct extracurricular activities.

Major community centers have also experienced significant destruction. The Jewish Community Center in Dallas, which has aquatic and workout facilities, is currently dealing with the aftermath and has only reopened a few portions of their building.

“I’m not someone who easily cries, but this week, I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing,” JCC CEO Artie Allen said.

“Arriving at the JCC Monday morning, I honestly didn’t recognize the place.”

The shopping center off of Preston and Royal that once had popular local spots, such as Gazeebo Burgers and The Gents Place, is now scattered rubble. Many business owners have had to close their shops due to the extensive repairs needed.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the tornado recovery efforts will cost $2 billion. The supplies and money donated

by LISD to DISD will help teachers and students resume their educational activities.

news dec. 9, 2019

3

Shoot for the Stars Senior participates in selective NASA program

STORY mckenna cowley DESIGN tara connick “Can I look at this stuff?” senior Carol Anne Starks said.

She had just arrived home from a long day of middle school.

Only 11, she had recently began sixth grade.

Starks was talking about the old computers laying on her kitchen table among other stray parts. Her dad had brought them home from his company intending to repair them.

“Sure,” he said. His daughter hadn’t shown much interest in computers up to this point, but he agreed without thinking much of it.

Throughout her preteen years, she continued learning about how computers worked. It only took her two weeks to rebuild an old computer with different parts.

“I started messing around with it, and I took the computer apart, and I didn’t know how to put it back together,” Starks said. “I kind of started trying to screw things back in or plug things back in.”

Her dad noticed her interest in computers and continued to bring her broken ones from his company.

What began as a problem for him turned into a gift for his daughter.

“At first, he was bringing them home because he had extra ones, NASA Founding Director and Outreach Advisor Norman Chaffee shows off a model rocket thruster.

He has won many awards for his work at NASA, including the Texas Department of Education Heroes of Children Award in 2008. Photo submitted by Carol Anne Starks

4

feature mhsmarquee.com

but after he saw that I was taking them apart and putting them back together and building new ones, he started actually bringing home stuff for me,” Starks said.

••• By seventh grade, Starks was already different than some of her friends. They were fawning over celebrities like Harry Styles and Justin Bieber while she had grown to admire physicists like Richard Feynman, who gave lectures about his life as an engineer.

As most students looked forward to turning in their school textbooks at the end of the year, Starks enjoyed reading and even collecting textbooks and research papers about science and engineering.

It wasn’t just computers and science she loved. Starks had completed every math class in high school by her junior year, but all that science and math wasn’t enough. She wanted to learn about engineering and more — space technology.

••• Starks sat across from her college preparation advisor.

“Well, you obviously love science, and you love space too right?”

She was recommending an online aerospace engineering course to Starks.

“I mean, yeah.”

She enrolled, completed the fivemonth class, and ended with one of the highest grades.

Starks knew that the top 40 students to complete the course across Texas would be chosen to attend a week-long program over the summer, and she could only hope she was among them.

She knew that if she was selected, she would get to go to NASA. “I was nervous because I wanted to get chosen to go but I wasn’t too fearful. I think they liked what they saw,” Starks said.

Senior Carol Anne Starks (middle) holds a sign with two other students attending the High School Aerospace Scholars program at the NASA facility in Houston, TX. Carol Anne’s 10-person group was tasked with studying the geography of Mars.

Photo submitted by Carol Anne Starks

One day in mid-March, the email from NASA finally arrived. She clicked it open.

Congratulations! selected…

You’ve

been

••• After a week of touring the NASA facilities, listening to lectures by famous scientists and nights spent designing a Mars rover model, Starks was finally able to showcase her talents in the closing ceremony.

Starks knew the man sitting next to her. Earlier that week, he had led her group on a tour where he showed them the Saturn V Rocket, which had been launched into space 13 times. He was the designer.

The program coordinators observed the students all week, and Starks was chosen to escort a VIP senior member to the ceremony. That man sitting next to her was Norman Chaffee, who had worked at NASA for over 50 years and built some of the main parts of the Apollo Mission rockets.

He wore glasses with wide round frames, high waisted pants and had a walker. Starks was nervous that she wouldn’t be smart enough to speak with him, but she eventually became more comfortable. They talked throughout the three hour long ceremony.

“It was really cool because he’s super into science and math of course, and I was able to actually hold a conversation with him,” Starks said.

He eventually reached below his walker and pulled out a logarithmic calculator and a model rocket thruster.

“Do you always carry this stuff with you?” she said.

“I keep it in my car just in case I want to bring it somewhere,” Chaffee said.

Chaffee told Starks that she reminded him of his own daughters and that he admired her passion for the field. Then, he gave Starks his contact information. Since then, they have been regularly emailing back and forth.

Chaffee is the manager of a contest called The Space Settlement Design Competition, which is only by invitation. Students are given a prompt from a fake company and are contracted to build

“

something space-related. He invited Starks to participate in next March’s competition.

“He was like ‘If you can get a team together and a teacher sponsor then you guys should come next year,’” Starks said. “Me, Mr. Ramirez and some other kids are going to Johnson Space Center in Houston to compete.”

Starks continues to search for opportunities to grow as an engineer because, to her, the impact of physics and science is the ability to learn about the world and change people’s daily lives.

“There are probably so many unknown things that we could be doing we just don’t know how to do yet,” Starks said.

Starks is already working on her own scientific advancements, hoping to create a portable phone charger that can be powered by a mechanical action such as pumping a lever.

“It would be useful.

Everyone uses them, but when they die they don’t have a use anymore,” Starks said.

In the future, Starks wants to work in the electrical engineering field, studying technology that can help humans go farther into space.

“Even though it seems like it doesn’t matter, everything is intertwined,” Starks said “Knowing how unknown things in space and our universe work is really useful.”

There are probably so many unknown things that we could be doing we just don’t know how to do yet.

-Carol Anne Starks, 12

feature dec. 9, 2019

5

Butterfly effect

LISD locksmith finds healing in unique hobby STORY Madi olivier DESIGN Amber luther PHOTO emily lundell LISD Locksmith Deborah Magnes often goes unnoticed as she walks through the halls, pushing her cart of tools from room to room with a bright smile. She shares positive messages throughout the day to encourage everyone she meets.

However, a closer look reveals flashes of color that pop out of her brown LISD uniform. Her ID is clipped on with an iridescent jewel. Yellow butterfly earrings peek out from behind her long brown hair. Her shoes are covered with a colorful floral pattern, shining red, orange, yellow, pink and blue. Her eyes sparkle with subtle shimmery eyeshadow. Deborah keeps butterflies close to her heart by wearing bright colors and accessories that remind her of the beautiful creatures.

They are a glimmer of hope that got her through her darkest days.

••• It was 1997 and Deborah had brought a camera to take pictures of the ultrasound of her fourth child. She was five months along and ready to see the baby for the first time.

But the baby on the ultrasound was still.

Deborah looked at the screen. The technician told her they didn’t see anything moving. Nothing made any sense. She heard the heartbeat the day before.

6

feature mhsmarquee.com

The baby was gone.

Deborah had to wait a week before the doctors could take her baby. In the following days, getting out of bed in the morning was difficult. She felt like she failed, like she lost a piece of herself.

She questioned if she could keep something alive.

It was only a few months later that Deborah’s faith saved her.

“I didn’t get to stew very long in my depression and that’s what I wanted,” Deborah said. “I just kept praying and I said, ‘God, how long?’ and He said, ‘not another minute,’ and He took me outside.”

When Deborah stepped out into the sunlight, she was greeted by a butterfly.

Forgive people.

Over the next few days, Deborah searched for butterflies, desperate to see the flutters of yellow and orange against the green plants, and took pictures to share.

She researched how to get butterflies to come to her home and stay there. Deborah read library books and searched the internet for hours to find what plants certain butterflies liked. She began to raise a small garden, growing milkweeds for monarchs and parsley and dill for black swallowtails. A passion vine covered her back fence for gulf fritillaries.

And the butterflies came to her.

“It brought me out of a depression that was horrible,” Deborah said. “When I started doing this gardening thing, I was like, ‘I’ve got to get up. I’ve got to go water that plant. I’ve got to go see what’s out there.’”

She was soon raising butterflies. Deborah watched as the first one came out of its chrysalis, unfolding its black and yellow wings, revealing itself as a black swallowtail. Only a few weeks before, the butterfly was a caterpillar. Deborah remembered how she, like the black swallowtail, could grow and change despite the circumstances.

“This little creature has no choice, and just flows with its life cycles and just takes to the next stage of life,” Deborah said. “We should all be that way. We should all be that open to change and willing to grow and just focus on what we can do, and eventually, we fly.”

A year and a half after the miscarriage, Deborah didn’t want any more children. She already had three kids, who were becoming more independent, leaving Deborah more free time,

LISD Locksmith Deborah Magnes credits her faith for helping her discover her passion for butterfly gardening. She wants to share it with others and always has kind words for everyone. most of which she spent in the garden.

However, she felt like God meant for her to have another child. Within five months, she was pregnant. She already had a name picked out. Benjamin Israel.

“I kept getting a clear and definite message in my heart that I needed to have another baby,” Deborah said. “I lost a baby and then God restored me before I even got pregnant.”

Deborah continued to raise butterflies after Benjamin was born, and as soon as he was old enough, he started gardening with his mother. Benjamin knew the names of all of the birds, butterflies and other insects.

“Who couldn’t be thankful after that? Who couldn’t think that ‘my creator thinks I’m special enough to bring me back whole again with everything he had in nature?’” Deborah said.

No matter what Deborah faced, butterfly gardening gave her the strength to push through. In 2001, her brother passed away from kidney failure. In the next 12 years, she lost her brother-inlaw, father-in-law, father and lastly her husband, Kevin. Losing Kevin came as a shock to Deborah — he was only 51, young to die from a heart attack.

Know that you are loved beyond measure.

But Deborah looked at the hardships as new beginnings, not ends. Deborah used everything she learned in the butterfly

garden as a source of strength to face the hardships.

“The things that make me have a lot of fortitude ... are the same things that I learned when I was doing the butterfly garden,” Deborah said. “Just keep trying. Keep waking up. Go out there and look. It’s going to be different, and it was.”

••• When she discovered how much hope and healing the butterflies brought her, Deborah knew that she had to share her saving grace with others.

Spend time outside.

“Everytime it would help someone else, it would pick me up a little more,” Deborah said. “I felt like there was a deeper purpose than just me liking my garden. It was way more powerful.”

She started teaching classes and speaking at events. She wrote articles for the website Dave’s Garden and created the Butterfly Forum, where people can post photos of their butterflies, write about them and discuss their experiences.

“The gardening, it does so much because I let those butterflies go that I raise and they go to somebody else’s yard and somebody

feature dec. 9, 2019

7

LISD Locksmith Deborah Magnes raised these monarch butterflies since they were caterpillars. The photo won her third place in a photo contest on the Dave’s Garden website in 2008. Photo submitted by Deborah Magnes

else goes, ‘oh wow,’” Deborah said. “They look up and they see something moving, that’s alive, that’s transformed.”

••• It was 2014. Deborah stared out the classroom window into the LISD elementary school courtyard. Kids ran around with huge smiles on their faces as they snapped photos of the monarch butterflies fluttering in the air.

A year earlier, Deborah had helped a teacher grow the butterfly garden. She drove across Fort Worth to buy the best full-grown candle trees and milkweeds she could find.

As she stood watching the kids, Deborah was amazed at the impact the little insects had.

“Just observing and how much they’re learning, it can’t be put into words,” Deborah said. “It’s just beyond incredible. God had been good to me.”

••• For the past six years, Deborah has grown as many plants as she could in the limited space at her apartments and rented houses. She shared her passion with neighbors, family, friends and students, but the whole time she dreamed of owning her own house where she could grow as many plants as she wants.

Know that you will find your place in the world - there is always a place.

Deborah saved up and searched for her own place, but nothing seemed right. After a while, she began to lose hope in finding the home she wanted. But again, she said that she got a gift from God.

8

feature mhsmarquee.com

The perfect house.

It has a big backyard with sunny and shady spots for her plants. It’s only a few blocks away from the lake, making it a great habitat for butterflies.

As soon as Deborah saw it, she started buying plants and planning exactly where she wants to put them. In early December, her dream will finally come true when she moves in.

When Deborah looks back at the pain and hardships she faced, she doesn’t understand why any of it happened. But she doesn’t need to. Deborah trusts God. “I’ve always been more happy with how He works things out than I would work things out on my best day,” Deborah said. “I’ve learned a lot of truth from the butterfly gardening. Everything about the process is true, and that’s all I needed.”

Not one of the guys

Locksmith serves as only female Deborah has been a locksmith for 35 years and has worked for the district for six years. She is the only female locksmith.

When LISD orders the brown facilities work shirts, only one comes in a woman’s size.

“I hate to say this, but gender did come into play because there’s a lot of guys that at first, they’re looking at me like, ‘oh, well what’s she going to do?’” Deborah said. “Well, I’m a really serious locksmith... it wasn’t that I’m just this little girly person. I’m a really serious, technical service person. I’m a craftsman.”

Anytime someone has a jammed lock or an issue with their door, Deborah is happy to fix it, promising that it’s no trouble at all with a smile. That’s who she is.

“I know that she’s really passionate about her job of securing the building and making sure that she treats everybody with a lot of respect on top of it,” West Zone Facilities Service Manager Steven Jones said. “She takes it personally to take care of each client or student, teacher, makes sure everybody is safe and secure.”

lights out

design esmeralda arellano PHOTOs EMILY LUNDELL

Crew performed a dance routine during the blackou-t pep rally to a mashup of different pop and hip-hop songs.

The Marquettes wore color-changing LED sneakers for their performance during the blackout pep rally on Nov. 15.

Towards the end of the pep rally, students and teachers joined together, waving their phone flashlights in the air and singing “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey.

Along with other groups, drum line performed entirely in the dark.

They sported colorful outfits and LED masks, lighting up the floor as the crowd danced along.

The cheerleaders dressed in all white to stand out in the black lights during their performances. Other groups, like the Marquettes and step team, wore bright colors or light-up clothing pieces.

PHOTO PAGE dec. 9, 2019

9

Senior Emma Eidmann holds the rifle as she marches with fellow AFJROTC cadets in the Battle of the Axe pep rally. She represents her school during the presentation of the flags at many pep rallies and football games.

She could see the blinking lights of instruments in the cockpit and hear the muffled transmissions of the plane through her headphones. Below her lay miles and miles of green fields in rural Delaware, but she couldn’t focus on that.

She kept her eyes on the sky in front of her.

Climb.

Gain altitude to see better.

Stay calm, Emma.

Stay focused.

As the plane lifted off, senior Emma Eidmann felt the ground fall beneath her as the sky opened up. To her, the earth from above was calming.

Flying past the competition

ophomore Katherine Yezer listens to ashion Design teacher ??? Watson as he instructs the class

Senior receives pilot license and plans to pursue aviation

CA Manager Thelma Cantu informs ashion design students about where he stockings will be donated after hey’re made. The stockings are given o families in need in the community.

STORY Adriana Pueskens DESIGN Ryan Baker PHOTOs Emily Lundell

10

feature mhsmarquee.com

“

It’s like one of those things that just clicked, and everything fit in place.

-John Eidmann

Eidmann joined the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program (AFJROTC) her junior year. She heard the club offered an aviation scholarship, and the idea of flying interested her.

Because she enrolled in ROTC late into high school, Eidmann entered at the same level as incoming freshmen.

She became involved quickly and as a result, she rose up in ranks. Within a year of joining, Eidmann became a flight commander for the organization, meaning she is in charge of the other cadets in her classroom.

AFJROTC Chief Master Sergeant Benito Salinas has noticed how Eidmann has grown in her leadership.

“She came in with a lot of raw talent,” Salinas said. “She’s definitely honed her leadership and her management skills.”

Emma drew inspiration from her father, John Eidmann, who flew for the Marines for 11 years. Though her father never put pressure on Eidmann to follow after him in the military, he said the transition into ROTC seemed natural for Eidmann.

“It’s like one of those things that just clicked, and everything

fit in place,” John said. “This was really kind of something she gravitated towards. I think that makes it better for both of us because she can own it, and I can be proud of her for her decisions.”

At the end of her junior year, Eidmann was one of 150 students around the nation who was accepted into the scholarship flight program.

The program concentrated on helping students pass their Federal Aviation Administration exam and their flying tests to get their pilots licenses. The summer before senior year, she left for Delaware and spent eight weeks learning about aviation. The group spent four hours daily studying for their written test and after lunch they would fly for another four hours.

Eidmann received her private pilot’s license at the end of her training, being one of about 130 high school students in the country to receive the license. Afterwards, she met female Air Force pilots at a Women’s Day In Aviation Convention including Air Force Major General Jeannie Leavitt, the U.S. Air Force’s first female fighter pilot.

“It was really cool because there were all these women pilots for the Air Force there in their flight suits, and I showed up in mine, and actually wanted to talk to me,” Emma said.

General Leavitt told Eidmann that because she had graduated from flight school while still in high school, she was “set to do amazing things.”

“It was really honoring to hear that from someone so amazing,” Eidmann said.

Though the Air Force has the most females enlisted of any branch of the military, only six percent of people serving are females.

“Having more women in the Air Force than other branches is something that has driven me towards the Air Force,” Eidmann said.

In the past two years, six Marauder AFJROTC cadets

Senior Emma Eidmann trained in this Piper II PA-28 aircraft over the summer. Photo submitted by Benito Salinas

have been selected for the pilot’s license scholarship. From these six, Eidmann has been the only female selected.

At the flight academy she attended, 16 of the 24 students were male. She felt outnumbered in the field, so she appreciated the unique opportunity to meet with more females with the same passion as herself.

“Being able to show up to somewhere that had a huge population of female pilots in the Air Force was just really cool,” Eidmann said.

Eidmann has a pair of golden wings that she proudly wears on her uniform as a reminder of her dedication to getting her private pilot’s license.

She plans to attend college and become involved in Civil Air Patrol and the International Guard. She hopes to enlist in the Air Force as a commanding officer while serving and pursuing her passion for flight.

“To other females pursuing ROTC and aviation I would say go for it 100 percent,” Eidmann said.

“At times it’s going to be hard, but if you love it enough, you’re going to stick with it, even if you have to fight to do what you love.”

Senior Emma Eidmann presents the colors alongside other AFJROTC students, representing the Marauders prior to the Homecoming football game

feature dec. 9, 2019

11

Meet some of basketball's playmakers Compiled michael minton DESIGN tara connick PHOTOs maya Hernandez

ABBIE BARR, 10, GIRLS VARSITY GUARD AND CAPTAIN How is the team preparing for the season?

"Preparing for the season so far, during practices we do conditioning and try to show up every day just giving it our all and trying to get better."

What difficulties do you see this coming season?

"I would say our main difficulties that we will have this year is staying healthy this season, and as our season continues and having to face bigger and taller teams."

What do you do before games?

"We turn on the speaker and listen to music to get ready."

Do you expect any very difficult matches?

"I think that Irving MacArthur will be our most difficult match because of them having two players going to Baylor next year. As long as we do what we need to do during the practices and games we should be able to play with anyone."

SHANE ROGERS, HEAD BOYS COACH What are your expectations for this season?

“Our expectations are to make the playoffs. I think those are very realistic and capable expectations. Marauders, in our eyes, don’t get outworked.”

How is the team preparing for the season?

12

Sports mhsmarquee.com

“Our foundation is defense.

We’re going to focus on guarding our yard, guarding the ball and having a five man defensive system. The vision was set March 1. We’ve been working every single day to reach that expectation, to make the playoffs.”

What difficulties do you see this coming season?

“I forsee the biggest difficulty as ‘Can we come together as a team?’ People have to be willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team.”

What do you do after games?

“The coaching staff and I usually go eat.

Besides that, I think it’s important as a coaching staff that you go home to your family.”

Do you expect any difficult matches?

“Lewisvillle is ranked number nine in the state so they’re going to be really good.

Coppell will have some really good younger guys. Flower Mound, they’re fundamental.

They can shoot the ball, and they’re going to force you to take tough shots.”

GARRETT WALTERS, 12, BOYS VARSITY POINT GUARD AND SENIOR CAPTAIN How is the team preparing for the season?

“We’ve got a bunch of shooters and a bunch of threats on offense, so the main thing we prepare for is defensive philosophies and moving on defense because we know we can score.”

Do you have any good luck rituals?

“I’m very superstitious so I always wear the same [Kyrie Irving] sliders every game.”

What do you do before games?

“On game day, we have a big speaker in the locker room so we're always blaring out music and

jumping up and down. One thing that we did every game last year is we had Coach Adkins come in and start yelling at us to hype us up.”

What do you do after games?

“We always go get food. Our main restaurant is Buffalo Wild Wings. Usually, if we win, Ryan Vaughn will do the Blazing Wings Challenge.”

Do you expect any difficult matches?

“We’ve always wanted to play Lewisville. That’s all we think about during workouts.”

MONICA PEÑA, HEAD GIRLS COACH What are your expectations for this season?

“Coming into this year, the biggest thing we’ve preached to the kids is attitude and effort. Usually when you do those two things right the wins will come with it.”

How is the team preparing for the season?

“Definitely defense should be our bread and butter. There’s going to be days where you miss shots, but when it comes to defense, it’s all about effort, it’s all about hustling.”

Do you have any good luck rituals?

“I usually give my kids a quote before a game and then have them

read it. It usually follows what we’re needing at the time.”

What about after games?

“On a win, we talk about it, and we’re excited about it. On a loss, we’re saying what we did wrong and what we can fix.”

Do you expect any very difficult matches?

“From what I’ve heard, Irving MacArthur is a powerhouse. We did scrimmage Flower Mound and Lewisville on Tuesday [Nov. 5] and Lewisville is going to be a battle. I think they play really good defense, and I think that’s what we’re focusing on on our side too, so it’s going to be a dogfight with them and Flower Mound as well.”

Sports dec. 9, 2019

13

60

seconds Compiled ayra charania DESIGN tara connick PHOTo maya hernandez

jet’s pizza is a proud patron of the marquee

Ryan Pecoraro, 10 What’s your favorite song and why?

(972) 221 5387

“‘Megalomania’ from Undertale because it’s an absolute banger. It’s a good song. It has a good melody. Very catchy.”

2001 Cross Timbers Rd, Flower Mound, TX 75028

If you could be any book character for the rest of your life, who would you choose and why?

“You’re going to make me choose?!? Luke Skywalker was my childhood but I’m going to have to go with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan is a timeless being.”

If you could rule your own country, what would you call it? Describe how you would run it.

“A dictatorship under the name of the Republic of Bacon. And it’s not very much of a republic. It’s more of an authoritarian state.

I say we take over part of Poland and the Czech Republic and we turn it into an absolute manufacturing powerhouse and then rule the economy. Plans for world domination are now being made!”

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

“I don’t know whether to say bacon to keep going with the joke or chicken broccoli rice casserole. It sounds like the most absolute hideous thing you’ve ever heard of but it’s not. It’s glorious.”

What’s the weirdest dream you’ve had?

“Hot tub in the middle of the jungle. And then a faceless Thomas the Train came soaring and crash-landed into it.”

14

in-depth mhsmarquee.com

14

All entrees come with plain fried rice 1940 FM 407 # 112 Highland Village, TX 75077 (972) 317-0589

A

ccording to the United Nations, 2019 is set to end the hottest decade recorded, and natural disasters such as wildfires and

floods have increased. The global temperature has increased 1.5 F since 1880, according to the U.S. Global Change Research Program. To address this, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Gutterres made a statement at the U.N. summit on Dec. 2, 2019. “Do we really want to be remembered as the generation that buried its head in the sand, that fiddled while the planet burned?� Gutterres said.

The Global Climate Strike, an environmental conservation organization, held a rally on Friday, Nov. 29 in order to let the government know they want climate action. 40 people attended, brought signs, and marched as a group up and down W. 7th in the rain while shouting chants that encouraged activism. photos emily lundell

Natural Disasters increase West coast Throughout October, intense wildfires have been ravaging southern California. Over 200,000 residents have evacuated their homes. Over 2 million people have lost power. The fires have caused over $125 million damage.

California has recorded wildfires since 1878, but 15 out of the 20 deadliest fires occurred after 2000.

Around 75,000 acres of land (about one third of Dallas) have already burned in 2019. Last year’s fires burned even more, destroying 600,000 acres (about the size of Dallas and Los Angeles combined).

The wildfires in California partially stem from power lines, but experts also believe they are caused by climate change, which is affecting the state at an accelerated pace. According to National Geographic, California has warmed by 3 degrees Fahrenheit over the past century, which is three times more than the global average of 1 degree.

July of 2019 was the third hottest month in global history. This increase in average air temperature sucks the water

out of plants and soils, making them drier and easier to burn.

Therefore, fires can spread across thousands of acres rapidly.

Many scientists have stressed that the rise in global temperatures have caused serious concern and encourage urgent action.

The lack of climate change action by the national administration has received criticism from many scientists.

“Many scientists have spent years collecting information about the effect of human actions on the climate,” said anthropologist Jane Goodall in a speech. “There’s no question that the climate is changing, I’ve seen it all over the world. And the fact that people can deny that humans have influenced this change in climate is quite frankly absurd.”

Students also believe the fires in California are something that must be addressed immediately.

“I think immediate action should be taken to put out the fires because if I were living there, I would be scared for my home and my family and my friends,” senior Emily Bullock said.

Senior Quinn Maguire expressed similar sentiments.

“The California fires a pressing issue that needs immediate government action,” Maguire said.

STORY Nikhita Ragam & Shriya Mukkavilli DESIGN Emily Seiler 2019

Tropical Depression Imelda - Houston, TX

become more common 2017

Hurricane Harvey - Houston, TX

• 63 inches of rain caused severe damage.

• 88 people died and 3.7 million people had to be evacuated from homes.

• Research by World Weather Attribution found that Harvey’s rainfall had increased by 15 percent because of global warming.

• Scientists Mark Risser and Michael Wehner found that climate change increased the rainfall by 19 to 38 percent.

16

in-depth mhsmarquee.com

• 43 inches of rain fell in 72 hours, causing major flooding.

• Two people died and over 1,000 people were forced to evacuate.

• A different study concluded that climate change had caused the effects of Imelda to double.

• Both Houston floods were deemed a ‘500-year’ flood because of their chances of occuring within a given year is one in 500.

Venice, Italy

• The city received about six feet of rain. This was the secondhighest flood in Venice since 1966.

• In a tweet, mayor Luigi Brugnaro said that climate change was to blame for the high levels of water.

“Now the government must listen,” Brugnaro said. “These are the effects of climate change... the costs will be high.”

97% of credible scientific 18/19 warmest years have been since 2001

organizations agree that climate change is being accelerated by human activity.

UN report says 2019 is set to end the hottest decade on record A Pew Research survey revealed over half of Republicans under 38 believe the government should be doing more to reduce climate change.

Teens speak up on climate change This year, young climate activists have become more outspoken. Greta Thunberg, a teenage advocate from Sweden, recently made headlines worldwide when she sailed from Sweden to New York City in a boat that produced zero carbon emissions. Thunberg also gave a speech at the United Nations, where she called on world leaders to take action for climate change.

“People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction,” Thunberg said in the speech.

She also led climate strikes worldwide and started the movement Fridays for Future.

As part of the movement, students walk out of their schools to bring awareness to the climate crisis.

Mari Copeny, also known as Little Miss Flint, is a twelve year old climate activist from Flint, Michigan. She wrote to President Obama about the water crisis in her city, which helped bring national attention to the Flint water crisis and convinced Obama to send $100 million in federal aid.

She has been actively involved in climate movements this year.

“No, our fight to save the planet didn’t start today with the #ClimateStrike and it doesn’t end today either,” Copeny tweeted. “Many of us have been putting in the work for years to save our planet. Don’t just amplify our voices today, but every day and support our solutions to save us.”

Students, like sophomore Kathryn Leaumont, share similar sentiments.

“I think that activism is important,” Leaumont said. “We need to be educated to combat climate change. We can’t just say ‘fix climate change’ and expect to find a solution waiting for us. We have to make our own solution.”

in-depth dec. 6, 2019

17

Political parties hold varying, changing views on climate change Green New Deal

Paris Agreement

Democrats have proposed the Green New Deal to encourage clean energy and limit dependence on fossil fuels. The bill addresses climate change by encouraging a 100 percent shift to clean energy by 2030. Businesses that follow Green New Deal standards will be provided low-interest loans.

In early 2019, the Green New Deal was sent to Congress.

However, the bill failed to advance in the Senate.

Republicans take issue with the Green New Deal because it will require trillions of dollars. Traditionally, Republicans are concerned about spending taxpayer money on renewable energy.

However, young Republicans are beginning to break away from these beliefs. A November Pew Research survey showed that more than half of adult Republicans under 38 believe that the government should be doing more to reduce the effects of climate change.

Students have varying opinions on whether the Green New Deal should be passed.

“Pass it,” said senior Carolina Alfaro, a strong believer in enforcing immediate action on the issue of climate change.

Junior Tristan Fredrick is more skeptical.

“I think the Green New Deal is a bad idea to try and solve the issues such as climate change because destroying the economy, in the process, would cause a ton of other issues,” Fredricks said.

Senior Katelyn Harvey understands both sides of the spectrum.

“I think it’s a good idea in theory, and action should definitely be taken to end climate change, but I don’t know if it’s a good plan because of how people would react to the heavy price tag,” Harvey said.

In November, President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accords. The other two countries not in the agreement are Syria, in ruins after a civil war, and Nicaragua.

In 2016, 197 countries have joined this agreement to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by reducing the emission of gases. The agreement stated that by the end of the century, the rise in global temperature should remain well under 2 C. However, since 1880, the global temperature has increased 1.5 F, according to the U.S. Global Change Research Program.

Though the federal government has pulled out of the agreement, 400 mayors representing 70 million Americans across the country have agreed to comply with the Paris Agreement.

Dallas is one of these cities.

Locally, Dallas has made efforts to meet the Paris Agreement emission reduction targets. The city has reduced 4 million tons of carbon emissions by relying more on renewable and alternative sources of energy.

57%

54%

52%

43%

42%

29%

20%

Angry

Helpless

Guilty

Optimistic

Uninterested

How teens feel about climate change

Motivated

* sourced from Carnegie Institution

- John Cornyn, Texas Senator (R)

Afraid

With rising carbon dioxide levels by 2100 coral reefs will begin to disintegrate.

“There is a growing consensus the days of ignoring this issue are over. If we all agree that reducing emissions is important I think we have a better way of approaching that than the Green New Deal.”

* sourced from Washington Post

18

in-depth mhsmarquee.com

y

Science teachers weigh in on climate change Do you believe in climate change? why?

Janet Hutley

Hovde: Yes 100 percent... With how the fossilized carbon cycle is being pulled back into the active carbon cycle, there’s going to be an impact. There’s nowhere for that carbon to go and it’s changing the temperature of the ocean and the temperature of the atmosphere and all that.

Durvasula: I do believe in climate change.

The fact that the climate is changing, patterns are changing is true. I don’t know about the causes.

Hinsley: Yeah, I agree as well. You know, ocean temperature data, there are lots of examples of glacial melts and the Antarctic ice sheet is declining and all that so I would say there’s lots of examples of warmer oceans and glacial melts.

Gupta: Yeah it’s 100 percent real for me, too. The temperature is increasing, I think 1.5 degrees celsius is the target and now they’re saying it’s going to surpass that and [the temperature] is going to increase about 2.5 or 3 degrees Celsius. I think there’s going to be a huge impact on various things.

Scott Hinsley Do you think climate change is more due to citizens, big Hovde: All of the above. Twelve thousand companies or farmers?

Sujata Durvasula

Manisha Gupta

Hutley: You can’t talk about one without the other because the big power plant sends energy to your home. So is that your use or their use?

If you want a phone a factory has to build the phone, the factory uses energy, you use the phone. Is that your use, or the people who built the phone?

Do you think the fires in California or recent floods in Houston have been because of climate change?

Hinsley: The fires are more human activity.

Our developing areas that have not been traditionally developed and the replacing of native grasses with non native plants is a lot of it.

Adam Hovde Compiled Alyssa Cheatham DESIGN Emily Seiler PHOTOs Maya Hernandez

years ago we made the decision to instead of using what the earth gives us to live on we just decided we weren’t going to do that anymore.

From that point we have been making the change to where we are, the dominant species, and this is what’s going to happen. Every change that we make might be great for us but it probably won’t be great for everything else on the planet. Every one of those little changes has basically led up to where we are today to where we need this energy.

Hutley: If you’re going to tag disasters on climate change you’re going to have to make an argument more for warmer water means bigger tropical storms because they can feed off the warm water.

Durvasula: California not having enough rain could somehow be related to climate change. Not enough rain therefore more dry vegetation and therefore more likelihood of having those types of fires.

in-depth Dec. 9, 2019

19

More than metal straws

Junior starts Environmental Club STORY Nikhita Ragam DESIGN Emily Seiler PHOTO Kaitlyn Hughes As environmental awareness has increased worldwide, millions of teens have united to address the issue of climate change. Junior Katherine Eddleman is one of them and has promoted the cause of climate activism by starting the Environmental Club.

While in San Antonio for a volleyball tournament around two and a half years ago, Eddleman passed by SeaWorld. As she was walking by, she noticed a group of peaceful protesters.

They held signs protesting the animal abuse that occurs at SeaWorld. Curious to learn more, Eddleman stopped by to read the infographics and signs the protesters were holding. “Friends don’t eat friends.” “Say no to fur.” “Meat is murder,” they said. She felt disgusted and immediately decided to not eat meat again.

“I actually kind of just went cold turkey one day,” Eddleman said. “After reading [the signs], I was like ‘oh my gosh’ and said ‘okay, I’m not eating meat after this,’ and I never went back.”

Eddleman’s one trip to SeaWorld transformed her to become the young environmental activist she is today.

Currently, Eddleman is making small changes to her diet

Katherine Eddleman plans to introduce sustainable disposal methods at Marcus through Environmental Club.

on because that’s a really big polluter and causes pollution in the oceans and landfills,” Eddleman said.

The Environmental Club’s goal is to spread awareness about environmentally-friendly practices and information about climate crises occurring around the world. The club only started earlier this year and they are still working on finalizing plans, but they have planned school wide projects. She wants to put recycling bins in the locker rooms so athletes that use a lot of plastic water bottles can properly dispose of them. She also aspires to fundraise to give out reusable bags to students.

“If we’re better about getting bins in places like the commons that distinguish between cans and bottles and actual food waste, that will help,” Eddleman said.

Ultimately, Eddleman hopes to give the club a hands on approach so students have the opportunity to make a real change.

“We want to make it more than just us talking and actually engage with people,” Eddleman said.

Eddleman’s environmental tips

Katherine Eddleman follows a vegetarian diet and wants to make a shift to eating fully plant-based.

every day, hoping to lead a vegan lifestyle once she gets to college.

“I don’t drink regular milk anymore, and I don’t eat as much cheese,” Eddleman said. “I’m trying to take it step by step.”

On a local level, Eddleman shares tips with students about what they can do to be more environmentally conscious. Her main focus is the current use of plastic.

“I think plastic use is something people should really focus

20

In-Depth mhsmarquee.com

• Reduce plastic use overall • Don’t sit in the car with the engine running • Compost • Use reusable bottles, lunchboxes, grocery bags, etc.

• Make an active effort to generally reduce the waste and trash you produce

Environmental Club meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7:40 a.m. in Mr. Hood’s room (Room D211). You can follow the club @mhs_enviro on Instagram and Twitter.

Let it sew Fashion design class starts project for the less fortunate STORY Alyssa Cheatham DESIGN Ryan Baker PHOTOs Maya Hernandez CCA Church and Volunteer Relations Manager Thelma Cantu visited the Fashion Design class on Oct. 2 to kick off a project where students will make stockings for CCA families.

That day, students brought in supplies to donate and started making two stockings each. The fabric was donated by Quilt Country in Lewisville.

CCA is not the first organization Cantu has worked at, and this isn’t the first time she’s worked with Fashion Design teacher Kim Watson on a project. The duo worked together for 15 years in Irving ISD. Cantu and Watson felt like this was a good chance to work together again.

Last year, CCA ordered Christmas stockings for the families they serve during the holiday season, but were unhappy with the results.

“They were commercially made. When I saw the quality I thought, ‘Oh, we can do better than that,’” Cantu said.

The contents of each stocking are different. Last year, they were made with the recipients’ ages in mind, and the same approach was taken this year. Toys will be included for younger kids, while teenagers may get gift cards or other small gifts.

At the time of reporting, over 600 stockings were already made and delivered to CCA, which has a goal of delivering 1,650. In addition to getting stockings, the families can go to the food pantry to pick out meals, books and a devotional.

CCA also has giving trees in malls, where people can donate money to go towards those supported by them.

Students interested in making in stockings to donate: You can buy the $1.00 stocking pattern from Quilt Country so all the stockings are the same size. All of the proceeds from the pattern will also be going to CCA.

Junior Emily Meyers sews a stocking during her Fashion Design class.

Sophomore Katherine Yezer listens to Fashion Design teacher Kim Watson as she instructs the class. The program providing stockings to families was created by CCA a year ago.

CCA Manager Thelma Cantu informs fashion design students that the stockings are given to families in need in the community.

feature dec. 9, 2019

21

Varsity football ends season as area champions STORY samson george DESIGn amber luther It’s a good sign when a team only loses one game in the regular season. This was the case for the 2019 varsity football team. They won both major rivalry games, Battle of the Axe and Mound Showdown. They continued their winning streak to go undefeated in the district and secure the titles of bi-district and area round district champions for the first time in 12 years.

“Our goal is to win in the playoffs not just get there,” head coach Kevin Atkinson said. “We wanted to get better as the season moved along.”

At the start of the season, the team was ranked 2,133 in the nation, but moved up to finish 321, according to MaxPreps.

“I’m just excited for our program and these kids who worked so hard over these last couple of years,” Atkinson said. “For them, to see the fruits of their labor is really neat.”

Junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier finished the season with 218 completions out of 433 attempts, 3,788 yards, 38 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. photo by emily lundell

Key games Marcus at Flower Mound(Game 8)

The Marauders were the first team in the 6-6A district to secure a playoff spot after beating the Flower Mound Jaguars 34-31. The Marauders got an early lead, but the Jaguars rallied back for a close game.

Marcus at Lewisville (Game 10)

The Marauders brought the axe back home after their 48-42 overtime victory against one of their biggest rivals, the Lewisville Farmers. The first half was big for both teams as there were only two punts by halftime. At halftime the Marauders were in the lead 27-23. With less than a minute left on the clock, sophomore kicker John Wegendt made a 24 yard field goal to tie the game 42-42, bringing the game into overtime. During overtime Nussmeier scrambled and secured the Marauders the victory and the return of the axe.

Senior running back Ty’son Edwards had 228 carries for 1,341 rushing yards and 417 receiving yards with 19 total touchdowns. He was also able to average six yards a carry. photo by emily lundell

Marcus vs Keller Central (Bi District)

The team got their first playoff win in four years against Keller Central with a score of 34-7. The Marauders’ offense put on a show throughout the night. Big plays early in the game put them in scoring position often. The Marauders’ defense held the Chargers to 7 points the entire game.

Marcus vs Lake Highland (Area Round)

The Marauders won the area round championship, beating Lake Highland 36-27. The Marauders’ defense was able to come up with big plays throughout the afternoon. The Wildcats missed a critical field goal in the fourth quarter.

Visit www.mhsmarquee.com for full recaps of this season’s games.

22

sports mhsmarquee.com

Senior linebacker Ethan Barr finished the season with 88 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. photo by emily lundell

season in review

The Marauders huddled together after their loss to get pumped up for their next game. photo by Samson george

Date

Opponent

Score

Aug. 29

Arlington Bowie

14-28 (loss)

Sept. 6

McKinney Boyd

26-19 (win)

Sept. 13

Waxahachie

55-38 (win)

Sept. 27

Irving

66-0 (win)

Oct. 3

Irving Nimitz

53-7 (win)

Oct. 11

Hebron

24-14 (win)

Oct. 18

Coppell

15-7 (win)

Oct. 25

Flower Mound

34-31 (win)

Nov. 1

MacArthur

49-13 (win)

Nov. 8

Lewisville

48-42 (win)

Nov. 15

Keller Central

34-7 (win)

Nov. 23

Lake Highlands

36-27 (win)

Nov. 30

Amarillo Tascosa

14-46 (loss)

Senior running back Ty'son Edwards looks around at the Lewisville players around him as he runs with the ball during the Battle of the Axe. photo by emily lundell

Players, coaches and fans took part in the Marauder tradition of linking pinkies during kickoff. photo by emily lundell

Sophomore wide receiver and defensive back Dallas Dudley runs across the field as his teammates tackle Keller Central players behind him. photo by tara connick

sports dec. 9, 2019

23

STORY shriya mukkavilli DESIGn esmeralda arellano PHOTos maya hernandez & emily lundell

What’s the weirdest Christmas present you’ve ever received?

“One year, my mom put in my stocking this little, it was a moose, but when you pushed down on it it pooped out jelly beans, and that is to this day the weirdest thing I’ve ever received.”

What present would you like this year?

“I would like to get into college for Christmas, thank you. But in all seriousness, the number one thing I want for Christmas is AirPods, because everyone has them and I don’t.”

Nick Underwood, 12

24

feature mhsmarquee.com

now, Santa’s not going give me a whole lot’, and then I came out of my room Christmas morning and there was a table with wooden Thomas the Train Engine trains and tracks, and it was so exciting.”

What’s your favorite holiday food?

“I just love Christmas cookies. Christmas is just an excuse for my sister and mom to bake cookies, and I love it.”

What is your favorite Christmas activity?

“Every year, I decorate my truck. This year, I went to Hobby Lobby and Dollar Tree with Is there a special memory you have associated my friends and we bought decorations and decorated my truck. I have a garland hanging with Christmas?

“When I was younger and lived in Ohio, I had by the front windshield and an elf sitting in a Christmas where I was not expecting much a cup holder and a little Christmas letter N at all. -I was five and I thought ‘I’m a big boy hanging from the mirror.”

What is your favorite activity?

“Sometimes we go camping, which is a lot of fun, especially in the Texas weather that we have so it’s not that cold. When we were younger, Santa even visited our camper.”

What’s your favorite Holiday food?

“Stuffing, hands down. Not in a turkey, not in a salad, just pure stuffing.”

Why do you love Christmas?

“Everyone’s finally home and we don’t have to worry about homework or work, we can literally just worry about when the next meal is and how many people are coming over.”

Jackie Felan, Astronomy

Do you have a special memory?

“My grandfather reads the Christmas story to us every year and each of us cousins reads a different part of it every year. Being the oldest cousin, it’s a lot of fun to see everyone grow up and learn how to read more.”

What’s the weirdest Christmas present you’ve ever received?

“There was one Christmas where both my aunt and grandmother gave me lava lamps. They did not talk to each other nor did I ask for a lava lamp, so it was a very strange coincidence.”

Bethany Boerger, 10

What present would you like to receive this year?

“I asked for a bearded dragon from my cousin. I don’t think he’s going to buy me one though, so I might have to buy it for myself.

But yes, I told him I wanted a bearded dragon because I wanted a pet that I could take with me when I’m doing things in my life because dogs aren’t welcome everywhere but you can hide that lizard under your jacket because I had a student who once brought one to school.”

Is there anything special your family does for Christmas?

“See, I have kids so I have to keep the idea of Santa alive, so what we do in our family is when my sister is putting her kids to bed, my husband and or I go to their house with jingle bells and we shake them outside the kids’ window so the kids think Santa’s on the roof. They freak out and say ‘Mom we have to get out of bed Santa’s here right now!’ And then somebody in my family comes to my house and does the same for me.”

Why do you love Christmas?

“Well, the whole Jesus thing going on, I really love that because my family and I, we get ourselves some Jesus all year, but Christmastime is one of the highs. I get two weeks off because I have this great job called teaching, so that makes Christmas fun too, and then I just get to chill with my kids.”

What is your favorite holiday song?

“Definitely not ‘The Christmas Shoes’ because that’s the most depressing song I’ve ever heard in my entire life. Let’s say one of the classics. I really like ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’, even though it’s super cheesy and I recognize that it’s extremely cheesy but it’s still fun. You hear it, you get in the spirit, even though in Texas it often isn’t cold outside.”

entertainment dec. 9, 2019

25

Perfect movies to watch during the holidays story adriana pueskens & alyssa cheatham design amber luther

The Polar Express (2004) Rating:

RO

“The Polar Express” follows the journey of three children on Christmas Eve from their homes to the North Pole aboard a train named, you guessed it, The Polar Express.

The children take a comedic journey where they discover more about themselves and the meaning of believing. It’s a great family movie, and it has become an iconic movie many families consider a staple of the holiday season.

“The Polar Express” brings back memories of movie days in elementary school, where students would wear pajamas and drink hot cocoa, and it’s a great movie for reliving childhood nostalgia. The movie also has a great soundtrack that pairs with its vivid animation. For children, the song “Hot Chocolate” is to dance and sing along to, while songs such as “Believe” by Josh Groban speak more to the meaning of the season for teens and adults. “The Polar Express” keeps the joy and excitement of the season alive, and it truly shows the magic of Christmas for audiences, young and old.

Santa’s Workshop 26

entertainment mhsmarquee.com

UN

D

TR

IP

Elf (2003) Rating: A Christmas classic, “Elf ”, tells the story of a human, Buddy, who lands in Santa’s bag as a child and is raised as an elf. Knowing something is different about him, Buddy soon finds out that he is actually human and travels to New York to find his real father. The movie follows him as he encounters people and experiences in the real world that force Buddy to grow up, but Buddy counters every real-world problem with a North Pole solution.

“Elf ” is more suited towards children than teens, as the humor is very basic and repetitive, and the movie seems childish from the animation to Buddy’s behaviors. However, it is still a great family movie to watch. Will Ferrell is the star of the movie, and his spot-on childish acting truly makes “Elf ” the iconic movie it is.

“Elf ” allows viewers to remember the playfulness and love of the holiday season and leaves a little sparkle in the eyes of everyone who watches.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) Rating: “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is the story of an outcast reindeer with a bright red nose, who is told he can only be a real reindeer if he has a normal black nose.

Rudolph joins the journey of the misfit elf Hermey, who does not want to make toys, but wants to be a dentist, to find where they belong.

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” can be watched with friends and family no matter what age. The timeless storyline and the easily identifiable theme, showing that your flaws are what make you special, make it easy for everyone to relate to and enjoy the movie. It can also be a nice throwback movie for your parents or grandparents to watch and be reminded of their childhood.

The Grinch (1966) Rating: “The Grinch” is another classic animated Christmas story. It follows the Grinch, his dog Max and their plans to foil Christmas for Whoville. Throughout the movie the Grinch learns that Christmas is not all about materialism but loving and spending time with family. The Grinch’s heart grows, both physically and metaphorically, and in the end, he spends his Christmas with the citizens of Whoville.

The movie has a lot of good qualities, but the treatment of Max before the Grinch’s heart grows makes many people uncomfortable, causing the rate to drop a bit. Aside from that, the movie is another good throwback to watch, as people of all ages can remember watching “The Grinch” when they were a child with the 1966, 2000 and 2018 versions.

entertainment dec. 9, 2019

27

BOOM BAHS things we like Opening the Conversation

‘Marauder’ not ‘Frogger’

The message of Red Ribbon Week can get repetitive, but the personal stories of staff over the announcements were impactful, brave and a good way for teachers to connect to students through a sensitive topic.

The blinking crosswalk on Morris Road next to ninth grade campus is beneficial for both drivers and pedestrians. Students won’t dash across the street if they don’t feel like walking to the Dixon-Morris intersection, which means they avoid the risk of being hit by a rogue Range Rover.

College Conundrum The college prep room available on campus is a great resource for students who are confused about admissions and applications. However, while the counselors will offer free advice and assistance to students about these processes, they will not photoshop you in a rowing machine.

Being Fun-Sized is not that fun Column Ayra Charania “I have the God-given right to make fun of you,” my 5’9” friend said.

She had just left class, and I was trailing behind her because my short legs couldn’t walk any faster.

After sprinting to catch up, we laughed it off, but I was still frustrated. Why were my legs 25 percent shorter than hers?

It’s not fair. A difference of seven inches should not be so critical in determining how fast I can walk.

Sadly, there’s no hope for me to be taller. Genetics aren’t in my favor. My mom’s 5’1’’. My dad’s 5’9’’.

However, maybe if I didn’t drink a gallon of coffee a day or actually drank milk like my grandma told me when I was a kid, I’d be 5’5” instead of 5’2”.

Still, it doesn’t matter why I’m short.

What matters is the problems short people like me have to deal with.

First, let’s talk about supermarkets. I shouldn’t have to climb shelves to reach what I need while shopping.

At Target, I even had a near death experience. I was an innocent customer trying to buy a set of razors. I jumped up nearly a hundred times but couldn’t reach the box. As a last resort, I decided to hike up the shelf.

28

Opinion mhsmarquee.com

As I climbed, the shelf begin to wiggle, ready to tip over from my weight. I grabbed the razors as quickly as I could and jumped off before it could collapse.

@____ayra____ Though I’m glad to have survived that violent encounter, it really demonstrates how stores are anti-short people.

The clothing industry isn’t nice to us either, especially when it comes to pants.

Either they’re short enough but too tight or comfortable but too long. If I’m lucky, my dryer will solve the problem and

shrink the long-legged jeans to the right length.

However, the worst part by far is how regular-sized people treat short people. First off, we are not furniture. It’s annoying when my friends put their dirty arms on top of my head, getting all of their germs and sweat on my hair, as if it’s their armrest.

We also don’t like having to look up at everyone. It is a pain in the neck, literally.

The angle we have to adjust our head to make eye contact with regular sized people is not something that humans have evolved to do. For once, tall people should tilt their head down to us.

Furthermore, the jokes regular-sized people make about us get old. I can deal with someone asking me if I meet the height minimum at the amusement park once in a while but not every day. At least try to mix it up. Make fun of me for being nerdy or forgetful instead.

I’ll admit being short isn’t all that bad.

I can share jeans with my nine year old sister, so I have twice the wardrobe. If I’m on a diet, all the junk food in my house is on the top shelf anyways, so I can’t reach it. Also, it’s so much easier for me to dart around people in a crowded place.

However, I know life would be so much better if I was just three inches taller. I don’t need to be a skyscraper. If I got that extra height, I would have nothing else to complain about — aside from not being in the front of pictures anymore.

HEYS

THINGS WE DON’T LIKE Spring Fever It’s inconvenient for students to have to register for AP tests for their fall classes mid-fall. Students may have had very little test practice for their current courses up to this point and do not want to pay $75 for a test that they feel unsure about, yet if they want the credit opportunity they have to pay up now.

Collegeboard, let the AP Government kids learn the three branches before they break their banks.

Feeling Seen in the Latrine

Feel the Rain on Your Skin, even indoors

Although we understand the concerns of faculty about students vaping in the bathroom, for those of us trying to handle our ‘personal business,’ the wide open doors during lunch and before school feel a little invasive.

Trying to use the restroom while being haunted by every voice of the student body that walks by is unnerving. While many students have close friends at school, none of us want to be that close.

Although the sound of rain is usually relaxing, it is a little abnormal for students to hear that familiar pitterpatter against the ceiling tiles of a classroom or on the floor next to their desks during class. Although outdoor classrooms are becoming more popular, seeing soaked ceiling tiles everywhere doesn’t count. In this case, students want to be way less close to nature, and the leaky ceiling and water-filled garbage cans littering the hallways aren’t helping.

More than just a sport Column madi olivier I remember when I got my first team shirt. It was made out of scratchy black fabric and had red and blue flames on the front. The words “gym team” were written in huge white letters on the back. Looking back, I wouldn’t call it fashionable, but I was so proud when my coach handed it to me. I wore it to school the next day, making sure my hair was in front of my shoulders, and I sat up extra straight so the other kids in my third grade class could read the back of my shirt. Today, I still have it in the back of my closet.

I’ve been a gymnast for 14 years. In a way, I grew up in the gym. I went to camps during the summer and classes a few times a week. Eventually, I made the team in third grade and started going to practice almost every day after school.

I kept this up through elementary and middle school. Once I hit freshman year, it became impossible to attend three hour practices while balancing homework and the stress of AP classes. I joined newspaper my sophomore year, adding deadlines to the mix. I began to miss more practices and lost some of my skills.

This past summer, I knew that I had to stop competing. If I was only able to practice once or twice a week, I couldn’t expect to be ready by competition season.

However, as I stood on a low beam, I told my coach that I couldn’t compete next season and tears welled up in my eyes. It

wasn’t like I dominated competitions. On some skills, I fell as often as I stuck the landing. I’m not going to get an athletic scholarship or have a career in gymnastics,

@madio531 but I would be giving up something that had been a constant in my life for so long that it felt like I would be losing a part of my identity.

However, I knew that even if I was in the gym less, everything that gymnastics taught me as I grew up would always be with me. I owe so much to the sport. It made me the person I am today.

Since I was little, I’ve competed in front of judges whose job is to pick apart everything I do and tell me every single way that I failed to reach perfection. I’ve spent countless hours with coaches that tell me every single thing that I do wrong so I can get better. I’m grateful for every critique. With each one, I got stronger and better. With each one, I learned how to take criticism as a compliment rather than an insult. Like my coaches told me since I was young — if they didn’t care, if they didn’t believe in me, they would stay quiet.

Gymnastics, and really all sports, is a cycle of failing, getting up, trying again.

The process repeats itself over and over until something finally clicks and in that moment, every minute spent getting to that point was worth it. I’ve been told that I’m driven and determined, and I truly believe that it’s because of gymnastics. I learned from the beginning that things won’t always come easy, and I’ll have to work hard, sometimes harder than others, to get where I want to be.

I’ll take what I learned in this beautiful sport and use it for the rest of my life in school, in work, in relationships. While I’ve found a new passion in the newsroom and have cut down on my time in the gym, I’ll always be the little girl that fell in love with the sport and wore her team shirt with pride.

Design tara connick dec. 9, 2019

29

“What part of my body am I gonna harm at LA fitness today?”

“Just me and the boys doing some boyshups, getting those daily reps.”

- s HALL

- Ensemble room

“You would hire people to shake babies and kiss hands.”

- d hall

OVERHEARD

“Was he mentally stable?”

“No he was crazy. Bro he kinda looks like Justin Timberlake.”

- d Hall

“This man thinks potatoes grow on trees.”

“You’re too crazy for this cult.”

- w hall

- d HALL

look for the light Column reya mosby I sat in the back of the newsroom and stared blankly at the salad in front of me, rubbing my fingernails together and biting the inside of my lip until it was raw.

We were on deadline. I should be working, not wasting time eating.

Suddenly, my head filled with an endless loop of lies.

Why are you not working?

You are worthless without your achievements, so get back to work.

You don’t deserve to eat that salad.

You are nothing.

My hands shook as I willed myself to pick up the fork. I couldn’t do it. Tears began to fall. I always felt guilty for eating.

Work should be priority. Because of this, I skipped so many meals that I would eat little to nothing for days at a time.

My friends looked at me, so I buried my shaking hands in my lap, wiped my tears and forced a smile. This is how it always went. Smile and change the subject until I’m forgotten. It always worked.

Nobody noticed the sadness behind my meaningless smiles, exhausted eyes brimming with tears and fake laughs, but that’s what I wanted. I wanted everybody to think I was perfect.

I’ve always been work-driven and passionate about the things I love, but it became my downfall.

Between advanced classes, honor societies, music groups, voice lessons, newspaper reporting and editing, leadership positions in organizations, volunteer work and the musical, everything piled on me. I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

30

Opinion mhsmarquee.com

Everything that wasn’t working to improve myself in these activities was disregarded. Everything came second to work. My need to be perfect drove me to self destruction.

I spent hours in my room, pushing myself to be better. I felt trapped. It felt like a prison. Soon I became a prisoner of everything I loved.

However, my passions weren’t the problem. My obsession with achieving perfection consumed every thought,

@ReyaMosby decision and action. I worked endlessly to achieve unattainable. I was never good enough. I began to measure my self worth through accomplishments that I was never proud of because I was so caught up with what I could do better.

I was so engulfed in work that I forgot about myself. If I wasn’t perfect, I was nothing. I wasn’t worthy of anything — love, happiness, health, family, friends.

I hated myself.

••• I stared blankly at my choir director as we sat in his office. I numbly explained everything to him.

I finally told someone all I had been going through, however, I felt nothing. I

had always been an emotionally driven person, so who was this person I turned myself into? What was wrong with me?

Three words interrupted my thoughts.

“Are you OK?” I wasn’t. Tears slipped down my cheeks.

I’m not perfect. I never will be. My fears of failure and inadequacy became a reality, and I was drowning in them.

“Reya, the only thing keeping you from reaching your full potential is the way you treat yourself,” he said.

The past months replayed in my head — every all-nighter I spent working, all the tears I had to wipe away and the countless mornings I spent putting on makeup to hide the exhaustion, hunger and sadness on my face. I treated myself horribly, and it was destroying me.

He was right. I looked at him, and for the first time, I was me. I was thin with bags under my eyes, shaky hands and tearstained cheeks, but I was me. I mustered words I never thought I’d say.

“I’m not OK. I don’t know what to do.

Can you help me?”

While convincing others that I was perfect, I convinced myself that I was OK too. This wasn’t true. Because of the safe space my director created, I allowed myself to face my demons and stop pretending that I was fine. He opened the door to healing for me, and I’ll never be ever to repay him. He made me feel like, for once, it wasn’t me against the world. I had an ally. I wasn’t alone.

Recovery is not easy. I have days where I sleep an hour or two, skip a meal and push myself too hard. My toxic obsession with perfection is something that I may always struggle with, but asking for help was light at the end of a long and dark tunnel. The pain and sadness that piled on me finally lightened, and all I had to do was look for the light.

REMARKS How big of an issue do you think climate change is?

“ “ “ “ Compiled Adriana Pueskens PHOTOS Maya Hernandez

It’s a big issue in the respect that it needs to be acknowledged, but it’s not quite out of hand at the current moment.

-Asher sprayman,12

Climate change can be a big issue or a small issue depending on where you live. In bigger cities, it can be a lot greater. It all depends on where you live, where the city is located, all sorts of other evidence.

-Tyler Neumann,11

I think climate change is a huge issue, especially in the recent years. Politics eat it up. I don’t really know what else we can do on our level to do about it… but it is a concern.

-Marcey Fox, attendance

I think climate change is a really big issue that’s going to impact not only us, but our future generations. If we don’t try to slow down climate change, later on, there’s going to be more irreversible effects.

-Dahlia Clark,12

We need to be the generation of change STA FF E DITORI A L We’ve all seen the pictures of the polar bears in the melting arctic and the trees burning in the Amazon. We know about the Houston floods, the ice caps that are half their original size and that parts of California are on fire. However, this country has spent too much time arguing over the politics of climate change. We need to stop focusing on who caused it and start focusing on how we can survive in this new environment.

Climate change has become a partisan issue, despite the fact that it has a global impact. One side believes that we need to completely change our infrastructure, and the other side doesn’t seem as interested in addressing the issue. We need to realize that climate change is a complicated issue that can’t be solved with just one idea.

The oceans are rising, the air is becoming polluted and the Earth is getting hotter.

No matter our political opinions, we need to stop arguing and all agree that something needs to be done.

So far, Gen Z has taken it upon themselves to solve the climate crisis through buying metal straws and hydroflasks. While these efforts may help, plastic straws and water bottles make up

just over a quarter of the Earth’s waste, not nearly enough to solve this looming problem. Also, recycling will likely not be enough to make the changes needed to protect the planet.

In reality, some of our generation’s attempts at reducing waste are only small efforts to make us feel better about ourselves. We need to realize that the efforts being made to save the turtles are not enough to save our planet. Retweeting an article about carbon emissions may spread awareness, but won’t lead to change. If we want to see any difference in how we treat the Earth, we need to take action ourselves.

Young climate activists, such as Greta Thunberg and Autumn Peltier have shown us that we can’t trust adults to fix the climate issue for us. Our government has done little to address the issue.

President Trump has recently pulled us out of the Paris Climate Accord. Instead of joining in on an important agreement with 197 other countries to work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we have decided to ignore a global issue and put America first. However, it’s hard to put America first when we’re all breathing

the same air.

As a society, we have made a habit of putting off dealing with major issues. An example of this is the continuing problems with healthcare. It is up to our generation to stop this pattern of kicking things down the road. We need to take action.

We have to keep the planet sustainable for our children and grandchildren. Rather than finding simple ways to “fix” climate change, we need to be more informed about it and its effects, so we can find out what we can do personally. It will only be a matter of years until the scientists and researchers of today will retire, leaving us to take their place. Instead of avoiding the climate crisis, we need to start paying attention to it today.

If we don’t care about our own future, we can’t expect anyone else to. By treating climate change like today’s adults, we will end up in the same endless cycle, which may be devastating for our planet. By learning from past generations’ mistakes and educating ourselves, we may be able to help heal our Earth.

Design tara connick dec. 9, 2019

31

Get a head start on your winter chores with

S.H.I. Services • Landscaping • Fencing • Tiling • Flooring • Door Installation

• Drywall • Painting (Exterior & Interior) • Wood Finishing

All this, and more!

Call today For your Free Estimate

214 - 642 - 2319