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Vo l u m e 5 3 , I s s u e 7 · M a y 2 9 , 2 0 1 5 · S . H . R i d e r H i g h S c h o o l · 4 6 1 1 Cy p r e s s · Wi c h i t a Fa l l s, T X 7 6 3 1 0
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U O Y S G N I TH T U O B A W O N K T ’ N D I D S S A L C R O I N E S E H T
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Art by Jenna Ward.
See page 12 &13
Stories of the Issue
Photo by Dalton Roberts.
‘Gold Sealed’ Talent p.24
Tennis Dominates at UIL p.23
Replacing Negative Thoughts p.3
Photo contributed by Jan Albin.
by emilycarroll & kierstenscott
Don’t Rid The World Of History Next year sophomore students will sit in their U.S. History class wondering where the world has gone. After removing World History as a required course, the district only offers the course as a 4.0 elective. Teachers and students stand concerned with this decision. If we don’t learn World History we are doomed to repeat it. This knowledge has held true time and again, so why is the district ignoring that advice? If conspiracy theories have taught us anything, it is that there are people actively trying to change history in order to bend public opinion one way or another. The only way to prevent this madness is to teach real unbiased World History. Anything less will allow students to be swayed by radical groups of thought. Without World History, administrators aren’t just preventing students from taking a class. If someone doesn’t understand the historic relations between Israel and Palestine they will have trouble understanding the conflict that exists between those countries to this day. If someone doesn’t understand World History, how will they understand ISIS, North Korea or even our strained relationship with Russia? Without World History, students will be unable to successfully contribute not only in courses like Art History but also in government and English
as well. WFISD believes that World History is necessary because they think a teacher can efficiently cover both World History and Geography at the same time. Students know that this proposal is completely wrong. Both of these courses are intense on their own. Do administrators expect kids to learn the intricacies of the Glorious Revolution while some can’t even correctly label the seven continents? These courses were meant to be taught in succession NOT on top of one another. High school is supposed to create an environment that aids students in becoming successful citizens ready for higher education. This decision by WFISD is making students choose between the two. Either a student can only take Geography and then move on to AP classes in order to keep up in the GPA race or they can take both courses and be able to understand the world they live in. This choice is unacceptable. It creates a system that is asking immature freshmen, (sorry, it’s true) to make extreme life decisions This must change. WFISD must change its response to House BIll 5 as soon as possible. Otherwise they risk producing students who are unprepared to engage in society.
Freedom Of Language, a Foundational Struggle
5/29/15
by juancandia
A man risked his life and gave up his dreams crossing the border on February of ‘98. He left his family, friends, a job, even his car, to experience the wonderful American Dream. A woman risked her life two months later, crossing the border. She left her family and risked so much just to live an easier life and to go to the land of opportunity. But what she mainly risked was her unborn baby’s life. These are my parents, and I was the one who was carried across the border and born two months later. The problem today is that Americans often assume that just because we’re in America, we MUST speak English. But if speaking English is a must, what is the point of the First Amendment? Isn’t the United States supposed to be a free country, the land of rights, the land of opportunity? My parents both came to this country without knowing English. Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s great to know the English language, that’s why my parents have learned to speak English, but it shouldn’t be mandatory that one MUST speak it everywhere they go. Without knowing English my dad managed to
earn a leadership job and soon might even have his own company. “The effort you show pays off sooner or later,” my father always says. My mother manages to earn approximately $600 a week, more than many English speakers, but she actually went the extra mile and managed to learn English, get her GED, and is now signed up to start at Vernon College for bookkeeping. Yes, of course it’s good to learn English, but it’s also excellent to know another language. People who know more than one language tend to get paid more than people with only one language. That’s why high schools have foreign language classes. The majority of the population in Texas is now Hispanic, so Americans might as well get used to hearing others speaking a language other than English. I speak Spanish, but I also speak English. I love both languages, and I use both on a daily basis. Of course everyone should learn English, but also English speakers should learn a different language and be tolerant of those speaking other languages in the United States.
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thestaff | 2
staffeditorial
Our mission is to be the voice of the student body, and to be aware of the everyday activities that go on at school and to cover those stories without bias, writing the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
thestaff co-editors in chief emilycarroll & kierstenscott feature editor shannonpyle news editor cortneywood reporters abbylove, annaau, aleksastankovic, alyssamatthews, collinpartridge, cintiavickery, juan candia, justinhasty, kayleedavenport, kobielunsford, lanemaddox, makaylaschnaufer, maddiebox, mirandadarne, raymondmcnally, shawnkirkland, stevengarcia, sydneymayo, theresadhein All letters to the editor, art work, guest work and feedback from its readers can be brought by room 247 or e-mailed to emilycarroll@theriderchronicle.com or kierstenscott@theriderchronicle.om Contact the newsroom at 940-235-1077 ext. 31061 Adviser: Mary Beth Lee Principal: Dee Palmore
Loved ones surround Jan Albin to give support during her fight against cancer
by collinpartridge
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Replacing Negative Thoughts A needle biopsy pierced her neck on Jan. 5, on Jan. 7 the preliminary reports t-shirts and Cheer and Dance coach Krista McKinney did a 30 Days of Love showed concerning results, and on Jan. 14 the lump on her neck received a campaign, collecting gifts to give to Albin for every day of the month. “I wanted something to involve the whole staff,” dance instructor Krista name: Squamous Cell Carcinoma, but for Receptionist Jan Albin these jumble McKinney said. “We wanted to let her know that she is loved so much.” of words translated to one thing. After being a member on staff for 10 years, Vice Principal Cancer. TiAda Radtke said that she is a valuable member of staff “I had my suspicions because a lump and has always supported Rider one hundred percent appeared on the right side of my neck and by always being at games. it continued to grow,” Albin said. “I hadn’t “It is and always has been an honor “She has just the right personality,” Radtke said. had any ear infections or sore throats, “She is very kind, but at the same time she is stern so I assumed it was not any infectious and privilege to be a part of Rider High enough to say no whenever she needs to.” disease.” School! I have the utmost respect and Upon learning of her cancer, Albin said For Albin, cancer didn’t represent she began to grow closer to God. During her something to be afraid of: it love for the teachers and the students! radiation treatment, her shoulders and head represented the love and support We truly are ONE FAMILY ONE TEAM!” were bolted to a table for four minutes and Albin she said she received from her family, said she remained calm by having conversations school and God. with Jesus. The cancer is considered highly “I don’t know how people who don’t know Jesus as curable, and doctors performed surgery their Lord and Savior get through any crisis,” Albin said. on Feb. 27 to remove the tumor in her “I’ve had peace that surpasses all understanding throughout tongue, right tonsil and two lymph nodes that this entire journey because He is my rock.” were cancerous. After undergoing surgery, Albin began preventative radiation at MD Anderson in Houston. Looking back upon her experiences with cancer, Albin said she has learned to replace her negative thoughts of people because she However, Albin has not had to go through this alone. “I’ve received more love and support from everyone than I deserve,” Albin never knows what is going on in someone’s life. Instead she said she prays for everyone she comes in contact with. said. “Praise God I’m not in this alone.” “I’ve learned there is always more I can do to help someone,” Albin said. “There Support for Albin has come in many forms. Albin’s niece planned a “Kickin’ Cancer with Jan” weekend for the girls of the family, spending the weekend are always more ways to show love to people.” in Dallas. Dawn Hatch, mother to Rider graduates Josh and John Hatch, made
-Jan Albin
Surrounded With Love 5/29/15
All photos contributed by Albin and her family.
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1 st
Time For Everything
Students and teachers share different experiences they encountered at school
by sydneymayo
DAYTON Freshman Dayton Parson’s first day of school was nerve racking, just like everyone else’s. “There were people everywhere,” Dayton said. The swarms of people consumed the hallways never before seen by the incoming freshmen. “The people were nice, though,” Dayton said. “For the most part.” Unlike some freshmen, Dayton got to experience high school before August 27. At Dayton’s first cross country practice during the summer he “got a feel of what high school was going to be.” “I think I like it so far.”
KRISTY
MIKAYLA
TRE’ SHAWN
Her hands were shaky and her heart was pounding out of her chest. Junior Kristy Holcomb’s first theatrical performance at Rider was “probably the silliest role there was’” Kristy said, but it secured her desire to perform on stage. “I was Jogger Number Two,” Kristy said. “Not even number one! I didn’t have any lines or anything, but I was still so excited just to be performing on the stage.” After her first show, going on stage became easier and less nerve racking. “It somehow became even more fun and I love it even more.”
The bus was filled with excitement as freshman Tre’Shawn Humphrey and his fellow teammates headed to their first football game. “The game was fun,” Tre’ Shawn said. “Until we lost.” The bus ride back from their game in Abilene was stark different from the ride there. It was completely silent. “The coaches were silent too,” Tre’ Shawn said. The team was tired and upset with their loss, but the coaches didn’t seem mad. “It was weird,” Tre’ Shawn said. “We really tried and I think they knew that.”
The game Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion began senior Mikayla Shriver’s “descent into geekdom” and has made her who she is today she said. “It was the first game I really ever got into,” Mikayla said. Immersing herself into the game, Mikayla fell deep in love. “I try to find games like it because I like that it has that nostalgia factor,” Mikayla said. For the longest time, Mikayla, like any other 12 year old, tried to like what everyone else liked, but when she discovered Obvlivion that all changed. “I found something that I didn’t have to pretend to like” Mikayla said. “I truly enjoyed it.”
5/29/15
“I was afraid I was going to get arrested.”
MRS. SCHELLER AND MRS. LEE
“I was afraid I was going to get arrested,” English teacher Sandra Scheller said. On a trip to Austin with her best friend, Yearbook and Newspaper adviser Mary Beth Lee, Scheller backed into a parked car. “I was in a rental vehicle, so I had to call the police,” she said. “I was terrified, but Mrs. Lee thought it was hilarious and made a video of it.” The then terrifying experience has turned into a priceless memory shared between the two.
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Mrs. Myers’ students work in horticulture class, helping cultivate over 2000 plants for the school year by mirandadarne
A
plants,” Blayne said. “My favorite plants to grow are carrots because of their color.” When the students prepare to give the plants away, they get to eat a few during the process. “The kids get to see the tomatoes and how they bloom and they all get to eat some,” Foster said. “They love that.” Ultimately, Foster believes that these students are heavily impacted by the class and what experience they get out of it. “They learn about all of the stages of growing plants, and because of that, these kids can get jobs,” Foster said. “They really get to learn work ethics by being in the horticulture class and from getting to work with the plants.”
“They learn about planting from seeds, how to harvest vegetables and how to transplant vegetables, the kids get to learn about all of the stages of growing plants.” -Pat Foster
Horticulture students learn about various plants, learning their stages of growth and how to harvest them. Photo contributed by Pat Foster.
Horticulture students’
top 5 favorite plants
Carrots
Spider plant Lettuce
Tomatoes www.theriderchronicle.com
Jalapeños
5/29/15
s she walks into the greenhouse, horticulture student Gracie Pinto readies her materials by collecting soil and gloves, excited to begin planting. She glances at all her class has planted and grown throughout the year and sees everything from onions to jalapeños waiting to be given away to everyone in the school district. She begins class by eagerly breaking the barrier of soil, embedding the seeds deep, and patiently begins waiting for a sprout. In the horticulture class at Harrell, some of Mrs. Myers’ students have started a trend around school, plants decorating every room, including the front offices, here at school. “By the end of this year we will have planted about 2000 plants and once they get big enough, we give them away,” paraprofessional aide Pat Foster said. “About half of the school district, the bus barn, and the maintenance people for the schools got plants.” Gracie said she already wants to come back for next year’s class because of all of the activities going on. “In horticulture class, we just give all of the plants away,” Gracie said. “We have people who want them, and we deliver them.” Teachers all over Wichita Falls have received these plants from Harrell’s horticulture class who have a wide variety of plants ranging from vegetables like carrots to plants like ferns. “I really like the spider plants,” Gracie said. “But the class mainly grows tomatoes and onions that we just plant them in the greenhouse.” Horticulture student Blayne Horn said he really enjoys doing everything from harvesting to delivering the plants. “In horticulture we go to the greenhouse and we plant different
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Gardening for the Future
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Photo contributed by Autumn Weber.
Traveling Adventures Of A Horse-Loving Chemist Science teacher’s love for horses has taken her on numerous trips around Europe that she will never forget
5/29/15
by aleksastankovic After classes are over, students don’t usually think about their teachers, but that can be a mistake because teachers also have their own interesting stories to tell. Autumn Weber proves this as a chemistry teacher who has traveled through numerous places because of her love for horses and her adventurous spirit. “Most of my students know that I traveled a lot,” Weber said. “But not a lot of them know how much I love horses.” Weber became a horse-lover in her early childhood when her dad gave her a pony, she said. Since then, that love expanded and escalated into great experiences around Europe. “My first job in Europe was in England, and I was 19 at that time,” Weber said. “I worked at a breeding farm that bred American horses.” During the time spent in Great Britain, she also had time to visit many world-famous landmarks.
“That was the best trip of my life,” Weber said. “ I’ve seen Stonehenge, been to the 60th D-Day anniversary, and spent two weeks in Ireland.” Two years after that, in 2006, Weber moved to the Netherlands for three months. “I wanted to live there, but I broke my arm,” Weber said. “I had to go back home and my arm healed after six months.” Being a teacher at Rider was, as she said, an accident. “I came to take the teacher test at MSU and since they had a problem with their computers, I had time to drive around and I really liked what I saw,” Weber said. “That night I searched for job applications, and even though there were not any, I had an interview the next day and got a job the day after.” England and the Netherlands are not the only two countries Weber has explored. “I visited about 20 countries in Europe and 30 US
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states,” Weber said. “I’ve done many horse-related jobs and I really enjoyed them.” Being a chemistry teacher is a job that is easy to love, she said; but there are also some goals for the future that Weber wants to achieve. “I don’t have any now, but if I were a billionaire I would definitely spend a lot of money on horses,” Weber said. “I plan to visit all continents during my lifetime and am looking forward to my next trip. I would like to have a trans-Siberian adventure next time.” Times spent in Europe also taught Weber a valuable lesson. “I saw that you can find nice people everywhere,” Weber said. “I’m so happy that I can say that a lot of people offered me help when I needed it during those travels. You just need to have respect for their culture.”
Teaching for
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Mr. Pearson:
Veteran teacher retires after 66 semesters at Rider
41 years
by emilycarroll His great grandmother was almost stolen in an Indian raid, his relatives were farmers in the depression, and from an early age, education is what enabled him to rise up out of poverty. After 41 years of teaching, Joe Pearson has decided to retire. When he first started out, Pearson said he didn’t think he would be able to survive. Now that he is leaving, he said he will miss working with students and being able to be part of their lives on a regular basis. “I feel kind of sad that I won’t be able to explain to students things I’ve seen in my lifetime and stories that I’ve gotten from my relatives,” Pearson said. Pearson believes that over the years, the profession has gotten more difficult due to changes in society. The counterculture of the 60’s disrespected authorities so figures of authority began to gain less respect from students and parents. He also believes that electronic media has proven to make it harder for people to concentrate and focus. “I’ve seen it in my students: the difficulty of paying attention has been eroded by the fact that students are increasingly on smart phones for social media, games, videos,” Pearson said. As for his retirement plans, he wants to stay active and healthy. He will spend more time occasionally playing his video games and traveling with his wife depending on her health.
If her health improves, he plans on applying for a different job such as working for Times Record News or a television station. “At my age, 64, I don’t see myself sitting around all the time,” he said. Nonetheless, Pearson will miss teaching at Rider especially because 33 out of his 41 years of teaching have been spent educating as a Rider Raider. He remembers the many wonderful teachers, and administrators he has worked with over the years. He is especially proud of the students he taught, including his last class of students this year. “I’m just so proud of [my students],” he said. “Not just because they are smart but because of the kind of people they are.” Among the many memories he has made, he will never forget how his former students would come back to visit and talk to him about their lives. Along with his favorite memories there are some unfortunate ones as well. Such as 9/11 and how it came as a shock to everyone. Overall, Pearson is glad that he chose the profession he did and feels very blessed to have been here. “I’ve been able to do something worthwhile with my life; to help my students be better prepared for the things that they want to do in the world,” he said. “To me, that’s an accomplishment that I feel good about.”
Pearson’s Pupils “He loves what he teaches and that’s probably why he’s such a good teacher. He really cares about history and he cares about his students learning about it. He makes it really great because he loves what he does.”
Junior Abreanna Harrison
“Pearson
is the smartest teacher I’ve ever had. He’s probably the most passionate about his job too. He cares about what he does. I feel like he has prepared me for college better than any other teacher. I respect him and I think it’s just because he knows what he’s talking about and the subject he’s teaching.”
Junior Nickolas Kulbeth
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“Mr. Pearson is genuine and really loves his job and cares for his students. People are going to miss out on his wisdom and genuine ability of teaching people, not just teaching people about history and economics, but he teaches you about life.”
Senior Gage Grace
5/29/15
Senior Connor Syptak
“I like Mr. Pearson because he’s one of the teachers that’s actually getting us ready for college. His main interest is for us to do well in college. People complain because we have to read in his class, and how he grades, but it betters us because our goal is to get into college and to be successful. I like that his best interest for us is to do well in college. “
news| 8
Flooding Out the Drought
With the recent rain, areas of town forced to evacute homes for safety
While the flood ing occurred, many accidents had taken place, including car wrecks, flooded roads, and evacuations Photo contributed by the American Red Cross.
5/29/15
by alyssamatthews From the five year drought that plagued Texas relentlesly, the recent floods have changed the daily lives of students across WFISD. “The flooding impacted the people in the Tanglewood and Eastside areas,” Public Health Preparedness Coordinator Al Gonzales said. “Folks directly in the path of the floodwaters were told to evacuate their homes.” People in the affected areas were told to either evacuate their homes or face being charged a heavy fine if they needed to be rescued by emergency services. While some families chose to stay at local hotels and motels Gonzales said that the American Red Cross sheltered many evacuees that needed a place to stay at the Hirschi High School gym. Sophomore Pranav Kamath’s family got displaced and found themselves in the position of having nowhere to go. “All the hotels in Wichita Falls were packed, so we went to Dallas,” Kamath said. “We
planned on driving back to Wichita for school.” The people who took shelter at Hirschi were kept from interfering with the school day. Hirschi student Kiyomi Darne said many teachers are helping out with the effort. “I know a lot of the staff is helping,” Darne said. “I overheard one of the janitors talking about how much effort they’re putting into keeping these people safe.” Residents were told not to play in any water lying around the community for safety reasons. Gonzales said that, flood waters are “very hazardous.” “The water can contain chemicals, sewage, and other things,” Gonzales said. “You may also find snakes and other creatures in it.” On Sunday, May 24 some residents, including Kamath, were allowed to return home. “There wasn’t too much house damage,” Kamath said. “All of our things and us are okay and that’s all that matters.”
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Students’ reactions to the drought “There was a boat rescue on the end of my street at, like, four in the morning. My mom and I drove by and I just laughed because I thought it was so ridiculous.”
Junior Cortney Wood
“It was kind of stressful because you don’t know what to take and what to do, and then being in school, I had to take all of my homework, books and whatever else I needed.”
Junior Hannah Terry
senior | 9
Girl Power
Top 10 seniors give study tips, advice from years of experience competing and winning in GPA race
by makaylaschnaufer
Elleana Majdinasab
Lauren Barnett
College: MSU Major: Biology Advice to future Top 10 students: Do things you are passionate about. Don’t focus on this because honestly it isn’t worth it.
College: Baylor Major: Biology Advice to future Top 10 students: Do not stress yourself out. It is an honor to be it, but later on it isn’t that big of a deal.
Elleana Majdinasab felt a sense of relief as she was told that she would be the Valedictorian for the 2015 senior class. Top spot was something that she worked for since freshman year. “It was a sense of relief because there was the threat of going down two or three places,” Majdinasab said. Majdinasab, who has taken almost every AP class offered at school, said that the workload “wasn’t as bad as you would expect.” “I manage my time wisely,” Majdinasab said. “I don’t want to be pretentious, but it wasn’t anything hard.” Careful time management allowed Majdinasab to keep up with extra curricular activities as well. “Extracurricular weren’t really an extra effort,” Majdinasab said. “They were all things that I enjoyed. It wasn’t like an obligation.” Majdinasab plans on remaining a good student and maintaining her high average throughout college as well. “I study the night before,” Majdinasab said. “I will probably have to change that for college. I plan on paying attention in class and doing my homework. I don’t plan on being a slacker.”
3.
Alison Deason
College: UT at Austin Major: Unspecified Business Advice to future Top 10 students: Take your freshman year seriously. Take as many pre AP and AP classes as you can.
4. 3.
College: UT at Austin Major: Spanish Advice to future Top 10 students: Don’t be afraid to not sleep. Also don’t blow stuff off, and don’t think that your freshman and sophomore years don’t matter.
Sara Sorge
6.
5. 8.
Alessandra Cerreta
6.
Georgia DuBose
College: MSU Major: Biology Advice to future Top 10 students: Do your best, but don’t work so hard that you don’t have time to have fun.
10.
Olivia Thacker College: UT at Austin Major: Petroleum Engineering Advice to future Top 10 students: It is better to maintain sports and social life. Don’t just focus strictly on school.
College: MSU Major: Biology Advice to future Top 10 students: Start doing pre AP classes early and do not procrastinate. If you procrastinate you will get into bad habits and fall behind.
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9.
8.
Madeline Nichols
6.
College: UT at Austin Major: Actuarial Science Advice to future Top 10 students: Freshman year really does count. You actually have to work hard as a freshman.
10.
Dakota Tolleson
College: MSU Major: pre pharmacy Advice to future Top 10 students: Work hard and don’t get discouraged. Never give up!
9.
5/29/15
4.
Bailey Gutierrez
6.
5.
College: Texas Tech Major: Biochemistry Advice to future Top 10 students: Start taking extra AP classes early. Study a lot and make sure you prepare for what is to come.
It was no surprise to Lauren Barnett that she was in the Top 10 of her class. She had worked hard all four years of her high school career and earned herself the spot of Salutatorian. “It was very exciting,” Barnett said. “I am highly satisfied with my position.” Barnett decided she wanted to make either Valedictorian or Salutatorian her freshman year. “I set my sights on it and I went for it,” Barnett said. “I wanted it bad enough that I got it.” Barnett began taking AP and pre AP classes her freshman year, taking very few 4.0. “The workload got tough at times,” Barnett said. “I slept quite a bit to help relieve some of the stress.” Through the stress, Barnett said she doubted herself at times but always managed to pull it together and keep pushing forward, especially with the help of her parents. “There were some major moments of doubt,” Barnett said. “I had to make myself calm down and I took it one day, one class at a time.”
senior | 10
‘Farthest Thing from Paralyzed’ by kierstenscott Dr. Hailey, my optometrist, studies me “this is the third eye infection I’ve seen this year,” he said. The right half of my face was paralyzed at birth and while I have regained almost complete muscle control my right eye still can’t close fully on its own. “You poor thing,” he said. “Because you can’t blink properly your eye is chronically dehydrated.” Then he goes on about how I’ll either need eye drops three times a day to prevent infections like this or have surgery. He described the operation in the most reassuring way someone can tell you about inserting a silver plate into your eyelid. But I am not brave. Tears burst through patchwork courage and maturity. Dr. Hailey was confused, panicked. I cried so hard, it was like I was mute. “Speak,” I screamed to myself as the few words I managed to get out, quivered and hung stale in the air. “I’m fine,” I said. I opted for the eye drops, but did I use them? Nope. I had lived so far without needing anything to make me normal; I wasn’t about to change that. But my stubbornness has a price, my vision in that
eye will deteriorate. That is the price I am willing to pay. My third trumpet is named Luka but I called it Trumpet. It’s silver-plated and I’ve kept it polished to a mirror shine. It has a pinprick dent on the bell, but it is perfect to me. I got it from the guy who had it before me named Matt Harney, which I only remember because his initials MH are carved into my mouthpiece. But when I first played it for my puffy Irish trumpet teacher, he said my embouchure (where you put your lips on the trumpet) was off. “Too far to the right,” he said, so I tried it his way and I set my trumpet more to the left and blew into my horn. Whoosh…the trumpet didn’t peep. I cried in the middle of a trumpet lesson. I said it was allergies, and he made up a dumb excuse. The lesson went on and I replied to him like my words were being choked out of me. I belonged there, sure, but when my time was over, I was ecstatic. I hate eyelashes. I had been staring into a mirror for what feels like hours thinking about doing the unthinkable. An eyelash
swam in my right eye and no matter what I tried I couldn’t get it out. My eye had been watering so much that the salt burned my skin like acid. The right half of my face has strengthened over my life but it was just not strong enough to blink out one single infuriating eyelash. Each time I physically closed my eye the lash moved back to the center of my pupil. I was in so much pain that I did something I have never done before or since. I picked up a pair of needle nose maroon tweezers and tried to pluck out the monster myself. Putting a needle in your eye is supposed to be some sort of ultimate punishment for breaking a promise, but right then it felt like a necessity. Each try felt like trying to chew and swallow lukewarm tinfoil. I don’t remember how many times I tried, but I never could. Fortunately, I didn’t blind myself. I do know that I am lucky. I know that there was a one in a hundred chance that I would be born without brain damage. I know my paralysis has forced me to face problems that have made me stronger. I know that with this strength my future will be the farthest thing from paralyzed.
Senior Signing Event 20% 53% 27%
Strength In Numbers Out of the Seniors attending this year’s signing event, 53% will 1 be attending a university with more than2 10 other Rider students, 3 27% will be attending a university with less than 10 other Rider students, and 20% will be the only Rider student at their university.
The Places They Will Go Seniors at this year’s inaugural Signing event will be attending universities in 8 different states across the nation.
Annual Scholarship Offer Totals For Seniors
5/29/15
2013-‐2012 2014-‐2013 2014-‐2015
* 0
1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
5,000,000
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6,000,000
7,000,000 8,000,000 9,000,000 * Offered to seniors so far this school year.
10,
Keep On Writing On
by emilycarroll I have written this goodbye a countless number of times and for some reason, I haven’t had that “YES” moment. That moment when you write something and think “This. Is. Gold.” I’ve come to the conclusion that I am not going to write a golden goodbye. But I’ve got to keep writing if I want you guys to know how I loved being a part of newspaper. Every moment in this newsroom has been a learning experience. From the debates between staffers, to the stressful last seconds of editing pages and editing them again…..and again. Talk about learning the meaning of patience. Since day one, the newsroom has been such a welcoming classroom environment. I’ve had many laughs, cries and even a couple dance parties in-between. I’m so glad I got to share all of that with these talented staffers. I’d be lying if I say I won’t miss this chaotic mess of journalism. But I am ready to move on. I’m ready to move on with journalism in college. I’m happy to be leaving because I’ve had the best adviser help get me to this point. I know it sounds cheesy and hey, keep in mind I am not writing a golden goodbye, but none of my knowledge of journalism could have been achieved without Mrs. Lee. I hope to take with me all of the powerful lessons I have learned in this penguin filled room. There is one lesson in particular that I know for sure I won’t forget. Although it is a simple lesson, it is to keep writing. Like I mentioned before, I had to keep writing to tell you how much I have loved this organization. Now, as my future lies ahead, I must keep writing. I must keep writing my future.
Molding A Dream By Crafting A Future by maddiebox
“So, what are you going to do with your life?” “I plan on attending the University of North Texas in the fall to study Speech Pathology.” I have heard this question hundreds of times since the beginning of this school year. I never knew after a measly 18 years of life that I would need to know what I want to do with the next 70. Some adults forget that teenagers are still growing up and what we want is going to change. Our brains haven’t even fully developed yet, so how are we supposed to know what we want and who we will be for the rest of our lives? There seems to be two distinct stages of life: childhood and adulthood. Right now, I am caught in between. When I was a child, I couldn’t wait to grow up. Now that I’m growing up, I want to go back to simpler times. My entire senior year has been confusing. I want to be independent, yet I still need to know my parents will be there if I crash and burn. I want to be self-sufficient, but I can hardly get my laundry done half the time. I can’t wait to leave and begin a new adventure, while I’m scared to death of being in a place I’m not familiar with. The fact is that there are so many things that will change, so many things that will never be the same. We are undergoing a complete metamorphosis. We are allowed to be confused. We are allowed to make mistakes (no matter what they say). “So, what are you going to do with your life?” “Have fun. Read books. Swim. Laugh. Eat good food. Travel. Fall in love. Be happy.”
senior | 11
Moving Off To Write Their Own Stories
Art by Sara Hamlin.
One More High School Story by stevengarcia
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out in the middle of the hall by a teacher. But there are great moments, too, like finding your high school sweetheart, meeting your best friends and starting to discover who you are and what you are. I finally figured out who I am: I’m a cranky/ whiny teenage boy who listens to music written by guys with daddy issues who have just been dumped. I love Pop Punk and coffee. I am a journalist. I’ve finally allowed myself to write crap but to never give up on that crap and to mold it into platinum. The things I’ve learned in the past four years will last forever. And I will never regret the things I’ve done since I was a freshman, the people I have met, the places I’ve seen, the bridges I’ve burned. This isn’t a cliche story about how “relationships and teachers suck,” or “how I came into high school a boy but came out a man, more matured and calloused.” This is a story about a kid who survived the last four years.
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Let me tell you something about high school, but first keep this in mind: this might as well be a rant. I really didn’t learn anything from a book or doing a research paper. I did most of my learning outside of the classroom: -Who’s going to stick with you. -How to and how not to treat the people you love (really, just people in general). -What to do if you bust a tire on a snow day. -Where the best and fastest fast food joints are located. -Why it’s important to always wear a helmet. When enrolling in high school, they never tell you that it’s going to be the hardest and most emotionally draining four years of your life (so far) or that you’re still going to be bullied after your first eight years of public school--not just by your peers but by some teachers, too. This isn’t me complaining about how I wasn’t popular or Mr. Raider; this is me complaining about how I wasn’t prepared for the stuff that comes with high school: Long nights of homework and projects, d-halls for being two minutes late or a vulgar slur slip, being chewed
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{AS OF MAY 27}
{
SCHOLARSHIPS
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213 BOYS IN THE SENIOR CLASS
108 SENIOR P ARKING SPOTS
ROUGHLY 200 PROM
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42 STUDENTS IN OFF CAMPUS CLASSES
75 IN NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY 51 STUCO MEMBERS 25 10 THESPIANS PERFORMED
{THE SHADOW BOX { IN COMPETITION
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BAND MEM BERS
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FULL RIDE
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210 GIRLS IN THE SENIOR CLASS
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U O Y S G N I H T UT O B A W O N K T ’ N D I D S S A L C R O I N E THE S
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16 PARTICIPATED IN UIL ACADEMICS 35 SENIORS ARE IN DUAL CREDIT
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Keep Moving Forward
Senior shares how being different from others did not stop him from keeping his self-esteem up in and out of school by cintiavickery There he stood, watching kids being pushed and shoved against lockers and laughed at. He saw kids with big smiles on their faces, but he knew the hurt behind those smiles. He watched the kids who just blended in, making themselves invisible in a crowd. Kids who never raised their hands in classes because they were too afraid of receiving the label of “Nerd” and “Teacher’s Pet.” He understood that tough kid who had his head held high in public yet cried himself to sleep every night. He understood that one girl who no one knew her name yet everyone seemed to know her story. Rumors. Gossip. Jokes. Comments…. He understood because he remembered when he was in that position of feeling worthless and weak…
“Smile; Just keep smiling,” senior Russell Catletti would tell himself as he walked down the hallways in fourth grade. Every day he would wake up and instantly camouflage his feelings with a smile that hid so much pain and fear. A smile that no one could see through nor even imagine what was behind. People would say, “Hey shorty; how did you get to school today? a MINIvan?” and that would soon be followed by laughter of those around. Russell would join in and laugh just as hard. “If I smile and laugh, people will think that my life is fun. But if I look depressed, people will constantly ask why… I don’t want that type of attention,” Russell said. Fourth grade…fifth…sixth…seventh…eighth…ninth…tenth…eleventh grade passed… now Russell is in his senior year, and life still seems fun from an outside look. He still walks with a smile that’s a mile wide, and his goofy personality is well known. He says he still gets picked on for being small and “weird.” “They say stuff without even acknowledging what they are saying,” he said. “I know they don’t mean to hurt me, but they don’t realize how much words can sink in.” Life was almost unbearable at times but Russell knew exactly who to go to. “Russell has always been my best friend,” Elijah Hernandez said. “In fourth grade I was the tallest and he the shortest. We were always the outsiders because we loved the nerdy stuff, and we were considered weird and people would often make fun of us. Even though life was hard for both of us, we helped each other. And to this day we continue to have that same bond.” Russell is part of Rider’s Varsity Cross Country, Varsity Soccer and PALs. “He has never been the biggest or the strongest, but he always had a big heart with the desire to succeed,” Coach Hill said. “I have the privilege to see Russell grow to be more mature. He used to be unsure of himself but as he has grown he became more confident.” That confidence has helped Russell speak up now. “People need to realize how their actions affect others, because even the person with the biggest smile can be carrying the deepest hurt,” Russell said. Russell is more than ready for a life ahead. He plans on becoming a pilot for the United States Air Force. “He is very determined,” Brown said. ”I cannot think of anyone I would rather have in my side. He puts forth every effort he has because he does not believe in giving up.” Russell says that’s true and a Martin Luther King Jr. quote is his motto to life that sums it up. “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward,’” he said.
The Varsity Boys Cross Country Team. Photo by Angel Quevy. Russell Catletti steals the ball from the opposing team. Photo by Angel Quevy. Russel Catletti and Elijah Hernandez, friends since the fourth grade. Photo by Shannon Pyle. The PALS 2 class. Photo by Regan Bennett.
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Senior plans to take year off between high school and college to travel to Spain to care for children as an Au Pair by lanemaddox & cortneywood Senior Trang Mai sits in her living room with her sister, joking around about the possibility of living in Europe for a year. Over the next few months, their jokes turn into serious consideration, leading Trang to decide to live in a foreign country for a year before attending college. Starting this August, Trang will be living in Spain with a family and caring for their children for one year as an Au Pair through a Visa that she signed up for on-line. Trang is in AP Spanish 4, so she won’t have trouble communicating with her host family. “Usually when you do Au Pair, you learn whatever language that country speaks,” she said. “Since I’m going to Spain, I’m going to learn to speak Spanish fluently. The parents will be teaching me Spanish with conversations and I’ll be teaching the kids how to speak English.” Trang said she likes “the idea of working with kids,” so she opted to do Au Pair for a year. “I like kids, and I like to take care of kids, but through this I’ll know if I actually like being with kids all the time and constantly having to be with kids,” she said. “Like being a teacher or something. How am I supposed to know if I really want to do that? Through this I can
know for sure if that’s what I want the rest of my life.” Even though she is excited for the Nannies Au Pairs experience, Trang does have a few worries. “I’m really worried about being 1. Are between the ages of 1. Are generally over the age away from my family,” she said. “My 18 and 26 of 26 family is a big part of my life and I 2. An exchange for room, 2. Can live in or outside the love them. We see each other all the board, and a weekly salary, home from which the time.” they help with childcare family they care for lives in While her sister is excited Trang’s and light housework 3. Work on a regular basis, 3. Live with a family in a opportunity, Lan Mai said she can be fired/replaced at foreign country for up to any time has concerns, but knows that the 2 years 4. Can be full time or part experience will be worth it in the end. 4. Becomes a member of the time “Being away from home for the first family they are assigned to 5. Works under 45 hours a time is hard enough, but doing it in 5. Works up to 45 hours a week another country will be very difficult,” week 6. Has a career focused on Lan said. “But I know she will grow 6. May or may not have experience with children tremendously as a person.” experience with children Trang said because she has never been by herself before, she’s with isolation, but will be able to find comfort with expecting to learn how to be more independent from her host family. this experience. “It’s also kind of terrifying because I’ll be away from “I’ve been to a bunch of places, but this is kind of my family,” she said. “With Au Pair, I’ll be independent, like independence, too,” Trang said. “I’ll be with the but [my host family] will be taking care of me. They’ll [host] family, but it’s kind of like being my own person be watching over me and making sure everything is and being away from everyone.” safe.” Her father, Phan Mai said that is exactly what he With his personal travel experiences, Trang’s wants for his daughter. father wants to take every precaution to protect his “I hope that she becomes independent and daughter. experiences the different cultures over there,” he said. “I know how tough it is to leave, and I fear for her,” “I taught her how to be strong and to help others that he said. “She is my baby girl, and I want to be there if are in need, but I still want her to be careful.” anything bad happens.” Along with her fears, Trang said she will struggle
The Difference Between a Nanny and an Au Pair
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4/30/15 5/29/15
This past Christmas, Trang and her friend Ashley Vu attended the Christmas Eve service. With her father, brother, sisters and cousin, Trang went to Vietnam to celebrate her father’s wedding. At the Texas Cavern, Trang, age 5, and her older sister Lan, age 12, posed for a picture. Freshman year Trang went to her twin friends’ birthday party, and made silly faces at the camera as a Ninja Turtle. Photos contributed by Trang Mai.
senior | 15
Depending on Independence
entertainment| 16
newsie, , e i k o o b techie Are you
or a
Would you rather be behind or in front of a camera?
behind
both
lol yes
Do you love Rider?
in front
Are you just saying that because you like selfies?
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no, I wanna be Ryan Seacrest
fa m
heck yeah, I bleed black & gold
sta
rb
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Would you describe yourself as bubbly?
Are you very opinionated?
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no
Are you an English or a math person?
When you hear a song, do you look at the lyrics or music video first?
both English for sure!
Are you the class clown?
no
I’m the funniest person I know
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lyrics
vid
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I don’t really care
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it depends
mu
I live in the moment
math
yeah!
Do you do something for a purpose or just for the moment?
hastings
Starbucks or Hastings?
you are a you are a r e p k a o newsp technology yearbo junkie nerd freak
you are a
You care what others think but you know your work is great.
You don’t care what others think and you’re not afraid to upset them.
You want others to like your work, but if they don’t, that’s okay.
Untold stories of the newsroom by yasisharif, ambermartin & angelquevy
Yearbook day is an awesome day. It’s consists of yearbooks, yearbooks and more yearbooks. Usually we’ll get 50 boxes with about 20 yearbooks in each. There’s people counting and numbering the boxes from the truck to the door, and someone counting at the door as the boxes enter the newsroom. Last year, we counted exactly 50 boxes with one small box, a total of 51. But only 49 made it to the newsroom, not including the small one. We immediately jumped to the conclusion that we have one box with 20 yearbooks missing. We were missing the box labeled “41”. We contacted the principals and a few of us went to watch the security footage, and a couple others stayed in the newsroom and counted each individual book and made sure each person’s book was there. All trucks were searched in the parking lot, every bathroom, basically the whole school. And all the principals were involved in the search. It was around 6 p.m. when we got a confirmation email from the company that said we should have got a total of 50 boxes, including the small box. Which was what we had. We miscounted and skipped a number. We learned three things that day; people can miscount, don’t jump to conclusions and don’t freak out. We could’ve saved so much time and stress if we had checked the email first. Surprisingly, the principals were relieved that it wasn’t stolen and they weren’t mad. Oh, and we got Sonic drinks. A lot of crazy things happen in the newsroom but another favorite would have to be the lock down drill that happened during 3rd period. Kelsey Pocowatchit, Morgan Taff, Kylar Walker and Ella Bason were out selling ads. Kylar called Yasi and asked if the lock down is real or if it’s just a drill. Yasi says it’s real and it’s not a drill (it was a drill). Kylar and Ella were already in the building so they ran to hide in a bathroom stall. The first thing Ella said was “I’ve only been in America for three months and this is what happens.” “At least Kylar will die with a coffee cup in his hand,” Lauren Tezaguic said in the classroom. And Morgan and Kelsey hid under a staircase.
newspaper our thoughts vs. reality As yearbookers, we are complete opposites of the newspaper staff. This year we each took a newspaper class so that we could work on the yearbook. Coming into the year we thought that the class was going to be dead silent with kids just writing stories every day. No. It gets crazy. They love debating. And by debating, I mean arguing. But it’s actually interesting. Everyone has a different view on things, and we got to hear how they defended their views. We were awakened by valid points that were brought up from the staffers. We’ve learned a lot from those kiddos.
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news| 18
Electronic Evolution
Library makes eBooks available to check out on kindle Paperwhites and on personal device with free “Bright Light” app by abbylove
kindle timeline At the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year the library began a program that allows students to download and read eBooks rather than the traditional printed books. Along with the free app, bright light, that allows students to download any of the books available for download in the library onto their own device, the library currently has about 15 kindles that students are also able to check out. “You can download them directly from the library program” Librarian Sally Mroczkowski said. “You really don’t even have to talk to me. You can do it on your own.” The kindles have all the classics on them and since they are free downloads, Mroczkowski is able to purchases more sequels and trilogies for the kindles along with titles like The Fault in Our Stars and The Book Thief. “I get some of those to check out on your own device, then for the kindles I tried to get series,” Mroczkowski said, “I like to quickly order the sequel to something.” Mroczkowski said one of the biggest problems with the program is just trying to find a way to promote it. “ I like the idea of kindles but I want to know what our students’ want,” Mroczkowski said. “ We’re just kind of trial and error right now but I like the way the kindles work and it’s affordable because I can buy a book a lot cheaper through kindle than I can through the library program.”
Although the program has not been implemented as much as Mroczkowski would like, many students who do know about it say it’s an excellent way to read. “I read a lot of basketball books,” junior Ashley Reid said, “so I read like a biography of Michael Jordan and it was my favorite.” Ashley visits the library every two months and says while she prefers traditional books she enjoys the kindles because it’s easier to see in the dark and she likes all the practical features they offer. “I can put a bookmark where I want to be instead of on a regular book where I have to fold the page,” Reid said. “ And if I don’t put a bookmark on my book I would forget what page I’m on.” Ashley believes the program is good for students because it incorporates today’s technology into reading. Other students like sophomore Brian Morehouse believe that using an app to read is illogical. “I would rather save battery life and read a traditional book,” Morehouse said. Brian enjoys reading history and military books because they interest him more than any other genre. “I like to expand my knowledge because I want to know more,” Morehouse said. “I enjoy getting to pick up a book from my shelf instead of just picking up a phone.”
Kindle (1st Generation)
November 19, 2007
Kindle (2nd Generation)
February 10, 2009
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January 19, 2010
Kindle Keyboard
July 28, 2010
Kindle (4th generation) Kindle Touch Kindle 5 Kindle Paperwhite
September 28, 2011 September 28, 2011 September 6, 2012 October 1, 2012
eBook and print book sales in 2014 Acccording to Nielson, •
eBooks made up 23% of
•
Paperback made up 42% of sales
•
Overall print books made up 67% of sales
sales
•
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Kindle DX
Hardback books made up 25 % of sales
by kayleedavenport
World History moves from required course to 4.0 elective
“There are so many things that have shaped what we are today that have occurred other parts of the world throughout their history,” World History teacher Todd Chamberlain said. Photo by Shannon Pyle.
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“It’s important to know why people in certain parts of the world feel the way they do,” World History teacher Chris Hartman said. Photo by Mary Beth Lee.
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other
DISTRICT choices • Iowa Park gives their students choice between World Geography and World History • Burk requires 9th graders to take World Geography and 10th graders to take World History • Holliday mandates 9th graders take World Geography as a required elective and make 10th graders take World History as a required social studies credit • Seymour states students will take both World Geography and World History
World History
Fun Facts
1. The ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone. 2. The great conquerer Attila The Hun died from a nosebleed. 3. Cleopatra married two of her brothers. 4. The pyramids of Giza were built in the time of woolly mammoths. 5. During World War I, an explosion on the battlefield in France was heard in London.
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reshmen at Rider are the “guinea pigs” to the new endorsement plan which was decided in August 2014 by the state. “I do think in some ways it can be a little alarming,” counselor Jennifer Spurgers said. “The nice thing is that you can still change your endorsement once a year.” And although the plan is a good step in the right direction, Spurgers said, uncertainty from students is often received. “There’s a lot of confusion about what’s still required,” Spurgers said. “For example, World History isn’t a required course anymore,so there can be a lot of confusion about that.” Not only has the new endorsement plan caused confusion about classes, its purpose has also been put into question by freshmen at Rider. “I don’t understand the purpose of the endorsement plan,” freshman Savannah Dickson said. “Besides the fact that it might look good on college applications.” With the new changes made to the curriculum as a result of the endorsement plan, the district decided World History would become an elective, Spurgers said. “As a World History teacher it’s disappointing,” World History teacher Christopher Hartman said. “Under the current plan, students could graduate from WFISD without ever taking a World History class,which I think equips them poorly for the real world and for college.” With the class now as offered as an elective,World History teacher Todd Chamberlain feels like the district is cheating students by not requiring World History. “I feel like it’s important for students to learn
World History,” Chamberlain said. “To me, it makes more sense to make Geography an elective since I can build Geography into World History.” Seniors who have already taken the class believe that World History is more beneficial as a core class not as an elective. “Kids should know the history of how civilization came to be,” senior Alessandra Cerreta said. “As Pearson said, if we don’t ever learn history, then we won’t learn from our mistakes.” Since students aren’t required to take World History, many won’t have to learn the “things that have shaped what we are today,” Chamberlain said. “To think that students won’t have to learn about all of the historical figures covered in World History is kind of depressing,” Chamberlain said. When World History was required,students’ said the benefits gained by students greatly outnumbered the disadvantages. “For other classes you need to have a base knowledge of what has happened in the past with the world,” Alessandra said. “I wouldn’t have survived Human Geography without World History.” The disadvantages of the new changes have been contemplated by the freshman and staff at Rider. “It’s important to know what goes on in different countries,” Savannah said. ”A lot of other countries affect the United States.” As Rider grows more diverse in culture, the students no longer have the opportunity to “study about African History, Asian History, or Latin American History,” Hartman stated. “Student population is growing more diverse by the day,” Hartman said. “Without World History being required, there is a distinct lack of diversity offered
news| 19
House Bill 5 Takes Control
Go
sports| 20
BIG home
Fantasy Football
00
or
go
41 percent of Rider students say they participate in bets by shawnkirkland With 24 seconds left in the fourth its 64 to 63 in the semi finals of the Kentucky v.s. Wisconsin game and Kentucky is in full comeback mode and is looking one step closer to an undefeated season. “I jumped to my feet, I was ecstatic,” sophomore Kyler Koetter said. “I knew that there was no way Kentucky could lose now. I was convinced that Kentucky won the game and I won 20 bucks. All seemed good.” But in those last 24 seconds the Wisconsin Badgers went seven for eight at the line to give the Badgers a 71 to 64 win over Kentucky. “They were supposed to be unbeatable,” Kyler said. “Just seven points short of the Championship. I was broken hearted. It was hard enough watching them lose but giving up $20 along with that was torture.” The Dallas Cowboys traveled to Green Bay for the divisional playoff game in January with a road record of 8-0. “This was our year,” sophomore Matthew Ozment said. “The Cowboys were dominant on the road all year long. The Cowboys had the momentum from just beating out the Lions the
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Fantasy Football
game before. All odds were in our favor. There was no way we’d lose. I was so confident I placed a bet for 50 bucks.” The Cowboys had a 14 point lead going into halftime and maintained that lead until 9:10 left in the fourth quarter. Green Bay scored, putting the score to 21-26. With four minutes left in the game, the Cowboys needed to get the first down to have a chance at winning. Romo throws it up to Bryant to get the first down and succesfully moved the ball to the one-yard line. “I went from sitting on the couch in fear to jumping up to my feet with excitement.” Matthew said. “I was pumped. I got the money from my friend and couldn’t wait for the Championship.” But then the catch was reviewed and went down to be known as one of the most controversial calls in sports history. It was reversed and labeled as incomplete. Green Bay won. “I was in disbelief on the call being reversed.” Matthew said. “I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t want to believe it. I was waiting to be woken up and told it was all a dream. With the $50 still in my hand my friend took it back, and I sat back down on the
couch in anger.” A survey shows that 41 percent of Rider High School students place bets against friends and family over big sporting events. May 1st was one of the biggest days in sports history. One of the bigger events going on that day was the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. It was considered to be the ‘fight of the century’. Coming into the fight, Manny Pacquiao had a record of 57-5. He was taking on the Undefeated Reigning Champ Floyd Mayweather who had a record of 47 -0. “I knew Mayweather could win this fight no problem,” sophomore Jakob Glover said. “Pacquiao was too old to take on Mayweather.” Jakob was right as Mayweather ended up walking away with the win, increasing his record to 48-0. “It may not of been the fight of the century, but it was the easiest ten bucks I’ve ever made” Jakob said. “Placing bets are all fun and games, as long as you win.”
NIGHTMARES.
“Week 17 the same week as the Fantasy Football Championship my starting quarterback Drew Brees got injured and it caused me to lose the Championship.” Shane Robertson, sophomore
“My starting quarterback Tony Romo got injured the week I played against Ben Roethlisberger who threw for six touchdowns.” Will Harrison, sophomore
“I took my quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out of my line up for a while and every time I took him out he went off which could of been the difference in some of my games.” Clayton Miller, sophomore
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“My first round pick was running back Ray Rice and he was suspended all year.” Ross Chapman, sophomore
sports| 21
Brand New Bash 2015’s Grass Bash held inside because of rain by stevengarcia Sunday morning and it’s 30 minutes until noon and teams are warming up for six hours of competitive and recreational fun. This event is usually held on a grass field, but this year was the exception. This year, the Grass Bash was held inside Rider’s gym. No matter if the Bash was held on Rider’s soccer field or inside the gym, the participants are ready to smash the Grass Bash for a third year. Coach Alysha Humpert is happy with this year’s turn out. ”We have amazing kids here and in the community and when they all get together it is something special to watch,” Humpert said. This fundraiser isn’t just to raise money for the next season. To Freshman Kylie Donaldson it’s for the thrill of competing. “I put my brother Chandler Donaldson and most of my friends on the team,” Kylie said. “My crew was trained and mentally prepared to crush all of the other teams.” With another successful Grass Bash out of the way, things are looking bright for Grass Bashes of the future. ”I believe the turnout was great and kids had a blast showing off ‘their skills’,” Humpert said. ”It did run a little bit longer than years past because we had fewer courts (due to moving it inside), but all together it was a success. We had to make the call on Friday to move it indoors or keep it outside (AC scheduling). But we are looking forward to keeping it outside and catching some sun.”
“My crew was trained and mentally prepared to crush all of the other teams,” -Kylie said
Junior Nicole Linn sends the ball over for her team, the Orville Redinblockers, as they compete against other teams in the back gym during the Grass Bash. Photo Contributed By Wendy Seale.
2nd and 3rd, Players reminisce about their first Grass Bash “My first bash was pretty rough. It was too hot. Every hour felt like a day, I thought my team would kick major butt, but we ended up not being that great.” Rachel Richie, Junior “Well, last year’s went by a lot faster since we were outside. Since this year’s lasted all day. My teams are always full of tall people. That seems to help.” Lauren Wright, Sophomore
Boys of the Bash Joe Kelleher, Junior
Willie Cherry, Sophomore
“I play in the Grass Bash for the thrill of competition and to support the Lady Raiders. #LadiesMan”
“I did the Grass Bash to help out with the Lady Raiders and mostly to have a great time with my friends and fellow Raiders.”
“I participated in the Grass Bash to have fun and compete, and to hang out with my friends.”
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R.D. Wegmann, Senior
sports | 22
Run Home, Seek Shelter Crazy weather puts spin on baseball playoff season
by alyssamatthews
enior Dylan Hutcheson dashes through second and third base. He looks behind him and sees the third baseman throw the white and red stitched ball his direction Only three feet away, he leans forward and dives into the rain soaked, cold Texas dirt. Safe!
the worst. Cold weather baseball is miserable and cold and windy baseball equals no fun.” The baseball team had to rearrange their playoff schedules in order to accommodate the weather. “Our first playoff series went from three games to one game because of the weather,” senior Will Darland said. “But we know that it’s out of our hands, so when we get the opportunity to play, we go out and play.” Not only has the team had to flip the games, but also practices. Lemmon said instead of practicing outside like usual, the boys had to use the batting cages. They have tried to get in the most work they can Lemmon said. “We haven’t really changed anything up since what we have been doing in the cages is working for us but the only thing we’ve changed is our tempo in practice,” Lemmon said. “The harder we go in practice the easier it will be in the game.”
“Playing a sport that is so sensitive to weather can be either really good or really bad,” senior Alec Lemmon said. “When it’s cold outside that’s
The players admit that playing in the rain or wet ground makes the game significantly harder, especially with baseball being a sport that involves
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slides and dives onto the ground. “It just feels different because every normal movement you make you have to change,” senior Hutcheson said. “When the ball is in the mud and wet grass, it gets really slippery and it becomes super hard to make a good throw with accuracy. But at the end of the day both teams have to play in the same conditions so there’s no time to feel sorry for yourself.” Lemmon says it’s usual for him to come home from practice with his uniform heavily stained with dirt, but that his parents are “used to it.” “Our moms are normally the ones to wash out the baseball clothes and they usually wash them a couple of times to get all of the stains out,” Lemmon said. “We have to find new ways to wash them too, like going to the car wash and spraying them down with high pressure water.” The team says they are anxious to see how far they will make it in the playoffs regardless of the weather, they are unsurprised of their achievements so far. “We’re extremely excited to make playoffs, especially after last year,”
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Darland said. “We set this as an attainable goal at the beginning of the year so we feel like this is where we should be.” In comparison to last year the team has bonded more than ever, and Hutcheson said making the playoffs is just the beginning of what they are fighting for as a team. “Being seniors we have a lot to play for,” Hutcheson said. “We have been playing for each other and bonding more than any other team I’ve ever been on and it’s showed. We are leaving it all on the field for our last year and not having any regrets.”
Team overcomes difficulties with having only one coach, brings home several awards from District, Regionals and State
by shannonpyle
Junior Taylor Gray had competed against the same girl at District, Regionals and then State. Though she was up 3-0 in the beginning of the last set against senior Domonique Garley from Saginaw High School, the set finished with a score of 6-3. This left Taylor second out of the entire state in girls’ singles. “I got really close at state,” Taylor said. “But this helps colleges realize who I am.” Even though the tennis team had to cope with only one coach to handle everyone spread out over different courts at UIL, they were still successful at taking eight players to the Regional competition. “When we lost coach Gillen, we didn’t know what was going to happen,” tennis coach Kyle Apperson said. “But it was successful because at District half the team made it to Regionals and then at Regionals, all eight of those kids won their first round match.” Apperson said that in his seven years of being a tennis coach at Rider, he couldn’t remember everyone winning the first match like they did this year.
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Junior Taylor Gray placed second at the District, Regionals and State UIL Tennis Competition. Photo contributed by ROHO Tennis. The varsity tennis boys hold up the District First Place team trophy. Photo contributed by ROHO Tennis. Coach Kyle Apperson with senior Austin Craig and sophomore Madeline Rowe after they received first place in District mixed doubles. Photo contributed by ROHO Tennis. Junior Jansen Rouillard during fall team tennis first semester. Photo contributed by Jansen Rouillard.
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“In the past we have had more get to State, yes, but we have never had everybody win a first round,” Apperson said. “I thought that was pretty neat.” Apperson moved up from assistant coach to head coach after first semester this year due to the previous head coach, Ryan Gillen, leaving. “As the assistant coach, I didn’t have to worry about anything in the classroom I just came in here and coached the kids,” Apperson said. “Now I have to take on Gillen’s role of disciplinarian and I don’t really like that.” Junior Jansen Rouillard, who placed fourth at Regionals, said the team surprised people with how far they made it despite only having one coach.
“It was stressful because [Gillen] left us in the middle of season,” Jansen said. “But we had a well qualified coach and in my opinion it worked out better for me.” With only one coach, Jansen said it puts more responsibility on each player. “We were all spread out over different courts and we didn’t always have a coach there,” Jansen said. “We were able to overcome that.” Apperson said the whole team stepped up to the responsibility needed from them and “knocked it out of the park.” “Everybody did what they needed to do because it was just me and they knew it,” Apperson said. “The second day at district all of them were playing and I told them I would get to them when I could and they were like don’t worry about us, we will be okay. And all of them were.” Jansen said that though on paper it looks as if the team has gone down on talent every year, they’ve managed to surprise people with how far they’ve gone. “For me, I just really love my team,” Jansen said. “They always rise to the challenge and we never give up even when we play teams that are better than us. Coach Apperson believes the school needs to hire a second coach for the team. “Rider has always had two coaches,” Apperson said. “It’s needed.” Along with Taylor’s and Jansen’s successes at State and Regionals, senior Austin Craig and sophomore Madeline Rowe placed third in mixed doubles at Regionals. “Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose but we never give up,” Jansen said.
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Varsity Tennis Dominates at UIL
feature| 24
‘Gold Sealed’ Talent, Student Succeeds Junior Jenna Ward receives top award at state level competition, also earns second highest ranked award by cortneywood
Her stomach was in knots and the loud chatter around only added to the tension she felt. She had breakfast that morning, a croissant with blackberry jam, and while it had tasted delicious, it had been a mistake. She felt like she could be sick at any moment. The gallery doors were opened earlier than they were last year when she attended, and she began freaking out with worry. “What’s going on?” She thought. “Have they already judged the artwork? Isn’t it too early for that?” Junior Jenna Ward’s hand was yanked by senior Georgia DuBose, tugged along to see her placement after the opening ceremony finally ended. They walked around the Gold Seal section of the displays, and through a gap between pieces hung on the Jenna Ward’s Gold Seal winning painting “Honor.” wall, Georgia saw her friend’s art. Georgia’s squeal of excitement surprised Jenna. They rounded the display, Georgia jerked Jenna over and there it was. Right on her art piece. The Gold Seal. The top state award for artworks chosen by the state jury panel adorned her painting. Only 177 received the Distinguished Status and was awarded the Gold Seal out of 28,000 pieces initially submitted.
The medal is awarded to the top 1% of artwork submitted. It is the highest honor a high school art student can receive and Jenna earned her spot amongst the best. Alongside her Gold Seal piece titled “Honor”, Jenna also received the second highest rank of the competition, the Gold Medal, for her piece titled “Blue.” Jenna was inspired to start drawing people because of TV shows like Dragon Ball Z and Avatar: the Last Airbender, and from then on she said she always wanted to draw people. “[People] are the hardest for me to draw,” she said. “Hands are so hard to get right, but they are my favorite.” Over the three years spent with art teacher Nancy Kizis, Jenna has grown exponentially, Kizis said. “I can see constant growth and maturity from her,” Kizis said. “She has improved a lot technically, and her focus and imagination is incredibly extensive. That passion, drive, and commitment she possess will carry her far in life.” Through her art, Jenna has received a prestigious scholarship. She received the first place prize for the Junior 2D SCAD Challenge which included a $1,200 scholarship to attend the Rising Star pre-college program in Savannah, Georgia this summer.
art o v e r t i m e
2014 age 15
2015 age 16
2012 age 13 & 14 2010 age 12
2007 age 9 2006 age 8
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2003 age 5
Jenna’s
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