Aug 31, 2012

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NEWS

Friday, August 31, 2012

The Oracle Becky Singley

Kim Lynch Former Journalism teacher

Melanie Ratza Towsley

New Year Brings New Teachers

Victoria Argeroplos

Raquel Pomeroy New clinic assistant

Jason Karam

Karl Poetzl Former student and substitute

Jamie Denton

Richard Graham

Beth Cave

Megan Osborn Former student

Corrin Wilcox

Rachel Crain Former student

Darrell Hill

Suza Sharp

Juergen Mueller

While some are brand new, others are returning after many years. Either way, they will all be welcome here.

Lauren Ewald Former student teacher

Megan Mennes Former student

Photos by: Gil Sanchez, Stephen Martinez, and Ariyan Almassi

Myrna Rombado

Richard Carroll Former substitute

Warren Murphy

Tamara Humphrey

Angelica Parle

Jo Arlett

The Oracle

THE

O

Newspaper Staff Editors-in-Chief Sara Boyle Caitlin Hilton Samatha Hicks News Editors Samantha Vargas Samantha Vanston Hannah Bevers Muse Editors Chandler Callahan Layla Shahosseini Kali Venable Sports Editors Alex Newton Elaine Parizot Elyse Steiber Opinions Editors Michelle Evans Lydia Sweet Esther Jeon Reporters Andres Acosta Dua Mazhar Aldo Martinez

Photo Editors Katie Gregory Stephen Martinez Katherine Kennedy Photographers Caroline Demeris Gil Sanchez Mary Elizabeth Schnake Emily Copeland Sarah Sturgis Will Klussman Allison Rice Maggie Vickers Harper Jones Bonnie Slattery

RACLE

Ads Editor Mary Margaret Weaver Ads Staff Emily Brown Jacob Cribbs Kendall Marbach Jacob Pennington Katherine Mavergeorge Design Staff Claire Galbraith Caroline Suchman Harrison Vaporciyan Staff Artists Molly Richter Claire Pena Online Staff Online Editors Janelle Blackwood Isabel Deakins Samantha Stazo Online Photography Editors Jackie Mask Ariyan Almassi Online Photographers Elizabeth Pocevic Mark Coffman Daniel Cunningham Michael Martin Claire Pena Rebecca Williams Online Reporters Jackie Velarde Faith Figueroa Building Principal Christopher Juntti Advisor Janice Cummons

The Oracle is a newspaper published every three weeks by the Journalism Department of Stratford High School, 14555 Fern, Houston, Texas 77079, 713-251-3454. Member of Columbia Scholastic Journalism Association, National Scholastic Journalism Association, Texas Association of Journalism Educators, and Interscholastic League Press Conference.

The Oracle is open to all and any contributions submitted by the readers. Any material can be submitted by e-mail to thestratfordoracle@gmail.com, brought in person to room 120, or placed in Janice Cummons’ mailbox.

The editorial board reserves the right to determine whether the submitted material will be published depending on the available space. The submitted material may also be edited to remove libelous or defamatory statements.

Any material that is submitted must be typewritten and accompanied with the writer’s full name and grade. The opinions expressed are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, the staff, the administration, or the school district. The Oracle staff strives to produce a newspaper that covers the entire Stratford community. They welcome freelance submissions and are eager to hear from their readers regarding story and photo opportunities.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Staff Editorial

OPINIONS

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Students try to maintain tradition despite the changes A few years ago, our school took on the new slogan of “Stratford America”. Building Principal Chris Juntti and the faculty go to great lengths to assure that this school has spirit and brings true meaning to Stratford America.

However, when a school goes through so many changes every year, some people may find it hard to be passionate and have school spirit for something that has become somewhat unfamiliar.

The meaning of Stratford used to be “tradition of excellence,” the key word here being tradition. In recent years, it seems that everything at Stratford has changed. We moved from the AAAAA District to 17-AAAA, and in February we discovered that we would be, yet again, moving districts. This year, rather than playing Brenham and Waller, we will play schools like Tomball Memorial and Ridgepoint. UIL cannot seem to decide what district we are in, but some students find it difficult to be enthusiastic about playing opponents we haven’t competed against prior to this year.

Students used to pile into Tully in preparation for the

annual Memorial rivalry Stratford America is modgame. A sea of red and green ernizing everything from its would appear with signs, classrooms to its principles. noisemakers, and the simple Textbooks turn into iPads, excitement to watch a good books become Kindles, and rivalry take place. the school song becomes a faIt took years to develop the mous lip dub. strong rivalry that we had These additions of new apwith Memorial High School. pliances to our classrooms That rivalry has, to some, are all in order to match the become just another regular district’s new motto of being opponent. Although we still “technology friendly.” It is not play Mea matter morial at of these the bechanges ginning being of each “g o o d ” school or “bad.” ...The rivalry between y e a r , T h e Stratford and Memorial fe wer question will always be strong and people is: do all exciting. take part of these in the sudden school pride. Whether we changes take away from the win or lose is just that: a win school spirit that used to be or a loss. so strong?

This should not be the case.

With the new construction We should still have enor- of the cafeteria, even our walls mous amounts of pride to- are changing. The seniors will wards playing our long-term enter a cafeteria that, after 3 rival, whether the game is years of familiarity, is foreign first or last in the season. No to them. The freshmen won’t matter what district we are in, know anything different. the rivalry between Stratford These changes seem like and Memorial will always be they are insignificant, but strong and exciting. when you add up a ton of In addition to the constant little changes, they become changes in UIL activities, big ones. The bells, the design

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of the front of the school, and our new logo are all examples are little changes that can add up to be monumental.

When the school required construction due to safety issues in 2004, the entire school was relocated to Westchester.

It doesn’t get more unfamiliar than that, yet the students and faculty still maintained their spartan pride. If they could maintain their pride throughout the most drastic change possible, shouldn’t we be able to despite a few simple ones?

Stratford should attempt to maintain some of the traditions that it has spent so many years upholding. Despite the changes that have already occurred, students should attempt to maintain their school spirit and pride whenever they support our Spartans.

One of the best things about Stratford America is the school spirit that fills these halls. The motto has always been “Spartan pride never dies.” If that spirit goes away, students will forget what it really means to be a Spartan.

No matter how many things change, we will always be Stratford America.

Meet the Editors

Next issue, look for their personal columns in the Muse, News and Opinions sections

Caitlin Hilton Caitlin is a senior, a track star, a Girl Scout, an optical illusionist and a member of Model United Nations. She can be found burning ants with a magnifying glass on the sidewalk. Pretty normal, right?

Sara Boyle

Samantha Hicks

Sara is a senior who, when not in the newspaper room, can be seen at Raising Cane’s or Blue Willow Bookshop. She would like to give a shout out to Princess and YoYo: the best cats of all time.

Samantha is a senior who participates in cheerleading at Texas Lone Star, manages the coffee shop at the Guthrie Center, and is co-captain for Stratford cheer. In her free time, she has a passion for babysitting.