The Rock - Spring 2014

vol. 12, no.1 – spring 2014 the student magazine of trinity christian academy

Illustration by Hannah Langford

1 the ROCK

The student body of Trinity Christian Academy is a bold, diversely talented, and flourishing community possessing a love for adventure and learning alike. Although no student is exactly like the other, they are all rooted in the same foundation of faith in Christianity. Through this foundation, the student body is then free to branch out or grow themselves and pursue the things that interest them from serving their community to expressing their creativity through writing. When you have the roots, nothing is stopping you from following your passions and aspirations. So ask yourself this, why not

grow yourself ?

contents the ROCK 2

10 Short Story Contest 14 Books 18 The Perot Museum 22 It’s the End 25 Lifestyle

Illustration by Blake Ellis

Lexi Coley Executive Editor

Lauren Roquemore Managing Editor

staff

Jeremiah Kim Section Editor

Elizabeth Morris Managing Editor

Bryce Couch Section Editor

Emma Gabriano Section Editor

Sam Sadler Section Editor

Enoch Wong Section Editor

Hannah Langford Senior Advisor

PHOTOGRAPHERS: SIMON STEPHEN CHRIS TARANTINO AMANDA TROSTEL

ILLUSTRATORS: BLAKE ELLIS EMMA LUNCEFORD CAILTLIN STEPHENS

WRITERS: DAVID CARSTENS KENZIE CIMPL SARAH DEWHITT LILI FIGUEROA ADDY GIBSON JENNIFER HARBOUR CATHERINE HELDENFELS CAITLIN HICKNEY

TRAVIS JOSEPHS FLORENCE KAM WAVERLY KUNDYSEK ABBY MATHAI ANDREW NACE JOHN NOVAKOVICH MILCAH NTENDE MARY ASHLEY SAMUELSON GABBIE TINER

DESIGNERS: GRAYSON ALDRICH CARRIGAN BLAGBURN BAILEY CHAFFIN ISABEL ESCLAMADO CHRISTOPHER FOX NATHAN HOLDEN

3 the ROCK

“hey, what should I do before I leave TCA?” THE

ULTIMATE

BUCKET

LIST

TCA

By Lili Figueroa and Florence Kam

Almost everyone has a bucket list filled with activities that they want to accomplish in their lifetime. While some bucket lists include reaching the top of Mt. Everest, yours may simply include finishing a food challenge at a local restaurant or traveling to another country.

Starting from kindergarten all the way to twelfth grade, TCA offers so many exciting activities and events. Dress-up days, field trips, fine art productions, sports events, and school dances are just some of the numerous events happening here! Even though most of the events offered at TCA may not provide the same adrenaline rush as skydiving would, we’ve picked 11 things that are just as unforgettable, not as dangerous, and should be on your bucket list as a student here at TCA. In Lower School, everyone hopes that they’ll hear their name when Mr. Morris draws the Blue Ticket (Fruit of the Spirit Ticket) every Friday morning. The teachers of each class write down a student’s name when they do something good. When a student receives a blue ticket from their teacher, they get to put their blue ticket in a box that sits in the Lower School foyer. If your name is called, you get to go down to Mr. Morris’ office and choose a prize from his treasure chest. What better way could there be to end the school week than to get a prize from Mr. Morris? The blue ticket drawing is something that is fondly remembered throughout Middle School and Upper School.

Another activity that all lower schoolers can

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enjoy is the Super Soaker! The Super Soaker rewards students who sell two or more packets of raffle tickets. Every spring, the students who earn this prize get to participate in a huge water-gun fight with Mr. Morris. You have minutes to race around the football field with your friends and soak your principal with water! After your turn, you can wrap up in a towel and cheer on your friends as they soak Mr. Morris too. There’s not a better way to cool off on a warm spring day with your friends, and it’s so much fun!

During the summer, all girls in the first through fourth grade can attend the Little Trojan Cheerleader or Drill Team camp and be taught cheer and dance routines by the varsity cheerleaders and drill team. If you attend these two camps, you get to show off your new dances and cheers at the Little Trojan pep rally in the fall. Also, if you’re in third or fourth grade, you can perform at the football game on Little Trojan night!

As students finish out Lower School in the fourth grade, they can look forward to two unforgettable experiences. Starting in kindergarten, students watch KTCA, the daily announcements, in their classrooms before starting the school day. However, the fourth graders actually participate and run KTCA by doing a variety of jobs. All the fourth graders are given the opportunity to be an anchor, a weatherman, a sports reporter, a cameraman, a switcher, or the person in charge of the sound.

Not only is helping out during the morning

announcements cool and fun, but you also get to learn how to work new technology like the cameras, soundboard, and switcher. It’s not every day you meet a fourth grader who knows how to use all that technology!

To end their Lower School years on a high note, fourth grade students star in the musical, In God We Trust. You can audition for different roles, and after months of preparation and countless rehearsals, you finally perform the musical during lower school chapel and in the evening, in front of family and friends.

Being in a musical is always tons of fun, and all the hard work pays off when you are dressed up in costumes and present an amazing show.

Moving into Middle School doesn’t mean the fun will end; in fact there are just as many memorable moments in Middle School! One example is the Roman Forum, which provides a welcome relief from everyday school life. After learning about the Roman Empire, fifth grade students, dressed in togas, get to recreate the Roman Forum and auction off food, stuffed animals, and assorted items to students from every grade. Even if you’re not a fifth grader, this is an exciting experience of what buying and selling was like in the Roman times. The prices are cheap and there is a wide variety of goods, and the fifth graders also donate part of their proceeds to the Africa mission trip.

Spending your money at the Roman Forum is very worthwhile!

As you prepare to leave Middle School, the end of eighth grade is full of anticipation of

Wilderness and going to Upper School. Before eighth graders officially graduate to the Upper School, they spend a week camping in the Ozarks. Hiking 12 mile trails, rappelling down cliffs, and canoeing down rivers are just a few of the activities that you will enjoy with your friends! Although you may not be an outdoorsy person, you will definitely appreciate the beauty of the nature out in Arkansas and bond with your classmates. Wilderness is an amazing way to finish out your time in Middle School so be sure to enjoy every moment of it!

In order to make the transition from Middle School to Upper School a little easier, the upper schoolers organize a huge event called The Bridge to help incoming freshmen feel welcome and to meet new students. The night kicks off with the incoming freshmen being divided into teams led by Upper School students.

After being properly face painted with their team colors, everyone joins in competition, with games like tug-of-war and Frisbee golf.

Following team competition, everyone comes together for a massive water balloon and flour bomb fight. You will be caked in flour from head to toe, and it’s absolutely an experience you cannot miss! When the excitement dies

down a bit, the worship team leads everyone in song and praise, and then each team breaks off into small groups. Here, every question that you might have about Upper School can be answered. If you are nervous, have questions about Upper School, or just want to have fun, then you should definitely add this unforgettable event to your bucket list!

After the Bridge, you embark on a four-year adventure through Upper School. Throughout the year, all upper schoolers are offered opportunities to serve and share God’s love with others. In particular, students can go on Trinity-led mission trips to the Amazon over spring break or to Africa during the summer.

Students who go on Amazon spend their spring break ministering to villagers as they float down the one of the world’s largest rivers on a boat.

On Africa, upper schoolers are broken into two groups and sent to different areas in Kenya.

There they hold VBS for the kids, build church buildings, visit orphanages, and carry out other projects to help the African community. While there are also ways to serve locally, such as the school-sponsored food and supply drives, the experiences you gain from these mission trips are irreplaceable and truly life-changing.

Joining a club is an available option too if you’re looking for other extracurricular activities to spice up your life. Clubs are an enjoyable and easy way for you to get involved! In the Upper School, students can sign up to participate in various organizations, including Green Team, FCA, Interact Club, and of course, The Rock.

Green Team recycles paper every week, and Interact organizes community service projects and invites speakers who help students get an idea of job fields in the current world. As an additional bonus, participating in clubs also boosts your resume!

Finally, after twelve years of seemingly interminable school, seniors are ready to go off to college. To celebrate their last day at TCA, the seniors have Uniform Desecration Day, decorating their uniforms to represent the college they will be attending. Girls will add ribbons, lace, or other cute decorations to their blouses and skirts, and guys will cut and color their shirts and shorts. On that last Friday of senior year, cameras and sharpies will be everywhere as seniors sign each other’s uniforms and take pictures together. When you become a senior, you’ll get to desecrate your uniform too for a memorable last day of high school!

By taking part in these bucket list activities and more, you can make new friends, help others, and be a part of something great. Your time at TCA is filled with endless chances to make memories that will last a lifetime and shape your character. From something as entertaining and crazy as the Super Soaker in Lower School to something as serious and impactful as a mission trip to Africa in high school, TCA has a wide range of exciting and influential opportunities for students of every age and grade. If you make the most of these opportunities, when you finally throw your cap in the air at graduation, you will be able to look back on your time at TCA, remember all the crazy and wonderful memories you shared with your friends, and be thankful for all the things that helped to define the person you are.

Illustration by Blake Ellis

5 the ROCK

We All Scream for Ice

By Elizabeth Morris and Lauren Roquemore

What’s the craziest thing you would do for your dream ice cream sundae? Well, we took a trip down memory lane, back to the Lower School. We had several kiddos create their perfect ice cream treat and then we asked them this same question (but we’ll get to that later).

First of all, we were curious about the gourmet choices of the current generation of youth. In a shocking twist, many kids made a beeline for the strawberry ice cream. Since when has strawberry ice cream become so popular? Back in our day, chocolate and vanilla were the go-to flavors: did strawberry even exist then?

Despite our misconception on basic flavors, we were pleased to discover that whipped cream has and ALWAYS will be the most important part of the sundae (except for one rebel. . . Max Merrifield. . . “I’m not a fan of whipped cream”). Topping selections fell within the predictable range. Sprinkles, M&Ms, and gummies were all well-liked trimmings and not surprisingly, nuts were not a favorite. Our distress over the strawberry ice cream choice was mollified when the most popular topping was chocolate sauce, often enough to overflow the bowl!

There is some hope for these current Lower School kids.

So our non-scientific, small sample sized conclusion was that Lower School kids still love colorful, sugary decorations, mountains of whipped cream and rivers of chocolate sauce on their sundaes. The one unexpected outcome was the new trend in basic ice cream flavor—Strawberry! While not a valid scientific analysis, we loved reliving our childhood at this ice cream social. Of course, we also enjoyed sampling some of our own favorites (and, blissfully, there was lots of chocolate left for us)!

While flavors and sundae assembly were somewhat predictable, the hilarious and crazy things TCA lower schoolers would do for ice cream were totally unexpected. So what drastic feats would a child today attempt in order to obtain his or her ice cream dream?

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First on the scene (a young man who has his priorities straight), Max Merrifield claimed he would “do four backflips on a trampoline” for his ice cream. His creation included “ALL the toppings.” Way to go Max! Lauren Deaton set the bar high with her crazy claim that she would “live in a garbage can for three days” in order to obtain her ice cream sundae. Yikes! Has she watched too much Sesame Street?

Another ice cream lover, Camden Findley, threw things all the way back to our days on the playground when he said he would do a “cartwheel” for his vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup. He almost started spinning in the Lower School hallway to prove it! If we had such boundless energy, it might be possible for us to “run a mile” just like Elleanna Berthel said she would do for her bowl of heaven. Or we could just dig in and “eat it all at once” like Brett Yanof. Ignoring the fact that this is illegal, Payne Bator would be crazy enough to “park in a fire lane” for his ice cream. I’m sure he did not get the idea to do this from his mom’s example!

Some of us are more reserved and artistic like Aidyn, who takes after her mom when she stated that she “would draw a picture of mommy” to get her sundae.

Oh, what mom could resist such a sweet gesture!

We wanted to give her two extra scoops for that answer! Perhaps the most outrageous “ice cream sacrifice” came from Max Mayes. When you were a kid, would you even consider eating your least favorite veggie? How about a WHOLE bowl of that despicable green stuff just to get a sundae?

Well, Max Mayes ventured where no other child dared. He boldly declared he would “eat a whole bowl of Brussels sprouts”!!!

Yuck! We were totally impressed with his gastronomic stamina. How crazy is that?

Photos by Elizabeth and Lauren As upper schoolers, we might think it outrageous to splurge our “gas” money at Braum’s, but that could never top these lower schoolers exploits. Was there any real purpose to this afternoon of creamy confection? And did we really learn any new amazing facts? Yes! It was a great excuse to buy gallons of ice cream, have fun with some awesome Lower School kids and experience the delight and simple pleasures of a Dream Ice Cream Sundae. Thank you participants of our Lower School Dream Ice Cream Bar for the great memories of our melted ice cream fiascos, for the really imaginative antics you proposed and for your incredible delight in sharing your ideas and your left over ice cream with us!

top

Cream!

SECRET

By Addy Gibson and Waverly Kundysek

H

ave you ever experienced “food indecision”? Have you ever wondered whether you should eat pizza or hamburgers? Have you ever wondered, “Why am I eating food?” Well, all of these are excellent questions, and yes, food indecision happens to the best of us! To help you get out and expand your culinary horizons, we detailed a variety of food and drinks on restaurants top secret menus!

Our first stop is Taco Bell. Here, we find the Incredible Hulk, and it’s pretty incredible if you ask us! This legendary secret menu item actually has two versions. The basic version adds guacamole to the classic bean and cheese burrito while the fancier version is a five-layer burrito with guacamole in place of the nacho cheese. Make sure to clarify with your cashier to avoid a misorder, but either way, you will not be disappointed!

Next stop on the food train brings us to Jamba Juice. The first secret delicacy is the Sour Patch Kids. What’s better than a Jamba Juice smoothie and Sour Patch Kids combined into one flavorful, fruity experience? However, this drink is much healthier than the candy. It consists of lemonade, one scoop each of pineapple, raspberry, lime, and orange sherbets, and a handful of blueberries.

Yum! Next on the list is the Thank You, Jesus. This heavenly combo is made up of lemonade, soy milk, three scoops of strawberries, and one scoop each of pineapple and lime sherbets. These drinks will have you rushing to Jamba Juice during your off-campus hours.

(Sorry underclassmen!)

Illustrations by Caitlin Stephens Believe it or not, Sonic has a secret menu as well. Try the Frito Pie, a dish quite popular in the south, made of chili, Fritos, and cheese. Another popular item is known as the Pickle-O’s.

Delectable pickles are coated in batter and fried to a golden brown. These items are sinfully delicious and always available at a Sonic near you!

We end the trip with a Starbucks run. (Is anyone surprised?) Endorsed

by Hermione Granger herself is the Butterbeer. This world-famous drink starts off as a simple vanilla crème frappucino but is then stupified with three pumps of caramel syrup, three pumps of toffee nut syrup, and top off with whipped cream and caramel drizzle.

Unlock your taste buds with this magical drink. Alohomora! Now, who says Pixy Stix are just for kids? Try the Pixy Stix Refresher: half Passion Tea, half Valencia Orange Refresher with two pumps of classic syrup and two pumps of raspberry. You’ll thank us later. And last but not least. . . Twix, Twix, we want Twix! Or maybe just a Twix Frappucino.

Get this oh-so-tasty extra caramel frappucino blended with one pump of hazelnut syrup, java chips, and whipped cream. If you’re feeling adventurous, top it off with a mocha drizzle. Good luck sitting still during that block of History English after you try these drinks!

We hope you enjoy these super tasty treats for your after school cravings. We are running to try all of them this very second. We can’t wait any longer! Well, what would you choose?

7 the ROCK

FADS fads &

more fads

By Jeremiah Kim and Mary Ashley Samuelson

Through the years at TCA different fads have risen and fallen when rolled onto metal cards. Now in terms of stuffed animals within the cultural microcosms that are the Lower, Middle, and and collectibles, Beanie Babies have ruled this earth since the Upper School. When we look back and remember what was dawn of time (or at least as far back as I can remember). By the popular just a few years ago, the fads we once embraced now middle of the decade, however, a few new power players had seem completely trivial and, in most cases, extremely regrettable. arrived on campus. Webkinz took the Lower School by storm If you require any proof of this, just go through an old high from 2005 to 2006, putting a whole new spin on stuffed animals school yearbook with a parent and take note of their inevitable that could be played with both in real life and online. Following discomfort and embarrassment. Occasionally, we might fondly right behind Webkinz came Club Penguin, a virtual penguin world reminisce on some fad that we still think is cool. In fact, we may filled with penguin people living in penguin houses with their decide it’s time that fad made a come back and so we go around pet puffles who were not penguins sporting said fad even though no one else seems as enthusiastic but whatever. Other about it and our friends excommunicate us from the group until popular collectible toys we stop walking/rolling around in those ridiculous Heelys even in this era included though they’re just so stylish AND useful but eventually we Tech Deck Dudes (little realize that some parts of our childhood are never coming back thumb-shaped people so we sit alone in our bedrooms crying over a pair of shoe. . . who rode on miniature In the Lower School, toys, games, and do-it-yourself arts skateboards) and and crafts are usually the most popular. For instance, Beyblade Mighty Beanz (beans (a game in which spinning tops battled each other until one that literally just rolled fell down) became massively popular in the early 2000s, with around. . . I don’t hundreds of children ‘letting it rip’ in hallways, classrooms, the even know). gym, and on the playground. Since its creation around the year 2000, Pokémon, in both its video game and trading card forms, has dominated the ever-shifting landscape of TCA Lower School fads. Although the trading cards, which were huge back in the mid-2000s, have somewhat faded from the spotlight, Pokémon video games continue to captivate young and old alike. A few years later Bakugan was released, which had a similar concept, but with spherical, spring-loaded Illustration by Emma Lunceford miniature figures that activated

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Obviously, many of these fads may seem silly and random now, but at the height of their popularity, people thought they were the bee’s knees, which probably says something about how most material objects don’t have any inherent worth besides what society believes about them, but I’m just going to talk about some more fads if you don’t mind.

In 2004, LiveStrong bracelets set a new trend for cause-related wristbands. These silicone bands, which could be designed online and ordered en masse, slowly grew in popularity, reaching their peak in 2007 and staying popular, especially in the Middle School, for about two more years. Then, towards beginning of 2009, Silly Bandz transformed the rubber band into a plethora of animals, logos, objects, and other various shapes. At a certain point, it seemed like the whole school was engaged in the Silly Bandz trade and kids had hundreds wrapped around each arm, but now they have practically disappeared. A more recent fad are Rainbow Looms, a crafty way of weaving a bunch of little rubber bands together to make rubber band bracelets, necklaces, t-shirts, jackets, chairs, cars, airplanes, interstellar spacecraft or anything else you could possibly imagine.

Recently in the Middle School, a fad that isn’t exactly new but made a huge impact last year was the Yo-yo. If you ever have the urge to see the basics of Yo-yoing (is that a word?), just check out Mr. Burdette, the high school math teacher, and his mad Yo-yo skills. Another old fad reappearing in multiple forms is the Rubik’s cube, which some of the more talented can solve in less than a minute. On the other hand, many fads that come and go are new forms of technology. Take, for instance, the Razr flip phone. I remember a time when those were as popular as iPhones are today. But now people are amazed when they see flip phones as if they’re ancient artifacts from some long-dead civilization.

This begs the question of whether touchscreen smartphones are here to stay or if new technologies like Google Glass will take over the world. When it comes to smart phones the most popular apps right now are Candy Crush, Clash of Clans, Flappy Bird, and 2048. All you have to do is look at some of the popular apps from the past few years to know that these apps are liable to die off at any given moment. Although a few apps like Angry Birds can stay popular over a longer period of time, other apps like Tiny Wings, Tap Tap Revenge, Doodle Jump, Fruit Ninja, and Plants vs. Zombies (to name a few) decrease in popularity fairly quickly as people move on to the next big thing.

When it comes to athletic clothing for girls, a big fad is Lulu Lemon, except since it is so expensive most people only have a few things from there. But probably the biggest fad in the past few years is Nike. Throughout the entire TCA campus you can see most people sporting some Nike, whether it be shoes, a headband, an iPhone case, Elite socks, etc., most of us have something Nike. Though it seems long ago, most high schoolers can remember a time when Under Armour was more popular or equally popular to Nike and Adidas. Also another brand that isn’t athletic but is really popular for Middle School and High School is Vineyard Vines, yet again really expensive so people don’t own a lot of their things. As some of us have seen through our years at TCA, fads have and will change, and they come back, or go away never to be seen again, but what we remember about them is sometimes better than the actual fads themselves. So, what kind of fad are you sporting?

The Best Thing I Ever Ate

By Travis Josephs

So we’ve all been to Norma’s right? Considering it’s two minutes from the school, I hope so. Well here is a little secret for those of you strange people that didn’t know this. . . Norma’s doesn’t only serve pancakes and pie! I know its crazy, but get this; they have other food too! And one of the best things that I have EVER eaten was their incredible chicken fried steak when I went there for dinner one night.

Now I like to think of myself as sort of an expert on chicken fried steak, so when I realized that it was on the menu, I immediately became excited. In my opinion, the breading on a good chicken fried steak should be crispy yet soft and flakey when biting in. Norma’s made sure not to disappoint. The breading was perfect and I just wanted to lick the plate clean, but sadly according to my parents, doing so is “bad manners” and “something that should NOT be practiced in public places.” Also I’m sure everyone has different expectations on what gravy should be put on a great chicken fried steak.

Some people believe it should be brown gravy, and of course they’re entitled to their (wrong) opinion, but to me it isn’t chicken fried steak without that creamy white gravy that most people spread on it. Let me assure you that this is my version of chicken fried heaven. It’s creamy and buttery and flavorful, and that’s all that anyone can ask for! One more thing, I can already tell that some of you are wondering if this is made of real beef, because some places think that if it’s fried no one can tell what it was anyways. Let me reassure you that this was no “chicken fried unidentified;” it was pure, delicious beef-steak. And I couldn’t have been happier with the choice I made in ordering it. So next time you have to stay for a school event and decide to drop by Norma’s for dinner be sure to keep this delicious meal in mind, you won’t regret it.

Photography by Enoch Wong

9 the ROCK

sh crotn t ess tt r y ] [

By Bryce Couch Organized by David Carstens

Illustrations by Hannah Langford

In the fall at 0800 hours, a message from the ROCK magazine was given to the student body. . . Their mission, should they choose to accept it, was as follows: Write a short story that creatively incorporates LEMONADE. I know what you are thinking—writing? That’s preposterous! This is NOT History English! Well, I must say in the famous words of sophomore History English teacher Mrs. Azzi, “Yes! Creative writing does quite a bit for one’s Sadie’s potential!!” After carefully reading all the submissions, four great stories were chosen by the ROCK staff to be featured in this year’s issue of the ROCK. Without further ado, I present to you the winners of TCA’s first ever Short Story Contest.

(Oh yeah, I should probably warn you, this message will self destruct in five. . . four. . . three. . .)

[

lower school winner

]

Spy Lemons!

By Ava Rodriguez, 2D

The lemons at Harwood Farm were worried, because more and more lemons were disappearing. So President Lemon said to one of the guards, “Go get the Spy Lemons!” The guard came back with the Spy Lemons. The President said go figure out why the lemons are disappearing. So the lemons did. They searched and searched. Then they figured out that the people were making juice out of lemons so they thought, “Well, if people can make juice out of lemons and they call it lemonade, why can’t they use other fruits and make up their own name for it?” So the Spy Lemons came back and told the President. The President dismissed them. Then a miracle happened. The lemons’ prayers were finally answered. They stopped disappearing. So from that day on there were a million different kinds of juices. The End!

Lemonade

By Leslie Lodwick, 6F

[

middle school winner

]

Stunned, I just stand there stupidly. “You can’t be serious,” I whisper, tears spilling down my freckled face.

“Honey,” my mother assures me, obviously stunned by my pessimistic and dazed reaction. “Yes, we are moving to Florida tomorrow.”

My dad had often made us move for his job, but never so far. We live in Oklahoma! “I’m sure you’ll make it alright. It’s only for a year.”

Her blue eyes seem to gleam hope and patience, but I detect a hint of sorrow. Not from her facial features, not from her tone of voice, but simply the color she left behind, a pale purple. I am Synesthetic. I can feel, taste, and smell colors. All sounds have colors and shapes, and all smells have textures. It is a mixture of the senses. I love it; it is like an orchestra that only I can feel. But sometimes, it’s harder for others to understand me.

I respond, my voice an icy blue whisper. “How? Without Anna?”

My mother turns around. “Peyton, I. . . ” Her voice trails off.

“What?”

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“I need you to find something called closure.” Her voice spirals into a purple swirl. I taste thick, rich honey, the emblem of sadness. “It means finality, an end to your sadness. You can still remember Anna. But you need to live freely, without all the sadness.

You seem to be always hurting.” And I was.

Who’s Anna, you might ask. Anna was the only one who understood me. Anna was my sister who died of brain cancer last year. And this house is all I have left of her. There are still traces of her color, pink, around the house where she often sat. Some of our house still smelled and tasted of her; fresh, cold, tart lemonade. Every morning, she would pour us each a glass. But after May 21, the day my life fell apart, I hadn’t tasted an actual drop.

The rest of the day was just a blur of packing and worrying.

Before I know it, its morning and we are boarding the plane. My stomach lurching, I take my seat. My eyes are brimming with tears. I feel incomplete. I feel alone.

My father asks if I’m okay. Depends on what you mean by okay, I think solemnly.

Opening my favorite book, Jane Eyre, I am soon lost in her words. Jane has a horrible life, but faces her pain. “Even for me life had its gleams of sunshine,” I quote. My mind whirls. I know what will help me find closure.

After we land, we drive to our beautiful cottage on the beach. But it means nothing to me, for while nice pink splashes decorate the house, I cannot feel my link, Anna’s pink.

My parents begin unpacking, and I dive out onto the wooden porch. And as I watch the orange sunset fade, I find my remedy, my closure. I sip a fresh, cold glass of lemonade.

The Mission

By Avery Schuster, 7C

[

middle school winner

]

I knew it was going to be dangerous; possible life-threatening. But I took the risk. Captain had sent me on a mission to acquire a specific object and I was not going to fail. I rubbed my hands together, stomped my feet, and then took off. The object was only a few. . . feet. . . away. . . but with every foot step, every breath, my legs grew heavier with the cold, until I stopped to try and shake it off.

I failed miserably. Soon my legs were numb. And with coldness, soon follows darkness. It slithers unsuspecting into your mind when all of the sudden you’re surrounded by piercing freeze that succumbs your mind, body, and soul. Gasping for precious air I dropped to one knee. I never should have taken the risk to come in here. But it was the only way. . .

Despite my vigorous counter efforts, the frost started to consume my torso. Before long, I would be the past Popsicle of Avery Schuster. A lonesome tear slid down my cheek—then turned to ice. I closed my eyes and felt them freeze shut. My back was on the frozen ground and I let myself be overtaken by the freeze, knowing there was nothing more I could have done. As I slipped into the cold chamber of death, I heard a voice, like a chorus of angels calling out to me. Apparently the voice had a body because I felt a cold hand drag me across the icy floor that was about to be my final resting place. It must have dragged me to some tropical area because soon my body began to thaw. The first part that unfroze was my eyes. The fluttered open and I saw the words “FROZEN BEVERAGES” in the distance. The right above my head the word “BREAD.” “Avery! Avery! Get up! People are staring! Did you get the lemonade? Ahh! Never mind! I’ll get it myself.” I gaped in awe as my mother, the Captain, walked into the frozen beverage aisle and back without suffering any symptoms of the cruel fate I endured. “I’m going to the check-out lane, okay!”

“Yes Ma’am,” I mumbled still in a daze.

As we were walking out to the car I made a decision. Because of the life-threatening experience in the icy prison that is the dairy aisle I decided that I would never accompany my mother to the grocery store again. When I told her that, she just looked at me. The she sighed. “Fine by me.”

A Deck of Cards

By Trey Searcy, 12th

[

h i g h school winner

It was a chilly night on Chestnut Avenue but not unbearable. As a poem with temporal peril pierces beneath the freshly breaded skin of a chicken’s soul, Rusty knew he was in need and sought to imagine his fate in an exaggeration of despair. So he did. Crawling the wooden tiled floor, he joked with ultimate reality. It dealt him a bad hand of one card that appeared only when he though it couldn’t.

Reluctantly embracing his calling to kindness, he began to surrender. Meeting with “foreigners” he was shocked at the fulfilled reputation of gossip amongst such girls who should be becoming women and the peculiarity of the boys who were perhaps already forcing themselves to be men. Rusty had an oozing, singular identity. Sipping lemonade while sitting in a rocking chair, he eyed a cheap deck of cards purchased from Dave and Buster’s. Somewhat impulsively, he grabbed it. Contemplating which unmastered card trick he would risk

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attempting, the group conformed to his suit. They played Mafia, a murder mystery extravaganza in which each person told stories of the imagined scenarios. In the same rocking chair, he found himself at peace as the wooden tiles now gently creaked beneath him. After waiting his turn, he surprised them with his masterful wit and stupidly brilliant personality. Rusty excited the evening, which in truth was an hour of the night when some had already been expected home. Following the festivities, a young lady of noble desire and a young man simply need rides home, and Rusty offered to accommodate, The young man was cautious and declined, but the young lady accepted Rusty’s offer. They entered the car as he prayed he would be able to be stable. Journeying away, the conversation gradually deepened. A lost soul was she without doubt yet searching with a method of confession in the form of denial. With Chestnut Avenue long gone, they arrived at her house, which lacked in being a home considering she hadn’t a way in the front door. A simple message he confessed despite the possible intellectual rhetoric he could have uselessly executed. As she stared with hope, Rusty simply said, “He loves you.”

Pray it’s not The End. She came to me when I was lost But I found her at a small cost Hoping love would refrain itself It budded in holiest form I had offered but he refused She accepted to my A Muse But a story I did have to tell Was how she could be reborn I’ve been through a lot is what she said Staring at me with love I fed Fear and hope in those eyes made spell Of a painful heart that mourns Feel my love yet greater still If His who ransometh your bill Cast your faith into his Well And life you’ll find in Jesus the Lord

Well, there you have it, our Short Story Contest winners! Now, seek them out and congratulate them! Seriously, guys.

Find them in the hallways.

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he million dollar question is—what do you worship?

For Christians, the answer is God; at least, it’s supposed to be. The problem is that we’re all easily distracted by the world around us, especially as high schoolers. In the span of four years, a lot of things can go wrong. Grades may fall, friendships might crumble, but the most important thing that can go by the wayside is faith. Living in the day and age that we do, there are a million different opportunities to get distracted, and we as high schoolers are the most exposed. Take cell phones, for instance.

There are so many smartphones out there that I can’t begin to count them all. The iPhone, the Android, the Galaxy—the list goes on and on. And the world that we live in has made it so that without a cell phone, you’re practically isolated. When so much time and money is poured into an object like that, it’s inevitable that it becomes important to you. And it’s okay if your phone means a lot to you; I know mine does, but it gets dangerous when it stops being just a phone, and starts becoming a necessity of life, taking time away from the truly important things. That’s when keeping up a relationship with God can get tricky.

Let’s face it; as high schoolers, about a thousand things are racing through your mind every day. Whether it’s that history assignment due next, a party the following weekend, or a football game, faith is most likely the farthest thing from your mind right now. Don’t get me wrong, grades are important, but they’re nowhere near as important as God should be.

When I first got to high school, I have to admit, it was difficult.

The increased work load was killing me, my friendships weren’t great, and I had no idea how to keep up with God. For the first time in my life, my faith was my own. No one was telling me what Bible to own, what verses to read, or what churches to go to. In fact, I had full control over every aspect of my spiritual life.

And I had no clue what to do.

But that’s part of being a high schooler—taking responsibility for your faith, whether it’s through more time with God, or surrounding yourself with others devoted to Him. Something every high school-age Christian struggles with is focusing on God with academics and a social life to go with it.

Almost always, that faith is replaced by something else.

Speaking from personal experience, I know what it’s like to worship something other than God. At first, there’s denial. This is where those classic excuses come in—‘I’ll go to youth group next week’, or ‘I’ll read my Bible tomorrow’, or even ‘I can put off praying just this once’. I’ve said at least one of those (probably more) in the past week alone. These aren’t just excuses, though; they’re signs pointing directly to whatever else you’re worshipping, may it be a boyfriend or girlfriend, your schoolwork, or some material thing.

FAI H

One Sunday morning at church, my pastor told me something along the lines of this: when your focus isn’t on God, your life’s state reflects it. And I can’t think of a better way to phrase that.

Whenever I’m distracted by something, worshipping some idol of mine, my life starts to slide out of control. Add a ton of pressure and soul-crushing schoolwork, and you’ve got high school.

It’s overwhelming, yes. Kind of horrifying? Check. But unmanageable? Far from it. In fact, the part most of us are missing is one of the simplest to recover.

Dealing with a thousand things at once, the way all high schoolers are, can be insanely draining. What I’ve found to be the most helpful way to manage it all is to simply let it go. What most of us don’t realize is that whenever there’s a ball of stress just building inside you, and nothing can lessen the pressure you feel, it’s a dead giveaway that God isn’t in control of your life, that you’re being distracted from just letting your faith guide your path.

However, just letting go of the stress isn’t that simple. I think we’ve all been in that terrible place where it feels like God has forgotten you. Like He’s packed up and moved on, leaving you drowning. But don’t worry; that’s never the case. The fact of the matter is that He is still there; He never left.

That brings up a question—how are we supposed to just let God control our lives? In my own experience, the first step is prayer. Not to say that that’s easy—for me, it’s the hardest part.

Taking time to sit and talk to God, confessing, explaining, etc—the concept is pretty intimidating. What if we don’t feel God? What if it feels like we’re talking to a wall? I’m not a patient person, nor am I particularly humble, which means apologizing and asking for forgiveness has never been my strong suit. I used to let months go by without talking to God, and the longer I left it, the harder it became to fix. My advice to you: never let a day go by without praying. Obviously that’s easier said than done, but when you really promise that to yourself, when you really want it, God won’t let you forget about it. Praying doesn’t always have to have structure; every prayer doesn’t need to start with “dear God,” end with “amen,” and have a list of everything you’re grateful for in between. A lot of the time, I find it’s easier to sit and talk to Him. When we’re more comfortable in prayer and in communicating with God, we tend to forget about it less and can finally step back and let him help us.

But just prayer alone isn’t always enough to drag a stressed and distracted teenager back to Him. Just because we talk to Him doesn’t mean we are trusting Him and putting Him first. High school is time consuming and leaves next to no time for us. Yet whenever we do get free time, we find a way to fill it up with various social activities, adding distraction upon distraction until we feel like God is worlds away. Almost every time we pray, we

forget to follow through on our promises, giving God time each week, focusing on Him, etc. To help this, accountability is essential.

As Christians, we’re meant to be surrounded by others like us.

Fellowship with other Christians can benefit anyone through positive influence, no matter who you are. A group of Christians with whom you can share your latest trial or tribulation, a group that can help you learn to let go of all the stress and pressures of high school is extremely helpful especially when you’re feeling overburdened. Service on Sundays, small group on Wednesdays, whatever it is that your church does, join it. We weren’t meant to walk this journey alone, and everyone needs someone to keep them accountable, to share the Lord with. The typical argument here is the lack of time. After a week of assignment upon assignment, Sunday is generally the day people like to sleep or finish homework they’d forgotten about. But in a week jam-packed with everything from play practice to tennis matches, where are we supposed fit God in? A couple minutes on Friday? A few short thoughts in between? A lot of times, that’s how we end up drifting even farther from Him. It isn’t easy, but we’ve got to make time for God. Trust me—it’s important.

Taking responsibility for your faith isn’t easy. Not by a long shot.

But it can be extremely rewarding. It will bring you closer to God and help with a million other aspects of your life, especially when you feel that your life is spiraling out of control. But most of all, it puts everything into perspective, exposing your idols and revealing what’s important, which in turn makes being a high schooler a lot less stressful.

as a

HIGH SCHOOL

STUDENT

By Caitlin Hickney Photography by Simon Stephen

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BO O

Recommended by me, written by me, edited by me. Me is Jeremiah, by the way.

Judging by the fact that you are, at the moment, reading this sentence, I assume you have a passable grasp of the written English language. And seeing as you’ve already gotten this far in the magazine without getting bored and putting it down to play your GameBox 360, I daresay you may even derive a small amount of pleasure from reading. Is that presuming too much? Perhaps, but otherwise, I wouldn’t be writing this article.

Listen­­—Some of you may say, “Books have cooties!”

To which I say, “Actually, books don’t have cooties, because cooties don’t exist. They are just a figment of your imagination.”

To which some of you may respond, “But so are books!”

To which I might counter, “That’s a fair point. . . look at it this way, then: just as cooties feel very real to their victims, so too can books become very real to a reader who takes the time to read them. This is what makes books so magical: whereas TV shows and movies leave little to the imagination, books leave almost everything to the imagination. With a single paragraph, a book can lead you into a whole new world that goes way beyond just the words on the paper. And books are useful for a multitude of other purposes as well: reading increases your vocabulary and critical thinking skills, in addition to making you look educated and cultured when you suddenly understand all these new literary references that you wouldn’t have noticed before.”

At this point you’ve probably left our imaginary conversation due to my excessive rambling.

But on the off chance that you’re sticking around because you have nothing else to do, here is a list of books I’ve compiled for all ages that I hope you might enjoy.

Lower School: 1

A Series of Unfortunate Events

by Lemony Snicket

“If you enjoy books with happy endings than you are better off reading some other book.” – The Bad Beginning (first book in the series)

Redwall

by Brian Jacques

2

Talking cute furry animals + sword fighting + lots and lots of feasts = unexpected awesomeness.

Stories From Wayside School 3 Sideways

by Louis Sachar

Wayside School is 30 stories high, except for the 19th story, which does not exist.

Bunnicula

by Deborah and James Howe

A bunny rabbit turns out to be a vampire.

5

The Inheritance Cycle

by Christopher Paolini Dragons. They’re really really awesome.

Illustrations By Caitlin Stephens

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4

Middle School: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

by Rick Riordan

1

I’m sure most of you are aware of this series, but if you aren’t, there’s a reason why this modern take on Greek mythology is extremely popular amongst TCA students.

Gregor the Overlander

by Suzanne Collins

2

Another great series from the author of the Hunger Games about a boy who unwittingly stumbles into a strange underground land and turns out to be a really big deal according to an old prophecy.

3

Harry Potter

by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter convinced an entire generation of kids that reading can be cool, and takes the cake as the number one most widely read series in the history of TCA.

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusack

4

On paper, a book about Nazi Germany that is narrated by Death should be the most depressing book ever. On actual paper, it’s only like the fifth most depressing book ever, so definitely worth reading.

Bartimaeus Trilogy 5 The

by Jonathan Stroud

If you like laughing and if you like magic this is definitely a series to look into. . . I’ve never laughed at a footnote so much in my life.

Ranger’s Apprentice Series

by John Flanagan

An orphan becomes an apprentice to a veteran Ranger (hence the name) and learns nifty things like how to climb walls and shoot arrows and be really sneaky.

6

Rider 7 Alex

by Anthony Horowitz

Basically a teenage version of James Bond who goes around doing dangerous things in order to save the world.

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Upper School: 1

5 Dune

by Frank Herbert

There is no other word to describe this book other than epic.

Or maybe masterpiece. Or maybe mind-blowing. Or maybe you should just read it.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

by Douglas Adams

“Space is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mindbogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist’s, but that’s just peanuts to space.”

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

by Agatha Christie

2

A brilliant detective novel that will (excuse the cliché) leave you guessing until the very end.

3

A Walk to Remember

by Nicholas Sparks

This book changed my life. I am a new person. I don’t know where I would be without this book. It is the single greatest piece of work ever penned by mortal hands.

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6

I think we all know that one kid who is actually an evil genius. Now imagine a whole school full of kids like that.

Now imagine that the fate of humanity rests in their hands.

7Catch-22

by Joseph Heller

The Hobbit

by J.R.R. Tolkien

Come on. You know you’re just making lame excuses not to read this. I mean there are singing dwarves for Pete’s sake!

Ender’s Game

by Orson Scott Card

“Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.”

4

Life of Pi

by Yann Martel

Typical story of a guy lost at sea. . . plus, you know, a tiger here and there.

9

Fahrenheit 451

by Ray Bradbury Burn ALL the books.

8

perspective

By Mackenzie Cimpl and Abby Mathai Illustration by Sarah DeWhitt

H

ow do you view God? Do you still hold a childlike perspective based on what you were told in Sunday school or do you try to frame these things in your own mind? Is He the old, bearded man you see in Bible illustrations or someone so mysterious they transcend imagination?

Perhaps, He has become a personal figure whose presence you enjoy and who you communicate with through prayer and quiet time in His Scripture. As we grow older, our views of God tend to change as a result of experience and newfound understanding.

Think back—way back—to when you were in elementary school.

Did you really grasp the idea that God was the creator of the entire universe, or was He something much simpler? We decided to go back in time in order to compare the different perspectives of lower schoolers and upper schoolers in their unique walks with God. When Lower School students were asked to “give three words that come to mind in describing God,” the answers ranged from “loving, powerful, and jealous” to “trustworthy, graceful, and mighty.” What do these words reveal about God? Is God a mighty king sitting on a throne, a loving shepherd, or a fatherly figure?

When asked to describe God personally, Christopher Sharon (Third Grade) stated, “God is my best friend.” From a young age, students begin the process of developing what will hopefully be a lifelong journey with God, recognizing not only who He is in a definable way but what He has done for them in their own lives. Lauren Deaton (Third Grade) shared, “God has helped me be courageous and make friends.” At the same time, some silly responses were also given when asked, “What is the first thing you think of when you hear God?” Notably, one Middle School student jokingly exclaimed while giggling, “A white robot, of course!”

“

”

God is my best friend.

- Christopher Sharon

Everyone’s journey, starting at a young age, involves the influence of many teachers, pastors, as well of youth groups, establishing a firm foundation in faith while providing outlets for spiritual growth; thus, shaping youth into the believers they are today or into the believers they will be in the future. Looking back on those days can be a great reminder of who God is as well as a reflection on God’s works in our own lives. In addition, we remembered the fact that we are never done growing, and God always has something in store for us to discover down the road of His magnificent plan. TCA Lower School students are freshly experiencing God’s love, beginning to learn about Him, and laying the bricks of a foundation that will gradually build into a concrete and personal relationship with Him. Now, fast forward a few years down the road in this journey. In Upper School, while students are older, they still vividly recall how they saw God in their youth. To them, what has changed is that

their views have taken on a more interactive and personal aspect.

God is now someone they know and talk to rather than a ‘famous celebrity’ they have read about but do not really know. No longer is their faith defined by stories but experiences of God’s work in their lives. Nahshon Ellerbe (Eleventh Grade) in commenting about his own relationship with God, said, “Well, God is my everything. He is all that I have when push comes to shove, and He protects me and gives me comfort.”

“

Well, God is my everything. He is all that I have when push comes to shove, and He protects me and gives me comfort.

”

- Nahshon Ellerbe

Upper School students overall agree that the difference between what they thought in Lower School and now is that He has now become real to them. While Lower School students are learning who God is and starting their relationship with Him, Upper School students experience God’s grace in personal, intimate relationships with Him. When Hannah Beckwith (Twelfth Grade) was asked, she said, “It was not until I truly realized my need for the Lord as I struggled through trials that I experienced how much He loves me for me, despite my sin and imperfection.” Finally, when Ansley Marquedt (Ninth Grade) was asked, her answer was, “Before…I would not understand when things just were not working out my way. Now, I am assured that Christ will always be there for me regardless of what high or low I am facing because he loves me unconditionally.” Honestly, that truth speaks to the heart for a lot of us, and it is one we come to realize as we trust Him to guide and carry us through life’s challenges and adversities.

At some point in our lives, we are ultimately faced with the decision of whether or not we will trust in God or foolishly and feebly fly solo and attempt to face life alone. Our response at that time will be different depending on where we are in our journey to know Him. If you are in Lower School, you might have “faith of a child” and perhaps are just leaning on what you have read and heard. In Upper School, through time spent with Him, our students seem to have learned there is an eternal plan, sculpted by His hand in personal ways because He too knows us. The lessons God teaches us throughout our lives are endless. Therefore, we must recognize the importance of not just maintaining images of God conceived long ago and our former relationship with Christ but rather an ever-growing relationship that matures and expands with every day that He gives us.

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Travel Destination: the

PEROT

museum

by Jeremiah Kim and Milcah Ntende the ROCK 18

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ave you ever wanted to race a Tyrannosaurus Rex? Probably not, but now that I’ve raised the question, I bet you’re wondering how you’d stack up against the king of the dinosaurs. Unfortunately, T. rexes are long extinct, so you’ll never get the chance. But what if I told you there’s a place where you can actually race a virtual T. rex?

What if I told you the T. rex would most likely win, but that’s kind of irrelevant since the sheer coolness of being able to race a virtual dinosaur outweighs any petty grudges you might hold against said dinosaur for beating you? Maybe I just lied to you about being able to race a T. rex.

Maybe I didn’t. There’s only one way to find out.

Universe Expanding Hall, T. Boone Pickens Life Then and Now Hall, and Rose Hall of Birds

The best way to explore the Perot is to start at the fourth floor and make your way down. Located on this floor is a room that holds every conceivable fact in the entire universe (I’m only sort of kidding). Inside this circular room, the sun and planets and stars are displayed on giant screens that cover the walls. One of the coolest things about this particular exhibit is that all the pictures used to depict these celestial bodies were taken directly from the Hubble Space Telescope, which, for all you youngsters, is a big floating telescope in space named after a guy named Hubble.

As you soar through the solar system and galaxy, the room itself speaks to you, spouting little facts about outer space. If you find yourself bogged down by all these dense bodies, the other side of the Universe Expanding Hall is definitely a lot lighter (yes, that was a pun—get over it). This part of the exhibit explains the various properties of light through a spiffy interactive display. Hanging from the ceiling in this part of the exhibit is

what appears to be a hot air balloon, but is actually an RGB light simulator.

Underneath the weird glowing balloon there’s a dashboard with three knobs that control the amount of red, green, and blue in the balloon. Mixing these colors produces all sorts of other fun colors and you can have a little color party right there in the museum while passerby look on in disapproval as you spin the knobs as fast you can in an attempt to create a disco effect (not that I’ve ever done that before). There isn’t much left to see on the fourth floor besides an 11,000-square-foot space filled with towering dinosaur fossils and some mind-blowing interactive displays.

It’s not really worth seeing.

Right?

Wrong.

It’s totally worth seeing.

I mean, haven’t you ever wanted to create your own virtual animal and see how it fared in a prehistoric habitat? Well now you can, through the Perot Museum’s free-to-play videogame challenge!

Ever wanted to ride an Alamosaurus?

Now you can—actually you can’t, sorry about that. I repeat: do not climb onto the Alamosaurus skeleton’s back, you’ll get kicked out (again, not like that’s ever happened to me before).

For instance you can see how just how big (and little) some of the dinosaurs were. We have our friends the T. rex and the Alamosaurus (who is actually a native of Texas, I mean with a name like Alamosaurus how could it not be) featured prominently in the hall, along with other prehistoric guests like a 15-foot “fish” called a Platecearpus, a mammoth (think Manny from Ice Age), and a helicopter-sized bird with a 21-foot wingspan that only weighs 100 pounds. Speaking of Texas, you can also see fossils that have been excavated right here in the Dallas metropolis. Far out! Or would it be close in? I don’t know. Immediately adjacent to the fossilized exhibit is the Rose Hall of Birds, where you can literally become a hawk via the Perot Museum’s genetic manipulation lab. I’m joking, but there is a wicked cool full-body flight simulator that lets you soar through the air as a bird avatar in addition to a bird helmet that simulates hawk vision.

The Reese-Jones Foundation Dynamic Earth Hall, Lyda Hill Gems and Minerals Hall, and Tom Hunt Energy Hall

In contrast to the fourth floor with its fossils and stars, the third floor brings us back down to Earth with three exhibits that show different aspects of this planet we live on. First, get to know the more extreme side of Mother Nature in the Reese-Jones Foundation Dynamic Earth Hall, where you can witness everything from earthquakes to tornados right there in the museum. You may think to yourself: Earthquakes are boring.

I mean, I survived that earthquake in 2012 with nary a scratch! Yeah well, if you’re so tough, why don’t you go to the Perot and ride their Earthquake Shake simulator? What’s that? You’re going to buy tickets to the Perot as soon as I stop doing this ridiculous imaginary conversation? Touché, sir/ madam, touché. Anyway, the earthquake simulator lets you experience everything from minor quakes like the one that happened in Karnes County, Texas, to major earthquakes like the one that occurred in Los Angeles in 1994 (there’s even an extreme earthquake mode that will have you seeing double).

Although it’s necessary to hold on to the handles of the simulator, you don’t have to be afraid that it will send you flying because the platform only moves from side to side, whereas real earthquakes are three times worse since they move in all directions.

Next up we have the Lyda Hill Gems and Minerals Hall, where you can marvel at the beautiful colors and shapes of rocks that have been excavated from the very ground we stand on. Each display case in this exhibit houses a unique gem like fool’s gold, fluorescent minerals, or even a giant geode that opens up to reveal its staggering crystals inside. The exhibit also has a replica of the famous “Cave of Crystal Giants” in Chihuahua, Mexico, holder of the largest crystal minerals ever found. Upon entering Cueva de los Cristales (as it is called in Spanish), a holographic cave explorer helps you discover some of the awesome facts about the cave and its crystals.

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The last part of the third floor is dedicated to the many ways we humans harness the earth’s energy to fuel our increasingly technological society. Here in the Tom Hunt Energy Hall, you can watch a counter that displays our ever-growing world population along with another display that shows how much total energy humans use up in a single minute. A tube of plasma generates an electric current as argon, oxygen, and neon gas run through it. You can take a virtual journey 6,500 feet underground to see how a Barnett Shale drilling rig operates, explore all the oil and gas pipelines across the country and in your hometown, and learn about nuclear fusion as a potential energy source.

Discovering Life Hall, Being Human Hall, and Texas Instruments Engineering and Innovation Hall The second floor features an interesting dichotomy between biology and technology.

In the Discovering Life Hall, you can explore all the variety and diversity of different plants, animals, and bacteria at the environmental and genetic level. A Biodiversity Alert map shows the locations of newly discovered, endangered, and extinct species, while interactive dioramas of Texas ecosystems explore life right here in our home state. Narrowing our focus from all life on earth to just our species,

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the Being Human Hall showcases the amazing capabilities of the human body via a number of brilliant labs and interactive displays. Feel like launching a ping-pong ball with your brain waves? I’m not sure why you would feel that way, but you can at the Perot! And that’s just the beginning.

In the Being Human Hall you can explore movement through motion capture technology, identify the hot and cool points on your body with a thermal imaging camera, and use a beam of light to see the intricate network of blood vessels beneath the skin. If you want to be a scientist for a day, don a lab coat and goggles and enter the museum’s Bio Lab, where you can inspect your own cheek cells under a microscope, isolate, and spool DNA from wheat germ, and determine which household chemicals kill microbes.

A common sentiment among students of all ages is the disbelief that all those weird equations from math class actually have applications in real life. The Texas Instruments Engineering and Innovation Hall shows how engineers have used math to solve all sorts of problems in our world in addition to a bunch of sweet science-y programs. Walking through the exhibit hall, you might notice three spinning wheels hanging from the ceiling with LED images on them. Those images are actually created by museum visitors on a computer program, so if you decide to make an image on the Perot’s computers, you would not only learn something about LEDs, but your image

might even be chosen to be displayed on one of those big spinning wheels. On a similar note, the Perot Museum also gives people the chance to design and build their own robots, which can be programmed to navigate mazes, pick up objects, or fight other robots (go ahead and geek out over this, it’s fine). As you make your way down to the first floor, the stairs themselves announce your arrival, responding to your footsteps with musical notes from the pentatonic scale found in many old songs, popular music, and children’s tunes.

The Hoglund Foundation Theater and Lamar Hunt Family Sports Hall The first floor is mostly composed of gift shops, cafes, and lobby area, but there is also a 298seat theater that shows a variety of 2D and 3D films everyday, ranging from documentaries to educational features to experimental independent films. The Lamar Hunt Family Sports Hall lies underneath the first floor on

Photography by Nathan Holden and Amanda Trostel the lower level. Here, high-speed cameras capture your every movement as you throw a fastball, kick a soccer ball, or do a cartwheel. And then there’s the 55-foot long interactive Sports Run Exhibit, where you can finally race that T. rex I was telling you about, along with Felix Jones, exCowboys running back, and a cheetah. Be sure to stretch beforehand!

Closing Thoughts I know that some of you may think science and school and learning are a major drag, but I promise if you go to the Perot Museum, you won’t be bored.

On the contrary, it’s one of the most fun places in Dallas, and besides that, it may finally convince you that science is actually pretty cool which will cause you to become interested in learning more about a certain field, and before you know it, you’re curing cancer or solving the problem of nuclear fission! Plus, after going to the Perot you’ll have a new conversation starter and know all these facts and everyone will think you’re a genius, which is always a good thing. So, go with your family, go with your friends, or go by yourself (if you’re old enough), but above all else, just go. You won’t regret it.

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you have a JOB?

By Emma Gabriano and John Novakovich

B

elieve it or not, school is only a fraction of your classmates’ lives. While some students leave Trinity doors to go on daring spy missions or to have dinner with the president, many of us aren’t so lucky and must perform our. . . after school jobs.

While time-consuming, jobs can help develop diligence and patience. Plus, they look great on a college resume. There are many different types of jobs available to teenagers, so that you can choose a job that suits your interests and skills.

Working in a restaurant is a common job among teenagers. Therefore it’s no

surprise that senior Samantha Peoples works at Nothing Bundt Cakes selling delicious baked goods, and creating puns on a daily basis. After working there for a few weeks, Samantha had a run-in with an odd character. A woman who was rushed for time decided to use a Trader Joe’s shopping cart as a stroller for her child. But that minor oddity wasn’t as annoying as some tardy treat-hunters can be. While the shop closes at 6 p.m., people have been known to show up around 6:30 while Samantha is cleaning up, making her and her co-workers haul all the equipment back out and resume making treats. So if you are reading this,

“I really enjoy spending my time at Operation Kindness because I have a real heart for animals. I like to take care of the small dogs and puppies. Whether it is feeding, walking, or simply holding them, I think it is important for the well being of all the animals to be loved.”

F

rom walking dogs to playing bingo at a Senior Living home, community service opportunities are endless. With a seemingly infinite list of opportunities, one might not know where to start looking. Well, to help with that process, we have gone to various people at TCA to find out where they serve, what they do, why they like volunteering there, and what community service means to them.

Junior Taylor Hayden suggested Walnut Place Nursing Home where you can host bingo for two hours on occasional Sundays. According to Taylor, “I enjoy watching the residents have fun and like to be able to brighten up their day. Also, Community service is important to me because it gives me a chance to help others and make a difference in the community.

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It also reminds me that it’s not about me.

It humbles me and makes me thankful for what I have. Helping others also makes me aware of needs in the community and of ways I can help meet those in need.”

Similarly, sophomore Catherine Heldenfels recommended volunteering at Emeritus Senior Living, explaining that “These people are just looking for a happy person to talk to, and it is so wonderful to be able spread God’s love. You can play bingo, paint their nails or simply just talk to them and ask them about their lives! Usually, they have lots of wisdom or funny stories to share. It is an easy way to brighten your day, as well as theirs!”

Another great way to get involved to help is in the form of tutoring. According to sophomore Jennifer Harbour, “volunteering has always been a part of

don’t be that person. Samantha said she loves her job, partially because of the free food she gets to eat and take home to family and friends. The hours are reasonable and she can still socialize. So it seems that not all food service jobs are horrible!

Sophomore Madison Helms works as a part time lifeguard at the Tom Muehlenbeck Center, as do other students from TCA. The first image that pops into your head when you think of a lifeguard is probably someone relaxing in the sun, getting tan, and sitting on a very high white chair with a red umbrella hanging overhead. Contrary to popular belief, lifeguards do not just my life that I have deeply treasured. Being involved with the community, and giving back is truly a one-of-a-kind feeling that only serving can satisfy. My favorite is helping the children in south Dallas in summer school. This program helps inner city kids get a head start on the next school year by working on projects, reading, and worksheets. It’s so good to see elementary kids work hard towards their goals. I have gotten to help grades first through fifth, and each kid that I have worked with I have thoroughly enjoyed. I cannot wait to go back this summer!”

On the other hand, a simple way to get involved is just by going to a neighborhood animal shelter! Many are incredibly welcoming to those who want to help by just taking a dog for a walk or even feeding them, and let me tell you, the dogs (or cats!) absolutely love it! Junior Isabel Esclamado explains, “I really enjoy spending my time at Operation Kindness because I have a real heart for animals.

I like to take care of the small dogs and puppies. Whether it is feeding, walking, or simply holding them, I think it is important for the well being of all the animals to be loved.” Sharing a similar experience, junior Caitlin Stephens volunteers at Garland Pawsabilities whenever she has free time.

Caitlin explained, “Garland Pawsabilities is

sit and do nothing on stand! In fact, as a lifeguard, you must be constantly watching the water to ensure the safety of patrons.

To become a certified lifeguard you must take a three day course so that you will be able to properly rescue a drowning person, should the situation arise. And while she has never had to save a person yet, she’ll be ready. Some of the skills Madison learned in training to become a lifeguard are CPR and first aid. Lifeguarding requires maturity, a skills set, and attentive observation.

However, working as a lifeguard looks very impressive on a college resume and it pays more than most first jobs.

As you can see, having a job has its highs and lows. It can be rewarding to have a job; on the other hand, you will run into various trials in which you will need to determine, by yourself, the right way to handle certain situations. Working after school jobs is something that many of us have or will experience before we move out into the “real world.” These types of entry level

jobs help to better equip us for struggles later in life, as well as provide us with a much-needed source of income beyond hounding our parents. If you are interested in working, there are several different types of jobs to choose from. Some people, like Samantha, choose to work with food (which always has its benefits), while others choose more active jobs like Madison.

Babysitting, lawn mowing, and tutoring are other ways of earning money that require less structure and can be done on a more flexible schedule. So whether you need a little extra cash or want experience to add to your resume or just want free food, you can find the right job for you!

can get involved in to give back to the Community. While there are some selective groups such as Young Men’s Service League (YMSL) and National Charity League (NCL), other options include Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America programs, which are both great opportunities for Lower School as well as Middle School students.

When talking to Andrew McBride, he commented, “Personally, as an Eagle Scout myself, I greatly recommend the program.

Not only do you get to work to give back to the community, but you get to learn many valuable lessons that you will take with you throughout your life. It is truly a program dedicated to the promotion of good works for others and leadership, and I greatly respect the message it gives and the

Photography by Bryce Couch

Illustrations by Blake Ellis

influence it has on all it members; everyone should check it out!”

Whether you are working towards your Community Service requirement or just finding a way to get involved, there is one thing for sure: community service is a very rewarding experience. Being able to see benefit as a result of a matter of minutes or hours of work is incredible, and helping out in even the simplest way can make such an impact on another’s life. Well, the decision is yours: look at the possibilities and find the place where you like to serve the most—you might just walk away learning more from the experience than going in.

By Bryce Couch, Jennifer Harbour, and Catherine Heldenfels

{ } SERVICE

an organization that promotes the necessity of adoption of cats and dogs. In doing so, they take pets to try to find them homes, which will save them from being put down due to a lack of space. Because of my love for animals, I cannot even think of putting down an animal, so I really want to do everything I can to make sure each pet can find a loving home!”

In addition, there are a variety of organizations outside of school that one

community

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of the world

It’s the

By Bryce Couch, Sarah DeWhitt, and Gabbie Tiner Photography by Blake Ellis and Caitlin Stephens

We’ve all seen the movies and read the books, and come on folks, we even survived the Mayan Calendar, but how could we have prepared for this moment? THE APOCALYPSE IS UPON US! If this happened today at TCA and you wanted to assemble YOUR team of Avengers to save the world, what would you do? Obviously, the first thought that crosses your mind is to find none other than. . . A TEACHER! But who will you choose!? This decision is key—dare I say the decision between life and death, so who will it be? This teacher must be resourceful, levelheaded, and alert, but who does that narrow it down to? That’s for you to decide. To help you with this essential, life-or-death decision, we compiled a list—a who’s who bio so-to-speak—to help you make an effective decision whether running from the bloodthirsty walkers or escaping the zombie plague of Max Brooks’ World War Z.

Name: Ms. Fusco

Codename: MacGyver First one up, Ms. Fusco, of course! Ms. Fusco is strong and a good problem solver. In a risky situation, she would observe the circumstances and use her knowledge of science and the environment to get out of tricky situations. As a biology teacher, Ms. Fusco has picked up quite a bit of knowledge regarding bug identification through the famous Bug Project of freshman year. Whether it’s a bird or a plane or even an insect, you can rest assured Ms. Fusco’s knowledge of the subject has got you covered. Can you hear that? Do you hear the people sing? Nicknamed “MacGyver” because of her ability to rig anything during the Les Misérables play, she has demonstrated her mechanic skills that could come into play in building a shelter. In addition, Ms. Fusco is known for her great athleticism in soccer and mountain biking. She is definitely swift and stealthy! When asked on the subject, Ms. Fusco confidently explained, “I will figure out what needs to be done and make it happen.” With confidence and determination, Ms. Fusco could totally lead in a mission for survival!

Name: Mr. Lipman

Codename: The Illusionist

When you think about magic, who do you think of ? If you said Harry Potter, that is incorrect! Sorry, J.K. Rowling! The correct answer was in fact Mr. Lipman. Although many know Mr. Lipman for being an eighth grade science teacher, many people’s primary memories are of his magic shows, and I mean they are legen. . . wait for it. . . dary! From disappearing water to escaping handcuffs, Mr. Lipman’s skills could easily come in handy in confusing the zombies. Not only does he have preference skills in magic, Mr. Lipman’s knowledge of structures from the famous Bridge project will certainly come in handy when building a sturdy shelter. How many pounds can your shelter hold?

Whether it is building a sound shelter or distracting a group of walkers while on the run, Mr. Lipman would be an excellent choice for survival!

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who will you choose?

Name: Mr. Harmon Codename: The Huntsman

Name: Mr. Blagburn Codename: Indiana Jones

Up next. . . Mr. Harmon.

Need I say more?. . . Well, of course, this is an article after all! Mr. Harmon, the man beyond words. Mr. Harmon is resourceful, skilled, and surprising. Many get their first experience of Mr. Harmon during 7th Grade Football, but the best example of Mr. Harmon’s skills come on the Wilderness trip. With an extensive background with Kanakuk Kamps, Mr. Harmon brings all that he has learned to Wilderness, the middle school trip to end all middle school trips. A trip that takes place in the middle of the Ozarks, where every day is guaranteed to be “another beautiful day in the Ozarks,” Wilderness displays Mr. Harmon’s love for nature. As many juniors now from Bible class, Mr. Harmon in school was known for skipping the first day of Spring to experience the great weather, the beginning of his love for the Great Outdoors. Mr. Harmon is tough and can hunt, fish, and camp like a pro! In other words, Mr. Harmon is the ultimate provider. With his background, you could not only expect true leadership but someone who will protect you at all cost. In fact, many juniors were made well aware of this quality as he detailed his plan to protect everyone in the event of a school lockdown with the use of classroom desks, Bibles, and his handy dandy pocket knife. As a part of the wilderness trip, each group sets up tents for Boy Scouts to use over the summer, and with years of practice under his belt, I am sure that Mr. Harmon could replicate the process in building a shelter. Another great quality is his immense knowledge of the Bible, allowing him to lead by example and calm anyone with verses from the Bible—you could have a Bible study every night! He’s an A+ in our book for sure!

From tracking to knowledge of agriculture, Mr. Blagburn is a man of many talents. As a prime investigator seen through the anticipated Pig CSI project, Mr. Blagburn can easily investigate, deduce, and identify what happened at a scene of the crime, coming in handy when observing what will be on the path ahead. Who else can investigate the scene of the crime. . . featuring pigs? Combined with his knowledge of animal tracks, Mr. Blagburn could effectively track animals while gathering enough information to avoid dangerous groups. Beyond this, Mr. Blagburn is able to make his own fuel in the form of Biodiesel, which can come in handy in a variety of ways. With skills from years of camping from the Dino Dig trip (He’s practically Indiana Jones!) and his ability to hunt, Mr. Blagburn could easily bring food to his group. Did I mention that Mr. Blagburn use to be a bullfighter as well as a rodeo clown? I am sure that he has experience in Pamplona, who else on this list has those remarkable facts? According to Mr. Blagburn, “I would hunker down and invite the Lipman’s over for all of their ammunition. Then, I would flood the creek around our house to form a moat. After that, we would all be selfsustaining at our house.” With confidence, determination, and a variety of skills, Mr. Blagburn could definitely protect you if it was the end of the world. I mean, if he survived the bulls, zombies are a piece of cake, right?

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Name: Mr. Acker

Codename: G.A.N.D.A.L.F. “Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.”

- J.R.R. Tolkien’s epigraph to The Lord of The Rings

You read correctly! This is a Lord of the Rings paragraph! In fact, Mr. Acker, a huge fan of the series seen through the epic middle names of his children, is Gandalf! This is fact. And yes, as you may be thinking, one does not simply walk into Mordor. This teacher suggestion comes from the wonderful world of AP Physics, where every day is F = ma and “just keep torquing” is a phrase! Mr. Acker could easily make all the relevant calculations in an instant from projectile motion to the forces acting on an object, making him the ideal teacher for bow and arrow use. Mr. Acker is also a skilled astronomist; with a solid background with camping and teaching astronomy, Mr. Acker can find a group’s way by night. As a guide, Mr. Acker could effectively navigate by star and avoid the groups of pursuing Orcs! When Asked on the matter, Mr. Acker’s advice was, “Three essentials: Duck Tape, WD-40 and a Swiss Army Knife. If it moves and it shouldn’t, use the duck tape. If it doesn’t move and it should, use the WD-40. Use the Swiss Army Knife for everything else.” Well, in the words of Sam, “but in the end it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass.” With intelligence, knowledge of the stars, and a physics background, Mr. Acker could lead a group of hobbits in the fight for survival for sure!

Regardless of the choice, your teacher must have a plan that is not only creative but executable if one wants to outrun anything that may follow. Whether it is the plan of Mrs. Heard to use tap-dancing as a code or Dr. McBride’s idea of utilizing little pieces of technology and everyone’s talents, a plan and a good teacher are the only things that can save you now, so begin thinking… Which teacher would you choose?

And remember:

“Don’t Blink. Blink and you’re dead. They are fast. Faster than you can believe. Don’t turn your back. Don’t look away. And don’t blink! Good luck…” (Doctor Who) Run!

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gettin’ healthy

By Andrew Nace

Gyms. Odds are you’ve thought about joining one—if you haven’t already.

Following every New Year, millions of Americans flock to the gym, start diets, or try some new healthy trend. Despite the initial enthusiasm to build muscle or lose weight, most of these resolutions burn out due to lack of motivation. At Trinity you have loads of athletics thrown in front of you, but these can only do so much for your overall health. Football may improve your bench press, wrestling may adjust your diet, and swimming may build your endurance, but it’s hard to have a well-rounded lifestyle by only participating in a single sport. If this is your goal, spend time outside of school in a gym instead of playing your favorite video game or watching re-runs of your favorite TV show. Health and fitness require quite a bit of determination, but if you’re dedicated, any goal can be accomplished!

The first step to a healthy life style is strength training. A gym is your best option since it allows unlimited access to equipment. Though you can do strength training at home, it takes more discipline and detracts from your motivation. Hiring a trainer is a great option, but they tend to be expensive. Try making your own workout routine first; this is often very successful if you include a variety of exercises needed for a good workout.

Some basic exercises include: push-ups, sit-ups, curls, bench press, basic bar-bell exercises, and planks. Some good lower body exercises include: bridges, calf raises, and squats. These exercises can be amped up by adding weight, but as a general rule, weight should be increased by no more than 10% each week. Though many people set maximum goals for an exercise, like ten pull-ups, the best way to build muscle is even simpler: go until it burns, and then keep going! Of course, be sure not to overwork or injure yourself

and to use correct form. Your body can definitely take the stress of a workout, so don’t let your mental endurance stand in the way of your goals.

As you continue your routine, you should be able to complete more reps of an exercise or increase the weight.

Some reputable gyms near Trinity include 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, and Telos Fitness center. To get more out of that pricey gym membership, join free classes there. These can often enhance your experience, motivate you, and improve your physique. Guy Mezger’s gym, which is less than five miles from TCA, offers classes for self-defense! In addition to strength training, focus on endurance training. Strength can do a lot for your health, but when you add endurance to the mix, you are nearly unstoppable. An hour of swimming, biking, or running every other day will help maximize your endurance. Jump rope, jumping jacks, box jumps or crunches also help. Do not overwork yourself, but be sure to put maximum effort into each exercise for the maximum reward. It is important to balance strength and endurance skills: too much of one or the other can have detrimental effects.

Another critical part of a healthy lifestyle is a balanced diet. If your diet does not meet the standards of your physical training, your workouts will be more painful and less effective. Try to center your diet around natural food, because processed sugars can cause tooth decay, bone degeneration, and even liver damage. Sodas are some of the biggest culprits Things like in this sense, so turn to pineapple, grapes, and other sweet fruits to satisfy your sugar cravings instead. As far as protein goes, fish or lean poultry are excellent options. To build more muscle, you can drink protein shakes after each workout to replenish your

Illustration by Blake Ellis body. Safety check: make sure whatever protein you’re drinking is made in the US because, unlike most other countries, we have specific health codes you can rely on.

These nourishing drinks can usually be found at your gym or a local health store.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, STAY HYDRATED. Drinking enough water is a crucial health factor and is required to work out healthily—especially in the hot Texas summers. You don’t have to bring a gallon to school to drink all day, but a bottle (sixteen ounces) every couple of hours is optimal.

The last step in being as fit as possible is motivation. Sticking to your routine takes dedication, and without it, you will not achieve your goals. Mindset is what’s going to keep you fit. It’s also helpful to add in a couple apps like The Eatery for tracking your food, or something like the MyFitness app for tracking your workouts. Finally, get a friend or two to join you in your pursuit of a healthy life.

Accountability is the best motivation!

So, readers, set your goals now and start pursuing them today: being the best you that you can be is definitely within reach!

27 27the ROCK

Weep No More

By Lexi Coley

Patron of saints Standing alone among A sea of obscure dispositions, Does obsolescence grow In the very fabric of your soul Or is it the dust of many a wasted day?

When memory becomes incoherent And words fit together Like that of water and oil Then do you mourn prudence?

Strange faces accompany Strange places and everything Has the noxious odor of ambition, But selling your soul Is an intrepid alternative To living your fill of this earth.

Remorse of breath Leads only to a disheartened death.

O weep no more For you are a spring blossom.

In Loving Memory of Tobias Kim ’13 the ROCK 28