MARCH 2016• GUYER HIGH SCHOOL•VOLUME 11 ISSUE 3• 7501 TEASLEY LANE•DENTON, TX 76210

Off Campus Lunch May Not Be Best Option

Baseball Season Starts

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Bianca Ramirez

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Photo By Larry Turner

David Jensen receives the Teacher of the Year award with students and administration.

Kris Eckstorm

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a fourth grader, and he was being abused.” Jensen said the kid was acting out against teachers and other students. The school taught Jensen how to do restraint so he could work with the student. “They put me alone in a room with him, with all his books and all his work while CPS was trying to figure out

what was going on,” Jensen said. “I did that for a year and a half with him.” Once Child Protective Services solved the student’s case, Jensen realized he’d found a new passion. “After that I was like, ‘I want to do this for the rest of my life,’” Jensen said. “So I switched out of my master’s program, I switched into the education program, and I’ve been doing it ever since.” Since then, he has taught students at a junior high and high school level, and Social Studies Department Chair Misty Moffitt said Jensen greatly impacts his students. “In every subject that he has taught, he has brought students to their highest level of thinking and helped them understand the world around them in a much more complex way,” Moffitt said. “In

this way, he creates a stronger, better, more confident citizenry.” Former student junior Jordan Goldstein said Jensen’s class was one where he not only developed skills but also had fun. “We learned in his class, and his class was engaging,” Goldstein said. “We wanted to do the activities, and we wanted to learn because he made it important to us and important to our future and how we would act in society.” When he learned he received the award, Jensen said he was flattered, but he initially didn’t want to accept. “I think every teacher here is a teacher of the year,” Jensen said. “Everybody genuinely cares, they’re all amazing people. But I want to use this position to help push forward a program called GOAL that

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is for the Dreamers, children of illegal immigrants.” GOAL is a program that helps students new to the country obtain their citizenship and take advantage of the education system. Junior and former student Maddie Spears said the amount of dedication Jensen puts into things like things like GOAL as well as his curriculum is what really makes him stand out as a teacher. “I think he has an invested interested in how kids do after they leave his class, and I think that’s really important,” Spears said. “I just know that, at the end of the day, he is a teacher that truly cares, who spends more time than necessary, and goes beyond the necessary requirements of a teacher.”

And the Rose Goes to...

Editor-in-Chief

Rose petals fell on the stage of The Bachelor edition of Mr. GHS, an annual production put on by Student Council with junior and senior guys. Mr. GHS includes a swimwear, a casual wear, talent, and formal wear portions. The competition has three winner categories, Mr. Congeniality, Mr. Popularity, and the highest honor Mr. GHS. Junior John Fredrickson won the title Mr. GHS. “I was super excited,” Fredrickson said. “I was just ecstatic when they announced my name for MR. GHS. I did feel kind of bad because I am a junior and I won it, and there were a lot of great guys that were well deserving of Mr. GHS.” Senior and Mr. Congenial-

Music Students Go to All-State

Jensen Wins Teacher of the Year

Assistant Editor

Although teacher of the year David Jensen has been teaching for 18 years, if it had not been for the job he took at Lake Dallas Elementary School for some extra money, Jensen may not have started teaching at all. “I got job during the day as an aid at Lake Dallas Elementary school for a kid,” Jensen said. “He was

Student Secular Alliance Begins

Photo By Estephania Santos

Mr. GHS, John Fredrickson, Mr. Popularity, PJ Broussard, and Mr. Congeniality, Kevin Gray are congratulated.

ity Kevin Gray was proud of Fredrickson for winning Mr. GHS. “That’s the highest regard you can get as a junior, so that’s awesome for him,” Gray said. To highlight the bachelor theme, Student Council member Jade Mongo was

chosen to be the bachelorette. “We all sort of came to a consensus that Jade would be chosen,” Student Council sponsor Stephanie Guadagnoli said. “Partially because her personality is perfect. She’s goofy, people love her, she is a lot of fun, and she’s

comfortable on stage.” Mongo said that it wasn’t hard being the bachelorette. “I just had to learn to dance, dance with the guys, and practice being charming,” Mongo said. The money raised by Mr. GHS will be used for school activities. “It’s going to help us fund our teacher appreciation projects that are coming up. It also goes to homecoming for next year,” Guadagnoli said. “These things that you see around campus that you never really think about that’s the sort of thing that this funds.” To raise money for Pennies for Patients, Student Council held their first annual teacher dance held during Mr. GHS. Students could give money to vote for the two teach-

ers that would compete. At Mr. GHS, science teachers Stephanie Riley and Pauline Thompson competed. “My students told me about it,” Thompson said. “I said ‘Yay, I want to dance’.” Thompson danced to the song “Bet You Can’t Do It Like Me” and won. “It felt good. I was enthused because I love to dance,” Thompson said. Senior Kevin Caudrado participated in Mr. GHS and he enjoyed being with the other competitors. “I think my favorite part was spending time with the guys,” Cuadrado said. “We got to bond a lot over it. Some people I didn’t know, and I became friends with them.”

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Opinion

March 2016

The Wire

Off Campus Lunch Flawed AP Students Seek Other Options

by Branden Laredo Staff Writer

To go or not to go? Should a student go to Pei-Wei for off campus lunch and take the risk of missing information needed for a test or quiz? Or stay and eat lunch at school. That is the question most AP and Pre-AP students ask themselves on offcampus days. The lunches are not the issue and the student body is grateful to the administration that we could go off campus on these days. Rather it is for those who simply do not have time or have too much work to be done to go off-campus. As the school policy says students with perfect attendance or Photo By Bianca Ramirez grade averages at 80 or above Juniors Helaman Anderson, Cassey Jennings, and Taylor Tolen take notes in may be allowed to go off-cam- Misty Moffit’s AP US History class. pus for lunch during third block. Most students grab this opporbecause they want to keep getstand for students to grab some tunity to get together with some ting high grades. popcorn, or other rewards that friends at McDonalds or other To remedy this issue there could benefit the students who restaurants. However, some stushould be a better rewards procannot go. dents cannot go due to a class gram where the student could The administration should that requires them to be in the choose through a variety of oprecognize this problem and adclassroom in order to succeed. tions. Like the usual and most dress it for it is not fair for those This is a problem for those stulikely the one to be selected by students whose work is going to dents who do not get rewarded the majority, the off-campus waste due to where you could go for keeping up with their grades lunch and a choice between to Chick-fil-A for lunch instead or arriving to class on time every something like a party and the of going to the cafeteria. day for the past nine weeks just courtyard, bringing a popcorn Students who will be allowed

a choice or multiple options on a reward will bring a positive look at administration. This would reinforce that Administration is listening to the student body and addressing the issues brought up rather than dismissing them. Teachers will also benefit in this in a way that they will not miss the majority of their class and can continue to teach their classes on the right time schedule. Instead of a certain class having to play catch-up to get back on the teacher’s lesson plan. The Administration could also benefit in a new rewards program to that they will not receive as many complaints from students about how they cannot go; thus, relieving a little pressure off of the multiple duties of the head offices. Overall if the new rewards program could be implemented everyone would benefit from it. Discussing with students, teachers, and administration what incentives should be open to enhance the rewards program on our school campus.

Braswell Won’t Alleviate Student Population by Bianca Ramirez Assistant Editor

The hallways are overcrowded, some teachers don’t even have enough desks for all their students, but even with Braswell High School opening next year, the school’s population will not be alleviated. In fact, it will continue to increase. The UIL District has changed to District 6, and the school is now against other larger schools that is not necessarily equipped to compete against. Both Ryan High School and our school have experienced recent surges in population, but out of the two, Ryan is the only one whose population is lessened with the opening of Braswell. Our school, on the other hand, continues to grow, and while a freshmen center will eventually be added and opened, it does little to help the crowding that the main building will face as class sizes continue to grow. Also, due to the overpopulation the school is going to be ex-

Photo By Kristopher Eckstorm

Students clog the entryway to the B-Hall from the Commons. The creation of the new Braswell High School will not alleviate the student population.

panded, but this is an unnecessary project since our school is such a new school, and it is one that will ultimately fail to solve this rapidly growing problem. If anything, expanding the school and building a freshman center will be a distracting, tedious, and expensive proj-

ect that could have been avoided if Braswell had helped lessen the school’s population. In UIL District 6, our school is competing against Allen, McKinney, McKinney Boyd, Plano, Plano East, Plano West, and Wylie. Out of these, our school is the

farthest away, the smallest, and lacking in terms of resources. For example, the school recently cut transportation funding for the band and other fine arts programs. Now, these students will have even longer trips, work harder, and work longer with the same amount of funding. The population is continuously growing, but within the next upcoming year, the population will still not match that of the other schools, and the school will still be the underdog. The school is capable of doing well in this new district, but it is an intimidating task. Not to mention, this new district is an inconvenient one, and truthfully there is no reason the school should have to face something so drastic. Students meant for our school should be zoned to Braswell High School or the district should consider building a new high school for the area, as it obviously still needs one.

Sports

March 2016

3 The Wire

Players March Into Baseball Season Begins After Feb. 29

Thositha Soysa Staff Writer

THE WIRE STAFF

With the baseball season starting after Feb. 29, the coaching staff and players explain their readiness to tackle this season. Head Baseball Coach Johnny Kinzy, describes the routine baseball does during their regular season. “We switch from off season mode to lifting only 2 days a week”, Kinzy said. “And doing some baseball skills 3 days a week.” Senior Dylan Tackman says practice is essential for him and his teammates to become better athletes. “We show up with the mindset that we are about to play a playoff game,” Tackman said. “Then we use that energy to make sure everyone is trying their hardest and getting better.” Senior Seth Howard says the practice that he and his team mates have been going through has been worth it. “All the practice that we had as helped us be prepared for this season,” Howard said, “I feel like I will do well and I have prepared myself” With the end of off season, baseball students get prepared for their first day of tryouts. On Feb. 29. “We are getting our arms ready and bodies in shape for the first day of practice,” Kinzy said. After tryouts, the baseball team will begin their season. “After the 29th, we will practice for about a week,” Kinzy said. “Then we have scrimmages for the next couple of weeks”.

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Kristopher Eckstorm ASSISTANT EDITOR: Bianca Ramirez STAFF WRITERS: Thositha Soysa Sana Syed Branden Laredo Josie Smith FACULTY ADVISOR: Mr. Larry Turner

PRINCIPAL: Mr. Shaun Perry

Senior Anthony Rodriguez describes his excitement towards the start of the season. “Personally, I’m excited for the first games we’ll play,” Rodriguez said. “Of course, a little practice, wouldn’t hurt, but it’s going to be great.” With high hopes in mind, coach Kinzy believes his players are strong and prepared for this year. “Our senior class has a lot of strong leaders,” Kinzy said. “They work together as if they are a family” Rodriguez has a strong trust bond with his team. “I have a great relationship with my teammates,” Rodriguez said. “They are great teammates and my brothers.” With having such close bond, Howard has confidence in the team. “We are all good friend,” Howard said. “We push each other to be the best that we can be, which makes us a great team” With playoffs happening a week after practice, Kinzy hopes for a striving season this year. “Our first goal every year is to get to playoffs, and then the state tournament,” Kinzy said. “We are putting all our efforts into being able to compete, on a everyday basis.” Howard states his gratitude towards the baseball coaches. “Our coaches are great, they always have great advice and helps us be better baseball players,” Howard said. “It is great to know we have coaches that care.”

Photo By Kristopher Eckstorm

Varsity Baseball players break it out before they go on defense in their game versus Summit High School on Saturday March 5.

Photo By Kristopher Eckstorm

Junior Connor Herriage pitches during the 6 inning of the game versus Summit High School. The game ended with an 8-2 victory over Summit HS.

NEWSPAPER POLICIES As the student newspaper of John Guyer High School, The Wire provides a forum for student writing and opinion. The opinions (signed) and staff editorials (unsigned) contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the principal of John Guyer High School or the Board of Trustees of Denton ISD. Staff editorials represent the opinion of the paper. Letters to the editor and guest columns are welcomed, but are subject to mass editing for reasons of clarity, space, accuracy and good taste. The Wire reserves the right not to print letters received. Give letters, guest columns and classified advertisements to Kristopher Eckstorm or Mr. Turner in room H166 or E-mail to: [email protected]

“Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/KRT Campus High School Newspaper Service.”

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Sports

March 2016

The Wire

Varsity Basketball Players Go All In Season Ends With Success

by Josie Smith Staff Writer

As both the girls and boys basketball teams near the end of their seasons, they hope to succeed in playoffs. One bad game in playoffs could end their chances to win state. On Maxpreps, a website with the stats and scores of every high school team, the girls rank 42nd in the state of Texas and the boys rank 44th. The teams are working for a common goal, the state championship. Neither the girls nor the boys have ever won a state game. Bre Wickware, a power forward, happens to be the only senior playing for the Lady Wildcats. She recently committed to play at Indiana University and hopes to make the all-conference team during her college career. “My parents influenced me to play basketball, mostly because I was tall,” Bre said. “But eventually I got pretty skilled so I kept it going.” Most athletes start playing sports at a young age. Sports, especially basketball, can be quite confusing to learn.

“It took me a couple years to learn how to really play the game,” junior Avery Priddy said. The boys’ basketball team started their preseason with a 16 game winning streak. Junior Copeland Farr’s long-standing ritual of putting salt in his shoes was working until Lancaster High School, ranked sixth in the state, eventually ended their streak. The team wears shirts stating their motto ‘All In,’ meaning the team gives their complete effort, at every practice and every game. The team is optimistic that their ‘all,’ will take them to state. “To win a state championship with my team,” junior Ben Ferguson said. “Would be my ultimate goal.” Senior Jim Walker says his biggest accomplishment is being on the varsity team. “If you would have seen the seventh grade version of me on C team basketball, you would have never believed that I could ever play 6A varsity level.”

Photo by Ms. Price

At the start of the game, junior Jake Roberts tips the ball to junior Luke Helgesen.

Running Towards the Gold Track Expects Big Things This Season by Josie Smith Staff Writer

Photo By Elle Bigelow

Payton Dueling runs the 800m at the Max Goldsmith Relays at Lewisville High School on March 3.

The track and field teams are gearing up for their seasons, traveling all over the metroplex for their meets. The events at track meets range from two-mile runs to long jumps to relays. Track

meets have eighteen total events with separate running times for boys and girls. Track and field has a reputation for dominating their meets, girls track got 4th in State in 2014

and they won the district title six times since 2007. “I am expecting big things for our team this year,” said junior Christian Moore In track, athletes have one chance to run their fastest, one race has the ability to make or break an athlete’s chance to win state. “It takes a lot of encouragement from the sidelines to run your full potential,” said senior Hannah Watson. Track is a mind sport, athletes push themselves to get their highest personal record, commonly known as a PR. “I focus on Mechanics and I try to be the best I can be,” said junior Brock Thompson. Many students have one specific event they run while others are more diverse on what events they participate in. “I run the 4x100 meter relay, 4x200 meter relay, either the 200 meter or 100 meter dash, and the

long and triple jump,” said junior Morgan Wessling. In-between athletes’ events there is a lot of down time where they normally hang out with friends, rest, and fuel up for their next event. “I normally take naps and eat in between races,” Moore said. Athletes meet others from different schools around Dallas. These friendships can last a life time. “In between races I lay around and hang out with friends and make lots of fun memories. I also cheer on other teammates,” Said Watson Track will cause many students to miss class time due to far away meets. “Having soccer around the same time as track helps me get use to getting my missed work done, but it is still very hard,” said Wessling.

Feature

5 The Wire

March 2016

Snowden Appointed Lieutenant Governor by Kris Eckstorm Editor-in-Chief

Key Club is a community service organization that works on both a school level and an international level. Already being an officer on the school level, sophomore Saylor Snowden decided to try out for the international position of Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor checks in to make sure single schools in their district are doing everything correctly. “I run all of the Key Clubs throughout North Texas and one in Oklahoma,” Saylor said. “I go in and check and make sure they’re following all the rules and that they’re submitting all the information they need to give to the international board. I make sure they pay their dues to be an active Key Club.” To become Lieutenant Governor, Saylor had to give a speech, and then there was a three minute questioning period where her competitor, a girl from

Liberty Christian, asked her questions. “They ask us about how we felt that we could make communication between the clubs in my division better,” Saylor said. “We had to give our plans and ideas on what we would do as Lieutenant Governor, and what we thought would make us good Lieutenant Governors. It was a big description of what we do in our term as Lieutenant Governor.” Both Saylor and the girl from Liberty Christian were allowed delegates to help in the questioning. Saylor chose students she knew were in Key Club like freshman Sarah Spivey. “That means we were there supporting her, we were there asking the other people questions, and we were there to vote for her,” Spivey said. Sophomore Lauren McKinney said that Saylor did well answering the questions.

“She was able to articulate what she wanted to say very well,” McKinney said. One of Saylor’s plans that she used in the questioning is to use social media to help connect the separate Key Clubs. “I talked about how we live in the age of social media today, so I would use that to get the clubs to communicate better. Setting up Google Hangouts so we can talk together and, basically, feed off each other for ideas,” Saylor said. “Some of the clubs in our division are inactive, and hopefully that would make them want to be more involved in the community and in Key Club International.” Saylor is still the Lieutenant Governor elect, and will be sworn in on April 6 during District Convention (D-Con). “We have this convention called Dcon where they swear in all the Lieutenant Governor elects. After that,

I can go [to the separate Key Clubs] whenever I need. It’s just up to me whenever I can make those visits,” Saylor said. Saylor went to training in Dallas that consisted of board meetings. “Training was really fun,” Saylor said. “It was really interesting to see all these new different people. We had board meetings where we sat in a room for Photo By Mrs. Snowden twelve hours just listenSophomore Saylor Snowden ing to really cool advice celebrates after the election for the from the current Governor position of Lieutenanat Governor. and returning Lieutenant Saylor will “do a great job” Governors.” as Lieutenant Governor. Sponsor Ashley White“She’s very dedicated to head-Pearce said that Key Club, very diligent, a the Lieutenant Governor real leader, so I think she’s position will give Saylor going to do a great job leadership and communias Lieutenant Governor,” cation experience. Whitehead-Pearce said. “Those are business Spivey said she is proud skills that anyone needs as of Saylor, and that Saylor far as just communicating will do great being Lieuwith different clubs and organizations,” Whitehead- tenant Governor. “She is a very great Pearce said. “All of those person who’s a role model skills she needs in the busito me and helps out in the ness world.” Whitehead-Pearce thinks community any way she can,” Spivey said.

Student Secular Alliance Begins by Sana Syed Staff Writer

Starting at the beginning of this semester, Secular Student Alliance is looking to promote a place where atheists and agnostics can find a sense of community. Founder and sophomore Andrew Win, sponsor Jerome Noel, and current members discuss what the club is all about, what they do, and their goals for this year. Win said that he founded this club because he felt like there was no place for people with a lack of faith to gather and talk about their beliefs. “I started this club because I felt like there was not really a place to go for atheists,” Win said. “Having a bunch of friends who were atheists I thought that it would be good to start an organization where we could all go and have discussions.” Noel said he agreed to sponsor the club because he wanted a place where people feel comfortable could share their views.

“I knew that he and his friends wanted a place where they could gather and share ideas, a place where they don’t feel like outsiders,” Noel said. “So when Andrew asked if I would sponsor the club, I said ‘Yes absolutely’”. Noel said that the club will try to overcome the negative stigma about atheists by volunteering around the community. “We’re going to do some community service because we want to and also to show that we do care, because there’s usually this stigma around people who do not Photo By Alan Iskadarani believe or have a particular reliSeniors Ilene Spaink and Bethany Miliara and sophomores Andrew gion,” Noel said. Sophomore Alan Iskandarani Winn and Sydney Lovick discuss their views, and what Secular Stusaid he joined because he wanted dent Alliance can do for the community. to be around people who had the same views as him. rani said. club, compared to I Am Second, “I joined to be around people Senior Bethany Miliara said because now we can also meet who have the same mentality as that she thinks it’s great to have like-minded individuals,” Milime. I’m hoping to find new peoa club like this. ara said. ple that I can talk to about my “I think it’s totally awesome interests and politics and have inhow they now have a secular telligent conversations,” Iskanda-

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Feature

March 2016

The Wire

Roder Creates Club to Study Cultures others.” While Jensen helped form the club, he couldn’t sponsor it. Fellow AP World History teacher Nathan Stork, however, said he was really interested in the club. “I decided to sponsor Anthropology Club because the idea of the club entirely came from a few students who have been really dedicated to putting it together,” Stork said. Stork also said he believes there is a real demand for a club like this at the school. “[Students] have a really big interest in cultural relativity,” Stork said. “People are really interested Photo by Bianca Ramirez in learning about and celebrating Anthropology Club founder, Riley Roder, talks to students about other cultures and want a space his plans for the club. in which they could do that, and students. After realizing there wasn’t I think Anthropology Club offers “The idea came about when club in which junior Riley Roder that.” talking to Mr. Jensen about what could explore his love for culFor members like junior Julius I gained from his class,” Roder ture and history, he decided he Sennov, Stork is right. wanted to try his hand at creating said. “We decided to expand on “I joined the club as I have a a club for this passion. The result that a begin working on a club huge interest in the rest of the was Anthropology Club, which, for those who appreciate, or wish world and its cultures,” Sento know more about, the cultures after months of planning and nov said. “I’m mostly looking preparation, held their first meet- of humanity.” forward to the new information ing in February and premiered as Junior Nabeera Rao was also I will learn, but also to cooperinvolved in forming the club, and a new club. ate with my fellow students and even though it was tough, she “Trying to form the club was make many new acquaintances difficult, to say the least,” Roder said it was worth it. and friends.” “The process for establishing said. “I had to balance working Stork also said that, while the on school [work] with organizing anything is excruciating, getting club has academic benefits, it a sponsor, writing a constitution, it.” means a lot more than that to but it went smoothly,” Nabeera In the end, Roder formed the members of the club, and the club with a little help and inspi- said. “I’m looking forward to knowledge they have is someeducating, experiencing other ration from AP World History thing he is looking forward to cultures, and learning from teacher David Jensen and other by Bianca Ramirez

Assistant Editor

hearing. “If you look at the people who are in Anthropology Club, you have people who want to represent and share their own cultures with people at the school.” Stork said. “I think it also ends up serving a really cool purpose in that it is welcoming to people.” Other than that and the food the club plans to make, Stork said he is excited to watch the plans he heard the students making at the first meeting come to life. “They are planning to focus on different cultures throughout the year based on what holidays or major cultural events are happening throughout the calendar year,” Stork said. “I am really excited about the club making a purposeful effort to represent a diverse range of cultures from around the world and not just focusing too much on one particular region.” Jensen, who sat in on the first meeting, told club members that he is looking forward to what they will do in the future, not just as a club but as individuals as well. “A small group of individuals can change the world, and indeed, it is the only thing that ever has,” Jensen said. “You are that small group of thoughtful, committed individuals that can change the world.”

Music Students Go to San Antonio for All-State

by Bianca Ramirez Assistant Editor

After several rounds of competition and auditions, band members senior Josh Mistrot, and junior Connor Wooley earned a spot in the All-State Band, and choir members senior Kylie Jensen and junior Kate Gillman became members of the All-State Choir. All-State is hosted by the Texas Music Educators Association and these four students will go to the TMEA convention on Feb. 10 in San Antonio. Wooley and Mistrot both made the All-State Band, as the school’s first brass All-Staters and the most recent band All-Staters in seven years. Wooley said making the All-State Band has been his goal since he was a freshman. “That was always the ultimate goal, so when I found I made it, it was exciting,” Wooley said. “It’s going to be a great experience and I’m really looking forward to it.” Mistrot said the road to All-

State was a difficult one. “It took a lot of work to get there, like a lot of practice, and it was pretty nerve-wracking to go in that room,” Mistrot said. “I got the second spot, and that was pretty exciting.” Both Gillman and Jensen are returning All-Staters, and Jensen said she is excited for the year ahead, especially because of how great her experience was last year. “I loved working with a group of musicians who are so passionate and talented,” Jensen said. “I was worried that I wouldn’t make it, even though I made it last year, so I’m glad I could live up to my own reputation.” Gillman said her experience at the All-State choir her sophomore year was an incredible one, and she is looking forward to returning. “The experience was really

Photo by Branden Laredo

All-Staters Josh Mistrot, Connor Wooley, Kate Gillman, and Kylie Jensen left for Texas Music Educators Association Convention (TMEA) Feburary 10.

amazing when we actually got to the rehearsals with the other girls that made it,” Gillman said. “It was really great that we got to sing with all of these other people who loved music as much as we do and it sounded absolutely incredible.” However, for a time Gillman was concerned she wouldn’t make the choir at all. “Finding out I made it this year

was a little different because when it’s announced, they announce the chairs from tenth to first,” Gillman said. “I got first and so the whole time they were calling the numbers, I had thought that I didn’t make it. When I did hear my name, there were tears and it was a great relief and a moment when I felt like everything that had I worked for paid off.”

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Feature

March 2016

The Wire

Model United Nations Founded Debates Ensue

by Kristopher Eckstorm Editor-In-Chief

Model United Nations (Model UN) is a club that has students work together to solve world crisis while representing countries in the UN. Model UN meets after school on Wednesdays and vary in length. Co-Founder and junior Megan Vennell said she started looking into Model UN by researching the United Nations and talking to people who have participated in the club at other schools. “Some of my friends in other school districts are in the club, so that inspired me to do more research, learn about it, and create it at our school,” Vennell said. Multiple Model UN clubs come together to solve simulated world crisis at conferences. One will be held at UNT next fall. “A bunch of clubs get together, and through debate, writing, and compromise we come up with solutions through treaties and other resources given to us to solve these problems,” Vennell said. Vennell and other Co-Founder, junior Bianca Ramirez, went to their classes, and asked people to join by writing on the whiteboards

of their teachers. At meetings they hold miniature debate. “We split up into teams, pick a random world issue, a random country, take the country’s stance because it has to be the point of view of that country, and then we debate,” Ramirez said. Junior Riley Roder was assigned the Federation of Russia, New Zealand, Iceland, and Portugal during one meeting. “Generally I wanted to bring diversity into my group, so I didn’t bring the most stable or opportune places,” Roder said. Roder and his group have to research the countries and learn how they work internally, so they can represent them more accurately. “We’re researching databases, looking up the current world leaders, seeing how they’re handling global issue of today, and really just trying to understand what political situation the country is in right now,” Roder said. Junior Liam Guame-Wakefield said the miniature debate during the club sessions shows Model UN their strengths and weaknesses.

Photo by Kristopher Eckstorm

Junior and Co-Founder Megan Vennell explains what Model UN is about during their first meeting. “We’re really good at getting into the arguments and getting into the mindset of the country. We could be a bit better in working together,” Guame-Wakefield said. Model UN is a group effort because students have to work together to gather information and make a plan. “Some people are better at researching, some people are better at public speaking, and some people are better and writing,” Guame-Wakefield said. Sophomore Andrew Etheridge

had no space for debate in his schedule, so he was excited when he heard about Model UN. “I love debating it’s just that my schedule’s filled up, so I couldn’t take a debate class,” Etheridge said. The club has grown to 25 members, and Ramirez said a lot of people began to show up on the second meeting. “We weren’t expecting it,” Ramirez said. “It was surprising, but we’re really excited and really optimistic about the club’s future.”

JROTC Learns About Other Military Careers

by Branden Laredo Staff Writer

Uniforms of Blues or Military BDU (Battle Dress Uniform) sat down while recruiters from the U.S Army, Navy, and the Air Force talked about what the Armed Forces can offer the JROTC unit of TX-20056 Jan. 27-28. Lieutenant Colonel Blake Fentress wants the kids to understand the different kinds of cultures of the services. “A lot of times a kid chooses a service culture that isn’t right for them so we have Military Career Day so that the students can learn which cultures mostly matches their work ethics, work style, or personality,” Fentress said. Senior Joshua Burley learned about how there are many opportunities to join the military. “They told us that enlisting is an opportunity that every high schooler has and they just need to be straightforward and not be afraid to take the first step to the military,” Burley said. JROTC cadets have a wide range

of choices and options for jobs that can suit their individual talents and traits. Cadets also understand the risks and what it takes to join the military much like Burley. “The military is for confident people who seek adventure, if you want to find more about yourself and push yourself and what you can do the military is a great lifestyle,” Burley said. To Burley, a lot of people see the military as strict and straightforward. “It is, but it also helps you become a better citizen and a better person. The Armed Forces also helps you to become a better leader in your community,” Burley said. The recruiters also spoke with the cadets about the many jobs and the different lifestyles of the different branches like sophomore Seth Wolf who learned about how the “Navy would travel a lot but the Air Force gets great chow.” “I am considering quite a few of the branches,” Wolf said. “I am

Photo by Branden Laredo

Sophomore Alexandra Fatima reads an introductory book on the Navy at Military Career Day. thinking about the Navy because I would be able to travel around the world, and also if I wanted to I could become a medical corpsman which would mean I would be deployed in active duty with Marines and be the medic of that squad.” Some JROTC cadets look into the armed forces also because of family traditions or if they had a personal relationship with a recruiter.

“I’ve always been an Army guy not only because of my dad who has served as an officer of the army for twenty years but also I have always liked to be a part of a team. The Air Force and the Navy are more individualized with that person being responsible for themselves plus growing up with a household of Army brats it would feel like home to me,” Burley said.

8 March 2016

Entertainment

Quotes From Authors It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. -- Mark Twain I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by. -- Douglas Adams It’s not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves. --William Shakespeare I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I’m awake, you know? -- Ernest Hemingway Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday. -- Don Marquis How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon? -- Dr. Seuss We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid. -- Benjamin Franklin Valor is a gift. Those having it never know for sure whether they have it till the test comes. And those having it in one test never know for sure if they will have it when the next test comes. --Carl Sandburg Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -- Voltaire

-BrainyQuote.com

S UDOK U

The Wire

Wired Zodiac by Staff AQUARIUS: JANUARY 20-FEBRUARY 19

http://www.freecoupons.com/ - go crazy. free coupons for everyone.

PISCES: FEBRUARY 20-MARCH 20

Pears worked for Rick Ross. It might work for you. Shout out to all my Pears.

ARIES: MARCH 21-APRIL 20

Your input is vital to being a leader today, so speak up and keep pushing for what you believe in. Unless what you believe in is stupid. Then stop.

TAURUS: APRIL 21-MAY 21

The choices you make today will affect the outcome of your future more than you know. Intimidating, huh?

GEMINI: MAY 22 - JUNE 22

Are your grades not what you want them to be? Take advantage of the new grading policy. Don’t stress, reassess for success.

CANCER: JUNE 23-JULY 23

You’re amazing. Amazing, I tell you. Spectacular. At least sometimes.

LEO: JULY 24- AUGUST 23

I don’t make the future I just predict it. But you have the power to change it. Except you might not want to. Right now, I see pizza in your future. Don’t change that.

VIRGO: AUGUST 24-SEPTEMBER 23

Life is like a bowl of spaghetti. It’s messy, tangled up, and confusing and before you know it, you’re just falling down an endless spaghetti sauce abyss.

LIBRA: SEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 23

Try to approach everything negatively. You may be pleasantly surprised when things aren’t as bad as they could have been.

SCORPIO: OCTOBER 24-NOVEMBER 22

Are you being run over by the struggle bus? Just like Regina George? Me too.

SAGITTARIUS: NOVEMBER 23-DECEMBER 22 Comparison will kill you, just try your best and a little harder.

CAPRICORN: DECEMBER 23-JANUARY 19

With intense fire you go with what you think is right. Like the wind you follow your dreams with much gusto. But with the strength of the earth you can also flow like water. Embrace your inner Avatar. You are the last airbender.

Mad Lib by Bianca Ramirez Assistant Editor

It was a dark and (adj) _____ night. In the distance, you can hear the (nouns) _____ howling. You decide to (verb) _____ to the nearest (noun) _____. But as you start to (previous verb) _____ a (noun) _____ jumps out at you and screams. You yell at them, and begin to (verb) _____ in the other direction. You scream in terror and run (adj ending in -ly) _____ away. You trip on a (noun) _____ and fall (adj ending in -ly) _____ off a cliff, into the water below, barely missing the (adj) _____ rocks at the bottom. You try to swim (adj ending in -ly) _____. Once you finally reach the (adj) _____ shore, you breathe a sigh of relief. Thinking you are finally safe, you begin to fall into an (adj) _____ sleep, but you are quickly woken by a(n) (adj) _____ roar. You look up and see the (noun) _____ standing at the top of the (adj) _____ cliff. You begin to run away in horror, but you trip on a (noun) _____ and fall face forward into the (noun) _____. The jarring motion pulls you out of your (adj) _____ sleep and you wake up from this stupid dream.