Thunder Express - Galena Park ISD

THUNDER EXPRESS
The newspaper of north shore senior high school
NORTH SHORE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
353 N. CASTLEGORY, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77049
May 2012 Issue 5
SENIOR SPECIAL
DESIRE, DISCIPLINE, DEDICATION
By Cigi Tinsley and Whitney Arnic
Not everyone has the character and means to make
an impact on someone’s future. Cory Redding, however,
believes that, “It’s about who you are and who you help
along the way.” Redding’s basic values in life are desire,
discipline and dedication, and he wants scholarship
recipients to have similar
values because he believes
that they will lead to a
successful future.
Redding and his
wife Priscilla are
establishing the Cory
and Priscilla Redding
Family Scholarship for
high school students
who demonstrate
Cory Redding at UT
financial need. Redding’s
scholarship will begin with 2013 graduates of North
Shore Senior High who plan on attending the University
of Texas at Austin’s College of Education.
A 1999 NSSH graduate, Redding was a top football
player for the Mustangs. As a junior, he was named 1998
Quick
News
USA Today National Prep Defensive
Player of the Year, and as a senior, he
made Parade magazine’s list of AllAmericans. Redding went on to play
for University of Texas before being
drafted by the Detroit Lions. He later
played for the Seattle Seahawks and
Baltimore Ravens before being traded
to Indianapolis for the upcoming
season. On June 30, Redding will
host a football camp at NSSH.
The scholarship is earmarked for
NSSH students, but if there are no
eligible candidates, the scholarship
will be offered to residents of the
Galena Park area. Initially, there will
Cory Jr., Kaylie, Priscilla, Christian and Cory Redding Sr.
be one or two recipients, depending on
financial need.
for a sports scholarship, so he wanted to provide a
Cory’s wife Priscilla was his primary motivation
financial opportunity for other types of students.
for establishing the scholarship. She also attended UT,
Redding will host an annual awards ceremony for
majoring in education. Redding chose to focus on
recipients in order to meet and present each scholarship
education because he believes that it is an important
personally. Visit www.coryreddingfoundation.org for
profession that will be around for years to come. Redding more information on the foundation and the summer
realizes that many people are not capable of qualifying
football camp at NSSH.
From Broadway to L.A.
NSSH Choir’s pop show will be held at 7 pm
May 24-25 in the Auditorium. Tickets are $5
in advance and $10 at the door.
Relay for Life
The 10th annual Relay for Life North Channel
held May 4-5 at the NSSH Ninth Grade
Center track raised over $113,000 for the
American Cancer Society.
NSSH Graduation
The 2012 Commencement Celebration will be
held at 1:30 p.m. June 3 at Reliant Stadium.
For the first time, NSSH will have more
than 1,000 graduating seniors.
STAFF
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-Chief
Jasmine Morehead
Photography Editor
Lauren Taylor
Copy Editors
Antonio Pizano
Eric Garcia
Sports Editor
Zajee Marves
Staff Reporters
Whitney Arnic
Kenneth Bell
Jamere Brown
Emily Garcia
Sierra Green
Dalia Hernandez
Lauren Koutlias
Lupita Rios
Sarah Samuel
Juan Silva
Cigi Tinsley
Efren Valladares
Adviser
Donna Tennant
832-386-4192
Editorial Policy
Thunder Express is produced by
students in newspaper classes at
NSSH. Thunder Express welcomes
readers’ comments on topics of
interest to the NSSH community.
Thunder Express reserves the
right to edit for clarity. Inquires
regarding content or advertising
should be directed to the adviser
of Thunder Express.
The views and opinions expressed in
these articles are those of
the authors and do not necessarily
reflect those of the editors,
NSSH or GPISD.
Page 2
Weird Facts
CURE FOR A SIZZLING SUMMER
(Did You Know?)
By Emily Garcia
By Kenneth Bell
One of the most
convenient water
parks for North Shore
Senior High students
is Schlitterbahn Water
Park in Galveston.
Schlitterbahn is a large
water park with funHoustonians flock to waterparks to escape summer in the city.
filled attractions such
as the famous Lazy
huge ice chest full of delicious food!”
River. “The Lazy River is my favorite!”
said sophomore Eymi Pineda.
said junior Clifton Guidry. “Being able
Tickets are a bit pricey, around $45,
to float around lazily all day in the
but Schlitterbahn Galveston is definitely
refreshing water is just awesome.”
the place to go this summer! Check out
The park is fun for all ages, attracting their website for great ticket deals at
families with children. “My family and
http://schlitterbahn.com/gal/.
I go to Schlitterbahn annually,” said
Other popular water parks that
junior Luis Hernandez. “It’s great for
draw North Shore families are Pirates
everyone in my family. They have a
Bay in Baytown (www.baytown.org/
place for the little kids to play, scary
piratesbay), Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San
rides for the teens, and even places
Antonio (www.sixflags.com/fiestatexas),
where the adults can hang out.”
Splash Town Water Park in Houston
Pack a picnic basket and fill a cooler
(www.splashtownpark.com), and a
with drinks because unlike most parks,
second Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels
Schlitterbahn allows families to bring
(http://schlitterbahn.com). These theme
in their own food. “Every time we go
parks are a great way to beat the intense
during the summer, my dad takes a
summer heat.
1. More than 10 people a year are killed
by vending machines.
2. When glass breaks, the shards move at
speeds of up to 3,000 miles per hour.
3. A portion of the water a person drinks
has already been drunk by someone else,
maybe several times over.
4. Most people who read the word
‘yawning’ will yawn.
5. Each day, more than $40 trillion
change hands worldwide.
6. Walt Disney, the creator of Mickey
Mouse, was afraid of mice.
7. The Bible is the most shoplifted book
in the world.
8. The chances of dying on the way to
buy lottery tickets are greater than the
chances of winning.
9. The average person spends three years
of his or her life on a toilet.
10. More than 1,000 birds die each year
from smashing into windows.
Get on the
THUNDER EXPRESS
2012-2013
Are you seeking a career as a journalist? Do you like to write? Interview people?
Take pictures? Do you enjoy graphic design? Are you up on the latest music,
movies, and books? Do you have strong opinions? Do you want to launch an
online edition of Thunder Express? If you answered yes to any of these questions,
consider joining the newspaper next year.
See Ms. Tennant in Room 432 for an application.
Re-Elect Judge Mike Parrott
Justice of the Peace
Precinct 3, Position 1
Vote Early!
North Channel Library
Wallisville Road
[email protected]
May 2012
NSSH District Competition
North Shore Tennis Team The Race to State By Zajee Marves
It’s no sweat for the North Shore Mustangs. Both
Wins at District
21-5A champion teams—boys and girls—won the
Senior Bakari Samin won
first place in 5A-21 district
competition in singles tennis
two years in a row and qualified
for regionals. Sophomore Javier
Bilboa took third place in singles
and was the regional runner up.
The matches took place on April
3 at Lee College in Baytown.
Bakari Samin
Samin will continue competing next year in college. “It was a great three years
playing tennis with North Shore, and this was the
icing on the cake,” he said. “Coach Couch was very
supportive and helped lead the team to victory.”
UIL Update
By Efren Valladares
Congratulations to Mr. Kirby, Ms. Green-Sandle
and their academic teams for their performance on
April 21 at the UIL Regional competition at Seven
Lakes High School in Katy.
Mr. Kirby’s team placed first in Calculator
Applications, thanks to Zachary Fradette, Kevin
Yee, Christine Mai, and Viet Nguyen. In Computer
Applications, Ms. Green-Sandle’s student Ellide Garcia
placed second and Joe Mallard placed sixth. Both teams
are advancing to the UIL State meet on May 21 and 22.
Mr. Kirby’s team is going for a three-peat.
Thunder Express regrets that Ms. Pante’s Computer
Science results were left out of the last issue. Zachary
Fradette placed second, and Efren Valladares placed
fourth in individual competition, while the team
composed of Fradette, Valladares, and Alec Banda
took first place. They advanced to Regionals but
unfortunately could not compete.
Newspaper students competed in three categories:
Whitney Arnic placed fourth in Headline Writing,
America Mederes placed fourth in News Writing, and
Lauren Koutlias placed sixth in Feature Writing.
May 2012
district track meet on April 27 at Humble’s Turner
Stadium. The boys scored a total of 244 points in 17
events, and the girls followed, scoring 173 points in
16 events.
The best three in each event advanced to the
regional meet on May 5 at Humble High School
where the boys won for the 4th time in a row by
scoring 70 points. The girls came in second behind
Fort Bend’s Hightower, scoring 42 points.
Jermaine Authorlee (12), Kevin Alexander (12),
Derrick Gillis (11), Tristian Houston (9), and Larry McDuffey (12) represented the boys at the Texas State
Track and Field Meet in Austin on May 12. Camryn Goodman (12) and Mona Landry represented for the girls.
The team came in second to DeSoto High School but still fulfilled their role as the amazing NSSH Mustangs.
‘We Fought Hard’
By Juan Silva and Zajee Marves
The North Shore Boys Baseball team is 21-5A
District Champions. The Mustangs took on their BiDistrict opponents, the Dobie Longhorns, in a threegame series.
The first game was played May 3 at McGuire Field
in Pasadena, and the Longhorns won 6 to 5. The
second game took place at North Shore on May 4,
where North Shore struck back, winning 2 to 1.
At the final game to break the tie, the Mustangs put
up a great fight but were defeated with close score of
10 to 11 at a home game on May 5. “We played hard,”
said Coach Martinez. “It was a tough loss to take.”
“It’s hard to let this go,” said Ricardo Salinas (10),
“but we just have to come back stronger next year and
set our goals even higher.” With dedication and hard
work, the Mustangs hope to return to the playoffs
next year and take it all the way to state.
A Great Season
Batter up! NSSH girls softball made the UIL state
playoffs this year and took on the Deer Park Deer on
April 28 at Memorial High School. Unfortunately for
the ladies, they were defeated 5-0. Even though the
season is over, the Lady Mustangs continue to work
on their relationships with one another. “We are more
than a team; we are a family,” said junior Jassidy Silva.
Page 3
LAUREN TAYLOR
KYAIRA FLAGG
LAUREN TAYLOR
Superlatives 2012
Most Intelligent: Viet Nguyen & Lisa Sampson
Most Likely to Succeed: Paul Lewis & Adriana Hernandez
KYAIRA FLAGG
KYAIRA FLAGG
LAUREN TAYLOR
Most Considerate: Vashti Tillman & Dimitri Bush
LAUREN TAYLOR
Prom Queen and King: Natalie Salazar & Johnny Chatman
Most Outgoing: Zachary Martinez & Aladrian Black
KYAIRA FLAGG
LAUREN TAYLOR
Class Favorites: Matthew Capelo & Kerri’anna Floyd
Most Athletic: Ashley Reyes & Larry McDuffey
(Larry was at the track meet in Austin.)
Page 4
Most Attractive: Kristena Dilan & Michael Dilan
Best Groomed: Darian Edwards & Jamie Matthews
May 2012
AGG
KYAIRA
FL
A Night of Nostalgia
S E N I O R P R O M AT H I L T O N O F T H E A M E R I C A S
KYAIRA FLAGG
LAUREN TAYL
OR
Kristin Booker
James
Camer
Makeel on Chenevert,
D
Phillip,
Caleb Y arian Edward
s,
oung
KYAIRA FL
AGG
LAUREN TAYLOR
Jessica Gonza
les,
Anthony Rosa
s,
Gabby Loza
no,
Krystal Neva
rez
Wilson,
LAUREN
TAYLOR
Matthew Capelo
s
d
Morehea
Alex Bail
ey, Kierr
a Cassio
awkins a
nd Toure
Hopkins
Zajee M
arves
TAYLOR
, Kiara D
LAUREN
illiams
LAUREN TA
YLOR
Courtney W
May 2012
FLAGG
Jasmine
KYAIRA
ss Officer
Senior Cla
Page 5
Students Bench Faculty
SIERRA GREEN
By Zajee Marves
Gerald Jenkins, Mr. Broussard, Mr. Gaines, Mr. Eckford and Darius Taylor
By Jasmine Morehead
Senior
Festivities
and Issues
In honor of their last month of high school, the
Class of 2012 was given a senior lunch on May 14
in the performance gym. The festivities included
music, fun and tons of food. With the opportunity
to spend a little more time together, seniors
created another amazing memory. On the menu
were sausage, brisket, beef tips, chicken, potato
salad, beans, pickles, and jalapenos. Dessert was a
selection of cookies, but due to the large number
of seniors, the cookies ran out and brownies were
brought in. Overall, the barbecue was a huge
success, and another picture was added to the
memory book of senior year.
Live+2 Takes it All
By Kenneth Bell
LAUREN TAYLOR
LAUREN TAYLOR
For the first year ever, North Shore Senior High held
a basketball game for seniors on May 4. Senior teams
faced off against each other, with the winners taking on
a team of APs, teachers, and staff. Travis Gable, Antony
Hardy, Gerald Jenkins, Darius Taylor, and Kyree Trahan
were on the winning team, which triumphed against the
staff team with a score of 31 to 30. Tickets were $5, and
seniors raised about $1,600 toward Project Graduation.
Mouth-Watering Memories
Senior Meningitis Warning
By Dalia Hernandez and Chelsee Lowe
On April 19, 2012, the Class of 2012 hosted the
first-ever senior dodgeball game to raise money
for Project Graduation. It turned out to be a very
successful fundraiser, as seniors added $2,910 to
the fund.
Seven student teams participated, and the top
team competed against the faculty team. Live+2, a
collection of North Shore Varsity football players,
clinched the victory against the student teams and
went up against the teachers. Live+2 players included
Jarius Moore, captain; Tyrone Newsome Jr., Kevian
De Leon, Kevin Alexander, Christopher Lee, and
Jacoby Walker.
Even though the teachers had a decent amount
of support, they failed to really compete against
Live+2, which was awarded medals at the end of the
tournament for their accomplishment.
Hopefully, underclassmen will continue this event
and make it a tradition for the all senior classes in the
future.
LAUREN TAYLOR
All seniors should be aware of the new requirements
for attending college in the state of Texas. Beginning
January 2012, Texas State law (SB 1107) mandates that
all students under the age of 30 entering an institution
of higher learning provide a certificate signed by
a health care provider or an official immunization
record verifying that they have been vaccinated against
meningitis. This is a result of the high number of cases
reported at Texan colleges and universities.
According to the Centers for Disease Control,
meningitis is a disease caused by the inflammation of
the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal
cord known as the meninges. The inflammation is
usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding
the brain and spinal cord.
Bacterial meningitis is usually severe. While most
people with meningitis recover, it can cause serious
complications, such as brain damage, hearing loss, or
learning disabilities. There are several types of germs
that can cause bacterial meningitis.
In the U. S. about 4,100 cases of bacterial meningitis
were reported annually between 2003–07, resulting in
500 deaths.
Page 6
Abanoub Wassef loads up at the Senior barbeque.
May 2012
by Sarah Samuel
LAUREN TAYLOR
The Next Step
North Shore seniors are looking forward to becoming Longhorns, Cougars, and Aggies. Now is the
perfect time to prepare for the most important stage of their lives—going away to college. The first step is
deciding where to go, either by visiting campuses or eliminating colleges they know they do not want to
attend. Next they apply to the universities they want to attend and fill out scholarships and financial aid
applications. Three Thunder Express staff seniors share what they have done to prepare.
May 2012
By Lupita Rios
enough to light the entire room.
A portable shower caddy is essential in a
college dorm. Shower caddies are an easy way
to keep bathroom supplies organized. Other
bathroom essentials include a coverup and
flip flops for the shower. Laundry supplies are
also needed, along with a laundry hamper and
detergent.
Do not forget school supplies such as binders,
pens, pencils, highlighter, paper, etc. A laptop is
a plus, and even though you can find a printer in
the library or student center, having one in the
dorm room will save time and money for those
last-minute papers. Almost everyone forgets to
take a stapler to college, and professors will not
accept any unstapled assignments.
Older dorm rooms do not have that many
power outlets, so a power strip is a lifesaver for all
the electrical things that are needed. And gather
all your chargers and put them where you can
find them easily.
If possible, contact your roommate so that
you don’t duplicate things like televisions and
refrigerators.
“I will be taking a microwave for sure and a
lot of clothes since you can only come home on
the weekends,” said Felix Martinez, soon to be a
freshman at University of Houston—Downtown.
“And I can’t forget about my Xbox! I would be
bored without it, especially when I’m done with
my school work and want some alone time.”
Once all those essentials items are packed and
loaded in the car, the student can relax and wait
for their dreams of independence to come true.
LAUREN TAYLOR
From toothpaste
to a mini fridge,
seniors from North
Shore Senior High are
thinking about packing
for college. Students
are thrilled at the idea of living the college life and
becoming independent.
Packing for college is not like packing for
a road trip with parents or a day at the beach.
Coeds will walk into an empty dorm room and
hope they have remembered everything.
There are a lot of things to keep in mind while
packing. Climate should be considered: keep in
mind that winter coats are not needed in Miami
and beach towels are not needed in New York.
Remember,that dorm rooms are not spacious.
Students should contact their roommate and
coordinate what to bring. If they want to continue
receiving their favorite magazines and catalogs,
they must be sure to change their mailing address
to their school.
A good place to start is to make a list of
everything they will need. “Making a list helped
me a lot,” said soon-to-be freshman at Sam
Houston State Charles Patton. “It helps me to stay
organized and not forget anything.”
One of the top 10 items that college students
say is essential is nail clippers. An umbrella is
very important to include, especially in rainy
areas like Seattle. Getting caught in the rain can
result in a cold or the flu.
Students might need a lamp because the
small desk lamps that are provided are not bright
What are you doing
to prepare for next
year?
I made sure that my test scores and transcripts have been
sent and that I have met each college’s deadlines. I have
been making campus visits, including Xavier, LSU, and
UT Austin. I am monitoring my applications and making
sure my college credits for AP exams have been accepted.
I am also applying for scholarships.
Kenneth Bell
How will being a
Gent affect your
college experience?
I am certain that being a Gent at North Shore Senior
High will affect my college life in a positive way. It has
helped me to become more mature, and it has made me
more outgoing. This will pay off when I am in an exciting
new environment where I have to meet new people.
LAUREN TAYLOR
Packing for College
Jasmine Morehead
Lauren Koutlias
What was the hardest
thing about preparing
for college?
The hardest thing for me was the college application
essays. Majoring in studio art at UT Austin required
writing three essays instead of the usual two. It took a lot
of brainpower, but I must have done okay because I got
accepted.
Page 7
College Bound
by Jamere Brown and Sierra Green
The Senior Class of 2012 is cleaning out their lockers, signing yearbooks, and saying their final goodbyes as they head out the doors of North Shore Senior High for the
last time. As summer melts into fall, many seniors will become freshmen again. Thunder Express did a random survey of seniors in the halls, at lunch, and in AVID to get
an idea of where graduates are going to college. The list is far from complete, but it does reveal that NSSH seniors are scattering far and wide to pursue their dreams. If
your name was left out or misspelled as we rushed to press, we are deeply sorry. Those of us left behind will miss you in the days ahead, so please stay in touch!
Brashae Adams
Kevin Alexander
Ebonii Anderson
Kiara Arroyo-Andrade
Jermaine Authorlee
Alexandria Bailey Matthew Barnes
Allen Barnes Jr. Joseph Barrera
Sarah Bazaldua Dwight Bazile
Kenneth Bell
Aladrian Black
Kristin Booker
Veronica Boutte Elizabeth Brambila
Kayneshia Breedlove
Josh Bretzke Aril Brown La Terra Bunn
Dimitri Bush
Brittany Campbell
Cassie Carpenter
Montserrat Castorena
Gonzalo Cervantes
Christian Chanette
N’Kayle Chase
Johnny Chatman II
Demetria Claybon Martin Cortez Jr.
Carlos Cruz
Yesenia Cruz
Senia Cruz
Brianna Davis
Dominique Davis Kiara Dawkins-Freightman
Warchesiak Denton Michael Dilan Franchessica Dixon
Briana Edwards
Darian Edwards Chelsea Finley
Kimberly Flanagan
Page 8
Lamar
Blinn
Clark Atlanta
University of Houston-Downtown
Alabama
Clark Atlanta
Alabama State
Sam Houston State
University of Houston-Downtown
Sam Houston State
Grambling State
Texas A&M
Prairie View A&M
University of Texas-San Antonio
University of North Texas
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Lamar
University of Houston
Florida A&M
Stephen F. Austin
Louisiana State
Stephen F. Austin
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
University of Houston-Downtown
Prairie View A&M
Texas Southern
University of Texas-Austin
Clark Atlanta
Texas Southern
Houston Baptist
Lamar
Lamar
Texas Southern
University of Houston
Fisk University
University of Texas-San Antonio
University of Houston
Stephen F. Austin
Prairie View A&M
University of North Texas
Sam Houston State
University of Texas-San Antonio
Amanda Flores Areonna Flournoy
Kerri’anna Floyd Terray Franklin
Antwine Frazier
Ruby Garcia Valdemar Garcia Steffanie Giron Izmail Glosson
Camryn Goodman Briana Gordon Antony Hardy
Christian Harper Keon Harison
Ana Hermida
Carolina Hernandez
Alexuis Hogan
Ja’Corey Holmes
Toure Hopkins Daniel Huerta
Blanca Huerta Charnelle Innocent
Jamara Jackson
Gerald Jenkins Bruce Johnson
Breunna Jones Aerian Joseph
Latoya Joseph Jasmine King
Lauren Koutlias Mona Landry Katelyn LeJeune
Paul Lewis Lord Macawili Briaunna Madison
Jenniffer Madrid-Cartagena
Jessica Martinez
Zajee Marves
Jamie Matthews Larry McDuffey
Cristian Melendez
Sarvia Menjivar
Samuelle Mercer
Louisiana State
Anderson
Baylor
Stephen F. Austin
Blinn
University of Miami
Texas Tech
University of St. Thomas
University of Houston
Cornell
University of Texas-San Antonio
University of Houston
University of Texas-El Paso
Blinn
Houston Baptist
University of Texas-San Antonio
Texas A&M
Sam Houston State
Kennesaw State
University of Texas-San Antonio
Stephen F. Austin
Grambling State
University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston
Prairie View A&M
Texas Southern
Sam Houston State
Prairie View A&M
Texas Women’s
University of Texas-Austin
University of North Texas
Lamar
Oklahoma State
Houston Baptist
Texas State
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Stephen F. Austin
Texas Tech
University of Texas-Austin
University of Houston
Stephen F. Austin
University of Houston-Downtown
Lamar
Molena Minix Pavlova Monroy Jarius Moore
Jasmine Morehead Ricky Mullins
Eric Negrete Jr.
Krystal Nevarez
Viet Nguyen Makeel Phillip
Zelma Phillips
Edwin Portillo Brenda Ramos
Chelsey Reed
Troy Roach
Cheilcey Robeaux
Jasmine Robinson
Erica Robinson Amber Rodrigues
Jesenia Rodriguez
Sara Rowe
Stevanie Ryans Eron Salazar
Chris Salinas Omarcus Sam
Lisa Sampson Cynthia Sandoval
Kaylen Sennette Roderick Simmons Timesha Smith
Alexander Smith
Breona Spates
Celina Tamez
Darius Taylor Vashti Tillman
Diana Tovias
Qwentadria Ware
Trevionne Washington
Diaja Wheeler Mariah Wills
Calvin Wilson James Wilson III
Caleb Young
Gebrina Yusuf
Texas A&M-Kingsville
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Texas Southern
Texas State
Howard
University of Houston-Downtown
University of Texas-San Antonio
University of Texas-Austin
University of Houston
Sam Houston State
University of Houston
University of Houston-Downtown
Prairie View A&M
Grambling State
Lee College
Texas Southern
Texas State
University of Houston
Lamar
Texas A&M
St. John’s
University of Houston-Downtown
University of North Texas
Sam Houston State
Rice University
University of Houston-Downtown
University of Texas-San Antonio
Gramblin State
St. Mary’s
Tyler Junior College
Lamar
University of Houston
Texas Southern
Houston Baptist
University of Houston-Downtown
Sam Houston State
University of Texas-San Antonio
Stephen F. Austin
University of Houston
Prairie View A&M
University of Houston
Southeastern Louisiana
Kansas State
May 2012