Current Issue - Henderson ISD

HI -LIFE
THE
The Student Newspaper of Henderson High School
Issue 6
May 20, 2016
Volume 85
2016 Hi-Life Poll
featured on page
6
Varsity Band Receives
Earns Sweepstakes Title
Perla Perez , Daulton Crim
Win Prom Queen, King
Perla Perez and Daulton Crim were voted Prom Queen and
King at prom. They were chosen by their senior classmates the
week before.
“I felt honored that I won,” Perez said. “I also got to dance
with one of my favorite people.” photo by Juana Santana
In this issue:
The varsity band competed at Troup High School in the UIL
Concert and Sightreading Contest on April 28. They received
straight first divisions in both portions of the contest and earned
Sweepstakes, the highest award at the contest.
“I felt really confident,” senior Katherine Cisneros said. “We put
a lot of hard work this year.” courtesy photo
Important Honor grads bring their favorite teachers
Dates to the Tradition of Excellence Banquet
May
20 th
Sarah
Murphy Field
Day
23 rd
Senior
Scholarship
Program
24 th
Choir Spring
Concert
26 th
Band Spring
Concert
30 th
Band State
Solo &
Ensemble
31st
Band Banquet
Graduation
Practice
June
3 rd
Graduation
Amanda Willis, Staff Reporter
As each pair takes a turn on the stage, students
and teachers alike listen intently to their words
—every student’s speech telling a story of hard
work and motivation and the teacher’s telling the
pride they experience as the result of that student’s
perseverance.
Honor graduates, along with the teacher that
has had the most influence on them, attended the
Tradition of Excellence banquet March 16 at the
Civic Center.
“I think that [attending the banquet] is a great
accomplishment,” Principal Terry Everitt said. “It
recognizes [the students] for many years of hard
work.”
The honor graduates at the banquet were Karleigh Foster, Hannah Smith, Jordan Boles, Sam
Brown, Julio Cervantes, Brooke Crim, Cali Cum-
mings, Cori Dorsey, Keeleigh Foster, Alex Gonzalez, Ryan Higgs, Summer Mashburn, Collin Neal,
Emily Pierce, Sydney Pierce, Abraham Rebollo,
“It truly is an honor to be
recognized for the hard work
myself and others have put into
school since sometimes the
‘smart kids’ get overlooked.”
--Karleigh Foster
Brianna Riley, Tori Self, Reagan Shirley, Bailey
Taylor, Jairo Tec and M’Kayla Vasquez.
“It truly is an honor to be recognized for the
hard work myself and others have put into school
since sometimes the ‘smart kids’ get overlooked,”
Valedictorian Karleigh Foster said.
At the banquet, each honor graduate gave a
speech about their most influential teacher; the
teacher then responded with their own speech about
the student who chose them. Karleigh chose Brad
McGinnis as her most influential teacher.
“[Mr. McGinnis] taught me tenacity and hard
work and to never give up no matter how difficult the
obstacle may be,” Foster said. “His advice inspired
me to accomplish goals I never thought I could
reach, such as being Valedictorian of my class.”
Hannah Smith chose Cindi Rains as her teacher,
Jordan Boles chose Colby Barron, Sam Brown chose
Jerry Hale, Julio Cervantes chose Keith Tanner,
Brooke Crim chose continued on page 3
Juniors compete at state track meet
David Eubanks, Staff Reporter
Juniors Trestan Ebner and Lakendrick Vanzandt competed
at the state track meet in Austin on May 14. Ebner competed
in the 100- and 200- meter dashes where he finished seventh
and fourth, and Vanzandt came in sixth place in the 300 meter
hurdles.
“State was a great experience,” Vanzandt said. “I had the
win, but I hit a hurdle and ended up in sixth place. It’s okay
though, because I’ll be back next year ready.”
At the area track meet in Carthage on April 22, Ebner came
in first on the 100 meter dash and first in the 200 meter dash.
Vanzandt came in first in the 300m hurdles.
“I think I’ll do way better in track next year mainly because
I finally started to get the hang of things,” Vanzandt said. “I
learned how to prepare myself for my own racing event and
not try to fit in with my friends that run also.”
In the 4x100 relay, the Henderson team placed first. Senior
Lakendrick Vanzandt jumps over hurdles during the 300 meter hurdle event. He placed first at the
area track meet at Carthage to advance to the state meet in Austin. photo by Larissa Caceras
Staffer meets key player in Bernie trial
David Eubanks, Staff Reporter
I didn’t know much about the tale of Bernie Tiede until I saw the film over
the subject in 2011. Then, in 2014, I was surprised to find out that the murderer,
Mr. Tiede himself, was being released from prison to live with the director
of the film. I was even more surprised to find out that Tiede was having a resentencing trial right here in Henderson in April.
On the evening of April 21, I went to MoJoe’s and casually made a joke to
a friend about how I was going to go set Tiede free. A voice came from behind
me mentioning that Tiede was technically free already, staying in a hotel and
able to go out to eat or even to the movies. It turns out the voice belonged to
Joe Rhodes, the nephew of Marjorie Nugent, and he was in town to watch and
testify at the re-sentencing trial. To be quite frank, I was a bit starstruck. The
man has written for the New York Times, for crying out loud.
A week later, I emailed Joe, a freelance journalist, about doing an interview
for the paper over the whole situation. Even though he’s turned down interviews
with 48 Hours, he agreed to let me interview him.
As a quick summary, Bernie Tiede was a mortician and funeral director in
Carthage, Texas. He met Marjorie Nugent in March of 1990 after he directed her
For more stories and features go to www.thehi-life.com
husband’s funeral. Nugent was not-well liked in the town and the locals seemed
to be shocked that Tiede started to spend a decent amount of time with her.
“I did not meet Bernie until his first trial in 1999,” Rhodes said. “I had not
lived in Texas for quite some time and had never encountered Bernie before
he killed Aunt Marge.”
By 1993, Tiede had quit his job and was working full-time for Nugent.
However, in 1996, he shot her four times in the back and preserved her body
in the deep freeze. She wasn’t found until her son and granddaughter came
looking for her after nine months of being out of contact.
“I was, of course, shocked by the details of her death, but the circumstances
surrounding it felt slightly ridiculous,” Rhodes said. “That she’d been found
in a freezer, hidden under the chicken pot pies struck me as somewhat funny,
even then. The murder wasn’t funny, but most everything else about it has been
bizarre, the kind of thing that seemed ripe for dark humor.”
Tiede was taken into questioning by police in August of 1997 and admitted to the murder quickly after. When word got out, many people in Carthage
didn’t believe Tiede had committed the murder or continued on page 3
Add HHS Publications on Twitter and Facebook
Page 2
Opinion
So long, fairwell
Some words of advice for
the underclassmen
A send-off to the class of 2016
David Eubanks, Staff Reporter
Seniors, our days at Henderson High School
are drawing to a close. With graduation coming up on June 3, we literally only have days
left to call ourselves high school students.
When we first stepped in to kindergarten, we
had a lot of things on our minds, but graduation
wasn’t one of them. As we went along, we only
thought about what Northside or middle school
would be like, never our final day of high
school. But now as the big day approaches,
we have to face the inevitable.
The senior class has done a lot. From the
egg drop with Mr. Bishop singing “Amazing
Grace” when the egg broke to playing Medic
and Zulu (the best days in the gym class). And
we can’t forget about the many relay days,
where we’d come up with a cheesy name that
matched our teacher’s name (Cook’s Cubs or
Freeman’s Frogs) and run for far too long (so
much running).
But in all seriousness, we have made history the past few years. A lot of us went with
the band to the state marching competition in
2012, the first time our band had ever gone to
state. A handful of our senior boys played on
the soccer team that made history just a few
weeks ago, advancing to the regional final
round. Some of our other seniors have acted
May 20, 2016
in many a play, traveled to state art contests,
and played (or cheered) their hearts out at
the Henderson vs. Navasota football game
in Lufkin back in 2014. (According to recent
updates, Navasota is still wearing Crocs). We
definitely have made some history throughout
the years.
Graduation is zooming in, and students
have every right to be nervous. If your fear
is that you’ll have to now be a normal, functioning member of society, don’t worry. Lots
of us probably have the same fear. If you fear
you won’t be a normal functioning member
of society, still do not worry. You have plenty
of time left to find your true calling, whether
it be meteorology or bird watching. We are
the class of 2016, so any profession we choose
will be awesome.
So, in the end, graduation will be a very
bittersweet moment. We’ve come so far for
this one moment. It’s like the climax to the
movie, the last scene that makes the audience
tear up (while the critics, also known as the
underclassman, cringe in frustration knowing
they have to start school again in August). So
pull out those past yearbooks, record all your
memories and be sure to enjoy your last few
days at good ole HHS.
What are your plans for after
you graduate?
Tristan Bennett, Staff Reporter
give would be to look and take opportunities.
Opportunities are everywhere and your life
can drastically change by taking a leap of faith.
Many people do not know that they are there
or they think too low of themselves to take the
risk. I have been lucky receiving many opportunities to better myself and learn new skills.
These led to even more opportunities later on
helping me get a head start into my career. If I
never taken these chances, I would have never
became who I am today and have the greater
chance of reaching my full potential.
Finally, when it comes time to move on
from high school, it is important to keep moving forward and be optimistic about the future.
While it is sad to leave friends and places that
memories were made with, there still are the
memories that will last a lifetime. Choosing
to look forward does not mean to forget the
past, it simply means to leave it there and move
on. When someone chooses to stay focused on
what happened in the past, they do not utilize
the benefits that awaits them in the future.
These three lessons helped me achieve
success during my years in high school. I
know that this advice is subjective and does
not apply with everyone but I hope that people
can take this advice and open new doors for
themselves. Thought the years of being here at
HHS, I have learned important lessons such as
taking responsibility, finding opportunity and
choosing to look forward. These principles
are not only important during the four years
high school, but can be followed throughout
the many years of life.
Writing this article, I feel sentimental since
it will be the last time I write for The Hi-Life.
I have spent four years informing and entertaining students and will be sad to see it end.
It has been an amazing experience giving me
many skills and friends that I would have never
received not being on staff. In this editorial, I
would like to offer advice to upcoming classes
as I prepare to move on from high school. This
advice will help students be able to achieve
greatness and have amazing outcomes in life.
Though the years of being here at HHS, I have
learned important lessons such as taking responsibility, finding opportunity and choosing
to look forward.
Starting my senior year, my mother’s job
required her to come in around 6 a.m., which
left me to be responsible for everything in
the morning. No longer could I expect to be
woken up or have breakfast waiting for me at
the table. At first, it was hard managing by
myself. My attendance record might reflect
this, seeing that I was late to first period a few
times first semester. I knew this trend could
not continue so I became more responsible,
waking up earlier and taking care of all my
business in time to be at school before the
tardy bell. Now I know that I will be ready
for college and adulthood and can rely on
myself if needed be. Responsibility is crucial
to success in high school since it allows people
to become more independent and respected.
It also lets others see that you are becoming
a mature adult.
Another important piece of advice I would
High school friendships
should be appreciated
Amanda Willis, Staff Reporter
“ I w i l l at te n d Ty l e r
Junior College and
finish my basics. Then
I will transfer to UT Tyler
and get my bachelors
a n d my m a s te r s i n
nursing and become
a nurse pratitioner. I
want to specialize in
either pediatricts or
neonatal.”
--Summer Mashburn
“ I w a nt to a t te n d
K i l g o re Co l l e g e to
study cosmeto l gy
after I graduate high
school.”
--Mystie Avendano
“After I graduate high
school, I want to attend the University of
Technical Institutes of
Dallas for four years.
Then I want to serve my
country and join the
Marines.”
--Joseph Higgins
The Hi-Life Staff’s
Quote of the Month
“There is no pleasure
in having nothing
to do: the fun is in
having lots to do and
not doing it.”
- Mary Wilson Little
Friends. No, not the 90’s sitcom (although
it was pretty great), I mean actual friends.
The kind who plan surprise birthday parties
or spontaneous sleepovers. The kind who are
there for you when you need them.
Throughout life, friendships form and end.
They shape your personality and the person
you become. While you will form many friendships throughout your life, almost none will
compare to those found in high school. Rarely
will you spend as much time with future
friends in their homes, around their family, or
even during the day. High school friendships
should be more appreciated and valued.
The companions found in high school
provide the foundation for future friendships.
They assist in teaching compromise and the
Playing Hookey
50 HHS students were polled
on whether they are coming
to school on the last day.
Of course I’m coming
26%
The chances are slim
74%
HI -LIFE
THE
STAFF
Tristan Bennett
<-------
David Eubanks
-------<
Emily Glasgow
<-------
Allison Leadon
-------<
Zeb Linebarger
Photo courtesy of Marywilson.com
acceptance of others needed in a healthy relationship. They also prepare you for future
socializing with others, and boost confidence.
Friends are the family you get to choose,
and most of the time high schoolers spend
more time with friends than actual family.
They listen to your hopes and worries and give
advice when needed. You can always count on
them to stay by your side and provide comfort
when you need help.
Whether it is due to teenage drama or
graduation, most high school friendships don’t
last. Appreciate all the good times you’ve had
with your classmates, and don’t take them for
granted. Your friends have supplied you with
several good memories to look back on; make
sure you value them.
<-------
Amanda Willis
-------<
H I -LIFE
THE
The Student Newspaper of Henderson High School
P.O. Box 728 • Henderson, Texas 75653
[email protected]
Vol. 85, No. 6 May 20, 2016
“Were it left to me to decide whether
we should have a government without
newspapers, or newspapers without a
government, I should not hesitate a moment
to prefer the latter.” -Thomas Jefferson, third
President of the United States, 1743-1826
T h e H i - L i fe Ad v i s e r :
Alisha McGee.
The H i - Life is pr inted
by the Henderson Daily
News.
The Hi-Life is a member
of the I nte r scho lastic
L e a g u e
P r e s s
Conference. Published
nine times a year, The
H i - L i fe i s d i s t r i b u t e d
free to students, faculty
and staff of Henderson
H i g h Sch o o l . M a i l o ut
subscriptions are $10 per
year.
The Hi-Life will refrain
from printing material
that we consider libelous,
invasion of pr ivacy or
subject matter intended
to cause severe disruption
of school activities.
Opinions expressed on
opinion pages are those
of the staff and do not
necessarily reflect the
o p i n i o n s of t h e H I S D
administration or staff.
Letters to the editor that
add ress cu r rent local
events, issues of interest
o r topics w h ich a re
pertinent to the student
body as a w ho l e a re
wel comed. A l l l et te r s
must be signed; however,
the name of the writer
will be withheld upon
request, if circumstances
warrant.
Advertisements in The
H i - L ife a re ava i l ab l e.
E-mail for pricing. The HiLife reserves the right to
refuse any advertisement
for any or no reason.
May 20, 2016
News
Bernie Tiede Experience, continued from page 1
didn’t think he’d done anything wrong if he did kill her. So,
for fairness sake, the trial was moved to San Augustine.
“He was a beloved figure, friendly to everyone, always
willing to go out of his way to help people while Aunt Marge
was pretty much the opposite of that,” Rhodes said. “It’s hard
to love Aunt Marge. And it’s hard to hate Bernie.”
At his first trial, Tiede was sentenced to life in prison. As
the years went by, the case faded from public eye, that is, until
the Bernie film was released in 2011.
“I loved the movie and thought it was stunningly accurate,”
Rhodes said. “I don’t think there’s anything in the film that
isn’t true. Although some details may have been tweaked, the
essence was dead on.”
In May of 2014, Tiede was released from prison, with the
help of District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson, to live with
the director of the film, Rick Linklater.
“I was amazed it happened,” Rhodes said. “Not many
elected officials, especially prosecutors, are willing to do
that. He followed his conscience and I think he should be
applauded for it.”
Tied remained free for two years until his re-sentencing
trial in April. Henderson local and senior Natalie De La Vega’s
mom, Stacy Thornton was a member of the jury.
“First, we had to decide if the killing was done with sudden
passion, which we decided it wasn’t,” Thornton said. “And then
we had to decide if we wanted to give him a certain number
of years or not.”
Rhodes not only attended the trial, but also gave a testimony.
“My testimony in the recent re-sentencing trial was to
reiterate things from my New York Times story, specifically
an incident when I was a teenager in which Aunt Marge had
locked me in her house (in Longview) because I refused to do
State Track Meet, con’t from p. 1
nior Dalton Simmons also
placed second in the pole
vault and senior A’Kayla
Chancey placed first in the
200 meter dash.
“The track team has done
great,” Coach Eddie Milner
said. “Anytime you make it
to the state track meet, that
is a good year.”
At the regional meet on
April 29 and 30, Ebner finished first in the 100 meter
dash and second in the 200
meter dash. Vanzandt finished second in the 300 meter
hurdles.
“I never thought I could
pull off starting out running
a 42 in the hurdles,” Vanzandt
said. “But as I kept going
and pushing myself to grind
harder and not give up, I
slowly started to realize I can
do anything.”
For a complete
listing of track
results from district,
area and regional
meets, visit
thehi-life.com.
Honor Graduates, con’t from p. 1
Alisha McGee, Cali Cummings chose Lequitta
Holmes, Cori Dorsey chose Diane Durant,
Keeleigh Foster chose Chris Leatherwood,
Alex Gonzalez chose Ronny Grandgeorge,
Ryan Higgs chose Michael Perry, Summer
Mashburn chose Pamela Clifton, Collin Neal
chose Tracy Allen, Emily Pierce chose Shirley
Taylor, Sydney Pierce chose Leah Henderson,
Abraham Rebollo chose Sharon McQuiston,
Brianna Riley chose John Raulston, Tori Self
chose Aaron Kerss, Reagan Shirley chose Jon
Starling, Bailey Taylor chose Shannon Freeman, Jairo Tec chose Cruz Orta and M’Kayla
Vasquez chose Monica Hachtel.
“I appreciate Brooke choosing me as her
most influential teacher,” yearbook adviser
McGee said. “It is encouraging to me, and
reminds me that the time I spend teaching is
well-spent.”
Valedictorian Karleigh Foster and her most influential teacher, Brad McGinnis, make a
presentation at the Tradition of Excellence banquet May 16. photo by Zeb Linebarger
Page 3
a chore she wanted me to do,” Rhodes said. “The defense team
wanted me to tell that story because it bolstered their theory
that Aunt Marge was a controlling and sometimes abusive
person with a long history of bullying.”
In the end, Tiede was given 99 years or life in prison at his
re-sentencing trial.
“I like him and believe the time he’s already spent in prison
is sufficient punishment for the crime he committed,” Rhodes
said. “I don’t believe society gets any benefit from having him
back in prison. He has served his time and deserves a second
chance.”
Although he may be back in prison, Tiede has already filed
for another appeal.
“This is a story that is not yet finished, so, stay tuned,”
Rhodes said.
Page 4
Features
Spring Show:
May 20, 2016
Superheroes & Villains
Clock wise from top
left: Cristina Valdez,
Kyla Whitaker, Hayli
Hughes, Jordan Still,
Sa ra h Va ug h n a n d
Sarah Pino, Jairo Tec
perform at Spring Show
in the cafetorium at
HMS on April 30. photos
by Zeb Linebarger
Henderson
Federal Savings
Bank
Member FDIC
130 N. Marshall St
Henderson, TX
(903) 657-2577
We offer Student Checking Accounts!
Only $25 to Open
No Monthly Fee
Free Debit Card
Free Internet Banking
www.hendersonfederal.com
BACKING THE LIONS SINCE 1929!
Drivers Education
Henderson Driving School
Contact:
Anne Pool
(903)646-5351
(903)655-1848
Address: 1910 FM 3135 Henderson, TX 75654
May 20, 2016 Sports
Page 5
Lady lions golf finishes runner-up in district
Lions finish fourth in district
Emily Glasgow, Staff Reporter
The Lady Lions golf team finished as a runner-up in the
district 19-4A tournament and advanced to regionals April
11-12. The varsity Lions took
fourth place in district.
“To prepare for a tournament I practice
a lot,” junior Savanna h Gholson
said. “I make sure
that I have
my e q u ip m e nt
and I
just have fun.”
On April 4 at
the district 19-4A meet
the ladies
began the day
in second place
being 10 shots
behind Rusk. The
final round was
played at the Woodhollow Country Club in Longview.
They carded a
total of 485 in the first
r ou nd. T he
Lions finished the
day with a
total card of 385
for the first
day. Greg Gooding coaches both
teams.
“I am very proud,” senior Brianna Riley said. “I am
very thankful for my coach.”
At the 4A Region III Golf Championship, held at the
Raven’s Nest Country Club in Huntsville, the Lady Lions
carded a score of 515 and finished the two day event
twelfth overall. Riley lead the team with a two-day total
of 224. Riley tied the best score among the Lady Lions
on the second day with a 124 shot.
“I worked really hard this season,” Riley said. “I am
very blessed to have something to show for it.”
Freshman Alyssa Pinnell, sophomore Sheridan Spencer, Gholson and Riley were named to the All-District
team.
“Being on the All-District team is such an
honor,” Gholson said. “I have worked so hard
to be
good in golf. I love golf and I feel like it’s
a sport
that I can really excel at.”
Above: Junior Savannah Gholson takes a swing at the East Texas Charter School
tournament. Right: Sheridan Spencer watches as her ball is sent off closer to the
hole at the ETCS tournament. Top right: Junior Akesh Patel makes a swing at the
ETCS tournament. photos by Greg Gooding
Sophomore Adam Morris advances to regionals in tennis
Emily Glasgow, Staff Reporter
The boys tennis team placed second
overall in district on April 1 in Center.
“I normally work on
consistency of
my shots and serves
during
practice,” junior Zac
P owe l l
said. “Along with hitt i n g
various balls at vario u s
speeds.”
Sophomore Ada m
Morris advanced to regionals and placed fourth in the boys
singles April 11 in Bryan. He became
semi-finalist in regionals and reached
semi-finals.
“The difference between last season
and this season is that I went further in
regionals,” Morris said. “I feel good
about making fourth, but I think I can
do better next year. I think I could
have gone farther if I had not gotten injured in December with an
abdominal strain. My goal for next
year is to go to state.”
Powell and sophomore Morgan
Wood played against senior Tucker
Love and senior Jacqueline Kendall
where Love and Kendall won third
place in mixed doubles at district.
“When I see the ball coming
towards me I picture where the
ball is going to bounce and how
to move myself around it,” Powell said. “Then I picture how I
should angle the racquet to place
the ball at a disadvantage for my
opponent.”
At district, senior Justine
Higuet won first place in the Sophomore Morgan Wood and junior Zac Powell
junior varsity tournament and play at district in mixed doubles on April 1. photo
freshman Josephine Kendall by Juana Santana
won third. Sophomore Shivam Patel placed fourth in boys
singles.
“Practicing as much as possible
no matter is the key to maintaining
skill,” Wood said. “Maintaining a
level head, trusting your skill, and
staying healthy is really all the
preparation you can do the day of a tournament.”
Sophomores Shivam Patel and Adam Morris compete in meets
earlier this season. photo by Juana Santana
402 S. Main, Henderson
SouthMainChurch.com
Red House - Wed 6:30pm
Prayer Requests: goo.gl/xZUv9c
Senior Justine Higuet swings in a singles match
at district on April 1. photo by Juana Santana
Congratulations
Graduates!
Page 6
Feature
May 20, 2016
H I -LIFE Poll
THE
The senior class elected their classmates
in these categories of the Hi-Life Poll
Most Precious
Wittiest
Chris Hooper-Beall, Caroline Spivey,
Brooke Crim
Chris Hooper-Beall, Allie Morris,
Brooke Crim
Most Likely to Succeed
Cori Dorsey, Brianna Riley, Hannah Smith,
Abraham Rebollo
Neatest
Best Dancers
Tad Baker, Cristina Valdez
Ryan Higgs, Cori Dorsey
Friendliest
Most Studious
Abraham Rebollo, Karleigh Foster
Chris Hooper-Beall, Brooke Crim
(not pictured:
Logan Morton, Michael Gonzalez)
Most School Spirited
Ryan Kirkner (not pictured: Tamra Powell)
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