It Can Wait Under the Lights Pets Waiting

PAGE
RAM
October 2013 █ Vol. 30 Issue 1
Mayde Creek High School
19202 Groschke Rd. █ Houston, TX 77084 █ 281-237-3842
DON’T
PANIC
Anxiety: At an alltime high among
teens Pg. 10
Under the
Pg. 15 Lights
MCHS Football
It Can
Wait
Pg. 6
Texting and Driving:
An Epidemic
Pg. 7
Pets
Waiting
How Much is that
Doggie in the Window?
Shelters in Katy
2
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
Get Noticed
Advertise in the
Rampage!
Spaces available from
1/8 page to one full
page.
Contact
Ms. Stephenson in
room B110 or any
Rampage staff member
for more information.
contents
Co-EDITORs IN CHIEF
Ramsey Minto
Vaclav Cafourek
ADVERTISING &
LAYOUT
Alex Castillo
FEATURES EDITIOR
Sarah Kent
SPORTS EDITOR
Connor Bubb
STAFF
Alex Armbruster
Stephanie Perez
Misty Cabrera
Justin Golden
Stacy Mason
Tyler Patterson
Stephanie Perez
Amy Reyes
Hannah Struczewski
featured
05
06
07
10
13
15
16
PHOTOGRAPHY
HEAD-Grant Pifer
Daniela Fernandez
Luisana Guevara
Kiana Mills
Rosi Reyes
Student Trips
It Can Wait!
Pets Waiting
Dont Panic
Conventions
Under the Lights
Gallery
ADVISER
Sheryl Stephenson
PRINT
aPrintis Inc.
GENERAL INQUIRIES
Mayde Creek High School
19202 Groschke Rd.
Houston, TX 77084
281-237-3842
regular
Kudos
Personality Profile
Ramblings
Do It Yourself
Girls are from Venus, Men are from Mars
Cover photo by Grant Pifer
04
08
09
12
14
Scan this QR code to your smart
The Rampage is an official publication of MCHS. Editorials represent
the opinion of the writer, but not
necessarily of KISD administration or
faculty. The Rampage is a member
of the Interscholastic League of
Press Conference (ILPC), the Texas
Association of Journalism Education
(TAJE), the Journalism Education
Association (JEA), the Columbia
Scholastic Press Association (CSPA),
the Texas High School Press Association (THSPA), and the National
Scholastic Press Association (NSPA).
It has received tops in Texas for
writing and photography, a gold
crown for in-depth reporting, a first
class rating, and is a medalist with
first place ratings. It is the policy
of KISD not to discriminate on the
basis of sex, disability, race, religion,
color, age, or national origin and its
educational programs, activites, and
employment practices.
phone to view this magazine online!
3
4
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
By Stephanie Perez
SCHOOL NEWS
STAAR: In our favor?
Staff
Here we go again, a new
school year and new STAAR
test requirements. Just when
we think we have the rules
down, the state loves to turn
it around again. Although this
time, everyone will be glad for
the new changes. Now it’s time
to whip out all the old studying tools and hitting those
textbooks.
It used to be that students
would need to take fifteen
tests to be able to walk down
the stage for their diploma.
Those tests included: English
I Writing, English I Reading,
English II Writing, English II
Reading, English III Writing,
English III Reading, Algebra I,
Geometry, Algebra II, Biology,
Chemistry, Physics, World
Geography, World History,
and US History.
Many students did not
like the idea of taking fifteen
tests to determine whether or
not they could officially graduate high school.
“I don’t like the STAAR
test because it doesn’t show
what we can do. I wish there
was a different way to graduate, like by seeing our overall
grades and the tests we take
during the year. It shouldn’t
be one test to pass or fail,” said
freshman Nicole Adams.
Now thanks to the new
STAAR changes students
only need to pass English I,
English II, Algebra I, Biology,
and US History to graduate.
Meaning freshmen only need
to take English I, Algebra I,
and Biology. Sophomores will
take English II and juniors will
take only U.S. History. As for
the other tests they will still be
offered but only as optional
tests. They will no longer be
required.
Students are relieved
and satisfied with these new
changes.
“It’s a lot better than
taking all those tests. There
were too many and they expected a lot from us, especially
as freshmen,” said sophomore
Anthony Inscore.
This is not the first time
the state has changed the test.
Students used to take TAAS,
then TAKS, and now STAAR.
Although with these past
changes, the state legislature
changed the entire test, not just
the requirements for which
tests must be taken and passed.
So why did the state legislature change the requirements
for students to graduate high
school?
“The requirements
changed because the Texas legislature realized that requiring
students to pass fifteen tests
was excessive. In addition, the
legislature realized that students were spending 45 days
taking the tests instead of receiving vital instruction that is
necessary to be successful later
in life,” said testing facilitator
Ms. Jennifer Beck.
Even though there are
fewer tests now than the year
before some students will still
not make the required level
the first time around. Those
students will be automatically
enrolled to take the End of
Course Test again.
Students will be offered
quite a few chances to be able
to pass the End of Course Tests
before time runs out.
Kudos
“End of Course Tests are
given three times throughout
the year: April/May, July and
December. Students that fail
will also receive some sort of
remediation/intervention to
help them be successful on the
next test, “said Ms. Beck.
Over all, students seem
very pleased with the new
changes. Especially when most
believe that the STAAR assessment is more difficult than the
TAKS assessment was only two
years ago.
“It was more difficult than
TAKS. The questions were
more complex. It also required
more work and time,” said
freshman Zachary Saenz.
With fewer tests to take,
students can give each more attention and be better prepared.
As another year rolls on,
so does the studying chaos for
the End of Course Tests. At
least now it might not be so
stressful and chaotic since there
are fewer tests. This will enable
students to spend less time
worrying about graduating
high school, and more time to
think about what they’re going
to do after high school.
Tennis: The Varsity Tennis team is starting off this fall season undefeated with big wins against Cy-Woods (12-7)
Pasadena (14-5) and Clements 2 (11-8).
Speech and Debate: The Mayde Creek Speech and Debate team competed this weekend at Kempner High School.
Freshman Lauren Pharr was 3rd in Novice Humorous Interpretation and 9th in Novice Student Congress. Additionally,
freshman Taha Aamar and sophomore Sabrina Hernandez were 4th in Novice Public forum Debate. Finally in a delay
report, Kellen Conner was 5th in Prose last week at Foster High School. The young team also had some solid results at the
Memorial Debate Tournament. Junior Kellen Conner was the Champion in Prose Interpretation, winning 1st place. He also
reached semi-finals in Dramatic Interpretation. Junior Alec Conlay had a personal best performance, advancing to quarterfinals (tied for 4th) and earning his State Points.
Girls’ Cross Country: The Girls’ Varsity and JV Cross Country teams competed at the Caldwell Cross-Country
Invitational at Davidson Creek Park. Both teams won their divisions, bringing home two Team Championship plaques
and 12 medals! On the Varsity team, senior Shenaya Thomas placed 3rd, earning a bronze medal, and junior Olivia
Johnston placed 2nd. On the JV team, freshman Lexi Torbit placed 1st, earning a gold medal, and freshman Andrea Vo
placed 2nd.
Choir: On September 21, 39 members of our choir competed in the Texas Music Educators’ Association Region XXXIII
District choir audition contest. Scott Phillips, Cody Cox, Williamson Turner, Charles Cavaleri and many others will be
advancing to the Regional audition round.
FBLA: The 2012-2013 Mayde Creek High School FBLA chapter received the Hollis and Kitty Guy Gold SEAL Chapter
Award of Merit for the state of Texas. Only two schools from each state receive this award for their overall campus involvement and community service projects throughout the school year.
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
SCHOOL NEWS
Summertime Involvement: Travel, Tours, and TV
A handful of students
have accomplished quite a feat
that they are very proud of.
The Rams are inevitably the
best of students as each have
brought some kind of award
home and displayed it proudly
within their school; others
have made an impact on the
community.
Mayde Creeks Students
are, once more, setting an
example for all other schools
within our district as FBLA
traveled to Texas A&M, the
Martinettes amassed an audience on their “Hey, Vo” video
and the First and Finest of the
NJROTC competed and placed
6th place in Washington out of
564 other schools nationwide.
Future Business Leader
of America (FBLA) member
senior Britney Hernandez
traveled to Texas A&M over
the summer break and participated in the Electronic
Career portfolio competition.
Last year, Hernandez placed
in the top three position at the
state competition. Because of
By Kiana Mills
Staff
A new year always brings
changes. This year at Mayde
Creek students may be seen
rushing to class more than they
did in previous years.
This is all due to a revised
tardy procedure. Students still
get a 30 minute detention like
last year. For each consecutive
tardy, students will still get an
additional half hour detention.
If the student gets more than
four tardies in the same day,
the grade level principal will
still assign a three or four hour
detention.
However, there’s something different now. If students
are late four to seven times in
the same period, they will get
an N in conduct for that class.
If students get more than eight
tardies, then they will receive a
U in conduct.
Some students feel that the
additional penalty is excessive.
this, Hernandez received an
automatic bid to nationals in
Anaheim, California. Although
she did not advance to the final
round, she was able to view
other students as examples and
sources of ideas for the future.
Traveling with Hernandez
was the FBLA Chapter
President and graduate, Kasia
Krozel. They traveled alongside members from Seven
Lakes and Cinco Ranch. The
weeklong trip varied between
business-related meetings,
three days of competition, two
days at a Disney theme park
and a day with other Texas
chapters viewing Catalina
Island.
“It was great, I learned a
lot and had an amazing time.
I had to do research on the
career that I was interested in
and make a presentation about
it in front of three judges,” said
Hernandez.
Members of the NJROTC
also traveled to Washington
this summer and competed
against 600 different schools
in the College Options
By Alex Castillo
Foundation JROTC
Leadership & Academic
Ads Manager/Layout Editor
Bowl (JLAB). Chapters from
with my friends. Overall, it
all over the nation competed
was a great time that I really
in JLAB, many of them from
enjoyed and would love to do
Air Force ROTCs. There were
again,” said Senior Mackenzie
only six Navy schools that
Rowell.
competed, and Mayde Creek
The mighty Martinettes
NJROTC was one of them.
have taken a stand for volunDuring the trip to
teering. The amazing dancers,
Washington, the four cadets Emma Dougherty, Noel
Dominique Whitaker, Charles
Edwards, Daniella Patricio,
Caveleri, Joshua Ott, and
Tracy Cardenas, Jada Pegram,
Austin Watts - also managed to
Gabriella Mireles, Melissa
tour some famous landmarks.
Perez, and Taylor Harris
One of the places they toured
helped create a video that
was the Smithsonian Museum
features many students from
of Modern History. Along with
Katy area schools. This video
JLAB, the first and finest travfeatures a song and dance
eled to Pensacola, Florida to
observe the military base that is routine that advocates PTSA
volunteering.
located there. They also toured
The girls were on a fast
the National Aviation Museum,
schedule to learn the routine.
where the Blue Angels reside,
“We learned it that morning
and spent time lounging
and we did it in the afternoon,”
seaside.
said Dougherty. But she feels it
“I was very excited for
was a fun experience because
the trip, we spent a lot of time
they got to spend time with
doing different things and it
dancers from other schools.
gave us some more time to be
Time Crunch:
“If you get a whole bunch
of tardies and you’re a really
good student then it’s not fair
to get an N on your conduct,”
said sophomore Tahj Steen.
However, some students
think that the new procedure is
beneficial.
“I guess the idea is to try
a different approach to get
people to come to class,” said
sophomore Kathryn Lenihan.
Avoiding tardies seems to
be very important at Mayde
Creek. Hallways seem to be
emptier now compared to
the old tardy policy before.
Students are taking the policy
more seriously and getting to
class on time.
Students may not realize
that administration had specific reasons for establishing the
new procedure.
Senior Principal Ms.
Crandall says, “We created the
5
The new tardy
procedure
new tardy procedure because
students were willing to accept
a 30 minute detention. In order
to make a big deal, now detentions affect conduct which
impacts exemptions and memberships into more prestigious
organizations and clubs.”
Senior Dominique
Whitaker is in National Honor
Society. She feels that if she
had been denied membership
to National Honor Society
because of an N in her
conduct due to tardies it
would be frustrating.
“I would’ve been
mad if I was denied,
because sometimes you
can get a tardy. I would’ve
felt frustrated because
tardies can’t be helped.
Sometimes you may have
to use the restroom or
something else. I feel that
the procedure shouldn’t
give an N for tardies. You
shouldn’t get an N just because
of tardies.”
Students may not realize
the impacts that tardies can
have on their futures. They
may be denied acceptance into
organizations that can help
their futures. Next time students get a tardy, they should
think about how that tardy
may impact their futures.
6
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
WORLD NEWS
Struggle in Syria
On August 21, 2013, the
Syrian government, controlled
by Bashar Assad, was accused
of a chemical weapons attack
on the town of Damascus,
killing 1,429 Syrian citizens,
including 400 children. Their
motives are not known to this
day. U.S. President Barack
Obama made it public that he
was debating attacking Syria.
He had prepared U.S. warships
to deliver an attack.
Some Americans and
America’s ally, the United
Nations, strongly oppose this
attack. The United Nations
threatened to take action upon
America if Obama decides to
attack Syria.
Obama’s reason for a
strike on Syria, he explained, is
to keep a longstanding ban on
poison gas in play. America’s
only ally in this situation was
France.
With little to no support
for his plans with the U.S.
Military, President Barack
Obama said that if Syria hands
over its chemical arsenal to
international control it could
prevent American strikes “if
it’s real.” Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad responded
to Obama’s settlement and is
committed to handing over its
chemical weapons.
The CIA has been sending
over LMGs and other small
arms to Syrian rebels for the
past several weeks under
orders from President Obama.
Fox News reported that “The
agency has also arranged for
the Syrian opposition to receive
anti-tank weaponry like rocket-propelled grenades through
a third party, apparently one
of the Gulf countries that
has been arming the rebels,”
according to a senior U.S. intel-
By Justin Golden
Staff
ligence official and two former
intelligence officials . The
officials spoke on condition
of secrecy because they were
not authorized to discuss the
classified program publicly.
Rebels fight against the
Syrian Regime Forces to this
day. Weapons supplied by the
U.S. are considered simply
symbolic to the rebels and
make no difference against the
Regime. The heavy weaponry
held by the regime is being
used to kill rebels every day.
On September 11th, 88
people from opposition groups
were shot and killed by the
regime. Assad’s forces and
pro-regime militia executed
at least 248 people, including
women and children, in one of
the deadliest attacks since the
start of the conflict in Syria.
Ukraine has been trying
to pull its citizens out of Syria.
However, they stressed that it
would be very difficult to do
so and evacuation can only be
approved under hard conditions such as an international
war breaking out. According
to Ukrainian Foreign Ministry,
there are still 350 Ukrainian
citizens in Syria. Syrian citizens
fight to evacuate Syria. Over
one million children need to
be evacuated, and this would
require over 16,000 school
buses.
Syria’s state is worsening
by the day. Regime militias
are executing civilians; rebels
are fighting back with U.S.
weaponry but are dying in
lareger numbers each day. U.S.
weaponry is getting into the
hands of the regime, worsening
the situation.
The end does not look
close for the problems in Syria
right now.
It Can Wait: The mistake that can kill
By Hannah Struczewski
Staff
Imagine this: you’re sitting
in the car, cruising down the
highway at the posted speed
limit: 75. All of a sudden you
feel your phone that is sitting
in your lap vibrate. You look
up at the road and notice that
there are no cars in front of
you, so you decide to look
down for a split second and
type up a quick response, press
send and look up.
CRASH!
To you it might seem like
a split second, but in reality
your eyes were off the road for
about five seconds and sometimes even more. That may not
seem like a lot, but if you were
driving at the average speed
limit of 55 mph, you would
have driven about the length
of a football field…without
looking at the road.
That gives you a different
perspective doesn’t it?
Everyone needs to under-
stand the dangerous consequences that can come when
they text and drive.
There have been many
proposals going around about
making texting while driving
illegal because of how dangerous it is and how many deaths
and injuries are caused by it
day after day.
To some students, this
is something that should be
already in place.
“Law? I thought it already
was,” said sophomore Claire
Clendening.
The issue of texting and
driving is so big worldwide
that many people think it is
common sense for it to be a law
already, but that isn’t the case.
Yet, while cell phones are
one of the main causes of car
accidents and vehicular manslaughter, there are still some
people who don’t believe it
should be against the law.
21 percent of drivers 15-19
years old who were involved in
fatal car crashes were distracted by a cell phone.
On September 2nd 2012,
Jeffrey Llody Bascom, 29, was
driving home from work when
his Dodge pickup truck drifted
off the 500 West in Vernal,
Ohio. The truck hit 15 year
old Clark Lesser and took his
life the next day. It was later
discovered that Bascom was
texting at the time of accident.
This was the first case
in the state of Utah where a
man actually has to spend
five years in prison for texting
and driving. Utah’s newly
amended law states that it
is illegal to do anything on
a hand-held wireless device
while driving except make
or receive a call, or use GPS
navigation. Before the law was
passed the driver of the vehicle
had to have been sending a
text at the instant the accident
took place to be considered a
crime. Merely looking at a text
or the screen of a cellphone or
any other hand-held wireless
device was not yet illegal.
There has been controversy going on about whether
texting while stopped at a red
light should be allowed.
“I don’t think texting at
a red light should be allowed
because you might not notice
when the light turns green,”
said freshman Alyssa Gayle.
Others make the point
that texting at a red light can
cause a chain reaction of traffic
problems. If the first person at
the light is sitting there texting,
waiting patiently for the light
to turn green and the person
behind them is also waiting,
it could potentially affect the
whole line of traffic, because
when the light does turn green,
the first person will still be focusing on their phone, missing
the light change, causing the
person behind them to not be
able to move. This chain reaction, in the end, really affects
everyone waiting at the light.
All it takes to stop the
danger of textin and driving
is for everyone to put their
phones down and pay attention to the road. Is that really
that hard?
FEATURES
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
How much is that doggie in the window?
There are many people
who love their pets, and there
are many people who wish
they could have one by their
side. Those wishing for a pet
should remember that one of
the best places to get a trustworthy pet is an animal shelter.
One shelter close
by is Special Pals at 3830
Greenhouse Road. The
Martinettes recently had a pet
food drive and donated their
collections to Special Pals.
“Mrs. Trotchie wanted to
get the Martinettes promoted
and Special Pals needed food,
so Mrs. Trotchie decided to
help,” said sophomore Maddy
Schreiber.
Special Pals is a no-kill
animal shelter and the price for
adoption is reasonable. Buying
an older animal would cost
about $40 while the young ones
would be around $80 or more,
depending on the size and age.
Older pets have a much harder
time getting adopted. People
tend to be more attracted to the
small and defenseless animals
while they believe that the
older animals are old enough
to take care of themselves, thus
leaving them alone. So older
pets there are crying out for
adoption.
Junior Tina Pham is one of
those who feels her life would
be enhanced by pet ownership.“I get depressed listening
to the amazing stories all of my
friends have. Their relationship
with their pets is so good that I
feel left out,” said Tina.
Students such as junior
Alexandria Grant are happy
with the choices they made in
choosing a pet.
“My rabbit, Fufu, is a
small black and white Dutch
breed. He is fun to be around
because now that he’s old,
he is slower, so I can catch
him faster than before,” said
Alexandria.
There really are some
kind-hearted people who
decide to take a long look at the
older pets who have been in
the shelter for a very long time.
No matter how many years go
by, Special Pals will never leave
them, not until some caring
person decides to adopt them.
Special Pals is not the
only animal shelter around
though. Another good animal
rescue center is the SPCA at
900 Portway Drive. This is also
a no-kill shelter. It is a little
bit farther away than Special
Pals, but has actually been here
longer so many people know
about it.
“When I find a homeless
animal I take it to the SPCA,”
said sophomore Vika Purba.
In addition to trying to
find homes for the animals,
this shelter also works to stop
animal abuse. Sometimes when
the wrong people have a pet
and they grow tired of caring
for it, they start to abuse the
poor animal.
No matter the size or age,
people have to choose what is
right for them and the soonto-be pet. Pet lovers feel that
someone who takes out their
anger on an innocent animal
was never meant to have one in
the first place. SPCA is trying
to stop that kind of behavior.
Animals really do want to
7
By Misty Cabrera
Staff
get adopted, but finding the
right person is the first step.
The responsibilities of being a
pet owner sometimes are not
clear in the minds of people
who only wish to have a pet,
without another thought about
what that entails. Animals
don’t just need a home, they
need someone who will take
good care of them for a long
time.
“People should do
research to see how to take
care of the pet, to see if your
schedule allows you to spend
time with them and to make
sure the atmosphere is okay,”
said English teacher Mrs.Tracy
Wagner.
Animals really want and
need a home. Finding the pet
is one thing, but finding him
or her in a shelter is another.
Those wishing to adopt should
take a good long look at every
animal shelter because that
special pet might not be in the
first one.
GOING OVER THE BRIDGE:
Junior High to High School
By Luisana Guevara
Staff
Bigger hallways, intimidating faces, and piles of
homework: All of these daunting aspects of high school are
things freshmen saw on their
first day of school this year.
They finally graduated
Junior High last year, but
are back at the bottom again.
So many new changes can
sometimes be overwhelming.
They have more homework,
new opportunities for extracurricular activities, and more
independence.
Freshman Bianca Gonzalez
is one of the students dealing
with these changes. “I feel like there are
more ways to be independent
because the teachers aren’t
babying you all the time. You
have to get it done, you know,
without teachers telling you to.
In junior high, teachers would
constantly remind you and
in high school you have to be
on top of it and know what’s
going on,” Gonzalez said.
Many freshmen feel as
though teachers and administrators in junior high used
to cut students more slack.
There is more pressure in high
school, but they are enjoying
their year regardless of all the
new challenges.
They recognize that with
the additional responsibilities
in high school come additional opportunities. There
are more sports to try out for,
such as baseball, softball, golf,
swimming, wrestling, soccer.
Girls can also try out to be in
the Martinettes. These are all
activities that are not available
to students in junior high.
By joining sports, students
can learn about working together with teams and gaining
new friends.
There are also many
organizations students can join
to spend time in. “There are
definitely more opportunities
in high school. In junior high
they don’t have programs like
the Sports Medicine program,”
freshman Angie Vick said.
Students are happy to
be in other extracurricular
activities and it is convenient
because they can meet new
people and make new friends
when they join these activities.
These organizations offer
students opportunities to
become leaders. The students
can sign up to be club officers
and even dream of becoming a
club president one day.
High school is a new
beginning. Many students are
challenging themselves to take
Pre-AP classes which require
more of them. “There is a lot
more homework since I take
Pre-AP classes” said freshman
Cyndi Ortez. The wide range of
classes to choose from causes
students to start thinking about
their futures.
Freshmen are looking
forward to what this four year
experience of high school will
bring, and are getting prepared
to approach the beginning of
the rest of their lives.
8
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
PROFILES
Leadership in our School
Briana Farias
Sophomore Class President
Angelea Banegas
Senior Student Council President
By Tyler Patterson
Staff
Amber Chen-Goodspeed
Senior Student Council Represenative
What kind of responsibilities do you
have as a class officer?
What kind of responsibilities do you
have being part of Student Council?
What kind of responsibilities do you
have being part of student council?
“I have to organize meetings, take
notes, communicate with sponsors, and
ensure everyone is
happy.”
“I have to plan events, bring up ideas,
plan meetings, and spread news to get
people involved.”
“I have to volunteer for school activities
as well as help with fundraising.”
Why did you
decide to be a class
officer?
“I love being a
leader and making
decisions for my
class.”
What kind of benefits do you have
being a class officer?
“You get to have close relationships with
principals. You can go to them in any
situation and they will help you.”
How do you feel as a class officer and a
leader of your class?
“It’s humbling to know I’ve earned the
respect of my principals.”
Why should someone else be a class
officer?
“Being an active member of your class is
the best experience.”
Why did you join Student Council?
Why did you decide to be part of student council?
“I like being part of an organization that
helps the community and my school.”
“I enjoy being in positions of leadership
and I love volunteering.”
What kind of benefits do you have
being in Student
Council?
What kind of benefits do you have
being part of student council?
“I get volunteer
hours and I get to
put it on my college application.”
How do you
feel to be part of
Student Council
and a leader of your class?
Staff
After getting a Bachelor’s
degree from Lubbock Christian
University, a Master’s degree
from the University of Texas of
the Permian Basin in Odessa,
and teaching for four years
at Mullin High School, Kim
Lukas has come back home to
Houston to teach the subject
that she loves, to students here
at Mayde Creek.
“I grew up in the Houston
area and I decided that it was
time to come back home and
Dr. Steele was the first to call
me,” she says.
How do you feel to be part of student
council and a leader of your class?
“It feels nice because I can share my
ideas and help others.”
“I enjoy being part of student council
and to be a leader is very exciting.”
Why should someone else be part of
student council?
“It helps our school as well as our community and it’s a fun environment.”
A New Teacher
By Rosi Reyes
“We have benefits of seeing what’s going
on in the school and volunteering for the
community.”
Mrs. Lukas teaches
Pre-AP and Academic
Chemistry. She did her student
teaching in Biology, but
decided she would rather teach
her favorite subject to her new
class.
Being new to a school
can make a person nervous,
meeting new people that they
have never seen before. But
Mrs. Lukas has found Mayde
Creek welcoming to new staff.
“The students and staff
have been really friendly so
far. Everybody has been really
nice and helpful, especially
coming in as a new teacher to
the school,” she says.
Students are always
curious about a new teacher,
wondering what teaching skills
they use and how they’re different than their past teachers.
“She’s a very positive
teacher and her teaching skills
are very precise,” says sophomore Anthony Jackson, a
student in Lukas’ Chemistry
class .
Sophomore Cortland Jiron,
another student in Lukas’
Chemistry class, says, “She
really does work with her students instead of lecturing them.
She also gives a lot of useful
information.”
Another difficulty of
being a new teacher besides
being new to the school is that
they face different challenges.
“Learning all the new programs has been really challeng-
Why should
someone else be
part of student
council?
“They should take
part to make a
difference in the
school and in the
community.”
ing, but I run my classroom the
same,” say Mrs. Lukas.
Every new teacher is differen; that’s why it’s exciting to
have new staff members.
Photo by: Daniela Fernandez
Teaching her class, Ms. Lukas works out
chemistry problems. Students were taught
how to analyze equations.
EDITORIAL
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
Should we have the Headphone Policy?
9
This year Mayde Creek implemented a new policy against headphones. The new policy prohibits students from
wearing headphones in class or in the hallways, and is meant to ensure students’ safety while minimizing distractions at school. The ban on headphones comes after an increase in recent years of students consistently wearing large
headphones in the hallways and in some classes. Those supporting the new policy insist that it helps students focus
while in class, reduces the possibility of accidents in the hallways due to in attentiveness, and does not keep students
from listening to music on their own time away from school. Those who are against the policy argue that there is
no real need for a ban on headphones, since they pose no immediate threat in the hallways, and it should be up to
individual teachers whether or not to allow headphones in class at certain times.
Yes
No
By Grant Pifer
By Vaclav Cafourek
Staff
Co-Editor In Chief
Question? What was your
favorite Halloween Costume
as a kid?
RAMBLINGS
Mayde Creek’s new policy concerning headphones is beneficial to students and creates a safer school environment. First of
all, whether we’d like to believe it or not, headphones can be distracting. Time after time, students who are paying more attention
to what’s next on their playlist than what’s ahead of them in the
hallway accidentally bump into another student. Obviously, this
causes problems. Getting rid of headphones effectively solves the
problem of inattentive students in our halls.
The policy also creates a safer school. If a student were to
have their music turned up a little too loud, he or she could miss
a fire alarm. While it may not ever become that serious, if making
as simple a change as not allowing students to have headphones
can reduce the risk of a terrible accident, why not do it? Erring on
the side of safety is never a bad thing.
I know that some people do actually work better while
listening to music. Sometimes I do. But in the classroom, headphones promote the use of cell phones for non-educational purposes. Most of us would end up searching for songs we’d like to
hear and procrastinating instead of doing the work the music we
were looking for was supposed to help us do in the first place.
While some would say there is no reason not to let students use their headphones before school, during lunch and after
school, doing so would make it difficult to enforce the rule at
other times. For example, a student who is seen in the hall with
headphones on could easily tell a teacher they were at lunch and
were just going to the restroom. Teachers and administrators
don’t have the time to draw the line between what is and what is
not allowed. Banning the use of headphones within the school is
a more effective way of dealing with the problems they present.
It’s easy see to that the positives of the policy are worth the
inconvenience of having to go without music while at school. I
hope students are eventually willing to be more open-minded on
this topic and accept the rule as it is.
The ban against headphones is unnecessary. Not only do
most students dislike the new policy, but more importantly, it
doesn’t really make sense. There is no danger posed by headphones as distractions in the hallway. Just because students are
listening to music does not mean they are at an increased risk of
bumping into each other. And in the case of fire alarms or other
things of the sort, the drills for these usually do not happen
in the hallways, and in case of a real emergency, regardless of
time, the volume of the alarms would definitely be heard by
the student, even if wearing headphones, and the visual cues of
people reacting to such an alarm would be obvious.
As for being distractions in class, headphones should
be regulated by individual teachers. Many teachers instruct
in such a manner that when they finish a lesson for the day,
they will let their students quietly chat and discuss homework
before they leave. It helps some students to simply plug in their
ear phones, turn on their music, and start on their work.
Those who support the new policy against headphones
say that headphones are a distraction in class and that the rule
helps ensure student safety in hallways. Many students actually work better listening to music, and allowing students to have
headphones in class might actually reduce noise from students
talking or playing around, creating an overall better learning
environment for other classes that might still be learning a
lesson. As for student safety in the hallway, it’s already been affirmed how headphones really do not affect a student’s safety.
Although the reasoning behind the headphone policy is
understandable (an attempt to create a better learning environment for students), the reasoning behind the policy does not
take into account both sides of the issue. When you get to the
bottom of it, the ban on headphones really is unnecessary, and
might actually negatively impact students who use music to
work or cope with day-to-day events.
“A ninja, because I was influenced by the Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles and I used to like
them a lot.”
“When I was the Cowardly Lion from
Wizard of Oz because I was 2 years old
and I was adorable and my whole family dressed up as the other characters
from Wizard of Oz so it was awesome.”
Wes Riddell ,11
Lexi Torbit, 9
Mrs. House
“Probably my Snow White
costume because my mom
made it for me and I wore
it to school all the time even
after Halloween!”
Daniel Liebig, 10
“When I dressed up as Aladdin because I was a cute
little Indian boy and I looked
like him.”
Ilyssa Martinez, 12
“Growing up I was obsessed
with Elmo, so when I dressed up
as Elmo on my third Halloween
it was the best Halloween ever.”
10
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
Handling Anxiety
Helping yourself and others
Distress Signal
The world seems to spin and
twist around you, you can feel the
solid ground below you, but at the
same time, you can’t. Your heart
is hammering so hard you swear
that at any second it will leap out of
your throat and your chest feels as if
the world’s best javelin thrower has
impaled you straight through your
heart. You try to get a steady grip
on something, anything, in an effort
to ground you to this planet and
gain some semblance of calm, but
your hands tremble as if thousands
of volts are flowing through an electric current in your body and your
limbs are numb.
You try to look around, maybe
for help, maybe for something to
focus on and gain control, but your
eyes can’t seem to see. You are
aware of the figures around you, the
worried glances you are receiving;
but there is a hollowness in your
eyes and you nearly feel trapped
inside your own head. Sounds are
terrifying, everything appears to
be a threat. Something bad is going
to happen to you, or perhaps it
already has, and you can feel it deep
in your gut. You’re terrified, mortified, distraught. There are a million
adjectives for how you feel, but at
the moment a coherent thought is
practically out of the question. Your
breathing is ragged and broken; you
can see black spots encroaching on
your vision. Someone grabs you,
shakes your shoulder. Through
your trance you can hardly make
By Sarah Kent
Features Editor
out their words, “Snap out of it, it’s
all in your head.” Of course it’s all
in your head, but does that make it
any less real?
According to teenmentalhealth.org, “Panic Disorder occurs
when people suffer from sudden
and unexpected, uncontrollable
panic attacks, anticipatory anxiety
and phobic avoidance.”
Teens all around the country
suffer from panic attacks and Panic
Disorder, and all too often these
teens are unaware of the fact that
they are having a panic attack or
their symptoms are dismissed as a
need for attention or overreacting.
For their mental safety, it is vitally
important that teens learn exactly
what a panic attack is and how to
perceive and diagnose the symptoms.
According to teenmentalhealth.org, “A person experiencing
a panic attack demonstrates four
or more symptoms, which come
on rapidly and peak within ten
minutes.”
Panic attacks can occur at any
time and any place. Oftentimes,
the victim may be completely calm
mere seconds before a full blown
attack, receiving little to no warning
of the attack. The body’s natural
reaction to potential danger is the
fight or flight response, which
causes the brain to release adrenaline and other hormones throughout the body in order to protect
against the danger. This response is
the cause of the many physical and
mental symptoms of panic.
According to teenmentalhealth.org, “Sometimes, panic can
occur ‘out of the blue,’ when there is
no danger. This is clearly not useful,
and can cause significant problems
for the person who experiences
the panic. If a person experiences
many panic attacks they often begin
to worry in anticipation of having
an attack. Sometimes this worry
becomes so strong that they avoid
going to places where a panic attack
might happen. For some people
this may lead to agoraphobia or
severe limitations to where they feel
comfortable going (such as: school;
the mall; driving on the highway;
etc.).”
While panic attacks tend
to mimic heart attacks, brain
tumors, and multiple sclerosis, it
is important that teens know that
panic attacks put them in no severe
physical danger as the symptoms
result from severe anxiety and large
amounts of adrenaline released
throughout the body.
According to calmclinic.com,
“Thousands of people are hospitalized every year after their first or
most severe panic attack, believing
that something very serious is happening. Many others believe that
they’re about to die.”
While panic attacks are prevalent in many different people, a teen
will not be immediately diagnosed
with Panic Disorder unless they
exhibit a set number of symptoms.
Some teens may experience panic
attacks very rarely, simply from
great amounts of stress, while
others may experience panic attacks
frequently and even develop a fear
of the attacks. According to teenmentalhealth.org, “Panic Disorder is
diagnosed when:
1) A person experiences frequent panic attacks
2) They worry excessively
about having another attack
3) They avoid situations in
which they fear having an attack
And because of this, their
quality of life suffers and they have
significant problems at home, work,
school or interpersonally.
Note: Panic attacks cannot be due
to substance abuse, medications or a
general medical condition and are not
better accounted for by another medical
disorder
While the frequency and
severity of attacks can vary for some
people, this can lead to agoraphobia
(fear of being in places in which
escape is difficult). A person may
start to avoid so many situations
that they become bound to their
home.”
Depending on the severity and
frequency of panic attacks, teens
may want to seek help from their
family and a psychiatrist in order
to address the cause of the panic
attacks and reach a solution in order
to prevent them.
Signs of an Anxiety Attack
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Palpitations, pounding or accelerated heart rate
Sweating
Trembling or Shaking
Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
Feelings of choking
Chest pain or discomfort
Nausea or abdominal pain
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded or faint
Feeling of unreality or being detached from oneself
Fear of losing control or going crazy
Fear of dying
Numbness or tingling in the body
Chills or hot flashes
Feeling like you need to urinate immediately.
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
Don’t Panic: How to cope with anxiety
By Ramsey Minto
Co-Editor In Chief
It all starts with a thought.
A single thought that becomes
hugely exaggerated in your head,
and in mere moments it’s as if
you’re thrust into cold water.
You can’t breathe, your heart is
hammering in your rib cage... or is
it even beating? Everyone around
you is fine. You feel the tears
coming and you can’t even hold
them back. The fact that you have
nowhere to hide makes it worse.
What if everyone judges you?
What if they laugh? You completely go into panic mode, darting into
the closest hiding spot.
If you know what this is
like, you’ve probably suffered or
currently suffer from anxiety and
panic attacks. Senior Anna Joes*,
who suffers from clinical anxiety
from a chemical imbalance in her
brain, says she experiences this
frequently.
“I’ll be sitting in class, and
suddenly I feel like my heart isn’t
beating. I try to play it off, but
then I start to wonder, is this it? Is
this when I’m gonna die? And the
panic sets in,” Joes says.
Anxiety is when a person’s
body and mind go into panic mode
as if they were in a life-threatening
situation, but in reality they’re
usually perfectly safe.
“I could be anywhere. Class,
my room, the store... and the worst
part is that every time feels like
it could be it. Every panic attack
I have feels as if I’m going to die,
no matter how many times it’s happened before,” Joes says.
Anxiety disorders affect
one in eight teens. Research also
shows that untreated children
with anxiety disorders are put at
a higher risk of performing poorly
in school, miss out on important
social experiences, and could
potentially engage in substance
abuse.
I could be anywhere. Class, my
room, the store... and the worst
part is that every time feels like it
could be it.
But a person doesn’t have
to be clinically diagnosed with
anxiety to have panic attacks.
Anyone is prone to one. It just
takes the right mixture of the situation, the surroundings, and the
people in them. Many people ask
the same question after, during,
or before an attack - how can I
prevent it?
“When I realized that what
was happening to me wasn’t
normal and something that I didn’t
have to go through, I approached
my mom about it. I was put on
a prescription that helps the imbalance I have in my brain, but it
didn’t completely stop the attacks.
Regardless, it’s made things
better,” said Joes.
If it’s a constant issue, it
should definitely be something that
one should talk to their parents
or doctor about. One can also
approach a school counselor to ask
for advice. It helps to have something that helps someone calm
down for moments that they feel
like they have nowhere to go.
“I’ve had teachers not let me
use the restroom during attacks.
It isn’t easy to just come out and
tell them why I need to get out of
the classroom. So I always practice
deep breaths and counting to
ten in my head. Focusing on the
numbers brings the attention away
Throwing a life preserver
Their breathing seems
panicked and forced. Panic is
clear in their eyes. On the inside,
they feel like the world is closing
in, like they are the only ones in
a large crowd who can’t breathe.
An anxiety attack can hit anyone.
A stranger, a classmate, or even
a close friend. When an anxiety
attack hits someone close, how
helpful can another person be?
How can another person even
help?
When a person is having an
anxiety attack, it is important for
them to have a friend with them or
to be able to call a friend. A supporting friend can be a helpful distraction, a reassuring listener or a
path to a teacher or counselor who
could also help. Just being there for
the person can be comforting.
“It’s helpful to have someone
to take my mind off what I am
anxious over and knowing
someone is there to help me
through it takes off a lot of the
fear,” said junior Kay Babin.
When trying to lend a hand,
it is important to remember that
every person is a bit different when
it comes to what helps them calm
down. If a person is aware that
their friend is prone to anxiety
attacks, it is important to communicate with that person to find out
what helps them through. For most
people however, just being there
to reassure them and letting them
know they have a shoulder to lean
on is enough. Some prefer silence
in order to concentrate and try
to relax, but even then it is good
to still stand by. Because of how
unique an attack can be, asking
what the person needs is very
essential.
Even though the things that
are helpful to hear vary from
person to person, the things that
are not helpful and can actually
make a situation worse tend to stay
the same.
“‘Calm down’, ‘You’ll get over
it’, and ‘You have nothing to worry
about’ are not what someone with
anxiety wants to hear. The person’s
mind is reacting in the same way it
would if that person was about to
be seriously injured or killed,” said
senior Matthew Ubias.
Helping with an anxiety
attack takes work and effort.
Calming a friend having an attack
11
from whatever scary thoughts
I’m having and helps to calm me
down,” explains Joes.
These students should not
forget to inform friends of the
issue at hand. People can confide
in those that they’re close to, and
explain to them what works, and
what doesn’t work, when trying to
calm them down from an attack.
“Do not tell me to calm
down. It makes it worse. The best
thing anyone has ever done for
me was just hold my hand and
keep reassuring me that I was very
much alive, and they kept asking
me things like what I felt about
the sky, or what my favorite show
was as a kid. Anything that gets
my mind off of whatever triggered
the attack to begin with is the most
helpful. I’m thankful every day
for my friends who pull me out of
bad situations and are always there
to talk to me on the phone if I’m
having an attack,” says Joes.
It doesn’t matter if it’s
frequent or rare; anxiety is not
something that needs to be suffered alone. Chances are someone
you know is suffering as well and
needs someone to call on just as
badly.
By Alex Armbruster
can take a lot, depending on the
extremity of the attack or how the
person reacts to certain phrases
and actions. However, there are
a few things that can ensure the
person is still receiving some
support. These things can include
just getting them to breathe slowly,
listening to what they have to say,
and reassuring them that a friend is
‘Calm down’, ‘You’ll get
over it’, and ‘You have nothing
to worry about’ are not what
someone with anxiety wants to
hear.
there to help them.
Junior Shaunnessy McNeil
said, “It’s always good to ask if
you can help, how, and then doing
what is needed. In most cases, just
being there, keeping quiet, and not
crowding the person helps a lot.”
It is not always possible, but
sometimes an anxiety attack can
be avoided altogether. Anxiety
varies from person to person, so
it can be difficult, but talking and
communicating with the person is
very important. The one big way
Staff
to prevent an attack is to know
what triggers the person’s attack
and simply not do or cause these
triggers. Avoiding these anxiety
triggers is crucial in averting a
friend’s going through an anxiety
attack.
“You have to be able to recognize that friend’s signs of panic and
be able to talk them down and turn
their attention away from their triggers before the attack even begins,”
said Ubias.
The big things to remember
when helping a friend handle an
anxiety attack are rather simple.
The person is going through
serious mental stress and in some
cases physical pain. Because of this,
a person has to be ready to help
their friend or encourage them to
find help from a qualitified professional in order to try and keep
them calm and relaxed.
Babin said, “Just remember
that it is not intentional and these
attacks can be completely random.
They will need a friend to stay
calm for them while they freak out.
Just try to recognize what their
attacks look like and be there for
them.”
12
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
Shades of Life
Light filters in through
the paned windows as Senior
Hannah Perepeluk sets out her
supplies across her kitchen
counter. While other students
are checking their Twitter
notifications or taking selfies
on Snapchat, Perepeluk utilizes
her spare time to create homemade decorations and works
of art.
Checking to make sure
that all of her supplies are
functional and intact, she
begins her artistic process.
With a steady hand, she arranges assorted crayons across
a medium painting canvas
while considering which
colors to use. After fastening
the crayons to the canvas with
tape, she begins the hardest
step in her current project.
Grabbing her blow dryer,
she fans out warm blasts of
air evenly across the crayons,
slowly melting them into an
even layer across the canvas.
As seconds gradually give way
to minutes, Perepeluk loses
herself in the process of her art,
By Amy Reyes
Staff
thinking of the different ways
she may improve her technique
and apply it to her next Do-ItYourself Project.
“I started doing DIYs
last year to help my cousin
decorate her apartment,” said
Perepeluk.
Gaining inspiration from
different projects that she
viewed online, Perepeluk
continued to work on different
DIYs, trying out new and different things with each project.
“The DIY section of
Pinterest really got me to
explore my creative side,” she
said.
Although Perepeluk only
does DIYs as a hobby, she
spends a lot of time and effort
gathering the supplies for her
project and always gives her all
in the creation of a DIY.
“I went to the store and
got a lot of crayons. I wanted
to make the DIY melted crayon
art for my friend’s dorm room
and spent time thinking about
which colors would work best.
I finally settled on different
ENTERTAINMENT
By Sarah Kent
Features Editor
blues and greens and worked
to tape them to the canvas and
melt them to the consistency
that I wanted,” Perepeluk said.
Although talented in the
creations of her DIYs, she must
still try her hardest in order to
get each project to match her
ideal image in her mind. Each
DIY requires time, patience,
and hard work.
“You have to have a lot
of patience to make a DIY; if
you rush through it, the DIY
won’t look the way that you
want and you will have to start
over,” said Perepeluk.
Making different
DIYs ranging from
decorative artwork to
furniture, Perepeluk
works on different
projects with different
motives.
“I like to make
them for other people
but I do like to make
some of them for
myself. Usually I
make the furniture for myself
and I give the artwork to my
friends,” said Perepeluk.
While the school year
continues and Perepeluk keeps
trying to find inspiration for
her many different projects, it
is sure that she will work to
make time to create many new
and creative DIYs.
“I try to do a project once
a month. It can be difficult to
do them during the school year
but I find time because I enjoy
being creative and finding new
things to do,” she
said.
Homecoming Recommendations
Best Places to Get
Homecoming Clothes
Best Restaurants to
Go Before the Dance
Best Places to Get
Mums and Flowers
Best Places to Get
Nails and Hair Done
Winsor
Cheddars
Hobby Lobby
Wen Chic
Salon & Spa
Camile
Cheesecake
Factory
Michael’s
Bella
Salon & Day Spa
Charlotte Russe
Chili’s
Garden Ridge
TGF Hair Salon
Express Men
Olive Garden
Kroger
Beauty Brands
Salon
Men’s
Warehouse
Saltgrass
Flower Design
Class
VIP Nails
ConPalooza
Grab your wallet and
costumes because your favorite
anime conventions are coming
back to Texas. Some people
always have a hard time trying
to find upcoming anime conventions; others have a hard
time trying to convince their
friends to attend.
First timers need to realize
that there is nothing to fear;
anime conventions are nothing
to be afraid of. The first step
they must make is to decide
which convention they’re going
to go to.
One of the upcoming
conventions is the muchloved, yet expensive, Oni-con.
This convention might be a
bit pricey but it is completely
worth it. With live performances and cosplay contests, there
is a lot to experience. This year
the convention will be about
an hour away from Houston,
Your quick guide to
anime conventions
at the Galveston Island
Convention Center from
October 25-27.
Those who have experienced it before attest to this
convention’s worthiness. “Onicon was a really fun. There
were so many things to buy
that I almost went broke. The
one good thing about it is that
my friends and I did have a
fun time together,” said senior
Garrett St Clair.
This convention is right
around the corner, so get on
your computers to pre-order
con passes. If you think that
you don’t have time to attend
Oni-con, don’t worry. There
are more to come. And here’s a
bit of advice for newcomers.
“Bring a backpack, plenty
of cash, a camera for pictures,
snacks because the food is
overpriced, and if you are into
it, make or buy a costume of
Ask Daisy
-I like this girl, but
she doesn’t know who
I am. How can I get
closer to her?
It’s always tough
to go up to someone
you like, but I would
suggest
introducing
yourself. Try to be
casual about it, and
make it look like you’re
not nervous.
Ask her how her
day is going, girls love
that. Be confident, not
cocky. Another tip is to
just be free and honest.
If you want to get closer
to her, in hopes of her
liking you back, it’s
important to always be
yourself.
Don’t try to be
someone you’re not,
because if you really
like this girl, she needs
to get to know the real
you.
-How can I make sure
I’m going to graduate
my senior year?
Well, make sure
you don’t fool around.
Take all of your classes
that are necessary first,
then if you have free
spaces take a fun elective.
You want to make
sure that you have all
the credits needed to
walk across the stage in
June. To find out how
many credits you have,
you can always talk to
your counselor or go
to the registrar’s office
and ask for a transcript.
Talking to your
teachers about what
you can do to bring
your grade up is always
a good choice.
Being a senior is
something everybody
looks forward to, but in
order to make it count,
you have to try and not
let yourself fall behind.
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
By Misty Cabrera
-How can freshmen
survive high school?
Being a freshman
is one heck of an adventure. There will be
mean upper classmen,
strict teachers, tons
of homework, friends
drifting apart and
drama. I have some tips
for you!
1. Do your homework! I know I sound
like a parent, BUT it
does help.
2. Don’t procrastinate! No matter how
lazy you are about
starting projects, do
not do them at the last
minute. Yes, I know we
want a social life, but
passing is more important.
3.
Stay true to
yourself. You might
run into some situations involving peer
pressure, but you have
to be yourself and not
let anyone change you.
13
Staff
your favorite anime character
so you can cosplay,” St. Clair
said.
Those interested in cosplay
with little knowledge on the
subject should definitely consider researching it. Cosplay is
a fun hobby and really helps
you meet people with similar
interests at the con. And if your
friends are interested as well,
you can get together and have
a group cosplay.
Another great convention
that will allows fans to search
for their group of friends is
Anime Matsuri. This convention is less expensive, closer to
Houston and runs from March
14-16 at the George R. Brown
Convention Center in Houston.
So many people have gone to
this convention and plan to
return that this year Anime
Matsuri will be full.
“Anime Matsuri was
Book Review
ENTERTAINMENT
amazing! You meet people with
the same interests and hobbies
as you, which you don’t normally find in everyday life,”
said senior Sara Filed.
There will be plenty of
time for people to prepare
for Anime Matsuri, but they
should be sure to pre-order
tickets far ahead of time at
animematsuri.com. The sooner
they buy their tickets, the
better.
There are other anime
conventions besides these two
and there are plenty of other
opportunities for people to try.
If they don’t go this year, there
will be other chances. Oni-con
and Anime Matsuri are annual,
so if you can’t go this year, you
can always try for next year.
There is always an anime convention happening somewhere
and plenty in Texas if you
don’t want to travel too far.
The Life
of Pi .
By Alex Castillo
Ads Manager/Layout Editor
This
eye-opening
story regales the life
of Pi and his struggles
away from his family.
His name is derived from
his mathematics skills to
demonstrate the constant
3.14.
Symbolically, it represents the boy who does
not accept limits. The
heart of the film focuses
on his journey at sea and
the ingenuity of a tiger
that is capable of being
taught.
It is arguable that
this book is about believing in religion; however, most believe that it
is about the necessity to
believe in something sim-
ply because it is better
to do so. The author’s
note is written in first
person tense, and he
explains how he came
to hear the story of Pi
Patel himself. Part One
is explained by Pi, and
the final part is written
as a transcript of a conversation between Pi
and two officials.
It is at times witty,
but the philosophical
and journalistic nature
of it draws the reader
in. The book is best
read when the reader
can empathize with
the character in the
story along with his
struggle.
14
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
COLUMN
Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars
He said, she said
By Ramsey Minto
Co-Editor In Chief
Girls
Homecoming isn’t just a dance.
No, it’s much more than that.
Homecoming is a sport, and she might as well be in the
NHL (National Homecoming League). Her house has become
a mum factory. She’s gotta make her date a garter, make the
friendship mums...
Her phone is filled to the brim with Pinterest ideas,
ranging from the hottest new ombre nails to show the woman
at the salon, to photos she can show her friends for opinions at
any possible time. (So should I go with braids on the crown or
should they sort of cascade down my back?...)
She’s got to get her hands on this year’s hottest new style.
Last year, it was all about the pastels.
This year? It’s all about being super classy.
Once the dress has been nailed (And this means absolutely
nailed. She has to be absolutely IN LOVE WITH IT) she’s got
to find the right shoes.
And the perfect make up to go with her look.
And don’t forget the hair. An updo? Should she straighten it?
Curl it? Half up, half down?...
It all has to be perfect, all from her prettied eyelashes
straight down to her pedicured toes.
And she has to start planning at LEAST a month or two in
advance.
Let’s not forget the date. She doesn’t care if they already
know that they’re going together.
He’s gonna ask her.
And it’s gonna be awesome.
Balloons, publicity... the flashier the better. If it makes it
on more than one person’s twitter feed? It was successful.
The Friday before, she makes a bold statement as she
struts into the school. Ribbons from her mum ripple around
her body, black battle stripes grace her cheeks under her eyes.
She’s flanked by her friends, creating a sort of flock of bells and
green and an array of different styles of mums and spirit wear.
She’s got to get a photo with her favorite teachers, and
with all of her friends. She’ll make a collage for Instagram later.
The game is simply another photo op.
(#FridayNightLights!)
The anticipation, the planning, and all of the excitement,
all for a night that ends in a quick blur of faces, laughter, and
an awkward group of awkward dancing.
After School
Appetites
Cheesy
Garlic
Pizza
Sticks
By Alex Castillo
Ads Manager/Layout Editor
What You Need
1 pizza dough
1 clove roasted garlic
4 tablespoons butter,
softened
½ cup pizza sauce
2 cups grated mozzarella
cheese
1 cup grated Monterey Jack
cheese
Boys
Worst possible case scenario? His date gets an odd colored
dress that makes it near impossible to find a matching tie.
“My dress is seafoam.”
“So a blue tie?”
“NO?!”
“….a green tie?...”
Sure, homecoming sounds fun. Dancing, getting to check
out his hot date... but the month and a half prior? Stress.
He doesn’t understand how girls enjoy it. He feels as if
homecoming prep might as well go under the category of
“Cruel and Unusual Punishment.”
He’d like to use a reference photo to put up against ties, but
she refuses. “It has to be a surprise,” she said. “I don’t care,”
he thinks. She refuses to help him by sending a picture, but he
knows she’ll get mad if he gets it wrong.
He’s lucky enough to have an aunt that makes mums and
is relieved that he doesn’t have to suffer from hot glue burns.
He personally feels that the bells are obnoxious. He can’t
deal. His date shows him pictures of mums that have lights. Bubbles.
Make sounds.
Some with like six flowers? She looks so small and frail.
How can she support something like that? It looks like it weighs
100 pounds!
His second problem comes from HAVING to ask her to
the dance in a cute way. And to be quite frank, coming up with
something new and original isn’t exactly the easiest task he’s
been given.
What if he doesn’t ask in a cute enough way and she says
no? In front of everyone?
Just to be cruel?
Girls can be so cruel.
The day of the game he’s constantly fiddling with the band
that keeps his garter to his arm and dodging clusters of people
taking photos together.
And don’t get him STARTED on the day of the dance. Girls
complain that they have to spend money on dresses, and hair
and makeup.
But that’s their decision.
He HAS to pay for the lavish dinner.
He would’ve been happy with Taco Bell, but his date sure
didn’t think he was being very funny when he suggested it.
Make It!
• Preheat oven to 475º F. Sprinkle cornmeal onto a rimmed
baking pan.
• Spread pizza dough onto baking pan, forming a large rectangle. Mash garlic and mix with butter. Spread over the pizza
dough.
•Spread pizza sauce on top of the garlic butter mixture. Top
with the grated cheese and bake until the crust has turned
slightly golden around the edges and the cheese is melted and
bubbly, about 15 minutes.
•Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.
•Slice into 2-inch rectangular sticks and serve.
RAMPAGE-OCTOBER 2013
SPORTS
Under the Lights
The Ram varsity football team started the year
rough but came back the next
game with a 13-10 overtime
thriller over Cy-Lakes at the
Berry center. All the players
contributed to the big win,
fighting through a 10-0 deficit
and showing that the Rams
had enough integrity to push
through.
Senior quarterback Jacob
Griese scored the tying touchdown with a 10 yard scramble
with 3 minutes and 45 seconds
left and two key field goals,
including the 35 yarder for the
win by senior Bryan Pedroza.
The Rams look to continue fighting throughout
the season. Losing many key
players from last year, some
high school critics said, “the
Rams need to grow up fast,”
but this win seems to prove
them otherwise.
Although the Ram and
Tiger game did not go as
planned, many players learned
from their mistakes and plan
to have a bounce- back win.
The players are trying
to stay positive and believe
that anything is possible. The
players and coaches have high
expectations and want the best
for everyone. The key is that
everyone learns something
from the season and carries it
on throughout their lives.
“Our expectations are
for us to make playoffs and
play the best football we can,”
said Senior quarterback Jacob
Griese. “I need to improve on
my decision making and be
more of a leader for my team.”
Goals help the Rams
strive for and achieve their
best. With a lot of heart and
desire, they believe they can
achieve their goals.
“Our main goal is to make
playoffs,” said junior Ben
Butler. “We won’t settle for
anything less. If we settle, it
will never be achieved.”
Motivation is sometimes
the main key to success.
Getting their heads in the
game will help them stay
focused mentally before the
games. Staying motivated will
help them perform. The Rams
all have different ways to
motivate themselves.
“I like to listen to music
and get in the zone. Forget
about everything outside
of football and perform my
best. Think about what I’ll
do during the game and how
to help the team win,” said
Butler.
The Rams’ schedule is
tough but they look to fight
through it and pull a couple of
wins out of their schedule.
15
By Connor Bubb
Staff
Photo By Grant Pifer
Senior wide receiver Kelvin Jones
catches a pass from junior quarterback
Kevin Groda in a pre-game warm up.
Quarterbacks and wide receivers warm
up before the game to get loose and
create timing between one another.
Going the distance for Cross Country
By Vaclav Cafourek
Co-Editor In Chief
Mayde Creek’s cross
country teams started the year
off well. With boys’ varsity
winning fourth place in their
first meet, and girls’ varsity
placing in several events over
the summer, Mayde Creek has
once again showed its prowess
when it comes to running. Tom
Ridenhour, head coach of the
boys’ team, says the team’s
season has only just begun.
“We’ve had two official
meets and one practice since
mid-August. The meet we went
to on Saturday, we placed
fourth and our top finisher
got ninth place overall out of
sixty-odd competitors,” said
Ridenhour.
For those unfamiliar with
the sport of cross country, it
may appear to be simpler than
it is. However, cross country
is not just about running. As
Coach Ridenhour explained, it
requires determination, endur-
The teamwork behind an individual sport
ance, and good pacing on the
part of competitors.
As for the basics of the
sport:
“The way it works is you
put seven guys out there on a
varsity meet. Sometimes it’s six
people, depending on who’s
available at the time. The top
five guys’ times are taken and
put together as a group. The
team with the lowest time is
the winner,” said Ridenhour.
Cross country is still an
individual sport, but team cooperation and team chemistry
are still extremely important.
Enter Saeed Hashmi, captain
of the boys’ varsity team, who
knows the importance of this.
“If you see one of your
teammates ahead of you, it
makes you want to go harder
and finish with them, to be able
to just finish together. Team
chemistry is a big part of our
philosophy since we have such
a small number of runners.
We’re really like a family,” said
Hashmi.
This kind of mentality is
important for cross country
runners to have, especially for
those like Hashmi who find
themselves in a leadership role.
“When I pick the captain
of the team, I pick the person
that I think is going to exhibit
the leadership qualities that we
need. Saeed is one of the team’s
top runners, but he also goes
and talks to each individual
on the team and makes sure
that they’re doing what they’re
supposed to be doing,” said
Ridenhour.
Other than team chemistry
and individual perseverance,
cross country is about striving
to be better and completing
their goals. Hashmi also knows
a few things about this.
“I’m always hungry to
place and to get medals in each
meet that I go to. I always want
to accomplish a better time;
I always want to get a better
place so I can accomplish my
goal of achieving a Division 1
scholarship,” said Hashmi.
As seniors like Saeed hope
to leave a lasting impact on
their sports this last year of
their high school careers, it is
also important to think about
the future of cross country at
Mayde Creek. The squad this
year contains three seniors, and
although junior runners this
year will be there to take up the
mantle next year, prospective
sophomores and freshmen are
still vital to the equation.
“There are no freshmen
or sophomores on varsity this
year. I’m not going to do that to
them. I do have one that is very
good and could probably run
at the varsity level, but I want
him to stay and get some good
experience as a freshman. He
might actually have a good run
at being captain; I think he’s
that good,” said Ridenhour.
Meet the Staff
Vaclav Cafourek
Ramsey Minto
Co-Editor In Chief
Co-Editor In Chief
“Why stay in prison when the door is so wide
open?” - Rumi
“Everything happens for a reason.”
Sarah Kent
Features Editor
“Mischief wins the war”
Alex Armbruster
Staff
“For the last time, I don’t want to be quoted.”
Alex Castillo
Ads Manager/Layout Editor
“Wuuuuuuuut?”
Grant Pifer
Misty Cabrera
Photographer
“Nothing was the same…”
Stephanie Perez
Hannah Struczewski
“If you ever want ice cream,
pick me up first.”
“You only live once? False. You live everyday.
You only die once.”
“Larry is real. Larry IS Love.”
Rosi Reyes
Tyler Patterson
Justin Golden
Staff
Sports Editor
“Good morning Mayde Creek High School.
This is Cadet Castillo.”
Luisana Guevara
Photographer
Connor Bubb
Staff
Staff
“Hetalia”
Kiana Mills
Photographer
“Don’t let others define you;
define yourself.”
Amy Reyes
Staff
Photographer
“Swag x YOLO = 2 Chainz”
“I’m gonna make the rest of my life
the best of my life.”- Krewelle
“Writing isn’t only a duty for me,
it’s a passion.”
“I know the world’s a broken bone, but melt
your headaches, call it home.”
- Northern Downpour
Daniela Fernandez
Stacey Mason
Mrs. Stephenson
“Well as giraffes say, you don’t get no leaves
unless you stick your neck out.” – Sid Waddell
“You see the best as you close your eyes.”
“Curioser and curiouser” Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Julie Araica
Staff
“I know that I am intelligent because I know
that I know nothing.” - Socrates
Photographer
Staff
Staff
Photographer
Adviser