March 2015 - Mountain View High School

Team strives to surpass last year’s success
page 12
After inclement weather, baseball begins region play this week.
Grizzly. Gazette
PHOTO BY JOSH GILBERT
the
Volume 3, Issue 5
Mountain View High School
Lawrenceville, Georgia
March 2015
DECA places in state conference
Sabrina Luong ‘17
Ashley Montgomery ‘16
Staff Writers
O
n Feb. 27-28, members of the
Distributive Education Clubs
of America (DECA) attended the State
Career Development Conference at the
Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, where school
members gathered to compete in various categories of business. Nine students
placed: junior Savannah Wade, junior
Madison McRae, junior Becky Lockwood, junior Meredith Brown, senior
Hannah Shomake, senior Hailey Jones,
senior Sarah Buice, senior Shealee Dupree, and senior Jack Hasenkopf. Their
“When I joined [DECA], I didn’t expect
it to be that big of a deal to me, but I got
really into competing, and now I get to
go to nationals, so it’s become a big part
of the stuff I do at school,” said Brown.
Brown learned valuable information
that will help her in the corporate world.
“[DECA] teaches you a lot about marketing skills, like how to market yourself,
how to do well in a job interview, and how
to become an entepreneur. The things that
we tell the judge about in our scenerio are
more about the school store, like customer
service or taking initiative,” said Brown.
Lockwood gained personal experience from her club that assists in her
present day job at a car dealership.
“It helped me at work since I work
“[DECA] teaches you a lot about marketing skills,
like how to market yourself, how to do well in a job
interview, and how to become an entrepreneur.”
Meredith Brown, 11
placement allowed them to advance to the
International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Fla., on April 25-29.
Lockwood placed first in individual
series marketing for automotive services
marketing. She had to complete a 100
multiple choice test, and place in the top
20 to qualify for state. At state, she had
10 minutes to prepare for a 10 minute
role play in front of a judge. She discovered that she placed first over the phone.
“During the competition, I was really
nervous, and I didn’t expect to get first
place. I actually didn’t even expect to place
at all because I didn’t think I explained
my ideas enough. [When I discovered I
won,] I was actually at work, and I started crying because I didn’t expect that [I
would get first place],” said Lockwood.
Members value the club competitions,
which are now a vital part of the club.
at a car dealership, so it made sense
for me to compete in automotive services. It helped me just feel more professional and up to par with the adults
that I work with,” said Lockwood.
DECA has also influenced students’ social abilities by making them
more comfortable to speak their mind.
“I used to be really shy, but now that
I’m in DECA, I’ve learned how to speak
in front of people. I’m not really afraid
to go up to someone and start a conversation,” said senior Hannah Shomake.
DECA members prepare for the upcoming conference, at the international level.
“At internationals, we expect to network
with peers and professionals from around
the globe and compete at the highest level. The competition is steep, but I hope
to have students on stage as finalists this
year,” said DECA advisor Andrea Barrett.
NEWS - PAGE 3
OPINIONS - PAGE 5
PHOTO BY A. BARRETT
State Conference Members of DECA had just arrived at the hotel and Ms. Andrea Barrett took a group
picture before they went out to dinner. Back row. Senior Jack Hasenkopf, senior Janelle Owusu, senior Hannah
Shomake, senior Amira Bahsoon, senior Jake Waters, sophomore Jonah Garris, junior De’Andra Gatson, sophomore Ester Kim, and junior Madison McRae. Bottom row. Senior Sarah Bruice, senior Hailey Jones, junior Meredith Brown, junior Becky Lockwood, and junior Savannah Wade. “It was my first time competing, so I was really
nervous especially because I was the only sophomore girl there. It turned out to be such an amazing experience
getting to see so many other DECA members from other Georgia schools. Win or lose, Mountain View competed
to the our best ability,” said Ester Kim.
OTHER DECA EVENTS...
PHOTO BY JOSH GILBERT
PHOTO BY BECKY LOCKWOOD
THE DECA EXPERIENCE
Left. Left to Right: Lockwood, Brown, and Hasenkopf. DECA officers serve
hot chocolate to more than eighty people at an event to make cards for children in the hospital. “It was nice to
make cards for the kids in the hospital because it’s sad when people have to spend the holidays like that,” said
Brown. Right. Left to Right: Valeri, Wade, McRae, Jones, and Shomake. DECA attends trunk or treat in their
‘Up’ apparel and decorations. “Our theme was ‘Up’ and we spent the whole day, throughout school store and everything, making our little house so we could tape it to the back of my car. We also made the little bird from ‘Up’.
We were all really excited about it, so even after it was over, we took the little bird and stuck it on Mrs. Barret’s
door, and it’s still there,” said McRae.
FEATURES - PAGE 8
AND MORE
ISIS. . . page 2
SPRING BREAK. . . page 4
POWERFUL IMPACTS. . . page 6-7
RSI . . . page 9
PHOTO BY ZEE DOEHLING
Equestrian team wins numerous awards at
competitions
PHOTO BY KAIDEN SMITH
Tackling the idea that guys have to plan elaborate “promposals”
PHOTO BY LESLIE WYATT
Pageant girls show that there is more to pageantry than just beauty
REVIEWS. . . page 11
SOCCER . . . page 12
2 NEWS
Volume 3, Issue 5
NEWS BRIEFS
Academic Team. On Tues., March 10, the physics team went to the University of Georgia for a
JETS competition. Thurs., March 12, math team
traveled to Fayette County. Then, Sat., March 21,
math team competed at Furmin University.
Band. Winter Guard will travel to Chattanooga,
Tenn., March 28 for championships. The color
guard and drumline clinic are April 21-24. No
experience necessary for color guard but musical
background needed for drumline. The drumline
is also looking for piano and guitar players. More
info can be found on the band website. At LGPE
Concert Band received an overall II for their program (Excellent rating). Wind Symphony received
a I for their program (Superior rating).
Counseling. Final transcripts need to be ordered
by April 15. Check the counseling website for
information about scholarships. Registration is
online for any new students for next year.
Dance. The View From Broadway will be held
April 16 - 17 at 7 p.m., and April 18 at 2 p.m. It
will be one of the longest shows, and it is student
choreographed.
Environmental Club. Environmental Club is
resuming recycling pick up this semester and
wants to remind students not to throw trash in the
recycling bins. They ask for paper recycling only.
No plastic wrappers or bottles, only paper materials. Recycling pickups will be every other Tuesday.
FBLA had 11 region winners in FBLA competitions. Three of those are advancing to state: Nick
McGarry in database design and Alex Keller and
Bin Yin in video production.
Photography Club. The photography club is a
new club this year. This is a place where people
interested in photography come to learn and
share. The club meets every 2nd Tuesday and 4th
Thursday in the TV studio.
Radical terrorist group gains power in the Middle East
ISIS poses threat to the world with its extremist methods
Kaiden Smith ‘16
Alexis Poggi ‘15
Staff Writers
he Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
is a radical group of Sunni Muslims in Syria
that has come to power in order to create
an Islamic caliphate across the Middle East.
The Middle East has almost always
been a place of violence in the last
four decades. Protests sparked over
the majority Sunni population being put against the regime of Bashar
al-Assad. As the conflict escalated, it
traveled across the border that Syria
shares with Iraq and created a problem
that has affected the nation as a whole.
The recent activities of ISIS
have gained national attention.
Beheadings have taken place, and the hatred for America continues to grow as the radical group continues to propagate religiously.
“I feel like the activities of ISIS are wrong.
Religion should be religion regardless of
what name someone puts on it. Killing
people to threaten others to be converted
to your specific religion makes no sense to
me. It’s sad,” said senior Kaliffia Robertson.
POWER
ISIS was founded in 1999 by Abu
Musab al-Zarqawi. Now led by Abu
Bakr al-Baghdadi, ISIS controls
around 30,000 square miles of territory in the Middle East. Because
of their effective use of social media
and recruiting, they are estimated to
have about 20,000 to 35,000 current
members. Through criminal activities alone, ISIS brings in between
$1 million to $4 million per day.
JCL. The Junior Classical League State Convention is April 17-19 at Rock Eagle. The convention
will consist of competitions for academics, graphics, arts, creative arts, team, individual sports,
and even chariot races.
as we
SPEAK
Hannah
BeaversShumate
Junior
Kaliffa Robertson, 12
violence,” said senior August Brown.
Some feel as though the issue should have
already been resolved and that the U.S. needs
to have control of all the violence now due to
the vast amount in the past coule of months.
“I don’t think the U.S. is making a
big enough impact on what is going on.
The U.S. has had plenty of times to make
OBJECTIVE
TARGETS
ISIS’s primary objective is to
construct a large Islamic state
across Iraq and Syria. ISIS currently has control over about 15
territories. These areas have been
claimed for what is called a caliphate. These are areas where Sharia
law is strickly enforced by a caliph.
The caliph enforces the law based
on the teachings of the Qur’an
and strictly requires all to abide.
ISIS has been tormenting and
executing many religious groups
including Christians, Shia Muslims,
Assyrians, Chaldeans, and more.
This also includes anyone who
disobeys Sharia law within their
claimed territory. ISIS has killed
10,000 innocent civilians through
mass execution, beheadings, crucifiction, and at goinpoint in an
eight month time period alone.
Students respond to news in our world
BY BAILEY DROUANT
Kelly Gissendaner was sentenced to
death after the 1998 killing of her husband. On the day of her execution, the
lethal injection was cloudy, and it was
postponed. Gissendaner is suing for a
violation of her rights. This comes after
protests for leniency after she received
a theology degree while in prison.
“The U.S. has had plenty of times
to make moves to help the [situation]. I don’t understand how we
can just sit here and do nothing
when plenty of people have lost
their lives for no reason.
moves to help the [situation]. I don’t understand how we can just sit here and do
nothing when plenty of people have lost
their lives for no reason. I hate this, and
it needs to end now,” said Robertson.
President Obama has made comments on the issue, and has fears that
even if ISIS is stopped, it will not
stop the unrest in the Middle East.
“What I’m worried about is even if
ISIL is defeated, the underlying problem
of disaffected Sunnis around the world –
but particularly in some of these areas including Libya, including Yemen – where
a young man who’s growing up has no
education, has no prospects for the future, is looking around and the one way
he can get validation, power, respect,
is if he’s a fighter,” President Obama
said in an interview with Vice News.
ISIS is also growing worldwide.
The Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram
pledged loyalty to ISIS, spreading the terrorist group’s reach into Africa. Various arrests
have also been made for people throughout the world apparently fleeing their own
country to join the terrorist group. AlQaeda has also made threats recently, but
President Obama calls them a “JV Team.”
ISIS FAST FACTS
FLAG Competition. The Junior Classical League
and National Spanish Honor Society will be
hosting the FLAG Spoken Language Contest
March 28. Students will compete in competitions
to show their skills in various spoken languages.
Anyone wishing to volunteer at the event should
see Dr. Claymore.
Gissendaner sues
County state after botched
execution
T
As the feelings of Americans continue to increase with concern, many
people have opinions on what the U.S.
can do in order to control the problem.
“I think that the only thing that the U.S.
can do for the situation is promote nonviolence through this hard time because
that will only lead to worse circumstances if we try to end the problem through
Medical marijuana
State bill sent to Georgia
House
The Georgia Senate has approved a
medical marijuana bill in a 54-1 vote.
The bill, proposed by Senator Lindsey
Tippins (R-Marietta), will give children undergoing epilepsy studies at the
University of Georgia access to medical marijuana to treat their symptoms.
The bill will now head to the House.
National
First model with
down syndrome
walks the runway
North Korea to “preWorld pare for war” with
the U.S.
Actress Jamie Brewer became the
first ever model with Downs Syndrome. She walked at New York Fashion Week. She was a member of Carrie
Hammer’s campaign, “Role Models
Not Runway Models.” Also included
in the show was a quadruple amputee,
a transgender woman, and a veteran.
The U.S. has recently been participating in drills with the South Korean
army, as a way to train soldiers on both
sides. North Korea, however, sees this
as preparation for invasion. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reportedly ordered his army to prepare to
“tear to pieces the Stars and Stripes.”
It’s good that they
are finally accepting
people for who they
are, and you don’t
have to meet any
standards.
We shouldn’t just
think of [the threat]
as something that
he is just saying. We
need to prepare in
case he actually does
something.
“ “ “ “
Either way, she still
killed her husband
for money, so I don’t
think the fact that
she got a degree
means she really
changed.
Mason
Baxter
Senior
I think marijuana
should be open to
everybody because
it’s your body, and
you should be able
to decide what you
put in it.
Frances
Shomake
Freshman
Ali Doss
Freshman
NEWS
March 2015
Wrestling takes fourth overall at state
Bears finish with four state placers to cap off most accomplished season yet
Josh Gilbert ‘15
Staff Writer
This year the varsity wrestling team accomplished feats that hadn’t been done
before. For the first time in school history, they beat Collins Hill in areas,
finished with more state placers, and
finished fourth overall at the state tournament and in the final GHSA rankings.
“To get 4th at state is what I’ve worked
for. This was my first time placing at state,
and it was one of the best moments I’ve
experienced so far in my life,” said senior
DJ Schrenk. “This year was our first year
having this many placers, and it was a huge
accomplishment for our school. Finishing
fourth in state is something we had never
done before and no other Mountain View
team had been able to accomplish this yet.”
“It was a great moment for us as a team
to place that high and to have about
a third of the team place, though it is a
bit bittersweet as we were so close to being third place,” said senior Adam Flatt.
With the team finishing fourth in
state and having a school record four
state placers, the foundation has been
laid for the program for years to come.
“Our senior class has done a great
job of setting the tone over the past few
years and committing themselves to our
process. When these seniors were freshman, we placed 38th at the state tournament, this year they worked together to
place 4th in the state,” said head coach
Jim Gassman. “Our continuing improvement each year proves to the wrestlers that the efforts they put in can and
will lead to outstanding team success.”
The underclassman finished with a successful year with goals of coming back
next year to finish what they started.
Freshman Marquel Broughton fin-
ished the season with an undefeated record and finished second in the freshman state tournament. “I’m expecting
for good things to happen for both the
program and me. I hope to help contribute whatever way I can,” said Broughton.
“What I did during this season felt good
at the time, but now I have to start focusing on next season so I can get better.”
Another first for the wrestling program
this year was having its first girl wrestler,
sophomore Bri Murphy. “I was striving for
first, but although I got second at the girls’
state tournament, I don’t think it should
reflect my season,” said Murphy. “I want to
come back better and stronger next year.”
After this year’s success, wrestling will look to continue to make
noise for many seasons to come.
“We put ourselves on the map, and everyone needs to be looking out for us now,
Mountain View is for real,” said Schrenk.
3
NEWS BRIEFS
BLT. At the start of the month, the Gwinnett
Student Leadership Team named their three new
members: sophomores Jillian Walker, Santiago
Escobar, and Zachary Miles joined the team.
Also, Amy Lee and Noah Barnes took the lead on
this month’s training session held Mar. 11. Neel
Pathak, Jordan Stallworth, and Nathan Jenkins
contributed as well. Lee and Barnes presented
a mini-lesson about creating effective habits; the
lesson was planned by Stallworth. Pathak and
Jenkins directed the breakout session.
Gateway Testing. Gateway tests and make-ups
take place Mar. 30 to Apr. 2. Students must pass
both the science and the social studies sessions
to earn a regular Gwinnett County high school
diploma.
Girls’ Basketball. The Lady Bears finished the
winter season with a 26-6 record. In state, the
team made it to the elite eight for the first time in
program history. Please plan to support your five
senior Lady Bears as they graduate this coming
May: D’andra Pringle, Iceis Walker, Aneysa Williams, Arianna Williams, and Keni Haynes.
Girls’ Soccer. Their next game will be a home
game against Peachtree Ridge Fri., March 27.
Orchestra. March 5, the Concert, Symphonic, and
Philharmonic orchestras got straight ones at their
Large Group Performance Evaluation, and Mar. 7,
the Chamber orchestra received straight twos.
Special Olympics. The Special Olympics were
held Feb. 20, at the Suwanee Sports Academy.
With the help of senior Kathryn Brown, Ms.
Palmer’s class brought home first place for volleyball.
Relay for Life. In the beginning of April, Relay for
Life members will host an even known as Step for
Life. The club members will gather a group of step
teams in the auxiliary gym where the teams then
will perform. Different middle and high schools
will be invited to this new event where they hope
to gather more than $2,000.
PHOTOS BY C. FLATT
On top of the world
Left. As a team, the Bears finished fourth
overall at the state tournament, edging out Collins Hill who finished fifth
overall. Right. Mountain View finished with four state placers who were
Adam Flatt, DJ Schrenk, Justin George, and Austin Brown.
Equestrian team wins first at regionals
The effort and discipline required to horseback ride pays off
Cheryl Kwapong‘17
Geri Charles‘17
Staff Writer
Riding horses is usually under appreciated but actually takes an extreme amount
of hard work and dedication. A few students from Mountain View take part in
Cornerstone, where they ride horses and
go to events. Just recently, the equestrian team won 1st place at Regional.
“This season has been great. We’ve
won every show we’ve gone to,”
said
sophomore
Hailey
Lowery.
The equestrian team consists of three
different teams and each has its own
speciality. Each team participates in different events based on its level of skill.
“We have the IA team, the RIFFNA
team, and the Eventing team. The IA team
is an advanced version of RIFFNA. RIFFNA is more for beginners and people who
are trying to figure out how each show
works,” said sophomore Hailey Lowery.
There is a lot more that goes into horseback riding than simply sitting on a horse.
The horses have to work just as hard as
their riders, and there are many aspects
that go into competing at the shows. The
riders have to overcome many obstacles
from the literal hurdles to the figurative
mind set of themselves and their horses.
“Well, a lot of people pin horseback riding as easy. When they see horseback riding, they just see it as sitting on top of a
horse, but there’s like 5 million things that
go into it. Every single thing about your
positioning has to be perfect. [For example,] one is just dressage, which is the
way the horse moves, and it’s all flat on
the course. The second is jumping, which
is measured on whether your horse can
clear the height. The third is cross country, which is when you go out on the field
and jump different jumps and you have to
clear more natural objects,” said Lowery.
To the riders, horses aren’t just a
fun pastime; it’s their life, and it takes,
time, discipline and dedication. They
often spend hours with their horses.
“We are so close, and we are always laughing, always together, and that’s what makes
the Equestrian team the Equestrian team.
We’re all so close, and we know each other
so well. We’re at the barn all day after school
every day. All our weekends are shows.
There might be only one weekend a month
where we don’t have a show,” said Lowery.
Seniors. Upcoming senior dates
April 3: Egg Hunt
April 17: Graduation announcement pickup during
lunch
April 24: Senior letters due
May 8: Cap and gown pickup
May 9: Locker strip hang up
May 13: Senior breakfast and walk
May 14-15: 6th and 7th period finals
May 16: Baccalaureate Ceremony
May 18: Senior Picnic & yearbook distribution
May 21: Graduation Practice (mandatory)
May 22: Graduation at 8 a.m.
SLT will also be hosting a Book Drive, where
students can donate their used or new books that
they don’t need any more to language arts teachers in the boxes labeled “Book Drive.”
Student Council. The end of the student council
banquet will be on March 31. Voting for student
council executive board will take place in all
advisements April 1.
Tennis. Both tennis teams are on pace to match
or surpass win totals from previous years. The
guys’ team has started off with wins over Lanier
and Central Gwinnett, while the girls have started
off with wins over Central Gwinnett and Meadowcreek.
Yearbooks. There are 75 yearbooks left for purchase until the Summit’s 2015 edition sells out.
Bring $80 cash or check made to MVHS to Ms.
Ortman in 1.480 during 4th and 5th periods only.
Distribution is tentatively scheduled for Mon., May
18. Last year’s book won 1st in state for theme
development, portrait photography, and 2nd in
state for layout design.
Best Performance
Senior Jenna Hankins sits on
her horse and braces herself for the jump coming up.
“I’ve been riding horses since the fourth grade, and
it’s very challenging because you’re on this huge
animal, and you have to control every move that you
make,”said Hankins.
Scholarship. The Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. sponsors a
Cotillion-Beautillion every 2 years for high school
juniors and seniors to participate in a 9-month
program of educational, social, cultural and civic
activities and earn scholarships for college. They
are currently accepting applications through
March 31. See Counseling for applications.
4 OPINIONS
Volume 3, Issue 5
Spring break myth busting; don’t get your drink on
Teens fail to recongnize the full reprucussions of their actions during spring break
Cheryl Kwapong ‘17
Staff Writer
T
eenagers often have an attitude of
invincibility, and spring break is
where they get to test the waters. Spring
break is arguably the most looked forward to break of the whole school year.
It’s a time when most students get to let
loose, go the beach, and chill—or so they
say. There are many rumors of what really
occurs during spring break from drugs
to sex to alcohol, and it makes people
wonder, how much of it is really true?
More often than not, parents are not
keeping their children under their watchful eye during spring break, which enables teens to engage in risky activity
they otherwise would not be exposed to.
“Alcohol doesn’t really make you do
anything stupid. I can control it. It doesn’t
control me,” said senior Jacob Chandler.
This can sometimes lead to students
getting hurt by the substances. According to the University of Illinois at Urban-Campaign, nearly 50% of the males
and 41% of the females reported having consumed alcohol just prior to sex.
“I think a lot of people are stupid, but
at the same time, a lot of people still have
common sense. It’s that whole instinct
type thing. Nobody can make you do anything. That’s all your thought, one hundred percent,” said freshman Nia James.
People might have common sense, but
that is compromised when illegal substances are added to the mix. According to the
University of Illinois at Urban-Campaign,
74% of males and nearly 88% of females
reported never or rarely worrying about
STDs/HIV, even though they were at risk.
“You hear about bad things happening, you just don’t think it can happen to
you,” said sophomore Nicole Chavarria.
Teenagers do not understand repercussions that their decision will have
on them later in life. According to The
National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism, a consequence of heavy alcohol use on brain function are similar to
those observed with Alzheimer’s disease.
“As teens, we like to think of the
now. Sometimes my friends will do
something stupid, but they won’t really realize it’s stupid until after whatever they did has already happened. If
you really want to get teens to be safe
and stuff, you need to help us to think
things through more,” said Chavarria.
According to the National Institute
of Mental Health, the brain doesn’t
look like that of an adult until the
early 20s. This means during the teenage years, the ability to thoroughly
think things through is not there.
“Teens are already pretty impulsive
people, so if it seems like a good idea at
the time even if it’s really stupid, that’s
what they go with,” said Chavarria
Teens pass the attitude of invincibility, and think no harm can come to them
when this is far from the truth. Often
times, struggling with a problem of denial, teens refuse to weigh the pros and cons
of their decisions before they make them.
The ideal solution would be to never place
oneself where compromise of judgment
is possible, but teens aren’t just going to
stop drinking, smoking and having sex. A
big wake up call needs to slap this generation in the face and show them there
are consequences to bad decisions. Spring
break should be a time of relaxation
and fun and not an excuse to get under
the influence and make poor decisions.
ILLUSTRATION BY LEAH DAVE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBAN CAMPAIGN
About 48% of men and
women who had sex under
the influence regretted the
experience.
48
Nearly 88% of females
reported never or rarely worrying about STDs/HIV, even
though they were at risk.
88
GrizzlyGazette
the
Staff
75% of all students reported
never or rarely using protection on spring break
75
Views
from the
49% of men and women reported having sex as a direct
result of drinking
49
View
Students explain how they stay safe during spring break.
We want to hear from you.
Send letters to the editor
to mvhsgrizzlygazette@
gmail.com
Follow us on
Instagram and Twitter
@ MVHSnews
Editorial Board
Bailey Drouant ‘15
Uzochi Enworom ‘16
Jordan Stallworth ‘16
Leslie Wyatt ‘15
Professional associations
Georgia Scholastic Press Association
National Scholastic Press Association
Journalism Education Association
Staff Writers
Geri Charles ‘17
Josh Gilbert ‘15
Brittany Johnson ‘17
Cheryl Kwapong ‘17
Sabrina Luong ‘17
Thomas Monn ‘17
Ashley Montgomery ‘16
Alexis Poggi ‘15
Kaiden Smith ‘16
Adviser
Jennifer Ortman
Eric McGlothen, 10
Megan Koblitz, 10
Avery Stehr, 9
“If the alcohol is over
there, then I’m over
here.”
“When you’re driving, although someone can run into you
and it be their fault,
you and the car can
still get hurt.”
“I would probably
check with my family
to make sure they’re
OK with what I’m
doing.”
Corrections from last issue
Page 3 - DJ Schrenk placed 4th at state.
Page 15 - Sam Ezzell’s name is misspelled.
Page 4 - Calyn Smith’s name is misspelled.
Page 16 - “D’andra” should be “D’Andra” Pringle.
Page 4 - “self-conscious” is misspelled.
Page 16 - Farewell caption should read, “to have it finally happen.”
Page 4 - “Women’s” should be “woman’s”.
Page 5 - Breakdown of the average woman’s body model is Maya Nelson.
Page 7 - The book’s title is “Thousand Words”.
OPINIONS
March 2015
The Crucial Question
Popping the Question
Promposals are charming but what is the true reason behind it?
Kaiden Smith ‘16
Staff Writer
As time passes during recent generations, society strives to do everything bigger and better.
One tradition that has been drastically
changed is the asking of someone to prom.
What used to be simply asking a question is
now a public spectacle known as the Promposal. Guys are expected to ask girls in the most
creative and breathtaking ways. But why?
“I think that it’s kind of an obligation
because it’s the most formal event of the
year, so the girls want to feel special being asked to it,” said junior Jalen Virgil.
The first recognized promposal was in
2001 when Dallas students asked their
dates over the school’s loudspeaker. There
were no expectations set at the time, just
an act of affection and kindness. While this
gesture was just a cool thing at the time, it
unraveled into a standard set to this day.
“They probably went out of their
way to show that they really liked the
girls and thought the bigger the asking, the more likely that they would
say yes,” said junior Meredith Brown.
Maybe from that day forward nobody want-
5
ed to be the guy that just asked his girl face to
face. Males tend to get competitive regardless
of the circumstances, even if it is going out
spending time and money on a promposal.
“Definetly, I feel like it’s also an obligation to try to get the cutest promposal just for brownie points,” said Virgil.
Or perhaps it is all for the recognition and
attention of others. Girls want guys to make
a large scene to let everyone know that they
were asked to prom in the cutest way possible.
“Girls are needy. I’m needy, and we just
expect it now,” said senior Kayla Morris.
And now a days with social media being so
popular, it is the norm to see promposals in
the months of February and March all over
Twitter and Instagram feeds. Being asked or
asking someone to prom now suddenly needs
to be broadcasted everywhere for all to see.
“People
want
their
promposals to be on social media so everyone
can boost them, and it could possibly go viral,” said senior Taylor James.
All these components play their own definite role in the promposal but go toward a
greater cause. The primary reasoning behind
the proposal is the same as it was in Dallas
in 2001: someone going out of his way to
be generous for someone that he cares for.
Regardless of the societal expectations, if
this task is done, the main and most important objective of the promposal is achieved.
“I just did it to make my girl happy and
feel special. I loved seeing how happy and
surprised she was,“ said junior Evan Ashburn.
Narrowing the logic behind the promposal to one single reason is nearly impossible.
Too many factors play a role into the event.
While these factors may seem negative at
times, it all boils down to doing whatever it
takes to make the one you ask feel special.
Top. Junior Ryan Mauller
asks freshman Savannah Meyer with a Mario themed
promposal. Bottom Left. Jalen Virgil asks sophomore
Maddie Mousseau with a a clever poem and donuts.
Bottom Right. Senior Matthew Rupert covers Kayla
Morris’s car with balloons and greets her with flowers
after her weight training class.
Working in high school matures students Working in high school wears out students
Students discuss the benefits of while working in high school
Employed students suffer from trying to balance work and school
Uzochi Enworom‘16
Ashley Montgomery ‘16
Editor
P
eople often think of high school as a
time to only further your education,
and while that is the main focus and purpose of high school, it is by no means the
only one. High school is also the opportune time for students to work and gain
experience in the job field.
Working in high school promotes an increased sense of responsibility that school
alone cannot achieve.
Students that work will be given the
tools necessary when it comes to managing time and priorities, beneficial skills
that will definitely serve them well in all
aspects of life.
“You need to work out a time schedule
when after school you work, and you have
to make time to do homework after work
or before work, depending on your schedule,” said sophomore Ryan Baughman.
The benefits of working outweigh the
disadvantages by far. There are the perks a
student can experience while at work and
“I think working teaches kids more about what the real
world is like after high school because you have to find a
job out on your own because you can’t rely on your parents
anymore and it will help you save up for college or a car.”
Staff
Vote
out of work.
“We get to see free movies, and we get
a discount on our food. We also get paid
$6.50 plus tips,” said Wood.
Even though working can be a daunting prospect to some in the long run the
advantages will be clear.
“I feel like people should work in high
school because it will help them save money to do what they want to do when they
get older,”said Wood.
Ultimately, working in high school provides a way for students to gain experience
and have a strong work foundation for the
future.
:
H
igh school employees often find
themselves at a disadvantage when
compared to their nonworking classmates.
Of course high school workers have the advantage of earning money as well as gaining
real world experience, but is high school
the appropriate time to pursue a career
while dealing with a challenging academic
“I feel like the disadvantages [of working] outweigh the
advantages because overall you are just trying to work when
you get out of high school, not so much when you get in high
school. High school is more preparing you to work.”
Paola Abril, 11
Ryan Baughman, 10
“I think working teaches kids more
about what the real world is like after high
school because you have to find a job out
on your own because you can’t rely on your
parents anymore, and it will help you save
up for college or a car,” said Baughman
The increased responsibility forces students to learn how to balance work and
school, a helpful skill that would apply
well in the future
“I only work on the weekends, so I don’t
really have to worry about my work interfering with school over the week,” said junior Whitney Wood, who works at Movie
Studio Grill.
Staff Writer
job, then they may not do as well in class.
“I feel like the disadvantages [of working] outweigh the advantages because
overall you are just trying to work when
you get out of high school, not so much
when you get in high school. High school
is more preparing you to work, not actually doing it,” said junior Paola Abril.
Jobs steal time out of a student’s
schedule that they should be using for schoolwork and relaxation.
“The hours sometimes make it hard
schedule that impacts one’s future? Jobs
induce stress, and time spent away from academics and social activities hinder workers’ performance at school. Therefore, jobs
should be pursued until after high school.
“If I worked at a fast food chain like a
lot of my peers, then [working] would be
very detrimental [because] you wouldn’t
get enough of your school work done,
so it would put you behind,” said Rabbit Hill referee, sophomore Elijah Morris.
High school trains students for future career opportunities by helping them discover
their interests. However, if students spend
their time in high school focused on their
7 out of 13 staff members think
working in high school is more
advantageous than not working.
to complete things when they are due.
Sometimes when your boss tells you
that you have to work certain hours,
you might have plans for extracurricular activities, and then you have to stop,
and you can’t do extracurricular activities because you have to do what your
boss says,” said junior Lauren Schuster.
Having a job in high school restricts
a student’s life, making it difficult to
juggle the responsibilities of schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and a
job. Work shouldn’t be pursued until high school education is completed.
6 BEHIND THE SCENES
Volume 3, Issue 5
powerful IMPACT
Pride is everywhere at Mountain View, whether it be screaming fans at a basketball game or
seeing your friends on the View News. But it is the people behind the scenes that make everything worthwhile. Credit is not always given where credit is due. There are people in this school
that spend countless hours on work that isn’t always appreciated or even recognized. It’s time
to focus on those people and spotlight what kind of powerful impact they have on this school.
ARTICLES AND PHOTOS BY ALEXIS POGGI ‘15, BAILEY DROUANT ‘15, AND BRITTANY JOHNSON ‘17
impact LEARNING
Media specialists are commonly
known as school librarians, but
there is a lot that goes on behind the
scenes that people do not recognize,
besides just helping someone print
their last-minute paper for class.
One major responsibility is to aid
with class research projects.
“I prepare links for classes that
come in based on their assignment
sheets or what their teacher tells me.
I pick out resources that students
can use and post it on the website.
I pull books for the class if that is
needed,” said Pam Norman.
Media specialists are also involved
in ordering new books and magazines, as well as handling the budget.
“I order books depending on
how much funding we have. I have
to read two to three professional
reviews for each book that I order,”
said Norman.
impact SPORTS
Managers are always seen at the
games and on the court when things
go wrong. They tend to the players’
needs and follow all the instructions
of the coach.
“We have to set up the games, prepare the half time meals, [and we]
get to hang out with all the players,”
said freshman basketball manager
Jordan Allen.
Being a manager has many perks
of which Allen takes advantage.
“It’s cool because we get to go
to different places and meet new
people. It’s about being there on
time and helping on [the court]
when help is needed. We also get to
go to the games for free,” he said.
These perks were not the only
reason Allen became a manager.
“I became a manager because it is
something else to do, and it is fun,”
Allen said.
impact ATTITUDE
impact L
Perhaps you’ve seen the sticky
notes of motivation on lockers or the
posters all around the school. The
group behind these messages is the
Random Acts of Kindness club.
“This is a growing group of students that just want to make someone’s day better by doing little things
to put a smile on their face,” said
language arts teacher Mr. Andrew
Dean.
The RAK has done small but
meaningful projects to brighten
others’ days such as placing positive
sticky notes on the mirrors in the
restrooms.
The mastermind behind all of this
positivity is senior Ben Yin.
“I just like to make people happy
and try to make their day better even
if I don’t know them. I feel like high
school needs more compliments
than negative comments,” Yin said.
Peer leading
students strivin
in positive awa
tutoring.
Their reach g
confines of the
“We go to ou
help the teache
they need, and
kids,” said seni
Peer leaders
sixth period, w
upcoming even
help out at the
leaders are able
variety of volun
“I like being
our peers but t
to Mountain V
them get a feel
operate around
feel welcome,”
BEHIND THE SCENES
March 2015
7
LEADING
impact MEMORIES
impact ART
impact TEACHING
involves a group of
ng to help their peers
areness projects and
Yearbooks create a memory of
high school that lasts forever. But the
people behind the yearbooks often
don’t get recognized.
“You spend all year since June
working on deadlines, and you feel
like nothing ever gets accomplished
because you never see the final product until May,” said senior yearbook
editor Sara Rouner.
But you can’t please everyone.
“When you print, there’s so much
to be proud of,” Rouner said, “but
when you make a mistake, which
even national publications do, it’s
right there for everyone to see.”
Rouner has learned a lot of lessons
from yearbook, which makes it all
worth it.
“It’s a learning experience. I’ve
also had to learn time management
and how to be a leader that is not
too tough or lenient. In order to get
things done, we have to meet our
deadlines,” Rouner said.
Too often in theater production,
audiences only see the actors on
stage. It is what happens behindthe-scenes that brings the magic of
the theater to life. No one knows
the extent of that magic more than
senior stage manager Ariana PerezLugones.
“A stage manager is essential to
absolutely every production. People
outside of the arts don’t see us, so
it’s not something they see as super
important. The stage manager cues
the lights, cues sounds, cues when
the set moves, helps keep the actors
in order, pulls curtains, and fixes any
incidents,” she said.
Perez-Lugones has had her fair
share of catastrophes during a performance.
“One time, a picture frame came
off of a wall. The stage manager is
the one who has to figure out how
to get it off of the stage without the
audience noticing,” Perez-Lugones
said.
Students evolve into teachers, and
that is exactly the story with track
assistant coach Bruce Williams. Williams trained for the 1996 Olympics
in Atlanta. He hoped to compete
in the 400 meter; however, he was
not able to make it past trials. He
does not let this affect him, but uses
it as motivation for training other
athletes.
“You learn more by losing than
you do by winning. You learn about
things that you could have done
differently. That prepares you to try
different things. It’s part of the experience,” Williams said.
These lessons are well received by
the track team, and Williams sees
future Olympians in current track
members.
“If we have enough time [to train],
yeah, absolutely [I see the athletes
becoming Olympians]. There are
quite a few kids who eventually [can
become Olympians] if they work
hard,” Williams said.
goes far beyond the
e high school, however.
ur cluster schools and
ers out with anything
d we tutor the younger
ior Jeffrey Coy.
meet as a class during
where they plan for
nts and occasionally go
e cluster schools. Peer
e to experience a wide
nteer opportunities.
g able to help not only
the kids coming into
View. I like to help
l to the way things
d here and make them
” said senior Amy Lee
8 FEATURES
Volume 3, Issue 5
Head over heels
A look into the busy schedule of the contestants of the Miss Mountain View Pageant
Dressed
for a
Practice Makes Perfect
Top. Freshman Sophia Sasso practices her pageant walk. Left. Senior Melissa Hunting, sophomore
Paige Terhune, and sophomore
Deborah Doss practice the dance
routine for the pageant at the Mar.
17 rehearsal. Bottom. Pageant
director Sharon Morales instructs
Viviana Darwish on how to pivot
when pageant walking.
It’s what makes me
like no one else
cause
This year pageant contestants at the MVHS
scholarship pageant will
be decked out in pink ribbons and accessories for a
cause: to show support for Conor’s
Hope.
Conor’s
Hope is an organization made by
an eighth grader
at twin rivers who
fought against leukemia.
The organizations color is
hot pink so to show their
support for the organization, and it’s mission to
help children with leuke-
mia the contestants have
donated and will wear hot
pink accessories. Their
way of support echos what
they did for Abbie Williamson,
a student who
got into a car
accident and
was induced
into a coma.
The
contestants
wore turquoise ribbons
to show their support for
her. Now they’re renewing their show of support,
but this year for another
cause that’s just as worthy.
Brains, Beauty,
and Brawn
The concept of beauty pageants in people’s minds
does not always immediately go to the thought of intelligence and strength, but in the minds of the
Noelle Fancher, 12
contestants and judges, these factors are crucial.
“My experience. I’ve done pageants since I was six
“Our judging criteria is never based on beauty, but on
and have participated in at least ten,”
each contestant’s ability to present herself as the best that
Sophia Sasso, 9
she can be. Middle and high school contestants participate
in interviews that are worth 30% of the total score for mid“I just want to have fun with the pageant and enjoy
dle grades and 40% of the total score for high school. The
it. It’s a really good experience, and it’s going to
interviews are personal in nature and very conversational.
build my confidence,”
The most successful contestant will be friendly, personable
Viviana Darwish, 11
and easy to talk to,” said pageant director Sharon Morales.
“I’m an outgoing person. I love assisting people
This attests to the fact that the pageant is open to evand will bend over backwards for anyone. I also
eryone and is more about the contestant as a person.
love music—I’m an opera singer that is my life,”
“Everybody does something outside of the pagRachel Doss, 12
eant: there are several cheerleaders, also a lot of lacrosse players, runners, and there actually is a opera
“I’m not as girly girly as some of the other girls are.
singer as well,” said senior Melissa Hunting a contestant.
I’m more into sports and doing my own thing,”
Hunting is only one of 13 high school students comDeborah Doss, 10
peting in the pageant who each carry their own distinctive traits and talents.
Strike A Pose Contestants pose after practicing their
“Our girls come from a variety
dance routine as an introduction into the pageant at the
of
family backgrounds, academic
rehearsal on Mar 17.
ability, and extra-curricular activities. They all find a commonality
in serving and becoming sisters.
We are often surprised to find out
talents and skills that our girls possess that are never made known
during their school careers. In
fact, our girls are a big part of
the creative process behind Miss
Mountain View,” said Morales.
“I’m not afraid to be weird. I know who I am and
that’s exactly what I show everyone else,”
More than just another group of pageant prin-
By the #s: Pageant edition cesses, the girls participate in various activities.
Editors Leslie Wyatt and Jordan Stallworth averaged the contestant’s answers.
Pageant date
Averaged G. P. A
Sports played
Averaged # of push-ups they think they could do in a row
Averaged # of sit-ups they think they could in a row
Total number of A .P. classes taken
Plans to go to college
Money spent on pageant by contestants individually
Mar. 28
3.4
11
20
89
19 1/2
8/11 said yes
$100-$650
FEATURES
March 2015
R
S
I
Q: What is your random
favorite word?
A: Timbuktu, listen to it. Tim-buktu. Just say it, Tim-buk-tu.
A: My voice can go really deep, like
manly deep.
Q: What genre of music do
you listen to?
Q: What do you want to be
when you grow up and why?
A: I sing, and no one really knows
that I sing.
Q: Who is your least favorite
celebrity and why?
A: Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus
because they’re all drug addicts. I
mean they had something really
great, and they wanted to ruin it because they wanted to get into drugs.
Q: What is a weird thing that
you’re proud of?
I dabble in everything, but mostly
pop and a little bit of hip hop.
JCL is the largest Classical organization in the
world. Its purpose is to encourage an interest
in and an appreciation of the language, literature, and culture of ancient Greece and Rome
and to impart an understanding of the debt of
our own culture to that of Classical antiquity.
National Junior
Classical League
“Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito”
~Virgil
“Yield not to misfortunes, but advance all
the more boldly against them.”
A: The remix of the Little Einsteins
songs. We were just singing it at the
table, and it’s a very moving song.
Q: If you could choose two
people to be stuck on an island with who would it be?
I would choose [my friends] Christabel and Carrington. They are very
funny. Hard times on the island
Q: What is a weird thing that alone no one to tame it, no food,
unless you go out and make it.
you’re proud of?
I like dance because it’s kind of a free You’re gonna need some entertainment. Carrington can cook and
form thing. It’s not like you really
have to train do everything. You can Christabel is just there for pictures,
you know.
kind of jump in and go from there
and get a whole lot better at it.
Q: What’s your secret talent?
C’Ara Hurd
Q: What’s the last song you
listened to?
9
How have the Classics
influenced your life?
Scan to visit the
JCL website!
mvjcl.weebly.
com
[Doctors] help people that can’t really help themselves.
Q: What’s your favorite pickup line?
A: People don’t really pick me up.
I’m just here, single. I just wanna
throw that in the mix.
SIDEBAR BY SABRINA LUONG
Student Council
New Year, New Mission
Interested in joining the executive board?
Applications are due on March 27.
General interest meeting on April 27 in the
theater. See Mrs. Droms or Mrs. Murphy for
more information.
10 THE GRIZZLY GAZETTE
Volume 3, Issue 5
STUDENT LIFE
March 2015
Enchantment
11
Under The Sea
6
7
2
1
4
Dressing Up 1. Sierra Buckner (11), Rakeen Tompson (11).
8
9
10
11
12
13
3
5
2. Brittany Doyle (11), Savannah Wade (11). 3. Emily Osborne (11), Matthew Batchelor (11). 4. Wil Hartter (12), Benjamin Parker, Garrett Atwell (12), Patrick
Walker (12), Tyler Watkins (12), Sam McWhorter (12), Lauren Harkness (12), Sydney Donohue (12), Alyssa O’Neill (12), Kelci Coker (11), Kelsea Mabie, Jumi Lee (12). 5. Evan Oliver (11), Chanel Leiva (11). 6. Megan Boyd
(12), Oliver Fuss. 7. Jessi Rasaphone (12), Richie Ramos (11). 8. Bryson Morales (11), Braden Canamare, Nick Logan (11), TJ Millonig, Robert Kwiatkowski (11), Hannah Joslin (11), Rachel Wiggins (11), Reagan Evans (11),
Monica Ezzard (11), Blaine Pullian (11). 9. Chrisanne Little (10), Zander Sugarman (11), Mason Baxter (12), Emily Herring (10). 10. Akshay Sinha (12), John Wagner, Neel Pathak (12), Jeffrey Coy (12), Mike Vincent (12), Noah
Barnes (12), John Knoblauch. 11. Alex Keller (12), Shealee Dupree (12). 12. Hannah Towe (11), Dare Peery (12). 13. Randi McDade (12), Nick Hood (12), Gabrielle Marquez (12), Ty Wood (12).
12 SPORTS
Volume 3, Issue 5
PHOTO BY JOSH GILBERT
Motivation
Junior Logan Irvine starts the team’s pregame ritual against the Grayson Rams. “When Logan
rushes out to us, it’s a sign to turn up. It has sort of become our signature and something that we look forward to
every game,” said senior Luis Vilchez.
PHOTO BY JOSH GILBERT
getting to know
Baseball set to defend their 7AAAAAA title
Josh Gilbert ‘15
Kaiden Smith ‘16
RILEY
BROGDON
Staff Writers
BY JOSH GILBERT
When it comes to sports, most people
like to be the ones that stand out, but
for junior Riley Brogdon, just making a
difference is the only thing that matters.
“I really don’t care about stats or if
people know who I am. The only thing
that really matters to me is if I’m helping my team win games,” said Brogdon.
“Every now and then, I don’t mind getting attention, but my main goal is just to
help this team win and make it to state.”
During the summer leading up to
his sophomore year, Brogdon made
the transition from attack to goalie.
“The switch was a little difficult at
first, but over the course of the summer, it got easier for me game by game,”
said Brogdon. “My coaches gave me
a lot of confidence to be able to stand
in goal and have the chance to truly
help the team out in any way I could.”
As fans find their seats and the time
dwindles away till the first pitch, junior catcher Logan Irvine starts his
routine. He runs and slides towards
his excited and chanting teammates,
all eager to compete against whoever
they face. The bears are ready to play.
“I’ve always been the one to try and get
the team hyped up since my freshman
year. Last year, I just kind of started to run
out into the middle of everyone, and it just
eventually became tradition,” said Irvine.
With the season underway, the bears are
looking to maintain last season’s successful ways. Being crowned the 7AAAAAA
champions last year adds pressure to the
team, but regardless they stay focused.
“Expectations are high. Following up on the season that we had last
year won’t be easy, but we are determined,” said senior Sammy Orjuela.
Despite losing six key seniors last year,
the team is prepared to defend its title and
make whatever changes necessary to do so.
“We are all one year older and one
year better. We have players coming
up who we are confident that they can
help us win and be even better than we
were last year,” said senior Luis Vilchez.
With past success comes negativity from others. Opposing teams
have been talking trash on social media, having only a minor effect.
“We keep the smack talk off of Twitter
and social media because we are focused on
winning and not trying to make something
more than it is. I think we feed off of people doubting us,” said junior Sam Freitas.
Also some inclement weather has altered
the front end of the team’s schedule. Despite game cancellations, the team continues to work hard with the time it has.
“The team has definitely been down
since we had many of our games cancelled. We’ve helped counter that by getting competitive practices indoors. We
were able to tune our swings and throw
while still being able to practice at high
intensity,” said junior Cameron Hankins.
Facing adversity head on, the bears remain confident in themselves and their
play. They are ready to defend what’s theirs.
PHOTO BY JOSH GILBERT
getting to know
DEBRA
SIMON-ROZIER
BY CHERYL KWAPONG
Pole vaulting is a challenging sport
that requires an immense amount of upper body strength and a strong focus.
“Pole vaulting is really fun but it’s also
really tense because it’s just a split second thing, and you either get over it or
you don’t. The hardest thing is actually
if you hit the bar because you just hear
the gasp in the crowd, and it’s frustrating,” said freshmen Debra Simon-Rozier.
Simon-Rozier first got into pole
vaulting because her mom and Coach
Young saw her potential, and it became a way for her to lose herself.
“My mom and Coach Young told me
I have long legs, and I should try it, so I
did. My favorite thing about pole vaulting
is how you’re so focused on getting over
the bar that you can’t really think about
anything else, and you just forget about
all your problems,” said Simon-Rozier.
Varsity girls’ soccer team shows great promise with their latest winning streak
Geri Charles ‘17
Staff Writer
Junior Abby Viar hurled down the field,
the soccer ball a few feet in front of her.
Viar sprinted as fast as she could, trying to
outrun the oncoming defender. As the op-
4
4
posing defender started to storm in front
of her, Viar shot the ball, and it hit the
rim and bounced across the goal line, hitting the back of the net. The goal wouldn’t
have been possible if it weren’t for a long
pass from freshman Margaret Greenwald.
Since it’s the first time freshmen are
on the varsity girls’ soccer team, it wasn’t
expected for them to get a lot of playing
time. But Margaret Greenwald was one of
the freshman who started at the first game.
“[The most memorable moment this
year] is starting my first game at Shiloh. I felt happy because I worked really hard for it, and it was a relief to finally be able to start,” said Greenwald.
The returning players are concerned for
the upcoming season and how far the team
will go. The team won their first three
games by a mercy rule, which means that
the girls had a ten point lead. Although
the girls won the first three games, losing
the fourth one provided a new outlook.
“We’ve worked really well together
at trying to find everything we need to
improve on. Because after winning the
first three games and losing the fourth
one, we actually had a snap back to reality that we have to not expect every
team to be like the first three,” said Viar.
The team is focusing on their future goals
and how they want to raise the bar this
season by going to State for the first time.
“I’m looking forward to hopefully im-
proving our record to be better than it
has been because we’ve never been to
the state playoffs at all or as long as I’ve
been here, which is three years now. I
really want to try to make it to State, either the Finals or even the First Round
because it would be such a great accomplishment to be a part of,” said Viar.
PHOTO BY JOSH GILBERT
Pulling Back
Top. Viar pulls back the ball from
another opponent and turns towards the goal to score.