A Year in a New Building

the
Columns
October 2007
St. Agnes Academy
9000 Bellaire Boulevard Houston, TX 77036
A Year in a New Building
What’s Inside
You’re one Lucky
Stiff!
Packed with incredible
talent, hilarious comedy,
dancing dead bodies, and
amazing direction, the fall
musical, Lucky Stiff, impresses its audience.
See page 10.
REMIX!!!
Read about what really
goes on in the life of a
Remix Dancer.
See page 11.
Re-spicing up
your life
Finally! A reunion of
our favorite five British
pop sensations! Read
on to learn more.
See page 8.
Our new St.
Agnes Family
Curious about the new
faculty members of St.
Agnes? Read on to learn
more.
See page 10.
Nutrition or
fiction?
Ever wonder how many
calories you are really
eating?
Volume 57 Issue 1
By Hayley Hemstreet
Blast from the Past Columnist
O
n the very first day of school, typically
it is only the new ninth graders who find
themselves lost, confused and clutching
their schedules for dear life. But this year, girls of
all grades were in this exact position. Even some
seniors, who are usually so experienced, poised,
and revered by underclassmen, became a little
turned around. “I couldn’t find the stairs, so that
was interesting,” senior Alexandra Rose said.
Not only was there an entire new building and
art wing to navigate, but many teachers and their
classrooms were switched and moved around,
causing even more confusion. Just outside the art
classrooms a new enclosed hallway, the future
student art gallery, caught many people off guard as
they first strolled into the building. It is very much
welcomed, though, as it will provide protection
from thrashing rainstorms and warmth from the
unexpected cold in the winter.
Along with the shock of getting lost, students
were amazed that a mess of bulldozers and
construction materials could turn into this beautiful
finished product just a year later. “Everything was
so much bigger and brighter and the classrooms
were enormous,” Alexandra Rose said. All of
the new classrooms are very spacious, and each
has new high-tech, state of the art equipment
for educational labs and experiments. The new
counseling and student services centers are now
conveniently located together on the first floor of
the new building.
Plans for the new building have been several
years in the making and are the combination of
many people’s ideas and opinions. “It was really a
community effort,” Sr. Jane Meyer, O. P. said. Not
only did parents and faculty help make decisions,
but “we had gotten input from the students as
well.” Now St. Agnes girls have the resources to
excel even further in the arts and sciences, with
professional facilities available to them. As Sr.
Jane said, “there’s such demand for women in
science, and so with good facilities and increased
opportunities, I want our girls to be ready to get
out there and be very competitive in the science
world.”
Thanks to these new facilities, dedicated teachers,
and the desire to learn, girls can accomplish anything
whether it be at St. Agnes or in the real world.
JAMIE OYER/THE COLUMNS
All of our waiting has finally paid off! Students and teachers alike are thouroughly enjoying the beautiful new
science building.
See page 8.
To advertise with The Columns, contact Business
Manager Aileen O’Leary
through our email,
thecolumns@st-agnes.org
Index
Page 2..................Editorial
Page 3........................News
Page 4-5................Opinions
Page 6-7.......,,,,,.Fish Week
Page 8-9...............Features
Page 10.............On Campus
Page 11....................Sports
Page 12..............Tiger Tail
JAMIE OYER/THE COLUMNS
The sunlit new art wing presents art students with a brand new place to showcase their art, and gives everyone else a great place to admire them!
1
October 2007
The
Editorial
Vol 57 Issue 1
the columns
W
Columns
St. Agnes Academy
9000 Bellaire Boulevard
Houston Texas 77036
713.219.5400
thecolumns@st-agnes.org
Advisor........................................................................Dr. Ranjana Varghese
Editor-in-Chief....................................................................Kate Winderman
Editor-in-Chief......................................................................Juliana Serrano
Features Editor.....................................................................Lauren Halliday
Opinions Editor......................................................................Nicki Koetting
On-Campus Editor..................................................................Lindsey Adam
News Editor........................................................................Amy Stuhldreher
Sports Editor........................................................................Sandi Moynihan
Business Manager.................................................................Aileen O’Leary
Asst. Business Manager/Blast from the Past Columnist...Hayley Hemstreet
Art Director................ .................................................................Anne Loos
Assistant Art Director/Photographer..................................Stephanie Turner
Spread Editor/Chief Photographer...............................................Jamie Oyer
Perspective Columnist...............................................................Soha Nassef
Entertainment Columnist.......................................................Allison Branca
Food Columnist......................................................................Alison Wolters
Everyone is a Reporter
The Columns is the student newspaper of St. Agnes Academy. Its content, which is the responsibility of The Columns staff, is not subject
to administrative approval. Unsigned editorials represent the opinions
of the newspaper, while opinion columns represent the writer’s perspective. Advertisements do not represent the newspaper’s viewpoint.
The Columns, an open forum, welcomes signed letters on pertinent
issues from the SAA community. The editors reserve the right to edit
and decline to print letters. All writing may be submitted to Dr. Varghese in room 212 or through
thecolumns@st-agnes.org
Advertising Policy
The Columns accepts advertising that does not promote illegal services or immoral products to its readers. The moderator reserves the
right to accept or deny advertising with her discretion. Contact Aileen
O’Leary for advertising rates and information. Upon approval of the
advertisement, The Columns promises to follow through on all contracts. If advertisments are not approved, The Columns promises to
refund the fee in full.
elcome back Sophomores, Juniors, and
Seniors to another
year at the Academy! Welcome
to all the new 9th graders! We
hope you have had a great start
of the year filled with fun in
Fish Week with your big sisters.
To see the excitement and activities of Fish Week as well as
flushing bathrooms and the new
and improved water fountains.
The first page will give you a
great interview and great pictures
of our new building.
This year seems to be even more
filled than usual with new faculty.
We welcome all our new staff
who have already started adding
their wonderful qualities to our
deserve to be applauded. Find out
about the day in the life of a Remix girl as well as gossip about
Beckham coming to America.
Also make sure to check out the
survey in this page that will unravel some disturbing statistics.
Girls, we can’t be ignorant! We
should at least know the capital
of the country we’re at war with!
GRACE FLETCHER/GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER
Meet the 2007-2008 staff of The Columns!
many great pictures, turn to the
center spread!
Changes have filled our entrance to St. Agnes. Everyone,
including the seniors wandered
the halls for those first couple
of days, a little lost, wondering
where their classrooms were.
The new science building excited many. Girls giggled and
marveled over the automatic
talented faculty. Most, if not all,
the students have at least one new
teacher this year and many (more
than half of the seniors) have new
counselors. Turn to the OnCampus page to get the inside scoop
on all these new teachers.
Check out our new Sports section added to the paper this year
which has a great expose on all
those girls who work so hard and
Isn’t it more important than Tom
Cruises’ religion?
The staff of The Columns wish
everyone a wonderful year and
enjoy all the changes. As Sharpay
would say, “It’s out with old, and
in with the new! Good-bye clouds
of gray, hello skies of blue!”
While we never had “clouds of
gray” at St. Agnes, We’re definitely getting “skies of blue”!
What Do We Know?
43% of Juniors
65% of Ninth Graders
57% of the School
Can name one of Barbie’s
younger sisters.
Skipper, Stacie, Kelly, or
Krissy
1% of Sophomores
10% of Juniors
5% of the School
Can name Texas’ state
senators.
Kay Bailey Hutchinson
John Cornyn
47% of Sophomores
81% of Seniors
68% of the School
Know how many planets
are in our solar system.
8 Planets
Lindsey Adam/Amy Stuhldreher
On-Campus Editor/News Editor
62% of Ninth Graders
83% of Seniors
75% of the School
Know Tom Cruise’s religion.
Scientology
60% of Juniors
80% of Ninth Graders
76% of the School
28% of Ninth Graders
35% of Juniors
30% of the School
Know who’s slogan is,
“Think outside the bun!?
Taco Bell
Know the most common
blood type.
O Positive
The Who?
133 Ninth Graders
73 Sophomores
84 Juniors
127 Seniors
39% of Juniors
63% of Sophomores
55% of the School
Know the capital of Iraq.
Baghdad
_____________
417 Total Surveyed
41% of Ninth Graders
59% of Seniors
52% of the School
40% of Sophomores
62% of Seniors
54% of the School
Can name all five spice girls.
Baby, Ginger, Posh, Scary,
Sporty
Know what country the Great
Barrier reef is located closest to.
Australia
2
18% of Sophomores
24% of Seniors
22% of the School
Know who runs the
fashion design company,
Versace.
Donatella Versace
October 2007
Una Ciudad de
Diversidad
Lindsay Adam
On Campus Editor
L
iving in Houston, we are
frequently exposed to a
unique variety of cultural
influences from Harris County’s
diverse population. However not
until this year has the county’s full
demographic population increase
been brought to nationwide attention. Hispanics of all nationalities
are now the majority in Houston
and Harris County, with a statistic of 38.2% Hispanic. While the
white or Caucasian population
follows closely behind with a percentage of 36.9%.
Harris County, in the year of
2007, maintained a total minority percentage of 63%. With such
strong cultural influences alive
and strong within our city, the
reasons for such a strong increase
in minority population are really
quite simple. Immigration rates
are at a high as new jobs and opportunities continue to attract Hispanics from a variety of countries,
in particular Mexico. The other
2007 Demographic
News
reason is due to the average age
of Hispanics and the current standard to have children at a young
age. With a low mortality rate and
a high birth rate, the population is
increasing with escalating speed.
Nationally, our 63% minority
population places us third in the
country behind Cook County, Illinois, and Los Angeles County,
California. According to the
2003 Houston Almanac, that demographic will only grow. The
Almanac predicts a Hispanic
population of 46% and while population of 31% in 2025. And in
2040, the Almanac expects 54%
for the total Hispanic population
while the white population will
decrease to 24% of the whole.
Throughout these rising minority
projections, the Hispanic and other populations are anticipated to
continue their increase while the
Caucasian and African American
populations will suffer a sharp
decrease. The evidence to support
these conclusions surrounds us
daily and will continue to prevail
with the coming years.
Vol 57 Issue 1
the columns
The Games Reaching
For New Heights
Stephanie Turner
Assistant Art Director
W
hen one hears the
news that somebody has climbed
to the top of Mt. Everest it
is usually pictured as a difficult feat. After all, reaching
the “roof of the world” has
always been something that
only the physically fit and
brave of heart could accomplish. Soon enough, however, reaching the world’s
tallest peak will become an
idea the typical tourist can
consider thanks to the 2008
Summer Olympic Games. This time, the Olympics are
going to be held in Beijing.
One of the most popular
events of the summer Olympics is the torch relay. The
2008 Games are going to
set new records. The torch
relay is going to be the longest
in history, ing 85,000 miles.
Another unique point of the
torch relay is that the race will
end on the top of Mt. Everest.
This great finale is going to be
made a bit easier for the trekkers
way will be used in attracting tourists to Mt. Everest.
Is building a highway on
Mt. Everest going to decrease the natural wonder’s
novelty? Probably not.
Instead, the highway will
make Mt. Everest more accessible to those who want
to endure some of the most
extreme mountain climbing our planet has to offer. More people would be
able to personally experience the natural wonder.
On the other hand, some
worry the highway may
obscure the natural beauty
that Mt. Everest provides.
Beijing does not plan on
effacing Mt. Everest’s current state. The layout for
the highway is on top of a
road that is already there.
There are hardly plans to
create something new; rather,
plans are to improve on something
old and potentially dangerous.
Maybe the next time your family plans a vacation out of the
country, Mt. Everest will not be
such an unapproachable idea.
SHOWBIZ.COM
The symbol for the 2008 summer oluympics.
thanks to Beijing’s plans to build
a highway on the natural wonder.
Why would China invest so much
for the Olympic Games? Truth be
told, the torch relay is not the only
reason the highway is going to be
built. After the games, the high-
Seismic Scares Rock Peru
Sandi Moynihan
Sports Editor
his past August, Peru was
unexpectedly rocked by
a sudden and powerful
earthquake. This quake, which
registered an impressive 8.0 on
the Richter scale, lasted for an
eternity of two minutes. In an impossibly short amount of time, the
quake wreaked havoc by nearly
demolishing the southern towns
of Ica and Pisco. However, for
most of Peru which lies on the
Atacama Trench, earthquakes
are just another part of life.
“They happen about as often as
a major hurricane would hit the
gulf,” said Senior Julie Valencia.
Julie’s relatives, specifically her
father, reside in Peru and have
been pestered by earthquakes for
decades. “In 1968 there was a
huge earthquake that destroyed
my father’s house,” said Valencia. “There were also other
smaller quakes after that especially during the early 2000s.”
Senior Lindsay Holton is just
thankful that her family in Lima
wasn’t harmed in the massive
quake. “We were lucky,” said
Holton. “…at first we couldn’t
reach our relatives and we were
calling them all day…the power
was out for only a few hours…
[but in the end] all that was damaged was a few family heirlooms.”
Unfortunately not every Peruvian was auspicious enough to
find safety. The death toll in the
quake in August was an alarming
437 people. According to Holton,
“[During an earthquake] you’re
caught off-guard and two min-
T
2025 Demographic
2040 Demographic
3
utes is a long time.” In this case,
quick thinking could mean the
difference between life and death.
Despite the extensive damage
near the epicenter in Ica, there
seems to be high spirits about re-
building in Peru. “They’ve always
experienced earthquakes,” said
Valencia. “They’ll be able to get
back on their feet pretty quick.”
Facts
and
Figures
concerning
earthquake
courtesy
of
washingtonpost.com
and
wikipedia.com
This map depicts the actual epicentre of the earthquake in Peru.
October 2007
Opinions
the columns
Green is the New Pink
WARNING: HARRY
POTTER SPOILERS MAY
BE HARMFUL TO YOUR
HEALTH
Anne Loos
Art Director
ANNE LOOS/THE COLUMNS
Nicki Koetting
Opinions Editor
WWW,LISTALLCOM
Re-reading the first book certainly brings
back memories…
A
lbus
Dumbledore
says on page 723 of
Harry Potter and the
Deathly Hallows, “Of course it
is happening inside your head,
Harry, but why on earth should
that mean that it is not real?”
The world inside J.K Rowling’s
head is very real, as proved by
fans of the septology at midnight
parties across America. Most of
these fans, me included, grew up
with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
I received a copy of Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
when I was seven years old.
Nine years later, I have become
obsessed with Harry Potter and
couldn’t imagine my life without “The Boy Who Lived”.
A few St. Agnes girls, such as
junior Christine Bartram, are not
as happy with J.K Rowling, “I
was devastated for two weeks because I did not receive my Hogwarts letter when I turned eleven,”
Christine said. Because of this
loss, she did not continue to read
the series. However, most of us
fans got over the upset after a few
sessions of therapy and continued to happily memorize the plot.
It seems so long ago that we
first turned the pages of Sorcerer’s Stone, that we first wondered,
“Why did Harry survive the Killing Curse? Is Voldemort still
alive?” And then, the questions began to spiral out of control: “How
will Harry’s blood protect Voldemort? What else is in the Chamber
of Secrets? When will Ron and
Hermione finally get together?”
We came up with elaborate
theories, we read, wrote, and
critiqued fan fiction. We re-read
the novels from start to finish,
backwards and forwards, and
sometimes in another language.
By the time
Deathly Hallows
was near, we fans
were dying from
the suspense. Many
more
questions
arose: Is Snape
good or evil? Will
Harry live or die?
Is Harry a Horcrux? And perhaps
the most important question of
all: What ARE the
Deathly Hallows?
“Finally,the
truth,”Deathly
Hallows,page 691.
We stepped into
the wonderful 784
pages and discovered all the answers
and more. Snape
was good the entire time, Harry lived, he was a
Horcrux; and the deaths were so
numerous that I can’t even start
to recount who died. We learned
about Dumbledore’s scandalous
past and Snape’s romantic life.
And, finally, after months of anticipation, we learned what those
Hallows were all about. The Elder
Wand, Harry’s Invisibility Cloak,
and the Resurrection Stone all
have beyond magical powers
which, combined, make the user
the Master of Death. Rowling
said herself that “the basic theme
of the series is Death” (Mugglenet.com), but I never thought
that Death would play that much
of a central role in the series.
Whoever says that these novels
are children’s books is delusional.
No one, not even Stephen King,
can write an article that can do
the Harry Potter books justice.
But, my friends, we must face the
truth: this is the end of a literary
era. When asked how this affects
her, senior Tess Clifton said, “It’s
killing me! Our generation grew
up with Harry Potter, and the generations after us will not appreciate the books like we did. They
won’t have that experience.”
J.K Rowling took us on an adventure that very few authors can
accredit. She whisked us off to
Hogwarts and introduced magic
in our lives. She wrote about
death, struggle, choices, and good
versus evil. But most important of
all, she showed us the power of
love – through sacrifices, through
thick and thin. After seventeen
years of writing for J.K Rowling, and ten years of magic for
us readers, the end has come. I
think now we can all say: Thanks
for the ride, Jo. It was a blast.
Vol 56Issue 1
That’s
So- Ha
Ha Ha!
Soha Nassef
Perspective Columnist
R
Recycle: This recycling logo is your new best friend!
ecycling is often considered an inconvenient
task that forces you to
go out of your way to dispose of
your trash. During the week you
save your Diet Coke cans, your
glass Arizona Tea bottles, and
your newspapers. Then you must
endure the tiresome chore of
putting all the recyclables into a
green bin outside where it will be
collected every Wednesday. You
go through all this trouble just to
save some factory from producing a few more plastic bottles.
However recycling does a lot
more than save a few bottles. In
2000, recycling as well as composting, kept around 17 million
tons of trash out of our landfills.
In landfills, massive amounts of
garbage are buried on top of each
other; however the garbage takes
thousands of years to decompose
in this situation. Toxic gases in
the trash can also pollute the air
and ground water.
For every ton of paper that is
recycled, about seventeen trees
are saved. But why should you
care about a bunch of trees? Trees
provide habitats for animals as
well as give us oxygen to breath.
Recycling your paper seems like
a small price to pay in order to
breathe. Speaking of breathing,
recycling also reduces pollution.
The more we recycle the fewer
products industrial power plants
have to produce, thus cutting the
amount of pollution emitted during production. By recycling, not
only can you breathe, but you can
Source: Mugglenet.com
4
enjoy cleaner air.
For some people, it is difficult to recycle since their neighborhoods do not offer a recycling
service, and there are no recycling
centers near them. However, they
can do many things to reduce their
trash load. They can reuse items
like plastic bags, food containers,
and water bottles.
When you go to the grocery
store, instead of using several
plastic bags bring a large tote bag
to hold your groceries. You will
look cuter holding a trendy tote
than a bunch of ugly plastic bags,
plus you will be reducing the consumption of grocery bags.
Composting is another great
way to cut down on your trash
load. An easy way to compost is
to dig a wide but shallow hole in
an out of he way place in your
back yard. In that hole you will
put your organic waste such as
fruits and vegetable where it will
decompose into the ground.
Another option is to buy biodegradable products. There are
many websites where you can buy
biodegradable or organic makeup
and clothing. You can look great
and save the environment at the
same time!
There really is no good reason
for not recycling or at least helping the environment in some way.
It’s pretty difficult to make a convincing argument against recycling-unless you want overflowing landfills, air pollution, and no
forests. Though it can seem like
such a drag at times it is very beneficial to our Earth. A little can go
a very long way.
I
Disney
Mania!
f you’re 8 or 85 more than
likely you know what a
lovely little thing called
Hannah Montana is. That is probably because either you a) watch
it and love Smokin’ Oaken b)
your children watch it and you
were forced to go the Rodeo concert or c) you’re just plain cool.
Honestly, if you’re over the age
of 50 and like it, then it’s probably
b, but otherwise all of the above
are honest-to-goodness ways why
the show is fabulous. Why in fact,
all of the Disney shows are great.
The Disney Channel ® has been
around for almost 25 years and
through it all it has been a great
reminder of childhood to those
who have grown and has become
a stepping stone for many actors to
go on to begin adult acting careers.
The Disney Channel ® has put
a spell on the world that cannot
be undone. It has enticed children and adults of all ages. High
School Musical and its sequel had
the top grossing numbers for their
opening nights and while that is
a feat upon itself the real impact
it had on the nation is astounding. When the mothers of my
friends know the dance moves
and every song by heart, it is then
that I realize that it’s all relative.
Disney Channel ®, although
aimed at a certain age group commonly known as tweens, reaches
out to everyone. It is good natured
television that parents can let their
kids watch without fear of contortion of their brains and is nothing
us kids ever fight with them about.
Although not a tween I enjoy
Disney Channel ® very much and
am probably going to like it for
a very long time. If you need a
pick me up or just a good ol’ dose
of the Sprouse twins stop on by
Disney Channel ® and they will
be sure to accommodate you.
October 2007
Opinions
Take Two: Is the
Second Cut As Good
As the First?
Lauren Halliday
Features Editor
A
new craze is sweeping the country:
movie remakes! Recreations of both popular books
and classic movies have grown
from occasional occurrences
to almost constant sources for
new entertainment. As much as
you’d like to think everything
you see in the movies is original, much of what you see today
is not. While movie remakes
aren’t new, only recently have
they become extremely trendy.
The most memorable remake
of recent times is Pride and
Prejudice. Since the book is
the required summer reading for
sophomores, the movie has been
undeniably popular among the
student body. Darcy’s undying
love for Elizabeth surely makes
many Academy women want a
man with such perseverance and
loyalty. This movie is just one
of countless recreations of both
famous and underrated novels.
Many books were made into
movies in 2006 such as The
Devil Wears Prada and The Pursuit of Happyness. While both
of these movies gained wide
acclaim, many details of the
original stories were changed
to give the movies that certain
Hollywood edge, particularly
in The Devil Wears Prada in
which the entire ending was
changed. Although this may appear to take away from the whole
point of a remake, a new ending
gives a fresh twist to the story.
It goes without saying that the
biggest remake of this season has
been Harry Potter and the Order
of the Phoenix. Why is this movie better than the other four you
may ask? Since the movie premiere coincided with the release
of the final installment in the series, Harry Potter mania has been
even more extreme than usual. As
we say goodbye to Harry and the
gang, all we have left to look forward to are the remaining movies
to keep the wizarding spirit alive!
Another big hit this season has
been the film version of the musical, Hairspray, which has garnered huge success everywhere.
With it has also come what I like
to call the “Efronomenon.” Your
favorite guilty pleasure, Zac
Efron, has furthered his popularity with his supporting role in
Hairspray, helping him land the
leading role in the upcoming remake of 1984’s classic, Footloose.
While remakes allow the current generation to discover the
classics, it also begs the question: should classic movies and
books be remade? It is a debatable topic when many times the
newer versions are not near as
good as the originals. I suggest
that you watch the original movies and read the books to determine which are the true classics.
LAUREN HALLIDAY/ THE COLUMNS
The “Efronomenon”: Seniors Sarah Biemer, Emily Glaser, and Kelsey Caton demonstrate
their love for Zac Efron.
Vol 57 Issue 1
the columns
No, Homework I’m in the
Will Have to Wait, Mood for
I’m Facebooking! Food!
Allison Branca
Entertainment Columnist
F
acebook, favored by
most, feared by many,
has become one of the
most popular social networking sites in the country. Over
the past few years Facebook has
developed from a small network
for college students into a social
craze. The network is no longer
only for college kids, but for
anyone with an email address.
I will not lie, I am a Facebook
addict. I can’t help but check
my phone during class every five
minutes hoping that I have received a text from Facebook. (A
recent addition to Facebook has
been Facebook mobile, which
sends a text message to your
phone when something new has
happened on your facebook).
Recently I challenged myself not to log onto Facebook
for a whole week. It was hard
enough for me to stay off Facebook for one day, but a week
was an extreme challenge. I
was convinced that I would not
miss much, but I knew I would
be behind on viewing pictures.
During that week at school, I
was approached by my friends
and was questioned about why I
had not responded to their messages. I was frustrated and out
of the loop. I was unable to keep
in touch with my friends that I
had met over the summer, and I
was unable to make cookies for
a friend’s birthday because I had
not seen the Facebook reminder.
Facebook allows me to be informed on the most important
things in my teenage life. I can
see when people are in a relationship, or when “it’s complicated.” I can stalk the cute boy
on crusader guard by looking at
his tagged pictures, and by reading his wall-to-walls with my
competition. Only true addicts
such as myself consider popularity by the number of comments
you get a day, and by the number
of tagged pictures you have. My
sole purpose of going out on the
weekends is to be in pictures, and
to take pictures…for Facebook.
Facebook keeps me in touch with
“girl world”. Without Facebook
I would be lost for it allows me to
communicate easily, and it’s free
as opposed to the ten cent charge
for the old school text message.
I believe that Facebook is the
greatest invention of our lifetime!
Facebook is taking over the world one St. Agnes computer monitor at a time!
ALLISON BRANCA/THE COLUMNS
5
Alison Wolters
Food Columnist
Senior’s
Lunch
Time
F
rom the first day of freshman year, every St. Agnes girl dreams of being able to finally go off campus
for lunch senior year. However,
getting to a place to eat, actually eating, and getting back to
school in time can be challenging
for anyone. Luckily, St. Agnes
happens to be strategically located in between a few great options for a quick lunch or snack.
Right down the street from St.
Agnes, probably less than five
minutes in a car, are Hokkaido
and Tapioca House. Hokkaido is
great for sushi, and their dragon
and California rolls are especially tasty. Another added bonus
with Hokkaido is that free Miso
soup comes with any meal. Tapioca House has amazing Chinese
food; fried rice, egg rolls, sweet
and sour chicken, they have it all.
Another great option in the same
shopping center is Don’s Sandwiches, a little Vietnamese restaurant with excellent barbeque.
For a quick meal a little farther down the road, The Carillion Center, located at the corner
of Briar Park and Westheimer,
has a wonderful assortment of
choices. La Madeline, Schlotzsky’s Sandwiches, and Godfather’s Pizza are all great options for grabbing quick bite to
eat. There’s also a Marble Slab,
which is absolutely necessary for
anyone who is having a hard day
and needs a little sugary treat.
Although it would be a challenge,
it is possible, according to several
of last year’s seniors, to get all
the way to Chick-fil-A and back
in time for class. And to be honest, sometimes Chick-fil-A is just
necessary for survival and nothing else can suffice. For anyone
willing to try, the nearest Chickfil-A is off 6-10 near the Galleria.
With senior privileges coming
so quickly, and so many great options to choose from, the senior
girls should be very well nourished
and ready for the rest of their day.
Interviews, Layout, and Pictures by Jamie Oyer with help
from special guest photographer Dandan Liu
6
October 2007
Features
Spice Up Your Life...Again!
Anne Loos
Art Director
I
n 1996, a force
so powerful and
so
captivating
invaded the world. This
force was the Spice
Girls. They came out
of nowhere and took
the world by storm,
receiving hype that is
often compared to the
Beatlemania in the
‘60s. Their songs were
always on the radio;
their merchandise was
always on the shelves.
As little girls, we were
all caught up in the
Spice Girls mania. We
tortured our moms by
incessantly
playing
their CDs, playing
with our Spice Girls dolls, and
considering Spice World to be the
greatest film in cinematography
history.
Then it was over as quickly
as it had begun. In 1998, Geri
Halliwell, a.k.a. Ginger Spice,
left the Spice Girls giving
excuses such as “exhaustion”
and “differences.” The Spice
Girls had split up. “Finding out
the Spice Girls broke up was so
traumatic for me. I was in complete
depression!” says junior Hannah
Esaaldi. The new quintet went on
to release two more albums but
audiences felt that they had lost
their pizzazz. Then, in early 2001,
the Spice Girls, or at least what
was left of them, announced their
WWW.KANZUME.NET
Posh Spice, Sporty Spice, Scary Spice, Baby Spice, and Ginger Spice will
spice up our lives this November with their greatest hits album. Mark your calendars!
final breakup. Eventually, we all
moved on; our Spice Girls dolls
were at the bottom of the toy box
and we were now torturing our
moms with Britney Spears and
N’SYNC.
Eleven years after “Wannabe,”
and six years after the infamous
split, rumors of a Spice Girls
reunion spread like wild fire.
Though we are much older, we all
became ridiculously excited and
prayed that the rumors were true.
On June 28, our prayers were
answered when the Spice Girls
came together and confirmed the
rumors. The British girl band that
we loved so much as little girls is
reuniting for a worldwide reunion
tour called “The Return of the
Spice Girls.” The tour will hit
eleven cities, with ticket prices
ranging from 200 to 800 dollars.
But these aren’t the five crazy
girls we came to know and love.
Most of them are middle-aged
mothers by now. “It’s really
awkward looking at the Spice
Girls when they are all old,”
says junior Annie Hutson. They
definitely do not resemble their
former selves. Scary Spice’s wild
hair is now tame and straight. Baby
Spice actually has a baby. Sporty
Nutrition facts and fiction
Stephanie Turner
Assistant Art Director
W
e’ve all heard about
counting calories, and
who hasn’t been caught
scanning the back of a soda can
during one idle moment? Maybe
you are trying to make a conscious
effort to eat healthier but there is
a lot of misleading information
out there. When it comes to using
nutrition labels, your eyes should
look at more than just the calorie
intake.
The first thing to look out for
when using nutrition labels as a
guide is to look at how much a
serving is. A good example is that
bottle of soda from the vending
machine. It seems like one bottle
should be one serving, but it’s
really more like 1.5 servings. The
actual servings per bottle depend
on the brand. That means you
have to add more to everything
else on the label. That’s a whole
half more of the calories, fats,
sugars, and sodium than what the
label suggests.
Another tricky thing to look for
are the snacks that claim to have
zero calories or fat. The FDA
permits manufacturers to put zero
in value but that zero is most often
the product of a rounding rule. If
the value of calorie intake is less
Vol 57 Issue 1
the columns
JULIANA SERRANO/ THE COLUMNS
Food label mysteries: You don’t really need to know French to understand food labels!
than five calories, then it can be
labeled as zero. Make sure you
don’t eat these sorts of snacks in
excess because those five calorie
servings can add up if you get up
for seconds. Those snacks that
claim to have zero calories are
also usually loaded with fat or
sugars. It is also vice versa with
snacks that have zero fat; they
tend to have a lot of calories and
other unhealthy ingredients.
Calories are not the only
thing to look out for when using
nutrition labels as a guide to good
eating. Sugars and ingredients
8
Spice no longer
sports a track suit but
a black business suit.
Will Ginger even
be able to fit into her
signature union jack
dress after having two
babies? Posh Spice,
though older, blonder,
and tanner, is the only
one who still mirrors
her
former
look.
However, these thirty
year-old women still
have that charismatic
and energetic attitude
they possessed in their
glory days.
A tour is not the
only thing on the
Spice Girls’ to-do
list. In November, a
Spice Girls greatest
hits album, as well
as two new singles
will be released. In
addition, a Spice
Girls documentary is currently
being produced. It will cover
their success in the 90’s, the
reunion tour, and disclose deep
dark secrets that have never been
revealed to the media.
Though we are in high school
now, we still sigh with nostalgia
as we remember singing along
to “Wannabe” and pretending
we were our favorite Spice Girl.
They were such a landmark in
the ‘90s as well as in the lives
of young girls everywhere. The
world thought it had seen the last
of the Spice Girls, but how wrong
it was. One hopes this reunion
tour will be a continuation and
not a conclusion to the Spice
Girls era.
such as high fructose corn syrup
are battling calories to get used
up first. Sweeteners and additives
are less natural for your body and
thus the body will get rid of them
before those pesky calories. If
your body is burning up sugars,
the calories will only get stored
up, not burned out.
Nutrition labels aren’t just
there to tell you to consume less.
They are also a helpful guide in
keeping tabs on your necessary
vitamins, calcium, and fibers.
These numbers are usually in a
percent value. These nutrients are
the ones that you want to add up.
They help in preventing sickness
and disease, as well as keeping
your fortress of a body strong on
many other levels.
Soon enough you will find
yourself staring at that nutrition
label again. Perhaps then you will
know a few tricks that will keep
you ahead of the dietary game.
Blast from the Past
Hayley Hemstreet
Miscellaneous Columnist
Recycled Fashion
H
as your mom ever looked
at your outfit, and said
excitedly, “I used to
wear clothes just like that!” Well,
don’t let it freak you out. Clothes
from the sixties, seventies, and
other decades are coming back
and becoming stylish and trendy
again.
The influence of the 1960’s, the
era of peace, love, and radical
change, has brought major
changes to the fashion world.
Peasant skirts, bell-bottom jeans,
long, gauzy tops, and baby doll
dresses are some recent trends that
were influenced by the Bohemian
or mod styles of the sixties. And
in the seventies, as told to me by
my own mother, brightly colored
Mexican peasant dresses were
popular; and as we all know, those
are still popular among St. Agnes
girls every Diversity Day.
The big, overly-permed hair, too
tight acid-wash jeans and puffysleeved dresses of the eighties
are usually the most entertaining
and funny parts of a classic Molly
Ringwald movie. However, some
trends of that time have come
over into our generation. Bubble
skirts, slouchy, leather boots and
funky accessories like ice cream
cone necklaces are fun trends
today that hail from the 1980’s.
Almost everywhere you look
you see these trends – from the
pages of Vogue to the racks of
Urban Outfitters to the halls of St.
Agnes.
It’s true that most fashions
and trends do end up recycling
themselves. They reappear onto
the fashion scene, perhaps with
a modern twist, which makes
it attractive and appealing for
new buyers. Although recently
there haven’t been any crazes
over corsets or petticoats (thank
goodness!), styles from more
recent times have reemerged.
Sometimes designers may have
just run out of fresh ideas, and so
they bring back something from
the past. So you may want to
hold onto your skinny jeans and
over-sized, Nicole Richie-esque
sunglasses, because ten or twenty
years from now they’ll probably
be just as popular and fashionable
as they are now.
Features
October 2007
the columns
Because I’ve Got It
Soha Nassef
Perspective Columnist
Allison Branca
Entertainment Columnist
Won’t someone
turn on the AC...L?
A
ustin City Limits is a
music festival in Austin,
Texas, which is typically
held at the end of September.
The festival is run by Waterloo
Records, and takes place in Zilker
Park. The festival has been held
annually in Austin since 2002.
This year the festival kicked
off on September 14. With 130
bands playing night and day on
eight different stages, “ACL” is
America’s largest annual musical
event.
ACL brings out just about every
type of person you can imagine,
but one thing is for sure, you are
not “in” unless you are bohemian.
As I walked the hills of Zilker
Park, wearing my denim cut
offs and vintage t-shirt (which I
thought were pretty cool), I felt
the need to run to the nearest
street vendor to buy a long tyedyed skirt. I do not know when
the hippie trend appeared at ACL,
but lots of people had bandanas
tied around their heads. It was
clear that the “bohos” were the
majority at the festival.
The hills of Zilker Park were
a perfect setting for the eight
stages. The park offered many
places to lie in the hot sun and
bake yourself until you could not
handle the sun any longer. I seem
to have developed a blistering
burn that is my one souvenir of
the weekend.
I enjoy the fact that ACL is able
to host bands of many genres of
music. Some recognizable names
at the festival on September
14-16 included: Blue October,
Damien Rice, The Killers, Robert
Earl Keen, Bloc Party and Bob
Dylan. Blue October did not
perform as well as expected, but
I will assume that it was due
to heat exhaustion. The stage
where the bands were performing
merely had fans blowing on the
artists. I was surprised by the
performance of Damien Rice.
He was spectacular. His voice
echoed throughout Austin and
throughout my head. I felt that
his songs were a clear preview
into his heart.
ACL is different from most
festivals because it gives new
artists a chance to get noticed.
It is possible for new artists to
perform because the festival sets
up contests for the artists to earn a
spot. I recommend ACL to anyone
who enjoys the hot outdoors of
Austin and a plethora of music.
Listen up!
P
lay practice, volleyball
tournament, AP Chemistry
2 homework, and a Student
Council meeting after school.
Some St. Agnes girls have all
these commitments or a lovely
combination of several. While
having so many different activities
going on in life, who has the time
for luxuries such as watching
some Grey’s Anatomy or reading
a book? Well, my friend, although
nothing can be done about the
TV issue, there is a solution
to the reading problem: audio
books. Some may know what
these charming inventions are
while others may not. It is a way
for someone to enjoy literature
without physically having to sit
down and read it. You can enjoy
audio books to and from many of
your activities. They are available
on tape or CD and almost any book
of your desire is also available as
an audio book. From The Princess
Diaries to The Nanny Diaries, the
books are endless.
The extremely busy
Vol 57 Issue 1
SOHA NASSEF/THE COLUMNS
Audio Books are becoming increasingly popular in the St. Agnes community.
St. Agnes girl needs something
substantial or entertaining to
listen to while hustling back and
forth between practice, work, and
school, something to get her mind
off her impending homework that
needs to be done by tomorrow and
also something that will enrich
her mind. While most people
are skeptical about this new idea
and don’t think they will enjoy
it, you will probably love it and
pass it on to your friends. Junior
Garland Parsley and her friend,
fellow junior Molly Jenner, both
love audio books and would
recommend them to all. “I love
the Harry Potter books! Jim Dale
[the narrator] is amazing!” Molly
Jenner said.
Audio books are sold
at any bookstore and some of
the best selections are found at
Barnes & Noble. Audio books are
starting to make their way into
the lives of everyone in different
ways. You can download them off
the internet or even buy them on
iTunes. Not only do they put you
at ease and take your mind off
stressful things in your life, they
can also help you academically.
Garland Parsley listens to school
books and other helpful guides in
her car or at home. “By listening
to audio books I can better
understand what is going on in
the story and actually picture it,”
Garland said. Whether you listen
to them for enjoyment, academics,
or do not even listen to them yet,
bets are you will get hooked on
audio books.
You know you love Gossip Girl
Ali Wolters
Food Columnist
G
ossip Girl, by Cicily Von
Ziegesar, released in 2002,
immediately topped the New
York Times bestseller list. The
story follows teenagers from
Manhattan’s Upper East Side,
whose dramatic and privileged
lives are recorded on a gossip
website by Gossip Girl, a
somehow all-knowing narrator,
although no one knows exactly
who she is.
With eleven books already out,
and a twelfth coming this October,
it was not a surprise that Josh
Schwartz and Stephanie Savage,
creators of the popular series The
OC, decided to direct a TV series
of the story. The cast includes
several
well-known
names,
including Kristen Bell (Veronica
Mars) who will narrate the voice
of Gossip Girl, and Blake Lively
(Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants)
who will portray Serena van der
Woodsen. Although Leighton
Meester (playing the character
Blair) and Penn Bagdley (playing
the character Chuck) have TV
experience through guest starring
on other shows, Gossip Girl is
WWW.GIRLPOSSE.COM
Gossip Girl: Watch the show Wednesdays at 8:00 P.M. on the CW.
their first major role.
The TV series plans to loosely
follow the book series, although
there are some deviations
from the original story. Jenny
Humphery is described in the
9
books as cute and sweet looking.
“Jenny is supposed to have brown
curly hair, be under five feet tall,
a little pudgy, and look different
from the rest of the characters.
It’s upsetting that they made her
look just like Serena.” said ninthgrader Bridget Scamardi. Serena
is portrayed as a girl with modellike, almost perfect good looks of
which all the other characters are
jealous. Having two characters
with Serena-like looks will
certainly cause some differences
in the plot line between the TV
series and the books.
An essential part of the Gossip
Girl series is the flawless
wardrobe worn daily by all the
characters. Eric Daman, who
previously worked as the costume
designer on Sex and the City, will
have the responsibility of making
the costumes for the show just as
spectacular as they are described
to be in the books. He has said
that the wardrobe he has lined up
for the show is based on real New
York City socialites.
With a great cast that includes
promising new actors, award
winning directors, and a plot that
is as juicy as it is entertaining,
Gossip Girls will surely be a great
success.
OnCampus
October 2007
the columns
Aileen O’Leary/ Nicki Koetting
Vol 57 Issue 1
ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF JAMIE OYER
Welcome to the Academy!
Buissness Manager/ Opinions Editor
Ms. Rachel Longest
•Associate Campus Minister – in
charge of service and teaches
peace
•Wishes her title were Chief Engineer of Fun and Absurdity
•Carpe diem: “Today will be better than yesterday and tomorrow
is only a question”
Ms. Sophia Furnace
•Director of Annual Giving
•Likes to watch HG TV
•Carpe diem: “Get what you
have to get done and enjoy all
the things you want to do”
Kate Winderman
Ms. Saundra Coffey
•Teaches Biology 2 and AP Biology 2
•On sharing a room with her
daughter, Ms. Scoville: “It has
worked out fine so far. The desk
is mine! But she knows that.”
•Carpe Diem “Word hard, then
play with the dogs.”
Ms. Samantha Rushing
•Assistant Director of College
Counseling
•Favorite phrase: “Joie de vivre”
•Carpe diem: “Jump into life and
take a chance.”
Mr. Alvaro Rodriguez
•Teaches Spanish I and II
•Favorite childhood superhero:
Superman
•Carpe diem: Always do the
things you need to do making
sure it is not to the detriment of
another. Having the liberty to
do what you need to do without
harming others in any way.
Ms. Cynthia Boratko
Ms. Garvin Gaston
•Teaches Chemistry and Physics
•Favorite TV show: “Top Chef”
•Will you be playing any intramural sports here? “I didn’t
know that I could. I need to look
into that.”
•Joins the math department
•Enjoys watching Top Chef and
Forensic Files
•Carpe diem: “Make everyday
the best you can make it”
Ms. Lisa Crank
Mr. Rodney Miles
•Teaches AP U.S. History and
U.S. History
•Favorite word: Bodacious
•Carpe diem: “Have fun and
enjoy what you are doing”
•Coordinator of New Academic
Services Center
•Not Mrs. Debbie Crank’s twin,
but they are sisters!
•Carpe diem: “Yes I can” (also
what she would title her autobiography!)
Ms. Katherine Watts
•Assistant Director of College
Counseling
•Favorite candy: Snickers
•Carpe diem: “Live for the moment. Enjoy today because you
never know what tomorrow will
bring. Don’t let yourself be held
back.”
We’re Lucky to have you, Mr. Wood!
Editor-In-Chief
There wasn’t much about the
fall musical, Lucky Stiff, that
didn’t fully impress it’s audience. it might have been the hilarious performances by the ten
cast members. It could have been
the fantastic dance numbers. But
from the casts’ point of view,
the essence in making Lucky
Stiff what it was is all thanks to
the director, Mr. Jeremy Wood.
From an outsider to the Music
Department, one might not know
much about Mr. Jeremy Wood, the
director of the production. This,
my friends, is a huge mistake. Not
only is Mr. Wood the main director of the production, dedicating
mass amounts of time and energy
to the show, but he also plays
the piano for it at the same time.
Saying that Mr. Wood “plays”
the piano is probably the biggest
understatement of the year. It is
much more accurate to say that
Mr. Wood owns the piano, and
most likely invented it. Any time
a performer misses a note, forgets
the tempo, or even skips a whole
Cast members Isabel Greiner, Katherine Noble, Letty Perez, Stephen Janda, Andrew Loperena,
Ty Messina and Adrian Claveria star in Lucky Stiff this fall.
verse of their song, Mr. Wood is
there. He pounds out the correct
notes, and can catch up to the
performer without making it look
like they made a mistake. “I don’t
know where I would be without
Mr. Wood. He’s one of the greatest
music teachers I’ve ever had. He’s
always there for an extra practice when I can’t get something
right,” senior Jessica RodriguezMorris said. This statement could
not be more accurate; Mr. Wood
is always able and ready to work
10
JAMIE OYER/ THE COLUMNS
with students on his own time to
help them perfect their music.
Only possible with Mr. Wood’s
direction, the small cast of ten has
perfect on and off stage chemistry, allowing the delicate balance
of professionalism and passion to
exceed expectations. “Mr. Wood
is a dream come true. He promotes off stage chemistry by taking us out to lunch and chatting
about salt and vinegar chips and
good harmonies. How I love that
man. Especially in maroon,” senior Katherine Noble said. Taking
the cast out to lunch is not all that
he does to promote friendships
between cast members. He truly
cares about his students, and is not
afraid to joke around and have fun.
While blocking the show, Mr.
Wood gave the cast a simple skeletal instruction, and told them to
fill in the rest with their own emotion. “I love the way Mr. Wood
directs. He gives us minimal choreography which requires a lot of
character research since we have
to rely so heavily on conveying
emotions. It’s a lot of work but
it forces us to be better performers,” senior Isabel Greiner said.
It is quite obvious that Mr.
Wood has got what it takes to
be a great director. There is
no doubt that the fall musical,
Lucky Stiff, was a huge success.
October 2007
Jamie Oyer
Chief Photographer
enior
Ochanya
Ogah
sits sideways on a bench
outside the Fleming room
and begins to wiggle her feet
around and starts to stretch her
arms far behind her back.
“I can’t sit still,” she says as
she quickly changes positions so
that her knees are by her face and
her hands are beside her colorful
socks.
“I joined [Remix] because I like
dance a lot and I was looking for
something to do…And Remix
seemed like a good idea.”
Ogah along with of the restless
girls at St.Agnes, finds escape
from the stationary cage-like
school desks in the Remix
dance team. The team is full of
amazingly talented young dancers
ranging from sophomores to
seniors with most of them having
previous dance experience. For
most of the Remix members,
dancing is something they
have been involved in since
they were toddlers.
S
Sports
More to the ‘Mix
the columns
“It’s fun. It’s
a release from
energy.” says Connie
Tao, a Sophomore
and new member on
Remix. Though Tao had
joined remix this year, she
decided to take part in the
summer practices and the
HTE dance camp in Sugar
Land this past August.
Most of the girls on
Remix would agree that
dance camp felt more like
an episode of Survivor
rather than a training
camp. Imagine waking up
for practice every day at JAMIE OYER/THE COLUMNS
seven AM and training Remix dancers Ochanya Ogah, Kat Traub, and Connie Tau practicing a difficult part of their routine
until eleven PM nonstop for four days.
dancing is obvious, many of the work a dancer must do to the
“Your dancing for 16 hours…[and girls feel like society does not crazy homework load that often
learning] 4-5 dances a day,” says understand the amount of work overwhelms St. Agnes students.
Kali Sherwood, a Junior.
that must go into every dance
The combination can get
The sore muscles and exhausted routine and practice.
challenging, especially with
bodies that some of the girls
“They may think [dancing] is practices that last for two hours
suffered from at dance camp not really a sport. [But] it requires every
Monday,
Wednesday
are testaments to the love each every single muscle in your body. and Friday of the school week,
one of the girls has for dancing. Well, that and endurance, wind not to mention tournaments on
Though the physical toll of and stamina.” Says Katherine weekends. Adjusting to the new
Ruiz, a Senior Remix member.
schedule becomes very difficult
Now combine the amount of for those who are used to spending
What Happens in
the Water... Stays
in the Water
Sandi Moynihan
Sports Editor
Even with an optimistic attitude the Tigers always deal with
n the world of egg-beaters obstacles both in an out of the
and nail checks the 2007 St. water. “We play good, clean games
Agnes Academy waterpolo
compared to the other teams,” said
team can really hold their own. senior set/guard Mary Penn. “The
While waterpolo requires both other teams always push, shove,
endurance and strategy, the Tigers pull and kick us when the ref isn’t
have an edge that sets them apart looking.” The Tigers also seem to
from the crowd.
get the worst playing times as well
as criticism
about being
the o n l y
private
school girls’
waterpolo
in
SANDI MO YNIHAN/THE COLUMNS team
Houston.
Playing Tough: Senior Katie Kegg plans her next move
I
The basic idea of the
game is simple. Waterpolo
is played with six players in
the water per team, plus two
goalies (one for each team).
As junior guard/driver Mina
Cernoch puts it, “After that
its basically basketball in
the water.” There are four,
7-minute quarters where
both teams battle to score in
the other’s goal. There’s even
SANDI MO YNIHAN/THE COLUMNS
fouls when a player gets too
Defense: Junior Diana Whitefeild blocks a shot
physical- but according the
team, most referees don’t call half Despite the adversity, the Tigers
the fouls that actually happen.
play with a fierce love for the
Coach Jocelyn Chapman, a game and each other. “I like the
veteran of St. Agnes waterpolo group of girls this year. We’re
herself, has a special affection for good friends and we’ve learned
this year’s team. “The girls that to play well together,” said senior
are seniors were freshman when driver Katie Kegg. “Its so much
I first started coaching,” said fun,” said senior guard/driver
Chapman. “It’s been fun to watch Kate McCarthy. “It’s a great way
them grow.”
to end the day at practice and at
Unlike last year, when the team games.”
boasted two main players, the St.
It goes without saying that this
Agnes Tigers have a whole new years team plays with an intensity
set of team dynamics at work this that is sure to take them far. “It’s a
year. “Now were more equal,” tough game,” said Cernoch, “but
said Chapman. “We play more all of our hard work is worth it.”
like a team.”
Vol 57 Issue 1
those precious afternoon hours
with friends.
However, the ardor these
remarkable women have for
dancing is too strong to let
anything get between the girls
and their passion for dance.
“I feel like I can do anything
when I dance,” says Ogah, “Its
way I can express myself without
ever having to hold back. I love
being able to move. I get goose
bumps when I dance.”
Remix’s interpretation of dance
is truly an art form rather than a
simple after school hobby. The
confidence that dancing gives to
the team is apparent in every part
of their dances as well as in their
real lives.
Though each girl may belong to
a different clique or social group,
they are all able come together
after school every week to work
as a team. The extraordinary
talented mix of girls are what
truly defines Remix. The amazing
companionship between them is
shown in every dance step they
take.
“Because we all like dancing,”
says Kali, “it brings us together.”
A Galaxy not so Far Away...
Amy Stuhldreher
News Editor
nternational soccer icon
David Beckham made his
move to America in July of
2007 with hopes of increasing
soccer popularity and interest.
Beckham, formerly of Real
Madrid in Spain and the English
national team in England, joined
the Los Angeles Galaxy after
ending his four year contract with
Real Madrid this past summer.
The soccer star, now 31 years old,
had spent most of last season in
Spain sitting on the bench since
Beckham is considered “old”
in professional soccer terms.
Rather than sit on the bench with
Real Madrid, Beckham made the
decision to move to America and
become part of soccer history just
as the soccer legend, Pele, had
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greatly increased soccer interest
in America following his move
here in the 1970’s. USA Today
referred to Beckham’s move as the
“Beckhamization of America.”
Beckham’s arrival has already
sold over 1,000 season tickets and
increased a wider Major League
Soccer (MLS) fan base. However,
the “Beckhamization” may not be
quite so easy. Beckham says that
if he can encourage the next Mia
Hamm to start playing soccer,
then he has accomplished his goal
in coming to America, but if the
next Mia Hamm doesn’t know
who he is, she might not be as
influenced by him. Beckham may
be a well known name in Europe,
but in America not many people
recognize him or his teammates on
the streets. One student answered
WWW.LASTKICK.COM
Beckham in Action: Beckham strikes the ball for one of hte last times before he
departs for America
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a recent St. Agnes journalism
survey question concerning
David Beckham, “who is he?”
Fans who are familiar with David
Beckham across the country are
disappointed in Beckham’s lack
of playing time, due to his recent
injuries that will keep him out for
the rest of the season, and those
fans are losing interest in the
MLS overall. “What’s the point
anymore?” said junior, Morgan
Bowlin. L.A. Galaxy coach,
Frank Yallop, had to explain to
upset Beckham fans in Toronto,
Canada that they had paid to see a
team play, not an individual.
David Beckham’s appeal is not
entirely lost at St. Agnes, however.
A number of girls responded to
the recent St. Agnes journalism
survey with emphatic yeses to
the question which asked
whether or not Beckham’s
arrival in America would
encourage them to go to
more school soccer games
or even join the SAA
soccer team. Sophomore
and Varsity soccer player
Kelly Davis said that she
was “ecstatic” when she
heard that Beckham was
coming to America. Kelly
says that, originally, she
mostly just watched the
Houston Dynamo when
it came to MLS, but now
that Beckham has joined
the L.A. Galaxy, she
watches many of those
games too. Based on
these student’s opinions,
Beckham is seen to have
a positive impact not just
on the L.A. Galaxy in the
MLS but also here at St.
Agnes.
Tiger Tail
October 2007
October 2007
By: Sandi Moynihan
All images courtesy of Altavista.com
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Pink Week
Begins
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9th Grade
Elections
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National Name
Your Car Day
World Egg Day End of 1st Quarter
Lief Erikson
Day
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PSAT
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Dedication of New
Building
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SJ Homecoming
Dance
NHS
Induction
9th Grade Retreat
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Vol 57 Issue 1
the columns
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Service Day
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Halloween
A special welcome to
our journalism
sponsor who made this
paper possible:
W
e welcome Dr. Ranjana Varghese to the
St. Agnes community.
Dr. Varghese teaches freshman
and senior English as well as
sponsoring our journalism class.
She joins us this year having
previously taught at the University of Houston and Houston Community College. She also spent a
year in France.
Dr. Varghese has a Ph.D in Creative Writing from the University
of Houston.
Her favorite superhero is HeMan and her interpretation of
carpe diem is “Always be happy.”
Dr. Varghese certainly lives this
out, as we have never seen her
without a smile on her face!
Dr. Varghese can also dance Indian classical dance!
If you want to know where she
gets all of her cute clothes and
shoes, just ask; Dr. Varghese does
all her shopping online!
Did you know?
according to a spokesman for a
British supermarket, Harry Potter
and the Half-Blood Prince sold
eleven copies a second in its first
hour of sales at this particular
chain.
A mule is a hybrid of a horse and a donkey, and therefore typically
it does not give birth. But on May 3, 2007 a mule in Colbran, Colorado gave birth to a baby mule. Surprisingly enough, on August 28
in rural Morocco another mule gave birth. There have only been
sixty other cases of mules giving birth since records of this began
in 1527.
This summer Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P. had the opportunity
to climb Mt. Adam, an 8,000 foot mountain in Washington state. The whole trip took eleven hours. She
successfully made it to the very top, although she
learned that “if you are going to climb to the top of
any mountain, make sure you have two hiking sticks,”
and luckily she did. She described the whole experience as “exhilarating” and “amazing.” The trip was
physically exhausting, but emotionally and spiritually
rewarding as well. “God is everywhere, but I guarantee you on the top of that mountain you feel even
closer to God.”
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