Check out alternative after prom activities and

the evolution of prom dresses.

See the prom special on Page 8.

Nuñez, a senior, dies in car accident

COURTESY OF DANIEL COTTON

PHOTO BY HEAJIN YUAt the public service on March 31, friends, family members and students released balloons at Christ’s Church of the Valley as a way to say goodbye to Kenny Nuñez. Some attached letters with memories of their friend.

By HEAJIN YU & LEAH STAPLETON Editor-in-Chief & Copy Chief

INDEXNEWS................................2,3

FEATURES........................4,5

OPINION..........................6,7

PROM SPECIAL.................8

ENTERTAINMENT.....9, 10

SPORTS.........................11,12

She & Him: Indie pop duo releases

new album. See the review on Page 9.

Senior year wasn’t supposed to end like this.

During the early morning of March 27, Kenny Nuñez, an 18-year-old senior, died in a car accident.

“[When I heard about the accident], it didn’t hit me for a while,” said Tyler Harper, a senior and a friend of Nuñez’s for six years. “It was shocking and unreal.”

The student body and staff members were greatly affected by this loss of a fellow classmate. Staff members and administrators agree, as assistant principal Dean Kirkpatrick said, that it was “a tragic accident.” Students honored Nuñez by wearing some of his favorite colors the following week in remembrance of him.

“It was amazing to see the support,”said Hayley Borsuk, a junior.

In addition, many students wrote messages to Nuñez on their cars and drank Monster energy drinks, which were his favorite drink. According to Shane Marino, a senior and friend of Nuñez’s since the beginning of seventh grade, Nuñez drank at least two Monsters a day during class hours.

“I don’t know [how many] he had outside of school because I wasn’t always with him,” Marino said.

Borsuk, who was in the car with Nuñez at the time of the accident, managed to walk away with a mild concussion, some bruises, scrapes and a sprained ankle.

“It’s a miracle that Hayley even made it out of there alive,” Marino said.

Borsuk and Nuñez had dated for about two and a half years.

“He was crazy and very outgoing,” Borsuk said. “He was very into helping the homeless and giving. He was very loving—he’s perfect.”

His close friends agree that Nuñez always had a positive attitude, which was contagious to those around him.

“He inspired everyone to be themselves,” Marino said. “He would find a way to make [every situation] fun, and he didn’t even really necessarily have to try, because [of] who he was inside.”

Marino said he was unable to describe Nuñez in only one word.

“I would need a dictionary for a word that has a lot of meanings,” Marino said. “Maybe; umm, no I can’t do it one word.”

The funeral procession took place at the Church of Joy on March 3l followed by the public service at Christ’s Church of the Valley. The public ceremony was filled with many OHS students who wanted to pay their respects. Family members and family friends shared memories they had of Nuñez. If any student is wondering who painted himself blue and streaked across the football field during the Mountain Ridge

Homecoming football game in 2006—that was Nuñez, a memory his coach shared at the service. At the end of the public service, people were encouraged to release balloons with a goodbye note or a memory of their friend attached.

Harper and Marino agree that Nuñez was always making others laugh through simple gestures such as putting his feet on the desk during class to get his fellow peers to smile. Nuñez’s friends have many memories of him.

“Any rap song you could ever think of he would know like every word, like

‘Ridin’ Solo,’” Marino said. “He knew the whole song before anyone else had ever heard it. He loved to sing and dance. He came up with dances to songs and everyone would just be like ‘wow, where did that kid think of that?’ [He wasn’t a good singer] at all, but he didn’t have any fear in what people thought of him.”

Nuñez will forever live on through the memories his family and friends have of him.

“I’ll never forget all the times I had with [Nuñez],” Harper said.

Friends share memories, deal with loss together

The girls softball team is hosting their annual fundraiser. This time, the money will go to breast cancer research. The fundraiser has been going on since the beginning of the season. The team has been wearing their breast cancer awareness t- shirts, which can be purchased for $12.

“It’s great to see people who are not even on the team wearing the shirts and supporting the cause,” said Kaitlyn Richardson, a junior.

Deer Valley High School girls softball team is also participating in the fundraiser. The two teams have already faced each other in two games in their tournaments. All of the proceeds from the games and the sale of the shirts will go to fundraiser. Players wanted to participate in the fundraiser because team members know families and

friends that have gone through this disease. “It’s great that people are

willing to help out others,” said First baseman Bailey Brown, a sophomore.

Teammates and students are wearing pink bracelets that support the breast cancer fundraiser. Many teachers and students show support for the fundraiser by attending the games and wearing the breast cancer awareness shirts. The teammates said they are supportive of this cause and happy to be participating in it again.

“It’s really good that [we’re] raising money this year for breast cancer,” said Sam Redman, an outfielder and a sophomore.

At some of the games the team wears pink to increase cancer awareness. Many parents, students and staff members want to help spread awareness The softball players reach out to many people to gain support for this cause. Cancer victims need support and love from the people in the community.

“It’s really good that they’re doing this fundraiser. My mom went through breast cancer twice and any money being donated to find a cure is great. I thought it was good that they got Deer Valley High School involved as well,” said Kim Stoffers, a math teacher.

They just did the breast cancer walk in October, and they decided to do a fundraiser also.

“Wearing a pink t-shirt at practice looked good, so the girls thought that was a good idea,” said Melissa Shepard coach of the girls’ softball team and president of the fundraiser.

Sheperd is one of the presidents of this fundrasier. The softball team is hoping that they can raise a lot of money for their fundraiser.

“Were close to raising $1,000,” Shepherd said

They normally hold fundraisers for

11 SportS April 15, 2010Girls softball hosts fundraiser for cancer research

the Special Olympics, but this is their first year doing a fundraiser for breast cancer research. The official organization that the team is going to donate the funds to is Desert Cancer Foundation of Arizona.

This fundraiser has been personal to most of the people that have showed their support by walking or by giving financial donations for the awareness of breast cancer. This fundraiser is very important to Shepherd for personal reasons.

“It’s for an important cause because my mother passed away from breast cancer and my grandmother is a survivor”. “I think it’s very important that young women learn more about this disease,” Shepherd said.

The money that people are donating to the fundraiser will be put towards finding a cure for many breast cancer victims.

“I’m happy to be a part of this fundraiser knowing that the money has helped so many lives,” Richardson said.

By CLETUS MILANSports Editor

Upcoming Games

today varsity softball vs Boulder Creek varsity baseball vs Bghs

4/20 Varsity Softball vs Kingman

4/22 Varsity Boys volleyball vs valley vista

4/23 varsity softball vs willow canyon

4/26 varsity softball vs valley vista

4/27 varsity baseball vs bolder creek * all games at OHS

New spiritline for 2010-11In past sesons the squad has had 5 stunt groups. But this year Fetkenhier wanted to switch it up in hopes that it would help with choreography, making it possible for people to switch in and out of positions and tumble in front of stunts.

“I think the new season will bring new obstacles like every cheer season does, but there is a lot less girls than earlier years,” said Heather Ratliff, a junior cheerleader. “It will be interesting how state goes with the new changes and talent.”

Going into cheer tryouts, Fetkenhier was looking for more advanced tumbling. She was hoping to have more girls who could do tucks (a backwards flip), layouts (a flat body rotating backwards), and fulls (a 360 degree rotation in the air).

In order to make spiritline, girls were evaluated on their grades, discipline and attitude for the 2009-2010 school years. During the cheer tryouts, girls were judged on their cheer and tumbling skills, fight song, presence, attitude and work ethic. During pom tryouts, girls were judged on their dance technique and skill level along with their performance skills, fight song, attitude and wortk ethic.

During recent tryouts for the OHS spiritline, fewer girls than previous years were accepted onto the cheerleading and pom teams. In past years, OHS has had a large cheer team with more 30 girls. In the 2009-2010 season only 25 girls made the cheer team, but a pom team of 16 girls was added.

Tryouts for the 2010-2011 season took place March 29 through April 1 for cheer and April 5 through April 8 for pom. Only 22 girls made cheer and 12 made pom.

The reasoning for fewer girls on spiritline is to help promote team unity and commitment.

“With a larger team the girls don’t bond as much as they should,” said Lauren Fetkenhier, the cheerleading coach. Fetkenhier prefers to have a smaller team and believes it would be more beneficial to the squad.

In previous years, alternates have also been selected to conclude both spirit line teams. For the season to come, no alternates will be added.

The decrease in girls accepted on the squad will affect more than the unity of the team; it will also limit the cheer squad to having only four stunt groups.

By AMANDA BOWERS & BRITTANY DIERKENSports Editor & Opinion Editor

10 EntErtainmEnt april 15, 2010Pizzeria offers specialty crust, toppings for good price

The left piece of pizza is the Buffalo Chicken and the piece on the right is the house special at Mellow Mushroom.

Rowdy, yet comfortable, high quality pizza, futuristic décor and is that a painting of Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder hanging above the bar? This could only be one place: The Mellow Mushroom (2490 W. Happy Valley Road, Phoenix).

All I had heard about the Mellow Mushroom was that it was decent, but overpriced. My brother and I made it our dining destination on a Sunday evening and were quite satisfied.

The menu gives you the option of ordering a 10-inch ($10.99), 14-inch ($18.49) or 16-inch ($23.49) pizza. We ordered one 10-inch to split between the two of us: Half buffalo chicken, half house special ($10.99). We waited about 20 minutes for our meal and took in the atmosphere.

It was family-oriented, despite there being a bar, and our waitress was very knowledgeable, helpful and explained in great detail what each pizza was like and what it had on it. The little televisions and paintings on the walls gave it a modern retro look and we felt as if we were in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. It was a fun environment, which played a role in whether I was going to enjoy my meal or not.

The pizza looked beautiful. It wasn’t drowning in grease or thin as paper, nor was it skimpy on the toppings. The 10-inch was cut into four slices. I took one slice of the house special and another of the buffalo chicken. The house special had

green peppers, mushrooms, ham, black olives, pepperoni, tomato and sausage. The buffalo chicken had bleu cheese (which could be substituted for ranch), bacon, buffalo chicken and buffalo sauce. The toppings were piled on really well.

They were plentiful and as thick as the pizza itself, which was pretty thick. The toppings were actual real toppings of good quality and were fresh, not rubbery and flavorless like at other pizzerias. There was Parmesan cheese sprinkled on the crust, which is a genius idea because it made it the best crust I have ever had. As many people would agree, the crust determines the quality—at least that is my belief. It was very flavorful and had a perfect mix of crunch and fluff.

There was also good sauce-cheese proportion. Both pizzas had their own specific flavor, which was unlike any other pizza I’ve ever had. The toppings, thickness and quality of the pizza matched the price. After we were finished eating, my brother asked to see the menu again. We ordered honey cinnamon pretzels. They were three for $3.99 soft, warm, heavenly and with a side of honey.

At first I was dubious as to whether the meal would fill me up enough, but I was at the perfect level of fullness. Not stuffed, but there was no more room.

The Mellow Mushroom is perfect for date night or even family night. I give it four out of five stars. This is no cheap pizza joint and it shows that with quality, price follows. I must say, it’s the best pizza I have ever had. PHOTO BY JESSIE DITOMASSO

By JESSIE DITOMASSOFeatures Editor

Mellow Mushroom is located on the I-17 and Happy Valley in the Norterra Shopping Center next to Chase Bank.COURTESY OF MELLOWMUSHROOM.COM

REVIEW

With a record of 8 wins and 2 losses, the OHS varsity boys tennis team is second in region and in the top 5 in state, as of March 30.

“We are having a great year considering we lost six of our top eight players as graduating seniors [last year],” said Kent Younger, the boys’ tennis coach.

So far, team captains and seniors Brian Scruggs, Brad Scruggs and Chris Gingrich have remained undefeated in region play.

“Our season is going pretty good,” said Brad Scruggs, a senior. “We win a

lot so we’re always in a good mood.”Younger said it is the team’s great

tennis playing and contribution of new players such as Adam West, a freshman, Adam Rayl, a junior, and seniors Philip Huston and Josh Williams, that has brought a successful winning season to the team.

“The team bonds and plays together like a supportive family of brothers,” Younger said. “They are extremely hard working [and] become great players.

—Amanda Bowers

Girls varsity softball is progressing in their season and hold an overall record of 9-7, as of April 1 . They have participated in three tournaments since the start of the season including the Tournament of Champions, Bullhead City and SDOV tournament.

“There are a lot of good things about this season,” said Melissa Shepherd, varsity softball coach. ”The best thing is that they are a team; they work together.”

Of course it probably helps that

the teammates have built relationships with each other that extend outside of softball practice and games. The team bonds together both on and off the field.

“We hang out a lot on the weekends and go out to dinner sometimes,” said Samantha Redmon, a junior. “We also went bowling one night and went to Applebees and did karaoke; it was really fun.”

—Mallorie Harper

The boys varsity baseball team is off to a 3-2 record in their region, as of April 15, with two more region games this week.

OHS baseball started their season off slowly. With the season coming to an end, they are looking forward to continuing their winning streak. The players each work to contribute during the season.

“The emergence of Brendon Erickson [who is a third base player, a pitcher and a sophomore]as a baseball

player has strengthened their defense at third. [He has also] pitched some quality innings for us, while supplying some power in our lineup,” said Jeff Baumgartner, the varsity baseball coach.

The turning point against Boulder Creek, happened April 1 when the team used their persistance to not give up and continue competing to win.

—Andrew Snider

The track season started out with a bang! The gun fires, starting the season off with three school records broken: Tyler Rogers pole vaulting 13 feet 6 inches, Devin Molinar making a 16 feet 2 inches long jump and a 32 feet 3 inches triple jump, and Brian McBride making a 21 feet 6 inches long jump, as of April 15.

Many personal records have also been broken early this season. A major highlight is having 190 students on the teams with many newcomers.

“We are really young. We have a lot

of freshmen and sophomores,” said Brian Dempsey, girls track coach. “We also have two new coaches who are doing great.”

Throughout the year, participating in meets and invitationals, the team qualifies for region. The next invitational is on the same day as prom and OHS is determined to win.

“I think we have been working extremely hard due to everyone showing up to all practices and new talent is arising,” said Devin Molinar, sophomore sprinter and jumper.

—Brittany Dierken

12 SportS April 15, 2010Spring sports: Recap of the 2010 season thus far

Boys tennis 2nd in regionPHOTO BY CASSIE GLASER

Niki Ortega, a sophomore, does a forehand stroke to return the ball back to her opponent during practice.

Girls varsity softball progresses

PHOTO BY CASSIE GLASERDuring a practice tennis match, a player prepares to practice a cross court shot against his opponent.

PHOTO BY KATIE DUNPHYJacob Church, a junior and pole vaulter, prepares himself before taking his vault at the track meet.

Track breaks school records

PHOTO BY ANDREW SNEIDERAn OHS baseball player runs to catch a ball that was hit into the out field during an away baseball game.

Boys baseball finishing strong

The boys volleyball varsity team is 2-5 and the junior varsity team is 4-2 as of April 8. Varsity player Tyler Jenkins, a sophomore, said that the team has gotten off to a rocky start, but it’s early in the season so the team should pick up and start doing well again.

Coach Jeff Howard has a unique style of coaching that makes everybody’s game better, Jenkins said. Sophomore

and varsity player David Romanet echoed the struggles the team has been going through early in the season.

“We have a long season, so we should be okay,” Romanet said. “We just have to work on team chemistry and play together more like a team, and we should start winning more games.”

—Cletus Milan

Boys volleyball has tough start

The girls JV. tennis team holds a current record of 8-1, as of April 15. The girls varsity tennis team’s record is 9-0, as of April 15.

Coach Chuck Narvin had said that the team was very balanced when it came down to the girls and that all of the players were able to switch off into any of the tennis positions that they were asked to do. Narvin was once a professional tennis player and

becoming a tennis coach at OHS was his way of giving back to the community.

Some of the newer girls on the team have played an invitational with as little training as only a few weeks. At the West Valley Invitational on March 5 and 6

the girls came home with another win.—Cassie Glasier

Girls varsity tennis is undefeated

2 News April 15, 2010OHS hosts Acadeca State, team moves up 10 spots

By MICHELLE YUNGNews Editor

Three hundred sixty intelligent, sharply dressed students from 40 different schools filled the halls during the Academic Decathlon State Competition, which was hosted by OHS on March 12 and 13.

These Acadecans have prepared all year, studying the French revolution, this year’s curriculum theme, and practicing speeches in preparation for the statewide competition. They all came to State to showcase the knowledge that they have been stuffing into their heads over many months.

Caron Moore, assistant coach of the Academic Decathlon team, which consists of nine members, described the scene at Acadeca State as “many, many nerdy looking kids running around.” While nerds may seem like no big threat, they are at the state competition.

“Before state, you think it’s not much of a competition,” said Sathya Venkatesh, a junior on the Acadeca team. “You think, ‘I’m gonna win a medal. Look at these guys; they’re just nerds with slicky hair with gel. ‘ But the competition is very intense because most of the schools that come in are high ranked schools and you’re scared because they’re so intelligent and they have won before. You think, you don’t have a chance. It’s very stressful.”

Jason Tadano, a senior, did win a medal, though—a bronze medal in the speech category. His speech was about his great great uncle who fought in World War II.

“It felt pretty good [to win] because 400 people were there to see me win it, so that was kind of interesting to hear 400 people applaud for me,” Tadano said.

The OHS Acadeca team placed 20th overall, a large improvement from last year when they placed 30th.

The most exciting event for the team was the super quiz relay, where each team member answers five questions and the team with the most correct answers wins.

For fun and some team bonding, each of the members wore a beret when it was their turn to compete. What’s different about this event is that there is an audience, so cheering and booing add excitement to the competition. Larissa Szwez, a senior who volunteered at Acadeca state, described the setup as that of a game show.

This is the second year OHS has hosted the Acadeca state competition. It hosted the competition last year as well, because schools host for two consecutive years. Because hosting the competition requires many people and much preparation to get the campus ready, it is sometimes difficult to get a school to host, since hosting is strictly through volunteering.

Preparation requires the coordinators for all the different events to gather enough judges to evaluate speeches and interviews, timers and proctors to give tests.

Moore helped gather 58 student volunteers to time speeches and interviews and to greet Acadeca teams from other schools as they arrived. Volunteers did other miscellaneous tasks that were necessary, like delivering scores.

Szwez was a volunteer at Acadeca State. She said that volunteering was a lot of fun, that she got to see what Acadeca was like and it “kinda made me wish that I had done Acadeca.” Szwez worked as a speech timer.

“Timing speeches was really interesting because everyone’s was so different and they were presented really well so it was interesting to see what they had to say,” Szwez said.

When volunteers weren’t busy, they played volleyball and four square with some of the visiting Acadeca teams from other schools in the courtyard.

With state over, the Acadeca team’s stresses are over for now. They will soon begin studying next year’s curriculum about the Great Depression.

“The team is kind of relieved that there will no longer be late night cram sessions on Mozart and Maximillian Robespierre,” said Katherine Fackrell, a senior.

By CASSIE GLASERStaff Writer

The eagle has been known by many to symbolize strength, integrity and good deeds. That is exactly what the Soaring Eagle achievement award is made to encourage.

The Soaring Eagle program brings students out of the shadows. When a student has improved his or her attitude or grade point average significantly over a semester they receive this award. In order to receive this award, a student cannot be included in National Honors Society, Society of Female Scholars or any other clubs like these. Forty Soaring Eagles will be recognized at Wednesday’s ceremony.

“[I feel a Soaring Eagle is] someone that people can look up to and want to be like,” said Saul Spencer, a freshman,who was nominated by John Bruggner, a language arts teacher.

Each teacher is encouraged to choose a Soaring Eagle from among students in all their classes. The selection process is based on the scholar’s involvement in their classes.

“[This may include] a student that deserves recognition, but doesn’t always get it,” said Jennifer Miller, a counselor,

“An unsung hero.”Teachers can be selective when

it comes to awarding a student this achievement because becoming a Soaring Eagle means that the student now has the responsibility of representing OHS and themselves through their behavior.

“[After I became a Soaring Eagle] I felt different, like I had been special enough to be chosen,” said Manny Garcia, a sophomore, nominated by Holly Batsell, a language arts teacher.

An award is not all a student will receive. In addition to this award, they are also given a yellow pass which takes them out of their EP lesson for the day. While missing their EP, parents will be waiting for the student in the auditorium where they will be treated to food and a pin that features a golden eagle to help reward the student for their hard work.

Gabrielle Blanchette, a sophomore, said to be a soaring eagle one needs to set an example and not “crave attention from people.”

Many of those who have been a Soaring Eagle have taken this advantage to accomplish their goals as well.

“A lot [has changed],” Spencer said, “I strive for my goals more and have been getting even better grades.”

PHOTOS BY ANGELA YUNG

Top left: Dexter Ferrie, a junior, competes in the Superquiz relay. Each team member wore the beret during the event. Top right: Jason Tadano, a senior, and Caron Moore, assistant coach of the Acadeca team, listen to music before the speech event. Above: Sathya Venkatesh, a junior, and Ferrie wait in anticipation for the super quiz relay.

Raving can be fun, but also riskyBy AMANDA BOWERS

Sports Editor

Raving, a trend that was first popular in the 1980s, is making a comeback among high school and college students. The trend has many OHS students questioning the risks of raving.

A rave is a dance party that typically lasts all night. Raves are held outdoors, in dance clubs, old warehouses or other large indoor spaces. Raves usually consist of loud electronic, techno music, laser lights and glow sticks.

No matter how appealing or fun it may sound, attending a rave as a high school student can be risky as in many cases, because raves also include the consumption of alcohol and use of drugs.

Common drugs found at raves include ecstasy, acid and other “date rape” drugs. The effects of the drugs can cause someone to have hallucinations, paranoia and amnesia and can even be fatal.

The risks of the drugs used are escalated when combined with the consumption of alcohol, according to adolescent-substance-abuse.com.

“I go to raves as often as I can,” said Jenn Kidd, a freshman. “It is risky and I have seen people do drugs before.”

For people who often attend raves, it is the music and happy people that make them fun and is the reason why people go to them, Kidd said.

Students may avoid the alcohol and the drugs that come with the rave party. One major reason for students to go to a rave is simply for the experience. Many students are curious about what goes on at the raves and want to see it for themselves.

“I personally haven’t been to rave,” said Hayley Fagiolo, a senior. “But I have thought what it would be like if I did.”

Many students do skip out on raving, and it could be beneficial for them if they do. In many cases, students can end up addicted to drugs and become frequent drinkers all due to rave parties.

“I do not know for a fact that raving is a problem, but I would assume that it would be among students,” said Bridget Reynolds, school nurse. “Going to raves is a gateway to drugs as students become more in contact with outside drugs.”

Raves may sound fun, but ultimately could be risky and have a bad influence on high school kids.

“Raving would not only affect students’ health, but it would also affect their school work, the way they pay attention in class and their grades,” Reynolds said.

Soaring Eagle honors students who exceed teacher expectations

April 15, 2010 News 3

JROTC attends dance at Luke Air Force Base Officer’s Club

JROTC cadets attended their military ball at the Luke Air Force Base Officers’ Club on March 5. About 75 cadets and their dates from OHS, along with students from Deer Valley and Agua Fria High Schools,

were present at the dance, according to junior and JROTC cadet David Cook, who has attended the dance every year since he was a freshman.

“It was a very formal, well-mannered event,” Cook said. “There [was] a receiving line, which is where [Deer Valley, the host school] has its seniors stand in a line and

everyone enters and shakes each one of their hands.”

The cadets all wore their JROTC uniforms to the event, which is almost like a prom for cadets.

At the dance itself, each school had three nominations for king and queen, according to Cook. The winners then had

In a perfect world, education would be free. But unfortunately, the real world isn’t full of sunshine. Just as many seniors are beginning to grow comfortable with their plans for college next year, they may be in for a bit of a surprise.

The Arizona Board of Regents voted on March 11 to adopt a new tuition plan for the 2010-2011 school year.

The plan has increased the tuition prices at all three state universities.

The change in tuition rates may stem from the decrease in funds going to the schools.

“State support for all three state universities has been on the decline,” said Robin Meeks, a student affairs representative at the University of Arizona.

New University of Arizona students will pay $1,074 more than the current price, a 16.4 percent increase, according to the Arizona Board of Regents. Students planning to attend Arizona State University will face a 19.8 percent

increase and pay $1,286 more. Students attending Northern Arizona University in the fall will pay $873 more, a 14.3 percent increase.

The state universities have also cut back on their scholarship funds, although there are still many ways to fund a college education.

“Financial aid options for University of Arizona students include standard federal financial aid, the Arizona Financial Aid Trust and financial aid generated by setting aside at least 17 percent of tuition revenues,” Meeks said.

As of March 11, students attending U of A beginning in the fall of 2010 will pay $8,237 as a base tuition price. ASU students will pay $8,128 and NAU students will pay $7,667, according to the Arizona Board of Regents.

Some believe that the tuition raises may be getting out of hand.

“When is too much going to be too much?” said Debbie Harmonson, a counselor. “When is college going to

become something only the wealthy can afford?”

These are questions that every prospective college student must consider. There may come a time when a student’s desire to attend a university is trumped by their lack of funds, and for many, this is already the case.

Katie Gerber, a senior who is planning to attend the ASU main campus in the fall, received the AIMS tuition waiver—a scholarship for students who have excelled in AIMS and earned A’s and B’s.

“If I didn’t have the scholarship, I would most likely have to go to the [ASU] west campus and live at home,” Gerber said.

Alyssa Scarborough, also a senior who is planning to attend Grand Canyon University next year, will not be affected by these tuition raises, but she recognizes the hardships that the tuition raises may have on prospective students.

“Getting college money is already hard enough,” Scarborough said. “[Having to get] more would make life more difficult and stressful.”

State tuition increases, students re-evaulate plans

Greenery emerges, mountainside transforms to lush landscape

Legend has it that long ago, Arizona had green over the land and water healed the desert. Years of hope have passed for this legend to become a reality—until today that is.

This spring, Arizona might just be a witness to a non-dry spring. It has been years since people have seen this much rain and green outside.

“I have seen more flowers and more animals come out and I have seen less sand,” said Jessica Shockley, a sophomore. “There are a lot of beautiful

flowers out and there is so much grass. You do not normally [see] this beautiful side of Arizona.”

The rain has changed the environment dramatically and many people are starting to reale this.

Marianne Klink, a substitute teacher, cannot remember when she had last seen a spring in Arizona.

“There is green out there: the landfill looks green, [and] they have got grass growing,” Klink said.

According to weather.com, during past two months 2.85 inches of rain has fallen in Phoenix. The average rainfall for February and March combined is 2.17

inches, as of March 29. In addition, the highs for the month are higher than the average and the lows are lower than the average for the past two months.

“The steps in the back [of the school] are never dry anymore because there is so much rain,” said Sara Skalniak, a junior. “I have only lived [in Arizona], so I have never seen so much rain.”

Some people in Arizona are shocked at the sight of green; they see the exact opposite of what they expect, which is exactly how Meddi Mendoza, a junior, felt.

“It is not supposed to be raining because it is March. One day it’s all

By KODY D’AMOURSAsst. Design Chief

The Arizona Board of Regents acknowledges the hardships tuition raises may bring, but the change is unavoidable in the current economy.

“Raising tuition is always a difficult decision—especially in today’s current fiscal climate,” said board president Ernest Calderón during the March 11 meeting, according to abor.asu.edu. “However, in the midst of a statewide shortfall and after having to lay off over 2,000 employees, we must keep our universities strong so our students can receive a quality education.”

According to the Arizona Board of Regents, many factors are considered when setting the tuition for Arizona universities, such as the tuition rates of other schools across the nation.

Before you get too stressed out about the higher costs, consider this: despite the tuition rate hikes, university attendance costs in Arizona still remain one of the lowest in the country.

According to the Arizona Board of Regents, even though tuition is increasing, Arizona still has one of the lowest tuition rates of its peer institutions.

sunny, [and] the next, you get totally soaked from [the] rain,” Mendoza said. “It’s never green because it never rains, but since it is raining so much, it’s green everywhere.”

Klink was lucky enough to witness the beautiful scenery.

“It was nice to sit in the teachers lounge and just have sunlight coming through the window,” Klink said. “All the hills were green and the tops of the clouds would peek in the gaps near the tops of the hills.”

Hiking the Thunderbird Mountains would be a good idea for those who like to enjoy the scenery.

By SAVANNAH THOMAS Photo Editor

COURTESY OF MICHELLE MOLINA

the first dance of the evening. Each nominee was introduced with a

funny comment. Senior Anthony Delgado and sophomore Kaliegh Nelson won the OHS title for king and queen.

“Every year’s fun,” Delgado said. “[My favorite part was] dancing with my girlfriend [junior Jennifer Bi].”

Destiny Iverson, a junior, Taylor Jones, Chris Gingrich and Anthony Delgado, all seniors and Jennifer Bi, a junior, wait in front of the school all dressed up in their military ball attire. The ball was held on March 5.

Anthiny Delgado, and senior, and Jennifer Bi, a junior, attended the military ball together. The event was very formal, royalty was elected like at prom. Delgado was chosen as king from OHS.

Cadets’ version of prom is much more formal with uniforms, manners, salutes, but is still fun

By LEAH STAPLETON

& TARAH WELLS

COURTESY OF MICHELLE MOLINA

Copy Chief & Entertainment Editor

4 Features april 15, 2010

You are what you eat: fit vitamins, nutrients into daily diet

Students display morality through small acts of generosity

In elementary school and junior high only a couple of years ago—though it may seem like a lifetime—schools focused on “character counts.” But the Character Counts moral support disappeared in high school. Still, the little acts of goodwill and morality can be searched out, in the actions of clubs, classes and individuals around the OHS campus.

The Interact Club reinforces the idea of giving, raising money through bake sales and other events for organizations like Water for Our World and Share Our Strength. Like their motto, “service above self,” Interact and other clubs participate in serving the campus by taking turns in cleaning it.

A few classes, namely ROTC,

incorporate good morality into the curriculum.

“Our belief is that [a student’s] morality is what makes [the students] who they are,” said Sgt. Willie Carmicle, a ROTC instructor. Though few classes now teach morality as part of the curriculum, doing so gives the students who don’t have opportunities to learn them at home the opportunity to know the difference between good and bad, according to Carmicle.

ROTC also instructs students in always saying a small “please” and “thank you” for common courtesy, or even just a happy smile that might brighten another student’s day.

Likewise, individual students can also influence the morality of the OHS student body with small acts of virtue.

“Good morality could just be like being kind to everyone, even if they’re mean to

you,” said Erica Rovelli, a freshman, who holds herself above teasing other students about their flaws.

Another student of OHS, Humberto Rivera, a sophomore, makes sure to abstain from fights and respect the elderly.

In everyday life, students affect each other through social contact daily, a fact that could be used to spread a higher standard of morality.

“If everyone gave a helping hand, [their actions] would rub off [on others] and spread in a chain reaction of good deeds,” Rivera said.

Even as students like Rivera hope for a spread of better morality in the school campus, some students hesitate to change their habits for the benefit of others.

“[They think] that people might take advantage of you and what you do out of goodwill,” said Nancy Newby, a junior. But

having a good morality benefits the student as well.

“Having morality will at least allow [students] to be aware of the choices they should make,” Carmicle said.

It not only positively affects the mood of those who needed an act of kindness but also the people who live morally rich lives as well.

“You realize you get more than you give,” Fike said. “And the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve helped in making a better world is worth it.”

The long-term benefits that good morality brings last not just in high school but throughout life.“In the long run you end up much better off and at a much higher level than the people who took advantage of you,” Newby said.

By CHRISTINE KWEONStaff Writer

Families must prep before hosting foreign exchange student

Simone Weinfurtner, a senior exchange student from Germany, poses with her host family. Weinfurtner has adjusted well to the culture and has enjoyed her experience by making new friends and joining the track team.

Whatever you put into your mouth will affect your body in some way, whether it is good or bad. Different foods do different things for your physique, so knowing the right things to eat can better your lifestyle. “I’m healthy because it makes me feel like I’m giving my body what it deserves and respecting what God gave me,” said Hanna Meyer, a sophomore. “I bring my own lunch and stuff that won’t get squished or go bad. For example: yogurt, fruit and organic sandwiches.”

You are sitting in front of your computer dreading the thought of writing your research paper that is due tomorrow. Procrastinating did not help the cause, so now you are stressing out at 10 p.m.—hungry and wondering how to calm down to get the research paper written. To satisfy your paining hunger you browse through your fridge for a snack. No sugar allowed! Sugary snacks make your energy level build up then drop, making you tired faster.

Instead, look for foods such as asparagus (consisting of folic acid and

vitamin B), low-fat milk and whole-grain cereal (protein and calcium are crucial), oranges (high vitamin C intake), cottage cheese with some blueberries (high in protein and calcium like the blueberries rich in antioxidants and fiber) and to get some aggression out eat some almonds (including vitamin E and B2), according to bhg.com.

Vitamins and folic acid are two main ingredients that will settle your mood and calm your brain down. Say you’re cramming for an AP exam in history the night before the test and you’re wondering what could help you learn and memorize the material faster. To enhance your memory, focus on chomping on these foods: fish (salmon and sardines provide ample amounts of omega 3), berries (all time high amounts of antioxidants), leafy greens (like spinach, kale and collard greens contain folate) and coffee (increases brain activity), according to today.msnbc.msn.com. Yes, coffee does benefit you in some way—believe it or not.

The average teen should work out an hour a day to stay fit. After you exercise you are exhausted and hungry from burning all of those calories. Some smart

choices to recover from your strenuous work-out are chocolate milk, yogurt, and fruit smoothies, which all contain a high amount of carbohydrates and proteins, according to mamashealth.com.

“The only thing that [track] does is drink chocolate milk as a recovery drink. We have been doing it for three years,” said Brian Dempsey, girls’ track coach.”It gets

the protein and carbohydrates back into your body quick. It gives the muscle these ingredients quicker than Gatorade or other drinks.”

All these components will affect you somehow in the future to come. Make the right choices to improve the way your body functions.

By BRITTANY DIERKENOpinion Editor

By BRITTANY DIERKENOpinion Editor

There are a few foreign exchange students at OHS, but how do their families prepare for them and how much effort is put into making them feel at home when they’re half way across the world?

“[The United States] is a lot different than what I was used to and it is really hot when I came,” said Katrin Fritzenwallner, senior foreign exchange student from Austria.

The ability to provide for an extra mouth in the household is a big deal when you also need to provide for their housing entirely. The family needs to have the income to support the exchange student along with their own family.

“Well you need a place to sleep, but it is not required to have your own room,” said Simone Weinfurtner, a senior exchange student from Germany. “So some exchange students share a room with sibling.”

The family needs to have at least two people in the family and the principal family member needs to be over the age of 25. This shows that adults are able to handle the child.

COURTESY OF SIMONE WEINFURTNER

“They are host families because they are either Rotarians [members of a Rotary Club] or have a daughter/son that is an exchange student,” Fritzenwallner said.

To start the process an interview with the organization and a background check is required.

“Well it’s a long process. My parents have to get a background check, then we had to fill out an application about our interests and activities we like to do as a family. We already did all that we were asked to do,” said Marcella Perez, a sophomore and soon to be a host of a foreign exchange student.

At school the student will pay for his or her own lunch, but outside-of-school meals (along with other necessities) need to be paid for by the host family.

In every country, high school presents a different environment, people, and experiences. Taking on the high school without your family and friends by you is hard enough.

“I wanted to get to know a different way of life and culture and it’s a great experience when you live with a family and go to school in a foreign country,” Weinfurtner said.

PHOTO BY SIRIGUL GOSUWINFruits like pineapple, blueberries and kiwi are apart of a balanced, healthy diet, offering much needed vitamins.

April 15, 2010 FeAtures 5 Teens must juggle money, shoppingSenior

checklist:Things to prep for beforegrabbing that diploma

Senior year is a busy time. From getting ready for graduation to planning for the years to come, there is always something to keep a senior busy. Follow this checklist to ensure that you’re well prepared for graduation and college in the fall.

April 28—Extra graduation ticket requests due. Need extra tickets for graduation? Turn in your request to curriculum secretary Kathi Novak by this date. The requests were sent in the mail along with other graduation information.

May 25—Senior checkout. Pick up your cap and gown and graduation tickets. Make sure all debts, such as, lunch accounts and library fees, are paid by this date, or you will NOT be able to pick up your cap and gown.

May 28—Graduation!· 12 p.m. at the University of Phoenix Stadium. To all the seniors, remember to thank and give good bye hugs to all teachers, monitors, office clerks and lunch ladies who have helped you throughout the years. They will greatly appreciate it and might even shed a tear or two.

Between vacations, mall trips , going to see the latest box office hits, keeping up with the latest trends and fads, paying for gas or maybe even insurance and splurging on that to-die-for new piece of technology, you may now be swimming in debt to your parents and hopelessly broke. Let’s face it– for most of us this is our reality. At this point in many teenagers’ lives, the world basically revolves around money.

“I think its really expensive to be a teen nowadays,” said Mariel Garcia, a junior. “If you ever want to have a fun social life, it’s hard not to spend money.”

Many teenagers are guilty of practicing excess spending and they become unable to truly differentiate needs from wants. Prices seem to raise continuously and when the bank of mom and dad refuse to pay, most students are forced to spend their money on clothing, food and entertainment.

“I spend most of my money on clothing because it’s the most expensive thing I need to buy,” said Simone Weinfurtner, a senior.

It’s common for the majority of a student’s budget to be spent toward clothes.

“Everywhere you go, you’re bound to encounter a mall, outlets and as soon as I see something I like, I’m hooked and I can’t leave without getting it,” said Rachel Zinici, a junior.

Some students prefer to put their money mostly towards the essentials, with only an occasional splurge spending.

“Mostly I use my money to buy

food, but the other day I splurged and bought a video game,” said Brian Fike, a sophomore.

Special occasions like birthdays, holidays or school dances can also take a toll on savings and clean out wallets and bank accounts. Especially with prom around the corner, students are trying to scrounge up extra cash and save money which can prove to be a real challenge. Expenses including limos, dresses and tickets all add up and it takes quite a large chunk of cash to go all out.

“I’m spending at least $300 on prom this year, so that’s a huge thing,” said

Jordan Eakins, a junior. Maintaining a job would be the

seemingly easy solution; however in today’s recession this may not be the case. Job competition for teens seems to be higher than ever, as their desire to work grows stronger but chances for being hired continue to become slimmer and slimmer.

“So many adults are out of jobs right now because of the economy, so more adults are being hired instead of teenagers,” said Raenuka Mallikarjun, a math student teacher for Cindy Knoll.

By MALLORIE HARPERFine Arts Editor

Teenagers face a dilemna: to spend or no to spend. Eventually, they find themselves left with only spare change.PHOTO BY SAVANNAH THOMAS

A pandemic is sweeping our campus. Under the stormy sky, the scraping wind or the sizzling sun, students aren’t strapping in and preparing themselves properly. And by that, I mean wearing clothes appropriate for their surroundings.

Sure, we live in Arizona and half of the year is summer and the other half is spring, but there’s been extraordinary inconsistency in the weather recently. Everyone on campus bemoans it, either complaining that it’s “way too hot” or that it’s “freezing in here.” The solution is obvious: the majority of students dress to

fit. Still plenty of people—girls more than guys—decide to wear shorts in 45-degree cold or tracksuits in 85 and up. Some attitudes better be changed, that’s for sure.

Yes, your legs may be as fabulous as Beyonce’s, but they probably don’t look as great when blue, goose-fleshed and starting to shake in the cold. No offense. The human body doesn’t host the most attractive evolutionary reactions in the world. It’s nicer to see a pair of well-tailored jeans on both gals and gents than some thrown-on shorts.

Students also overdress in the summer. Sweatshirts and jeans aren’t quite fitting for 90 degree weather—there really isn’t any reason to throw those on except when your closet is nearly empty or (if female) you couldn’t get your legs shaved in time. To be fair, guys have a more limited selection of clothes for warm weather. All shorts, no matter what the cut, can be either slightly sissy or rather old-looking. Sadly, fashion

sacrifices must be made for comfort.Don’t give the excuse that winter

clothes are ugly. There is, after all, a fashion week for the winter season. Maybe if you’re suffering from tough economic times, it would be harder to get a hand on some decent hoodies, pants and jackets. However, many organizations that gather clothing tend to have heavy clothes meant for a chill—if you visit such places, it shouldn’t be too hard to get something snug.

Another problem may come in that someone may own decent clothes for the local conditions, but they simply don’t fit. Something too clingy in hot weather can stick to sweaty skin and gather heat. Warm shirts for cold weather really don’t help much if they’re riding up your midriff. If your pants are sagging so much that the top of your buttocks is hanging out, it might be time to invest in a belt, new pants or just wearing that pair of pants during the summertime. Maybe it’s time for our

Editorial Board

Shamarah Shoupeditor-in-chief

Heajin Yueditor-in-chief

Savannah Thomasphoto editor

Andrew Snidernews editor

Anna Freydenzonopinion editor

The Talonhttps://sdohs.dvusd.org/Newspaper/TalonMenu.html

The Talon is published as a forum for student opinion at Sandra Day O’Connor High School: part of the Deer Valley Unified School District. Letters to the editor must be signed and dropped off in room in Room 425, e-mailed or mailed. Letters may be edited for content and/or space consideration. Obscene or libelous statements will not be printed. Opinions reflected here are of those of The Talon staff and do not reflect the Deer Valley Unified School District. Some material courtesy of MCT Campus News Service.

editors-in-chief Shamarah Shoup Heajin Yu

copy chief Leah Stapleton

design chief Sirigul Gosuwin

asst. design chief Kody D’Amours

photo editor Savannah Thomas

news editors Andrew Snider Michelle Yung

features editors Jessie DiTomasso Angela Yung

opinion editors Brittany Dierken Anna Freydenzon

sports editors Amanda Bowers Cletus Milan

entertainment editor Tarah Wells

fine arts editor Mallorie Harper

staff writers Cassie Glaser Rachel Gress Christine Kweon Paige LaPour

adviser Erin Howard

generation to get used to tailoring clothes.It’s almost a stereotype how Americans

are in love with their flimsy attire, in that they only choose to wear the clothes that get them through the day—no matter how wealthy they are or where they live. Do you want to enforce “Americans are stupid?” No? Then put on a coat, silly.

Even though people persist to wear inappropriate gear, everyone pokes a bit of fun at them—even those who usually dress that way but aren’t that day. When someone complains they’re cold, everyone is quick to point out that they “should have took a jacket” or that they “probably should check the weather” before going out. So, why don’t they? The mystery remains.

It won’t hurt to wear at least a thin jacket during the day—you probably wouldn’t even need to take it off during a heat spike. Just so you know. Wear something.

By ANNA FREYDENZONOpinion Editor

6 OpiniOn April 15, 2010

Weather requires certain clothing, forget denim shorts in cold

Perhaps the greatest tragedy facing teenagers is the number of cruel, gruesome and entirely preventable fatalities due to driving under the influence.

People drink and people drive. Separately, the two activities entail some risk. Bad drivers always present a risk to other drivers—and teenagers usually fall into the “bad driver” category. Drinking—at least in excess—can lead to a multitude of health problems. Separately, the risks can be mitigated. But put the two together, and the results can be disastrous. It begs the question: is the brewski worth someone else’s life?

As prom and graduation approach—arguably the biggest events for a high

school senior—and kids plan their after-prom and graduation festivities, there will inevitably be alcohol involved. Odds are someone will get behind the wheel with alcohol in their system, and the likelihood of being involved in a fatal car wreck will skyrocket.

Just don’t let that person be you.In 2009, more than 5,000 15- to 20-year-

old drivers were involved in fatal crashes, including 2,739 driver fatalities, according to expertlaw.com.

In addition to potentially killing someone because you felt the need to drive after knocking back a few beers, if you are pulled over you may face suspension of driving privileges, community service,

hefty fines, jail time, probation or alcohol counseling. If you injure someone due to driving drunk, you may face a felony charge, even higher fines, damages to the injured person or their family or jail time. If you kill someone, you may be charged with manslaughter or second-degree murder, according to expertlaw.com.

Obviously the policies in place don’t deter underage drinking. Maybe that’s because teenagers have a propensity to think, “it won’t happen to me.”

But what if it did? What then? Those thousands of teenagers who it

did actually happen to probably thought it wouldn’t happen to them either. But it did.

Drinking and driving: real risks during promStudents should be careful, avoid driving while under the influence

COMIC BY ANGELA YUNG

There’s a problem that has been brewing in our nation’s schools for a long time. Yes, there’s poverty. Yes, there’s prejudice. Yes, there are tons of other issues that education suffers from. One of the most easily addressed problems isn’t seen as a problem at all—the integration of the Pledge of Allegiance into the curriculum.

Arizona requires schools to designate an uninterrupted time for the Pledge of Allegiance, but allows students the choice whether they wish to say it or not. Unfortunately, many schools are not as open to such options. In fact, according to a 2003 report from the Education Commission of the States, a total of 14 states not only require schools to designate a time for the pledge, but also require students to recite the pledge. Only six states—Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio and South Dakota—give school districts the option to implement the Pledge of Allegiance into a time slot.

Nobody tells children in elementary schools that they have the option to say it or not. In fact, most of the time they are downright pressured into saying it regardless of state policy. The first time I didn’t stand up for the Pledge (in eighth grade) I had to experience a lecture about how “the pledge is for the veterans, and when you don’t say the pledge it means that you hate democracy and patriotism.” I was rather shaken at the time (I was simply leaning on my chair and not saying it due to a stomach ache) but now I realize that it was simply some mindless drivel spouted by an overzealous man. The fact is that the Pledge of Allegiance doesn’t make anyone

more patriotic or more proud.Maybe the main problem I have with

our “grand” Pledge is one that was only recently (well, within our nation’s history) added in—“under God.” Incorporated in 1954, these two words can cause much debate, and rightfully so. It’s quite possible that they were only added to attempt to protect American culture against the secular Communists, who were theoretically attempting to hijack the U.S. through the inside. It didn’t protect or attack anyone back then, and no doubt it will do the same now. Still, the United States Court of Appeals has protected it, calling it patriotic and ceremonial. If ceremonial means “added 50 years ago,” certainly something is up with how we judge tradition.

Sadly, a recent court case for removing the “under God” failed, so it’s doubtful that it will be taken out anytime soon. As long as it remains in, the Pledge definitely doesn’t belong inside a state-run institution. Yes, I understand that separation of church and state isn’t explicitly stated in the constitution, but the First Amendment acknowledges freedom of religion. When one religion is favored, the rest suffer; logically, separation of church and state goes hand in hand with the first amendment.

Don’t ban the Pledge of Allegiance. Don’t discourage kids from saying it if they want to. Still praise them if they do. However, schools should stop trying to “teach it” to students—allow them to learn it themselves if they want to and allow a time and place to say it. Anything else is simply ridiculous and distracting to the curriculum.

April 15, 2010 OpiniOn 7High school teaches more than academics, lessons

By ANNA FREYDENZONOpinion Editor

By HEAJIN YUEditor-in-Chief

By SHAMARAH SHOUPEditor-in-Chief

Sure I can graduate and say that high school has taught me about literary devices, DNA, chemical reactions, the government and trigonometry. But I think the best things that high school has taught me can’t be found in textbooks. They’re life experiences and lessons, real world applications that are going to stay with me and translate into my university years and adulthood. Here are a few things that I learned, thanks to you. And I’m sure you have learned these life lessons yourself in high school—you just don’t want to admit it. In a sense, these are mistakes I have made that you shouldn’t make. Learn from me.

1. Betruetoyourself.Though this may be self-explanatory,

it’s something that’s really important. Peer pressure exists and it sends the message to fit in and be like everyone else. But there needs to be a balance—don’t lose your individuality, but too much of yourself can’t be a good thing. There’s a time when too much of a good thing can be bad. I learned that too. Nonetheless, embrace your identity every day.

2. Yourattitudecanchangeeverything.

I hate hanging out with people who are pessimistic and constantly tell me how much they hate their lives. Nothing is going to change until one’s attitude changes. Once your attitude changes, the focus changes—everything can be seen through a different perspective.

3. Stopcomparing.There’s no point to compare. Because

of one’s pride and ego, it’s tempting to

“I pledge allegiance to the flag…”We’ve all heard and repeated this phrase countless times throughout kindergarten, elementary school and even high school. The pledge of allegiance has become a dreary task that students perform without thinking about it. But should this be considered so monotonous and dull?

What students don’t consider is the reasoning behind reciting the pledge. The pledge was first recited in public schools on Columbus Day as a way to bring the nation together. It was designed to be quick, to the point and easily recited in fifteen seconds. It’s safe to say that everyone can spare 15 seconds from their day.

This acts as a medium for students who want to feel a part of the country. Thousands of students across the nation are saying the pledge which shows that we are one as a nation.

Reciting the pledge is a simple way to remind students to be patriotic. It gives us something to hold high and be proud of, often times people take the advantages that our country has for granted. It is important to be respectful of our country and the fact that it gives us freedom—the freedom to sit out of the pledge, for example, even when it urges you to say it.

The flag and the Pledge of Allegiance are symbols of our freedom and right to be different. Kids should understand that even if they don’t think their opinions will matter, they can still do great things not only for themselves but for the country overall.

“It’s like taking ownership in your

country,” said Diane Jackson, a government teacher. “It’s like setting an example for your fellow Americans to stand up and join you.”

It is a part of American tradition and it reminds us of our history and what our forefathers have accomplished.

There are those students who disagree with the usage of the phrase “under God” in the pledge. As for them, they may gladly sit out. Or just not recite that part. It is not required that students participate, although it is required that the school designates a time for the students to recite it if they choose.

If the main opposition to reciting the pledge is the addition of the phrase “under God” then take it out and restore it to Francis Bellamy’s original version.

Bellamy wrote the pledge as a way to encourage patriotism and the display of the American flag in public schools. It was recited as a method of solidarity for the nation, he even considered using the word fraternity in hopes of promoting brotherhood throughout American society.

All that it means is promising to be true to the United States of America. This is not meant to be the only act of patriotism or the main form, but merely an encouragement for children to practice it in the future.

So, encourage others around you to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Help it do what it was created to do—bring us together. Every person reciting those words is swearing not only be true to their country, but also to be true to every other person promising with them.

compare to others. But after doing so, I’ve always find someone who is better than me. Then it’s downhill from there. The better thing is to compare you to yourself. Then you are able to see how much you have grown.

4. Making

mistakesorfailingisnottheendoftheworld.

It’s not easy to see yourself fail or make mistakes. I know it was difficult to see my college rejections come all at once. After accepting the reality, I learned what to do next time. It’s not going to stop me from trying things. Instead, I have become more persistent and tried harder. Failures have simply opened more doors for me, not closed them.

5. Enjoyeverymoment.We are swamped by all the little things

in life. It’s easy to feel life pass before us, so

it’s important to live every moment. I made the mistake of living for the future so much so that I didn’t take the time to relax and enjoy every day for itself. Before I knew it, months had passed. It’s time to be focused on each moment of our lives.

6. Perfection is not areality.

Many people have the idea that perfection is a possible reality. I know I

have. By working hard I thought I could do it, and often, this belief leads to disappointment. It’s not wrong to strive and reach high, but accept that things will not go perfectly. Human flaws are inevitable.

7. You’lllearntheweirdest

thingsaboutlifewhenyouleastexpectit.

Maybe it’s because I (more than others) have lived a sheltered life. But I am thankful for it, for I have learned a lot from my friends. I have never had vodka and I never knew what it was until this year. If it wasn’t for my friends I would have thought vodka was fruit juice with salt. Now I know to avoid vodka in stores.

8. Taketheinitiative.People who are proactive are leaders

in my opinion. If you wait for someone else to take the first action, things won’t get

done. The simple thing and logical thing is to take your life in your hands. It saves a lot of waiting time.

9. Yourwill goes fartherthanskill.

You can have all the talents in the world and not use them. What’s the point of wasting your talents? But people who try and have the will to succeed, to complete a task, a goal will go farther than those who don’t. I know a quite a few people who are talented but are lazy. Have the drive, the simple will to do well and I promise you that will go a long way.

10.Knowyourtalents.I learned this the hard way. I thought

that I could do everything. But after a difficult time in my math and science classes, I learned that I should focus on writing.

11.Post-itnotesandto-dolistsareyourbestfriends.

These are the unsung heroes of the business world and mine as well. They remind me of all the things I need to complete in a day. Without them, I would get nothing done. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of crossing something off the list.

12.TrustinGod.I learned that everything that I have

ever accomplished in my life somehow comes back to God. I simply learned to rely on God because without Him, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today.

There needs to be a balance—don’t lose your individuality, but too much

of yourself can’t be a good

thing.

Point vs. Counterpoint:Should we say the

Pledge of Allegiance?

8 Prom APril 15, 2010Frills, bows, lace, sequins: the evolution of prom dresses

It’s that same old spiel again: “make good choices.”

We’ve heard those words coming from our parents’ mouths all too often. And while we may roll our eyes at this phrase as we’re planning our prom nights, we should really listen.

Remember that if a student shows up to prom intoxicated, he or she will not be able to walk at graduation. And that would just stink. Let’s not ruin our night to remember.

As many of us know, this night does not end after prom is over. In fact, some say that the fun doesn’t even begin until

By SIRIGUL GOSUWINDesign Chief

afterwards. Here are a few fun and safe after-prom

activities ranging from late night bites to midnight entertainment.

Cosmic Bowling at Brunswick Zone (Open until 2 a.m.)

17210 N. 59th Ave. 602-978-1777Cosmic bowling is like Star Wars…

plus the whole bowling part. The Web site describes it as an “out of this world” experience. Now, that might be a stretch, but this is not your typical bowling game. The lights are turned off and the lanes are glow in the dark. Lasers dance around to cool music and create a futuristic-techno atmosphere.

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers

(Open until 2 a.m.)2490 W. Happy Valley Road 623-580-1111Apart from the cool alliteration in the

name, this pizza shop located in Norterra is also a late-night destination. After all that dancing, you’ll be famished. Grab a bunch of your buds, share a pizza and enjoy a good, inexpensive snack. Fun fact: the pizza dough is made with Georgia spring water.

Dave and Buster’s (Open until 1 a.m.)

21001 N. Tatum Blvd. 480-538-8956After prom, you’re probably still going

to be pretty hyper, so burn off that energy at the arcade. Try playing Dance Dance Revolution in your prom attire. Wait a sec:

Keep prom night safe by avoiding dangers; instead, go bowlingBy ANGELA YUNG

Features Editor

Long or short: That’s the ultimate decision.

Every girl wants to find the “one” dress that makes prom the ultimate high school experience. The quest for finding the perfect dress entails tedious online browsing, long drives to various malls, combing through racks of dresses, trying on different dresses and occasionally snatching dresses from your fellow shoppers. Through the years students have taken popular styles from the runways of famous designers and pop culture and applied it to their prom dress choices.

1960s: The era of Jackie Kennedy Prom dresses worn back then were

conservative. The common flocks were a fitted-bodice top with an A-line floor length skirt. A pair of white elbow-length gloves were worn to add more a sophisticated look to the ensemble, according to fiftiesweb.com.

Receptionist Karen Nelson wore a spaghetti strap, fitted- bodice dress with a straight skirt that was yellow and blue,

with a pair of white elbow-length gloves to her prom.

As a fashion icon in the 1960s, Jackie Kennedy’s style was duplicated throughout the country. For example, the blush-tone, strapless dress Kennedy wore to a dinner with a violinist Isaac Sternon on May 11, 1962, is still popular today.

1970s: The era of hot pants Prom attire was similar to the ones

around the 1960s, the dresses were still conservative and floor length. However, hot pants became the new “it” trend.

Rosa Leptich, discipline secretary, incorporated the hot pants into her very formal attire.

“My dress was a black v-neck, floor length, [with a] split in the front with white trims and I had the hot short under,” Leptich said. 1980s: Shorter dresses and bigger hair

In the 1980s, major changes occurred with the conservative dresses. The dresses have ruffles with puffy sleeves and the colors got brighter. Another major change was that the shoulders were no longer covered and the length was not floor

length, but instead three-quarter length. For example, Molly Ringwald’s dress

in the movie Sixteen Candles―an off-the-shoulder, light pink color with chiffon fabric―shows the drastic changes between the previous decades.

The hair style was big with curls that added at least two inches to every girl’s height.

The 1990s: Back to the basics In the 1990s, strapless dresses

began emerging. Jessica McDonald, language arts teacher, wore a fire-engine red, floor-length dress with a train. During that time, a ballroom puffy dress or the straight down skirt was popular. The shades―similar to the ‘60’s―were still pastel colors, McDonald said.

The 2000s: The risqué During this time, the entire classic styles such as the ones inspired by Jackie Kennedy, short dresses, long dresses, big hair and bold colors were revived.

Jenna Monaco, a student teacher for language arts wore a fuchsia pink, two-piece with a lace up top and a flowy skirt to her prom in 2004.

By 2007, a new trend emerged: short

By HEAJIN YUEditor-in-Chief

To make prom a “night to remember,” the student government junior class prom committee works diligently. It’s not an easy process. If the prom committee members can all agree on one thing, it is indeed the fact that the process is a stressful one.

Prom planning starts the end of sophomore year.

First things first—choose a theme. This year’s theme is “A Night in Paris: Rendez-vous at the Moulin Rouge”. To come to a consensus on a theme was not easy. One thing was for sure: they wanted the theme to be elegant. They narrowed the theme down because the colors they wanted went hand in hand with Moulin Rouge and it looked better with this year’s venue.

“It was hard to vote even on the colors for our theme because everyone disagrees a lot,” said Alexa Friedrich, vice president of the junior class. “It’s stressful when no one agrees.”

Imagine if they had disagreements about the color of the prom, how many more they would have over the theme itself.

Prom planning began almost a year ago, when they chose the theme over the summer.

The prom committee ran into a problem. After ordering the invitations at the end of January, they realized the invitations were printed wrong—the words were printed on the front and not the back like they planned. But by then, it was too late to fix it. They simply had to deal with it and turn the mistake into a solution. They folded the invitations and constructed

them so that they gave off an extravagant feeling. But as they were handing them out, they realized they were 200 invitations short. They ordered more and after spring break, few juniors from sixth and seventh language arts periods finally received their invitation.

“It’s also stressful when the companies that we were working with didn’t give us everything we needed when we needed it,” said Brooke Weathersby, a representative of the junior class. “But if you follow a set schedule, you can get everything done.”

The prom gift was ordered in March and as juniors and seniors leave prom, they will be able to choose one. The gift is a surprise and will not be revealed until the night of prom.

A typical STUGO schedule at prom: 4 p.m.: Drop off the center pieces. The

D.J. comes and sets up the lights to the

dance floor. 7-11 p.m.: The prom committee has

hired people to serve students special drinks which will be revealed on the night of prom. And like all other juniors and seniors, the prom committee will finally get a chance to relax and dance after all their hard work.

During prom itself, the sophomore class of STUGO runs a shoe and coat booth which is where students can check in their shoes and coats for safekeeping. Every year, the sophomore class gets to run a shoe and coat check to raise money for their prom the following year. The underclassmen of STUGO also have to clean after prom, which could take about 30 minutes or longer.

“It’s going to be really classy,” Friedrich said. “Last year’s [prom] was wild and crazy and we wanted to do it differently this year and make prom [classier].”

that might end badly if you don’t change clothes first. Perhaps stick to playing Pac Man or skeeball.

Think Simple.While it may be tempting to want to do

something totally extravagant and off the wall for prom, it’s important to remember what really matters—just hanging out with your friends. Maybe host a Hannibal movie marathon. Have a sleepover. Go camping in the backyard. Pig out on cookie dough ice cream. Everyone is probably going to be pretty tired anyway, so it might not be a bad idea to just go to bed.

Ha. Who am I kidding? It’s going to be one fun, memorable, late night.

Whatever you decide to do, stay safe. And yes, make good choices.

Prom committee works year-round for a night to remember

dresses. Today prom is not an occasion for only long formal dresses. Popular colors for dresses varied according to availability and what looked best on them.

Katie Gerber, a senior is wearing a short, blush-tone dress with embellished top to prom. Her reason for choosing a short dress is due to convenience, because long dresses are more difficult to take care out at prom. “They get stepped on while you’re dancing and on the party bus,” Gerber said.

The major difference between the decades is the fact that the dresses are more revealing. Some dresses are backless with very low cuts that show a great amount of skin. Or some short dresses are not only short but also skin-tight, such as dresses from Herve Ledger.

However, not everyone follows a certain trend.

Some wear the traditional dress that is classic and semi-conservative, while some follow the latest fashion trends with the floral printed dresses and bright colors. That’s why a prom dress is so unique to girls― it defines their style captured in a moment in time.

ILLUSTRATION BY ANGELA YUNG

9 EntErtainmEnt april 15, 2010Theatre classes see the ‘Wizard’

Lions and tigers and free admission! Oh my!

On March 30-31 at 6:30 p.m., the mixed intermediate/advanced theater class performed the musical the Wizard of Oz. The show was entirely student produced and directed. Both performances were free.

“[The show was] for showcasing student work, and times are tough so I [didn’t] want to have to keep asking people to come and support and spend money,” said Toni Fioramonti, a theater teacher.

They used all old materials and props to put on the musical. It was a revised, simpler version of the original Wizard of Oz for younger people.

The students were graded on their work and performance in the show. Participation in the play was required, but students had the option to help direct it.

“The fact that it’s for a grade does make you want to work harder,” said Michelle Valenti, a sophomore who played a munchkin. “It [was] really fun so [it didn’t add] pressure.”

From being in the show Valenti said she learned that it is important to completely memorize her lines and when she’s supposed to say them, because if she

doesn’t, it throws everything off.“I think the shows went well for the

amount of time we had,” Valenti said. “We only had like three weeks to work on it in class and everyone did a great job.”

Valenti enjoyed the experience and watching everyone’s characters develop.

“Even though it [was] short, I hope that people [liked] it as much as any of the other plays because we put in a lot of effort even though we didn’t have as long to rehearse,” said Krystin Arroyo, a sophomore who also played a munchkin.

Arroyo also liked getting the experience under her belt and being one of the tallest munchkins.

“I learned that the time you take on rehearsing does make a difference, and that being a munchkin is harder than it would seem,” Arroyo said. “It takes so much energy to fill that role.”

Arroyo felt that everyone did their best especially with the small amount of time they had.Fioramoti chose to do the Wizard of Oz to give the students who couldn’t be in any of the after school plays the opportunity to get the experience of being in a play.

The class was also doing a unit on musical theatre and Fioramonti used it as a way to teach the students about the singing, dancing and audition process.

By JESSIE DITOMASSOFeatures Editor

Actress by day, member of a critically-acclaimed two-person band by night, Zooey Deschanel along with M. Ward—also known as She & Him—released the follow-up album to their first disc on March 23, aptly named Volume Two.

Deschanel and Ward first collaborated on a track for her film, The Go-Getter, before it turned into a “fully-fledged touring band,” according to the band’s MySpace page.

Volume Two expands and improves on the band’s overall sound and production, and still She & Him are unable to be classified as one genre or another. The entire album has a relaxed, beachy vibe and each song is prettily arranged around Deschanel’s vocals—somewhat reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald at times, and always classically winsome, as anyone who’s watched the movie Elf can attest. Ward contributes his voice more often on Volume Two than on the previous album but still the focus is on Deschanel. Most impressive is that Deschanel wrote 11 of the 13 tracks

By SAVANNAH THOMAS Photo Editor

REVIEW

on the album. The first song, “Thieves,” features

a rich layering of acoustic guitars with a vaguely country-sounding flair: combined with Ward’s backing vocalization, the song is soft and melancholy with Deschanel’s signature soaring vocals.

“In The Sun,” featuring Tilly and the Wall is a more upbeat track—probably owing to the reliance on piano and Ward’s guitar skills—than most of the songs from Volume One.

The arrangements on third track, “Don’t Look Back,” have much in common with the Beach Boys—Deschanel’s Californian roots are apparent throughout the chorus in particular, all harmonies and bouncy piano melodies.

She & Him’s cover of the NRBQ song “Ridin’ In My Car” is lush and folksy, with a touch of “Here Comes the Sun” in the B-section around the strings.

“Lingering Still” sounds like something playing in the background of an episode of Sponge-Bob Squarepants—slightly Luau-inspired, with a mandolin that could double as a ukulele.

“Me and You” hearkens back to “Sentimental Heart,” from Volume One. “You’ve got to be kind yourself,” Deschanel

sings, with Ward on backing vocals—a great segue into yet another cover, this one of “Gonna Get Along Without You Now” by Skeeter Davis.

She & Him prove themselves once more as innovative and catchy indie pop artists. Volume Two, rather than trying to top

Volume One, simply adds beautiful songs to the She & Him catalogue. Though cohesive on its own, the new album is best enjoyed in tandem with the previous one, playing in the background or blasting on the car stereo.

Indie pop artists once again put themselves on the map with ‘Volume Two’

Chicken and waffles: Classic

REVIEW

By RACHEL GRESS Staff Writer

There are some famous pairings out there: Bert and Ernie, Timone and Pumbaa and a foodie’s delight known as chicken and waffles. And when the food combination of fried chicken and waffles has its own Wikipedia page, well, who can resist such juxtaposition between sweet and salty goodness?

Dining at Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles on North Scottsdale Road and East Thomas Road is a must, I decide. Especially after noticing the restaurant is mentioned on the “chicken and waffles” Wikipedia page.

One of the tastier gems in Arizona, Lo-Lo’s sets out to introduce diners to soul food. Well known amongst celebrities including Snoop Dogg and Amar’e Stoudemire, Lo-Lo’s remains in the Valley as a family-owned business with a humble charm attached to it.

Eating at Lo-Lo’s is not an extravagant affair. Most of the customers are casually dressed and basking in the restaurant’s relaxed atmosphere. Lo-Lo’s is well-lit and clean, with an open layout that is pierced with natural light and soul music. The service is prompt yet unobtrusive, which allows for the flow of dining and conversation to continue uninterrupted for the most part.

The menu lists a variety of Southern foods, such as chicken gizzards and collard greens, but I ordered what Lo-Lo’s is most well known for – chicken and waffles.

There are several versions of the dish available, but I chose Tre-Tre’s ($7) which consists of two drumsticks and one waffle. In addition, I ordered a side of cheese grits ($3.50) and candy sweets ($3.50) which are ground corn and sweetened yams, respectively.

After sampling the sides, I was not enthused about either. Both were acceptable but the grits lacked flavor and the yams were generic; I have had similar ones elsewhere. The real showstopper is the main entrée. My order of Tre-Tre’s was presented with a golf ball size scoop of butter on top of the waffle and a small pitcher of maple syrup. The drumsticks were fried to a crispy crunch and were well seasoned with a spice that added a unique, but tasty, zing to them. The waffle had a cinnamon hint to it which was reminiscent of French toast. I also tried the lemonade ($2.50) and Sanny Sand’s red velvet cake ($4). The homemade lemonade is served in a Mason jar and is just sweet enough without becoming a sugar fest for the taste buds. I highly recommend trying it and taking advantage of the free refills. The red velvet cake, which is sliced large, was springy and moist, but its flavor did not live up to the richness of its red hue.

Overall, Lo-Lo’s received four out of five stars. While the sides and desert left me wishing for a little more flavor, the atmosphere, service and chicken and waffles were excellent. Casual dining and reasonable prices make this famous haunt accessible to students.

Musical duo, Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward and their latest album, Volume Two which was released on March 23.

Image courtesy of myspace.com Image courtesy of myspace.com