FEATURES

Junior spends summer at circus

STORY PAGE 5

“When I was younger I did gymnastics competitively, and I had always gone to see circuses and I had always liked them, so I figured that I would like to join one someday.”

-junior Sam Hollis

The National Honor Society (NHS) has 102 new members. 16 seniors and 86 juniors took part in the induction ceremony Oct. 30.

“There’s a lot of things that go on with NHS and it’s a big honor,” Marilynn Mckinley, the National Honor Society sponsor said. “It’s not easy to get into, you have to have good grades and maintain good grades, you have to show that you have good character, and that you’re a good leader.”

NHS participates in various service projects for the Christmas season. They collect toys for the Saint Paul Children foundation’s Secret Santa Workshop which provides to the children in Tyler that wouldn’t have a Christmas otherwise.

McKinley’s advice to Aspiring freshmen and sophomores, “You can not let your GPA drop, it’s almost impossible to raise your GPA once it drops below a 90 average.”

Southern AccentFRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 ROBERT E. LEE HIGH SCHOOL, TYLER, TX VOLUME 47, NUMBER 1

WWW.RELSOUTHERNACCENT.COM 411 ESE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701

Dressed for ISS

When junior Chelsea Garret wakes up every morning, she walks to her closet to pick out an outfit, all of which represent her personality. As school days go by and dress code violations mount, however, her choices dwindle.

“I feel publicly shamed for simply expressing myself,” Garret said. “I’m an outgoing person, so I’m obviously going t o show off and make people remember me. The [assistant principals] react so seriously for dressing comfortably.”

It is on that ground that student’s self expression conflicts with the administration’s attempt to create a healthy learning environment.

Principal Gary Brown said that the dress code exists to provide a clear understanding of what is the mini-mum expectation for student dress. He also said that the student’s dress expectations are in place in order to reflect basically the campus itself.

“Whether you’re at Moore Middle School or John Tyler High School, there has to be some standard of what students should wear,” Brown said. “There’s a standard for attendance, a standard for grades, a standard for behavior; we’re just stating the mini-mum expectations on what a student should wear to school.”

That minimum expectation is set by the school district. Each school then has the right to adjust the dress code to their liking. Comparatively, John Tyler’s dress code states that all students must wear collared shirts, such as polos or dress shirts, their ID on a lanyard at all times, and the only visible body piercings allowed are earrings for girls on ears.

“Our dress code is much more liberal,” senior Nicholas Williams said. “With each category, John Tyler seems to go into more detail, while our dress code has a more general overview.”

Brown said that there are certain things that legally the school is required to ban, such as il-legal activity, weapons, or drugs, but besides that, the school wants to let the students wear what they want to wear.

“There’s no doubt that a person’s appearance is going to make a first impression,” Brown said. “The image that someone wishes to project has a direct correlation to the success they’ll have in the future, and that dress is most likely the most primary and the most personal form of in-dividual expression. Within the lines of the school’s dress code, it is still possible to showcase one’s personality.”

Dean of Student Life Brian Pendleton agrees that the main issue the students and faculty face with the dress code is its perceived inconsistency: why some items of clothing are re-ported and why others aren’t.

“The dress code is a school wide policy, not a classroom policy,” Pendleton said. “It personally doesn’t bother me for students to wear sleeveless shirts, but because it’s our school policy, I’m going to enforce that students follow it. It’s school policy, so staff members should follow it.”

Meanwhile, students like Chelsea will find ways to still person-ally express themselves at school. Chelsea said that a big aspect of her personality is her self-confidence, which is shown through her style.

“My entire wardrobe almost directly reflects my personality,” she said. “I just think it’s ridiculous that I would be forced to sit in I.S.S. or an office, losing valuable learning time, for wearing something that isn’t ‘school appropriate.’”

Students walk fine line between self-expression, distraction

BY VICTORIA SUNDINCONTRIBUTING WRITER

insideOPINIONSNEWSFEATURESSPORTSSTUDENT LIFE

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It’s back! The last year a paper was printed at Robert E. Lee was during the 2004-2005 school year. Now, 10 years later, the Southern Accent has resurfaced on campus. Principal Gary Brown decided to revive the print edition of the high school newspaper because he said it is a way for students with a mind for journalism to be able to write, create, develop, and use their imagination in a tangible way.

“That’s the unique thing about newspapers and print media, is that whether its a 250 member band that wins a sweepstakes award at a contest or it’s an individual student that’s volunteering for the local animal shelter,” Brown said, “the two articles can be side-by-side and be just as significant. With the same amount of type, same amount of print.”

Journalism Teacher Kevin Berns is new at Lee this year and said the newspaper allows for the student body to have a unique voice.

“It’s a chance for the outspoken kids to have a positive outlet for their message,” Berns said. “It allows for the administration, the faculty, to get a better understanding of who their students are, because this isn’t just for the students. It’s for the whole Robert E. Lee community.”

Andy Hodges wrote for the Southern Accent his junior year in 1974. He said the use of technology has to be the biggest difference today.

“We had to type all of our stuff out on typewriters,” Hodges said. “We didn’t have any iPads and things like that. We just had a pencil and a piece of paper. You know, back then we didn’t even have air conditioning in the school.”

The newspaper staff plans to distribute 1,500 copies of each issue for free throughout campus with a goal of one issue per six weeks. With a staff of inexperienced students, Berns said it will be an ongoing learning process.

“We have to get rid of the mind set that these are high school kids who are journalists and turn it into journalists who happen to be in high school,” Berns said, “and we do that by working on their critical thinking skills and their ability to interview and have confidence in their message and how they pass it on to others. I think as long as we keep working forward, working towards that, and recruiting a staff that we can move into next year with, we are going to have a successful year.”

BY MAGGIE HODGESCONTRIBUTING WRITER

BY AMAYA BLANTONCONTRIBUTING WRITER

NHS welcomes new members

Maggie Ensey/SOUTHERN ACCENTWelcome to the club Senior John Vincent congratulates new inductee junior Nyia Young as senior Trevor Carr introduces the 102 new members.

Print edition returns after ten year break

Too revealing? This is a typical style for junior Chelsea Garrett, but it is not acceptable under the current school dress code.

Shirts and Blouses • Must have sleeves• Must completely cover

backs, midriffs, and cleavage

• Must be of appropriate length to allow shorts or skirts to be visible when standing or sitting

Pants, Shorts and Skirts• Must be worn at the

natural waist• When standing naturally,

shorts and skirts must be noshorterthanfingertiplength, as measured at the shortest length of the garment, and be clearly visible when the student is standing or sitting.

Dresses, Jumpers, and one-piece Garments

• Must meet the combined guidelines for tops and bottoms in the single piece of attire.

Head Coverings• A hat, cap, hood,

toboggan or other head covering that can be easily removed may be worn outside only. Exceptions may be granted by administration for medical or religious reasons.

REL Dress Code

SPORTS

Winchester leaves it all on court

STORY PAGE 6

“I think I can honestly look back and say that I’ve played my hardest.”

-senior Taylor Winchester

STORY PAGE 4

NEWS

Classroom concept outside the box

“I would really love to have a spot on campus where I could do more of the same activities and academic work I’m doing in class but doing it in an outdoor setting.”

-French teacher Jane Neal

STUDENT LIFE

New lookfor old tradition

STORY PAGE 8

“I loved the parade and it should most definitely become a tradition. We got all sorts of people from the community out and participating and it really shows off everything Lee has to offer.”

-cheer sponsor Jennifer Smith

The Hunger Games trilogy is a wildly popular book series--so popular that it became a motion picture franchise. So far, the movies have been great, but they stray away from the book quite a bit. Therein lies the problem. The Hunger Games is just one example of why turning popular books into movies drains the life out of the story. The general idea is there but it lacks substance.

If I had the choice to go see a movie, or read a book I would see the movie. It is easier to do and much more social. But when it comes down to seeing a movie that was a book, I would much rather read the book.

Books cover everything you need to know to understand the story. Movies seem to get lost in translation and a lot of the time, they start to sway away from what’s in the book. For example, To Kill a Mockingbird is considered to be one of the greatest novels of the 20th Century. Although the movie, which came out in 1962, was good and won many awards it still wasn’t the same, focusing a lot on the court scene, and then putting in things around it that were vague. Movie makers don’t have the author with them, so they are left to put in the movie what they perceived from the book. Not all people perceive books the same way though. Different people will think different things. The person that makes the movie is making it only as he sees it, not how the author wrote it.

The reader gets to put the pieces together at their own pace when reading a book.

People when reading a book have the ability to go back and reread and fully understand what is going on, they don’t get that when watching a movie until it comes out on DVD. The Harry Potter series was a very long book series that took a lot of close reading to understand. They had the ability to go back and reread the book at the time. Movies can’t go on forever, so lots of things from the books have to be cut out in order to keep it at a reasonable time. This usually doesn’t do the book justice, leaving out too much info from the book really hurts the movie itself. People also picture what is happening in the movie in many different ways, and when seeing the movie, it might not be how they pictured it at all. Some viewers might just accept it, but many may scrutinize the movie for it resulting in bad reviews. Producers also have to go through the trouble of getting the authors permission to have the right to make the movie. The author doesn’t always agree to it at first, just like Walt Disney trying to make Mary Poppins into a movie. It took Walt a while, but he did end up getting that right.

I do believe there are movies that developed from books that turned out highly successful. The Hobbit which concludes this December has turned out highly successful. It stays very close to the book, but it took multiple movies to be able to do that. Books can be turned into movies and be successful but, it usually takes a lot of money and multiple parts to the movie. If you want to understand and really enjoy a storyline the book is always the way to go.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 OPINIONS2

High AnxietyJunior gives insight into dealing with social disorder in school setting

Forty million Americans have anxiety disorders, while fifteen million suffer from social anxiety disorder, which is what I have. Social anxiety is the fear of interaction with others that brings on self consciousness, feelings of being negatively judged, and as a result can lead to avoidance of people or places. So as one can imagine high school is hell.

I am an eleventh grader and I am sixteen. I have been dealing with anxiety for years but since high school started it has gotten worse. My day would usually go like this...

I wake up, heart beating faster than it should and I’m shaking. I had just woke up from a nocturnal panic attack. Probably because the day that awaits me frightens me even in my sleep. Once I have calmed down I begin to get ready. I try on so many outfits in order to pick the right one to assure I will get the least amount of negative attention. Next is hair, I will probably spend up to an hour making sure it is perfect so that other people will like it, and if it’s not my day is ruined and I will dread going to school.

I am now in the car. As I get closer to the school my heart beats faster. Thinking about the presentation I will have to do in a couple hours. My heart beats so fast it hurts and it becomes harder to breath. When I get to school I leave the car, head tucked making sure not to look at anyone, and walk as fast as I can to get to class. On the way I see an ex-friend; we didn’t stop talking because of a fight or anything, but because I was too scared to say “hi.” During summer if we hadn’t talked, the next year I wouldn’t say anything in fear that person had forgotten who I was or didn’t like me anymore. I have lost many friends this way.

When I arrive to class I take my seat. The teacher then begins to take roll. As she gets closer to my name my heart beats faster. In my head I

go over how I am going to say here a million times. When my name is called I say it. My face flushes out of embarrassment! Did I say it right? Did anyone hear my voice crack? After I have calmed down I begin to think about something much scarier: the presentation. I will be thinking about that all day until its over.

Well now its the time that I hoped would never come. Time to give a presentation in front of the whole class. The moment I walk in my stomach drops. I quickly take my seat, lay my head down, and wait. I say over and over in my head please let the teacher forget about the presentation . Then I start shaking and my chest gets tight making it hard to breath. I begin to feel my eyes swell I know I will start crying soon. I am now in full panic mode. I go to my teacher and say I can’t do it followed by me hysterically crying. When she says I don’t have to I am so relieved. But also embarrassed because I cried in front of my teacher and entire class. It puts me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

Now I am home and I am exhausted. Having an anxiety disorder takes a lot out of you. But now I am in the greatest place in the world, my room, where I can just sit and relax and do my favorite thing, watch Youtube. I love it because it helps me take my mind off things and makes my day better.

And yes, I realize that my fears are irrational and I know they don’t make sense to a lot of people who aren’t struggling with this condition, but they’re very real to me and they’re very real to millions of others who have this problem. If you are someone who suffers from this know that there are solutions like, taking up a hobby to help clear your mind and build confidence, seeing a therapist, or talk to your doctor about medicines that might be able to help. Also remember you are not alone and there are so many people who want to help you and will be there for you every panicked step of the way.

BY SAVANNAH GILBERTCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Savannah Gilbert/SOUTHERN ACCENTLost in thought Junior Savannah Gilbert is one of 15 million people in America who suffer from social anxiety.

BY TYLER BAKERCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Why turning books into movies is like dating a cardboard cutout

Bailie Holcomb/SOUTHERN ACCENT

Southern AccentSouthern Accent is printed by Champion Printing. Southern Accent is a

free publication distributed every six weeks during the school year. The opinions expressed in Southern Accent are those of Southern Accent

staff and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TISD administration or staff.

Southern Accent is funded in part by advertising sales sold by newspaper students.

For more information on ad prices, contact Southern Accent adviser Kevin Berns at (903) 262-2686, or email at kevin.berns@tylerisd.org.

411 ESE Loop 323 Tyler, TX 75701VOL. 47 NO. 1

STAFF

CONTRIBUTORSNarmeen AhmedTyler BakerBrenda BarreraMiranda BennettAlex BiceAmaya BlantonKeaton CunninghamMaggie Ensey

Savannah GilbertTori GoodsonAnita GrovesSkylar HerbisonMaggie HodgesBailie HolcombSam HollisReagan Lee

Chris FrenchCaroline Frost

Sam LeguizamoJeremy McLeanJamie MillsClaire NewberryElizabeth PierceMichael RamosWhitney RenshawJackie Salas

Kiara HawkinsMorgan Smith

Savanna ScarboroghLaila SherifMyriah SloanClaire StrattonKyndall SturmVictoria SundinMujtaba Ullah

Kevin Berns - Adviser

FRIDAY, December 5, 2014OPINIONS 3

Homework requires an ample amount of time to complete outside of school, especially when you reach high school. Consequently, your grades in high school are a large factor in gain-ing acceptance into your premium college choice. Some teachers make this difficult for students because of the abundance of homework given to be turned in on a daily basis. Therefore, the overwhelming homework in school should be considered for elimination.

The abundance of homework that teachers give to students in high school is crazy. In math, there are usually around thirty problems that the teacher gives students everyday that covers the subject that was being taught that day in class. I think that if you are able to do at least ten problems successfully without any help then that is more than enough practice. There is no need for the extra twenty problems.

It can be hard to learn from homework because of the fact that the teacher is not at our house to help us if we have a question. Yes, it is taught in class, but if there is a problem or question that is not explained clearly, then there is no one to ask at home. Your parents may not understand either since they were not in the class to hear the explanation of instructions for the homework.

Dealing with homework as a high school student can be overwhelming considering that students have extracurricular activities outside of school, too. Some teachers don’t understand how busy teens can be dur-ing the year. Sports seasons are constant throughout the year, and athletes practice before and after school sometimes. This leaves them coming home late and still requiring about two to three hours of homework. Students never have the time to be with their family, due to the fact that they go to school for eight hours and then if they are an athlete or have any extracurricular activities after or before school, then extra hours may be spent on campus. Therefore, teens need to be able to have some time off of school. If homework was cut down to at least half the amount given, then the student will have some free time to actually be a teenager.

Even though homework can be time consuming and overwhelm-ing, it also has some benefits. Homework reinforces lessons learned in class, develops time management, and allows students to explore subjects more fully than classroom time allows.

Over all, some teachers can assign too much homework. This can benefit you, but mostly it is just time consuming. Stress is also a factor of excessive homework, and teens tend to get stressed very easily. Learning will not be impaired if the workload is cut down.

Homework can be beneficial, but there are a lot of cons too. Therefore, teachers should con-sider cutting down the amount of homework that is given to us. Students do not need to be stressed all of the time. They already have enough on their plates, meaning that it is time to encourage involvement, lift up overall school grade scores, and reduce the of unnecessary homework.

The administration has established a dress code that has upset some students, making them feel shamed and restricted. As tolerant as the dressing regulations are, there still seems to be faults that are an easy fix. Administration should consider revising the rules in order to make students feel more comfortable.

Self-expression is a huge characteristic of the campus and it is important to continue promoting that. High school itself is a difficult time and students already struggle with being accepted for who they are. Limiting students won’t help them to develop a higher self-esteem if their own school isn’t supporting their self expression. It is vital for students to feel

comfortable with themselves and on their campus in order to receive a quality education.

Assigning in school suspension for petty violations results in students being absent from class and missing crucial lessons. One junior missed at least three class periods for simply wearing Nike shorts. Is the exposure of legs really so

scandalous that students must be absent from the sole reason they are at school? Perhaps adjusting the consequence to the circumstance would be better than keeping students from class time.

Although the purpose behind the dress code is to keep the atmosphere of the school appropriate and nonsensual,

sometimes this is unnecessarily applied to certain parts of the body. The exposure of shoulders, legs and backs should be excused especially when the Texas heat starts to climb. Considering REL is an outdoor campus, students find themselves sweltering on their way to classes. The prohibition of this is applying sexuality to nonsexual attributes and is nonessential.

The dressing standards are extremely lenient compared to those of John Tyler but there’s still room for improvement. Administration should consider how these limitations make students feel and ways they could reasonably punish those violating the dressing regulations. Go to your principal or counselor to voice your input, and help change the campus for the better.

Dress code needs improvement

Cons of Homework

Android v. iOS

Since 2008, it’s been a pretty consistent battle: iOS or Android, and more importantly, why?

Of course, for some, it’s a matter of having the “it brand.” However, what I am here to do is talk about why the Android system is techni-cally better.

These two can be very similar to the normal eye, but what I can guarantee to you is hardware supe-riority and higher, easier software integration into your everyday life. For example, the iPhone 6 v. the Galaxy S5. Not only does the S5 have over 3 times the processing power, its camera is capable of capturing twice the megapixels, and the front camera is a 2MP versus the iPhone’s 1.2MP (which is code for better selfies), plus it has Java capability. And honestly do I even need to mention the 10 hour battery life difference?

On the S5 you can virtually set any sound on you phone as your ringtone, while on the iPhone you are limited to proprietary ringtones; and when it comes to paying with your phone, you could

only use the S5 in most cases because the iPhone’s NFC touch-to-pay feature is limited only to Apple Pay. Also, drop your S5 in some water and you could pull it right back and go on with your day. You can’t even drop your iPhone 6-inches without it shutting itself down!

Although that may have been harsh, none of the information is really false. And with the way Android is incorporating Google, soon your phone will be able to be used completely hands-free, with the exception of playing games, etc. Even now, you can activate your phone by just saying “Ok, Google,” even if the phone is locked. From there, you can send texts, make calls and if you have your Facebook connected you can even post or ask about a friends’ latest post. Android has always been on top of how it incorporates all of your accounts into one easy streamline.

With all of that said, it’s pretty clear to say that android is a lot better, especially on paper.

What makes Apple more valuable than Samsung in terms of smartphones? An example would be the iPhone. Majority of the United States population owns at least one. Founded in 1976 by former CEO Steve Jobs, Apple was introduced as a high-tech computer company. Today it still runs on the line of state-of-the-art gadgets like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Samsung, on the other hand, while being a large corporation, lacks the demand for their smartphones. There are more iPhones sold in a minute than any other Samsung smartphone. According to Business Insider, Apple is ranked as the second most valuable brand behind Google with a brand value of $147.9 billion.

Lets look at some astonishing numbers. According to Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley, last year Apple controlled 69 percent of the smartphones industry’s profits while Samsung controlled 34 percent! Gradually those numbers improved for Apple

while Samsung was steadily declining. People keep buying more and more iPhones, while they could care less about the the Galaxy S series. Apple sold 33.8 million iPhones in 2013. Samsung only sold 6 million Galaxy S4s.

Apple recently came out with the iPhone 6 Plus, which is the biggest iPhone ever made, with a 5.5 inch display. It is the competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The iPhone 6 Plus comes with fingerprint scanning same as the Note 4, but it is easier to use. Again, the whole phone is easier to use. The iPhone 6 Plus is a perfect size for a phablet. Although the Note 4 offers more cutting-edge features, the 6 Plus outperforms it in many ways.

The App Store for is favorited more than the Android Market because customers love investing in creative apps. Personally, I never hear people talk about buying apps from the Android Market and its rare if they do. Apple is the greatest invention created by a human.

Why Android is better.

BY CHRIS FRENCH BY MUJTABA ULLAH

Why Apple is better.

Which phone do you think is better?

“iPhone, because I think the apps are more organized and the settings are easier to use.”

-Ashlynn Watkins10th grade

“Android, because I think iPhone is overrated because all the rich kids use them.”

-James Woods10th grade

“Android, because every time Apple gets something new its not very different at all.”

-Leviticus Henley10th grade

“Android, because it has a better battery life, more features and its more affordable.”

-Gabriel Ortiz10th grade

BY MADISON NOBLECONTRIBUTING WRITER

BY CAROLINE FROSTSTAFF WRITER

Letters to the editorThe editorial board of the Southern Accent

encourages you to submit a letter. It should be no more

than 300 words. Include your full name and email or phone number (email

and phone number will not be published). We reserve the right to edit for space,

spelling, grammar and libelous statements. Send your letters by email to

relnewspaper@gmail.com or mail them to Southern Accent, 411 ESE Loop 323, Tyler, Texas 75701

Life HackPut a small amount of

water in a glass when you microwave your pizzato keep the crust from

getting chewy!

It is vital for students to feel comfortable on their campus in order

to receive a quality education.

For two years the Our Kids (OK) Program has helped many students who can’t afford it receive proper clothes during the winter time when temperatures drop.

“We noticed there are kids who walk around without jackets when the weather gets really cold,” Testing Coordinator Kanon Gourault, the former OK Kids coordinator, said, “so we wanted to just address that and make sure everybody is appropriately dressed.”

Besides jackets, items like sweaters, backpacks and purses can be picked up free of charge at the coat closet as well.

To use the program students can speak to a teacher or counselor to help them submit an online form. Once the item is handed out, it is the student’s to keep.

“We gave away a lot of coats last year,” Gourault said, “but now we are down to bare bones.”

In an effort to restock the OK Closet, Student Life Counselor Shana Steele, who took over as OK Closet coordinator,

is encouraging parents and faculty to donate winter clothes such as coats, jackets, sweaters, hoodies, vests, gloves, hats, and footwear. Please include hangers as well if possible.

“I went through and forced my kiddo to try on all his winter clothes to see if they fit and found the majority did not,” Steele said. “So we’ve got a pile of clothes to donate. If any of you are in the same situation with yourselves, your kiddos or other family/friends, please consider bringing them (clean) to me to stock up the closet.”

-additional reporting by Jackie Salas

The empty space in the East Cafeteria is now being used as a school store. Students can get school supplies once a week, buy tickets, and in the future buy spirit items.

Dean of Student Life Brian Pendleton said the store currently consists of any school supply a student could want, including binders, pens, and pencils.

“The school supplies are free,” Pendleton said. “They were donated to us and we in turn donate them to others who needs them.”

Students are allowed to get school supplies once a week, unless there is an urgent need for more.

The store has been open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to sell football tickets. It is also open anytime a booster club wants to sell spirit wear. Pendleton said the school is in the process of shopping for a variety of spirit wear items to sell as well.

There is no official name for the store, but right now it is called the Robert E. Lee school store. However, Pendleton said there will be a contest to see who can come up with the best name for the new store.

Dec. 8Choir Winter Concert

Fine Arts Center 6 p.m.

Dec. 8-19German Club candy cane sales

Dec. 11Winter Dance Concert

Fine Arts Center 6 p.m.

Dec. 12Christmas Cabaret

West Cafeteria 7 p.m.

Dec. 15-16Blood Drive

Dec. 15Orchestra Winter ConcertFine Arts Center 7 p.m.

Dec. 16Holiday Jazz Concert

Fine Arts Center 7 p.m.

Dec. 18Band Christmas Concert

Fine Arts Center 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 22-Jan. 2 Christmas Break

French teacher Jane Neal loves the outdoors. She takes her classes outside to do special activities whenever the weather permits.

“[It is] a real change from the normal grind of sitting at your desk all class period under the fluorescent lights in air conditioned or heated air, sometimes with no windows,” Neal said. “It’s really important that everyone spends time outside and we’re really lucky to have a campus that already contributes to that.”

As a result, she wants to take it a step forward and inspire other teachers and students to spend more time outside. So Neal came up with a plan to create the outdoor classroom.

“Over time I realized that I would really love to have a spot on campus where I could do more of the same activities and academic work I’m doing in class but doing it in an outdoor setting,” Neal said, “and so that need arose for an outdoor classroom.”

CTE Construction teacher David Woods is on board as well. He will take care of the engineering part of it. His classes will build the structures and maintain the area.

“I think it’s a great idea because students and teachers need an alternative to a stale, stuffy classroom,” Woods said, “and being outside where [students] can feel the environment will just help with creativity and open mindedness.”

Neal has chosen the location, and with the help of Woods, the design as well.

“There’s a spot here on campus that is not being used for anything right now,” Neal said. “It’s also quiet during lunch periods because it’s kind of in an out of the way location. It’s right behind the “I wing” in a little corner. The vision is to see some benches there, a shaded area, and even a round wooden stage.”

In order to build an entire outdoor classroom by hand, a lot of funding will be needed to cover all of the

material costs. Neal has applied for grants from Lowes and Home Depot and is now waiting on their approval.

“[In] the City of Tyler, there’s a branch of that called Keep Tyler Beautiful, they have already promised over a thousand dollars of plants and gardening supplies to create three flower beds in the area,” Neal said. “And there has been some people on campus that have been extraordinarily helpful in getting this project off the ground.”

Neal said various faculty members have helped with the funding, as well as a monarch butterfly waste station area, and tips and tricks to help with the gardening.

“I just want to give a shout out to Mrs. Stubblefield, Mrs. Rambo, Mrs. McKinley, and Mrs. Tefteller. This project could not happen without their help,” Neal said. “There a lot of people here who care a lot about the school and will do anything to make any part of the school better for our students, and they’re all behind it.”

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 NEWS4Outside the box

Kiara Hawkins/SOUTHERN ACCENTWell supplied These are several items that are available for free in the new store located in the East cafeteria.

Tori Goodson/SOUTHERN ACCENTClass Site This spot behind the I wing is where French teacher Jane Neal is trying to establish an outdoor classroom.

BY BRENDA BARRERACONTRIBUTING WRITER

BY ELIZABETH PIERCECONTRIBUTING WRITER

BY BRENDA BARRERACONTRIBUTING WRITER

New learning environment will allow teachers to take students outdoors

Filla wins English 2 essay contestSophomore Madelyn Filla is the first

winner of what is expected to become an annual English II short story contest.

As part of the English II study of the short story genre, English teacher Daniel Hancock led the sophomore English department in conducting the essay contest.

“I did the contest to allow students to

show off their creative abilities,” Hancock said, “while at the same time illustrating what they learned in the first six weeks of school.”

Filla was chosen from around 25 entries.Hancock said he hopes to have a similar

contest with the 9th graders after the Christmas break.

A blood chilling howl pierced the peaceful night air, followed by the snapping of twigs and my desperate panting. I glanced over my shoulder, in fear of pursuit, as a wisp of cream colored hair tickled my cheek. Unfortunately, I spotted an ominous four-legged shadow to my left. I tried running faster, but my legs had turned into a jelly-like mush.A single tear traced down my freckled cheek

and I remembered my Banishment. The chief had suddenly warmed up to me; led me into the forest. “Morning Blossom, why don’t you go pick some blueberries for a snack?” he had asked. I obeyed like a fool and ended up in this catastrophe.Thoughts of my life and family came and went

like the quick, terrified gasps that burst from my lungs. I need to find shelter. I don’t know how much longer until… the thought was left unfinished as I picked a pine to my right. And not a moment too soon, for when I catapulted onto a low-hanging branch, a dog leaped from the undergrowth.Foam flew from its ferocious maw and

moonlight glimmered off its fangs. I screamed and climbed faster. The dog had been injected with the drug lastine, I noted. It caused the user to become a mindless monster. This dog was definitely mindless and monstrous. I ascended

until I found a sturdy branch about twenty feet above the drugged dog. It circled the tree, barely a shadow. The crazed canine barked savagely then scampered off in search of its pack.A sigh of relief leaned me back against the

tree. Once again I had survived the lastine dogs. Closing my golden eyes, I reflected on my past and my parents’ warnings. “The chief is a tyrant,” they hinted fearfully, “The Banishments are his way of maintaining leadership. Tests; exterminating Weak Links; population control. Be careful, Morning Blossom. Be careful.”The chirping crickets, a plethora of night

birds and exhaustion wrapped sleep’s seductive blanket about me; I slipped into a well-deserved void.“How is she holding up, Chief Raging Wolf?”

the Technician asked. The man with the sun-beat skin and beady eyes answered grimly, almost disappointedly. “Good. The first Weak Link to make it this far – three weeks.” He clucked his tongue. “I only want the best, Technician. If the others found out about her…” Chief Raging Wolf shook his mane of raven hair, “just fix it. I don’t care what you do.”The Technician nodded. Of course he

understood. But something had kept him rooting for Morning Blossom and he was determined to do everything possible to keep her alive.

Survival of the Weakest By Madelyn Filla

CALENDAROF EVENTS

Madelyn Filla

New store in cafeteriaoffering free school supplies

Cold weather season opens coat closet

OK Closet Available Items

• winter coats• jackets• sweaters• hoodies

• sweatshirts• socks• back packs• purses

Everyone loves a good romantic movie that gives you chills when watching, makes you dream of one day being in love, and gives you hope of your own romantic love story one day. That is exactly what will happen when you see the new movie “The Best of Me.”

Based on the bestselling novel by Nicholas Sparks, “The Best of Me” tells the story of Dawson and Amanda, two former high school sweethearts who find themselves reunited after 20 years apart when they return to their small town where they grew up for the funeral of a beloved friend. Their bittersweet reunion reunites the love they’ve never forgotten, but soon they discover that everything that drove them apart twenty years ago is trying to do the same still today. This love story captures the importance of your first true love and the difficult choices faced when given second chances.

The main actors and actresses in this movie did a wonderful job in my eyes. Dawson was played by Luke Bracey and James Marsden. The handsome Luke Bracey did a great job showing emotion but I thought he could have played the role of being so in love with Amanda better. James Marsden is such a great actor and you can see that in this film also. To me, it wasn’t like he was playing a character, it seemed very real and not fake at all. Amanda was played by Liana Liberato and Michelle Monaghan. The beautiful Liana Liberato was perfect for this role but I felt couldn’t get into

character because it was clear she was just acting the part. And Michelle Monaghan as always did a fantastic job and looked stunning doing it.

Obviously my favorite parts of the scenes were the “lovey dovey” romantic ones. I won’t give it all away but a few sweet scenes involved going for a swim together, slow dancing, and the sweet comments said that will melt your heart. Some scenes that I didn’t care for was the beginning because when it started off a little confusing.

From this movie, I learned that you can’t try to change or hide how you feel. Even if you try over and over again nothing will work. Always do what your heart tells you to do because in the long run that will make you the happiest. I learned that love can be tough and scary at times but without it you will never find happiness. Most importantly, I learned to always follow your heart and love like crazy! I feel like you will feel the exact same after seeing this amazing movie.

Any girl would love this movie but especially teenagers. A romantic story like this will send girls running to the theaters. I recommend it to any teenage girl because boys our age are all immature and gross. But this movie leaves you hopeful for having your own love story with a mature handsome young man just like in the movie one day. This movie is rated PG-13 which is a perfect rating, it had subtle nudity but didn’t show any thing inappropriate and very few cuss words. This love story is a sweet touching movie that I would definitely see again it was that good!

On the first day of school, students enter Mr. Stephens class and expect the same rules and expectations in a black and white powerpoint they have seen all day.

This time it’s different.The theme of Monday night football booms

through the speakers.Pictures of him on his Harley, in the Air

Force, and of his family flash across the screen.

“If you’re willing to make fun of yourself,” Stephens said, “it make students feel at ease and have a sense of humor as well.”

Veteran Louis Stephens teaches his government students to always do the best they can do, but having fun at the same time.

Stephens spent over 20 years in the US Air Force, stationed in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, South Korea, Texas, and Germany.

“Everything I saw and all the people I met it came back to always doing the best you can with what you have at the point in time,

Stephens said, because if you’re not doing the best you can do then you’re letting somebody down, and if you’re letting someone down in the military that means you’re getting them killed possibly.”

Since 2008 Stephens has rolled on campus with his Harley. With his buddy Fred, a silver skeleton that sits at the front of the harley and watches the road for him and keeps him safe.

“When they think about Mr. Stephens they think about the dude on the bike,” Stephens said. “Until they’ve been in my class, then they think that’s the coolest teacher I’ve ever had. Not because I ride a bike, but because we have fun in history and they learn something in the process”

Stephens constantly reminds students to always perform the best they can do in his classroom. He also uses posters with positive messages to encourage students to not use excuses, but always do their best.

“I expect every student to do the absolute best each student can do. Stephens said. Which is part of the reason that kids become successful in my class.”

After the crowd cheers and the clown gag is over, the attention is all on the next act inside a one ring circus. With the spotlight shining on four young performers who are juggling balls, riding a unicycle across the circus floor, or showing off their acrobatic skills, a crowd of about 800 people cheer and yell in awe at the unbelievable routine.

Junior Sam Hollis was part of a national youth circus tour over a seven-week period last summer around New England. He was featured in an organization called Circus Smirkus in the Big Top Tour as a juggler and a tumbler and was one of the featured acts.

“When I was younger, I did gymnastics competitively, and I had always gone to see circuses and I had always liked them, so I figured that I would like to join one someday, so I picked up juggling because it was something I can do in my house and at my own pace,” Hollis said. “I could always juggle three balls because of tennis but I really started juggling seriously about three years ago.”

Looking for summer camps involving circuses, Hollis’ mother came upon the Circus Smirkus Summer Camp. After getting accepted into the camp, Hollis auditioned for the tour. Circus Smirkus produces the Big Top Tour that has a group of auditioned acts such as juggling, acrobatics, aerials and much more with kids ranging in age from 10-18 years old who perform all over New England during the summer.

With almost 100 people involved in the tour; including performers, cooks, coaches, and staff, Hollis got to experience what a real circus was like.

He continues to perfect his juggling by performing locally in events such as the Rose Festival Coronation and the Rose Parade.

“I want to return to Circus Smirkus,” Hollis said, “because I got close to the people in the tour and we were all like one big family.”

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014FEATURES 5Son of the circus

BY NARMEEN AHMEDCONTRIBUTING WRITER

BY KIARA HAWKINSSTAFF WRITER

BY KEATON CUNNINGHAMCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Emma Alexandra /SOUTHERN ACCENT

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In the spotlight Junior Sam Hollis juggles pins during a performance in the Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour throughout New England last summer.

Junior spends summer juggling in Vermont

Kiara Hawkins/SOUTHERN ACCENTHog Heaven Government teacher Louis Stephens poses with his Harley.

Government teacher uses humor to inspire students

Movie Review

‘The Best of Me’ will have you feeling your best

Our PicksThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (PG-13)

Big Hero 6 (PG)

Interstellar (PG-13)

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Region contests are the chance for every competitive sport to show exactly what they had been working for. Band is no different. After earning earning a division one rank at the UIL Regional Marching Contest, the REL band advanced to the UIL Area Marching Contest at Mesquite High School Oct. 25. Competing against some of the top core marching bands in the state, in districts 3, 4, 20, and 21, the band placed 16th out of 24 total bands in the 6A competition, fighting for spots where good was considered not good enough.

“It was a very good year,” head band director Robert Castillo said. “We’ve learned a lot, learned quickly, and the attitudes and music were good.”

The band performed the show Arabian Nights with music by Scheherazade. It featured flying carpets, saxophone, clarinet, and french horn solos, and many formations across the field. There was also a group of color guard, helping the show come to life for the audience.

“It’s kind of cool” head drum major Claudia McCown said “You get to watch and you can see all what you did

at the beginning and then what it results to.”

The band began training at the beginning of August, averaging eight hours per week, culminating with the Area competition, where they got the chance to show off all they had been practicing for.

“I think that as a whole the band performed very well,” sophomore Hailey Norris said, “but at Area specifically we got beat down.”

With an unusual heat spell of 91 degrees, it was extremely hot for such a

time in the year. The heat did not stop memories from being made. However, this competitive season has come to its end.

“I’m kind of sad,” McCown said. “I’m a senior and I’m going to college now.”

Wrapping up Arabian Nights for the last time, the work of everyone involved has been left on the field.

“I think we had a great season for my freshman year,” freshman Jared Cockrum said “I think we did great and I would hope we have another show like this.”

When the final whistle blew in Lee’s win over Lakeview Oct. 28, senior Taylor Winchester walked off the volleyball court like she had done a thousand times.

But this time it was different. After four high school varsity seasons, Taylor saw the court for the last time, leaving behind valuable skills attained by hard work, sweat, and dedication.

The skills that Taylor has practiced and trained for since the fourth grade now all lay out on the court, never to be touched by her again.

“I’ve kind of been around [volleyball] my whole life,” Taylor said. “I think I can honestly look back and say that I’ve played my hardest. I think I’ve done a good job of doing my best and giving everything I have to the team.”

This hard working attitude can partially be attributed to Taylor’s MadFrog Club coach from junior year, who had a big influence in the way she played. Her coaching background, including leading her TJC volleyball team to the national championship the previous year, gave this coach an even higher respect of knowledge for Taylor to learn from.

Another factor that shaped Taylor’s court ability was the people she looked up to. As a freshman on the varsity team, Taylor admired the skill of a junior named Mallory Kuechle who achieved 382 kills and 329 digs for the team in the 2011 season.

“Her talent was just a really cool thing to look up to, especially as a freshman. You always look up to the girls that are outstanding players in ability,” Taylor said. “But she also worked really really hard. She was always the one who was chasing after balls, shagging them, no matter what we were doing she was always giving it everything that she had. That was something that was really instilled in me from my first year was to just work really hard no matter what the drill was or what we were doing.”

In the same year, Taylor met senior Taylor Newberry who took the role

for her as an encourager and a friend which also helped her realize her own responsibility on the team.

“She was really accepting of me and she was just a friend to me. Having someone on the team that was encouraging, nice, and someone I could look up to on and off the court was really cool,” Taylor said. “So, it just showed me how much the people that are older than you leave their mark on you and set an example for the people that are younger. Growing up and going through the program and now being a senior, I know that even if I don’t realize how much, I know that the younger girls do look up to me. I know I have to be an example no matter what I’m doing by just talking to them, being nice and being a friend, being encouraging, or just by helping them out. It’s a big deal even if you don’t realize it at the time.”

Through her four years, Taylor does not feel like there is anything she would do differently. She is content with the effort she has put into this sport and is at peace in her mind about having completed her job on the court as a defensive specialist.

“I think that if I played in college, I don’t think my heart would be 100% in it,” Taylor said. “I like the game so I’d like to stay involved by coaching or doing whatever, but I think playing-wise that high school is my end.”

Taylor plans to begin helping younger girls form their own dreams of playing volleyball as they get older. She wants to transfer the life lessons she has learned from this game, including having patience with others, into these girls’ minds. The young club team she will assist coaching will start in November, filling her spare time that is created by the Robert E. Lee High School volleyball season being over.

“It’s sad. I love the game and I love playing and it will be a hard transition in life, but I know that I’m going to be okay after it’s over,” Taylor said. “I know that I’m more than the sport of volleyball, than the skill that I’ve been given. It will be a lot different not playing but I know I’ll be able to stay involved in different ways than just playing right now.”

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 SPORTS6

Alex Bice/SOUTHERN ACCENT

BY KYNDALL STURMCONTRIBUTING WRITER

BY CLAIRE NEWBERRYCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Court appeal

Dec. 5-6Girls basketball at Winnsboro Tourney

Dec. 9Girls basketball vs. Winnsboro

Dec. 11Swim meet at Lufkin

Dec. 11-13Boys basketball at Forney Tourney

Dec. 16Boys basketball vs. Whitehouse

Dec. 16Girls basketball at Rains

Dec. 19Boys basketball vs. Longview

Dec. 19Girls basketball at Rowlett

Dec. 22-26Christmas Break

Dec. 29-31Boys basketball

Wagstaff Tourney at TJC

Jan. 2Boys basketball vs. Lakeview Centennial

Jan. 2Girls basketball at Lakeview Centennial

Jan. 3Girls soccer at Waco Midway

Jan. 6Boys basketball at Garland

Jan. 6Girls basketball vs. Garland

Jan. 6Girls soccer vs. Pine Tree

Jan. 8-10Girls soccer at TJC Tourney

Jan. 9Boys basketball vs. North Garland

Jan. 9Girls basketball at North Garland

CALENDAROF EVENTS

Senior Libero looks forward to post volleyball life after wrapping up four year varsity career

Making a point Senior Taylor Winchester spikes the ball during Lee’s 3-0 win over Lakeview Oct. 28. The game was Winchester’s last as a Lady Raider volleyball player.

College boundThree student athletes ink early signing scholarships

Daniel BogueTarleton State

Baseball

Sidney DukesKentucky

Gymnastics

Garrett ThibodeauxAir Force Academy

Basketball“I just really enjoy all of the people there. The coaches really know what they are doing. They have a great desire for winning championships. They have won back-to-back championships and so I want to be a part of it.”

“I fell in love with the school and the atmosphere of the gymnastics team and coaches. I am so excited to continue the sport of gymnastics and also receive the best education while attending UK. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

“They are in a really good conference and the academics are real good. It has been a dream since I was a little kid.”

Band advances to Area against top competition

Kevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENTAround the Horn The band performs during halftime of the playoff football game against Waco Midway at Baylor’s McClane Stadium Nov. 14. They advanced to the Area Marching Contest Oct. 25

The dignified view of the lustrous lights of Baylor’s own McLane Stadium as seen from the populous I-35 seemed a little bit more distinct Nov. 14. Although the Red Raiders did not load the Chuck’s Travel busses in victory, the athletes filed on in glory and pride. What exactly could the Raiders have as a reason to hang their heads? Robert E. Lee Football attained their goal of playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season, and their first year in the highly competitive 6A division. Offensively, the team shattered a scoring record, the defense became known for creating opportunities through interceptions and forced fumbles, and the entirety of the team gave the school a new and incomparable pride. The Friday night in Waco may have been abnormally cold, but after playing on a collegiate field in a playoff game against a deservedly highly ranked opponent, there was no imaginably greater ending to a Red Raider football season.

The Red Raiders will end their season at 5-6 after a playoff loss to Hewitt Midway . It is Lee’s best finish since 2009. Senior defensive lineman Kolton Casey said making it to playoffs felt unreal.

“We gave Robert E. Lee something it hasn’t had in forever,” Casey said, “and that is pride.”

Students got to enjoy the pleasure of listening to the fight song every game day in between classes this year, pep rallies and games spiked in attendance and a feeling of camaraderie became present throughout the season once again.

More than once this season, the Raiders came back from a deficit at halftime to win the game. This situation produced a win that Casey considers the turning point of the season. In September, Robert E. Lee took down the formerly number one ranked John Tyler Lions in the crosstown rivalry. The Red Raiders entered the game at 0-2 but came out with a new energy.

“We came out of that locker room (after halftime) and we were a new team,” Casey said. “We were brothers, and not even the number one team in the state was going to destroy that. That win set a spark for the whole season.”

The next week in the opening of district play, the Red Raiders would defeat the former district champions, Garland Sachse.

John Tyler and Hewitt Midway were not the only high powered and ranked opponents the Red Raiders faced this year. On homecoming (and Halloween) the team took on number 19 Rockwall but fell short by just eight points.

“My favorite memory of the year had to be when I got an interception against Rockwall and ran it back for a touchdown,” Casey said. “That feeling was unreal and amazing and I will never forget that moment.”

In his sport psychology book, Mind

Gym, Gary Mack calls this a “White Moment”. Basically, Mack says that these are the accumulation of every effort to greatness that happen out of the blue. This example is one of the many that show that even when the Red Raiders were “defeated” there was hardly a defeat. The true fact is that competitiveness was never lost all season, and even in the harshest of defeats, there was always the sweetness of small personal and team victories.

Tyler Lee Football is a close knit community of athletes and coaches who believe in each other. This fact alone is a possibility why the team proved as successful as they were.

“Our backs were against the wall

multiple times throughout the season,” Casey said, “but when you have a relationship like our team has, you can overcome anything.”

The final whistle has blown of the Red Raider 2014 season, the athletes have witnessed their last sunrise of early morning practice, seniors will stop being factored into playbooks, life will continue and offseason will begin. 2014 showed to be the turnaround season. Filled with ups and downs, tears and screams, trials and triumph, and alas, success and attainment. Based on the performance of these past eleven weeks, the winning tradition that Robert E. Lee once held closely for years on end is finally making a bold return.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014SPORTS 7Football wraps up best season in five years with playoff berth

BY ALLISON PAXSONCONTRIBUTING WRITER

The fall 2014 varsity Team Tennis season has finally come to an end. The Raiders had a 6-2 record and had their expectations high going into the district tournament. Only having lost to Rowlett and Rockwall in the regular season, they had set a goal to top them in the tournament.

The Raiders faced Garland in the first round of the tournament at TJC on Oct. 9, and defeated them 10-7 with the boys sweeping in Doubles and Singles and a key win from girls Doubles by Taylor Robinson and Grisselle Esparza, setting up a rematch against Rowlett.

The next day the Raiders traveled to Rockwall to play the second round match against a team they had lost to before. After fighting hard that morning, the raiders were victorious against Rowlett with the boys taking care of business in Doubles and Singles and a win from the Mixed Doubles by Ashley Orr and Isai Leguizamo to make the score 10-7, sending them to the finals.

In the Finals, the Raiders clashed against Rockwall and were already guaranteed a spot in the Area Playoffs. With only wins in boys Doubles, mixed Doubles and one boys singles, the Raiders came short with a 5-10 loss, bringing home the 2nd place District trophy.

“Going into the tournament, I felt if we were not the number one team, then we were definitely the 2nd place team,” Robert E. Lee Tennis Coach Ronnie Blake said. “I knew we were gonna make it to Area.”

The Raiders traveled to Waco on Oct. 22 to play the Area Playoffs Tournament. They

played Killeen Harker Heights first round and and had a long fight. The boys swept in Singles and Doubles therefore putting the raiders to 9 points and only needed one more point to win. After a while, the score was even at 9-9 and it came down to one match. The match was between Taylor Robinson and E. Vallejo. Robinson fought hard in the first set but things were not going her way losing it 1-6. She continued to push her self in the second set and found her rhythm to win it 6-2 which gave her a chance to win the match by winning the third set. At this point, her fellow teammates were on the edges of their seat and Robinson was feeling the pressure. Robinson shook it off and quickly got a 5-1 lead in the third set and in after a few minutes, she gave the raiders the win they needed to beat Killeen Harker Heights 10-9.

The Raiders played top seed Midway the next morning and even though having close matches, they couldn’t pull off a win setting up a meeting with Rockwall for a third time in the season.

Lee and Rockwall battled for 3rd place but neither of the teams would advance to the Regional tournament. The Raiders once again fell to Rockwall 5-10 ending their season with 4th place in the Area tournament.

“I wasn’t really sure about the teams we were playing in area,” Blake said. “I knew that if we would win our first round match, our second match against the number one seed was going to be tough.”

The Raider’s season may have came to a end, but they have already began to work hard and prepare for the 2015 Spring individual Tennis season.

BY SAM LEGUIZAMOCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Tennis team advances to Area playoffs

Kevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENTSmash Hit Junior Will Shelton hits a forehand against a Rockwall opponent Oct. 3 at Tyler Junior College.

Kevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENTNot So Fast Defensive end John Samples brings down Midway’s running back in the backfield during their playoff game Nov. 14 in Waco.

QA&Why long Distance running?

“It’s just always come naturally to

me, I played soccer and I think that helped build up a base for it. “

What is your mind set once you start a race?

“Trying to relax and calm down. Trying to be

smart about strategy and not to get too excited.”

What was the highlight of the season for you?

“The regionals race, when I qualified for state. It

was definitely my best race of the season.”

Where do you go from here?

“Track season, I am really excited about that. But I’m going to rest and take it

easy, but also train.”

Mary Claire NealCross Country

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 STUDENT LIFE8Home sweet homeOld tradition revived to boost spiritfor homecoming

The music was turned up loud and the crowd went crazy as the students from the organizations started arriving to the football field. This years Homecoming activities marked the return of the parade and pep rally at the school in over twenty years.

“It was a very good turnout,” Assistant Principal Brian Pendleton said. “We had 1100 people participating in it and 33 floats.”

Cheer sponsor Jennifer Smith said that the pep rally got the community together and everyone had a good time and supported the school.

“I loved the parade and it should most definitely become a tradition,” Smith said. “We got all sorts of people from the community out and participating and it really shows off everything Lee has to offer.”

With all the community involvement there was also involvement from the crowd. Student Council member Regan Phillips said that she felt like it got a lot of crowd involvement and that it was good for the school.

“I think a Monday night everyone could be involved,” Phillips said. “I thought that we should of started this several years ago.”

This pep rally was held on the field for the first time. After the parade the organizations stayed on the track while the pep rally went on. At the end of the pep rally all of the organizations joined on the field and did the traditional Alma Mater.

“It showed a lot of spirit and it was really fun,” Young Republican member Anna Caton said. “It was a big success and everyone did really good.”

Each float had a different theme and they showed a lot of the organizations from Lee and around the community. Music from the DJ could be heard as the floats arrived to the field for the pep rally. Brian Pendleton said that in the Spring they will start planning on how next years parade is going to go.

“Hearing the music crank up, all the vehicles with the floats, the band, and everyone had music, hearing that crank up, that was fun,” Pendleton said. “We will continue having a parade, hopefully with a pep rally tied to it, I don’t think at this point theres any indication we should change that.”

Pomp and circumstanceBig turnout for game, festivities surrounding homecoming

Raider Royalty

Chris French/SOUTHERN ACCENTKevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENTChris French/SOUTHERN ACCENT

Tori Goodson/SOUTHERN ACCENT Kevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENT

Kevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENT

Kevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENT

Kevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENT

Kevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENT

Kevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENT

Tori Goodson/SOUTHERN ACCENT Kevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENT

Kevin Berns/SOUTHERN ACCENT

Gary Brown/SOUTHERN ACCENT

Lee, flag runnners, drill team. Top: Drill team officers prepare to begin their performance during halftime. Bottom: Flag runners run across the field.

Floats, cheers, pep rally. Top: Theater students pose on their winning float decorated in the spirit of their production of Oklahoma! Bottom left: Drum line hypes students up with their sweet beat. Middle: Football players De’havean Macfarland, Cameron Price and Brandon Durman enjoy riding on the football float at the parade. Bottom right: Cheerleaders stunt at the pep rally to cheer on the football team.

Raiders unite. Varsity football team comes together for the pledges and sing-ing of the national anthem to start off the game.

Raider football. Top: Middle linebacker Campbell Miller makes a fingertip catch on a fake punt. Bottom: Quarterback Zach Hall runs for a touchdown.

Homecoming halftime. Top Left: Band members Allie Wallace and Brittney Williams cheer on the raiders. Top right: Lovely Southern Belles perform their halftime performance. Bottom: Cheerleaders dance to the Robert E. Lee school song to cheer on the team.

BY ELIZABETH PIERCECONTRIBUTING WRITER

“I’m extremely grateful and honored to have the student body vote me as homecoming queen.This honor will forever make my years at Lee even more special and I just want to thank everyone that made this happen for me!” -Queen Daisy Martinez

“It’s such an amazing honor being elected, and I thank my friends and the student body for support-ing me.” -King Aldo Anaya