chroniclethe

All-American

Franklin High School • 900 N. Resler, El Paso TX 79912 • 915.833.2696 • Volume 18, Issue 1 • September 2010 • fhschronicle.com

continued online coverage at fhschronicle.comcover photo by Briana Sanchez

Obama visits the borderland|03 Senior Sunrise sabatoge|08

Americas HS poor sportsmanship|23

Who is the girl behind the mask? see page 21

MASCOT

02news

volume 18, issue 1, September 2010about this issueNew beginnings and change are the common themes we explore in the first

issue of the 2010-11 school year. One of the major new additions to our pro-gram is the creation and publishing of video. We have videographers at most

events recording games, key moments, and of course, reactions. If you have events that deserve coverage, either in print, video or still photography, stop by W100 and share your ideas. You may also email your thoughts to fhschronicle@ gmail.com or call our office at 915.833.2696.

A key article in this issue involves good sportsmanship and lack thereof as evi-denced in the varsity football game against Americas. But before Franklin gets too overconfident about our own good behavior, we should take a moment for self reflec-tion. Homecoming is coming up on Oct. 1, and students may be tempted to indulge in activities less than legal. The administration has assured us that they are on watch for drinking and chemical abuse in particular. For more information about this topic, see “Underage drinking puts senior class in jeopardy” on p. 8.

Finally, we explore the topics of teen pregnancy and abstinence on center spread. In the article, reporter Rhianna Tapia interviews two teen moms and Vera Cancellare, the principal of EPISD’s School Age Parent Center. In the article entitled, “United for Life,” reporter Hae Rin Ma interviews two students who are attempting to start the SOUL club, a club committed to pro life stances and abstinence. We hope you enjoy!

on the coverFreshman Kelsey Holmes makes a splash as the new mascot. For more on her story, go to p. 21. photo by Briana Sanchezsenior sunriseGathering on the tennis courts in the early hours of Aug. 28, seniors Tiana Olivo, Julie Gonzalez and Megan Terrazas chat and try to make the best of the event, despite the fact that several cars had been vandalized with a foul-smelling substance that was made of dog food, pizza sauce and vinegar. Maple syrup was poured on door handles. Fore more about this story, see “Early birds or self sabotage” on p. 8. photo by Briana Sanchez

the chronicle staffSTEPHANIE AVALOS editor-in-chief

AMANDA RODRIGUEZ editor-in-chief

IAN BAKER design editor

RHIANNA TAPIA features editor

SARAH SKIRMONT sports editor

MAURICIO CASILLAS sports editor

CAMI GONZALEZ entertainment editor

entertainment editorMEGAN CAHALAN HAE RIN business manager

ALEKSEY ZEBROWSKI reporter

ALEXIS CAIN reporter

BLITHE PARSONS reporter

CAMILLE CYR reporter

DAVID BROWN reporter

FAITH PETTENGILL reporter

JENNIFER TELLEZ reporter

KATHERINE NIELSON reporter

LISA BIBBO reporter

NICOLE ROSEN reporter

STEPHANIE ASSI reporter

OSCAR RUIZ graphic illustrator

NATALIE FELSEN opinions editor

BRIANA SANCHEZ head photographer

JAI TANNER adviser

CARLA GASWAY principal

ALEX MORALES student teacher

SAHJAR ALIABADI reporter

KRISTA AVILA multimedia teacher

Student publications guard freedom of the press as

a right of all people in a free society. It carries with it

freedom and responsibility to discuss, question and

challenge actions and statements of the student

body, administration and other public figures. Stu-

dent journalists hold the right to speak unpopular

opinions and the privilege to agree with the major-

ity. The Chronicle is a public forum of speech that is

produced by students of Franklin High School once a

month. Bylined columns represent the writer’s opin-

ion while editorials are designed to persuade, warn,

criticize, inform or inspire. Letters to the editor must be

signed and may be edited. The editorial board re-

serves the right to refuse any letter or advertisements

that are not in the best interests of the school. Views

expressed in editorials are not necessarily those of the

administration, newspaper staff or journalism advisers.

Further information may be obtained by calling

915.833.2696, 832.6600 or going online to our website

www.fhschronicle.com.

freedom of the press statement

VIDEO FILESvideo files at fhschronicle.comCheck out the follow-ing videos: (1) FHS vs. Hanks: (2) Ms. Gasway named Re-gion 19 Principal of the year; (3) Jersey day; (4) ROTC earns money for MDA; (4) Varsity volleyball vs. Montwood; (6) Col-lege night; (7) FHS vs. Americas; (8) Powers turns base-ball ‘inside out’; (9) Franklin vs. San An-gelo; (10) Obama visits borderland. videos created by Stephanie Assi, David Brown, Kat Nielson, Sahjar Aliabadi, Man-dy Barraza, Camille Cyr, Lisa Bibbo, Alek-sey Zebrowski and Alex Morales

After President Barack Obama’s Visit on August 31, Army Captain Violeta Sifuentes will no longer question her

continuous yo-yo lifestyle of visiting and leaving her family.

“[Obama’s visit] was validation for all the sacrifices that every service man and woman has made,” Sifuentes said. “On a personal level, it validated every single moment I have had, every moment I have had to leave my family.”

Sifuentes, who has served in the army for 11 years, is one of the 600 troops from the First Brigade Combat Troop on hand for President Obama’s visit to Ft. Bliss, the second largest army post in the U.S.

Local politicians were on hand to greet the president.

Mayor John Cook, who presented President Obama with the keys to the city, believes the visit was for the sole purpose of acknowledging the troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with their families.

“Today is about Bliss. It is about the men and women in uniform who served our country in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Cook said. “I am humbled to be able to present the keys of the city.”

Major General Dana Pittard was not only

humbled, but also impressed with Obama’s interaction with the soldiers.

“He took the time, [which] I have rarely seen in the past, to shake every single soldier’s hand,” Pittard said. “There must have been 300-plus soldiers in the dining facility.”

Not only did Obama have an effect on the soldiers’ morale, but also on their families’, particularly the widow of Specialist James O’Quinn, a soldier who died two months ago.

“We met with Gold Star Families for Peace that range from World War II to the present,” Pittard said. “Mrs. O’Quinn just had a boy named Denzel, [which] gave us a feeling for what our soldiers and families are going through.”

In addition to thanking the troops, Obama provided an overview of the political situation.

“I was thankful he gave an assessment of how things have progressed in Iraq and the capabilities of the people who govern Iraq,” New Mexico Congressman Harry Teague said. “It was a great day for El Paso and Southern New Mexico.”

With the withdrawal of the soldiers from Iraq, District 3 Texas representative Ciro Rodriguez questions the Iraqi government’s readiness to command itself without U.S. intervention.

Discussing the magnitude of President Barack Obama’s visit with troops on Fort Bliss, Army Captain Violeta Sifuentes achieved authentication after solely shaking Obama’s hand. Sifuentes has served 11 years.

03newssection editor • amanda Rodriguez [amandarodriguez2011@gmail.com]

Obama visits El Paso

After personally meeting with the President, Major General Dana Pittard discusses the future of Fort Bliss and the Bor-derland. photos by Briana Sanchez

Teacher meets Commander-in-Chief

Thanking English teacher Linda Harrington for her pa-tience, President Barack Obama offered encouragement at Fort Bliss. photo courtesy of Linda Harrington

Students who know English teacher Linda Harrington will be happy to know that they are now within a single step from the

nation’s President, Barack Obama. This connection was established on Aug.

31 when the president came to Fort Bliss to provide soldiers with encouraging words.

“Suddenly there were bright lights and cameras two inches from my face; the leader of our country was talking to me, and for the first time in my life, I was speechless,” she said.

Harrington met President Obama through connections with her husband, who serves in the military. Her husband is currently stationed at Fort Bliss. As a rear detachment commander, he was given the opportunity to bring his spouse.

“I was under the impression that we would simply be in the room,” she said. “The Secret Service instructed us not to approach him, so it didn’t even cross my mind that I would be meeting him personally.”

During his near two-hour visit at Fort Bliss, President Obama appeared at the luncheon to give his regards to those serving the country. He asked several questions of Harrington regarding her home and family life.

“He thanked me two or three times for being supportive and patient in the trying military lifestyle,” she said.

Harrington knows the stress of having a family member deployed, but says that the President’s visit served as a salve for the anxiety and depression that can occur.

“A handshake and hug can’t compensate for the fear and pain of separation endured during a deployment, but, at least for a moment, recognition on this scale makes the sacrifices seem more worthwhile,” Harrington said.

President’s visit offers hope, encouragement to troops

|BLITHE PARSONS | reporter

| SARAH SKIRMONT | news editor

Presidential visit continued on p. 5 Meeting the president continued on p. 5

Waving his goodbye to Fort Bliss, President Barack Obama‘s primary concern was expressing his grati-tude towards troops and their families.

04news

TEXTBOOK TROUBLESStudents who neglect textbook debts can be withheld from graduation ceremony

When senior Omar Hernandez came to register for school, he was greeted with a bill of $65

for a lost textbook.However, Hernandez is not

alone. With an overall debt of $23,224 for the main and ninth grade campuses, administrators are forced to make students accountable for the books they have lost, misplaced or damaged.

“Our check for Franklin this past year was $23,224. For the ninth grade campus, it was $4,177,” Assistant Principal Patti Gallegly said. “This is money we paid out, that’s not money kids are paying us. Ms. Gasway wrote a check to the textbook division of EPISD. That’s how many students lost textbooks last year. So we have to try to get that much money back to refill that account.”

In order to receive their books for the year, affected students were required to pay a fine for any lost or damaged books. Though the policy concerns him, Hernandez says it is relatively fair.

“Actually it was my fault. I guess somebody stole my book so I had to pay a fine of $65,” Hernandez said. “Then I had to sign in for a new book, I really [have] to take care of that book because I [don’t] want to pay again.”

Instead of paying for lost books, some students are opting to simply go without them, which affects classroom learning. Economics teacher Carl McCaig is adapting.

“I have copies of the first few chapters of books I use. I make copies of them, so it’s not a problem,” McCaig said. “If you

don’t have a book, I give you a copy of that chapter if they don’t have any books in the bookroom. It doesn’t slow me down at all. It doesn’t slow the students down either.”

When students do not pay their debts, the school is put in a difficult situation, Gallegly said.

“The principal has a textbook account where we keep money when students do pay. Hopefully there’s enough money to cover students who don’t pay,” Gallegly said.

It is difficult to force students to pay, and Gallegly said that most of the time, the debt goes unresolved.

“We don’t have any extra money to pay for textbooks. We work on it all year long, but unfortunately we’re not a collection agency,” Gallegly said. “Our bookroom clerk sends letters, our business aid tries to catch them when they come in to pick up books, to try to get them to make a payment or start a payment plan.”

By the time a student who has dodged fines from textbooks becomes a senior, the school can restrict them from attending Project Graduation and the graduation ceremony.

Even though students are at a severe disadvantage without their books, they are held responsible for everything they do or don’t do.

“This is my fifth year here and I’m absolutely amazed at the students who don’t bother to come pick up their books,” Gallegly said. “I know for a fact that students aren’t trying to get books; they’re not coming. They just don’t take the initiative.”

Due to TRE failure, fine arts loses $1.6 million

With the loss of the June 15 Tax Ratification Election, students and teachers are left wondering about the fate of EPISD Fine Arts. Out of 14,480 voters, only

32% were in favor of the tax hike.“EPISD Fine Arts would have received $1.6 million,

followed by $1 million every subsequent year,” music theory teacher and former co-choir director Isaac Angerstein said. “The failure of the EPISD Tax Ratification was a devastating blow to all the Fine Arts directors and personnel in the district.”

The tax increase would have meant an extra $10.83 per month on a taxable value home of at least $100,000. The extra funding would mean $36 million more for the district, which would have translated into more art supplies, sheet music and musical equipment.

Students are pulling out their wallets to make up the difference.

“I had to spend about $50 this year on art supplies alone because the school wasn’t able to provide us with any,” junior John Treffalls said.

EPISD cut just under $9 million dollars this year, half of the $18 million that must be cut over the next two years. The effects of the failed tax increase proposition will be minimal until next year, when the district will need to come up with over $9 million headed for the chopping block.

“It’s too early to tell what will happen to Fine Arts,” Angerstein said. “I will tell you, however, that there are several people fighting to keep the program alive, who are spending hours of overtime fighting impossible odds.”

Not only students who are being affected by the recent budget problems, but teachers are in fear of losing their jobs.

“Programs are being cut and teacher vacancies are going unfulfilled, leaving student population with less preparation than they should be.” Angerstein said.

The fate of the programs, students, and teachers involved in these organizations is uncertain.

Senior Luis Castillo is sad to think that the programs he loves may go unfunded and teachers may be surplused. He says that singing has allowed him to develop as an individual.

“To me, singing isn’t just an art. It’s how I express myself, my emotions, my life,” Castillo said. Even with the upcoming budget cuts, there is still hope for Fine Arts.

“Help your groups fundraise,” Angerstein said, “More importantly, when times get tough, we need the support of the community. The next 1-5 years will be a turning point.”

Angerstein believes that fine arts in schools are a vital part of keeping art alive in our community.

“A world without fine art is a very disturbing mental image,” Angerstein said, “It would be a world where we as a culture have lost a large part of our heritage, where we as a race have lost a large portion of our culture.”

| FAITH PETTENGILL | reporter

Warming up his choir, Ruben Reza and his students are one of the many programs that will be affected by the failure of the TRE. Junior Victo-ria Aranda feels passionately about the survival of Fine Arts programs in EPISD. photo by Faith Pettengill

Facing the grueling process of paying for textbook fines, seniors Omar Hernandez, Mudit Sharma, sophomore Octavio Lopez and junior Natalie Ortiz wait patiently in line at the bookroom. Hernandez paid $65 for a lost textbook. photo by Briana Sanchez

| NICOLE ROSEN | reporter

05news

FROM TRASH TO TREASUREBand uses everyday objects in ‘Rhythms of a City’ show

With a decrease of students joining band, director Bruce Beach has to make sure that

every one of his 107 musicians is eligible to participate in the current show, “The Rhythms of a City.”

“The band is doing very well this year,” director Bruce Beach said. “The leaders are a very cohesive unit which means they are working very hard as a team; they’re pulling the rest of the band with them.”

Under the direction of drum majors Amanda Vereen and Caitlin Lambing, the band prepares for the EPISD Marching Festival on Oct.10 at Bowie High School.

“I motivate the band by being the one who’s happy and awake, even if I’m tired that day,” Lambing said. “I give it my all 100% of the time even if I don’t feel like it. If I don’t do it, the band won’t.”

However, moral support isn’t the only thing needed to make sure that all members are eligible to march.

On Wednesdays after school, band members are required to attend a mandatory study hall that begins at 4:00.

“We’re just wanting to make sure we’re doing our part to see that the kids are passing their classes,” Beach said. “We have a certain amount of spots and each spot is filled. If we lose somebody, it will affect the show.”

Freshman Nathan Weatherly believes that size of the band is both advantageous and detrimental.

“An advantage for the band would be that it’s easier for Mr. Beach to instruct everyone because it’s smaller. A disadvantage would be that a bigger band looks and sounds better,” Weatherly said.

Despite the current drop in numbers, assistant director Daniel Allen is optimistic.

“Over the next four years, we’re expecting to see a growth because of Brown and Hornedo being full campuses now,” said Allen.

Due to small numbers, directors make study hall mandatory

From banging on trash cans to carrying around Starbucks cups, “Rhythms of a City” brings life to halftime by exposing El Paso to

a big city atmosphere. “We wanted a show that would appeal to the

students, mom and dad and the judges,” band director Daniel Allen said.

The four movements in the band’s upbeat show are “The Rush,” “Graffiti Streets,” “City of Liberty” and “Techno Dreams.”

“The Rush” is like rush hour: frantic. Everyone’s got somewhere to be and they’re trying to get there,” Allen said. “‘Graffiti Streets’ is like walking the city streets at night: walking by jazz clubs, people playing trash cans and so on,” Allen said.

The band’s ballad, “City of Liberty” features soloists Jonathan Pinney and Julie Gutierrez.

“I feel confident that we’re going to do well. We’ve been working hard and we sound great,” Gutierrez said.

There are many new things being incorporated into the music.

“Trash cans, drum sets, soprano saxophone

and the oboe are featured in the show,” Allen said. “It’s part of the concept of different colors of sound coming together.”

However, new instruments aren’t the only things that are being added into the show.

“We’re trying to make the guard look like people who are just walking around in the city. Some of the uniforms look like they’re either going to a nightclub or just walking around throughout the day,” guard instructor Scott Montoya said. “We picked these particular colors for the uniforms to ensure that the guard stood out from the band.”

The color guard is also seen throughout the show checking their ‘watches’ and running around with Starbucks coffee cups.

“A lot of people wake up and what’s the first thing they do? Go grab a cup of joe,” Montoya said. “The reason we use Starbucks cups is because it’s a thing most Americans do. It’s ‘Americana.’”

The band will continue to put together all the elements of the show and prepare for their first competition, the EPISD Marching Contest, on Oct. 10 at Bowie High School

Utilizing their mental muscle as well as their creative juices, the drumline, consisting of sophomore Nathan Castillo, seniors Scott Lyon and Luis Calvo perform in the halftime show. The drumline got fans going with their trash can jam at the San Angelo game.” photo by Briana Sanchez

| JENNIFER TELLEZ | reporter

| JENNIFER TELLEZ | reporter

Senior Jonathan Pinney uses the hour set aside for study hall. “It is one of the best ideas Mr. Beach has had because it boosts grades up,” Pin-ney said. “This is forcing students to study hard and ask for help. It gives an opportunity. Pinney tutors biology, Spanish and accounting. Pinney plays all saxophones—bari sax, alto, tenor and soprano and has a solo in the show. photo by Jennifer Tellez

“At some point we are going to have to [leave]. We are not going to always be there and baby sit every country,” Rodriguez said. “We can’t spoon feed the individuals. We have to allow them to move forward.”

Though efforts have improved, Pittard is clear that there is still a long way to go.

“[The war] was nothing like a victory. What [Obama] said is that we still have a tough road ahead. We are all happy that our official combat operations are over,” Pittard said. “Now it is an advise and assist phase of the mission.”

Presidential visit from p. 3 Meeting the President from p. 3Harrington believes that the President’s sentiments

were genuine.“Perhaps public relations was his sole motivation,

but it simply isn’t that hard for me to believe he has a sincere respect for our armed forces and that his thanks were from the heart,” she said.

Harrington says the encounter will stick with her“I think when he hugged me the moment became

memorable. It sounds a little weird, but he was warm and smelled like soap; suddenly the intangible TV and billboard figure became human.”

Rushing through the halls, juniors Karime Aziz and Nick Acosta try to make it to

class on time in hopes of not being marked tardy.

“I find it difficult to make it to the Ninth Grade Center in such a short amount of time,” Aziz said.

During the seven-minute transition between classes not only are main campus hallways being patrolled, portables are being monitored as well.

“We are enforcing the whole school,” assistant principal Marc Escareno said. “The schedule is built to make it to all classes; it’s been timed and we’ve tried it ourselves. It can be done.”

Students rushing to portables are expected to be on time, along with those headed for the Ninth Grade Center.

“It’s not fair that I’m expected to make it from the main campus

when I’m not even given a head start,” Acosta said.

Classes that have been transferred to the Ninth Grade Center include French I, some art and theatre classes and guitar.

“We walk really fast to class and we’ve even tried running,” Aziz said. “But we just can’t make it on time. Teachers mark us tardy despite the fact that we tell them that we came from main campus.”

However, freshmen are most affected by the travel.

“On the first day of school, I got lost on the main campus and was 15 minutes late to class,” Sebastian Dominguez said.

Some freshmen take multiple classes at the main campus, so they deal with the time crunch several times a day.

“I take journalism and tennis at the main campus,” freshman Emily Felsen said. “I have to be here after lunch, so I often leave early in order

to make it. I’ve been tardy a lot, and the only way I make it on time is to take my books to tennis.”

Because the bell schedule between Ninth Grade Center and the main campus are slightly off, teachers can make some accommodations.

“They [students] should not be marked tardy,” Escareno said. “Teachers are aware of the situation and that it takes longer and they work with the students.”

However, the tight enforcement of the tardy policy has had positive results.

“This has been a big improvement,” Escareno said, “I would like to commend students overall for making it; the halls are a lot clearer.”

However, no matter how well students time their travel there will still be issues.

“One challenge is walking in the blazing heat and running around

06news

Gasway named Region 19 Principal of the Year

At the EPISD board meeting on Sept. 14, District four trustee Russell Wiggs hands Car-la Gasway an award for her Principal of the Year title. “I love my job and am humbled by this recognition,” Gasway said. photo by Briana Sanchez

After a selection committee discussed all candidates for the title of Region 19

Principal of the Year, they chose principal Carla Gasway for the coveted award. Along with the title, Gasway has the opportunity to run for Texas Principal of the Year.

“This award is for the campus. I’m fortunate to be at the best high school in town,” Gasway said. “Franklin has awesome students and an outstanding faculty and staff. It takes all of us working together to achieve excellence.”

Gasway was first nominated by her peers. Each nomination then goes through a selection committee of title-holders from the past year.

“The selection process for Principal of the Year is established by the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP),” El Dorado principal Nora Paugh said. “Once the regional rep collects all the nominee applications, they are screened by a committee that consists of the previous year’s Middle and High School Principals of the Year.”

| AMANDA RODRIGUEZ | editor in chief

Paugh, a TASSP member, nominated Gasway for numerous reasons.

“She cares about kids, [which] is the most important characteristic of a principal. When she talks about the Franklin Cougars she [beams] with pride,” Paugh said. “She understands the importance of academic rigor [which] is evident in the success of the school, she values the extra-curricular activities that make school a fun place to be [and] she is appreciated by her faculty and staff.”

Senior Bobby de la Rosa believes Gasway’s success as a principal stems from her involvement with both the students and staff.

“She has shown a high level of commitment to being really personally involved with her students which is something that isn’t very common to a lot of schools,” De La Rosa said.

Cross-country coach Daniel Rosales has known Gasway longer than most other teachers and has been able to watch her make the transition from teacher to principal.

“Ms. Gasway was my seventh grade English teacher so I’ve had

the privilege of seeing how she is as a teacher and then to come to Franklin, I can see how much she [has] progressed,” Rosales said.

Gasway, along with 19 other regional title-holders, will be responsible for completing an application and interviews if she decides to compete for Texas Principal of the Year.

“To be considered at the state level, you must be a member of Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP). An application must be completed to include professional growth activities, three essays [and] four letters of recommendation,” Gasway said. “Finalists at this level must interview with the Principal Image Committee in Austin in early December.”

Competing at the state level is not mandatory and although Gasway has the opportunity to win the title, she may not be able to compete due to time restraints.

“The time necessary to continue in this competition is very demanding, and I’m not sure that I will have the time to do justice to the requirements,” Gasway said.

once or twice a day,” freshman Hana Yu said. “A couple of days ago I was running to the Ninth Grade Center thinking that I was late to one of my classes. But instead, it was lunch time, so I ran for no reason and got very upset.”

Freshmen, underclassmen struggle with transition time crunch

As a freshman, Emily Felsen struggles with class changes with the bell sched-ule. She travels back and forth be-tween the main campus and the Ninth Grade Center twice daily. photo by staff

| LISA BIBBO | reporter

“Ms. Gasway was my 7th grade English teacher so I’ve had the privilege of seeing how she is as a teacher and then to come to Franklin, I can see how much she [has] progressed.”| TEACHER DANIEL ROSALES |

07news

After four years of deliberation at the district level, the administra-tion has made the final decision

to establish a uniform grading policy for all core subject departments.

“The district brought in a speaker, Thomas Guskey, who a few years ago posed questions to principals about grad-ing policies,” principal Carla Gasway said.

Despite the possible benefits of the grading system, history teacher Gregory Carthy has reservations about the system.

“I’ve always had a system that the stu-dents understood and one that I thought was fair, and to be told that we have the exact same system is hard to take,” Car-thy said. “Teachers don’t have complete autonomy, but I always thought that the emphasis put on a particular category of grading should be left up to a teacher.”

The uniform grading policy is not a new concept for the Ninth Grade Learn-ing Center, as it has instated the policy since it opened in 2007.

“This is all the freshmen have ever known and they have a better chance that way,” geography teacher Joann Juarez said. “You have to be open minded and you have to be willing to change if it’s in the benefit of the students, no matter what it is, that’s what we should conform to.”

Although the system has been success-ful at the Ninth Grade Center, teachers at the main campus will not only have to address their grading system, but they will also have to address their teaching methods.

“I’m a team player and all teachers are

good at adjusting. I’ve been finding that this new system is giving my students an inflated grade,” Carthy said. “I might not be able to cover as much material or I might have to cover it more quickly. If it’s the system we have to deal with, I’ll find a way to deal with it and minimize harm.”

Carthy is looking for a way to balance the demands of AP courses and a unified grading policy.

“AP government classes now have the same grading system as regular freshmen geography. AP [has a] much greater em-phasis on taking a test, so we have to put a greater emphasis on tests, but now we can’t do that since we have to make the grades all uniform,” Carthy said. “[The policy is] not helping me reach the goal for preparing my students for the AP test.”

Administration views AP courses from different perspectives.

”The purpose of AP courses is to pre-pare students by providing a differenti-ated curriculum, not just harder tests. The difference in an AP class is in the teacher’s approach to the subject, in the attitude of your classmates and in the way you start to think,” Gasway said. “I don’t think stu-dents should be punished for challeng-ing a course by having tougher tests that count for so much of your final grade. I think we have to look at our purpose for grading. Multiple assessment and grad-ing opportunities should benefit students who maybe do not test well.”

According to Gasway, the grading pol-icy will be reviewed by CIT in the late spring and adjustments will be made as deemed necessary for next school year.

| STEPHANIE AVALOS | editor in chief

While lecturing his AP government class, the new mandatory grading policy sits in the back of social studies teacher Gregory Carthy’s mind. “The grading system is causing me to use up time that I can use for my preparation; hopefully, I can figure out an idea to manipulate it to benefit my students.” photo by Cami Gonzalez

Administration changes traditional grading policy

Parking violations may lead to towing| AMANDA RODRIGUEZ | editor in chief

Due to numerous parking violations in school park-ing lots made by both students and staff, any car that doesn’t have a parking decal or is parked in

an illegal space will be eligible to receive a violation. If the same car gets two or more violations, the car will then be towed.

“This [has] been a problem for quite a few years be-cause so many students drive their own cars and every-body wants to park close to the school,” assistant princi-pal Marc Escareno said. “The problem seems to be getting worse. There have been more violations recently [where] students park in teacher parking or along the curb. If we had a fire or an accident, which happens on campus a lot, an emergency vehicle couldn’t come in.”

Any car that is illegally parked will receive a paper vio-lation instead of the green stickers previously used.

“The security [guards] are going to put a paper on the windshield. The paper has all the information about the car. We collect the data and from there we track the num-ber of violations each student has,” Escareno said. “Once a student reaches two violations, then the car would be considered for towing.”

Although many students believe towing is fair for those who park in front of curbs or on gravel, senior Caitlin Lambing doesn’t think it is a good punishment for those without a decal.

“It is fair if a [car is parked illegally] because those are in the way and could cause a lot of damage, but I don’t think it’s fair for a car to be towed if it [doesn’t have a parking decal],” Lambing said.

Although the violations are focused mainly on students, faculty illegally parked will also be subject to towing.

“It’s not just towing for students,” security guard Gilbert Flores said. “We have teachers or staff that park where they aren’t supposed to either, like on top of the dirt or in the handicapped [spots]. It’s across the board, students and staff that we’re going to be looking at.”

If a car is going to be towed, Escareno, along with other members of the administration, will first track down the owner.

“Before the vehicle is towed, we would communicate with the student. It’s not going to be a surprise,” Escareno said.

Escareno hopes that the number of violations will be re-duced when students realize the consequences and cost of parking illegally. However, if a student keeps on receiving violations further disciplinary actions would occur.

“It is very costly to get the vehicle [if it is towed]. It’s about $50 to get it out, plus another $15 per day that they keep it [at] the towing company,” Escareno said. “I would hope that they learn their lesson from there, but if not then we’d have to possibly consider other disciplinary mea-sures.”

In the upcoming weeks any student or staff member who’s car is parked illegally will be given a violation. After two violations the car will be towed. photo by Briana Sanchez

08news

Early birds or self sabotage?Sun rises on dog food-covered cars

As students headed for their cars to leave senior sunrise, they were surprised with automobiles

covered with a concoction of vinegar, dog food and rice.

Initially, it was believed that a rival school committed the act, but more recently, allegations have arisen that the infraction may have been done by underclassmen.

Senior Nelson Boland was met with a special surprise: a mattress lay on the roof on his gold Toyota Solara.

“I went to senior sunrise because this is the first event of the year and the final year of high school,” Boland said. “Then I heard about the T-Birds tagging our cars, and I hoped that my car wasn’t hit, but my friends warned me that it was. Once I saw my car, I was in a state of disbelief.”

After receiving word from vice president of student council, Jacob Chacon, that cars had been defaced, class co-sponsor Christy Moss says she was shocked at the mess in the parking lot.

“For the most part [senior sunrise] went the way it was planned,” Moss said. “Then one of the students came down and said someone tagged the cars. Most of the cars had this mixture poured on them. There was whipped cream used to write “T-Birds” on some of the windows, and syrup and chocolate was found on door handles of some of the cars. I think on one of the girl’s cars even had rubber gloves on the side view mirrors. It was just disgusting.”

Moss immediately took action, taking pictures on her cell phone and calling campus security to file police reports.

“I called campus security and they

came at around seven, but didn’t want to do many reports,” Moss said. “They told me that there really wasn’t anything that they could do, but I told the students whose cars had been hit the worst to stay and file a report, and the rest to just wash it off and go home.”

Moss also advised students to “be the bigger man” and spread the word that retaliation would come with consequences.

“I was warned that retaliation can take away our senior activities,” Chacon said. “I was told to tell other seniors that if we did anything, it could ruin all of the stuff we have planned for this year.”

Regardless who committed the incident, Boland believes that this is truly a senior event he’ll never forget.

“In retrospect, I’m not mad. Especially since there wasn’t any permanent damage, but I just thought, ‘why a mattress?’” Boland said. “I mean, it left me with a really great story. I really needed a car wash, so the morning wasn’t too bad after all.”

| SENIOR NELSON BOLAND |

“In retrospect, I’m not mad. Especially since there wasn’t any permanent damage, but I just thought, ‘why a mattress?’“It left me with a great story. I needed a car wash, so the morning wasn’t too bad after all.”

| ALEXIS CAIN | reporter

| RHIANNA TAPIA | features ed.

Despite his seeming smile, senior Frederik Karlsson is upset that his car has been sprayed with a foul-smelling mixture. Uncapping a water bottle, Kimball Bartlett attempts to clean the automobile after it was vandalized at the senior sunrise. ““I was a little angry because it wasn’t really a friendly prank; it was intended to cause harm,” Karlson said. photo by Briana Sanchez

When senior *Bernard Smith goes to his next football game after October 26, discretion will be his main concern.

Smith, along with classmate *Dale Walston, was apprehended on August 28 by Vice Principal Marc Escareno due to their admission of consuming alcohol before a football game.

Both have been suspended from attending all school functions, including homecoming, until the end of October.

Because of the recent intoxication incidents, particularly in football games, school officials continue to be even more on the look out for teenagers under the influence.Escareno worries that, for the next student who makes the same decision, the consequences will be worse.

“There hasn’t been a year that goes by that I have been an administrator, that I haven’t known a student that has died, whether it was through drugs, or alcohol,” Escareno said. “What we have to emphasize is that it only takes one time for a student to get drunk, and get in a car, and next thing you know, they are dead.”

In order to prevent the possibilities that are associated with underage drinking, Escareno plans to not only protect students, but also to create awareness for students.

“We are stepping up security; the police do a good job at the gates and the stands as well,” Escareno said. “The biggest thing is to let students know the consequences. A lot of students don’t understand that just because it is a game, they are not going to get in trouble.”

Along with the school-related consequences, which include attending a first chance program for drug and alcohol abuse, Walston is also suffering the emotional aftermath of his mistake.

“I can’t go to any games, but the worst part is that I can’t go to homecoming. I wouldn’t feel as bad if I didn’t have a date, but I have a date,” Walston said. “She has never been to a dance, and she is a senior. This is her first date, and I had to screw it up.”

Although there are already personal consequences, the actions of a few could affect the entire senior class.

“All of [the seniors] are threatened by what everyone does. Everything can be taken away from us,” senior class president Megan Terrazas said. “I did make an announcement to some of the seniors to tell them to pass the word on. We don’t want to risk the senior events being taken away, because it wouldn’t be fair. “

In order to prevent this from happening, however, Terrazas has her own plan for intervention.

“We are trying to plan a senior assembly to talk with all of the seniors. [There would just be] students there, talking to students, because that is the most effective way to get through to them,” Terrazas said. “I know that they wouldn’t listen to the faculty or anyone else trying to talk to them as an adult.”

Although this measure could prevent more incidents, it will not eliminate events that transpired that evening.

“I lost respect from a lot of people on my team. Now I understand, and respect her decision,” Smith said. “We all make mistakes, some people deserve a second chance. It just turns out that I don’t.”

Walston ,too, has resolved not to make the same decision again.

“I am never drinking again, I know people say that, but I am really never drinking again,” Walston said. “I don’t like not being in control of myself.”

However, their actions landed them into trouble, Escareno still has faith in the school altogether.

“Franklin has great students that by and large do respect the laws that are put out, and I am thankful for that.”

*To protect privacy, real names have been withheld

Underage drinking puts senior class in jeopardy| SARAH SKIRMONT | sports editor

With the proposal of expanding the Cordoba House in New York,

withering anti-Muslim sentiment has found new energy. Though the “War on Terror” has never been a religious war, Muslim and American relations have been mired in disparity since

the collapse of the Twin Towers. This mosque, in the chivalric pursuit of religious

freedom, may be the unlucky spark that burns the whole forest down.

The expansion of the Cordoba House has incited protests against the mosque and its Imam, Faisal Abdul Rauf, with the proviso that the mosque be moved. Despite religious freedoms, the mosque should relocate. It’s not because Muslims can’t practice Islam, nor because Americans hate Islam, but because it is in Islam’s best interest to disarm its opponents while appealing to Americans.

To begin with, the mosque has bad luck written all over it. While uber-conservatives like Sarah Palin and Mark Williams sponsor anti-Muslim bigotry, calling for book burning and for the law to impose restrictions, peace calls on the more educated and responsible people to put an end to this fire of religious intolerance before it spreads.

The timing and location for the mosque’s expansion is poor, and the issue has created a domino effect, with protests popping up throughout the country. According to Time magazine, 61% of Americans currently oppose the expansion of the mosque.

Just as Muslims can be subject to radicalization as a result of perceived (or intentional) insults to their system of values, so too can Americans be radicalized by perceived insults to their “American values,” fueled by talking heads bent on “preserving the American way of life” through extreme ethnocentric speech. Mr. Rauf and the Muslim community have every right to expand their mosque with a community center—to that fact there is no argument.

However, due to circumstances surrounding the location and the ignorance of the American public surrounding Islam in general, the community center should be expanded in a less controversial location.

In our struggle to amalgamate American and Middle Eastern cultures, perhaps we should look closer to home. A Mexican proverb that states, “Si parece ser malo, no lo hagas,” which translates as, “If something looks bad, don’t do it.” Simple, isn’t it?

It is sadly ironic that the expansion of the Cordoba House mosque, named

for a Spanish town famous for religious harmony since medieval times, is inciting anti-Islam protests across America. The author of the project,

Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf, may be forced to relocate the mosque from its current location near Ground Zero. To do so would ultimately be detrimental to America.

Protesters ignore the fact that Muslims, despite some Muslim extremists’ involvement in 9/11, have the constitutional right to practice their religion freely. Equality for all—man, woman, Christian, Muslim—is an important American ideal, and to avoid hypocrisy, we must realize that to prevent the expansion of the Cordoba House would be morally wrong.

Rauf has emphasized that the proposed center is meant to promote interfaith understanding, not the anti-American virulence spouted by al-Qaeda. To prevent the mosque’s expansion by a forced relocation would be to play directly into the hands of America’s enemies. We would, in effect, validate their claims that America hates Islam.

The original mosque, built in its current location, was constructed in 1971. Rauf is simply asking for an expansion of a project on land the mosque’s congregation already owns. As Americans, we do not remove individuals or groups from property that they already possess. Doing so can lead to a multitude of problems, as we can historically see.

The year is 1948. Jewish refugees in Palestine have rebelled against British rule and created Israel. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced, literally turned out of their homes, without any form of recompense. Even today, almost 70 years later, the region is still rife with the political unrest caused, in part, by this decision.

While the expansion of the Cordoba House does not have the magnitude of the formation of a country, when people are prevented from utilizing the land that they legally own, strife will follow.

By denying the expansion, we will create a situation that will cause anger and division. The cultural center has aims to bring the community together by creating spaces that honor all faiths. We should allow the Cordoba House to achieve its objective, because isn’t that the American way?

09opinionssection editor • natalie felsen [nataliefelsen2012@gmail.com]

OAdrian Gonzalez, 11

“A type of grape.”

The Cordoba House is a Mus-lim community center pro-posed to be built about two blocks away from Ground Zero in New York City.

halltalkWhat is the

Cordoba House?

Chelsea Deleon, 10

Mark Vickers, 12

P“The Muslim mosque that is being built near ground

zero. ”

Yesenia Castorena, 12

Raven Bonet, 11

Katia Aguilar, 11

O“It is a type of bird.”

O“It is a blue house.”

O“A haunted building.”

O“A fraternity house.”

To build or not to build?Along with the rest of the country, the debate rages in our newsroom

| ALEKSEY ZEBROWSKI | reporter| NATALIE FELSEN | opinions editor

10opinions

Retain the right to bare arms

LETTER to the

Dear Editor,There seems to be a popular consensus

among the student body that the administration is going too far with the new dress code. Precious learning time is being wasted because administrators are coming into class to make sure that each person’s fingertips reach the hem of her (notice that I didn’t say his) shorts or skirt. Teachers should be able to use their judgment to determine if what someone is wearing is inappropriate or distracting. The whole student body shouldn’t be punished because one person decided to wear something ill-fitting to school.

Also, the dress code can be interpreted as being sexist. The reason I say this is because I have seen guys wearing sleeveless shirts around campus during school hours. If a girl did this she would be sent to the office immediately. One of the purposes of a dress-code is to help establish unity throughout the

student body. If the cheerleaders are allowed to wear sleeveless tops, the rest of the student body should be able to as well. This is because you can still be considered classy if you wear a sleeveless shirt. Outfits worn by Michelle Obama and Jacqueline Onassis are evidence of this.

I strongly believe that there is no correlation between what you wear and what kind of grades you make. While outfits can be used to gain positive or negative attention, they ultimately don’t decide whether or not you get an A in a class. This is why students should be allowed to wear pajama pants to school. Pajama pants do not reveal anything inappropriate and could promote a more relaxed atmosphere within the building. Students should have the right to be comfortable while sitting in a classroom. Sincerely, Alex Wilts, senior

EDITOR

Morgan Green, 9

I don’t think they should make the line. Pregnancy is a life lesson. When you get pregnant, you’re supposed to face the conse-quences.

Forever 21 doesn’t accurately pinpoint teens. There’s too much variety to say that Forever 21 will cause teens to shop for maternity wear.

It’s weird because young people aren’t supposed to be pregnant. It’s good for pregnant teens, that way they don’t feel like they don’t fit in.

I guess they’re just try-ing to make pregnant people look better. I don’t think it’s mak-ing people get preg-nant, there’s just not a lot of nice maternity clothes out there.

on the news

A few months ago, Forever 21 expanded its Love 21 brand to include maternity wear. Love 21 Maternity stores have since opened in five states. Does this promote teen pregnancy? Should Forever 21 stop producing the line?

VIEWSyour

Ricardo Rodriguez, 12 Marissa Medina, 10Angel Lechuga, 9

staffoutlookthe

Recently EPISD has changed the Advanced Placement and Pre-AP point system. In-cluded in the change, dual credit courses

are now receiving points along with college credit which leads to “double dipping.”

Students will receive 10 points if they earn an 80% in AP or above. However, if they have a 75-79%, they will only receive five points. Whereas in Dual Credit, they will receive five points as well if they earn a 75% or higher.

This is an attempt to increase the numbers of students in dual credit, and it is academically unreasonable, as there is no statewide assess-ment to measure student learning.

Taking a dual credit course with this point sys-tem can greatly affect student GPAs, thus open-ing spots on top 10% to students who would not normally be eligible for the position.

Most students who are in top 10% have planned out their course load to include rigor-ous classes like AP courses to keep up with the competition among their AP peers, but the ex-tra points allotted to dual credit may cause less motivated students’ grades to surpass those who have dedicated time to their studies.

The district should have given the points to ac-ademically challenging classes, such as AcaDec which is a scholastic decathlon that broadens knowledge about specific topics. Classes similar to AcaDec deserve to have extra points due to the amount of time required for mastery, and the fact that AcaDec members have competed on the national level.

AP courses have a set curriculum that teach-ers must follow in order to prepare students for the standardized AP test. Dual credit classes don’t have a national curriculum or a national assessment method.

Some courses, such as advanced journalism lost pre AP points. Without question, our pro-gram is rigourous, with newspaper, yearbook and lit mag having won national awards and being named CSPA Crown winners and NSPA Pacemaker finalists. Journalism students com-pete and win on both the state and national lev-els, yet they are not rewarded despite the intense rigor and inordinate amount of time required.

The reasoning behind the AP points removed from journalism is vague. The district should give a more clear explanation as to why they made the change.

Not only do students who are enrolled in dual credit courses gain college credit, but they also “double dip” by also gaining the five to ten points to their GPA.

However, the points given to dual credit classes have increased the number of students enrolled in them. The increased enrollment in dual credit classes not only gives the school a better reputation, but the district as well. Repu-tation is important, but it shouldn’t compromise rewards to academically rigorous classes.

District should rethink AP points given to less challenging courses

11advertisement

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Sophomores Amy Zavalza and Brenda Monarrez are riveted to the screen. They want to look away, but they can’t.

They are watching a documentary; a documentary on abortion.

After they leave their church, neither can get the images out of their minds. There’s only one way to deal with this: by making a difference.

As a result, Zavalza and Monarrez have filed the paperwork to start a new club to raise awareness about abortion and to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.

This organization will be known as SOUL, an acronym for Speaking Out United for Life.

In the last two decades, the number of pregnant teens in the nation has dropped by 19% and 18% in the state of Texas. However, according to a non-profit organization, National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, the number of unplanned pregnancies ranking between the ages of 15 and 19 still remains high at 67%.

The girls envision that SOUL will go into depth on the positive aspects of abstinence.

“Sex shouldn’t be a game,” Zavalza said. “It should be something you share with one person when you are ready to deal with the aftermath of having a child.”

Though the district has not officially approved SOUL, the club plans to continue their meetings outside of school.

“The club hasn’t started and is currently on hold,” Zavalza said. “But thankfully we already have many people interested.”

According to an article from www.livestrong.com, the U.S. has the highest teen pregnancy rate when compared to other industrialized countries, with approximately 780,000 pregnancies yearly and roughly 30% of those pregnancies aborted.

“I have gone sidewalk counseling at abortion centers and have never

seen a woman come out happy or relieved after having an abortion,” Zavalza said. “They either come out crying, angry or ashamed.”

Sidewalk counseling is standing outside abortion centers offering men and women information on abortion says Zavalza, who often participates in this.

“We get a lot of negative responses,” Zavalza said. “Anyone can participate and it’s something that I do because I want to; no one sponsors it.”

However, Monarrez and Zavalza have hope that their club will not receive the same reaction from students at school.

“Amy and I want to make a difference,” Monarrez said. “We want people to remember that babies can’t talk; they can’t say ‘hey, don’t kill me,’ I just want to somehow save those babies.”

Monarrez believes that the shock of being pregnant can scare teens into abortion.

“When someone becomes pregnant, they don’t know what to do,” Monarrez said. “They want to go for the easy way out and that happens to be abortion, but when you’re not pregnant you can see things more clearly.”

For Monarrez, the reality of teen pregnancy hits closer to home.

“My cousin is pregnant,” Monarrez said. “Her life has changed so much. Everything in her life is now harder. She seems happy and okay with the fact that she’s going to have the baby but she is a bit distressed.”

The Livestrong study reports that teenage mothers are more likely to drop out of high school, remain single parents and score lower in math and reading into adolescence.

“The feeling of regret can really affect the lives of girls,” Zavalza said. “The aftermath is the biggest danger. STDs, having a premature pregnancy or the trauma of a possible abortion is not something that any person should experience.”

united for life

pregnantand still in high school

Turn on MTV and you just might find programs like 16 and Preg-nant or Teen Mom. Then flip over to ABC Family, and you are likely to see The Secret Life of an American Teenager. Go into the retail store Forever 21 and you will be greeted with fashion-able maternity wear. Then of course, you can catch unwed teen mom Bristol Palin on Dancing with the Stars.

With pop culture teeming with images of pregnant teens, we have to wonder, as a culture, if this is glorifying teen pregnancy or taking a hard look at difficult lives. In the following article, the writer explores what it’s like to be a teen and pregnant, when teens are making decisions about life, family, marriage, work and what educational options EPISD offers for young mothers.

“I have gone sidewalk counseling at abortion centers and have never seen a woman come out happy or relieved after having an abortion. They either come out crying, angry or ashamed.” • Amy Zavalza

1, 2, 3…” She counts the number of times her legs swing back and forth as she tries to think of something, anything she can say to smash the wall that divides her and her mother.

Her thoughts are cut short, as a nurse walks out with the news. “Alright ma’am, well, the test came out positive…” the nurse says, as she points to some

paperwork.But she stops listening. The words echo in her head, inverting her world: senior Corinne Reynaud

is pregnant.According to Stayteen.org, a website that informs teenagers about the effects of teen pregnancies,

in the United States, 34% of teenage girls will get pregnant before the age of 20; which is roughly 745,000 teen pregnancies each year.

“When I found out I was pregnant, I was scared out of my mind,” Reynaud said. “I found out because I couldn’t sleep on my stomach anymore, it’s like I had a huge rock on my stomach and it really hurt. So I did what any scared teen girl would do; take a pregnancy test. Results: positive. I couldn’t believe I was actually pregnant.”

Reynaud was offered the option to attend the EPISD School Age Parent Center, located downtown, in order to educate her on parenting skills and create an environment where performing daily tasks is easier.

However, after just a week, Reynaud returned to Franklin.“The pregnancy school was definitely beneficial for girls who are pregnant because they didn’t

make us carry around big books, we had less homework, smaller more hands-on classes and they had a nursery for your baby where you could visit them after the birth,” Reynaud said. “For some reason, SPC (School Age Parent Center) wasn’t for me though.

The following week, five more girls from the School Age Parent Center came back to Franklin.“I know that some of the girls came back because of the dress code being enforced at SPC,” at-

risk coordinator Isabelle Oaxaca said. “I don’t think they realized that it’s the same dress code that we’re enforcing here, too.”

The dress code wasn’t the only reason that the girls left the school.“When I got to this school, some of the girls had babies that were up to

two years old staying in the nursery,” SPC principal Vera Cancellare said. “Six months after the baby is born, depending on what their needs are, the girls are asked to return to their original school. They deserve a chance to do the same things that other teenagers their age are doing.”

With hopes that her “girls” will further their education after high school, Cancellare believes that the programs at SPC offer just that.

“My goal is that they feel better about themselves, they [become] more empowered with their education and they’re ready to take on whatever comes their way because their life is going be harder,” Cancellare said. “The School

Age Center provides them the emotional and physical support to be able to get though a pregnancy in a much healthier manner. It also provides them support services like the parenting course where they learn about what’s actually physically happening to them and about what to expect once that baby is born.”

Pregnancy continued on p. 15

| RHIANNA TAPIA | features editor

Founders of SOUL, Amy Zavalza and Brenda Monarrez. photo by

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As lights shine down on him, senior Fernie Espinosa looks out into the crowd. A group of Boy Scouts clad in

beige and green uniforms stare back at him clapping, cheering, and some are even crying.

On Sept. 10, Fernie received the Honor Medal With Crossed Palms which is an extremely rare award.

Last January, Espinosa pushed journalism adviser Jai Tanner out of the path of a speeding car on Resler.

“I’m completely honored. I have no words to describe the award,” Fernie said. “I wasn’t looking for the award. I didn’t even know of the award, but I’m so grateful to everyone who was there, all of this media, and everyone that has helped me and congratulated me.”

Boy Scouts of America was created 100 years ago and has catered to millions of members, but fewer than 250 of the awards have ever been given out.

“The award was first given in 1938 [and] at the end of 2009, during the entire history of Boy Scouts, only 231 scouts had received it,” scoutmaster Sam Snoddy said. “In the entire U.S., not very many have been given out.”

The Honor Medal with Crossed Palms is given to scouts who put their life in danger and show heroism to save, or attempt to save, another person’s life. Although there is an honor medal without crossed palms that is given to scouts for a considerable risk, Snoddy believes Fernie deserves the highest recognition.

“Whoever receives the award has put his life at extreme risk in saving another person and that’s what Fernie did in saving Mrs. Tanner,” Snoddy said. “No one has ever received the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms in El Paso until Fernie.”

To sumbit the application, a scoutmaster must first give information about the scout and his actions to different organizations in Boy Scouts. From there, a committee decides what honor the scout deserves.

“I gathered up the information [and] presented it to the Yucca Council,” Snoddy said. “A committee reviews the material and the information and they decide what [he is] entitled to. I personally felt the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms and they agreed. I wouldn’t have put him up for it had I thought otherwise.”

Fernie’s brother, Boy Scout and Chapin freshman Emilio Espinosa, believes Fernie

deserved the high honor for his actions. “At the ceremony, Mr. Snoddy said that a lot of

people would have just been frozen in place, but you either have it or you don’t to perform that kind of action to save a life and react that fast,” Emilio said. “For my brother to do that, to have the guts to do that, he deserves to get that kind of award.”

Even though Fernie suffered from internal bleeding in his brain, blood clots in his knee and had to get stitches, he believes that he didn’t walk away from the accident in terrible shape.

“I always worry for someone else and I put myself last. That’s what I’ve been told before from my friends,” Fernie said. “I feel like because I’m walking again and doing 90% of what I used to do [while Mrs. Tanner] has the plates in her leg and back problems, she had to endure more pain after the accident. I’m just happy I was there.”

Snoddy believes that the morals Fernie’s parents instilled in him values that played a key role in helping him save a life.

“There are a lot of factors that go into it, mainly his parents and how he was brought up. Scouting, I’m sure helped some,” Snoddy said. “It’s a supreme act of selflessness because you don’t have time to think and in your mind you’ve either got it within you to shove somebody out of the way when in the recesses of your mind you know that you could really get hurt. It’s a rare quality.”

Although scouting and his family influenced Fernie’s decision, his quick actions came from an unsuspecting inspiration, Spiderman.

“I love Spiderman because he has a sense of being a good person. He always has a positive attitude and a responsibility,” Fernie said. “Even though he’s not the handsomest, the [most] popular, he still does it out of love and I’m a loving person because I like to see people happy.”

Though the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms is one of the most prestigious awards given in Boy Scouts, Fernie doesn’t want it to define him.

“Even if I didn’t receive the award I would be as happy and as grateful to everyone who has given me a pat on the back and mentioned anything about the accident to me,” Fernie said. “I’m just happy to be here and that [Mrs. Tanner is] alive. I would just like people to look at me for who I am not for what I do, or what I’ve done.”

| AMANDA RODRIGUEZ | editor in chief

Pregnant from p. 12A former student of Franklin, junior Lauren

Venzor, now attends Eastwood where she says she still receives the same kind of education.

“[At Eastwood], they have a program for pregnant girls that shows you exactly what you need to know before you have your baby,” Venzor said. “You take normal classes, then, on certain days you go to a special parenting class. It’s nice to have girls around you that know what you’re going through. It’s like a home away from home.”

Even with supportive friends, being a teenage parent has proved tough to these girls.

“My parents are [moving] to Lubbock in two months, and I’m going to stay here with my sister to finish high school at Franklin. After that, I plan on waiting for my husband to come back from Afghanistan,” Reynaud said. “It’s become so different for me because instead of spending my money on new clothes, I’m saving my paychecks to buy [my daughter] a stroller, car seat, clothes and anything else she needs.”

Though Reynaud’s situation is tough, she is married and has the support of her husband. Venzor is going to have to take the role of both mom and dad.

“Everything is going to take more effort, but I can do anything and everything that I dreamed of before. The only difference is that I’ll have a little bundle of joy with me for the rest of my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Despite the difficulties of being a teen mom, Venzor and Reynaud believe they walk away with a higher level of maturity.

“My mom tells me that I’m strong and that I’ve matured and changed,” Venzor said. “I’m in control of my life now and I’m a little more cautious when I make decisions. I [believe] ‘you never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have’.”

Standing tall senior Fernie Espinosa displays his rare award, the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms. Fernie received the award for putting his life in extreme danger when he pushed journalism adviser Jai Tanner out of the way of a moving car last year. “I like to be there for people,” Espinosa said. “[I didn’t] look for an award, I just [did it] because its right.” photo by Briana Sanchez

CROSSED PALMSand a heart of gold

“Whoever receives the award has put his life at extreme risk in saving another person,” Snoddy said. “No one has ever received the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms in El Paso until Fernie.”| SCOUT MASTER SAM SNODDY|

section editor • rhianna tapia [rhiannatapia2011@gmail.com]

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18entertainmentsection editors • camille gonzalez [camigonzalez2011@gmail.com] & meghan cahalan [mcahalan2012@gmail.com]

Taking over our

| CAMI GONZALEZ | entertainment editor

I still remember when 3D movies weren’t in demand as they are now. In 2003, 3D re-entered mainstream cin-ema with Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over. Looking back at that

movie, after being used to modern day graphics, the special effects seem to lack quality.

The traditional 3D techniques include red/blue lenses in the glasses. Two images are simultaneously exhibited onto a screen, one in red and one in blue. The glasses then filter out the colors and create one image with the three-dimensional effect. In 2005, filmmakers introduced realD 3D technolo-gy in the movie Chicken Little. RealD 3D is filmed basically the same way as traditional 3D, except realD needs only one projector. Unlike traditional film, RealD is projected at 144 frames per second; 2D film only shows 24 FPS.

Regardless, is this technology a sufficient excuse for a great deal of movies to come out in 3D? Since 2009, more movies have been following the phenomenon set by James Cameron’s Avatar. An example of this would be the remake of the 1981 Clash of the Titans. The “3D” was hastily added in postproduction to ride on the bandwagon of Avatar.

By taking into account that the quality in 3D films has improved, moviemakers now see the opportunity to make more money with 3D movies than just standard 2D. Al-though, when you look at a 2D movie, it’s already in 3D as far as your mind is concerned. A 2D feature would be ap-praised as a cartoon or an old fashioned video game.

In actuality, it’s a waste of money to moviemakers and moviegoers alike. 3D doesn’t add anything essential to the movie-going experience. It’s can be an annoying distrac-tion. I’ve observed and noticed that, most of the time, young children can’t stay still when there are images going towards them from the screen.

Hollywood seems to be engaged in shoving 3D down the public’s throat. Soon enough, we won’t even have to intro-duce a movie as 3D, it’ll be expected as such, just as how it is assumed to be in color or have sound.

I’m not opposed to 3D as an option. I’m opposed to it be-ing a necessity for a film to be considered marvelous.

I’m not a fan of 3D. People mainly pay attention to everything popping out at them and not the movie as a whole. And as for children, many of them can’t sit still with the glasses on during a 3D movie, so they don’t get the full experience.Samantha Tyler, 12

I like [3D]. Although, i find it a bit rediculous when random stupid things are made to pop out at you like a wine cork. Other than that, i love everything about them.Kyle Gallas, 11

I think 3D movies are ok. I prefer watching ordi-nary, classic films, though. 3D movies are just too new fan-lead for me.Charles Sholtis, 10

imension

Their Views on 3D movies:

Sorry, juniors in AP English - Easy A won’t serve as a substitute for read-ing The Scarlet Letter. The movie is,

however, a witty and entertaining nod to the glory days of John Hughes’ 80s rom-com classics.

Emma Stone of Superbad fame stars as

| NATALIE FELSEN | opinions editor‘Easy A’ sets a curve

‘Mockingjay’ delivers deadly delight

As an avid reader of The Hunger Games trilogy, I

was excited for the third and final book in this phenomenal series. In the first installment The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins introduced the sharp-minded heroine Katniss Everdeen, weaving a world of rebellion, conspiracy and violence.

The setting is in the not-so-distant fu-ture, and the country of Panem is a new communist North America. It consists of 12 districts and a wealthy Capitol, where the annual Hunger Games are held, a televised fight to the death battle between boy and girl tributes from each district. When the last tribute left stand-ing is returned back to his or her home, he/she is supplied with enough food to last the remainders of their lives.

However, there is an even grimmer fate that awaits them. The tribute forever becomes a pawn in the Capitol’s disturb-ing game of chess. That is, until Katniss was thrust into the Games arena. When Katniss and Peeta, the boy tribute from District 12, arrive in the arena, they do whatever it takes to survive together.

Not only does the heroine have ro-mantic feelings towards her fellow trib-ute, but also for her friend and hunting

partner back at home, Gale. At the end of the second book, Catching Fire, Peeta is in the deadly clutches of the Capitol, and Katniss, the face of the rebellion in the war she unknowingly declared on the corrupt government of Panem.

When Mockingjay begins, you are pulled into Katniss’s former home, Dis-trict Twelve. The reader gets a direct con-nection to the self-hatred, and guilt she is holding inside of her ever since Peeta was captured. Through out it’s entire novel, the atmosphere is full of paranoia and distress. The action is incredible; vivid pictures come to mind whenever the rebels were charging the Peacekeep-ers, the Capitol’s defensive soldiers, or when Katniss was bringing down enemy ships with explosive arrows.

Not only did the action strike me the most, but also the painful relationships Katniss has with her family and friends. Collins does an outstanding job depict-ing the characters after many tremen-dous changes have occurred in their lives, and how it has taken a toll on the people around them. More amazing as-pects about this book are the characters that seem to leap out of the pages.

The last chapters in Katniss’s difficult life are filled with sorrow, loss, and hope. An effortless concept to grasp in these books is, what happens in the arena, haunts you for the rest of your life. Rest assured, Mockingjay will not disappoint.

| NICOLE ROSEN | reporter

Olive Penderghast, a high school social nobody whose popularity skyrockets af-ter the spread of a false rumor that she lost her virginity. The movie chronicles the fallout of the fib, as Olive contin-ues muddying her Hester Prynne-like reputation to elevate those of her fellow outcasts. Emma Stone shines in the role - she’s smart and sarcastic, in the style of Gilmore Girls’ Lorelai Gilmore - and she’s ultimately likable.

The supporting actors are strong as well. Amanda Bynes (What A Girl Wants) portrays an extreme “Jesus freak” whose sole purpose is to make Olive atone for her perceived sins. Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones) and Patricia Clarkson (Shutter Island) are hilarious as Olive’s free-spirited, understanding parents. Penn Badgely(Gossip Girl) provides eye candy as good guy Woodchuck Todd.

Director Will Gluck and writer Bert V. Royal craft a high school masterpiece, chronicling the viciousness of the rumor mill in the age of Facebook with enthu-siasm. While not an instant classic in the vein of Mean Girls, Easy A is an enjoy-able couple of hours. In the words of Ol-ive Penderghast, “A is for awesome!”

photo courtesy of Sony Picturess

19entertainment

Kicking off the year with a laugh, the Theater Troupe's first production dur-ing the first week of November will be

Moon Over Buffalo, a farce featuring an act-ing couple clearly past their prime, yearning to reach their desired success as they tour the country, performing two productions.

Senior Seth Beltran plays the role of George Hay, one of the aging, aspiring actors. Al-though they share a love for acting and the readiness for what lies ahead, the similarities between Beltran and his character end there.

“George is really nothing like me,” Bel-tran said. “He loves the limelight and thrives off of fame like a leach to blood. Almost too much.”

Portraying George's wife, Charlotte, junior Casey McCool holds a stronger connection to her character.

“Well, of course Charlotte is an actor, as am I, so we're both pretty much insane,” Mc-Cool said. “She's also hotheaded and jeal-ous, which are, unfortunately, traits I can say I share.”

Acting for her first time in a theater pro-duction, sophomore Jaqlyn Alderete takes on the role of Rosalind, George and Charlotte's daughter.

“My character is similar to me in the sense that we are both young girls with spunky at-titudes,” Alderete said. “We're different be-cause Rosalind thinks that an acting career isn't necessarily a professional career, one that is worth pursuing. Whereas, I think that an acting career would be ideal for my fu-ture.”

Along with Moon Over Buffalo, the cast is

anticipating a pleasant year of shows, includ-ing Black Snow for the winter show, which is a new play by Keith Reddin. For the spring play, director John Poteat is considering both Sweet Bird of Youth by Tennessee Williams and A Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard.

“I'm excited to continue theater traditions such as Theater troupe with new faces and new people who also love theater,” Beltran said. “The plays we have lined up this year will be a blast for those in it and watching it as well.”

The cast plans on using the new theater season as an opportunity to interact with others.

“I am really looking forward to getting to know all the new faces. There are some people in this cast I have never worked with before,” McCool said. “And then, of course, I'm excited to build even stronger bonds with everyone I've acted with before.”

Poteat views the experience as a way for students to step out of their comfort zone.

“I see this class has a huge boost to most kid's self confidence, their ability to sell, their ability to manage people, and their ability to interact effectively with people,” Poteat said. “It really builds that. I see it from one semes-ter to the next.”

Beltran says that theatre has helped him grow both personally and artistically, and highly recommends the program.

“I really just want this experience to help others to get out of their shell like it has helped me to do,” Beltran said. “Plus, I love how theater has always been a way to step outside of myself to learn about who is in-side of me. Get to know myself through be-ing someone else.”

‘Moon over Buffalo’Theatre troupe prepares for comedy

entertainmentOBSESSIONSAs the fall season is approaching, the pub-

lic’s anticipation for upcoming new re-leases is on high amp. Around school,

we the buzz can be heard on everyone’s favorite types of movies, television shows and music. People in the halls share what’s new and pop-pin’ on their Ipods or Zunes, catching their eye on the big screen, and what games are filling their free time.

| MEGAN CAHALAN | entertainment editor

The cast of Moon over Buffalo, comprised of Patrick Garcia, Sebastian Orozco, Seth Beltran, Casey McCool, Gilbert Bauman-Flores, Blanca Cardenas and Stephani Olivas, imitates their characters in the upcoming comedy, which opens the first week in November. photo by Briana Sanchez

Civilization is a PC game that came out Sept 9. The series was created by Sid Meier. It’s not a generic space range game like Halo. It’s a game that any-one could like.

“ “ “ “““

Rion Thompson, 11

I recomend “The Plastic Beach” by the gorillaz. It has a really cool sound to it, almost dreamlike. A good movie to watch is Wall Street. I don’t want to sound like a cliche, but it’s riviting. It has good acting and a believable plot.

“ “ “ “““

Quin Lara, 11

The Social Network looks pretty good. Plus, Trent Reznor [the lead singer for Nine Inch Nails] did the score for it. I was actually surpised that he would do a movie like that.

“ “ “ “““

Delia Comeau, teacher

Omar Acosta, 12

I would get Drake’s new al-bum Thank Me Later or Lil’ Wayne’s album [I Am Not Human] that he recorded while he was in prison. He paid a lot of money just to have a studio in jail.

“ “ “ “““

I mostly listen to rap, hip hop, and electro. There’s nothing really big com-ing out that I’ve heard of. I think Lady Gaga is suppose to release a new album. She announced that at the MTV music awards.

“ “ “ “““

Chris Navarro, 11

Music lovers who are 18 and older will be able to enjoy a free concert from self-proclaimed nu-metal band Korn

at Speaking Rock on Oct. 30. Speaking Rock is expecting 9,000-10,000 people. No tickets are required. For more information, call (915) 860-7777. Korn released their latest studio album, Korn III: Remember Who You Are, on July 13.

| FAITH PETTENGILL | reporter

Trick or treat for sweet candy

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21sportssection editors • sarah skirmont [sarahskirmont2011@gmail.com] & mauricio casillas [mauriciocasillas2012@gmail.com]

Freshman Kelsey Holmes spends her Friday nights in a costume. Not a figurative

one, but one in which she must maneuver herself with grace and confidence. It’s not a job, but rather a commitment. Holmes is the Cougar mascot.

“It makes me feel good because [I think] ‘I’m a freshman and I’m making all these people laugh,’” Holmes said. “That’s pretty cool.”

As mascot, Holmes holds a position as a varsity cheerleader. When Holmes was asked by cheerleading captain Becca Brady whether she would pursue cheerleading, she responded that it was not for her. She instead chose to play a role often reserved for males and can be physically tough.

“I can’t see what I’m doing,” Holmes said. “It’s very blocked vision.”

A mascot’s role in a football game can range from dancing to harassing cheerleaders. It allows a freedom not granted to those playing instruments or doing flips.

“You get to do whatever you want; you get to act silly, act goofy. It’s really fun,” she said.

The responses to her performances at games have been positive so far.

“She’s doing an amazing job,” cheerleading coach Michelle Mena said. “Her personality shines.”

Holmes loves a reactive crowd, and feels as though that is the primary source of her energy on the field.

“If it’s a good crowd and

a good game, then it really pumps me up,” Holmes said.

Holmes responds to the crowd by treating it as though it were on the field with her.

“She’s very personal with the crowd,” Mena said. “She’s out with the people, and that’s one of the best things about her.”

Holmes goes into the bleachers to interact with the audience. She interacts with children, and even held a two-month-old baby at game.

“The little kids come up to me and they give hugs,” Holmes said. “They make you feel good.”

Putting on the mask at games is like portraying a whole new character, but judging by the crowds’ responses, she pulls it off well.

“It’s as if you were on stage,” Brady said. “It’s very theatrical, very dramatic.”

Mena agrees. “It’s hard for some students

to get into character and she does a really good job at doing that,” Mena said.

However, being the mascot may require not only theatricality, but a bit of defense. At the Americas game on Sept. 10, Holmes had to defend the crowd from an aggressive opponent.

“The cheerleaders couldn’t move, so I set down the microphone, and I chased him down,” Holmes said.

The student entered the sidelines, brandishing an Americas flag, harassing the crowd.

“Everybody was just in shock,” Mena said. “Nobody

had seen that before.” Holmes took one for the team

and went after him, running him off Cougar territory.

“I didn’t have any thoughts in my head,” Holmes said. “It was just an impulse.”

Her reaction has made its way around the the school.

“Everyone was just so ecstatic that she did that,” Brady said.

Holmes attended a cheerleading camp at TCU over the summer. The training included workshops that included dancing with the suit on and incorporating the audience.

“She blew all of us away,” Brady said, recalling how Holmes entertained audiences. “She was into it and really knew how to work it in that costume.”

Holmes was recognized for her efforts as a mascot and won the National Cheerleaders’ Association award of All-American Mascot.

“Being nominated is a huge honor,” Brady said. “Winning is incredible.”

The reactions at the previous games have encouraged Holmes to keep performing.

“I’m excited about the homecoming game and the Coronado game. Those are going to be the best by far,” Holmes said.

Both Brady and Mena hope that Kelsey continues her role as school mascot.

“She’s definitely the best mascot by far that I’ve ever had,” Mena said. “I really hope she stays with it her next three years at Franklin.”

the girl behind

THE MASKDefending Cougar territory, Kelsey Holmes breaks a stereotype as a female mascot. Though she has only performed at four games to date, fans can’t seem to get enough of her animated dance moves and energy. photo by Briana Sanchez

|BLITHE PARSONS | reporter

As they prepare to compete in the Lubbock Invitational on Saturday, the varsity cross country teams face the

difficult task of winning district championships while suffering from a drought of veteran varsity runners. Despite this burden, faith, hard work and endurance may prove to be this young team’s panacea.

However, three meets into the season (Canutillo, Sept. 4; Chaparral, Sept. 11; and Veteran’s Park, Sept. 18), assistant coach Daniel Rosales remains optimistic.

Although the girls’ team took top spots in the first three meets, (2nd, 1st and 2nd) the boys averaged middle-of-the-road results (4th, 5th and 6th). However, head coach Jesse Aguilar looks to arduous work and determination to continue the girls’ success and to improve on the boys’ performances.

“We face a very tough schedule, and we want to be prepared for a tough [season],” Aguilar said.

Last year at the district meet, the boys placed 5th and the girls second-to-last.

However, it is a year for the youth to prove themselves. Four out of seven of both the boys’ and girls’ varsity runners are freshmen and sophomores.

“Our team is going to surprise people. Even though they are young, their youth is a double-edged sword,” Rosales said. “It will be their biggest strength and weakness. It is a fork in the road, it is up to them to see which path they choose.”

Freshman varsity runner Elise Machen, who finished 14th at Veteran’s park, believes that a strong team dynamic propels the team’s success.

“When we ran as a team and helped each other, we did better,” Machen said.

Also on the girls’ side, junior and first-year runner Melissa Selzer, a former basketball player, has stood out with 6th, 2nd and 7th place medals.

“I’ve had to do some crazy workouts and two-a-days to get better,” Selzer said. “I just keep going strong until the workout is done.”

One of only three veteran boys varsity runners, senior Alex Carleton is confident in the team’s performance.

“Our main strength is the team’s malleability. Like gold, our team can be stretched out to infinite proportions,” Carleton said. “All you need is a little hard work, a burning fire, and a team like ours.”

Girls’ cross country runs at top of heap; boys struggle

Running past her Parkland rival, freshman Elise Ma-chen pulls ahead. Following closely are sophomores Lillian Gallardo and Ana Lucia Speer. photo by Briana Sanchez

| ALEKSEY ZEBROWSKI | reporter

22spor t s

Like yin and yang, varsity se-niors Cassie Smith and Victo-ria Foster compliment each

other on and off the court.Through choice and circum-

stance, the girls are two of only three seniors who remain to lead a team that has won 12 out of 13 district championships.

The duo, both standing at 5’11”, co-captain the team as they begin their third year on var-sity.

“As seniors, we just provide a kind of wisdom and a little in-sight because in addition, we’re three year lettermen, so we have a lot of experience,” Smith said. “People just quit, moved away, or chose a different path, or one was chosen for them.”

Smith is a middle blocker, but on occasion, she serves. To date, Smith also holds the season re-cord for 57 blocks and 90 kills.

Foster is most proud of her 288 digs and 312 kills, and she is playing her first year in back row as outside hitter.

“It feels like a big accomplish-ment,” Foster said.

Smith and Foster have been in sports together since the sixth grade. Smith initially wanted to play football with the boys but when her dad turned her down, Foster introduced her to her dad’s team and have been playing to-gether since.

“She and I have been playing together for school and club,

so we both know each others’ strengths and weaknesses and know how to motivate each oth-er,” Foster said.

Carisia Gutierrez,libero and defensive specialist, says the two set an example.

“Smith and Foster have a great impact on our team because they encourage us to play our best no matter what,” Gutierrez said. “They never give up.”

Despite last year’s slight miss of the district championship, Smith, like her co-captain Foster, ex-pects to win district and advance into the playoffs. In the game that determined the championship, Franklin lost the title in a five-game match against Coronado.

“They were a really good team, and they just happened to have their best game when we all had an off one,” Foster said. “We are just really motivated this season and have been working extreme-ly hard.”

At the helm of this team is coach Flo Valdez, whose overall record at Franklin is 418-101, with a win percentage of 80.65%. Despite her many accolades and being named Volleyball Coach of the Year multiple times by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association and The El Paso Times, Valdez’s approach is simple:

“It’s always tough. You have to take it one game at a time,” Val-dez said. “There’s a lot of pride and a lot of tradition in Franklin volleyball.”

Pair of seniors provide support for varsity volleyball| CAMILLE CYR | reporter

Cheering after their victory over Americas, sophomore Monica Claxton (#6) and se-niors Victoria Foster (#9) and Cassie Smith (#15) continue the varsity girls’ legacy. “I just want to co-lead the team through a successful season regardless of how we finish it,” Smith said. photo by Briana Sanchez

Powers turns baseball

INSIDE OUTBefore you can represent

the Cougars, you must prove your worth, at least

according to new head baseball coach Andy Powers.

After finishing second in district, the Cougars reached the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year. After the season, former coach Larry Vucan abruptly resigned and left the door open for a new coach. In stepped Powers to take over the reins of the program.

Powers is literally turning the team inside out, incorporating new rules and procedures for the entire baseball program.

As players are suiting up for practice, they must turn their uniforms and hats inside out. They won’t be able to wear the Franklin logo until Powers determines that they have earned the right to do so.

“I think it’s helping a lot, because everyone’s in a whole different mood now and it’s just a whole different atmosphere, but it’s good,” senior first basemen Ray Delgado said. “Now we have to prove something to earn our right to wear our shirt the right way, and our hats.”

This is Powers’ first experience as a high school head coach, though he did volunteer for the Cougars last season. The players say these new rules are unprecedented.

Senior pitcher Ricky Jacquez, who has played for four different high school coaches and Team USA in his baseball career, says that he has never encountered these rules before.

“Every coach has a different method of doing things,” Jacquez said. “This is apparently Coach Powers’ method, so since he’s the new coach we have to do what he says.”

Statistically, the baseball team ranks as one of the top teams in west Texas. Coach Powers fully intends to continue this legacy on and off the field. Talent isn’t the only factor that determines a varsity position.

“When we get on the field we’re going to be better than the other team in every aspect of the game,” Powers said. “The guys that can buy into that and can make it their own, then from there develop their abilities, are

the guys I’m looking for.”The players believe that these

modifications are shaping the team in a positive way, as they continue to improve their work ethic and get one step closer to being able to turn their uniforms right side out.

“It’s making us better as a team,” junior catcher Jose Favela said. “He just wants us to work harder, and by working harder you are going to earn your right to wear Franklin.”

Along with their disciplined appearance, the baseball players have a set of vocabulary to follow.

Coach Powers expects five responses from them when the players are asked a question. They either have to say, “Yes, no, I don’t know, I’m working on it, or I screwed up.” Powers doesn’t tolerate “my bad” as an answer.

“He wants us to man up to everything that we do because it’s harder to tell someone I screwed up instead of just my bad and just move on from it,” junior Tyler Crupper said. “He’s trying to make us all more responsible for our actions.”

Powers believes that if the players focus on the process and step away from the results, then the results will take care of themselves.

“My goal is to do something that for the most part El Paso’s never seen, we’re going to play a certain way that El Paso’s never seen,” Powers said. “But it’s not going to be a new way to play baseball, it’s just going to be that we’re going to be better at every aspect of the game than the other team, and so that’s really what I’m hoping for. That’s really my goal for this year.”

| STEPHANIE ASSI | reporter

In the cages practicing, Cameron Haskins is one of five seniors on the var-sity baseball team. Haskins, the grand-son of legendary basketball great Don Haskins, is a first baseman. photo by Briana Sanchez

23spor t s

Americas crowd exhibits poor sportsmanshipStanding on the sidelines during the game

against Americas, student activities direc-tor Lisa Thompson is stunned when she

looks into the Americas crowd and stares at the sign that reads “Ph**k Franklin.”

“It took me by surprise; it wasn’t what I ex-pected,” Thompson said. “I think that sign was one of the worst things that I’ve seen.”

When principal Carla Gasway saw the sign, she immediately called the Americas’ principal, David Peña, on the phone. However, he did not answer, but she didn’t stop there.

“I was able to get the Socorro athletic direc-tor who had the sign taken away and destroyed. As the principal, I would be humiliated by my student body if any one of them would ever do something so appalling,” Gasway said. “There would be disciplinary consequences.”

Tensions escalated, and the cheerleaders were bombarded with water bottles as they ap-proached the rowdy home crowd.

“Whenever it’s an away game the home team always comes over and picks up the away cheerleaders and takes them over to their side,” senior and head cheerleader Becca Brady said. “You expect to get booed by a few kids.

But this instance was different, Brady says. “I’ve never had anything thrown at me in

my two years as a varsity cheerleader. There were probably five water bottles thrown. They weren’t full water bottles; no girls were actually physically hit, but one was really close to my head,” Brady said.

While a spirit of rivalry is expected from op-posing fans, Brady says, she didn’t imagine it would get violent.

“When we go to the Franklin vs. Coronado game, we get police escorts to take us to their side,” Brady said. “The worst part [about the Americas game] was that we weren’t prepped for it.”

The third blow came when an Americas stu-dent came to the Franklin side, and taunted fans

by waving a large flag emboldened with the let-ter “A.”

“It [was] very unsportsmanlike,” Gasway said. “I do know he was confronted by security when he got back to his side of the field. The sight of our Cougar mascot chasing the flag runner de-served the applause received from the student body.”

Freshman mascot Kelsey Holmes wasn’t about to let the infraction go unaddressed.

“I didn’t have any thoughts in my head; it was just an impulse,” Holmes said. “I thought ‘Okay, I probably should [chase the flag runner]’ be-cause the crowd couldn’t really do anything. The cheerleaders couldn’t move, so I set down the microphone, and I chased him down.”

Although it was Americas’ homecoming game, and students were naturally amped up, Americas’ principal David Peña acknowledges that the behavior was unacceptable.

“I was at the game and I know that there was certain unexpected improper behavior that was shown at the game,” Pena said. “We expect all our students to show pride. With any incident, we do take care of redirecting our student’s be-havior.”

Despite all the negativity from the game, Gas-way believes that it serves as a reminder of how important sportsmanship is.

“[Sportsmanship] is of utmost importance as you are representing yourself, your family, your friends, your neighborhood, your city, and Franklin High School,” Gasway said. “Let’s show why we are the real pride of the Westside.”

This issue was addressed on Wednesday at the monthly 1-5A DEC (District Executive Com-mittee) meeting. All nine principals of the UIL district attended.

“Americas did apologize again, and sports-manship was discussed for all games. Principals will notify each other of any reported infrac-tions,” Gasway said. “If parents or students see or hear anything inappropriate, I would appre-ciate it being reported to one of Franklin’s ad-ministrators, so we can get on it immediately.”

At their homecoming game, the Americas crowd displayed a series of signs that raised eyebrows. “I think it’s important that you learn good sportsmanship and you learn to be gracious winners as well as gracious losers,” student activities director Lisa Thompson said. photo by Briana Sanchez

| MAURICIO CASILLAS | sports editor

The varsity football team (3-1 overall, 1-1 District 1-5A) is off to a good start as they look to win their first district

championship since 2005. The team has made playoffs the last three years under head coach Darren Walker, but has struggled getting past the first round.

The team returns a veteran defense and a high scoring spread offense. The offense is led by first-year junior QB Brandon Layne. Layne has completed 66 percent of his passes for 744 yards and six touchdowns. He has also rushed for a team best 270 yards on 28 attempts and three touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Sean McShane has been Layne’s favorite target with 17 grabs for 268 yards and three touchdowns.

The running game is led by running backs Daniel Moreno and Eric Darnell. Moreno has rushed for 199 yards on 31 attempts, and Darnell has 93 yards on 15 carries.

On defense, the team is allowing 12 points per game. Senior linebackers Emilio Torres and Pierre Lacerte lead the team in tackles with 16 each. Senior defensive back Daniel Corral has forced two fumbles, and returned one for a touchdown.

The team got off on the right foot in their first two games against out of town opponents. The Cougars thumped the Oñate Knights from Las Cruces 49-2 to get their first win of the season. Their following game against the San Angelo Central Bobcats game was a nail-biter. The team was able to erase a 12-point deficit in the last 2:36 in the game to pull off the comeback. A 58-yard strike to McShane, with 40 seconds left, sealed off the 36-35 win.

The No.1 ranked Cougars then traveled to the SAC for their opening district game against the fifth ranked Americas Trailblazers. The Cougars weren’t able to get things going offensively, limited to only 210 yards in the 20-7 upset loss. After the loss, the team dropped to No.5 in the city rankings.

The team’s quest for their first district win ended when they defeated the Hanks’ Knights last Friday 24-13. Layne threw accurately, completing 18-of-25 passes for 229 yards. Moreno ran for 59 yards, and scored a pair of touchdowns. The defense was able to hold off a late game surge by the Knights to ensure the win.

The Cougars still have six district games left to play in their season. Their next game will be against winless Socorro on Sep. 24 at the SAC at 7:00 p.m.

Varsity football, 3-1 overall, 1-1 in district| MAURICIO CASILLAS | sports editor

Quarterback Brandon Layne leads the team in both rushing and passing yards. photo by Briana Sanchez

24features

royalty on homecoming court Undoubtedly, a position on

Homecoming Court is an im-mense honor for any student.

This year, court members encompass involved, dedicated individuals beloved by the masses.

Senior nominee Ian Baker, who is yearbook editor-in-chief, NHS historian and newspaper design editor, feels truly at home in the hallways of 900 N. Resler.

“Franklin has given me a definition for the word ‘pride,’” Baker said. “I walk through these halls and just know that this is where I belong.”

Junior princess Andrea Reyes, who is involved in AcaDec and student council, says the school has benefited her emo-tionally.

“Attending Franklin has helped me mature and has taught me important life lessons,” Reyes said.

Senior nominee Aaron Alonso, who chairs the student council pride & pa-triotism committee, echoes Reyes’s state-ment.

“FHS has made me grow as a person in every possible way,” Alonso said. “These hallways hold so many memories that will always be close to my heart.”

The court members share feelings of gratitude to their classes.

“I can not thank [my peers] enough,” senior Stephanie Avalos, whose leader-ship positions include co-editor-in-chief of The Chronicle and student council community service chairperson, said. “I’m honored that they would consider me to be a representative of our student body. They have made the perfect kick-start to my year.”

Senior court: Cassie Smith, Jacob Chacon, Becca Brady, Ian Baker, Esmerelda Valles, Andres Montenegro, Stephanie Avalos and Aaron AlonsoFreshmen: Jordan Orozo and Shane McCluskeySophomores: Brittany Quintanar and Vince GarciaJuniors: Andrea Reyes and Manny Lopez

homecoming high jinxyour guide to homecoming week

Graphic by Blithe Parsons

“Grease it Up”

GO!

“School Spirit”“Hollywood Take”“Life’s a Musical”“Music Idol”Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Without the planning efforts of our Franklin Student Council, Homecoming Week would not be what it is and has become.

Lisa ThompsonStudent Activities Director ““

| NATALIE FELSEN | opinions editor

what: Homecoming Dance where: Centennial Club at Fort Bliss when: 8 - midnight cost: $35 at the door