December 2012

Manzano High School Volume LIII Issue III

Manzano’s2012 Homecoming Court

November 14-16, 2012: the dates of the 51st annual session of New Mexico Model United Nations. Three days in which the hard work, rigorous study and effort of students across the state are refl ected. Ten participating Monarchs traveled to the Santa Fe roundhouse via Rail Runner and represented not only our school, but their designated countries. Columbia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Tunisia were this year’s honorary countries. “To prepare, we had to thoroughly research our country and how it relates to the issues presented. We also had to research other countries that would attend to know who to ally with and so forth,” said senior Maddy Halpern, second year MUN participant. In that roundhouse, the same rights, issues, and movements were debated among New Mexico students that are to be addressed in the real United Nations meeting between career politicians representing those very same countries. On the fi rst day, all of the countries involved gave their policy statements. The second and third day were consumed with all of the other countries conversing, debating, and negotiating resolutions for the issues presented that best fi t their country. “I’ve considered becoming a politician and this was a way to see if I would like being one,” said junior Roxanne Brito, fi rst year MUN participant. “I didn’t really know what MUN was when I joined, I thought it would just a be a great experience, but now I feel this could be a possible career,” stated junior Sara Gutierrez, fi rst year MUN participant. Model UN is an intellectual exercise where the focus is coming to fair and peaceful conclusions on national issues. Meetings were held once a week between September and November in Robanne Harrison’s room, A10, for instruction on how to best prepare the research per country and what to expect come the meeting. Those in charge of a country are expected to know everything about it, as if it were their home country and this was their career. “I went into it not knowing what it was, but Ms. Harrison taught me what to do. The event was fun to participate in and I would defi nitely recommend it to anyone who is interested,” said sophomore Orlando Garcia, fi rst year MUN participant. Anyone interested current/global events, debate, collaborating and politics would be interested in Model UN. UNM and NMSU both have Model UN programs for those interested in post-graduation participation. Ms. Harrison started the club seven years ago, and has helped it to fl ourish.

Model UN Represents Manzano at the State CapitalHeather Fisk 2013

AVID Going Strong in its Fifth Year at MHSBella Sisneros 2016

Model UN in Santa Fe. Top left: Scott Russell, Shane Kennard, Jorge Maldonado, Jay Maharath, and Orlando GarciaBottom left: Roxanne Brito, Maddy Halpern, Ashley Neighbor, Sara Gutierrez, Abigail Thomason. Photo Courtesy of Mrs. Harrison.

For many students in high school, college can seem like an unattainable dream. AVID is making dreams come true, helping students reach what they never thought was even remotely possible. This year, Manzano High School is going to graduate the fi rst class of AVID students who have had the opportunity of four full years of AVID. According to the AVID website: “AVID, Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a college readiness system for elementary through higher education that is designed to increase school wide learning and performance.” AVID focuses on the students in the academic middle, and works to raise the students’ expectations for themselves. “I joined AVID because I thought it would be good and it would help me stay organized and be a better student,” said freshman AVID student, Jelisa Dandridge. The AVID elective does a lot for students. It teaches critical thinking, organization, time management, how to collaborate with others, public speaking skills, note-taking, along with many more important skills for a student’s education. “My dad wanted me to be in AVID, but I started to believe in it right away. Everyone talks crap about Cornell notes but they’re really helpful,” said Cristian Lucero, AVID senior. Teachers implement AVID strategies into the classroom with the hope that they will help all types of students. Some have noticed that their lessons are more creative with the help of the strategies and the students are more engaged in learning and their education. AVID students talk about college on a daily basis. “The idea is the more you talk about, the more it becomes a reality,” said Matt Kraus, freshman AVID teacher. Many college admissions offi ces are now familiar with the AVID program and understand that the students in the program are committed to their education and are going to take their education at the college seriously. “The students learn about post-secondary opportunities, applying for college, fi lling out fi nancial aid forms and scholarship applications. They also work in collaborative tutorial groups. This helps to lay the foundation needed to work in study groups in college,” said Camille Gonzales, senior AVID teacher. The AVID groups become like a family. They are together with the same teacher for four years. “I’m going to miss Mrs. Gonzales the most,” said Lucero. Created by Mary Catherine Swanson in 1980, in San Diego, California, the program began with 32 students in one high school, and has swelled to 700,000 students in 4,900 schools and 28 postsecondary institutions. The program reaches 46 states, including the District of Columbia, and in 16 countries and territories. “I am really proud to be a part of the AVID site team here at Manzano. They really care about the students, and

See AVID on page 4

Mrs. Gonzales’ AVID students participate in tutorials, an activity where students use the socratic method to answer their points of confusion. Photo courtesy of Taty Amaro.

See Critic’s Corner page 2&3

Faculty Band Shades of Purple rocks out at the Faculty Talent Show

Finals Study Tips:See page 4

PAW PRINT Critics’ Corner2 December 2012

Once upon a time, a video game studio by the name of Bungie set out to design a sci-fi fi rst person shooter that would make its debut as the launch title for Microsoft’s Xbox. This game featured a space marine cyborg dude on a mysterious alien ring world fi ghting against other aliens that seemed to know exactly what was going on there. Under production, this game was called Blam! and, whether Bungie knew it or not, it would grow to one day become the juggernaut of a franchise that we call Halo. Since that time about 13 years ago, Halo has spawned seven games, an impressive amount of books and comics and such, a few web series (tons of machinima, plus Halo: Legends), and even action fi gures (not dolls, mom), not to mention a gargantuan fan base that spreads across the world (and possibly other galaxies?). No nerd convention is complete without at least one poorly fashioned Master Chief running around. Being a wee lad of four years when the fi rst game was released, I’ve grown up with Halo always being stuck somewhere in my subconscious, as I would assume

most of you around my age have in one way or another. Seeing as we are at the dawn of a new era, so to speak, I decided a little review of the trilogy might be in order, starting a little over a decade ago with Halo: Combat Evolved. From getting out of cryostasis all the way up to fl ying away from an exploding Halo installation on a longsword, this game is a digital work of art. The environments are amazing and the weapons are memorable. Bungie managed to create epically unforgettable missions like The Silent Cartographer and probably the greatest, least rage inducing level in the history of video games ever, The Library. Halo: CE revolutionised the shooter genre, most notably with it’s recharging health system and entertaining multiplayer. Even though it was great, as Mr. Chief says at the end, it was only the beginning. Three years later brings us to my personal favorite, Halo 2. The intro level has Chief’s fi rst half of lines in the entire game, and it causes me to make noises that would put any hardcore fangirl to shame. All he says as a response to Cortana’s questioning if he misses while transporting a bomb onto

the enemy ship: “I won’t.” This is also the only game that lets you play as the Covenant Arbiter while in single player, which gives you a wee bit of perspective on the enemy front, albeit negative perspective at that. Of course, it comes with other iconic moments - never forget: New Mombasa 2552. I enjoy the multiplayer in Halo 2 even more than in its predecessor, though most of my memories of it consist of being owned (with a P) by my ever boastful older brother. Halo 3 arrived six years after Halo: CE took gamers by storm with the tagline “Finish the fi ght,” Chief’s fi nal words in the cliffhanger ending of Halo 2. As those words suggest, the story entails Chief on a quest to turn the tide of the Human-Covenant war. Iconic-mission-wise, the last level fi ghting Guilty Spark and driving through an environment with enemies and explosions just about takes the cake. The Family of Monkeys easter egg, however, still gives me vivid nightmares. Frequently. Halo 3 also gave us new features that shot the replay value through the roof: theater mode and the level editor called Forge. This allowed creative players to build new maps and race tracks and all that other fun stuff. The ending of Halo 3 left humanity at a truce with the

Covenant, and Master Chief presumed dead, though in actuality, he’s fl oating around in the middle of space on a half-ruined ship called Forward Unto Dawn in cryostasis with a slowly deteriorating AI. Quite a mouthful. Bungie ended their reign of the Halo franchise with a fi nal installment of the prequel, Halo: Reach in 2010. This proved to be a bittersweet farewell, as it meant the end of an era and the ushering in of a new one. The torch has been passed from Bungie on to 343 Industries, the developers in charge of making the Reclaimer Trilogy a success. I’ll be an optimist for once and say that they can, seeing as 343 is made up mainly of previous Bungie developers and other people who are passionate about Halo. They have gigantic shoes to fi ll, and the Halo fan base watches them with uncertain eyes. 343 will either meet our high expectations or take the beloved Halo name and smash it into zingillions of pieces along with my dreams and happiness. The release and reception of their fi rst game will set the tone for the next decade in the franchise, and I’m interested to see where the story will be headed now that Chief actually has a personality. In the meantime, Halo 4 baby!

Halo, Baby!Zane Alaniz 2016

Bond… You fi nished the quote, didn’t you? Well I’ll do the honors: James Bond (said in the best Bond voice). I’m sure once in your lifetime you’ve heard this catchy phrase even if you’ve never seen a James Bond movie. Among all the Bond movies he never seems to lose his cool suave. After Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, I walked into the theatre to watch Skyfall and expected a fi lm that was full of action: what we can describe as a typical James Bond movie. For a moment that’s what you get, but then there’s a sudden twist that creeps up on James Bond (Daniel Craig) and defi nitely crept up on me. Just like any other person in this world, the past always seems to catch up. After ignoring it for so long, James Bond, secret agent 007, falls into an emotional state. In the opening scene, James Bond is running on top of a train trying to catch the person who stole a drive that holds all the identities of a handful of secret agents. This alone adds up to an awesome beginning for an action movie and I loved it. But after starting a movie off with an intense action scene I suppose it’s appropriate for a slower scene, which to me was a little too long for a slow scene. My expectations when I went to go watch Skyfall were a bit high on the action side. Starting off very young watching 90s action fi lms, I expected hardcore action throughout the movie. Yes, I agree, that too much action won’t make that great of a movie because nowadays it seems like movies need the emotional story and I understand fully. I expected too much of this movie. “When I wrote the fi rst one in 1953, I wanted Bond to be an extremely dull, uninteresting man to whom things happened; I wanted him to be a blunt instrument… When I was casting around for a name protagonist I thought by God, [James Bond] is the dullest name I ever heard,” said Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond. (The New Yorker) Craig can be described with many words, many words which relate to James Bond, and that’s why I think he’s the greatest actor to play Bond. He’s perfectly suited for the part and from Quantum of Solace to Skyfall he managed to continue the legendary James Bond with full experience. I fell in love with these movies because of Craig, and I assume a

007 Dominates the Box Offi ce Kayla Vandever 2015

Any Percy Jackson fans out there? You’ll be happy to know that the latest installment of Rick Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus series has been released. Mark of Athena was released on October 2, 2012. The third book of the spin-off series centers around the latest prophecy for our half-bloods. Told in the points of view of Annabeth, Percy, Piper, and Leo, we follow them along with Jason, Frank, and Hazel to Rome, Italy. That’s right. The seven half-bloods have answered the call of the next Great Prophecy. However, that is not the only prophecy that has been made. “Wisdom’s daughter walks alone, The Mark of Athena burns through Rome. Twins snuff out the angel’s breath, Who holds the key to endless death. Giants’ bane stands gold and pale, Won through pain from a woven jail.” The latest novel of this adventurous series centers around this latest prophecy. With Annabeth, daughter of Athena, among the group headed for Rome, this prophecy is cleverly unraveled in Riordan’s latest novel. It has been too long since Riordan has let fans have their Percabeth fi x. However, Percy and Annabeth FINALLY reunite in this novel, and Riordan includes all the awkward loveliness of their romance fans have come to love so much. Meanwhile, the enemy grows stronger, and more and more plans begin to unravel. Racing against the clock, our heroes struggle to save each of their camps before it is too late. But this can’t be done without full cooperation of both camps. Will the Romans and the Greeks be able to put aside their differences to defeat the forces of Tartaurus? With fast-paced action laced across every page, and an ending that will leave you breathless and desperate for more, Mark of Athena proves worthy of the long wait. There will be another installment in the Heroes of Olympus. House of Hades will be released sometime in October 2013. Until then, fans will have to make due with imagination and fanfi ction.

lot of people did as well. Easy conclusion: good actor equals good movie. Judi Dench, who plays M in the three Bond movies (Quantum of Solace, Casino Royale, Skyfall), always nails a strong, independent character. M, the Head of M-16 (Secret Intelligence Service) takes a turn in Skyfall and shows her caring side, which is unusual for a boss. I think we’ve all realized that M favors James Bond and that’s perfectly okay. Bond does his job very well and besides, who cannot like his bold personality? Skyfall defi nitely shows M’s soft side and it’s pretty awesome, to be honest. Javier Bardem plays Silva, a pretty diffi cult character in my opinion. Silva is trying to get revenge on M, and has to go through James Bond before he has the chance to see M. His role in general seems diffi cult to play with his bleached eyebrows and hair. This was diffi cult for me to get past after watching Bardem in other movies, such as Eat, Pray, Love. In Skyfall, Silva has a creepy, comedic personality. I think Silva adds an interesting taste to this movie. Good or bad? Well, that’s up to you. After coming back from the “dead”, James Bond chases Silva all around Europe, protecting M from all the danger Silva is causing. We also meet new characters, such as Q, The Armorer Division of HMSS. In other words, Q is good with technology. So good, that James Bond gets a gun that is coded for his fi ngerprints only. If you’re a James Bond fan or into an adventurous life of a secret agent, watch Skyfall. It’s full of excitement and exploding buildings, but it also comes with emotional scenes and heartfelt connections.

Mark of Athena Debuts Skylar Griego 2014

PAW PRINT 3Critics’ CornerDecember 2012

Asiro – Other Worlds [November 2012] Deep within genres exist unique, innovative gems of the underground, exercises in expression that expunge preconceptions about music and provide listening experiences as alien as they are familiar, as foreign as they are comfortable. These offerings ask nothing but the questions that the listener invokes within themselves; esoteric thoughts arisen out of the authentic thoughts the music inspires. Other Worlds, the 9th offi cial release from multinymous beat sorcerer Asiro, is an intoxicating foray into a unique realm of lush sound that lives in a realm caught between everything from jazz, r&b, and ambient to glitch, chillwave, and dub, all with a fi rm instrumental hip-hop backbone that ties the swirling clouds of vaporous synth & sample work together in a 10 track package of cosmic beats and breaks that are as at home as a late-night delirium soundtrack as they are in the far outer reaches of space itself. “I Seek A New World… (DMT and Hyperspace)”, the fi rst track on the album, stands as a solid singular manifesto of the atmosphere of Other Worlds; succulently ambrosial synthesizer work wobbles and drifts above a craggy but powerful low end, churning bass, and heady grooves that slowly spiral in and out of sight, a constantly morphing mass of intoxicatingly calm euphoria. This euphoria is exemplifi ed by the short but climactic release that is the curiously titled “67890637 (gniksamkcab)”, which ends in a beautiful burst of psychedelic splendor before fading into the next track, “In Love Fall…”, a tribute to sonic experimentation pioneer and Flying Lotus collaborator Austin Peralta, whose recent death was a tragedy to the artistic world. These elements create a permeating aether that runs throughout Other Worlds – an atmosphere that is bizarre, beautiful, and comfortably tragic.

Recommended tracks: “I Seek A New World… (DMT and Hyperspace)”, “67890637 (gniksamkcab)”, “inner/outerburst/////the void.... disconnected_”For fans of Flying Lotus, BMB, Prefuse 73, MF Doom

Minnesota – Altered States [November 2012] Originality is hard to come by in the oversaturated realm of bass-oriented electronic music. With the ultra commercialized, endless fl ow of content from new artists and seasoned veterans alike, creative and innovative releases often get lost in the often sterile was of unending content. In a genre of music in which many artists compete to create the heaviest and most extreme frenzy of chaotic dance noise possible, Minnesota’s 3rd EP, Altered States, is an incredibly refreshing exercise in innovative restraint, but with all the appeal of the loud dance music with which it is grouped. Altered States is a fi ne representation of the Minnesota sound; the squelchy, snarling basslines of his contemporaries are replaced with lush, polyphonic trance chords and vibrant buzzing synths that give the album a trademark 90’s hip-hop swagger while still maintaining a blissfully cosmic overhead ambiance, tied together in a sound that is somewhere between mid-era Mimosa and fellow bass beautician Seven Lions. Featuring collaborations with producer G. Jones and third-eye hip hop oracles Zion I, the album’s overall appeal lies in its immaculate blending of spacey textures with the gangsta rap sampling and trunk-bump physicality. The 5-song EP is as enjoyable whether quietly pondering elevated philosophy or driving slow through a city downtown blasting out a sound system; the beauty lies in that Minnesota is music that can do both at once.

Recommended tracks: “To The Floor”, “Float feat. Zion I”, “Tokyo”For fans of Mimosa, Seven Lions, Gladkill, ill.Gates

Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid In A m.A.A.d City [Interscope October 2012] “Conscious hip-hop” is a term that is, as antithetical as it is to its intent, becoming a trend term in modern hip-hop. Various artists indulge in the deeper, cerebral half of the hip-hop spectrum, trading guns for novels and shutter shades for reading glasses. Kendrick Lamar’s latest release, at face value, follows suit in this increasingly popular sound, although upon further examination, Good Kid In A m.A.A.d City reveals that where other “conscious” rappers fall fl at in breaking free into their own sound, Lamar has built a genuine experience that is not all it may fi rst seem. The genius in Good Kid In A m.A.A.d City lies in that it combines the jazz samples and live drums of other alternative hip hop releases with the 808 slam of the hip-hop its peers aim to ride against; its authenticity lies in its disregard for anti-genre tropes such as these. Whereas others that may seem to share Lamar’s intent avoid A Milli style beats and display their projected sophistication through touching on lyrical ideas inaccessible by the common listener and avoiding connection to the inner city gangster culture that exists within hip-hop, Good Kid In A m.A.A.d City takes both and forces them together in a sometimes uncomfortable, but ultimately genuine and unique take on each. Kendrick Lamar, if Good Kid In A m.A.A.d City can be taken semi-autobiographically, is neither the gangster that conscious rap condemns, nor is he the Ivy League educated privileged pseudo-philosopher that some of his overzealous peers aim to portray themselves as. Lamar’s hyper-complex wordplay and clever lyrics bounce off of a canvas of half-jazz half-trap ultra-lush instrumentals, portraying himself not as the gangster or the philosopher, but as nothing more but the young soul caught in the same environment as the thugs, but tragically observing its nuances. Good Kid In A m.A.A.d City features both short club bangers (“Backseat Freestyle”) and 12+ minute long jazz-hop odysseys (“Dying Of Thirst”); it asks not to be feared, nor to be admired. It asks only to be heard, understood, and enjoyed.

Recommended tracks: “Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst”, “Good Kid”, “Backseat Freestyle”For fans of: Big L, Grieves, Talib Kweli, Dark Time Sunshine

Music David Thinks You’ll Like (If You’re Into That Sort of Thing)David Jio 2013

With its thrilling sci-fi plots, action packed scenes and cult-like fandom, it’s no wonder Doctor Who will be celebrating its 50-year anniversary in 2013. The show was fi rst aired in England at 5:15 pm on November 23, 1963. Due to both electrical issues in certain areas as well as a sudden news coverage on President Kennedy’s assassination, the program aired a few seconds late. Because of the lateness, the show didn’t really catch until the second episode, ‘The Daleks’ showed soon after, drawing audiences of 12 million or more. Although this show was almost an automatic hit in the U.K., it took a lot longer for the good Doctor to capture the attention of Americans. Doctor Who was fi rst shown in the U.S. in 1972, but it was not popular. This could have been for many reasons. For example, the channel did not understand that they were multiple-part shows, and the episodes were shuffl ed around in a very confusing manner. Or, it could have just been that Americans had trouble understanding the British humor that Jon Pertwee threw into the role. For whatever reason, the show didn’t incite the same riveted lovingness here in America until the early 2000’s, when the new series started. In order to explain the history of the show, I must fi rst explain the show itself. In Doctor Who, the Doctor is an alien who travels through time and space in his TARDIS, which appears on the outside as a small blue police box, but on the inside is a huge (seemingly endless) spaceship. The Doctor (who calls himself nothing else and never reveals his true name) picks up companions who travel with him. These companions are generally young female humans, but there are plenty of exceptions. Throughout all 11 Doctors there have been approximately 35 companions, give or take, depending on who you ask. The Doctor claims to be travelling just for fun (or ‘running’ if he is in a serious mood) but he always seems to get himself into situations where he must save a person, ship, continent, or planet. The Doctor, being an alien, doesn’t die as normal people would, but instead saves himself through a process called ‘regeneration’. This is where he can heal himself by changing his body. With each new body comes a new actor. The fi rst Doctor, played by William Hartnell, was the original incarnation and played from ’63 to ’66 before his aging and illness made him quit. Patrick Troughton replaced him, and ran until ’69. Then Jon Pertwee became

the third Doctor from ’70 to ’74. Then came Tom Baker. Tom Baker is arguably the best known of the classic Doctors, and has won the ‘Best Doctor’ award all but three times. Baker was the longest running Doctor, staying from 1974 to 1981. Following that great act came Peter Davison (though Baker suggested a female surpass him) who retained the role for three years like most actors before him. Davison was then, at 29, the youngest actor to play the Doctor. The sixth Doctor was Colin Baker (no relation to Tom Baker) and he only stayed two years (but with an 18- month hiatus), until he was dismissed in ’86. Sylvester McCoy played the seventh Doctor and remained on the series from 1987 to 1989. It then ended until 1996, where he starred in the television movie, passing off his role to Paul McGann. McGann only played the Doctor that once, as Universal Studios and Fox Entertainment (who had invested in the movie) pulled the rug out from under the show because of the low ratings the movie received in the U.S. As a result of this loss of funding, Doctor Who did not start up again for nearly a decade, when in 2005 Christopher Eccleston brought it back. Eccleston left after only one season though, for various and much debated reasons. The 10th Doctor was David Tennant, a much loved and very popular Doctor who served three whole seasons before handing the reigns to Matt Smith. Smith is the current Doctor, and, starting at 26, took Davison’s ‘youngest actor’ spot. I don’t know too much about classic Who (the old episodes), and the fi rst episode I ever watched was Blink, which starred David Tennant in Season 3. At fi rst I was terrifi ed. A strange man traveling through time to try and warn a woman against the graveyard angels, who could only move if you looked away from them. It scared my sixth grade self to goodness, but I was enthralled. I started watching more, and quickly got hooked. The way the show steals into everyday life before ripping into the supernatural captures you and doesn’t let go. Doctor Who has a long and colorful history, and is still going strong with enthralling ideas and believable myths. If you are into any sort of sci-fi or fantasy, or just love watching attractive men run around in suits and bow ties, I strongly suggest you watch the show. It may just change your life.

Doctor Who Celebrates 50 YearsCerridwen Stucky 2014

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PAW PRINT4 School NewsDecember 2012

It’s that time of year again. Teenagers are sobbing. Parents are threatening. Teachers are laughing maniacally. Yup. It’s time for fi nals. But before you start hyperventilating and crying, take some time to breathe and relax. You’ve spent the last four months covering the material for this. You’re ready. With some determination, support, and these helpful tips, you’ll have all of your class fi nals in the bag.

It’s never too late to take notes! If you can’t remember most of what you learned the last time you were in a class, it’s a good idea to take notes. I know, it can be tedious, but there are ways to get around that and still learn as much as you can. Use highlighters, colored ink pens, and post-its to make notes more interesting. If they’re eye-catching, you might actually bother to look at them at home, and all of you visual learners will be able to use the colors to help the information stick in your mind. If all your past notes are boring and just seem like a bunch of senseless writing-believe me. I’ve been there-then just take

a highlighter and go back over them. If you just take ten minutes one day to go back and highlight important points, and then go back and read the highlighted parts every week, the information will stick. You won’t even need the notes by the time the fi nal rolls around.

Review Most teachers will give a giant review worksheet before the fi nal exam is given. DO IT! No matter how well you did when the class was covering the sections, you will do better on the test if you do the entire review. It gets you back into using things you stopped doing on a daily basis, and it refreshes your memory. Reviews are also good for letting you know which subjects you need to cover more before the fi nal. Ask your teachers for a review. I’m sure if they don’t already have one planned, they would be happy to work something out with you.

Old assignments and tests Go back and look at old assignments! They are the best examples you can use to remember how to do something, and you’d be

surprised how many teachers use questions from old assignments on the fi nal. You’ll be able to see how it’s done in your own work, and if you did something wrong, you can ask the teacher or a tutor for help and learn from your mistake! If you look at just one assignment from each section you covered in class, I promise you will absorb a lot more and feel more prepared for the test.

Ask and you shall receive! Ask the teacher what types of questions will be on the test. There is a wide variety. Essay questions, multiple choice, true/false, fi ll in the blank. There are many choices, but most teachers aren’t going to use them all. Why prepare for questions that aren’t even going to be on the test? It’s helpful to get an idea of what the test is going to look like before you take it.

Scheduling Use the block schedule to your advantage. You only take two fi nals a day, with the exception of three on the last day. This could make your life so much easier when

studying at home. Focus on the upcoming fi nals, not the ones that are three days away. Also, utilize your time to study. Take a good hour to go over each subject, and you should do just fi ne.

Utilize your resources Manzano is full of teachers and tutors who are more than willing to help you prepare for the big test. Go fi nd them! Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

And now for your fi nal tips: get a good night’s sleep every night during fi nals week, eat a good breakfast every morning, and don’t over-study. (Yes, there is such a thing.) Most important of all, RELAX! You’ve got this. Follow most of these steps, and fi nals week should breeze by. Get ready, Monarchs. Once we get through fi nals, we are free for winter break! Good luck everyone!

Take a Deep Breath... Or TwoSkylar Griego 2014

Manzano’s girls basketball team has evolved every single year as new players join the team and prepare for a fresh new season. Along with every year, changes are made and new obstacles are waiting to be faced and conquered. This year, the girls basketball team is practicing on becoming quicker in their techniques and strategies. They will focus on their speed and defense in order to become victorious against all opponents. “We want to see something coming before it happens,” said Demone Curry, MHS girls basketball coach. The team will try to minimize their mistakes, capitalizing on other teams in the state, and grow as a unit all together in order to reach their goals this season. Jourden Williams, sophomore, Auzrielle Willis, junior, and Torri Farrow, junior, are all players who have the speed and experience enough to better as a whole with their team. “I’m excited to watch Jourden Williams develop leadership skills in running the team; I’m excited to watch Auzrielle Willis develop into a complete player; and I’m excited to watch Torri Farrow grow into a great decision maker,” said Curry. A noticeable change in the girls basketball team from last year to this year is the amount of senior players on the team, which is much less than last year. There are only two senior players this year, these being Katie Roach and Jazmyn Llamas. With fewer seniors on the team, other teammates will get an opportunity to take leadership and better their individual skills in basketball. “It would be nice to have more seniors, yes, but I think two is good enough, plus we’re all on varsity so we’re all kind of like seniors because we need to set an example

for c-team and JV,” said Roach. To be on a varsity basketball team, players must develop on overall better understanding of the game than those on a junior varsity or c-team. Another unexpected occurrence was when Caroline Lantor, who has been playing as a Monarch all throughout high school and was also ranked as one of the top ten girl basketball players in the state, moved away to the state of Utah. Lantor said that leaving Manzano was one of the hardest things she’s ever had to do but had a great time playing for the program. “Coach Curry was a great coach,” said Lantor, “I absolutely love the girls on the team and I hope they have an amazing season this year.” In order to become a strong and successful basketball team, team unity, team respect, and a clear understanding and acceptance of a player’s role are all qualities players need to obtain. It helps a team become more successful when having an experienced coach, such as Curry, who has been coaching for ten years now. “He’s good at understanding all the players and their talents, he helps us with our focus,” said Willis. No team is ever complete without a coach who gets them pumped up right before a game. “All in all, he’s a good coach... he screams like no other but it only makes us better,” said Williams. Since last year, the girls basketball team seems to have bonded much closer and in the end this will make them come together to support each other. “We’re closer, like a family, with no drama at all and we’re stronger offense and defense,” said Farrow.

New Year, New Ambition, New PlayersTaty Amaro 2013

want them to succeed,” said College and Career counselor, Rod Hansen. “I think our greatest strength in Manzano’s implementation of AVID is the staff of AVID teachers and Site Team members who’ve faithfully built it up over the last four years. Under their leadership and shared excitement, we’ve encouraged other teachers to get trained in using AVID strategies in other content areas. As importantly, we’ve begun to change the thinking in our community to a belief that all students can go on to college or postsecondary training and be successful,” said Principal Therese Carroll. Ms. Carroll worked to bring AVID to Manzano after hearing about Highland High School getting the program. “I was impressed by AVID’s balancing of high standards with strategies for providing access to students who are smart enough to attain rigorous academic standards but may need extra support in doing so. I was also impressed by the 40 years of success AVID had in California and other states around the country. I wondered why I’d never heard about it in New Mexico or in my own home state of Massachusetts,” said Carroll. This year’s seniors have to meet the new graduation requirements put in place by New Mexico Legislature in 2007. Because New Mexico is now requiring these “college-bound” classes and test scores, AVID just gives extra help to students who still need to meet the new requirements. The AVID teachers and sponsors are always there for the AVID students. “If I don’t get something and I can’t go after school because I have to go to practice I can ask my question during AVID or get help on homework before I have to go to practice,” said Dandridge. As this year’s AVID seniors graduate, it is sure that the AVID program is here to stay and help all the students at Manzano. If you are interested in joining AVID, visit Mr. Hansen in counseling offi ce, or ask any of the AVID teachers (Mr. Kraus, Ms. Gonzales, Mr. Macdonald, and Ms. Glover).

AVIDContinued from page 1

PAW 5School News PRINTDecember 2012

Dear Leona,I was best friends with this guy who I had known for about 6 years. He had made it clear to me since middle school that he was in love with me. I did not feel the same, I only saw him as a friend. He said he accepted that because he would rather have been friends with me than nothing at all. We did eventually date my junior year for about 9 months. It wasn’t working out towards the last couple of months of our relationship so we broke up. I had thought that we left things on good terms more-or-less but apparently it was not like that. He now literally hates me and we haven’t talked since we broke up months ago. I now fi nd myself missing him, not as a boyfriend but as the good friend that he was to me. I was aware that us dating and not working out could have led to us no longer being friends. He and I had both acknowledged that and agreed to try and make things work. In all honesty, we both thought that we would have lasted much more than what we actually did. I had called him a while back on his birthday to say “happy birthday” but he hung up and when I texted him instead, he replied rudefully and said to never have contact with him again. What do I do? Do I fi ght for our friendship which I miss and want back or do I let go of those 6 years of memories? -Lost and Confused

Dear Leona Do you have a problem? Leona is here to help! E-mail your dilemma to manzanopawprint@yahoo.com ATTN: Leona.

Dear Lost and Confused, First off, I am very sorry for your hurt and loss of a good friend. I’m not sure I can relate 100%, but I do have somewhat of an idea of what you’re going through. I had a friend that I had been friends with for seven years and he also, just like your friend, had feelings for me. We never dated but stayed close friends. I started to date my boyfriend that I am still with today. My friend could not stand to be around my boyfriend and refused to talk or be around me as long as I was with my boyfriend. It’s almost been a year and he still won’t talk to me. I think you should let your friend have his space as hard and as painful as it might be for you. Don’t forget those six years of memories because they are part of who you are and you can never truly forget and let go. Just let your friend know that you will always be there and you will be the same friend you always were. Once again, I’m sorry for your loss and hope things turn out for the best. -Love Leona

Stu Walker is an Educational Assistant in the Manzano Special Ed department. For fi ve days a week he works at the school, and for every Lobo and Isotope game, he is in the box, announcing. The Paw Print interviewed Mr. Walker to reveal just how he came to be, as some call him, “The Voice.”Paw Print: “Who are you an announcer for?”Mr. Walker: “I’m the public address announcer for both the Lobo athletics and Isotopes baseball.”

Paw Print: “How long have you been an announcer?”Mr. Walker: “ I’ve been announcing Lobo sports for 17 seasons now; 10 for the Isotopes.”

Paw Print: “What do you like about being an announcer?”Mr. Walker: “I just enjoy the action and the atmosphere of college athletics and professional baseball. When it’s a close game, you’re on the fl oor near the action, and 15,000 fans are going crazy, there’s nothing else quite like it.”

Paw Print: “What is the typical schedule of an announcer before a game?”Mr. Walker: “I usually arrive about an hour and a half before game time. This allows me time to get the starting lines ups, and check with the media relations and promotions folks to see if anything is happening during the game I should be aware of.”

Paw Print: “What is your job with APS?’Mr. Walker: “I’m an APS special education one-on-one educational assistant. I mentor, assist in personal issues, and assure the safety of my student around campus.”

Paw Print: “How long have you worked at MHS?”Mr. Walker: “I started working at Manzano the fall of 2010”

Paw Print: “What do you like about MHS?”Mr. Walker: “It didn’t take long after I arrived at Manzano to get the impression that it was a high school with a ‘small school’ feel to it. The interaction between and among staff and students here is great. The special education staff here is top notch and I have a lot of fun working with them. We have a terrifi c student body here as well, and I love how

The Voice at MHS: EA by day, sports announcer by nightHeather Fisk 2013

Top Brass: MHS musician makes overall best in state The clichés of “hard work pays off” and “practice makes perfect” are used often to describe someone who is striving to reach their goal. Sacrifi ces, focus, and determination are key elements when trying to accomplish one’s ambition. Nathan Chael, a junior at MHS, is a perfect example of how hard work and practice can defi nitely become worth it. At the beginning of this school year, Chael became the trombone section leader in the marching band. This requires him to organize everyone in his section and get them where they need to be before performing. Along with this, Chael is also top chair in jazz band, which he enjoys. “I like jazz band a lot, it’s fun and it’s a smaller group than full band so you have a more important part in it,” stated Chael. Chael auditioned for All State on trombone on November 14, 2012 and he then later received the exciting news that he had came out in fi rst place in the state of New Mexico for both band and jazz. Approximately over fi fty people auditioned on trombone and from those fi fty, only sixteen made the cut for band and twelve made the cut for jazz. While at a UNM soccer game with friends, Chael received a call from Jason Sullivan, a friend who had placed fi rst All State on bass trombone last year, who congratulated him on his accomplishment. “There’s a website where they posted the names and I hadn’t seen it so when he (Sullivan) called me and told me, I thought he was screwing with me,” said Chael, “I

was very excited.” Being the trombone section leader in the marching band and having top chair in jazz band, it was almost set up for Chael to do so well in his auditions for All State. Chael said that even though he knew he would’ve made the cut in auditions, he did not expect to place as high as he did. “I remember I came out of the audition and I wasn’t really happy with how I did but I was really surprised to fi nd out that I made it,” stated Chael. Chael quoted being, “nervous, very very nervous,” as he had both band and jazz auditions on the same day. This scenario is understandable as there is pressure and a time limit on one’s auditions. Within fi ve minutes Chael had to go through three different categories that were to test his skills at playing the instrument and how well he could read music notes that he had never seen before. Chael had been practicing for months for his blind audition. Once he entered the room, there was a judge who was sitting on the other side of a curtain. The judge had to critiqe Chael only on his playing ability by listening very carefully. There were warm up rooms available for the musicians before their names were called on an intercom and their nerve-wracking, yet exciting auditions begun. However, this was not the fi rst time that Chael had made it to All State. He also auditioned his freshman and sophomore year, and made the cut both times.

“It’s rare for a freshman to make it because

Taty Amaro 2013competition is high,” said Brad Dubbs, MHS band director. Having the many the titles that Chael has comes with many responsibilities. He must be prompt, dedicated, confi dent, and set an example for other of his fellow marching band and jazz band members. Not to forget that he is also representing Manzano High School.“I don’t feel the pressure as much, I’ve already proved myself,” said Chael, “it’s more of an honor than a responsibility.” There are certain expectations that people would want Chael to live up to, but he still stays grounded by doing other normal activities such as hanging out with friends and playing soccer for both Manzano and club. Chael does seem to be a busy student. He is, after all, ranked second in his junior class. “He’s pretty dedicated with everything he does; he strives to be the best,” said Mr. Dubbs. Throughout Chael’s experiences, there are many people who supported and pushed him

to do his best. Starting with his parents who were supportive, his private teacher, Mr. Herrington, who helps him better his own skills, his middle school band director, Mr. Goodrum, at Grant Middle School, and Mr. Dubbs, his current band director at MHS. “He’s a really good band director and it’s a big difference from middle school to high school so he makes sure I push myself,” said Chael, “it’s good to have another voice and another perspective cause he knows what he’s talking about.” Mr. Dubbs fi rst saw Chael when he was still at Grant Middle School. Mr. Dubbs said that even back then he noticed that Chael was a quick learner and as time passed by, he has made a lot of progress. “He’s solid,” said Mr. Dubbs, “everybody makes mistakes but he makes very few of them and if I don’t catch him, he catches himself.”

Miscellaneous6 PAW PRINT

December 2012

Our society is always quick to judge a book by its cover. We as a country have evolved into the kind to always put the blame on someone or something - whether it be a fast food industry for the obesity among Americans or the media being a negative infl uence on our youth, but did we ever begin to consider pointing a fi nger towards beloved fantasy characters that we all love so much throughout our lives? Has anyone really considered how bad Santa Claus is on children? Firstly, it’s one of the fi rst lies you will tell a child. You will tell them the warm fuzzy idea of a friendly fat man in red sneaking down your chimney while you’re safe in your bed tucking gifts under your tree if you were a good boy or girl. The idea will paint a vivid idea into the child’s mind making them become fi lled with greed as they write their lists on all their wants and “needs” for material objects forgetting the true meaning of Christmas. Many believe that Santa Claus is a “perfect”

introduction to cultural practice rather than truth, claim, or spiritual discipline. The fantasy blocks out that Christmas was meant for the birth of Jesus Christ not to receive more and more rather than appreciate what we have. Secondly, Santa Claus is promoting obesity and making it look perfectly fi ne to eat nothing but sugar and junk food. He fl ies all around the world eating nothing but sweet sugary snacks all night only making him fatter and fatter. Yet our country is only pointing blame at companies like McDonalds and Burger King saying they’re the reason our fellow Americans are in the severely unhealthy condition they’re in. Never once had we thought of the constant advertising and bandwagon propaganda of Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick who is a very large man. They glamorize him and make it look okay to be overweight and lazy. “Other dangerous activities that Santa

The Newest Addition to the Naughty ListCassady Leonard 2015

could be accused of promoting include speeding, disregard for the road rules and extreme sports such as roof surfi ng and chimney jumping without a helmet,” said Dr. Nathan Grills, public health fellow at Monash University. Not to mention, he brainwashes our youth by thinking you should only be good so we aren’t put on the naughty list. This makes children behave not out of respect for their parents but out of the constant want for material objects. Then, in the end, the fantasy you built up all throughout their childhood is demolished by discovering he doesn’t even exist. So remind me again why we think it’s okay to idolize an obese old man who lets children sit on his lap at the mall and breaks into your home to eat your food and leave, yet it’s so wrong to play violent video games or eat fast food every once in awhile? Think again why you’ll accept one thing but bash

something just as bad. Sometimes you have to read between the lines and see the fi ne print before saying its wrong or right.

What to Get Yo’ Gal! Thespian Fest a Success Not sure what to get your girl for the holidays? Don’t have enough funds? Take a peek at these gift ideas to save yo’self from getting dumped! Make sure to get her something nice and just maybe you’ll get a nice kiss in return!• Jewelry- This is the number one thing you could get her. Make sure she likes rings, necklaces, earrings (if she

has her ears pierced) and bracelets.• Music- A lot of girls love music. Ask her what type of music she is into. Headphones, iTunes gift card(see gift

cards), CDs, and if you really wanna go big, mp3 players or iPods. Band merch works too. “I would love to have ANYTHING One Direction because I just love them,” said Kaitlynn Garcia, freshman.

• Fashion- depending on her style, get her what she likes. If she likes purses, skirts, dresses, or anything classy like that, that works. Or, if she goes for band T-shirts, jeans, with a laid-back style, go for that too. It’s also getting cold, so maybe a nice new coat or scarf or other winter accessories.

• Shoes- All girls love shoes. No matter if they are girly or not. If she is into heels, fl ats, and fancy stuff, look for that type of style. As for me (and maybe your girl is the same) I like vans, converse, and other shoes like that.

• Boards- I see a lot of girls around school who skate. I do too, just not a lot. If your chick is into that, you can get her a new board, or anything else if she needs it. Same for snowboarding.

• Looks- Makeup (if she wears it), lotion, perfume, chapstick, or mirrors. Yes, mirrors, to look at their pretty selves.

• Books/Movies- If she likes to read, even if you don’t it would be totally cool to get her some of her favorite novels or even a series. Same with movies, and maybe you could end up with some movie-couch-cuddling.

• Gift cards- Last but DEFINITELY not least: Gift cards. Get her a gift card to her favorite store or her favorite restaurant, or a romantic card with a stuffed animal, and maybe some chocolate. “I would just want a stuffed animal and some chocolate, something simple,” said Jessica Lantz, freshman.

Well I sure hope I helped you fellas and yo’ lady friend out and I’m sure she will love whatever you get her, as long as it’s from you. Remember, “it’s the thought that counts!” So be safe, and enjoy your holidays!

Marriana Zavala 2016

The legacy of one drama teacher leads the young thespians of APS in an annual celebration of acting, of which all drama 3 and 4 students participated this year. George Nason was a long-time drama teacher at Eldorado High School. After he died in the 1990’s, Eldorado High School named its performing arts center after him, and now an annual drama festival. The fi rst day of the festival was held at Del Norte High School. Nine schools, including Valley High School, The Public Academy of Performing Arts, and Albuquerque High performed their scenes that they prepared for weeks in advance. The scenes varied from half an hour to forty-fi ve minutes long. After students performed, they sat on the edge of the stage to get feedback from their peers about what they did well and what they could work on. They later used these comments to improve their acting skills. “It was great seeing all the material that the other drama clubs put up because we usually only get to see our own plays,” said MHS junior Megan Swafford. Manzano was the fourth school to perform their scene. The comedy scene was titled, “The Mystery At Twicknam Vicarage.” The piece received a huge amount of laughs and got great feedback from the audience. “I think they [Manzano] did really well. People came out and were like, ‘ Oh you did that piece?’,” said Jak Rector, MHS junior. The second day of the festival was held at Eldorado High School. In the morning, two high schools performed their scenes, and for the fi rst time, two middle schools performed at the festival. The middle schools, Eisenhower and Hoover, performed half-hour comedy scenes. The scenes procured a lot of laughs and positive comments from the audience. “ I thought they [the middle schools] were better than a lot of the high schools. I thought they were well done,” Rector said. On the afternoon of the second day, students split up and went to workshops. Workshops are mini-seminars that the students attended in order to learn about things that capture their interests. There were ten workshops: Reviewing Plays For the Theatre, Unifi ed Design for Theatre, The Whole Actor, Building a Character, The Expressive Voice for the Actor, Large Recycled Puppets on-the-go, Auditioning for Film and TV, Improvisation and Pantomime, Shakespeare and Verse Technique, and Stone Soup: Devising Plays From Scratch. The workshops were to help students improve their acting skills and their understanding of theatre. They were also used to bond students from different schools. “I learned how to audition for television the right way,” stated MHS junior Rachel Hein. “I liked meeting all the other thespians and making friends,” Lauren Hughes, MHS junior said. Eleven schools attended the festival on the fi rst day and thirteen schools went the second day. It ran from 10am to 6pm both days.

Victoria Blythe 2014

*CAUTION: Do not read if you are a fan of Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick

PAW PRINT

7EditorialsDecember 2012

 

All across the country, music programs and education classes are disappearing mainly because of budget cuts and are often considered secondary to classes like math and science. What many do not realize is that there are so many benefi ts in playing a musical instrument and music education. Music is a powerful, inspiring, imaginative form of art. It moves people, and it brings people together. Music is more than just another elective. Studies show that learning to play a musical instrument increases the brain’s capacity for memory. Both playing and listening to music stimulates your brain and has been shown to have long term effects. Also, playing a musical instrument increases your motor skills, hearing, memory, and your ability to store audio information. If simply playing a musical instrument can do all that, then why is musical education not more appreciated? When individuals read music, their brain subconsciously coverts the notes into specifi c motor patters which requires keen hand-eye coordination; this comes with time. It’s pretty amazing to think that one simply overlooked human “talent” gives more to the individual than happiness and pleasure. Playing music requires high concentration on everything from pitch and quality of sound to rhythm, tempo, and note duration. Likewise, it is not shocking that musical abilities increase concentration. Even listening to certain kinds of music has been shown to increase performance of mental tasks, popularly known as the “Mozart effect.” In addition, learning to play a musical instrument creates a sense of achievement. Overcoming a musical challenge and mastering it results in a sense of accomplishment and pride. Each musical milestone is a rewarding experience itself. Playing a musical instrument encourages self-expression in the way a piece is performed. Music is an excellent stress reliever; so good that is even an exceptional form of therapy in treating individuals with disorders such as depression and autism. In general, music is powerful! Playing a musical instrument also teaches responsibility and perseverance. It requires a lot of practice and responsibility to maintain the instrument and practice! Finally, playing a musical instrument promotes social skills. Being involved with large groups such as orchestras, choruses, and bands enhance friendships and create almost a second family. When one recognizes all that music has to offer, it’s diffi cult to understand why music education has been disappearing, and is contually unappreciated all over the country. Music is a beautiful art form that can’t be overlooked; and as Confucius once said: “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot live without.”

More Than Just MusicZoe Alam 2015

Have you ever played a sport? Do you know someone who plays a sport? If so, then you probably know the kind of toll they take on the body. You also might fi nd that free time is very limited, if any at all, and that it takes up all the time a student has after school is done. As an athlete myself I know how much stress and fatigue it puts on you. For a student athlete, at any level, getting your work done is a challenge. This is due to the fact that as soon as you get off practice it is already late, and your body is so tired and you become so lazy that you just want to get in the shower and go to sleep. The issue is worsened with the fact of eating dinner and family events. Sports have gone so far that even on holidays and other important dates, athletes are required to show up at practice rather than spend time with their families. My solution for this is very simple. I think athletes should just be allowed a little bit more leeway when it comes to holidays, birthdays, or other family events just as long as they do not abuse it by not showing up to practice. Some might argue that you need all the time you can get but if you really think about it, teams have plenty of time to prepare because they practice everyday. All I am saying is that athletes get time off on at least special occasions or other valid reasons and not get punished for it.

Where Does the Time Go?Stephon Woods 2016

How would you feel walking through trash all over your home? Or better yet, how would you feel if someone visited your home and had to walk through your pile of trash? I don’t know about anybody else, but if it were my home I’d be embarrassed. Don’t you think that’s how we should feel if there’s trash all around our school? Our school is basically our second home. We’re walking these hallways and sitting in these classrooms at least 35 hours a week. Why not keep our “second home” clean? I walk around school and notice that our campus has too much trash lying around. I feel that whether you have school spirit or not, we should at least represent our school as best as we can, starting with the Manzano campus. I feel that Manzano has the best school spirit when it comes to sports, activities, and competitions any day of the week, but what about representing our school in appearance? We can take all this spirit and throw our trash away to where it’s supposed to be. It’s an easy task, honestly. When you have trash that needs to be thrown away, the trashcan is a good place for it. Walk the little way to a trashcan that is provided for you. I know that there are trashcans everywhere on our campus. The trash that we leave around also effects our environment. If we leave trash by the trees and plants that we have at our school it will provide a harsh environment for the living trees. We all know the pigeons that roam around our school seem to eat whatever is in front of them. It’s unsafe for animals to consume the garbage that gets left behind. When I say trash, I also mean all the nasty tissues left around in the bathroom. It would be a lot more sanitary if the bathrooms remained clean. If germs fl oat around in our school, it’s usually not a good idea because sickness will spread around the school like wildfi re. So, not only is trash hurting the appearance of our school, it’s unsafe for our health. If it doesn’t hurt you, then at least be courteous to other students and staff. The janitors work hard to maintain a clean environment for our campus and us (the students) as well. The janitors are the caretakers of our school, not our maids. We should all have the decency to pick up our own trash and throw it away properly. I understand that sometimes we’re tired or in a hurry, but it shouldn’t be a problem to throw away trash as you’re on the go. I’m pretty sure we all pass a trashcan walking to class or anywhere we might be going. Littering is an illegal act, so if that’s what we’re doing on our school campus, we’ll most likely do it outside of Manzano. I think it’s necessary to have enough responsibility to throw trash away right now as we’re still high school students. As students, we’re setting examples to our peers. Leaving trash somewhere may motivate someone else to do it and that causes trash in places it shouldn’t be. Throw away your trash and there won’t be a problem. “Students see everyone else’s trash and they assume if no one else throws their trash then they won’t have to either,” said Tapia.

Keep Our Campus CleanKayla Vandever 2015

Christmas is coming up. You know what that means! If you said presents then….YOU ARE INCORRECT! Of course you would say presents because that’s all we think about now. But what about the other people? By the other people, I mean the people who aren’t as fortunate to get gifts like we do: the orphans and homeless all around the world. Christmas should be about giving back to other people and seeing their smiles. Some clubs in our school are taking this opportunity to help out people in need. Key Club, FCA, and Senate are a few clubs that will give back this holiday. Key Club has taken the opportunity to do Meals On Wheels, which is a program that serves meals to senior citizens. They will take meals to their houses or the Senior Centers. Key Club meets every Tuesday during lunch in the library if you ever feel like giving back. FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) will be doing Operation Christmas Child. For OCC, you have a shoebox and fi ll it with things like toys, supplies, or clothes. OCC is also sponsored by a Christian radio K-Love. Senior Maddie Dick knows that the boxes they will give are going to really help the kids. “The fact that this box of love is going to a child in need and helping them grow makes me happy,” said Dick. Senate will be doing Angel Tree this December. Angel Tree is a program that gives clothes and toys to kids who have parents in prison. Senate is going to pick a kid and give them what they need this Christmas. The churches in the kids’ communities give the child food and their gifts on Christmas Day. Senate is giving everyone an opportunity to help out. A lot of the kids who belong to these clubs are very excited to be a part of this. They all know that they’re going to help a kid who needs it. They have a lot of love to share with the world. The kids in FCA are very excited to be able to help kids in another country. These kids know that what they do doesn’t only impact the kids who get the gifts but it impacts them as well. “This is going to impact me because its going to help me give to needy children and to show the kids that they’re important,” said Andy Thornhill, MHS freshmen. I think you get the idea. These kids that you see in the hallways don’t just sit and receive. They stand and give because Christmas should be about giving and sharing the love you have. Not about being spoiled and saying “ME, ME, ME, ME!” Just because you aren’t in a club doesn’t mean that you cant give back. You can easily search for some way to give! If not, look for the groups and join them in giving. This is the Christmas of change.

Don’t Forget About Everyone Else!Annelise Mendez 2014

What is your favorite part of teaching? I really like interacting with the students. It’s my favorite part because I feel like I will be contributing to what they will be doing in their future. Students in general are fun people. What was your favorite class in High School? Physics.What other career would you have preferred if not teaching? Before I was a teacher I was a lawyer and a scientist but my favorite one is being a teacher. Dream vacation? High adventure. I would like to go to Argentina and take a raft and fl oat down the white waters.

Advisor:

Matt KrausEditor-In-Chief:

Cloie LoganJunior Editor-in-Chief:

Victoria BlytheCopy Editors, Lead

Writers: Heather Fisk, Meadow Butler,

Taty AmaroLayout Design:

Cloie LoganSchool News Editor/Lead

Writer: Heather Fisk

Critic’s Corner Editor: David Jio

Junior Editors:Annelise Mendez, Skylar Griego,

Kayla Vandever, Phone: 559-5904

E-mail: manzanopawprint@yahoo.com

8December 2012

PAW PRINT

December 2012

Students

StaffAthletesMonarchs

and Sta�

Contact Information

How long have you been playing this sport? Since the 6th grade.What have you achieved from playing this sport? I learned how to be a leader and compete as a team and play as a team through the good and bad. Where does your drive from this sport come from? From my coaches and my teammates. When someone pushes themselves, I push myself. Also, from my dad and his encouragement.What do you do in your free time? I play sports, watch movies, and I like to go camping.

Current GPA? 4.5What is your motivation in school? I just want to get through the year and go to college for free to get a doctors degree.What will you study? Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering.What is one item on your bucket list? I want to come back to the reunion and show off as a higher individual to everyone else.

What is your favorite part of teaching? Sharing my favorite interest with others.What was your favorite class in high school? I was a band geek.What other career would you have preferred if not teaching? A personal Chef.Dream Vacation? I absolutely love Walt Disney in Florida.

Jessica Rodriguez (Senior)

Oniezis Johnson (Senior)-Basketball Patrick Florence (Math)

Katie Roach (Senior)- Basketball Heather Gillespie (Culinary Arts)

Luke Jungmann (Senior)

How long have you been playing this sport? 12 years.What have you achieved from playing this sport? Mostly brotherhood.Where does your drive for this sport come from? It comes from family and other previous basketball players.What do you do in your free time? I eat and play video games.

Current GPA? 3.8What is your motivation in school? Well... I want to make money when I’m older and right now you can’t do that unless you have an education.What will you study? I want to go to school to be a doctor, either a neurologist or a pediatric oncologist.What is one item on your bucket list? I want to go to NASA and take a tour, it’s something I’ve always been interested in.

Clogan’s Monthly Musing: Instant Gratifi cationCloie Logan 2013

I am trying to be patient. I only have to wait for a month for my college letter from submitting my application, but I’m still squirming like a little kid on Christmas Eve. One month is not that long, I tell myself, but I still plague myself with countdowns and unnecessary anxious research. Is this a novel phenomenon? Hardly. We are anxious creatures, but there is something else at work here. The twenty-fi rst century: the age of digital media. It’s all around us: advertisements for faster, more effi cient everything. In short, giving rise to instant gratifi cation. Remember dial-up? We used to have to wait almost ten minutes for Google to load. Thinking of that now, I cringe refl exively. Waiting for a letter in the mail, fl ipping cassette tapes, and develop camera fi lm remind me more of these old nuances. These days we have e-mail, texting, Skype, digital media, Netfl ix, and even Google that all help us achieve instant gratifi cation. As a modern-day teenager, I occasionally catch myself wondering how people even pursued a love interest or looked at pictures of kittens and hedgehogs and penguins and hipsters and cute people hugging and-- Oh. Right. They went outside. Twenty years later, we are left asking: outside? What’s that? Texting, stalking people on Facebook and looking at cute trending photos; these things all contribute to instant gratifi cation. We don’t have to leave the house or even get dressed to talk with someone. Text them, and bam! Instant contact. The same principle applies with Facebook. Simply browse someone’s timeline for a few minutes and you already know as much about them as if you had talked

with them for at least a week, if not longer. We’re conditioning ourselves to want things right away, with as little effort as possible, and when we have to wait we get fussy. Part of me thinks this isn’t our fault. The new behavior has become something we are teaching our younger generation without even thinking about it. It’s something we ourselves have been taught, without any conscious recollection. In any case, it is not irreversible. We can still take what chances we have to be patient. Not only are we an anxious species, but we are also a stubbornly patient one. We have written libraries full of books, made countless discoveries, created art out of anything and everything. These demand patience, and we are obviously not out of it. It’s nice to take a moment and let go of our wants and nerves every so often. Things will happen of their own accord, and we must accept that they might take a little more time than we’d like, and try our hardest not to push them along. I think I’m doing well with my patience, as after having perused the college website enough times, I know that there is no news. No matter how many times I check my application status, I know I still probably won’t know today, or tomorrow, or even the next day. (There’s an internet rumor that it will be the 14th.) No matter how many times I gaze over pictures of campus, I am not any closer to admittance than I was before. And part of patience is accepting that. ( p.s.- check this out. http://thequietplaceproject.com/thequietplace?page=&lang )