2010-2011Wildcatter

Calallen Issue6April 2011 Photos and Text by Calallen Publications

FeaturePage 3

NewsPage 2

Inside: Op/EdPage 9

SportsPage 8

EntertainmentPage 10

CAUGHT IN THE FILTER By Reid Tompkins

New Software Inhibits Learning

As technology is integrated into our education here at the high school, many students ironically find it harder to use. Students are becoming more and more familiar with computers and the Internet in today’s educational system, however, the present Internet filters seem to inhibit basic usage. “I could barely do any research on the school computers because every site I went to was blocked,” senior Ryan Boyce said. “Even though they were all educational sites.” Students are finding it overwhelmingly difficult to use computers in the school due to the new filter, known by the insidious name “Smooth Wall.” Many students claim that the filter is blocking websites that it should not be. “It makes it hard to use our time at school towards research,” senior Joe Chadic said. “There’s a lot of websites that I need to get on that are blocked by the school.” Teachers have also been battling the filter in search of legitimate information that the Internet holds. Many teachers have been frustratingly denied

access to valid websites. “I took my kids to the computer lab and spent half my time trying to deal with the fact that they could not access legitimate websites,” teacher

Jennifer Borrer said. “It

wouldn’t even let me navigate within the Texas Legislative Site (because certain words were blocked).” Some argue that the act of censoring content on the Internet impedes a student’s ability to make his or her own decisions. It also goes against the basic principles that the school is not only teaching children classroom skills, but life skills and the responsibility of being an adult. “It seems to me that older students should have more latitude,” Borrer said. “The only way that we are ever going to teach children

to function as adults is to give them the opportunity to prove that they can be adults in given circumstances.” Many organizations such as PeaceFire spend their time battling Congress on the legal basis of Internet filtering. Organizations like this argue that Internet filtering obstructs

a student’s right to free speech.

“ T h e

school has the right to censor computers because it is their property,” government teacher Steve James said. “However, I don’t agree with stringent applications of the filter.” In the school’s defense, the purpose of the Internet filter is to protect the children from obscene or harmful material, protect the computers from harmful data, and protect the administration from a lawsuit. Also, schools must provide

and maintain an Internet filter in order to receive money granted to them by the federal government, according to the Children’s Internet Protection Act. “The filter is put in place because we are mandated by the Federal Law to follow

the CIPA,” head of technology Bryan Brown said.

“Additional reasons some sites may be

blocked include teacher/administrator requests

to block sites that are abused by students during

instructional time.” Half way through the year, our Internet filter quit functioning. This forced the technology department to install a series of filters until the current one was accepted. Because this filter was launched in the middle of our school year, it was subject to many imperfections and defects that the students were quick to point out.

“We understand the new filter has caused grief and we regret that has occurred,” Brown said. “New systems often take time to be configured correctly since every organization differs in their level of filtering. However, we also feel it is better to err on the side of caution.” Mr. Brown also added that whenever the technology department is made aware of a legitimate web site that is blocked, they immediately attempt to correct it. Students struggling with the filters should advise a teacher to inform the technology department of the problem. Though students and teachers fought with the Internet filters, the future seems bright. “A new policy being proposed by the Technology Department, if approved by the school board, will open up more categories to be allowed,” Brown said. “In the future, I fully expect that Internet blocking will be less stringent.”

“Manufacturers have turned to programs that allow the system to “read” a page and attempt to categorize the site based upon the content. One example of this is the PETA website. Because the site appears to talk mainly about abusing animals, our new filter chose to block the site. Once this was brought to our attention we promptly categorized it in an acceptable category.”-- Bryan Brown, Head of Technology Calallen ISD

Officialshavesaidthatthere are 3,676 deceased, andover8,000peoplemissing,dueto the recent Japanearthquakeand resulting tsunami.Currentestimation has the final deathtoll at higher than 10,000.According to Japan’s U.S.ambassador, Ichiro Fujisaki,more than 10% of Japan’s sixmillionhouseholdsarewithoutelectricity. “The earthquake had atremendous effect on Japanbecause of their heavypopulationdistribution,”senior

John Carrillo said.“Withthehelpofotherworldpowers,however,they might be able togetbackontrack.” Theearthquakehit Japan with amagnitude of 8.9 onthe Richter scale.The evacuation zonesurrounding the failednuclear plant hasexpanded to keepresidents safe from theradioactivewater. “The Japanese

nuclear reactors aregoing to be a verydeadly problem,”sophomore JonDavis said. “Theyshould have neverbuilt them in the firstplace. Hopefully theJapanesecancontinueon with their way oflife,becausetheyofferalottous.” The actionsof the Japanese RedCross, along withhelp provided by

David Schumacher,OsakiBilaye-Benibo,ZacCohen,Connor Bryan, Jared Garcia, andJosiahKnapickaretheelite.Theycompete against other schoolsaroundtheSouthTexasareaonatriviaTVshow.Thearetheshrew,theendowed,theChallengeTeam. Of six seasons, ourChallenge Team hasbeen to four of thesemi-finals,includingthe2011team,whichcontinued to thefinals. Despite notseizingvictoryatlastMonday’s match,theplayerskepttheirbrains flowing asthey caught up withand nearly beat theopposingteaminthelast seconds of thegame.“Lastyearwewereunabletomakeit out of the first round,” seniorDavid Schumacher said. “Thisyearwemadeitallthewaytothefinals,andeventhoughwedidnotwin,Iamsoproudofthisteam.” Theprogramemphasizesquick recall of factual materialin all major disciplines - math,science, social studies, language

arts, and fine arts - and a fewquestions about current events,movies andTV, sports andSouthTexaspeople,placesandevents. “Thequestionsgenerallycover in depth school curriculumso it is great if you are a studentwho pays attention in class,”Schumcaher said. “Each one of

usisstrongeratdifferentsubjectsso we are a fairly well-roundedteam.” An average challengegame has only four players,withtwo alternates. Normal televisionprotocolsare taken,and therearefour rounds, the third of whichbeingabonuslightninground.The

teamthenhas60secondstoanswerasmanyquestionsonasubjectaspossible.Thetournamentissingleelimination,soteamseitherwinorgohome.“IfIcouldchangeanythingaboutthewaythechallengegameis run,” junior Connor Bryansaid, “I would rather each game

be a fewmore roundslongerbecausetheyaresomuchfunandeverytime a game is over,evenifwearewinning,IfeellikeIcouldkeepgoing.” Inordertobeon the team, studentstake tests on generalknowledge and triviaquestions. Those whomakethehighestscoresmake the team. ZacCohenisthecaptainoftheteam. “Apaper test

is a good way to determine whoshould be a new player for thechallenge team,” junior JaredGarcia said. “However, I don’tthinkit’ssufficientenough.Maybethe testshould includegoing toafew of the of the practices andchallengingsomeonewhoalreadyhasaspot,byaoneononesession

betweenthetwo.”EnglishteacherAmyCitzlerhas been the team sponsor forthepast twoyears, taking formersponsor,Mr.Heatherley’sspot.“Imissgoingtoallofthegamesandworkingwiththeteam,”Heatherleysaid.“However, Icanseetheteamisingoodhands.”Afewteachers(includingtheformer sponsor Mr. Heatherley)gottogetherandcompetedagainstthechallengestudentsinamock-challenge team game. Of twogames,theteamwonone.“Itcanbedifficulttofindmethods of having the studentspracticewithoutjustplayingtriviaboard games,”Citzler said. “Thepractice games with the teachersare a goodway to prepare them.Plus, teachers enjoy playing thegamejustasmuchasthekids.”Challengerecognizesplayersbyinvitingthemtoparticipateinamid-seasonAll-Stargame.Twelvestudentsarechosenbyapanelofjudges from twelve schools withone from each school. The teamis split up into two teams of six.ConnorBryanwaschosentobeontheteam.TheAll-StarairedseveralweeksagoandConnor’steamwongettting him and and each of histeammatesascholarshipof$1,500toA&MKingsville.“Ienjoyedgettingchosenfortheall-stargamebecauseIgotto

workwithabunchofpeoplefromdifferent schools,” Bryan said. “Irealize I wasn’t the only personwhowassmartandwasnotthetopoftheirclass.” TheChallengeProgramwould not go far without it’ssponsors. Navy Army FederalCreditUnionsupportsmanylocalschools,includingours.Also,localdowntown restaurant, Pizza Statealways provides the teams withfreepizzaaftereverymatch.“Mymom’sworkhasbeenasponsorofitforthepastcoupleofyears,”seniorKaleyO’Briensaid.“Regardless, I consider myself adedicated fan. I think the gamesareinterestingtoattendandIlikesupportingmyfellowclassmates.”Severalstudentswhoarenotonthechallengeteamgotomanyofthegamestocheerontheteam. “I always savea fewofthe ticketsgiven tome togive tomy friends,” Schumacher said. “Ienjoythemsupportingusanditisfuntogetpizzaafterward.” Thegamesarebroadcastedon KEDT during the season onMondays at 7:00 pm and repeatsonSaturdayat6:30pm. “Iamsadthis ismylastseason,” senior Osaki Bilaye-Benibo said. “I like being on theteam because it is a place wherenerdsareproudtobenerds.”

Page 2NEWS

THE FINAL CHALLENGEByKaylaWatkinsElite Team Takes Home The Silver

All Smiles. The challenge teamcomes together for photo after amatch.(PhotoProvidedby:KirkByan)

TSUNAMI RELIEF ByJocelynHansen,TiffanyBowmar,&GarrettWeberRecent Earthquake Threatens Japan

Wave Trauma. Japanisseverelyaffectedbytsunamicatastrophe.

many other countries aroundtheworld,has resulted inoveronebilliondollarsofdonationstowardsJapan’scrisis. “TheJapandisasterwasdevastating,”teacherLindaMixsaid.“TheJapaneseneedtoberewardedforworkingtogether.Inotherwords,whentheycometogether, not stealing,workingwithoneanother, theJapanesedeservetobeadmired.”

Page 3Feature

OFF TO SAN ANTONIOUIL Acadimic Team Takes 2nd At District, Advances Many To Regionals

By Britton Simpson & Taylor Schwartz

For the first time in the history of Calallen High School, the Mathematics and Calculator teams pulled off a triple crown - straight first places in Calculator Applications, Mathematics, and Number Sense - and were district champs.

“I was very proud to be a part of the mathematics teams,” junior Zach Choen said. “UIL is beneficial to anyone who is in it and it helps promote academic achievement in a non-school setting.”

There were many veterans competing at the district competition, but there were just as many “Newbies” competing for the first time.

“I wasn’t very nervous,” sophomore Steven Gralinski said. “The test was challenging but it felt great because I scored really high and I love that feeling, and UIL forces you to learn things you normally wouldn’t.”

The Journalism teams also did very well garnering district championship again.

“I was extremely proud of my kids,” Journalism coach Janet Simpson said. “We worked very hard to score individual medals as well as bring home the district championship.”

The Journalism team battled Alice for the first place spot this year.

“This was my first

year competing in Headline Writing,” senior Jordan Hartman said. “I enjoyed the challenge and enjoyed competing in UIL.” For the second year in a row the Speech team led by Charlene Dietrich had competitors qualify for regionals. “It is very rewarding, going to regionals, knowing that the competition that I faced at district was very experienced.” senior West Buchanan said. “I’ve been working very hard to perfect my pieces, with keeping my eye on state.”

Results:Calculator Applications - 1st place Zachary Cohen 2nd place David Schumacher 3rd place Kristen KunkelCurrent Issues and Events - 4th place Osaki Bilaye-BeniboComputer Applications - 3rd place Katherine GardinerEditorial Writing - 2nd place Garrett weber 5th place Kaley O’BrienFeature Writing - 4th place Alexandra TaylorHeadline Writing- 2nd place Brittany Ferguson 3rd place Jordan Hartman 6th place Alexandra TaylorLiterary Criticism - 5th place Aleeza StephensMathematics - 1st place David Schumacher 5th place Zac CohenNumber Sense -1st place David Schumacher 6th place Zac CohenNews Writing - 1st place Blake GearyPersuasive Speaking - 6th place Jordan HartmanPoetry Interpretation - 2nd place West Buchanan Prose Interpretation - 2nd place Britton SimpsonReady Writing - 1st Nik ParrScience - 1st place David SchumacherPhysics - 1st place David SchumacherSpelling and Vocabulary - 4th place Stacy San PedroSponsors: Janet Simpson, Katherine Herring, Sandra Rippstein, Susan Day, Charlene Dietrich, Steve James, and Herschiel Tuley

11225 Leopard St.361.241.3261

Prom is coming up and the tanning salons are booked. UV damage or not, ignorance is running strong in teenage girls. “I normally frown on getting a fake tan, but this year my tan lines from spring break were ridiculous,” senior Angelica Mendez said. “I take color easily so I’m not risking myself with too much UV light. After prom you will probably never see me in a tanning bed again.” Around prom the business at tanning salons picks up significantly

RISKING YOUR SKIN TO LOOK GOODTanning Gets Out Of Hand By Stephanie Casey

because of girls who want to look good for the memorable occasion. “I am tanning just for prom,” junior Ally Killian

said. “I just don’t want to be the same color as my boyfriend’s white tux.” Some students tan just to get a little color before prom, but others tan year- round. “I tan all the time, but I am stepping my game up for prom,” senior Demi Holladay said. “I would tan three times a day if I could, it’s so relaxing.” Most students say they are aware of the dangers of fake tanning, but they disregard the warnings. “I would rather

die looking good than die pasty white,” senior Amber Blackmon said. According to the FDA, “UV radiation in tanning devices poses serious health risks. Exposure to UV radiation, whether from the sun or indoor tanning beds, can cause skin cancer, skin burns, premature skin aging, and both short and long term eye damage.” While certain girls are busy tanning, some are opposed to fake baking. “I don’t really care if I am tan or not,” senior Morgan Whitley. “I don’t think that getting skin cancer later in life is worth being tan for a few weeks.”

Page 4Feature

TANNING TIDBITSTo help fund the $940 billion

health care overhaul, a 10% tax on individuals receiving

indoor tanning services was tacked on, and the initiative is expected to generate $2.7 billion

over 10 years.

Your risk of melanoma increases by 75% if you are exposed to tanning beds before the

age of 35.

BON APPETIT!By Brittany Ferguson & Kaley O’BrienStudents Choose Where To Eat For Prom

rom is soon arriving and choices are bound to be made. Time for the last minute dinner reservations! Luckily, Prom is at the American Bank C Center so there is a plethora of restaurants to choose from that are close by. Whether you’re looking for seafood or asian food, bay front view or not, you can satisfy your appetite in one of the many restaurants that our city has to offer, and still make it to prom with plenty of time to dance and watch the superlative awards. But hurry! All of Calallen will be rushing to these restaurants, so make your choice now!

Some places that are rumored to be popular “pre-prom” locations near the bayfront are:

Places that aren’t on the bay front but are

only a quick 20-30 minute drive away are:Seafood

Waterstreet Oyster BarLandry’s SeafoodJoe’s Crab ShackThe Yardarm

SteaksRepublic of Texas

Katz 21U&I Steakhouse

ItalianMamma Mia’sLuciano’s Italian

AsianAka Sushi

Vietnam RestaurantThai Spice

ItalianOlive GardenJohnny Carino’sMacaroni GrillGrimaldi’s

SteaksNiko’s SteakhouseCheddar’s

AsianPF Chang’s

Takeniwa Asian Bistro

Seafood Red Lobster Seafood Restaurant

Railroad Seafood Station

MELANOMA

Fake Baking. Girl uses artificial lights to achieve sun-kissed skin.

P

Page 5Feature

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS Students Prepare For The Future Through Summer Jobs

By Blake Geary With summer creeping around the corner, many students are choosing to start preparing for the “real world” by getting summer jobs. “I want to prove to my parents that I can be a dedicated, responsible student in college,” senior Jay Pena said. “Having a job during the summer is proof.” While some students are ‘working’ to assert their independence from their parents, some are just working to earn some green. “I would say the best

part of working is getting your paycheck,” senior Jordayn Garcia said. “It’s like everything you put up with and all the time you spent working is finally rewarded.” Student jobs range from sales in popular retail shops, to baby sitting for families around the community, and even serving up food in our local restaurants and eateries. “I work at my family’s restaurant, El Tapatio,”

senior Carlos Gonzales said. “I really enjoy cooking and I love that I get to be around my family.” Working can s o m e t i m e s be a

rewarding and enjoyable experience

for some, if it plays into their future plans. “I get to work in the farming business, which I plan on doing after I

graduate from Texas A&M Kingsville,” senior Blake Williard said. “It’s like I’m getting paid to do something

I already love.” A job can also be helpful in creating life-long friends and connections which will benefit you later in

life. “I work with a lot of older people,” senior Catherine Gardiner said. “So I’ve met a lot of people who can help me find jobs and make friends later along the road.” Even though having

a job can mean sacrificing weekends and late nights, many agree it’s a small price to pay. “It’s never any fun missing out on spending time hanging out with your friends,” senior Jacob Larson said. “But you get to make your own money, meet new people, and prove to your parents that you can be responsible and that is worth the sacrifices you must make.”

Page 6Feature

RECIPE FOR READINESSStudents Look for New Ways To Fill Their Stomachs

SHOCKING SOCIAL NETWORKINGNew Site Further Clouds Boundary Between Online And Reality

By Taylor Cravey

By Alexandra Taylor Are you determined to fight off the ‘freshman fifteen,’ or just desperate to avoid another night of mom’s meatloaf? Most high-school students’ cooking expertise consists of pouring milk in a cereal bowl and heat-ing packaged mac-n-cheese in the microwave. But whether headed to college and already sick of Whataburger, or tired of eating frozen dinners when mom is out of town, there are several simple cooking tips and recipes that can transform you into the next Emeril in no time. Several students at the high school, for example, take ad-vantage of health and wellness classes that offer cooking prac-tice. These students may have stepped into the kitchen care-lessly enough, but they agree that knowing how to prepare a meal is something that can re-ally come in handy. “It teaches me life lessons, and it’s fun,” junior Paige Hig-

erd said. “Now when I go to college I won’t have to live off Lean Cuisine and take out!” For many people, an inter-est in cooking starts outdoors at a summer barbeque or cozy in grandma’s kitchen at Christ-mas, making sugar cookies and drinking hot cocoa. “My parents are always cook-ing and I love to help my dad fry fish or make pancakes in the morning,” sophomore Tate Kirby said. “It’s really cool to know that I can make some-thing that I can eat and others can enjoy as well.” Many aspiring chefs branch out into other categories of food after their first successful endeavors. From baked goods to pasta and vegetables, they eventually transition to full meals, not just charring every-thing ‘a la flambe’. Some teens find they really have a knack for cooking, and of course en-joying, their creations.

“I make cookies for my friends’ birthdays and things like that all the time,” sopho-more Claudia Buti said. “I like trying new things and cooking dinner every now and then, too, just to see what I can do, and it’s really cool.” Cooking is a pastime well worth the effort. Whether in-vesting in a cooking class at school or over the summer, or just making messes in the kitchen (and promptly throwing them out as your mom throws up her hands), cooking can be a fun and relaxing activity as well as a useful skill. “Being able to prepare meals for myself really makes me feel responsible,” Kirby said. “Plus, I can eat what I want to eat and enjoy deciding what to put in a dish. Even if it’s not gourmet, it’s neat to be able to make my own meal.”

Chicken and Stuffing Skillet

Ingredients:3 Tablespoons butter, 4 skin-less, boneless chicken breast halves,1 box (6 ounces) chicken flavored stuffing mix, 1 ¼ cups water, 1 can (10 ¾ ounces) cream of mushroom soup, ½ cup milk, ½ cup shredded cheddar cheeseDirections:1. Heat 1 Tablespoon of the butter in a 10” skillet over medium-high heat.2. Add the chicken and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.3. Prepare the stuffing in skillet using the water and the remaining butter according to package directions, except let it stand for 2 minutes.4. Return the chicken to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium.5. Stir the soup and milk in a small bowl and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with the cheese.6. Cover and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Social networking has become a part of everyday life, and there have been numerous applications for Facebook, Twitter, and other such websites. However, there is now a website, not affiliated with Facebook in any way, that offers a false persona to post on your wall and claim to be your girlfriend, so as to fool others into thinking there is a special someone in your life. “The idea of Cloud Girlfriend is very cheap,” senior Garrett Weber said.

“It’s a fake way to feel good about yourself. Lying and deceiving your friends and family doesn’t help you gain anything.” It seems hard to imagine being fooled, or fooling others, in such a way, yet this website will undoubtedly gain infamy through its use. “I think it could be a good way to tick your friends off, but it won’t last long.,” junior Edward Kowis said. “It doesn’t have any value or capability to be reused.” Even those who

are very involved in online sites are not fans of Cloud Girlfriend. The fact remains that most think the Internet should be used for communication and information about people, not imaginary creations. “The idea of this website really pushes the boundaries way past where they should be,” junior Amanda Geary said. “A fake personality online? That’s really messed up!” Another issue posed by fake friends is the difficulty of knowing who is

real and who is not. “The problem of Cloud Girlfriend and other websites like it, is that online it is much harder to distinguish fact from fiction,” junior Lauren Eckhart said. “On Facebook, for example, people have so many friends from so many places, it’s impossible to know whether one is fake or not.” With applications such as Cloud Girlfriend coming out, people wonder what’s next, and how far is too far? “I think its too far

when you spend more time on the computer or phone looking at others posts than actually hanging out with friends,” junior Sebastian Pohl said. “Especially when the time spent on the computer is not with real people.” Cloud Girlfriend is just one in an endless string of sites receiving hype for its online deception. “In the end, Cloud Girlfriend is not going to last,” Kowis said. “It’s just a fad.”

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients: 3 Tablespoons olive oil , 2 pounds ground chicken breast , 2 Table-spoons chili powder , 2 teaspoons ground cumin , 1 cup taco sauce, 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained , 1cup frozen corn, salt, 8 (8 inch) soft corn or flour tortillas, 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, sliced black olives for toppingDirections:1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.2. Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil to the skillet.3. Add ground chicken and season with chili powder and cumin. Brown the meat (about 5 minutes).4. Add taco sauce, black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through then season with salt to taste.5. Coat a shallow baking dish with re-maining Tablespoon of olive oil.6. Cut the tortillas in quarters for easy layering.7. Start with a layer of the meat mixture, Then layer with tortillas and then cheese.Repeat for a second layer, ending with cheese.8. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is slightly browned.9. Remove from oven, top with sliced black olives and serve

Recipes from Southern Living Cookbook

Page 7Feature

THE SECRET LIFE OF TEACHERS By Sloan WhitesTeachers Reveal Their Secret Talents

Lisa McGrew acted in the musical, Hairspray, recently.

Nancy Crum sings in a Christian Quartet, Heavenly Love, and made 4 albums

Jacob Ward is a decent snowboarder and karaoke singer.

c

c

c

In today’s world, technology is advancing by the hour. Tasks that once required us to get out of the house to complete are now done at the touch of a finger on a screen, bypassing even the popular desktop computer. Touch-screen tablet computers have taken the technology world by storm. The implementation of the Apple iPad has started a revolution in the tech world, prompting many companies like Motorola and Samsung to follow in the footsteps of the iPad, and attempt to compete with it. “The iPad is awesome,” junior Lina Young said. “It lets me do anything in no time at all!” The Samsung Galaxy and the Motorola Xoom are trying to

overthrow the precedent the iPad has set. The Xoom and the Galaxy both boast a larger 10.1 inch screen, and have flash support. “Real estate is key,” junior Will Walz said. “The bigger the screen the better, and these things are huge!.” Many of the specs between these three computers match up pretty equally, and come down to reliability and preference to decide the right one. “My mom offered to buy me an ipad, but I said no, “junior Ashley Simmons said. “I’d rather wait and get a full-fledged laptop.” Tablet computers are also excellent for education, and with over 300,000 apps for all

interests, school can be made easier and centralize your learning environment. “My iPad helps me a ton in school,” freshman Modesto Paredero said. “It helps me organize all my assignments, and helps me have little fun when we have some free time in class.” Tablet computers are the future of today’s world, and these are the frontrunners in the competitive consumer race.

“My iPad is glorious,” English teacher Joy Beverley said. “It has revolutionized my classroom life.”

TABLET WARSCompanies Compete For Consumer Consideration

Charlene Dietrich won the twist contest in the 7th Grade and visited an underwater cave off the coast of Italy that pirates used.

c

Amanda Raiborn has gone sky diving 4 times and visited Roatan, Honduras and Belize.

c

Bretton Orr surfs, windsurfs, sails, scuba dives, plays ice hockey, plays ultimate frisbee, and is a triathlete.

cJenise Babcock is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) and is currently in college to become an ASL high school teacher.

c

Shelly Whitman visited Thailand last December,

c

Terry McClain speaks Russian.

c

Yvonne Neth played basketball.

c

By Reese Gallagher

Page 8Sports

The 2011 Wildcat baseball team has been making this season one to remember already by keeping their overall state ranking in the t o p 5. However, a s the end of this year’s regular

baseball season approaches, the memories of last year’s painful state championship loss returns to haunt the dreams of many returning players.

“Seeing the Brenham dog pile after last year’s loss was the worst feeling in the world,” senior Tanner Vandevere said. “I would do anything to have the opposite feeling this year.”

This year’s team has been putting in extra effort during their

workouts so they can return to the state tournament.

However, summer off-season preparations varied amongst different players.

“This summer I played on a select baseball team in Ohio,” senior Brett Bell said. “Playing on that team made me a much better player because I was with

players that were better than me. I had to step up my game in order to perform on their level.”

With the return of many players from last year’s team, veteran members have stepped up to the occasion.

“I like to consider myself a leader because I’m a senior that has been part of the program all four years,” senior Scott Hill said. “The younger players look up to me and other players and follow by example.”

Younger and first-year varsity players are starting to get the hang of being a part of a traditionally powerhouse p r o g r a m . However, they still look up to the veteran leaders.

“ I t ’ s

great to have all these older guys to look up to,” sophomore Christian Cantu said. “They have shown me what I need to do to make myself a better player and how to help contribute to a possible championship season.”

So far the Wildcats are 23-3 overall and undefeated in district with an 8-0 record. This puts them in a comfortable lead in District 31-4A play.

“By maintaining the lead we have in our district, we all feel very confident with our game,” senior Chad

Vanaman said. “If we keep playing like this, we believe we can be an unstoppable force in the playoffs.”

With playoffs only a few games away, a team with high expectations will go in with the mindset of redeeming themselves. “If we can overcome adversity and continue to make the success we have been so far, we have a great chance of returning to the state tournament,” Coach Jose Lopez said. “All we have to do is keep our minds focused on baseball day in and day out.”

By Tyler Kirksmith

COCKED AND LOADEDBaseball Team Starts Season With A Bang

Pitcher Perfect. Senior Scott Hill stands ready at the mound. (Photo by: Josh Briseno)

Page 9Op/Ed

MOST LIKELY TO NEED IMPROVEMENTSFlaws In The Superlative System

By West Buchanan

With prom right around the corner, students have begun preparing for the big day. On Saturday, April 16th, senior superlatives will be awarded to those students who were voted upon by their peers. After observing the superlative system, it is apparent that there are a few flaws to our current scheme. Senior superlatives add extra excitement to the already fun prom night, but over time the list of awards has slowly mutated into a train of infinite honors. And when put on the same ballot as Prom King and Queen, the prestige of being crowned, loses all effect. This is a call of advice for all non-seniors, there are several ways to improve this system for your proms to come. The saying “sometimes less is more” is more than true when applied to t h e s u p e r l a t i v e system. When talking to parents and those who graduated decades ago, superlatives used to entail a minuscule list of honors. If you were lucky enough to even be considered for one of the handful of awards it meant even that much more if you won, because the chances of winning were so slim. Now with over 30 different superlatives to be elected for, the system’s raison d'être has taken form of a burden

to configure rather than an exciting way to vote for the best of the best. Comparing our school to others, there is one definite difference. All other schools host a “favorites dance” that is a completely separate identity from prom. If you observe this system, it actually works better than the current one we produce. When you mash the senior superlatives and P r o m King and Queen all on one ballot, being

crowned Prom Royalty loses all prestige. People then maintain a mind set of, “Why would I want to be voted Prom Queen, when I can be voted most beautiful?” It’s a majority arrangement, so wherever one person gets the most votes is what they are awarded. Now if someone has the Best Eyes but they are by far the Best Voice in your grade, you basically have to compromise which one they should get, because no one can win more than one honor. To a lot of people this doesn’t sit right. Why should someone be awarded Best Eyes solely because the “real” Best Eyes was awarded Best Voice? Suddenly the superlatives organization becomes quickly like our current political “winner-take-

all” system. And more kids hold a fear

of the wasted vote. Now I know that

t h e w h o l e superlative voting process is just one big

superficial popularity system, but if each grade decides to participate in it, there are at least a few ways that the arrangement could be improved; less categories, and

o v e r l a p p i n g votes. There

Prom

Kin

g

should be a drastically shorter amount of awards to win, thus making winning an even more exciting feat. Students should be able to win more than one award, because when they can’t voters start deciding on “who’s left”. And even if we don’t host a separate favorite’s dance, Prom King and Queen should be on a individual ballot in order to ensure that their prestige is maintained.

Calallen Wildcatter Staff

2010-2011

Editors:Kayla Watkins (‘11)

Alex Price (‘11)Jordan Hartman (‘11)

Blake Geary (‘11)Reid Tompkins (‘11)

Brittany Ferguson (‘11)Kaley O’Brien (‘11)

Reese Gallagher (‘12)Britton Simpson (‘13)

Calallen High School PublicationsCalallen High School4001 Wildcat Drive

Corpus Christi, TX 78410361-242-5649

(Fax) 361-242-5632www.calallen.k12.tx.usAdvisor- Janet Simpson

Principal- Yvonne Marquez-NethVice Principals- Peter Van Maren

William BallSusanna Walker

Superintendent: Arturo Almendarez

Editorial Policy- The Calallen High School Wildcatter invites opinions to be expressed in letters to the editor and special contributions to the publication staff. Anonymous letters or special contributions will not be considered for publication. The editor also reserves the right to edit any letter or special contribution for the length and/or content. All material in each issue of the Wildcatter may not be reprinted or in anyway reproduced without the prior written permission from the editor.

Reporters:Taylor Cravey (‘12) Samuel Morin (‘13)

Alexandra Taylor (‘13)Tiffany Bowmar (‘13)

Garrett Weber (‘11)Stephanie Casey (‘11)Taylor Schwartz (‘13)Mikey Aguilar (‘12)Sloan Whites (‘11)

Krysta Gonzalez (‘13)Jocelyn Hansen (‘14)Gabby Paddock (‘12)

Shelby Whitworth (‘11)Tyler Kirksmith (‘11)Ashley Simmons (‘12)

Editor-in-Chief:West Buchanan

For all those non-seniors reading, it is not too late to make these changes for your prom. Talk to your class sponsors about making these adjustments to ensure your proms to come are even more enjoyable.

Page 10Entertainment

DRAGON AGE IIBy Garrett Weber

The Champion Of Kirkwall

The Darkspawn are once again at the root of the story, when the destruction of Lothering forces the Hawke family to flee into the Korcari Wilds. Grotesque, sword-wielding creatures pursue the family with huge numbers. The Hawkes fight desperately, but they can’t hope to win against an endless swarm of monsters. Some fall, and even then they fight. It seems that this story will end before it begins, until something unexpected happens. Dragon Age 2 is the sequel of Dragon Age: Origins where you follow a new main character, Hawke, as commentators unravel the infamous tale of his or her path from refugee to Champion. The game covers a span of several years of time after the events of Origins,

set in the same engrossing world as Ferelden but taking place in an entirely new setting within that world. The line-up of characters are mostly new, though some characters from Origins do make appearances, and one will even join your party. The game consists of clicking to move your character around a world, in which you will encounter enemies to fight and friendly targets to speak with. Conversation makes use of the dialogue wheel used similarly in Bioware’s Mass

Effect series, with generally ‘good’ dialogue choices situated higher than the tough luck conversation choices at the bottom. The morality system is more about how your allies perceive you, rather than whether your choices are overall good or evil. The dialogue wheel also provides Hawke to be witty, tactful, persuasive, and even flirty, among other things, when the situation calls for it.

Returning players from Origins will find the DA2 combat system

to be fast-paced and hands-on. The player can right-click and have Hawke automatically use basic attacks on

the target, or use keyboard shortcuts and implement a variety of interesting skills, talents or spells in Hawke’s arsenal. Enemies who stray from Hawke or are knocked back must be clicked again to close the distance, and in higher difficulties the level of

micromanagement required for victory increases. Pause-and-play tactics are still available, but the game is more suited to continuous action than Origins was. Saved games from Origins can be used to alter history in DA2 to reflect how events played out in the first game. The graphics from DA2 are equal to if not

better than Origins, and there are plentiful helpings of eye-catching magic and intricate armor sets to look at. During character generation, any custom-made characters will look substantially less impressive than the default Hawke or any of Hawke’s allies. PC users will eventually be able

to download mods from the internet to change the appearance of characters if they want to. Your various possible allies and the choice in fighting style (warrior, rogue or mage) are the only things DA2 has going in terms of replay value, as you can expect to spend a lot of time doing quite a few side quests; some are unique and required for the story to progress, but most are repetitive iterations of the same dungeons that

simply start you from

d i f f e r e n t spots. Each

a l l y has their own set of priorities and

ethics, and where one may approve of

bending the rules to help the less fortunate, another might take

the law very seriously. Balancing a group of three allies of your choosing for an effective combat force and a compatible code of ethics is crucial toward maximizing your advantages. One minor but very

annoying hitch was internet usage. The game requires internet access to even install on your computer, and you can set up an account online to keep track of your achievements and for additional in-game bonuses. Internet access proved inexplicably impossible through the game, but logging in from an Internet browser worked fine. Dragon Age 2 is incredibly fun to play for the first time. Any replay value really only consists of choosing a new class, running around with different allies, and leveling for the first quarter of the game before you will have

seen what there is to see, and then become bored. If you end up not liking the combat system, then it will be difficult to play the game one whole time through. The internet malfunction was annoying but not game-breaking, and the various game elements Origins fans have come to love are there and improved. Console owners unfamiliar to DA2 or

who haven’t played Origins should probably

rent the game and try it (if not finish it) before seeking to buy, while PC owners should still be able to download the DA2 demo online and try it out that way. As long as you don’t grow tired of it too quickly, Dragon Age 2 is a great game to purchase and enjoy thoroughly.

Page 11Entertainment

Imagine if you had to make the tough choice to cut off your own arm in order to survive. Could you do it? That is what Aron Ralston did when an accident forced him to amputate his right arm with a dull knife in order to free himself from a boulder. “I’ve had to make many choices but never a decision between life and death,” senior Brady Newcomb said. “I don’t think I could actually do it.” This incident was the subject in both Ralston’s autobiography, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, and in the 2010 film 127 Hours. This film, directed by Danny Boyle, stars James Franco as the mountain climber Aron Ralston. The film was praised by critics and was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Actor and

Best Picture.When Aron was asked how authentic the film was, he said, “The movie is so factually accurate it is as close

to a documentary as you can get and still be a drama.” “Even though the movie involves a guy who is stuck in one place, I thought the movie was surprisingly

entertaining,” senior Desirey Flores said. “James Franco did an excellent job portraying what the real guy went through.” Aron Ralston, 27 years old at the time, biked into Utah’s Blue John Canyon carrying little supplies with him. While scaling down into the canyon a boulder becomes dislodged and crushes his right forearm against the canyon wall. After trying everything in his power to free himself, he realizes he is trapped. Since Ralston had not told anyone about his hiking plans he knew that nobody would be searching for him. He eventually runs out of water, carves his name, date of birth and presumed date of death into the boulder and also records his last goodbyes to his family on a videotape. “It would be very

emotional for me to videotape my final goodbyes to my family,” senior Anna Mylett said. “But I would thank them for everything they have done for me and to say sorry that i was such a klutz.” After five days of trying to lift the boulder, the dehydrated and delirious Ralston makes the difficult choice to cut off his trapped arm. When he finally removes himself, he is still eight miles from his vehicle and has no cell phone. While hiking out he encounters his saviors, a family on vacation who gives him water and alerts the park rangers. Aron Ralston is finally given medical attention and rescued by helicopter six hours after amputating his arm. “Aron Ralston’s story is an inspiration to all,” senior Nolan Trevino said. “It shows

people that you should never give up even if things become difficult.” The arm is later retrieved by park authorities, and cremated. When Aron returned to the accident scene six months later, he scatters the ashes of his arm where he says they belong. The horrific experience that Ralston went through never discourages him from his passion of adventure. Aron keeps his loss in perspective and has already returned to mountain climbing. “I think its great that Aron returned to doing what he loves,” senior Brandon Castillo said. “Life is too short to worry about what happened in the past.”

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE By Preston McNabbOne Climber’s Story Retold In The Film 127 Hours

This April, millions of horror fans around the country will rejoice when a popular movie franchise makes it comeback in theaters. Scream 4, advertised as Scre4m, will be premiering this Friday, April 15th, as the fourth film in the highly successful horror series. Box office standards have been set at an all time high, even expected to reach up to the 50 million dollar mark within the first weekend alone. In the movie, Sidney (Neve Campbell) returns as the damsel in distress in the middle of all the chaos wreaking havoc in the small town of Woodsboro. In addition to Sidney, the two others from the trio present in all three previous movies will be returning as well; (Courtney Cox, David Arquette). After over a decade long absence,

Ghostface also makes his return as the villain who is the source of the town’s fear and terror. Woodsboro, infamous for its 15 years of deaths and killings is commemorating the anniversary of its original murders; however, with the celebration also comes a return of terror where everyone is a suspect. Sidney returns to her hometown hesitantly because of all the bad memories that she’s experienced on numerous occasions in her tumultuous life. There she reconnects with her longtime friends Gale and Dewey, as well as her aunt and cousin Jill. Unfortunately, it seems she should have listened to her intuition when she receives a troubling call that re-instills a fear she hasn’t

felt in years. History is beginning to repeat itself and Sidney, in the middle of it all as usual, seems to be the only one who can stop the killings and protect her family. In the Scream franchise, the killer is always a character well-known by the audience, so the fun part of the films is trying to guess who the killer might be. Since there is such an ensemble cast this time around, it will only be harder to discover. Speculation as to who the killer might be will be more difficult than it ever has before. In addition, the villain is always someone close to Sydney. The killer in this fourth installment will have a new set of rules of horror to go by. This means that anything happen in this movie and all previous rules and stereotypes of horror movies can’t be counted

By Angel Amaya

Timeless Killings. Creative SCRE4M poster matches intensity of movie.

Triumphant Hours. 127 Hours poster match-es its the suspenseful plot of the movie.

SCREAM 4Return Of Ghostface

on. The Scream franchise is very self aware of what type of movies it presents, and tends to use horror standards as a subject to focus on and as a way to get the audience to think they know what to expect, but then flips the script on us. So, in this film, since there are new rules to go by, there will be much more violence, anyone can die, and the killer has no holds barred. Ghostface will return to instill a new fear in Woodsboro with a new set of rules, so expect to see much more blood in this film as opposed to its predecessors as Scream 4 hits theaters this weekend.

?Please answer the following the question and briefly provide a one or two sentence comment.

Clip this form and return to your homeroom teacher or to room 802. Responses will appear in

the nest issue of The Wildcatter.

Do you think you will be going to Prom?

YES NO

readerfeedbackI

N

OX

The answers to the previous question will go here along

with anonymous quotes.Send in your answers ASAP!

70% yes 30% no “Yes, it’s a part of American history that all people should celebrate.” -senior

“No, I don’t watch the news!” -freshman

Did you know that February is Black History

Month?

C-TOWN!Page 12Lagniappe

B

Trending Now1. Prom 2011 5. Scholarships2. Regional UIL Meet 6. Spring Fever 3. The 6th Six Weeks 7. Regional Track Qualifiers4. Calallen Baseball

SuDOKU!

about his pet peeve(s), Colonel Kelly said, “people who tell you they will do something but do not do it. In order to follow through, it takes great strength and honor.” Colonel Kelly enjoys rock and blues music. He has four children, all grown up, who all graduated from Calallen High School. He encourages young adults to join the Marines. “It depends on the individual. If I feel that the individual has something

Colonel Kelly is a substitute at Calallen High School. Most of the students regard him with great respect, while the rest haven’t had him as a substitute yet. However, no one knows much about his life outside of the school. “He takes an active role when he substitutes in class,” sophomore Christian Voight said. “He doesn’t just sit down like some subs. He has interesting stories.” Colonel Kelly was born in New York City, New York. He joined the Marines in 1975 at age 23. “I wanted to join the

military as a little kid and believed it was the toughest fighting force,” Kelly said. “And I still believe it.” He retired from the Marines in 2001 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Lieutenant Colonel is a high rank just above Major. When asked about his best experiences while in the Marines, he said “[There are] too many to count but the most rewarding experience was the opportunity and privilege to serve under great leaders and lead young Marines on a daily basis.”

Colonel Kelly trained to be a

teacher in co l l ege a n d got a

degree in secondary

e d u c a t i o n . B e s i d e s s u b s t i t u t i n g and serving our country, he has also been a janitor, worked in construction, a boatyard, and a slaughterhouse. When asked

Colonel Kellyto offer to the Marine Corps and the Marine Corps has something to offer the individual, then it’s mutually beneficial,” Kelly said. “As evident by what happened on 9/11, there are people out there in the world that want to kill us and end our way of life, and the Marine Corps is the finest organization in existence to keep the wolf from the door.”

(Photo by: Alex Price)

By Matthew Leiva