the pantherPRiNTS

the CHANGE issue17 DECEMBER 2012

Going on 18page 12

Don’t Lose Hopepage 14

Marijuana Legalizedpage 18

4 6NEWS10FEATURES

16EDITORIALS20ENTERTAINMENT

The Panther Prints Presents

Our mission at The Panther Prints is to serve as a connection to the Plano East student body and the surrounding community. Through inspiration and high-quality content, The Panther Prints offers diverse coverage, passionate

writing, relatable stories, and a unique point of view. Our credible sources allow an in-depth experience that appeals to both the public and the individual. Our publication gurantees an informative, yet distinctive outlook on

current interests.

ABBYCOLE advisorKARANMAHENDROO graphicdesignerLYDIANNACIRILO & CHASENEWMAN co-ediors-in-chiefJENNYSTRATER onlineeditor KHADIJASAIFULLAH copyeditorDANIELLESWERNOFSKY headphotographerDANICASTRO advertisingmanagerSTAFFmegandullenty briannalee gustavoferretiz mattmcbrayer reubenpena jessicastuder delaneywarden kaitlinwilliams

All questions, comments, concerns, and letters to the editor can be directed to the

journalism department in B1-243 or mailed to:

PESH Journalism Department3000 Los Rios Blvd.

Plano, TX 75024east.pub@pisd.edu

Cover Photo By: Lindsey Spillman

Cover Model:Jordn Rash

SPORTS

Correction: photo credit for the Obama photo (Page 4 of the November issue) goes to http://change.gov/about/photo

All graphics by Reuben Pena

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NEWS12.17.12

NEWSN The band changed

from marching season to concert season after the last football game of the year on Nov. 9, 2012. Following the game the band started to spend class time looking at new music to prepare for concert UIL in the spring. With the transition occur-ring, the band members have mixed emotions over the change of marching to con-cert. Some feel a little bitter while others are blissful. “I would say march-ing band is a lot more fun with the football games and all the contests we get to go to,” junior Alex Garcia said. “You just get to see everyone more but so much time is spent on marching rehears-als and practicing. I guess some people prefer concert season because it takes a lit-tle less time out of our lives.” Despite concert sea-son being less physically de-manding, the dedication re-quired isn’t budging. “Percussionists have

their ensemble concert com-ing up,” senior Kayla Gallatin said. “We have a lot of ensem-bles to learn. It is less, and we don’t have to march, so there’s no practicing that.” The shift is only the

beginning of what can be achieved. There’s still UIL

along with the state compe-titions,

front-line ensem-

bles, and the con-

certs held at school.

“We’ve been put-ting forth a lot of ef-

fort, so I feel we have a good concert season ahead of us,” Garcia said. Despite the different feelings about this change the band will continue to work to make the school proud. “It depends on the kind of person you are,” se-nior Matt Chua said. “I’m one of those people who likes a small mix of both. You have those people who want to stay in band for concert season and then you have those who want to stay in for marching season, so we kind of get this nice, healthy mix.”

By: Gustavo Ferretiz

fromtoSYMPHONIESSTOMPING

BAND MAKES THE CHANGE

President Obama is

considering Anna Wintour,

the Editor-in-Chief of

VOGUE, to be the next

ambassador of France or

England. Congress is considering discontinuing the one-dollar bill.George Zimmerman, the man

accused of murdering Tray-

von Martin, recently released

a picture from the night of

the murder.

Besse Cooper, the world’s

oldest person, died at age

116 on Dec. 4

NASA plans big space expe-ditions in the near future, especially on Mars aiming to create a new rover by 2020.

“We’ve been putting forth a lot of effort, so I feel we have a

good concert season ahead of us.”

-- Jr. Alex Garcia

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NEWS 12.17.12

By: Jenny Strater

The recent change in laws governing the use of marijuana sparked controversy across the nation. Starting in 2013, Washington and Colorado will allow the recreational use of marijuana. “I support it 100%,” senior Kaileigh Roberts said. “To make it illegal is taking away from personal liberties and it’s just a waste of money to incarcer-ate a person for something that is their own choice.” Many supporters of the new laws appreci-ate that legalization will improve the economy. Le-galization would add an additional flow of money to the economy, opening up a whole new industry with numerous possibilities. “At this point, we’ll take what we can get when it comes to improving the economy,” senior Jordn Rash said. Not only will it improve the economy, the states can also expect an increase in school funds, fewer profits for cartels, and more time for police to

focus on violent crimes. Those not in support of the new laws feel like the legalization may be dangerous to those par-taking in the use of marijuana, as well as innocent bystanders. “I have a concern about people who drive under the influence,” senior Gabbie Owens said. “Some people don’t take to it the same, so you have to know your limits.” Colorado isn’t making any changes to the state’s driving-under-the-influence laws. However, Washington’s law does change driving under the in-fluence provisions by setting a new blood-test limit for marijuana. “I think that marijuana should just stay il-legal,” senior Christina Fagan said. “It’s a drug and drugs are dangerous. I don’t see anything good com-ing from this change in Colorado and Washington.”

LEGALIZEDRECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LAWS CHANGED

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SPORTS12.17.12

SPORTS

S The Dallas Cowboys, formerly known as “America’s Team,” have gone from bad to worse season after season. Fans from the region and around the country have lost hope in the once unstoppable team, triggering a huge migration to band-wagon nation. The reputation they once had in the glory days of their existence has evolved into a train for shifty fans, and everyone is jumping on board. When the ride gets good the so-called fans root for the team, but when it’s rough everyone sneaks off. “I feel if you’re a fan at all, you should stay true to your team no matter the outcome,” senior Moumata Aziz said. The fad puts a bad reputation on the Cowboys and shame to the fans that were there from the start, but it’s the price to pay when a home team doesn’t acquire three Super Bowl Championships like they once had 20 years ago. “I’m kind of in between because sometimes they play well like we did with the Eagles and then sometimes they disappoint me,” junior Zain Shahid. “I want to be optimistic about it, but I don’t think this is our season.” With that game, the craze was sure to fill over max capacity. “It’s games like that that cause a horde of bandwagon-ers to come on our side,” junior Nathan Austin said. “We have one sign of hope and it happens. It’s great that we won against the Eagles but not so great amongst fans who deal with fake fans.” Even fans that stay true to their home team feel the realism of the situation. The Cowboys aren’t getting to where they should be. It became so serious amongst fans that some-one actually posted on the White House’s website, asking the president to take Jerry Jones out as the head coach so that the team could be saved. Bandwagoners were involved too. “People want to be a part of something that once was great,” Austin said. “They hope they come back but they don’t, so people are just complaining about how awful they are and how terrible the Cowboys are. They’re doing better this sea-son, which is a start.”

By: Gustavo Ferretiz

CHANGES IN

COWBOYSBANDWAGON

Javon Belcher, a

25-year-old Kansas City

Chiefs Linebacker, killed

his girlfriend before

committing suicide on

Dec. 1.In College football, Notre Dame and Alabama will play for the national championship.

Lionel Messi, a soccer

superstar, set a new

record for most goals in

a calendar year at

86 goals.Jerry Brown Jr. (a member of the Dallas Cowboys) died in an automobile accident on Dec. 8.

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SPORTS 12.17.12

CHANGING The first thing that comes to a child’s mind when throwing their first football, play-ing catch, or kicking a soccer ball is nothing more than pure excitement. For some play-ers this excitement has followed them from peddling their tricycle to putting gas in their car and it continues to grow. These athletes strive for the future and make it happen in college. They achieve their goals by do-ing what they love and banking on scholar-ships. During the last years of an athlete’s high school career is when the sport changes from fun to serious. Sawyer Kipp, a senior varsity basketball athlete would be a prime example and has been given scholarships to Dallas Baptist University, Tarleton Saint Ed-wards and Midwestern. “Ever since I started playing basketball in fourth grade me and my dad had been working to get me scholarships,” Kipp said. “The planning is re-ally starting to pay off. If a college really wants you to play for them, they’ll do everything they can to make it happen.” Scholarships are a big chunk of what mo-tivates athletes to dominate the game and make a name for themselves. Getting that raw score may not be the only solution to an athlete getting into a university. Varsity cross country runner and junior Jack Meeks is a prime example of an athlete whose priorities go beyond physical abilities. “I didn’t start thinking about sports scholar-ships until the end of my second year in Cross Coun-try,” Meeks said. “My friends in the grade above me were given scholarships to colleges for their run-ning skills and that’s when I tried my best to be-

come varsity. I’m also in loads of AP classes and I’m working towards my academic scholarships.” Future women’s track runner for Kansas State senior Morgan Hampton is an athlete who has prepared for years. She has been given scholarships to Harding University, Doge City Community Col-lege and others. “I have been running for 12 years,” Hamp-ton said. “I enjoy track. I feel that I will enjoy it most in college because it will further my skills to make me a better runner and possibly allow me to go to the Olympics.” Many colleges and universities look beyond the fact that students achieve varsity level status. It is statistically proven that being involved in a sport generally increases the likelihood of being accept-ed. The students who play sports add security in acceptance and scholarships for the future and also continue to do what they love.

Sr. Jarvis Pugh signs a commitment letter to Santa Clara University Oct. 8

By: Reuben Pena

Photo by Claire Slote

FUTURESTHE GAME OF SCHOLARSHIPS

FUTU

REST

ARS Jasmine

Coston signed with Texas Tech

Marcus Mathieu signed with McNeese State

Frances Ivers signed with Western State Colorado University

Photos by Claire Slote

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SPORTS12.17.12

BCSCHANGESBy: Matt McBrayer

For years fans have complained about col-lege football, the only collegiate sport without a playoff. The bowl championship series is a rank-ing system of six computers to determine the team most worthy of the number-one spot. After the 2004-2005 season, there were two national champions crowned - University of Southern California, and Louisiana State Universi-ty. This is because the Associated Press polled ex-perts, while the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) based results on computer rankings. The AP poll crowned USC the national champion, while the BCS crowned LSU. Fans now rejoice because the BCS will be a four-team playoff system. “I think the new playoff is fair,” senior Zach Khan said. “ It gives the teams a fair shot.” This year Notre Dame and Alabama play for all the marbles, and fans are excited to see Notre Dame’s fierce run defense battle with Ala-bama’s juggernaut of an offense. On the other side of the ball you’ll see Alabama’s fearsome defense pitted against Notre Dame’s surprising offense led by freshman Everett Golson and senior Theo Riddick. The National Championship gives the two teams a revenue boost of $11.5 million, which is significantly more than other bowls. The universi-ties that didn’t make the BCS games lost out on the money. “A playoff would help the schools who are not in the power conferences, like Boise State,” junior Tanner Mendenhall said. Teams like Boise State are not considered for the national championship because of their conference, the Western Athletic Conference. In 2007, Boise State won the Fiesta Bowl, defeating the Oklahoma Sooners 43-42. “(A playoff) gives the teams more chanc-es,” senior Jessica Perry said. The change will revolutionize the sport be-cause it gives the fans what they have wanted “It would help the underdogs most,” Perry said.

“I think they should change it to make it more like a playoff like the NFL.”-- Sr. Saryn Nelson

“They should do a play-off, it’s more fair and gives every team a chance to play.” -- Sr. Justin Wheeler

“They do not need to make changes to the BCS because it’s been way too long to change it.” -- Jr. Joshua Deleon

“I think the BCS is doing a great job with every-thing that they’re doing.” -- Sr. Adam Schultz.

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SPORTS 12.17.12

GAME CHANGER

OLD EAST TEAM COMES BACK FOR A

REMATCHBy: Chase Newman

When any game ends the same thing usually happens. The crowd files out of the stadium pumped up after their team’s recent win or filled with disap-pointment after their team’s recent loss. The two teams shake hands and head home. The stadium lights turn off and the game becomes a ghost in the minds of all who witnessed what had happened that night. However, the greater games remain marked into the memories of all who witnessed it and go down in history as one of the greatest played. The latter is what hap-pened during a pivotal match in which Plano East played John Ty-ler high school on Nov. 26, 1994. It was the state championship semi-final game and both teams had an undefeated record all season. In the last two and a half minutes of the game Plano East was down 41-17. In that time they were able to regain a lead of 44-41 with 24 sec-onds left in the game, which has made it considered one of the most spine-tingling game-changers to ever occur in high school sports. However, John Tyler was able to score one last touchdown in that 24 second period, and the game ended with a loss for Plano East. “No one could believe what had happened,” former player Frank Dewey said. “None of us could believe it. We got on the bus and no one said any-thing. That was it.” The players now have an opportunity to re-live and hopefully change the outcome of the game with a new reality show, “Throw-it-back.” The show is premised as being both a televised rematch of the game as well as a “Biggest Loser” type show in which exercise and healthy eating is required to make the final cut of the game. “This is the 1994 team getting back together

to train and replay the game,” producer and creator Edward Christen said. “We have about 90 [team members] from both teams, which is about 45 from each team.” The players are looking forward to the op-portunity of having a rematch and are willing to take the measures necessary to play again. “It’s been a good opportunity,” former play-er Grayland Goodland said. “[It’s] something differ-ent to get back out here again and kick it with the

guys again.” The love for football has seemingly aged with the play-ers and only developed more and more. “We had passion about the game,” Goodland said. “We really wanted to win, and when you have that attitude in that atmosphere it shows. I think this is something we deserve as a team together and also for the school.”

The chance to get back into shape is another reason why the team is excited for the chance of a rematch. “This opportunity has been a great and fun way to get back into shape,” former player Jamie Barbwell said. “Three kids later and I’m married 20 years later and not in the best shape of the world. With work and kids and family it’s a good time to do something for myself and get in shape for football.” No matter how the rematch fares in the end, the team looks forward to reliving a cherished mo-ment in their youth. “It gives everyone here a chance to relive history and visit [our] high school days,” Dewey said. “No one hardly ever gets to do that in their life-time. That alone is a very rare accomplishment.”

East scrambles for the ball in the 1994 game that set the stage for the rematch of

the decade.Photo submitted by Jason Marshall

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FEATURES12.17.12

F CHANGINGARTSBy: Lydianna Cirilo

New fine arts directors Mr. Lee Red-fearn helped bring marching band to state while choir director, Dana Kelly works with her groups to bring out the students voices. Mrs. Betsy Thomas, the head orchestra director will be retiring from the program after 35 years at the end of next year. Mr. Redfearn’s youthful teaching style helps the band become successful over the course of the semester. “I do know I brought a different skill set,” Mr. Redfearn said. “Stuff the band members were striving to do I had achieved in high school. Since I’m a little bit younger, I understand what they’re (the students) going through at this age. I was able to connect with them and help them through the challenges we were asking them to accomplish.” Choir Director Dana Kelly also helps with changes in the department and be-lieves this new transition is beneficial. “When you think about change, some people aren’t really happy because you get used to a certain style or a certain person,” Kelly said. “[But] if you’re open to change then sometimes, you can be pleasantly surprised.” For Miss Kelly, filling the position was a learning experience.

“One of the difficult things is going in and knowing that you’re going to be filling big shoes,” Miss Kelly said. “[You’re] still wanting to be yourself [and] you know they’re still going to miss the person that was in your position before.” Orchestra Director Betsy Thomas will also be experi-encing change in the program after next year. “It’s going to be a good time for me to retire because [of] changes in enrollment that we’re going to have at Plano East over the next two years,” Mrs. Thomas said. “That’s a good time for someone new to come in and build the program.”

fine

Band director Lee Redfearn

Choir director Dana Kelly

Orchestra directorBetsy ThomasPhotos by Lydianna Cirilo

“She inspired me to learn because you could tell she was one of those teachers that genuinely wanted her kids to learn and be suc-cessful, not just at school but as a person.”-- Andrew Seebaran

FEATURES

Ms. Brandise Pedersen

IN MEMORY OF

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FEATURES 12.17.12

MEDIA TECHNOLOGYCHANGES TO By: Jessica Studer Throughout the years the amount of tech-

nology available has changed and has influenced the media. Television, newspaper and radio were great advances, but now it is the way consumers watch, listen to and read that are the great changes. All of the changes in technology have influenced changes in the media as well. The ability to watch television shows has gone from having to watch it now or never to just hitting record and getting it onto your DVR. Not having to watch a show as soon as it is airs is help-ful because people can do what needs to be done at that time versus skipping it to watch the show. Also if someone misses a show they can turn on the TV and watch it on demand. Now an hour-long show lasts 45-minutes with the ability to fast forward through commercials. “I believe [new technology] is giving people flexibility in their schedules to give them an option in a time they want to watch it,” junior Ryan Wuer-

thele said. Newspapers have also become reliant on technology. The way news travels has changed over the years. Instead of getting weekly updates on cur-rent events, daily updates are available. This keeps people involved in world affairs. However, people believe digital newspapers have negative effects. “[If newspapers were technology-based] kids wouldn’t know what they were missing, if all they know is the Internet,” senior Liz Baker-Livings-ton said. “I think the younger generation will never know the pain of paper cuts and flipping through newspapers, which is really sad.” Even with all the technological advances that have happened there are still many that are oc-curring. “I definitely think [technology] will [contin-ue to advance]” Liz said. “I think that there are things we don’t even know about, we’ve only reached the tip of the iceberg.”

going onBy: Chase Newman18THE

CHANGE TO ADULTHOOD

The clock ticks, the sun sets, and time moves forward. Just as soon as the day ends, it begins again and brings with it

new challenges and experiences. Such is the nature of life—a nonstop array of cycles that continue from birth to death. Each year the calendar repeats, like clockwork, over and over again. It is because of this cycli-cal nature that people have annual tra-ditions, including birthdays. With each birthday comes a new year and new responsibilities, all of which culminate to the 18th birthday, where a child be-comes an adult. When a child turns 18 in the Unit-ed States, it marks a change in their

life, making the 18th birthday a milestone. Not only does the child be-come a legal adult, but new rights and responsibilities are given to them, such

as the ability to purchase new things as well as staying out late. However, there is a distinction be-tween being a legal adult and being

an actual adult. “I do still feel like I’m growing up,” senior Brandon Randall said. “I don’t think I will ever stop feeling like that because I’ll always be learning,

and learning entails growing up.”

While legally adulthood starts at 18, true adult maturation has different meanings to differ-ent people, and may even start at later ages. “I think [adulthood starts] after college,” Randall said. “Around 22 or 23 is when adulthood really starts. Then you have to live on your own and find a job.” Responsibility is another thing that comes with the change to adulthood. Throughout child-hood parents care for children. However, when one becomes an adult, they must learn to care for them-selves. “You have to be held accountable for all of your decisions,” senior Mackensie Markes said. “It can’t be passed on to someone else, like an adult or guardian who has to take the responsibility or the fault for you.” Part of growing up and becoming an adult involves facing the real world and tackling the problems that come with it. “I think it’s definitely true what they say, that ignorance is bliss,” Markes said. “As you

get a bit older and as you realize more things, your perspective changes. You see things that people have shielded you from in the past, and you come to realize how things can affect other things.” As people become adults, childhoods end. The specific time a childhood ends differs on the person, but eventually it comes to everyone. “I don’t think it’s a specific drop-off-the-cliff moment,” Markes said. “I think it’s a progressive thing. As you get more freedom and with that re-sponsibility, you kind of slowly ease into it.” Despite legally being considered an adult, teenagers continue to grow mentally for a few years after turning 18. “The prefrontal cortex is where emotion is and where logic is, and it’s not fully formed [at 18],” AP Psychology teacher Dana Nygaard said. “That’s why we don’t want kids making decisions like going to get married at this age. They don’t have the literal brainpower to make wise choices and it’s still form-

“A part of me

is a little scared,

but another part of me

is super excited to be an

adult and to be out in the

adult world and

experience that.”-- Sr. Mari Fleming

“I’ll always be learning, and learning entails growing up.”-- Sr. Brandon Randall

“It’s not a big deal. I still have all the same responsibilities. Nothing really changes until you are on your own.”-- Sr. Lindsey Spillman

“It is fun being an adult, but be a kid as long as you can.”-- Ms. Jennifer Melander

WHEN DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AN ADULT?

When you provide for yourself

After college2118

37%15%18%

30%

Out of 571 students surveyed

While legally adulthood starts at 18, true adult maturation has different meanings to differ-ent people, and may even start at later ages. “I think [adulthood starts] after college,” Randall said. “Around 22 or 23 is when adulthood really starts. Then you have to live on your own and find a job.” Responsibility is another thing that comes with the change to adulthood. Throughout child-hood parents care for children. However, when one becomes an adult, they must learn to care for them-selves. “You have to be held accountable for all of your decisions,” senior Mackensie Markes said. “It can’t be passed on to someone else, like an adult or guardian who has to take the responsibility or the fault for you.” Part of growing up and becoming an adult involves facing the real world and tackling the problems that come with it. “I think it’s definitely true what they say, that ignorance is bliss,” Markes said. “As you

get a bit older and as you realize more things, your perspective changes. You see things that people have shielded you from in the past, and you come to realize how things can affect other things.” As people become adults, childhoods end. The specific time a childhood ends differs on the person, but eventually it comes to everyone. “I don’t think it’s a specific drop-off-the-cliff moment,” Markes said. “I think it’s a progressive thing. As you get more freedom and with that re-sponsibility, you kind of slowly ease into it.” Despite legally being considered an adult, teenagers continue to grow mentally for a few years after turning 18. “The prefrontal cortex is where emotion is and where logic is, and it’s not fully formed [at 18],” AP Psychology teacher Dana Nygaard said. “That’s why we don’t want kids making decisions like going to get married at this age. They don’t have the literal brainpower to make wise choices and it’s still form-

ing through their early 20s.” Throughout school, students experienced physical changes as a part of grow-ing up. There are also mental chang-es that occur through mental devel-opment. “Cognitively we slow down, so we don’t process things as quickly,” Nygaard said. “We’re not as good at maintaining levels of stress when we’re younger. It’s like juggling. We can keep all the balls in the air. As we get older, because we slow down mentally, we drop one. That forces us to slow down.” Growing up doesn’t immediately stop with turning 18. Some adults consid-ered themselves to be still growing despite their legal distinction of being complete adults. “[When I turned 18] I still felt like a kid,” earth and space science teacher Jennifer Meland-er said. “My parents sent me off to college and

they were still paying for my college. They still gave me an allowance and I was still under their umbrella.” Part of adulthood involves increased work and duties that must be undertaken. While adults do have more rights, they also accept the responsibilities that go with it. “Responsibility is number one,” Me-lander said. “Now I have kids, so of course

I have huge responsibilities to make sure they grow up to be responsible adults. I have other responsibilities like [going] to work every day because I have to and I have things to take care of.” Some adults feel that students try to grow up too fast without properly understand-ing the added endeavors that adults face. “Being an adult is not always fun,” Me-lander said. “I feel like students think that they want to be an adult so bad and they’re ready to get out and get on their own. I wish that they would slow down.” While being an adult gives more freedom to children, Melander finds that childhood can be just as enjoyable. “I think that seniors think it’s really fun,” Melander said. “It is fun being an adult, but be a kid as long as you can.”

“It is fun being an adult, but be a kid as long as you can.”-- Ms. Jennifer Melander

“It gives me more freedom

in what I do, and I won’t always

have to ask my parents for

what I want.” -- Sr. Jessica Gilder

“I think I’ll be really excited but also kind of sad because I don’t want to grow up.” -- Jr. Halle Ohlmeir

“It doesn’t really

mean much to me, I’ll

just be treated the

same.” -- Jr. Marc Mckennon

“I want to finally be legal and more independent, but at the same time I don’t want to be anticipating it all the time. I enjoy being 16.”-- Jr. Vivian Frederick

“I’m 18, and I still can’t do anything.”

-- Jr. Britni McElvy

It’s a turning point in someone’s life. You either move forward as an adult or remain in a child’s mindset.”

-- Jr. Kyla Flemming

“It’s like a road trip. You have no idea where you are going, but you don’t want directions.”-- Jr. Neelu John“I feel like I’m not going to be ready when it comes.”-- Jr. Nnenna Umello

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FEATURES12.17.12

BATTLING AGAINST BULLYINGONE PANTHER INVITES CHANGE WITH

By: MeganDullenty On a warm night over the summer, senior

Sydney Anhalt received a depressing phone call from a close friend that inspired her to begin the club Don’t Lose Hope. She wanted to make high school students feel welcome at school and offer any advice to teens that struggle with bullying, trou-bles at home, and negative thoughts. “[I started the club because] I had an experi-ence with a friend that called me to say ‘Goodbye,’” Sydney said. “I was able to convince him to reach out for professional help, but what if he hadn’t had anyone to call? So I thought [that] I should do some-thing to help people in [similar] situations.” Don’t Lose Hope is an organization that was originally started by her two senior friends, Garrett Baquet and Kahil Coffield. The main idea of the club is for more people to be conscious of what they say and do, since the main source of bullying is talking behind others’ backs. The members also help pre-vent bullying, teen suicide, making sure everyone feels safe at school, and trying to boost self-confi-dence in teens today.

“I joined be-cause I used to have prob-lems with being bullied,” senior Gabby Kasner said. “It’s just nice to have a club that wants to prevent that and help people in need.” At the club, the members do service proj-ects like writing compliments all over the campus with chalk. They sell bracelets that say, “Panthers Against Bullying” and “Don’t Lose Hope.” The brace-lets are $2 and anyone can buy them from Sydney or any of the other officers. “We want people to see what we do and make a difference,” Sydney said. There are 12 members and they meet the second Thursday of each month in room B2-220.

“Seeing as how this club takes place in a school environment, it will be able to quickly respond to any bullying, as well as comfort and reassure those who are bullied,” junior Kalen Ohaski said. The members look forward to mak-ing differences at school, helping stu-dents who have low self-confidence, and knowing that they don’t need to care what others think about them. “Hope is a way to make our future a brighter and better place to live in,” senior Margit Odoemene said. “Hope is [also] the strength we have to make the world a place with less [negative] temptation.”

Photos by: Karan Mahendroo

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FEATURES 12.17.12

RISING

COLLEGETUITIONS This year, according to the College Board, the average published in-state tu-ition and fee plus room/board charges exceed $17,000 at four-year public institu-tions. This is a 6% increase from only one year earlier. “The question is not whether it is a great investment, but what are the conse-quences of not going to college” said Pat-rick Callan, President of the National Cen-ter for Public Policy and Higher Education. Junior IB student Asma Fares de-bates on whether a higher education in an ivy league is worth the high tuition. “My parents got their education from Canada,” Fares said. “But [my father] was one of 60 who got their education com-pletely paid for by the government. That hurts because he is expecting the same from me, but there’s a lot more competi-tion here than where my dad was raised in Algeria.” She plans on applying to a wide

range of schools and waiting for her acceptance. “I feel like many students, like me, will apply to local schools like the University of Texas at Dallas, and get a lot of scholarships,” Fares said. “But high-er tier schools (ivy leagues), will ask for a lot more tuition. So the real question is, is it worth paying a large amount of tuition for higher-ranking universi-ties, or is it better to attend an average-tier school on scholarship?” Senior Alicia Chatten hurriedly completes her college applications with quality, as the dead-lines are closer than they appear. She believes that once she gets in to a good university, such as Wash-ington University at St. Louis, there will always be a way to pay the tuition. “The way I’ve always been raised is my par-ents don’t want the idea of money to hinder me from what I want to do and going to a good school,” Chatten said. IB senior Zahra Naziruddin agrees and adds that financial aid helps students pay for tuition.

“Scholarships and financial aid will help the student’s parents as well as themselves in pay-ing for college tuition, “ Naziruddin said. “This way they don’t need to take loans, which eventually add up. Some students end up with a $45,000 debt once they graduate and can’t find a job.” She believes students will reconsider the tu-ition amount rather than going to the school of their choice that requires large sums of money. “More people are applying for FAFSA every year.” Naziruddin said. “I think students will go to the college that gives them the most money rather than the school of their dreams. For Plano IB kids, the difficult part of the application process is not getting in a university it is how much money the university is going to give you.” Senior Stanley Joseph keeps calm about the college tuition crisis. He thinks there are ways to be successful without getting into a debt with loans. “Some successful people, such as Bill Gates, didn’t even go to college.” Joseph said. “Others went to college and strike on their own and found a way out to be successful without going to an expensive school.”

By: Khadija Saifullah DEALING WITH CHANGES

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Average In-State Tuition For Texas Colleges

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30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

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EDITORIALS12.17.12EDITORI

LS

JNIZ

ZLE

PRES

ENTS GETSWERVEBy:

Chase Newman CHANGING YOURSELF Are you unpopular? Do people make fun of you? Are you constantly spending your weekends alone with no-body but your pet cat for company? Then it’s time for you to make a change! Today, I, JNizzle, the King of Cool, will teach you how to go from being a dweeb to being the coolest kid in school. By following these three easy steps, you can be a cool kid just like me. Step one: Listen to rap music. Right now rap music is the coolest of the cool. In fact, it’s cooler than cool—it’s ice cold. Rappers invented the definition of what true swag is and they coin all the newest slang phrases. If you

don’t listen to rap, you might not know any of the new slang being tossed around, leaving you wondering what all the cool kids are saying. Not only that, rappers teach people all they need to know about life: It’s all about being cool. With a group of people so devoted to being awesome, one can understand why they play a necessary role in being cool. Step two: Be funny. Everybody loves and respects somebody who’s funny. Now, I know many people aren’t very funny, and that’s okay. There’s a very simple solution to that—steal all your jokes from TV. Watch some Comedy Central co-medians, take notes, and tell all the jokes you can remember. Don’t be afraid to tell the same joke to other people, either. Step three: Play Pokémon. Girls love a guy who plays Pokémon. Not only does it show that you’re responsible (af-ter all, you’re taking care of dozens of animals at one time), it shows that you can achieve goals. Many dream of becom-ing Pokémon League Champion, but how many actually reach their goal and accomplish it? Not many. Therefore, by becom-ing skilled at Pokémon you actually exhibit many life skills that people admire in a person. Also, it usually goes hand-in-hand with knowing the Pokémon theme song, which is the greatest theme song ever written. So there you have it. Follow

these three steps and you’ll have it all. Fame. Popularity. Swag. This and more will be yours. You just might

find yourself to be the cool-est kid in school—well, cool-est kid be-sides me.

ERio Armstrong, Vy Vu, Sugi Panneerselvam, Rosmery Rios, Spencer Hamilton, Rosmery RiosPhotos by Danielle Swernofsky

AWARDS

HONORSThe following students

have been accepted into the 2013 Texas Music

Educators Association All State Orchestra:

Samantha Choi, Ellen Kim and Chase Korns. These students will represent Plano East at the TMEA Convention in February.

The following teachers have been awarded Plano ISD Education Grants to Education: Judy Guynes, Melissa Shwartz, Michael Adams, Penny Aguirre, Richard Sklar and Courtney Koder

Panther Prints - 17

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EDITORIALS 12.17.12

winter LETTERto the

EDITOR

LtEFASHION The idea of cold, bitter Texas weather makes everyone uncomfortable, but the styles that pop up in the winter are much more exciting - boots, oversized sweaters and leggings. They have a more inviting vibe than the average pair of jeans and a thermal. The transition between summer and winter was a little bumpy since there wasn’t really a fall season. Stu-dents didn’t get to experiment with the different fashions due to the temperature change from hot to cold and back again. Even in Texas, things can get a bit icy. Wearing Nike shorts, a sweatshirt and Ugg boots in cold weather might make you the laughing stock of the school. But dressing in that oversized, warm sweater with leggings or Miss Me’s and a Northface jacket will make the colder days more bearable. A summer wardrobe doesn’t always put emphasis on all the right areas, but winter clothes can. Winter attire ac-centuates those areas that make everyone look good. Even if you don’t like big sweaters and Ugg boots, you can wear other things like cardigans and cute jeans just to ensure warmth. The appeal of all winter clothes and accessories in-creases as the temperature decreases. Scarfs, gloves and hats can become just what an outfit needs to finish off that perfect winter look. Both boys and girls can wear a black or dark grey peacoat and rock it, but by adding any accessory anyone will believe that it’s time for winter. Not to mention that this new attraction of wearing leggings with an oversized sweater can make the look cute, and is very “in” for high school student fashion. Those with beach bodies and all sorts of perfect an-gles think that it should be summer time, all the time. There is nothing like wearing shorts all year round. But during the winter it would be slightly ridiculous to wear anything that doesn’t cover your legs when it’s cold. Winter clothes have an all over more inviting and warm feeling to them. With the cold weather coming, it’s time to change wardrobes.

By: Brianna Lee

CHANGING SEASONS,CHANGING TRENDS

Dear Editors,The “Fitting In” article was a great idea be-cause a lot of students here at Plano East can relate to the topic. The one thing that I struggled with on the issue were the squeezed paragraphs (mainly next to the bot-tom picture). “Mario’s story” was also a great article because many stu-dents had been wonder-ing about him and what the big significance was. I enjoyed reading the ar-ticle about Williams High School’s 50th anniver-sary mainly since I went there. I would’ve liked to hear more how WHS im-proved the school though.

The front page of Prints seemed very scattered. When I saw it, it seemed overwhelming because the words are the same size and color. But the picture is awe-some and I can definitely see how it relates to fitting in.Sincerely,

Christine Witten

TO LEGALIZE OR NOT TO LEGALIZEStaff Editorial

One recent change in the country that brought in a lot of controversy is the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana in Colorado and Washington in December. Though there are many aspects to this controversy, it appears that the ben-efits outweigh the hindrances. The legalization of marijuana will stimu-late the economy and create jobs. It is es-timated that the government will earn $40 million by taxation alone. The state of Colorado has said to use that revenue to support public education in the state by building new schools and creating hun-dreds of jobs. Jobs will also be created by the new need for marijuana farmers. The emerging mari-juana industry will open doors for those skilled in cultivation, harvesting, storage, etc. An additional benefit of the new law is the fact that police officers will now have the time and freedom to move on to bigger issues. A marijuana bust is nowhere near as severe as a missing persons case or a domestic violence call. The drug war also deeply undercuts the role of incarceration in deal-ing with people convicted of such serious crimes as molestation, rape, kidnap and homicide. Violent criminals are being paroled early or are having their sentences chopped to make space for drug users and dealers. Many people die from alcohol use. Not near-ly as many people die from marijuana use. The U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention reports that more than 37,000 annual deaths are attributed to alcohol use alone. On the other hand, the CDC does not even have a category for deaths caused by the

use of marijuana. Addiction researchers have consistently reported that mari-juana is far less addictive than alcohol. In particular, alcohol use can result in significant and potentially fatal physical withdrawal, whereas marijuana has not been found to produce any symp-toms of physical withdrawal. Those who use alcohol are also much more likely to develop dependence and build tolerance. Many people think marijuana should remain illegal because of the risk of health problems. Ac-cording to the Center for Disease Control, marijua-na is nontoxic and does not have the ability to cause death by overdose like other drugs do. Research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows that marijuana only temporarily affects memory and learning capabilities, and doesn’t damage the lungs like tobacco. Also, people worry about the lowered inhibitions caused from being under the influence. While this could be dangerous, there will be laws set in place to keep everyone safe. Like alcohol, only adults 21 years of age and older will be allowed to purchase or use the substance. It is conjectured that the law will state one may be in possession of only an ounce or less at any given time, and that a person may grow only up to six plants. In 2013, Washington and Colorado will al-low the recreational use of marijuana. Although it will be legal, no one is being forced to pick up what some see as a bad habit.

A CHANGE IN QUESTION

TO LEGALIZE OR NOT TO LEGALIZEStaff Editorial

An issue that is currently being debated throughout the United States is the legalization of marijuana. In December, both Colorado and Wash-ington legalized the possession of the drug, and now more and more states are considering mak-ing it legal. This would cause a negative outcome throughout the country and must be stopped. Legalizing the drug would create a problem with people driving while under the influ-ence of marijuana. America already has a prob-lem with driving under the influence of alcohol. In 2011 the organization Mothers Against Drunk Driv-ing reported that 9,878 people were killed in acci-dents caused by a drunk driver. Like alcohol, mari-juana also inhibits driving ability. Making the drug more available would only increase the number of accidents because there is an added substance in the marketplace that can inhibit driving. The legalization would make Ameri-cans who use the substance become lazy and unproductive. The drug itself makes users tired and impairs the ability to do common tasks mainly because of a lack of energy. Considering that Amer-ica is in a recession at the present moment, it is imperative now more than ever that every single American be productive and contribute to the econ-omy. The legalization of the drug creates a strong temptation for citizens to use the drug rather than be productive, which would trap the United States in a troublesome cycle of having to pick up the slack for others.

The use of marijuana can lead to the use of heavier and more dangerous drugs. Some psychologists have dubbed marijuana as a gateway drug. The gateway drug theory suggests that substances like marijuana prepare the brain for addiction to other substances that can be more det-rimental to the health of users. By legalizing a sub-stance like marijuana the government is essentially allowing more citizens to possibly become addicted to heavier and unhealthier drugs. People who support the legalization of mar-ijuana are quick to point out that the drug can be taxed and opens up a new source of income for the government. However, the money earned from the legalization pales in comparison to the cost of jail-ing people driving under the influence of the drug, funding for those who lose their jobs from lack of productivity caused by it, and taking care of people who developed stronger addictions because of it. The legalization of marijuana must be stopped before it starts to hurt the country. Voters should vote against the legalization and create more awareness for the harmful effects of the drug to en-sure that it is stopped before too much damage is done.

A CHANGE IN QUESTION

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ENTERTAINMENT12.17.12

ENTERTAINMENT

E THANKS A LOT,MAYANSCHANGING THE WORLD

By: Dani Castro Throughout the school hallways and social networks, the idea of the world ending on Dec. 21, 2012 has been so large and inexplicable that Hol-lywood consistently exploits it into motion pictures. People poke fun at the idea by making Mayan references and creating mass-mob events on Facebook, claiming the zombie apoca-lypse is soon to follow. If such ideas were true the world would have already ended multiple times. From religious predictions to Y2K, people anticipated the end of the world more than 185 times. These “prophecies” come and go so casually that it’s not a new thing for people to claim that the end of the world is right around the corner. There is a change in the air. Many have forgotten the prediction that the world is ending and others simply have apathetic feelings towards the day of reckoning. Students are getting prepared for college and for their future careers while others are out having fun, making plans and looking way be-yond the approaching Dec. 21. New movies will be coming out referring to the end of our lives, like “World War Z,” advances in technology will continue to dazzle our society, new lives are beginning and the world is moving past what used to be considered the end. The hype about the finale is dwindling. How can we believe a prediction of the end of the world if the Mayan’s couldn’t even predict the end of their civilization? Many ar-gue that the Mayans are incredulous because they forgot one key concept. They did not account for leap years, so the world should have ended seven months ago. It seems like the destruction of all humankind may not happen, but rather this chapter in this time of life is in transition. Life is turning its page and people are beginning to read. Predictions will change and prophecies will continue to threaten the human existence on Earth, but rest assured, the only thing that has hit an definitive end in 2012 is The Twi-light Saga.

One Direction’s Harry Styles was

caught in a sweet embrace with

Taylor Swift recently, proving

these two a couple.

A first royal baby is on the way for Kate Middleton and Prince William.It’s celebrity reunion time! Justin

Bieber and Selena Gomez are back

together again, along with Rihanna

and Chris Brown.

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show aired last week, full of models, musical guests and Bieber Fever.Nicki Minaj and Mariah

Carey are just two of the

celebrities joining the Idol

table, returning in January.Lohan assaults someone, gets arrested, gets drunk, and gets the IRS to seize all her accounts all in under a month’s time.

“[There’s] no way people from civiliza-tions ago could predict the end of the world so I think everyone should look into it more.”

“It isn’t going to happen because the

Mayans didn’t ac-count for

leap years.” Sr. Nicholas Evans Jr. Ryan Snitzer

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ENTERTAINMENT Panther Prints - 21 12.17.12 By: Lydianna Cirilo

CHANGINGYEARSDALLAS NYE WOWS AGAIN

Thousands of people will pack Victory Plaza in downtown Dallas Monday night on Dec. 31 for the annual Big D New Year’s Eve spectacular. The event is free and is next door to the American Air-lines Center and on the doorstep of WFAA’s studio. This will be the sixth annual celebration of Big D NYE and every year more and more people from around the DFW area join the celebration. This event was originally started to celebrate the New Year with a bang, like the dropping of the New Year’s Ball in Times Square. It has also grown to be-come the largest celebration in the Southwest over the last few years. The public will have many different options with getting to the event and leaving afterward while food will be easily accessible. Popular area food trucks will be on hand this year and there will be multiple parking facilities located throughout the Victory Park area. Adjacent lots that are within walking distance to the plaza will also be available, though public transportation is highly suggested. The 2013 celebration will be set up on two main stages with food and beverage tents. The free celebration will have continuous entertainment, in-cluding bands that are picked in a poll from the pub-lic by the Texas Motor Speedway Fast Track to Fame

competition. Last year the bands Sleep-erstar, Good Shive Low and Prophets played, while Outlaws opened the cel-ebration and the Good Question Band headlined the event. The Dallas Stars will host the Bos-ton Bruins in their annual New Year’s Eve match beginning at 7 p.m. at the American Airlines Center. Fans can join the celebration in the plaza after the conclusion of the game. For the past few

years fans from the game have helped to crowd the plaza area while much of the crowd waits in the area a few hours ahead of the event. WFAA-TV Channel 8 will provide live cov-erage of the event beginning at 10:30 p.m. that includes the entertainment, special guests and a Stream Energy Fireworks Spectacular, shot from the several rooftops of the plaza at midnight. This live coverage will also be recording the celebration so if you want a quick moment in the spotlight with family or friends get there as soon as possible. This is just one of the many events that will be happening in the DFW area this year and with it comes more excitement and even more places that will have live shows but wont be as grand. This celebration is a chance to party with thousands of other energetic and excited people who also want to have a great time celebrating the New Year and is family oriented enough to bring the kids along. So if you plan on attending anything else this year, remember that no other celebration in the South-west will be as grand and high-tech. This year’s spectacular is going to be a big one and if you do plan on going dont forget to try some of the food and spread the word around about this celebra-tion.

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ENTERTAINMENT12.17.12

CHANGINGTV BOUNDARIESBy: Jessica Studer

As television began to be a big part of the average family life, shows revolved around comedy, joy and sometimes tragedy. In shows like “The Andy Griffith Show” or “I Love Lucy,” audiences could see the true love that a family had for each other, even through the trials of life. Nowadays shows tend to revolve around having as much fun as possible, whether it’s appropriate or not. The boundary on what is considered accept-able content for TV shows is changing. In the 1950s “I Love Lucy” became a show loved by anyone who watched it, and the phrase “Lucy! I’m Home!” be-came well known quickly. This show was a comedy about a meddling wife who wanted to be a part of her husband’s career in show business, which is usually why Lucy would always, “have some ‘splain-ing to do.” It was also a show to sit on the couch and watch with the family because the content was ap-

propriate for all ages. In 1993 “The Nanny” first aired with many similarities to “I Love Lucy.” Before Fran and her employer Maxwell end up getting married there was always suggestive content. However in “I Love Lucy,” they weren’t even allowed to sleep in the same bed though they were married. Meanwhile Fran frequently wears revealing clothing, parties and occasionally suggestive jokes are made. In 2009 the iconic show “Modern Family” began, representing “one big (straight, gay, multi-cultural, traditional) happy family.” “Modern Fam-ily” has become a beloved show over the past few years, portraying three main types of families in to-day’s society. The evolution of what is now consid-ered the typical family is evident in this show. The influence of the always-changing world is obvious throughout television’s adaption of society.

By: Kaitlin Williams Every year people change and with these changes families have to deal with more stress-ors than years before. These changes are reflected through family time, entertainment and communi-cation. Even now, some still say that these are things on the top of their list of priorities. Some families used to have certain rules like eating dinner together or no phones at the table. Now, on the rare occasion when they do eat together it seems like everyone’s doing their own little things like texting friends, checking Facebook or playing games. There is no longer “quality time” at the dinner table. With everything changing around people on a daily basis, families spend their time using tech-nologies that keep them apart. Before today’s ad-vancements, families would go to the park and play ball. Now families spend their money on tickets for

movies or passes for an amusement park. With the advancement of technology, fami-lies seem to spend their money on things that bring them apart rather than together. With this the com-munication between family members has strained because they would rather text to check in with each other than call. Families constantly texting to check in with one another does bring them closer together be-cause they hear from each other daily. But with this, texting takes away from what people get from a face-to-face conversation. For each family, important principals have changed especially over the last few decades. Each family has the option to decide whether they’re go-ing to let society change them or stay true to tradi-tion. Families could make a rule that doesn’t allow electronics during family time.

CHANGING IMPORTANTWHAT’S

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ENTERTAINMENT Panther Prints - 23 12.17.12

Facebook dominated social networks, changing the ways of communication, especially with teenagers. Currently though, other social net-works like Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr leave Facebook in the dust. Today Facebook has become the norm for people of all ages. It’s about as normal as a phone number, scattered across kids 10-years-old to great grand parents. Facebook appealed to so many teen-agers at first because it was a way to talk and hang out with their friends without the nag of adult figures. Now with parents and boss-es cluttering up the news-feed, teens decided it was time for a change. Twitter is a fun and quirky way to keep up with friends and isn’t cluttered with memes and business advertisements. Kids enjoy an easy way to go through all the drama and what’s going on in their friends’ lives, and Twitter is the way to go. Instagram on the other hand, is a perfect app for pictures. Just like Twitter, it is fast and fun, and you can quickly scroll through ev-erything that goes on at the

moment with your friends. You don’t have to wan-der through cluttered albums to find the picture you want to locate. Tumblr is one social network that has been around for a while, but is just now rising in popular-ity. It tends to be more popular with the “hipster” genre of students because it’s a private place to vent and share feelings. Facebook had its moment in the spotlight,

but is slowly falling through the cracks, and the only thing anyone says about it anymore is: “Who uses Facebook anymore?” Par-ents try to spy on their kids,

and you can’t put up certain pictures because you’re afraid your boss might see. Facebook is good for party invites and business advertisements, not to let out teen angst and feed drama-hungry appetites. After the uprise of Twitter and Instagram, even more websites are on the climb. Apps like Snapchat and Tumblr have increased in popular-

ity more than ever. Facebook often tries to add more features, always including the next best thing. Kids nowadays just want something simple and convenient. It stinks, but it’s ‘Facebook officially’ time to say goodbye to Facebook.

FACEBOOKOFFICIALIT’S

WE’RE CHANGING SOCIAL NETWORKS

By: Delaney Warden

“It’s ‘Facebook officially’ time to say goodbye

to Facebook.”

WHAT ARE YOU ON?

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28%32%

18%22%

“Facebook isn’t private anymore, like you see what

everyone is doing that you aren’t even friends with and

it just got boring and annoying. Instagram is filled with

expression and creativity. I love it because

it’s just fun and it connects you with your favorite

celebrities and idols in a cooler way.”

-- Jr. Fiona Mesfun

“Facebook is dying out. No one really posts any updates except for our parents. Twitter is a better way to keep up with people more rapidly and it’s more entertaining.”-- Sr. Ryan Johnson

facebook

Out of 611 students surveyed.

twitter

instagram

$5 STUDENT SPECIALALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET

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