Seniors jam under “Midnight Sky” 2305 E. Main, League City, TX 77573 May 2010 - Volume 84, Issue 8 In this issue: Seniors jam under “Midnight Sky” Photos by Kaitlyn Boryk Photo illustrations by Allie Hinga Meghan Mistry Photos by Katlin Foote, Photo Illustrations by Allie Hinga Choir members displayed their ability to sing pop, modern, and Broad-way songs in their three night long Pop show, themed “We’ve got A Show for You.” Thirty differ- ent songs were performed nightly, with a few varying between performances. After weeks of rehearsal and months of preparation the choir delivered a stunning performance. Thursday night debuted junior Megan O’Neil and sophmore Stephanie Loyd’s rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream.” Ju- niors Sarah Johnson, Kaleigh Sutula, and Jennifer Magill also sang “Sugar- time.” Thursday also soloed Chris- topher Fursh, a junior, in Elton John’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” and junior Matt Johnson in “Industry.” Friday night’s featured performances charmed the crowd. Rachel Rodriguez, a senior, wowed everyone in her pro- duction of Celine Dion and Glee’s “Taking Chances.” Elizabeth Hardig, a junior, sang the coun- try song “No one Else on Earth.” Saturday’s “Musical Apology,” sung by senior Sarah Hasten left the audience in a frenzy of laughter. Junior Aaron Wilson’s “Mys- tery Song,” set his perfor- mance apart from the traditional pop show songs. His lyrics to the old song “Anoth- er One Bites the Dust,” entertained as his “nerdy” choir director character danced. “Ms. Keys, our pianist, thought of the song, and Mr. Pullen thought of the nerdy character. I mocked in good fun and used what they’d said all year long in a mocking way. They got a kick out of it. I did an act somewhat like this last year, and was anxious to see the audience and choir’s response,” Wilson said. Apart from the many solos, Creek’s award- winning Chamber choir sang many ensemble pieces. “My favor- ite piece would definitely have to be cham- ber’s “You Can’t Stop the Beat” or “Lean on Me” because it uni- fied us. It was the last time to sing as a group, which was heart- warming.” Senior chamber member Stephanie Ortiz said. The entire choir also performed to- gether, including the opening and closing acts. They harmonized several slow songs, such as the classic “Over the Rainbow,” and fast beats, including “I’m a Believ- er” and “Singin and Swingin in N.Y.C.” Anna Rigby and Phillip Jackson also de- livered a moving duet to “More than Words.” The 2010 pop show was also a bit- tersweet last for 25 talented senior choir members. These stu- dents performed their fi- nal show Saturday night. “It didn’t hit me un- til the end. I’ll miss be- ing with these people. I’ve bonded with them the past three years.” Se- nior, Molly Rivers said. Second year Chamber member Ortiz also had a hard time saying goodbye. “It was amazing, defi- nitely the best as a senior. Being a second year Cham- ber member also made it fun, and difficult,” Ortiz said. Clear Creek’s choir delivered as always, with an unparalleled Pop Show. “It was the experience of a lifetime.” Rebecca Chaumet, a senior, said. Ashley Farmer The 2009-2010 senior class offi- cers worked hard this year to coordi- nate and conduct the prom. As the last chance for the seniors to spend time to- gether as a class, it was important for those in charge to make it unforgettable. “ A memorable prom experience was really important to me, so I’m glad it ended up being so awesome. My favor- ite part was seeing everyone all dressed up. It was so out of the ordinary for most of them. It was a great way to remember my senior class,” senior Ali Dunn said. The officers, in conjunction with Mrs. Laurie Delesandri, the secretary for Mrs. Mary Latulippe, and the Student Activities Office coordinated everything from the food that would be served to the list of songs that would be played. According to Student Ac- tivities Director Latulippe, prom had a great turnout compared to previous years. The group was slightly smaller, but considering the smaller size of this year’s senior class, the percentage of attendees was about the same. The smaller numbers, however, did not seem to hin- der the success and popularity of prom. It only affected it by, as Latulippe said, “adding a little more space on the dance floor.” “There were people there be- fore we opened the doors,” Mrs. Latulippe said, “and we had to make between 40 and 50 people leave when it was all over. They seemed to be enjoying themselves.” One event featured at prom was the announcing of the senior favorites. The winners in all categories can be viewed at www.clearcreekhighschool.ihigh.com. Prom King and Queen this year were Ryan Wood and Courtney Brooks. Brooks, who is involved in many different ac- tivities around Creek, including Student Council, Best Buddies, Clear, Link Crew, Longboarding Club, and varsity golf, said she was completely taken aback by her se- lection as prom queen. “I was shocked. I was excited, but I was just shocked. After an- nouncing class favor- ites I just went back to sit down. It didn’t even cross my mind that I was prom queen,” Brooks said. As a friend of Wood since elementary school, Brooks was glad that she got the chance to share the honor, and the dance, with him. “Ryan and I have been friends practical- ly our whole lives. It wasgreattobeuptherewithhim,”Brookssaid. As each senior left prom they were presented their class flower, the purple rose. They also left with a disposable cam- era. Decorations were supplied by All That Blooms, providing much relief to those staffing prom, who only had to worry about gathering the vases the flowers were in when it came time to clean up. Accord- ing to Mrs. Latulippe, the prom was a com- plete success. There were no issues and ev- eryone returned home safely the next day. “I really enjoyed hanging out with all my friends. We had so much fun going to dinner, dancing at the prom, and just hang- ing out. It was a great last event to share together,” said senior Jordan Little. Pop show singers shine on stage
Transcript
Seniors jam under “Midnight Sky”2305 E. Main, League City, TX 77573 May 2010 - Volume 84, Issue 8
In this issue:
Seniors jam under “Midnight Sky”
Photos by Kaitlyn BorykPhoto illustrations by Allie Hinga
Meghan Mistry
Photos by Katlin Foote, Photo Illustrations by Allie Hinga
Choir members displayed their ability to sing pop, modern, and Broad-way songs in their three night long Pop show, themed “We’ve got A Show for You.” Thirty differ-ent songs were performed nightly, with a few varying between performances. After weeks of rehearsal and months of preparation the choir delivered a stunning performance.
Thursday night debuted junior Megan O’Neil and sophmore Stephanie Loyd’s
rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream.” Ju-niors Sarah Johnson, Kaleigh Sutula, and Jennifer Magill also sang “Sugar-
time.” Thursday also soloed Chris-topher Fursh, a junior, in Elton
John’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” and junior
Matt Johnson in “Industry.”Friday night’s featured
performances charmed the crowd. Rachel Rodriguez, a
senior, wowed everyone in her pro-duction of Celine Dion and Glee’s “Taking Chances.” Elizabeth
Hardig, a junior, sang the coun-try song “No one Else on Earth.”
Saturday’s “Musical Apology,” sung by senior Sarah Hasten left the
audience in a frenzy of laughter. Junior Aaron Wilson’s “Mys-
tery Song,” set his perfor-mance apart from the
traditional pop show
songs. His lyrics to the old song “Anoth-er One Bites the Dust,” entertained as his “nerdy” choir director character danced.
“Ms. Keys, our pianist, thought of the song, and Mr. Pullen thought of the nerdy character. I mocked in good fun and used what they’d said all year long in a mocking way. They got a kick out of it. I did an act somewhat like this last year, and was anxious to see the audience and choir’s response,” Wilson said.
Apart from the many solos, Creek’s award-winning Chamber choir sang many ensemble pieces.
“My favor-ite piece would definitely have to be cham-b e r ’ s “ Y o u Can’t Stop the Beat” or “Lean on Me” because it uni-fied us. It was the last time to sing as a group, which was heart-warming.” Senior chamber member
Stephanie Ortiz said.The entire choir also performed to-
gether, including the opening and closing acts. They harmonized several slow songs, such as the classic “Over the Rainbow,” and fast beats, including “I’m a Believ-er” and “Singin and Swingin in N.Y.C.”
Anna Rigby and Phillip Jackson also de-livered a moving duet to “More than Words.”
The 2010 pop show was also a bit-tersweet last for 25 talented senior choir members. These stu-dents performed their fi-nal show Saturday night.
“It didn’t hit me un-til the end. I’ll miss be-ing with these people. I’ve bonded with them the past three years.” Se-nior, Molly Rivers said.
Second year Chamber member Ortiz also had a hard time saying goodbye.
“It was amazing, defi-nitely the best as a senior. Being a second year Cham-ber member also made it fun, and difficult,” Ortiz said.
Clear Creek’s choir delivered as always, with an unparalleled Pop Show.
“It was the experience of a lifetime.” Rebecca Chaumet, a senior, said.
Ashley FarmerThe 2009-2010 senior class offi-
cers worked hard this year to coordi-nate and conduct the prom. As the last chance for the seniors to spend time to-gether as a class, it was important for those in charge to make it unforgettable.
“ A memorable prom experience was really important to me, so I’m glad it ended up being so awesome. My favor-ite part was seeing everyone all dressed up. It was so out of the ordinary for most of them. It was a great way to remember my senior class,” senior Ali Dunn said.
The officers, in conjunction with Mrs. Laurie Delesandri, the secretary for Mrs. Mary Latulippe, and the Student Activities Office coordinated everything from the
food that would be served to the list of songs that would be played.
According to Student Ac-tivities Director Latulippe,
prom had a great turnout compared to previous years. The group was
slightly smaller, but considering the smaller size of this year’s
senior class, the percentage of attendees was about the
same. The smaller numbers, however, did not seem to hin-
der the success and popularity of prom. It only affected it by,
as Latulippe said, “adding a little more space on the dance floor.”
“There were people there be-fore we opened the doors,” Mrs.
Latulippe said, “and we had to make between 40 and 50 people leave when it was all over. They seemed to be enjoying themselves.”
One event featured at prom was the announcing of the senior favorites. The winners in all categories can be viewed at www.clearcreekhighschool.ihigh.com.
Prom King and Queen this year were Ryan Wood and Courtney Brooks. Brooks, who is involved in many different ac-tivities around Creek, including Student Council, Best Buddies, Clear, Link Crew, Longboarding Club, and varsity golf, said she was completely taken aback by her se-lection as prom queen.
“I was shocked. I was excited, but I was just shocked. After an-nouncing class favor-ites I just went back to sit down. It didn’t even cross my mind that I was prom q u e e n , ” Brooks said.
As a friend of Wood since elementary school, Brooks was glad that she got the chance to share the honor, and the dance, with him.
“Ryan and I have been friends practical-ly our whole lives. It
was great to be up there with him,” Brooks said. As each senior left prom they were
presented their class flower, the purple rose. They also left with a disposable cam-era. Decorations were supplied by All That Blooms, providing much relief to those staffing prom, who only had to worry about gathering the vases the flowers were in when it came time to clean up. Accord-ing to Mrs. Latulippe, the prom was a com-plete success. There were no issues and ev-eryone returned home safely the next day.
“I really enjoyed hanging out with all my friends. We had so much fun going to dinner, dancing at the prom, and just hang-ing out. It was a great last event to share
together,” said senior Jordan L i t t l e .
Pop show singers shine on stage
OpiniOn2
Seniors Who has influenced you most during
high school?
Principal: Scott BockartAdvisor: Wynette JamesonExecutive Editor: Jan O’NeilEditor-in-Chief: Allie HingaManaging Editor: Chelsea HuebnerNews Editor: Jordan LittleAssistant News Editor: Amber ArnoldAround Creek Editors: Christine Sulkis TraceyGriffithFeatures Editor: Shannon O’NeilCreek Speaks Editors: Jacob Mancini Ashley FarmerTeen Interest Editor: Kaitlyn BlakeSports Editor: Christen ValcoviakCenterspread Editors: Ellen Gaudet WillSheffieldAdvertising Manager: Jordan LittlePhoto Editors: Kaitlyn BorykAssistant Photo Editor: Katlin FooteOnline Editor: Mary VeedellPhotographers: Shauna Fererro-Donahue Tabitha Dirrim Develin PollyReporters: Jacob Arredondo Reanna BainKaitlyn Casey Madison Doeckel Kathy ChiangDerek Gay Katherine Gughiocello Meghan Mistry Lyndsey Gordon Emily Dismukes
Email us at: [email protected] us at: http://clearcreekhighschool.ihigh.com
For ad rates call: (281) 284-1889 Fax: (281) 284-1705
Clear Creek High SchoolHiLife Staff 2009-2010
“Probably my grandparents, because they always pushed me to not focus on life’s troubles and to just enjoy life.” -Chris Del Basso
“My mom has sacrificed so much for me and I appreciate everything she has supported me for.” -Catherine Uong
“Dr. Fleming has been a very influential teacher. His stories give me a new perspective on life. He encourages knowledge without being boring.’ -Anda Brown
“Me, myself, I, and Aadi Kaul.” -Benjamin Berezin
“God, my parents, and my great friends have definitely kept me grounded, full of hope and love, driven to succeed, and able to laugh!” -Mie Millard
“Ms. Othon because she helped me realize what type of career I want to have in the future.” -Isabella Arnao
“Ms. Yancey, my [Ready, Set, Teach!] teacher has been the person who has influenced me most profoundly in high school. She has greatly helped me decide what I want to do with my life.” -Jacob Cardinal
“Mrs. Forbes and Mr. Hewlett who both believed in me long before I ever did.” -Michelle Tyson
“My friends have always influenced me to push myself harder and strive to be more. They have influenced me to be more outgoing. They have helped me a lot.” -Dillon Magee
“Ms. Carpenter because she has taught me to go fo my dreams and not listen to the people bringing you down.” -Halle Hardman
“Ms. Schwab and Ms. Harris because they have encouraged me to stick with AP class and become a role model to others.” -Brittany Jones
Allie’s Abstractions“Adios, mi amigos”
Guest Editorial: Kaitlyn Blake“Always be happy, whatever life throws at you”
3EditOrialAllie’s Abstractions“So long, and thanks for all the fish” -Douglas Adams
Allie Hinga
Kaitlyn Blake
I have always been told that my happi-ness is infectious. People ask me how I can still be optimistic when I’m dealing with personal problems and stress from school. I find that the best representation of the an-swer for this question is a quote by Hugh Downs: “A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.”
Even though many people think that I am always happy and smiling, I do not always feel that I am. I think that I am pos-sibly one of the most naturally stressed, complaining, hypocritical people in the world. However, I do appreciate my life completely. I have been blessed in my life. I have an amazing family, the best friends I could ever ask for, and I have been pre-sented with incredible opportunities. But at times I forget how truly lucky I am. I obsess, stress, and sometimes even cry about things in my life that are not going the way I had planned. But after a while, I remember that whatever I am worried about is so minor in comparison to the
grand scheme of my life. I have to re-mind myself that I have so many things going correctly in my life, and that this one bad thing does not matter that much.
One of my favorite songs of all time is “Smile” by Charlie Chaplin. It has inspired me and shown me that there are more important things in the world than my personal problems or stress about school work. It has proved to me that “when there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by if you smile through your pain and sorrow.” It has helped me learn not to worry about every single little detail in my life, even though I tend to stress about everything.
I would not be able to begin to be op-timistic about things if it weren’t for the wonderful people surrounding me on a daily basis. I doubt that he realizes this, but my brother Ricky is my biggest role model. When someone asks me who I most want to be like, I answer with his name. Ricky lives a carefree, happy life, and be-cause of that, I wish that I were more like him. I wish I had his ability to not care what people think of him. He always tells me the absolute truth and what he thinks about if I even have a chance at achieving something. He is always ready to give me advice on how to achieve my latest crazy goal. He is my biggest role model be-cause he is living his own life and loving what he does on a daily basis. In college, instead of majoring in something that is almost guaranteed to make him success-ful, he has chosen to major in music, his passion, and he loves every minute of it.
Just like I draw inspiration from the
people around me, I also draw inspiration from quotes. On my mirror, I have writ-ten with dry-erase markers some of my favorite quotes to encourage and inspire me every day. And Helen Keller once said “Be happy. Talk happiness. Happi-ness calls out responsive gladness in oth-ers. There is enough sadness in the world without yours… never doubt the excel-lence and permanence of what is yet to be.”
Every time I read this quote, I cannot help but think about the life that Helen Keller had. If she could still be happy and make the best of life, even though she was blind and deaf, then why can’t I make the best of things when I have a wonderful life?
Again, I would not be able to make the best of life if it weren’t for my amazing friends. Whenever I am on the verge of tears and I am just completely overwhelmed, I talk to Shannon O’Neil, and she never fails to remind me that no matter what happens, things will always get better and that God
has my whole life planned out. She is the person who never fails to make me feel better. She calms me down and keeps me from overreacting to everything in my life.
My life has thrown me many curve balls, making it difficult for me to make the right decisions. Often I have been faced with a Catch-22 and it is hard for me to choose the best path. Without those hard times, I would not be able to fully appreciate all of the good times I have had in my life. I have to face these difficulties, overcome them, and let them make me a better person.
Throughout my life, I have learned to always cherish every moment that I have. I have learned to live the phrase “live in the moment.” I must learn to re-member that every mere minute of sad-ness I waste, is one full moment of happi-ness I will never get back. So I must live my life to the fullest, cherish everything, and appreciate what I have while I have it, because it may not always be there.
Well, this is it. In a matter of weeks, I will be a high school graduate, off to the next chapter of my life, off to “the real world.” In the last few weeks especially, I have got-ten a little more excited about June 5 every day. The more I think about striking off into this new unknown, the harder it gets for me to live in the present and remem-ber that I still have a couple of weeks left. I think that that has been my toughest challenge this year: remembering to live in the present, remembering that I still have things left to do here before I move on to tasks I see as “bigger and better.”So often now, I have to force myself to keep work-ing hard and stay focused on my school-work. There are times when, in my mind, I have already graduated, and it gets hard for me to remember why I need to con-
tinue worrying so much about the things I still have to do here. Yes, I have senioritis. The problem with this, however, is less about my work ethic during the last few weeks of school. I think the great-est difficulty is in my attitude about it. In my own mind, I am convinced that after graduation, I will be off to new and excit-ing experiences that will take me to a bet-ter place than I am now. While I am sure that the rest of my life will hold new and exciting encounters, there have been too many times this year when I have let it interfere with my ability to enjoy the here and now. I have been so caught up in gear-ing up for my future that I have forgotten that what I have now isn’t that bad at all. I fall into this habit of thinking every so often. I feel like while my life right now is alright, if I can just get to (in-sert a point in my life here), then every-thing will be better and I won’t have to deal with my old problems anymore. The last four years have been crazy, to say the least. I have experienced some of the most drastic disappointments and the most amazing successes. But al-ways I have felt this sense of the need to move on, to get to the next part of my life where I believe that things will get better than they are now. I keep hoping that college will mean not having to deal with everything I feel is wrong with my
life here, that somehow putting time and distance between myself and my pres-ent situation will make everything better. This only works so well, however. While this might make me a more vi-sionary person, it means that it’s harder for me to be satisfied with my life on a day-to-day basis. It also makes it harder for me to connect with the people I care about because I am so focused on the path ahead that I can’t see the ones walking beside me. When I do this, I lose sight of the life I have right now in favor of one that doesn’t quite exist yet, and I can never quite be satisfied with the present, because I am living in my own idealized future. Living in the present is tough. It means facing my issues now instead of just praying they will go away. It means embracing my life and being fully pres-ent in each moment. It means being will-ing to run the risk that I might get hurt. It means realizing that even if it isn’t al-ways pretty, life as a whole is beautiful. These are the last few weeks of high school for me, but they aren’t the end yet. I still have time left here, and I still have things I can do to leave my mark and leave this place better than it was when I first came. There is still time for me to enjoy one more afternoon with my friends, to encourage someone who is struggling, to continue to learn from all of the little
things that happen every day. I can still let life as it is continue to surprise me and teach me to keep a sense of wonder. I only get to live each day once, so if I spend my time living in the future, I am missing out on what I actually have. With all of its disappointments and strug-gles, life can be beautiful if I learn to fo-cus on the good things in each moment. I can improve my relationships with others if I realize that they are the people that I have right now. I can make a difference in other’s lives if I learn to see that God has put them here at this time for a reason. I am very close to the next part of my life, but I am not quite there yet. I can be excited for the future, but I need to realize that right now, that’s all it is. I can take hold of these last couple of weeks and learn to love life as it is right now, both the good and the bad. So while I’m here in the moment, thank you. Thank you to those of you who have picked up the newspaper each month and read all of the random things I’ve had to say. Thanks for listening while I have tried to figure life out and done my best to share the journey with you. Thanks for, little by little, teaching me to share my life with oth-ers. Thank you for being a part of helping me realize that I really can love life, just as it is.
nEws44 nEws44On May 7, people from all over the
Clear Lake area gathered to celebrate life, and raise money to fight cancer atRelay for Life.
Relay for Life is an annual event that gives families and friends the chance to show their support for their loved ones who are battling cancer, honor those who have lost their fight, and celebratewith survivors. It is also a chance for those who have survived cancer to share their stories with others who have fought against the disease.
The American Cancer Society promotes Relay for Life every year. Families and local groups and organizations gathered at the League City Sportsplex around 6 PM
on Friday and camped out and walked the track until 6 AM the following morning. Members from each team took turns walking around the track, but at least one
member from each group was expected to be walking the track at all times.
The tradition started in 1985, when Dr. Gordy Klatt ran and walked a track for 24 hours to raise money for the American Cancer Society. His kind act helped start what is now a world-wide event. According
to relayforlife.org, more than 3.5
million people in 5,000 U.S. communities gather each year to raise money to fight cancer at Relay.This does not include the worldwide communities that participate as well.
Several groups and organizations from
Creek participated in this year’s Relay. Creek’s PALS program, National Honor Society and The Clear Creek Volunteers all set up tents and walked for the cause. Teams were encouraged to raise money. The National Honor Society held a car wash at McDonald’s and raised almost $500.
Some of Creek’s choir members sang the National Anthem before the survivors began their traditional lap. Members of the National Honor Society read each survivor’s name as he or she walked the Survivor’s Lap around the track. Caregivers are also honored at Relay for all that they do to help their loved one who has cancer. After the Survivor’s Lap, both caregivers and survivors were given balloons. Everyone gatheredinthefieldwheretheballoonswerethen released in a sea of purple and white.
Each group and organization was assigned a spot around the track. Each group set up their station to have a sports theme. Some groups chose to sell baked goods, drinks, candy, or other novelties to raise more money for The American Cancer Society.
Family members and friends decorated bags in remembrance of their loved ones who have died and to honor those they know who are still living cancer-free.
Community walks to fight cancer at Relay Jordan Little These bags were placed around the track.
During the Luminaria Ceremony, the candles inside each bag were lit to remind others of their loved ones. It was a time for caregivers, survivors, and friends to reflect on past experiences and to gaincomfort from others who have battled or who have helped a friend battle cancer.
There were a lot of laughs during the Mr. Relay competition. Guys put on dresses, wigs, and make-up to compete for the title of Mr. Relay. For a period of time, each Mr. Relay participant walked the track to raise money. Some people donated a dollar in order to get a picture with one of the Mr. Relays.
The night was a time to show thanks for lives that have been saved and to remember those who lost their fight tothe disease. According to The American Cancer Society, last year there were 1,479,350 cancer cases in the U.S. alone. Hopefully, evemts like Relay for Life will
help to lower this statistic in the future.
More Choices— 82 majors, 120 areasof study, some only offered at SFA.
Smaller Classes with AccomplishedFaculty— A personalized education,hands-on learning from professorswho care and share their real-worldexperiences.
Beautiful Campus— Set in the pineforests near the lakes of East Texas,the campus is close to home, but nottoo close.
Lots of Amenities—Modern residencehalls, on campus movies, concerts,state-of-the-art recreation centerwith climbing wall, pool, lazy riverand 30-person spa.
Spirited Championship Athletics—NCAA Division I sports includingfootball, basketball and baseball.
Supportive Community— Free peer-to-peer tutoring, 200+ organizations.Share our Lumberjack traditions andbuild friendships that last a lifetime.
Find out more at — TheLumberjackExperience.com
The Lumberjack ExperienceOnly at SFA
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITYN A C O G D O C H E S � T E X A S
Young boy survives Libyan plane crash On Wednesday May 12, a plane
traveling from Johannesburg, South Africa to Tripoli, Libya crashed when it was trying to land at the Tripoli International Airport. The crash killed 93 passengers and 11 crew members, except a nine-year-old Dutch boy, who was the only survivor.
Ruben van Assouw was flying backfrom South Africa after a safari trip with his family. He suffered multiple fractures in his lower legs and underwent an operation at Al Khadra Hospital in Tripoli. He had to undergo multiple scans.
His mother, father and older brother were killed in the crash. His aunt and uncle arrived in Tripoli to stay with him.
Officials recovered the plane’sflight data recorder and handed it overto analysts for clues to what brought down the plane. The crash occurred in good weather with a three-mile visibility, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet and winds of only three miles per hour. The crash is now under investigation, though Libya’s Transportation Minister Mohammed Ali Zidan has ruled out terrorism.
The plane was an Airbus A330-200 and was at the tail end of its nearly nine hour-longflightwhenitcrashedat6a.m.The Tripoli based Afriqiyah operates flightstofourcontinents.Theplanesinthefleetcarrythelogo9.9.99,isthesamedatewhen the African Union was formed. The Airbus that crashed is one of three Airbus 330-200s that the airline owns. The plane was delivered in September to Afriqiyah Airways. The plane had accumulated about 1,600 flight hours in about 420 flights.
According to the New York Times, the aircraft had been inspected at least three times in the recent months by the French civil aviation authority, which did not find any significant safety problems.
At the crash site, workers with surgical masks combed through the wreckage
Amber Arnold that spilled over a large area. They found rows of seats, and passengers’ personal items, like passports and cell phones. A few large pieces of the plane appeared to have remained intact except the plane’s tail fin and parts of the wings.
Flight 771 was scheduled to stop in Tripoli before continuing to Gatwick Airport near London. The plane crashed just short of the runway. The crash was the first for Afriqiyah,which was founded in Tripoli in 2001.
According to cnn.com Airports Company South Africa provided the breakdown in the destinations of the passengers aboard: 7 to London, 32 to Brussels, 42 to Dusseldorf, 1to Paris, and 11 to Libya. There were two Dutch tour groups returning from South Africa,
one going to Brussels and the other going to Disseldorf. The government is trying to get more information about
the people onboard. The British Foreign Office is looking into whether Britishnationals were on board the flight.
Photo by Kaitlyn BorykPhoto illustration by Jordan Little
FEaturEs 55FEaturEs 55
On May 1, New York City received a suspected terrorist threat. An abandoned car was found in Times Square and was reportedly smoking. When police and the bomb squad arrived, their investigation proved that their was a bomb located in the trunk of the car. The bomb was homemade. As pedestrians were evacuated, the bomb squad removed the bomb and ended the immediate threat from Times Square.
Experts believe that the bomb would have caused a minor explosion, and would have most likely been a fireball. Shrapnel and other materials could have been launched, possibly causing injuries and deaths. The bomb was set in a 1993 Nissan Pathfinder and filled with homemade bomb materials according to Yahoo News.
On May 3, Faisal Shahzad, age 30, was arrested on a plane headed to Dubai from Kennedy Airport.
Shahzad is a native Pakistani who received his citizenship for the United States a couple of years ago. Shahzad passed all the background checks and had no red flags under his name. Shahzad is a husband and father, but his family was not in the country when the bomb incident in Times Square occured.
Shahzad was arrested on an Emirates flight set for Dubai, according to NY Times. Shahzad’s name was also added to the no-fly list, but the list was not checked before Shahzad purchased a ticket. However, the
Failed car bomber arrested on flight to DubaiShannon O’Neil
Kaitlyn Blake
United States took the alleged bomber into custody before he left for Dubai.
According to the NY Daily News, Shahzad claimed to have attended a terrorist bomb training camp during his last trip to Pakistan..
Fox News has a link to the criminal report for Shahzad on their website. The report says that the investigators were able to link Shahzad to the bombing after investigating he purchased the Patherfinder. The previous owner was identified by the vehicle’s identification number. When police interviewed the owner, he gave a description of the man who bought the vehicle. The man was sketched and resembled Shahzad. The owner recalled the man who purchased the car paid in cash and had been driving a black Isuzu Rodeo.
There was no bill of sale, and after the key was exchanged, the man who purchased the Pathfinder left the Isuzu Rodeo behind. A key to a Rodeo was found among the other keys left in the Pathfinder. After an investigation of DMV records, Shahzad was found as the registered owner of a Isuzu Rodeo.
Further investigation showed that the day of the Pathfinder purchase, the man who bought the car received calls from Pakistan. Days after the purchase he made a call to a fireworks store.
The investigation then continued to Shahzad’s former home in Connecticut. He house was opened with a key on
the key ring found in the Pathfinder.After the attempted bombing, a video
from the Pakistan Taliban group claimed that they were involved in the bomb plan, NY Times. Fox News reported that the Pakistani
On May 1, Mexican police found a young girl by the name of Elisabeth Mandala killed in a truck on a highway near the town of Mina, Mexico. Mandala lives in Sugarland, TX and told her mother on Tuesday that she was going to Mexico. Mandala was 18 years old.
Mandala was a senior at Kempner High School and was supposed to graduate in just a few weeks. In a letter from the principal to parents of students in the school that was sent home, the principal, Troy Mooney, says, “This news has saddened our staff and our student body,
and our hearts and prayers go out to the family.” Staff of the school also brought in grief counselors for those students who needed to talk about what happened.
Police are not sure why she went to Mexico, but her mother says that Mandala wanted to be a coyote, someone who smuggles immigrants into the US. However, KHOU says that Mandala’s mother told police that she was not sure why exactly Mandala was going to Mexico, because Mandala did not receive permission from her mother to go to Mexico.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Mexican police found Mandala and two men at 6 a.m. on May 1. However,
Mandala’s mother did not file a missing persons report until noon on May 1. It is not certain how Mandala knew the two men, but it is suspected that she was trying to smuggle them into the US because they had many forms of fake IDs. When the men’s families claimed their bodies, they were identified as Dante Ruiz Siller, and Luis Angel Estrella. Siller was 38 years old, and Estrella was 44 years old.
When police first found the car that Mandala, Estrella, and Siller were killed in, it appeared as though they had died in a car crash. However, police later noticed that there was a rock holding down the accelerator and therefore deduced
that the accident was staged and that the three were actually beaten to death.
Many students at Kempner High say that they will miss Elisabeth Mandala very much. Her funeral was on Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church. A classmate of Mandala’s said that she was a strong Catholic and that those who knew Elisabeth are glad to know that she is in a better place now.
One of Mandala’s friends and fellow classmates said, “She was a wonderful person, who loved life and everyone around her. Most of the negative news published about her is untrue. I remember her joy and smile!”
Sugarland teen killed while on trip to Mexico
government has custody of some suspects who may have been a part of the bombing.
There has yet to be a finaly trail inflicting full charges on Faisal Shahzad.
ads6
arOund CrEEk 7 Machine shop class reconstructs quadricycleMeghan Mistry
Craze sweeps cafeteriaDerek Gay
In 1998 Henry Ford built the first car, later named the Quadricycle. Today, Creek’s machine shop and engineering classes are replicated the old fashioned car.
Modern versions of the quadricycle are currently made in Spain, and sold for $ 4 0 , 0 0 0 . A f t e r comple t ing their version of the car, Creek hopes to sell it at an auction, h o p e f u l l y for around a similar price.
For about four and a half months, or since January, the classes have been hard at work on the car. It is almost complete, with only 20 or so parts left to be manufactured. If it is not completed by the end of the year, the car will be completed over the summer. Demanding perfect accuracy, manufacturing and building the entire quadricycle is a slow process.
Almost all parts of the car were made entirely by Mr. Bill Gibb’s classes, including gears, sprockets, the car frame, and the entire working and running engine. The fabric for the seats, however, was contracted out to a designer, and specific old time parts, such as the head light and oilers, were bought
Students and the quadricyclePhoto courtesy of Kevin Fleming
that keeps students in line for more. Many of the people who pass through
the potato line every Wednesday would like the potatoes to be served more often than just once a week on Wednesdays. Though this may never happen because the school district decides on the
menu, and they will remain only being served on Wednesdays.
These mashed potatoes have now become so popular that a Facebook page has spawned in honor
of this well liked side dish. This group has almost 200 people who are fond of the
m a s h e d potatoes served on Wednesday.Students have to rush into line on Wednesdays to insure a
serving of mashed potatoes for them and their friends, because the lines can only
This year students and faculty have recognized an item that has been on the Cafeteria’s menu for almost a decade. On Wednesdays, students rush into the cafeteria and form an extensive line in order to get a serving of mashed potatoes.
The Clear Creek High School cafeteria sells the most servings of mashed potatoes in all of Clear Creek I n d e p e n d e n t School District. Creek’s cafeteria sells over 430 servings of mashed potatoes every Wednesday.
To most people’s surprise, these potatoes a r e n ’ t anything special. T h e y are made from an instant mashed potato mix. However, it’s the taste
A student’s Wednesday lunchPhoto by Shauna Ferrero-Donahue
online or shipped over from England. “When I could buy parts for the car,
I realized this would be a great Machine Shop project. It was way advanced. We’ve covered every aspect of metal you could cover. My students have learned to deal
with steel, brass, bronze, wood, sheet metal, and even sautering techniques. It gave a great o p p o r t u n i t y for a lesson on manufacturing pistons, and history lessons. The possibilities were pretty far reaching.” said Machine Shop
teacher, Bill Gibbs. The remake of the
old timed car was not the only aspect of automobiles that Gibbs’ classes covered. Students also restored a Willis Jeep to learn how to weld properly for the quadricycle.
“It makes students who really like automobiles really like class. I’ve incorporated passion into class, which gives kids real life experiences. And ties into things kids love to work on.” Gibbs said.
The quadricycle is not the only car machine shop classes will make. Next year, classes are planned to build an electric car to “go green.” Parts for the car have already begun to be collected.
Building the quadricycle requires more
than just effort put in by the Machine Shop classes. Most of the school is now involved.
“I wanted a lot of students involved, so I asked faculty. Dr. Fleming’s English, Mr. Richard’s physics, Ms. Warden, Othon’s media tech, Sheet’s construction, Merritt’s engineering, and my classes. So instead of a few, we have a lot,” said Gibbs.
The work on the quadricycle is more than just a way for students to learn in
class, according to Gibbs, students can put the accomplishment on their transcripts. Rebuilding the old timey car has given students another level of knowledge about mechanics, and instilled a sense of appreciation for the hard work that is entailed in modern manufacturing.
the c lass of 201
0
You are such a bright spot in my day. I’m so glad you joined our staff. Thanks for jumping in wherever and whenever I needed, and thanks for keeping me on track. The future is yours!-Ms. O’Neil
For Austin SandelYou are such a great addition to the staff.
Your photographs were outstanding. How
you manage to capture such great moments
is uncanny. Enjoy your future!-Ms. O’Neil
AS MAY COMES, WE SAY GOODBYE TO
There really isn’t much I can say here that I haven’t already told you. Being in newspaper has
been one of my best experiences during high school, and it wouldn’t have been the same
without you. Thanks for sticking it out with me and believing in my capabilities before I could
believe in myself. And for always telling me to stop worrying.-Allie Hinga
Your positive, fun attitude is contagious. It is such a joy working with you. I will miss your craziness. Thnaks for keeping the yearbook staff from taking ourselves too seriously.-Ms. O’Neil
For Shannon Baty
For Kaci Stephens
You are truly a gifted leder and editor. There were so many things behind the scenes that you silently and
effectively took care of for me and the staff. Thanks for caring about the even little things. I will miss you,
but I know the future holds great things for you.-Ms. O’Neil
For Julie Rapp
You took some great photos this year. Thanks for using
your skill on yearbook staff this year. I hope you contin-
ue to use this creative skill outside of high school. Good
luck in the future.
-Ms. O’Neil
For Chelsea Farrell
You emerged into one of the most competent leaders that has come through the J program in
years. Have fun at Mizzou. I never have to tell you to work hard but do remember to have fun too. You
are a beast.-Ms. J
Your strong, steady nature is such an asset to our staff. Thanks for the great photographs throughout the years. Keep
taking photos and follow your passion. I know you’ll be successful in whatever you do.
-Ms. O’Neil
For Rebecca Dues
You took the job of ad manager to new heights this year. Thank you for putting such a professional face on our newspaper. You made a tough job seem easy.-Ms. J
To Jordan Little
To Allie Hinga
What a joy it was to have you. You made an im-pact in so many programs like Best Buddies and
track to name a few. Now that you are in college there, they can truly call Florida the Sunshine State.-Ms. J
Thanks for using your passion and
creativity in yearbook. I will miss your
silliness and sweet nature. Embrace the
future and continue to write - it is a unique
gift. Good luck, my friend!-Ms. O’Neil
For Ali Dunn
Your sweet spirit will be missed. I’m glad you came back to yearbook for your final year at Creek. Thanks for
all of your hard work and good luck in the future.-Ms. O’Neil
To Chelsea Huebner
the c lass of 201
0
You are such a great addition to the staff.
Your photographs were outstanding. How
you manage to capture such great moments
is uncanny. Enjoy your future!-Ms. O’Neil
Thanks for making it such a great year! You are all amazing people and you have always known how to make me laugh, even when I wanted to beat my head on the wall. I will miss you all next year. Thanks for putting up with all of my antics and teaching me how to be part of something great.-Allie Hinga
AS MAY COMES, WE SAY GOODBYE TO
To Ms. JThere really isn’t much I can say here that I haven’t already told you. Being in newspaper has
been one of my best experiences during high school, and it wouldn’t have been the same
without you. Thanks for sticking it out with me and believing in my capabilities before I could
believe in myself. And for always telling me to stop worrying.-Allie Hinga
You had a tough job with some of your reporters but handled the task admirably. Keep the smile going.
-Ms. J
To Kaitlin Foote
You are a true
individual an
d I salute you
. When
you so desire,
you take remarkabl
e photos. Use the
passion that y
ou have for th
eater and let
it guide you
through life. I
taught your
mom English, you J
our-
nalism, if I t
each your chi
ld, I will hav
e been here
too long.
-Ms. J
Its been a great four years together. You’ve always been there even when i had a mani. Ryan I love you!!-Rachel Vongor
Your leadership and dedication have been invaluable. I’ve enjoyed your quick wit and calm manner. Thanks for taking care of the staff, the yearbook, and me
this year. I know you will do great things.-Ms. O’Neil
For Nick Capuzzi
We don’t know what we’rt going to do without your charming smile and good looks-Clear Creek Ladies
For Jamal Scott
To Christen Valcoviak
You guys are the best friends I could have asked for in high school. Sometimes I think you know me better than I do. You have always stuck with me, even when things were tough. You have taught me how to b a better friend, even if I don’t de-
serve to know great people like you. I will miss you all a lot next year.
-Allie Hinga
To Mie, Lindsay, Katie, Catherine, and Stephanie
Your strong, steady nature is such an asset to our staff. Thanks for the great photographs throughout the years. Keep
taking photos and follow your passion. I know you’ll be successful in whatever you do.
-Ms. O’Neil
To the HiLifers
Thanks for using your passion and
creativity in yearbook. I will miss your
silliness and sweet nature. Embrace the
future and continue to write - it is a unique
gift. Good luck, my friend!-Ms. O’Neil
Your sweet spirit will be missed. I’m glad you came back to yearbook for your final year at Creek. Thanks for
all of your hard work and good luck in the future.-Ms. O’Neil
For Mariah Martinez
Your strong dedication and attention to detail will be greatly missed. Thanks for taking on the challenges of yearbook and staying positive throughout it all. I wish you well and remember: two months is too long.
-Ms. O’Neil
For Kristin Killebrew
COllEgE10Clear Creek High School Saturday, June 5, 2010 Veterans Memorial 9:30 am
Clear Brook High School Friday, June 4, 2010 Veterans Memorial 7:30pm
Clear Lake High School Thursday, June 3, 2010 Veterans Memorial 7:30 pm
Clear Springs High School Saturday, June 5, 2010 Veterans Memorial 7:30 pm
Clear View High School Saturday, June 5, 2010 Clear Brook Auditorium 2:00 pm
Look out of state, they give money. - Melanie Moore
START EARLY! - Chinedu Onochie
Have a school in mind, attend college fairs, and go on visits. - Alex Fisher
Apply as early as possible! - Zach Leighton
Apply early. Do not wait, and go on also. Put yourself in a place you would consider a vacation place. - Chase Farmer
Get a list of potential colleges over the sum-mer and write down pros and cons after each college visit you go on. Have a list of deadlines ( when essay prompts are released, different types of application deadlines, FAFSA, CSS Profile, SAT/ACT scores, mid year transcripts...the list goes on). - Catherine Uong
Try not to get senioritis - Catherine Uong
Just apply by September...get accepted by October and relax the rest of senior year. - Drew Rogas
Go into it focusing on school but remember to have fun and make a lot of new memories. - Christina Schramm
Don’t just look at the big schools, look at the smaller schools too! Find a college that will help them grow as a person, not just academically. - Chris Del Basso
Keep yourself organized! - Blaire Moreland
Take time to email/ facebook/ text/ skype your roomie before you actually meet them to collaborate on what you are bringing so you two don’t show up on move-in day with two refrigerators and no microwave. - Blaire Moreland
You have a better chance of winning local scholarships, don’t waste your time applying for hundreds of scholarships online. -Emily Backus
Apply to a couple of backup schools. -Daniel Johnson
Get your letters of reccomendation ASAP! -Emily Backus
Try not to procrastinate! -Alyssa Schaufbauer
Choose a school that will make you happy.- Alyssa Schaefbauer
CrEEk spEaks 11CrEEk spEaks 11“I gotta feeling” that tonight’s going to be good
Jacob Mancini
The “Hollywood Nights” Project Graduation party for Creek seniors of 2010 will be held on Saturday, June 5 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next morning. It will take place in the Clear Creek In te rmed ia te S c h o o l c o m m o n s a r e a .
T h e P r o j e c t G r a d u a t i o n party is a drug and alcohol free event only for seniors on the night of graduation, June 5. A decorations committee is decorating the venue in a Hollywood theme.
There will be a casino, a mechanical bull, sumo suits, a DJ, game systems, TVs, a fortuneteller, a caricature artist, a party photograph area, a hypnotist, pool, air hockey, and more at the party.
“I am really looking forward to the experience,” Chrism Magnuson, a senior, said. “It should be an exciting night filled with fun and good times with myfellow classmates from the Class of 2010.”
Check-in is from 10 p.m. to midnight. The entry fee is $10 per student and an additional $10 if the student brings a
guest. Seniors can get free admission if they
sell two raffle
t i c k e t s and an additional tworafflet i c k e t s to cover t h e i r g u e s t .
Raffle t i c k e t s can be bought on
T h u r s d a y s during lunch periods in the
cafeteria.Theraffleticketscanbesoldtofamily, friends, and neighbors. The tickets
are $25 and the rules are listed on the back of the ticket.
Prizes for the raffle drawing
include a TV, a n e t b o o k ,
and a digital camera. Anybody who submits a raffle ticket can win a prize.The winners of the raffle drawingdo not have to be present to win.
The top three raffle ticket sellerswill be awarded $500, $300, and $200 respectively.Theselleroftheraffleticketthat wins the TV will also be awarded $500. These seniors must be present to win.
At the party, seniors will be able to win play money at the casino or by participating in activities there. They can exchange money for tickets and drop the tickets into prize boxes to win particular prizes.
“Some prizes will be laptop computers, iTouches, cameras, dorm
refrigerators, and TVs,” Katy Bastedo, a member of the Prize Committee, said.
“So far, the Project Graduation Committee has budgeted $10,000 for prizes to be awarded on the night of Project Graduation, but you must be a senior and present to win,” Karen Vaughn, president of Project Graduation said.
Seniors partying at Project Graduation will have an assortment of food to pick from. Pizza, chicken nuggets, sandwich trays, smoothies, cookies, soft drinks, nachos, and chips will be available and more donations are being sought from area restaurants.
“I am ready to go chill with my friends one last time,” Alex Benavides, a senior, said. “I am also ready to go win some prizes. It should be fun; [I] can’t wait.”Photot by Shauna Fererro-Donahue
Photo Illustration by Jacob Mancini
Program instructors, administrators, and other authoritative figures within theschool district must constantly be aware of laws relating to their duties. They also have an obligation to notify the general public of these laws and stipulations, e spec i a l l y w h e n t h e y i n c l u d e the right to privacy of their children. However, at some pointduringthenotificationprocess,therewas a communication error that resulted in the hindrance of yearbook production.
Fortunately, after many of the distractions these challenges posed have been eliminated, it is possible for those involved to dig deeper and get answers to their many questions, for instance, what changed between last year and this year that left such a large impact on the yearbook program and what can be done to prevent this from happening in the future?
Fortunately, general counsel and attorney for the district, Sheila Haddock has been able to clear up some of this confusion. According to Mrs. Haddock, there were no changes in policy or law between last year and this year. In a powerpoint created to explain the confidentiality of studentinformation, she names some of the policies thedistrictmustadheretoanddefinessomeof the key terms relating to these policies.
According to the federal law entitled The Family Education Rights Privacy Act, or FERPA, no student records or personally
identifiableinformationregardingstudentsm a y be released to third parties.
The only exception to this law regarding the release of this information,
defined as “information contained in aneducation record of a student which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed”, are military recruits. The Texas Education Code and Texas Public Information Act endorses this stance by claiming that student records are confidential and notconsidered to be “Public Information.”
These policies, however, give each specific educational institution theflexibilityofdesignatingcertaincategoriesof information as “directory information”, subject to be released to third parties as long as parents have been given the opportunity to sign a form refusing its release.
According to Mrs. Haddock, the form sent home in the student handbook at the beginning of the year regarding the release of “directory information” was extended this year at the request
of school administrators to specify that the yearbook was subject to these laws.
“It is my understanding that yearbook, just like athletic programs, etc., were always contemplated as examples of “school use” and, in effort to avoid any misunderstandings, we wanted parents and students to know that by objecting to the release of directory information, they were objecting to their students inclusion in these publications,” Mrs. Haddock said.
According to Mrs. Haddock, allowing parents to further specify exactly which institutions their students information may
Yearbook problem solvers look to the futureAshley Farmer
Seniors live it up before Hollywood Nights
be released to, like the yearbook, by means of a check list or similar mechanism as suggested by the Texas Education Code would be unworkable and is not required.
“This form was not changed without much discussion and research...We are a little bit unique in that some of our peer districts actually release directory information to any third party that requests it...I do regret that it has caused some confusion and we will be taking a very hard look at next year’s form to ensure that we avoid the issues that arose this year,” Mrs. Haddock said.
Photo by Kaitlyn BorykPhoto Illustration by Ashley Farmer
12 ads
tEEn intErEst 13tEEn intErEst 13
June 18
Toy Story 3
Movies opening in theaters, Summer
2010
July 2The Last Airbender
June 11
The Karate Kid
July 16Inception
July 9
Despicable MeJuly 16
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
June 30The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Iron Man saves the show again
Love story sweeps theaters
Iron Man 2, the sequel to the popular action film, Iron Man, was released on the big screen on May 7, bringing in $52.4 million. This set the film as number 7 on the list of the films with the highest opening day income.
The first film, told the story of Tony Stark, a highly intelligent billionaire, as well as the CIO of Stark Industries, a weapons development company. Stark develops the technology of an iron suit that is fully equipped with weapons, and capable of flying. Stark uses the “Iron Man suit” to promote world peace.
The second film picks up the story six months later. Stark has been successful in his pursuits as Iron Man, but the government wishes to take over his technology. He is also presented with the alarming problem, that the device in his heart, which is
Tracey Griffith
Kaitlyn BlakeLetters to Juliet
was a classic love story. The movie was anticipated and loved. This film had a brilliantly chosen cast, a beautiful setting, and a spectacular storyline.
On a vacation to Italy, the main character Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) finds a 50-year-old letter that a woman named Claire (Vanessa Redgrave) wrote. Sophie insists on writing back to Claire, and the story begins. Sophie, Claire, and Claire’s petulant grandson Charlie go on a physical and emotional journey to find Claire’s long-lost “Romeo,” Lorenzo.
Throughout the movie, Seyfried gives a wonderful performance. The audience finds itself rooting for Charlie and hoping that Sophie realizes that she really loves Charlie, not her fiancé Victor.
Robert Downey Jr. returns as Tony Stark in “Iron Man 2.”Francois Duhamel/Paramount Pictures/MCT
Scarlett Johansson stars as Natalie Rushman, aka Black Widow, in “Iron Man 2.”Francois Duhamel/Paramount Pictures/MCT
Vanessa Redgrave, right, stars with Franco Nero in “Letters to Juliet.”John P. Johnson/Summit Entertainment/MCT
Vanessa Redgrave, left, stars with Amanda Seyfried in “Letters to Juliet.”John P. Johnson/Sum-mit Entertainment/MCT
keeping him alive, is also slowly killing him. Iron Man is given two archenemies in the film. The first, Whiplash, is the son of a man who worked for Stark’s father. The second, Justin Hammer, is a competitor of Stark Industries in the weapons industry. Stark is attacked by Whiplash who is later hired by Hammer to produce a weapon to outdo Stark’s Iron Man Suit. The movie
also introduces S.H.I.E.L.D., an organization started by Stark’s father, which helps him to overcome the conflicts presented to him throughout the movie.
As in the first film, the acting was exceptional. Robert Downey Jr., who plays Tony Stark, successfully develops and perfectly executes the character of Tony Stark, providing humor to the film with Stark’s quirky personality and narcissistic behavior. Downey was also able to perform the script in a way that seemed natural and not staged, even when referring to mind-boggling technologies, making it seem like he knew exactly what he was talking about. Mickey Rourke, who played Ivan Vanko, also gave an exceptional performance. He dug deep into the character of the vengeful Russian
inventor’s son, an unusual part, but one that he played rather convincingly.The film was filled with technological wonders due to especially impressive special effects. All of the technologies like the Iron Man Suit and the computers and machines in Stark’s lab, seemed completely realistic and left viewers awestricken. Special effects were a very large part of this film, but it did not seem overwhelmed by them, which has been the case in many other recent films. The effects only added to the classic superhero theme of the film.
As unusual as it is to find, the sequel in this series was actually better than the first. The viewer was given a more solid and full plot, while the first movie lacked conflict and structure. It also upheld the humor of the first movie that made the first film so entertaining, as well as well as the excellent performances given by the actors.
Iron Man 2 was filled with action, special events, and humor: all of the elements of an exciting and thrilling film that can really grab an audience’s attention. Out of the 30,192 ratings that the film was given, the Internet Movie Database gave the film an average of 7.6 out of 10 stars. The popular film critic website Rotten Tomatoes, gave the film a 75% positive rating out of the 227 votes given.
Despite one moment when the film shows Charlie bringing his girlfriend to his grandmother’s wedding, making the audience believe that Charlie and Sohie will actually not end up together; the movie is very predictable. For the most part, the entire movie is shown in the trailer for the movie. One critic on Rotten Tomatoes said
“if you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen the movie.” Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 44 percent.
V a n e s s a Redgrave, who played Claire, added a lot to the film. Her character is very lovable and it is easy to see that Claire
quickly becomes a grandmother figure in Sophie’s life.
In its first w e e k e n d at the box office, Letters to Juliet received over $13.5 million, a c c o r d i n g to the International M o v i e D a t a b a s e . Despite its predictability, this movie was very much anticipated, and very beloved by audiences.
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CONGRATULATIONS
Creek football team starts Spring Training Jacob Arredondo
Creek seniors sign to play sports in collegeReanna Bain
A new season of football is on the horizon, and that means it’s time for spring football again. The Wildcats are going to try to redeem themselves and make it back to the playoffs after they failed to make it last year. With the start of spring ball, everybody from the coaches to the players is working as hard to prepare for the upcoming season. After recent shake-ups in the 24-5A district, UIL has placed Galveston Ball in the 4A class and brought Pearland into 24-5A, putting the district at eight teams. Pearland has gone to the playoffs in district 22-5A for the past two years. The spring football practices will last for 18 days, but the coaches have made sure that they will use and take advantage of these days to get a head start on the upcoming season by getting a depth chart organized, implementing the
offensive and defensive systems, and evaluating the physicality of
all the players participating. The Wildcats are returning most of their offense and defensive players who have
started or played in multiple games last season. Junior Chris Collins is looking to take over as
quarterback this season. He has big shoes to fill after last seasons quarterback, Jared Garza put up record breaking stats by throwing twenty touchdowns and putting up 2082 yards in the air. But this isn’t Collins’ first round at quarterback. During his sophomore season, he had to go in as quarterback after an injury to Marcus Mata.
Last year’s offense was statistically a top four offense last
year in district. They had a total 3711 yards for rushing and passing, and are
returning their top two wide receivers, C.J. McElroy and Tevin Jones. Both have over twenty receptions and have
400 plus yards and both had over five touchdowns in the air.
With the offense g e t t i n g s t r o n g e r , the defense isn’t far behind. Last season, the Wi ldca t s ’
d e f e n s e averaged 35 points against during district play, and with teams like Clear Springs
and Pearland, turning the
g a m e
into a shootout isn’t going to be easy, even with an explosive offense. This year’s schedule has changed a bit from last year. The Wildcats are scheduled to play their usual opponents of Pasadena Memorial, and Kingwood. For the third game they will play the Deer Park. Next season, Creek will play Clear Springs hot off a Region III championship appearance. Clear Springs is coming back with a defense loaded with talent and multiple players who have committed to Division 1 schools. The Dickinson Gators have been a force in 24-5A football since they moved up to 5A. And Creek will also play its rival, Clear Lake. Last season Lake only won two games in district. But one of the wins was against Creek, and it knocked them out of the playoffs hunt. A new season starts and the Wildcats are looking to return to glory, and the preparation starts now.
Photos by Shauna Fererro-DonahuePhoto illustrations by Christen Valcoviak
Clear Creek senior athletes have worked hard throughout their sports career for this moment. More than 18 students have signed to play athletics in college. Listed are all the students who will leave Creek to play sports after graduation.
1 .Madeline Gaffney: Texas State, Volleyball2. Hali Maple: Hardin Simmons, Volleyball3. Cherish Krohn: Southeastern Louisiana, Volleyball4. Amanda Watson: Drury University, Volleyball5. Emily Backus: Our Lady of the Lake University, Soccer6. Mariah Martinez: Pfeiffer University, Soccer7. Tarah Brewer: Wayland Baptist University. Wrestling8. Chelsie McMillian: Wayland Baptist University, Wrestling9. Bobby McCormack: Angelina Junior College, Baseball10. Kaylin Dugie: University of Incarnate Word, Basketball11. Nyha Carter: Sam Houston State University, Basketball12. Michaela Adams: UT Tyler, Softball13. Kassie Bowen: Alvin Community College, Softball14. Taylor Freudenberg: UT Tyler, Softball15. Katie Moulder: Nicholls State University, Softball16. Jennifer Paden: Presbyterian College, Golf17. Lindsay Musgrove: Penn State, Gymnastics18. Chelsea Huebner: Florida International University, Cross Country
Each of these athletes has trained in their sport and has received opportunities for success through their hard work and dedication.
“I am very excited about [playing]. UT Tyler has a very good program and I’m ready to go to the next level,” senior Taylor Freudenberg said.
Each player was required to to get noticed by college coaches. Senior goalie Emily Backus told the story of how she managed to get signed.
“I was at the point where I wasn’t sure if I wanted to play college soccer, but
my club team had one last showcase in Aggieland. I didn’t get nervous around the scouts because of that—I simply enjoyed playing a great game and making saves on an increasingly muddy field (it had been snowing that weekend). After the game I was in a hurry to get home and take a hot shower, but a coach stopped me and gave me his card. The next day he offered me full tuition and fees to be the starting keeper at Lady of the Lake University,” Backus said.
Backus was one of the athletes who was scouted during a good game; however, most athletes must go through a process to gain a spot on a college team. Backus provided the following advice on how an athlete can achieve their goal.
“Practice like you play. If you expect to advance as a player you have to train multiple times a week and keep yourself in excellent shape. If you don’t feel like going to practice, make yourself go. Laziness results in nothing,” Backus said.
Backus also provided the reverse advice.“Play like you practice. Focus on the
game, but always remember to be relaxed. Forget the fans, forget the scouts, and forget the other team. Play how you know how to play and everyone will notice,” Backus said.
Backus also offered advice for students beyond the sports field.
“Contact coaches. Know the NCAA rules (you can find them online). Email, email, email. Phone, phone, phone. Invite coaches to your games and congratulate
them on their success. If you let them know that you’re up to date with the team’s progress, the coaches will know that you are interested in playing there,” Backus said.
The listed seniors were able to sign with the school of their choice and set up their future toward success. Their achievement demonstrates how Creek can build the potential of their students, and with hard work, anyone can achieve their goals
