Issue 2 March 2012

March, 2012Cypress Springs High School - 7909 Fry Rd. Cypress, Texas 77433Vol. XV Issue 2

Boys team dominates in playoffs, finally falls to TravisCy Springs defeats Alief, Strake Jesuit, Bellaire before falling in fourth round

by Dulce SotoEditor-in-Chief

Blood Drive successfulby Cynthia Arreguin & BreeAngela Hamilton

Students, staff line up to give gift of life

The Panthers and their fans flood the court after the team upset Strake Jesuit Feb. 24. Screenshot courtesy of highschoolhopefuls.com.

Friday night was heartbreaking for the Panther boy's basketball team after being beaten in the third round of the playoffs to Travis 90-58. This was on the heels of an incredible playoff streak.

Tuesday, MFeb. 28, the Panthers traded the lead with the Bellaire Cardi-nals six times in the final period, but a last-second three pointer by senior guard Richard Benedyth sent the game into overtime where the Panthers defeated the Cardinals 87-81. This incredible win was on the heels of last Friday nights victory over Strake Jesuit in a down-to-the-buzz-er, nail-biter 68-67. Benedyth scored 30 points in that contest, Cam Langley had

“Give a life to save a life” is how the saying goes. Friday, February 3, students and teachers at Cy-Springs demonstrated their belief in this proverb by donating blood at the HOSA-sponsored blood drive. A blood donation can be effective in several ways. The blood can be broken down into plasma, red blood cells or plate-lets, or given as whole blood to various types of patients.

“I decided to donate blood because I wanted to save lives,” senior Albernequa Walker said.

Many students registered to donate blood, some for the first time.

“I’ve never donated blood before,”

junior DeCarrio Turner said. “I hope that my donation will go to someone who re-ally needs it.”

During donation, which takes about 10 minutes, students were willing to share their experiences.

“Giving blood is not as painful as people think,” Turner said.

Senior Emilio De Luna added, “The best way to prepare to give blood is to keep your mind off of the pain and focus on the good you’re doing.”

Several students also expressed their interest in donating again.

“I donated blood during last year’s blood drive and will definitely donate again,” De Luna said. “I hope that my donation saves a life and that I’m able to make a difference.”

Lead scorer Richard Banedyth is interviewed by High School Hopefuls, a sports website, after his 30-point contribution to the Panther win over Strake Jesuit.

Tammy Osman offers a smile with her pint of blood at the latest blood drive held in the multipurpose room.

SOPA & PIPAInternet censorship may be closer than we thinkby BreeAngela HamiltonReporter

Imagine the Internet without your favorite websites. Wikipedia, YouTube, Facebook, Google, Twitter and Tumblr – gone. Imagine that you’re no longer able to share those funny viral videos with friends and family and that you’re no longer able to keep up with their day-to-day activities. You can’t even finish that research paper that’s due at midnight. Imagine these things; take into account the effect this would have on your life. If proposed laws SOPA and PIPA were to pass, this could very well be your future.

Regardless of whether or not you’ve heard of these laws, you’re probably wondering what all of the hoopla is about in the media. The Stop Online Piracy Act and the PROTECT IP Act, affectionately known as SOPA and PIPA, respectively, have become the talk of international news as of late. Both supported by giants in the entertainment industry, such as the Motion Picture As-sociation of America, NBCUniversal, the Recording Industry Association of America and Viacom, the points of SOPA and PIPA are to put an end to online piracy, copyright infringement and the theft of intellectual property, a noble cause. So why are Internet-based companies like Facebook, Google, Twit-ter and Wikipedia protesting the passage

of these bills?The answer can be summed up in two

words: Internet censorship. The problem with these bills is their broad wording. The passage of SOPA and PIPA could lead to the eventual shut down or crippling of the aforementioned Internet-based com-panies. If passed in their current form, these bills could essentially make alleged copyright infringing websites disappear through the use of IP blocking. Compa-nies could become liable for user content and Internet business could suffer.

These proposed laws have even spurred online protests. January 18, 2012, several Internet-based companies “blacked-out” their sites. Google covered its trademark logo with a black banner, while Wikipedia blocked access to its site altogether, providing users with a black page and white text explaining the protest and urging users to contact their government representatives to voice their opposition to SOPA and PIPA.

As of now, Congress has yet to pass either bill. According to CBS News, Sen-ate Majority Leader Harry Reid has stated that a vote on PIPA would be postponed until the issues raised about the bill had been resolved. And as for SOPA, accord-ing to The New York Times, Representa-tive Darrell Issa has stated that he has received assurances from Representative Eric Cantor that the bill would not be voted upon until a consensus could be reached.

12 and Antio Jackson had 10. Tuesday night was the team's third

playoff win. The first came when Cy-press Springs defeated Alief Taylor, 73-64, Feb. 21 at Coleman Coliseum.

Should people be judged by the way they dress?

Cypress Springs High School The Voice - March, 2012OPINIONS2

Victoria FrostBarry VaughnThe way people dress in society is

what most people say is what others use as a judgment on their character. To me, that is false. I dress as what most people describe as “emo” or a “stoner.” I am nei-

ther of those things. I dress how I feel that day when I get up in the morning. I don’t think, “How will people see me today?” I just pick my clothes based on my mood. If I’m depressed, I wear darker colors

(which is what I normally wear). I know someone going for a job needs to dress a certain way to present him or herself a cer-tain way, or if going to church or a formal place, one should dress a certain way. If I’m walking down the street, however, I dress like I want. I wear my skinny’s, with my black shirt, with my hair in my face. I know that when people see me they see an emo kid. But when I see people, I see them as who they are - human beings. And if I want to get to know them, I go up to them and say hello and introduce myself. I know people’s dress doesn’t necessarily dictate their personalities. They might dress to their moods, but that doesn’t de-fine their beliefs. The people who hangout with certain groups may dress the same because they have the same interests, but they get judged. If they sag their jeans, for example, others think they are thugs trying to get attention. Maybe that is so, or maybe it’s just how they wanted to dress that day. There are other groups that dress a certain way, and they get judged for it, too. For example, the “preps” wear Hollister or Abercrombie, and they may be stereotyped as being stuck up or conceited. The “preps” could actually be opposite of the stereotype, though. People shouldn’t be judged by the way they dress. They should be given the opportunity to be judged by their character.

People see you, and will automati-cally make a primary assessment of you by what they see with their eyes in the first 10 seconds they come in contact with you, that’s a proven sociologi-cal fact. People see you, and think they know you. As twisted as it may be, it is true. Furthermore, there is a movement of, “who cares what people think of me, Imgunna dress like I want, anyone who tries to judge me can shove it.” And in a sense, that may be good, but at the same time, who are you representing? If you want to be seen as who you are, then you must dress like it. If you want to be seen as a respectable young man or woman, then pull up your pants and dress the part. People of this generation, they like to dress trashy and loose, but demand to be treated and seen the total opposite.

The popular trend of this new batch of young people is to show the most they possibly can, and disrespect any author-ity that tells them they can’t. If you want to be treated with respect, and heard when you speak men, then you better put on a decent shirt, without, any vulgar or demonic symbols, pull your pants up to you waist, and THEN speak. Girls, if you’re tired of being treated like a loose goose, and not looked at as the beautiful young women you are, but as “hot” or “sexy” pieces of meat, then stop showing everything off. If you aren’t in business, don’t advertise. Put on something that DOESN’T reveal everything you’ve got, and put on a modest dress, or something modest, in the least, where nothings pop-ping out, and then you can legitimately complain about being treated wrong.

Appearance does matter people, dress how you want to be seen. Look in the mirror in the morning, and think

what you would think if you saw some-one else wearing the same thing, would your first thoughts be, “oh look, she/he looks like a girl/guy I could respect,” or would your first thoughts be, “oh look, I

can see his/her butt,” or, “oh look, I can see her bra,” or, “oh look, the first thing I see is her backside.”

We all need to get some decency in us and think before we dress.

What is music really for?

Victoria Frost

Barry VaughnMusic has been a huge part of our so-

ciety since, well, almost the beginning of time. It has changed, mutated over time, to become what we hear everywhere we go these days. Music was once a form of pure expression of ones desires, dreams and emotions. It was usually meant for them, and more importantly, to worship God for His glory and power. However, over time, music has become a way to make large quantities of money and to be used as a vehicle to become famous. Granted, it is still an expression of what people feel, but it has taken on a sort of mutation that makes it lean toward what everyone else wants to hear about, and not what the artists feel. Even worse, it has drifted almost completely from being a form of worshiping God. People are more and more becoming corrupted by what people call the music industry. This so-called industry is taking in new artists all the time, people who want to be known by the general public, be looked up to for their talent, glorified by their talent, while all along drifting toward a world filled with immoral, prideful, sinful things that

is looking very hungrily at its next meal. Music affects people in more ways

than in how they feel when they listen to it. It creeps into your mind, your subcon-scious, and abides there until it can rear its head and completely take you over. There are good types of music, harmless types of music; however, music that highlights drugs, alcohol, sinful habits, etc. is mu-sic that should not be introduced to the public because it can change the public, through its negative messages. I person-ally exclusively listen to music that gives glory to God or revels on how amazing He is because that is what I want to be in my subconscious, not trash about party-ing all night or doing drugs, no matter how “real” it is. I don’t care what people believe to be ok. If they want to ingest songs about drugs, sex and immorality, be my guest, but I will not indulge in some-thing that will affect my thought process in a negative way, causing me to believe that any of those things are ok, because sex, drugs, alcohol, all of those sorts of things, are not ok. Period. I will listen to music that glorifies God, because He is

Music is a major thing teens in society are exposed to and focus on. It is a form of expression and the way into a person’s deep emotions. Some people use music for religious belief and celebration, but many just use it to get away from the world. Most music these days is more about sex and drugs, and I might think that it’s wrong, but it depends on the persoan listening to that song. If a drug addict or a sex addict lis-tens to it, yeah, it might affect them in a negative way.

Teens needs music most of the time because it gets them in tuned to their emotions that they lock up or that they are scared of to show to the world. Music has a giant influence on the generation. There are many differ-ent types of music, and some think that there are many types that are not ap-propriate. Some artists are just trying to get an audience with that inappropriate

music, but that same artist will usually have some songs that will touch the heart to some teens, and most teens find their own meaning in each song.

Music affects people differently be-cause each person is different and may not really be in tuned into their emotions quite as well as others. Music of many different styles can affect people in very different ways. Like me, I love screamo and rock. They help me express what I’m really feeling in my writing and my work. For other people, it could be rap, country, or dubstep that helps them get through the day and helps with how they are feeling. Music is a free expression that shouldn’t be judged and that should be appraised. Music is part of every-one’s lives, and how they live through their lives, so musical tastes and choices should be left up to the individual. As the saying goes, if you don’t like it, change the channel.

the only one worthy to receive glory, not Drake, or Eminem, or whoever is popular today. They do not deserve the glory for something God gave them. Any talent

that I may have is not of me, it is of, and for God, and God alone, not for man, or his pleasure.

PrincipalBarbara Weiman

AdviserShannon Casto

Editor-In-ChiefDulce Soto

Managing EditorEileen Salazar

Sports EditorCynthia Arreguin

ColumnistsVictoria FrostBarry Vaughn

Photo EditorsStephanie Arce

Damien Claudio

Design EditorsCarlos CruzJuan Tellez

Copy EditorBeatriz Barros

Reporters/PhotographersBreeAngela Hamilton

Zeneida RamirezAshlee McDaniel

Cristina RomoSade Johnson

Brittany StevensonChayenne Skeete

The Cypress-Springs High School Voice is written entirely by C.S.H.S. students. The opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of the faculty, staff or administration. The Voice accepts letters to the editor. Let-ters will be printed provided they are appropriate, accurate and newsworthy. The staff reserves the right to edit let-ters for accuracy. The Voice reserves the right to reject, edit or cancel any advertisements at any time. Any busi-ness whose ad is pulled or cancelled will receive an appropriate refund. Ads should be free of statements, illustra-tions and/or implications. The staff will not accept advertising for products or groups that is racist, sexist, illegal for high school students or violates other journalistic principles such as libel, obscenity, invasion of privacy or dis-ruption. The staff will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, sex, national origin, religion, or physi-cal or mental abilities of advertisers. Advertising shall offer merchandise or service based on its merits and refrain from attacking competitors unfairly or disparaging their products, services or methods of doing business. The staff may not run political advertising. Ads which the staff accepts are not en-dorsements from the staff, adviser, the administration or the C.F.I.S.D. and its board of trustees. For rate sheets and/or information, call (281) 345-3579.

Got a suggestion or complaint? Then write a letter to the editor!

Letters may be turned in to room 1704 and must have your name and grade.

Cypress Springs High School The Voice - March, 2012OPINIONS 3

Interested in voicing your opinion? The Voice is seeking guest columnists for the paper. If you would like to submit a column, see Ms. Casto in room 1704 for information, requirements and deadlines.

Fashion vs. Style: Get it straightWearing name brands doesn't mean you have style

by Eileen SalazarManaging Editor

I’m so tired of people thinking that they’re “fly’ or have “swag” because they

have on True Religions or Levi’s or be-cause they can afford $100 shirts. Wear-ing those things does not mean you can dress. There are two types of people in fashion: the fashionable and the stylish. Being fashionable and being stylish are two completely different things. Fashion-able people are those people who only care about the price tag and the brand of the clothing. Don’t get me wrong, some fashionable people can dress nice, but there’s nothing special or different about their outfits. Wearing $200 jeans with a white tee and some Jordans is nothing special. I’ll find 30 other guys with the same exact outfit.

An example is Rihanna, who is fash-ionable not stylish, as everyone seems to think. She has a stylist who found something that worked for her, and she executed it.

These people are fashionable. With-out their amazing stylists, we have no idea what they would be wearing.

Then there are stylish people, people who don’t really care what the brand or price is, but care, instead, how they feel in it. They can have something that ev-eryone else is wearing and still make it their own. They have a style of their own that people try to copy. Stylish people don’t look for what’s on trend; they set the trends. They are the people who you see and a majority of the time question what they have on. The thing is, they don’t care what you have to say. Having style represents who YOU are.

Figure out what works for you in-stead of trying to be like everyone else. Buying expensive brand clothes does not make you instantly “fly” unless you have the style to pull it off. As Coco Chanel once said, “Fashion fades; only style remains the same.”

Pre-amazing Stylist After millions of albums sold

Before reality show Once reality show hit big

Teens expressing their own personal styles on the streets of New York.

United We StandNew electronic marquee raises questions,

improves communicationApril 27, 2011 two proposals were

made from interested contractors to fund the installment of electronic mar-quees for several high schools on the Cy-Fair District. The department rec-ommended the proposals to the Board of trustees who awarded it to Stewart Signs Company, Inc. in the amount of $122,900.00 dollars. Our school was one of the campuses that was selected to receive a new marquee. The cost to install and start up the new marquee came to around $26,000 dollars. The cost was paid with an account from our campus, and according to Principal Barbara Weiman, we saved for six years to raise the money.

Student Council is said to have do-nated about $2,000 dollars toward it, and the rest of the money was raised by classes that have already graduated.

The necessity of the new marquee for our school is a topic that raises questions. Do we really need this new marquee? Couldn’t we use the money for other things? School officials say that the money was specifically earmarked for the marquee, so in actuality, it could not be spent on other things.

The installment of the new marquee will be an easier way to advertise and will provide a more efficient way to change the announcements that will appear on it. Rather than changing the announcements

manually, they can be easily changed form a computer.

A new marquee is something that the school can really benefit from, but some still question if the cost is really worth it.

Now that the marquee is installed, it does improve the look and commu-nication techniques of the campus. The marquee itself has an amazing number of features including full-color and animation. Currently Mr. [Eric] Willard , who maintains the school website, is also updating the marquee so that passers by may see all the happenings at CSHS

Early release days return for second semesterStaff gets time to work, students to play

Cypress Springs High School The Voice - March, 2012NEWS4

by Cristina RomoReporter

Speech and Debate members extremely successfulAnother successful season underway for award-winning teamby Sade JohnsonReporter

Early release are two words that we as students love to hear, and this year, we have been granted more of these wonderful days. Our beloved Cy-Springs was granted four early re-lease dates so the staff can participate in staff development. There were two early release days last semester, and there are two coming up February 29 and April 18.

“The best thing about early re-lease is that it gives me more time to balance out everything.” senior Gerson Diaz said. “I can’t think of anything bad about it.”

Students often feel overwhelmed because of the short time frame we have to get everything done. This is especially true of students who work, participate in extracurricular activi-ties, and try to do well in school. “It gives me more time to play MW3, do my homework, sleep, and work,” Diaz

With a huge number of trophies and a dedicated team, the Speech and Debate team has been the talk of the school. You have to be passionate and willing to fight by using wits if you want to win in debate, and our team members must have what it takes.

“The number of trophies brought back by the team is what led me to join,” junior Jarod King said.

“During my freshman year, I couldn’t find my place,” senior Tamia Brice said. “I wasn’t good at any sports, and once I joined Debate, I felt I belonged.”

Speech and Debate didn’t just draw in people looking for a win or for their place in high school. “I wanted to try something new and exciting this year,” sophomore Justin Everidge said.

In preparation for a debate, the members do several techniques to aid them in winning. “Research, practice,

and listening to good music is how I prepare for a tournament,” Brice said.

There are also other ways to prepare for a debate and release a few jitters. According to King, “talking to walls is helpful when you have no one to practice with.”

The Speech and Debate team isn’t just for arguing over who’s right. It can also benefit members in their future plans. “I think that being an experienced member of this club will aid my future plans in many different areas, including jobs, college scholar ships, and persua-sion,” Brice said.

“For me,” Everidge said, “this club will better my memorization skills.”

The members of this team are com-mitted to each other and will do whatever it takes to win. They are passionate in bringing home trophies and giving our school a good reputation. “If you want to win, join us,” King said. “We are first in oratory, first in domestic exempt, first in prose interpretation, and first in poetry interpretation. If you don’t believe me, just look in our trophy case.”

Debate member Tamia Brice shows off the many trophies the team has won in its debates.

said. “Those few extra hours really do make a difference.”

It’s not a stretch to say that stu-dents wouldn’t mind a few more of these days in the schedule. “I think we should have more early release days,” sophmore Sam Solis said. “ I like coming out early from school and relaxing. I do wish all the high schools had the same early release days so I could hang out with my friends from other schools.”

Principals got to choose the dates

of their campus’s early release, there-fore not all high schools have early release on the same days.

Students like having the few extra hours to rest, hang out with friends, work, and work on class assignments. It helps students balance out their days and lets them catch up on classwork that they might have been absent for or might have just procrastinated to do. Bryan Pham said, “On early release days, I like to catch up on my sleep.”

Dating age debatedAge and number of years between discussed

Cypress Springs High School The Voice - March, 2012FEATURES 5

by Victoria FrostReporter/Columnist

In high school, there are a lot of freshmen dating juniors and even seniors. But some people think that there should be no dating between those who are not the same or very close to the same age. They also believe teens shouldn’t start dating until a certain age.

“Students should start dating when they are 16 or 17,” senior Dondre’a Scott said. “They should be at the most three years apart.”

Other people agree with Scott but for other reasons.

“I think that teens should be at the most three years apart,” freshmen Jair Turner said “because you are still teens becoming adults.”

Others think there should be fewer limitations. “No more than four years apart for people dating,” senior Kat Campbell said “because most teens some-times aren’t ready for a relationship, but when they are, they want someone more mature or someone that they can have a fun time with.”

There are many reasons why teens go for people either older or younger than they are. “I think that teens go for people older or younger because they just want to try something new,” Scott said.

Other people think going for some-one at a different age is more for an ego boost. “Some people go for someone older or younger to say that they got game or got more game than others,” Tuner said. “They end up not loving that person and just want to be with them and not care about them, but just have them for show.”

Most people think that students look for older, not younger, for more maturity. “Teens go for older people because they

are looking for more experience and to have a more exciting time,” Campbell said.

There are a lot of pros and cons for dating someone of a different age. Some people think dating someone older is either for material aspects and maturity level. “The benefit of dating someone older is they have a car and money, but also they do get serious faster,” Scott said. “The benefit of dating someone younger is they are more fun, but they can be really immature, and they don’t know what they want in life which can frustrate you when they don’t take a lot of stuff serious.”

Other people contribute dating some-one of a different age to emotions. “Dat-ing someone older is great because they are more mature,” Campbell said, “but you can also get hurt more easily when they move toward their future careers or college or they think that you’re not mature enough.”

Dating someone who is a couple of years older or younger can be looked at very differently, but some students think that there should be fewer limitations. “I think that dating students of a different age shouldn’t be worried about,” Scott said “because love is love, and people shouldn’t be bothered by it”.

Most people would agree with Scott but for other reasons. “I believe that dating someone of different age should have fewer limitations,” Turner said “be-cause it’s your choice f dating them, and people shouldn’t be in each other’s busi-ness. “If you know you love them, you shouldn’t care what other people think.” Still, others, like Cambell, disagree. “People shouldn’t put fewer limitations,” she said “because criticism is a big part of accepting consequences for your actions.”

Cypress Springs High School The Voice - March, 2012FEATURES6

Juniors finding the choice is harder than expected

Laptops vs. old-school paper

Twenty-first century high school students have little choice in their way of taking notes for class. The norm is to take out a pen and some paper and begin taking notes the “old fashioned way.” The alternative is to take notes on a lap-top. Electronics are not allowed in many teachers’ classrooms, but the junior class has been allowed to use a school-issued laptop for programs that go with the cur-riculum and notes.

Upon entering college, students must make the decision of the way that they are going to take notes. The choice depends mostly on the way that they handle their personal responsibilities, and it will af-fect their grades. Taking notes by hand is proven to have better memory retention, and students are able to produce any notes that cannot be taken on a laptop, like a picture or a diagram that the teacher may

draw. It is also a simpler way to produce notes without having to deal with any technical difficulties.

“Taking notes by hand is simply just much easier,” senior Travis Watson said.

However, for skilled typists, it is quicker to type out notes than it is to write them out, and it is a more clear way to view them. In addition, student can easily highlight or underline the main points of the topic at that instant rather than having to go through the handwritten notes and trying to pick them out.

The problem with the laptops begins with ones’ ability to remain focused and to resist the urge to browse on the internet. Too many hours staring at a computer screen can also affect visibility and can deter concentration.

“I don’t like studying on the com-puter or laptop for too long because it strains my eyes,” senior Deysi Solis said.

Juniors who carry a laptop during school complain about the real necessity

CSHS has already over 40 clubs, and this school year, they have wel-comed an additional three clubs; The Harry Potter Quidditch Club, the Break Bots, and the Multi-Cultural Associa-tion. Each club has brought another great and unique contribution to Cy-Springs either by expression through dance, cultural understanding, or a place for dedicated fans to hang out.

The Harry Potter Quidditch club has three sponsors: Theater and Eng-lish teacher Tracie Pope, Social Studies teacher Kate Cantu, Special Education teacher Mary Wurts and Social Studies and soccer coach Dina Stoker. This club is dedicated to Harry Potter fans. The club separates its members into four houses from the popular novel and film franchise: Sylteherin, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw. The different houses compete with each other in matches of quidditch, a wizard game. Besides competing, the club members also had a ball. This club has become a soaring and fun club for Harry Potter fans.

To them, dancing is everything—it’s a way of life. The Cy-Springs Break Bots have high hopes and dreams for the future of Break Bots members to come. Theresa Burgees, Art teacher and sponsor for Break Bots, was presented with a proposal for a new dance club.

“They showed me their style of dance, and I loved what they were doing,” she said. “It was creative, innovated, and I clearly saw the passion each of them had for dancing and teaching each other new moves.”

Each member has their own story as to why they joined the club. Sophomore Jued Yutac is an active member of this infant club. Yutac says he wanted to take

New clubs come to CSHSBook fans, culturally aware and dancers find placeby Zeneida Ramirez & Damien Claudio part in the club because he is “inspired by

well-known dance groups, motivated to someday be just as well-known, and has a great passion for dancing.” An important characteristic that members must have is patience. The final product of a dance is the result of hard work, sweat, and a lot of patience.

“There have been students working with another student, trying to teach them one specific move. This can take a lot of time,” Burgess said.

This young organization hopes to accomplish great things for years to come. One may benefit from this club by experiencing teamwork and hard work. Dancing may not be a sport in some eyes, but the dedication and sweat that the Cy-Springs Break Bots demonstrate, proves that belief wrong.

Hola! Salut! Ciao! Cy-Springs is wel-coming the Multi-Cultural Society. Stu-dents who are interested in exploring new ideas and new cultures from other parts of the world are highly encouarged to join MCS. Diana Castillo, president of MCS, says that this society will “help students at Cy-Springs have a better understanding of each other and their cultures.”

With a school that is so diverse, “it’s important to educate others on the cultures of others,” Shannon Casto, journalism and English teacher and MCS sponsor, says.

Each month, the Multi-Cultural So-ciety will hold varies parties, each with a theme of a specific culture. They also plan to attend out-of-school culture festivals that will be held on the weekends all over the Houston area.

When learning about another re-ligions or cultures, one will come to resepect those that come from a different background. Casto believes that MCS will “promote tolerace and will embrace diversity.”

by Dulce SotoEditor-in-Chief

of it. “These laptops are heavy, and the

speed can sometimes be too slow,” junior Eliza Merianos said “It is an inconve-nience to turn them on and to put them away.”

When it all comes down to it, choos-ing a laptop to take notes really depends on how personally responsible someone is. If they think they can’t handle taking notes on a laptop, then the old fashioned way is the way to go.

The Cypress Springs Band has fin-ished its marching season with a success-ful show. The show entitled, “City Life,” has been one of the most successful shows the band has had in the 15 years the school has been open.

The band’s first competition took place at the USSBA marching contest back on October 1. The band won 1st place in its class in all of the categories. The following week, the band com-peted in another USSBA competition at Pridgeon Stadium and took 2nd Place in its class. Then at the UIL Region 27 marching contest at the Berry Center, the band received straight ones for its show. “It feels great being successful, especially after all the hard work we put

Band musicians excelGearing up for final concerts, competitions

by Carlos CruzReporter/Design Editor

in,” sophomore Isidro Gutierrez said. The band also played a concert called

the “Sounds of Stadium,” for parents who didn’t get to or who wanted to re-see the show from the football games.

The band, along with the Panteras, recently participated in the 13th Annual Houston Salutes American Heroes Veter-ans Day Parade to honor local veterans. “The parade wasn’t for us,” sophomore Estaban Aristizabal said. “It was for the veterans who sacrificed themselves to provide the freedom we have in this country.”

The band has finished marching sea-son and are getting ready for the concert season. “It feels great being successful in marching season,” freshman Jorge Calde-ron said. “I hope we become successful in concert season.”

Jasmine Amin, senior flute/drum major, leads the band in the stands during the game against Cy-Falls.

Juniors are given laptops for certain assignments, but some are beginning to use them for notetaking and other assignments while others prefer the old pen-and-paper method.

AFJROTC brings more awards home to CSHSStudent cadets heavy into competition season


by Ashlee McDanielReporter

Victoria Secret Fashion Show does not disappointAnother of the most anticipated fashion shows down

Interesting Facts YOU didn't know

by Juan TellezReporter

by Damien Claudio & Ashlee McDaniel

CSHS’s AFJROTC (Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) par-ticipated in two competitions this month, which were held February 4 and 11. Stakes were high as they arrived to the chal-lenges. With Langham Creek High School being their rival, that specific school was the only one on their minds.

There are many levels of challenges such as PT (physical training), armed, unarmed, color guard, and academics. But throughout all of them, competitors had to have the three P’s. “Precision, Perfection, and Preparation are the things we train to do all day to get ready,” senior De’Anna Johnson said.

Without team work these challenges can’t be accomplished. During the day, the students have a chance to earn ribbon or medals for their jackets. “I competed in the fitness drill, and I placed first in the sit up rally, and received a ribbon,” Lexie Mayfield said. “I was so happy because I

did something not only for myself, but I showed great effort for my school.”

These students have been working since the beginning of the school year to prepare for this. Three out of five days of the week, there is nothing but work, work, and more work. “It gets tiring sometimes, because we use some of our Saturdays, too, but it’s all worth it,” sophomore Michael Magana said.

When most hear about ROTC, they think of students who are preparing for enlistment in the army, navy, air force or marines, but participation in ROTC does not mean students have to join any of those. “It is an organization of leadership, commitment, discipline, and respect,” senior Mark Huynh said.

The ROTC motto is “to develop citizens of character dedicated to serving out nation and community.”

Our team did amazingly well earning medals, ribbons and much more. Their hard work paid off also because they represented our school so well.

The annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was held November 9, 2011 in New York City’s Lexington Avenue Armory. Thirty-eight hot, sexy, beautiful models from around the world walked the show. Overall, there were 69 costumes worn, 31 sets of wings made, and two million Swarovski elements used.

“The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is my favorite show of the year,” junior Tyler Thompson said. “Chanel Iman is my favorite model.”

A show like this doesn’t come cheap; the show budget this year was $12 mil-lion, up from $120,000 11 years ago.

The V.S.F.S. is the year’s most an-ticipated fashion show, not because of the costumes or the performers, but because of the models. Victoria’s Secret Angels Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio take drastic diets to prepare for the show,

and this year was no exception. Lima prepared herself with a liquid-only diet for nine days. Ambrosio, on the other hand, had to put on extra body muscle to prepare for her passion play wings which took seven years to create, and weighted over 30 pounds due to the 105,000 Swarovski crystals. Both ladies were drop-dead beautiful, but Miranda Kerr stole the show. Kerr wore this year’s fantasy bra which cost an estimated $2.5 million.

“I never miss the V.S.F.S.,” junior Angelica Novegil said. “I watch it every year.”

The models don’t work alone; this year they got help from rapper’s Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Nicki Minaj, along with Maroon 5 to escalade the excitement. There is no doubt that the Victoria’s Se-cret Fashion Show gets better every year. “I don’t watch fashion shows,” senior William Mulbah said prior to the show’s airing, “but if Kanye West, Jay Z, and Nicki Minaj are performing, I’ll watch.”

1) Your body sheds 10 billion flakes of skin every day.

2) The average human will eat eight spiders while asleep in their lifetime.

3) Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people do.

4) Of all the animals/insects on earth the mosquito has contrib-uted to the deaths of more people than any other.

5) May babies are on average 200 grams heavier than babies born in other months.

6) In a study by the University of Chicago in 1907, it was con-cluded that the easiest color to spot is yellow. This is why John Hertz, who is the founder of the Yellow Cab Company, picked cabs to be yellow.

7) The hair on a polar bear is not white, but clear. They reflect light, so they appear white.

8) If you are struck by lightning, your skin will be hotter than the surface of the Sun.

9) Albert Einstein never wore socks.

10) The Shell Oil Company was originally a shop in London that sold seashells.

Victoria Secret models take the stage in the annual Victoria Secret Fashion Show.

A five-person color guard participates in the Bridgeland Veteran's Day Celebration. It was the standard 4-person color guard (US and Texas Flags with two rifle bearers as guards) plus the addition of the POW/MIA flag. The addition of the POW/MIA flag recognizes those Veterans who are still Prisoners of War or Missing in Action - and as such, are unable to attend in person. The cadets visible in the picture are: US Flag - Cadet Captain Andre Enriquez, Color Guard Commander; TX Flag - Cadet Techni-cal Sergeant Miguel Rizo, Flight Sergeant for Alfa Flight; and POW/MIA Flag - Cadet Colonel Jackie Kingsley, Commander of the Corps of Cadets.

Speak Out poetry slam exceedes expectationsHosted by Literary Club, district-wide event draws creative, outspoken


This year we had our first annual Speak Out, a spoken-word competition hosted by the Literary Club. Speak Out was a venue that allowed students from all district schools to compete and express themselves through poetry. Hearts pound-ing and blood racing, it was obvious that the participants were nervous.

“It was my first time performing for an audience, so I didn’t know what to expect,” sophomore Kyera Benjamin said. “The competition was pretty intense and very nerve wracking.”

The competition was a learning expe-rience for all who attended and competed. It was an enjoyable, creative atmosphere for the audience.

“I thought the spoken word com-petition was an excellent idea,” junior Taylor Edwards-Jones said. “People were enjoying themselves and got to express themselves. It was nice to see people in their own element.”

Many students surprised audience members and competitors with the topics their poems touched.

“It was surprising to see the stu-dents express their feelings because you wouldn’t expect them to have those feelings or thoughts,” senior Ashlee Mc-Daniel said.

Sophomore Kyera Benjamin re-ceived third place; junior Terrance Jack-son received second place; and junior Taylor Edwards-Jones received first place. All winners were awarded with $50. The spoken word competition was a huge success and the beginning of another CSHS tradition.

by Eileen SalazarReporter

Teacher Jarad Davis, Kyera Benjamin, teacher Ruquayya Gibson and Terrance Jackson all participated in the event.

Top seven finalists: Terrance Jackson, Daniella Gallegos, Peyton Osuobeni, Kyera Benjamin, Lexie Mayfield, Zack Wright, and Taylor Edwards-Jones await results of the competition.

Deleon Borders performs his piece for the audience.

Jada Walker performs.

Terrance Jackson performs.

Albernequa Walker performs.

Cy-Springs Idol, big hitSophomore Michael Magana named 2011 Idol winner

Springsfest event draws many from communityCombined with health fair, event adds car show, chili cook-off, moves indoors from cold


by Cynthia ArreguinReporter/Sports Editor

The annual event focuses on community members and has many activities for children hosted by CSHS clubs and organizations.

Although the sun emerged in time for the event, the 15-25 mph winds moved the event and its many games and activities indoors.

February 11, Cypress Springs had its annual Springsfest. With different activities and things to see, the fest was a great success.

“Springsfest was very active this year,” senior Avi Palmer said. “Plenty of events were present for people of all ages.”

At the Springsfest, there were activi-ties like the Super-Size Bowling, the pie-eating contest, Zumba and much more. There was even a car show hosted by the Auto Tech for the first time this year. Some activities that were not included this year seemed to disappoint some students.

“Springsfest was fun, but they should have kept the three-on-three basketball games,” senior Kendrick Chisley said. “They should have also kept the water-dunking contest like they had it the past years.”

Springsfest wasn’t only fun for the students, it was also fun for the teachers who participated, from helping at the games to also DJing the whole event.

“It was such a fun experience because of Ms. [Michelle] Henderson being the DJ,” Palmer said. “She kept everything alive, fun and very enjoyable with the music.”

With many activities going on, ev-eryone had a favorite event.

“I loved the pie-eating center,” Chis-ley said. “You had to find the Hershey kiss in the middle of it all.”

The event was also held in conjunc-tion with a health fair for community members.

Students and teachers both enjoyed themselves through the day. It was an event they wouldn’t soon forget.

“Springsfest kept everyone busy with their stations while still being a very fun event,” Palmer said. “This was definitely a memorable event.”


by Ashlee McDanielReporter

Choir has major success at TMEA, other contests

Competitions have started in almost every extra curricular activity, and for some, the trophies are coming back home to CSHS. TMEA is a year-round compe-tition in which students audition against others throughout the Cy-Fair area. The practicing started in the summer and ends in January.

This year we had several students audition at district auditions September 24, and 12 moved on into the region auditions. Region was held October 22, and three survived the race to go on into the Pre Area auditions. Those who didn’t make it had the opportunity to be a part of the Honor or Mixed Choir; and six made that cut. “For me it was just an honor that I was even able to make it this far,” Camisha Taley said, “Even though I didn’t make it, I tried.”

The three students who will be going on are senior Aaliyah Colen-Marshal, ju-nior Carla Garcia and junior Xavier Rich-ards. They put in many hours of work to be a part of this program, and they plan on going all the way to the top. “I am really happy because it’s my first time audition-ing and for all-state competitions,” Xavier Richards said. “That’s really good for the level I am at.”

Superbowl commercials entertain, cost millions

Three members move on to All-State level


As good as the Superbowl was, and it was as good as they get, the highly-anticipated commercials were neverthe-less spectacular. At least some were. Let’s highlight some of the best. The Doritos dog giving a man a bag of Doritos to keep secret about killing his cat is pretty sadistic, and smart. The baby in the sling-shot grabbing a bag of Doritos was cute, as well. Ms. Brown, the newest member of the M&M clan, was introduced in a fashionable way, not naked. Betty White made a hilarious Super Bowl appearance promoting The Voice which premiered after the Super Bowl. Samsung contin-ues its attempts to embarrass Apple fans waiting in line for hours. Supermodel Adriana Lima kept things heated airing in two commercials for Teleflora and Kia looking beautiful and hot. These com-mercials were great, but given the $3.5 million price tag for a 30-second spot, these companies’ spots were hit and miss. Kim Kardashian has been replaced by a French bulldog for Sketchers. E*Trade continued to use its fake baby. Toyota and Audi car commercial compared to Honda, Chevrolet and Kia looked cheap. Love them or hate them, the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI commercials were memorable.

From Doritos to M&Ms, companies spend millions to get a spot during the year's big event

Mixed choir members rehearse for competition and upcoming performances in the choir room.

M&Ms presents the candy's Superbowl commercial. It was voted one of the favorites of the annual sporting event suring which the commercials are often as anticipated as the game itself.

Cypress Springs High School The Voice - March, 2012REVIEWS 11

Wale Ambition

by Julian McClure - Guest Reviewer

Drake Take Care

Nintendo 3DS Super Mario 3D Land

Napoleon Dynamite

by Carlos Cruz, Eileen Salazar, & Stephanie Arce

I had high expectations for, Wale, the poetic genius hailing from our nation’s capital. With what I thought was the best mixtape of last year, More About Nothing, I just knew his first official album, Ambition, would be pure greatness, and I wasn’t disappointed. His magnificent metaphors, superior similes, and illustrious lyrics in-stantly made the anticipation for Ambition worth the wait. Songs like “Lotus Flower Bomb” and “That Way,” slow things down for a sensual sensation, then he hits us hard with “Chain Music” and “Slight Work.” His versatility is vital and his Ambition amazed the masses.

Drake, a triple threat in the world of entertainment, released his second studio album entitled Take Care.

The album, released November 15th in three editions, came with great antici-pation and for good reason. Throughout the development of his sophomore album, Drake captured the attentions of admirers worldwide by releasing recorded tracks via his blog and Twitter account.

“Marvin’s Room,” a track that shares with the listener Drake’s drunken thoughts, yet sober heart regarding relationships, through a phone call to an ex that has moved on, was the second recording to be released. The song, though not originally planned to be featured on the standard edition of the album, experienced so large a success that Drake and his record label felt no choice but to add it to the list of confirmed tracks.

Other released songs, such as, “Free Spirit” featuring Rick Ross, “Dreams Mon-ey Can Buy” and “Trust Issues,” are featured on the other two editions.

Take Care’s first official single, “Headlines,” peaked at number 13 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The song, referencing his inner conflicts as they pertain to music, stardom and women, received positive reviews from both critics and fans.

The remainder of the album boasts a collection of tracks, some of the best being “Underground Kings,” “Doing It Wrong” featuring Stevie Wonder, and “Look What You’ve Done,” which lend a new sound to today’s hip-hop.

The Nintendo 3DS has been in the market since last March, and since then, there has been a drought of games for the system. The library is mostly full of remakes, but how about a game built from scratch? And thus, Super Mario 3D Land arrived for the 3DS, and it’s completely original. The game begins with Princess Peach inform-ing Mario that he needs to help inspect some tress that may have been damaged after a storm. After Mario comes back, he finds out that the Princess has been captured from Mario’s arch-enemy, Bowser, and it’s up to Mario to rescue the Princess once again.

The game features what you would commonly see in a Mario game. The game is a combination of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario 64, and Super Mario Galaxy with its jumping and platforming elements. The game also features items seen in most Mario games such as the Mushroom, the Fire Flower and the Star. It also includes new and returning powerups and moves such as the roll in which Mario can roll to an enemy and gain a small boost, the Boomerang Flower in which Mario throws boomerangs, the Propeller Box in which Mario can use it as a helicopter, the Ques-tion Box which allows Mario to collect coins while wearing the suit, the Statue Suit which allows Mario to turn into a statue making him invulnerable, and the Tanooki Suit which allows Mario to float and attack enemies with his tail.

The graphics are really smooth, and the level design is nice and well done, mak-ing it challenging and easy. The use of the 3D is excellent and provides many levels to be simple. The game also uses the 3DS’s Gyroscope to search for various items. The game also includes the ability to play as Luigi and also uses the Super Guide feature. However, the game does not have any multiplayer and has a time limit which causes gamers to have to hurry while obtaining the special items.

Super Mario 3D Land is a great addition to any 3DS owner’s library with its originality and excellent level design; despite the clock being your enemy and the lack of multiplayer modes, it’s a great start to the number of anticipated games that are coming to the Nintendo 3DS system in the future.

With every new Nintendo system, comes a popular series that has been in the systems since the Super Nintendo called Mario Kart. The series provides kart racing, crazy items and loads of fun with its multiplayer capabilities. The series’ newest title, Mario Kart 7 for the Nintendo 3DS has the same formulas as the previous games except with an added twist.

The presentation of the game is very colorful with its 32 tracks, and the charac-ter models and animations are well done showing the 3DS’ power. New features to the game include customizing cars in which you earn by collecting coins during the races as well as the addition of glide and underwater segments of the courses which provide a crazy twist to the tracks. Each track has three ways to drive. A new way to drive in the game is the first-person mode in which the gyroscope is used to steer. Also new modes include coin runners and the return of balloon battles.

The game has some flaws, however. The roster of the game is pretty small as compare to past Mario Kart games with only 17 characters to play. Also, the rubber band A.I. that has plagued past Mario Kart games is also in this title in which you are getting hit by the items many times when you are in first place, especially in the 150cc grand prix. Another flaw of the game is that the red and green shells can still hit you in the air, which kind of makes no sense.

The game’s strengths are in the multiplayer mode which can be played locally or online with friends or anyone around the world. Another good thing is that it has high replay value, so to unlock the extra content, you might have to play this game for a long time.

Mario Kart 7 delivers as past Mario Kart games have with its high replay value, strong multiplayer, and extra content. For those who still haven’t decided to get a 3DS, this game might help you with your decision as you race by land, air and sea.

Nintendo 3DS Mario Kart 7

The 2004 hit film, Napoleon Dynamite is about a goofy high school student who lives in Idaho with his grandma, his 32-year-old brother and their pet llama. He becomes friends with a girl named Deb and a transfer student named Pedro, who he helps to win class president. Now the goofy teen returns in the animated series based on the film on the Fox network, and it doesn’t disappoint.

The series continues the adventures of Napoleon Dynamite along with his friends Pedro and Deb while still living with his grandma and his jobless brother, Kip. Many of the characters from the film have returned such as Uncle Rico, Sum-mer Wheatley, and Rex, the owner of Rex Kwon Do.

What makes the series great is that the original cast members return to reprise their roles, which makes the series more authentic. Mainly the episodes focus on an issue that evenually get solved. For example, one episode was about Napoleon using an acne cream that had not been FDA approved which causes him to be invunerable to pain. It retains the humor from the film.

While there are some flaws, such as most of the writing and jokes are kind of corny, it retains the same style of comedy as in the film, and it certainly won’t dis-sapoint fans of both the film and the style of animation.

We all know the books The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham written by Dr.Seuss one of the most famous children’s book writers in history.

Dr. Seuss’s book The Lorax was published in 1971. The story line takes place in Thneedville where everything is perfect but also plastic. The worse thing is that there are no trees. A 12-year-old boy named Ted (Zac Efron) falls head over heels for an older girl named Audrey (Taylor Swift) who’s in high school. One day Audrey shows Ted a painting she made of a Truffula tree. She said to him if anyone could find her a real tree she will marry them. Ted soon sets off on his journey to find a Truffula tree.

The animated feature is bright, exciting and fun to watch. Fans of other Seuss adaptations will not be disappointed.

The Lorax

Cypress Springs High School The Voice - March, 2012SPORTS12

Swimming season comes to closeSwimmers look back on season, swimming careers

Wrestlers look back on seasonPlayers discuss how they prepare for matchesby BrittanyStevenson & Sade Johnson

Superbowl XLVI worth the wait Giants beat Patriots 21-17


Brennan Young competes in the butterfly event in the district meet.

When people think wrestling, they think of the fake things they see in mov-ies or on WWE Smack Down. They think of guys in silly costumes throwing each other around the ring. But real wrestling takes work and dedication. This is what real wrestling is about.

Wrestlers prepare themselves for matches in many different ways. “To prepare myself for a match, I usually work hard and practice my techniques,” freshman Jennifer Rodriguez said.

On the other hand, sophomore Antonio Briones does more of a mental preparation. “I prepare myself for a match by hyping myself up,” Briones said. “You can not really visualize a match because anything could happen.”

People who joined wrestling, joined for an array of reasons, as well. “I joined wrestling because it seemed interesting,” sophomore, Darius Welch said, “and I like that it is an individual sport.”

Some started the beginning of their future careers by joining wrestling. “I see myself wrestling in the future,” Welch said.

Yet others have a different lookout for their future lives. “I don’t see myself wrestling in the future,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve never thought about myself being a professional sports player.”

There is quite a controversy having to do whether or not it is fair to make boys and girls compete against on another. “Anyone with more experience or dedica-tion can wrestle anybody that lacks both,” Briones said.

“I don’t think its fair,” Welch said.

When you hear the word swim-ming, most people think of playing Marco Polo, girls in bikinis, and some-thing fun to do during the summer with friends, but swimming competitively is much more. It is a sport that takes much practice, endurance and patience.

Freshman Melanie Candelario has been swimming for two years. “I started swimming to keep in shape,” Candelario said.

Swimming can be fun, but there can also be some side effects. “Swim-ming whips you into shape, and the swim team becomes like your second family,” Candelario said, “but always smelling like chlorine and occasional cramps are cons.”

She feels that swimming is a big part of her life. “I absolutely love swimming,” she said. “Although some things may be hard, when they get ac-complished, I feel triumphant. For me, swimming is a way of life; I need to swim.”

“I began swimming in kindergar-ten,” sophomore Kendall Bennett, a swimmer of ten years, said. “I swim

about 200-250 laps a day.” Swim meets can get swimmers

feeling as though they are under a lot of pressure. “I get so worked up before a race,” Bennett said. “After I win, I feel successful and like a big weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. When I lose, it doesn’t really bother me because there will always be people better than yourself. Swimming is just as mental as it is physical. Your mind goes crazy before a race, but when you’re actually swimming, your mind is free, and you

just keep swimming.”“Since I saw the summer Olym-

pics, I’ve wanted to dive,” senior diver De’Shaun Porter said. He feels practicing is very important in becoming a better swimmer. “Diving is fun, and it gives you a great body, but it hurts. After a victory, I feel as though I can do anything, and my day gets a bit brighter.”

Porter has advice for future and aspir-ing swimmers. He said, “Don’t breathe, kick harder and swim faster.”

It was the fourth Super Bowl win in the history of the Giants, who also beat the Patriots in Super Bowl 42 in 2008 and won NFL championships in 1987 and 1991. The rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl did not disappoint, much like the game four years ago. Super Bowl XLVI had a heart-stopping finish that came down to the very end.

“It was my first time watching the Super Bowl and I have to say I have missed out on a lot,” student Justin Richard said. “It really is the greatest show of the year.”

This time around, it came down to the final play. That Sunday night at Lucas Stadium in Indianapolis, the Giants finished what they started lead-ing the game with a 9-0 score by the end of the first quarter. As the second quarter reached its end, New England led 17-15. Giant’s running back Ahmad Bradshaw erased a two point Patriots lead with a six-yard touchdown run that lifted the Giants to a victory in Super Bowl 46. New England had one more possession after Bradshaw

scored, but Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady threw a long pass on the game’s final play that fell incomplete in the end zone.

“I’m glad the New York Giants won,” Ricardo Mejia said. “I bet on them and won $20.”

This was the first Super Bowl with two starting quarterbacks who previously won the big game’s MVP award. Both the game and the players did an amazing job and played a good game, but Madonna, the queen herself, didn’t disappoint. She declared she had to put on “the greatest show on earth” and she certainly did just that. The queen of pop put on an impressive performance during the halftime show. She sang her way through classics hits “Vogue,” “Music” and “Like a Prayer” as well as performing her new song “Give Me All Your Lovin’” featuring Nicki Minaj and MIA who later joined her on stage along with LMFAO and Cee Lo Green.

“It was the best half time show ever, and I am not even a Madonna fan,” Chelsea Vega said.

The NFL Super Bowl XLVI of 2012 was one of the best games ever played by two incredible teams ac-companied by a magnificent halftime show performance which will be long remembered. Student Louis Chapa said, “The game, players, and music performers were incredible.”

Rodriguez was fine with it. “I think it is fair for boys to wrestle girls,” he said. “That way you get to have new experi-ences.”

For some, just joining wrestling was an achievement. “I found my center in wrestling,” Rodriguez said. “Once I joined the team, I already felt accom-plished.”

Even though the students say many good things about wrestling, there are some cons. “I don’t like that wrestling is hard, and the schedule is tough,” Welch said. “Yet it makes me stronger and teaches me good discipline.”

Even through the bad, good things come out of it. “After a match, I ask my-self if I have left everything on the mat,” Briones said. “Win or lose, if I put forth effort, I will be at peace. Although I would much rather win.”

Junior Malik Evans works to take down his Jersey Village opponent.

by BrittanyStevenson & Sade Johnson

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Issue 2 March 2012