Denison High School, 1901 S. Mirick St. Denison, Tx- 75020

2 table of contents December 2009

Editorial Policy: The Stinger newspaper is a student-generated publication that is produced, edited, and maintained by the DHS journalism staff of room 105. The Stinger encourages student expression and is designed to be a forum for open discussion. Editorials appearing in The Stinger are the sole views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the administration or those of the DHS Publications Department.

The Stinger staff encourages letters to the editor or a

commentary on something you like, don’t like, or just want to talk

to us about.

Letters and other materials to be considered for publication should be signed and delivered to room 105. It

should include your name and grade on it. The staff has the right to edit any

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In This Issue

Find out about the new

hospital on Hwy. 75,

and how it affects you

Page 12

Scars that define us: feature on student

injuriesPage 6-7

Check out the online version of our paperPage 4

Read up on the start of DHS basketball season

Page 11

Colorful flags, awesome effect

Page 8

Obama’s possible plan to extend the

school yearPage 9

One student comments on the trend

of vampire books and movies

Page 3

COMMENTARY: S o m e t h i n g mysterious, alluring, and kind of scary has been gracing the pages of many books lately. That something also

happens to suck blood. Ever since the well-known Twilight book series got popular, it seems that vampires have become quite a trendy topic. These books have taken this vampire frenzy far past the popularity of older stories, like Dracula, and taken people into a world where vampires don’t always have to kill people. Since Twilight, several other book

December 2009 commentary 3

COMMENTARY: Walking in the halls, we all see it. The faces are all different, the styles are varied, and personalities are unrelated to each other. Some wear all

black, others wear all pink. Girls could have holes in their ears or in their faces. Guys could be sporting the jock look or they may be gay. Who is to tell us we can’t be who we are because it could be distracting to the people around us? Being a teenager means seeing something new in life. It means trying new things and becoming the adult we will be in the future, yet how can we if we’re constantly told we can’t do this or that? How can we really experience new things if we can’t even be allowed to try and be something different? The student handbook says no piercing other in the ears, and even then, no gauges or spacers. Well, what’s so distracting about a lip piercing or gauges? After a day, everyone forgets about it and it is no longer disruptive to anyone around them. No one is going to stare at them COMMENTARY:

Being the sleep deprived teenager that you probably are, you’ve no doubt become all too familiar with coffee

or energy drinks such as Monster or Red Bull. With that said, you’ve probably experienced the short-lived bursts of energy that those drinks give you. Now there is a beverage that does the complete opposite, an anti-energy drink, conveniently armored in a 16 oz purple can labeled “Drank”. Now, like you, I was a bit skeptical about the drink’s ability to really make someone tired. Upon drinking the grape flavored beverage, I was completely relaxed and in my own little world. It wasn’t long before I found myself laying down and eventually dozing off for about an hour or so. The drink’s ingredients are thoroughly safe; it’s composed primarily of Melatonin, the hormone that naturally controls the human sleep cycle, and Valerian Root, a universal sedative that relieves stress and discomfort. While I found myself to be very relaxed and mellow after trying Drank, results may vary from person to person. I wouldn’t advise taking it right before school, but if you’re having trouble sleeping on a weekday night,

why not give it a shot? Similar to most energy drinks, there is a warning label on the side of the can that clearly states not to consume more than one serving a day, and trust me, one serving is definitely enough, and you will feel the effects within an hour. This could be potentially harmful in certain situations, but nothing major has been reported as of yet, and like energy drinks, it is the responsibility the user to consume in moderation. Energy drinks don’t give people the strength of Zeus, so don’t expect Drank to make you hibernate like a grizzly bear. It does make you mellow, but it’s nothing to worry about. You can function throughout the day, though it’s probably best to drink it in a relaxed environment. Drank is a product that is truly innovative as far as drinks go. Though it’s a bit pricy at about $3.00 per can, it’s definitely worth trying at least once. It tastes great and seems to be much more than 16 ounces. It’s something that a lot of students, including myself, have added to their regular beverage arsenal. I expect Drank, as well as other anti-energy drinks, to become a cultural phenomenon within the next few years. As the first major anti-energy drink to hit the market, I am pleased to report that Drank is a definite deal.

This month:

Danny’s

The verdict: DEAL!

Fangs and Bats and Blood, Oh My

Distracted by the Dress Codeduring a whole class and say they’re too distracted to do their work. It is human nature to accommodate to things you see everyday. It’s like someone having one eye, you would eventually forget after a while. Mohawks, large afros and extreme hair coloring may be a distraction, but what would it hurt to see? Attention isn’t always drawn to people who are different. Purple, blue, red, pink, or rainbow hair isn’t going to make anyone less intelligent or less of a hard worker. Shouldn’t a teenager be allowed to try something new, to experience new things? Aren’t they our bodies in the first place? What is the description of a hole? Is it really the fringe in the pants or is the actual tear in the pants? If someone does have a hole, how long does it take you to notice if it’s small? If it’s below the knees then it really can’t hurt. Nothing is really exposed, other then skin. What makes a tiny hole so distracting? The dress code is constantly questioned. What classifies as normal? Everyday, people walk the halls with their own unique style. Is it fair that we are being shut out due to what may be called “distracting”?

series have made their ways onto the bookshelves of just about any store that will carry them. Other series include The Vampire Diaries, True Blood, the Vampire Academy and, House of Nights. New vampire books appear in stores almost every week, it seems. A lot of these books have also been turned into either television shows or movies, making this obsession even larger. This vampire fixation just doesn’t die down. It is almost as if the more popular Twilight and the other books become, the more other vampire stories seem to come up. It looks like this trend won’t be getting old anytime soon.

DEAL or DUD

Top 5 Vampires of All Time-According to Danny Rodgers

1. The Count (Sesame Street)2. Count Chocula 3. Blade (he’s technically half vam-pire)4. Dracula 5. Buffy (wait, didn’t she SLAY vam-pires?)

Drank

4 commentary December 2009

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the commentaries are the sole views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the DISD administration or the DHS Journalism Department.

COMMENTARY: Every year on The Stinger we try to do something different or new. This year, not only did we decide to go a little crazy and make it a

newsmagazine, but also if you were to go look online to the Journalism 105 site off of the school site, you would find a link to the online version of The Stinger or maybe you did, so you would be reading this online right now. I really like trying new things and this is one of the best possible ways to demonstrate that. On the online version we can link you places where you could find more information about the stories that we’ve written. Say you wanted to find out more about the color guard or where we got some of the information about one of our Halloween stories, we could easily link you to the website where that information about it could be found. Besides, having an online version helps to keep the newspaper more eco-

friendly. We’re the only publication from the journalism department that produces a completely new thing every six weeks, and we generate a ton of paper waste whenever we do this. Sure, the Jacket Update has a new episode every week, but they don’t produce 500 hundred paper copies and then hope that everyone reads

them. Plus, once they’ve shown a Jacket Update, they just save

the DVD and keep it for their archives and for later review. Once we have gotten a new issue of The Stinger, the leftover copies from the last

copy we burn for heat in the editor’s office. Just kidding. We

store our leftovers too, but think of all of the paper and ink that has been wasted. Even with our online issue, we are still planning on printing regular paper copies. But now, if you wanted to go read everything online instead, that’s an option too. Let us know what you think about The Stinger, both the paper version and the new online version as well. Send us a letter to the editor or just leave us a note with comments in The Stinger box in room 105.

The Stinger Hits The Web

As a staff, we are trying to promote recycling in order to benefit our environment, and every little bit helps. Check out these 10 ways that you can reuse your newspaper after you’re done reading it, and take one small step towards making our planet a better place.

Do you have a pet? Use the Stinger to line Daisy’s cage.1. Instead of complaining about the temperature outside, fold up your 2. Stinger and use it as a fan! There are also countless origami projects to make with newspaper if you just have a lot of free time.Are you a freshman or sophomore planning on AP English 3? Keep 3. the Stinger commentaries to help you with the summer project. Christmas is coming, and what better way to display your love for you 4. family than to wrap their gift with some high-class newspaper.Who needs bug spray? Save the money you’d spend on Off and hit 5. mosquitoes with a rolled up newspaper. Carry the newspaper with you at all times, so when you are stranded 6. in the wilderness, you can start a fire. (Or just in the fireplace at home)We all know that the reason that kids don’t clean around the house is 7. because they just don’t have any paper towels. Problem solved: use newspaper to wipe the windows or mirrors. Stuff newspaper into wet shoes to dry them out in no time.8. If you really hate someone on newspaper staff, you can cut out their 9. bylines and burn them. Or, if you’re really obsessed with someone, you can sleep with all their stories under your pillow. Make a voodoo doll of your ex-lover.10.

Reuse Reduce Recycle

COMMENTARY: Commercials, television shows, music, movies, magazines, ad after ad after ad: our brains are pumped full of ideas of how we are supposed to live our lives. What is expected, and what is not, how to live, and how not to, the do’s and don’ts of “the happy life”. This includes ways to get that ideal girl or boyfriend, how to be a happy-go-lucky champ, and countless ways to beautify our souls. Truth be told, you cannot find a guide to life in a magazine article. That beauty product

will not satisfy your life goals. A “hot bod” will not grant you entrance into that ivey league college you’ve been dreaming of. Life is full of ups and downs; it’s inevitable. Dressing like Avril Lavigne and listening to rap will not change this fact. The youth of this generation is very easily persuaded. They want to be cool and accepted, and it doesn’t take much to win them over. This characteristic is not hard to take advantage of, hence the ever-changing trends. It’s easy to go with the style of things, but it takes some nerve to turn it out. Change is what keeps the world moving forward. Originality creates room for individuality. No one is the same. There is no life that can be duplicated. “The happy life” does not exist.

What is the Happy Life?

COMMENTARY: People are getting more and more fed up as this healthcare tirade marches on. There are those who open their mouths to complain when they

don’t know what universal healthcare is and then there are those who are upset by Obama’s eloquent speeches but lack of progress. Either way, there is too much talk and not enough real information being discussed. The first major error in many of the discussions I hear about universal healthcare is that people will be treated with less quality care or even turned down if they have a life threatening disease such as cancer. What many people fail to realize is that insurance companies now have every right to deny coverage if they think they will be wasting money on someone with a very low survival rate. This is true of someone with even the best of coverage. People

December 2009 feature 5

Healthcare: Something We All Deservenow are wasting thousands of dollars a year on healthcare when at any point they can be denied coverage or their specific coverage won’t be accepted by a certain hospital or pharmacy. And in all honesty, the hospital doesn’t really care about all the people who will be denied treatment because of their new policy. Just because you’re covered by health insurance doesn’t make you any more of a “real person” to the hospital, you’re just another client. Another discussion topic I widely hear is the anger people feel just thinking about all the illegal immigrants that will be allowed coverage under universal healthcare. I don’t know how many times President Obama has to say this, but illegal immigrants will not be given coverage. I am starting to think that people associate “illegal immigrants” with the lower class in general. By this, I mean people are upset that “poor people” will be allowed coverage because of their tax dollars but they don’t want to admit their real anger over poor American citizens

getting coverage so instead they keep harping on illegal immigrants. People seem to think of health insurance as something only some people deserve, almost like a bonus for having a good job. An additional thing people seem unable to realize is that there are thousands of American citizens right now that go to work eight hours a day to pay the bills and support their families, but because their job only pays enough to cover the basics, they are unable to afford health insurance to cover their loved ones. It’s not because they are lazy or just don’t care, it’s because they just can’t afford it. People also seem to blindly argue about taxes. American citizens are fretting over how high their taxes will be raised and are getting wrong information. President Obama has stated that he does not plan to raise taxes of anyone who is making fewer than $250,000 a year. People question how this will be possible, but on Face the Nation President Obama said, “About two-thirds of what we’ve

proposed would be from money that’s already in the healthcare system but just being spent badly.” I understand why people are upset with President Obama to an extent. Everyone that voted for him fell in love with the vision he had for the country. Now, everyone is getting more upset when another day goes by without something being accomplished. In the words of Bill Maher, “This is not what I voted for…Obama has maintained his personal popularity but failed to make real progress on health care, banks, or climate change.” To President Obama’s credit, he still has another three years to keep his promises and at this point in a term, most every other president had accomplished about the same, but maybe President Obama bit off more than he could chew. To once again quote Maher, instead of trying to win over those who vehemently disagree with him, he should, “stand up for the 70 percent of Americans who aren’t crazy,” and get something accomplished.

There are scrapes that require band-aids, and breaks that require casts. There are injuries that shake our world and change our future. There are wounds, accidents, cuts and gashes that alter our perspective on life. These are the scars that define us. Some believe that being involved in a traumatic accident can alter both the physical and mental state of one’s being, creating an opportunity for an epiphany, redemption, or new self discovery. This past summer Alex Elk and Trevor Rainy, both juniors at Denison High school, were care-flighted to Parkland Hospital in Dallas after they hit a tree head on in Elk’s Ford Focus. “We were going right up the road to the lake. I was speeding, doing about ninety miles per hour. We came up the top of this hill, and I hit a bump in the

road. The car swerved to the left and ended up smacked dead center in a tree off to the side of the road. Head-on collision,” says Elk. Surgeries were necessary and blood transfusions were required. An extended stay in the hospital was unavoidable. Although the injuries did leave some marks on their flesh, the mental scars that were inflicted upon them dig deeper than any scalpel could. “Being faced with something that could have easily ended my life brought me closer to God and made me think twice about speeding because life can be taken away really easily,” Elk said. Elk and Rainy aren’t the only ones who are enduring these types of traumatic injuries. Senior Hudson Milford tore his anterior cruciate ligament and strained his medial collateral ligament while rooting for the home team during the football game against Wichita Falls on September 11, 2009. “It’s really mentally hard to fathom how I have jumped that same way one hundred times and it just snapped on one random touchdown,” Milford said. One wrong move was all it took to put him out of the game for the rest of the season due to surgeries. “I will have surgery on my leg to repair the torn ACL, but no surgical procedures will take place on the strained MCL,” Milford said. While this is difficult for Milford to cope with, he remains positive for his team. “I can’t run, jump, or move laterally. That is a huge part of my football game. So I can’t play, but I can continue to be a positive influence and leader for the team,” Milford said. His leadership and strength of the game continues to guide his teammates, though he is unable to participate in the game. Being a senior, it’s difficult to miss out on the last games of his high school life. “The whole process of surgery and rehab will be tough. Missing out on the remainder of my senior year of football will nearly kill me,” Milford said. Along with Elk and Milford’s story, Senior Mark Bolen’s story is one of traumatic changes and dreadful consequence. This past summer, Bolen had his appendix removed, surgery on his neck, and had a rib removed. All of this was the result of one miscalculation. “I was performing for my church’s VBS kids, just doing some flips into a bounce house. My last one I must have slipped because I landed on my head. At first I tried to laugh it off because I couldn’t move. But then I realized that I really couldn’t move anything on my body,” Bolen said. When Bolen landed on his head, it broke his neck. One wrong move was all it took to end his career in football, change his life forever, and teach him the meaning of endurance. “From this experience I have learned to persevere through difficult times. Not to mention how many things I’ve realized I have to be thankful for,” Bolen said. Through the six hour surgery, therapy for strength and movement, and the emotional turmoil, Bolen handled it all with an optimistic attitude on life. “Other than my struggle with not being able to play football this year, it hasn’t really changed my overall outlook on life. I’m me with or without the injury. I would even try to do the flip again. But hopefully I would land on my feet this time,” Bolen said. The impact may have been instantaneous, but the effects were long term. Being involved in a near death experience doesn’t just put you in a hospital bed; it also puts you in a new state of mind. The breaks will heal, but the scars that are invisible to the eye will continue to define us.

what doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.

Define

There are scrapes that require band-aids, and breaks that require casts. There are injuries that shake our world and change our future. There are wounds, accidents, cuts and gashes that alter our perspective on life. These are the scars that define us. Some believe that being involved in a traumatic accident can alter both the physical and mental state of one’s being, creating an opportunity for an epiphany, redemption, or new self discovery. This past summer Alex Elk and Trevor Rainy, both juniors at Denison High school, were care-flighted to Parkland Hospital in Dallas after they hit a tree head on in Elk’s Ford Focus. “We were going right up the road to the lake. I was speeding, doing about ninety miles per hour. We came up the top of this hill, and I hit a bump in the

road. The car swerved to the left and ended up smacked dead center in a tree off to the side of the road. Head-on collision,” says Elk. Surgeries were necessary and blood transfusions were required. An extended stay in the hospital was unavoidable. Although the injuries did leave some marks on their flesh, the mental scars that were inflicted upon them dig deeper than any scalpel could. “Being faced with something that could have easily ended my life brought me closer to God and made me think twice about speeding because life can be taken away really easily,” Elk said. Elk and Rainy aren’t the only ones who are enduring these types of traumatic injuries. Senior Hudson Milford tore his anterior cruciate ligament and strained his medial collateral ligament while rooting for the home team during the football game against Wichita Falls on September 11, 2009. “It’s really mentally hard to fathom how I have jumped that same way one hundred times and it just snapped on one random touchdown,” Milford said. One wrong move was all it took to put him out of the game for the rest of the season due to surgeries. “I will have surgery on my leg to repair the torn ACL, but no surgical procedures will take place on the strained MCL,” Milford said. While this is difficult for Milford to cope with, he remains positive for his team. “I can’t run, jump, or move laterally. That is a huge part of my football game. So I can’t play, but I can continue to be a positive influence and leader for the team,” Milford said. His leadership and strength of the game continues to guide his teammates, though he is unable to participate in the game. Being a senior, it’s difficult to miss out on the last games of his high school life. “The whole process of surgery and rehab will be tough. Missing out on the remainder of my senior year of football will nearly kill me,” Milford said. Along with Elk and Milford’s story, Senior Mark Bolen’s story is one of traumatic changes and dreadful consequence. This past summer, Bolen had his appendix removed, surgery on his neck, and had a rib removed. All of this was the result of one miscalculation. “I was performing for my church’s VBS kids, just doing some flips into a bounce house. My last one I must have slipped because I landed on my head. At first I tried to laugh it off because I couldn’t move. But then I realized that I really couldn’t move anything on my body,” Bolen said. When Bolen landed on his head, it broke his neck. One wrong move was all it took to end his career in football, change his life forever, and teach him the meaning of endurance. “From this experience I have learned to persevere through difficult times. Not to mention how many things I’ve realized I have to be thankful for,” Bolen said. Through the six hour surgery, therapy for strength and movement, and the emotional turmoil, Bolen handled it all with an optimistic attitude on life. “Other than my struggle with not being able to play football this year, it hasn’t really changed my overall outlook on life. I’m me with or without the injury. I would even try to do the flip again. But hopefully I would land on my feet this time,” Bolen said. The impact may have been instantaneous, but the effects were long term. Being involved in a near death experience doesn’t just put you in a hospital bed; it also puts you in a new state of mind. The breaks will heal, but the scars that are invisible to the eye will continue to define us.

what doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.

8 feature December 2009

Freshman on Varsity Choir

No matter how loud the band plays or how well they march, their halftime show just wouldn’t be complete without the contributions of the color guard. The

guard adds color and life to the band, completing their overall presentation through visual performance. Their show this year, “Abracadabra,” is full of visuals for the color guard, including one girl turning into a bird, card tricks, and a rabbit appearing out of a hat. “The guard is doing a lot of great things; it really contributes to the overall effect of the band,” commented a UIL judge. Not only is the color guard a vital part of the band program, they also participate in other competitions and performances outside of band. The girls in color guard have an opportunity to form great friendships with each other, and have fun with each other.

On October 3, 2009 at 8:30, the class of 1949 had its 60th reunion breakfast served by Denison High School cafeteria staff. The Commons that morning was just

as loud and bustling as normal lunch time during school. These are no normal graduates in the way that these are the ones who truly saw the hallmark of DHS history. A lot of things have changed since 1949 with the High School and with ways of learning. “The old high school was 3 stories high and a basement. It was spread out. Now the classes are larger. The new high school has four times more updated equipment to work with. From my observation, the students are controlled more in the hallways now. We were pretty crowded. Another thing I noticed is there is a new closeness between the teachers and the students. I rarely see a teacher here that is not smiling,” graduate Marvin Vincent said. After the students graduated, they got a better taste of the adult world. One graduate in particular gave advice on how to prepare for it. “If I would have just studied physics, chemistry, and algebra a little more then I

would have had it a little easier. It’s a big change coming your way when you go to college with studies,” Melvin Brown, former graduate said. Brown is a former Houston head coach who told some about his experiences. He says that he was too concerned about paying the bills and depended so much on routine things that time got away from him, and everything was a blur. He said that he didn’t think 1953 would come, but here he is in 2009. A student from our high school went to her mother’s class reunion recently and noticed a difference in the behavior of current students and 10 year graduates. “No one was trying to impress anyone at the reunion. Everyone was just excited to see all their old classmates,” Hayley Trotter said. These graduates started together in the old Denison High School which was established nearly 100 years ago. After 1949 it seems these graduates would have lost touch, but they had ways of keeping in touch and reasons for it, too. “The classes of 1949 all over Texas have met in Denton once every month for the past 12 years,” Graduate Joyce Browne Weaver said, “To the current high school students, stay together, because it’s really, really fun to keep up with everybody. You’ll be glad that you did… you’ll be really glad.”

“…It’s true- hard work pays off,” author Ray Bradbury said. To achieve goals, you can’t use all your time thinking about it, you have to do it. That’s

how freshman Sarah Shearer is reaching her dreams. “We all need to practice to get better and to try our hardest,” Shearer said. Shearer is one of the newest members on the Varsity Choir. Shearer and her sister both have been involved in choir since sixth grade. “[I’m] very proud she’s taken interest in something I like,” sister Amanda Shearer said. Singing is a very important part in the Shearer family’s life. Her mother has been an active part in both of their lives. “I have always been interested in choir. My mother has always inspired me to sing,” Shearer said. Shearer and the freshmen that made it on Varsity Choir have for sure made an

effort to be what some think is impossible. Achieving goals takes practice and dedication. Shearer has some advice to give to those who have a goal to reach. “Just try your best and stay focused,” Sarah said. Pursuing dreams can always have great rewards, even if we don’t realize it. Mr. Patty, the new High School Varsity Choir director believes that singing can help benefit everyone. “[Singing] helps improve their skills

and it is a proven fact that singing makes you use both sides of your brain,” Patty said. Many students have rose to the challenge and are pursuing a dream. There are 5 freshman girls and up to 10 freshman boys on Varsity Choir this year. Everyone tells a story of determination to be their best. Keynote speaker

and productivity consultant Denis Waitley said, “Goals provide the energy source that powers our lives. One of the best ways we can get the most from the energy we have is to focus it. That is what goals can do for us; concentrate our energy.”

“I joined the color guard because my friend asked me to try out with her. My favorite part is when we just goof off and have fun with each other,” freshman Ceonna Rhodes said. It takes lots of hard work and diligent practice on these girls’ part to be able to present a great show. They have practice 5th period every day, and practice for 2 hours after school with the band. They must not only work on the half time show, but also prepare routines for pep rallies and other events. “Before a competition, it’s nerve-racking and exciting all at once, especially at football games, when we finish performing, every one is clapping and cheering and you know that you did the best you can do,” sophomore Araceli Rodriguez said. Through their efforts, these girls are able to put together a very impressive show. The combination of exciting performances and unique friendships makes color guard a program that is truly magic.

Color Guard Adds Excitement to the Halftime Show

Class of 1949 60th Reunion

Senior Raquel Rodriguez strikes a pose during the halftime performance.

Photo by Macie Hill

Varsity choir members practice for a concert. Photo by Paisley Brady

December 2009 feature 9

Every year, around Halloween, Denison High School plays home to a special talent show called Neewollah. Students get a chance to make

their cool, unusual, or sometimes unsung talents known. “It’s great,” junior Jasmine Blake said, “I really like watching the skits.” While there are some pretty awesome skits, some people sing, bands often play, and there is also, of course, the Neewollah Royalty. Even the drill team makes up a cool dance just for the occasion. “I like watching the drill team dance, they always do something interesting,” senior Chelsea Armstrong said. Neewollah is a DHS tradition and it never seems to let anyone down from year to year. With all the different people that finally have a chance to show off their talent, it’s expected to be something you definitely don’t want to miss out on. “There was one couple last year that did duet covers of Jason Mraz songs, I thought it was really good,” Junior Chase Bertles said. In the opinion of DHS students, Neewollah is a show that you won’t forget about.

For many students, it is a bummer to have to stay for ten extra minutes this year. But imagine this: a school day lasting until around six P.M.,

and a summer that lasts for one month instead of three. Even though this seems rather drastic, President Obama has proposed that students start spending more hours in school in order to improve academic competition with students around the world. “I think that extending our school year would make us more competitive academically, but the reason our [rank] has dropped is because Americans are arrogant and used to being #1, so they are blowing off their schoolwork, and not focusing on their classes,” senior Michelle Wasmund said. President Obama insists that the current school schedule is based on America’s old agrarian routine. Parents needed their children home to work in the afternoon, or to harvest crops in the

summer. Although this is not true of most of today’s society, students are becoming increasingly busy outside of the school day, and getting jobs of their own that require their after-school hours. “I don’t support this. I work during the week sometimes, and I’d rather get all my hours during the week so I can have time to myself on the weekends. I can’t do that if school hours are extended,” junior Craig DaCosta said. It is proven that children in other countries consistently outscore Americans academically, particularly in math and science. However, it is debatable whether more hours in school would actually improve test scores, or just de-motivate students and cause more problems in focus. “I think better outside of school. I think the students would slack off because they have less time to do what they want, leading to dropouts,” senior Paula Willis said. Academic performance may improve if school hours were extended. Some private and charter school in America that already have longer days show

significant improvements. However, the president must consider the other aspects of students’ lives. More hours in school would reduce the time sports or other extra-curricular activities get to practice, limiting competitiveness in the areas that students actually enjoy. Participation in fine arts and sports is healthy for kids—it is debatable whether it is worth it to take that away from them for the sake of better test scores. “They would have to cut down practices that are after school, because students need time to do their class work, eat, and get a good night’s sleep,” Wasmund said. In theory, Obama’s plan is for the greater good. However, the negative consequences may outweigh the benefits. Students would be undoubtedly more stressed out, sitting in a classroom for 10 hours a day can’t be healthy, and kids would possibly lose the aspects of the school day that make school worth coming to. In the search for a solution to the American educational crisis, Obama needs to be careful not to do more damage to the youth of America.

Shorter Summer, Longer School YearNeewollahObama’s plan to extend the time you’re in class

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10 sports December 2009

The 2009 Denison Yellow Jacket Volleyball teams have successfully spiked their way through another conquering season. This season has shown 16 overall

wins and 16 losses. These stats do not put a stamp on the team work ethic, however. The players throughout the game have sweat for a reason. “This team has shown up everyday ready to work, and I really admire them for that. If I had to name one thing we need to work on that would better all aspects of the game, it would be our mental toughness. Volleyball is a game of momentum. The teams that are able to consistently out-think and stay focused when things are tough are generally the teams that are successful,” volleyball coach Saundra Hess said. To the players, the team has worked very hard to be more successful. Varsity volleyball captain Ashyln Conrad has seen the potential of the team this year that has been a result of hard work and a drive to win. “Even in the rough spots, we always were there for each other. This team doesn’t quit. We’ve fought through a lot of tough stuff. I have learned that if you

It’s hard to walk the halls of DHS without hearing about anything football related. It seems like almost everyone is somehow tied into Denison’s most

popular sport. The combined effort of the team, fans, and associated groups, such as band, are pressing through what could very well be one of Denison’s most monumental years yet. Hot summer days have finally left the DHS campus, leaving the team to deal with the bitter and cold morning and evening practices. At the end of the day, it’s the harmony and pride of the team that holds it all together, and it’s that very pride that gives Denison the competitive edge to learn from all of its past accomplishments and failures. “We’re definitely coming together

this year. We made a lot of mistakes at first, but once we cut back on penalties there’s nowhere to go but up. We did great last year but there is always room for improvement,” senior varsity player Cory Newton said. With such a humble yet determined outlook from the players themselves, even the fans and students can feel the cogs turning in the Yellow Jacket machine. “It’s so exciting to watch your buddies down there hitting people hard. Just the cracking sound when they come together and all of the adrenaline from both sides of the field makes things get heated pretty fast,” senior Jason Hudson said. All of this optimism points toward a true unity in the school. Actual players or not, everyone in the student population serves a divine purpose in helping the team press through the many challenges of the future.

Bump, Set, Hit: DHS Volleyball Season Review

Jacket Football Triumphs

Quarterback #15 Jordan Taylor. Photo by Brie Osmon

are determined and work hard toward something you want, you will improve and make progress. I hope a lot more people become a part of it in the future, both by playing as well as increasing the number of fans at the games,” Conrad said. The Junior Varsity has had a great season this year. Fans are impressed with the games and the athletes are focused on teamwork and showing the community they are willing to potentially be the future varsity players. “We are doing awesome this year. Even though the scoreboard doesn’t always show us on top, we are all working harder than we have in the past. I’ve really come to love volleyball. [Volleyball] has pushed me to keep my priorities straight. [Sports] is a really great place to find friends or a lifetime, especially if you have good team unity,” J.V. junior Charli Wahl said. All team sports games would be different if teamwork was not a factor in the play. Players learn how to be a team with practice. This practice is also used for the real world too. “There are very few jobs in this world that don’t require some level of teamwork. Hopefully these girls can take some of the lessons they’ve learned about commitment, loyalty, work ethic,

and caring about others into their careers upon graduation,” Hess said. When teachers say to never give up, they are talking about staying with the game so that you can see yourself conquering a goal. When you don’t give up yourself, your spirits and you are able to do it again. “The best part about seeing my daughter on the volleyball team is seeing her doing what she loves to do. She’s learned so much about working together with other people towards a common goal. She’s consistently trying to keep everyone’s spirits up and keep

them focused on the next point. They’ve played from their heart, and learned to trust each other and the roles that each of them play on the team,” mother Keary Conrad said. One thing fans like to see during the games is our players showing respect to other teams. They do this every game by shaking hands and not getting depressed or overly angered over something that happened in the games. This is a reason why the team effort is successful. There will be athletes graduating this year as well as some moving up next year to varsity.

Working hard to keep the ball away from Mckinney North’s grasp. Photo by Brie Osmon.

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December 2009 sports 11

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The coming of winter always means two things for Denison’s sports program: the end of football playoffs and the start of basketball season.

Basketball provides many of Denison’s premiere athletes, both young men and women who are also in several different sports, a chance to compete during the bitter cold months in an inside environment. With the resounding echoes of shuffling basketball shoes, dribbling, and the excited fans, it’s hard not to be spirited around this time of year. “I expect that we will get the results that we have worked for. I think we’ll do pretty well this year,” senior varsity player T.J. Taylor said. Their determination is unquestionable, and Denison’s teams always seem to thrive on that good aspect. “My favorite part is definitely the adrenaline rush I get before the game starts, and of course the feeling I get

when we win,” sophomore JV player Kristyne McKoy said. Teamwork between the players is what really keeps them going. Both the boys’ teams and the girls’ teams work together to do their best on the court. “Our team has a lot of talent in each player. We play well together and get along great,” senior varsity player Sara Ebneter said. Denison is certainly spirited when it comes to any sport; both fans and players play a big part in the season. Their ability and their competitive edge is sure to drive them into success within the upcoming months.

DHS basketball prepares for success

2009 Freshman Boys’ Team

2009 Varsity Boys’ Team

2009 Varsity Girls’ Team JV Girls’ Team

Freshman Girls’ Team

Did you miss the Jacket

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New Hospital BringsBusiness to Denison

Surely everyone has seen how close the new Texoma Medical Center hospital is to being done. It is situated next to Cigna on Highway 75 and has eight towering

floors, an impossible site to miss while driving to Sherman. It is currently 80% complete and is scheduled to open in December of 2009, four months ahead of the original date. “This will be the largest, fastest construction of a hospital I have been a part of from the ground up,” said Chris Wall, the project manager from Brasfield & Gorie.

Part of the reason for such a fast construction is there are over 500 men working on the construction site daily, not including sub contractors. Not only will the new hospital have better technology for the care of patients, it’s helping to create jobs in the local area. Right now it is employing about 600 people to complete the hospital and even after construction is complete, there will still be new job opportunities. “When you build a new hospital facility, it’s sort of like a magnet, and a lot of other businesses will float to that area,” said Dr. Mackey Watkins, TMC president/CEO. Among the many large benefits the new hospital will offer, it’s the small details that Dr. Watkins thinks will make

a large difference. As we all know, the old hospital is in a residential area and not simple to get to for everybody, but the new hospital is, “on the highway and it’s very easy to get to from all directions,” said Dr. Watkins. Many people are wondering what will become of the old hospital, and as of right now, TMC is hoping to sell the facility before they begin moving into the new hospital. As the new hospital gets closer to the opening date the people of TMC are likely getting a little nervous, but they’re hiding it well. “I see it as a total positive. I can’t see it as a negative. If there is a negative it’s because I’m losing a little bit of hair working with it,” said Dr. Watkins.