Say what? Check out editorials on Pages 6 and 7

December 2010 Manzano High School Volume LI Issue III

See what some MHS’s favorite holiday gifts are on page 5

Something Wicked is happening in Albuquerque! Find out what it’s all about on page 4

“Flintstones. Meet the Flintstones. They’re the modern stone age family.” Many people know this song, but do they know that the man who played that song for the TV series helps the guitar program at Manzano? This man’s name is Michael Anthony. Anthony has continuously worked with Manzano students for the past 15 years, and David Ostrovitz, MHS guitar teacher, is thankful for all of those years. “He’s a world class guitar player and teacher. He has been an inspiration to my students for the past 15 years,” said Ostrovitz. Anthony said that he began helping the guitar students when Ostrovitz introduced himself after one of Anthony’s shows, and invited him to an MHS guitar concert. “I had a young woman in my program who was an extremely talented songwriter and I sent her to him [Anthony] to help with developing melodies and chords for her songs. Then he came to one of my concerts to see her perform and talk to me about bringing jazz into the program. At that point in time, I convinced him to come in once a week to work with my advanced classes on jazz guitar and the rest, as they say, is history,” explained Ostrovitz Of course, “The Flintstone’s” theme song is not all that he is known for. He also played for Diana Ross,

Imagine a warm, tropical escape dubbed with exotic plants, and a pond with fi sh,: all in walking distance of any class at Manzano. The idea does not need to be imagined, for a blissful greenhouse is located in the midst of the Manzano campus. A greenhouse? At Manzano? Yes! Why is it very few students know of the nursery? Is it because the faculty wants their own secluded getaway, a retreat from those vexatious students? The greenhouse has been a part of the Manzano complex for a number of years; long before any current MHS students were. When asked how long the nursery has been here, Custodian James Rivera“As long as I’ve been here, ten years, but probably ten years prior to when I was here.” The oasis serves an abundance of purposes. The main idea is not only to better educate students about the importance of being “green”, but also to exemplify the simplicity of it. “It gives a good example of recycling and salvaging materials to keep it functional. Everything in it is [either] salvaged, recycled, or propagated plants andfi sh from my home,” explained Rivera, “It’s also a hospital, if you will, to bring sick plants back to

Manzano’s Hidden SecretChristine Romero 2011

Pulling Strings:

A well-known guitarist helps out Manzano’s guitar program Ashley Day 2011

To know more about this “secret” see Greenhouse on page 3

Want to know more? See Guitar on page 2

Students know who they are, but do students know WHO they are or what they do? Students can all admit that Special Olympics isn’t as popular as football, basketball, or even track, but the best thing about them is that they are okay with that. As their website explains, Special Olympics of New Mexico, (SONM), provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with developmental disabilities giving them continuous opportunities to develop physical fi tness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and friendship with their families, and other Special Olympic athletes and the community. The difference between traditional sports and Special Olympic sports is that every sport is broken up into individual teams, but they are not broken up into C, JV, and Varsity. There are different levels, A, B, and C, and Skills. This just demonstrates different

skills of that sport, for example basketball, dribbling, or ball handling. A, B, and C are different teams based on skill that compete against other teams. “A level is the highest level, which means it follows the rules of that federalization. C level is the lowest level that modifi es the rules so it’s an adaptive sport, and B level is the middle between, or the stepping stone, of A and C,” said Karen Schaffner, Educational Assistant, and coach for the Special Olympics. Skills focus on the athletes whom are not capable of reaching the requirements of being on a team. “Our high hopes are to see all athletes reach the highest level that can be reachable for them,” said Schaffner. If one doesn’t have an intellectual disability then one can still be in Special Olympics as a ‘unifi ed partner.’ Unifi ed Sport athletes and partners improve their physical fi tness, sharpen their skills, challenge the competition and help to

overcome prejudices about developmental disabilities. “They are just the most fun athletes to compete with,” explained Yvonne Reneau, a Community Referenced Learning (CRL) teacher, and Unifi ed Partner for volleyball. “I’m not the best athlete, so my teammates always encourage me to be a better athlete, and the atmosphere is just fun and positive,” continued Reneau. Special Olympics Unifi ed Sports is not just all fun, but is also powerful as an educational tool in schools. Special education teachers have reported the program to be extremely effective at integrating youth, promoting physical activity and inspiring leadership. “It gives me good courage, good personality, and it’s fun to your teammates. It also gets me not shy because of the coaches; they gave me courage to speak in front of people”, explains James Rector, who is a C level Special Olympics athlete and the Representative for New Mexico Athletes. The total wins for

basketball were four gold medals, and one silver medal. “Basketball is my favorite sport,” said Derrick Covey, a Special Olympics athlete, “because I like to run around and chase the ball and guard people so they can’t get the ball. I also like it because I feel happy because I can play with friends instead of by myself”. And while the basketball team worked hard, the bowling team was able to win 20 gold, 17 silver, and 8 bronze. “I won gold, it makes me feel proud, like I did something good” said Taylor Mendoca, Special Olympian. “I can’t imagine my life without Special Olympics,” commented Chris Castillo the Head of the Delegation. The next event is Poly Hockey which starts on January 9th. Practices are on Sundays from 12:30- 2:30, and according to a coach, it’s a really amazing group to put 2 hours of time a week and defi nately worth it. Special Olympics is always looking for people to join.

Exceptional Athletes: Special Olympic athletes compete and win big Cheyanne Herrera 2012

The amazing athletes doing what they do best! Photo courtesy of Cheyanne Herrera

PAW PRINTDecember 2010

School News2

For most, snow delays and cancellations often mean a few extra hours of sleep or maybe some time to get caught up on an assignment or two. But what does it do to our instructional time, especially to the Monarch population in the East Mountains? For many who live out in Edgewood, it may be hard to get into town this winter. “There are usually about fi ve inches of snow on the ground at all times, but with some snow drifts

SNOW DAY: MHS deals with a unique problemCloie Logan 2013

that end up taller than me,” said Jordan Medlock, a junior at MHS. Cars must either have four wheel drive, or chains to even

think about braving the ice some mornings. The canyon roads can be treacherous, and are often closed for safety. If kids can’t come in for instruction during

these harsh weather days, are they getting behind? Many don’t feel safe driving down. “I just stay home. When I can, I make things out of the snow, and every hour or two I have to shovel the driveway if it’s bad,” said Medlock. Because of this, Manzano often has two-hour delays, in hopes that the roads will be drivable by 9:00 AM. “A lot of East Mountain students on the delays don’t make it in,” said Rob Robertson, math

Robertson. So far, students haven’t gotten far behind, and have been able to recover because there have not been a lot of winter failures. However, it’s still an issue that many feel is in need of resolution. “Because we have such a big population of mountain kids, if there’s snow that often leads to a delay or a day off, we fi nd that we have to re-teach a particular lesson, or we end up

teacher. Early dismissal is also an issue. Teachers end up facing dilemmas where they have to choose between teaching the lesson to the city students and having to keep the mountain students to recover, or wait until the whole population is present again to move along with the lesson plan. “On early dismissals, a lot of times are only for East Mountain students, and they end up missing a lot of what’s going on in sixth and seventh,” said

accidently punishing the mountain kids for something that isn’t their fault,” stated Julie Huntsman, MHS teacher, about the impact of snow days in the classroom. Even though teachers can make do with the situation, this predicament is less than desirable. “I’m not sure what can be done, honestly on an issue like Manzano with a mix of East Mountain and city students others [schools] don’t face, I just don’t know what the answer is,” said Robertson.

on the Carol Burnett Show, the Dean Martin Show, the Sonny and Cher Show, he played the Yukalaylee for the record “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head,” and the list goes on. Anthony became interested in music when he got a chromatic harmonica. He was able to listen to songs and play them without ever looking at notes. He found his love for the guitar when he heard Les Paul in California. He then became a well-known guitarist when he was working with Howard Roberts. “He took me under his wing and I ended up accidentally playing on his record. I was just watching when his accompanying guitarist had to leave, so he asked me to play,” described Anthony. Once he was heard on Roberts’ record, Anthony was asked to play on various TV shows and movies. Anthony now has a jazz trio in which he has produced seven CD’s with. He also has another CD making a total of eight. Along with eight CD’s, Anthony also has two guitar books. One is “Jazz Warm- Ups for Guitar”, and the other is titled “The Ultimate Map for Jazz Guitar”, which shows how the fi ngerboard is laid out. Of course, Anthony still performs. He mostly plays around Santa Fe, Los Angeles, and Albuquerque. He has been playing regularly at Scalo Northern Italian Grill and St. Claire’s Winery. Anthony also occasionally plays with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. “I’m honored that they ask me to play,” stated Anthony. Anthony has accomplishments, and feels fortunate that he gets to live his life playing the guitar. “I feel like I am the luckiest guy in the in the world because I’ve raised three children, and got to live my life doing what I love to do,” Anthony exclaimed. Ostrovitz said that he and Anthony have become great friends, something that he feels is a “true blessing” in his life.

Guitarcontinued from page 1

Photo courtesy of Cheyanne Herrera

Most middle schools and high schools have an APD offi cer, also known as a resource offi cer, located at their schools. The resource offi cers are a kind of unknown people around campus, yet they provide a much needed service. Offi cer Jim Vautier is a new member the Manzano’s Resource Unit, and he was willing to shed light on the his job and his role in keeping Manzano safe. Pawprint: How long have you worked as a School Resource Offi cer? What schools have you worked at? Offi cer Jim: Over the last 10 years, I have worked at Highland, Manzano, Eldorado, and Cleveland Middle School. Now I’m back at MHS. I’ve been a

police offi cer for 22 years. Pawprint: Why did you choose to be a Resource Offi ce? Offi cer Jim: I like working with kids. I don’t believe I can ‘save’ them anymore; that has to come from their families. But if I can be there when a kid needs help or advice or just to vent about all the drama going on that day, that works for me. I am a School Resource Offi cer, and can be a resource to all MHS students if they need one. I’m not just the big, bad guy that takes kids to jail… unless that’s what they choose. Pawprint: How do you feel when you see a kid that is young, breaking the law, or in a gang? Offi cer Jim: If I really start dwelling on it, I feel sad because those kids are missing out on all the good things going on around them. I

feel sad that, in most cases, the gang life is ingrained into the family and the kids are just growing up with what they know. Pawprint: Did you always want to be a police offi cer? Offi cer Jim: No, I wanted to play Pro Football. Obviously that didn’t happen. Law enforcement was a good second choice though. I like helping people. Pawprint: Did anyone inspire you to be a police offi cer? Offi cer Jim: I can’t remember anyone really inspiring me to do police work. Before I joined the department I was in college, (UNM), and remember the endless news stories about gang wars over crack cocaine. I remember wanting to join the fi ght to save the kids from drugs and gangs. These days

I get my inspiration from the police offi cers across the country that have been killed in the line of duty; the ones that also give love to their families before going to work each day, but never come home. Pawprint: What do you like to do in your free time? Offi cer Jim: I train at the gym four to fi ve times a week. I also coach football here at MHS. I have been working with Coach Ocampo for the last 9 years. I coach the varsity offensive line.

Meet Offi cer Jim Vautier Cheyanne Turner 2014

Photo courtesy of Katelyn Swain

PAW PRINT 3December 2010

School News

Contact Information: Advisor: Matt Kraus Editor-In-Chief: Feliz Munoz Copy Editor: Sean Carins School News Editors: Alysha Landavazo & Ashley Day Sports Editor: Danny Baker Entertainment Editor: Billy Huntsman Picture Editor: Cheyanne Herrera Editorial Editor: Tyler Gallegos Ad Editor: Yoselin Torres Phone: 559-5904 E-mail: manzanopawprint @yahoo.com

health.” The air of the glasshouse is warm and moist- uncannily tropical. It is fl ourished with tall romantic greenery, some of which are noticeably progressing back to physical wellness. “[There are] umbrella trees, snow trees- scientifi c name is Dieffenbachia- if you ingest the leaves it will paralyze your throat,” noted Rivera. The trees surround a metal tank (also recycled) which is home to the agile ‘orange’ colored fi sh that are undoubtedly spoiled by Rivera. Along the elongated windows lie tiny seedlings just beginning to sprout. Adjacent to the newborns lay other plants that attract the visual senses. “Dragon Palms, Fan Palms, and my favorite, the dark red geraniums,” said Rivera As far as managing the trees and plants, the maintenance

load will vary on a day-to-day basis. “It depends, obviously watering, feeding the fi sh, periodically keeping the water balanced, keeping an eye out for insects or pests,” explained Rivera. Although it may seem time-consuming and diffi cult to sustain a healthy greenhouse, it is actually not as complicated as one might think. “The whole idea when you are doing any type of gardening is making it self-suffi cient so there is very little maintenance. [It is] important to keep things balanced. I’m a 60’s fl ower child; it was very important to stay in balance with nature and not struggle with it,” noted Rivera. To Rivera, the greenhouse is more than a home to plants; it functions as a place of relaxation and

Zen. “I go in there to get a snack, have a cup of tea, brush my teeth, meditate, stuff like that,” chuckled Rivera. Rivera is not the only one utilizing the greenhouse, as other faculty members have used the facility for projects with their students. “We have a Special Ed class that did tomatoes, basil, some parsley, and carrots,” continued Rivera, “One time a teacher here did a bunch of poinsettias and sold them. That’s the last time I saw anyone go full-bore on a project.” That is, until Kristin Tomany’s 7th period health class delved into their inner fl ower child and got down with dirt, seeds, and worms- well, maybe not the worms. Tomany has two main purposes of the gardening project. “One, that greenhouse

is cool and I wanted to use it! Two, I think gardening is a skill, a health skill, and people don’t know how to do it anymore,” said Tomany. The class is planting an arrangement of vegetables that will be eaten when fully ripened in the month of December. “We are planting lettuce, spinach, a couple herbs, green onions, radishes, in a word, salad.” said Tomany. Planting one’s own garden is benefi ciary toward the gardener, and furthermore, Mother Earth. Planting edibles can dramatically reduce expenses when grocery shopping; only needing to spend cents on seeds. Our planet takes a toll from people buying fruits and vegetables from grocers, especially if they’re foreign or not in season. The only way to supply these foods is by shipping them in from

other countries via plane or ship, inevitably excreting pollution along the way. Tomany adds, “It’s cheap, better tasting, fresher, more nutrient-packed, pesticide free, organic, and disease free (not going to get exposed to contaminated water from a feed lot upstream which is exposed to salmonella or E.Coli.)” It will take approximately six weeks for the vegetables to be fully grown and ready for consumption. Tomany’s class is planning a celebration for their effort of parenting the veggies in accordance with fi nalizing the nutrition section of health that was recently covered. “One of the focuses is to eat healthy snacks, so we will have a pot-luck with a fresh organic salad,” said Tomany. Students looking to use

or see the greenhouse should talk to their science or health teachers. The greenhouse is located on the south side of the science building.

Many students know Chuck Usmar as the English Honors 11 teacher who shares a room with Daniel Shanley, another Manzano English teacher. What many students don’t know, is that while he isn’t teaching, Usmar is compiling information and writing on the history of New Mexico. Usmar started as an English teacher at Manzano in 1977, and chose Manzano over many other high schools he could have taught at. Even though Usmar teaches English, his college major was in history, and that is what he focuses on in his free time. Usmar said that from an early age he was interested in the Wild West, something that ultimately drew him to New Mexico. Currently Usmar is working on a biography titled, “The Perfect Thorn: The Life and Times of James

J. Dolan.” Research for the biography has taken him all over the country. Usmar has visited many sites including The New York City Archives, National Archives, New Mexico State Archives, and New Mexico County Archives. In addition to these he has compiled information from

The Center for Southwest Research, UNM Zimmerman Library, The University of Arizona, Brigham Young University, J. Evetts Haley Library, Fray Anglican Library, Lincoln County Historical Society, and the Lincoln State Monument. Usmar has not compiled the information without the mentorship of experts in the New Mexico Historical fi eld. “My mentor in this process is the leading writer in the fi eld, Frederick Nolan,” said Usmar, “Also the leading collector, Robert McCubbin.” he added. In addition to his current biography Usmar is an authority on the history of Lincoln County in Southern New Mexico. There, he was a guest lecturer at the Lincoln State Monument. Additionally, he presented a paper, titled “The Lords of Lincoln County: Lawrence

Murphy and James Dolan,” at the annual Wild West Historical Society Association conference last July. The conference is composed of 300 historians and history buffs. Usmar is not the only teacher at Manzano who works with New Mexico history. “My friend and poet, Brett Rimer, wrote a poetic epigraph for it,” said Usmar. Another friend of Usmar’s and poetess, Dale Harris, also wrote an epigraph for the book. The book is a biography of James Dolan, an Irish immigrant who played a key role in the Lincoln County war. Before coming to New Mexico, Dolan was a drummer boy in General Tecumseh Sherman’s march through Georgia during the Civil War.

Half Scholar, Half Sage: Chuck Usmar does it allSean Cairns 2012

Greenhousecontinued from page 1

Mr. Usmar looking historical.

Mrs. Tomany watering the garden. Photo courtesy of Christine Romero.

PAW PRINT4 December 2010 Entertainment

won’t regret seeing. And, now, number one goes to 2008’s “Four Christmases,” starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon, as a couple set in their “Born to be Wild” lifestyle, who fi nd themselves reluctantly trapped in visiting their families for Christmas instead of scuba-diving in Fiji. Unconventional and unusual, Four Christmases, nonetheless, reminds you of one of the meanings of Christmas—family—while also delivering an intestine-rupturing 88 minutes of laughing. Undeniably the greatest scene in the movie—the part I practically wet my pants laughing at—is where Brad and Kate (Vaughn and Witherspoon) visit Kate’s mother’s home. There, Kate’s sister, Courtney (Kristin Chenoweth), is rocking her nauseous newborn, whom she gives to Kate just for a second so as to “readjust” herself. And sure enough, the young toddler empties his stomach upon her. I have never laughed so hard at anything, and I like to think that some of these little jokes I come up with here in these articles are particularly piquant. And there ya have it, ladies and germs! I hope you enjoy yourselves watching these movies, and more than that, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Have you ever wondered how the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch got to be who they are? Well, the musical Wicked tells the stories of the two witches and reveals surprises that went untold in The Wizard of Oz. “Wicked is almost a new invention of musical theater. The costumes are so unique and made specifi c to the actors’ look. As soon as the curtain rises you’re in Oz,” said Elena Williamson, an MHS junior. In September of 1995, ReganBooks published “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West”, written by Gregory Maguire. He suggests that the Wicked Witch of the West may not have started out evil. In 2003, a musical called Wicked, which was based off of Gregory Maguire’s novel, opened at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway. In March of 2005, Wicked then kicked off a world tour where they visited more than 80 cities and today is the winner of 35 major awards. “(Wicked) is my favorite Broadway show by far; it is defi nitely worth the money,” said Alexis Wylie, MHS junior. The musical is about the friendship of the two witches before Dorothy, from Kansas, drops down for a visit. It tells how they became enemies and why one is good and one is bad. The Wicked Witch is smart and misunderstood, while Glinda the Good is beautiful and popular. Many of the same characters appear in the musical that are in The Wizard of Oz. Stephen Schwartz is the composer for many of the songs in the musical. He wrote “For Good” while working on Wicked; he believes it is one of his best songs. Schwartz has won one Grammy, one Drama Desk Award, and a 2004 Tony nomination for songs written for the musical. One of the songs sung in Wicked is “What is this Feeling”, which is a duet between the two witches when they are roommates at Shiz University. The witches sing about loathing one another, which is how they feel about each other at fi rst impression. “The music from Wicked is just absolutely amazing. I can’t wait for it (to come to Albuquerque),” said Clara Eickhoff, an MHS senior. Wicked is on tour now and will be visiting Albuquerque January 25, 2011 to February 13, 2011. It will be at the Pope Joy Hall at the University of New Mexico. Tickets are on sale now starting at about $60 for group pricing. For more information about Wicked in Albuquerque visit popejoypresents.com or wickedthemusical.com.

Wicked in Albuquerque

Karena Smestad 2012 Nicholas Sparks is well known for his touching novels full of a romance only he can create. “The Notebook”, “Message in a Bottle”, and “Nights in Rodanthe” are only a few of the novels that make his name known worldwide. Sparks has done it again, with another novel that is soon to be a classic entitled “Safe Haven” Sparks lives in a small town in North Carolina with his wife and family, just like the setting from most of his novels. “It had been a long time since I’d added an element of danger to my novels. I hadn’t done that since “The Guardian”, which came out about 10 years ago,” said Sparks during a recorded interview that can be found on amazon.com. In his novel “Safe Haven”, Katie, 27, is new in town, and isn’t in any hurry to make herself known. But in a small town, that is quite a diffi cult feat. Soon, she makes friends with her neighbor, Jo. Even though she doesn’t want anyone to know, Katie’s mysterious air and affi nity to sidestep direct questions makes it apparent that she is trying to hide her past. Alex struggles to keep up his local grocery store and father his two young children, Kristen and Josh. Four years ago, his wife passed away and he is just now

“Safe Haven” Is a Safe ChoiceAmanda Sims 2012

learning how to move on. At fi rst the confl ict is purely will Alex and Katie get together, then it becomes a lethal plot that comes from Katie’s haunted past. Overall, Sparks’ dialogue in Safe Haven fl ows smoothly from the tip of a character’s

tongue. He also has a wonderful way of describing a situation, a feeling, a thought, or an expression. For example, one day at the beach while eating s’mores, Alex accidentally smears melted marshmallow all over his face. “Katie couldn’t help giggling as well, and she felt a sudden, unexpected surge of hope… For them, it was nothing but an ordinary day on an ordinary weekend, but for her, there was something revelatory about the notion

that wonderful moments like these existed,” (page 96). However brilliant his stories may be, he often begins with a pace considered to be slower than a turtle. As soon as Katie and Alex begin spending time together, the pace quickens exponentially. Sparks is a dramatic fi ction writer; he must take the reader on a journey through the whole spectrum of human emotions. Sparks does this very well in “Safe Haven”. The typical Sparks “I love you” on the fi rst date is quite cliché and almost over-done in his stories. The story line possessed the usual Nicholas Sparks’ spark with unpredictable twists and turns. That being said,“Safe Haven” is not his best novel, but defi nitely not his worst. The work Sparks did to create his newest masterpiece was evident. However, his older novels (“Dear John”, for example) trump “Safe Haven”. Pick up a copy of Sparks’ new novel to fi gure out how Katie deals with her past and whether she can save not only herself, but also her new family.

The smell of a fi replace late at night with a cup of hot chocolate in your lap; the cheery moods everybody seems to be in, just so long as you aren’t in any department stores or parking lots; the Santa Clauses outside Target, ringing their bells and asking for donations; you look outside your bedroom window and you see the snow drifting downward onto your lawn, and you see the streets frozen and empty of all cars speeding to get to work and shouting obscenities and throwing lewd hand gestures at other drivers. Oh, yes, there’s a very soft spot in the depths of my soul for Christmas, and, yes, even I can’t fi nd a bad thing to say about movies during Christmas. And so, my critiquing retires until January, how about we take a look at the fi ve best Christmas movies ever? Sounds good to me. Number fi ve goes to 2000’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” a modern retelling and live-action adaptation of 1966’s animated T.V. special of the same name, which was an adaptation itself of Dr. Seuss’ famed 1957 children’s book of the same name. Grinch 2000 starred Jim Carey as the green-Avatar, a.k.a., the Grinch, a misanthrope intent on pulling down

A Reason to Feel Holly-JollyBilly Huntsman 2012

the citizens of Whoville down to his same level of dejection by stealing their Christmas presents, only to later realize that the materialism of the holidays isn’t what makes Christmas so great—it’s the intangibility of it all. Again, people may be irate that I even included this fi lm of them all, and are calling me a Communist or a Marxist or a Leninist, and I say way to look up vocabulary in your A.P. World History textbooks, but this is a very good fi lm. Number four goes to 1990’s “Home Alone,” starring child-star Macaulay Culkin in the main role of Kevin McCallister, whose Mormon-sized family accidentally leaves him at home as they leave for the airport to take off to Paris. Through the course of the fi lm, two burglars (Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci), whose I.Q.’s register somewhere in the dim abysses of the triple-negatives, overhear the McCallisters’ home is packed with goodies and attempt to rob it. Kevin, obviously a Saw-prodigy, sets booby-traps that of course the two men fall victim to. Number three goes to 2004’s performance-capture adaptation of “The Polar Express,” starring Tom Hanks. The fi lm follows the storyline of the children’s book of the same title by Chris Van

Allsburg, about a boy unsure of the existence of Santa Claus, who is awoken in the still of the night by a train outside his home. Intrigued, he hops on, and is taken on a 100-minute-safari of Santa’s Northpole, on a train apparently operated by a New York City cabbie. This fi lm, more than anything, is pleasing to the eye and indulgent to the mind, and as such was well-received in my eyes. Number two goes to 2006’s “The Holiday,” starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, and Jack Black. In case you’re wondering, yes, it is a chick-fl ick but, no, I don’t care. To be honest, I enjoy the occasional chick-fl ick, and this one was one of the best holiday fi lms I’ve ever seen. Two women (Winslet and Diaz), fed up with life in their home countries in America and England, decide to swap homes for the holidays. Diaz winds up in the English countryside, while Winslet fi nds herself in bustling L.A. Here, Diaz falls in love with Winslet’s brother, Jude Law, while Winslet fi nds herself swept off her feet by Diaz’s friend, Jack Black. In the end, love turns out to be the greatest gift any of the four characters could have received. Very touching and very original. The Holiday is a resounding Christmas movie you Photo courtesy of Karena

Smestad

Photo courtesy of Jacob Ulibarri and Alysha Landavazo

PAW PRINT 5HolidayDecember 2010

Many students at MHS celebrate something other than Christmas over winter break: Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration celebrating African heritage and culture. So what’s Kwanzaa all about? The name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza”, meaning fi rst fruits of the harvest. It got its start during the Black Nationalist movement of the 1960’s, and was created by activist Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966. This holiday is about celebrating your roots, heritage, and culture. Its goal is to celebrate and be proud of who you are. Families decorate their houses with cultural artifacts and fresh fruits that represent African idealism. Each of the seven days is dedicated to what Karenga sees as being African American

The Unknown Holiday: KwanzaaAlysha Landavazo 2012

Each year many people get holiday presents, but what was your favorite gift of all time?

During the month of December, there are many kids who go without; however, this year you could help make a difference by donating clothes and gifts to the YDI program this month. The YDI (Youth Development Inc.) program is a head start program that is nationally recognized in central and northern New Mexico. They provide educational, developmental and humanitarian assistance to children, youth and families. YDI programs include tutoring, gang intervention, dropout prevention, youth sports, and leadership development. Manzano has been

Angel WreathMeadow Butler 2013

adopting from the same YDI program for 18 years. There are about 60 kids who are adopted by our school every December. Each child gets an angel put on the wreath and various students, homerooms and clubs around MHS will choose an

angel. They will receive information about the child they picked like gender, age, clothing size and the child’s wish list. “I always pick a little boy and a little girl angel,” said Ruth Cooper, MHS math teacher. “I’ll get the little boy a truck and the little girl a doll and each child will get a stuffed animal, a coloring book, crayons and Play-Doh.” “It’s rewarding to see Manzano get so involved in projects like this, it’s very heart warming,” said Helen Cortez, MHS activities director. The program runs for three weeks at MHS and is for low income families with less

fortunate kids. “If you’re thinking about getting your own angel, make sure it’s done right. Have a heart for the kids and don’t hoard it all, everybody needs to learn to give.” said Cooper. Every child who is adopted will receive fi ve or six gifts. “Their faces really light up when we take them all the gifts,” said Cortez. Manzano usually donates hundreds of gifts every December to the YDI program. The deadline for turnng in gifts is December 14. Gifts can be turned into the activities offi ce. See Ms. Cortez for more details

The holidays are coming up and you’re still having trouble fi nding that gift that says just the right thing? Well, look no further, because with the Paw Print’s very own Purple Market reviews, one can fi nd a little something for everyone, or at least know what they should never consider getting someone. Buy Iron Man 2 wrist Repulsor $14.99 at Toys-R-us for the little super hero or the creepy comic geek in your life. The Iron Man Wrist Repulsor comes complete with lights and “missiles”. One straps the launcher glove onto their arm, loads the missile, and then it’s set to face any arch enemies or teachers, whichever sounds better. Why not a Zhu Zhu pets hamster Jilly for $14.99 at Toys-

R-us for the little princess in the family. A pink hamster dressed in a tutu and tiara, Jilly makes hamster sounds and scurries around on little hamster feet (wheels). A daughter or strangely confused son will have hours of fun playing with this little vermin until the batteries die or one gets tired of the constant squeaking, whichever comes fi rst. Consider a snack holder football helmet, available for $54.99 at Walmart for the sports fanatic in the house. It is customizable with any NFL team’s logo available to put on it. It can hold snacks in either the top of the helmet, the facemask, or both! This is a great gift for that special someone who likes to invite everyone and their

grandmothers over to watch the big game, even though their team hasn’t gone to the playoffs in 50+ years. The FitFlop ‘Electra’ Sandals available for $59.95 at Nordstrom is the more subtle way of saying “honey, don’t you think it’s time to go on a diet?”. The FitFlop uses a Multi-density midsole integrated with microwobbleboard technology (yes that is a word) to stimulate your leg muscles with every step. The FitFlop comes in a variety of colors, including: black sequins, bronze sequins, and silver sequins. If paying $60 for a piece of foam doesn’t turn you away from buying this shoe, maybe the fact that you will have a seizure

if you stare at it longer than a few seconds due to the dazzling dollar store sequins will. The Flying Alarm Clock available for $24.95 from Latestgift.com is a perfect gift for the person who constantly hits the snooze button too many times and then has to come up with creative excuses as to why they’re late. This alarm clock functions just like any other alarm clock except with a little extra dose of annoyance. Along with a siren that goes off when the clock hits its set time, it also begins to fl y using a helicopter-like propeller. As you might have guessed the only way to stop this clock is by waking up. You might want to buy an extra one, considering it has the fl ying skills of a hyperactive 5 year old.

“The best thing I got for Christmas was a pool table from my grandmother,” -Izic Ortiz, MHS junior

“My favorite Christmas gift was homemade Christmas cards from my babies,” -Jennifer Trujillo, MHS secretary

“My blanket. I love it!” -Alex Tenorio, MHS senior

values. Kwanzaa celebrates what Karenga called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (the seven principles of blackness). Each day is a different value or principle, with a different name and meaning. I. Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. II. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To defi ne ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves. III. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems, and to solve them together. IV. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses

and to profi t from them together. V. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. VI. Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and benefi cial than we inherited it. VII. Imani (Faith): To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. Mishumaa Saba (the seven candles) is symbolic of the Nguzo Saba, each of the seven days. The fi rst candle is black, symbolizing the African American people. The next three are red, representing the past struggles of the black

people. Next, are three green candles, which are meant to symbolize hope for the future. They are lit from left to right. The greeting for each day of Kwanzaa is “Habari Gani,” which is Swahili for “what’s the news?” On the last full day of Kwanzaa celebrants enjoy a large feast called Karamu. This is the high point of the holiday. During the early years of Kwanzaa, Karenga intended it to be an alternative to Christmas. Although today, many of those who celebrate Kwanzaa will also celebrate Christmas and New Year’s. It is observed on December 26th and continues until January 1st. And today it is celebrated by 18 million Americans. This December Kwanzaa will celebrate its 44th year.

The Perfect Gift: Gift ideas for that special someoneMax Alaniz 2011

A beautifully decorated holiday tree.Photo courtesy of Cheyanne Herrera

Soon to be adopted angels! Photo courtesy of Cheyanne Herrera

Poll courtesy of Mariah Griego

“My favorite present was watching my daughters’ face light up when she opened up her Christmas gifts,” - Susan Arnett, MHS administrator

6December 2010December 2010

EditorialsPAW PRINT

Litter BugsAlysha Landavazo 2011

Manzano students seem to have a problem using trash cans because no matter where I go, there is garbage on the ground. Trash is far and wide at MHS, especially after snack break and lunch. No matter where you go, you can fi nd some article of trash on the ground As I walk to class I’ll pick up the big pieces that are in my path, such as the milk cartons, the pizza foil, the soda cans… etc. The candy wrappers and the other small rubbish are in so many places that I don’t have enough time to bother. This is what really grinds my gears. I see trashcans, at most, 50 feet away from every piece of trash. How lazy must a person be to not walk a few extra feet? I’ll be the fi rst to admit, I am a lazy person, but I always, always, walk to the nearest trash bin. I’m not going to contribute to the egocentricity of many high school students. My solution to this problem is to start calling out those litter bugs. For instance, if you’re an intelligent person who doesn’t litter, and you see someone drop their empty water bottle, stop them and ask them, ‘Why did you just drop that on the ground? There’s a trash can right there.’ Most people get caught off guard, embarrassed even, and will pick it up and throw it away. They don’t want to be seen as a litter bug, and especially if it’s someone you know who doesn’t want you to look at them badly. If people who use the trash bins provided to us can help get the litter bugs to do the same, this may help reduce the amount of litter on campus. It’s the only thing everyone at Manzano shares, so why trash it all up? I’d bet those students who litter think, ‘it’s just one piece of trash, what harm can that do?’ or ‘I’m too lazy to walk all the way over there…’ People litter because they’re lazy, they just don’t care, they’re ignorant. Are you geting the picture? One piece of litter is not just one piece. If everyone does it, that’s billions of pieces of junk. Students at MHS should stop littering. They need to become less ignorant about what littering can really do to our environment. Set an example by not littering.

Pulmonary fi brosis kills as many people a year as breast cancer. Do you know what pulmonary fi brosis is? I didn’t think so. Pulmonary fi brosis is the scarring of the lungs. PF is also idiopathic, meaning doctors do not know the cause(s) of it. PF affects more men than women. Every 15 minutes someone dies of PF. I only know about PF because my dad had it. He was diagnosed with PF in 2004. He recently had a double lung transplant on October 4th, and he is doing great. Just like PF, there are many other unknown diseases that no one knows of. That’s why my family decided to spread the word of PF, especially since it is no longer a rare disease. We started a golf tournament this past summer to raise money to do research about PF. The golf tournament will be an annual event. My family also began a walk that took place on the fi rst day of PF week August 12 -18 Some people may have seen the PF purple shirt that I wear every Friday. My whole family, and some of those who attended the walk, also wear the shirts. Ever since we’ve been wearing the shirts, many people ask about PF. At least, we know that even just one person every Friday will become aware of PF. Anyone who feels strongly should stand up for something they’re going through. Don’t feel like you won’t be heard. Just be loud! If you or anyone you know is having trouble breathing don’t just think you’re out of breath. Visit National Jewish Hospital in Denver, Colorado; the number one pulmonary research hospital. They can save your life, just like they did for my dad.

Tom Brady is better than Peyton Manning. Brady has proven time and time again that he is the superior quarterback. Brady has won three Super Bowls, two Super Bowl MVP’s and one NFL MVP. Brady has also broken various records in his career. Brady has been in the league for 11 years. He didn’t play his rookie season and had a season ending injury in the 2008 season. So in reality Brady has only played 9 full seasons in the NFL. Most people think Brady has always had an amazing team to carry him, but that is not true. During his three Super Bowl wins he didn’t have Randy Moss or Wes Welker. During Brady’s 2004 Super Bowl he didn’t even have a wide receiver over 1,000 yards. The Patriots’ last three fi rst round picks have been defensive players. A lot of Brady’s weapons have been cut, undrafted or overlooked by other teams. A couple of examples are Wes Welker, Danny Woodhead, and Benjarvus Green-Ellis. Some people also say Brady is not a leader, but when one sees him on the sidelines he’s

Brady vs. ManningDanny Baker 2011

yelling at his players trying to get them pumped. Brady is also a perfectionist and says he loses sleep when he throws interceptions in practice. Brady’s teammates talk about how hard he works in practice. Bill Belichick, the Patriots head coach, has said that Manning is a great player but there is no other quarterback he would rather have than Brady. The Manning argument is that he has better regular season stats than almost any quarterback who has ever played. Manning also throws the ball for 50 attempts and has had amazing talent surrounding him his entire career. Manning also has a lot of regular season records. Once Brady got Randy Moss, he threw for 50 touchdown passes in one season and also made the Patriots the highest scoring team of all time. Manning’s post-season record is 8-8 and Brady’s is 14-4. Brady may need a haircut but he is one of the best quarterbacks of all time.

Our Side of the StorySpirit Squad

Be Aware!Feliz Munoz 2011

Spirit Squad would just like to say that everyone is entitled to their own opinion; however, it is very upsetting to us to hear people bad mouth our uniforms. Although we understand the diversity of our uniforms at times, those who are not on Spirit Squad need to understand that we do not wear them in a provocative manner. Spirit Squad members try their best on a daily basis to represent Manzano in the best way possible. In the previous issue of the Paw Print, an article was written regarding Spirit Squad’s uniforms. The article stated that Sprit Squad members are allowed to wear whatever they want without consequence. The author of the article also pointed out the fact that Majestix wore an out of dress code uniform at our Cheer and Drill assembly. Majestix did wear a

halter top for the Cheer and Drill assembly, however, we did not wear them around the halls. The only time we are allowed to wear shirts that are out of dress code is at football games, where students are allowed to show their stomachs and wear provocative clothing, as well, and in performances. Immediately after performing, we must change into an in-dress code uniform. The same rules go for the Cheerleaders. As for the shorts, we are not allowed to roll them more than once and they must be in dress code. We’re sure that some of our Spirit Squad members do not follow these rules; however, it is a rule for us as it is for everyone else. If a Spirit Squad member is caught out of dress code, there will be consequences, not only from the principle, but also from Ms. Vanessa, Spirit

coordinator. Although Spirit Squad was offended by the article written in the last edition of the Paw Print, we appreciate the honesty. Spirit Squad is a very respectable program fi lled with some very respectable ladies. Every Spirit Squad member attends many events throughout the week including boys and girls soccer, swimming, diving, football, basketball, wrestling, volleyball, baseball, and softball. We are always there to support all of our fellow Monarchs with a smile on our face. We all support everyone and cheer for everyone in everything they do. Spirit Squad is probably one of the most disrespected programs at Manzano. And why? Because of the uniforms we wear at football games and performances? We would just like everyone to see our side of the story.

PAW PRINTEditorials 7December 2010

Stem cell research kills innocent babies, so it should be prohibited in all states of the Union. Scientists, in their labs, are taking stem cells, which are found in a developing fetus, and experimenting with them. These cells haven’t yet developed into what they should: such as heart cells, skin cells, or blood cells. When they are taken from the fetus, it can no longer develop and it dies. These cells are used for cancer patients, but it is not 100% certain how the stem cells will react properly inside the body. People with diseases should donate their own cells to science. Unlike taking stem cells, donating a patient’s cells will not kill the person. Donating their cells will give scientists an opportunity to see how and why cancer, among other diseases, develops. Scientists should use the patient’s cells to fi nd a cure for that person, not take an innocent baby’s cells. When a patient donates his own cells, he will more than likely be alive to see how his cells have helped save his life or some other victim’s life. The baby, whose cells were taken by force, will not have this opportunity. Also, by studying a person’s cells, there is a more likely chance that a cure will be found for more than one patient. Science is not always correct. There are many other ways of studying disease without the innocent having to die for it. People should not be okay when scientists stick a needle into a developing fetus and suck the life out of it. Citizens should think twice about what stem cell research does for a community; it takes a life without a guarantee of saving another.

No More Stem CellsKarla Maldonado 2012

Something I am beginning to regret is being so shy throughout high school. I am realizing now that I am the one holding myself back, no one else. Coming into high school, everything is intimidating. The kids, the school, the staff, the workload, everything is just plain scary, and it doesn’t help that you have crazy, unfamiliar teenage emotions running through your body. All of this combined makes being shy easier than being the outstanding person everyone has in them. For example, almost two months ago, I was interviewing freshmen for an article I wanted to write for this very newspaper. However, as I was searching high and low for freshmen to be in my story, it started to become crystal clear that none of them would talk to me. I circled the entire cafeteria multiple times asking each table if I could interview them, and all I continued to get were “NO’S.” I ended up interviewing my very own brother, who had to be forced by the way, and my cousin. LAME! Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that it seemed like all of these freshmen were just being shy. Even if they aren’t generally shy people, they were scared that talking to the newspaper might be “uncool,” at least that’s my only guess. If you think about it, though, all of the ‘popular’ kids aren’t afraid of looking cool or acting silly. They’re the ones who are the class clowns, and will talk to anyone. Personally, I’m realizing that I shouldn’t have been so shy. For example, I started volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation center fi ve years ago along with a guy who started the same time I did. He happens to be a lot more outgoing than I, and has gotten to do a lot more stuff there than I have. He’s gotten to go to more exhibits, care for a lot more birds, and he’s made a lot of great connections that will help him in his future career. I, even though I have gotten to experience some really cool stuff, haven’t had as many opportunities as he has. I am just realizing now that if I wouldn’t have stopped myself from being, well, myself, I would have had so many more experiences. I just don’t want you to learn the hard way, like I did. There are only four years of high school, and believe me, they fl y by, so don’t hold yourself back because you’ll eventually regret it. I’m not saying to act like a crazy person, or be super immature; just quit being scared.

Don’t Be Scared Ashley Day 2011

I know personally it is hard to get up for school in the mornings, but even scientifi c research shows that I may not be the only one. High schools should have later start times, because it may very well help to raise attendance, grades, and standardized test scores. Researchers from many universities including the University of Minnesota have conducted such experiments dealing with high school start times, and have made many intriguing fi ndings. First of all, teen- age students tend to need from 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep to properly function. Circadian rhythms in the brain make it hard for teens to go to sleep at an early hour, and even harder to wake up at the crack of dawn. “Forced awakening does not appear to reset the circadian rhythm, and school sleep lag is worse for earlier starting schools,” said the study report on start times by the UM. It can be hard for teens to function during the week with such little sleep, which can lead to worse performance on tests and eventually worse grades. “Students who evidence a sleep lag syndrome correspond to those having poorer grades. Causation is not implied here, but the relationship does statistically exist”, said UMN. Perhaps if school just started a mere hour later, test scores and grades would improve, not to mention attendance. A vast majority of attendance issues come from the lack of sleep, and

Turning the Clocks Forward for High Schoolers Cloie Logan 2013

thus students sleep in too long and are tardy or just decide not to attend at all. It is certainly hard to get up at 6:30 a.m. to get ready for the day, especially when it’s dark outside, warm and cozy in bed, and you’ve stayed up late the three nights before fi nishing projects and homework, or studying. Studies of late-start schools have shown that students will go to sleep at the same time as with an early-start school, but end up getting at least one whole hour of extra sleep. It may seem an obvious fact, but truly many don’t get the point. Just one more hour of sleep gets us that much closer to keeping up with circadian rhythms, closer to waking up naturally, in which case alertness and sleep lag wouldn’t be an issue. “Our fi ndings document that for the 1990’s adolescents starting school at 7:30 a.m. or before is too early,” said researchers Wolfson and Carskadon in their experiment of 1995. One issue at hand corresponding to this possible solution of hour later start times is the safety of elementary school students being out earlier in the morning. Parents usually are protective over elementary school students (as they should be) and I don’t believe that would change at all if buses left earlier. Many elementary school parents walk their students to the buses, and it may even be easier for them to do so if elementary school started earlier. Because parents will still

leave for work at the same time, being able to walk their children to the bus stop or take them to school will be more possible as they will have more time in the morning. Early start times also affect teachers. Teachers will receive extra time in the morning to prepare for the day, and can even use ideas from the morning news to incorporate into their daily lesson plans. They will be able to tie lessons directly to the present, as well as be more comfortable with preparation and deadlines. If high schools started just one hour later than now, at 8:30 a.m., students would be able to get the full hours of rest they need to function well and stay alert in class. Tardies and attendance issues related to sleeping in could be avoided, increasing attendance and possibly even reduce dropout rates. Grades and test scores could be increased due to the amplifi ed alertness and memory retention effects of improved sleep cycles. Teachers would also feel the positive effects of later start times, and thus, it would be a great change for everyone. Info and quotes from the University of Minnesota (UMN)’s Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI)’s School Start Time Study Final Report Summary.

StaffAthletesMonarchs

8December 2010

PAW PRINT

December 2010

Students and Sta  of the Month

Lexi Wylie Steve Schum

Kristin TomanyKathleen Heitzinger

Grade: 11thSport: SwimmingHow long have you played the sport: 11 yearsFavorite team or athlete: Ryan LochteWhy is this sport important to you: Swimming is my passion, so it’s how I spend all of my time.Why do you like it: It’s really good exercise. It keeps me in shape.

Favorite thing about MHS:The diversity of the students.Favorite High School class: GeometryFree time?: Play with my twin Shih tzu dogs, frame houses, long hikes.Favorite candy: Reese’sDream car: ‘67 GTO

Grade: 11thGPA: 4.2Extracurricular Activity: NHS, Girl Scouts, Track, Sports MedicineKey to Success: HardworkFuture plans: PediatricianFavorite class: German, Ms. Boni its the best.

Grade: 12thSport: WrestlingHow long have you played the sport: 4 yearsFavorite team or athlete: SteelersWhy is this sport important to you: Because it’s become a part of who I am. Why do you like it?:Because it’s a challenge.

Grade: 11thGPA: 4.1Extracurricular Activity: Wrestling and MESAKey to success: Hardwork and dedicationFuture plans: Mechanical EngineeringFavorite class: AP Calculus

Favorite thing about MHS: I love the diversity.Favorite High School class: PhotographyFree time?: What is free time, I have a toddler at home.Favorite candy: Haribo BallaDream car: Mercedes 300 SL

Aundre Huynh

Dillon Chavez