Crawling through blazing hot rooms dripping with thick smoke and search-ing for bodies is not uncommon for a

few select students. In fact, it’s become al-most routine. Last year, five Martin students were given the opportunity to begin training to become firefighters through the Ar-lington Fire Academy. They were the first group of students in Arlington to begin this two-year program, and they will also be the first to graduate from it in June.

“The program essentially spends a year and a half preparing you for the firefighting certification test we just took in Decem-ber,” senior Brent Bousquet said. “We get to go out and train and do hands-on things, but we also have so sit through hours of classes and do lots of book work.” To do well in the hands-on portion of the training, trainees must be able to handle extensive physical and mental stress well. “You walk up the stairs and you can’t see anything,” Bousquet said. “You open a door and immediately feel the heat surround you. But even with the heat and smoke

all around you, you still have to search for victims. I look at everyone as though they were my sibling, parent, or grandparent, because to someone else, they are.” The rigorous physical exertion is not the only thing the future firefighters train for. “The hardest thing about being a fire-fighter is the responsibility placed on you by the community,” senior Josh Berkley said. “Something we’ve always been told is, ‘When you put on your uniform, you’re like Superman.’ People look up to you and ex-pect you to be able to solve whatever prob-lem they’re having.” Now that they have taken their certifica-tion test, those who passed are able to be hired by fire departments in Texas as soon as they graduate, as long as they also get their EMT certification, which they will take later in the year. “For now, we go on ride-outs on all calls dispatched to the station whether it be fire, medical, traffic, or any other emergency,” Bousquet said. “We help out with small things, but we can’t actually get in the fire or accidents since we haven’t yet been hired by the city of Arlington.” The Fire Academy students have also cre-ated lifelong relationships after working in such intense environments with each other. “These guys are like my brothers,” Bous-quet said. “We’ve gone through so much together. I trust them with my life.” Sophomores interested in joining can speak to their counselor about signing up. “Being in this program gave me a huge jump start on my career and saved me a lot of money,” senior Blake Cretsinger said. “It’s been an incredible experience, and I’ve learned so many things that I will continue to use for the rest of my life.”

Arlington’s first round of Fire Academy students become certified firefighters

Firedth

e WarriorPostup

Martin Idol Recap

Dream DateFreshman boy takes senior

girl on date

Mr. MHS Timeline

Susie Gibson•Editor-in-Chief

Fire Academy students train to earn their certification. This year’s group will be the first to graduate from the program. photo by Bryce Gilbertson/Phoenix Yearbook

Dates ona Dime

Enjoy Valentine’s without breaking the bank

Issue No. 34 February 2013

Martin High School

2news

A new Martin Idol was crowned Jan. 24. As the show captivated the student body’s attention, the staff of The Coup

literary magazine was running ragged pre-paring for the mammoth task of creating a singing competition for more than 400 audience members. Starting with plans at the beginning of the year, The Coup staff worked to prepare the school’s only singing competition in order to raise money for the publication of their literary magazine. “About seven years ago, the staff was look-ing for a way to raise money in addition to ads,” senior and The Coup Editor-in-Chief Bria Benjamin said. “American Idol was really popular back then, so boom! Martin Idol was born.” The magazine is a compilation of students’ art, photos, stories and poems and it’s pub-lished each May. While receiving works for the magazine, staffers are also preparing for auditions, which are open to the entire school. At this audition, contestants sang a cappella in front of a panel of judges. “The judges are looking for a person with a good voice and good stage presence,” Benjamin said. “They have to be comfort-able in front of people. The judges also rate them on preparation and showmanship.” The judges this year were English teacher Geneice Mayeaux, band director Brad Mc-Cann and sociology teacher Pam Mat-thews. Teachers who expressed interest in being a judge contacted the magazine’s ad-viser Erin Adwell, and then the staff chose who the judges would be. “The staffers chose the judges based on their musical background and past experi-

ence,” Adwell said. “We had ten teachers express interest this year. Out of those, four judges were chosen, although one was un-able to be a judge in the end.” After contestants are chosen to go on to be featured in the Martin Idol show, the contestants and staffers began to attend rehearsals to prepare. At these rehearsals, contestants learned exactly how the show is going to flow. In addition to the staff of The Coup, many other people are needed to allow the show to go on. “We have a theater person in charge of the lights,” Benjamin said. “We are so lucky to have senior Travis Baldwin help us out. The announcers are always the Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director, senior Susie Gibson. For DJ, we get someone who is good with music and the equipment, and someone we can trust to be professional.” The night of the show, the staff spends the evening decorating, some advertising and memorizing lines in the hours before the show. During the show, itself, all 12 contestants performed their songs, followed by an in-termission, during which, the judges decide who went on to perform a second song. Af-ter that, the previous winner, senior Dylan Beckerman performed before the finalists are chosen and then preform their second songs. Finally, a winner is chosen. “The best part was hearing everyone scream at the end of a song,” first place winner, sophomore Eliana Wulfsberg said. “I hadn’t won anything related to singing before.” Wulfsberg, as this year’s winner, will sing at next year’s competition. Just as she gets ready for her next performance, the staff of The Coup gets a small break before begin-ning their own work for next year’s show.

IdolLit mag staff puts in countless hours of

work to make Martin Idol a success

Rachel Hodnett • News Editor

1. Seniors Dylan Taylor and Tara Shickedanz, junior Lauren Ca-tron, sophomores Raven LeDe-atte and Elianah Wulfsberg wait for the winners of Martin Idol to be announced. Seniors Bria Benjamin and Susie Gibson were the hosts of the contest. Photo by Chandler Harrell

worship1.

2.

2. Senior Tara Shickedanz won third place in Mar-tin Idol. Photo by Karsen Cinquepalmi3. First place winner sophomore Elianah Wul-fsberg sings at Martin Idol Jan. 24. “I’m usually stressed out up until I go on stage but hearing all of their support was the best part,” Wulfsberg said. Photo by Karsen Cinquepalmi4. Junior Lauren Catron was the second place winner of the competition. Photo by Chandler Harrell5. Senior Dylan Taylor sings with the band The Rai-sins during Martin Idol. Taylor was also a contes-tant in this year’s competition. Photo by Chan-dler Harrell

4. 5.

3.

3 news

Whether it’s waking up extra early, skipping breakfast or going to school when you’re ill, most up-

perclassmen make an extra effort to be ex-empt from their final exams. This fall AISD received clarification on a new Texas Education Agency policy that pertains to all schools in the district. The policy mandates that every student now has to be present for every single class pe-riod even if they were exempt from taking the final exam. Being exempt makes taking an exam one less thing to have to worry about and one less obstacle separating you from winter or summer break. Eight exams in two days is the last thing students want to think about, if they can help it. “The district sent us a letter saying that teachers have a set amount of time for at-tendance and exam days still count,” atten-dance clerk Nina Fink said. With more students on campus during

the fall exam days, administrators were concerned about excess noise and how well the students taking exams would be able to concentrate. “I think it was just as uncomfortable for teachers as is was for students with the increased class sizes,” assistant principal Scott Johnston said. Some teachers tried to improvise by sepa-rating the students who were exempt from the ones who were not so that they could create a quiet environment for the test tak-ers. Anatomy and Physiology teacher Mitzi Thrutchlety and AP Biology teacher Tanya Dowdey combined classes of exempt stu-dents and non exempt students since their classes were right next to each other. Mov-ies were shown to kids while students from both classes were taking their exams in a different room. Pre-Cal teacher Libi Kruta and Algebra II teacher Linda Somerhalder also com-

bined classes during these days. Another issue that had to be addressed was the fear that many students would simply not show up to their exempt classes. However, many attendance clerks reported that there was little difference in atten-dance on exam days. Anyone who skipped was still given D-hall or calls home to parents. Other high schools in the district also faced the same challenges as Martin, but they decided to handle it a little differently. “They should have set up activities in the gym for the exempt students where they would have been able to go during their exempt classes and just chill and have fun,” senior Haleigh Ickes said. Arlington High School students who were exempt had the option to either go to the gym or to the cafeteria where movies were being played and food was provided. “It feels like a punishment since we work hard to be exempt, and now it’s for noth-ing,” Arlington High School senior Brett Landers said.

Larissa Gonzales • Copy Editor

Students adjust to having to stay on campus during exam daysExempt from exemptions

Students from Lamar High School who were exempt from their exams had to op-tion of participating in a dodgeball tourna-ment. “It was still a little annoying that we had to go to school, but the dodgeball tourna-ment made it a little bit more enjoyable,” Lamar High School senior Casey Wester-man said. After hearing the news that two other high schools in the district had on-campus entertainment for their exempt students, some Martin students were upset and ask-ing why we didn’t have something to do here at Martin. “I think it’s already dumb that we had to come to school even if we were exempt be-cause that’s a privilege that we have,” Ickes said. “I think it’s unfair that we had to sit in our classes quietly doing nothing.” For some students the change isn’t a big deal but for many said that adjusting to maintaining an almost perfect attendance record and above average grades with less incentive will be difficult.

correction&clarification

In the October Warrior Post story “Spots to save”

senior Conner Beene’s quote about painting his parking space was

unclear and incomplete. Senior Chris Swan was the actual artist and

painter of Beene’s park-ing spot. Swan designed and painted the spot and his signature is on the artwork. The Warrior

Post staff apologizes for the inconvenience.

It takes about 19 hours to practice for the opening group

dance number.

A look behind the scenes of Martin’s spring flingMr. MHS by the numbersEach year, almost everyone looks forward to entertainment from the boys of Martin during Mr. MHS, which will be Feb. 28. Between the different outfits and many performances, the overall production is always a fun

experience. Everyone is used to seeing the final product, but most don’t know how much goes into the show. What exactly happens leading up to the final production? by Caitlyn Hopkins • Staffer & Sara Mancha • Artist

Mr. MHS raises about $7,000 that is used to provide food for the senior breakfast at the end of the

year.

-The giant posters that hang on stage are made up of nine 4x4 individual pieces and takes about two hours to put together each

poster.

-Al’s Formal Wear donates about $4,000 in tuxes for formal wear.

Public speaking teacher Michelle Fratto estimates she spends more

than 50 hours working on Mr. MHS.

Multimedia teacher LezLee Williams estimates she spends on average, 70 hours working on Mr. MHS.

-Whatchamacallit Fashion Boutique donates around $400 in dresses for each girl who escorts the boys

out on stage.

General admission tickets are $10. Reserved Seating Tickets

cost $20.

• • •

• • •

• • •

• • •

• • •

• • •• • •

• • •

Mr. MHS has 22 contestants.

Mr. MHS contestants prepare for the show Feb. 28. Photo by Chandler Harrell

4features

Many people say your junior and se-nior year are what matter most in high school. Not only is it because

of the grades you make, it also comes down to taking the SAT, which is re-quired for college admissions.

Some juniors and seniors take the SAT without any practice and do perfectly fine, but others struggle with taking the SAT because they aren’t ready.

“Make sure you pace yourself well and try really hard to stay focused,” junior Sydney Cerza. “It’s really easy to get distracted.” The test contains three hours and 45 minutes of actual timed sections, which can be very tiring for the brain and very hard to maintain focus. “Study the night before, and make sure you have a calculator and watch with you on the day of the test,” junior Claire Fulk-erson advised. “Eat something before you go, because food always helps with focus.” To all of the people out there that haven’t taken the SAT yet, or are stressing over taking it and getting a good score, here are a few tips that might help:

1. Make sure to be prepared and take ev-erything you’re going to need with you, because forgetting something as easy as a calculator could put you at risk of making good scores on the math section.

2. Don’t stress too much, because if you stress yourself out enough and worry too much you won’t be able to focus. All you’ll be thinking about is making a good score, and not the actual test.

3. Eliminate the answers that make the least sense according to the question, and choose which answer flows the best. Sometimes it is better to leave a question blank if you get it wrong but it won’t hurt you if you don’t answer it.

Taking the SAT can be tricky and many people struggle with reaching their goal of getting the score they need for the col-lege they want to get into, but if you don’t get it right the first time, just remember you can always take it again, and just relax.

Morganne Clay • Staffer Morgan Mcksymick • Staffer

Takeonthe SATAbby Bishop • News Editor • Photos courtesy of faculty volunteers

Faculty serve the community

You’ve all heard of “No Shave Novem-ber,” but English teacher Bennett Mitchell participated in “Movember” and decided to shave his beard but keep a mustache during the month of November in order to raise awareness for prostate cancer and other male cancer. The Movember Foundation charity, which started in Australia, has been orga-nizing events to raise awareness since 2004. Mitchell shaved his beard and started with clean face Nov. 1. By the end of the month, he had a full mustache. “Because young people usually don’t have mustaches, the idea is that people will ask what’s going on with your mustache,”

New Year’s Day comes and Maryann Ja-cobs, the receptionist at Martin, watches the Rose Parade pass by in front of her.

theme. The float was covered with differ-ent types of homes from all over the world like an igloo, birdhouse, dream home and a Mexican casa. This year, Jacobs’ float won the Grand Marshal’s award. “On the day of the parade, we are in the stands and watch all the floats pass by,” Ja-cobs said. “It’s very exciting when our float shows up, and we all cheer.” Decorating a float at the Rose Parade is something she does with her whole family each year. She got involved with it through the Pet-al Pushers, an organization that provides over 4,000 volunteers for the parade. This year was Jacobs’ fourth year to volunteer at the Rose parade and plans on going back for many years.

For several years, ASL teacher Erika Trammell has walked with thousands of other people in the Susan G. Komen 3-day walk to end breast cancer. Each year Tram-mell and her family gear up for the first weekend in November when they walk and camp out for three days. “Most people do the walk in honor of a loved one who has or had breast cancer,” Trammell said. “I walk in memory of my grandmother who passed away from breast cancer.” Those who participate walk 20 miles a day for a total of 60 miles in three days. Most participants camp out each night and

enjoy the various activities that the race provides. Trammell not only walks, but she is also the captain of a crew of 10 people. She hangs up arrows and signs to show all the walkers where to go. After the walk, the team has to take all of the signs down. “My crew ends up walking it twice be-cause we walk in the race and then we have to take all signs down afterward,” Tram-mell said. Leading up to the walk, each person is re-quired to raise at least $2300 to participate. “We’ve done the walk for several years,” Trammell said. “I guess you could say it’s my family’s charity of choice.”

Mitchell said. “Then, you can tell them about what you are raising awareness for.” Some of Mitchell’s friends had partici-pated in Movember before he ever con-sidered it. After looking it up online, he decided it was something he wanted to do as well. Mitchell hoped that with every 10 or 15 people he told, maybe one would donate to cancer research. During Movem-ber, Mitchell would also talk to his students about prostate cancer and men’s health and shared statistics that often surprised stu-dents. Mitchell raised around $40. “I was able to contribute a bit, which was 30 or 40 dollars they didn’t have before,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell shaves (sort of) for Movember

Trammell walks 60 miles to cure breast cancer

Jacobs starts out the New Year volunteering

Interpreter Theresa Thomas and ASL teacher Erika Trammell walk

the Komen 3-Day.

English teacher Bennett Mitchell sports a mustache in Lip Dub.

Receptionist Maryann Jacobs works on Rose Bowl Parade floats

in California every New Years.

More than 40 floats pass by, but Jacobs is looking for one in particular. Every year Jacobs and her family pack up and head to California Dec. 27 to vol-unteer at the Rose Parade and decorate the HGTV float for New Year’s. This is not a simple task, though. She, along with 39 other volunteers, spends 10-hour days working on the float. The HGTV team makes sure every-thing is perfect for New Year’s Day when it is presented in the parade. Everything is decorated with live items like flowers, trees, bark, seeds and food. This year’s theme for the Rose Parade was “Oh, the Places You’ll Go,” so Jacobs and the HGTV team decorated the float with “All Paths Lead Home” as their individual

5 features

FavoritismStop wasting your time. Here are a few classes that won’t make you

feel like your brain cells are slowly dying.Caitlyn Hopkins • StafferOscar Araujo • Online Editor In Chief

A.V.I.D. has four levels, one for every year of school. The point of A.V.I.D. is to help you get accepted to a university and to be ready when that time comes. During the four years of A.V.I.D. you’ll have: visits from college representatives, field trips to colleges, and everything you need and want to know about college. This class can help you obtain various scholar-ships and college opportunities. “It has helped me get into college,” senior Colton George said. “I definitely would not be where I am today without the help and support of A.V.I.D.”

Learn about emotions, behavior and thoughts. By doing several projects you will learn how to teach your dog to sit, why your mom cried last night when you said no to her, and how you can make someone be scared of a cute, white bunny. You will learn who made up what kind of psychology without drooling all over your desk like the kid in the back of your math class. “The Psychology teachers are great,” sophomore Aly Martin said. “They are really funny and come up with creative ways to make the course more fun. It’s actually really interest-ing. The class appeals to everyone because it covers so many topics, most of which we can easily relate to.”

S.O.A.R. is not a class, but it can be just as rewarding. This program lets you mentor a freshman and help him or her throughout their freshman year. There’s no homework, but there are a lot of responsibilities. You have to make sure your mentee is doing well in school, making the right choices, participating in clubs and their classes, and making sure they’re doing the best they can. The program teaches you how to be responsible and how to be a good, inspiring leader. “It helped me get my grades up,” freshman Mikhail Ryan said. “From what my mentor has told me from his experience, I can make decisions that will help me in high school and in real life situations.”

The deadline for schedules is Feb. 21 for freshmen, Feb. 11 for sophomores and Feb. 4 for current juniors.

Coached by Jon Ivonen, the swim team has practice in the mornings for varsity, as well as in the afternoons for junior varsity at the Southeast TCC campus. Swimming season starts in the fall and carries out through the winter, but the team practices throughout the entire year. They practice for two hours, four days of the week. “I love the confidence swimming has given me,” junior Miklos Eger said. “Beating old times and pushing yourself every day makes you feel really good about yourself. It can be really hard forcing yourself to get up at 5 a.m. for a 6 o’clock practice, but there are so many ben-efits. The feeling you get after a race is incredible and the workouts keep you in great shape.”

Let go of the Legos, it’s time to use wood to build objects. Woodshop can be taken by sophomores, juniors and seniors. The class is a full year class and counts as one elective credit. You’ll learn all the basics first and by the end of the year you can get a bit creative and make your own creation. “I loved woodshop,” senior Josh Haney said. “It’s the best time I’ve ever had in a class It was really cool to be able to learn how to build so many things. It was was awesome using machinery to make sanding blocks and shelves. I’d recommend it to anyone.”

In addition to being a foundation for Newspaper, Yearbook or Lit Mag staffs, Journal-ism is still a good, fun elective class. News Tips will help you keep up with what’s going on around the world, activities will teach you that there’s more to writing than what your English teacher taught you, and you’ll learn how to state your opinion without bashing the competition, unlike the 2012 elections. Journalism teaches you how to write as a journal-ist while teaching you other life skills, such as debating and creative-thinking improvement.“It was a new experience for me,” senior Ashley Sanchez said. “It taught me to always be truthful. It made me a better writer, a more mature writer. I love when my teacher tell us old news stories. I have never been bored in journalism.”

AVID

6features

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saw how upset it made me, but I guess he lied.” Tyler Mansell was 21 when he passed away at the end of May 2012 af-ter overdosing on prescription drugs. The drugs not only killed Tyler, they also changed Trevor’s life forever. “It affected my life in a way I feel like most people cannot relate to,” Mansell said. “It’s a terrible feeling that nev-er goes away. It sucks not having a friend to hang-out with, but he was seriously my best friend. We always found something to do and I miss that.” Mansell’s feel-ing of sadness

and emptiness always seemed to linger and many times he’s found that his grief con-

trolled his feelings and personality. “I mainly just try to get my mind off of it,” Mansell said. “I sometimes try talking to my very close friends about it, but for the most part I just keep it to myself and also with God. I pray that he is just in a bet-ter place, and happier where he is now than where he was. I trust in God that I will see him again in just a matter of time.”

Good times Learning to accept the situation, Mansell put his trust in God which helps gets him through the days. “The saying ‘Remember 627’ has a mean-ing that not everyone would understand,” Mansell said. “It’s Tyler’s birthday – the six is for the month of June and the 27 is for the day. It was also his professional moto-cross number which always meant a lot to him. So when he died it really meant a lot to me since we both loved motocross. The saying never fails to remind me of the good times we had together.” It has been eight months since Mansell lost his brother. Though he has tougher days, he gets through it with the help of the Lord and his friends. Mansell said he thinks he has become a stronger person through these hard times and can only hope it soon will be less pain-ful. “I miss my best friend and there is not a single day that goes by where I don’t think about him,” Mansell said.

Remember627Sophomore Trevor Mansell describes coping with the death of his brotherMadeline Maxwell•Staffer

Tyler and Trevor Mansell pose together as chil-dren. The two boys grew up together until Tyler passed away last May. “I looked up to him, and I also saw him as a major role model in my life,” Trevor Mansell said. Photo courtesy of Mansell family.

A feeling of numbness ran up sopho-more Trevor Mansell’s spine when the doctor announced that his big

brother, Tyler, had passed away. Words couldn’t describe the feelings Mansell had to cope with. Now, eight months after his loss, Trevor said that realizing his life had to go on was the toughest part.

Best friends “Tyler always took me to hang out with his friends, even though he was six years older than me,” Mansell said. “Our age dif-ference never mattered to him.” Tyler was much older than Trevor, but that never phased him. Tyler viewed Trevor as his equal and never excluded Trevor. “We rode motocross together, got all the ladies, and I always dressed just like him,” Mansell said. “I looked up to him, and I also saw him as a role model in my life.” Trevor’s favorite thing to do with his brother was to ride motocross. They raced each other and always fought for the first place victory, but at the end of the race no matter the outcome they celebrated. Trevor just loved the company of his brother while they both did the thing that they loved.

‘I guess he lied.’ “I was 11 years old when I found out Tyler was experimenting with different types of drugs,” Mansell said. “We told each other everything and I got really mad

at him when he told me about it. He told me he wouldn’t ever do it again because he

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7 features

It’s a Thursday night and junior Clau-dia Hagman has two tests and a quiz tomorrow. But where do we find her?

Baking. Hagman discovered her love of baking during a difficult time. Although her first batch of snicker- d o o d l e s wasn’t success- ful, now every party, event and rainy d a y is an excuse to pull out Scarlet, her red Kitchen Aid mixer, her batman apron, and her fa-

Mandi Woods & Hannah-Beth Floyd• Staffers

Junior bakes sweets to relieve stress

vorite ingredient (vanilla), to create some-thing delicious. She enjoys baking cup-cakes, pies, cookies and as she calls them, her “random creations.” Hagman makes all of her recipes from scratch and sometimes she brings cupcakes to sell at school. “It’s the look on people’s faces when they take t h e i r first bite,” Hag-man said. “Be-ing able to bring people happiness makes it all worth while.” While

in the kitchen, she is very particular on how things should be. Her ideal situation to bake would be home alone while playing her Nat King Cole record. “Baking is like therapy to me, so I like to do it on my own,” Hagman said. “I can relieve stress and ultimately make others happy.” While she usually decorates free-handed,

she some-times uses books to help her. “My fa-vorite part of bak-ing is decorating,” she said. “I’m such a perfectionist that it some-times turns my stress reliever into stress.” Hagman said her parents are very sup-portive of her love for baking. They are the first taste testers, and aren’t afraid to let her know what they think. Hagman takes inspiration from her grand-mother, not only in baking, but also in her strong personality and confidence. Alongside baking, Hagman has a love of singing and playing guitar. “My dream is to own my own bakery

and tea house,” Hagman said “It will be filled with antiques, art, oversized chairs and couches. And aspiring artist will have a chance at open mic night.”

Cookin’ up a storm

Photos by Britney Henneman

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8features

Our kind ofDuring this time of year romance is all around us. As we stop and

enjoy that significant other we tend to forget about those few teachers whose valentine is right down the hall from them.

Public Speaking teacher Michelle

FrattoWhat was your first kiss

like?“It was horrible. He

was so nervous that

when he put his hand to my face, it was shaking so much that it was

hard to move my lips.”

History teacher Barney Fratto

How did you know she was the one?“Because her family gave me a lot of money to marry her. No, but seri-ously, after the first date I just couldn’t see life without her. It just clicked.”

History teacher Carol Mullin

How did you first meet?

“We went to the same high school

and had study hall together.”

English teacher Rhonda Dunn

How did you know he was the one?

“I just wanted to spend time with him.”

Wrestling coach Patrick Dunn

How did you propose?“We were supposed to go camping but it rained that

weekend so we went to a resort in Conroe, and I made three scrapbooks

for her. The scrapbook was our fu-

ture and I put a ring in it.”

Photography teacher Dan

RegaladoWhat was running

through your mind when you first

saw her?“’Wow,’ I think

you notice someone’s

beauty right off the bat, then

you discover their kindness.”

Journalism teacher Tricia Regalado

How did he propose?“We were sitting outside his apart-ment in August. We were sitting on these plastic chairs and he got down on one knee, at first I thought he fell, but then he asked me.”

Jennifer Forsberg • Entertainment EditorJamie Gisburne • Sports EditorBrenda Chavez-Mayo • Photographer

How did you know she was the one?

“She was some-one I felt

comfortable around. I

always tell her always and

forever.”

Science teacher Stan Mullin

Frattos Regalados

Dunns Mullins

9 features

Usually being greeted by two little brothers on a first date is a recipe for disaster. But, that wasn’t the only

surprise freshman Jacob Norris had for se-nior Bryce Gilbertson on their dream date. Dream Date’s purpose is to give a fresh-man boy the opportunity to take the senior girl of his dreams out. When Jacob Nor-ris was selected for The Warrior Post Dream Date, the first girl he thought of was Gil-bertson. “Bryce has done a lot for me,” Norris said. “It’s nice to be able to give back to her a little.” Norris asked Gilbertson out by deliver-ing white roses, Gilbertson’s favorite Juicy Fruit gum, and a poem to her first period class. “He put so much thought into every-thing, it was so sweet,” Gilbertson said. When Gilbertson arrived at Norris’

If you’re looking to spend...$10 For most people, $10 is just enough to see a movie or grab a quick snack, but spending the day outside could be a more exciting alternative. “My date and I could go get ice cream, and then go play volleyball or go kayaking,” senior George Tichenor said.

$20 A twenty dollar bill could rent you bowl-ing shoes or ice skates for the night, among other activities. “Joe Pool Lake has activities throughout the year,” freshman Ty Maidens said. “I went on a hayride there last October, and you can always find special events going on or rent paddle boats for about 20 bucks.”

$30 Thirty dollars is typically the price tag for a decent restaurant date, but a more creative idea can be better worth your and your date’s time and money. “Dyno Rock is a great place to go rock climbing,” sophomore Natalie Canales said. “It’s more adventurous than most dates.”

Erin Hibbs • Features Editor & Emily Zerr • Staffer

Freshman takes senior on his dream date

Sherilyn Morales & Sharee Rodgers • Staffers

Dates on a budget

Our kind of

house, she was led by three small waiters to the backyard which showcased a gazebo lit with candles. Norris had set up a table for two, complete with roses and an extrava-gant table scape. “No one’s ever done anything like this for me, it’s so cute,” Gilbertson said. “It’s the best date I’ve ever been on.” Norris’ two younger brothers and a friend of theirs eagerly agreed to be their waiters for the evening. When the two sat down, the three boys began their duty with en-thusiasm. The meal started with bruchetta and salad. “I kept saying ‘bruchetta, bruchetta, bruchetta’ so I wouldn’t forget what it was,” nine-year-old Clayton said. The appetizer was followed by fresh pasta from Prespa’s, sparkling grape juice, and mini bundt cakes for dessert. The three boys ran back and forth from the gazebo to

the kitchen with pitchers of water, check-ing on them constantly. As the date con-tinued, there was never a dull moment. The two laughed over stories and mutual interests, finding they had more in com-mon then expected. “He kept the conversations going and we talked a lot about California, which we both love,” Gilbertson said. The two agreed that this was the best date both had ever been on. “I’m so glad I chose Bryce,” Norris said. “It was definitely worth all the work and effort.” The night came to an end as Norris’ youngest brother provided a late night show in his astronaut and ninja costumes. “I really want to be a part of his fam-ily now,” Gilbertson said. “Since we are bound to get married, I’m sure there will be many more dates.”

10opinions

The Warrior Post

Susie Gibson Editor-in-Chief

Oscar Araujo Online Editor-in-Chief

Larissa Gonzales Copy Editor

Abby Bishop • Rachel HodnettNews Editors

Kimberly Clower • Jamie GisburneSports Editors

Karsen Cinquepalmi • Chandler HarrellPhoto Editors

Jennifer Forsberg

Entertainment Editor

Ariel Hernandez Opinions Editor

Erin Hibbs • Kayln LeFan Features Editors

Emma Bruce • Ashleigh JonesDesigners

Sara Mancha Staff Artist

Tricia Regalado • Marlene RoddyAdviser • Principal

The Warrior Post is the official monthly publication of Martin High School. Opinion columns don’t represent the opinion of The Warrior Post or of Martin High School. The Warrior Post will not accept advertisements for products or services not legally available to students.

Staffers: Natalie Buongiorno, Meghan Cabra, Rosa Castaneda, Morganne Clay, Madeline Cope,

Michaelann Durden, Katy Fitzgerald, Hannah-Beth Floyd, Tyler Forde, Rachel

Hanson, Britney Henneman, Caitlyn Hopkins, Lauren House, Lizzie Kirkham, Madeline Maxwell, Brenda Mayo, Morgan

McKsymick, Sarah Meo, Sherilyn Morales, Maggie O’Brian, Jarred Osterman, Justin Reichardt, Dale Rives, Sharee Rodgers, Bri

Roney, Kaitlyn Rosenbaum, Thomas Rowe, Madeline Rusin, Amanda

Woods, Emily Zerr

Martin High School • Arlington, Texas

Staffeditorial

We are not guaranteed the safety of be-ing able to walk the hallways without the possibility of a gun being hidden under someone’s coat, let alone the chance of

it being pulled out and opening fire. School shootings are almost becoming commonplace. And we are becoming more keen about detecting and report-ing signs of shady behavior. The AISD board has considered a suggestion that teachers should be given the opportunity to be armed at

all times. This, of course, is a bad idea. Anyone with a gun can automatically be considered dangerous, whether it’s a stu-dent or a teacher. As a student, we aren’t able to feel safe knowing that a teacher, who we may not know too well, has the right to bear arms. Another solution the board has sug-gested is for teachers to lock their doors as soon as class has started. We can agree with this idea, even though we know it will become a hassle in no time. Possibly schools should install doors that are locked from the outside only. One other way to ensure safety

is having visitors buzzed in by the office before stepping foot within the school. Automatic entry is the problem,

and it’s easily prevented. Think about it. Absolutely anyone can walk in through our front doors at any moment. The possibility of students not being able to enter without a teacher or securi-ty guard’s pass has also come under con-sideration. IDs in general could prevent school shootings. It seems easy to iden-tify a 20-year-old in an elementary school, but it would be difficult in a high school. However, if we actually wore our IDs, then if someone didn’t have their ID on, they would be noticed quickly. And the problem of being outrageous-ly out of dress code is a problem as well. Imagine how many things can be hidden under a baggy coat or pants? One thing we know is that entrance and exits are going to have to be modified. Both are just much too easy for a stranger to walk in. And the stranger doesn’t have to be extremely dangerous – it could just be students from a different school. Bottom line is that we need to be on the watch for sketchy behavior. And if you feel slightly uncomfortable with something someone is saying or do-ing, tell a teacher or a counselor. It is so much better to have an honest hunch and tell someone, than something actually hap-pening.

Better safe than sorryWe all need to take responsibility for our safety

Jersey Shore. Teen Mom. The Hills. 16 and Pregnant. All of these familiar names of TV shows that change and mold our minds into what money-hungry producers please. Shows like this change opinions and make you think differently, but not in a good way. Put your foot down and be a leader, not a follower. On TV I only see what I shouldn’t do. Though others see it differently, teens are always trying to copy what they see. These shows encourage teens to drink un-derage, to be careless, and to try dangerous

things. The cast members make everything look so cool and easy that you can’t help but want to try and be like them. Producers know their target audience and how im-pressionable they are, yet they continue to make teen pregnancy and drinking look fun and cool. Reading books and hanging out outside are now pushed aside to watch mindless TV shows that do nothing, but show you all the things you shouldn’t do, but will do anyways. Young and impressionable kids will end up doing something outrageously stu-pid because some people might view it as “cool.” Though most shows recommend not to do it, they continue to push the trends and acts onto us expecting reactions, and we’re giving it to them. Be yourself and don’t give Snookie, preg-nant teens on TV, or producers the satisfac-tion of dictating who they want you be.

Be yourself, not the fools you see on TV

Rachel Hanson • Stafferonline

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We’re so muchcooler

Imagination is the drive that fuels this world. It is the cause and finish of war, the ideal that a new world can prosper from a corrupt past. It gives people the will to move on and the determination to succeed and the ability to learn from mistakes and create devices for the evolution of man. It is what separates us from the animals and makes us man instead of beast. But we neglect the muscle that creates that imagination. Some even push it away by denying the books of our time a chance to enlighten their mind. With every generation the number of readers decreases and schools are to blame. At a young age, kids love books and stories,

but as they grow older reading becomes more of a task rather then a pastime. El-ementary Schools make reading a task by developing reading levels and testing stu-dents over every book read, ultimately forc-ing kids to pick from a selection of books provided and chosen by the school board and then grading their comprehension of the book. The extra stress and pressure overwhelms kids and causes every book read to stress the child. This makes kids read for a grade instead of loving the book. When people read for a grade, they lack the ability to be consumed by the story. In-stead of understanding and becoming the main character, they are bystanders watch-ing the action. The intense moments seem like boring pages and the relationships are just the mushy scenes. The bad outlook on reading sends kids into further grade levels with a crutch making school more difficult and more stressful when they are given a read-ing or writing assignment. But high school gives students a different kind of pressure. With college right around

the corner, every grade counts towards the future, not only excelling in grade levels but for their life as well. A student with low grades is less likely to be accepted into the college of their choice, but even if they do get accepted they might not qualify for the scholarships needed to pay for schooling. At this age, students don’t want to read and don’t have time for it. With work, school and sports, reading isn’t even a thought in their mind when it should an active part of their life. Reading actually makes people smarter by improving their analytical thinking abil-ities and vocabulary. With improved ana-lytical thinking abilities people would have a better memory, be able to locate patterns faster, and complete puzzles with ease. Reading is also the best way to improve your vocabulary. By looking at the word used it forces you to focus on and learn a word you might not have seen or heard be-fore. Then by using context clues you can get a decent ideal of how the word is used and the meaning of the word. With better analytical thinking abili-ties and vocabulary you will sound smarter

and look smarter. Thus

making you a more intelli-gent person. Reading is the one thing that separates man from the rest of the world. It is what strengthens the mind and preserves imagi-nation. Because no-matter what happens to this world people will always have their stories, legends, and myths. If it can not be written it will be sung, If it can not be sung it will be voiced. Words are an unstoppable force that can control the flow of society. So we should utilize the books we have and let our kids read freely so as they grow older reading is not a task. It’s an adventure.

Stop killing our love of reading – let us choose our booksWe love have to read

Trey Wise • Staffer

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12sports

Running to the breaking point Coated head to toe in mud, sprinting the final meters of the race, senior Cameron Villarreal crosses the finish line of Nike Nationals. Over his four years in high school, Vil-larreal has sculpted himself into the great-est runner in the history of Martin High School. “I started running my freshman year, but did not realize how good I was until I had a breakout season sophomore year,” Villar-real said. Successfully breaking three school re-cords in the 1600, 3200 and 5k, Villarreal hopes to demolish his old records this track season. “I’m working to break 4:10 for my mile run and 9:15 for the two-mile,” Villarreal said. With his goals being set, he now needs

to make them a reality. With intense train-ing as part of a running team in Dallas, The Metroplex Striders, Villarreal runs between 70 and 80 miles a week. “His drive and determination to accom-plish the lofty goals he has set for himself is amazing,“ Cameron’s father, assistant principal Juan Villarreal said. “He is run-ning every day whether it’s snowing or 110 degrees outside.” Leading the Martin Warriors to a dis-trict championship this season, Villarreal has also been to some prestigious races this season, including Nike South Regionals, one of his best races. Placing fifth out of runners from five states, Villarreal secured a spot on the first team All-Region. “Seeing Cameron on the stage being awarded by a former Olympian, Leo Man-zano, was a memory I will never forget,“ Juan Villarreal said.

Tyler Forde • Staffer

First meet - Feb. 22 • James Martin Invitational - March 1 • District meet - April 10 •

Senior Cameron Villarreal breaks school records, runs his way to all-region After the regional race, Villarreal made his way to Nike Nationals in Portland, Or-egon. Placing 81st in the nation, Villarreal has become not only the best runner in the school’s history but also in the district’s history. “Making it to Nike Nationals was by far my greatest accomplishment,” Villarreal said. “Just being there was a feat.” Between his athletic ability and his ex-emplary grades, Villarreal has recruiters competing to get him on their team. As of now, Villarreal has verbally committed to Texas A&M University and plans to study engineering. “I chose Texas A&M for its network and its recruiting class,” Villarreal said. “There is a lot of talent coming in there this year and I see a good future for the running program.”- Photo by Tyler Forde

13 sports

Imagine constantly working 24/7 for an intense season with no break. Off-season is five months of insane lifting/running every third period. “We do fast paced lifts called circuits with light weight and a fast moving envi-ronment,” junior Sam Brinegar said. “And then we go to the track for 200 yard dashes and 500 yard sprints. Sometimes we will grind with heavy weight and low reps while running a lap every two stations.” Off-season develops the players body to physically punish the opponent. “It empowers our overall teams strength and speed which is very crucial to the suc-cess of a football team,” Brinegar said. “We want to be the best that we can be by put-ting our body through hell, as it helps add victories to our season. ” Ultimately it’s supposed to strengthen the players for the next season. Players in the program do off-season to show their dedi-cation to getting stronger and faster. “No matter how bad it hurts, you’re do-ing it for your teammates, coaches and the future,” Brinegar said. “In the end, you’ll be glad you did it.” The coaching staff is a huge motivation for the players to accomplish their goals by working out with them.

“Our favorite part is watching kids get better, learn how to get physically stronger and get mentally tougher,” head coach Bob Wager said.” Not only is it about working out to ben-efit physically, but training is also about a proper diet. If you’re trying to gain weight, you need to eat lots of proteins and carbs just to gain at least one pound by the end of the week. “We follow a diet made by our trainer, Coach Lemoine. It tells us what to eat at different times of the day,” Brinegar said. For the football coaches, it’s all about making their players get the conditioning they need and maturing in an athletic way in preparation for next season. “We want to make sure we’re entering spring football in the best condition, and to be the best team in America,” Wager said. The intense workouts in off-season all pays off in the end when they’re dominat-ing their opponents. “We put a lot of time into off season, third and seventh periods for five days a week plus our after-school lift,” Brinegar said. “All in all, we put a good amount into off season. If we put 100 percent into it, we will get it back in return. Whatever we have to do to make the team better.”

Karsen Cinquepalmi • Photo EditorKimberly Clower • Sports Editor

Downto business

Top: During off-season training, the boys go from station to station. Coach Clifton Odom helps the boys keep their side plank to perfec-tion.

Left: Sophomore Garret Bales prac-tices everyday in off-season. The team lifts weights before they go out on the track for a run. Photos by Karsen Cinquepalmi

Football gets in shape during off-season

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14entertainment

• Titanic “Ultimate Romance” Get your tissues ready, ladies. Titanic is the ultimate romance movie. If you are looking for a tear-jerker, this movie is yours. The Titanic is a boat with many passengers on board journey-ing across the ocean. Rose, a rich women wom-an who is unhappily engaged, is about to com-mit suicide, but is saved by the poor, cute artist, Jack. Jack and Rose have a instant connection and soon fall in love. When the ship hits a huge iceberg, the two must find each other so they can run away from Rose’s terrible fiance, Cal. They begin their fight to stay alive on the sink-ing ship.

80s

mov

ies

you again today?80s and 90s love stories

“Just once I want my life to be like an 80’s movie.” If you find yourself conflicted on what movie to watch on Valentine’s day, whether it is with someone special or your

mom, we have created a list of our top ten 80’s and 90’s love stories.

• 16 Candles “The Stereotype” The typical “nerd girl” in high school, the wanna-be popular, Samantha Baker likes the most popular guy in school. He is every girl’s eye-candy. Jake Ryan. In a twist in fate with her sister’s wedding, her family forgetting her sixteenth birthday, the crazy exchange student Long Duc Dong, Samantha gets swooped off her feet by Jake Ryan outside the wedding.

•10 Things I Hate About You “The Taming of the Shrew” This movie stars two sisters, Kat, the hard rocker who is misunderstood, and Bianca, the popular, goddess of the school. Bianca and Kat live under their dad’s strict rules. Bianca is not allowed to date unless Kat dates, too. At school, Cameron catches a glimpse of Bianca in the hallway and soon real-izes that he must date her. But when he finds out the dating rule their dad has placed upon them, he sets Kat up with Patrick. Cameron wants Patrick to “tame the shrew” (Kat) so he can date Bianca. Kat and Bianca don’t get along, but they begin to understand each other more and become closer.

• Pretty in Pink “The Childhood Sweetheart” In this high school romance movie, Andie is the not-so-popular girl. She normally hangs out with her two ‘mains,’ Iona and Ducky. Ducky has had a secret crush on Andie since their childhood. Andie doesn’t realize Ducky has feelings for her, and she begins to fall for the new popular rich guy, Blane. Andie is com-pletely oblivious of the feelings Ducky has for her, that she vents to him about Blane.

• Dirty Dancing “The Summer Romance” In this movie about a summer romance, Frances Houseman, also known as “Baby,” falls in love with the camp’s dance instruc-tor, Johnny Cassel. The only problem is that Baby has grown up on the higher end of the spectrum while Johnny has had to work his entire life. Baby is not supposed to have any association with Johnny whatsoever due to the fact that he is an employee while she is a guest at the camp. When Johnny’s dance partner falls ill, Baby fills in as his dance partner and they fall madly in love as he teaches her the dance routine.

• My Best Friend’s Wedding “The Envy” “Hello, there is a little green monster crawling up your back.” In this movie Julianne and Mi-chael are best friends and promised each other if they weren’t married by the age of 30, they would marry each other. When Michael and Julianne are 30 Michael becomes engaged to a woman named Kimberly. Julianne becomes very jealous when she realizes she loves Michael and comes up with mul-tiple mischievous plans to break them up so she can have him for herself.

• The Wedding Singer “The Determined Fate” In this comical love story, Robbie and Julia find themselves both engaged to people who they shouldn’t be engaged with. After a few meetings, they begin to fall in love with each other, and it’s Robbie’s job to win Julia’s heart and steal her away from her fiance. In an attempt to win her over, Robbie followed Julia on a plane to Vegas, where she had planned on getting married, and he sings her a special song.

admireMay I

Kaylyn LeFan•Features Editor & Maggie O’Brian•Staffer

90s movies

15 entertainment

Lights flashing and the audience watch-ing, The Void gathers together on the stage. With a deep breath and a few

clicking of the drumsticks, the guitars ring out and the crowd lets out a wave of ap-plause. “The band started with a phone call that I made to Mclane,” junior Chris Huber said. “I just had a guitar lesson and I really wanted to start a band. I knew Mclane was in choir so we came up with an idea for a band.” With Mclane Ballenger as singer, Wade Girton and Huber on guitar, Hayden Hale on bass, and Christian Kenworthy on drums, a lot of different musical influences are brought into the band. “The Strokes would probably be our num-ber one inspiration,” Huber said. “Nick Va-lensi, the lead guitar player for The Strokes, is my personal role model. Others include Modest Mouse, The Doors, The White Stripes and The Killers.” “A lot of music inspires me, mostly metal or jazz,” Girton said. It would be difficult not to be nervous standing in front of a huge audience, but the adrenaline kicks in and the band mem-bers have a great time on stage. “At times it feels really rushed and hec-tic before the show and I think everyone is usually a tiny bit nervous, but once we get up and start playing I think we all be-gin to feel really comfortable and we have fun with it,” Huber said. “When I’m play-ing the music that we wrote in front of an audience, that’s what makes it all worth it. After playing a good show, we will talk to the people who came to see us or some of the other bands, then go out to eat.” The Void was formed two years ago when they were freshmen. Over the past couple of years, they have grown and become more developed in their musical style and experi-ence. “Since we started the band, we have got-ten a new guitar player and doubled our list of original songs, a good portion of which is psychedelic influenced by groups such

as the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Blue Angel Lounge,” Huber said. “Over the winter break, Mclane got his synthesizer which will hopefully bring a hint of electronic musical influence to our genre.” “We have become a lot tighter knit as a band and more able to play together,” Huber said. Junior Gabriel Ken-worthy, Christian Ken-worthy’s brother, now works with the band as their manager. He makes flyers, stick-ers and has even pro-grammed a Void app for Android phones. “We now have Gabe supporting us by pro-moting and organizing events,” Huber said. Among some of the major shows that they have played is the Battle of the Bands in Dallas at The Door. Here, The Void competed against bands from all over Texas to win first place. “The Battle of the Bands was great,” Hu-ber said. “All of the other bands there were college bands, and there was that moment of uneasiness when we met the other bands before any of us had performed. I remem-ber thinking, ‘We are obviously the young-est band here.’ We were all certain that we wouldn’t move onto the next Battle of the Bands because of our lack of experience, but a few weeks later we got an email from The Door telling us that we had advanced to the final round of Battle of the Bands.” The Void doesn’t only perform at ven-ues in Dallas, they have also performed for Martin and at houses around Arlington. “We have performed at Martin twice for the Unleashed Poetry Club,” Kenworthy

said. Although they are perfecting their music and working together well as a band, they still have embarrassing moments and ac-cidents. “One time I accidentally let go of my drumstick and hit somebody during a show,” Kenworthy said. “The most embarrassing thing that has happened during a show so far is that I ba-sically dropped my guitar into Christian’s drum set after my guitar strap broke,” Hu-ber said. Each band member has a different style of music, and they use this to their creative advantage when writing new songs. “Either Wade or I will come up with something on guitar and present it to the other guys, and they’ll feed off of that to make a song,” Huber said. “Chris usually comes up with a skeleton and from there we add all of our ideas until the song is finished,” Kenworthy said.

For them, The Void is a way to have fun and have a musical outlet. They are able to be around friends and develop their own musical styles. “My favorite part about being in a band would have to be creating music with my best friends and being a part of something bigger than myself,” Huber said. “I also re-ally like being able to share the ideas that I have in my head and see those ideas come to life as a full song with the other guys.” The Void hopes to carry on their passion for music after high school, even if things change. “We all kind of know that The Void will be no more after high school; that’s the bit-ter truth,” Huber said. “My hope is that at least two of the other band members will end up going to the same college and play the same songs with different musicians, but even if that does happen, it will prob-ably end up being a new band. I personally hope to remain in a band in college.”

Fall into

Natalie Buongiorno • Staffer

Top: The Void plays at the Unleashed Poetry club meeting Oct. 31. Bottom: Void members Chris Huber, McLane Ballenger, Hayden Hale, Wade Girton and Christian Kenworthy Photos by Brenda Chavez-Mayo

the Void

16entertainment

“The author is sitting in the audience watching and judging your every move,” junior Jake Oderberg said. “And nothing is worse than not living up to his or her expectations.” Oderberg recently acted in Black Box, a series of three short plays writ-ten or adapted by students, direct-ed by students and starring stu-dents. One of the plays in this year’s series was adapted, but the other two were original. Junior Victoria Esqui-bell wrote one of the originals, “First Sight.” Senior Cooper Thomson was the author of the other produc-tion, “Two Guys, a Chick, and a Stiff.” “The original idea came from a joke I made to my friend about how crazy it would be to die by poisoning your own food in some random restaurant and creating a lot of suspicion,” Thomson said. “My play went through several incar-nations before becoming what it was, so I wasn’t sure how it could or would turn out.” But it isn’t just as easy as getting an idea and writing a play. The plays performed in the Black Box series are carefully selected. “After I wrote the rough draft I had my dad help me edit and edit and edit,” Es-quibell said. “Then I submitted the scripts to the reading committee which is com-prised of the directors and theater students that the directors choose. After that I just

waited for about two weeks until they had finished reading all of the submissions and announced the plays that were picked.” Although it feels as though the action be-gan from scratch for the original play writ-ers, the real action begins once the plays are actually chosen. “Being in a peer-written play is, in my

opinion, more challenging than being in a play written and performed before,” said junior Will Craig, an actor in Thomson’s play. “There is a greater responsibility on the actors to make the decisions that will pave the way for everyone else to follow.” As suggested by the name of the series, Black Box is performed in the Black Box Theater, a small room with black walls, a black floor and a black ceiling. Despite the lack of space and privacy, set changes and use of props have to run just as smoothly as it would in a regular theater. “I had a pretty clear vision of my play

In the performance of WASP, juniors Will Craig and Tripp Wright’s characters ponder what they will do with the dead body they happened upon. The Black Box plays were student written and produced. Photo by Melody Asgari

because I know the Black Box space so well and understand its limitations and advan-tages,” Esquibell said. “In writing the plays, you have to be very careful to not put too many props, people or scene changes.” Despite the limitations they have in re-gards to performance space, the authors of the plays still want to portray an image through their plays. “I really admire Quentin Tarantino and Martin McDonagh’s brazen and upfront crazy writing style,” Thomson said. “So that was kind of the show I was trying to make.” The Black Box series is not only a way for the authors to write and see the final product of their work, but it is also a new experience for the actors. “Looking back I would say the experi-ence was different. A good different, but definitely different,” Oderberg said. “It was unlike any other show I had ever done and was a very memorable experience.”

Emma Bruce • Designer

Junior Victoria Esquibell in her performance of WASP Photo by Lara Kunkel

Out of theboxStudents give the ins and outs of writing plays and having them performed