Volume 55, Issue 02 Bryan Adams High School, Dallas, Texas dallasisd.org/bryanadamsNovember 2011 50¢

Annual tradition plays on Hollywood themeBy Jennifer Duran Staff Writer

The flashing lights, the screaming fans, and the bright stars were all on dis-play to help celebrate this year’s Holly-wood themed annual Homecoming Week. Homecoming, traditionally a way to welcome alumni back home, included the parade, spirit days, the football game and the highly anticipated Homecoming Dance. It was time to roll out the red carpet

and call the paparazzi! The parade had arrived, marking the start of the homecoming festivities. Crowds gathered on Saturday morning to be a part of this BA tradition. Cheers could be heard from miles away, as the Cougars marched down the streets roar-ing with school pride! Children gathered along the route waiting anxiously for the candy that was soon to be tossed from the passing floats. Beads, glitter, and candy flew from all over as the procession of over 20 themed vehicles made its way through the streets east Dallas. ROTC, Belles, the Band, Cheerleaders and a variety of athletic teams led the way along our own Hollywood Boulevard, also

known as Millmar Drive. The BAnd sporting new songs like Elk, ESPN, and Hate Texas “jammed out” enthusiastically as observers swung rhythmically to the music. New BA principal, Mr.Vanhoozer and Mrs.Lusk waved to the assembled masses from a black convertible. BA Alumni weren’t far behind in classic cars elaborately decorated with BA regalia. Baking Club, Criminal Justice, Key Club, Spanish Club, Drama Club and our very own Crossroads “rolled up” in elegantly decorated floats disguised as pickup trucks. The following week - Spirit Week -

See HOMECOMING Page 2

Homecoming a Blockbuster Hit!

Recognize these celebrities? The Situation (Erick Leon ‘12), Bruno Mars (George Marez ‘12), Wiz Khalifa (Cain Gutierrez ‘12), Marylin Monroe (Ivonne Nino ‘12), and Tony Romo (Luis Guerra ‘12) stop to mug for the camera on “Famous Day”.

BA finally fills principal post

By Noor Shahed Staff Writer

After seven weeks and two interim princi-pals Bryan Adams High School has a new principal. Mr. Stan VanHoozer comes to the school from Hebron High School where he worked for 12 years. On November 4th, I sat down with Mr. VanHoozer in his office for a comfortable and revealing conversation. Mr. VanHoozer is originally from Midland, Texas where he graduated from Robert E. Lee High School. He attended several universities but graduated from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin with a degree in accounting. He worked for several companies and was in public accounting for 81/2 years. He then was part owner of an oil and gas service company which went out of business. The next three years were spent in sales before he was laid off by a major corporation. “It (getting laid off) was the best thing that ever happened to me,” he said. That is when he discovered he wanted to become a teacher. He earned his Master’s Degree and became a teacher and then an Assistant Principal at Hebron High School in the Lewisville Independent School District. Our principal is an adventurer. Three years ago he tried skydiving. He has a pi-lot’s license and loves flying and aviation. “When I was young I was afraid of

See Principal Page 2

Stan VanHoozer from Hebron HS becomes 9th principal to lead Bryan Adams HS

On October 28, 2011 just 3 days before Hallow-een the nightmare and phobia of many BA students came true. Strangers set up camp in the small gym and prepared to suck our blood. Thankfully these strangers were not the stuff that bad Hollywood movies are made of. In fact these men & women were the trained volunteers of Carter Blood Care. Although they may not have arrived to drink the blood of students, they cheerfully drew the blood of students, staff and teach-ers who volunteered. The red stuff will be put to good use in local hospitals throughout North Texas. I speak from experience when I say that after

donating blood it gives you that fuzzy feeling inside that comes with doing something for someone else or it maybe it was nausea, in any case, there’s a sense of self-fulfillment. If you are like one of the many who would have liked to participate in the blood drive but were either too young at the time or too scared (face it you were) here are a few tips for future reference: 1. Nausea - you mayexperience it before OR after but most likely DURING the “draw ing”! 2. Rest - get plenty before the fateful event. 3. Eat well - you need the additional energy. 4. Grit your teeth - it won’t hurt....yeah right.

“In the Event Of A Zombie Uprising”Give blood - it saves three lives

By Idali Juarez Editor in Chief

Junior Mayte Rayas tests the old adage, “if you just don’t look it won’t hurt”. The student body donated 116 units of blood.

Dear Amber: Last year, a boythat my friend really liked started talkingto her. All of a sudden, he began datinganother girl. They’ve been together since.A few days ago, he approached my friendand began telling her that he actuallyreally liked her. He even told her that hewas going to ask her out last year. I don’tknow what to tell her. Amber, what shouldshe do?

Questionable

sweetheart. I know if I’m with him, I willbe the only one. I know he’ll treat meright. The only problem is, I don’t like thenice guy as much as the jock. Whatshould I do Amber?

ConflictedDear Conflicted: It sounds like

you know the outcome and type of eachboy. Ultimately, your decision dependson what you want. If you want a frivolousfling and just something pretty to be with,then choose the jock. However, you mustunderstand the consequences of such arelationship. There’s a great chance thatyou’ll just become nothing but anothername on his list. This sort of“relationship” leaves you empty anduncertain. It evokes conflicting feelings.In order to protect yourself, you mustcompletely detach. If I were you, Iwouldn’t even consider the jock. He’scute, but not that cute. You will only hurtyourself in that relationship. Why wouldyou want a relationship that makes youfeel bad? As for the good guy, I’m surehe’ll be great. I’m sure he’ll treat youwonderfully. He’ll provide you supportivecompanionship. Despite the positiveoutcome, none of it matters if you don’tlike him. You’ll end up resenting him, andhe’ll pick up on that. You’re better off notaffiliating with either one of these boys. Ihope this helps.

Dear Amber: Today I waswalking in the hall and the two kids infront of me didn’t have their shirtstucked. I didn’t either, but the teacheronly told me to tuck in my shirt andharassed me down the hall. Amber, Ihave to ask, why do teachers try to makean example of some kids rather thanenforcing the rules to all students?

IndignantDear Indignant: I cannot

speak for the teacher who troubled you,but perhaps he didn’t notice the kids infront of you. It’s an honest mistake. Or,ironically so, perhaps the teacherthought highly of you. Some teacherswho think highly of a student expectmore out of him/her. This is because ateacher knows that anyone is capable ofreaching higher when they’reencouraged. They’re simply encouragingyou to be your best. That’s all they wantfor you. Look at the teacher making anexample of you as a compliment.

Do you ever find yourself in a stickysituation? Or sometimes do you just wantsomeone to lend an ear? Amber is here tohelp! If you would like to submit aquestion to Amber, come by Room 249and keep an eye out for your question inthe next issue!

Ask

Amber

Continued from Page 1

anymore,” he said. Mr.VanHoozeris working hardwith the schoolstaff. He hasdevelopedstandardizedlesson plans forteachers, a studentprofile wherestudents are goingto be able to checkassignments theyare missing and hehas plans todevelop a homeworkacademy. Students will be assigned to thehomework academy to bring up theirgrades and take responsibility for theirgrades. He is also mandating TAKstutorials and emphasizing vocabulary inthe classroom to aid students taking theTAKs and STAAR exam. These measuresare especially aimed at freshmen since theSTAAR exam is especially challenging. When Mr.VanHoozer was in highschool, he was a typical student. Heplayed football and baseball. He told mehe was an average student and felt hesuffered from low self-esteem. Later onhe began to believe in himself and foundout that through hard work and integrityhe could succeed at the goals he set forhimself. He loves what he is doing and ismotivated to do what he believes in. He said, “If you don’t love the fieldyou’re working in then that is not the jobfor you.” Mr.VanHoozer and his wife havebeen married for 20 years. He has twostep-daughters and a granddaughter. He loves to read, watch television,and listen to music. He surprised me whenhe told me he likes to watch South Park

bought last minute. This was veryapparent seeing as how many shirts didn’tmatch many of the ties. Finally it was Friday, Green and

White Day! The day where Cougarsshow off how much pride they reallyhave. Green and white were the onlycolors that were seen throughout thewhole day; on bodies, on walls, on floorsand even on ceilings. The Bells, bells,bells were heard from the time youwalked into the building till the time thefinal “bell” rang. Everyone got toexperience the Edgar Allen Poe effect(look it up). The mums, as usual, werelarger than the year before (see thewinning mums in the center section). Totop off the fun-packed week our footballteam showed some mad skills on thefield as they taught Conrad a thing ortwo about football; winning ourhomecoming game and setting the stagefor the playoffs (see Liam Veasy’scoverage on the sports page). “Before the game Conrad was

talking major smack and Coach Rob toldus that our play on the field would do ourtalking” , said center Selwyn Carruthers. Bryan Adams students celebrated

their victory by dancing all night at theannual Homecoming dance Saturdaynight. “Hollywood With the Stars” wasthe theme. “Stars” and “starlets” shinedand sparkled in their dresses and suits.Fists pumps, shuffling, and grinds weresome of the most popular moves out onthe dance floor. Cougars were sad to gohome once the night was over but nonewere disappointed in the end. Seniorswill remember this night for it was theirlast Homecoming. “I’m sad that my last homecoming is

over. I’m not going to lie it was the bestone out of all four years I’ve been here. Iwill never forget it” said Senior MariahBonifacio at the end of the night.

Continued from Page 1

- started off with a BANG as theCougars brought out their best fakeface to celebrate “Famous Day”.Everyone dug through their closets insearch of the perfect celebrityimpersonation outfit. Taylor Swift’s,Nikki Minaj’s, Bruno Mars’, MichaelJackson’s, and many mores celebritieswere spotted strutting the BAhallways. All were worthy enough tobe asked for an autograph. “Wow, I really thought that washer!” Junior Melody Chavezexclaimed after a Lady GaGa sighting.But no it was Rachel Gulotta, who wasthe spitting image of the famous popicon. People were seeing double Tuesday.Was it because they were going mad? Wasit because they needed to clean theirglasses? Maybe it was because ithappened to be Twin Day! Studentspaired, tripled, and quadrupled in hopesof being the best group of look-a-likes.Some went over the top, matchingeverything from their hair to their nails totheir shoes; some even went as far to wearmatching underwear (but we’ll neverknow!). All these crazy antics managed toraise the bar even higher as midweekapproached. “Help! Help! Is there anyone outthere who can save me?” Bryan Adamssuper heroes came to the rescue as soonas the distressed call was heard onWednesday morning. Superman, Batman,Spiderman, Power Rangers, CaptainUnderpants and many more tried theirbest to defeat the BA villains who daredto show up on SUPER HERO Day. Theepic battle was vicious but harmless. Fancy day didn’t disappoint.Cougars put their best foot forward anddonned their “Sunday best”. Girlsflaunted their rather high heels, as guyssported their Walmart ties that were

Dear Questionable: Tell yourfriend to not come so easily to him,especially if he’s still with the previousgirl. She has a right to be skeptical. Thiscan go both ways. Either he’s bored withthe girl he currently has and is using yourfriend as a second choice, or, perhaps herealized just what he’s missing. Maybehe’s trying to re-kindle the connectionbetween himself and your friend.However, whatever his intention my be,whether it’s good or bad, tell you friend tonot come so easily. She shouldn’t besitting around waiting for his beckoningcall. Tell her to wait it out a bit before shemakes a decision, and to not be realchummy with him until he breaks up withhis girlfriend. He can’t have his cake andeat it too. He needs to pick ONE. Sheshould have him chase her a bit. Yourfriend knows what kind of guy he is. It’swhether she chooses to listen or not. Ifshe plays it safe and keeps and open eye,she will be fine. Thanks for askingAmber!

Dear Amber: What should I doif two totally different boys like me? Oneboy is your typical jock. He’s adorableand quite popular with the girls. He’s theboy everyone wants. I know that if I’mwith him, I won’t be the only one. Thesecond boy is the good guy, the

When you think about your math teacher,she probably doesn’t fit your descriptionof what that would be; she’s not thesubdued mathematician you would expect.Instead, our new Pre- Cal/ Math Modelsteacher, Mrs. Shaydra Berry, is outspoken,

hands-on and motherly. After being released dueto budget cuts Mrs. Berry tooka job here at BA. “Bryan Adams has betterstructure, administrativesupport, the students are welldisciplined and it has a cleanerenvironment,” says Mrs. Berrywhen asked to compare theschools.

She seems to be more relatable thanmost teachers not only becauseof her youthfulness but alsobecause she grew up right herein East Dallas, and knows andcan relate to what somestudents go through every day. She can be foundstaying late most of the weekfor tutoring, long after most

teachers have gone home; it’s safe to say

she goes above and beyond the call ofduty. Students love her because of theway she speaks to them, “she’s not afraidto hurt our feelings,” said senior IdaliJuarez, “she tells us what we need to hearnot what we want to be told.” Besides being a math teacher, Mrs.Berry is a senior sponsor, a math clubsponsor and a wholesale car dealer. Mrs. Berry can be found in RM238.

Tough love describes newmath teacherJulia ArriagaStaff writer ‘11

Principal VanHoozer ready for the challenge

and Family Guy. He likes all kinds of mbmusic and especially the Rolling Stones.His favorite book is Pillars of the Earthby Ken Follett. Mr. VanHoozer is a strong believer inphysical fitness. Running is the exerciseof choice for him. He runs almost everyday and makes the most out of it byparticipating in marathons. He recentlywent to Washington DC to run the MarineCorps Marathon. The marathon is 26.2miles long and it took him only 4 hoursand 4 minutes to finish it. While I wasimpressed he thought he could and shouldhave done better. Benjamin Franklin once said, “showme a satisfied man and I’ll show you afailure.” This philosophy seemed toepitomize the attitude of our new leader. After visiting with this self-described“laid back” and interesting man I got thedistinct impression that the new man atthe helm of Bryan Adams High Schoolwould only be satisfied with steady andcontinuous progress for our school. “After all,” he said, “we have no otherchoice.”

2

Homecoming week 2012 fullfills expectations

Mr. VanHoozer with the Belles on their way to the Veterans Day Parade.

Bryan Adams JROTC RaidersTakes First Place

Karina Melendez Staff Writeer ‘14

Orienteering is similar to a scavengerhunt. However, it’s held on wide-openunfamiliar terrain, and you’re running theentire way. Orange and white boxes, calledcontrol points, are placed in or around theterrain. You are given you a topographicalmap, prepared for orienteering. With thismap, you get a clue sheet to help you findthe control points. You use these items tonavigate yourself from point to point. Acompass is optional, although veryhelpful for when you’re lost or stuck on apoint. Orienteering involves many skillsas well as a good physical state.

The Bryan Adams High SchoolJROTC raiders participated in the DistrictChampionships October 15. Thecompetition was held at Samuel CrawfordMemorial Park. The wide-open landscapewas transformed into a competition field,where cadets showed off their skills. A

Athletes know it best,because it’s the most convenient placeto get a physical before the seasonstarts and even though the Amelia G.Flores Clinicserves thispurpose to thestudents of B.A.that’s not itsonly function.

The on-campus butseparately runclinic serves notonly to thestudents but thecommunity ingeneral.

This is where elementary andmiddle school students go forvaccinations, where families can go fortherapy and where anyone regardlessof income and insurance can go forbasic check ups and medical care.

In short it’s a family clinic.

total of 16 raiders attended theorienteering meet.

This competition would determinewho would take home the districtorienteering trophy. Bryan Adams haswon this title 7 years in a row, and theywere determined to win it again.

The competition was tough. Cadetsfrom Skyline, Poteet, Spruce, NorthMesquite, and W.T White were there andready to win. Bryan Adams however, cameout on top and dominated thecompetition. This was the 8th consecutiveyear that the Bryan Adams JROTC haswon the District orienteeringchampionship!

Some cadets were new to the sport oforienteering, such as cadet Karen Macias.However, she still managed to place 1st inher category. Other cadets like RaiderCommander Omar Mandujano have threeyears of experience under his belt. He isnow on level brown, which is 2 stepsaway from the hardest category oforienteering. The raiders received a total of 7 medals,all of which were received for placing 1st intheir individual categories.

The B.A Raiders are workingdiligently to keep their title as DistrictChampionships!

Raiders Lead the Way

Arturo Rodriguez was 18 whenhe graduated from BA in2007. Arturo He is now 23and is the Executive Officerfor his class.

Arturo went on tograduate from a Catholicuniversity in France and iscurrently at WestPoint inNew York. .

He will be platoonleader in Schofield Barrack,Hawaii, and will shortlydeploy to Afghanistan .

Arturo now looksback to high school and thinks how muchit helped him, even the little extracurricularclasses.

“AP classes helped me most,other than that extracurricular activitieslike JROTC and Tech Theatre”, saysArturo. “Those skills helped me be aleader”. After college, he became an officer for

the army and is currently going throughmore initial officer training.

Once Arturo completes his stintas platoon leader, he will move on whenhis battalion commander thinks he’s ready

to go on.“Basically, its based on

my personaldevelopment. It can takeas little as 6-9 months oras long as 28 months,” hesaid.

“As for when Iget deployed, that won’tbe until my unit deploysback to Hawaii, sincethey are in Afghanistan.That said, currentdeployment cycles areabout 9 months long.”

“As for the benefits anddrawbacks, there are honestly too manyand too few to list”, he said . “On thedownside, I don’t get to talk to or see myfamily as much as I’d like. But on theother hand, my life is amazing and Iwouldn’t trade the opportunities I’vegotten for anything”.

If you’re interested in joining anafter school activity check out:

Mu Alpha ThetaMeetings Monday mornings andafternoons. $5 membership fee

due Dec. 5th. For moreimformation please contact

Mrs.Berry Rm.243.

Do you like to argue or areyou interested in being in the

field of law someday? Try:

Bryan Adams Debate Club!meetings are on Mondays andFridays at 4:15pm. in Rm. 215.

For more information askMrs.Ackert.

So what happens when a clinicthat does so much for the community isthreatened?

Counselors, teachers and parentsband together tosave it.

Although, atthe begining of the2011- 2012 schoolyear there were plansto close the clinic,the plans have beenwithdrawn, thanks toa petition by thecommunity.

It’s safe to saythat the student

community and the neighborhood aroundB.A. is thankful to those who tookindicative to save Amelia G. Flores

They saved not only a clinic, buta big part of the Cougar community aswell.

Stay Amelia, Stay! Clinic Continues in the Cougar Community

Edith Sanchez ‘13Staff writer

3

Graduates to soldiers:Arturo Rodriguez

Beth Gallegos ‘13Staff writer

BA grads reflect on their military sreviceRight now, Arturo Rodriguez has

his own place. He is training so his livingspace is a hotel on base. Ultimatelyhehopes to have a house off base in

Hawaii.

Graduate to Soldier:Fernando Flores

Fernando Flores graduated fromBryan Adams in 2010, he is now at FortBragg, North Carolina andhas been training for 8months. Fernando isscheduled for deploymentto Afghanistan inFebruary 2013.

“My intensionswere originally to go tocollege, but that lifewasn’t for me,” saidFernando. “I wanted to dosomething meaningful.”

He said ROTChelped him the most inhigh school. “It taught me how to be aleader, how to speak up, and how to takeinitiative.”

“I know what I signed up for,”said Fernando. “I know what I do makes adifference.” Right now he has a position as anIntelligence Analyst/Security Manager.

“Its not for the faint heart, so myperception hasn’t changed yet,” he says.

“As for his drawbacks, “Its notbeing able to see my family, and not beingable to live a normal life because of all therules.”

As for thebenefits, “the army takescare of me in general.”

“I get free medical carewhich I can enroll myfamily in,” he said. “and Iget paid to travel, which Ilove.”

If you know of anyother “BA Grads toSoldiers” let us know.We at Crossroadsalways support our

armed forces and those protectingfreedom anywhere.

Pineapple is an amazing naturalsweetener, enhancing anything fromsmoothies to pizza. It makes one wonderwhat else would transcend fromdelicious to absolutely god-like.Hotdogs, spaghetti, perhaps even nachosjust a few of the myriad of potentialcandidates for this gustatory alteration.However, none could possibly compareto the union of the Montague turkeyburger and Capulet pineapple.

The turkey burger is rapidlyreplacing the original beef burger inresidences across the nation. It’s aslightly healthier alternative but just asdelicious, if not better. Those who havebeen deprived of the chance to taste thisup and coming addition to the greatAmerican menu, now have reason tocease the self torture. Take a bite out ofwhat the world has to feed!

Be a wide minded individualand don’t brush off the pineapple turkeyburger. The creation is simply made asfollows.

· First, one must take the groundturkey meat and make twoslimmer than normal patties andseason them to one’s preference.

· Second, take a slice of freshlycut pineapple and lightly grill topreference

· Third, take the grilled pineappleand place it between the twopatties to be cooked like normal

· Fourth, enjoy and savor thefascinating flavor

Do you remember when you wouldfix yourself a big bowl of cereal andwatch cartoons for hours on Saturday?Then you most likely remember theseshows: Pokemon, Rugrats, Hey Arnold,Cow & Chicken, AngryBeavers, Tom & Jerry andThe Power Puff Girls. These were just some ofthe shows that aired in the90’s. Those were days whenthey actually showed whenTom hit Jerry instead ofblanking it out with little stars like they donow. Remember the all time favorite “AllThat”? It was aired on Nickelodeon,alsoin the 90’s. The show featured numerouscomedians like: Kenan Thompson,Amanda Bynes, and Drake Bell. “AllThat” was the show known for their manycomedic sketches about random antics oflife. A modern day version of “All That”is “So Random” aired on The DisneyChannel. They’re very similar in the waythat they both include humorous sketcheshowever; many people can agree that theclassics can’t be reproduced. The new versions of Scooby Doo,Dragon Ball Z, and Pokémon ,forexample, are no where near as good as theoriginal versions. These shows changed inan attempt to bring back lost viewers, theTV networks saw it as a way to “improve”the show. My guess is that it’s notworking out, if it wasn’t good the firsttime I don’t think it ever will be. This maybe wrong sometimes depending on yourview of TV shows

Pete’s SignatureSnacks

Resonating withrecords

Buying single songs takes the joyout of musical discovery

Timi SandersStaff writer

As incredible as they are, recordsaren’t appreciated as much as they shouldbe. Before iTunes and other modern waysof purchasing music, albums were a bigthing. When you wanted music you didn’tjust get a song, you got a record. But in the 21st century, practicallyeveryone downloads songs they hear onthe radio onto their iPod, mp3 player,phone, etc. For the artists, making recordsthrough time and hard work is pointless,because no one will buy them. Basically, ifit’s not heard on the radio, it’s not heard atall. But do you like all the songs you hearon the radio? Doubt it. Do you only listento the music everyone else does? Notlikely. Is there at least one CD out therefull of songs that you could love?Absolutely!

Records are filled with songs thatyou can really resonate with. Every songis unique and so is your opinion, so youmight like a song that not many people arefamiliar with. Unfortunately, many people choosenot to bother with albums using excuseslike “if it’s worth listening to it would beon the radio” or “no one buys recordsanymore.” But if you took the time tolisten to an album, you would really seewhat they’re worth! Many timeless albums have had atheme, or storyline to them. Popular artiststo do this are: Green Day, Queen, TheBeatles, Lady Gaga, and others.Sometimes when you buy one song,you’re only getting part of the story! One major reason why you shouldbuy albums instead of just the hits:discovery. You never know what aparticular song might mean to you.Someone else might not relate to the lyricsof a certain song, but to you they mightmean something very special. Kids really don’t buy CDs thesedays, and it’s a shame. There is so muchgreat music to be found! The only way tofind it is to take a chance, trust your heartand visit your local record store.

Blast From the PastViolent & irreplaceablecartoons from the 90’s

Karina Melendez ‘14Staff writer

4

Cartoons aren’t the only showschanging; if anyone watched MTV backthen, the shows were actually funny andnot full of drama. Those shows included

The Andy Milonakis Show,TRL, Pimp My Ride, andBeevis and Butthead. There wasan actual element of comedyunlike some of the shows oftoday. I guess teenagers wouldrather watch teenage girlsgetting pregnant and “adults”actlike children fighting and

getting wasted on TV. Times havechanged, let’s face it. The era of good TVshows is over. If you were a 90’s kid youremember the classics.

“many peoplecan agree thatthe classicscan’t bereproduced.”

Role Models or Bad Examples

What happened to all the innocentchild stars that we used to look up to?No, still look up to. What happened tostaying on the right path for the sake ofyour fans? Many of the celebrities we grew upwatching from when they were childstars, have grown up to becomemonsters. Should these monsters be ouridols? Almost everyone from LindseyLohan to Miley Cyrus to the JonasBrothers have joined the dark side. Thedark side consisting of everyone “losing”

their purity rings, getting arrested, wildlypartying, and even drug abusing. Fans have been lead into believing thattheir favorite celeb is still as innocent asthey were when they wereyounger. They think that justbecause they are the sameperson that they can do nowrong. Well they can and theyhave. They believe that it’s ok for theirchildren to practically follow the samefoot steps that their idol followed. Wouldyou want your child or even yourself, tofollow the same foot steps as BritneySpears or the Olson twins? I think not. Why do we look up to them in the firstplace? Yes, I know they’re pretty, and they

sing well, heck they probably even smellnice; but why don’t we pay attention totheir life choices? No one paid attentionwhen Lindsey was

arrested the firsttime in ’07 fordrug abuse. Butsome people areaware of what

they do but they thinkit’s ok because its themthey’re celebrities. Butthink about it people, ifwe did what everyone else was the doingthe world would be utter chaos. Even Selena Gomez, who’s on top ofthe chart with her music and Grammy-

winner for her show on Disney, has beencaught doing inappropriate things with herlatest boyfriend Justin Bieber. Don’t

forget even our littleMiley, or their HannahMontana, was spotted in avideo released last year ofher and a group of friendssmoking salvia from abong. Again, do you reallywant to be like them? Next time think aboutthe people you admire.

Think about the choices they make and thethings they do. Because even withoutrealizing it, you might find yourselffollowing in their very same footsteps.

...“do youreally want tobe like them?”

Jennifer Duran ‘13Staff writer

BA Look A-Likes

Have you ever thought one of your teachers or classmates looked like someone famous? I have compiled a list of BAstudents and staff and compared them to historical people, celebrities, and even our favorite cartoon characters! Studentsagreed and disagreed whether or not they resembled.

By Liliana Garcia

Mrs.Aufull as Julie Andrews Mr.Harris as Benjamin Franklin Mr.Doyle as Jason Statham

50% YES 50% NO 85% YES 15% NO 88% YES 12% NO

Calvin Whetstone as Kid Cudi

91% YES 9% NOMr.Cortimilia as Hugh Dancy

40% YES 60% NOGp Sandhu as Drake

75% YES 25% NO

Mr.Craddock as Ron Stoppable Stanton Lohrengel as C. O’Brian Dr.Curry as Mr.Incredible’s Boss

73% YES 27% NO 80% YES 20% NO 60% YES 40% NO

Magicians,thieves, assassins,mercenaries, kings,knights of nobleintentions, creatures offantasy, and greatpower attainable all inthe realm of ElderScrolls 5: Skyrim. Thegame the world hasanticipated since itsannouncement wasfinally released onNovember the eleventh.This portal to epicadventure and awesomepower is matched by itsstunning graphics and breath taking gameplay. Bethesda has set a new bar ofexpectations not only for the Elder Scrollsfranchise but all role playing gamescreated from here on out.

The medieval era in which thegame is set acts as a wonderful doorwayinto another life. The fully customizablecharacter one creates at the start of thegame can represent the player or be thecomplete opposite, adding on thatalternate life feeling. In the story the

character is the Dragonborn, theprophesized hero gifted by the GodAkatosh with dragon blood and a naturalability for the great creatures’ powers.The Dragonborn’s destiny is to slaydragons that have mysteriously returnedafter generations of extinction, and findthe source of their rebirth. Throughoutthis quest one learns dragon shouts. Thispowerful magic of the ancient dragonlanguage requires a dragon soul to learn

and use. TheDragonborn mustkill a dragon toobtain its soul andapply it in combat.

The dragonborn can face amyriad of mythicalcreatures fromdeadly minotaursto werewolves andvampires. Amongothers, one of themost amazingchoices one canmake is to become

a vampire or a werewolf.Skyrim is the game to get, with

so much to do and over 300 hours ofgameplay. It’s a game for those whofinish their games quick and constantlylook for a game with replay ability.Overall Skyrim earns a nine of ten on thescale great gaming, appealing to allgenres of gamer. In sum Skyrim is worththe wait and completely surpasses itsglowing expectations set by critics.

Elder Scrolls V:Skyrim

The amazing gift to role play-ing gamers of the world

Pedro Ramos

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Cougars: Out and About

BA JROTC march during the annual Veterans Day parade in downtown Dallas.

Mr. VanHoozer reads to children at Kiest Elementary School for the Districts’11-11-11reading initiative.

Homecoming: Hollywood

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Winning Mums

Most Personality

Prize for the mum thattakes up the most spacegoes to Valarie Alanizwho instead of thetraditional all whitesenior mum decided tolet her personal touchshine through with thisuber colorful way ofshowing off her schoolspirit, the four flowersmaking up her hugemum represent eachyear that shes been hereat B.A . CongratulationsValarie!

Biggest Mum

Most Traditional

Best Over All

Soccer, Volleyball, andbeing Marco Castro’sgirlfriend, these are onlya few of the personaltouches that CelinaQuevedo added to hermum this year, she lether bubbly personalityshine through while stillshowing schoolspirit.CongratulationsCelina Q. for having themum with the mostcharacter.

The senior mum istraditionally whiteand silver, with fourflowers and HUGE.This is exactly whatMaria Mendoza’smum represents, itis the epitome ofwhat a Senior’smum should be!Congrats Maria onhaveing the bestsenior spirit.

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......and FINALLYThe Over - All bestof them all isJennifer Mora..

Congratulations tothe 2011 - 2012Homecoming Bestmum

The BA Swim Team is known for itstradition of success and dedication. Theteam has 22 strong swimmers this year thatare looking to continue their reign asDistrict champions.

Behind the leadership of CoachBarcena, theCougar swimmershave had strongperformances fromtop to bottom ineach of their firstfour swim meets.

AgainstWT White,Hillcrest, and TJ,the swim teamwon in dominatingfashion.

Againstrival Woodrow,both teams fought it out, but ultimately theCougars prevailed. Led by seniors Kris

Floyd and Liam Veazy, the boys’ teamlooks not only to win District for thethird straight year, but also to place top 5at Regionals, and send a relay team toState!

“This is a special team.Probably our best teamsince I’ve been here”said Kris Floyd.

The team iscomprised of loyal, highcharacter student-athletes. Not only dothe swimmers dominatein the pool, but also inthe classroom.

“Most of ourteam makes straightA’s” bragged CoachBarcena. If one thing isfor sure, it’s that these

aquatic Cougars are sure to make a bigsplash the rest of the season!

Cougars Make a Splash

The success achieved by thefootball team this fall has been wellnoted. However,most people donot know aboutthe tremendousseason thevolleyball teamhad this year.

Thelady Cougarvolleyball teamwon 20 gamesfor the first timein its history.

Theirgreat playcarried over intothe playoffs,where they beatNorth Dallas in the first round.

This victory made the LadyCougars Bi-District champions!

In the second round, JJ Pierce,ranked 1st in thestate and 6th inthe nation,defeated ourCougars in a hardfought match.

The Cougarsshould have noshame losing tothe eventualState champions.

Greatseason LadyCougars

Volleyball!We look forward to

seeing more great play next season!

BA vs. HillcrestA season defining victory overHillcrest 37-3 gave the mightyCougars a renewed swag enteringtheir homecoming game againstConrad. With elevated expectations,including a playoff birth, the Conradgame proved to have addedsignificance.

B.A vs. ConradRiding the wave of momentum thatcomes with beating a perennial districtpower like Hillcrest, the Cougarswent into their homecoming gamelooking to slay another district foe.The Conrad Chargers came into thegame cockyand unawareof the beatdown BAwas about toissue them.On a specialnight featuringhomecomingfestivities, theCougarsdazzled apackedstadium with their potent aerial andground attack. Energized by theintensely green and white crowd, theCougars outlasted the peskyChargers by a score of 24-21.

B.A. vs. SpruceThe red hot Cougars kept

rolling against another districtcompetitor in Spruce. SeniorQuarterback Josh Brown flooded analready porous defense with sixtouchdown passes! By doing so, Joshset a school record for touchdown

passes in a game. Coach Rob’s teamoverwhelmed an inferior Spruceteam. With a final score of 51-15, itbecame clear on this night that BAhad bigger goals in sight like theplayoffs that loomed two weeksaway.

B.A. vs. WoodrowWith a District title on the

line, these two heavyweights hit thegridiron to see who the premiereteam was in District 12-4A. With afirst half marred by penalties andturnovers, the Cougars foundthemselves in an unfamiliar positiontrailing 15-0 at halftime. In the third

quarter,theoffensiveattackwe haveseen allseasonfinallyawakenedto putBA ontheboard.

Trailing 22-7, BA recovered afumble at Woodrow’s twenty yardline. However, a failed fourth downconversion gave Woodrow the ballback. A night that seemed to bemarked more by the Cougar’sfailures than Woodrow’s good play,resulted in a disappointing 29-15loss for BA. Coach Rob spoke afterthe game saying “we basicallyspotted them 22 points.” A secondplace finish in Districts is nothing tobe ashamed of. Finishing ahead of

powers such as Lincoln, Conrad,and Hillcrest is a greatachievement. Despite the deflatingloss, the Cougars had no time towaste getting ready for their firstround playoff game againstKimball.

4A Playoffs Round 1:B.A. vs. KimballAt Wilmer Hutchins

Stadium, our Bryan AdamsCougars clashed the Knights ofKimball High School in a Bi-District first round playoff game.The cold November night was notenough to slow down the highlyprolific offenses, which compiled650 total yards between the two ofthem. BA struggled to start thegame leading to an early holedown 7-0. However, behind thefearless running running style ofCorey Walker, the Cougars tied upthe score at 14-14. On the lastplay of the first half, Kimballscored (PATfailed) to put theKnights ahead20-14 at halftime.Energized by amotivationcharged halftimespeech, CoachRob and theCougars cameout primed totake control of the game in thesecond half. The Cougarsnarrowed the deficit to 20-17heading into the money quarter(4th). With 11 minutes remaining,

the Cougars took their first lead of thegame (24-20) off of a 1-yardtouchdown run by senior tailbackCorey Walker. Unfortunately, theKnights came roaring back with twounanswered touchdowns to win thegame and seal a spot in the secondround. The Cougars battled all night,but fell just short. This was a game thatreally was determined by a few incheshere and there. The emotional gamesignified the last high school footballgame for many BA seniors. As theteam squatted to listen to Coach Rob,tears were prevalent and hugs wereabundant. “I am so proud of our team. Wefought all season, and accomplishedmore than any football team has at BAin years” commented Coach Rob.After the emotional alma mater, theweary faced Cougars, exhausted froma season of peaks and valleys, trottedoff the field for the last time thisseason. Seniors like Josh Brown,Angel Ramirez, and Selwyn Caruthers

reminiscedon a highschoolfootballcareer thatwas nowover. Theseseniors willnow makethe leap toSaturday

football (college) and hopefullycontinue to carry that fighting Cougarwithin them. With a final record of 5-6overall, 4-2 in District, I know I canspeak for all the student body insaying: thanks for a great seasonCougars!

Cougars Claw Playoff BeastCougar football team rallies to make the playoffs

Liam Veazy ‘12Sports Editor

Girls Soccer

Tryouts are Nov. 28- Dec.2 Girls are required to attend each tryout dayand must have a completed Physical Exam and Emergency card to tryout. For more information Speak to Coach Mondragon in room 116.

Girls Get Involved: Sports/TeamsGuys Get Involved: Sports/Team Boys Soccer

Tryouts are Nov. 28 and may carry into the next week. You must attend eachtry out day and must have a Physical Exam and Emergency card. For moreimformation go to Coach Mason in Room 240.

Lady Cougars Spike CompetitionVolleyball turns in historic successful season

Noor Shahed,14

Swim Team starts the season strongLiam Veazy,12

12

“That’s the waybaseball go.”

Close but No CigarThe Texas Rangers Lose World Series in 7 games

Liam Veazey

The Rangers’ season was a

roller coaster filled with exhilaratingvictories and exasperating defeats. Theymanaged to win their second straightAmerican League Championship.However, they also managed to lose theirsecond straight world series as well. Fansview theR a n g e r s ’season withmanyd i f f e r e n tperceptions;some see theglass halffull andothers seethe glass half empty. BA students are noexception.

“I’m proud they went this far!It was their second consecutive WorldSeries! Although they lost, we can stillbe proud they represented us onbaseball’s biggest stage,” commentedsenior Serafin Fuentes.Oscar Castro had a more negative view.“I had high hopes for them (the Rangers),

but they choked when it mattered. I amnot sure that I will recover from thisanytime soon.” Oscar represents the view of many fansthat were heartbroken by the epiccollapse.

Some studentsoptimistically saw theplayoffs as a greatachievement despite thebitter finish. “They weresuccessful throughout thewhole series. It was justa few mistakes that costthem the Championship,”said sophomore Yesenia

Mejia. The Rangers were one strike awayfrom becoming the World SeriesChampions. The focus now becomes: howwill the Rangers get one strike better thisoffseason? “They need to improve theirpitching, especially their starters andcloser (Neftali Feliz),” asserts Rangers’fan Hernan Calcanas. The Rangers’pitching staff has many question marksentering this offseason. With CJ Wilson

Feature Athlete

Senior Josh Brown

Liam Veazey

Sports Editor ‘12

As the Quarterback and fieldgeneral for the Bryan Adams Cougarfootball team, Josh Brown is a leader inthe classroom and on the field. Hismotto of “leading by example” creates aclam, confident demeanor that demandsa certain level of respect from his peers.Josh was a constant contributor on thefield this year for the District runner-upCougars. Passing for 1554 yards and 15TDs in only 7 games of work, Josh ledthe Cougars to wins and broke BApassing records along the way.

For Josh, athleticism runs inthe family. His Dad played basketball atArkansas and Louisiana Monroe, whilehis brother currently plays basketball atTexas State.

As far as where he will go tocollege, Josh is still undecided. “I’mlooking at a lot of schools, “mainlyTCU, Kansas, and Louisiana Tech.”Josh went to high school at Skyline forhis freshman and sophomore years. Hethen attended Richardson Berkner forpart of last year before coming to BryanAdams. Josh has been playing footballsince he was four. “It’s definitely mypassion, but I also play basketball andrun track” he added.

In his down time, Josh likeshanging out with his friends andwatching good old ESPN. Josh being asenior, had some words of advice for theunderclassmen on the football team,“work hard, put academics first, leave itall out on the field.”

Sports City, SportsSchool

Liam VeazySports Editor’12

Dallas sports have long beenlinked with the Dallas Cowboys.The Cowboys have ruled thefootball world with theirwinning tradition for years. Inrecent years other Dallas sportsteam such as the Dallas Stars,Dallas Mavericks, and TexasRangers have gainedprominence. This year alone,Dallas hosted the Super Bowl,World Series, and NBA Finals.This fact begs the question- isDallas America’s greatest sportstown?

“It is either Dallas or Boston”asserted senior Ruben Lopez.

“No question, Dallas has therichest sports tradition. We arenumber 1!” exclaimed seniorVice President Kevin Melendez.

Around BA, I found that mostpeople strongly believed Dallaswas the crème of the crop whenit comes to sports. My nextlogical question to ask…isBryan Adams the best DallasISD sports school? With manyDistrict championships, All-State athletes (track,swimming), and severalDivision 1 signees, BA hascemented its place as a rareDISD sports power. “We dominate Woodrow andHillcrest” commentedsophomore Stanton Lohrengel.The standard has now beenestablished. Bryan Adamsathletes must continue to meetthe sports standards here at BA.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

The Bryan Adams baseballteam is getting geared up for theirseason opener on February 23rd.The second place District finishlast season seems to be motivatingthe Cougar ball players as they runthrough offseason workouts. Theteam seems primed to take back theDistrict title from rival Hillcrest.Losing only one starter tograduation, the team is loaded withJunior and senior talent. Playerslike junior Aubrey Lohrengel,

The Cotton Bowl stadium standsin the shadows of downtown Dallas like adecaying legend reminiscing on its glorydays. This stadium is intimately connectedwith the history of Dallas sports. Openingin 1930, the $328,000 stadium grew intoan iconic 90,000 seat stadium.Hundreds of legendary sports figures havegraced the Cotton Bowl field. Players likeRoger Staubach, Earl Campbell, JimBrown,andRickyWilliamshavedazzledcrowdsthere foryears.Believe itor not,BryanAdamshas adeepconnection with the Cotton Bowl. TheBryan Adams Band marched across thefield for years wearing their famous green/white pin striped uniforms. The “showband of the southwest” brilliantlyimpressed the rich and famous Dallascrowd. 1974 BA graduate Doug Ross said“when people went to the Cotton Bowl,they dressed in their finest clothes. A ticketat the Cotton Bowl was the hottest seat intown. When Dallas was a growing city, the

being a free agent, the Rangers are most likelygoing to be spending big money trying to resignhim. Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels hasalso shown interest in free agent superstar firstbaseman, Prince Fielder. Solidifying first basewould be huge for a team that was marred bydefensive errors in the World Series.

The one great thing about the majorleague baseball season is that a new season isonly four and a half months away. Despite thegut-wrenching loss, fans must remember (in thewords of skipper Ron Washington), “That’s theway baseball go.”

Editors/StaffIdali Juarez.......... Editor in Chief ‘12

Liam Veazey.......... Sports Editor ‘12

Pedro Ramos.....Entertainment Editor ‘12

Amee Castro.......... Asst. Editor ‘12

Lily Garcia........... Opinion Editor ‘13

Rachel Gulotta......Student Life Editor ‘13

Jennifer Duran.......... Staff Writer ‘13Noor Shahed.......... Staff Writer ‘14Karina Melendez.......... Staff writer ‘14Lily Valdez.......... Staff Writer ‘13Blanca Maldonado.......... Staff Writer ‘14Christian Ramirez.......... Staff Writer ‘12Juliet Chavarria.......... Staff Writer ‘12Jennifer Hatcher.......... Staff Writer ‘12Emmanual Eugenio....... Staff Writer ‘12Julia Ariaga.......... Staff Writer ‘14Beth Gallegos.......... Staff Writer ‘13Edith Sanchez.......... Staff Writer ‘13Ramiro Sanchez........... Staff Writer ‘12Suzanna Santana.......... Staff Writer ‘13

Cotton Bowl was the number 1 place to seesporting events.”

Part of the Cotton Bowl’s glorioustradition is represented through the annualrivalry that takes place in early Octoberbetween the Texas Longhorns and OklahomaSooners. While the Dallas air is filled withFletcher’s Corn Dogs and Turkey Legs, fans,alumni, and students venture to the CottonBowl wearing crimson red and burnt orange.

Thepassionaterivalryhas beenplayed attheCottonBowl forabout 80years.Home tothe DallasCowboysin theearly days

of the franchise, young kids like 1973 BAgraduate Jeff Veazey “watched in amazementas “Dandy” Don Meredith and the otheroriginal Cowboys trail blazed the path tofuture Cowboys championships.”

Whether it was German futbol starJurgen Klinsman in the 1994 World Cup or abrilliant young Notre Dame Quarterbacknamed Joe Montana, the Cotton Bowl servedas a holy sanctuary for electric sportingevents in Dallas.

senior Mason Buhrkuhl, and juniorHunter Kunkle are expected to leadthe team to many victories this season.Watch out Hillcrest! The Cougar ballplayers are working hard!

Our ColiseumCotton Bowl, Bryan Adams share rich tradition

9

Liam....again

Cougar Baseball Report

Marcus Hall.....Advisor

EDITORIAL

Welcome Mr. VanHoozer, take off your coat and stay awhile

The editorial staff at Crossroads want to welcome our new principal, Mr. StanVanHoozer, to Bryan Adams High School. The occasion prompted us to look back andponder a few things concerning the revolving door to the principal’s office that we’veobserved the last few years. Three “permanent” principals and two interim principals.That’s five if our math is right. If you are a senior that’s how many principals have heldthe position since, as a freshman, you first strode through those venerable metaldetectors into the halls of BAHS. The editors of this newspaper believe in being flexibleand embracing change but this seems a little excessive. Bryan Adams High School hashad only nine principals in its fifty five year history. Three of the previous principalsaccount for thirty five of those years. Change at the top isn’t necessarily bad butlongevity in positions of leadership provides the stability and experience long-termplanning requires. Without that there can be no real meaningful progress. That’s howwe see it from the inside. Imagine how it’s perceived from the outside. For years BA,and other schools in the DISD, has tried to attract serious students who mightotherwise go a magnet or private schools. It may seem to the parents making thosedecisions that it “just doesn’t look right” and thus they are unwilling to commit to aschool they see as in a perpetual rebuilding stage. And what of the students that doattend BA? Like the seniors we mentioned earlier. The pinnacle of any student’s highschool experience has to be walking across the stage to receive their diploma and shakethe hand of their principal educator. After all, that is what a principal is, the principaleducator of the school. For this current group of seniors the continuity of thatexpectation has been fragmented and somewhat dismissed by the powers that be. Webelieve that the leadership position of any educational institution is of criticalimportance and “should not be changed for light and transient causes”. There arealways rumors and speculation as to why these changes take place. We, and probablyno one, know for sure what exactly determines these changes. For the students andteachers of Bryan Adams High School the changes come from above, from somefaceless board, committee or bureaucrat “downtown”. Maybe it really doesn’t matter –where the decision is made. But we believe it does matter to the students and teachersof a school like BA who are here for the long haul, who either can’t or don’t want toleave and are dedicated to the school and its traditions. Again, we want to welcome Mr.VanHoozer and wish him the best of luck. But in the end we hope that in June of 2015when today’s BA freshmen walk across that stage and shake the principal’s hand, thatit’s a principal they know, who knows them and who has watched them grow andmature through their high school years.

Opinion

Hey Cougars! My name is Blanca Maldonado. I came from West Mesquite High School,don’t hate! I graduate 2014 so yea, I’m a sophomore! Woot woot, let’s go class of 14! When I first came to BA I was always alone. You may have seen me. I was the cutelight skinned girl with chocolate brown hair and light brown eyes walking solo in thehalls! I was and still am kind of new here. I doubt you are. So you never really get a“different point of view” of BA like I have. Amee Castro says “BA is like a home, I love it here”. See, but that’s her opinion.Want to hear mine? Now where do I start? Do I start off on how freezing it is in here? Or burning hot insome classrooms! Or how people seem to disrespect and think they can take overcontrol and talk down on me just because I’m new. Think twice before you speak, justsaying! Maybe on how there’s not much school spirit? C’mon Cougars lets fire thatspirit up! What if I start off with these ridiculous rules with badges and checkingbackpacks? Whoa, now don’t get me started with the lunch! I thought it was going to take a while for me to adjust to BA ‘cause it has itsdifferent ways of teaching, showing spirit and respecting others. Some students at BAhave welcomed me very nicely. Many student here have really shown me around BAand how great and fun it is, even the really cool little shortcuts on how to get to class.But others just ignored me and paid no mind. I was so used to getting hugs all the time.For so long I only got one here. It was from Carlos Andrade who is really friendly.Thanks for that. Now I get plenty of hugs! People told me I would make friends easily, since I was loud, nice and outgoing!And it’s true. It was nice to make new friends to walk in the hall with or sit next to inlunch or class. I was just always scared that I wouldn’t be able to fit in or something.For the first week or two I was always alone and quiet but then people started to noticeme and welcome me! It was nice to fit it. Bryan Adams has a certain kind of team spirit. Each club or sport hang togetheras a team. Football players are always together as a family in the halls. The Bellesalways walk the halls side by side and show off how great and outstanding they arewith their cute little tutus - but don’t talk about them ‘cause they aren’t afraid to giveyou some “kicks”! Our Crossroads staff works as a team and has a real family feel.Soccer players never leave each other’s side but don’t offend their sport cause they willstart “scoring” on you! So as you can see there’s a lot of a certain kind of spirit. Butwhere the real spirit is, is where everyone is in it together and not all separated intotheir own groups. Shouldn’t the whole school have spirit and be together as one? Yeathe whole school has plenty of spirit, but I’m talking about being together as ONE. I’m glad the teachers are nice and welcoming instead of all mean and rude! Thatalways makes a new student more comfortable. So BA has its ways and I had to make some adjustments, like they say noteverything is perfect in life. Just remember, your point of view towards Bryan Adam canbe completely different from someone else’s. Especially someone who is new to theschool. It’s not easy being the new kid. If you see a new student at lunch or in the halls,don’t just walk past them because it doesn’t feel too great to just be ignored. Say hiand give them a nice happy Cougar Welcome!

A different point of viewBA from a newbies’ perspective

Blanca Maldonado transferred from West Mesquite HighSchool to BA in October.

Homecoming week was a great success this year with people showing their spiritand support for BA. What about the rest of the school year? We need to keep it up. We can’t keep it up if people talk down about the school.I’ve often heard people say that “BA is ghetto”, that “it’s lame” or that it needs “aserious upgrade”. The recent successes by the football and volleyball teams helped increase spirit.But still, attendance at this years pep assemblies have been rather low compared toother years and the same goes for other school events. I spoke with a Ms. Evans and she had some great suggestions. “Students have to want it. They have to be proud about where they belong. Tomotivate everyone to have more pride all it take is team work,” she said. Pep rallies and spirit days should be free. Students shouldn’t pay for showingtheir pride. Everyone should be involved in pep rallies; ALL students, the volleyballteam, football, soccer, and so on. During these pep rallies students should be separated into their class so peoplecan better bond and identify with their particular class. We could start the “spirit stick” tradition or whichever class has most spirit shouldget a free jean day. Maybe if more students had passing grades, we could be able to have more spiritdays. Then again students need to stop abusing spirit days. Like during homecomingweek some people had pajamas on for celebrity day. That’s not dressing up as acelebrity. Not only do the students have to have school spirit, but also the faculty, parentsand the whole community . We have to work together as a family because this is likeour second home. Have pride in your school. Trashing, tagging and fighting is what makes a schoolghetto. If you want BA to upgrade, then start by cleaning up after yourself. BA shouldbe able to be recognized in a good way. Most students want to be able to show their support for BA. Many studentshave BA attire that they buy hoping to wear it everyday like in the past but we can’twear it as much as we want because of the new “rules”. Students are wasting theirmoney on shirts they can’t wear to school. I have to ask, “ what’s wrong with uswearing spirit shirts when it doesn’t affect us in the classroom?” School spirit is what we need at this school. Bryan Adams has a long and proudhistory and now is the time to bring back, to resurrect some of those glory years.Sometimes it can be as simple as talking it up rather than putting it down. At other timesit may require a little effort on the part of the student body. We can do it. Like our new principal says, “don’t wish for it, work for it.”

Don’t put down BAIf you want a good school, start supporting it.

By Liliana Valdez ‘13Staff writer

10

Whenever this question comes up, a debate is most likely to occur. Peopledon’t consider cheerleading a sport because they don’t know how hard they work andhow devoted they are to their team.

First of all, what is a sport? A Sport is a physical activity that is governed by aset of rules and often engages in competition.

The requirements for an activity to be considered a sport are the following:1.“It must be a physical activity which involves propelling a mass through

space of overcoming the resistance of mass.” Check! (Stunts)2.“Competing against an opponent.” Check! (Cheer competitions)3.“It must be governed by rules that explicitly define the time, space, and

purpose of the contest and the conditions under which a winner isdeclared.” Check! Check! Check! (Score sheet, number of points,mat, etc. )

4.“Acknowledgment that the primary purpose of the competition is acomparison of the relative skills of the participants.” Check!!!

Cheerleaders compete against other cheerleaders at competitions such as NCA(National Cheerleading Association) and UCA (Universal Cheerleading Association).Therefore, according to the definition and requirements, Cheerleading is a sport.

68 out of 100 Bryan Adams students and staff agree that cheerleading is asport. Including Coach Dodds, coach Dauber, and coach Nowakowsky.

“[Cheerleaders] are active and have to workout. They perform and practice likeany other sport.” Marcus Stewart, 11, said.

“Anything that requires physical energy and intelligence is a sport.” OscarAvalos, 10, said.

While sports such as football, basketball, cross-country, swimming, andsoccer are only season sports, cheerleading is active all-year long. Once one sportseason is over, they’re on to the next one! Cheerleaders don’t just cheer and dance inlittle skirts. They do stunts that no other athletes can do, multiple jumps that requiresharp technique, run, and pump up the crowd. Imagine doing cheer motions over andover again for over two hours. It is pretty exhausting.

“If anybody had to put their feet in our shoes we have to lift girls, smile 24/7,be loud, run, and workout. After a long day you just wanna die. I mean, you are tiredbecause it is exhausting!” Varsity Cheerleader Jessica Valdez said.

So think again when you say cheerleading is not a sport and cheerleaders arenot athletes!You have to be physically fit in order to be part of the squad. For tryouts,running the Cougar Mile in under ten minutes is a big part of the final score. Theypractice about three times a week for 2-3 hours. During practice the girls stretch, run theCougar Mile, do a series of toe-touches, herkies, hurdlers, and pikes, sometimes do acouple of workouts such as crunches, sit-ups, and lunges, learn cheer and danceroutines, and do risky stunts.

Not only is cheerleading a sport, but it is the most dangerous sport for girls.

Being a middle child can often have itspitfalls, but it also has several advan-tages. The youngest child is spoiled andgets all the attention for being the baby,the oldest gets more responsibilities forbeing the leader, and the middlechild...gets to feel left out. Most middlechildren, like me, are stereotyped as:confused, misunderstood, “thebabysitter”, and are over-looked by theirparents. As the middle child of my family,some of the descriptions that are oftenassociated with the middle child don’treally fit me. I do often feel left out andmisunderstood. This may be because I amnot as close to my parents as my brothers.Normally the first born child is closest tothe parents because of their position inthe family. The youngest child is alsoclose to the parents for being the baby ofthe family. The middle child normallydoesn’t have that connection to theirparents because they’re not the babyanymore and were never the oldest tobegin with. There are no studies that says middlechildren are inferior or less loved than theother children but some people believe

many children, as well as adults, aresuffering from Middle Child Syndrome. Middle Child Syndrome is thephysiological effect many kids as a resultof being the middle child. This effectresults from being neglected and misun-derstood. Many middle children (like me) live inthe shadow of the oldest sibling. I amforced to live in the shadow of an overachieving, smart and friendly guy,otherwise known as my older brother. I amoften pressured to be like him academi-cally. Often teachers realize we are relatedand they say “you’ve got some big shoesto fill”. Even when I’m at home I get theusual “why can’t you be more like yourbrother?” Despite all the pitfalls, there are acouple of benefits that come with beingthe middle child. For example, it is easierto get away with things because parentsusually have their hands full with theoldest or the youngest child. This can bevery helpful when you want to gosomewhere. Another benefit is that youget to use the guilt trick on your parents.You can say you never get anything, andthat all their attention is spent on theother children. This often gets you what

According to a research, 65.1% of all catastrophic sport injuries among girls are fromhigh school cheerleading.

“I had my jaw popped, fell from ‘Hill Crest’ and landed on my hip, fell from aliberty, hit the concrete and scraped my leg. When I was in an extension, I landed on myhead, fell on someone’s knee, and bruised my arms from falling.” Varsity cheerleaderJosy Sierra said about her injuries from cheerleading. So think again when you say cheerleading is not a sport and cheerleaders arenot athletes!

Basic Cheer Motions

The Great Debate:

Is the middle child syndrome for real?

····· Flexible····· Diplomatic····· Rebellious····· Attention seeking····· Competitive····· Mysterious····· Peacekeepers····· Less decisive····· Less connected

you want. Overall, whether living in the “shad-ows” of older siblings or “shadowing”younger ones, the middle slot is for me.The pressure to succeed is off leaving meto be myself, not a reflection of myparents dreams. As far as the babyposition I’d rather fend for myself and

forge my own independence.

Caught in the middle

Karina Melendez ‘14Staff writer

Characteristics ofmiddle children

Is cheerleading a sport or a skill?

Junior Liliana Garcia is a varsity cheer-leader and Crossroads Opinion Editor.

Josie Sierra ‘12 perched atop the “Hill Crest”.

11

All Time Favorite High School Movies

High School movies has changed since the 80s and 90s and we have movies to prove that. These movies have had a dramatic effect on popularculture from the way we talk, to what we wear, even what we consider as fun. So why not take it back to the old school, literally, and give honorto these ridiculously retro movies.

3.The Goonies

Starring Sean Austin (Mikey Walsh) Josh Brolin(Brandon Walsh). In an adventure comedyteens going out to find a treasure to savetheir neighborhood from beingdemolished. The movie is a light hearted,heart warming, action fantasy 80s classicthat will have you being a part of the ride.

1. A Walk to RememberA Walk to Remember will forever be remembered

as an emotional and heart wrenching movie.Starring Mandy Moore( Jamie Sullivan) andShane West (Landon) . A bad boy having topick up his act, Landon is forced to be apartof the school play. Once there he meetsJamie, a very Christian based “good girl”,who changes his life and the way he thinksof her.

1980s

1990s1. She’s all that

A group of jocks decide to place a bet to see ifthey can turn the school’s ugly ducklinginto the prom queen. She’s all that is anexciting high school movie that unveilsthat even Jocks can fall for the schoolsloners. With a few emotional scenes,plenty of humor and amazing prom andgraduation scenes, it will make youwonder whether your high school experience could besomewhat similar to this.

2000s

1. 16 candlesStarring Molly Ringwald as Samantha a bright

eyed teenage girl whotakes everything toseriously. In a movie thatshows the worst thingthat can happen to ateenage girl - everyoneforgetting her birthday. Acheerful, goofy movie thatbrings a good sense ofhumor. It presents whatteenagers go through.Party’s that end in free forall’s, make out sessionsand of course the schooldance. The perfect high school movie for girls night, orwhen you just need a break. 16 candles is a win.

2. Breakfast Club

The breakfast club is warm, insightful and a veryfunny look into the lives of 5 teenagers who are stuck in9 hour Saturdaydetention. They transformfrom complete strangersto best of friends. It’s astory aboutcommunication gapsbetween child and adult,isolation and thetransition from childhoodto the responsibilities ofadulthood. There’s thejock, wrestling starAndrew Clark (EmilioEstevez); the mostpopular girl in school, Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald);the all-brains, not so strong geek, Brian Johnson(Anthony Michael Hall); the rebel John Bender (JuddNelson); and the outcast, Allison Reynolds (AllySheedy). They all find out that they have more incommon they then thought. A movie that’s worth thewatch for all the types of high schoolers there is not areason not to watch it.

2. Napoleon DynamiteIn Napoleon Dynamite Jon Heder portrays a

socially awkward nerdy kid who in high school getspicked on regularly. Thenhe’s introduced to hisambitious and culturallyignorant friend Pedro (EfrenRamirez) who is determinedto win class president. Thismovie has a unique drysense of humor and silliness.Throughout Napoleon andPedro put themselves inwierd situations. Likeunknowingly being made fun of while running forpresident and asking out the top girls in their class to thedance. This movie expresses how these socially awkwardindividuals make it through high school.

3. JunoEllen Page plays Juno Macguff in a funny

amusing bright comedy about a girl who get’s pregnantand decides to give the baby up for adoption. The filmshows how a teenager deals withpregnancy from deciding to getan abortion to telling her parents.Juno quickly changes from thesmart quirky teenager to a morerealistic view of life and realizesshe is not mature enough tohandle a baby. Pregnancy can bea scary situation especially at ayoung age and Juno does a goodjob of expressing just that.

4. Mean GirlsFrom a cast starring Lindsey Lohan (Cady

Heron) Rachel Mcadams (Regina George), andAmanda Seyfried (Karen) comes atypical high school clique focusedmovie with a naughty twist that willleave you amazed as to how one canchange the rules of high schoolsocial life. With Drama and humorthroughout, it’s a high school movieone is sure to never forget. Welcome to the A-list girlclique where the rules are to be followed even theunwritten ones.

Adapted from William Shakespeare’s play “TheTaming of the Shrew,” 10 Things I Hate About You is aclassic teenage rom-com that easilyengages its target audience,teenagers. With strong female rolemodels and the high schoolbehavior shown in this movie it’syour typical high school behavior.A boy-meets-girl-chick-flick of amovie with a little twist. StarringHeath Ledger as Patrick Verona andJulia stiles as Kat Stratford in a modern dayShakespearean take off.

2. 10 Things I hate about you

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Amee Castro ‘12Asst. Editor

Have you ever heard of the FantasticFour and the Avengers? Have youever wonder if they were defeated?They were defeated. They weretaken out by Molecule Man. At this point you’re askingyourself, “Who is that?” Although some may argue,Molecule Man was perhaps one ofthe most powerful villains seen inMarvel comics. He first appeared in the FantasticFour, originally being a normalcitizen, Owen Reece, who worked at“Acme Atomic Corp.” and just likeThe Hulk, he was accidently blastedby the atomic machine he worked on.He survived the accident, but it gavehim the power to manipulatemolecules. Soon after he learned how tofocus his powers into a wand. He went to the “Fantastic Four’sBaxter Building” and took it over.After controlling the building andoverpowering the Fantastic Four he

tore it down and announced that hewas taking over Times Square inNYC. Not being able to control organicmatter, with the help of The Thing’sgirlfriend, the Fantastic Four wereable to disguise themselves asstatues; but their plan failed andUatu appeared and capturedMolecule Man to protect Earth. While he was captured hecreated a companion he called his“son” to pass time. Years passed andMolecule Man died from old age,and his son took up his wand. Hereturned to Earth where he soughtout the Thing from the FantasticFour. They fought until the Thingmanaged to separate him from thewand. It turns out the wand wasneeded to keep him alive so hedisintegrated. Later it was discovered thatOwen Reece had not died. In fact hewas able to transfer hisconsciousness and powers into thewand his “son” carried. For anyonewho touched the wand, their mindswere controlled by Molecule Man,each time temporarily reviving him. As the wand was passed iteventually reached the hands of theSilver Surfer. Sensing great power, he

contacted the Avengers; but whenthey returned Molecule Man hadfigured out how to reconstruct hisbody with complete consciousnessand all of his powers. When the Avengers returned,they fought against Molecule Man,but soon the Avengers learned thatMolecule Man had learned how tocontrol organic matter. With that newability, he disintegrated Thor’shammer, Iron Man’s armor, CaptainAmerica’s shield, and even the SilverSurfer’s surfboard. With all their items destroyedthey stood no chance againstMolecule Man and accepted defeat. Ultimately, it was Tigra whomanaged to talk him down and havea heart-to-heart talk which convincedhim to seek psychiatric help, whichhe did. After the help he received help,he settled down and became a goodperson and sought out friendshipand love. In the end, he lived to protectEarth, being the only man to singlehandedly take out the Avengers, theFantastic Four, and the Silver Surferwhich made him one of the mostpowerful villains in Marvel.

Most powerful of all Marvel characters Molecule Man beat‘em all and is unknownto mostBy Emmanuel Eugenio ‘12Staff writer

Molecule Man