September 2011- In Need Of Change

MARCUS HIGH SCHOOL | 5707 MORRISS ROAD. FLOWER MOUND, TX 75028

the

volume 26 | issue 01 | september 30, 2011

[4] New librarian says big changes in store

[14] Four cupcake bakeries are put to the taste test

[7] Junior tries to start Quidditch club on campus

table of contents

The Marquee newsmagazine is a student-generated publication of Marcus High School. It is produced, edited and maintained through the efforts of the school’s advanced journalism class. The Marquee is designed to serve the school and community as a forum for open discussion and student expression. The Marquee encourages letters to the editor as part of its mission to educate, inform and provide an open forum for debate.All submissions must be signed. The staff reserves the right to edit all material. Editorials reflect the opinion of the staff, not necessarily that of the administration. Signed columns or reviews represent only the opinion of the author. Advertising rates are $34 per 1/16 of a page, with discounts available. For more information call 469-713-5196.The Marquee is a standing member of ILPC, TAJE, ATPI, CSPA, NSPA, JEA and Quill and Scroll.

table of contents

photo | kathryn petrauskas

photo | jordan richardsphoto | jordan richards

the marquee [newsmagazine]

editor in chiefjasmine sachar

managing editormaria heinonen

photo editorjordan richards

design editorbreyanna washington

news editoralex mcginnis

feature editoralex mcginnis

in-depth editormolly spain

entertainment editorbreyanna washington

sports editorjasmine sachar

opinion editormolly spain

business managerjoseph rau

reportersemily aijkens, meghan eurich,

marisa charpentier, juliana adame, mckenna autem, vallery phillips

designerssydney sund, courtney clubb,

joseph rau, amanda collen

photographerskathryn petrauskas, sarah sauer,

mariah lucy

adviserlajuana hale

principalgary shafferman

by emily aijkens

entertainment/

sports/

feature/

news/[5] A TRICKY COMBINATION New iPhone apps try to combat popular habit of texting and driving

[9] CANCER SURVIVOR Sophomore shares the story of his two-time defeat of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

[13] DARTING AROUND THE METROPLEX The new A-Line from Lake Lewisville connects Highland Village with Denton and downtown Dallas

[17] TOO COMMITTED TO QUIT IT Senior Shannon Malone commits to University of Wisconsin girls’ basketball team

by marisa charpentier

by emily aijkens

by alex mcginnis

the marquee | september 30, 2011 design | courtney clubb

news 3

Teen club closes after summer break investigation

Two months ago, the rave club Darkside raged with music, teemed with teenagers and surged with illegal drugs. But on August 3, the club was shut down.

Following The Marquee’s story on the club Darkside in April, the Dallas Police Department conducted a three-month criminal investigation during the summer on the tip that there were illegal drugs at the club.

This club was frequented by teens from high schools all over the area, including Marcus. Andrew Acord, Dallas police chief of the narcotics division, said their undercover investigators noted the selling of illegal drugs like ecstasy and marijuana at Darkside.

“We were concerned about the safety of young people due to the impact that these kind of drugs have on them,” Acord said.

Channel 8 News and The Dallas Morning News picked up the Darkside story and ran nightly updates on the investigation. Editor-In-Chief Luke Swinney was interviewed for one story about his experience.

On July 20, a lawsuit was filed against the club, challenging the claim that it was a religious

organization. Melissa Miles, assistant Dallas city attorney, said their goal was to close the location “because of the level of drug activity that amounted to a common nuisance under state law.”

The night before the hearing that would determine whether or not Darkside would be temporarily closed, Miles said Wyakie Hudson, owner of Darkside, “indicated a willingness to settle the lawsuit.” The next morning, an agreement was signed that closed Darkside and prevented Hudson from operating at that location or any other establishment similar to Darkside.

“Some of the things he was doing in the location you couldn’t do anyway,” Miles said. “He had multiple layers of illegality.”

Hudson owned another club The Playground, a swinger’s club also masquerading as a church.

“We filed against it as an unlicensed, sexually – oriented business,” Miles said. These types of clubs must be run in locations allocated just for those businesses, which The Playgound was not in. “He would not have been able to get a license for it. He would have been operating illegally,” Miles said.

story | molly spain

Someone dying didn’t affect them. If you’re going to go there, you’re going to go there.

Katherine Lopez, 12

step-by-stepMarquee reporters Luke Swinney

and Allison Przybysz went to the rave club Darkside to interview co-managers of the club, Thomas Eppelsheimer (Alias Tommy Gunn) and John Wayne.

Mar

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Swinney contacted the Dallas Police Department to inform them of the illegal activity at Darkside and ask for a comment.

Marquee reporter Molly Spain went undercover and visited Darkside.

Darkside becomes involved in a lawsuit with the City of Dallas.

Eppelsheimer was arrested by the Dallas Police Department for indecency with a child

The City of Dallas sues The Playground, a swinger’s club owned by Wyakie Glenn Hudson owner of Darkside.

Teen death sparks suspicions by Dallas police

Hudson agrees to shut down both clubs. Hearing in Dallas County’s 95th District Court is scheduled to determine if the city can shut down both The Playground and Darkside permanently.

The April edition of The Marquee was released with an in-depth look into Darkside.

The night of August 12, Matthew Allen was tossing his long, black hair and moving his skinny body to the beat of techno music at Club Afterlife in Dallas. His dark eyes pierced the blackness of the rave club. This would be his last dance.

Just a few hours later, on August 13, 19 year-old Allen was pronounced dead at Baylor Medical Center in Irving. An article by WFAA News 8 stated that Allen “admitted to having swallowed some ecstasy pills,” and his death is so far classified as “unexplained.”

The Dallas police are now “keeping an eye” on Club Afterlife.

Senior Katherine Lopez was at Afterlife the same night Allen was at the club.. She said Darkside and Afterlife are similar. Both are 17 year–olds and older, Dallas rave clubs.

“It was really packed and there were all these like dingy and gross rooms,” Lopez said.

Though Darkside’s owner claimed that it was a church and religious organization, Lopez said she didn’t have any church-related experiences at Afterlife that night.

“I don’t think Afterlife has any religious affiliations,” Lopez said. “So I don’t think they’re trying to come off as anything more than [what] it actually is – a rave club.”

Lopez said she saw Allen at Afterlife that night. She said he was everywhere, always

moving around. Lopez said her friend went to Afterlife the night after the death, and the club was still pumping strong.

“Someone dying didn’t affect them,” Lopez said. “If you’re

going to go there, you’re going to go there.” Lopez said she probably wouldn’t return to

Afterlife.“I wouldn’t go back because it’s weird

knowing that someone had died,” Lopez said. “I didn’t know him, but I’m sad that he died.”

story | molly spain

Bringing light to

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design | amanda collen

4 news

story | jasmine sachar

New librarian Nancy McGinnis has a vision: she wants to make the library the “hub” of campus. She wants to modernize it. She wants to revolutionize it.

“Libraries are not going to be what we’re used to traditionally seeing,” McGinnis said. “In the next five years, I don’t think books are going to go away, but books in print are going to dwindle. There are huge changes in store.”

Hired this summer, McGinnis replaces recently retired Sherry Clayton, who had been head librarian at Marcus since it opened in 1981. She said she had wanted the job since her oldest son, John, came to Marcus in 2006. She came to the job with a list of projects to accomplish.

“I really feel passionate that the library should be a safe place, a working place,” McGinnis said.

Some of these projects have already been started. McGinnis has gotten rid of the paper card catalogue, which she called outdated, and is currently in the process of updating the collection. To do this, she is using the Crew Method, which entails removing all books from the shelves that haven’t been checked out in the last decade or so.

“All the books that are nice and new and updated are the ones that show on the shelf, and kids are checking them out already, (kids) that didn’t go here a couple of days ago,” McGinnis said.

The fiction section, comprised of three short shelves of the library, McGinnis said, is unbelievably small. She plans to fill all 18 short shelves with fiction and move all reference books to ebook format.

When she was leaving her first librarian job at Flower Mound Elementary in 2004, libraries were at a “turning point,” according to McGinnis. LISD had just begun purchasing online databases. Teachers were starting to get computers in their rooms. Most of the paper card catalogues were already gone.

“It was fun reading to the kids and trying to do a little bit of

Hailing from Killian Middle School, new head librarian Nancy McGinnis is making changes, trashing the card catalogue, getting ready to usher Marcus into digital age

research in fourth and fifth grade,” McGinnis said. “I hope that I instilled a love of reading, and maybe a little digital citizenship.”

McGinnis described the students at her next librarian job at Killian Middle School, as “immersed in technology.”

Through a separate education fund donated by the Castle Hills Education Foundation, Killian was able to purchase a tremendous amount of gadgets, especially for the library. Every room in the school was equipped with a smart board, a projector and surround sound.

“Killian was a true 21st century library,” McGinnis said. “The principal there sort of had a vision. He loved technology and every sort of technology idea you had, he was all for it.”

She oversaw a library where most reference books were on ebooks. The library checked out ebooks, like Kindles and Nooks,

to students and many books were on Killian Overdrive, which is a digital library. From there, students could check out books on electronic devices. The school was a pilot campus for the iPad.

McGinnis hopes to bring this kind of innovation to the Marcus library. She also said she wants to make it more inviting to students. Her first move was to open the library door that connects to the commons, and remove the alarms that once guarded each entrance.

“When (Shafferman) announced to the faculty that the door would be open, they just went ‘Oh my gosh! What is she doing?’” McGinnis said. “People didn’t realize that it was a library entrance.”

The wish list she handed to Shafferman upon her arrival includes new furniture, tall tables with sleek stools, and comfy chairs to give the space a Starbucks vibe. She said she hopes to be serving hot chocolate around Christmas time, and cooler beverages in the spring.

“It’s really important for me to make sure every kid in this building knows that they can come in here and be smiled at when they walk in,” McGinnis said.

I hope that I instilled a love of reading, and maybe a little digital citizenship.

Nancy McGinnis

What’s on her bookshelf right now?

Cross by James Patterson

“‘Matched’ was so good and I didn’t know what the (author) was going do at the end. So now I get to see how the series will finally end up.”

“I loved Holes, especially when it first came out, before the movie spoiled it.”

Holes by Louis Sachar

“That one is about a girl in high school and her mother is a hoarder. She lives in a house that you can barely move in.”Dirty Little Secrets by C. J. Omololu

Turninga new chapterphoto | sarah sauer

september 30, 2011 | the marquee

the marquee | september 30, 2011 design | amanda collen

news 5

Textinganddriving:adangerouscombination

Freshmancenterplanscometostandstillstory | vallery phillips

The Marcus freshman center that was due to be completed in 2013, is now on hold according to Lewisville ISD Superintendent Dr. Stephen Waddell.

“We are waiting for the economy to improve in order to have enough room to pay for the bond to build these buildings,” Waddell said.

In 2008, voters passed a bond that would pay for the construction of a series of LISD buildings. Once the bond was in place, the construction of new buildings in LISD began. Shortly after the construction started, America’s economy started to decline rapidly.

“The economy flattened out, and when that happened our debt service tax rate rose to a level that the district decided to put on hold any additional construction until there is enough capacity of the tax rate to pay for the bond,” Waddell said.

However, LISD’s ongoing construction has continued.This past summer a ninth and tenth grade center was built for Lewisville High School. It opened to students this fall.

“If we constructed those buildings it would put us over the levels that the voters were told that the tax rate would not exceed,” Waddell said.

As texting while driving gains more infamy, new smartphone apps attempt to prevent effects

I have friends that do it... It annoys me and it scares me. I’ve gotten frustrated.

Melissa McKnelly, English

People are so attached to their phones that they can’t be away from it for two seconds.

Elli Dinkmeyer, 12

I don’t think it’s dangerous. I’m pretty good at it. I’m a good driver.

Logan McCormick, 11

Questions have risen as to why that campus was built but the Marcus freshman campus was not.

“It’s really too bad we ran out of money now that Marcus is overcrowded and could really use a ninth grade center,” English teacher Wendi Spurgeon said.

Waddell said the Lewisville campus was higher on the construction list than the Marcus campus was.

This year Marcus’ population is 3,183 students, almost one hundred more students than last year’s total population of 3,086. Already some classes are overcrowded.

In the past years, students have been allowed a schedule change if certain classes conflicted with a sport or academic team they were involved in. This year that is not the case. The overflow of students has increased so much that some students were not able to fit their classes around their sport or academic teams.

“There is nowhere to flip anybody around,” Richey said. “This year is worse than last year.”

Senior Macy Pomroy is concerned for how this will affect Marcus,

“Class sizes are going to get bigger,” said Pomroy. “Lunches are going to be packed. Hallways are going to be crowded. And it’s

story | emily aijkens

The latest technology trend is focused on keeping drivers safe. Companies have designed apps to keep drivers from texting behind the wheel. According to the Texas Department of Safety, cell phone use is one of the primary causes of fatal car crashes among teens. The technology which has created these accidents can now help prevent them. A variety of apps are now available on smart phone devices.

Math teacher, Dorothy Houck has personally seen the effects that distracted driving can have.

“For us personally, it was tragedy because my husband was killed because of a distracted driver and that means my children have lost their dad and their children have lost their grandad,” Houck said.

On Nov. 30 of last year, Charles Houck had stopped on the freeway behind a stalled car when a distracted driver hit him at

nearly 70 miles per hour. He was killed instantly. Captain Griffin of the Flower Mound police department

estimates that 25 percent of accidents here in Flower Mound are caused as a result of distracted driving. To Houck, these numbers are more than just statistics.

“The person that he took was a loving, caring, giving person,” Houck said. “I don’t know what the driver’s distraction was and it doesn’t matter. He was not paying attention to the road.”

***Phone Guard is available for Apple, Android, and Blackbery

phones. The app uses GPS to detect when the car is moving and prevents the driver from sending emails, surfing the web and texting. Any AT&T customer can download DriveMode, an app that will automatically reply to incoming text messages, alerting them that the driver is occupied. The app CellSafety detects when the phone is travelling over 10 mph and shuts off all texting and web browsing capabilities. Apps such as Dragon

Diction provide a voice-to-text service, keeping the driver’s hands on the wheel while they reply to text messages.

Houck suggest the low tech option. “Without a law even, put your phone in the back seat where you can’t reach it. That way you’re not tempted to answer if somebody calls you and you’re not tempted to text.”

Officer Griffin says there is no easy fix and that distractions will always be present.

“Driving is inherently dangerous,” Griffin said. “Even with all the safety technology available to us today cars are extremely powerful, extremely heavy and extremely fast. Humans are extremely fragile.”

Houck hopes drivers seriously consider the ramification of what they’re doing behind the wheel.

“I’d like them to think about how they would feel if they were in this young man’s shoes. Even though we forgive him, it’s a burden he’ll carry for his entire life. He has killed somebody.”

MarauderMusings

Students and staff speak about their typing-while-steering habits

going to be hard to learn with so many kids in a class,”

The freshman class of 2015 as of August 2011 has a total of 849 students. The freshman class is about 30 percent of the student body.

On Sept. 12 LISD took a demographic study to the Board of Trustees to get it approved by a group of 14 LISD citizens, called the Strategic Design Team.

These citizens looked at the projects LISD

With the original completion date set for 2013, the grounds of the Freshmen Center remain empty as the district decides on a resolution.

photo | jordan richards

has paid for with the bond money. They then made recommendations for what to do with the rest of the money. The citizens had to look at what LISD told the voters would be done, and from there decide what else to do with the remaining money according to what was listed in the election documents.

“They are going to play a role in this as to what, when, and where,” Waddell said. “It’s an effort to get more citizen input and oversight transparency.”


compiled | vallery phillips

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Hogwarts house. Although the average size of a Quidditch team is seven players, Hankins and her fellow house captains are allowing a maximum of 21 players on each team, giving each of the seven positions two back-ups and providing more students the opportunity to take part in team play. If the team is sanctioned, Sydney hopes to one day take her team to the Quidditch World Cup in New York and maybe even have a match to benefit charity.

“There are a lot of people, myself included, who really are not athletic at all, but when it comes to Quidditch,” Hankins said. “I love Harry Potter. It’s a nerdy thing, but it’s a lot of fun as well.”

The 2011 Quidditch World Cup will be held Nov. 12- 13 in New York City. The World Cup features various college teams and has been described as a combination of a renaissance fair and the Super Bowl, featuring face painting, live music and some major Potter mania. The players run around with brooms between their legs and play to the sound of match commentary provided by improv comedians.

Middlebury College in Vermont, a contender in the first ever World Cup in 2007 and the college Quidditch founder, ranks number one on the International Quidditch Association’s list of Top Ten Quidditch Colleges, followed closely by Arizona State University and Texas A&M.

The Quidditch World Cup has yet to feature high school teams, but Hankins has high prospects.

“I would hope to be approved one day this year,” Hankins said. “If we aren’t, then we’ll just be a crazy group of kids playing around on broomsticks.”

the marquee | september 30, 2011 design | courtney clubbseptember 30, 2011 | the marquee

feature 7

Quidditch flies into muggle worldFollowing suit of many colleges, junior Sydney Hankins hopes to bring fictional sport into high school reality

story | juliana adame

As Quidditch breaks out on the college scene, Marcus junior Sydney Hankins wants to bring this high-flying sport to Marcus.

Quidditch is the magical sport played on broomsticks in the Harry Potter series and muggles around the country are beginning to take interest. Sydney Hankins, a long-time Potterhead, is one such muggle.

There are only around twelve high school teams in the nation that have been sanctioned by the International Quidditch Association. The most local IQA team, according to Hankins, is Keller High School. She said that this was a prime motivator to begin a team here at Marcus. To become IQA sanctioned, the teams must seek approval from Principal Gary Shafferman and the school board. If they get the okay, they must pay their dues to be able to participate in actual matches. Getting IQA sanctioned is similar to being sanctioned by UIL.

“If we want to be IQA sanctioned, we pay our dues and basically we can play in the tournaments for free instead of registering like a bunch of the colleges do,” says Hankins.

Hankins sees the team as an opportunity for different people and social groups to come together. She said that students from various electives, such as band, theater, and athletics, are interested.

“I hope that it...would bring a different social aspect to the school,” Hankins said.

The Marcus team would feature four teams, one for each

compiled | vallery phillipsphoto | kathryn petrauskas

What is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you?

Who is the person that you would never want to be?

What did the last text message on your phone say? Who was it from?

If you could say “YOU’RE FIRED!” to anyone, who would it be?

What does BMW stand for?

“The fire department came to school to saw a ring off of my finger that was stuck.”

“The president! Everyone is always out to get you.”

“It was from my mom and it said, ‘I made applesauce!’”

“Donald Trump ‘cause he’s the one who that says it!”

“Hmmm…boys, money, women? Someone in my class told me that.”

The Quidditch Rulebook

secondswith...

The snitch is carried by a person who dresses all in yellow. Once the snitch is caught by the seeker, their team receives 150 points, often winning them the game.

The bludgers are thrown or kicked at players by the beaters. Only one of the two beaters can be in possession of a bludger at one time. If a player is hit by a bludger they must go back to their own hoops before continuing play.

There are up to three bludgers in Muggle Quidditch so that each team can have at least one at a time.

The quaffle can only be in a chaser’s possession. They will either run or pass it to get it through the goal post and earn their team ten points.

Brooms are required and must be “ridden” at all times during the game.

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Syerra Nelms, 11

design | amanda collen september 30, 2011 | the marquee

8 feature

As the sun rises, the tennis court lays untouched, the lap pool is still and the pond in the back is almost completely empty from the summer heat. The sweet and savory scents of homemade cinnamon rolls and fresh baked bread waft from the colonial style home, while the shrieking laughter and bickering of children can be heard. The okra grown in the garden with other assorted fruits and vegetables is ready to be picked and the chicken coupe remains empty. For most, this could look like a throwback to a previous century, but for junior Lara Peterson and her family of ten, this is normal everyday life.

The Peterson home is sprawled out on four acres of land in Copper Canyon, TX and is complete with a separate apartment for her father, Darrin to work from home when he isn’t traveling. There is a dining room big enough to accommodate Peterson’s seven siblings and two parents for meal times and special events, like family home evening.

In the Peterson family, finding time for each other is difficult. Between her dad traveling most of the week for work and now that Codi (the oldest child) is nineteen, he is working for his mission trip, which means that he will either travel the United States or another country spreading the Mormon faith. Lara helps her mother, Marnie Peterson quite frequently.

Lara calls herself, “Kind of like a second mother,” because she does things like grocery shop and chauffer the kids to and from school. Peterson wakes up at 4:50 a.m. in order to make it to seminary, or early morning gospel for Latter Day Saints teens. She also takes some of her younger siblings to school before arriving at Marcus.

“It’s definitely hard,” Peterson said. Along with arranging her schedule for family— around Fusion practice, which is similiar to Marcus’ glee club, and jazz choir— and helping

her mother, Lara also sacrifices her Monday nights to spend time with her family. Lara participates in what Mormon’s call family home evening, which is essentially family night with religious aspects tied into it.

“We sing a hymn or a primary song for the little kids, then we’ll say a prayer, someone’s in charge of the lesson,” Lara said. “It’s sort of like a miniature church, but it’s like family, then we play games.”

Primary songs are a hymn for younger children and on family home evening they are sung for Peterson’s five younger siblings who are still in primary school at church. The games played on family night range anywhere from Duck, Duck, Goose (for Diana, the youngest at the age of

three) or Hide and Go Seek in the dark, played outside.

Family night is not the only way the Peterson family bonds. Through baking her own bread and cookies and also growing a garden, Marnie Peterson has found ways for the family to bond while cutting costs at

the grocery store. “We all participated in planting the garden and we have

a lot of funny memories from it,” Lara said, “When my mom bakes bread, everyone makes sure they’re home. It’s sort of a tradition.”

Even with baking her own bread and growing a garden, Marnie Peterson says, “When Codi came home from college I spent $2400 that month, but my budget is $1600.”

“We’re definitely blessed,” said Marnie, because Darren Peterson (Lara’s Father) owns a profitable business named Life Seasons, a company which developes dietary supplements for common health concerns.

As the sun sets on the Peterson home, the dining room is put to use as everyone sits down for dinner. A crockpot meal, which Marnie Peterson said is easiest to cook for dinner because it requires low mainteince and allows her to go about her day, is served. Stories can be heard from both Codi and Darren Peterson, who Lara described as the funniest in the

Lara’s RoutineMonday’schedule

4:50 a.m. Wake up

5:00 a.m. Shower5:20 a.m. Get ready

6:00 a.m. Seminary

7:00 a.m. Go home

7:10 a.m. Eat breakfast

7:45 a.m. Leave for school

8:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. School

3:30-4:15p.m. Fusion practice

4:15-5:00 p.m. Run errands

5:30p.m. Dinner7:00 p.m. Family Home Evening

9:30 p.m. bed (unless I read a

book or I have homework)

The Peterson family smiles as they gather for a picture on the formal living room couch on Saturday, Sept. 10. Top row: Codi and Darrin Bottom Row: Lara, Jonathan, Diana, Isaac, Rachel, Marnie, Tennessee and Christi Anne. The Peterson’s live in Copper Canyon, TX.


When my mom bakes bread, everyone makes sure they’re home. It’s sort of a tradition.

Lara Peterson, 11

story | mckenna autem

Full house

Family of ten finds quality time through faith and bonding activities family, as the others laugh and talk about their days.

With the encouragement from their church about having at least one sit down meal a day, Marnie Peterson said, “It was kind of a new concept to me because when I was growing up, my family didn’t really have sit down meals together. But as we’ve done it as a family, it’s really grown to be a great tradition.”

the marquee | september 30, 2011 design | amanda collen

feature 9

story | marisa charpentier

Sophomore Justin Collins was only 8. Only 8 when the needles began poking and prodding. Only 8 when his immune system began to deteriorate. Only 8 when he became a survivor.

“No, I want to stay here,” Justin pleads in the conference room where his pregnant mother Tabatha Osburn, stepfather Chris Osburn and father Anthony Collins sit to discuss Justin’s diagnosis with Dr. Bowman of the hematology/oncology department at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth. His request is denied. The door shuts behind him as he is led to the playroom across the hall.

Toys are sprawled out on the floor. Arts and crafts in one corner, video games in another. Machines snake out of children’s bodies, humming noisily while they play.

Minutes pass, and Justin is brought back in to see his parents. They break the news to him. He has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Cancer. But Justin doesn’t know what “cancer” means. He doesn’t feel sick.

“My mom said it was one of the very few times my stepdad has cried,” he said.

Months before, Justin’s primary doctor told him and his mother that the swollen lumps on his neck were caused by a virus and were temporary. But they never went away.

His mother kept persisting, and Justin was referred to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist (ENT). After a biopsy, the cancer was confirmed.

“Around him, I tried to look strong and act like it was no big deal,” Tabatha said. “But outside of that it was scary.”

Soon after in 2004, came the chemotherapy at Cook Children’s Medical Center. Screams and shouts escaped Justin’s throat as he refused to allow the doctors to prick him with the needle.

Why me? What did I do? Justin thought. “You’re going to get better,” Tabatha would assure.Finally, he wore himself out and began playing with a game

while the chemo took its course.“A person can only cry so much, I guess,” Justin said.

***The chemo weakened Justin’s immune system. As a third

grader, he couldn’t go to school. He missed meeting new kids in his class, recess and field trips.

The first half of the school year was spent at home, learning seven hours of school in one hour from an LISD employee that delivered his work and tutored him daily.

Radiation therapy followed the chemo. Justin would lie down on a table, his head fastened to it with a net and a plastic mold of his head. The revolving machine circled around him, targeting swollen lymph nodes on his neck. He couldn’t move.

Around Christmas of that year, Justin went into remission, and around the same time, his mother had the baby. Justin then became an older brother to two little boys, Ryan the middle child and Jacob the baby.

“I’m not sure they ever understood,” Justin said. “To them it was just like ‘Brother’s sick, Brother’s not sick.’”

Justin returned to school for the second half of his third grade year. The monthly check-ups and scans turned into every two months, every three months and, eventually, every six months. Justin was in the clear.

them and put them back into Justin’s system throughout the course of several months. Justin received a visit from one of his heroes. Troy Aikman, the former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, showed up to see him on the day that stem cells were pumped back into Justin’s system.

The transplant was followed by a blood transfusion and a series of shots to help boost Justin’s immune system.

“It was the final push for my health to go back up and things to go back to normal, although, nothing was normal.”

***It’s the end of May 2008. Only three weeks of school are

left. But Justin made it. He walks up the steps to Lamar Middle School and enters the building, a cancer survivor.

Some say that cancer is a battle between the sickness and the person. As for Justin, he believes a battle makes the situation sound like he is the main one fighting. This is not the case.

“I have to credit all of the doctors and advances in modern medicine,” Justin said. “It happened as it did. Chemo healed it. But I truly believe optimism made it run smoother.”

Justin now has a greater goal in his future because of what he has been through.

“I want to pursue something in radiology and medical imaging because it has affected me,” Justin said.

Now 15, Justin has spent the past three and a half years without cancer. When people find out Justin has had cancer, he typically receives an “I’m sorry” response.

“I almost laugh when I hear that because I think ‘why be sorry?’” Justin said. “I gained so much life experience, and that’s nothing to be sorry about.”

Justin Collins beat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma first as third grader, then again in middle school

I kept thinking, I can fight through this, I can do it. Justin Collins, 10

“Once I found out I was a cancer survivor, I felt proud.” ***

The tree is up. Justin’s mom brings him into the room, and the two sit down. It is now 2007. Justin is 11 years old. The cancer is back.

“We’ll wait until after Christmas to start the treatment,” Tabatha tells him.

Justin looks at the Christmas tree. He thinks, let’s just hurry up and move on. Let’s fight. I did it once, I can do it again.

After a scan had identified cancerous activity in the middle of Justin’s sixth grade year, Justin had another biopsy and the results were confirmed. The Hodgkin’s Lymphoma had returned.

Chemotherapy began again, bringing with it a new load of sickness. Justin could not go to school. The doctors said he

would not make it back before the end of the year.

This new term of illness led to new surgery. And new fear. Justin did not know what was ahead, what the procedures would do to him or when he would be back in school. But because of his mother’s optimism, Justin did know how to be positive.

“It didn’t take a lot to realize you don’t have control over the situation,” Tabatha said. “So the only thing you can do is try to make the most of what you have.”

Justin had a bone marrow transplant on March 21, 2008. The doctors told him he would not make it back to school until September. But Justin thought otherwise.

“I kept thinking, I can fight through this, I can do it,” Justin said.

During the surgery, the doctors removed stem cells, froze For more information visit www.justinacollins.com

Sophomore Justin Collins reflects on his experiences with cancer at Barnes and Noble on Aug. 30. Collins has survived two bouts of cancer.

Sophomore defeats cancer twice

photo | mariah lucy


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the marquee | september 30, 2011 design | breyanna washington

in-depth 11

Three years after the American economy sunk into recession, teenagers are still feeling the pinch. The Marquee investigates the effects of an economic slowdown on local students.

design | breyanna washington september 30, 2011 | the marquee

12 in depth

Dave strums his wooden Yamaha acoustic guitar. He relaxes on a plush leather couch in a small pastel room and perches his feet on the table. He fashions a

simple outfit of a white T-shirt and plaid shorts – clothes purchased with donated money. For about four months, Dave has come here almost every

day to eat. He currently lives in an apartment with his mom. Hunger is a challenge facing many teens today. According to ConAgra Foods

Foundation, one in four American kids faces food insecurity. Dave is one of many kids in a group named Yoto (Denton County Youth

Today). Yoto is located at the First United Methodist Church in Lewisville. It is a non-profit organization that provides food, clothing, tutoring and a place to hang out for high school kids that have no home, little money or just need a place to go.

Dave said the main reason he comes to yoto is for the food, and that his mom likes that he eats Yoto’s food. Hunger is a major issue in the United States today, and Yoto is willing to help feed those who face food insecurities. According to Time Magazine, one in six families lives in poverty.

Dave said he came because his Lewisville High School counselor told him about the program. He said he was shy the first day, but was comfortable by the second and hasn’t missed many days since then.

“I was kind of prideful because I don’t want to have to rely on what they have like food, washing machines or taking a shower here,” Dave said. “But I swallowed it.”

Because times are hard economically, Jessica Peters, Director of Yoto, said that she just wants people to be aware of the program – a “safe haven” she says for people in hard situations. The goal of the program is to help kids

get back on their feet.“It kind of just gives you a reason to wake up every day knowing that

someone cares about you,” Peters said. “At the end of the day I know that what we’re doing is helping change lives.”

Senior Rebekah Hunt attends First United Methodist Church in Lewisville and said she thinks Yoto is doing a good thing.

“Our church just recognized how many people were out on their own - couch surfing and homeless, so they made Yoto,” Hunt said.

Couch surfing is a term used for homeless teens or adults who are constantly moving. As the economy worsened, couch surfing for high school students has increased. Yoto was started last year because two kids from Lewisville High School talked to their counselors and told them they had nowhere to go, nothing to do and no future. The school contacted the church and asked them to help. Yoto opened their doors Dec. 1, 2010. It is comprised of volunteers and funded

by donations from the United Methodist Organization and the City of Lewisville.“Once you get involved, you can’t turn your head,” Peters said. “Once you’re in

here, if you can turn a blind eye, I’m impressed. But it’s like you’re always connected in some way.”

Dave said that while in Yoto, he’s grown close to one set of volunteers. An anonymous donation of $250 was given to Dave, and the volunteers took him shopping at Vista Ridge Mall to buy clothing. He got a pair of shoes, three pairs of shorts, a couple pairs of jeans and about nine or ten shirts that day. Yoto even bought Dave his guitar as a graduation present last year.

“I haven’t played any kind of instrument, but I just picked it up one day and they said ‘If you’re still playing in two weeks, we’ll look into getting you one,’” Dave said.

Dave examines his guitar, running has hand up and down the strings. He has slowly been teaching himself how to play. He points to a spot on the guitar embroidered with the letters “Selene” – his best friend’s middle name. He carefully flips the guitar over, gripping it tightly with both hands. And on the back, the letters “amour”. “It is French for love,” Dave explains.

“I’m not planning on joining a band,” Dave said. “I’ll just keep playing and see where it takes me.”

Dave graduated high school last year, and said he utilized Yoto’s tutoring opportunities. He now attends North Central Texas College in Flower Mound. Yoto provides Dave a computer and printer, since he doesn’t have one at home. Dave said he also comes to Yoto for the environment because it helps him concentrate on his homework. Dave plans on majoring in entrepreneurship and wants to open up his own floral shop.

“Now I use their tutoring even more,” Dave said. “It keeps me on top of my game coming here.”

Though some Yoto kids are homeless, Yoto is only open from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. on Fridays, and does not house people. According to Texas law, yoto cannot house people under 18 years of age unless a parent signs a form. Peters said her dream was to make Yoto into a home or shelter, and she wants to continue working with yoto or doing something similar for the rest of her life.

“I want to do something to help people – that’s it,” Peters said. “At night I still cry about it. It’s draining to be involved with people emotionally, but at the end of the day despite everything else, that’s what my heart is for.”

Peters said she needs help getting people to go to Yoto because she knows there are people out there who need the help. She said she will do her best to aid everyone, even if it’s just because they need to escape a stressful or emotional situation at home.

“I’m not here to judge or make someone feel they have to do something, just come as you are,” Peters said. “Be yourself and we’ll take it one step at a time.”

story | molly spain photo | jordan richards

in depth 13

the marquee | september 30, 2011 design | breyanna washington

Getting the Job

Do not lie. Ever. Employers know that teenagers are in search of a first job. If you don’t have experience, be honest about it. Lying about availability and personal information could hurt you in the long run even if you get the job. Most managers will automatically fire employees if they find out they lied on their application.

Your mother is never a good reference. If you have no experience and need a reference, put down someone outside of your family. Church leaders, teachers or even your neighbors are good options as long as you ask them first. Nobody wants to say nice things about you if you give out their phone number without permission.

InterviewingKeep it classy. Wear clothes your grandmother would approve of. Guys, make sure your shirts are tucked in. Girls, you’re going to an interview, not a party. Dress pants, skirts, dresses, nice tops and dress shirts are all business casual attire and always acceptable.

Be respectful. It’s always best to address your interviewer as “sir” or “ma’am” unless they tell you otherwise. If you act like an adult they will treat you like one. Be polite and don’t get sassy.

Don’t be a typical

teenager. Turn off

your phone and keep

it out of sight. S

it up

straight and at least

look like you know

what you’re doing.

Don’t forget to follow up. Frequently call after your interview and check up on the position. Reminding them that you applied shows you’re persistent and eager to work.

Be smart. If you go to the business that you applied with, be just as respectful to the workers as you would the manager. You might be working with them in the future and it’s just common courtesy.

***

“What do you like about working, Logan?” Westguard asks his former co-worker.

Cisney: “Well it wastes my time, I wish I could just have money. I could be doing other stuff instead, like hanging out with friends, you know? Hanging out with Zack.”

The two trade smiles and jokes. Cisney seems to forget he’s on the clock.

The Marquee: What’s hard about working?

Westguard: “Having to get up in the morning to get to work. School becomes the least important thing after you get a job.”

TM: What are some specific sacrifices you’ve had to make in order to work?

Westguard doesn’t hesitate to answer.

Westguard: “Grades. At least ten points on my grades. You work until you feel like you’re about to fall over in the grease bucket. School is just another place where you can sleep at after you get a job.”

Cisney: “I mean, I’m not getting paid to go to school. I would love to get those A’s, but those B’s are fine with me.”

TM: Do you wish that you wouldn’t have a job so that you could focus more on school?

Cisney: “I would feel bad because then my parents would be paying for everything. I feel like it’s my responsibility to pay for my stuff. I’m a senior now, and I’ll be 18 next month, and I feel like I should be paying for my stuff now.”

Westguard: “Right now, being my senior year, I wish I could focus more on school and work less. If I was higher in the class, I might be able


compiled | alex mcginnis

to get a scholarship which would pay off really well. I wouldn’t have to worry about paying for college as much.”

The electronic bell rings as a customer walks in. Cisney looks up from the interview. He stands up and nods at the woman.

“He’ll be right with you ma’am,” he says looking towards the guy at the counter.

TM: Do you feel like you get to be a teenager and have fun still? Does growing up faster bother you? How do you feel about that?

For the first time, there’s hesitation in his voice.

Westguard: “Yeah, but it’s just weird. It’s hard to explain. I don’t want to grow up... but you have to keep working and pay for stuff.”

About half of Westguard’s paycheck goes to paying for gas and car insurance, and other necessities such as groceries, and shampoo.

TM: Do you feel like you have a lot of responsibility?

“I need to buy my own gas, pay for car insurance. If I want to go out and do stuff I have to use my own money. I basically just get the car and the house to live in, and she’ll [mom] make dinner and stuff like that. But if I want to eat something, if I want to have something for lunch I have to go out and buy it.” Westguard: “It’s not your parent’s responsibility to take care of you forever. It’s not their responsibility to cradle you and hold your hand forever. You have to get out there on your own and experience life. That’s just part of it, having to get a job and pay for stuff. I don’t want to be somebody who doesn’t have to work for anything. I don’t want everything given to me.”


Senior Zachary Westguard sits in a cold metal chair. He looks around at the almost empty store. It’s strange being a customer at a place you’ve worked at. Subway is one of the four places Westguard has previously worked since he’s turned 16. The staff door creaks open and senior Logan Cisney, in a black cap with the Subway logo embroidered on it, drags a chair to the table and joins Zack. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 75 percent of teens ages 16-19 have a part time job. With a national unemployment rate of 8.5 percent some Marcus teens have had to find jobs for themselves. In order to show how having a job has affected high school students at Marcus, The Marquee interviewed Westguard and senior Logan Cisney about the struggles and rewards of having a job.

Swirl Bakery

design | maria heinonen september 30, 2011 | the marquee

14 entertainment

Swirl Bakery provides the basic neapolitan flavors of cupcakes for those who like to stick to the basics. Cupcakes are served on small glass plates, and can be eaten at one of the many table-clothed tables. The small bakery serves more than just cupcakes, providing also pies, cakes and foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Soft music plays quietly in the background of the quaint small-town style eatery. The cupcakes are on display in the glass case by the cash register.

While they look soft and moist, they have a hard outer shell. The outside of the cupcake is crunchy, and the inside is no better. Being devoid of moisture, the cupcake leaves you looking for a water bottle. Only a sharp pointed fork can penetrate the hard frosting set on top of the cupcake. Swirl Bakery is located on 2499, about five minutes from Marcus, making it an easy drive. Though, at Swirl Bakery, the other food options sold might be worth tasting before the cupcakes.

This small bakery owned by pastry chef Cara Vasquez has a clever name. The white curtains lining the windows are inviting. Blue and orange walls greet guests upon entering, as do a cute umbrella stand and a few two-person tables. A small variety of cupcakes and cookies lay inside a counter with a glass display case. A hard, sticky frosting rests atop each small cupcake. Although they have a pleasant flavor, they’re not extremely moist. But they aren’t dry enough to make your mouth long for water. Still, they aren’t exceptional and taste like cupcakes that could be made at home.

The people are very nice and the bakery even sells their day-old cupcakes for a 50% off discount, which provide an even cheaper option to satisfy a sweet tooth. The newly opened Flour Shop Bakery in the Shops of Highland Village is located right across the street from Nestle Toll House and could provide some competition for the Nestle cookie bakery.

Welcome to the sweet life

Flour Shop

8th Wonder Cupcakes

Sprinkles cupcakes

It is hard to choose which intricately decorated cupcake to eat at this bakery. Each one is topped with some kind of candy and frosting. Though I wouldn’t exactly call it an 8th wonder, the cupcakes are tasty. They have the basic, every day flavors of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, red velvet and lemon. But they also have a featured flavor every day that could range from zucchini chocolate to root beer float to bacon flavored, for those adventurous eaters.

The service is good. The cashier likes to strike up friendly conversation, which makes you feel welcome. The store is airy, and two bar counters line the walls, providing seats for people to enjoy their cupcakes. However, there is no music playing, creating an awkwardly quiet atmosphere. The cupcakes have a good flavor, though they are messy. Not a very good place for a first date. The excessive frosting is extremely sweet. This small family-owned business is located on 2499, about seven minutes away from Marcus. The 8th Wonder Cupcakes also likes to support Marcus, providing mini cupcakes at home football games.

The phrase “You can’t judge a book by its cover” is not applicable to this cupcake shop. The cupcakes look deliciously pretty, and they taste delicious also. The cake is moist, but what makes Sprinkles stand above the rest is the frosting. It has a heaveny creamy texture. It isn’t topped with a heavy swirl of frosting, but rather a thin spread that adds just the right amount of sweetness. The variety of unique flavors could satisfy the tastes of anyone – ranging from fruity ones like banana and orange to rich ones such as chocolate coconut and mocha. They have gluten-free and vegan cupcakes, and even a sugar-free “doggie cupcake.”

Upon entering the bakery, you are greeted with a glass case filled with perfectly-lined decorative cupcakes. One long countertop with barstools provides a place to enjoy your baked goods with hip indie music playing softly. Located nearby is Northpark mall that could turn a quick stop at Sprinkles into a fun shopping spree. Though Sprinkles is located off Northwest Highway in Dallas, the thirty-minute drive for one of these cupcakes is worth it.

rating:

rating guidecheck please not worth it could be better not too shabby masterpiece

rating: rating:

rating:

story | molly spain photos | kathryn petrauskas

With the end of the summer and the prospect of cooler weather, the time of frozen yogurt is coming to a close. Bring on the cupcake craze. The opening of a new bakery, The Flour Shop, in The Shops at Highland Village prompted The Marquee to compare local cupcake competition.

the marquee | september 30, 2011 design | maria heinonen

entertainment 15

where to DARTWhether you’re hoping to find deals or are planning to splurge a bit, the new DART and A-Train systems will take you where you need to go. Don’t waste your money on gas or time in traffic. Head north on the A-Train to Denton Town Square. This is where you’ll find local restaurants, obscure clothing boutiques, and enough thrift stores to satisfy any hipster. Head south on the A-Train and connect to the DART. Then visit art and history museums, the State Fair, or the Dallas Zoo. This eco-friendly, money saving transit system is the perfect remedy to the “there-is-nothing-to-do-in-Flower-Mound” blues.

Downtown Denton

Downtown Carollton

West End

St. Paul

Mockingbird

EAT-The Candy Store (Go for their specialties. Potato chips and Oreos dipped in chocolate)-Jupiter House (Coffee house)-Beth Marie’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream-Denton County Independent Hamburger Company-J&J’s Pizza (Live music)

SHOP-Recycled Books-Mad World Records2nd Street on the Square (Clothing)-More Fun Comics & Games

A-TRAIN

ACTIVITIESFor $15 spend the day rock climbing in renovated grain silos at the North Texas Outdoor Pursuit Center

SHOP-Blooms Candy & Soda Pop Shop (nostalgic candy & soda pop shop. choice of over 100 different root beers and soda pops)-Mr. Pickle’s Toys (quirky and fun toys and memorabilia)-Vintage Martini (vintage clothing and designer resale clothing)

EATBabes Chicken

ACTIVITIES-Sixth Floor Museum $12.50 -Holocaust Museum $6 -Dallas World Aquarium $20.95-The Fatal End Haunted House (Open everyday in October)

SHOP-Sixth Floor Museum Store (60’s inspired posters, gifts, and other mementos)

EAT-Dick’s Last Resort-Hard Rock Cafe-Zenna Thai & Japanese Restaurant-The Spaghetti Warehouse

ACTIVITIES-Angelika Movie Theater (for the indie movies you can’t see at AMC 12 Highland Village)

SHOP-Urban Outfitters-American Apparel-Index Skateboarding

EAT-Urban Taco


start hereHighland Village

N. Carrollton/Frankford

ACTIVITIES-Nasher Sculpture Center ($5 with School ID)-Dallas Museum of Art ($5 with school ID)-Crow Collection of Asian Art (Free)-Meyerson Symphony Center

Fair Park

GRE

EN L

INE

RED

LIN

E

ACTIVITIES-State Fair of Texas (9/30-10/23) $16-Gexa Energy Pavilion (concerts)-Planetarium at the Museum of Nature & Science

If you’re headed to Denton, your urban adventure will begin at:

2998 N. Stemmons Fwy. Lewisville TX 75077

If you’re only visiting Denton, purchase a Local System day pass for $6. If you’re also planning to travel to Downtown Dallas you have two options: Either purchase the $10 Regional pass, or save that $10, drive to:

1717 W. Frankford Rd. Carrollton 75007

Then purchase the $4 pass at the DART Station.

GREEN LINE

Each month, one Marquee staffer will share their favorite songs to get you

through every day situations.

design | sydney sund september 30, 2011 | the marquee

16 entertainment

compiled | megan eurichphotos | kathryn petrauskas

compiled | vallery phillips

“Pickup Truck”- Kings of Leon

“Tiny Dancer”- Elton John

“We R Who We R”- Ke$ha

“Oh Darling” (feat. Cady Groves) – Plug In Stereo

“It Take Two”- Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock

“Sweet Home Alabama”- Lynard Skynard

“Say Cheese”- Cupid feat. B.O.B.

“Eyes On Fire”- Blue Foundation

“Super Massive Black Hole”- Muse

Falling asleep after a late night cram session

Chilling in the bath tub

Beats to follow the rhythm of the road

Groove on the job

Make your broom do a little dance

Poolside fist pumpers

GTL- Gym, Tanning, Laundry

Math makes music

Game day get downs

• 1 Marcus colored mum flower• 2 reels each of black, white, silver and red ribbon• 1 cardboard backing• Themed stickers• Glittery letters• 2-3 miniature cowbells • 1 miniature bear• 1 hot glue gun • 1 pair of scissors• 1 stapler• Extra ribbon

1. Cut 12 pieces of ribbon; all about 20 to 36 inches each, depending on how long you want your mum. Cut one extra piece of ribbon about 6 to 8 inches long.

2. Personalize about half of the ribbons with decorative stickers coordinating with activities and letters to spell out names and team numbers. Use extra ribbon to attach trinkets, like the cowbells.

3. Take the 6 to 8 inches ribbon and make a loop where the two ends join at the bottom. Attach this loop to the cardboard so that it protrudes from the top. This will be the ribbon that will be used to pin the mum to your clothing.

4. Attach plain ribbons to the front of cardboard backing using either hot glue or staples. Layer the embellished strands on top of the plain strands in a decorative way, remembering to fan out the bottom – then attach. Now attach any other garlands or decorations you have.

5. In order to make looped ribbons (see bottom picture), you will need one 30 inch piece of ribbon. You will also need to cut 15 4 inch ribbons. Take each small piece and ribbon and fold into a teardrop shape and staple. Once you’ve done this to each small piece, begin stapling the teardrop shapes onto the 30 inch piece of ribbon. When finished, apply letters that read “Homecoming.”

6. If using a bear, attach now to the center of flower.

7. Poke the stem of the mum through the hole in the cardboard and hot glue the mum to the cardboard on top of the ribbon.

Homecoming is next week. You finally asked that one special person to be your date. You made the dinner reservations, now all you need is the all-important mum. Don’t fumble around with ribbons and cowbells. The Marquee created a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the mum madness. All the following supplies can be found at Hobby Lobby or Michael’s craft store.

OctoberPL YLIST

the marquee | september 30, 2011 design | sydney sund

sports 17

SPORTS UPDATE Senior Shannon Malone committed to the University of Wisconsin for a full ride basketball scholarship on Aug 11. Malone started getting contacted by recruiters in eighth grade. After years of showcase tournaments and letters from other colleges, she visited Wisconsin and committed to the Badgers within the same week. “You want to go somewhere where you fit in and you don’t know what that place is until you go and look around,” Malone said. “All those years of preparing paid off because once you get to that school, you just know.” Though Malone’s plans for after high school are decided, she is still focused on leading the varsity basketball team. She’s been playing with many of her varsity teammates since grade school.

“You start to care for them as more than just teammates,” Malone said. “They’re family.” With new coach Fred Jones in charge, Malone said the team has been committed to getting results in the upcoming season. “I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people,” Malone said. “I’ve never been on a team as committed as this.” Malone hopes to take her basketball skills beyond the walls of Marcus and even those of Wisconsin, as she wants to play professionally overseas. “I feel like basketball is something that can be used to take you to other places,” Malone said. “It took me all over the country in high school and if it could take you all over the world why wouldn’t you take that? I love the game and I want to stick with it as long as I can.”

Volleyball is ranked fourth in the district with an overall record of 13-8 and a district record of 3-2. After several key players graduated last year and new members were added, the team has had to spend more time connecting and learning everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.

“We are still trying to gel as a team,” coach Cristie Liles said. “We have new personalities that add to the team. It’s not a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ different. It’s just different.”

Junior Madie Ashmore is new to the team this year. She plays right side and said her strength is blocking and her weaknesses are hitting and serve-receive.

“The reputation we have is so high, and knowing I get to contribute to that is one of my favorite things about being on the team,” Ashmore said.

Older members of the team, like senior Lindsay Sales, already understand the team dynamics.

“Last year we didn’t lose anybody from the team, so we didn’t have growing pains,” Sales said. “This year we have new people. We just had to spend more time realizing everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.”

According to Liles, the strengths this year are the middle positions, and the main weakness is hitting the ball to a certain spot every time. Liles said that one of their goals this year is to be team-oriented.

“The only team that can stop them is them,” Liles said.

The boys’ cross country team has high standards to meet after the loss of Marcus graduates Craig Lutz, Matt Mazur and Sean Canavin. The varsity team finished second in the Marcus II Invitational on Sep 24, with freshman Logan Hendrix placing first overall. Senior captain Sean Duffy hopes the team’s hard work will pay off in their next meet on Oct 1. “Trying to be as successful without the seniors is really hard, but thanks to some returning guys stepping up and some freshman talent coming in, hopefully we’ll be able to be just as successful,” Duffy said. According to Duffy, the team’s training has become more group oriented now that Lutz and other seniors

have graduated. “Now the team is more important than some of its parts,” Duffy said. “No one on the team this year can really do much as an individual, but as a team we have so many guys who are good but not great, which makes for a great team.” Despite the different dynamic, the team goals remain the same. They want to place in the state tournament and make it to the national meet in Portland, Oregon. Duffy hopes that the team’s performance will only improve as the season progresses. “Our team definitely runs the best at the end of the year,” Duffy said. “Its always exciting to see how much better we get when it really counts instead of in the early season meets.”

The

Lady Marauder commits to University of Wisconsin

Senior Shannon Malone practices her basketball skills outside her home in Flower Mound. Malone committed to the University of Wisconsin on Aug. 11.

Volleyball aims at creating courtside chemistrystory | marisa charpentier

story | alex mcginnis

The team gathers on the court before their game against Plano West on the Sept. 16.The girls are currently ranked fourth in the district.

Boys’ cross country starts strong in post-Lutz erastory | alex mcginnis

Senior Sean Duffy and Jake Miller finish off their varsity race on Saturday, Sept. 3 at the Marcus I Invitational. The Varsity boys placed tenth.

photo | mariah lucy

photo | kathryn petrauskas

photo | mariah lucy


18 sports

I bleed silver, I bleed red2011 District

Preview

our toughest competition

In District 8-5A, Allen (4-0) is at the top of the heap. Last year’s district champions, the Eagles have seven returning starters on both offense and defense. Senior Alec Morris is the optimal sized quarterback, at 6’4” and 235 lbs. With seniors running back Johnathan Williams and wide receiver Alex Rodriguez, and both offensive techniques heavily utilized, Allen’s offense is the definition of versatile.

Allen at Home 10/21

Marcus entered District 8-5A play strong last week with a 20-10 victory against Plano West. As the Marauders prepare to go up against cross-town rival Flower Mound tonight, The Marquee breaks down everything you need to know about this season’s team.

Last year, a dazzling Flower Mound (1-3) passing offense put Marcus defense in a jam. Despite losing several gifted seniors, like starting QB Paul Millard, Flower Mound still has the most productive passing talent in 5A with QB Marshall Williams who has already thrown for 1,655 yards. The Marauders’ chance rests with making plays on passes, as Williams has thrown four interceptions.

Flower Mound at Home 9/30

Hebron (3-1) gave Marcus a run for their money in last year’s season finish. They were the only team in District 8-5A to defeat Allen. Their offensive attack is fairly seasoned, with six returning players. What they’re lacking is depth, and an experienced quarterback. Still, last weekend they were able to pound out a win against Flower Mound last week, 21-15.

Hebron at Home 11/4

All Eyes on Defense

Seven starters return this year to defense. Head coach Bryan Erwin thinks that this will be the key to

their success as district play continues. The defensive line has good size and strength, said Erwin. This will allow them to put extreme pressure on the quarterback.

“Historically we’ve been better at defending the rush, but due to the fact that our defensive line can get more pressure on the quarterback and we got more athleticism on our secondary, I think we can defend the pass

Offensive Balance

Head football coach Bryan Erwin compares last season to this year’s team.

“We haven’t this balance in the last five years. A strong running game allows you to run the football and the ability to throw the ball play-action.”

Special Teams“I think our coverage units, our kickoff coverage team, our punt coverage team, those guys are faster. They’re more enthusiastic about their job. They’re exciting to watch.”

Mature, Improved Defense“They were a year younger, less experienced, and a year less physically developed. Now they’re bigger and faster. They’re better players. Joe Sikes is a three year starter and his experience really helps us.”

Senior Leadership“The expectation level is high. These guys have been through some battles against some real good football teams. We’ve won some close games and lost some close games. They’re just more seasoned and battle tested.”

Passing Accuracy“He (Cole Erwin) understands the offense really well. He understands how to check us in and out of good and bad plays. He throws the ball well. We may not throw the ball a ton of times but when we throw it, we catch it.”

compiled | jasmine sachar photos | jordan richards & kathryn petrauskas

really well,” Erwin said. Senior defensive end Josh Carraway said that

the defensive line’s ability to put pressure on the quarterback is critical. “Usually he makes an interception or makes a bad pass,” Carraway said. “It really helps the secondary out so that they don’t have to do a lot of work.”

Tackling is something that Erwin said the team is working on improving. “It is a daily grind of just staying on top of fundamentals,” Erwin said.

The Marauder defense takes on the offense of the Grapevine Mustangs on Sept. 2. The Marauders won the game 62-12. The Marauder defense was able to hold the Mustangs to only 516 yards of total offense.


sports 19

Senior wide receiver Cody Apfel is coming into a position that for years has been underutilized. “We have receivers who can stretch the defense vertically and help the running game,” Apfel said. Defenses in the past have taken advantage of a one sided offense and loaded up the box.

Apfel averages 14.6 yards per catch and has scored three touchdowns. “I have some solid height and some speed,” Apfel said. “I got pretty good hands, just the desire to want to be good, just the drive.” Going into district, Apfel said he can improve on running routes, catching and blocking the run game.

Sophomore Cole Erwin slid into the starting quarterback position this season. “It was more of a fit for the team,” Erwin said. At 5’9”, Erwin might not be the classic QB but he uses it to his advantage. “These other guys who are 6’4”, they can just stand over the line,” Erwin said. “I have to move my feet and be a little more agile.”

With a 70 percent pass completion rate, Erwin helps bring the passing dynamic to a team who previously was exclusively rushing. “Now we’re able to spread it around and throw it around 20, 25 times per game,” Erwin said. “It keeps the defenses on their toes, playing to run the whole time.”

Last year, Rufus Mason and Dagan Newsome were the yin-yang duo that dominated the rush. This year, senior Harvey Giddens fills those two holes. A key component of the running game, Giddens has 13 touchdowns and 718 yards under his belt already.

He compared his style to Mason’s. “I think we kind of run the same, but I’m just a little bit smaller,” Giddens said. “It’s easier for me to run through a pile of people, be a little more shifty.”

The Pass The Execution The Rush


20 opinion

Senior year is supposed to be the chillest year of high school. It’s supposed to be the year when everything you’ve learned and all the people you’ve met come together for four special periods a day, and make your three previous years nostalgic memories. But it’s not.

I can easily say that I had the best summer of my life. Friends, family and video games were pretty much the set course of every day. And when school came around, I was ready. But our expectations and reality can be two different things. When I stepped into my first period class, I glanced and saw I had no friends. I jogged upstairs to second period, where I was graced by quick insults about my ugliness. Still, I kept my hopes up. Third period: all my close friends had graduated or moved on, so I was alone—again. Lunch came around after. I sat with a bunch of strangers from middle school who couldn’t remember my name and glared at me (by the second day, I just ended up sitting in the back of the school on the stairs by myself). I ended my day with silence during fourth period.

I went home, hoping I could cry away my frustration, until my mom stopped me. She told me what a good mother is supposed to tell her grieving child: “Don’t be upset. It’s your first day. Besides, your high school years are the best years of your life.” I couldn’t believe it. The best years of my life?—no, it can’t be true. There is no way that spending three years making friends can all end with one year of angst from people who didn’t even know my first name. But even when I texted my friends about how my days are going, they pretty much said the same thing. They told me that the year just started and there was no reason to be so distraught about the people and classes.

I assumed that the next days are supposed to be improvements of the previous, but my assumptions were just hopeful. And for every assumption came another sad day of senior year. At night, I would dream of things that wouldn’t come. Days when I’d get a schedule change and everything would go back to junior year became my secret desires. It was almost sad that my wildest fantasies consisted of sitting in a classroom with my friends and teacher, reading out of a thick textbook and working in groups. But it kept me going each day.

By now, according to the rules of “things eventually get better if you give them time,” I’m supposed to have some shocking revelation—some epiphany about the whole situation and how I can make the best out of it. But I don’t. I’ve only come to the conclusion that my mom and friends were right. This is as good as it’s going to get. I’m eighteen, and I’ll be going to college next year, but for some reason, I can’t accept the change. I can’t accept the fact that people are growing up and going on with their lives. I can’t accept the fact that everyone is moving on without me.

It’s all really sad. Deep inside, I don’t want to believe any of it. But it is true. And it is life. And no amount of stressing out or crying is going to change it. I can complain and whine every day, but it won’t change the people around me or rewind time back to junior year. People are moving on, but I don’t have to be left behind. Senior year is the year where you fully accept change and grow up. It’s the year where I will chill out and move on too.

1)Thou shalt study, furiously, intensely, as if it were thy sole purpose in life. Thou shalt start working right after school and go late into the night, taking occasional breaks to eat or breathe. Six hours is average, seven is ideal. Extra credit is not an option, it’s a requirement. And no matter what anybody tells thee, it is possible to study for a math test. 2)Thou shalt wear modest clothing. If you have any sort of cleavage, be ashamed of it. Bikinis are totally out of the question. Jeans should be loose, and not give any hint to your shape. Shorts are an American invention designed to attract the wrong kind of attention, and distract girls from the truly important in life—school. Make-up should be avoided (clear mascara is OK). 3)Thou shalt not partake in typical frivolous high school activities, like homecoming, prom, football games, basketball games, etc. What can you gain intellectually from fraternizing with or rubbing your naïve body up against other hormonally charged hooligans? 4)Thou shalt spend thy summer hours taking SAT prep classes

for which thy parents have paid thousands, because even if you just scored a 2400, there is always room for improvement. Even if it puts a giant dent in your parents’ wallet, it is worth it to have an edge that your peers lack. 5)Thou shan’t associate with any boy. This includes looking at one for more than five seconds, having friendly conversations with one, smiling at one, walking next to one, being companions with or, God forbid, dating one. All boys are obviously only interested in one thing. That’s right, your help in Calculus. 6)If thou art (by some miracle) athletically inclined, thou shall participate in a sensible sport, like tennis or badminton or Tae Kwon Doe. However, classical Indian dancing is always preferred to these physically exhausting endeavors and is much more suited for your – ehem, skill level anyway. 7)Thou shalt be accomplished in one or more musical instruments. However, thou art forbidden from liking them too much, for pursuing music past high school or being a drummer for a grunge band will result in your immediate disownment from the Indian community. 8)Thou shalt join the UIL mathematics team, practicing for events whenever thou hast finished studying. Thou are required to bring thy practicing materials everywhere you go, to restaurants, to the restroom, so that no time is wasted. Your TI-83 Plus is the only American friend we approve of. UIL meets must be won. It is your duty to thy race. 9)Thou shalt aspire to go to an Ivy League institution. MIT and Stanford are also acceptable options. If these top universities are ultimately out of thy reach, thou must attend a Texas public university, so thy strict Indian father may keep a very close eye on your every activity. 10)Thou shalt have only two career options, engineer or doctor. This is what thou hast been told to believe since thy days in the womb. Thou hast been groomed for those careers, just as thy parents were. Thou hast been made to volunteer at hospitals and attend summer math and science camps. So you want to be a lawyer? Too risky. A teacher? No money. What about being a journalist? Good joke. Don’t disgrace thy family by actually following thy dreams.

BlitzfangBreyanna Washington

BOO

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Smooth cruisin’The pothole-free

parking lot is really helpful when it comes to saving a tire. Thanks construction workers for ensuring our cars’ safety and making the trip to and from school a smooth ride.

10 commandments for the perfect Indian daughter

Hillary is my homegirlJasmine Sachar

New look for MarcusNoticed the several

newly painted classrooms and doorframes? The makeover spruces up this 30 year old campus. The attention to detail is greatly appreciated, and the black doorframes are trendy.

Long time comingNew year, new gym!

The work put into fixing it for the past year has finally paid off. Now more people can attend volleyball and basketball games. Keep your fingers crossed it doesn’t flood again.

How has ?youTECHNOLOGY POLICY

newthe

Stay chill and accept

“I unfortunately don’t have a phone that actually works with the internet, but I do like to listen to my mp3 in class. It does help me concentrate.”

“I think some kids will probably try to abuse it, but overall, I think it’s really helped us with keeping track of everything and getting stuff done faster.”

Stephanie Williams, 9

Matthew Schmitz, 10

compiled | juliana adamephotos | sarah sauer


opinion 21

HEYS

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MARQUEE REMARKS

Dress code issuesSoccer shorts aren’t

meant to be distracting, but comfortable compared to suffocating skinny jeans. And blonde streaks should be allowed in guys’ hair. Blonde is a natural color, last time we checked.

Locker equalityP.E. students need

working lockers too. Just because they don’t play varsity sports doesn’t mean they enjoy getting their stuff stolen. Are working P.E. lockers really too much to ask for?

Who’s my AP?Not much update was

given on the changing counselor and AP situation. More thorough information such as a letter over the summer rather than just one announcement would have been appreciated.

I have no idea what 3G means or why a 4G phone is better. I am not yearning for the new iPhone 13 or whichever number has just hit shelves. And I detest the idea of reading novels off of a computer screen. Technology just makes me crazy.

I would not sacrifice a single one of my 1960s James Bond action novels or Jane Austen romances for a brand spanking new Nook or Kindle. I love the musty scent of paperback novels and how the covers are slightly yellowed from age. I love the way they slide so nicely and alphabetically on my wooden bookshelf. I love the secrets hidden inside each page – waiting to be discovered with my eager hands and searching eyes. Buying a Kindle or Nook would be replacing all the 250 books I own with one electronic device. What could be worse than a room without a bookshelf?

And then there are the iPhones, iPads, iTouches and any other electronic that starts with an “i”. Maybe I just can’t comprehend the magic concealed beneath apps, but nothing about the iProducts impresses me. I have a small netbook, a calendar and even some notebook paper that I could substitute

for an iPad, saving myself an enormous sum of money. I don’t need Facebook at my disposal on an iPhone 24/7. I don’t want to become one of those kids who says, “I want the new iPhone so badly,” without even knowing the difference between the new one and the one I have. And I don’t want to become the kid who has to constantly be playing Words with Friends on their phone while texting everyone in their contact list.

And oh, the rudeness. Technology has not only enslaved our minds, but has turned us into disrespectful human beings. Where I work, customers chat on cell phones while ordering food. No, I don’t want to hear your private conversation with your friend about your trip to Vegas and the two margaritas some guy bought you. But it’s kind of hard for me to ignore.

Now we have this new policy at school – BYOT. It just gives teens even more reason to text every single minute of their lives.Can’t we just give the iPhones and iPods and laptops a rest for six hours of our day five days out of the week? Sure, BYOT allows easier Internet access for research in class, but I thought we had computer labs for that. Regardless, I have a feeling new technology will be invented until public school buildings become obsolete and teachers instruct students through video chat in their own homes.

However, I’m not completely against all technology. I do have my simple AT&T slide phone that I text with and a green iPod that holds all of my 1289 songs. Unfortunately, I am guilty of drifting to my Facebook page while I’m trying to do homework just to make sure nothing new happened in the two minutes I was doing a math problem. So I do use technology. I’m just not open to the idea of becoming a slave to it.

But, hey, maybe I’m wrong. Perhaps staying at home playing video games all day on a new game system is the way to spend my teenage years. Maybe I’m the one who has been living my life incorrectly. Though I’d rather have human interaction in the outside world than gawk at photos of people on Facebook –and given a choice between a paperback novel or a game for the Wii, I would choose the book. Call me old fashioned, but I just enjoy speaking to people face-to-face – and I don’t mean Skype.

I remember the pink and blue lights that overflowed from lanterns onto the pale walls of Mrs. Brininstool’s classroom as I cautiously walked in the door. Soothing new age music pulsed through her computer speakers and tiny strips of paper were taped all over the walls with quotes typed on them, illegible in the bright light. I slowly eased into my desk and listened as Mrs. Brininstool informed us that class was going to be different than usual. The quotes on the walls were words of Transcendentalists. We were told to go around the room and write down the philosophical quotes that stuck out to us and prepare to discuss why we chose them. The first one I scribbled down was Henry David Thoreau’s “We live but a fraction of our lives.” The harsh lights of the classroom were soon turned back on and we began to discuss the quote I had written down. At the time, I wasn’t aware that the questions she was about to ask would change the way I think about things forever. She asked who couldn’t wait to get to college. Almost every hand in the classroom shot up without hesitation. Then she wanted to know what we would be waiting for when we were in college. A few people murmured something about a job. I began to see where the questions were going. Eventually, after marriage and houses and children and retirement, the only step left would be to die. I’ve always been a planner. I’ve been known to live for the future and always look for a quicker, easier way to get ahead. In middle school, I longed for the wonder that was supposed to be high school (I wasn’t impressed). Before that day, I spent precious time daydreaming of college life. I spent countless hours carefully examining university websites, considering everything from school mascots to percentage of students who play intramural sports in hopes of finding a perfect match. I wanted to make decisions and stick to them. After that day in Mrs. Brininstool’s class, I spent the rest of the year trying to figure out how to truly be present and live my life the way I knew it should be lived. I realized I didn’t want to be living for the next high, I wanted to be satisfied with a truth that I could center my life on. My faith became that truth, and after trying and failing to live in the present during the remainder of my junior year, I was finally able to over the summer. The days blurred together and though I still enjoyed and sometimes needed structure, I just let my life unfold. Spontaneous road trips and unanticipated Chipotle runs contained more enjoyment than any planned event I configured. I stopped trying to force something to be extraordinary. It always ended up that the biggest and most memorable days were the ones I never saw coming--much like that one day in class. After all the hours spent preparing for college application time, now that it’s here I feel as though it has snuck up on me. I suppose decisions have to be made. I have to choose a college and buckle down. But even that is debatable. Yes, it’s the social norm to do that, but maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll take a year off, maybe I’ll go study theology or maybe I’ll end up at Texas A&M and realize I’m an Aggie at heart. I have no idea where I’ll be one year from now, and that’s fine with me.

Class changes life choices

Spain like the countryMolly Spain

Crazy Irish CatholicAlex McGinnis

iHate Technology

“I like being able to text my friends in the hallways. The classes that I’ve been in so far, the teachers talk the whole entire period, so I haven’t been able to use it in class that much.”

“I love it. I’m using it because in Street Law, they like to play ‘Stump the Crump’ and ask me all these questions and now I can sit there and say ‘I don’t know, you tell me, get out your thing and look it up.’”

“It makes everything more convenient. Obviously I like having it because I always have my phone, and most of my teachers let us text.”

Michael Bodine, 12Amanda Scandaliato, 11 Byron Crump,

Social StudiesMatthew Schmitz, 10


22 editorials

Questionable future for freshmen center project

With growing class sizes and around 1,000 freshmen this year, it is clear that Marcus needs either more space or less students. A bond was created in 2008 for a Marcus ninth grade center. Phase one is complete, meaning ground has been broken on Dixon Lane, but the district has said there is not enough money to continue. This is not fair to Marcus students and parents who have been patiently waiting their turn.

Other schools in LISD such as Hebron and Lewisville have already solved their overcrowding situations by creating ninth grade campuses. Lewisville’s tenth grade campus has recently been completed. If other campuses in the school district have been given the privilege of having a ninth grade center, Marcus deserves one as well.

Moving from middle school to high school with around 3,200 students can be an intimidating experience for freshmen. It’s easy for a ninth grader to feel lost in the crowd. Giving freshmen a year to become accustomed

to the pace of high school life will provide them with time to find their own niche whether it is a sport, art or club, while not feeling demoralized by the enormity of Marcus.

The freshman campus will have classes tailored to working at a ninth grade speed. In doing so, students at the campus will be able to start off their high school careers at a pace they are capable of handling. The first year of high school is critical to the academic foundation of students, so strong grades in the beginning will allow freshmen to go into the rest of their years at Marcus with a feeling of success.

Financial cutbacks are a part of our culture now, but Marcus deserves a freshman center. Parents should voice their opinions on this subject at upcoming board meetings. The next meeting is on Oct. 17 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at the Bolin Administrative Center in Lewisville. If enough opinions are voiced, the Marcus freshman center may become a priority once funds are available.

Texas budget cuts lead to bothersome class sizesMany students have noticed the dramatic

increase in class sizes throughout the state. A shortage of desks, a rise in disruptions from packed classrooms and disgruntled staff members and students are all caused by Texas public school budget cuts. Texas has one of the highest dropout rates in the country and its’ graduation rates rank 43 of the 50 states. By the government taking away $5 billion from the public school budget, they are also taking away a chance at success for many Texas students. When balancing the budget to try and aid

Texas’ most serious budget crisis ever earlier this year, the state decided to cut public school spending. These budget cuts can be seen in the layoff of thousands of teachers across the state. The school districts use most of their funds to pay the teacher’s salaries, which make up around 60 percent of the public school budget each year.

This decrease in educators will of course result in a shortage of course selection. Many of the dispensable extracurricular classes such as art and theater were dropped out of schools.

This prevents some students from finding a niche in high school and discovering a possible future of the arts.

The cuts have caused the amount of students per classroom to increase by up to 20 percent. That’s an extra five to six kids in every class, each vying for the attention of the lone teacher. It was already hard for the faculty to give equal notice to all students before the budget cuts, but now it seems nearly impossible. Marcus photography teacher, Kathy Toews’, classroom had increased to 37 students, which is around 13

more than usual. It’s hard to give each student an equal opportunity and attention when there are so many to compete with.

Texas governor Rick Perry is not doing a lot to help solve the budget crisis with schools. While he is out campaigning for the 2012 presidential election, Texas school districts are falling through the cracks of misfortune. He is clearly not qualified to run for president because he can barely handle to take care of the young Texans. Rick Perry should make the education of children a priority, before trying to

further his career.These contributing matters all

lead into the downfall of Texas education. The government is 100% responsible for the cramped quarters in the classrooms and for the factors leading up to this issue. The state of Texas needs to realize what they have done to our public school system. These are the most influential years of a young person’s life and by trying to “save” money, the government is putting the future of America in jeopardy. For without enough teachers and diversity in the classes offered in schools, our future is at risk. Voice your concerns to your local Texas state representative to let Rick Perry know that taking money away from students is not acceptable.

Courtney Clubb_

design | joe rau

the marquee | september 30, 2011

23

Calling up the geek squad Students dressed up in nerd chic for Battle of the Mound spirit week

Left: Seniors Emily Mansfield and Robin Richardson laugh as they admire each other’s geek attire.

Top Middle: Senior Cameron McMahen and Leah Walsh pop their suspenders in front of the reference section of the library.

Bottom Middle: Senior Alexis Balboni observes the globe in the library.

Right: Juniors Shannon Sandridge and Emily Preston smile as they enjoy reading.

photos | sarah sauer

24 photopage

Top Left: Senior Eddie Boswell dumps water on an unsuspecting teammate senior Trevor Brook after their victory against Frisco Wakeland on Sept. 2. The team won the tournament, 17-2. Brook was the last player to win his match in the tournament.

Bottom Left: Junior David Wittkower leaps into the air to slam an overhead to his opponents court. “Our team has a lot more experience this year and both sides are pulling their weight,” Wittkower said.

design | sydney sund september 30, 2011 | the marquee

Grand Slam

Middle Right: Senior captain Joseph Rau stops from his doubles match to wipe the sweat from his face. The team is currently ranked 15th in Texas 5A, the highest in team history, with star player junior Kyle Barnes leading the way. Barnes is currently ranked 15th in the state, and is number one on the varsity team ladder.

Middle Left: Senior captains Nic Record and Michelle Griffith are all smiles as they lead their team off the Marcus courts. The tennis team has pushed themselves all season to get where they are. Accorduing to Griffith “as a team, everyone worked really hard over the summer through individual training.”

Bottom Right: Brook does his final serve over the net that ultimately wins him the game. Brook is currently on the Varsity II team. Varsity II beat their district rival Flower Mound, 22-10 on Sept. 15.

photos | kathryn petrauskas

Tennis is ranked 15th in the state in their most illustrious season in team history

September 2011- In Need Of Change

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