download a PDF of this edition - My High School Journalism

May 2012
Volume 88, Issue 5
Senior Faves pg. 5
Summa Grads pg. 10
Class Officers pg. 13
2305 East Main Street
League City, TX 77573
Cavaliers present Spring Show, The Cavalier Times
By Ellen Gaudet
Editor-in-Chief
The pret- tiest girls this side of
the Creek, the Cavalier Dance Team,
presented their annual Spring Show
on May 3, 4 and 5. The long hours
and numerous late night rehearsals
all came down to three nights
of performances.
The theme this year was
The Cavalier Times, based on
newspaper headlines and using
actual papers from t h e
HiLife throughout the
opening dance choreography
and the entrance way
created by the Social Committee.
Each dance correlated
with a section of news, like
the 2012-2013 New-News’
dance to “It’s Raining Men” for
Weather and the Team Kick routine
to “Welcome to the Jungle”
for Travel.
Senior Lieutenant Kate Gallagher’s
impressive arabesque in Officer Jazz.
Photo by Sierra Kemper.
Act I showcased Senior Captain Natalie
Paul as she performed to “I Want to
Dance with Somebody,” showing off her
incredible flexibility and leaps in her last
solo of the season. Other highlights included
the Jazz Company’s powerful dance to
“Drumming Song” and the Social Committee’s
club-themed novelty dance, which
featured junior Lacey Lehrmann, SoCo
Chaplain, in a purple afro wig.
Emcees Michael Fontana (12th), Naseem
Husain (12th), Calvin Picou (12th),
and Mallory Sherer (11th) performed
s h o r t skits to introduce each
dance, bringing
comedy to
the stage while
the Cavaliers
q u i c k - c h a n g e d
into different costumes.
Husain managed
to incorporate wearing a
blonde wig and showing off his
body into the skits, and Fontana
and Picou dressed in Cavalier
uniforms multiple times to imitate
members of the dance team.
Sherer was almost a perfect looka-like
for Captain Paul.
Act II opened with a tap
number to “Footloose,” and the
Officer Lyrical dance to “Turning
Page” wowed the audience as
they performed tricks on top of a
moving carousel. Senior Lieutenant
Kate Gallagher flaunted her extraordinary
leg extension, and officers
Alysha Archuleta (12th), Casey Dervay
(11th), and Hanna Cardinal (11th) showed
off their aerials.
Guests to the stage included the “Cavahunks,”
or senior guys chosen as partners
by the senior members of the dance
team, who performed a Sports themed
dance, which included a kick line, the
Dougie, and Swing dancing. The team
members’ dads also danced to a mix of Michael
Jackson
songs.
The seniorCavaliers
were
highlighted
t h r o u g h o u t
the show, especially
in the
Senior Hip
Hop dance,
where a special
trick with
their sweatshirts
made
the dance the
most memorable.
A slideshow
allowed
the audience
to see the 18 seniors
progress
from New-News
to their last year in pictures, and the Senior
Lyrical dance to “I Am Not Going to Cry”
definitely brought tears from the dancers
and the audience.
The senior members of the
dance team treat
S p r i n g
Show as
t h e i r last goodbye to
t h e school, and when
they hit their last split
jump in the Finale on
Satur- day evening,
t h e y ended their
careers as Cavaliers.
T h e CCHS Cheerleaders,
display- ing their tumbling and
partnering skills, and Color Guard,
twirling flags and guns impressively,
also performed
in the
Spring Show.
Now that
the last show of
the year is over,
the Cavaliers
are preparing to elect new Social Committee
members and Officers for the 2012-
2013 season.
More than Panem is raving about The Hunger Games
By Jacob Mancini
Editor-in-Chief
At midnight on Friday, March 23, fans
of Suzanne Collins’ blockbuster novel
gathered to see “The Hunger Games.”
The odds were ever in the film’s favor
during its opening weekend as it reaped
$152.5 million in box offices, ranking itself
the third-bestselling movie debut of
all time only behind “Harry Potter and the
Deathly Hallows Part 2” and “The Dark
Knight.”
Collins’ book trilogy begins with “The
Hunger Games,” a dystopian story of suffering,
loyalty, love, and fighting to stay
alive. The movie puts its pages on the silver
screen in a 142-minute survival-drama
that holds fast to the true storyline almost
seamlessly.
Trivial details of the film differed from
Collins’ writing, such as the absence of the
character Madge, the Governor’s daughter
who gave Katniss her mockingjay pin, and
scenes dedicated to the Gamemakers’ side
of the story, a perspective never introduced
in the novels.
In the beginning of “The Hunger
Games,” the choreography is unique in that
shots are usually zoomed in and not held
steady. People’s faces often completely fill
the frame, allowing the audience to feel
uncomfortable, even anxious, as is appropriate
for the reaping day scene when this
takes place.
Those who may find the initial camera
direction annoying or distracting would be
relieved as it becomes normal as the plot
proceeds.
Another point of critique for the movie
is that the story seemed rushed to an end.
Entire scenes from the book were left out
of the story in the final minutes of the film,
some of which being tense, emotionally-
Seniors Alysha Archuleta and Cal Moore
dancing in the “Cavahunks” dance.
Photo by Sierra Kemper.
charged encounters between the main characters
that fans wanted to see.
The movie depicts well Katniss’ heart
being torn between what she is expected to
do and what she must do, but that strain
fails to permeate Katniss’ feelings for Gale
and Peeta in the movie. The love crisis that
Photo by Murray Close, courtesy of Lions Gate Entertainment.
draws people into the story never quite
made it off the pages of the novel as the
movie Katniss did not strike me as in love.
Despite the inevitable shortcomings
of the book-inspired movie, it was any-
Senior Captain Natalie
Paul dancing in her
solo to “I Want to
Dance with Somebody.”
Photo by Sierra
Kemper.
thing but a disappointment in my opinion.
The action was clean, suppressed to fit the
movie’s PG-13 rating, but not boring. The
character casting was accurate to what I
thought they should look like from reading
the story, even though particularly attractive
people played roles of supposedly
ordinary characters.
Hands down, the book was better than
the movie. My favorite part about the book
is the last sentence of each chapter. I usually
would find myself rereading the cliffhanger
at the end of the chapter three times
out of sheer excitement.
Diehard fans have named themselves
“tributes” in matching the titles of those
selected to compete in the Games. With the
help of Hot Topic, an American retail chain
that sold Hunger Games clothing, accessories,
and even mockingjay pins, fans came
to theaters sporting everything from Team
Peeta shirts to wigs that would make Effie
blush.
Some critics say that the Hunger Games
trilogy has become so popular because people
need something new to devour after the
Harry Potter and Twilight series’ have faded
out. Regardless, “The Hunger Games”
the movie made box-office history and was
a worthy production of a good story.

2 Opinion
SENIORS:
“I plan to go to
college and get
an interior design
degree.”
Christine Avril
“I’m going to China for a
year to teach English and
then to Louisiana State
University.”
Dakota Sinks
“I plan to attend Texas
A&M and earn a BS in
Petroleum Engineering.”
Michael Manriquez
“Going to Texas Tech
University to get a
degree in Nursing to
help those in need.”
Shelby Surface
“I plan on attending
college and eventually
getting a doctorate in
Physics.”
Chris Gremillion
“Going to Blinn College
to play football, and then
transfer to a great football
program.”
Marcus Nelson
“I will be attending
Abilene Christian
University to become
a choir director.”
Jaclyn Hurt
“I enlisted in the United
States Marine Corps, as
an infantry man. I will be
protecting your right to
say stupid stuff.”
Thomas Trusky
“I am going to nursing
school at the University
of St. Thomas.”
Gabby Rabosa
“I’m going to
become an actress
and marry rich!”
Rachel Ayinbode
What are your plans after
graduating from Creek?
“Go to college to study
forensics so I can be like
the people on CSI.”
Angelica Dickey
“I am going to College
of the Mainland to get
my basics out of the way,
then hopefully I will be at
Sam Houston State.”
Kathryn Rose
“Going to the University
of Texas so I can become
a dentist to make
people pretty.”
Lauren Figge
“I’m going to the
American Academy
of Dramatic Arts to
study acting.”
Calvin Picou
“Cheering at the University
of Texas- Tyler and then
transferring to UT Austin
in fall 2013.”
Halie Williams
2011 -2012
HiLife Staff
Principal: Scott Bockart
Advisor: Wynette Jameson
Executive Editor: Jan O’Neil
Editors-in-Chief: Ashley Farmer
Ellen Gaudet
Jacob Mancini
Around Creek Editor: Hannah Brinsko
Features Editor: Madison Williams
Get Involved Editor: Valerie Hellinghausen
News Editor: Stephanie Johnson
Photo Editors: Jacob Arredondo
Madison Williams
Sports Editor: Jacob Arredondo
Teen Interest Editor: Madison Borowitz
Advertising Manager: Clarissa Melendez
Staff:
Arlen Addison
Greg Brotzman
Dane Chronister
Rachel Duncavage
“Going to college so I
may acquire currency
and go on adventures
and such.”
James Zaro
“I plan to attend Sam
Houston State University
to become a teacher.”
Michelle Harris
Dylan Hill
Sierra Kemper
Kristina Koonce
Clarissa Melendez
Christal Scarbrough
Aimee Sierra
Halle Scott
Tedy Warren
Gina Wiley
Published at Mirror Publishers in Texas City, TX
Email us at: creekhilife@gmail.com
Visit us at: http://clearcreekhighschool.ihigh.com
View our online papers at: www.issuu.com/creekhilife
For ad rates call: (281)284-1889 Fax: (281)332-9079
Scan this QR code
with your smartphone
to access our
online website!
“Going to cheer
at Texas Christian
University! GO
FROGS!”
Sydney Mitchell
“I’m going to Fordham
University in New York
City and majoring in
Computer Science.”
Juan Soto

By Jacob Mancini
Editor-in-Chief
Today, our culture is set up so
that everybody gets to be safe. Not
safe from danger or harm, but safe
from risk and the reward on the other
side; safe from crossing the line;
safe from trying challenges and trying
at all.
I think that this kind of safety
is rooted in complacency. The attitude
of our culture is this: “For
heaven’s sake, do not do anything
unless you have to!” As long as
we are safe, we are comfortable.
As long as we are comfortable, we
need not do anything outside of our
ever-shrinking comfort zone. Without
us even knowing, the trends of
safety and stagnancy can settle into
laziness.
It is no secret that our generation
is often characterized by our lack of
motivation and initiative. The problem
is that we are not fazed by that
stereotype. We seem to accept our
fate as individuals who could care
less because we are safe where we
are. But nobody remembers those
individuals. Safe people leave no
legacy. And when I think about
graduating in a couple of weeks,
when I think about how I will be remembered,
I want to do something
dangerous.
You cannot begin to be less lazy
until you are okay with sacrificing
some safety. Taking initiative
means that you might fall. Giving
everything that you have to give
means that you cannot worry about
what people think.
When you combat laziness in
your life, you enter into rebellion.
You are refusing to adhere to the
safe, cruise-control setting of life,
and others will notice. It’s uphill
from there, but at the top is the
mountain.
Of all of the areas in our lives
where we are sheltered, where we
get lazy, the one that strikes me the
strongest is what we do with what
Editorial
Jacob’s
Jumbles
“Life’s most persistent
and urgent question is,
‘What are you doing
for others?’”
-Martin Luther
King, Jr.
we believe.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ,
and I have to ask myself, what are
Christians of today left with if they
comply with the standards around
them? I would say many Christians
have fallen into ruts of crippling
fear, numb complacency, hearts
hardened toward people, and unfit,
lax spirits.
The God of these believers is literally
described as an all-consuming
fire. Why do they not burn? I think
it is because they are too safe. They
are doing nothing more than what is
expected of them in the context of
today’s culture.
As long as Christians settle for
safety, they will not surge. The God
who flooded the Earth is not safe.
The God who was crucified is not
safe. The God who looks us in the
eyes and says, “Follow me,” is
not safe. As C.S. Lewis says about
Aslan, “He’s not safe, but he’s
good.”
No matter what you believe, believe
it zealously. Would someone
who watched you know what you
stand for? You can tell people what
you believe from the couch, but you
cannot make them remember you
unless you do something. Do something
they have never seen before.
People might think that you are
crazy for it, or they might want to
shed some of their safety for what
you have.
Open your eyes today and meet
a need for someone. Think about the
last time your heart was beating out
of your chest because of how you
changed someone’s life. It sounds
harder than it is. Step over the lines
of low expectations that were drawn
to hold you back. It’s not safe, but
it’s so good.
Trust me, high school goes by
fast. The bell rings a couple thousand
times and then you move on.
But wouldn’t it be something if all
of us did more than just move on?
Let’s leave something behind.
By Ashley Farmer
Editor-in-Chief
My best friend is a cute little
blue-eyed blonde. She loves to color,
give me makeovers, and drag her
stuffed animals around the house
pretending they are real pets. She is
my little sister.
I tuck her into bed every night
and help her pick out her clothes in
the morning. I go to all of her gymnastics
competitions and dance recitals
and help her read her “Fancy
Nancy” books. My relationship
with my sister has a big part in defining
who I am. It controls my daily
schedule, sometimes in minute
ways, and it shapes the way I think.
The other night she crawled into
bed and I pulled up the covers. She
looked at me with her eyebrows furrowed
and the corners of her mouth
turned down, and I thought “Oh
no... here comes the pouting.”
Instead, she said, “Ashley, who
is going to tuck me in when you
go to college?” I had to fight back
tears. I gave her a big hug and kiss
and told her not to worry. She had
Mom and Dad, and I would come
home on holidays and during the
summer. She smiled very trustingly
and her little eyes fluttered. I turned
on her fan and closed the door. As
I walked back to my room, I could
hear my brother mumbling in his
sleep. Mom and Dad were downstairs
discussing whether or not our
dentist was on our insurance. It was
a typical scene in the Farmer household,
but something about it moved
me deeply.
As excited as most of the seniors,
including myself, are about
going off to college, I think it is still
a surreal idea in our minds. Some of
us have spent 18 years in the same
home. Most of us have spent 18
years with the same people. We understand
the dynamic of our families
and we have grown accustomed
to our schedules, routines, and ways
of living, without even realizing it.
3
Ashley’s
Anthologies
“Home is a place
you grow up wanting
to leave, and grow old
wanting to get back to.”
-John Ed Pearce
We know what school is going to be
like each day, we know who is going
to be home when we get there,
we know what kind of food we will
have in the fridge and whether or
not we need to do the laundry. The
nuances of our everyday lives have
been engraved in our minds, but
one day in mid-August, all of that is
going to change. We will have the
opportunity to make our lives whatever
we choose
“I don’t think anyone at 18
knows the breadth of opportunities
there are for living on this planet…
College will be fun! It’s mostly what
you make of it. Seek out groups and
clubs you want to be a part of. Travel
abroad. Take classes just because
they sound interesting (even if they
won’t apply to your major). Good
luck to everyone,” said Nate Malinoski,
my HOBY World Leadership
conference small group leader,
as he packed his bags in preparation
for his summer backpacking trips
and permaculture volunteer work.
My personal task for college
next year and throughout the rest of
my life is to maintain my grasp on
reality. I have plans and dreams and
part of me still lives in the world
where doing what Mommy says
leads to success. I have to remember
that success does not come that
easily. It will not always be fun and
it will not always work out the way
I am expecting.
Every new college student will
face the task of finding a balance
between “work” and “play.” We
will get new experiences and be
forced to take an active role in the
wide world. We will be introduced
to the world of finance as we write
out absurdly large checks for tuition
and sign our souls off to the banks
for student loans. The role of spectator
will no longer be an option for
us. Each person that leaves their
home will learn and grow in similar
ways, while struggling to discover
their individuality.

4 Diversions
-----Senior class favorites 2012-----
Congratulations to the
2012 Senior Class
Favorites, who were
voted on by their peers
and recognized at Prom!

Ad
5

6
By Dane Chronister
Reporter
Clear Creek’s Theater Department
performed their annual UIL One
Act Play to compete against other
schools.
Each of the other schools
in this UIL competition were
expected to perform a play that
lasted no longer than 45 minutes.
The schools were given several
weeks to practice and rehearse
their plays in order to compete for
the gold in the trophy ceremony.
Schools all throughout the
district participate each year.
Some of the schools had rehearsal
almost everyday after school and
they created their own costumes
and set pieces for the shows.
It truly takes a determined
team to come together and put
as much effort into such a competition.
Our school happens to encompass many of
these determined, young actors who yearly
compete.
“We prepared for the UIL competition
by going to clinics, rehearsing almost every
night and keeping everyone focused; from
warming up, to finishing a run through of
the show. We take every part of the show
seriously, but we do have fun and enjoy
it every year,” said Carina Monteleone
(12th).
The Theater Department performed
“The Elephant Man” for this year’s
Theater UIL Competition. The play is
Around Creek
Theatre performs The Elephant Man
By Hannah Brinsko
Around Creek Editor
For over fifty new members, their hard
work in Spanish class was recognized as
they were inducted to the National Spanish
Honor Society Thursday April 19. All
inducted members have completed at least
two years of Spanish, and are in tenth grade
or higher.
The induction started with an
introduction from the association sponsor,
Gloria Velazquez, the Languages Other
Than English Department Chair. The
Treasurer of the society, junior Alex
Bercich, introduced the guest speaker
a story about the life of Joseph Merrick,
a tragically deformed yet charming and
intelligent Englishman who was thought
to be suffering from elephantiasis, a
Calvin Picou, Nathan Heims, and Michael Fontana performing in The Elephant Man.
Photo by Den Yearbook staff.
tropical disease caused by parasites in the
bloodstream.
In reality, it was suggested in 1979
that Merrick had Proteus syndrome, or
“Elephant Man’s Disease,” which causes
abnormal, unchecked growth of bones,
skin, and other systems. Fewer than 100
cases of Proteus have been recorded,
while neurofibromatosis occurs in one in
every 4,000 births. No condition has ever
produced a degree of deformity equivalent
to Merrick’s.
The cast included Nathaniel Heims
(12th), Naseem Husain (12th), Nicholas
Sandoval (12th), Calvin Picou (12th),
Austin Gaona (12th), Jacob Bradley (11th),
Kara Watson (11th), Nicole Nelson (11th),
Kelsey Harlan (11th), Michael Fontana
(12th), Alex Aguirre (12th), Karen Rush
(12th), Lauren Musgrove (12th),
and Rachel Petitti (11th).
The crew and alternates
consisted of Mikayla Ford (11th),
Alexis Chudleigh (11th), Ashley
Haas (11th), Luke Cooley (11th),
and Savannah Beatty (11th).
“I am extremely excited to
start competing because I feel
like we have a chance to go to
state and I want to see how we
match up to the other schools.
It’s my senior year, so I want to
go all the way and make a great
thing of it,” said Picou.
The Theater Department
did exceptionally well and
ended their journey in the
second round of the district
competition. The cast and crew received
numerous awards, such as, Best Actor:
Picou, Best Actress: Musgrove, and Allstar
Cast.
“Because of my experience, I will
remember the people involved the most
and how we all enjoyed hanging out with
each other and learning from Mrs. Forbes
and Mr. Hewlit,” said Fontana. “They
have taught me to never take anything for
granted. That each time you step on stage,
it could be your last show, so live it up, act
your heart out, and perform to the best of
your abilities.”
Spanish National Honor Society inducts members
for the evening Dr. Torrez, the Assistant
Superintendent in charge of secondary
education. Torrez congratulated the
inductees in Spanish for their hard work
leading up to their membership in Spanish
Honor society. He told the students that the
most important lesson we learn is not one
of math or science, but the general lesson
of how to learn. Knowing how to learn
and adapt to changes quickly, he said, will
be critical for students as they enter the
workplace. Torrez also commented on the
importance of knowing other languages in
the increasingly global economy.
“I speak at several inductions and
award ceremonies each spring. It’s part of
my job, but I never view it as something I
have to do. It brings me joy to see to see
students achieving,” said Torrez, who grew
up speaking Spanish and English.
The officers lit a candle, known as
the madre vela or mother candle. Each
new member was given a smaller personal
candle they lit from the mother candle, and
also received a certificate and a rose. The
ceremony was then followed by a brief
induction with refreshments.
“This was the best induction yet. We
have a great group of officers this year, the
are very self-motivated, and did a great job
leading the society this year and speaking
and planning the induction,” said Senora
End of the
Year Events
AP Testing
May 7-17
EOC Exams for Freshmen
May 8-10
Choir Pop Show
May 10-12
Mother’s Day
May 13
Blood Drive
May 18
Improv Troupe Performance
May 19
Senior Awards Night
May 23
Orchestra Performance
May 24
Student Holiday
May 28
Final Exams (Seniors)
May 23, 24, 25, 29
Final Exams (9th, 10th, 11th)
May 30- June 1
Graduation
May 31
Creek Choir presents annual spring Pop Show
By Ellen Gaudet
Editor-in-Chief
On the weekend of May 10-12, Creek’s
choir program presented its annual Pop
Show, “We’ve Got a Show for You.”
Choir members auditioned weeks
before the show, and with the guidance of
Dr. Kyle Pullen and Mr. Matt Coffey, they
perfected solos and group numbers for
their audiences.
The show opened with Anna Rigby
(12th) and Devan Meaney (11th) singing
a duet to “Let ‘Er Rip” by the Dixie
Chicks, starting the performance off with
a fun number. Meaney later belted Carrie
Underwood’s hit “Good Girl” on Thursday
and Saturday nights, while Kate Gibbons
(11th) sang the same song on Friday night.
The Chamber singers performed
“Mambo Italiano,” dancing to choreography
created by Rigby.
The senior members of the choir really
stood out this
year. Lucy
C a l h o u n
( 1 2 t h )
brought out
her inner
A r e t h a
F r a n k l i n ,
s i n g i n g
“Something’s
Got a Hold
on Me,” and
Bobby Hewitt
(12th) seemed
to have the
most fun on
stage singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of
You” by Frankie Valli.
Gusti Escalante (12th) was a hit on all
three nights with his banjo playing in his
solo, “I’ll Fly Away” by Albert Brumley.
Devan Meaney, Sydney Stewart, and Lucy Calhoun
performing “Think” by Aretha Franklin.
Photo by Aimee Sierra.
Escalante also performed a fantastic duet
with Rigby,
channeling the
personalities
of Johnny
and June
Cash, singing
“Jackson.”
T h e
audience was
moved to tears
as the senior
m e m b e r s
of the choir
p e r f o r m e d
“ C o m e
Follow Me,”
and during the sentimental “Where No
One Stands Alone,” arranged by Milton
Pullen, where choir alumni could also join
the singing on stage.
Lauren Matthews (9th) brought a lot
of emotion to the stage as she sang “Bridge
Over Troubled Water,” and Rigby brought
the show to a close singing the Leona
Lewis ballad “Footprints in the Sand.”
The group choral numbers were great
as well this year, with “Ain’t No Mountain
High Enough,” “What a Wonderful World,”
and “Music Down in My Soul,” which
especially showcased the soprano section
as they held an almost unbelievably high
note for a while.
Now that the performances have
ended, the choir is looking forward to its
annual banquet and next year’s performing
season. This is also the choir’s last year to
have a Pullen family member as a director,
which means a bittersweet goodbye, as
Dr. Pullen will be directing the choir of
Oklahoma State University next year.
Wharton, one of the teachers that sponsors
the society.
The National Spanish Honor Society
volunteers through Creek to Creek, a
program where intermediate Spanish
classes at Clear Creek Intermediate receive
tutoring from high school students. At
graduation, seniors receive cords or stoles
for their participation in the society.
“I’ve been looking forward to joining
the National Spanish Honor Society ever
since I came to Creek,” said sophomore
Janella Clary. “I saw my older sister get
inducted last year and now it’s my turn.
Next year I’m really excited to join into all
the programs that the society offers.”

Around Creek
Creek Bands take trip to
Branson, Missouri
By Valerie Hellinghausen
Get Involved Editor
After months of rehearsals, after-school
sectionals, and individual playing tests, the
Clear Creek Bands enjoyed a five-day out
of state trip to Branson, Missouri after a
successful UIL performance at Pearland
High School.
On April 10 and 11, the Symphonic and
Wind ensemble traveled to Pearland High
School to compete in the UIL Concert &
Sight-Reading Contest. There, the two
ensembles performed a concert and sightread
through a piece of music according to
their division before two separate panels
of judges. The Wind ensemble received
sweepstakes for their performance at this
contest with straight ones in the concert
portion.
“You just have to play the game. You
guys are really good at turning it on when
you need to. I’ve always said that I don’t
care what three judges or a score has to
say, and I think if you go out there and just
remember all of the things we go over in
class this could be really great,” said Mr.
Meyer to the Wind ensemble in class the
day before their contest performance.
After their UIL performance, the band
left early the next morning for Branson,
Missouri. On the trip, the band opened
for two Branson Live! Shows, including
an acrobatic show by the New Shanghai
Circus and a magic show by Kirby
VanBurch. Branson Live! hosted a clinic
for both the Symphonic and Wind ensemble
bands prior to their performances and later
awarded a trophy to each ensemble for
their outstanding performances.
However, the band trip also gave
students a break from their instruments
and a chance to experience and explore
Branson. After a 12-hour long bus ride
from League City on their first day,
the band toured the city of Branson the
following morning in amphibious vehicles
from WWII on Branson’s very own Ride
the Ducks tour. The band also got to tour
the Titanic museum the day before the
100 th anniversary of the ship’s sinking. At
this museum, students were each assigned
a different passenger who traveled on
the ship, experienced a lifeboat drill, and
toured replicated rooms filled with various
artifacts from the ship. The band also got
the chance to battle it out in go-karts on
three different tracks at the Racetrack after
an IMAX film on the Ozarks and shopping
at Branson Landing. On their final day
in Branson, the band enjoyed a day at
Silver Dollar City, an amusement park in
Branson, as well as a live performance at
the Dixie Stampede filled with comedic
performances, horsemanship, and music.
“It’s all coming down to the wire
now. There’s been a lot of talk, and from
what people are saying about those in our
district and in our area, it’s really between
Creek and Lake for Honor Band this year,”
said Meyer.
Now that their five-day trip filled
with fun, laughs, and music, the band will
continue refining their concert line up for
recording sessions and other performances
as well as preparing for next marching
season.
The Wind Ensemble performed at
the Moore School of Music at University
of Houston on May 4. On the following
Saturday, May 5, the band hosted an
electronic recycling day to help raise funds
for the band. All of the band ensembles and
several senior soloists will perform at the
final spring concert on May 22.
7

8
By Kristina Koonce
Reporter
Stranded on a snowy mountain road in
Montana for four days, David Weatherly, a
42-year-old postal employee, depended on
God, a rationed supply of beef jerky, and
the popular video game, “Angry Birds,”
to maintain his sanity and to stay alive.
Weatherly was in his 4WD vehicle
on the back road in the Lewis and Clark
National Forest taking pictures of the
scenery and wildlife when he became
stuck in the snow. He had no cell phone
reception and knew that no one would
be brave enough to travel the back road
during the winter storm. He quickly took
stock of what he had, which was only a
pouch of beef jerky, some water and coffee.
Recalling stories from others that had
been stranded and made it out alive, he
decided to use their strategies to help him.
“I’d seen stories of how people
had basically been able to survive
off that and I figured if they could
do it, so could I,” Weatherly said.
He created a routine too, starting
with a 45-minute nap. When the alarm
on his phone would wake him up, he
would run the heater for 15 minutes.
While the heater was on, Weatherly would
nibble on small pieces of beef jerky.
After snacking, he turned on a Christian
radio station while playing “Angry Birds.”
After the 15 minutes was up, he turned the
News
Angry Birds game helps to maintain a man’s sanity
Citizens throughout the Dallas- Fort
Worth area had to duck and cover on
Tuesday, April 3, as a dozen tornadoes
ripped through the area, damaging
thousands of buildings and forcing the
cancellation of hundreds of flights.
The 6.3 million area residents
scrambled for shelter as the storm
came through. There were no deaths
in the aftermath of the storms, which
has surprised some specialists because
of the high population density of
the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area,
the fourth most populated U.S.
metropolitan area. However, seven
injuries were reported in nearby
Arlington and another ten in Lancaster.
Two of those were considered severe
injuries.
According to Jud Ladd, Chief of
Operational Services at the Weather
Service regional headquarters in Fort
Worth, the tornadoes left “three major
pockets of damage” in the Lancaster
area south of Dallas, the Kennedale-
Arlington area, and in Forney.
Over 400 flights were cancelled
the day of the storm at the Dallas-
Fort Worth airport, the eighth busiest
airport in the world. An additional 40
flights were diverted from the airport. As a
result, over 1,400 people slept in the airport
terminals while others were directed to
nearby hotels.
During the storm, passengers were
moved to stairwells and restrooms within
the airport in an effort to avoid windows.
The Red Cross estimated that about 400
homes were destroyed due to the storms.
car back off to conserve energy, put the
beef jerky and game away and went back
to sleep for another 45 minutes. When
his alarm went off, he repeated the steps.
“I’d wake up and start it again.
I played “Angry Birds” on the
phone to stay lucid,” Weatherly said.
Since he had his car charger with
him, he did not even have to worry
about the phone battery dying on him.
Between the radio station and
“Angry Birds,” he was able to
effectively pass the time, but there
was a point when Weatherly started to
question if he would make it out alive.
“At one point, late Sunday night or
Monday night, I wrote out a will just in
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram interviewed
the Blackshear family, one of the hundreds
that lost their home to the tornadoes.
“I put my blood, sweat and tears
into this house,” Ben Blackshear said. “I
case,” Weatherly said. “Those moments
passed. Not quickly, but they passed.”
On Wednesday, three days after
questioning if he would make it out alive,
the weather cleared up. He took this weather
change as a sign and began to walk around.
“God told me to get off my butt and get
my feet moving,” Weatherly said. “I didn’t
even think about it. I knew I had to get going.”
He started to walk and kept walking
for seven miles. At the sixth mile, he
finally made his way out of the wilderness
near the Gibson Reservoir where a local
worker took him into his home and gave
him a bowl of soup. Weatherly survived
the experience without any serious trauma.
Tornadoes devastate the Dallas-Fort Worth locality
By Hannah Brinsko
Around Creek Editor
By Arlen Addison
Reporter
43 years ago, the world watched
as Apollo 11, man’s first mission to
the moon, ascended upward into the
atmosphere, powered by the mighty
Saturn V rocket. Only minutes after
its launch, it separated and dropped
into the Atlantic Ocean, left to sink
to the bottom. Now, more than four
decades later, the rocket has been found.
A year ago, Jeff Bezos, billionaire
and founder of Amazon.com, launched
a team to find the Saturn V rocket.
“A year or so ago, I started to wonder,
with the right team of undersea pros, could
we find and potentially recover the F-1
engines that started mankind’s mission to
the moon?” Bezos wrote in a statement on
his BezosExpedition.com. “I’m excited to
report that, using state-of-the-art deep sea
sonar, the team has found the Apollo 11
Damage from a severe storm appears in Lancaster, Texas, southern Dallas County, Tuesday, April 3, 2012. Students,
public officials and shoppers across the Dallas-Fort Worth area took cover as large tornadoes touched ground, part
of a huge complex of storms that was wreaking havoc across North Texas.
(Ron Ennis/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)
engines lying 14,000 feet below the surface,
and we’re making plans to attempt to raise
one or more of them from the ocean floor.”
Bezos’ team has found the rocket,
but having only seen the engines by
sonar, they do not yet know what condition
they are in. The engines separated at
an altitude of about 68 miles, and fell back
to hit the ocean at high velocity, then sat
in salt water for 40 years. They could still
be intact, but only a dive to them will tell.
Even today, 40 years later, the Saturn
V Rocket remains the most powerful
rocket ever built. It uses a base cluster
of five 12.2 foot wide and 18.5 foot tall
F-1 engines, each capable of generating
1.5 million pounds of thrust, and about
32 million horsepower by burning
three tons of rocket fuel every second.
If the F-1 engines are raised, it would
not be the first time that a Space Race
artifact has been recovered from the ocean
bottom. In 1951, Gus Grissom’s Mercury
capsule, Liberty Bell 7, sank after landing
in the Atlantic Ocean due to a premature
hatch opening, but was raised in 1999 and
is currently being toured around the U.S.
If any of the F-1 engines can
be recovered from the ocean floor,
Bezos will turn them over to NASA
to be put on permanent display.
“Though they’ve been on the ocean
floor for a long time, the engines remain
the property of NASA. If we are able to
recover one of these F-1 engines that
started mankind on its first journey to
another heavenly body, I imagine NASA
would decide to make it available to
the Smithsonian for all to see,” Bezos
wrote. “If we’re able to raise more than
one engine, I’ve asked NASA if they
would consider making it available to the
excellent Museum of Flight in Seattle.”
Today only three Saturn V rockets
remodeled everything. It took me 15 years,
and it was gone in 15 seconds. Oh my
God.”
The night following the storm, over
150 residents of Lancaster stayed in a
shelter.
Governor Rick Perry toured the
damaged areas two days after the
storms, promising to get both state
and federal aid to hasten the recovery
efforts. Currently, many private
businesses are donating to relief
efforts, including the Legacy Group
of Security National Mortgage,
Albertsons, Kroger, Wells Fargo,
and the Texas Rangers Baseball
Foundation.
The effect of the north Texas
storms was felt all the way to
Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and
Oklahoma, as over 22,000 homes
and business did not have power
Wednesday morning following the
series of tornadoes. New Orleans
received heavy rain as the storms
moved east, flooding many city
streets. Forecasters predicted over six
inches of rain for the city, along with
a flash flood watch.
This year’s tornado season has
already taken the lives of 57 people.
This has some concerned that this
year’s tornado season may be a repeat of
2011, which was the deadliest year for
tornados in almost a century, causing over
550 deaths.
NASA Saturn V rocket engines could be recovered
remain. Two are made from flight, test,
and replica pieces; one at the Kennedy
Center in Florida and one at the Space
and Rocket Center in Alabama. Only
the third at the Johnson Space Center
in Houston is assembled entirely
from leftover flight capable hardware.
Bezos said he was only 5 years old
when he watched as Apollo 11 carried
mankind to the moon for the first time.
“NASA is one of the few institutions
I know that can inspire five-year-olds.
It sure inspired me, and with endeavor,
maybe we can inspire a few more youth
to invent and explore,” said Bezos.
Raising the Saturn V rocket is only
one of many of Bezos’ space theme
projects. He has also created, with some
funding from NASA, his own private
spaceflight company, Blue Origin,
currently developing a spacecraft capable
of ferrying people to and from orbit.

By Valerie Hellinghausen
Get Involved Editor
On April 1, 2012 Myanmar opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other
members of her party, the National
League for Democracy (NLD), earned 43
parliament seats. After traveling across the
nation to rally support for the 2012 byelections,
Suu Kyi and her party now look
to reposition Myanmar (Burma) toward
democracy.
Due to recent parliamentarian
promotions, 44 out of the total 664 were
opened in the lower house of Myanmar’s
parliament. Suu Kyi and other members
were given the chance to run for these
44 seats for the first time in a multiparty
election since the junta readily ignored the
results of a landslide victory for the NLD
in the 1990 election.
On April 3, Myanmar officials
confirmed that the NLD had won 43 of
the seats contested, leaving the last seat
to the Shan party, and none of the seats
to Myanmar’s ruling military party, the
Union Solidarity and Development Party
(USDP).
“This election is an important step in
Burma’s democratic transformation, and we
hope it is an indication that the government
of Burma intends to continue along the
News 9
Absolute majority decided French election May 6
By Jacob Arredondo
Sports Editor
In America, November 6th is Election
Day, a day that will change the United
States in whatever way the people choose.
In France however, May 6 was the day
where they chose their new president,
Francois Hollande.
The French people have let their voices
be heard. In the first round of voting the
incumbent, Ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy,
lost to the Socialist front-runner Hollande.
Hollande led Sarkozy 28.6 percent to
Sarkozy’s 27.1 percent, with 98 percent
of the votes counted for. By French Law,
the president must be decided by absolute
majority. Because the margin of victory
was not large enough, a run-off was held on
May 6 to decide the President of France.
There were three more hopeful
candidates to take over as president, but
they did not get close enough to be in the
run-off. Marine Le Pen was the only female
in the race and was backed by the National
Front, a conservative party. She garnered
18.1 percent of the vote, the most votes for
Just weeks after the 100th By Arlen Addison
Reporter
anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking, an
Australian mining billionaire, Clime
Palmer, announced that he will build
an exact replica of the ill-fated ship.
Palmer, one of the richest men in
Australia, is the head of a large mining
tycoon. He announced on May 1 that he had
commissioned Chinese state-owned CSC
Jingling Shipyard to construct the Titanic II.
The ship will be built using the
original blueprint and have the same
dimensions has the original ship, 885 ½
feet long with nine decks, 840 rooms, four
smokestacks, swimming pools, libraries,
gymnasiums, and a high class restaurant.
It will be “as luxurious as the
the National Front
party since 1988.
Jean-Luc Melenchon
and Francois Bayrou,
both on the left side of
the political spectrum,
accounted for 11.1
and 9.1 percent of the
vote respectively.
On May 3,
Sarkozy and Hollande
had a debate to sway
the minds of the other
28.3 percent of the
people who would
have the say of who
will be the next leader
of France. The loss in
the first round was a
first for an incumbent
president in the
modern history of
France and was
the beginning
of the end for
Sarkozy.
Winner of the Socialist Party (PS) 2011 primary vote for France’s 2012
presidential Francois Hollande speaks to supporters at the Socialist party
headquarters, rue de Solferino in Paris, France on October 16, 2011.
(Revelli-Beaumont-Chamussy/Pool/Abaca Press/MCT)
original Titanic,” but with a few
added “state-of-the-art 21st-century
technology and the latest navigation and
safety systems,” according to Palmer.
When asked if the ship could
possibly sink, Palmer replied, “Of
course it will sink if you put a hole in
it.” To reassure reporters, he added, “It
is going to be designed so it won’t sink.”
And just in case it does encounter any
trouble at sea, the ship will be equipped with
enough life boats for all passengers and
crew, unlike the original Titanic. It only had
lifeboats for less than half the people, which
was responsible for the deaths of 1,514 men,
women, and children on April 15, 1912.
The Titanic II will also have diesel
engines in comparison to the original
Titanic’s coal powered engines. Palmer
Burma strides toward a democratic transformation
path of greater openness, transparency, and
reform,” the White House statement on
April 2 said.
While more than 80 percent of the
legislature’s seats are still held by members
of the USDP, the confirmed results gives
Suu Kyi and her party a notable presence
in parliament.
Despite their victory,
Suu Kyi and other
NLD members
have delayed
their entrance into
parliament due to
an issue over the
swearing-in oath.
The NLD has
asked authorities to
alter the wording of
this oath to say that
parliament members
will “abide by” the
constitution rather
than “protect” it.
Ohn Kyaing, a
NLD spokesman,
explained in a CNN
report that the NLD
The high
voter turnout
of the National
Front should
have been a good
thing for Sarkozy
and his rightleaning
Union
for a Popular
M o v e m e n t
party, but the
a n t i - S a r k o z y
movement has
been firing from
all cylinders from
both left and
right.
Hollande had
plans to reach out
to the National
Front voters, even
though it would
be difficult
c o m i n g
from a
t o t a l l y
plans to keep the smoke stack, which
will only be for show. Other changes
include welding rather than riveting in
construction, a larger rudder and bow
thrusters for greater maneuverability, and a
more rounded bow for great fuel efficiency.
“Many people have attempted to do it
before but have failed because they didn’t
have the buy-in of a shipyard and didn’t
have the money to pay for it,” Palmer said.
Palmer’s fortune is worth more than
$5.2 billion, making him the fifth richest
man in Australia, and while official figures
have not been given, it was estimated
the ship will cost around $500 million.
The new Titanic will sail in 2016,
taking the same route as its predecessor,
from Southampton to New York.
With the building of Titanic II, Palmer
wants to change the constitution because
it is not a democratic constitution and still
assigns 25 percent of parliamentary seats
to unelected military members.
This delay marks the first sign of tension
between the opposition and reformist
government now led by President Thein
Sein as of the recent
by-elections.
“The United
States congratulates
the people who
participated, many
for the first time, in
the campaign and
election process.
We are committed
to supporting these
reform efforts. Going
forward, it will be
critical for authorities
to continue working
toward an electoral
system that meets
i n t e r n a t i o n a l
s t a n d a r d s ,
that includes
transparency, and
Myanmar opposition leader San Suu Kyi campaigns in the Irrawady Delta region around Pathein, 200km west
of the economical capital Yangon, Myanmar, on February 7, 2012. Aung San Suu Kyi is beginning her election
campaign as an official candidate ahead of the April 1 by-elections. (Christophe Loviny/Abaca Press/MCT)
different spectrum.
The election was close through out
the night. Both men where going back and
forth with the lead changing through out the
night. But in the final moments before the
polls closed, Sarkozy conceded defeat and
Hollande was named the new president in
France. The vote was close, with about half
of France’s polls reporting, it had Hollande
with 51 percent of the vote to Sarkozy’s
49 percent. And by the end of the night,
France had a new leader.
The turnout of the French Election will
be massive in global politics. Hollande has
said that he will move away from the EU
and instead have more government action
to stimulate the economy. For Hollande,
this will be is first time formally holding
a national elected office. The 57 year old
is also France’s first left wing leader since
1995. Sarkozy only participated one term
of the 5-year presidency.
With Hollande now in power, he will
push his policies on France and the French
Parliament.
Exact replication of the Titanic will set sail in 2016
has also created a new shipping line,
named Blue Star Line, a reference to the
original Titanic’s owners, White Star Line.
Palmer added that the Chinese Navy will
escort the Titanic on its maiden voyage.
While the original Titanic was built
in Belfast, Palmer said he chose the
Chinese shipyard because they are also
building other luxury ships for his new
shipping tycoon, and this strengthens
his relations as his main buyers of coal
and iron ore form his mining monopoly.
“The Chinese ship building industry
with our assistance wants to be a major
player in this market.” Palmer said.
Construction is set to begin for the ship
near the fall or winter of next year, 2013.
expeditiously addresses concerns about
intimidation and irregularities,” Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton said.
The election highlights the country’s
steady movement towards democratic
reform. With numerous political prisoners
being pardoned, a cease-fire secured with
Karen rebels, and negotiations between
parties about constitutional reforms being
made, Myanmar looks to become more
democratic, something the people of
Myanmar are not accustomed to after 50
years under military regime.
This growth towards democracy has
also encouraged the lifting of several
economic sanctions held in place by the
U.S., the U.K. and Australia. Military rule
has destroyed Myanmar’s infrastructure,
but with the new civilian government in
place, changes are being made.
As sanctions continue to ease,
investment laws are being updated to
support manufacturing, Myanmar looks
to establish a central bank, and move its
currency towards flotation.
With these changes, Myanmar,
currently one of the poorest countries in
the world, can increase its export trading
and create jobs over the next few years.

congratulations to the
summa cum laude
graduates of 2012!
These students will graduate at the top
of the senior class with GPAs above 5.0.
Cole Alexander
Attending:
University of Texas-
Austin
Majoring in:
Mechanical Engineering
Goals for the future:
Be an engineer
Amber Hassan-
Hussein
Attending:
University of Texas-
Dallas
Majoring in:
Neuroscience
Goals for the future:
Medicine
Savannah Looper
Attending:
Texas A&M- Galveston &
Maritime Marine Academy
Majoring in:
Marine Biology/ Coast Guard
Licensing Program
Goals for the future:
Serve in the Navy via the
Naval ROTC program
Matthew Ashorn
Attending:
University of Texas-
Austin
Majoring in:
Chemical Engineering
Goals for the future:
Getting an MBA and a
stable job somewhere with
the skill set he acquires
Stephanie Johnson
Attending:
Boston College
Majoring in:
Undecided
Goals for the future:
Own a condo overlooking
Central Park that she hardly
ever inhabits since sheís
Taylor Bolt
Attending:
University of Texas-
Austin
Majoring in:
Biology & Asian Studies
Goals for the future:
Become a doctor
galavanting around Singapore,
Agra, Patis, and Rio de Janeiro
Amanda Mire
Attending:
Stephen F. Austin
State University
Majoring in:
Business
Goals for the future:
Career in Sports
Marketing or play in
the LPGA... No big deal
Patrick Pena
Kyle Keyser
Attending:
Texas Christian
Universitiy
Majoring in:
Neuroscience
Goals for the future:
Have fun and live
forever or die trying
Attending:
Johns Hopkins University
Majoring in:
Chemical &
Biomolecular Engineering
Goals for the future:
Go to medical school and
become a neurosurgeon
Lucy Calhoun
Attending:
University of Texas-
Austin
Majoring in:
Biology
Goals for the future:
Become a pediatrician
Anna Rigby
Attending:
University of Virginia
Majoring in:
Business Management
& Marketing
Goals for the future:
Become an attorney and
start a bakery
with Ellen Gaudet
valedictorian
Jake Kornblau
Laurren Langford
Attending:
University of Texas-
Austin
Majoring in:
Pharmacy &
Astrophysics
Goals for the future:
Work around the world
Sarah Colvin
Attend
Rice U
Majorin
Comp
Goals f
Living
succe
Attending:
University of Houston
Majoring in:
Chemical Engineering
Goals for the future:
Work at a chemical
plant
Chris L
Atten
Texas
Major
Mech
Engin
Goals for
Worki
Disney Im
Zach Sasiene
Attending:
University of North Texas
Majoring in:
Chemistry
Goals for the future:
Work for the CIA
or FBI as a
Criminal Analyst

ing:
niversity
g in:
uter Science
or the future:
to see tomorrow,
ss, and happiness
Jake Cosart
Attending:
Duke University
Majoring in:
Business
Goals for the future:
Play professional baseball
or become a CEO
arsen
ding:
A&M
ing in:
anical
eering
the future:
ng as a
agineer
Amber Darr
Attending:
University of Texas-
Austin
Majoring in:
Biomedical Engineering
Goals for the future:
Become a surgeon
Taylor Sieling
Attending:
Stephen F. Austin
University
Majoring in:
Biology
Goals for the future:
Get into medical school
and become a doctor
salutatorian
Kelly Bosworth
Tara French
Attending:
Texas A&M
Majoring in:
Biological &
Architectural
Engineering
Goals for the future:
Start an alpaca farm
with Ally Souris
Taryn Leeney Catherine Leeney
Attending:
Attending:
Texas A&M
University of Calgary
Majoring in:
Majoring in:
Civil Engineering Biology & Pre-Med
Goals for the future: Goals for the future:
Go to medical school,
city of Atlantis, and earn have own optometry
her ferretís trust back practice, and become
professional card counter
Brad Shaw
Attending:
Texas A&M
Majoring in:
Aerospace Engineering
Goals for the future:
Having an average life
with sailing as a
major hobby
Jennifer Siller
Attending:
University of Texas-
Austin
Majoring in:
Biology
Goals for the future:
Become a dentist
Nicole Lide
Attending:
University of Texas-
Austin
Majoring in:
Architecture
Goals for the future:
Have her designs for
buildings in cities and
jewelry on people,
travel across Europe
Attending:
University of Texas- Austin
Majoring in:
Environmental Engineering or
Architecture
Goals for the future:
Work for an NGO or
Ellen Gaudet
Attending:
University of Texas-
Austin
Majoring in:
Biology & Pre-Med
Goals for the future:
Become a pediatrician
and open a cupcake
bakery with Anna Rigby
Ally Souris
Attending:
Texas A&M
Majoring in:
Mathematics
Goals for the future:
Raise llamas and alpacas
with Tara French
Rachel Lietz
Attending:
University of Kansas
Majoring in:
Pharmacy
Goals for the future:
Go sledding on
lunch trays (with real
snow of course!)
Samee Hameed
Attending:
University of
St. Thomas
Majoring in:
Philosophy & Chemistry
Goals for the future:
Pre-med, try to be
a doctor
Devin Zamka
Attending:
Baylor University
Majoring in:
Nutrition & Pre-Med
Goals for the future:
Become a
general practitioner

12
By Valerie Hellinghausen
Get Involved Editor
Since July, League City officials have
been working to acquire over 10 million
gallons of water a day from the city of
Pasadena to support League City’s steadily
growing population and to help the city
recover from the drought last summer.
As of last summer, the Gulf Coast
Water Authority and the Galveston
County Water Control and Improvement
District No. 12 in Kemah have addressed
their interest in acquiring these water
rights. In March, the council found that
purchasing the rights to over 10 million
gallons of water a day and constructing
the transmission lines to transport the
water would cost almost $70 million.
While the deal is not yet set in stone,
acting City Manager Mike Loftin said that
the council is considering a nonbinding
record that would permit communities
and water district to subscribe to the
water in League City. The council is
also considering allowing city staff to
begin working on inter-local agreements
between League City and Pasadena.
“This helps our council see the
Get Involved
League City working to gain Pasadena water rights
By Madi Borowitz
Teen Interest Editor
By the end of high school Construction
Tech, students can walk away with a
certificate from the National Center for
Construction Education and Research,
which allows them to walk into the work
force. Duane Sheets, the Construction Tech
teacher, has certified over 250 students, many
of which are now in supervisor positions.
Since he has brought the program
to Creek from the University of
Florida, his goal has been to provide
his students with a foundation for
their future they could depend on.
“They’re not just building birdhouses,”
Sheets explains. “This allows them to
go anywhere. They’ll get a job because
of their credentials,” Sheets said.
Maps of Texas show extent of the drought, by county; with
charts showing commodity losses due to the drought, top
five most costly weather disasters since 1980 and number
of weather disasters by state. Dallas Morning News 2011
Sheets takes the opportunity to teach
his students the trade through projects
that benefits Creek. In the barns and
greenhouse area, a gazebo was built for the
Special Education department. Handicap
accessible and comfortable for the kids,
the awning is a place they can go outside
and enjoy. With funds provided them by
the Granger Grant, the Construction Tech
students designed and built the gazebo
that was fully completed this April.
Sheets’ students have built the girls’
varsity volleyball and basketball lockers,
basketball stalls, architecture tables,
softball dugouts, solid oak cabinets for
Audio Tech, library shelves, trophy cases,
picnic tables, and many other projects
for the special education program.
“I look for opportunities to teach my
students while doing something for our
demand for the water and understand
that we wouldn’t have to bear all of
the cost of the infrastructure necessary
to bring water here,” said Loftin.
Before League City is granted
access to this water, it will need six
different agreements to be approved
over the next six months. These
agreements include a design contract
for the pipelines to transport the water,
permission from ExxonMobil for
access to a pipeline corridor, Webster’s
approval for right-of-way access, and
Pasadena’s approval along with others.
While gaining access to the water is
expensive and requires multiple approval
agreements, League City officials have
indicated that water rights are necessary
to support League City’s population.
Since 2000, the city’s population
has doubled in size and continues
to grow 2 to 3 percent each year.
If this trend continues, the city may
exceed its water supply by 2018. As of
right now, the city has taken measures
to try to increase the amount of wellpumped
ground water from 3 to 11 million
gallons of water, reusing any excess
water for irrigation. League has also
school. Every summer teachers call me
asking for projects,” Sheets said. “My kids
do a lot for this school. They deserve credit.”
Awaiting approval is another gazebo that
will be located in front of the Art department,
where the original gazebo previously stood.
This Gazebo will closely resemble the
former construction, and will be built by
next year’s Construction Tech 2 students.
Partnered in the field of building is
Mr. Gibbs, the metal shop teacher, who
built a reproduction of Henry Ford’s first
car with his students. Gibbs, however,
presented an opportunity to Sheets for
his students to build the addition to
his 111-year-old home in Santa Fe. He
provided everything, including lunch for
the construction students, and they began
building in October of 2011. Working on a
1400 square foot two story addition to the
begun negotiating with the city of Houston,
League City’s main water supplier, about
expanding the transmission line that
transfers the majority of League City’s water.
“Water is one of our greatest resources,
and we are proud that our water conservation
team is being recognized for conservation
education programs that maximize the
use of this limited resource,” said Loftin.
After the drought last summer, League
City received an award in late March
from the Texas Water Utilities Association
for the city’s conservation efforts. The
program consisted of a conversation
portal on the city website leaguecity.
com, several outreach events, and
educational material that was distributed
through several local and social media.
Despite the city’s recent achievement,
an award-winning conservation program
will not give League City the water
it needs. The city council plans to
several meetings and workshops to sort
through questions, issues, and potential
plans of action to get more water into
League City within the next three years.
Construction Tech creates opportunities for success
back of his house, students have poured 27
yards of concrete, built the frame for the
two story addition, and fenced in his pool.
Students in the Construction Tech
class are participating in an architectural
competition in which they will design
a museum that will be built near
Herman Park in Houston. The winner
is awarded a full ride to the University
of Houston, and his or her design will
become a reality, as the museum is built.
“This opens a lot of doors
for my kids,” Sheets said.
Working on their drafts in teams,
Marcos Carner (12 th ), and Jose Cruz (12 th )
have very different but promising designs.
“I believe one of these teams is going
to win. They are not quitters,” Sheets said.

Get Involved 13
President
Carly Carsey
President
Jared Castillo
President
Ashton Duke
Creek’s 2012 - 2013 Class Officers
Vice President
Casey Dervay
Vice President
Nicole Alvarez
Vice President
Evelynn Shanks
Senior Class Officers
Secretary
Madison Williams
Junior Class Officers
Secretary
Sofia Escalante
Sophomore Class Officers
Secretary
Rachel Duncavage
Treasurer
Hanna Cardinal
Treasurer
Patrick O’Banion
Treasurer
Audree Hall
Historian
Jordan Cooley
Historian
Sydney Stewart
Historian
Courtney Gillian

14 Teen Interest
Theatre Under the Stars presents Annie
By Aimee Sierra
Reporter
The last musical that I saw was
“Hello Dolly,” and that was back in the
seventh grade when all I could appreciate
was the $6 sodas and the fact that I got
to wear a dress. As an 18-year-old high
school senior, I was able to experience
a work that I am most familiar with.
My kid sister and I have been watching
and singing along to “Annie” almost
religiously for as long as I can remember.
Granted, I have only ever watched the 1999
movie starring Kathy Bates and Alicia
Morton. Still, I have had some very fond
memories singing along to “It’s A Hard
Knock Life” while sitting in a plush chair,
wrapped up in a blanket, eating caramel corn.
The Theatre Under the Stars production
was another experience entirely. But as soon
as I arrived I felt a little more sophisticated
than I had just two minutes before. Of course
those two minutes were adjoined to seven
minutes spent lost in the streets of the Art
District trying to figure out where to park.
I stumbled up the steps to the Hobby
Center in my high heels, attempting to
carry myself with an air of “I totally do
this all the time, look at me I’m fancy.”
My heel got caught in a sidewalk crack,
causing me to almost crush an innocent
bystander, which may have impeded
my air of elegance. I walked into the
grand lobby, received my tickets from
the lovely lady at the press table, and
astonishingly found my seat on my own.
After the “find your exit” speech
that I am assuming was mandatory, the
lights finally went out, the curtain went
up, and there was a perfect backdrop of
the orphanage. All of the backdrops were
incredibly real looking, and I even had to
ask my neighbor how they got them to
look as if they were a whole length of a
room. He kindly answered, “It’s tilted,
DUH.” I believe he was about 9 years old.
did a splendid job portraying the cruel
and somewhat nutty Miss Hannigan,
and Glory Crampton, who plays Mr.
Warbucks’ personal assistant, Grace.
In any
Theatre Under the Stars’ production of “Annie.”
case,
Photo courtesy of TUTS.
One of the orphans
my enjoyment grew
that added quite a bit of
ever more when the
general cuteness as well
little girls began to sing. Sadie Sink, as humor was Mara Wissinger, who played
a natural redhead and a native Texan Molly, the youngest of them all. Her compact
from Brenham, played the role of Annie, size and clever cuts certainly set her apart.
and she did a wonderful job. She belted They were all magnificent throughout the
out those songs with her crystal-clear show; they played their parts spectacularly
powerhouse voice, and the orchestra and added a certain vivacity that kept the
only seemed to add to the beautiful tone audience enthralled. All in all it was a
her voice poured into the whole theatre.
She blew me away, as did the other stars
in the play, such as George Dvorsky, who
played the very well known millionaire
Oliver Warbucks, Michele Ragusa, who
wonderful show, and I had a fantastic time.
Congrats to
the Clear Creek
Water Polo teams!
The Girls’ team won
1st place at State!
The Boys’ team
was named
1st Runner Up at
State!

Teen interest 15
Revenge launches 2 nd season returning to the drama
By Ashley Farmer
Editor-in-Chief
For all of you Pretty Little Liars fans
looking for a new obsession, ABC has just
the thing. Revenge, a fairly new drama,
launched its second season on April 18.
Revenge has all the best elements of
a TV show, including action, suspense,
romance, and plot intricacies. It can be
said that the show is somewhat like a
mix of 24, Pretty Little Liars, and Law
Abiding Citizen. While these may not
all seem to be in genres that would fit
July Jobs
By Hannah Brinsko
Around Creek Editor
As summer approaches, more and
more teens are beginning their search for
summer jobs. Some students are already
working during the school year, but many
others prefer to only work during the
summer months when their schedules are
not already filled with school, homework,
sports, and other extracurricular activities.
Websites such as snagajob.
com, hireteen.com and gotajob.com
help teens look for open positions.
Gotajob.com recommends that teens
try applying to electronic stores during
the summer, since they are normally
busier from May to August in between
graduation, Father’s Day, and students
getting ready to leave for college. Other
recommended places include ice cream
shops, pools, and vacation destinations.
“I used to work at Kemah Boardwalk,
but now I work at Chick-Fil-a and
a marketing company,” senior DJ
Podsezertsev said. “I love my job. My coworkers
at Chick-fil-a are amazing and the
customers are always cool and super nice. I
started out working as the cow that stands in
front of the store, but in January they started
training me to work other positions there.”
This fall, Podsezertzev will be a
freshman at the University of Houston.
“Right now, most of my money goes
to paying off my car, but starting this
summer I am going to get a third job and
start saving for college,” Podsezertzev said.
One program that CCISD offers
to help students maintain their jobs
throughout the school year is cooperative
learning, also known as Co-op.
“I work as a receptionist at South
Shore Family Medicine. I love Co-op
because I get to leave school early and I get
to earn some extra cash,” senior Katherine
Cottingham said. “I would definitely
recommend the program to somebody.”
Another tip is to starting applying early.
Many employers are already planning for
incoming summer employees in April or
May, so beating the influx of applications the
first week of June gives applicants an edge.
“Consider telling them that you can
work 10 hours a week now, and then can
ramp up your hours after school gets out,”
said Shawn Boyer, the CEO of snagajob.com.
Teens should also practice for job
interviews beforehand, perhaps with a
parent or teacher. Another key to finding a
job is to actively tell people when you are
job-hunting. This can open many doorways,
because it allows your friends and family to
keep an eye out for job openings in the area.
together well, the writers of Revenge did
a wonderful job working out all of the
kinks and making the show flow naturally.
The majority of the first season takes
place in the Hamptons. Emily Thorne, the
protagonist of the show, has just bought
a beach house next to the popular and
fabulously wealthy Grayson family. What
they do not know, however, is that Emily’s
real name is Amanda Clark, and she has
come to the Hamptons to exact revenge on
the people that ruined her life as a child.
As a young girl, Amanda and her
Wall-Street worthy, business-man father,
David Clark, spent every summer on the
beach in the Hamptons. One summer, he
was carried away by the FBI, thrown in
prison for laundering money for a terrorist
organization, and murdered while behind
bars. Amanda’s life understandably
went sour. She was angry and lost and
made some bad choices that landed
her in a juvenile delinquent facility.
When she was released, she was met
by Nolan Ross, an old friend of her father.
She was told that David had been framed
by all of the people he was closest to and
trusted, and that he had been wrongly
accused. In response to this news, Amanda
changed her identity to Emily Thorne,
the name of her juvy cell mate, and went
through intense training from a Japanese
Sensei who was an expert in the art of
revenge. She not only became skillful
in hand-to-hand combat and weaponry,
but also in deceit and manipulation.
The most prevalent conflict in this
show is probably the affect of moral
ambiguity on each character. The viewer is
constantly fighting over whether to support
a character or be horrified by their actions.
Emily is by far the most conflicted character.
She feels justified in her seemingly evil
actions because she has the ultimate goal
of avenging her father’s imprisonment and
death, but she is unclear if the pain of the
innocents caught in the crossfire is worth
her ultimate goal. She is proceeded by
Victoria Grayson, who feels guilty about
her role in condemning David Clark, with
whom she was having an affair, and the
actions she must take to protect her family.
While this show challenges the
viewers’ moral compasses, it provides
pure entertainment in the form of
suspenseful action and juicy romance.
There is a hint of the oh-so-popular “love
triangle” between Emily, her boyfriend
Daniel Grayson, and her childhood crush,
Jack Porter. There is fraud, murder,
violence, arson, and everything else you
should expect from a quality drama.
Avid fans are looking forward to
learning the answers to questions that have
been smoldering in the backs of their minds
since the pilot. Who is killed off? Who
will Emily fall for (if anyone)? Will she
remain firm in her obsession with revenge,
or will her new life take hold of her and
threaten to overcome her tunnel vision?
New Revenge fans can get the full
rundown of the show and catch up on
all the action by watching “Revenge:
From the Beginning,” a 45-minute
episode that explains everything that
happened in the first season of the show
and how the characters are connected.
Celebrating Mother’s Day year round
By Clarissa Melendez
Reporter
This year Mother’s Day falls on May
13. Mother’s Day originated in ancient
Greek and Roman times. The Greeks
would dedicate a festival to the maternal
goddesses and the Romans held a festival
which lasted for three days celebrating
Cybele, their mother goddess.
In 17 th century England, a “Mothering
Sunday” was celebrated on the fourth
Sunday of Lent to honor all the mothers.
Children would bring flowers and gifts
to their mothers after honoring the Virgin
Mary in a church service. The celebration
ended around the 19 th century but was
started back up again after World War
II because “servicemen brought the
custom and commercial enterprises used
it as an occasion for sales,” according to
mothersdaycelebration.com.
Congratulations Yearbook UIL Winners
Class of 2010-2011!!
The yearbook staff won several medals and
honorable mentions in the 2010-2011 UIL competition.
Winners include...
In 1872, Julia Ward Howe, an activist
and writer who became famous with
her Civil War song, “Battle Hymn of the
Republic,” thought of celebrating Mother’s
Day in the U.S. on June 2. She wanted it to
be dedicated to peace, and in her Mother’s
Day Proclamation she urged women to
protest war.
It was Anna Jarvis, however , who
was accredited with founding the modern
Mother’s Day. She believed all mothers
should be honored, even though she was
not a mother herself. She began to gain
supporters that helped her write letters to
people that could help lobby for an official
declaration of the holiday. Finally, on May
8, 1914, President Wilson signed a Joint
Resolution stating that the second Sunday
in May would be dedicated to mothers.
The tradition, it seems, is for the
children to come back home to visit their
mothers on Mother’s Day, bring food, and
present cards and gifts. Some churches
even honor mothers with a rose as they
walk in through the door.
Some mothers that have been eyecatching
include the youngest mother,
Lina Medina. She delivered a 6 ½ pound
baby boy when she was 5 years old and 7
months. Jayne Bleackley gave birth to two
children born in separate births, they were
only 208 days apart. Elizabeth Ann Buttle
had her two children 41 years and 185 days
apart. Some mother’s love is seen on TV.
Mr. Rogers who sported many sweaters on
his popular television show, Mr. Rogers’
Neighborhood were actually knitted by his
mother.
Mother’s Day allows us to take time
to look at all the things our mothers do for
us. However, mothers should be celebrated
everyday, not just once a year.
Fabian Reyes 2nd place for a Sports Feature Photo
Antonio Alvarado 3rd place for a Sports Feature Story
Kyndall Hadley 3rd place for a Student Life Spread
Hanna Cardinal 3rd place for an Academic Spread
The following yearbook students won honorable mention for their
photos and stories......
Kristina Cowey, Amber Darr, Marley Foster, Katie Ferguson, and Anthony Vargas.
Both Amber Darr and Marley Foster won honorable mention in two categories!

16
Features
Armstrong competes in Texas Iron Man Triathlon
By Madi Borowitz
Teen Interest Editor
Making his way back into the
game, Lance Armstrong ran in the
Galveston Iron Man on Sunday,
March 31. In one of his first triathalon
experiences in about twenty
years, the seven-time Tour De
France winner placed 7th in the
triple stage race. In preparation for
the Iron Man World Championships
in Hawaii, Armstrong also participated
in the Panama Iron Man in
February, placing 2nd.
Coming in 1st place after 3
hours and 47 minutes (seven minutes
ahead of Armstrong) was 31 yearold
Tim O’Donnell, who placed 2nd
in 2010, and 3rd in 2011. Shadowing
Armstrong during the 56-mile
cycle, O’Donnell passed him up
in the course of the 13.1-mile run.
O’Donnell claimed knowing Armstrong’s
cycling strength played a
factor in his drive to win the race.
“I’ll have to work on my running,
but I think it’s a matter of repetition,”
Armstrong commented to the
Galveston Daily News.
Though he did not come in 1st, Armstrong
was still excited to have raced in an
Iron Man in his home state for the first time
Baby Boom generation coming to an end soon
By Madison Williams
Features Editor
In 1940, the United States was a drastically
different place in diversity and size.
The 1940 Census has just been released
and highlights the stark change from the
past to the present.
With the release of these records, economists
will be able to analyze how people
in specific occupations or people who lived
in the rural United States were able to recover
from the Great Depression. The records
will also provide a glimpse into the
future and the possible consequences as the
Baby Boom generation comes to an end.
According to CNN, in 1940, the Hoover
Dam had not yet been built in Las Vegas,
holding the population at 8.422 million
people. Only around 9 million people used
refrigerators, and five percent of women
graduated from a four-year university.
To get an idea of the different nationalities
in the United States at the time,
President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Census
Proclamation urged Americans to participate
and was translated into 23 languages,
including Slovak, Greek, Lithuanian,
Russian, Dutch, Hebrew, Serbo-Croatian,
French, Italian, Spanish, and German.
in a decade.
“Overall, it was great being here in
Numerous books and films have been
created that are devoted to defining the impact
of the 76 million people born between
1946 and 1964. These “Baby Boomers”
fueled an unprecedented population boom
from 141 million people in 1946 to 311
million people in 2010, according to the
U.S. Census Bureau.
The Baby Boom generation came in
the 1950s and 1960s, during the Vietnam
War, the assassinations of John F. Kennedy
and Martin Luther King, Jr., transistor radios
and the novelty of the first color television
sets.
In the 1970s, this generation was listening
to punk or disco music as the Watergate
scandal unfolded, drug use exploded and
television sitcoms introduced untraditional
families like “The Brady Bunch,” “Three’s
Company,” and “Sanford and Son.”
The first wave of Baby Boomers is
turning 65 this year and the youngest are
47. Historians, economists, and pop culture
junkies all agree that Baby Boomers
will have left the largest imprint in each
phase of life they have passed through in
the United States.
As the Baby Boom generation reaches
retirement age, they will redefine the United
States once again, just as they transformed
Winning his first triathalon in Plano,
Texas at age 13, Armstrong has been a pro-
Lance Armstrong, 40, hops on his bike for the 17-mile bicycling portion of the XTERRA Nationals offroad
triathlon on Sept. 23, 2011 in Ogden, Utah. The seven-time Tour de France winner came in fifth
place. It was his first triathlon in more than 20 years. (Wina Sturgeon/MCT)
Galveston. Sure, I suffered a little more
than I wanted to on that last lap, but I had a
great time,” said Armstrong.
fessional cycler and Iron Man athlete since
he was 16 years old. In 1996, he was named
the number one cycler in the world.
notions of relationships- with delayed marriages,
fewer children, and more divorces.
The generation also brought ideas about
careers with more women in the current
workforce and the encouragement of adult
learning.
The day for retirement is fast approaching
for many of this dynamic generation.
By 2030, when all of the Boomers will be
65 or older, they will make up 19 percent of
the population, compared to 13 percent today.
By 2050, the number of Americans 65
and older will reach 88.5 million people.
The aging of the Baby Boom Generation
will create many complications
That same year he was diagnosed
with Testicular cancer and was given a 50
percent chance of survival. After a
year of treatment, during which he
become the face of cancer survival,
he was declared cancer free in
1997. During this time, he created
the Lance Armstrong Foundation to
support those who, like him, struggled
with cancer.
Later, in 1999, he began to turn
his attention to cycling again and
entered in the Tour De France race.
This would be the start of his sevenyear
victory in the cycling event. His
success in the events gave cancer
victims hope and inspiration.
Just before the end of his sevenyear
victory in France in 2004, Lance
partnered with NIKE and Demand
Media to form the LIVESTRONG
campaign, encouraging a healthy
lifestyle, exercise, and nutrition. The
trademark for the LIVESTRONG
campaign is the yellow wristband
now worn by over 60 million people
worldwide.
Continuing his journey to promote
healthy living and fighting cancer, Armstrong
will begin competing again in the
Iron Man and cycling world, whether he
comes in the lead or not.
for programs such as Social Security and
Medicare. Boomers are leaving the work
force at a time when healthcare costs are
growing at a fast rate, leaving a big gap for
young taxpayers to close. Ron Lee, director
of the Center on the Economics and
Demography of Aging at the University of
California-Berkeley, predicts “benefits will
have to be cut or taxes increased.”
As the Baby Boom generation reaches
its peak age, the United States will be
forced to revaluate their current programs
and develop solutions for our graying population.

Features 17
Shell Houston Open golf tournament is held
By Madison Williams
Features Editor
The Shell Houston Open was held
March 29 through April 1 at the Redstone
Golf course, one week before the Masters
Tournament. The tournament is a stop on
the PGA tour that included Hunter Mahan,
Carl Pettersson, Louis Oosthuizen, Jeff
Overton, and Keegan Bradley.
This year’s winners included Mahan,
who beat Pettersson with a one-stroke lead,
and Phil Mickelson, who took fourth place
with four other players.
With their spectacular performances,
many of the players advanced to the 2012
Masters Tournament. At the Masters,
Bubba Watson won his first green jacket
after his inventive playing style pushed
him ahead of the other competitors with a
10-under-par score.
The Shell Houston Open began in
1946 as an effort to raise money for local,
youth-oriented charities. According to the
For only $279,000, one
could be the owner of a flying
car that is totally air and
street legal. It can be a small
plane, taking off at any of the
5,000 airports nationwide, or
its wings can be folded down to
drive to work.
Terrafugia, Inc., the company
that created the flying car,
called the Transition, has now
made it available to the public.
It had its first successful flight
on March 23, 2012 at Plattsburgh
International Airport in
Plattsburgh, NY.
It seats two, the pilot and the passenger.
The inside is a mix of car and aircraft
controls. It has a standard aircraft propeller
in flight and uses the same engine to drive.
It has automatic crash safety features and a
full vehicle parachute is available.
Shell Houston Open, the golf tournament
has generated more than $53.1 million
through its fundraising activities since its
beginning.
The tournament was originally held at
the River Oaks Country Club in 1946. The
first winner, Byron Nelson, beat Ben Hogan
by two shots for the $2,000 first place
prize. Sam Snead finished third, but claimed
to have been distracted by the models carrying
signs that identified the players. This
was the first and only time in their careers
that these three Hall-of-Famers took first,
second, and third.
The following year, the tournament
was held at Memorial Park Municipal
because the City of Houston offered the
course to the Golf Association without a
rental charge. South African Bobby Locke
became the Shell Houston Open’s first
international champion, winning by five
shots with an 11-under-par 277 total.
In 1948, the tournament was in danger
On June 30, 2011, Terrafugia officially
received a grant that allowed them all the
exemptions they wanted from the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration to
make the Transition legal.
According to the website, drivento-
of going bankrupt, resulting in the postponement
of the tournament to the following
year as the organization collected their
resources. The tournament was then reopened
the next year at Pine Forest Country
Club, where Johnny Palmer won the
even 16-under-par 272.
Houston got its first ever hometown
champion in 1952. Jack Burke Jr. won by
six shots over Frank Stranahan at Memorial
Park. Burke went on to win in tournaments
in the following weeks in Baton Rouge and
Petersburg.
To draw more players, the Houston
Golf Association doubled the prize in 1953
to $20,000 and the attendance doubled as
well. That same year, the first five-way
playoff took place in PGA tour history.
World-renowned player Arnold Palmer
competed in the 1957 tournament, winning
with a nine-under-par 279 and the winner’s
share of $37,100. Then, in 1960, Palmer
competed in the newly-named Houston
fly.com, the Transition is “able to fold its
wings with the ability to drive on any surface
road in a modern personal
air plane.”
One can learn to fly in
20 hours of air time in a
specially designed Transition
course, and must pass
the flight test to able to
drive and fly the Transition.
It flies on unleaded automotive
fuel and can be parked
in a single car garage. It
also includes a small cargo
area.
The Transition gets 35
miles per gallon when driving
on the road. It is the
first flying and driving vehicle
to be recognized by the Department
of Transportation.
To obtain a Transition, a $10,000 refundable
deposit reserves the next available
one that is in production, or one can
put down a non-refundable $2,500 deposit
Classic and ended up tied with Bill Collins.
Collins beat the legendary Palmer in
the sudden death round.
The prize money steadily increased to
entice more players to compete in the tournament.
In 1965, the purse was officially
changed to $75,000. The following year,
the purse was again increased, but this time
to $110,000 for the winner.
In 1969, the tournament faced bankruptcy
again and the Houston Golf Association
officials were forced to cancel.
They instead chose to work with the
United States Golf Association to host the
U.S. Open at Champions. By hosting the
U.S. Open, the Houston Golf Association’s
debts were erased and they gained muchneeded
funding.
Throughout the years, the purse has
steadily increased and is currently valued
at $6 million, with the winner taking home
a little over $1 million.
Flying car makes first successful flight in New York
By Clarissa Melendez
Reporter
The Terrafugia Flying Car sits on display at the Sun
‘n’ Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Florida, April 2009.
(Steven Cole Smith/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
securing a later Transition. The $297,000
price is just the base price of a Transition.
“The successful first flight of this Production
Prototype Transition marks a critical
move toward initial production and first
delivery,” CEO Anna Mracek Dietrich said
on the Transition website.
Dietrich was also the one that introduced
the Transition when it landed at the
Fox News center in NYC on April 3,2012.
Flying cars have been a dream until
now. The very first working prototype was
made in 1917 by Glenn Curtiss and was
only 27 feet long. The Autoplane never actually
flew, however. It made a few hops
but no air time. Now, almost 100 years
later, Curtiss’ dream is a reality thanks to
Terrafugia.
We now live in the time where almost
anything is possible, and flying cars are
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Sports 19
College Bound Student Athletes - Class of 2012
Cory
Zunker
Attending:
Southern Arkansas
University
Sport:
Football
Majoring in:
Pre-Optometry
Amanda
Mire
Attending:
Stephen F. Austin
State University
Sport:
Golf
Majoring in:
Business
Samantha
Lera
Attending:
University of
Tennessee
Sport:
Diving
Majoring in:
Biology
Hayden
Nichols
Attending:
University of St. Johns
Sport:
Soccer
Majoring in:
Public Service
Administration
Kristi
Leonard
Attending:
University of Texas A&M
Sport:
Soccer
Majoring in:
Business
Austin
Smith
Attending:
University of Texas
A&M - Corpus Christi
Playing:
Baseball
Majoring in:
Business
Jake
Cosart
Attending:
Duke University
Sport:
Baseball
Majoring in:
Business
Tanner
Griggs
Attending:
University of Texas
A&M - Commerce
Sport:
Football
Majoring in
Engineering
Haleigh
Waite
Attending:
University of Kansas
Sport:
Track
Majoring in:
Physical Therapy
Brent
Wagner
Attending:
Southeastern
Louisiana University
Sport:
Football
Majoring in:
Sports Management
Clear Creek honors Coach Jim Mallory with field
By Dane Chronister
Reporter
On April 27, a dedication ceremony
was held to rename Wildcat Field as
“Mallory Field” after the Creek baseball
coach, Jim Mallory.
Clear Creek High School wanted
honor Mallory for his 33 years of
dedication to Creek’s athletics. Coach
Mallory, who was the head coach for the
Wildcat baseball team since the 1977-78
school year, decided to retire at the end of
the 2010-2011 baseball season.
“I have really enjoyed my time here
and I have piled up a ton of memories, but
I felt like it was the right time,” Mallory
said, according to the Galveston Daily
News. “A few of my retired friends had
told me I would know when it was time
and I started feeling that.”
Mallory, to many at Clear Creek High
School, is one of the toughest and most
committed coaches that has ever worked
at Creek. Nevertheless, this devotion to
Creek has allowed Mallory to lead the
Wildcat baseball team to a state title in
1991 and finish with a 631 wins and 380
losses to complete his record in his 36 years
of coaching; which include the first three
Jim Mallory and his newly-named baseball field.
Photo by Bailey Clelland.
years at Channelview, where his baseballcoaching
career had just begun.
At Channelview, Mallory maintained
an overall record of 47 wins and 29 losses.
While at Creek, Mallory finished his
coaching profession with his final 33 years
of service, where he accumulated 584 wins
and 351 losses.
However, with Coach Mallory leaving
at the end of last year, not all of his fellow
teachers and faculty got a chance to say
goodbye to an old friend. The dedication, for
many, was an opportunity to verbalize their
appreciation of Mallory’s hard work and
dedication to Creek as not only a baseball
coach, but as a biology teacher as well.
Many of his friends and the
Clear Creek family finally
got a chance to congratulate
Coach Mallory on his many
accomplishments at Creek.
“Mallory has not only
given his 33 years of service
to Creek in order to coach the
Wildcats, but he has also out
lasted seven principals here
at Creek. That is quite an
accomplishment in itself,”
Principal Scott Bockart
said.
As Mallory strongly
professed his appreciation for
the award family and friends joined him
on the field in order to memorialize this
outstanding accomplishment as a coach.
They also signed a photo mat for Mallory
with the best wishes for his future and
“farewells” for an amazing time while at
Creek.
“I was raised to get up in the morning
and do your best job at whatever you do. I
was fortunate enough to have some great
people and kids through the years, and it’s
something I’ll cherish the rest of my life,”
Mallory said.
Jim Mallory, Mary Latulippe, amd Willie the Wildcat.
Photo by Bailey Clelland.