February 2012 - Mount St. Mary Academy - Website

Mount St. Mary Academy
The Mount
Issue 3
Special points of
interest:
-Dr. Martin Luther
King’s Lasting Inspiration
-Childhood cartoons
flashback
-Valentine’s Day
Quiz
Inside this issue:
2011 at a Glance 4
Resolution Tricks 5
New Computers 7
Oscar Nominations 8
Valentine’s Ideas 10
On Friday January
27 th , the Mount
Saint Mary Belles prepared
to play the homecoming
basketball
game against the Conway
Wampus Cats at
the MSM gym.
Everyone was
in good spirits,
enjoying the
cookout food
and the Junior
Varsity game
before the
homecoming
festivities began.
Once the
JV Belles finished,
senior
class president
Joanna
Fureigh and
student body president
Grace Crifasi announced
the homecoming
court. First, juniors
Carla Alvarez and Brittany
Kanu walked onto
the court, followed by
seniors Brady Escovedo,
Kelly De la Haije,
Summer Khairi (who
was later announced as
queen), Franchesca
Parenteau, and Madi
Thomas. After the
opening ceremonies
ended, Brady and Summer
wasted no time
getting into uniform
and back out on the
court with their Varsity
Belles to warm up. The
audience waited in anticipation
while the
Belles and Wampus
Cat girls warmed-up to
a medley of music.
From the moment
the clock started
counting down, our
girls played with extreme
intensity. The
February 2012
Taking a Gamble With the Belles
By Dylan Gibson ‘12
Summer Khairi („12) is crowned Homecoming Queen
first half was very close.
ending with us leading
29 to 25. The players got
to rest while the Rockettes
performed their
fabulous routine at half
time. After half time, the
game got even more
competitive. Our girls
fought valiantly, but
unfortunately, the
Belles lost 46 to 65.
Even though the
game wasn‟t a slam
dunk for our girls,
hopes remained high
for the homecoming
dance the next night.
Everyone arrived at
the homecoming
dance at the MSM
gym with their bellies
full and ready
to have a good time.
The theme was
Treasure Island Casino
Night, and it seemed like
everyone had a lot of
fun.
(Continued p. 3)
Photo by LeMay Photography

PAGE 2 THE MOUNT ISSUE 3
Fired Up For Homecoming!
Mrs. Gazette and Mrs. Smith have plenty of Belle Spirit!
Varsity Cheer performs
their competition routine at
the Pep Rally!
Seniors Emma Tribell and Heather White win
Duo Day with their creative grape costume!
Congratulations to Mrs. Shamburger’s homeroom for winning
the door decorating contest!
Cheer Photo by Abby Anderson
Spirit Week Photos by Mrs. McCarroll

ISSUE 3
THE MOUNT
PAGE 3
Scenes from the Dance!
While the Juniors (below) pose for their first
Homecoming dance, the Seniors (right) enjoy the
night on the dance floor to celebrate their last!
(Continued from p. 1)
Photos by Lemay Photography
Congratulations
to our 2012
Homecoming
Court!
The girls and their dates
danced and enjoyed the tables
set up for card games like
Poker and Black Jack. Joanna
Fureigh was impressed with
the results, saying “spirit
council did a beautiful job setting
up and getting everything
planned and together.” On the
dance floor, party goers enjoyed
dancing the usual favorites
such as the Cha Cha Slide,
the Cupid Shuffle, and a
newer one called the Wop.
Everyone began enjoying
themselves once dubstep
boomed through the gym
speakers: Chris Bridges, a
brave Catholic High senior,
actually crowd surfed!
Even though the Belles
lost the game, the homecoming
weekend was a big win for
the Mount Saint Mary upper
classmen and their dates.
Don‟t put your dancing shoes
away just yet though, girls.
The MSM prom is just around

PAGE 4 THE MOUNT ISSUE 3
Greater Than Any Timeline: 2011 Memories
By Kimberly Jones ‘14
What was 2011 to you
Was it the year you started high
school, or the year you started
planning on going to off college
Was it a struggle, or a pleasant
memory Several key events
may have made your year
memorable, just as there are several
events that made 2011
memorable to the rest of the
world.
Warner Brothers‟ big
movie of the year, Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows Part II,
was ranked the top movie of
2011, grossing over 1 billion
dollars worldwide. Do all you
Potter-heads recall attending the
midnight premier Before the
school year started, the phenomenon
brought the magical
series to an exhilarating close.
One of the most anticipated
movies of 2012 is the final movies
of the Twilight series, Breaking
Dawn Part II, which comes
to theaters on November 16 th ,
2012. Other upcoming movies
expected to
gross high
profits in 2012
are Men in
Black III, Step
Up 4, and
Paranormal
Activity 4.
The most memorable
wedding of the previous year
was that of Catherine Middleton
to Prince William on July 26 th ,
2011. On that day, the streets
outside of Westminster Abbey
were crowded with hopeful fans
and curious onlookers, all of
whom wished to see the royal
couple and witness the historical
exchange of vows. Many
Americans woke up at 3 a.m.
just to watch the extravagant
event!
Natural disasters unfortunately
caused devastation around
the world and affected many
families and communities, including
Taylor Honeycutt. She,
whose house was destroyed by
the tornadoes of last spring, persevered.
With the help of her
church, school, and neighborhood
communities, she and her
family were able to rebuild their
home. She said that her entire
community was affected because
everybody was upset to see her
family go through that. The
other natural disasters of 2011,
including tsunamis, floods, and
earthquakes, affected the worldwide
community. Whenever you
hear of these traumatic events,
follow Taylor‟s advice and
“always give your support because
natural disasters devastate
the whole world. You may think
that when something like this
happens to third world countries
that it just can‟t get any worse,
but if this happened to somebody
at mount, I‟d be the first person
by their side.”
Overall, 2011 was very
memorable. The memories will
always stay with you and with
family and friends. No matter
how you remember the year, recall
its ups and downs while preparing
for 2012. Plan on making
this year amazing. The most important
thing to remember is that
we are living history each and
every day and the memory of
these events are of greater significance
to us
than to any history
book‟s
timeline.
Illustration by Elaine Ruth Boe

ISSUE 3
THE MOUNT
One Step at a Time
By Savannah Hanson ‘15
PAGE 5
Now that everybody has
rung in the New Year, it‟s about
time to continue those nagging
resolutions. Most people make a
pledge, but never actually go
through with it. Many of these
well-meaning people actually try
to go through with their resolution,
but they just don‟t know
how. Here are some helpful
hints:
Pick one resolution.
Yes, everybody wants to lose 10
pounds, eat healthier, make
1,000 friends, and volunteer
more every year, but studies
show that people who stick with
just one resolution have a much
better chance of succeeding than
those who have multiple
pledges. Make a specific goal,
not just a general statement.
Pledging to lose weight could
mean anywhere from 2 pounds
to 20 pounds. Make a goal realistic
and concrete so you know
when you have accomplished it.
Make sure you pick a
resolution that actually matters.
Do not make a resolution based
on what people “should”
want or what seems to be
a popular resolution. The
more it matters to you, the
more likely it is that you
will succeed. If you do
not actually care deep
down inside, you will not
feel accomplished and
more than likely will not
succeed. The opinion that
matters most is your own.
If you feel good about what you
are doing, no one can argue with
you.
Instead of pursuing your
main goal, set smaller goals to
meet that main goal. If you are
eating healthier, plan to cut junk
food out of your diet a little at a
time so you can better adjust to
the changes... This helps prevent
people from going back on
their resolutions and encourages
them to finish out their goals by
making them feel accomplished.
Setting
smaller,
conjoined
goals sets
a person
up for
success,
whereas
setting
just one
large goal
sets somebody up for failure.
Try making joint resolutions
with friends and family. If you
share the same goal as someone
else you know, try joining with
them to accomplish your goal. It
makes the process more fun and
presents a new motivation that
sticks around longer.
Just do it. Anybody can
make a resolution, but it takes
some actual work to go through
with it. Making a pledge is just
the first step in improving yourself.
Sitting around every day,
dreaming about being a better
person and exercising does absolutely
nothing toward actually
accomplishing that pledge. Try
not to get distracted by television
or the internet; they are deathtraps
when trying to get motivated.
The hardest step is always
the first step. Once you
get past the first step, the whole
process becomes much easier.
Finally, never let small stumbles
bring you away from the big picture.
No pain, no gain, right
Expect and plan for a few setbacks
along the road to glory.
Learn from mistakes; do not use
them as an excuse to give up.
The road to perfection will be a
curvy one, so learn to laugh a
little along the way.

PAGE 6 THE MOUNT ISSUE 3
A Stone of Hope in a Mountain of Politics
By Maggie Nichols ‘12
Last year Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. was immortalized
in a great stone monument in
Washington D.C. He stands as a
symbol of strength at an impressive
thirty feet tall before formidable
stone mountains. The
idea for this awe-inspiring
tribute to the late Dr. King
derived from his 1963 “I
Have a Dream” speech: “out
of the mountain of despair, a
stone of hope.” This concept
brought forth Dr. King‟s image
out of rock, making him
literally the stone of hope of
which he had spoken.
In light of his recent
day of remembrance and a
hectic year of politics ahead,
it is fitting to consider where
the United States stands regarding
civil rights issues.
Dr. King gave his life to the
cause of improving the treatment
of African Americans
during the sixties, and today
many causes are reaching a similar
prevalence as the 2012 Presidential
election approaches. Although
the argument stands that
racial equality still requires
much attention, much progress
has been made since the days of
King. As it has been drastically
improved, there are many issues
that have taken center stage in
recent years.
Today turning on any of
the major news stations like Fox
or ABC guarantees hearing the
vibrant, controversial debates
between potential Presidents on
the social issues of the times.
Some examples of these important
issues are as follows: gay
rights, abortion, immigration,
and unemployment and growing
poverty. These issues and the
positions candidates take on
them will be key factors in the
decision process of who will be
in the White House next year.
The questions voters must ask
themselves is: who can be a
stone of hope in a struggling bipartisan
government
The country is experiencing
trying times; it is hard to decipher
whether any of the Republican
candidates or the current
Commander in Chief even
have a game plan for the future
of the country. This is where a
leader like Martin Luther King
Jr.is desperately needed. His
strength and ability to spark cooperation
between even the most
different people is necessary in a
country where people struggle to
work together. It becomes
clear that politicians are
more concerned with their
own importance. They
seem to have forgotten
that the issues are not just
vessels to their inauguration
after party, but problems
plaguing the country.
This is where we
need a “Stone of Hope”.
We need someone that
will stand up and tackle
the topics and defend the
people in need. Martin
Luther King Jr. Day
should stand as a day of
remembrance for a man
that went above and beyond
the call to do what‟s right.
He pushed the country forward,
and it‟s clear to many that the
United States needs a great big
shove regarding many, many issues
that make up our modern
day mountain of despair, but
with the hope and perseverance
that Martin Luther King Jr. Day
represents, the politics of this
year may be translated into solutions
if the people demand more
than just a race to the White
House.

PAGE 7 THE MOUNT ISSUE 3
New and Improved
By Cally Cochran ‘14
Mercy In Technology, or
MIT, was introduced as a new
program at the beginning of this
school year. According to the
MIT handout given to parents of
MSM students, its purpose is to,
“expand on Mount St. Mary‟s
existing technology education by
giving immediate access to a
wealth of information that is
available on the internet.” However,
the technology department
ran into some problems. The
computers, which were Dell
Latitude 2120s, were breaking.
The main problem with the Dell
2120 was its screen. “It was a
defect in the computers, they just
couldn‟t handle being open and
shut as much as they had to. Because
of this, after repeatedly
opening and closing the laptops
a wire running from the base to
the screen would snap causing
the screen to malfunction,” Mr.
Stevens explained. “There were
120 computers with a screen defect!”
added Mrs. Beazley.
These computers were also extremely
slow and bulky. As soon
as it was evident that problems
occurring could not easily be
fixed, Mrs. Beazley, Mr. Stevens,
and Sr. Lisa decided it was
time to take the next step. Luckily,
after explaining the situation
to Dell, the company apologized
and offered to send Mount St.
Mary 270 brand new laptops of a
different type, an exact exchange
for the old laptops. These new
Latitude 5420s were set to arrive
in early November, however, a
temporary dispute regarding additional
payments arose and the
laptops didn‟t arrive until November
28th. On the arrival day
many students were “overjoyed”
as Kimberly Jones ‟14 puts it,
“because we finally had working
computers!”
No longer was Mount to
have “toy computers,” as Claire
Wewers ‟14 called them, “we
have big, working computers
now.” Anna Sharabura ‟14
stated, “These computers are far
more stylish and can rock the
Starbucks tables!” These laptops
also run better, “They have 4
gigabytes instead of just 2 and
are four times faster than the
2120s. The Dell Latitude 5420s
are also capable of being upgraded,
unlike the
other laptops.
So it
is possible
to make
them even
faster in the
future than
they are
now,” says
Mr. Stevens.
The
major problem
of the malfunctioning computer
screens was finally fixed.
“My screen is just beautiful,”
sophomore Halley Angel declared.
Though these new computers
seemed almost perfect in
the beginning, they too have
their draw backs. “They are big,”
says Rachel Lorsbach „14 “but at
least they aren‟t as small as the
old ones. They are also smooth
and pretty, not bulky.” Though
she loves the new computers,
sophomore, Mary Cate Connell,
says, “I still miss the touch
screen sometimes. It made it easier
to draw during homeroom.
With a mouse you just can‟t get
straight lines!” In response to
students missing the touch
screen, Mr. Stevens replied,
“The touch screens were just
something we had to give up because
it caused the computer to
be slower and it would have required
the parents buying the
computers to pay more.”
All in all, the majority of
the freshman
and sophomore
class
believe this
was a great
switch. Who
knows, if we
still had the
old laptops,
“I think many
of [the computers]
would
have been
thrown off
the Big Dam Bridge by now,”
says Alex Glenn. Halley Angel
added onto this statement saying,
“I‟m pretty sure we would either
not be using them, or we would
all have gone insane trying to.”
Photo by Katherine Penney „14

ISSUE 3
THE MOUNT
PAGE 8
Celebrate the Movies
By Maggie Nichols ‘12
“There‟s a little bit of the
movies in all of us.” This excerpt
from the Academy Awards
promo truly captures the most
basic reason why Hollywood is
such an important part of many
Americans. As this year marks
the 84th Academy Awards, this
is the night of movie excellence
in a longstanding American tradition.
It is the “night to celebrate
the movies,” as the promos
say, and how could they go uncelebrated
Last year, Americans
spent over ten billion dollars
on movie tickets. Despite
rising ticket prices and tightened
budgets, Americans simply can‟t
stay away from the movies.
There is something magically
appealing about the ability of
movies to grant their viewers
two hours of escape. Although
many popular movies are not
nominated, the Oscars represent
the grandeur of American filmmaking,
and they present an opportunity
to get people to watch
films they might not otherwise
watch.
The nominations for the
Oscars were announced recently
for the films that the members of
the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences believe to be
the best of the best in the past
year. Although this writer is an
Oscar enthusiast, most people
are only concerned with the top
three awards: Best Actor, Best
Actress, and Best Picture. The
nominations for these categories
are as followes and asterisks depict
the writer‟s favorites.
Best Actor:
-George Clooney (The Descendants)
-Jean Dujardin (The Artist)*
-Demian Bichir (A Better Life)
-Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor
Soldier Spy)
-Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
Best Actress:
-Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)
-Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
-Rooney Mara (Girl with the
Dragon Tattoo)
-Viola Davis (The Help)*
-Michelle Williams (My Week
with Marilyn)
-The Artist
-Warhorse
Best Picture:
-Moneyball
-The Help
-The Tree of Life -Hugo
-The Descendants
-Midnight in Paris*
-Extremely Loud and Incredibly
Close
The best way to prepare
for the impending award show,
as Oscar enthusiasts say, is to
see as many of the movies involved
as possible with an open
mind and a personal scorecard.
Watching the Oscars is a much
more enjoyable experience when
you can root for your favorite
films and actors amidst the suspense.
Downloading the Oscar
app on the iPhone also helps
with staying up-to-date with the
Oscar countdown blogs and the
opinions of fellow fanatics. The
app is free, and it allows viewers
to have a more interactive Oscar
experience. Then, on the big
night, you will be well informed
and ready to watch.
Make February 26th a
day to “celebrate the movies,” as
the promos proclaim. Remember
all of the movies that shaped
your childhood and the ones you
have grown to love. Think of all
the Oscar winners you‟ve come
to cherish: Gone with the Wind
(1939), The Sound of Music
(1965), Forrest Gump (1994),
Titanic (1997), and last year‟s
The King’s Speech. Celebrating
the movies of the past, present,
and future is a fun way to celebrate
a wonderful part of American
history.

ISSUE 3
THE MOUNT
PAGE 9
Blast from the Past
By Laura Landers ‘13
Who could forget
Tommy Pickle with his screwdriver
that could get him and the
gang out of any playpen Or
Dexter creating all sorts of scientific
mayhem in his laboratory
How about the recipe for the
Powerpuff Girls: sugar, spice,
and everything nice (combined
with a little Chemical X) It was
those moments of sitting in pajamas
watching Scooby and the
gang unveil yet another masked
villain that people of our age
will never forget. Though the
majority of the students of
Mount Saint Mary‟s were born
on the cusp of the 1990s, few
can forget the amazing shows
that the decade produced. It used
to be worth waking up extra
early just to watch episodes of
Hey Arnold!, Ed, Ed, n Eddy,
and Johnny Bravo. “They are my
best memories,” remarks Katie
Dobbins ‟13. As demands for
new and digitally improved children‟s
television shows have
grown, the „old classics‟ that
people remember so fondly have
slowly faded into the background.
Not anymore. After
years of demands from young
adults through social media websites
such as Facebook, Nickelodeon
has decided to bring back
some of the shows that we all
know and love.
The movement started
officially last July, but has
slowly grown bigger as the demands
increased. Thanks to cartoon-hungry
college students and
clever interns who pitched the
idea to the kid-oriented television
station last summer, several
of the classics from the 90‟s are
coming back to television. From
midnight to 4 am, Nickelodeon
has decided to air “The 90‟s are
All That”. Re-runs of shows
such as All That, Kenan & Kel,
and Doug are making their way
back into the hearts of all those
people who have missed them.
The best part of this cartoon revival
is that the viewers at home
get to decide what is aired. By
joining and commenting on
Facebook pages like “I Want My
90‟s Nickelodeon Back”, you
can help the Nickelodeon staff
decide which shows will be aired
during this special time frame.
It‟s a stroke of pure genius;
Facebook has recorded that there
are about 15 million fans who
want to see these shows again.
What is it that made
these cartoons so memorable
Why do so many people want
the shows to come back “Kids
can relate to [the old cartoons] in
more ways than one,” explains
Lauren Long ‟13. Seeing these
cartoons again reminds us of a
simpler, more care-free time.
They made us smile and laugh,
but most importantly they made
us realize some important life
lessons. Talking about her favorite
show Scooby-Doo, Alana
Carpenter ‟13 puts it quite simply:
“I learned the importance of
teamwork and friendship, but
more importantly, I learned
we‟re all willing to do something,
no matter how scary, if the
reward is a Scooby snack.”

PAGE 10 THE MOUNT ISSUE 3
Sharing the Love on Valentine’s Day
By Lauren Curtis ‘12
Proclamations of love,
candy grams, flowers, hearts
everywhere, mix tapes, and romantic
movies. The day dedicated
to spread the love to everyone,
especially your significant
other. Some girls at the Mount
look forward to Valentine‟s Day.
Others would rather skip this
day, as it is a reminder of that
special someone we don‟t have
for Valentine‟s Day. February
the fourteenth is properly named
Singles Awareness Day by some
because it is a reminder of a
failed relationship or the lack of
a relationship among people.
Those who do have a special
someone to shower with affection
can celebrate the day and do
all of the things that are generally
associated with Valentine‟s
Day.
As for the single population
of the school, this day can
still be filled with love and happiness
in a different way. No one
should be depressed on Valentine‟s
Day, even if they are single.
This day can also be celebrated
by showing the love you
have for your family, yourself,
or amazing friends in your life.
Anyone can turn this holiday,
which is usually centered on loving
the person you‟re dating, and
displaying love towards yourself
and everyone around you. Everyone
wants to feel loved, especially
when there is a day centered
completely on sharing love
with others.
There are
options such
as going see
a movie with
friends, getting
a manicure
for
yourself, or
just show
kindness towards
everyone.
This
does not
have to be
the most dreaded holiday of the
year! Try to avoid a pity party
for what you don‟t have, and just
be grateful for whatever you do
have in your life. Reflecting on
the blessings in your life can
turn this day into another joyful,
celebratory day for everyone.
The month of February,
including “the Day of Love,”
can be a time of reflection for
everyone who has had a failed
relationship. Instead of letting it
get you down, think of what mistakes
were made so they don‟t
happen the next time around.
There are a few books out there
to help someone through a time
of sadness because it didn‟t work
out with your guy. Even though
he didn‟t turn out to be your
prince charming, someone is out
there if you continue the search
for them.
A must read for teens
right now is the book called Why
We Broke Up by Daniel Handler.
Throughout the book, Min
Green, Ed Slaterton‟s ex girlfriend,
leaves him things in a
box along with a letter explaining
how these items or events
led to the undoing of their relationship.
It is a girl‟s story about
love, balancing a relationship
and friendships, adventures, and
heartbreak. This might be able to
help a lot of girls who are looking
for some answers on these
subjects. In addition to Handler‟s
book, for those single girls who
enjoy one of those entertaining
funny reads that might provide
some comfort, the book Struck
by Rhonda Stapleton is an awesome
lead. It is a funny story
about a girl, Felicity, who gets a
job as a matchmaker for a company
called Cupid‟s Hollow. She
sees the behind the scenes on
relationships as an observer for
her job and is funny while being
very insightful. I hope these
ideas help make Valentine‟s Day
the best holiday for every girl at
Mount! All you need is love,
right

ISSUE 3
THE MOUNT
Valentine’s Quiz—Does He Like You
By Jaci Hayes and Kate Raines ‘14
PAGE 11
1. When he sees you, does
he…
A. Run up and smile
B. Nod and wave
C. Ignore you
2. When you and him text,
who initiates the conversation
A. He always texts you
first
B. You do sometimes,
and he does sometimes
C. You always text him
first
3. How often does he call you
A. Every day
B. Once in a while
C. Never
4. When you are in a group of
friends, does he…
A. Focus entirely on you
B. Talk with a group of
people that includes you
C. Ignore you
5. How often do you and him
hang out
A. Every weekend with a
group of people
B. Every once in a while
C. Never
6. Do you ever see him
texting other girls
A. Never
B. Sometimes
C. All the time
7. Has he ever asked you
to hang out alone
A. Yes
B. No, but he has
hinted at it
C. Never
8. When was the last time
he texted you
A. Five minutes ago
B. Five days ago
C. I text him, but he
never replies
9. Do you ever catch him
looking at you
A. All the time
B. Once or twice
C. Never
10. Has he asked you if
you have plans on Valentine‟s
Day
A. Yes
B. No, but we are
hanging with our group
of friends
C. Not yet
Results
Mostly A‟s:
He‟s definitely into
you! He seems to
really be into you. If
you like him back, you
should start hinting at a
relationship. If you
don‟t, he will probably
lose interest.
Mostly B‟s:
He seems to definitely
see you as a close
friend! Just wait and
see. Maybe something
will happen! You
should try initiating
things. For example, if
you go in a big group
to the movies, try to sit
next to him.
Mostly C‟s:
He does not seem to
think of you as a
friend. Try and get to
know him better, then
maybe something will
happen!

MOU NT ST. MARY ACADE MY
3224 Kavanaugh Blvd
Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: 501-664-8006
Fax: 501-666-4382
Website: mtstmary.edu
The Mount Staff
Senior Editors
Writers
Photographers
Jourdon Dyer
Taylor Foreman
Eryn Tracy
Illustrators
Elaine Ruth Boe ‘13
Jameson Gresham ‘12
Maria Zarate ‘15
Cally Cochran ‘14
Lauren Curtis ‘12
Jourdon Dyer ‘12
Dylan Gibson ‘12
Taylor Foreman ‘12
Savannah Hanson ‘15
Helen Hathaway ‘13
Jaci Hayes ‘14
Kimberly Jones ‘14
Laura Landers ‘13
Maggie Nichols ‘12
Kate Raines ‘14
Rachel Zimmerman ‘13
Julia Adrian ‘15
Abby Anderson ‘13
Katherine Penney ‘14
Shelby Sarna ‘14
Eryn Tracy ‘12