Rampage Oct2012 - Campuses - Katy ISD

RAMPAGE October 2012 █ Vol. 29 Issue 1 

Mayde Creek High School 

19202 Groshke Rd. █ Houston, TX 77084 █ 281-237-3842 

challenges 

students 

face how school, family 

and life can get in the way

2 

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EDITOR IN CHIEF 

Emily Grizzell 

MANAGING EDITORS 

Vaclav Cafourek 

Ramsey Minto 

Jennifer Hernandez 

STAFF 

Alex Castillo 

Connor Bubb 

Alex Armbruster 

Laura Berlanga 

Stephanie Fuentes 

Evan Barber 

Rosie Salazar 

Misty Cabrera 

Sarah Kent 

Caitlin Miller 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

HEAD-Alexis Garza 

David Rivera 

Megan Meyer 

Shannon Carr 

Amanda Martinez 

Michelle Sivolob 

Amanda Sprague 

David Hernandez 

Anthonice Manning 

ADVISOR 

Shetye Cypher 

PRINT 

aprinitis 

GENERAL INQUIRIES 

Mayde Creek High School 

19202 Groshke Rd. 

Houston, TX 77084 

281-237-3842 

The Rampage is an official 

publication of MCHS. Editorials 

represent the opinion of the 

writer, but not necessarily of 

KISD administration or faculty. 

The Rampage is a member of 

the Interscholastic League of 

Press Conference (ILPC), the 

Texas Association of Journalism 

Education (TAJE), the Journalism 

Education Association 

(JEA), the Columbia Scholastic 

Press Association (CSPA), the 

Texas High School Press Association 

(THSPA), and the National 

Scholastic Press Association 

(NSPA). It has received tops in 

Texas for writing and photography, 

a gold crown for in-depth 

reporting, a first class rating, 

and is a medalist with first place 

ratings. It is the policy of KISD 

not to discriminate on the basis 

of sex, disability, race, religion, 

color, age, or national origin 

and its educational programs, 

activites, and employment 

practices. 

regular 

Kudos 

Life Hacks 

Personality Profiles 

Girls are from Venus, Men are from Mars 

LefTovers Cartoon 

After School Appetites 

Cover Photo by David Rivera 

contents 

04 

07 

09 

12 

12 

12 


featured 

04 

06 

07 

10 

13 

14 

15 

15 

3 

New Policies 

Fashion 

Dreamcatchers 

Challenges 

Homecoming 

School Apps 

Halloween 

Football/Volleyball

4 


The new school year has brought many 

changes to Mayde Creek. Some of the most important 

ones are Mayde Creek’s new tardy policy, 

the cancellation of several bus routes for 

students, and a new district-wide policy on facial 

hair. 

This school year is the first year Mayde 

Creek is implementing its new tardy policy. In 

the new tardy policy, students receive a 30 minute 

detention the first time they are late to a class 

period. According to Principal Dr. Cazilda Steele, 

the changes were made for a reason. 

“We’ve never been aggressive because we 

thought students needed several opportunities 

to get it, but the only thing that happens when 

you give several opportunities is that students 

realize how to beat the system and they’re continually 

tardy. Once you’re in the workforce it is 

important to be on time, and it’s just as important 

to be to class on time because this is your job 

right now,” said Dr. Steele. 

Students receive an additional half hour of 

detention for each consecutive tardy they get until 

four tardies, at which point the student’s parents 

are notified, and the student receives a Saturday 

detention. The more severe consequences 

of the new policy have seen improvements in 

students getting to class on time. 

“We’ve noticed a marked improvement in 

the hallways being clear. Last year when school 

would start, there were still a lot of tardies in the 

morning because of traffic, and when we were 

doing the pledge there would be herds of children 

all over the foyer. Now there’s hardly anyone, 

so it’s good to know that kids are in class 

where it matters,” said Dr. Steele. 

Students will be able to avoid serving a 

detention for a tardy by using six of their ‘Ram 

Card’ stickers. These stickers are given out to students 

by teachers for good behavior. 

Over the summer, Katy ISD cut several bus 

routes due to a lack of bus drivers for the new 

school year. Cuts were based on the distance of 

a bus route to the school it served. Those bus 

routes closest to schools were the ones eliminated, 

while those farthest away were kept. Mayde 

Buses, Bells, Beards: 

A Look at Changes for the New Year 

Creek bus routes were among those affected. 

“The number of buses that we have coming 

and going has shrunk from 24 buses to 18 and if 

you live within a mile and a half or two miles of 

the school, you have to provide your own transportation 

now,” said Dr. Steele. 

The cancellation of bus routes has changed 

morning traffic for Mayde Creek, with some kids 

having to cross streets and walk to school and 

others being driven to school by their parents. 

In anticipation, a sidewalk was built around part 

of the campus, and there are plans for more construction 

to alleviate traffic. 

“The district is looking at the possibility of 

making two more exits in the front drop-off area 

of the main building so that people could leave 

quickly on little Groeschke Rd. after dropping off 

their kids instead of having to go all the way to 

Kudos 

By Vaclav Cafourek 

Features Editor 

the back , which lets things get so clogged up,” 

said Dr. Steele. 

Katy ISD has also changed its policy on facial 

hair. Starting this year, students are now permitted 

to grow facial hair, as long it is neat and 

well-groomed, and is not a distraction in class. 

Many students this year have already started letting 

their facial hair grow out. According to Dr. 

Steele, the old district policy on facial hair was 

taken down because it was unnecessary. 

“A lot of the districts around us gave up 

policing hair a long time ago. With all the time 

and effort we spend policing, it’s just not worth 

it. We used to spend so much time on hair that 

administrators were jumping for joy because we 

don’t have to look at it anymore. As time goes 

on, some kids will even find they don’t like it,” 

said Dr. Steele. 

Photo by Shannon Carr 

Senior Nicholas Bugio sports a beard while working on a project for welding class. Many boys 

decided to grow out their facial hair this year because of Katy ISD’s new policy. 

DEBATE: The Debate team had a good start to the season at Foster High School. Jesse Martinez came in 5 th and Evan Barber was 7 th in Student 

Congress. Jesse also advanced to semi-finals in Extemporaneous Speaking. Otis Laskey advanced to semifinals in Humorous Interpretation, 

Dramatic Interpretation, and Poetry. At Northbook High School, Otis Laskey was 3 rd in Poetry, 5 th in Humorous Interpretation, and 

advanced to semi-finals in Dramatic. Jesse Martinez was 5 th in Student Congress while Evan Barber placed 7 th in Extemporaneous Speaking 

and 8 th in Student Congress. At the Elkins Tournament, Evan Barber was 2 nd in Student Congress and reached semis in Extemporaneous. 

Otis Laskey was 2 nd in Dramatic Interpretation and reached semis in Humorous. Jesse Martinez was 4 th in Extemporaneous Speaking and 

8 th in Congress. Devangi Jajal reached quarterfinals (tied for 4 th ) in LD debate, and Ethan Myers reached elimination rounds in LD debate. 

BAND: Members of the Ram Band competed for a spot in the TMEA Region 23 Jazz Band. Ramiro Cortez earned 3rd chair trombone, and 

Victor Medina earned 3rd chair trumpet. Both students qualified to record an audition CD to earn them a spot in the TMEA All State Jazz 

Ensemble. 

CHEERLEADERS: The cheerleaders went to HOT 95.7 and KILT 100.3 on Sept. 27 to record the countdowns and promote the football game 

Friday. 

THEATRE: The Theatre Company will present the hilarious farce Noises Off by Michael Frayn on Oct. 18, 19, and 20 at 7 p.m. and a 2 p.m. 

matinee on Oct. 20. Performances will be held in the MCHS PAC. Mayde Creek High School Theatre Company will present a double feature 

of Cinderella and Final Dress Rehearsal on Oct. 26 and 27 at 7 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee on Oct 27. Performances will be held in the MCHS 

Black Box Theatre. 

FFA: FFA Treasurer Will Norwood, placed 2nd in his lamb class at the Harris County Fair on Sept. 14, 2012. 

FBLA: On Saturday Sept. 22, students from Future Business Leaders of America gathered at Champion Nissan Katy to participate in Tour 

de Cure, a series of bicycling events for fund-raising held in 40 states nationwide to benefit the American Diabetes Association.

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5

6 


Welcome 

to a whole 

New 

World 

Junior Marcel Kruger works on an assignment in U.S. History. Kruger moved from 

Leipzig, Germany to Houston this year. 

Photo by Alexis Garza 

By Caitlin Miller 

Staff 

A boy sits in a classroom looking 

out a window at lush green fields with 

rivers that seem to never end. On the 

other side of the school sits a booming 

metropolis. Everyone is constantly 

moving. Everyone has a place to be in 

Leipzig, Germany. One look at the city 

streets and people know that they are 

no longer in the United States. Why 

would anyone want to leave such a 

beautiful place to come to Houston or 

Mayde Creek? 

“I came here because I plan to go 

into the economy and I wanted to learn 

English,” said junior Marcel Kruger. 

Kruger is here as a foreign exchange 

student from Germany living 

with a host family. He chose to come 

here for the experience and the opportunities 

it will bring him in the 

WHAT 

ARE YOU 

WEARING 

TODAY? By Laura Berlanga 

Staff 

“ When I’m shopping 

I go to Forever 

21, I try and look 

for stripes. Simplicity 

is what I like 

to look for, I also 

look for black and 

white clothing.” 

-Daniel Nguyen, 12 

future. However, this strange city is 

very different from what Kruger calls 

home. According to him the cities in 

Germany are very compact with many 

smaller villages all across the country. 

The houses are all connected to 

one another and everything is within 

a few miles. The landscape is not the 

only thing different in Germany. The 

way of life is as well. 

“People in Germany are more 

conservative with their money and 

don’t spend as much. The cars are also 

smaller and use less gas,” said Kruger. 

Even though he has not been 

here for more than a few weeks, there 

are still things that he misses about 

Germany. Being in a strange country 

and a strange school would do that to 

anyone. They would miss the people 

they know and love. They would miss 

the comfort of knowing the environment 

around them. 

“I miss being able to drive my car 

and my friends, but the climate here is 

better,” said Kruger. 

The people and environment 

are not the only different things. The 

school systems are also different. In 

Germany they do not have the same 

schedule every day. They can have up 

to 14 classes in a school year. Some 

classes they will only have once or 

twice a week. Their curriculum is 

also different. They have the four basic 

subjects, but also have classes like 

Russian, religion, and music. 

“We have German, math and 

Russian class four times a week and 

other classes like religion and music 

twice a week,” said Kruger. 

“I shop at American Eagle 

Outfitters, Charlotte 

Russe, A’GACI and Forever 

21. When I’m shopping 

I look for floral-designed 

shirts and skirts. I 

also look for see-through 

shirts and pencil skir 

ts.” 

-Nataly Ruiz, 12 

Classes also last longer for German 

students. They have class for 

two hours and then take a break. This 

schedule repeats all day. Students 

will often have multiple classes in one 

room. 

“We don’t have every class with 

different people or different teachers,” 

said Kruger. 

The difference in language has 

also caused an issue for Kruger. Math 

class has been easy for him to understand 

because there is no language 

barrier in that class, but classes such 

as US History have been much harder 

to deal with. 

“The textbook and information 

don’t always make sense or translate 

well,” said Kruger. 

Overall the experience so far 

has been pleasant for Kruger. He has 

found the cities to be really interesting 

and different. The layout and how far 

apart everything is has been different 

as well, the people here have been welcoming 

to him. He has enjoyed seeing 

the differences in the schools and he 

does not know what he’ll miss the 

most when he goes back to Germany. 

“The school here has been a good 

experience,” said Kruger. 

People from different countries 

may seem foreign and different, but 

in reality they are just like everyone 

else. The world is a big place with 

many different places to see. Everyone 

should have the option of seeing the 

world. It can be fun and exciting, but 

also scary for people to be in a strange 

place with strange people surrounding 

them. 

“When I go shopping I’m always looking for 

antique looking accessories, as well as chic, 

that will change my outfit from great to amazing. 

I need to have accessories to complete 

my outfits. I would consider my outfits to be 

casual dressy and sometimes sporty. ” 

-Dezsirae Lemus, 11 

Photos By Amanda Marinez

Photo by 

Shannon Carr 

By Sarah Kent 

Staff 

Sophomore Ally Sheppard sits in her room 

carefully weaving intricate designs 

into the dream catcher 

she is currently making. With 

music in the background 

she lets her emotions flow 

into the design, creating an 

image that is unlike any 

other. As seconds melt 

into minutes and 

minutes melt into 

hours she continues 

working diligently. 

This dream catcher 

is a collection of her 

thoughts, of her feelings, 

it’s a physical 

embodiment of who 

she is in those moments. 

“To make a 

dream catcher you 

need patience; 

they have to be 

very precise. You 

have to be able to 

wrap the leather 

By Sarah Kent 

Staff 

While the springboard groans in the background 

as a gymnast drills constantly, almost obsessively, 

perfecting their technique sophomore Collin 

Wang steps forward onto the mat ready to show the 

results of his rigorous training. Launching forward 

into a round off he carefully executes the techniques 

that he spent hours honing in the gym. Without a 

split second of hesitation Wang contorts his body 

on the landing. He shoots off into a flawless back 

handspring moving with incredible speed making 

the tumbling pass seem effortless. Finally ending the 

pass with a back tuck. He stands triumphant, taking 

in the applause of his coaches and his team mates 

proud of how far he has come and looking forward 

to the progress he can make. 

“I started gymnastics when I was eight and rejoined 

this past summer, I initially joined because I 

was really hyper as a kid and it was a good way to 

get my energy out and have fun,” said Wang. 

In 2005 Wang joined Westwood Academy 

ready to learn the sport and get into the action. With 

Life 

Hacks 

around the ring a hundred times and not get lazy. 

You also need to be creative; no two dream catchers 

can look the same. I also think that it is important 

that you actually believe that they capture your bad 

dreams, that’s the whole point of them,” said Sheppard. 

With an eye for dream catchers at a young age 

Sheppard became instantly fascinated with them and 

their meaning. Observing all of the different shapes, 

sizes, and designs of dream catchers she began to 

consider making one herself starting a hobby that 

she would cherish for a long time. 

“When I was little I thought that dream catchers 

were really wonderful and as I bought more I realized 

that it would be a lot of fun if I made one myself,” 

said Sheppard. 

Upon discovering an online tutorial for making 

dream catchers Sheppard began to work diligently 

making dream catchers until the steps became natural 

to her. From there she began to go freestyle when 

making her dream catchers, making her own designs 

and letting her creativity flow into the object. 

“I really enjoy making them. It’s tedious but my 

mind wanders when I make them and then I enter 

my own little world,” said Sheppard. 

As more people noticed Sheppard’s talent in 

making dream catchers and showed interest in them 


Catching Dreams, 

Made by Sheppard 

By Emily Grizzell 

Editor In Chief 

Do you have trouble reading? 

Try listening to an audiobook 

at 2x speed. You won’t notice 

the difference in pitch and 

you will finish the book in 

half the time! Audio books are 

also proven to help improve 

memory and imagination. 

Spring In His Step 

a coach and a team alongside him he trained twice a 

week for two hours, learning new techniques as well 

as the physical and mental discipline that is required 

for the sport. 

“I competed when I was younger but haven’t 

competed since. When I compete, I feel nervous but 

excited at the same time. My highest score was 46.3 

out of a total of 50 points,” said Wang. 

Rejoining this summer after an extended hiatus 

from the sport Wang has been going through extensive 

training to regain his previous skills and prowess. 

From tumbling passes to vaults and dismounts 

he gives each training session his all, working to 

surpass his former limit and become better than he 

ever was. 

“When you’re tumbling it feels like a rush of 

adrenaline. Sometimes fear can get in the way, but 

you have to overcome that and focus. Sometimes 

you may fall but as long as you get back up and try 

again you’ll get the skill down,” said Wang. 

There are many hazards on the road to one’s 

goal and Wang is no exception to this rule. Suffering 

from burns and scrapes from the mat and bruises 

Take 

the stem 

off a 

strawberry 

by 

sticking a 

straw from 

the bottom 

through the 

top. The 

leaves will 

pop right 

off and you 

get to eat 

more strawberry. 

To keep cut apples 

from browning, tie 

them back together 

with a rubberband. 

7 

she began to give them to her friends as gifts that 

symbolized all of her different experiences and 

memories with them. Each dream catcher was different 

just like how each individual was different 

reflecting their friendship. 

“I have only given them to people as gifts so 

far. I gave one to Alex Jimenez for Christmas and 

one to Alyssa Durbow for her birthday,” said Sheppard. 

While Sheppard gives her dream catchers to 

people as gifts she has considered selling them as 

more and more people have become interested in 

dream catchers. However the process of selling them 

could prove to be difficult as some people may want 

them in a specific design in a certain amount of time. 

“I want to start selling them but I’m not sure of 

how much I should charge yet or how they should 

look if I take requests. It overwhelms me when 

I think about it so I usually don’t. But if someone 

wants to buy one I am sure that we could work 

something out,” said Sheppard. 

While the future of her selling dream catchers 

is unsure one thing is definite; Sheppard’s passion 

for making dream catchers will live on as she continues 

to find time to create the physical embodiments 

of her feelings, emotions, and thoughts. 

Photo by Letty Wang 

from failed passes he doesn’t give 

up but keeps moving forward regardless 

of what stands in his way, 

whether that obstacle is physical or 

circumstantial. 

“Tumbling does create conflict 

with school and other extracurricular 

activities because I only have a 

few hours to do my homework and 

practice my instrument for band 

while making a 30-40 minute commute 

to the gym,” said Wang. 

Having persevered to overcome 

each obstacle that stands in 

the way of his goal Wang keeps 

moving with eyes forward, never 

looking back. Training hard at the 

gym each week he keeps moving 

refusing to slow down, always giving 

100 percent and nothing less. No 

matter how hard he falls he demonstrates 

his uncanny ability to always 

get up stronger than he was before. 

If you’re traveling and 

don’t have enough room 

for a separate shoe bag, 

wrap them in a shower cap 

to keep dirty soles off 

clothes. 

Clean up your closet! 

Turn all your hangers backwards 

and, after you wear 

it, turn it back to normal. 

At the end of a year, give 

away all the clothes you 

haven’t worn.

8 


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How many years have you been a nurse? 

I graduated in 1974 so I have been a nurse for 38 

years. 

What made you become a nurse? 

I have always been interested in medical school 

since high school. I knew I was going to be in the 

medical field, initially I went Pre-Med and I just 

couldn’t afford to go on with all the years of medical 

school. 

What advice can you give someone who wants 

to be a nurse? 

Study hard. Volunteer in that area that you might 

want so that you can learn more about the field. I 

got a little job in a hospital so I could see the different 

areas of nursing or of the medical field. 

By Alex Armbruster 

Staff 

What are the Madison Scouts? 

The Madison Scouts are a professional marching 

band founded in 1932. The group trains in Indianapolis 

and then tours the rest of the summer, 

performing the show. 

What does it take to join? 

You have to be good at your instrument, have plenty 

of patience and a great attitude. 

What is your favorite memory? 

Drum Corps International finals at Lucas Oil Stadium, 

Indianapolis, and singing the corps song after 

our last performance. 

What does a day of rehearsal look like? 

I wake up at 7 a.m. and rehearsal starts at 8 a.m. 

During that time you do whatever you need to 

get ready, including breakfast. We start practicing 

visual at 8 a.m. for 4 hours, music at 1 p.m. for 4 

By Evan Barber 

Staff 

As a student graduates from high school they 

will make a big decision of about where they want 

to go to college at. However to make sure that one 

made the right choice in a campus for them, it is 

helpful to actually go down to a college and see 

what it is like for themselves. It is very important 

to find the information to decide if the college a student 

is applying to is truly their dream college. 

Senior Anthony Tran talked about his experience 

visiting the University of Texas at Austin and 

the importance that his visit played. 

“Everything is in close proximity of where you 

would be staying, so you wouldn’t need a car or 

anything,” said Tran. “You could walk to get food, 

there is a library next door, I really like the place.” 

Tran said that his visit to the University of 

Texas at Austin campus had a big impact on his 

decision to go there. It was the environment that 

played a major role in his decision to go to college 

there, which is something that can play a large role 

in many students decision of whether to go to a specific 

college or university, or not. 

Kim Meador, the current senior principal, emphasizes 

the importance of visiting a college cam- 

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Photo by Amanda Sprague 

VICTOR MEDINA 

hours, dinner at 5, and resume with ensemble at 6 

p.m. for 3 hours. The rehearsal is long, tiring and 

hot. 

How often would you practice? 

All day, every day. 

How did you learn about the Madison Scouts? 

My band director, Mr. Riley is a Madison Scouts 

alumnus and marched in 2010. 

What did you learn from this experience? 

How to figure things out on the fly and responsibility. 

Who would you recommend to join? 

Anyone who likes to march and plays a brass 

instrument. 

Get to Know Your College 

pus before you apply. 

“You can get a lot of your questions answered 

by attending a college visit,” said Meador. “That’s 

your chance to talk to students, to the admissions, 

to professors and financial aid. You can get your important 

questions answered” 

It is also important to come with questions to 

ask about the campus and classes. Meador comes 

up with a few questions a student could ask while 

visiting a campus. When talking to a professor one 

could ask about the class sizes. When talking to admissions 

one can ask about SAT requirements, a student 

can also ask the students about the social life 

on campus. 

Having this information makes it easier to apply, 

not only will a student know the requirement to 

get into that college, but have a better understanding 

of what they are looking for, giving the student a 

better chance to get accepted. Also talking with the 

professors can tell a student what classes they would 

want to take. 

However at most colleges, students would not 

be able to walk on campus just to visit by themselves. 

To visit a college, a student should call, e-mail or go 

online to ask or check the procedure for visiting the 

campus. Many campuses will have tours available 


9 

As a nurse what does your day look like? 

From the minute I get here to the minute I leave I am 

busy taking care of the kids, talking to parents, calling 

parents, checking paperwork for immunizations, 

checking health records, calling physicians and more. 

What was the biggest emergency that you 

have ever dealt with? 

I have had to work with a lot of head injuries and 

diabetics whose blood sugar went too low. For 

diabetics we would have to call an ambulance. I 

have never dealt with a death before. 

What school did you go to for nursing? 

I went to the University of Texas for 

nursing school. 

Photo by Amanda Sprague 

to students wishing to apply for their college or university; 

they may also offer information seminars to 

give a student an idea of what they are looking for. 

However if a student cannot visit a college, then 

they should go online to find all the information possible. 

There will be many pictures of the campus on 

their website, and if a student knows someone who 

went to college there, it would be worth asking them 

what it was like so the student can get a feel for what 

the campus is like even if they cannot visit it. 

Many of the tours and information sessions 

are during school hours. Even if that means that a 

student would be able to possibly visit some classes, 

that also means they would be missing a normal 

school day. 

Juniors and seniors are allowed two days a year 

to miss school and visit a college. However before 

they can do this, the student must come to the attendance 

office and pick up the proper paper work, 

then the student would have to get it signed by the 

college and then they are excused for that day to go 

visit that college. 

“It is very important, because it is where you 

would be staying for the next four years of your life, 

it is a very important decision and you want to be 

at a place where you are comfortable at,” said Tran.

10 


In-Depth: The Many 

Challenges of Life 

Personal 

Obstacles 



She laid awake in her bed, staring 

at the ceiling. Sophomore Sarah 

Kent had not been able to fall asleep on 

her own since she was 4. Her mother 

sat next to her in her bed, exhausted 

and wanting to go sleep in her own 

bed. Ever since Kent’s uncle died in 

his sleep twelve years ago, she has 

had panic attacks about falling asleep. 

When she 8 years old, she was diagnosed 

with Obsessive Compulsive 

Syndrome due to the connections her 

brain made with certain things. 

Coach Lauren Lampe is a new 

world history teacher and volleyball 

coach at Mayde Creek. She sits at her 

desk during passing periods and tries 

to remind herself that everything will 

be OK. She has so much to do and not 

enough time to do it. The six minutes 

of every hour that she is not teaching 

class gives her a little down time and 

lets her make a mental note of what she 

needs to do. 

Most people have come to realize 

that too much stress from personal 

matters is a bad thing, but it is 

also sometimes very hard for people to 

manage it. People tend to avoid strife hoping it 

will just disappear. The key to getting through 

internal struggle is communication, but to most 

people, talking to people and giving life to their 

feelings is too risky. An internal challenge can 

occur when someone wants to avoid it, but also 

wants to solve it. 

“My personal challenge is that I need to let 

people help me. I have realized sometimes I take 

on more than I can handle, even when people 

are willing to help,” said Lampe. 

Some popular ways to relieve stress and resolve 

personal challenges are thinking and rest- 

School Blues 

Unraveled 

By Stephanie Fuentes 

Staff 

42% 

25% 

The halls of Mayde Creek High School are 

filled with the chatter and gossip of students, 

excited for the new school year. Senior Rosie 

Pozos is one of these overly excited and nervous 

students that are patiently waiting in their classroom. 

She is excited for her last year, but is nervous 

at the thought of all the challenges she will 

ing. By giving the mind a break to think about 

what it needs to do and giving the body a chance 

to rest and catch up with its thoughts, people are 

more productive and happier. 

“A lot of times when I start panicking over 

something, I have to fight with my brain and convince 

it that what is happening is OK. I also like 

to talk it out with my mom because my brain recognizes 

her as a safe person,” said Kent. 

According to TimberlineKnolls.com, Symptoms 

of obsessive-compulsive disorder often 

center on themes, such as a fear of getting contaminated 

by germs, or an over focus on order. 

face in her final year of high school. 

Students generally have a difficult time 

with organization through their school career. 

They also tend to let time get away from them 

with all the multiple types of distractions that 

get in their way. Some of those distractions can 

include videogames, television shows and online 

gossip. 

“It depends on my classmates if I get distracted 

or not,” said Pozos. “Some classmates 

can be really noisy and bother you throughout 

class.” 

Some students these days have a difficult 

time focusing throughout their class periods 

while others can get side tracked by watching the 

clock tick or thinking about life’s events. No matter 

how hard some students try they can never 

really focus well in a crowded environment filled 

What’s the most 

challenging part 

of your life? 

*survey of 100 students and teachers. 

Photo by David Rivera 

“I take karate to keep myself calm. It 

soothes my nerves and disciplines my emotions. 

Also, self-defense is empowering and helps me 

control the challenges that come with my life,” 

said Kent. 

If someone does not do anything to deal 

with their mental illness, they could make themselves 

even sicker. When a person with OCD 

starts having a panic attack, it is all they can 

think about. It does not just go away on its own 

and, if not dealt with, the results could be disastrous. 

Same with stress, if left inside, there is no 

way it can get better. 

with talkative students. Even certain subjects can 

keep a student from paying attention in class just 

because they are not interested. 

“History is usually the hardest class for me 

to pay attention in,” said Pozos, “I do not find 

it interesting so my mind wanders off during 

class.” 

All students have a favorite subject and 

they also have a subject that they really cannot 

get into. Some students do not like math because 

of all the equations and methods they have to 

memorize, while others just cannot wait to enter 

the class and start working on it. 

No student likes getting a mountain of 

homework or any for that matter. Just the 

thought of having homework can ruin a teenager’s 

day, but it has to be done in order to help 

keep the grades up. Homework grades can save

that one class they do not usually do well in. 

Homework assignments can even help a student 

get prepared for a quiz or test that week. Some 

students can only study for a few minutes 

like freshman Valeria Arizaga. 

“Whenever one of my teachers 

throws out a pop quiz I feel stressed 

out,” said Arizaga. “But I get over the 

stress afterwards.” 

Some students cannot get all of 

their homework assignments completed 

due to having backed up school work 

that they need to get done and turned in 

the next day. They have to put assignments 

into priority and decide what to 

work on and complete first out of everything 

else. Students also have to balance 

out their time to at least try to get most 

of their assignments completed by the 

due date and to study for important 

tests. 

“When it comes to homework, I 

usually start with what I know and then 

work on the harder stuff later,” said Pozos. 

Some of the most difficult things 

to do in school is balance your time and 

planning everything out. Some students 

do not use their time wisely and end up 

leaving a lot of assignments uncompleted 

and do not study enough to pass their 

tests and quizzes. Students are busy after 

school with jobs, chores, extracurricular 

activities, and even cooking dinner. 

Familial 

Challenges 

By Rosie Salazar 

Staff 

33% 

The bell rings and school ends for the day. 

Walking through the main doors, senior Esperansa 

Quilantan begins walking home. As soon as 

she arrives, she is greeted by chaos. While most 

people live with their parents and siblings, Quilantan 

has the pleasure to be living with many 

other relatives as well. 

Many students look forward to going home 

after a hard day at school; however, many have 

no time for rest as their family life can cause unexpected 

problems to arise. When arguments 

arise between family members, it can sometimes 

cause students to stop focusing on school work. 

Junior Christian Mendez also has these conflicts 

with his family. 

“Yes, if I got in a fight with my family, at 

school I will be focused on the fight more than 

my school work,” said Mendez. 

Families do not often go into the stereotype 

of a normal family. There are many problems 

that can arise between them; arguments about 

responsibilities are very common in households. 

Not only that, situations may unexpectedly 

change, leaving students with large 

dilemmas to take care of. 

“I live with eight family members 

including my dad, my aunt, my 

grandpa and grandma and three of my 

cousins,” said Quilantan. 

As well as hardships, some students have 

extra responsibilities at home that may keep 

them from performing their best at 

school. From babysitting to cooking, 

students often keep busy 

Because of these things students cannot keep a 

good balance of time and are filled with stress. 

“I usually study for about 15 to 20 minutes,” 

doing chores rather and assigned homework. 

“I have to try and take care of my dog and 

help out with the kids,” said Quilantan, “due to 

some problems with my aunt, I now have to take 

on more responsibilities.” 

Overbearing parents can also cause additional 

stress to arise when paired with school. 

Often, parents like to believe that by pushing 

their children to get straight A’s, it will 

help them later in life. What 

Photo by 

Emily Grizzell 


said Arizaga. “I have other things I have 

to do like chores such as feeding my dog 

and cleaning the dishes.” 

Photo by David Rivera 

they do not realize is that it can push some students 

over the edge with stress. 

“My parents make me take AP and Dual 

credit and I also go to Miller,” said Mendez. “It 

pressures me into trying my best but sometimes 

it is too much to handle.” 

The emphasis parents put on grades can 

also cause a strain in the relationship between 

parents and their children. While it may seem 

like they are doing it for the best, students may 

begin to resent them for pushing them so hard. 

“Honestly, they get on my nerves,” said 

Quilantan. “Our relationship is sort of stable, but 

they both have their problems and it can affect 

my daily life.” 

While parents might have a strong impact 

on their child, siblings can also be a source of 

stress for students. Differences in opinion and 

viewpoints may cause students to disconnect 

with siblings and even ignore them later in life. 

“I get along with all of my siblings except 

my older brother,” said Mendez. “I don’t get 

along with him because he likes to think he is 

better than me.” 

Should problems arise between family 

members, students might have the need to 

try to stay separated from them, but taking 

a sort of mini vacation to relieve themselves 

from what they may be feeling. While 

spending time with family is important, 

spending time away from them can be equally 

as important. 

“After school I do homework mostly, but 

I like to keep to myself and play video games,” 

said Quilantan. 

However, while a family might be annoying 

sometimes and cause stress, they are also always 

there for you. After all, life cannot be perfect, and 

neither can families. Given the choice, many 

students say they would not change 

their families at all. 

“I love my family for 

who they are,” said Mendez. 

11

12 

by 


ramsey minto 

After School Appetites 

Cheesy Hot Dog 

Crescents 

Prep time: 10 min 

Total time: 22 min 

Servings: 8 servings 

LefTovers 

Women are from Venus, Men are froM Mars 

Most girls nowadays don’t even carry ‘bags’ or ‘backpacks’ (And if they 

do, they’re always in fashion. Vera Bradley, Coach, etc.) A lot of girls 

switched from lugging a big bag on their backs to carrying a binder jampacked 

with all of their school supplies (in perfect order of course), and 

a small satchel to carry everything else that they need. Which is usually 

a lot. 

Makeup for touch ups: 

Whether it’s a concealer stick, eyeliner, mascara, blush, foundation 

or any other possible make up product, she’s going to do touch ups 

throughout the day. As in, the entire day. Her eyeliner might smudge, 

that zit just won’t stay hidden. She’s always gotta be prepared. Oh, and 

she’s got 4-10 tubes of lip gloss and lip balm. Always gotta be perfectly 

kissable, right? 

Cell Phone: 

This is a complete necessity. If she doesn’t have it, it’s as if a piece of her 

life has simply disappeared. She feels empty without her twitter updates 

and facebook page to mindlessly scroll through during class. What if 

someone needs her during the day? She can’t risk that. 

Hair product/Tools: 

If her flat iron fits, it’s going in the bag. 

The small pockets are full of hair ties, head bands, and bobby pins. She 

has travel size dry shampoo and even hair spray. Just like her makeup, 

her hair has got to stay picture perfect. You seriously NEVER know 

what’s gonna go down at any given moment. She’s not about to talk to 

the guy she likes with flyaways. 

Wallet: 

A purse within a purse for the typical female, her wallet has dozens of 

gift cards (some of which expired), Victoria Secret freebies, her license, 

her ID, pictures of her friends, old receipts. 

Usually the most important thing in her bag/purse. 

iPod: 

Really? Isn’t this a necessity for EVERYONE? 

What you need.... 

Bags 

Girls Boys 

8 OSCAR MAYER Beef Franks 

4 KRAFT Singles, each cut into 4 strips 

1 can (8 oz.) 

refrigerated crescent dinner rolls 

Lunch Break 


Ads Manager 

There isn’t a massive variety for ‘manly backpacks’ nowadays. Instead of 

spending hundreds of dollars on a name brand, most guys are happy to 

settle with a simple black backpack from Target. Eight bucks doesn’t make 

it low quality. It makes it awesome, cheap and such a great deal. But just 

because he’s got one doesn’t mean he knows just what’s in there, much less 

the order of those things. 

Binders: 

He may have one or two binders in his cluttered mess of a backpack. None 

of them have a particular class, or any specific assignments. He gets a paper, 

picks a random binder and a random pocket and stuffs it in there. But he 

may not put it in a binder. He might just shove it to the bottom of his bag 

with the rest of his forgotten papers. 

Razor for shaving: 

The shaving rules may have changed, but in the past a lot of particularly 

furry faced guys stowed their own razor away within the depths of the 

black hole that is their bag. It’s that, or using a cheap two bladed Bic razor 

from school. Shaving is enough of a drag. 

Cell Phone. (Optional). 

Unlike girls, guys usually aren’t as concerned with what everyone is wearing 

that day on Facebook, what kind of Frap the girl in his physics class 

had that morning on Instagram, or about how amazing the weather is. Cell 

phones usually remain in their pockets, untouched throughout the day. 

Wallet. 

His wallet is the embodiment of just how unorganized he is. He has receipts 

from three years ago, random pieces of paper with reminders (that he forgot 

about anyways), a few torn and tattered photos, and MAYBE his license. If 

he remembers. 

Random Sport representation: 

If he’s in football, he has a football. Baseball, he has a baseball. Swimming, 

a pair of goggles. Wrestling, his headgear. Etc. 

Always gotta represent. 

MAKE IT! 

HEAT oven to 375ºF. 

CUT lengthwise slits in franks to within 1/2 inch of ends; fill with Singles. 

SEPARATE dough into 8 triangles; wrap 1 around each frank. Place, slit-sides 

up, on baking sheet. 

BAKE 12 min. or until golden brown. 

Variation 

Prepare with KRAFT 2% Milk Singles and reduced-fat refrigerated crescent 

dinner rolls. 

Variation 

Prepare omitting the Singles, using OSCAR MAYER Cheese Dogs and increasing 

the baking time to 15 to 20 min. or until golden brown. 

Special Extra 

Spread dough triangles lightly with yellow mustard or ketchup before wrapping 

around franks. 

By Sarah Kent 

Staff

1 2 

3 4 

5 6 

Form Fitting Silhouettes- 

This fall, it’s all 

about your figure. A 

form-fit dress will hug 

your curves and accentuate 

your shape. This dress 

by Blush Prom has a dark 

sparkle and rhinestone-encrusted 

hem. 


Homecoming 2012 

Make a Mum 

By Ramsey Minto 

Opinions Editor 

These are the materials 

required to make and 

decorate a mum. They include 

a flower, bear, two 

backers, tons of ribbon, 

and other decorations 

you want. 

One of the first things 

you have to do is staple 

all your ribbons to the 

“backer”. (You can find 

these at any craft store). 

These ribbons will be 

your main decoration. 

1 

Short Hems- Long gowns 

are a bit too formal for 

Homecoming and are 

usually seen at prom. You 

want a short dress for 

Homecoming dances and 

it’s a great opportunity to 

flaunt your legs. Don’t forget 

a pair of platform heels 

to match with this dress. 

This is a sequin top pleated 

party dress by Charlotte 

Russe. 

3 

Feather Fringe- Light 

and filmy feathers are 

back for Homecoming 

2012. This Jovani dress 

makes the most of feathers 

with just enough to make 

a statement. 

5 

Lots and Lots of Sparkle- 

Sparkles, sequins 

and exquisite stones 

are as in as ever for fall 

Homecoming. These 

drool-worthy dresses 

look like they were 

ripped right off the red 

carpet. If you’re looking 

for a dress that isn’t too 

form-fitting, a sequin 

dress with a puffy skirt 

is perfect. This dress 

by Blush Prom (number 

9403) has a sweetheart 

neckline that gives the 

illusion of a deep v-neck 

without showing too much 

skin. 

You can use all kinds of 

different colors of ribbons 

and styles. (Freshman 

are usually white 

and green, sophomores 

are green/white/black, 

juniors are silver and 

gold is for seniors.) 

2 One Shoulder Dresses- 

Everyone has been 

wearing strapless dresses 

since they first started 

going to school dances. 

This Homecoming, dare 

to experiment with a one 

shoulder dress instead. 

Celebs have been loving 

the look on the red carpet. 

This one shoulder dress 

from David’s Bridal (Style 

201C17950W) has a fun 

and flirty silhouette that 

shows just enough skin. 

4 

6 

One or Two Sleeves- 

Another kind of one 

shoulder is one with 

nearly a full sleeve. It 

solves the problem of 

finding a jacket that is 

fancy enough to cover 

up a small dress on 

the cool fall night of 

Homecoming. Another 

style that works great 

on a very cool night is 

a dress with two full 

sleeves and a jutting 

v-neck. It’s trendy and 

will keep you warm. 

You can find this Scala 

dress (number 47485) on 

Dress Goddess. 

Using twine and ribbon, 

create a border around 

the perimeter of the 

backer. Once you are 

satisfied, glue the flower 

to the center with hot 

glue. You may then glue 

the bear on and decorate 

to your liking 



13 

Places to eat 

Cheesecake Factory- a full-service restaurants, specializing 

in cheesecakes for dessert. Prices range 

from $3.95 to $31.95. 303 Memorial City Memorial 

City, TX 77024, (713) 932-6344, www.thecheesecakefactory.com 

Carrabbas- offers flavorful, handmade Italian dishes 

prepared to order in a lively display kitchen. Price 

range: $3.50-$22. Houston/Katy Freeway 11339 Katy 

Freeway, Houston, TX 77079, (713) 464-6595, www. 

carrabbas.com 

Rainforest Café-enjoy moderately-priced food, beverages 

and merchandise such as apparel, toys and 

gifts in a rainforest themed environment. Entrees 

run in the $8--$16 price range, and often include a 

side-dish. 5000 Katy Mills Circle Katy, TX 77494 , 

(281) 644-6200, www.rainforestcafe.com 

Perry’s Steakhouse- what began as a modest meat 

market in 1979 has become one of the premier 

steakhouses in Texas.Price range: $31 to $50. 23501 

Cinco Ranch Boulevard, Katy, TX, (281) 347-3600, 

www.perryssteakhouse.com 

Fogo De Chao- a Brazilian churrascaria steakhouse 

that began sharing the gaucho way of preparing 

meat from Porto Alegre, Brazil. Their gaucho chefs 

still expertly grill each of their 15 cuts of meat and offer 

you and your party continuous tableside service. 

Price range: $41 - $80. 8250 Westheimer Road,Houston, 

TX 77063, (713) 978-6500, www.fogodechao.com 

Olive Garden- discover their Tuscan inspired locations 

and recipes and enjoy family or group 

restaurant dining at Olive Garden.Dinners range 

in price from $7.00-$20.00. Appetizers start 

at $4.00. 21220 Katy Freeway Katy,TX 77449, 

(281) 492-1244, www.olivegarden.com 

The last step is to glue 

a second backer over 

the ribbons and staples. 

Use the second backer 

to secure a ribbon (or 

garter) with hot glue, or 

staples. This is how you 

will wear your mum/ 

garter. 

The final product 

should look something 

like this, with all 

the ribbons and other 

decorations secularly 

attached. You can also 

add bubbles, and other 

fun accessories. You 

have made something 

you can be proud of.

14 


Technology has become a large part of our 

lives. We depend on technology for communication, 

information, and entertainment. What if that 

same technology could be used to help improve our 

grades? Considering the amount of technology that 

surrounds us daily, it would only make sense that 

there are forms of technology to help us in school. 

Edmodo: 

Many students use the Edmodo app to communicate 

with their teachers in an appropriate, 

school related environment. Edmodo is a website 

that is set up like a school sponsored Facebook, 

making it more attractive to students. Students can 

watch school videos, take polls, and ask teachers 

questions. The app puts all these helpful features 

right at your fingertips, and also allows you to communicate 

with peers and keep up with everything 

happening within the class if you miss a day. 

Quizlet: 

Another helpful app is Quizlet. Quizlet has 

hundreds of sets of flashcards that make learning 

RAMBLINGS 

If you could create your own class, what would it be? 

By Caitlin Miller 

Staff 

Education On the Go 

vocabulary and other information simple and easy, 

instead of students making them themselves. Many 

teachers support the use of Quizlet, especially in the 

English classes where students are required to memorize 

a lot of vocabulary. 

Dictionary.com: 

This is an app that allows you to have an entire, 

free dictionary in your pocket. You can look up and 

word or try to figure out how something is spelled. 

It provides reliable definitions that can help with vocabulary 

words. You can also see example sentences 

using a certain word. This app will also pronounce 

the word for you so you can see how it sounds. 

Dropbox: 

Caron Blake 

“I would create a product marketing class so 

kids can learn the essentials to sell things whether 

it is on eBay or anywhere else.” 

Summer Jan, 9 

“I would create a skydiving class because I think 

it would be fun and people should do it to 

overcome their fears.” 

Jose Cano, 10 

“I think it would be fun to have a modeling class 

where we could have runway shows every week 

to help fundraise money for our class.” 

Monica Vasquez , 9 

“I would want to create a DJing class because it’s 

pretty fun and I think it is something interesting 

for everyone to learn.” 

Marco Rodriguez, 12 

“I think there should be a Driver’s Education. 

class because a lot of people don’t have their 

license and they need it.” 

This app allows you to share a lot of information 

fast with a large group of people at once. All 

you have to do is create an account. Then set up a 

‘box’ for all your information to go into. Once you 

have your ‘box’, you can add anyone you want to 

the ‘box’ and they can also see the information and 

share some of their own. 

Remind 101: 

This is an app that will allow a teacher to send 

text messages to a class. It will remind them about a 

test or homework assignment that is coming up. It 

is run through a website and is school appropriate. 

This app is also good for clubs because it can remind 

everyone about a meeting. 

Spanish Dictionary Free: 

Comparisons Around 

This is an entire Spanish dictionary, full of 

translations and definitions. It is now easy to do 

your tricky Spanish homework on the go. This app 

also has a pronunciation feature that will help you to 

learn how to say the words. You can also create vocabulary 

lists that you can view over and over again. 

The apps have proved helpful to many students 

and will continue to do so, if they are used 

correctly. Technology is a precious thing and we are 

lucky, as a generation, to have access to so much information 

with such ease. This generation has access 

to so much information that will allows us to go farther 

in life than any other generation before. 


Ads Manager 

the World/ As citizens we are raised in free education, water is a 

commodity that we can get anywhere… in some countries water is a scarce product 

just like education. Yes, the U.S has high unemployment and low wages but the 

standard of living is much better than other countries, which I can assure you. For 

example, compare the cost of living between Houston, Texas and Paris, France. Paris 

is on average 58 percent more expensive than Houston; Toronto, Canada, is 42 percent 

more expensive. London is about 83 percent more expensive to live in and the 

winner of most expensive would be Tokyo, Japan with a percentage of 114. Without 

implying that America is cheap (because it’s not) I would rather live in America 

rather then – well then anywhere. There are a few simple things that would seem 

inexpensive to a student, but it might not be so cheap in other countries. 

Apples- One 

Pound 

U.S. $ 1.65 

Switerland 

$ 1.85 

1 Soft Drink 

U.S. $1.52 

Norway $3.79 

Orange Juice 2L 

U.S. $3.78 

China $10.83 

Movie Ticket 

U.S. $11.67 

Japan $19.91 

Monthly Internet Bill 

U.S. $51.45 

United Arab Emirates 

$149.49

By Laura Berlanga 

Staff 

It’s that time of year again, when people start 

decorating their houses with goblins, ghouls, vampires 

and spider webs. Yes, it’s Halloween again, the 

time when you can dress up and be anything you 

want to be, and get as much candy as you want. But 

Halloween didn’t start out this way; it is thought 

to have been originated with the Celtic festival of 

Samhain, which means summer’s end. During this 

festival the people would wear costumes and light 

bonfires to ward off ghosts. This became known 

as All-Hallows’-Eve which is the night before All- 

Saints-Day. Over time, Halloween evolved into an 

event of child-friendly activities like trick-or-treating. 

But when you’re too old to go trick-or-treating, 

you start to think there isn’t much to do anymore. 

There are so many things to do on Halloween no 

matter what age you are. This year Halloween is a 

on a Wednesday, which of course is a school night, 

but don’t let that ruin your fun. You can do all sorts 

of things without going to bed so late. 

Now since Halloween is on a school day, there 

are some things you can’t do like wear a costume. 

But that doesn’t mean you can’t dress in Halloween 

colors. Try looking for an outfit that has orange, 

green, red, purple and black. There are some stores 

selling shirts that have witches, bats, and ghosts on 

By Evan Barber 

Staff 

The first game of the year is always 

an important one, setting the bar 

for the rest of the year and showing 

that this year, will be a year not be trifled 

with. And the Mayde Creek Football 

team did just that. During their 

first game Mayde Creek shut out Cy- 

Springs in a 41-0 game. 

However despite the excitement 

of the first game, the second game 

Mayde Creek played have everyone 

on the edge of their seats. After making 

a comeback, the Spartans were going 

for a tie, but the Rams blocked the 

field goal kick , ending the game in a 

close score of 45-42. 

Trey Payne, the new offensive 

coordinator for the Mayde Creek Football 

Team, says this was accomplished 

through a team effort. The players on 

the team were able to prioritize the 

team and the rest of the game, over 

themselves. 

“We can improve on a lot of small 

things,” said Payne. “We executed 

about 85 percent, but 

that other 15 percent is what 

we can work on.” 

However, the biggest 

lead Mayde Creek has is 

that they play well together, 

and thats what let them 

beat Cy-Springs in their 

first game. Payne believes 

that the team’s strongest 

suit right now is their teamwork. 

They are able to all 

work together on the field 

and score. With 550 yards in 

one game, the football team 

puts themselves above the 


Plans for a Night 

them. You can also take Halloween themed cupcakes 

to school, or even pumpkin shaped cookies. 

Just remember after school is when all the Halloween 

fun begins. 

Taking siblings trick-or-treating is always a 

nice thing to do, plus you can even share the candy 

your brother or sister gets. If you don’t want to 

go anywhere and just want to stay home, there are 

many channels on TV that will show a marathon of 

nothing but Halloween movies and shows, such as 

Syfy, Abc Family, etc. Another great idea is inviting 

some friends over, to tell each other scary story. To 

have a great night with the family, carving pumpkins 

always keeps the Halloween spirit up. 

Now, for all who want to go out and have fun, 

going to a Halloween costume party is always the 

best thing to do. Dressing up in the best costume 

you can find, dancing to music like Thriller, and 

The Monster Mash, sounds like a lot of fun. Another 

thing to do is go to a ‘Best Costume Contest’ a group 

of you and your friends can go to many different 

restaurants where these contest are held. 

Instead of going to someone else’s party you 

can always throw your own Halloween Party. Decorate 

the inside of your house and transform it into 

a sight to see. Bake cupcakes and turn them into little 

spiders and monsters. For music you can get a 

playlist of Halloween songs from all different sorts 

other schools in KatyISD. 

Randy Dennis, the defensive coordinator 

for the Mayde Creek football 

team shares the same ideals of the 

team and their strong suit. He too believes 

that the team’s source of success 

come from their teamwork. 

“Last year we kind of struggled 

to focus together as a team, a lot of individualism,” 

said Dennis. “You can 

have a lot of talented individuals but 

if they don’t work well together as a 

team, you’re not going to be very successful.” 

The team has had plenty of time 

over the summer to be together as a 

team. They worked two hours a day 

for strength and conditioning, four 

days a week for seven weeks. After 

the blood, sweat and tears of summer 

practice, they came back into school 

for normal practice. 

According to Dennis, these practices 

are not any easier, especially 

with approximately two-thirds of the 

varsity team being new 

members to varsity. 

The coaches need to get 

these players ready for 

varsity games, as it is 

a completely different 

game on varsity nights 

than on sub varsity. 

However to get 

their recruits ready, the 

coaches have the team 

go through repetition 

drills, not only does that 

make it easier for new 

players to catch up, but 

also allows the veterans 

of varsity to sharpen up 

their skills. 

By Connor Bubb 

Staff 

The Mayde Creek Lady Ram volleyball 

team is looking to improve this 

season after having an okay season in 

2011. With high hopes from the coach, 

Jennie Miller, they believe that anything 

is possible with this team. 

“To improve we must work in 

practice and watch lots of video to limit 

our weakness. My coaching philosophy 

is having a work hard attitude 

with a positive atmosphere. We need 

to expect the best at all times,” said 

coach Miller. 

Coach Miller expects a lot from 

her girls because she knows how talented 

they are and knows they will 

not be an easy team to beat. She believes 

with the captains on the team 

will lead their team far. The captains 

include Kelsi Schmidtberger, Tori 

Herbert and Lindsey Wetzel. 

“My goals for this year will be 

us to make playoffs, place second or 

third in district and have 6 players 

on the all-district team. 

I believe the Lady Rams 

will end up with the best 

season ever and we will be 

playoff bound. We want 

to beat Katy and Cinco 

Ranch because they are 

our biggest competition 

and my daughter is the 

starting setter for Katy and 

she wants to beat us,” said 

coach Miller. 

When players go 

through certain situations 

it helps them learn how 

to deal through suspense 

and how to keep their 

15 

of scary movies. You’ll end up having the 

best party this season. 

Halloween is the time to get 

scared; the best way to do that is going 

to haunted houses. There are 

so many places in Houston where 

haunted houses are held. There is 

a place called Theater Obscure, where 

they have a live horror show! Everyone 

knows the story of the Texas Chainsaw 

Massacre, well in Houston there is 

the Texas Chainsaw Massacre Maze, 

and you get to go through a house just 

like the one from the story! Another haunted house 

is The Castle of Doom, which is based on medieval 

times, where people were tortured in dungeons. 

Enter the Sanitarium, which is based on a metal 

institution were the inmates get lose, and the staff 

are all missing. If you plan on going to these haunted 

attractions they are all located at 1500 Elton St. 

Houston, TX 77034. 

So if you thought that you would just go to 

school, then home and do nothing. Now you have 

all these different ideas of what you can do. With 

whatever you decide, whether it’s staying home, or 

going on a scary experience. Make this Halloween 

the spookiest, creepiest Halloween you and your 

friends have ever had. 

FOOTBALL: Army as One VOLLEYBALL:High 

Expectations 

Photo By Alexis Garza 

head throughout the game. Having 

mental strength is good for all sports 

including volleyball because if and 

when a player messes up, they quickly 

forget about it and move on to the 

next play. 

“Practicing is important in volleyball 

because the sport volleyball is 

a very mental game as well as skill. 

The team must learn how to work 

through our setbacks. Our drills in 

practice we run are drills for skill development 

with speed. Also, team and 

mental toughness for our team to perform 

better and outlast our competition,” 

said Coach Miller. 

The Lady Rams volleyball team 

is in a difficult district and will have 

to try to get their way through the 

district to reach their goal of playoffs. 

They have many key games throughout 

their schedule. They need all their 

players to do their best to perform 

over their respected district. The team 

has many ways to prepare 

for these games and is 

willing to do anything to 

get through all the tough 

teams in their respected 

district. 

“To prepare for our 

key games, the team goes 

to watch the film on our 

opponents and also to 

critique our self in video. 

We watch video to look at 

our weakness and correct 

the things we did wrong. 

Watching video helps 

us prepare for our next 

games,” said Coach Miller. 

Photo by David Rivera


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Rampage Oct2012 - Campuses - Katy ISD

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