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May 2012Volume 88, Issue 5

2305 East Main StreetLeague City, TX 77573

Cavaliers present Spring Show, The Cavalier TimesBy Ellen GaudetEditor-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 rehears-als all came down to three nights of performances.

The theme this year was The Cavalier Times, based on newspaper headlines and us-ing actual papers from t h e HiLife throughout the opening dance choreogra-phy and the entrance way created by the Social Com-mittee.

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 rou-tine to “Welcome to the Jungle” for Travel.

Act I showcased Senior Captain Nat-alie 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 includ-ed the Jazz Company’s powerful dance to “Drumming Song” and the Social Com-mittee’s club-themed novelty dance, which featured junior Lacey Lehrmann, SoCo Chaplain, in a purple afro wig.

Emcees Michael Fontana (12th), Na-seem Husain (12th), Calvin Picou (12th), and Mallory Sherer (11th) performed

s h o r t skits to introduce each dance, bring-

ing comedy to the stage while the Cavaliers

q u i c k - c h a n g e d into different cos-

tumes. 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 imi-tate members of the dance team. Sherer was almost a perfect look-a-like for Captain Paul.

Act II opened with a tap number to “Footloose,” and the

Officer Lyrical dance to “Turn-ing Page” wowed the audience as they performed tricks on top of a moving carousel. Senior Lieutenant Kate Gallagher flaunted her extraor-dinary leg extension, and officers

Alysha Archuleta (12th), Casey Dervay (11th), and Hanna Cardinal (11th) showed off their aerials.

Guests to the stage included the “Cava-hunks,” 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 Mi-

chael Jackson songs.

The se-nior Cava-liers were h ighl igh ted t h r o u g h o u t the show, es-pecially in the Senior Hip Hop dance, where a spe-cial trick with their sweat-shirts made the dance the most memo-rable. A slide-show allowed the audience

to see the 18 se-niors 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 S a t u r - day evening, t h e y ended their careers as Cavaliers.

T h e CCHS Cheerleaders, d i s p l a y - ing their tumbling and par tner ing skills, and Color Guard, twirling flags and guns impressively, also per-formed in the Spring Show.

Now that the last show of the year is over, the Cavaliers are preparing to elect new Social Com-mittee members and Officers for the 2012-2013 season.

More than Panem is raving about The Hunger GamesBy Jacob ManciniEditor-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 it-self 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 suf-fering, loyalty, love, and fighting to stay alive. The movie puts its pages on the sil-ver 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 appro-priate 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-

charged encounters between the main char-acters 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

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-

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 read-ing the story, even though particularly at-tractive 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 usu-ally would find myself rereading the cliff-hanger 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, accesso-ries, 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 peo-ple need something new to devour after the Harry Potter and Twilight series’ have fad-ed out. Regardless, “The Hunger Games” the movie made box-office history and was a worthy production of a good story.

Photo by Murray Close, courtesy of Lions Gate Entertainment.

Senior Lieutenant Kate Gallagher’s impressive arabesque in Officer Jazz.

Photo by Sierra Kemper.

Senior Captain Natalie Paul dancing in her solo to “I Want to Dance with Some-

body.” Photo by Sierra Kemper.

Seniors Alysha Archuleta and Cal Moore dancing in the “Cavahunks” dance.

Photo by Sierra Kemper.

2 OpinionWhat are your plans after graduating from Creek?

2011 -2012

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:

Published at Mirror Publishers in Texas City, TXEmail us at: creekhilife@gmail.com

Visit us at: http://clearcreekhighschool.ihigh.comView our online papers at: www.issuu.com/creekhilifeFor ad rates call: (281)284-1889 Fax: (281)332-9079

HiLife Staff

Arlen AddisonGreg Brotzman Dane Chronister

Rachel Duncavage

Dylan HillSierra Kemper

Kristina KoonceClarissa Melendez

Christal Scarbrough

Aimee SierraHalle Scott

Tedy WarrenGina Wiley

SENIORS:

Scan this QR code with your smartphone

to access our online website!

“Cheering at the University of Texas- Tyler and then transferring to UT Austin

in fall 2013.”Halie Williams

“I’m going to Fordham University in New York

City and majoring in Computer Science.”

Juan Soto

“I plan to attend Sam Houston State University

to become a teacher.”Michelle Harris

“I plan to attend Texas A&M and earn a BS in

Petroleum Engineering.”Michael Manriquez

“I’m going to China for a year to teach English and then to Louisiana State

University.”Dakota Sinks

“I’m going to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts to

study acting.” Calvin Picou

“Going to the University of Texas so I can become

a dentist to make people pretty.”Lauren Figge

“Going to cheer at Texas Christian

University! GO FROGS!”

Sydney Mitchell

“I will be attending Abilene Christian

University to become a choir director.”

Jaclyn Hurt

“Going to Blinn College to play football, and then transfer to a great football

program.”Marcus Nelson

“I plan to go to college and get

an interior design degree.”

Christine Avril

“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 plan on attending college and eventually getting a doctorate in

Physics.”Chris Gremillion

“I’m going to become an actress and marry rich!”Rachel Ayinbode

“Going to college so I may acquire currency and go on adventures

and such.”James Zaro

“I am going to nursing school at the University

of St. Thomas.”Gabby Rabosa

“Going to Texas Tech University to get a

degree in Nursing to help those in need.”

Shelby Surface

“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

3Editorial

By Jacob ManciniEditor-in-Chief

By Ashley FarmerEditor-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 oth-er side; safe from crossing the line; safe from trying challenges and try-ing at all.

I think that this kind of safety is rooted in complacency. The at-titude 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. With-out 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 prob-lem 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 re-membered, I want to do something dangerous.

You cannot begin to be less lazy until you are okay with sacrific-ing 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

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 lit-erally 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, be-lieve 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 some-thing 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 thou-sand 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.

My best friend is a cute little blue-eyed blonde. She loves to col-or, 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 gym-nastics competitions and dance re-citals and help her read her “Fancy Nancy” books. My relationship with my sister has a big part in de-fining who I am. It controls my dai-ly 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 fur-rowed 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 down-stairs discussing whether or not our dentist was on our insurance. It was a typical scene in the Farmer house-hold, but something about it moved me deeply.

As excited as most of the se-niors, 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 un-derstand the dynamic of our fami-lies and we have grown accustomed to our schedules, routines, and ways of living, without even realizing it.

We know what school is going to be like each day, we know who is go-ing 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 what-ever 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. Trav-el abroad. Take classes just because they sound interesting (even if they won’t apply to your major). Good luck to everyone,” said Nate Mal-inoski, my HOBY World Leader-ship 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 remem-ber 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 spec-tator 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.

“Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old

wanting to get back to.” -John Ed Pearce

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing

for others?’” -Martin Luther

King, Jr.

Jacob’sJumbles

Ashley’sAnthologies

4 Diversions-----Senior class favorites 2012-----

Congratulations to the 2012 Senior Class

Favorites, who were voted on by their peers

and recognized at Prom!

5Ad

Around Creek6By Dane ChronisterReporter

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

Theatre performs The Elephant Mana story about the life of Joseph Merrick, a tragically deformed yet charming and intelligent Englishman who was thought to be suffering from elephantiasis, a

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 All-star 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.”

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

By Hannah BrinskoAround Creek Editor

Spanish National Honor Society inducts membersfor 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 TestingMay 7-17EOC Exams for FreshmenMay 8-10Choir Pop ShowMay 10-12Mother’s DayMay 13Blood DriveMay 18Improv Troupe PerformanceMay 19Senior Awards NightMay 23Orchestra PerformanceMay 24Student HolidayMay 28Final Exams (Seniors)May 23, 24, 25, 29Final Exams (9th, 10th, 11th)May 30- June 1GraduationMay 31

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.”

Calvin Picou, Nathan Heims, and Michael Fontana performing in The Elephant Man. Photo by Den Yearbook staff.

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.

By Ellen GaudetEditor-in-Chief

Creek Choir presents annual spring Pop ShowThe 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.

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.

Devan Meaney, Sydney Stewart, and Lucy Calhoun performing “Think” by Aretha Franklin.

Photo by Aimee Sierra.

7Around Creek

By Valerie HellinghausenGet 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 sight-read 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

Creek Bands take trip to Branson, Missouri

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 100th 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.

NewsNews8Stranded 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

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

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.

Angry Birds game helps to maintain a man’s sanityBy Kristina KoonceReporter

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.

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

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.

Tornadoes devastate the Dallas-Fort Worth localityBy Hannah BrinskoAround Creek Editor

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

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

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.

NASA Saturn V rocket engines could be recoveredBy Arlen AddisonReporter

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)

News 9

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 by-elections, 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

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

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

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.

Burma strides toward a democratic transformationBy Valerie HellinghausenGet Involved Editor

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)

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

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.

The high voter turnout of the National Front should have been a good thing for Sarkozy and his right-leaning 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

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.

By Jacob ArredondoSports Editor

Absolute majority decided French election May 6

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)

Just weeks after the 100th 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

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

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

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.

Exact replication of the Titanic will set sail in 2016By Arlen AddisonReporter

summa cum laudecongratulations to the

graduates of 2012!

valedictorian

Jake Kornblau

Attending: Rice UniversityMajoring in: Computer ScienceGoals for the future: Living to see tomorrow,success, and happiness

Taylor BoltAttending:

University of Texas- Austin

Majoring in: Biology & Asian Studies

Goals for the future: Become a doctor

Anna RigbyAttending:

University of VirginiaMajoring in:

Business Management& Marketing

Goals for the future: Become an attorney and

start a bakery with Ellen Gaudet

Savannah LooperAttending:

Texas A&M- Galveston & Maritime Marine Academy

Majoring in: Marine Biology/ Coast Guard

Licensing ProgramGoals for the future:

Serve in the Navy via theNaval ROTC program

Amber Hassan-HusseinAttending:

University of Texas- Dallas

Majoring in: Neuroscience

Goals for the future: Medicine

Laurren LangfordAttending:

University of Texas-Austin

Majoring in: Pharmacy &

AstrophysicsGoals for the future:

Work around the world

Sarah ColvinAttending:

University of HoustonMajoring in:

Chemical EngineeringGoals for the future:

Work at a chemicalplant

Jake CosartAttending:

Duke UniversityMajoring in: Business

Goals for the future: Play professional baseball

or become a CEO

Chris LarsenAttending:

Texas A&MMajoring in:

MechanicalEngineering

Goals for the future: Working as a

Disney Imagineer

Lucy CalhounAttending:

University of Texas-Austin

Majoring in: Biology

Goals for the future: Become a pediatrician

These students will graduate at the top of the senior class with GPAs above 5.0.

Cole AlexanderAttending:

University of Texas-Austin

Majoring in: Mechanical Engineering

Goals for the future: Be an engineer

Amanda MireAttending:

Stephen F. AustinState University

Majoring in: Business

Goals for the future: Career in Sports

Marketing or play inthe LPGA... No big deal

Patrick PenaAttending:

Johns Hopkins UniversityMajoring in:

Chemical &Biomolecular Engineering

Goals for the future: Go to medical school andbecome a neurosurgeon

Zach SasieneAttending:

University of North TexasMajoring in: Chemistry

Goals for the future: Work for the CIA

or FBI as a Criminal Analyst

Brad ShawAttending:

Texas A&MMajoring in:

Aerospace EngineeringGoals for the future:

Having an average lifewith sailing as a

major hobby

Stephanie JohnsonAttending:

Boston CollegeMajoring in: Undecided

Goals for the future: Own a condo overlooking

Central Park that she hardlyever inhabits since sheís

galavanting around Singapore,Agra, Patis, and Rio de Janeiro

Matthew AshornAttending:

University of Texas- Austin

Majoring in: Chemical Engineering

Goals for the future: Getting an MBA and a

stable job somewhere withthe skill set he acquires

Kyle KeyserAttending:

Texas ChristianUniversitiyMajoring in:

NeuroscienceGoals for the future: Have fun and live

forever or die trying

salutatorian

Kelly Bosworth

Attending: University of Texas- AustinMajoring in: Environmental Engineering or ArchitectureGoals for the future: Work for an NGO or āĂāÀăąĂŰć ĂąúôāüčôćüĂā

Attending: Rice UniversityMajoring in: Computer ScienceGoals for the future: Living to see tomorrow,success, and happiness

Rachel LietzAttending:

University of KansasMajoring in: Pharmacy

Goals for the future: Go sledding on

lunch trays (with real snow of course!)

Devin ZamkaAttending:

Baylor UniversityMajoring in:

Nutrition & Pre-MedGoals for the future:

Become a general practitioner

Ellen GaudetAttending:

University of Texas- Austin

Majoring in: Biology & Pre-MedGoals for the future:

Become a pediatrician and open a cupcake

bakery with Anna Rigby

Tara FrenchAttending:

Texas A&MMajoring in:

Biological & ArchitecturalEngineering

Goals for the future: Start an alpaca farm

with Ally Souris

Taylor SielingAttending:

Stephen F. Austin UniversityMajoring in:

BiologyGoals for the future:

Get into medical schooland become a doctor

Samee HameedAttending:

University of St. ThomasMajoring in:

Philosophy & ChemistryGoals for the future:

Pre-med, try to bea doctor

Sarah ColvinAttending:

University of HoustonMajoring in:

Chemical EngineeringGoals for the future:

Work at a chemicalplant

Amber DarrAttending:

University of Texas-Austin

Majoring in: Biomedical Engineering

Goals for the future: Become a surgeon

Nicole LideAttending:

University of Texas-Austin

Majoring in: Architecture

Goals for the future: Have her designs forbuildings in cities and

jewelry on people, travel across Europe

Jake CosartAttending:

Duke UniversityMajoring in: Business

Goals for the future: Play professional baseball

or become a CEO

Chris LarsenAttending:

Texas A&MMajoring in:

MechanicalEngineering

Goals for the future: Working as a

Disney Imagineer

Zach SasieneAttending:

University of North TexasMajoring in: Chemistry

Goals for the future: Work for the CIA

or FBI as a Criminal Analyst

Brad ShawAttending:

Texas A&MMajoring in:

Aerospace EngineeringGoals for the future:

Having an average lifewith sailing as a

major hobby

Jennifer SillerAttending:

University of Texas-Austin

Majoring in: Biology

Goals for the future: Become a dentist

Ally SourisAttending:

Texas A&MMajoring in:

MathematicsGoals for the future:

Raise llamas and alpacaswith Tara French

Taryn LeeneyAttending:

Texas A&MMajoring in:

Civil EngineeringGoals for the future:

ÛĂĆć æáß¿ Űā÷ ćûø ÿĂĆćcity of Atlantis, and earn

her ferretís trust back

Catherine LeeneyAttending:

University of CalgaryMajoring in:

Biology & Pre-MedGoals for the future:

Go to medical school,have own optometrypractice, and become

professional card counter

Get Involved12 Get InvolvedBy Valerie HellinghausenGet 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

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 well-

pumped ground water from 3 to 11 million gallons of water, reusing any excess water for irrigation. League has also

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.

League City working to gain Pasadena water rights

By Madi BorowitzTeen 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.

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

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

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 (12th), and Jose Cruz (12th) have very different but promising designs.

“I believe one of these teams is going to win. They are not quitters,” Sheets said.

Construction Tech creates opportunities for success

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

Get Involved Get Involved 13Creek’s 2012 - 2013 Class Officers

Senior Class Officers

Junior Class Officers

Sophomore Class Officers

PresidentCarly Carsey

PresidentAshton Duke

PresidentJared Castillo

Vice PresidentEvelynn Shanks

Vice PresidentNicole Alvarez

Vice PresidentCasey Dervay

SecretaryMadison Williams

SecretarySofia Escalante

SecretaryRachel Duncavage

TreasurerHanna Cardinal

TreasurerPatrick O’Banion

TreasurerAudree Hall

HistorianJordan Cooley

HistorianSydney Stewart

HistorianCourtney Gillian

14 Teen interestTeen Interest

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

Theatre Under the Stars presents AnnieBy Aimee SierraReporter

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.

In any case, my enjoyment grew ever more when the little girls began to sing. Sadie Sink, a natural redhead and a native Texan from Brenham, played the role of Annie, and she did a wonderful job. She belted out those songs with her crystal-clear powerhouse voice, and the orchestra only seemed to add to the beautiful tone 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

did a splendid job portraying the cruel and somewhat nutty Miss Hannigan, and Glory Crampton, who plays Mr. Warbucks’ personal assistant, Grace.

One of the orphans that added quite a bit of general cuteness as well

as humor was Mara Wissinger, who played Molly, the youngest of them all. Her compact size and clever cuts certainly set her apart.

They were all magnificent throughout the show; they played their parts spectacularly and added a certain vivacity that kept the audience enthralled. All in all it was a wonderful show, and I had a fantastic time.

Theatre Under the Stars’ production of “Annie.” Photo courtesy of TUTS.

Congrats tothe 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

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 co-workers 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.

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 JobsBy Hannah BrinskoAround Creek Editor

Revenge launches 2nd season returning to the dramaby 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.

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

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.

By Ashley FarmerEditor-in-Chief

Congratulations Yearbook UIL Winners Class of 2010-2011!!

The yearbook staff won several medals and honorable mentions in the 2010-2011 UIL competition.

Fabian Reyes 2nd place for a Sports Feature PhotoAntonio Alvarado 3rd place for a Sports Feature StoryKyndall Hadley 3rd place for a Student Life SpreadHanna Cardinal 3rd place for an Academic Spread

Winners include...

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!

Celebrating Mother’s Day year roundThis 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 17th 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 19th 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.

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 eye-catching 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.

By Clarissa MelendezReporter

Features16Armstrong competes in Texas Iron Man Triathlon

In 1940, the United States was a drasti-cally 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, econ-omists will be able to analyze how people in specific occupations or people who lived in the rural United States were able to re-cover from the Great Depression. The re-cords 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 nation-alities in the United States at the time, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Census Proclamation urged Americans to partici-pate and was translated into 23 languag-es, including Slovak, Greek, Lithuanian, Russian, Dutch, Hebrew, Serbo-Croatian, French, Italian, Spanish, and German.

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, direc-tor 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 reach-es its peak age, the United States will be forced to revaluate their current programs and develop solutions for our graying pop-ulation.

notions of relationships- with delayed mar-riages, 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 approach-ing 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 to-day. By 2050, the number of Americans 65 and older will reach 88.5 million people.

The aging of the Baby Boom Gen-eration will create many complications

Numerous books and films have been created that are devoted to defining the im-pact 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 ra-dios and the novelty of the first color tele-vision sets.

In the 1970s, this generation was listen-ing 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 cul-ture 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

Baby Boom generation coming to an end soon

Making his way back into the game, Lance Armstrong ran in the Galveston Iron Man on Sunday, March 31. In one of his first tria-thalon experiences in about twen-ty 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 partici-pated 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 year-old Tim O’Donnell, who placed 2nd in 2010, and 3rd in 2011. Shadow-ing Armstrong during the 56-mile cycle, O’Donnell passed him up in the course of the 13.1-mile run. O’Donnell claimed knowing Arm-strong’s cycling strength played a factor in his drive to win the race.

“I’ll have to work on my run-ning, but I think it’s a matter of rep-etition,” Armstrong commented to the Galveston Daily News.

Though he did not come in 1st, Arm-strong was still excited to have raced in an Iron Man in his home state for the first time

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 surviv-al, he was declared cancer free in 1997. During this time, he created the Lance Armstrong Foundation to support those who, like him, strug-gled 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 seven-year victory in the cycling event. His success in the events gave cancer victims hope and inspiration.

Just before the end of his seven-year 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, Arm-strong will begin competing again in the Iron Man and cycling world, whether he comes in the lead or not.

Winning his first triathalon in Plano, Texas at age 13, Armstrong has been a pro-

fessional cycler and Iron Man athlete since he was 16 years old. In 1996, he was named the number one cycler in the world.

in a decade.“Overall, it was great being here in

Galveston. Sure, I suffered a little more than I wanted to on that last lap, but I had a great time,” said Armstrong.

Lance Armstrong, 40, hops on his bike for the 17-mile bicycling portion of the XTERRA Nationals off-road 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)

By Madison WilliamsFeatures Editor

By Madi BorowitzTeen Interest Editor

Features 17Shell Houston Open golf tournament is held

For only $279,000, one could be the owner of a fly-ing 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 com-pany 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 Platts-burgh International Airport in Plattsburgh, NY.

It seats two, the pilot and the passen-ger. 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.

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-

securing a later Transition. The $297,000 price is just the base price of a Transition.

“The successful first flight of this Pro-duction Prototype Transition marks a criti-cal move toward initial production and first delivery,” CEO Anna Mracek Dietrich said on the Transition website.

Dietrich was also the one that intro-duced 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 ac-tually 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 now in our reach, not just in cartoons or science fiction novels.

fly.com, the Transition is “able to fold its wings with the ability to drive on any sur-

face road in a modern per-sonal air plane.”

One can learn to fly in 20 hours of air time in a specially designed Transi-tion course, and must pass the flight test to able to drive and fly the Transition. It flies on unleaded automo-tive 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 driv-ing on the road. It is the first flying and driving ve-

hicle to be recognized by the Department of Transportation.

To obtain a Transition, a $10,000 re-fundable deposit reserves the next avail-able one that is in production, or one can put down a non-refundable $2,500 deposit

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

Classic and ended up tied with Bill Col-lins. Collins beat the legendary Palmer in the sudden death round.

The prize money steadily increased to entice more players to compete in the tour-nament. 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 bank-ruptcy again and the Houston Golf As-sociation officials were forced to can-cel. 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 much-needed 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.

of going bankrupt, resulting in the post-ponement of the tournament to the follow-ing year as the organization collected their resources. The tournament was then re-opened the next year at Pine Forest Coun-try 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

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 Ho-gan by two shots for the $2,000 first place prize. Sam Snead finished third, but claimed to have been distracted by the models car-rying 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

Flying car makes first successful flight in New York

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)

By Clarissa MelendezReporter

By Madison WilliamsFeatures Editor

Sports 19

Jake Cosart

Attending: Duke University

Sport: Baseball

Majoring in: Business

Tanner Griggs

Attending: University of Texas

A&M - Corpus ChristiPlaying:

BaseballMajoring in: Business

Kristi Leonard

Attending: University of Texas A&M

Sport: Soccer

Majoring in: Business

Amanda MireAttending:

Stephen F. Austin State University

Sport: Golf

Majoring in: Business

Samantha LeraAttending:

University of Tennessee

Sport:Diving

Majoring in: Biology

Hayden Nichols

Attending: University of St. Johns

Sport:Soccer

Majoring in: Public Service

Administration

Austin Smith

Attending: University of Texas A&M - Commerce

Sport: Football

Majoring inEngineering

Brent Wagner

Attending: Southeastern

Louisiana University Sport:

FootballMajoring in:

Sports Management

Cory Zunker

Attending: Southern Arkansas

UniversitySport:

FootballMajoring in:

Pre-Optometry

Haleigh WaiteAttending:

University of KansasSport:Track

Majoring in: Physical Therapy

Clear Creek honors Coach Jim Mallory with fieldOn 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

years at Channelview, where his baseball-coaching 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

Jim Mallory and his newly-named baseball field. Photo by Bailey Clelland.

By Dane ChronisterReporter

College Bound Student Athletes - Class of 2012

Jim Mallory, Mary Latulippe, amd Willie the Wildcat. Photo by Bailey Clelland.

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.