volume 29 number 2

8/6/2019 Volume 29 Number 2

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Seniors asked toverify portrait list

Graduating seniorsshould go by Rm. 6160 onthe Blue Campus before No-vember 12to verify that theirsenior portraitwill be includedin the 2000 Saga. A list of allseniors photographed bySpecialties Photography willbe posted outside the class-room.Only those seniors whowere photographed by Spe-cialities, the official BHS se-nior portrait photographer,will be included in the book.Though seniors are under noobligation to purchase pic-tures from Specialties, theymust have their yearbookphoto taken there.For questions or moreinformation, contact Mrs.Farris in Rm. 6160.2000 Saga on sale

Orders for the 2000 Sagaare now being taken in Rm.6160. The yearbook is $30and is available only by 0(-dering in advance. No extrasare ordered."Last year, I had a wait-ing list with over 100 peopleon lt," said yearbook adviserSandy Farris. "Since wedon't order extras, most ofthose people were disap-pointed when they couldn'tget a 1999 yearbook. Wecan't afford to order extras.We're selling the book to thestudent body for less than itcosts us per copy, H Farrissaid.The only way to guaran-tee ownership of the Saga isto order and pay now.Books will be sold duringOpen House on Nov. 16. Or-der forms were also includedinthe mailout inviting parentsto Open House.The cost of the book willincrease to $40 after Janu-ary 1,2000. No orders will beaccepted after March 1,Farris said.Picture retakesscheduled Nov. 16

Retakes for underclass-men wiH be November 16.Anyone who missed beingphotographed in Septembershould make plans to havepictures made on this day.Fliers and packet infor-mation will be available inboth campus offices approxi-mately one week before pic-ture day.

Leading by exampleSchool receives nationalre cogn ition fo r serv ice learn ingCandace CablerStaff writer

When the Bryan schoolboard made service learning arequirement for graduates begin-ning with the Class of2000, theyhoped that students would havean impact on the local commu-nity.

Just over three years later,that requirement has not onlyimpacted the local community,but has brought national recog-nition to the school as well.

The Corporation for Na-tional Service named Bryan Higha National Service LearningLeader School, one of the first70 schools in the United Statesto receive the designation, andone of only two in the state ofTexas to receive the honor.

Campus principals RobbyMcGowen and Sharon Ward,counselor M'Lee Brooks andteacher Mary Jane Snedeker trav-eled to Washington, D.C. thispast June to accept the award.

The selection process in-cluded the presentation ofa port-folio which explained the manyservice learning projects inwhich students became involved.

A video produced by media tech-nology students also highlightedvarious service learning projects.

Brooks said the committeewas impressed with the wide va-riety of projects undertaken bystudents.

"We had everything fromwelding students building play-ground equipment for elemen-tary schools to math classes cre-ating TAAS flashcards," Brookssaid.

Part of winning the award,Brooks says, includes the respon-sibility to teach other schoolswhat service learning means.

"Service learning is a teach-ing method that incorporates ser-vice acts or opportunit ies that arealigned with academics," Brookssaid.

Brooks' definition of servicelearning is similar to that ofLearn and Serve America, abranch of the Corporation forNational Service. Combiningservice to the community withstudent learning is service learn-ing, according to theorganization's website.

Service learning has positivecommunity impact, says Brooks.

GREAT PUMPKINS

Representing various schoolorganizations, these pump-kins were displayed in theBlue Campus office the weekof October 25-29. The deco-rating contest was sponsoredby Student Council. (top) As-sistant principal Steve Larkinis flanked by the ScienceClub's clones of him. (middle left) Norseman entry VickViking showshis press pass. (middle right) A singing pumpkin was carved by theSpanishClub. (above left)TAFE's pumpkin is ready for school. (aboveright) Sporting millineum glasses, the Senior Class Council's creationis poised for graduation. photos by S. Farris

Bryan High SchoolVolume 29, No.2

HELPING OTHERS

"It heJps to change the repu-tation of teenagers, to build upleadership and it also helps stu-dents to be more respoosible cit i-zens," Brooks said.

Bryan will host a serviceJearning conference next fall forother schools wanting to incor-porate service learning into theircurriculum.

Demonstrating service with asmile, Interact member Marah Fry(above) and Key Club memberDanea Johnson (left)volunteer theirtime at the downtown Bryan"Booseum" held Oct. 22-23. Clubmembers spent the day helpingchildren paint, perform and have funat the festival. photos by DaneaJohnson and Ashley Dorsett

Snedeker says the confer-ence will benefit both those whoare involved in service learningand those new to the concept.

"We hope to have schoolsinterested in starting a servicelearning program, as well asthose who want to share ideasbecause they have an establishedprogram," Snedeker said.

Transc rip t review imp lemen tedLiz CarrCo-editor

When it was discovered sev-eral weeks ago that approxi-mately 50 transcripts from theClass of'99 graduates containederrors, the administration andcounselors knew a change had tobe made.

Transcript checks have al-ready taken place for most of thecurrent seniors, but that is justpart of the plan.

Starting this year, all stu-dents will meet with their coun-selors either individually or insmall groups to discuss whichcourses they are taking and/orneed to take. This will occurtwice for juniors and seniors andonce for underclassmen.At the end of the year,sophomores will also be requiredto declare which graduation plan--minimum, recommended, ordistinguished achievement- theywish to follow.

Other key changes that havebeen made include transcriptsbeing sent home over the sum-mer for review and early notifi-cation of the parents of seniorswho do not meet graduation re-quirements.

Blue Campus PrincipalRobby McGowen says these newtactics will help to include thestudents in the scheduling and

course selection process."This will allow the students

to develop the knowledge tolookat their transcript and make de-cisions on classes, a processwhich will prepare them to takeon this responsibi Iity in college,"McGowen said.

According to McGowen, thesystem works best when studentsare actively participating.

"Students must make surethat they are attending the ses-sions with their counselors andcarefully go over their transcriptsin the summer," McGowen said.

Administrators hope thesenew procedures will preventoversights from occurring ontranscripts. Of the mistakes UD-covered, i twas found that around30 students may have graduatedwithout the proper number ofcredits.

[0 a KBTX-3 interview, aBlinn College spokesman saidthat transcript mis takes wouldoot prevent students from enroll-ing at the two-year college. How-ever, Texas A&M off icials indi-cated that they would require stu-dents to complete graduat ion re-quirements before enrolling.

The district has promisedthat any graduates lacking suffi -cient credits will be able to takethose courses tuition-free.


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2 Norseman. October 29,1999 %wsASVAB test set

The ASVAB (Armed Ser-vices Vocational Aptitude Bat-tery) test is scheduled for Nov.18 from 8 a.m. until noon.Sign-up is in the Blue Cam-pus main ~ffice. ASVAB re-sults can provide studentswith information which maypredict future success in aparticular field. It is useful forthose students who may nothave narrowed down a careerchoice or field of study in col-lege.

Counselors can providemore information about theASVAB.

Interact sellingdiscount cardsInteract members are

selling BHS discount cardsfor $10 each. Local restau-rants, dry-oleaners and otherbusinesses offer discountswhen the card is presented.Cards can be purchased fromany Interact member or fromMrs. Snedeker in Room 5220.Theatre performanceon calendar

Bryan High Viking Theatre .students will present a publicperformance of "Al l in Timinguby David Ives Nov. 11-13. Pro-duction time is 7 p.m. Ticketsare $5 for adults and $3 forstudents. An opening nightperformance wil l be presentedfor students Nov. 6. Tickets forthat night will be $2.

The play wil l be performedin the Fine Arts black box the-atre.

Credit by Examoffered to seniors

Credit by Exam (CBE) willreturn as an option for seniorsbeginning in the second tri-mester. The option was notavailable during the first tri-mester because district offi-cials were trying to Identifywhich tests--Iocal or univer-sity-sponsored--were mostclosely aligned with the cur-riculum requirements of theTexas Education Agency.

CBE is available only forcore academic classes andcertain criteria must be met.For example, scoring a finalgrade of 60-69 in a coursewould qualify a student to beeligible for CBE. Or, if a stu-dent passed a course, but re-ceived no credit due to exces-sive absences, CBE would bean option for them.

Seniors who think theymay be eligible for CBE needto talk with their counselor.After eligibi li ty is determined,application for CBE must bemade through the district cur-riculum office.

Criminal Justice, Media Techhighlighted in TEA videoJoJo ArevaloStaff writerTwo career technology programs will befeatured in a video to be aired statewide in No-vember by the Texas Education Agency.

The Criminal Justice and Media Technol-ogy programs were recently highlighted by theTEA and have participated in a TEA specialproject video known as "Teks inAction."

The selections were made when FidelCastillo, Director of Career Technology forEducation for TEA, was asked to select twooutstanding programs from the state of Texasin the division of Trade and Industrial Educa-tion, a section of education that will be high-lighted in the video. Castil lo is a former BryanHigh School teacher , so be was already famil-iar with the standards of the programs.

"Greg McDan.iel [Criminal Justice] andDarrell Taylor [Media Technology] have out-standing programs," Cast illo said.

Castillo also said that in addition to beingoutstanding, the two programs were selectedbecause they often work side-by-side with busi-nesses and industries that are located in thecommunity.

Media Technology produces "Bryan'sBest," a television program that is aired on thelocal PBS channel, KAMU. Also, many Me-dia Tech students are hired by KBTX-TV forvarious entry level jobs.

Media Tech placed firstin VICA (Vocational indus-trial Clubs of America)competition at state andplaced fifth at Nationals.This, Cast illo said, was alsoa contributing factor in theselection.

Media tech students Erica Col llsson and JonAlderson (above) prepare to direct the filmingof "Bryan's Best" while Hunter Chambers (left)checks to see if his headset is working prop-eny . .photos by Brad Hodges

Castil lo recognized the Criminal Jus-tice program's involvement with businessesand industries in the local community aswell, saying that they are the only programin the state of Texas that he is aware of thatpresents court cases to a grand jury.

The Criminal Justice program workswith the Bryan Police Department and hasalso competed in VICA competitions.

The Trade and Industrial Education

segment is j ust one of the many branches oftechnology-related education that will be fea-tured in the video. There will also be sec-t ions on Heal th Science technology, Educa-t ion, Business and Marketing, AgriculturalScience and Technology, and Home Eco-nomics.

The video will be aired on November29 on a statewide basis on the T-Star net-work.

T echn olog y S tu den ts A ssoc ia tion refurbishing computers to be given awayMisty McCannStaff writer

In a history class the teacherassigns a three-page report thatbas to be typed. While to somepeople this does not seem likeproblem, to others it is a dilemmabecause they do not have a com-puter at home. So, the result isthat the person will either have10 points deducted from theirgrade or miss out on other ac-tivities so they can type the re-port in the library.

Help is now on the way forthose in this situation, thanks toa partnership between the Tech-nology Student Association(TSA) and the Parent TeacherStudent Organization (PTSO).

The Computer AdoptionProgram (CAP) will allow TSAstudents to receive old comput-

ers from the public, check themout to make sure they are func-tional and usefulfor a student, andthen give them tostudents who donot have a com-puter at home.

TSA sponsorBob Jones says theproject provides asolution for agrowing problem.

"As people orbusinesses buy new computers toreplace existing machines, theyreally don't know what to do withthe old ones ," Jones said.

The resul t, Jones says, is thata growing number of computershave been "junked" and are sim-ply sitting in closets or garages.Many of these machines can be

approval from all current teach-ers, and PTSO membership foreither the student or the family.

Computers accepted intothe program wil l have Windowsoperating systems for PC's andMac 6. 5 or later for Macintoshes.Besides the operating system. theonly software included will befor word processing.

Not only will CAP help stu-dents who do not have comput-ers, it also benefits TSA mem-bers.

"Working with components,rebuilding computers and gettingthem ready for people gives mea better understanding of howthey work," said Robert White.

White and 1999 graduateClint Jones placed eighth lastyear in a national competition forcomputer assembly and repair.

refurbished with a minimum ofparts and can be used for basic

word process-ing--in otherwords, thatthree-page his-tory reportcould be easilycompleted on adonated com-puter.The recipientsof the comput-ers will be se-

lected through a random draw-ing of eligible students. Studentsthat are interested in receiving acomputer can pick up a formfrom their assistant principal'ssecretary. The quali fications onthe form include parental ap-proval and verification that theydo not have a computer at home,

The rec ip ien ts o fthe computerswill be lectedthrough a ran-dom draw ing ofeligible stuarents

Auction to benefit Speech ClubThe Speech Club will auction antiques, collectfbles and other items on

Nov. 6. Proceeds will benefit speech and debate students as they travel tomeets throughout the year.

Bar-B-Quelunches will be sold in the Blue Campus cafeteria prior to theauction from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. TIckets are $5 for adults and $3.50 for students.

The auction will begin at 3 p.m. in Rm. 6117across from the cafeteria.

Pictured here are some of the itemsup for auction.


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'M y d au gh te r is lo sin g w eig ht s ud de nly "Parents need to be aware ofw hat eating disorders areTakeltha Gooden common reason that parentsAssistant editor don't recognize the disorder in its

Some complain about their early stages.weight in a joking manner, but "These diseases are not nor-there are those who take this is- mally recognized in the earlysue seriously. Extremely so. stage, which tends to lead to

Anorexia Nervosa and Bu- more bodily harm when notlimia are classified as different treated," Campbell said.types of eating disorders. The Both diseases have effectstwo are common among teenage on the body besides weight loss.girls around the nation, though Loss of hair, dramatic, suddenboth sexes can suffer from the loss of weight, and no menstrualdiseases. cycle are some of the side effects.

Anorexia is an eating disor- Constipation and hemorrhoidsder associated with a distorted also commonly occur in thesebody image that may be caused disorders.by a mental illness. Those with The heart is affected whenthis disease literally starve them- laxatives are used. This puts theselves. body chemistry out of balance,

"An- makingorexia is -,-'T---------------,I i t twicesaid to be hese diseases are not nor- as harda control ma lly re cogn iz ed in th e early to cureand psy- ta which t d tid t the dis-chologi- S get en s 0 ea 0 order.cal disor- more bodily harm when not Eat -dec be- treated." ing dis-cause no B arb ie C sm pb ell, R .N . ordersone can School nurse can leadcon tro 1 t 0what is death. Ifeaten by a person," said schoolnurse Barbie Campbell , R.N.

In other cases such as bu-limia, people take in an exces-sive amount of food, but thenmake themselves vomit. Laxa-tives are used in some cases tosupplement the vomiting.

This is also cal led binge eat-ing . .People sometimes go as faras to eat for two weeks straightand then stop eating for at leasta month at a time.

Both disorders are mostcommon among adolescents oryoung adults. The majori ty of thevictims are female and attendcol lege, experts say.

The exact cause of these dis-orders are not known, but thereare some known factors. Manydoctors believe that social atti-tudes towards appearance playapar t. Family factors also playabig role in the development ofthese diseases.

That is said to be the most

not detected early enough, over80 percent of victims die prema-turely. When struggling to curethe disease there has also been asix percent suicide rate amongthose diagnosed with the disor-ders.

Parents should be aware ofthe possibil ity of an eating dis-order if their children begin tofaint for no reason, or have anirreguJar pulse and seizures.

There are many other severesymptoms that can take place inthe body that will not be able tobe detected unless the person isseen by a physician.Not everyone who has thedisorder is aware ofwhat they aredealing with either. This is whymost people tend not to say any-thing or become suspicious ofwhatis happening to their friendsor even themselves.

Awareness and early actionseem to be the key in helpingthose with eating disorders.

For additional Information on eating disorders, checklocal hospitals or university medical centers for aneating disorder clinic, or contact:National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and AssociationDisorders (ANAD)P.O.Box 7Highland Park, IL 60035(847) 831-3438Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc.(ANRED)P.O. Box 5102Eugene, OR 97405(541) 344-1144American Anorexia Bulimia Association, Inc. (AABA)165 West 46th Street. Suite 1108New York, NY 10036(212) 575-6200

Norseman.

8 mill ion people in the United States suffer from eating disorders.The first documented case of an eating disorder was a 16 year old male in 1694.

One percent of men suffer from eating disorders.Approximately 10 percent of those with an eating disorder die prematurely.

Eating disorders have the highest mortali ty rate of any psychological disease.15 percent of young women have some kind of disordered eating pattems.Source: "Eating Disorders" 1990, www.star ..nui ..edu, The Montreux Counseling Centre

Poor self im age can lead to eating disordersAmber KeTleyStaff writer

Because of the idolizat ion ofsupermodels and movie starsmany teenagers feel that theyneed to bave to the "perfect"body. As a result of the pressureto fit in, many teens believe thatto be accepted they need to havethe "ideal body," not realizingthat the goal they have set cannever be reacbed because manymodels and movie star's pictureshave been airbrushed to appealto consumers.According to "Mirror, Mir-ror" a website devoted to eatingdisorders, many teens feel out ofplace because they think they arenot skinny enough to be acceptedthey hide behind baggy clothesor resort to other methods-seri-ous problems such as anorexiaand bulimia.

A random survey of BHSstudents revealed that oflS ques-

tiooed, seven said they feel theyare overweight, while half ofthose questioned said they havegone on a diet to lose a coupleof pounds to look or feel better."I lost five pounds in oneweek, but Igot off my diet andit came back," said senior Brit-tany Stevener, about he r no soda--just water diet.

Many people don't eat asnutrit iously as they should saysgourmet foods teacher Lisa Fritz.

"The thing that comes up themost with my students is howmuch fat and sugar content is inthe food that they eat. However,Idon't think they make a con-nection with how they're eatingand the effect that it has on theirweight," Fritz said.

Instead of diets, somepeople try weight loss aids suchas Metabolife, which can havethe opposite effect, saysStevener.

"I tried Metabolife. Iwas onit for a month and my heartbeatsped up and Iwas too hyper. Itdidn't do anything; it made meactually gain weight," Stevenersaid.

The Mirror, Mirror organi-zation says that the best way tolose weight is to eat three healthymeals a day. A few snacks areokay, and doing moderate exer-cise will allow the body get toi ts natural setpoint. Most peoplewho take this route are success-ful in losing weight, and keep-ing it off.

"1 lost eight pounds in acouple of months, and it stayedoff because I stuck to my diet'said junior Kasey Kveton, whosediet included watching her por-tions and exercising.

Most physicians and weigbt-loss experts agree, a heal thy dietcombined with exercise is thebest diet of all.

Treatment for eating disordersworks best when started early

Friends, relatives, teachers andphysicians all play a role in help-ing the ill person start and stay witha treatment program.

No matter what treatment issought for an eating disorder,there is general agreement aboutat least one point: eating disor-ders are most successfully treatedwhen diagnosed early.

Delays in treatment may oc-cur because the personmay deny that theyhave a problem. Evenwhen family membersconfront the person, orphysicians make a di-agnosis, the individualmay resist treatment.

The result of de-

t ients. More advanced cases mayrequire hospital care.

Since eating disorders mostoften involve underlying emo-tional issues, some form of psy-chotherapy is usually needed. Apsychiatrist, psychologist, or

Experts agree that the effortsof mental health professionalsneed to be combined with thoseof other health professionals toobtain the best t reatment. Physi-cians treat any medical compli-cat ions, and nutrit ionists advise

on diet and eating regi-mens.

Friends, rela-tives, teachers and phy-sicians aUplaya role inhelping the ill personstart and stay with atreatment program. En-couragement, caring,

and persistence, as well as infor-mation about eating disordersand their dangers, may be neededto convince the ill person to gethelp, stick with treatment, or tryagain.

Family members and friendsshould read as much as possibleabout eating disorders, so theycan help the person with the ill-ness understand his or her prob-lem.

Dial is that the person becomesdangerously thin and malnour-ished to the point that the diseasecan no longer be overlooked.Treatment can become evenmore diff icult at this stage.

If an eating disorder is sus-pected, the first step isa completephysical exam to rule out anyother disease or condition. Ifcaught early enough, most indi-viduals can be treated as outpa-

other mental bealth professionalmeets with the patient individu-ally and provides ongoing emo-tional support, while the patientbegins to understand and copewith the disease.

National Institute of MentalHealth-supported scientists havefound that therapy combinedwith antidepressant medicationshave been beneficial in treatmentof eating disorders.
http://www.star/http://www.star/


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4 Norseman. October 29,1999

LETTERSDear editor,

Why does a lunch cost so much? I have to pay $1.75 for a sliceof pizza, a piece of bread, a fruit, and an extra-small size soda. At myother school, it only cost $1.25 and the pizza was from Pizza Hut.You also got f ries with it.

Ifwe are paying more, we should get more. Lunch should alsobe longer because ifyou are at the end of the line, about the time youget your food, there is no time to eat and nowhere to sit.

Somebody should reduce the price of meals and extend the lunchtime.Jeremy CrawfordJuniorDear editor,

Why doesn't the band play at junior varsity games or othersports ' home games? There have been complaints because the bandhas their practice at the same time as our games. Sure, that is theirpractice t ime, but what better way to do it than practice in thehalftime at a real game? If that happened, the halftime would have tobe considerably stretched, with little complaint from the coaches orplayers who yearn for longer halftime breaks.

In short, having the band play at JV games would be beneficialfor many. The players would have more time to rest, the coacheswould have more time to coach, and the band would have more timeto practice.Name witheld by requestSophomoreDear editor,

What's the deal with security? You see fights breaking out allover the school , but ifsecuri ty does show up to settle the problem,someone has already gotten hurt, crowds have already formed, andthe fight is nearly over. You've got to think, if we have the security tokeep ourselves and others safe, are they REALLY doing their job?Alison 01'1$Freshman

.'NORSEMANCo-edltors - Liz Carr, Janice CotsonisChief assl.stant edItor - Chaunte WhiteAssistant editors - TakeithaGooden, TocarroWilliamsStaff writers JoJoArevalo, Candace Cabler, Amber Kerley,Misty McCann, Mary WledeAdviser - Sandy FarrisThe Norseman is a publication of the Bryan High School Jour-nal ism Department, 3401 E. 29th. Bryan, TX 77802. (409) 731-7400. Member UlL-ILPC. Opinions printed in the Norseman arethose of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect theviews of the students, faculty, staf f or administ rat ion of BryanHigh School. Let ters to the editor are welcome. Letters must besigned and delivered to Rm. 6160 or placed in the adviser'smailbox in the Blue Campus office. The Norseman reservesthe right to edi t or condense letters as space permits. Materialwhich could be considered obscene or l ibelous wil l not be con-sidered for publication ..The Norseman does not guarantee pub-lication upon submission.

Student collapses in EconomicsIt was reported today by

school officials that a studentlapsed into a deep coma duringMr. Foley's third period econom-ics class. Mr. Foley said that henoticed the student seemed to belosing consciousness during adiscussion of the production pos-sibilities curve.

'1thought he was about torecover, when aU of a sudden hecollapsed. Iguess the law of di-minishing marginal utility wasjust too much,"Foley said.

However, thestudent was quicklyrevived when nearbyseniors began talkingabout the class t rip toCancun.

actions, individuals will not suc-ceed." Gerard Achstatter, an edi-tor for the "Investors' BusinessDaily," ays the first requirementof a responsible person is to seethat the right thing happens. Thismeans getting work done ontime, following directions anddelivering a good product.

Solving problems is the sec-ond part of being responsible.Lyles says that someone whojust complains about a problem

suits. Irresponsible behaviorwill certainly hurt in the longrun.

After personally masteringthe responsibility ethic, it's timeto develop it in others.

Be a visionarywho helps otberslearn to act respon-sibly. Be a coach tootbers, helpingthem obtain theirgoals and bringingabout their success.

Responsibility means making no ex-cuses, because none are needed ifwe have done our best.

There's nothing like sensa-tional journalism to get people'sattention. Let 's leave this little bitof fiction [we al l know no oneever sleeps in Mr. Foley's class]and talk: about honesty.

Teachers are always harpingon honesty; mainly in referenceto students cheating on exams,papers, etc. However, honesty ismore than telling the truth or notcheating; it also requires livingthe truth. You live the truth bybeing responsible for your ac-tions and living up to yourwords. You've got to walk yourtalk.

It is often easier to avoid aresponsibili ty than to work hardand get it done. But when youdo a difficult task, and you do itto the best of your ability, yougain personal satisfaction. Youalso put yourself on the path to-ward greater achievement. Byact ing responsibly, you becometrustworthy and dependable.

Responsibility is "...the onlything that wil l work long term forboth the individual and the com-pany," said Richard Lyles in hisbook Responsible Managers GetResul ts. "Without responsible

is not being responsible. "In-stead a responsible person willsee to it that problems getsolved." Becoming a problem-solver begins with your beliefsystem. It needs to be based ontrust and commitment. Peoplewho have such a belief systemmake 00 excuses.

Lyles says that developinga belief system takes reallythinking through l ife 's purpose.Ask yourself: "What's importantto me? What gives me satisfac-tion? What ethics do Iive by?"When you answer these ques-tions, you'll know how you'regoing to act even before youmake a decision.

Sometimes acting responsi-bly can be difficult. For ex-ample:

>Doing the honorable thingby taking responsibility forsomething that went wrong andthen being punished.

>Seeing others succeedwhile acting irresponsibly.

To assume from such casesthat acting responsibly is againstone's interest would be a bigmistake, Lyles says. Both out-comes are merely short-term re-

Developing responsibility inothers means empowering them.How can you determine

whether people are responsible?"Look at their decision-mak-ing," Lyles said. Then look atthe results of their decisions.Iwork with seniors all day,

and Iknow our students are ascapable as any; however, whatwe may be lacking is the senseof commitment and dependabil-ity that comes with being re-sponsible. We have to be respon-sible to people and for our wordsand actions.

Responsibility means mak-ing no excuses, because Doneare needed if we have done ourbest. Whether we are acting re-sponsibly is not for us to decide.It's up to the beholder [e.g. par-ents, teachers, peers, boss, thecommunity] to judge. It is theresponsibil ity of teachers to en-courage students to accept thatresponsibility.

Bryan High students andfaculty can accomplisb much,but not until we are ready to ac-cept the responsibility. By tbeway, watch out for bears aroundthe dumpsters.

Price of security is the right to privacyIt seems to me that the se-

curity at Bryan High has becomemuch tighter than in prior years.Some people think that the highsecurity is needed, and I agreeto a point. However, I am notsure whether the sacrifices madeare worth it.

My car was searched inAu-gust. I was going outside to putaway my PE clothes and I woundup standing in the sun for my en-tire lunch period. IfI had knownhow much of my time it wouldhave taken, I would not havebeen so willing to let securitylook through my car.

My car was a grand mess.Long-lost items were found,thanks to the search, did notfind it to be a pleasant experi-ence in any way. If I bad any ofthe items that the officer waslooking for, I am sure be wouldhave found them.

The inconvenience of hav-ing my car searched was one ofthe worst experiences I have hadat school. I would never considerdoing anything to get my vehiclesearched again, and ifI am askedto allow someone to lookthrough my car, I doubt that 1will be as cooperative as I wasthat day.The security measures theschool has been using seem alittle rash to me. I honestly donot bel ieve that what happenedin Littleton could ever happenhere, because there are manythings that must fall into placein order for it to happen. I amvery cynical about the possibi l-ity of any sort of true chaosplaguing Bryan High, despitespeculation in the eyes of someof the population.

The school parking lot is notthe only place that people's carsmay be looked into. When I was

. , . . . . . . .,,returning to the Homecomingdance after leaving briefly I no-ticed officers around the vehiclesof the student body. They werelooking into car windows as ev-eryone at the dance was inside.

Thankfully, I make a prac-tice of not leaving embarrassingitems out in the open, but I findit irritating knowing that there issomeone looking into my win-dows. When there is someone bymy car with a flashlight, I get up-tight no matter who they are.

Which is better? Safety andsecurity or to have privacy? Iwould have to say security ismore impor tant, but I think thatthere should not be so many sac-rifices for the sake of a saferschool.


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Norseman. October 29,1999

The National Center for Disease Control estimates that aboutthree percent of teenagers suffer from eating disorders. Eat-ing disorders often start in adolescenoe, and greater than 90percent of cases occur among females, aocording to the CDC.The Norseman asks:.,What do you think plays a

role when teens developeating disorders?

"The image that the mediaportrays on the youthtoday."Amanda Beauchamp, 10

"People trying to be in the incrowd and trying to fit in."Amanda Breaux, 12"Friends and models inmagazines set a mold inwhich people try to fit in."Michael Rode, 11

"Immodesty in the mediacan cause people to under-eat."Brittany Stevener, 12

"People trying to fit in withtheir friends and be likethem."Kim Green, 11

"Tragic things that happenin life can cause a person tounder-eat."Sabrina Reyes, 12

"Some people over-eatbecause of depression andtrying to get attention."Jabari Duren, 10

"Most people try to befollowers and don't haveenough self-confidence andthey fol low those who leadthem in the wrong direction."Tranika Montgomery, 10

Seniors represent spirit to the fullesthurch shooting, prayer legislationcall to urgency for ChristiansAs I gaze through this clus-

ter of spirited teens we com-monly call Bryan High I've seenone thing that has remained thesame through all the changes ourschool bas undergone, and thatis that the class of 2000 is defi-nitely the bombl Not that wedon't have our share of ups anddowns, but leadership,academics and pride inour school (amongmany other things) aredepartments that wehave always and willcontinue to dominate.

Being the class ofthe mil lennium, there has alwaysbeen extra attention focused onus . From the moment we walkedthrough the doors of Lamar ev-eryone began to notice a changein the atmosphere at BryanHigh. The old, unmotivated up-perclassmen moved on, and thenew high-spirited freshmenquickJy took over, leading the

way to one common goal, gradu-ation.

Even as sophomores andjuniors we excelled in athleticsand academics, with our TAASscores helping Bryan High to beupgraded to an Acceptable cam-pus.

At least in this predomi-nantly conservative, Republicanarea, it had always been easy tostand up for Christ. Itwas coolto be Christian, and persecutionwas something that happened inBiblica l times to guys like Peterand Paul.

Interact, Key Club or another or-ganization, it is inevitable that we

are seen giving back toour community andschool.

Colleges cam-puses will receivequite a shock next yearwhen they see theabundance of mature

urgency. There are still so manypeople out there without Christ,

That was the way it used to so many people I'd like to takewith me to heaven.

It's time to get down to busi-ness. Witnessing opportunitiesare not infinite; there will not al-

ways be a next time.As Christians,

we cannot continueAs Christians, to be so immersed

be. ...Ieadership, academics andpride in our school are depart-ments that we have always andwill continue to dominate.Iemember when Iame out

of church on the night of "SawYou at the Pole" this year andfound out about themassacre, just upthe road in FortWorth.

and innovative incom-ing freshmen. Most of us seemto be college-bound and if notcollege-bound, bound to gosomewhere and do somethingfulfilling.

No matter where we are wewill definitely be blowing up thespot, leaving BH S with a bangand shining Likes tars in the newmillennium.

Besides an occasional dis-agreement here and there youhardly ever see one of us fight-ing or yelling; unless of coursewe're fighting to win or yellingat a pep rally.

One thing that is noticeableis our willingness to help othersand each other. With over 200 ofus being involved in eiilierNHS,

A wave ofemotion, unlikeany Ibad ever ex-perienced, swept

in our own dailylives that we forgetthe task at hand.There is a wholewide world outthere of people whoneed Jesus.

I'm not tryingto say that Idon'thave problems withthis. I've missedcountless opportu-nities to win soulsfor Christ. Therehave been so manypeople that I could

have talked to, that I could haveprayed for, that I could have in-vited to church, but I just didn't.

And I don't want it to be like

wecannot con-tinue to be soover me. immersed inThoughshocked, Icould d 1not bring myself to our own a: ysadness; my only lives that wefeeling was a tre-mendous, deep re- forget the taskjoicing,

Knowing that at hand.seven of my breth-ren bad beenmartyred that verynight was wonderfully exciting,exhilarating. Perhaps it is soonthat we will all be going home.

Yes, right now, these couldbe the first days of the tribula-tion. No one knows for sure, butlook at what has happened lately.Society has once again becomecold to Christians.

From public prayer bans andthe general decay of morals toviolence, it is obvious that thetide has turned.

And if this is the beginningof the end, it will get worse.

But this should not be asource of fear for believers; itshould rather be a call to

Abortion: a last resort, not a way outDriving down 29th street

one sees the BHS campus andstudents gett ing out ofschool andready to go home after a longday.

Ifthe dr ive continues downthe s treet to the comer of Car terCreek and 29th, one might see asingle person or a small group ofpeople praying for those insidethe Planned Parenthood Clinicwhere abortions are performed.

The clinic has been in Bryanfor about a year now and the pub-l icity has died down, but there arestil l a few protestors that are out-side the clinic wanting to seechanges.

My view on abortion is notthat of an extremist or pacifist

but neither is it one for leniency.I feel that there are some ex-

ceptions for which abort ions areappropriate. For example, if arape victim became pregnant,could they live and take care ofthe baby like nothing ever hap-pened? Would the mother of thechild abuse herself because shedoesn't want the baby?

There are some people whocould deal with tbat but notmany. Another exception is ifone can't carry a child to term orhas medical problems that wouldcomplicate pregnancy, then Ithink it is right to have an abor-tion or find an alternative plansuch as a surrogate mother.I also believe there are t imes

that anymore. I don't want tomiss another divine appointment.

Whether the end comes twowhen abortion is not appropri-ate, such as when going out andpartying and sleeping aroundwithout protection results in apregnancy. I believe if one wasindependent enough to be sleep-ing around tben one should beresponsible enough to have ababy.

Although many people be-lieve that abortion is morallywrong, I feel there are some cir -cumstances in whicb abortionmay be the best choice.

days from now, two years fromnow or two millenia from now,we've got to stay focused oneternity.This glorious assignmentwe've been given is just too im-portant.

As it says in Matthew -- noone knows the day or the hour,but no matter what, we have tobe ready.


6/8

6 Norseman. October 29,1999 eaturesOn Ihe J.Ob

Internshipsproviding

opportunitiesfor close-uplook at fieldsof interest.

Computers playan importantpartin theelementary classroom. Grlcelda Floreslearns how to incorporate technologyinto her BESTT experience at JohnsonElementary.photos by Brad Hodges

Reviving the teacher forceTocarro WilliamsAssistant editor

There are over 2.8 million childrenin classrooms today, but there is a dwin-dling number of teachers coming into theworkforce. B.E.S.T.T. teacher BernadetteGraff and her students are trying to solvethe problem.

Bridging the Educa-tional Scene for Teachers ofTomorrow (BESTT) stu-dents attend Johnson El -ementary for an hour Mon-day through Thursday in or-der to gain an overview ofthe teaching profession.The class then resumes onFriday to discuss the les-sons that they have learned.

BESTT is open for se-niors who are interested inan education career. Students explore stu-dent technology and trends, instructionalstrategies, and learning styles three weeksbefore they go out into the field experi-ence. The weekly classroom visits are asvaried as the activities al low.

" teach a kindergarten music classevery other week, make bulletin boardsand Ielped the second graders learn their

lines and songs for an upcoming play thatthey were to perform for their parents,"said senior Shannon Mynar of her expe-rience at Johnson.

Graff also visits the Johnson campusthroughout the week to see how her stu-dents are progressing .

"I observe the students on Mondaysand Wednesdays to see howthey have improved duringthe week," Graff said.

Mynar sees benefits tothe program in addition tothat of previewing the ac-tual teaching experience.

"Tills job teaches youresponsibility and how tohandle problems. The kidsall like you and are very fu nto be around; it also makesyou feel good when theylearn," Mynar said.

Graff believes these internships aregiving students a bead start on a career ineducation.

"I think that if these students use thischance to the best of their abil ity, we couldhave an abundance of experienced teach-ers," Graff said.

Nicole Nutall reads abook with a Johnson El-ementary student.

Hammond-Oliver students explore medical-related careersTocarro WilliamsAssIstant editor

While many high school students canonly dream of having an internship in acareer field they are interested in, seniorsinterested in the medical field are giventhat chance each year.

Hammond-Oliver students are pinnedat the end of their junior year at the HighSchool for Human Sciences which allowsthem to go for on-the-job training as se-niors.

Students are given the opportunity towork at various health centers aroundBryan/College Station.

"I'm working at Downtown Phar-macy and I am instructed how to fill medi-cines and substitute generic for name-brand ones," said senior Laurin Loudat.

Students do not find out where theirinternships will be until the pinning cer-emony .."I was exci ted when I found out thatJ would be working in the telemetry de-partment (monitoring of hearts). Iouldnot be an EKG technician in Decemberwithout the experience," Jamie Commetsaid.

The enthusiasm level is high for par-ticipants as they are able to observe a wide

variety of practices."1 love my job. My employers an d

patients were great. The patients did notmind ifIbserved their dental work. Ilsowas able to take and develop x-rays," saidsenior Jeremy Bilnoski.

A valuable part of the internship isthat it allows students to decide if theirchosen field is for them."I now know that I am going to at-tend Radiology Technology school atBl inn next fall ,' Bilnoski said.

Many students thought that theywould be given a job that no one elsewanted, such as running errands or typ-

ing reports. They were surprised at thecomprehensive experience the internshipshave given them."Iwas given many opportuni ties thatIwould have never been given withoutmy internship," Commet said.

Most seem to realize and appreciatethe value of the internship experience.now in its fifth year at Hammond-Oliver.

"We are one of the select school dis-tricts that have a specific high school forhuman sciences and we are most defi-nitely lucky to have a chance to do in-ternships," Loudat said,

Giving students characterEthics, values teaching trend spreading across nation; supporters push idea in TexasJanice CotsonisCo-editor

IfAmerica's teens weregiven a report card grading themon their use of values moralsand decorum, most of themwould not be averaging 100.In 1998 a repor t released bythe Josephson Institute of Eth-ics showed that almost half of themiddle and high school studentsinterviewed admitted they steal,and seven out of every tenclaimed to have cheated on atleast one test. These numbershave risen about 20 percent since1996.

"This report shows [that] interms of honesty and integritythings are going from very badto worse. Especially troubling[ .. .is tbat] young people knowthat what they're doing iswrong," said insti tute presidentMichael Josephson.

While these statistics reflecta universal downfall in the mor-als and decorum of high schoolstudents, little action had been

taken towards reviving a senseof values in teenagers until re-cently, when the afore-men-tioned statistics, the general lackof respect shown by teenagersand instances such as theLittleton, Colorado shoot-ing spurred the charactereducation trend that basslowly been engulfingschool districts nation-wide, and is now beingrallied for in Texas.

Motivational speakerZig Ziglar held a fund-raising dinner in Dallasrecently to gain supportfor placing character edu-cation in Texas schools'curriculum.

As more and moreschools bave implementedthis idea of reteaching and en-forcing ethics in scbools a fewbasic principles of effectivenesshave been established. Promo-tion of core ethical value-s, a car-ing community, intrinsic moti -vation and opportunities for

moral action are a few of theprinciples cited by the CharacterEducation Partnership.

One administrator sees astrong connect ion between poorbehavior and environment.

ter education criteria.Along with administration

and students setting a positivemoral example, other principlesof character education includethe promotion of ethical values,

respect, honesty andgratitude.Not only administra-

tion but also studentswould be pleased to seecbaracter education putinto effect in Texasschools."A lot of people in

Texas need a little morecourtesy. Children wouldget in the habit of sayingyes ma'am and no ma'amand would learn earlier tobe more respectful " saidjunior Robert McGeebee.

in addition, Waller pointedout that wb..ile many would ar-gue that morals and ethics shouldbe taught in the elementaryschools, they should be empha-sized throughout all of astudent 's school years.

"People think that charactereducation should start in el-ementary school, but it is al-readythere. If it is presentdur-ing the pivotal years maybethe student's ways willchange. It is never too late togive up."Ruth WallerSliver Campus assistant principal

"I believe that dictating mo-rality causes problems. Weshouldn't expect kids to act re-spectfully if the adults in theirl ives don't," said Silver Campusassistant principal Ruth WaUer,echoing one of the basic charac-

'


7/8

Volleyball endsseasonThe volleyball teamended their season with a first:the Oct. 27 win over districtopponent Round Rockmarked the first district win forthe team in three years.The overall record for theteam was 15-16, with a dis-trict record of 1-9.The girls will join other fallsports teams for the fall Ath-letic banquet Nov. 15.Girls basketball toplay Reed Arena

The annual basketballshowdown between Bryanand A&M Consolidated willfeature both boys and girls inaction at Reed Arena thisyear.The boys game has longbeen held at the A&M basket-ball facilities to accomodatethe large crowd attending thematchup. This will be the firstyear the girls will have thesame opportunity to competeinfront of a large crowd at thepremiere sports facility on theTexas A&M campus.The games will be Nov.22, with the girls game begin-ning at 6 p.m. and the boys at7:30 p.m.Football seasonwinding down

Heading into the final twoweeks of football season, thevarsity's record stood at aneven 4-4, with a 2-1 districtposting. A win over RoundRock Oct. 29 would put theVikings in the playoffs.The Junior varsity, with anoverall 4-5 record and a 3-1showing in district, battledPflugerville for the districtchampionship Thursdaynight. The sophomore recordwas 0-8.Tournament playkeeps tennis busy

The varsity tennis team iscurrently in third place in dis-trict, with a 7-1 0 overallrecord.The junior varsity recentlyposted impressive wins overRound Rock Stoney Point, 17-2 and Leander, 19-0.In the Bryan tournament,freshmen Megan Caskey wonGirls B Singles, MorganHester, Jonathon Rumfordand Justin Anderson wonConsolation. Hollie Greer de-feated Veronica Ensworth forA Girls Singles. JamesGolsan was second inA BoysSingles.Injunior varsity play, ElisaBruton and Paula Joseph wonConsolation in Girls Doubles,while Kevin Barton and DavidDominguez won BoysDoubles.

Wrestling coach MikeZito (above) explains aback tripmove tohis wrestlers, using team cap-tain D.J. Dockery inhis demonstration. (below)Marcus Cox par-forms a double-leg pickup ofDockery in after-noon practice atLamar Gym. Thef irst meet for theteam isNov. 20 inSan Antonio.photos by S.Fam's

orts Norseman. Octobe,29,19997Hitting the matsWrestling program achieving goalsdespite short existence as UIL sportJoJo ArevaloStaff writer

When Mike Zito began his tenure as thefirst Bryan High wrestling coach, he had anidea that it would be a difficult job.

However, he did not know how difficultit would be until he received a phone call fromone student 's parent''1 actually had a parent call me and askifher student would have to wear a mask andwrestle in a cage," Zito said.

Zito was in a difficult s ituation. He wasattempting to start a wrestling program atBryan High; a program that had never be-fore been seen at the school, or the commu-nity. Public perception of wrestling, itseemed, came mostly from the costumed ver-sion of the sport seen on television.

How did this venture into the unknownbegin?

Zito remembers the day."A student saw a wrestling

poster on my wall and askedme why we didn't bave a wres-tling program," Zito said.

When he found out the onlyreason was because there wasnot a coach, Zito quickly vol-unteered for the job.

Zi to recalls his thoughts onthe da y be became the first-everBryan High wrestling coach.He knew he was bringing wres-

tling to a school whose only idea of the sportwas given to them by the WWF.

"Iknew Ihad a task before me, because1had to educate not only the kids about wres-tling, but the teachers and a community aswell."

Zito did not back down from the chal-lenge as he led the Vikes to a surprisinglysuccessful first season.

In the years following un.. sanct ion ofwrestling, the team saw continuing success.Last year, they placed first in district, secondout of 43 teams at regionals, and thirty-eighthout of 12 1 teams at state.

Zito praised the success of last year'steam as they exceeded all expectations he badfor them.

"[The team] went beyond what I ex-pected," Zito said.

"Eight out of 15 kids qualified for thestate tournament. There's teams that havebeen around for 30 years that can't say that."

As the Bryan VIkings enter a new sea-son of competition, they have high hopes forcontinued success, as well as high expecta-tions.

"Definitely district champions ," Zitosaid, predicting how his team will do, thenadding a wish list of goals.

"Hopefully regional champions, andpossibly state champions," he said.

The first meet will be at Sao AntonioChurchill on November 20.

Sports medicine changing perception of student trainersTocarro Williams than that, with basic physical fit-Assistant aditor ness and training at the top of the

Picking up water coolers, list.driving the gators, and wrapping "We are in the class to learnsprained ankles are only a small how to do medical procedures onpart of a day's job for student the athletes, but that is n ot all thattrainers. A great amount of re- we do. There is an expansion,"sponsibility is said seniorplaced on the " I did not know what I M i c h e I I esboulders of Mabrey.sports medi- was g ettin g m ys elf Into, Trainers havecine students, bu t I en joy it." a class periodsomething that Damer Williams in which theycame as a sur- S ophomor e learn the proce-prise to a few dures of pre-of the .. vention and

"I did not know what I was treatment of injuries. They alsogetting myself into, but I enjoy assist athletes that have persistentit," said sophomore Dexner Wil- injuries.Iiams. Trainers attend all sporting

Williams early reaction is events to help treat student ath-typical of those who think that letes ifthey are hurt at a game.student trainers are only available They often spend the sameto dispense Gatorade and ice amount of time or more prepar-when called upon. In fact, sports ing for the game while the ath-medicine involves much more letes practice.

''1have to stay atschool until 6 p.m.because it is our re-sponsibility to putthe water out for thefootball team andmake sure that therearena injuries beforethey go borne," Wil-liams said.

Game daysbring extra responsi-bilities that extendwell after the finalwhistle blows to endthe game.

'We attend the Head trainer "Doc" Hess tends to ankle-tapinggames no matter duties, while trainer Chris Shaddook tapes Mar-where theyare at, quis Turner's wrist before football practice. photoand we come back by Chaunte Whitehome with the ---------------team," Mabrey said. "We areready to go borne, but we baveto unload everything wben wepull up to the school. It is our re-sponsibility to unload the bus and

make sure everything is put up."Just another job in a day's

work for the students of sportsmedicine.

New head coach, assistant, more freshmen raise swimmers' expectationsAmber KerleyStaff writerThe chilled wind blew over the

crystal clear water, then all wasstil l. Suddenly, the water brokeas the swim team dove one byone into the ice-cold water tostart their grueling and deter-mined practice to reach theirgoal: a state championship.

The first meet of the seasonwas November 4, and it markedthe first competit ion for the teamunder a new coacb, An n Prewitt.This is Prewitt s second year of

coaching in a high school envi-ronment ; she also has seven yearsof experience in swimming in-struction ..Prewitt trains the team with

two D's: discipline and determi-nation. Team members run a mileevery other day, practice theirsprints and distance, weigbt-train, and report to the AquaticCenter for practice at 7 a.m. eachday. The team has been trainingfor about teo weeks now, and se-nior Sally Sarles sees the benefitsof strict training.

"Coach Prewitt is more disci-plined, but it's better for theteam," Sarles said.An assistant coach, Brad Cune,

has also been hired to work withthe team, which has more fresh-men members than ever before.The added belp ha s team mem-bers feeling positive."We'll do better as a team in

the swim meets," Sar les said.


8/8

8 Norseman. October 29,1999 ntertainment

Amber K erle y

'Moesha' spinoff bridges generation gapas both Kim and Mom go off to college

and excitement. Kim and'momma' Mo'Nique share atti-tudes that keep all viewers ontheir toes.

Whenever you decide to feelsorry for your mom and maybedecide that you are going to tryand fix the problem, watch TheParkers. You may just have achange of mind.The Parkers airs onMonday's at 7:30 p.m. Grab yourmom or dad to watch. It's almosta fact that they will enjoy it.Letter grade: A+'Drive Me Crazy' accurate picture of teenage social hierarchy

Takeitha GoodenAssistant editor

Monday nights for UPN islooking to reach both parents andteens.

The Parkers, the spinofffrom Moesha has teenagers'heads spinning at the thought oftheir moms attending collegewith them.

The Parkers star Kim(Countess Vaughn), who wasMoesha's best friend, is roomingwith her mother in college; both

Misty McCannStaff writerMost teenagers are familiar

with the social stereotypes thatare in American society. Theones that are different from the"norm" in dress or style and seemintellectual are labeled eitherfreak or nerd. Or, the ones thatare involved in the social aspectsof school retain the name of prepor jock.Many times these terms sepa-rate people into groups of theirown and they do not interminglewith each other.

Drive Me Crazy i s an excel-lent portrayal of American teen-age society and how many letthese social genres control theirlives and keep them from reaUygain ing the full potential of their

are attending as freshmen.Mo'Nique, the mother, is in-

truding on Kim's l ife as a collegestudent. With the two roomingtogether, they bring about prob-lems that both parents and chil-dren can relate to.

As mamma Mo'Nique tellsit likes it is, K im starts to thinkmore about the decision shemade about helping her mom toget her diploma and walk thestage with her.

The show is full of laughter

high school career.The characterization in the

movie is excellent, because itcaptures the true essence of thebehavior of teenagers.Melissa Joan Hart plays a

popular gir l in the movie and be-cause of her social status shenever talks to her "freak" neigh-bor, even though at one t ime theywere friends. As the movieprogresses she is forced to talkand confide in him about a prob-lem. After they get to know eachother once again they becomefriend once more and see eachother for more than their socialstatus.The theme that is portrayed in

the movie is good for teenagersbecause it shows that peopleshould appreciate each other for

their personali ties rather than forwhat they have to offerThis theme is present when the

"preppies" in the movie go toparties where they get intoxi-cated and rely on one of the "me-dia tech nerds" to give them asafe ride. They never acknowl-edge him. But at the end, he getsthe recognition he deserves byshowing up the preppies.If one looks at tbe movie in anunbiased light, because of the

great characterization, they willbe able to identify themselveswith one of the characters in themovie. No matter how teenagerstry to different iate themselvesinto different clas es , the movieshows that we are actually alikeand we can get along with eachother,Letter grade: A+

Chaunte WhiteChief assistant editor

Last summer, it seemed asthough everyone was "Livin' 1avida loca" with Ricky Martin ortrying to have a little bit of Jen-nifer Lopez's love.

With the sudden popularityof Latin music in America manyare referring to it as a "Latin Ex-plosion." Latin f lavor and soundremains at the top of the cbartsmore than a year later. MoreLatin artists than ever are becom-ing popular in the entertainmentand music industries. This out-break of Latin talent came asquite a shock to many becauseof the dif ficult ies some Latin art -ists face with stardom and famein America.

Mart in is leading the way fora vanguard of Latin entertainerswhich includes Jennifer LopezEnrique Iglesias, and ChrisPerez. Although he had released

albums previously it wasn 't un -til 1995 that his album "A MedioV ivir" made him known acrossthe nation.The debut single'Livin La Vida Loca fromMartin s first English-languagealbum has become the biggestselling No. 1 single in the his-tal) ' of Columbia Records.

JenniferLopez standsbeside Martinas the femalecounterpart tothis "LatinExplosion."Lopez firstbopped on theelevator tostardom whenshe won ana"tionwidesearcb fo r anactress toplaythe lead role Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida toea" is the b iggest-sel ling sing le inColum-bia Record's history.

in Selena. Lopez received onemil lion dollars for the part, mak-ing her the highest-paid Latin ac-tress in his tory. Sbe also starredin many other films such as MiFamilia, Money Train, and hasthe lead role in an upcoming sci-fi :film called The Cell.

Though her acting career

made her a celebrity, her careerskyrocketed when she releasedher first Latin pop album lastJune entitled "On The 6" whichachieved platinum status withintwo months. This collection ofhip bop, R&B, Latin funk, andshimmering ballads is blowingup and making a definite contri-

bution to this"Lat in Explo-sion.""Seeing Jenni-fer Lopez be-come so suc-cessful reallyinspires me andreminds me thatLatin womencan be success-ful," said seniorMelissa Yanez.Many otherLatin pop sing-

ent industryers are on the rise, such as ChrisPerez and Enrique Iglesias.Perez, the husband of the slaintejano singer Selena released hisnew album, "Resurrect ion."Iglesia s album tit led "Enrique"is topping the charts with the hitsingle "Bailamos" and the re-cently released single ''RhythmDivine."

Many feel that today s Latinartists are bringing somethingnew to the table. Latin rhythmsmixed with hip-bop, funk, R&Band rock are creating a new genreof music of which aJI Latin-Americans sbould be proud.

"It's nonnal to ee black art-ists doing R&B and white art istsdoing rock and Latinos doingSpanish music, but today's Latinart ists are taking it to a new leveland incorporating it all together,"Yanez said.

volume 29 number 2

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