Volume 3 Issue 6

Index

News
Reduce, reuse, recycle...pg.5
Students host dancing with seniors...
pg.5
Model UN shines at academic worldquest....pg. 6
News In Brief...pg.6
Lifestyles
Popular reality TV shows clash....pg.
7
Food trucks become all the craze...
pg.7
Chow down on Easter treats...pg. 8
Students debate favorite book series...
pg. 8
Celebrate national poetry month...
pg.9
New applications make life easier....
pg. 9
Horoscopes...pg. 10
Creative eggs to dye for...pg. 10

Volume 3 Issue 6

Features
PS Vita prospers in small market...pg. 11
Abandon serious, embrace pranks...
pg.12
Celebrate old traditions with new customs...pg.12
Tannous prioritizes for future...pg.13
Lwin maps out future plans...pg.13
Perspectives
Poetry dead...pg.16
Or alive?...pg.17

Sports
Opening day approaches America...
pg. 14
NBA MVP race remains tight....pg. 14
Softball phenom discusses athletic
life...pg. 15
Baseball fielder shines wisdom ...pg.15
Voices
Have you ever been pranked?...pg.18
Humans of Clements: What is your
guilty pleasure?...pg. 19

Publication Policy
The Round Up, a feature magazine published by the students in Clements High
Schools Magazine Journalism class, is a
designated forum for student expression.
The Round Up is distibuted to its readers
and the student body at no cost.

Your ad
could
go
here!

From the Editors desk

Relieve stress by escaping
By LAURYN MERRIETT
Co Editor in Chief
Everybody has what is called a
happy place. It is somewhere you go
when you are not feeling your best
or maybe you just need a little break
from the world. A happy place can be
an actual place you like to go to just
think, or maybe an imaginary place
you see when you close your eyes. It
is different for everyone and we all
use it for different reasons. Are you
nervous about college? AP exams?
Work? Drama? If you said yes in
your head to any of these questions
then go to your happy place. Even if
it is just for five minutes or so, it will
help, I promise. I think it is important
for everyone to have their own happy
place because, to be completely

honest, sometimes people just suck

and you need space. So if you do not
already have one, I hope this can help
you find your own special place.
Now if you are thinking you dont
have a happy place, you probably do
and you just do not know it. Is there
somewhere you like to go when you
are feeling just overall kind of bad?
Anything you like to do that cheers
you up a little afterwards? If you said
yes, then theres your happy place
right there. Go forth and have a
good rest of your day. If you said no
then maybe you can find inspiration
from my happy place. For me it is
the inside of a book. Reading about
someone elses life in a different
world just does the trick. I forget
about whatever it is I was upset

about and just get completely lost

in the story in front of me. It is like
stepping into another world where
my problems do not exist. It allows
me to concentrate on something else,
to relax, and sometimes depending
on the book, realize that what I am
stressed out about really isnt a big
deal. So my advice would be to find
something that can make you feel that
way, and the best place to look would

By SAMANTHA JREIJ
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Every so often, the flaws of human kind
become clear to us. What are the flaws of
our species? One key feature of us as a
species jumps out at me in particular. We
are drawn to a flurry of violence. We are
sucked into it, and we cannot get enough.
The best movies, the ones that sell
the most tickets, that draw the most

attention, are about war, violence, illegal

activities, and sex. It is interesting
to us as a species to watch all of these
occurrences unfold before our eyes.
Philosophers and other individuals in the
past have contemplated what this meansif human nature really is inherently evil.
And I suppose we will always
contemplate this one question, a
question that perhaps will never be
answered. Regardless of this failure of
a question, our actions, our interests,
the books we read and the movies we
watch become the ideas that we support.
Case in point, Fifty Shades of Grey is
a story about a relationship between an
older man and a young woman. Amy
Bonomi, professor and chairperson of
Michigan State Universitys Department
of Human Development and Family
studies, made some observations. A
thorough study of the book claims
that emotional and sexual abuse is
pervasive in the novel, appearing in
almost every interaction between the

main characters, Anastasia and Christian.

Both show signs of abuse: Christian,
the so-called love interest, actively
stalks Ana, purchasing her place of work
and tracking her whereabouts through
an app on her phone. He controls her
behavior, even her diet, and dictates who
she is allowed to spend her time with,
isolating her from friends and family.
He belittles her, threatens her and
blames her. Ana is afraid of making
Christian angry, afraid to talk to her
friends, and insecure in her own
identity and self-worth.
Does this
sound familiar? Sadly, for some it does.
Maybe it is just a book, and maybe
it is harmless to read for most people.
However, this book and now the
movie is teaching impressionable
young women that pain and abuse are
erotic. It is teaching young men that
girls want a controlling, intimidating
companion, and that it is okay to lose
control violently. This is a human
flaw that most of us can live without.

Fifty shades does too much?

NEWS
Reduce,
Reuse,
Recycle

By SANGEETHA PUTHIGAI
Voices Editor
As earth day approaches, Clements
Earth Club urges students to appreciate
the planet they live on. Earth Club was
created in hopes of making the students
of CHS more environmentally aware.
Its important to appreciate our planet.
The earth most literally provides us with
life, and it is only right to return the
appreciation and respect it deserves, said
Theresa Bui, Clements Earth president.
Earth club does its part at Clements to keep
the schools carbon footprint at bay. The
club is in charge of the schools recycling
and cleans up around the school grounds.
Its amazing to see how much trash our
own school generates, and by recycling
around school, earth club does its part
in taking care of the planet, said Bui.
Earth club not only helps clean
up around the school, but also
helps
around
the
community
reaching past the school grounds
We participate in tree plantings,
trash pickups, storm drain marking and
more around the community, said Bui.
According to Bui, her favorite
thing about Earth Club is the
sense of family she gains from it.
Earth Club and its members are family.
We are all unique and come together to
share in one common passion: The Earth.
Though small, seeing people who simply
is care enough to bring me happiness
and hope that beyond these blue walls,
the world is in good hands, she said.
During the month of April, Bui
urges students to be aware of the
earth. Club members say all students
share the fact that they are a member
of planet earth, and respect the planet
not only on earth day, but every day.

Model UN shines at Academic WorldQuest

By SAMEEN SIDDIQUI
News Editor
Yesterday a group of wonderfully
talented,
globally-minded
students
participated in the World Affairs
Council: Academic WorldQuest. This is
a team that compete in a quiz bowl over
geography, world leaders, and current
events. One of our teams has come in
3rdplace in the last two years, but this
year we came in 2ndplace!
So we are moving on up and
are ready to take the trophy home
next year and win our seat at the
national meet in Washington, DC!!

nd
Here is the list of the 2 place team:
Arsalan Afzal-11
Ali Zaidi-10
Anish Rao-12
Feranmi Ajala-11
Michelle Egbuna-11
Derrick Ong-9
Asad Engineer-11

Ross Trivisonno-10
Leon Yuan-10
Archit Oswal-10

Here is the list of our other team that

finished in 5thplace
Berra Akcan-10
Ali Shirazi-9

Nathan Wong-9
Yash Desai-9
Queen Epomba-9
Sohit Mehta-11
Riley Arlinghaus-10
Eric Wan-9
Sue Chu-10
Sabrina Bitar-11

Global Issues Summit sheds light on world problems

By HAANIYA DAWOODALLY
Copy Editor
Clements is known for its diversity
and cultural appreciation. One of the
events that captures the attention of
many is the Global Issues Summit.
The event is on April 18, 2015 and is
open to the public but registration is
required.
The Summit is a globally oriented
conference challenging people to
think about issues that extend beyond
the boundaries of our community. It

takes the problems seen worldwide and

presents them to students to resolve.
The intent of the Summit is to spread
global issues to the students and the
community. The goal of the Summit
is to ensure that people understand
the true nature of the world. Each
years theme aims to educate the
public about a certain aspect of global
issues through listening to a variety of
speakers who will speak about a vast
range of topics. Started three years
ago by a CHS student, the Summit
has been a way to portray the worlds
problems to students and attendees.
We hope for another great
conference with opportunities for
education and turning awareness
into action. This year we have
greater curriculum ties and student
involvement
from
our
GSA
classes, said Anne Beckman, GSA

Coordinator.
This years theme is Hidden
Revolutions, the revolutions that are
unadvertised in various parts of the
world, but change the world in many
ways. They also focus on the five
main elements that affect the world;
global economy, health and medicine,
the environment, human rights, and
education. Several speakers from
different organizations or associations
volunteer to speak to everyone about
what they do and how it involves
the five sub topics relating to hidden
revolutions.
It is always stressful but great to see
the kids come together and pull off a
great conference, said Beckman.
The Summit is a way to help spread
the message of current day problems
and solutions to the students 6 and
attendees.

LIFESTYLES
Popular reality TV shows clash
By PATRICIA ANNE MANZINARES
Voices Editor
These days students, especially teenagers,
watch shows that amuse them including: The
Kardashians, Dance Moms, the Bachelor,
Real housewives and Duck Dynasty. Approximately 260 students voted for their favorite
reality T.V. show. The reality T.V. show that

received the most votes was The Kardashians

with a total of 126 votes. The second reality
T.V. show with the most votes was Duck Dynasty with a total of 60 votes. The third reality
T.V. show was Dance moms with a total of 36
votes, The Bachelor with a total of 23 votes
and the Reality T.V. show with the least votes
is Real housewives with a total of 15 votes.

The Kardashians
Dance Moms
The Bachelor
Real Housewives
Duck Dynasty

Food trucks become all the craze

By ALY BOBO
Ads Editor
When the phrase food truck comes to mind
assumptions are made that include the greasy
tacos and the slightly sketchy burger joint. But
who would have thought that food trucks would
turn gourmet and begin to take over metropolis cities like Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta,
and even right here in Houston Texas. Hipster foodies all over the United States have
found a new hobby, exploring their towns to
find these hidden gems parked on random corners. Food trucks are modern, spontaneous,
and of course delicious, and they are starting to
give the restaurant world a run for its money.
The term food on the go has completely taken on a new meaning, and five star dishes are
now being served hand to hand through a window on quirky busses that line the streets of

Houston. Street food is making a wave and

this idea of a mobile menu appeals to everyone.
Walk around in Rice Village, with a quick
look to the right is the Waffle Bus. Never believe that waffles are just for breakfast, because
the tastes of these delicious treats range from
savory to sweet and everything in between.
Take a trip to Westheimer and parked along
the busy street with an even busier line is the
Rice Box. A modern take on Chinese takeout, this food truck has become rather popular.
One may say that a downfall to food
trucks is the ability to find them. It is never looking for them but just waiting to come
across one. But that no longer is a problem.
Houston has created the Houston Food
Park. This is a place for food trucks and
people to gather on certain days at certain

times. No longer is there a worry for finding a food truck, because there will always
be one or four parked for your convenience.
Another great facet of food trucks is that
many have turned into restaurants. They are
either a restaurant on wheels, hoping to create a bigger audience or have done so well as
a food truck that they decided to settle down.
The road to becoming a food truck does not matter though, because the chefs and owners hold
a special place in their hearts and stomachs for
their food trucks. They put large amounts of
time and money into the designing and personalization of the trucks as well as driving them
around and providing food for the Houston area.
The food truck community started small but
is growing rapidly. It is a quirky and new
way to make fast food gourmet, has ap-

Chow down on Easter treats

By JAIDA SWANSON
Reporter
Easter is here, and so are the sweets.
For the Easter spirit, there has to be a
recipe involving eggs. Even though
Easter is mainly for kids, this treat will
have both the children and the adults
hoping for more. Here are the ingredients for a delicious chocolate covered
peanut butter eggs for the whole family.
Ingredients:
1/2 (16 ounce) package confectioners
sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 teaspoons milk

4 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate

1-1/2 teaspoons shortening
Directions:
Step 1: In a bowl combine sugar, pea-

nut butter, butter, milk and blend.

Step 2: Shape the mixture into
eggs of any size you desire.
Step 3: Freeze egg for one hour.
Step 4: Cut the chocolate into smaller pieces and melt in a double boiler
in medium heat with the shortening.
Step 5: Stir the chocolate until smooth.
Step 6: Stick the peanut butter egg on the
fork and dip into the melted chocolate.
Step 7: Repeat with all of the eggs.
Step 8: Drain on wax paper.
Step 9: Once the eggs are cool
and set, decorate as you wish
Prediction: They will be gone in mere
seconds, not hidden, but devoured.

Students debate favorite book series

By EVELYN LAZARIS
Lifestyles Editor
Books are indispensable. Not only
does only six minutes of reading reduce
stress by 68 per cent (which is essential
for any Clements student), but it also
exercises the brain and extends vocabulary. 260 Clements students were asked
to pick their favorite book series out of
five of the most popular choices. Unsur-

prisingly, the Harry Potter series came

out on top with 107 votes along with
the Hunger Games not too far behind.
Divergent, a series that only recently
gained popularity with the release of the
movie last year, earned a fair share of
votes for its short time in the spotlight.
It seems vampires are not as entrancing
as they used to be with Twilight and the
Mortal Instruments in the bottom two.

Mortal Instruments
Twilight
Divergent
Hunger Games
Harry Potter

Celebrate National Poetry Month

By ALY BOBO
Ads Editor
It is a common phrase that actions speak
louder than words but what is it about the
eloquence of words that bring people to
tears, ignite anger, and trigger happiness?
April is known for Easter and as the
month transitioning into spring, but
what most people dont know is that
April is also National Poetry Month.
This celebration of poetrys vital place
in our culture began in 1996 by the
Academy of American Poets. It was
created to reinvent the importance of
the art of poetry and spread the joy of
this written and spoken creative force.
Poetry is a constantly changing part of
our society and has found its way into
every crook and crevice of the world.
New forms have been invented and old
ways have been transformed, but poetry still seems to hold onto its common
theme of deeply affecting the readers and
listeners exposed. People like Shakespeare and Rudyard Kipling began the
push for poetry and prose, Sylvia Plath,

E.E Cummings, and Edgar Allen Poe

changed it, and Maya Angelou, Marvin
Bell, and Andrea Gibson reinvented it.
These authors knew better than anyone
that although poetrys main purpose was
to tell a story, its role in society had to
be much more ambitious. From words
formed to fight for political reform and
phrases spoken to defeat social inequality, poetry is a tool that has helped
change the world and create a new one.
Every day a new talent is taking their
pen to their paper and twisting and manipulating their vocabulary to form the
perfect rhyme and rhetoric. They are
reaching into the deepest parts of their
human thoughts to bring to others what
they draw out from themselves. Poetry is
the most manipulated yet raw form of art
and when the final word is said or the last
phrase is read something inside moves
and shifts. Something inside is affected
by the array and order of letters on a page.
It is important to prolong the effects
this art form has on people, prolong the
creation of new writers, and prolong the

impact it has on the world. Poetry may be

starting to die out but the celebration of National Poetry Month is a key way to keeping the appreciation of its beauty alive.
Words speak louder than actions because words are what inspire the actions
to change the world. Words make people feel. Words unite. Words can never
be taken away and neither can poetry.

photo by Jaime Rodriguez

New applications make life easier

By SANGEETHA PUTHIGAI

Voices Editor
Technology is advancing at a rapid rate, especially recently. With the
development of cell phones that connect to the internet, the idea of mobile applications has imbedded itself
into society. Several new apps help.
Uber is an app developed to help with
transportation. If anyone needs a ride,
Uber can connect to a driver in minutes.
The app is especially useful when traveling to urban cities like New York or
San Francisco. Away from home, finding places can be difficult to navigate.
Uber takes all the worry out of driving
with just a few taps on a phone screen.
Many students struggle to pay for college tuition. Recently made popular, the
application Scholly allows students and
parents to find scholarship money easily.

By entering a few answers about personal

information, the application matches people up with great, reliable scholarships.

Aurasma is an application that takes

QR codes to the next level. Rather than
solely recognizing the usual series of
dots on a QR bar code, Aurasma recognizes pictures. Users can easily program their own pictures and link the
pictures to videos, links, and more. This
tool is useful in classrooms and more.
Runtastic Heart Rate Monitor is able to
use the flashlight on a mobile device to
detect ones heart rate. By simply placing
a finger onto the light gently, the number
of times ones heart beats per minute is
recorded. This data can be stored and organized into a graph on the application.
With these applications, computer programmers have made users lives much easier. As technology develops, many more
useful applications are bound to develop.

Horoscopes

Taurus: You might feel hit by lightning

when you lock eyes with someone intriguing across the room. But it could only be
static shock as you tripped on the carpet
when you werent looking where you were
going. Either case, be careful. People
are sometimes not what they seem to be.
Gemini: Your friends and even casual contacts will have a big part to
play in your life this month. Wash
your hands often. Friends and other acquaintences carry cold germs.
Cancer: This month, youve got everything working for you. Your hair always
looks good, no break outs, and people
are smiling at you wherever you go.
Leo: A sparkling golden triangle will appear in the sky, made up of a bevy of planets
working together in pure harmony. These
planets include: Jupiter in Leo (good
fortune) sending beams to Venus (love),
Mars (action) and Uranus (surprise).
This should be a great month for you.
Virgo: As soon as the month takes off,
you get good news about your home or
a family member. It is something about
your home or a family member, of that I
am sure. What? You think I know everything? Nope! Guess you will have to wait
and see. I wish I could be of more help.
Libra: You discover that someone

you looked up to and idolized actually does not know everything. Life
is full of disappointments, Libra.
Scorpio: Expect a generous reward for
all the superior performance youve put
in. The harder and smarter you worked,
the bigger your reward will be now. This

is especially true if you compliment

your teachers excessively and tirelessly. Teachers never get tired of that stuff.
Sagittarius: There may be important
lessons about balance that come up today. It may have to do with texting while

going down the band hall stairs. One

misstep and you will be tumbling along
causing the infamous domino effect.
Capricorn: You may wonder why the
one thing you want the most may be the
one thing you cant have. You are going
to have to get over it. I dont know why
Starbucks only sells pumpkin lattes in the
fall. Also, be your own best friend rather
than your own worst enemy. Aquarius:
The fire within you is raging hot. Youve
once again eaten too many Flamin Hot
Cheetos. You will find that your mind and
your urge for action are on the same page.
Take heart, my weary friend. The end of
school is closer than it was in August!
Pisces: Let your voice be heard by the
crowd. Maybe take up yodeling as a hobby. Or try learning to play the zither. You
are loyal, supportive and compassionate.
You would either make a good counselor or an excellent Labrador Retriever.
Aries: A potential partner, someone
who you dont want to intimidate, may
appear on your horizon and self-restraint
may be called for. Dont run up to him
or her and say, Youre hot. Likewise,
stifle the urge to stalk. There are laws
against this. Just be yourself and see
what happens. This is much better than
having a legal restraint filed against you.

Creative eggs to dye for

By SAMEEN SIDDIQUI
News Editor
For those who want to think outside

10

the box about a fun and innovative

way to celebrate Easter; decorating
Easter eggs for the hunt is an exciting
way to go. In order to make the eggs,
the supplies that are needed include:
Paper towel or newspaper
Bowl or cup deep enough to completely
dip an egg in
Tongs
1/2 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Liquid food coloring (about 20 drops per
color)
Boil as many eggs that are needed.
Set them aside to cool down.
Put some paper towel or newspaper
to
protect
the
surface.

In the bowl or cup, add water, vinegar and one of the food colorings.
Repeat step 4, but use different food colorings until all the ones needed are complete.
Place
the
egg
on
a
spoon
and place in the cup or bowl.
Occasionally turn the egg so that
both sides of the egg get color on it.
The longer the egg is in the cup
or bowl, the darker it gets, so one
should watch it attentively to see
how light or dark the egg is needed.
Carefully
remove
the
egg from the cup or bowl
Set
aside
for
it
dry
To be on the safe side, wait at least
seven
minutes
before
touching

Features
PS Vita prospers
in small market
By WILL HERNANDEZ
Reporter
Sony released PlayStation Vita, the
successor to PSP, in 2011. Coming off
70+ million sold with the PlayStation
Portable, the expectations for Vita were
high. In its first few days out in Japan,
Vita sold 325,000 units, but dropped to
74,000 in its second week. Sales for
Vita dropped so low, that PSP --a six
year old piece of hardware-- managed to
outsell the newly released Vita. Today,
Vita still struggles to be a part the mainstream. In fact, Sony has to combine
PSPs and Vitas sales numbers to hide
how few of them are actually being sold
through. But that is okay. It took a few
years, but Sony has finally found its
niche marked for the Vita. A market that
Sony would have prefered not to fall
into, but it is a market that supports the

device with a freakishly high attachment

rate.
Honestly, Vita owners are the best
[Vita owners] are serious purchasers of
games. It is an amazing system. said
DrinkBox Studios Chris McQuinn,
when speaking out about the negative
reputation that Vita gets. Only the most
hardcore PlayStation fans seem to own
Vita, so when a game like Guacamelee!
gets sent out in the wild, a huge amount
of its purchases come from the Vita
community. There may not be many of
them out there, but the few million who
own Vitas are dedicated to the handheld,
which is why developers typically make
more money on Vita than on mobile
devices.
What has Sony done to market Vita
to a wider audience? Well nothing.

photo courtesy of http://www.playstation.com/

After 2012s Call of Duty: Declassified and Madden NFL 13 Vita became
financial flops, there was little to nothing
else for the common gamer. Granted,
these games never stood a real chance in
the market due to their poor receptions,
gameplay, and advertising; but Vita had
its chance, Sony never took advantage
of its potential.
Imagine a Call of Duty game on Vita
that lets you transfer your online profile
to your PS3 and PS4. If developed with
this feature in mind, Sony could potentially make millions, and finally sell
through most of their Vita stock. Despite being down 27% compared to the
previous year, Call of Duty: Advanced
Warfare remains a top-selling game in
the US, yet the only attempt to capture
that on the Vita came in a shoddy sequel
to Black Ops.
Sony seems to have accepted its fate
with the Vita. Just this past year, Sony
came out and told consumers to not
expect anymore high-budget games to
be released on Vita, with the exception
of one or two Japanese-developed titles,
like Freedom Wars. Instead, Sony has
been emphasizing Vitas Remote Play
feature --the ability to play PS4 games
on Vita-- more than the games themselves, knowing full well that the hardcore fans will keep this console alive for
the next couple of years.
PlayStation Vitas future is very
murky, and (maybe) someday we will
see one last attempt at a blockbuster
game to be made for the Vita as a last
ditch effort. But as long as the attachment rate stays as high as it is, do not
expect to see Sony give up on it yet. 11

Abandon serious, embrace pranks

By MEGHAN BEYTEBIERE
Managing Editor
It is a day when everyone takes the
liberty to be a little cruel to their friends
and family with a well-played hoax or
two. Every April 1, pranks take over the
United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil
as well as many European countries as
friends and family think of fun and creative ways to give the people they know
a little scare on this first day.
April Fools day has origins in French
culture from the Middle Ages, as it was
used by the majority of France, who
celebrated New Years on January 1, to
mock the few who celebrated it in the
first week of April. However, the Edict
of Roussillon made January 1 the country wide celebration of New Years, and
April 1 simply became a day for hoaxes
and jokes. Irelands signature prank
is to entrust someone with an important letter to give to a particular person.
Inside the letter are the words, Send
the fool further, so naturally the person

who receives the letter from the April

Fool will encourage them to take it to

photo courtesy of http://www.bbc.co.uk/

A photo from BBCs April Fools joke

in 1957.
another and so on. Poland rejects serious
activities on April 1 and fully subscribes
to hoaxes of every sort. Poles hold the
day to such importance that an anti-Turkish alliance treaty that was signed
on April 1 was written as being signed
March 31 so it would not interfere with

the lighthearted festivities. Here in the

United States, it is common for pranks
to occur with the general shout of April
Fools to follow.
Along with people playing pranks
on relatives and friends, it is common
for the media to play pranks on their
viewers. In one popular hoax in 1957,
the BBC showed footage of a spaghetti farm and people harvesting the
dish from plants. The BBC was flooded
with calls from people wanting to get
a spaghetti plant of their own. More
recently in 2009, Google promised all
of those who had a Google account that
it would gladly print and ship all their
emails to them on special Gmail paper.
There would be No pop-ups, no flashy
animations- these are physically impossible in the paper medium.
Whether by the media, companies, or
those a person knows, pranks are sure to
be coming from all directions on April 1,
but with a little creativity it can be a fun
way to spend the day pranking friends

Celebrate old traditions with new customs

By LISA NINAN
Ads Editor
Easter, which celebrates Jesus Christs
resurrection from the dead, is Christi-

12

anitys most important holiday. It has

been called a moveable feast, because
it does not fall on a set date every year,
as most holidays do. Instead, Christian
churches in the West celebrate Easter on
the first Sunday following the full moon
after the vernal equinox on March 21.
Therefore, Easter is observed anywhere
between March 22 and April 25 every
year. Orthodox Christians use the Julian
calendar to calculate when Easter will
occur and typically celebrate the holiday
a week or two after the Western churches, which follow the Gregorian calendar.
The exact origins of this religious feast
days name are unknown. Some sources
claim the word Easter is derived from
Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of spring and
fertility. In addition to Easters religious significance, it also has a commercial side, as evidenced by the mounds
of jelly beans and marshmallow chicks
that appear in stores each spring. As

with Christmas, over the centuries various folk customs and pagan traditions,
including Easter eggs, bunnies, baskets
and candy, have become a standard part
of this holy holiday.
Easter eggs are an ancient symbol of
new life, has been associated with pagan
festivals celebrating spring. From a
Christian perspective, Easter eggs are
said to represent Jesus emergence from
the tomb and resurrection. The Bible
makes no mention of a long-eared,
short-tailed creature who delivers decorated eggs to well-behaved children on
Easter Sunday; nevertheless, the Easter
bunny has become a prominent symbol
of Christianitys most important holiday.
Eventually, the custom spread across
the U.S. and the fabled rabbits Easter
morning deliveries expanded to include
chocolate and other types of candy and
gifts, while decorated baskets replaced
nests.

Tannous prioritizes for future

By JAIDA SWANSON
Reporter
Jordan Tannous is a remarkable senior
who juggles social, academic, and extracurricular activities like a professional.
Not only does he make time to spend
with friends and listen to show tunes,
he also manages to play with his four
cats. He happens to be an officer of the
Clements Theatre troupe; he has the role
of the treasurer this year. Tannous has
performed in countless plays.
You have to learn how to prioritize
whats most important otherwise youll
just end up drowning in responsibilities, said Tannous.
Tannous wisdom stems from his role
model, Paul Shaffer, his theatre teacher.
He has helped me grow as a person,
and I cant thank him enough, said
Tannous.
After high school, Tannous plans to
attend Baylor University. He is working
to prepare himself for college and the
real world.
Im trying not to think about how Im

photo by Jaime Rodriguez

leaving all my friends behind. Ive tried
to strengthen all my friendships this past
year, said Tannous.
Although Tannous does not feel
completely ready for college, he knows
where he is going in life. In ten years he
hopes to be supporting himself through
working in a regional theatre like the
Alley or Goodman.
Dont stress. If you dont know what

you want to do with your life as a freshman, thats perfectly normal. Youll find
something you love and youll know the
moment you find it that youre going to
be fine. Have fun. Be passionate, he
said.
Tannous finds that theatre has been
his most rewarding class, because he
learned to work with so many different
people and open up as a person.

Lwin maps out future plans

By PATRICIA ANNE MANZINARES
Voices Editor
Thiri Lwin, a very dedicated student
and always motivated to do her best, is
an aspiring chemical engineer.
Lwin, despite her busy schedule, is
involved in many extracurricular activities such as NJROTC, GSA, NHS, and
Japanese NHS. She is winding up her
time at CHS and knows thast preparations for college can be hectic.
"Im excited to be moving forward
with my life onto new things, but its a
bit terrifying to have to basically leave
my friends, my family, and a place I
know so well behind for," said Lwin.
Memories are sometimes what we
hold on to in the future, looking back to
the things we achieved.
"My best memory is NJROTCs award
ceremony last year. The senior and juniors eagerly cheered and shouted inside
jokes for their friends as they walked

photo by Jaime Rodriguez

across the stage, said Lwin.
This studious seniors course load is
tough. Luckily, Lwin learned time management fast and has learned to balance
both academics and social life, and says
she is already ready for college.
"NJROTC is the extracurricular I am
most involved in, and I can say will full
confidence that it is the best decision

I ever made. I somehow managed to

make friends, and its actually where
I meet my best friends and my boyfriend," said Lwin.
For the past four years in high school
Lwin believes that she learned how to
be a strong person in general and how to
manage her time in the best way possible. She has mapped out her future and

13

Perspectives

Poetry : Dead
By HAANIYA DAWOODALLY
Copy Editor
Is poetry a dying form of art? The answer is yes. In todays society, poetry is
slowly wearing out while other forms of expression are making its way into the
art world. It is not as if poetry will be a forgotten art, it is just that people are
finding different ways to express their feelings.
In this generation, people want things fast and straight forward. People spend
years trying to find and create things that go fast or to minimize work. Poetry
is the complete opposite. It takes years of studying to write and understand
the true meaning of a poem but with other things to worry about, the younger
generation spend their education days studying other subjects.
To reach fame, one must create something interest worthy and with how
technology is expanding and innovating it is hard to gain fame through simple
writing. Twenty years ago, anyone could write something emotional and from
the heart and be recognized for their hard work but with how busy and easy it is
to get work out there and how anything and everything can be published no one
has the time to appreciate everything that is put out there.
In todays world, art is changing and instead of the classic words to express
emotions, technology and photography have taken over.
A picture is worth a thousand words, said Arthur Brisbane. Now we see
pictures and paintings used to convey messages to the public. Although everyone
may have a different opinion about a picture, it is the artists duty to try and get
the message across.
With a new generation coming through, the appreciation for poetry is slowly
dying and being replaced with innovation in technology. The world changing
and for the poetry world it does not look so good in the future.
In conclusion, poetry is slowly being pushed away by todays generation and
being replaced with different forms of art. Although it may not seem like it,
poetry is slowly dying.

Perspectives

or Alive?
By ZAHRA KHERAJ
Perspectives Editor

Poetry is one of the oldest and most beautiful forms of art that we have, and it has
been preserved for centuries. But is the beauty of poetry everlasting? Of course it is.
Just like everything else, poetry does not appeal to every member of every generation,
nor does it have to do so. Whether it is Shel Silversteins book of childrens poems or
centuries old Shakespearean sonnets, poetry finds a way to appeal to all.
There is a certain beauty to the written word. Poetry creates an experience for its
readers by taking words and bringing it to life through the senses. There is no right
or wrong way to do it, and it comes in dozens of different forms. It has been an outlet
for expression since language was first spoken and has been preserved throughout the
centuries.
Poetry has started to take on new forms. College campuses often hold poetry-reading
nights, and now poetry are popular. Poetry slams allow anyone to read or recite original
pieces of poetry in competition with others. The audience then judges the poets and
decides who can advance to the next round.
Events like poetry slams give a new twist to a traditional art form and help keep it
interesting. These types of contests keep the entire audience engaged with the poetry.
The Internet also makes it easy for people to stay connected to poetry. Not only
can people write their own and post it, but they can also find literally thousands of
poems by professional writers or just lovers of the art. People may not be searching
for poetry, but it is certainly there for those who want to find it.
There is definitely a value in poetry, and it is often a vital part to English classes.
Poetry promotes literacy by taking students past the surface of words. It opens new
doors to the written word, and helps students find ways to express themselves and
connect to their peers. It builds creativity because there are no rules or bounds to it;
it is just a student and his or her thoughts. It can teach people things about each other
by conveying an experience through word.
As long as poetry continues to be taught and continues to be available to people, it
will never die. It is a timeless art that can connect people of all ages.

SPORTS
Beautiful sport opening day nears
By SANTIAGO DIAZ-ARAUZO
Sports Editor
Baseball, the beautiful sport this
proud country is founded on and stood
behind through times, resumes once
again. Opening day, the first day the
regular season of baseball, is on April
5th this year and looks to be very
exciting as the St. Louis Cardinals
challenge the Chicago Cubs at 7:05 pm.
Then the season ignites as a multitude of
matches occur, including the one between
the New York Yankees and the Toronto
Blue Jays at the tip of the afternoon,
at 1:05 PM. CC Sabathia, a famous
pitcher, looks to come back after seasonending knee surgery. The Philadelphia
Phillies look to battle the Boston Red
Sox at 3:05 pm that same day, and the
Boston Red Sox look to limit Dustin

Pedroia as he wears down for the season.

After the afternoon matches take place,
between teams such as the Tampa Bay

By WILL HERNANDEZ
Reporter
The NBA season is an 82-game grind.
Star players rise and fall throughout the
long and rough season, but only few
reach the end with the same production
they started with. There is only one
MVP award given out at the end of
the year. Last season, Kevin Durant
took home the trophy after he led the
Thunder to a 59-23 record, all while
co-star Russell Westbrook missed
36 games.
Unfortunately, Durants
current season has been injury-plagued,
so a few other players managed to
replace him in the spotlight this season.
James Harden has taken his role as the
guy for the Rockets to the next level.
He has led the league in scoring for most
of the year, and has honed his leadership
skills, as Dwight Howard has been out
for most of the season. After spending
his summer as the unanimous leader for

Team USA, it is clear that his experiences

have transferred directly into the season.
Harden carries the pressure of having to
play big every night, to ensure a Rockets

Photo Courtesy of MLB

Rays versus the Baltimore Orioles, the
New York Mets and the Washington
Nationals, and the LA Dodgers against

the San Diego Padres, all at 4:10 pm.

Boom come the Astros as maybe this
might be the year we finally have a
winning season. They look to take on
a red-hot Cleveland team who might
hand their first loss to the Astros at
7:10 pm. Jose Altuve looks to make
his mark in Houston and maybe lead
the Astros to their first winning season
since 2008. The Astros have only
had two winning seasons since 2006.
Altogether, this years baseball season
looks to be a great one. With a change
of pace between innings and pitches,
the MLB hopes to speed up their old
traditional game. Could this be the first
sign of change for a classic, traditional
sport? Could the Astros gather their
first win? This season promises to
answer these questions and provide a

NBA MVP Race remains tight

Photo by Jaime Rodriguez

victory, as they do not have a true second
scorer, are known for poor Point Guard
play, and lack a clear-cut sixth man.
Another MVP favorite is Golden States

Stephen Curry. The Warriors have led

the Western Conference for almost the
entire season. Steph Currys critics hold
the fact that the Warriors are one of the
NBAs deepest teams against him. Klay
Thompson, Currys fellow Guard, has
mained the Warriors ship on some nights
as well. It is the Most Valuable Player
award, and some question the actual
value that Curry adds to the Warriors.
Russell Westbrook being on the MVP
watch should not come as a surprise.
It is ironic, Westbrook is now in the
position that Durant was in last season.
The Thunder entered 2015 fighting the
Suns and Pelicans for a playoff spot.
Westbrook has since lead them past
that controversy, and are now fighting
for a higher seed in the playoff race.
Harden, Curry, and Westbrook all have
great MVP cases, but it will all come down
to who can finish the season the strongest,
and which one of their perspective

Softball phenom discusses athletic life

By EVELYN LAZARIS
Lifestyles Editor
Addison Goldwait is not the average
student-athlete. Not only does she
balance softball with school work
but she has dedicated herself to
the sport and plays with her heart.
Goldwait is extremely motivated.
She knows what she wants and she
knows how to work for it. I write
down my goals and I have tunnel vision
until they get done, said Goldwait.
Every athlete loves the sweet feeling
of victory after all of her hard work
pays off, but Goldwait is different. She
definitely has her head in the game.
I am very competitive. I hate to
lose more than I love to win, she said.
While Goldwait may be a star softball
player, she is no stranger to defeat.
My biggest disappointment was
when we lost the championship
game in Bryan Tournament my
freshman year. We were so close.

Goldwait has been playing

softball nearly her whole life.
I played T-Ball with my sister,
Rylie, when I was three and switched

Photo by Jaime Rodriguez

over to softball when I was four
and I have not stopped since.
Addison believes that through hard work
and persistence in doing what one loves

best, a person can accomplish anything.

Although it can be difficult sometimes to
stay so focused with everything such a
physically demanding sport can throw at
a person, Goldwait has never given up.
My inspiration is my sister, Rylie.
She is the one who hooked me into
the sport and I look up to the way she
holds herself and plays the game.
Her advice for future players:
You do not have to have any
softball experience to try out, as
long as you are ready to work for the
sport. Coach Skelton is really good
at teaching you about the game.
Goldwait is not afraid to put work
in to become the best she can possibly
be. She has a love for her sport like
no other and it shows when she is on
the field in her element. A player, a
mentor, a leader, she plays the game
strong. Addisons determined and
competitive mindset gives her high
hopes of success for her future in softball.

Baseball fielder shares his wisdom

By ZAHRA KHERAJ
Perspectives Editor
Jason Sattler is no rookie when it comes
to baseball. He has been playing since he
was five years old, and twelve years later
he is still going strong as a left field player
on the Clements Varsity Baseball team.
I always had a talent for the sport,
so I just went with it, says Sattler.
His interest in baseball sparked as a
kid by watching the sport on television.
My motivation as a kid were
the Astros killer Bs, he says.
Biggio, Bagwell, and Berkman.
This inspiration has earned Sattler two
letters, as well as a strong sense of pride.
Wins are the only awards
that
matter,
he
says.
These wins are definitely a group effort.
My team has helped by supporting me
even when I dont make a play, says Sattler.
Teams, for any player, help its
members try their best as well as push
them to reach their maximum potential.
The best thing about baseball is working as

a team to create runs and get outs, he says.

Working with other athletes on a
team also presents an opportunity
to
create
lifelong
friendships.

Photo by Jaime Rodriguez

When you spend everyday practicing
after school for about two hours, its really
easy to make a lot of close friends, he says.
A good coach is the most important
aspect of a team. Not only do they
train the athletes on the team, but act

as a sort of Fountain of All Knowledge

for the members on the team.
My coaches have always helped me
so much, says Sattler. They train and
push me physically, as well as help fix
my mechanics and throwing motion.
As a senior, Sattler has had many
unforgettable games on the Clements team.
My most memorable game was
striking out the last batter in a tied
game with the bases loaded, he
says. Then I scored the winning
run in the bottom of the last inning.
Sattler is definitely talented in the
sport, and like many athletes, is a
perfectionist when it comes to the game.
Although it is Sattlers last
year, he has words of wisdom to
pass down to younger players.
If you want to play at varsity
level, you have to get and stay in
shape.
he says.
Throw all the
time and take thousands of swings.
Sattler knows an athleitc life is
hard and he hopes to finish strong,

Voices
"Somebody filled my entire room with ping
pong balls to the top,"
Nick Valliere, junior.

"My cousin threw a fake spider

on me, and I jumped 10 feet in
the air,"
Elijah Lawson, freshman.

"When I was walking out of the locker room in middle school, somebody
pulled my gym shorts and then we
started this whole 'pantsing' war,"
Roseanne Hu, senior.

"On my fifteenth birthday, on the last day of

school, my friends told me to meet them outside, and when I went outside, they attacked
me with silly string,"
Mariam Muhammed, junior.

"I was out at a lunch buffet with my my friends,

Jessie and Christine. Every time I got up and
went to the buffet, they added salt to my drink
and managed to convince me that there was
something wrong with my taste buds,"
Ameena Pervez, sophomore.

Have you
ever been
pranked?

Humans of Clements

"Vampire Diaries,"
A.J. Adriatico, sophomore.

"I don't believe in guilty pleasures because

I believe no one should be ashamed of
what they like,"
Tiffany Hsu, junior.

"Chocolate covered raspberies,"

Bahaa El Abbasi, junior.

"When I'm home alone, I sing

along to bohemian rhapsody and
sometimes climb on the couch,"
Mitchell Nguyen, sophomore.

Chick-Fil-A. I literally hoard it

in my backpack,
Sindhu Sathees, senior.

Whats
your guilty
pleasure?