VOLUME 82 October/November 2007 ISSUE 2

H I L I F E2305 East Main, LEaguE City, tX 77573

Mix It Up Day shakes things up at Creek in November

Creek Football pg. 14

HomecomingPhotofinish

Doctors Without Bordersspreads awareness about life

in refugee campspg. 5

On November 13, 2007, students at Clear Creek High School may notice a change in the cafeteria during their lunch period. This change is a part of the annual Mix It Up Day, an occasion set aside to help students learn to cross social boundaries within their schools and communities. Mix It Up Day started because of the tendency of school students to separate into groups. A student’s treatment is often based on what “group” the student is in. These cliques only separate the students, and many students will only feel comfortable talking to other students who are like them. The founders of Mix It Up Day noticed this segregation was most clearly seen in the school cafeteria, where students are pressured to sit only with their friends, and avoid those they do not know. A number of people believe, however, that the segregation of the student body does not need to continue, so Mix It Up day was born. Mix It Up Day is a project of Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance program. The Southern Poverty Law Center is an organization founded in 1971 to fight discrimination and promote tolerance. The Teaching Tolerance program is implemented in grades K-12 to help teachers foster respect and understanding in the classroom. The program is now one of the nation’s main providers of anti-bias research. On November 13, 2007, schools across

Allie HingA the country will be sponsoring Mix It Up Day on their individual campuses. At Clear Creek High School, students will be handed a piece of candy as they enter the

cafeteria, and will be asked to “Mix it up.” The tables in the main cafeteria will have been assigned different color designations, and students are asked to sit at the table whose color matches that of the candy they were handed. At each table, there will be topic cards with ideas to help students who may never have even glanced at each other “break the ice.” It is hoped that through this

lunchtime conversation, people will have an opportunity to step out of their comfort zones, and connect with others without fear of being judged.

Clear Creek High School has hosted Mix It Up Day in previous years, and the event has attracted great success each year. Last year, the organizers of the event blasted music across the cafeteria, and hosted a Dance Off, to help students loosen up and step outside of their comfort zones. One student, 11th grader Mary Crnkovic, has participated in the festivities before

and has enjoyed the experience. She said, “I like Mix It Up Day because I get to talk to people that I wouldn’t normally get to talk to; it gives me an excuse to hang out with different people.” Crnkovic also commented on the strengths and weaknesses of Mix It Up Day in past years, saying, “It worked out alright, but a lot of people would go and ask for the same color Jolly Rancher as their friends.” While many students may doubt how the actions of one lunch period and one conversation can really make a difference, a survey conducted of the Mix It Up Lunch Day organizers reported high success rates. Ninety-seven percent of respondents said that the interactions between students that day were positive. Ninety-five percent of respondents said the event prompted students to talk to people outside of their usual social circles. Perhaps the most important evidence of Mix It Up Day’s success is the eighty-three percent response that the event helped students make new friends, and the seventy-eight percent response that students seemed more comfortable interacting with different kinds of people as a result of Mix It Up Day. These results are what Mix It Up Day is all about. Only time will tell the success of this year’s Mix It Up Day, but as it draws closer, students and staff are hard at work putting together the event in hopes that they will be able to break down the walls that divide the student population.

CCISD Football Stadium honors fallen war veterans

With construction of the new main campus building finally nearing completion, students may have noticed construction work outside of the football field, This construction comes with the recent name change of what was formerly known as District Stadium. The field will now be called Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in honor of Clear Creek Independent School District graduates killed in action while serving in the armed forces, and a memorial is being built to commemorate the price these men and women paid for their country.

Formerly named Clear Creek ISD District Stadium, the field was initially opened in 1958. Currently, it is used primarily by football and soccer teams for all of the Clear Creek Independent School District. In 2005, the district began accepting new names for the stadium. A committee was created to explore potential names, and a significant amount of research was done. Originally, the name Veterans Memorial Stadium did not qualify as a possible name because of a policy stating that facilities could only be named after locations or individuals. After the name became one of the final three names being considered, the district policy was changed, and District Stadium became Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Allie HingA On July 23, 2007, the Clear Creek Independent School District Board of Trustees approved spending $350,000 to build a military memorial at the stadium by a unanimous vote. The actual cost has now come to $532,000, to be completed in two phases. Phase one will consist of a granite star centerpiece, modeled after the Clear

Creek Independent School District logo, and a walkway. Phase two will involve the building of a brick wall, on which the names of fallen veterans who graduated

from Clear Creek Independent School District will be inscribed. The veterans who will have their names on the memorial date back to those enrolled in the district when it was founded in 1948.

Tellepson, the building company responsible for the construction of the new main campus, is doing the project, and may

be able to offer the school a reduced price because the necessary equipment is already on sight. The district hopes to pay for the project out of the capital fund, and possibly

from public donationsOne of the veterans whose name

will be featured on the memorial will be Army Spc. Ray Joseph Hutchinson. Hutchinson graduated from Clear Creek High School in 2001. He was killed in December 2003 in Iraq when an explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Overall, the district has received a positive response from the community about the new memorial. “The response from the community has been overwhelming,” said Board of Trustees member Ron McPherson, “Despite where you stand on the current events overseas, everyone wants to thank the men and women who proudly serve our country everyday.” Mr. McPherson hopes that the memorial will be a permanent tribute giving a deep appreciation for those in the armed forces. Commenting on the stadium’s new name, Board member Robert Davee said, “ I would hope that the name allows for a broader community sense of ownership in the facility.”

With construction well underway, the district hopes the memorial will be finished in time for a dedication ceremony on November 9, two days before Veteran’s Day. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at 6 pm, in order to pay tribute to the men and women whopaid the ultimate price to serve their country.

Mix it up, wrestle down social boundaries. Photo by Fallan Drago

Wendy WrightAlbert Nkansah

Brett MorrisHaley Rush

Destinee WalkerTamisha Williams

Richard Askey

Reporters:Ashley BlackAlina GregoryChelsea HuebnerSam RodgersHailey StephensMicheal Gughiocello

2 OpiniOn“What organizations are you involved with and why?”

Principal:Adviser:Executive Editor:Managing Editor:Editors-in-Chief:News Editor:Features Editor: Assistant:Sports Editor: Assistants:

Centerspread:

Online Editor:Ads Manager:Layout Editor:Photo Editors:Video Editor:

Scott BockartWynette JamesonJan O’NeilStephanie HaechtenJessica O’Neil, Olivia HuynhHayley BoultinghouseRuth RozasSarah CisnerosSarah PooreTaylor Freudenburg,Christian StephensenCassie LeeAmanda ComptonRyan GriponDrew WalkerOlivia HuynhMicah Wesley, Fallan DragoMatthew Lara

2006-2007 HiLife StaffCLEAR CREEK HIGH SCHOOL

Allison HingaTaylor Long

LeeAna LovelessBobby MurphyBrianna Simon

Adam VencilMelissa Devitt

SENIORS

SOPHOMORES

JUNIORS

FRESHMEN“Drama- you get to be anything you want.” - Briana Hyde

“Karate, because it teaches you dicipline and self-control.” - Brandon Rumann

“I am on the golf team because I love to play, and getting better at this game makes it worth while.” - Dane Peceira

“Marching Band, mostly because it is required, but it gives me time with my friends. CIA, because what’s happening elsewhere is still im-portant, and it’s important for us as intellectual human beings to know about it.” - Ernie Atiz

“Softball because it’s fun and it’s the only thing I’m good at and that is worth my time.” - Princess Daniels

“Invisible Children, because it is an organization that I can make a dif-fernece in someone else’s life.” - William Haechten

“Robotics and Academic Decathalon because I loke to keep mysself challenged and it looks good for college.” - Chelsea Fisher

“I’m a member of CCHS Symphonic Choir, I love it. If every class were like this, then school would be AWESOME. I especially love the Pullens. They have pushed me to be the best I can be, and I owe my voice to them. I’m looking forward to the next few years.” - Mie Mil-lard

“I’m involved with environmental club, because I believe we need to save the envirnoment.” - Megan Halford

“Link Crew, because I like helping people.” - Kourtnie Moore

“Soccer, because I have been playing forever and its super fun, and PALS, because I get to help others and learn more about myself!” - Stephanie Segurd

“Art because it is fun being able to express yourself.” - Tara Gerke

“Cavaliers and choir because I like to sing and dance!” - Kelsey Carl-isle

“Engineering because I like putting things together, and orchestra be-cause I love music.” - Brittany Fraley

“Softball because it is fun. Best Buddies because I think it is important for everyone to have a friend and feel welcome.” -Kat Greene

“I’m in Chinese, because it is part of my culture and I enjoy being in their and understanding my culture.” -Lyanna Tran

“Choir. When you’re in Choir, you get a real sense of accomplishment. You begin to feel like you are really part of a family.” - Trey Miller

“Invisible Children, because I think they need to be helped and recog-nized.” - Monica Garza

“Environmental Club and Art Club, because I really needed to get into something productive; Art Club is fun and the Environmental Club stands for a good cause.” - Rachel Duane

“Wrestling, becaise its the best sport the school has and we love what we do.” - Alysia Kentra

“Choir, because I love this school’s choir program, and the Pullens are great teachers.” - Tiffani Killian

“Choir - to work on my voice. I’m gonna be famous!” - Amanda Tollet

“Business Professionals of America because I’m president and want to pursue a career in business.” - Jean Kim

“Cavaliers. We are always together, practicing, doing school stuff, or just hanging out. We’re all really close.” - Jessica Manriquez

“I’m in best buddies because I like to help out and I think that the best buddies are so sweet.” - Christina Nguyen

“Cavaliers. I love dancing, and I’ve really enjoyed being on the team three years. I’ve made some amazing friendships with people I’ll never forget.” - Bryanna Bradley

Email us at: Creekhilife@gmail.comVisit us at: http//my.highschooljournalism.org/tx/leaguecity/cchs/

For advertising rates call: (281) 284-1889of fax: (281) 284- 1705

We publish monthly using Mirror Publishing in Texas City.

3EditOriaL

Guest Editorial: Sarah Poore

Say “What’s Up?” with Stephanie

As the hard-faced flight attendant gave me instructions in German, I stared down into the small metal pan that contained my dinner. Like many of my peers, I had never left the U.S.A., and looking around the crowded Lufthansa plane I was beginning to wonder what I was getting myself into. The eight-hour flight was an experience in itself, but it led to a series of the most amazing memories of my life. Unlike many who travel outside America, I was not headed to a sandy vacation. I was going to L’viv, Ukraine. My team and I had to take three flights to reach our destination. Every European airport was more fascinating than the last. Although I had been awake for over 26 hours, the continuous culture shock kept my eyes wide open in wonder. The last flight brought me to an extremely tiny airport. My team and I were greeted by our bright-eyed Ukrainian team members, who loaded our things into three small

Many days, the only thing that motivates me through the stress of senior year is to look to people who are fiercely making an impact on my life, our campus, our country and the world. Those whom I would call ‘world-class difference makers’ are my heroes. Their determination and desire change the way I think and the way I treat people; plainly stated, they change the way I live. When I think ‘world-class difference maker,’ I automatically picture Micah Wesley. Micah is a missionary in our own time and on our very campus. I have known Micah for many years and have personally watched her vision to raise awareness for Invisible Children. Without her passion and convicting dedication to Invisible Children, Creek would have, without a doubt, been blind to the suffering of the children in Uganda. One day a couple of weeks ago, I was sitting across from Micah at lunch. She was studying for an English vocabulary quiz and I couldn’t help but laugh, thinking, ‘from an outside perspective she may look like any other high school student, but she definitely is not.’ Micah

Wesley is the definition of loyalty; not only in relation to Invisible Children, but also as a friend. Best Buddy Christina Trevino is literally that. She is President of the Best Buddies Club here on campus and involved in more activities than I could ever list. I have not known her that long, but simply being around her has changed my perspective on time management. I really don’t know how she accomplishes so much in one day. (I would bet that she doesn’t sleep).Christina has the purest motivation, the biggest smile, and truest laughter. Through Best Buddies, she has brought together people that under any other circumstance would not meet. Her enthusiasm to see people connect is breath-taking. She has such character and individuality, both of which I deeply admire. Mrs. Huebner was my Pre-AP Pre-Calculus teacher last year, and every day this year as I sit in AP Calculus, I cannot help but wonder how much I would be struggling if I hadn’t had ‘Mrs. H’ as my teacher. Her organization and structure helped me more than I could ever tell you. Although I had homework every night, and a binder full of notes and quizzes, her class did more than prepare me for Calculus. I learned accountability; do the work, earn the grade. I diligently studied for her chapter tests, and when I didn’t, my low grades proved it. From the first day of class, Mrs. H set us to a different standard; she wasn’t forcing us to do anything. It was our grade. She expected us to care enough about ourselves to want to live a lifestyle that was honorable and rewarding. Her class taught me to respect myself and it prepared me for the future. My little brother William Haechten will always be ranked among ‘world-class difference makers’ simply because

he has put up with me for his entire life. Even more than that, he is my best friend. I honestly thought when William entered high school as a freshman, I would pretend he didn’t exist, as many older siblings treat their younger brothers and sisters. But don’t think that my brother and I always had the best friendship, because we didn’t. We use to make each other so mad, it was unbelievable. After much growing up, we realized that we were all we had and that no matter what changes life brought about, we would always be family. Being a big sister is not just a title; it’s a life choice. Every morning William allows me to not only be his big sister, but his friend, his encourager, advice-giver, role model, and his hero. He empowers me to step up to the plate and be a leader, even when I’m afraid I’ll fail. He continually tells me, “Stephanie, you make a difference.” Thank you William. This past summer I spent one long, tiring, amazing week as a counselor at this crazy camp in Snook, Texas. Kingdom Ranch is a Christian camp for kids with disabilities, and basically, I spent the week with the most remarkable people. For six days, non-stop, I sang silly songs at the top of my lungs, went to a themed dance every night, and even participated in ‘Nerd Olympics’. It was hands down, the most defining week of my life. Jason and Penelope Hamilton, founders and directors of Kingdom Ranch along with all the staff and counselors, are ‘world-class difference makers’. Every counselor at Kingdom Ranch stepped past what is normal, what is comfortable, and found out that the true meaning to life is not what you look like, how you dress, or the way you communicate. The meaning of life is to love people even when it hurts, when it’s messy, even when you don’t understand why you love those people. The week I spent at Kingdom Ranch was

a glorious and complicated week. The people, Jason and Penelope Hamilton, Kendra Kornegay, Lindsey Brown, Amy Gascon, Allison Wheeler, not to mention ALL of the campers, will continually have a special place in my heart. Last, but never least, ‘my kids’, the students on campus that call me, “Ms. Stephanie,” or some days, “Ms. Tiffany.” These extraordinary students are my life. When schoolwork and home life seem desperately crazed, sitting in their presence puts my very existence into perspective. Simply hearing them laugh is heavenly. They do not discriminate against the clothes I wear, the type of food I buy from the cafeteria, the classes I’m taking, or what college I plan to attend. Those things do not matter. They help me focus on the truth in everyday life. “I want to be happy,” Lachlin Roberts tells me with a smile on his face. “Yes,” I think. That’s all there is to it. I want to be happy He is one of the many students that I spend time with every day. At 2:15, to get to the bus on time, Lachlin and I race. I look forward to that all day long. All these people, and so many more, including my favorites Kyrsten Garcia, who puts up with me every day during English and calculus, Nurse Alford, who only sees me when I’m having a really bad headache, Mrs. O’Neil when I want to complain about Newspaper, Mrs. Norwood, my Ready, Set, Teach II Mentor, and yet so much more. All of these amazing people encourage and inspire me to be a better person and live my life to my fullest potential. Every time I am taken aback by their courageous actions, I am reminded that I too can be a ‘world-class difference maker.’ With every breath, I hope to live up to the examples they have set for me.

cars without much conversation. They smiled at us and spoke in broken English, and I smiled back trying to decipher their sentences. The journey had begun. The city was very old. The buildings were worn, but undeniably regal. There was an absolute foreignness to it that I loved. I liked looking around me and feeling completely out of place. The architecture was so intricate and individual and full of history. Though the city carried so much beauty, bullet holes in some of the buildings left a feeling of heaviness that had settled over the whole place. It reminded me that we were here for a definite purpose. I was a part of a team of missionaries, putting on a camp to teach English in the Carpathian Mountains, as well as to reach the broken youth of Ukraine. The country of Ukraine is only five years out of a devastating Soviet Union rule. The Soviet Union killed many people, left several others jobless, and left the country in ruins. The Ukrainian members of our team had a passion for their city like I had never seen. The oldest was only 24, but together they were creating a small impact that was beginning to cleanse the soul of the city. They taught me what dedication and selfless love looked like, what it means to be a part of something that is so much larger than yourself. They were absolutely beautiful. After a short rest in the city, we took one large ancient bus to the mountains. I was so excited to meet these kids. After all

these months of planning and packing and preparing, I was here. The campgrounds were far from comfortable. In fact, they were absolutely disgusting. It was a pretty miserable week, with no real toilet, freezing temperatures at night, one dirty shower for the entire camp, and food that looked like road kill and noodles. But it never eroded the spirit of my group. Was all part of the experience, and we made the best of it. Comfort was not the priority of our trip. The campers arrived the next day. They were quiet and without smiles, just like the rest of the country. They didn’t laugh. They just filed into their dorms and looked at us, waiting. The stereotypes are sadly true. Americans are goofy fools compared to Europeans, who have a very serious and stoic exterior. But the people who met us, especially the campers, liked our crazy jokes and smiling. We had a lightness that they admired. And as the week wore on, they quickly came out of their shells and began to act as crazy as the Americans who were a long, long way from home. It gave me such joy to watch them thoroughly enjoy themselves. I remember each individual I came in contact with vividly. I remember their questions, their enduring personalities, and the expression in their eyes. I treasure the quiet moments during bible lessons, the laughter in English lessons, the train ride, and the long good-bye. I built so many relationships with the campers and the Ukrainian team members.

I will never forget their faces or the silly Ukrainian phrases they taught me, or the struggles we faced together. I had a friend at the camp. She couldn’t speak any English, or I Ukrainian, but we were friends. I still e-mail her, short, one sentence notes. We are limited by the language barrier, but the simple phrases mean so much. I consider them more like hugs than letters. I stay in contact with many of the Ukrainian team members as well. They are an inspiration with a hilarious sense of humor. When I returned from this two-week trip on the other side of the world, I felt separated from everyone around me. Everyone was focused on MTV and what they were wearing the next day, and I felt frustrated that they had no idea that there was such pain on every other continent on this earth. As Americans, we enjoy everyday knowing there will be water and safety and school waiting for us the next day. Being so richly blessed, I believe we are called to press our hands to the bleeding wounds of the world. We can do so much. All we need is to tear ourselves away from the promoted worship of self. I envied the Ukrainians’ ability to focus on what is truly important, and their endurance through such a rough time in their country. I carry their memories with me constantly, and eagerly wait for their e-mails. I plan on returning next summer. I can’t wait to continue crossing borders, and breathing in all the experiences life has to offer.

4 nEws

Fifty-eight percent of drivers between the ages of 17 and 29 said they would read a text message while driving. Thirty three percent of drivers under the age of 30 said they were comfortable taking their eyes off the road for a minute to send/read a message or to talk on the phone. Another thirty percent of young drivers felt comfortable sending/reading text messages while driving. The use of cell phones in cars causes 2,600 deaths every year along with 33,000 injuries. It’s not only young people texting while driving, it’s drivers of all ages. One in three drivers admitted to sending a text message or making a call at least once a week while driving. However, when surveyed, nine in ten Americans said that text messaging while driving can be more dangerous than driving after having a couple of drinks. “A 24-year old driver from Melbourne was given a 2-year suspension last year after she admitted to killing a cyclist when she took her eyes off the road to send a text message” According to The Sydney Morning Herald. “In June 2006, a high school student from New York ran straight into a truck. The crash killed the young girl, along with her 4 best friends. Text messages were sent from her phone just moments before the crash.” According to The Daily Texan Online. In 2006, a study was released showing that eighty percent of all car crashes were the result of the driver not paying attention to the road within 3 seconds of the crash. Another survey conducted in 2006 shows 37 percent of teens said that text messaging was the biggest distraction while driving, 20 percent of teens said that they were distracted by their emotional states such as boy/girl friend problems and arguments with parents or friends, and 19 percent of teens said that having friends with them in the car was the biggest distraction. DWT, Driving While texting, is illegal in some statesand can carry a minimum fine of $101. Some states have raised the fine to $250 or more. Fifteen states have banned or restricted the use of cell phones while driving among young people. California however, has taken this farther than any other state. California has banned the use of all mobile devices, not just cell phones, while driving for people under the age of 18. At the moment, the only Texas law related to cell phone use while driving states that drivers can not use a cell phone during their first 6 months of driving under a new license.

CHristine sulkis

Text messagingincreases riskfor car accidents

Overcoming obesity in American teenagers

In the United States today, almo ex of thirty and above. Body mass index is calculated by dividing a persons weight in kilograms by their height in meters. Obesity can be caused by a number of genetic, hormonal, behavioral, psychological, environmental and cultural factors combined. A healthy lifestyle is key in the prevention of obesity and the risks that come with it. Obesity is the number one cause of type two diabetes and is also a major factor in high blood pressure and clogged arteries. It can lead to joint pain and sleep apnea. In certain studies, obesity has also been

linked to stroke and cancer. A healthy lifestyle is a balance between moderate eating habits and regular exercise. Teens can start battling obesity now by slowly increasing exercise even if it is simply 10-15 minutes a day. Take a vigorous walk, jump rope, or swim laps; do anything to get the heart rate up. Every week teens should increase the amount of time they spend doing these activities. Teens should also be aware of what they eat. The difference between a food portion the size of a deck of cards and one the size of a paperback novel can mean the difference between a teen who is a healthy weight and one who could potentially become overweight or obese.

Teens should be aware of what goes into their body. They should control portions and cut down on sugar intake. Replace unhealthy snacks with fruit or vegetables. Teens not only should be aware of what they eat, they should be aware of how they eat. They should try to eat more slowly and to develop routines to avoid overeating. Healthy living is a daily choice and teens should not make drastic lifestyle changes or consider weight loss surgery without consulting their family doctors. Results are not instantaneous; they require perseverance and a desire to maintain a healthy life.

HAyley BoultingHouse

5nEws

33 MILLION PEOPLEUPROOTED BY WAR

Disaster Conflict Epidemic: Who ya gonna call?

Actual Size. Photo coutesy of Doctors Without Borders.

Carteret Islands sinking into the Pacific Ocean For the past twenty years the people of the Carteret Islands have been fighting a losing battle against rising sea levels. Despite efforts to combat the tide with sea walls and mangroves, Carteret Islands are ultimately destined to be swallowed by the sea. Many inhabitants of the islands have unfortunately lost their homes as well as agriculture and fresh water sources

due to the rising tides. According to Friends of the Earth International, the islands, located in the South Pacific near Papua, New Guinea, are estimated to be largely submerged and completely uninhabitable by the year 2015. Therefore, the Papua New Guinean government authorized a government-funded evacuation to Bougainville, ten families at a time. The islanders are expected to finished evacuating around early 2008. But fears do not lie solely in the loss

of their homes; many islanders fear the extinction of their unique culture that has remained intact for well over 300 years. There has been much speculation as to why the islands are disappearing; many environmentalist groups contribute this catastrophe to global warming, though others have a different take on the cause. More specifically, Fred Terry, director of the United Nations Development Project on Bougainville, has made claims that the destruction of reefs in the Carteret during the Bougainville revolt is to blame. Terry

claimed dynamite was used in the reefs as a method of fishing to feed the extra mouths, though the District Manager of the Bougainville Province refutes these claims. Finally, it should be noted that the Carteret sit atop a coral reef, which sits atop of an extinct volcano. When islands are formed in this fashion it is only natural that they subside due to the underlying volcanic rock being worn away and not being replenished.

JACoB lux

Disaster does not discriminate. Armed conflicts, epidemics, environmental disasters, corrupt governments. From the bullet-ridden streets of Palestine, to the AIDS ridden children in Africa, to the genocide of the people in Chechnya, more than 33 million people have been forced to flee their homes. The world is united in suffering. Now the organization, Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres is asking the people of America to unite in aid response. They are going across the country to set up mock refugee camps in the downtown areas of major cities, in hopes of raising awareness to the atrocities that afflict the world. In 1971 a group of French doctors and journalists founded Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontiers in the aftermath of a famine in Biafra, Nigeria. It was the first non-governmental organization to provide medical care across the globe while publicly documenting their work through handbooks and a quarterly journal titled “Alert”. The organization delivers aid to people in more than 70 countries and has offices in 19 countries. In 1990, Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontiers opened a United States office in New York City. In 1999, the organization received a Nobel Peace Prize for “pioneering humanitarian work on several continents” said the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

On October 4-7, 2007, Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Fontiers brought their “Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City” campaign to downtown Houston. They set up a model of a refugee camp right outside of the Wortham Center. The exhibit continued to run rain or shine. Rain it did. At one point on Saturday tours through the camp were temporarily halted due to lightning. Determined workers and curious visitors alike huddled in the shelter of the tent stations of the tour or under the awning of the Wortham Center itself. To pass the time, workers began to share stories about their involvement with Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontiers. The New Yorker printed an article several years back which started the aid work journey of one man named Bob Becherer. The article discussed the desperate need for water and sanitation for refugees, namely in Sudan. “After I read the article,” he said, “I thought to myself, I can do that. I can help there.” With the help of a friend in the United Nations, Becherer, a civil engineer, applied to Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontiers. He was accepted and began work in Darfur, Sudan within a fairly short time.

The rain continued falling heavily and Becher continued sharing stories from his past. Becherer gave an ardent answer when asked why he thought this refugee camp exhibit was important. “The singular most important reason why we do this is to raise this entity into the average person’s consciousness and appeal to them. People are basically kindhearted mostly but sometimes they’re ignorant. There is a reason for putting this right here in Fish Plaza,” Becherer waved his hand to the exhibit. “It’s brought right into this kind of urban world, so people can be made aware of this. And many people, when made aware of this, they’ll respond positively.” The rain stopped. Becherer said goodbye and excused himself to go help where he was needed. The remaining visitors made their way to the start of the tour. There they found a tall gate that resembled a checkpoint into a real refugee camp. It was here visitors would get into character. They were no longer here to learn about the plight of refugees, they were to become refugees. They began their tour, their journey, and answered some of life’s most pressing concerns. A charismatic young pediatrician, Dr. Sachin Desai, led the visitors turned refugees through the camp. The first stations, addressed the issues of finding shelter, food and clean water. From the need for these three essentials stemmed the basis of the other stations in the

camp. Some tents showed how to provide immunizations as well as target and treat diseases. “Unfortunately you learn from not doing everything exactly right,” said Dr. Desai. He explained that having the immunizations to give and the doctors on hand to diagnose disease is oftentimes not enough. It is hard to track patients in a refugee camp, especially children, to continue their treatment, especially for a disease like tuberculosis that takes several months of medication. As a result more and more people are dying even if they showed signs of improvement during their brief hospitalization. “Now people are realizing we have to invest money in this. We have to follow up on these patients.” Dr. Desai concluded. Other tent stations showed the importance of teaching mothers proper hygiene and how to avoid malnutrition in their children. Plumpy’nut is an energy bar like substance that tastes similar to peanut butter and is widely distributed among children in refugee camps. It provides the basic nutrients they need in order to avoid starvation. Another station addressed the rise in need for mental health care among refugees and another addressed the rights, or lack of rights, of displaced people in two categories; those internally displaced in their own country, and those who have been exiled. Those exiled to another country are guaranteed five basic rights: The right to seek asylum; the right to be protected from violence or forced repatriation; the right to receive assistance (food, water, shelter, medical care); and the right to a lasting solution, whether to return home when it is safe, to settle in the country of refuge, or settle in a third country. Those internally displace are not guaranteed these rights and are subjected to the will of their government. Twenty one million people in the world are living under these circumstances. Such a global scale in such a small exhibit in downtown Houston in one weekend. “Individual stories are what always make it easy to come back,” said Dr, Sachin at the close of the tour. Therein lies the heart of Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontiers, “individual stories”. Aid work around the globe, but on a personal level. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.” Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontiers is a way for individuals with means and talents to light their candles and come together to combat the darkness that plagues the world.

HAyley BoultingHouse

6 ads

7CrEEk spEaks

Officer Stewart, one of the many police officers on campus has been working at Creek for four years. He began working at Creekside Intermediate but was transferred to Clear Creek to help control gang and racial problems. Officer Stewart has not always been a police officer. “My first love was the military,” he said. He served in Desert Storm, the Gulf War, and a military-police service during the Panama Crisis. Soon after he became a police officer. “The man doing my job interview asked me why I wanted to become a police officer and I told him, “To get rich.” Then he said that you can’t get rich in this business and I told him, “Well I’m going to be rich, because, when I take time out of

my busy schedule to help somebody then I’ve made a million dollars.” Officer Stewart has been a Galveston County Sheriff since September 1992. He has served in correction to the Mental Health and Mental Retardation and is a certified Mental Health and Mental Retardation Deputy. He has

served on the gang task force, narcotic task force, and eight years in the Galveston County Patrol Division. He is a certified Crime Prevention Officer and received the Deputy Sheriff of the Year Award in 2001. When asked his favorite part about working with high school kids Officer Stewart said, “My favorite part about working here is when I see all those kids walk across that stage and graduate, and then, they go,” but Officer Stewart’s job is not just limited to police work. “Sometimes we have to act as counselors or advisors. We have to recognize students who aren’t being themselves, like if you walk by trying to hide your face of not look at us or something, that usually means there’s something wrong with you,” said Officer Stewart. He has a great passion for helping, not just students, but people in general. Get to know him because like he said, “I’m the coolest guy on campus.”

Brett Morris

Officer Stewart on Campus

Officer Stewart and Lachlin RobertsPhoto by Wynette Jameson

New face to Clear Creek

There is a new Data Specialist on campus for the year 2007-2008 and Cathy Donahoe has the job. As a Data Specialist Mrs. Donahoe’s job is to print progress reports and report cards and input data on students in specific programs. Mrs. Donahoe is usually found with her phone ringing off the hook and a mound of duties to complete for her fellow staff members. For five years, before Mrs. Donahoe graced the halls of Clear Creek High School she was an aerospace engineer at NASA. She worked in three different areas: requirements and specification on the space shuttle as an assistant, Payload Flight software where she intergraded Payloads needs with the shuttles capabilities, and

Reconfigurable flight software where she was a troubleshooter. Many people may be wondering why she would go from working at NASA as an aerospace engineer to printing all of Clear Creek High School’s progress and report cards. “Every job is important there’s a reason for it. I’m providing services for the students and teachers everything has a purpose and importance,” Mrs. Donahoe said, “ It’s a new job and I have a lot to learn” She feels that this job is just as important but in a different way. After five years at NASA Mrs. Donahoe made the decision to stay home with her two children while they went through school. During this time she was working for the district as a volunteer. Her volunteer work included: PTA President, Booster Club President, and member of numerous district committees. With her daughter Caitlin a freshman and Texas A&M University and her son Curtis a junior here at CCHS she decided to come back to work. Mrs. Donahoe heard about the data specialist position opening up and she applied for it. Finding that allowed her to still spend quality time with her family and having summers off as well as being done at three. When she is not being a super hero for Clear Creek High School’s staff she enjoys playing golf, spending time with her family, and playing with her two Labradors. “ I just hoped that I would do a good job” says Mrs. Donahoe. She seems to be fulfilling her duties just fine and fitting in well with the CCHS staff. “ It is a nice environment and I feel very welcomed,” she said.

rutH rozAs

Photo by Micah Wesley

MIX IT UP DAYMIX IT UP DAY

NOVEMBER 13th

GET READY FOR...

DANCINGCANDY

FRIENDSNEW

MIX IT UP DAYMIX IT UP DAY

NOVEMBER 13th

GET READY FOR...

CONTESTS

CANDY FUN

10 ads

11nEws

Get ahead in life with the National Guard. Call now!• Up to 100% Tuition Assistance • Leadership Training

1-800-GO-GUARD • www.1-800-GO-GUARD.com

Had my first class today,and my tuition will be paidin full. Some people thinkcollege is too expensive.But I found a way.

TEXAS

COM-01_5x7.5_20k_L6.qxd 8/9/07 4:35 PM Page 1

King Tut finally revealed King Tut was discovered almost 85 years ago in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. The 3,000-year-old boy was revealed to the public for the first time on Sunday, November 4, 2007. Archaeologists removed the mummy from his tomb underground, and placed King Tut in a climate-controlled glass box. Tut’s life and death have captivated many people’s imagination. “The golden boy has magic and mystery and therefore every person all over the world will see what Egypt is doing to preserve the golden boy, and all of them I am sure will come to see the golden boy,” said Egypt’s antiquities chief, Zahi Hawass. Hawass said that scientists have been trying to restore the king for about two years. The body was badly damaged when the British archaeologist, Howard Carter, discovered the mummy, and tried to pull of the famous golden mask. Much of King Tut’s body has been broken into 18 pieces. Hawass is more worried about the 21st century way of damaging the body, mass tourism. Thousands of tourists visit the chamber every month. “The humidity and heat caused by ... people entering the tomb and their breathing will change the mummy to a powder. The only good thing [left] in this mummy is the face. We need to preserve the face,” said Hawass. For years scientists have been trying to discover the reason why this 19-year-old pharaoh met his death at such an early age. They’ve put King Tut’s body in a portable

CT scanner for 15 minutes in 2005 and obtained a three-dimensional image of the king. These images proved that King Tut was not killed violently, but scientists were unable to pinpoint exactly what happened to the young pharaoh. The only thing the scientist could conclude was that before dying, the pharaoh had broken his left thigh, which could have led to a fatal infection. The CT scanner also showed that the pharaoh was well built, well fed, and had a slight overbite during his life. He stood five feet six inches at the time of his death. Unlike the other pharaohs of Egypt, King Tut will be staying in his tomb indefinitely. Usually the kings of Egypt would be on display at museums around the world. Although the pharaoh will be in his tomb forever, he will not be in his sarcophagus and will be put out on display. Hawass stated that along with the scientists putting the pharaoh out on display, they are also trying to determine the official royal bloodline of King Tut. While many tourists are excited to be able to see the pharaoh, not all are pleased with the decision. “I really think he should be left alone in quiet, in peace,” said British tourist Bob Philpotts. “This is his resting place, and he should be left [there].” “Everyone is dreaming of what he looks like. The face of Tutankhamun is different from any king in the Cairo museum. With his beautiful buck teeth, the tourists will see a little bit of the smile from the face of the golden boy,” Hawass said.

tAylor FreudenBerg

Over the past 6 years, over 40 million iPods have been sold. Most teenagers own them. Can listening to music on an iPod cause hearing damage? Tests have shown that the maximum volume for mp3 players is about 120 decibels. Listening to music with sound over 85 decibels can cause damage to the human ear, over time according to the experts. Some experts say that hearing damage can occur after only an hour of listening to an iPod at maximum volume. Recent surveys by American Speech-Language-Hearing association show then more then half of students in high school have lost some hearing or damaged their ears by listening to mp3 players too loud. Some experience tinnitus, which causes ringing in the ears. According to 4hearingloss.com, 12% of children and

teenagers in the country experience hearing loss from loud noises. Specialists say that one of the main problems with iPods is the earphone. Since the earphones are put into the ear, they can raise the volume up to 9 decibels higher. Using over the ear headphones decreases the volume of the volume of the music. Lawsuits have been filed against the Apple Company, claiming that iPods cause hearing damage. Claimants argue that Apple did not issue a suitable warning against hearing loss. Apple was even forced to upgrade its product in France so that the maximum volume would only reach 100 decibels. Most teenagers don’t take the risk of hearing loss seriously. Many people think the lawsuit filed against Apple is ridiculous, and that people should know when to turn the volume down.

trACey griFFitH

iPods cause hearing loss

12 FEaturEsHouston Texan’s Kicker gives back On February 22, 2005, the Houston Texans’ kicker Kris Brown and his wife, Amy, gave Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston a gift of $121,000. The Browns created the Kris Brown Kick Club in 2003. The organization supports the Texas Children’s Hospital’s charity care program, and helps provide financial aid to families facing overwhelming medical costs. To raise money for the club, for every point that Brown scores in regular season, each sponsor is donating $250 worth of money to Texas Children’s Hospital. Many of the sponsors include, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Clear Channel, Continental Airlines, DeMontrond Automotive Group,

tAylor FreudenBerg Southwest Bank of Texas, and The Redstone Companies. A recipient of Texas Children’s Hospital’s charity care, Deedy Pendley, inspired the Kick Club. “If someone like Kris Brown had been around when my son Cody was alive, I would have let him know that hope, medical resources and healing is the precious gift that you have given my family by being so generous and determined. With Cody as fragile as he was, it was impossible for me to go out on my own and provide this for my son – Texas Children’s Charity Care Program truly rescued us at such a critical time. These children are the least of the least, and Texas Children’s Hospital and Kris Brown’s Kick Club lets them and their families know how valued they still are,”

says Pendley. Pendley is currnetly a member of the Kris Brown Kicker Club. Brown also has a personal cause for the Kicker Club. His sister was diagnosed with cancer at an age of 12. “I went through a lot of what these families at the hospital are going through,” said Brown. “Financially, emotionally, I saw what it did to my sister physically,” says Brown. Since the Kicker Club was founded, they’ve raised almost half a million dollars for the charity. “You have such a level of excitement that we won the game and then finally when you sit down and you think about it afterwards, you’re like, not only did we win the game, but we just raised ‘x’ amount of dollars for families at the hospital,” said

Brown. This season, Brown has made a total of 59 points. He gets $1,250 per point. That means he’s raised a total of $73,750 for the Kicker Club, and almost $15,000 came out of his own pocket.

TV stations NBC and Fox are preparing to launch an online video site that will show several TV sitcoms of different varieties, free of costs thanks to the support of advertisement. The companies launched a test version of the site on October 29th, with intent on premiering the final version in months to follow. The site is now in a test phase, during which users can sign up for an invitation to join at a later date. Content on the site will be programs provided by both networks, along with TV shows and films from Sony Corp. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. “Consumers identify with shows and films, rather than networks,” Said Hulu chief executive Jason Kilar. “When you aggregate great content together, it makes things easier for the user,” Hulu will arise amidst tensions between entertainment companies and online video sites, such as the ever popular YouTube. YouTube is facing many legal issues and lawsuits concerning copyright laws. Hulu will have legal rights to certain shows on different networks. Google

fell into this piracy trend, being sued by Viacom earlier this year, for allegedly allowing users to post videos of certain clips from networks such as Comedy Central. For the clips to be so open to the public, it is likely they will be more costly for Hulu to broadcast. The site will only be offering a small selection of premium television and cinema clips, but no home made videos like YouTube. Reviews of the site have told that Hulu’s streaming is quick, navigation is simple, and embedding into other sights is very easy. Videos from Hulu will also be posted on sites of distribution partners such as AOL, MSN, MySpace, Yahoo and Comcast. An added bonus to using Hulu in the future is anyone who has previously purchased shows on iTunes for $1.99, now has no reason to pay for certain shows unless they are looking to download them. The success of Hulu has yet to be seen, and it’s progress will not sat until months to come, but the idea of free online TV and Movie clips has everyone wondering whether Hulu will become the next YouTube.

Hulu new online video sitedestinee WAlker

13FEaturEs Two thumbs up for Dan In Real Life! This romantic comedy reminds viewers of how fantastic movies can be. This movie will make you laugh. The main character, Dan Burns (Steve Carell), is a single father raising three daughters. His life is full of chaos. The family needs of a vacation, but when visiting relatives, Dan is struck with love. In the old bookstore, Marie (Juliette Binoche) mistakes Dan as a sales person. They soon strick up a conversation. Dan tells her that he wants to finish their conversation and exchanges phone numbers. Dan tells his brother Mitch (Dane Cook) about this mystery bookstore girl. The brothers are unsure whether Dan should call her or not. Mitch has his girlfriend come give advice to Dan. But unknowing to Dan,

sHAnnon o’neil Mitch’s girlfriend is Marie from the bookstore. Dan is surprised and angry; he can’t believe this is happening. He is so upset that he forgets what is important. His relationship with his daughters is slipping more and more as the vacation continues. Mitch is head over heals in love with Marie but Marie is hesitant. She is attracted to Mitch’s smooth lines, “I swear, the minute I saw her I felt like I was in the room with an angel.” Marie discovers by reading Dan’s book, that it was actually Dan who wrote those lines. She knows what she has to do. The movie was an intense love story filled with comic moments. Carrell portrays Dan Burns wonderfully, adding comedy to the movie as well as depth. This movie is wholesome and will make you leave the theater with a joke in your head, love in your heart, and tears in your eyes.

Fall in love with Dan

VIP front blocks: $4,950.00, VIP seating (first ten rows & car): $5,950.00, Front standing: $2,150.00, seeing Led Zeppelin play live concert? Priceless. The rock legend group Led Zeppelin, will be reuniting for the first time in over 12 years making an appearance on December 10 in London, England. The group split in 1980 shortly after the after the death of drummer John Bonham and have performed only a handful of reunion gigs since then. John Bonham died September 25. To replace John Bonham’s for the concert his son Jason Bonham will be taking over the drum sticks for Led Zeppelin, with founding and returning members of the band: singer- Robert Plant, guitarist

–Jimmy Page, and bassist John Paul Jones.

When Led Zeppelin announced that they would be performing again together, fans went ecstatic to buy tickets to this event. The official website for buying the tickets crashed shortly after the announcement. Harvey Goldsmith, the organizer for this event thought it would be a one-off show, not a full-fledged reunion tour, but said the band seemed to be bonding well together again. Goldsmith said the band was approaching the gig seriously. “They thought about it very carefully, and even decided to actually rehearse for a few days to see if they could play together again,” he told Reuters Television in an interview. “I only asked them to do 30 minutes and they came back after a week’s rehearsals and said they wanted to

do a full show. “Reunion gigs are all the rage at the moment and we reckon Led Zeppelin will make the most of their comeback,” Ladbrokes spokesman Nick Weinberg said. The band is also scheduled to release greatest hits collection, titled “ Mothership” on November 13.

The reason for all these bands coming back together for one night, isn’t just to stroll down memory lane and reminisce about when they were young, but this is a tribute concert in honor of the late Ahmet Eregun. Eregun was the establisher who signed Led Zeppelin guiding them through a phenomenal career. Eregun also founded and was the head chairman of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to which he was elected in 1987 for his pioneering contributions to popular music. Ahmet Ertegun sadly died last

Led Zeppl in reuni te in December in Londonyear aged 83 after falling at a Rolling Stones concert. Profits from this amazing show will go to the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund, which provides students with annual scholarships to universities in the UK,USA,and Turkey.

Mica Ertegun, Ahmet’s wife and president of The Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund, said “Ahmet attributed his success to his excellent education, and his ability to recognize innovative artists that touched us all. It was his wish to endow music scholarships that would enable gifted children to reach their highest creative potential. The Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund was founded with that goal. He would be very proud that Led Zeppelin have chosen to re-unite and headline a benefit concert in his name featuring so many of his friends. I would like

to thank all of the artists for their generous contribution to help make Ahmet’s vision a reality.” Unfortunately, guitarist Jimmy Page has fractured his finger, causing the delay of the concert. The concert will no longer be November 26,but has no been changed to December 10. The specialist who examined Pages finger has diagnosed that he will be out for at least three weeks. “I have examined the fracture to Mr. Page’s finger, and it is my opinion that with proper rest and treatment, he will be ready to resume rehearsing in three weeks time, and thus able to perform on December 10.” The concert will still be held in London’s 02 Arena, which can hold a total of about 22,000. The Who, and Rolling Stones will also be making an appearance that night as well.

sArAH Cisneros

Invisible Children make a difference

On April 29 2006 five hundred Houstonians closed there eyes on Rice University soccer field and slept on the ground to raise awareness of the war going on in Northern Uganda. A rebel army called the Lords Resistance Army has taken over much of Uganda and has brought child soldiering into land. The Houstonians along with thousands of kids all over the country walked to the field and wrote letters to congress urging them to take action towards the Ugandan government, pressuring them to end the war against children soldiering.

The event called Global Night Commute; it was put on across the country by a nonprofit organization called Invisible

Children. Three boys from San Diego California in 2003 traveled to Africa to film the war they had only heard about. When they came back to the states they made their footage into a film that has captured the hearts of people countrywide causing many to act, stopping child soldiering. The Global Night Commute was successful. Since April of 2006 the night commuting has gone down significantly.

This past year Invisible Children put on another event called Displace Me. It was held in 13 different cities across the country on April 28th. This time the event was to raise awareness of all the people in Uganda displaced from there homes presently by the Ugandan government who thought they where helping. Like we saw during hurricane Katrina

in the Astrodome the people of Uganda are living that like that every day. They no longer have a place to call home.

Schools for Schools is a branch of the Invisible Children Organization designed to raise money to rebuild schools for the war-affected children. Clear Creek Club last year raised $4,500 for our partner school, Pabbo Secondary School in Northern Uganda. They club is designed not only to raise money but awareness. The club will be holding their own Displace to show our community the need for action in this war. The event is TBA but to know more it please visit http:s4s.invisbilechildren.com/school/clear-creek-high-school. The club will be keeping updates on when and where this event will be held

MiCAH Wesley

14 spOrts

Photo by Sarah Poore

Photo by Sarah Poore

Clear Creek Wildcats 2-2 in district After the last two losses Creek endured, the game against the Clear Brook Wolverines was an open opportunity for the Wildcats to regain momentum. Although Brook started with an early touchdown, Creek’s Dillon Freeman began the Wildcats scoring tirade in the beginning of second quarter. Freedman completed a 62-yard run, followed by Michael Guidry’s 1-yard run, and another 4-yard run early in the third quarter. Creek continued to walk all over the Wolverines as senior quarterback Neal Warden completed a 7-yard pass to D.J. Gibson, followed by Jordan Wright’s 21-yard run. Wildcat Kicker Tommy Henshaw did not miss a PAT kick the entire game. Brook attempted to rally in the forth quarter with one last touchdown, but the Wildcats wouldn’t have it. Nick Mencacci’s 49-yard run was the perfect finale. An end score of 41-14, this was a solid and encouraging victory for Creek. The next week brought the most anticipated game of the season- Creek’slong time rivals the Clear Lake Falcons. Creek fans filled the stands, ignoring the rain

that plagued the game into the second quarter. The night was purely football, with no bands or halftime show. Animosity between the two schools could be felt from the beginning, and the game opened with high expectations from both sides of the stadium. The first quarter went by scoreless, but the Wildcats began to heat things up with a scoring 2-yard run by Guidry in the second. Lake was right behind the Wildcats with a touchdown of their own. Creek answered by lighting up the scoreboard with two touchdowns, including Wardens 1-yard pass to Wright, and Wright’s 26-yard run into the end zone. Henshaw provided the completed PAT kicks, and Creek found itself on top. Although Lake scored again in the fourth quarter, it wasn’t enough to dowse the fire the Wildcats had created. The game came down to coaching and Creek’s dedication to never give up, even when the tide seemed to be turning.

This is the third year in a row Creek has topped the Falcons. Creek captured the bragging rights for another season, and the Wildcats went home satisfied. The Wildcats game against Brazoswood was not as successful.

However, Creek was able to attain three touchdowns. Wardens 15-yard pass to Justin Smith at the end of the second quarter set the tone for Marcus Davis’s 97-yard kickoff return early in the third. The Wildcats managed to score once more, thanks to Guidry’s 4-yard run, but were unable to beat Brazoswood on the Buccaneers’ home field. The Score was left at 21-35. The following week brought the shimmer of mums and garters to District Stadium as Creek students and Alumni filled the stands for Homecoming. The Wildcats faced the Pearland Oilers, ranked fifth in the Houston area. Creek had a promising first half, with Warden’s 10-yard pass to Gipson late in the first quarter and a 47-yard pass to Wright in the beginning of the second quarter. Unfortunately, the only touchdowns that would follow for the rest of the game

would be for Pearland. In the last minutes of the fourth, Creek was moving steadily towards the goal line with a chance to capture the win. Yet the Wildcats seemed to fall apart, with faulty passes and plays costing them the victory. At 14-20, it was a disappointing loss. However, Creek is looking ahead and preparing to fight for their place in District. The Wildcats are 3-5 overall, and 2-2 in District standings.

sArAH Poore

Creek’s Varsity tennis team has set a high standard for this spring season. The Wildcats were off to a rough start at the beginning of the fall season. Creek struggled against Dobie, a team usually played with ease. This game, although Creek took home the win, left the Wildcats with some of their worst scores. They began ranked out of the top 25 in the state and top 3 in district. Varsity pulled their doubles teams together and practiced hard, determined to work themselves into the top ranks. After the Ft. Bend Austin tournament the team finished second, beating top ranked Woodlands and Clements. This victory placed Creek among the top 20 teams in the state. Gaining momentum, the Wildcats continued to play fiercely in following

tournaments. At the end of the fall season they finished second in district to Lake, beating out Brook and Pearland who began ahead in the season. “It’s a good feeling when you’re down and you end up beating Pearland 10-2 in the semis at district,” said guys team number 2 player Cori Cornwell. When asked his predictions for the spring season to come Cornwell said, “We’re probably going to play a fair amount in regionals, and possibly someone to state.” He also gave much deserved credit to the girls’ team, who have been a driving force behind their seasons final high rank. “We have one of the best girls’ teams that we’ve probably ever had before.” Said Cornwell. The doubles teams for the fall season went as follows:Number one doubles for the girls’ team Ashley Albro and Tara Montegut. Number two, Kelsey Richardson and Jacquelyn

Davis. Number three, Marie Lamont and Kelly Rytlewski, and mixed doubles Kate Williamson and Casey Armstrong. The singles ranks were number one Ashley Albro, number two Jacquelyn Davis, number three Kelly Rytlewski, number four Kelsey Richardson, number five Tara Montegut, and number six Maria Lamont. Lamont remains undefeated this season. For the guys’ doubles team; number one is Michael Pedrizal and Patrick Creamer, number two Cori Cornwell and Dustin Sanders, and number three Tyler Roush and Chase Farmer.

Guys’ singles: Number one Michael Pedrizal, number two Cori Cornwell, number three Tyler Roush, number four Chase Farmer, number five Casey Armstrong, and number six Patrick Creamer.

The Wildcats have earned respect from several teams in the state and are sure to continue propelling themselves higher in the competition.

Creek tennis triumps over competitiondestinee WAlker

Photo by Sarah PooreCori Cornwell and Kelsey Richardson

15spOrtsAthletes of the Month

Photo by Haliey Stephens Photo and story by Sarah Poore

Ashley AlbroJason MontegutSince her arrival to Creek, Ashley

Albro has served as a stabilizing force for the Wildcat tennis program, as well as one of the most consistently successful players on the court. Albro began playing tennis when she was only seven years old. Both of her parents loved the game and wanted to get the family involved. Her father is now her coach, and her two younger sisters also play a fierce game of tennis. Albro went to state as a sophomore, quite an accomplishment for an underclassmen. Albro was also elected to play for the John Newcombe touring team, which allowed her to travel Europe for a month and participate in tournaments. She won a doubles tournament while on the tour. Albro plays number one for Creek in both singles and doubles. She has only lost two singles matches so far this year, and has been victorious over the opponents she lost to last season. Her skill’s are constantly improving, and her leadership on the court has benefited the entire tennis program. Albro intends on playing in college and has already been scouted by Florida Tech, Florida Gulf Coast, and Methodist University. This dedicated athlete will continue to make a name for her self as a tennis player and a leader.

The athlete of the month, Jason Montegut, started running cross-country his eighth grade year at League City Intermediate. It became apparent that his final year of middle school was the start of many years of accomplishments. Before leaving League City Intermediate Montegut tied the school record for the 2-mile run.

Montegut is a man of many talents. He played varsity tennis his junior year, and now is a member of the Dodge Ball Club. In the spring he runs the mile and the two-mile for the varsity track team.

Jason was voted team MVP last year on the varsity cross-country team, and is a three-year letterman. His fastest times came in at 15:57 for the 5K, and 15:10 for the 3 mile.

When asked about his plans for college he said, “I haven’t decided if I’m going to run or not, but I’d like to go to either University of San Diego, University of Texas, or Louisiana State University.”

With his consistent leadership on both Varsity teams and impressive grades in the classroom, it is clear Montegut will excel in any career and college he chooses to attend.

destinee WAlker

Varsity volleyball fight for state The lady wildcats have had a rocking season this year with an overall record of 23-12, and a district record of 9-3. The Lady Wildcats are right behind the Pearland Oilers in the district standings, by the difference of one win. They may be number three in the district, but they are number 11 in the Class 5A rankings. Why are the lady wildcats so successful? Well, Megan Pendergast, an outside hitter for the varsity volleyball team, is third in the 5A class for the total amount of kills. The amount stands at 270, and with an average of 4.2. Becky Bekelja, a setter for Creek, is leading the 5A class when it comes to assists, with a total of 551, and an average of 10.4. The last, but not least, Haley Jacobs, the varsity libero, is leading the 5A class in the total of 504 digs, the next runner up has only a total of 381. On October 6, the Lady Wildcats battled it out with the Lady Falcons of Clear Lake High School for the title for district. The Lady Wildcats were down two games, and all it took was one more game for the Lady Falcons to take the title. The Lady Wildcats would not give up so easily though. They took the lady Falcons to the fifth and final game, tried their best to pull the win out from under the Falcon’s wings. With a final score of 15-17, Lake had beaten the Lady

Wildcats. The Lady Wildcats had a clean sweep against Brazoswood, making their way past the competition. They were led by outside hitter, Cherish Kron with 7 kills. On October 12, the Lady Wildcats played the Lady Oilers, and were unable to pull out the win. On Friday, October 9, the Lady Wildcats were hoping to pull out a win for their homecoming game. The team defeated Alvin in a short period of three games. The final scores were 25-19, 25-18, and 25-20. This helped the Lady Wildcats to get closer to their main goal, playoffs. The Lady Wildcats have only a few more games until playoffs start, but just because they were not able to win the District Title, but they’re still battling it out to come out ahead. “Our team isn’t as good as we thought it would at the beginning of the season this year,” says varsity libero Haley Jacobs, “but we’re getting better and we’ll be ready in time for playoffs.” The Lady Wildcats will continue to play through November, and will keep trying to make their way to the top in playoffs, and all the way into the state championships “We’re going to go all the way,” says Jacobs, “we’re going to win state this year. You’ve always got to believe in what you’re going to do.”

tAylor FreudenBerg

Waking up in the wee hours of the morning to run for several miles is not something every teenager would be willing to do, however for the athletes of Clear Creek cross country this dedication is a part of daily life. With the departure of last year’s seniors, the other members of the team have stepped up and have earned their own success. Runners like Chris Mattison, Jason Montegut, Tyler Rhone, Zach Sweers, Dustin Hobaugh, Adam Trevino, and Jay Guerra have been running to the finish line and keeping Creek at the top. Creek has finished first at the Pearland Meet and second at the Clear Creek Meet, held at Walter Hall Park, The Wildcats have been running hard, preparing for the district meet that took place on October 27 at Seabrook Park. and in one of the closest district races, Creek finished second, only

Photo by Taylor Freudenberg

Natalie Kraus and Megan Pendergast keep their opponents on their toes.

nine points behind Clear Lake. Coach Ruben Jordan has enjoyed coaching this group of runners. “We’re doing well. I think we should finish in the top three at district and compete at regionals, “ Coach Jordan said. The Lady Wildcats have also had an accomplished season as well. Coach Bidelspach also has a collection of runners that are ready to succeed, as both Chelsea Huebner and Corrine Pena have ran their 2- mile in the low 12 minutes. The girls have beaten Pearland and Brook, maintaining their success.“(Creek is) doing better and better and getting ready for district,” said Coach Bidelspach. Creek cross country teams have trained hard to keep a running tradition of victory, and now the present guys and girls have hit great strides and continue to hit the ground running.

Cross country runs victoriousAlBert nkAnsAH

16 phOtOFinish