Denison High School, 1901 S. Mirick St. Denison, Tx- 75020

2 table of contents october 2009

Editorial Policy: The Stinger newspaper is a student-generated publication that is produced, edited, and maintained by the DHS journalism staff of room 105. The Stinger encourages student expression and is designed to be a forum for open discussion. Editorials appearing in The Stinger are the sole views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the administration or those of the DHS Publications Department.

Page 3- One staff writer talks about the effects of Michael Jackson’s death on her

9

Page 5- Freshmen, take the advice of these upperclassmen

Pages 6-7- Curious about the dog you might have seen wandering the school? Meet Shots.

Page 9- The Stingerettes dance their way into our hearts

Page 11- Down, set, hut. Review the football season’s results so far.

Page 12- FFA and HOSA-two organizations you may not know about

The Stinger staff would love it if you wanted to submit a letter to the editor or a commentary on something you like, don’t like, or just want to talk about. Letters and other materials to be considered for publication should be signed and delivered to room 105. It should include your name and grade on it. The staff has the right to edit any material.

october 2009 commentary 3

COMMENTARY Bright eyes and subtle variations of blue, within a city, preferably Owl City. While not being an actual place at all, it’s become a melodic and infectious sound of music, created by Adam Young. What you may get out of Young’s electronic and new wave beats is a feeling of light heartedness and inspiration, no matter the lyrics. In the world of Owl City, nothing ever seems that bad. Young’s undeniable lyrical charm is hard to come by these days whether it be hits, like “Rainbow Veins” or “Saltwater Room” you can listen to it and feel completely laid-back. Being far from

COMMENTARY Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. Whether you hated him or loved him, there’s a good chance you’ve been

affected by his conquest through the music industry. He transformed the music video from a commercializing tool into a form of art with videos for his songs “Beat It”, “Thriller”, and “Billie Jean”. He universalized many obscure dance moves, such as the robot and the moon walk. Not to mention he was the first African American artist to be on MTV. Though his achievements are extravagant, his music alone has influenced a considerably large number of artists, with four decades worth of greatest hits and best sellers. He has made a prodigious mark on the popular culture and music industry of our nation, as well as

A farewell to the King of Pop Dreaming in a city of music

hard rock and country, Owl City is still music that just about everyone can find themselves content with listening to. From falling asleep in hospital parking lots to fuzzy blue lights, this music is sure to take you on an imaginative adventure. Young’s lyrics can introduce you to a more metaphorical attitude as far as his songs go. No matter what genre takes up memory on your i-Pod, you can be sure that Adam Young of Owl City will find his place in all those other crazy sounds.

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our people. He changed the world with his contributions of unique music and his individuality portrayed through it. It doesn’t make a difference if you enjoy his music, dancing, or videos. The point is, millions of people did, and still do. His heart may have stopped beating, but his soul will live on forever through his music and loyal fans. His name will not soon be forgotten.

COMMENTARY When it comes to the people of America, we hold onto our government to fix our problems and help us solve

some of the deepest issues we have to face. Our national debt is one of the biggest complications our economy has to face. Because of this our health care system has been drained and emptied, so can we really afford to spend millions of dollars on health care with the present situation? Should we put our own selves at risk just to give everyone the security and equal opportunity for everyone, when the government can pull the plug on anyone not fit to live or will die without being able to be saved due to cancer or an incurable disease? The new impending Health Care Reform that the Obama administration has been pushing is causing many Americans to pick sides: Go for the Universal Health Care or not bother with

it. With this, we have many things to think about. With the universal Health Care system, we would all have health care. However the cons would include an increase on taxes, many would not be able to choose their own doctors, and the economy will suffer a $2.2 trillion hit. Is this really worth it? Most Americans spends almost $8,000 per person for health care in a year. Some do not even have health insurance to cover even a simple check-up, tooth extraction, flu medication, or antibiotics. Yet, this new health care system could save the economy $316 billion in the span of 10 years. The ideas and questions clutter the air. Putting more and more money into the American economy is a good thing. It saves us from going further into debt, but can we really afford to hit our economy with this health care plan? It could probably throw us into a deeper recession or back-fire into our faces and destroy the American economy indefinitely.

4 commentary october 2009

Health care doomCOMMENTARY Ironic to its name, Operation Iraqi freedom has caused 180,000 fatalities. With the total cost of war, America could pay every poor

nation’s debt. Despite these numbers, there’s a war that has destroyed even more lives. According to www.dictionary.com “War” is a struggle or a means of undermining competitors. We tend to associate “War” with armed fighting or diminishing poverty and the like. We get so caught up in school, video games, hobbies, parties, football games, popularity, and life in general in order to evade one certain war. We try our best to diminish the thought of worry, terror, and death so we don’t consider what the truth is. Everyday we battle thoughts and worries that are closer to home than we realize. There is an even bigger war happening in our hearts and minds. The real war starts when we blame insecurity within ourselves on things outside of our being and possibly outside of our control. The war described is the war with truth. When we think about religion, evolution, theories, faith, and death we wonder what the truth could possibly be. Beginning in the summer, I

War close to homestarted to doubt my faith. I doubted Jesus saved me because I might not have believed in Him. With every belief I formally had I started to make up a doubt that seriously worried me. I talked over and over with my parents about it and found some comfort. I was searching for evidence of God and physical, tangible evidence of His existence. Then I finally realized I was searching in all the wrong places. Finally I realized that I was saved because I believed Jesus was the only true way, even though I didn’t understand it all. To find God, you have to find it within yourself to have faith in something you haven’t seen. The God I know doesn’t need physical evidence to prove him to us. All I need to believe in Him is the love I have been shown by people who love Jesus. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever shall believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I know that believing in evolution gives you no comfort. The comfort comes from being saved through faith.

For anyone searching for answers, you can visit these websites:www.rzim.org www.doesgodexist.com www.equip.org http://www.youtube.com/watch?r=4EeOvWdHGaM http://atheismisdead.blogspot.com/2008/12/answering-atheism-books.html

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in the commentaries are the sole views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the DISD administration or the DHS Journalism Department.

Being a freshman can be scary. Not only are you in a totally different environment, but you’re surrounded by new people and teachers.

Alright this can be nerve-wracking, it doesn’t have to be. “You have to be yourself and trust yourself,” junior Darien Hallman said. That’s one piece of advice that will get you relatively far, if you follow it. Being yourself, however, isn’t the only thing that will get you through high school. Listening to your teachers is very important, too. Don’t be afraid of asking your teachers for help and remember to turn in work.

october 2009 feature 5

Remember the first day of school your freshman year? The bell rings, everyone goes their separate ways, and you are lost in unfamiliar territory, surrounded

by a crowd of juniors and seniors. Should you ask for help and risk getting told to go to the fourth floor? Should you try to find your class on your own and show up ten minutes late? The transition from middle school to high school is undoubtedly a tough one, but fortunately, fish camp makes that a little easier for the “poor freshmen.” “If I had any advice to other freshmen, I would say find your classes before

Gone fishing

We officially kicked off our football season last week with our first pep rally. Each year the cheerleaders, band, color guard, S t i n g e r e t t e s ,

and the mascot, put together our pep rallies to get us pumped up and stoked about the football games. “Putting on the pep rallies is a big deal. But all the hard work we put into them is totally worth it when we see the crowd getting excited,” varsity cheerleader Elizabeth Corcoran said. All the time and effort pays off when they hit the gym floor and bring enthusiasm and team spirit to the fans.

Party at the pep rallyThey get the students fired up and ready to shout for the Denison Yellow Jackets. For some, the pep rallies are the highlight of their weekend. “Pep rallies lighten up my whole day. I look forward to them all week. They pump me up and get me ready for the game,” Junior Teresa Martinez said. The music, dancing, and team spirit all contribute to the performance of the pep rallies. However, some think that they could use a bit of a different touch as well. Junior Taylor Miller once said, “I think students who aren’t involved in sports or school activities should get a chance to be involved in the pep rallies so they can show their school spirit too.” Pep rallies motivate the team and get the school hyped up.

the first day, ask questions to your tour guides and know that there is no third floor,” freshman April Mueller said. Aside from taking the freshmen on a short tour of the building, the student council puts on fun activities like singing and dancing competitions, and a fashion show. “We couldn’t find our classes because we didn’t have our schedules, but the fashion show was really informative and funny,” said freshman Sydney Muldrew. Fish camp is a great tool to help our freshman get used to high school, as well as provide an opportunity to get together with friends they haven’t seen over the summer and have a lot of fun while doing it.

InvaluableInformatIon

They will respect you more for that. “They always give you a chance,” senior Carmen Soriano said. Starting high school is also a great opportunity to make new friends. You see plenty of different faces every day. “There are a lot of different people here,” sophomore Tyler McDermett said, “You never know what kind of person you’ll meet.” These are just a few guidelines that go to show it’s not hard to make this experience a good one. Just remember not to lose yourself in the crowd. “Don’t care what people think of you, just care what you think of yourself,” senior Brittany Slayton said. Oh, and by the way, you will never have a class on the third floor, in the basement, or on the roof of the building.

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Freshman get some tidbits of information from seniors that should make existing in the halls of DHS a little easier

Diabetes, the inability of the body to produce enough insulin to prevent a buildup of sugar in the blood, is one of the top ten most deadly diseases. People in ancient times thought the only cure for diabetes mellitus was death. A hard thing about having diabetes

was not having a way to comfort the victim. Shortly after World War 1, service dogs became available for diabetics in order to make their lives easier and possibly longer.

“A service dog must be able to perform at least three services for a person with a disability…

Basically, a service dog makes someone’s life easier,” freshman Katie Jane Brashier said.

Brashier got “Shots” November 2008 from her trainer Liz Norris, who runs a non-profit organization

“Pawsibilities Unleashed” in Kentucky. Shots replaced her original service dog, Dot, who was in need of

surgery. Service dogs can cost anywhere from 5 to 60 thousand dollars. Brashier has a problem with diabetes, but ever since she got Shots in

November 2008, she has been able to go places without the “trouble of crazy blood sugars” because Shots is able to detect any changes with her blood sugar.

“Dogs have a much keener sense of smell than humans, so when my blood sugar goes low or high, I give off a distinct smell that the dog can detect. He is able to alert me to

changes in my blood sugar 20 minutes before it registers on my meter,” Brashier said.

Because Shots has to “work” every second, he is constantly with her, even at school, Six Flags, and field trips. The students for the most part cannot pet him because he can’t be distracted from her. In class the

students get attached to Shots. “At first he was distracting, but now I hardly even notice him. He’s really quiet unless something is wrong with Katie Jane. He isn’t a problem for me because I am so used to him now. Sometimes during media journalism last year, he would whine when we were taping the moment of silence for the announcements, and we would have to do it over. It wasn’t too bad, though. We always laughed,” freshman Maria Hayes said. In Kindergarten we always looked forward to show-and-tell day because we could bring our pets. Brashier has gone through those days ever since she got a service dog. Having a dog in class everyday can be hard or distracting, but students and teachers

have to remember why he’s there. “With the potentially life-threatening illness that Katie Jane deals

with daily, it is amazing to know that service animals are available for regulatory purposes. Having Shots is truly a blessing for Katie Jane,”

English teacher Mrs. Schnitker said. Brashier is very blessed indeed to know that she is in good hands with

Shots. She is also very grateful for him, Denison High School faculty and students. “I would just like to thank all the students and teachers at the high school, because they have made it so much easier for me! I’m having so much fun here because everyone has been so accepting. Thanks y’all,” said Brashier.

woofKatie Jane brashier:age:14Grade: 9Diagnosis: type 1 diabetesfavorite part of being a fresh-man: all the new, fun, cool things she gets to do. If she were shots, what she would do: “Probably run. He can run so fast for so long, without tiring. and he can run where he wants to. I’d love to just fly through the woods off trail and not worry about getting hurt.”

Paws for a cause Diabetes, the inability of the body to produce enough insulin to prevent a buildup of sugar in the blood, is one of the top ten most deadly diseases. People in ancient times thought the only cure for diabetes mellitus was death. A hard thing about having diabetes

was not having a way to comfort the victim. Shortly after World War 1, service dogs became available for diabetics in order to make their lives easier and possibly longer.

“A service dog must be able to perform at least three services for a person with a disability…

Basically, a service dog makes someone’s life easier,” freshman Katie Jane Brashier said.

Brashier got “Shots” November 2008 from her trainer Liz Norris, who runs a non-profit organization

“Pawsibilities Unleashed” in Kentucky. Shots replaced her original service dog, Dot, who was in need of

surgery. Service dogs can cost anywhere from 5 to 60 thousand dollars. Brashier has a problem with diabetes, but ever since she got Shots in

November 2008, she has been able to go places without the “trouble of crazy blood sugars” because Shots is able to detect any changes with her blood sugar.

“Dogs have a much keener sense of smell than humans, so when my blood sugar goes low or high, I give off a distinct smell that the dog can detect. He is able to alert me to

changes in my blood sugar 20 minutes before it registers on my meter,” Brashier said.

Because Shots has to “work” every second, he is constantly with her, even at school, Six Flags, and field trips. The students for the most part cannot pet him because he can’t be distracted from her. In class the

students get attached to Shots. “At first he was distracting, but now I hardly even notice him. He’s really quiet unless something is wrong with Katie Jane. He isn’t a problem for me because I am so used to him now. Sometimes during media journalism last year, he would whine when we were taping the moment of silence for the announcements, and we would have to do it over. It wasn’t too bad, though. We always laughed,” freshman Maria Hayes said. In Kindergarten we always looked forward to show-and-tell day because we could bring our pets. Brashier has gone through those days ever since she got a service dog. Having a dog in class everyday can be hard or distracting, but students and teachers

have to remember why he’s there. “With the potentially life-threatening illness that Katie Jane deals

with daily, it is amazing to know that service animals are available for regulatory purposes. Having Shots is truly a blessing for Katie Jane,”

English teacher Mrs. Schnitker said. Brashier is very blessed indeed to know that she is in good hands with

Shots. She is also very grateful for him, Denison High School faculty and students. “I would just like to thank all the students and teachers at the high school, because they have made it so much easier for me! I’m having so much fun here because everyone has been so accepting. Thanks y’all,” said Brashier.

shots:age: Just over a year and a halfbreed: labrador mix, pos-sibly part dalmatian.His least favorite class to go to (according to Katie Jane): “Probably cross county, be-cause he wants to run with me, but I don’t want him to get trampled so I have to tether him up and tell him to wait.”

“We drove all the way to the airport, and waited for two hours. Finally his crate arrived. They opened the door and Shots bounded out of his cage, tail wagging. I fell in love at first sight, and his tail hasn’t stopped wagging yet.”

A new member to the DHS family, Shots, the black lab mix service dog that helps

freshman Katie Jane Brashier manage her diabetes, has become a beloved element of the on and off campus spirit of the school.

Sudoku

10 fun PaGe october 2009

Donald Duck’s middle name is Fauntleroy.

Abraham Lincoln faces to the right on a penny while all the other presidents face to the left on US coins.

Most elephants weigh less than the tongue of a blue whale.

The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

Fun facts

Expires Nov. 1, 2009

Sudoku

From the kickoff to the end buzzer, the crowd goes wild. Watching and waiting as the excitement continues on.

It’s the game of the fall and the game of passion. The Yellow Jackets have come through a hot and tiring summer to outdo last year’s team. The first game let out bursting cheers of excitement as the ball was kicked off. When the first touchdown was made, the stands erupted in whooping and hollering as the band played their hearts out. “The game was great,” Taylor Beckman said. At the end of the game, the last touchdown scored by Jacob Marshall sent the Jacket fans into bursts of hollering and dancing, putting the first game to a win as the final score 56-17. “I knew we were going to win,” Elizabeth Bossie said. As this year is starting most football

october 2009 sPorts 11

Towards the end of the summer, it’s next to impossible to get near the high school without seeing some signs of the approaching school year: football two-a-

days occupy the indoor, sounds of the band echo across the practice field, and students rush to the counselor ’s

office to get their schedules

revised. This year, the

t e n n i s team also init iated m o r e

pre-school practices,

in hopes of making this year the most successful one yet. “We’ve all worked really hard over the summer, so I think that this year will be really successful,” junior Ashley Armstrong said. The team started practice two weeks prior to school, in preparation for their first tournament. This tournament was held on August 22, and consisted of two dual matches against Mansfield Legacy and Mansfield Timberview. Although they lost the first of the two matches, the team pulled through in the afternoon to defeat Timberview, with a near-sweep on the girls’ side and impressive competitive performance on the boys’ side. “I’m really looking forward to traveling around and playing some matches. For example, our first game in Mansfield was blast. I love meeting new people,” freshman Karina Kinghorn said. The team also traveled to Abilene on August 28-29, where they faced teams from Plainview, Abilene, Belton, and Keller. They won their first match against Plainview, but were defeated by the other three teams. They also faced The Colony in a match on September 1, whom they defeated 10 matches to 9. “I think our team is going to do great this season! If anything, I hope our team becomes more confident in our shots,” sophomore Megan Hurley said.

Thanks to their early start and diligent practices, we can expect a great turn out from our tennis team this year.

Football kicks off a great season

fans are i t c h i n g to see if we can go unde fea ted again. It will be an exciting season as we push our way to the playoffs. Tackles, touchdowns, and field goals all help as the Jackets keep playing the game of the season.

Tennis prepares for a successful fall

Sophomore Mary Claire Carlson and Senior John Somers-Morales team up for a doubles match. Photo by Adam Bucher.

The Yellow Jackets make a break for the end zone. Photo by Brie Osmon.

Have you ever seen someone walking down the hall in scrubs and wondered what kind of fashion statement they’re trying to make? Well,

actually, these students are part of the HOSA club: a unique opportunity for students that allows them to intern at hospitals and clinics to learn about the medical field. “I love being in HOSA because it’s a lot of hands on experience. Most people in HOSA participate in clinical rotations, which help us really get the health care experience. I plan to become a neonatal nurse, and since HOSA focuses a lot on nursing, I believe that it is preparing me for my future,” senior Lydia Henslee said. HOSA is not only a club that provides

future opportunity for students—through doing this, it also provides the community with higher quality health care. This advance preparation for occupations in the medical field ensures that in the future, our doctors and other professionals will be more experienced and, therefore, better able to meet the needs of their patients. “The mission of HOSA is to enhance the delivery of compassionate, quality health care by providing opportunities for knowledge, skill and leadership development of… students, therefore, helping students to meet the needs of the health care community,” states the HOSA mission statement. Like other clubs, HOSA is an opportunity for students to prepare themselves for their future by offering them experience in the field they would like to work in some day.

A Future in Farming...

...A Future in Medicine

Every year during school, we hear teachers harping on about how important it is to prepare us for the future—for college, for careers, and for

the “real world.” FFA, or Future Farmers of America, takes this planning one step further and teaches students life skills that will help them in the long run. “We prepare kids for the future by offering contests and leadership activities, such as speaking contests and livestock showing/judging. FFA helps develop skills that students need in college and beyond,” FFA President Madeline Hayes said. FFA mainly prepares students for jobs

in the agricultural field, including showing animals, learning about them, and getting their hunter and boating safety licenses. “Although working with animals is really rewarding, it’s also pretty challenging,” senior Matt Neff said. Working with animals is one of the aspects of FFA that attracts many people to the program. Students often show animals, some have opportunity of work at local veterinary clinics, and some even get to care for animals at home. “I was in an Ag class freshman year and fell in love with showing rabbits. At the end of the year, my friend Cody Henson convinced me to run for officer, and I got treasurer. After that, things just snowballed. FFA got me to stop being the dorky quiet kid who never said anything, and now I’m President, but still kind of dorky. It gives me an outlet for all my ideas,” said Hayes. FFA isn’t just a club for those who go to rodeos or want to be a veterinarian when you grow up. No matter who you are or who you want to become, FFA can develop your leadership skills and prepare you for a bright future. For any questions about FFA, talk to Mr. Blount in room 400.