The End is Near, the Time has Come

by: Jessica Wood

With December already in full swing, this school year is already half over, which is causing many students and fac­ulty alike to stress about second semester and future plans.

As the first semester comes to a close, this time can cause many seniors to worry about post-high school plans. Myself included, it is unusual how fast time has gone, and the last seconds of high school are running out.

To the class of 2011, we all need to stop procrastinating on future plans and start to make a goal for the future and work to strive for that goal.

If students are careful to plan things out over the next few months it won’t be as scary. Before having an anxiety attack, go talk to a school counselor; they will help students figure out what they want to achieve. They will either get students ready for college, armed forces or work opportunities.

The most important thing that everyone needs to remember is to stay in control. Have control of your future by having the respon­sibility to decide what is best for you.

Many seniors start to think negatively as if “they are not good enough” which is severely false. The key to success is to believe that you can do anything.

Many specialists believe suc­cess equals education, but for some people school isn’t for them. People should do what is right for them, even if that means not get­ting further education.

The end of this school year is within sight. It’s up to you to stay on task so that you will be ready for the next stage.

Whether it is teaching another year, moving on from high school or just moving up the high school ladder, be ready to improve and continue through life.

Don’t let life pass you by without taking charge; be in the present and also ready for what life is going to throw at you next. You never know what could be coming.

Texting: a Conflict for Wildcats

Pro:

By: Eboni McFadden

Willow Canyon students fight teachers every day about the right to text in class, but texting is a right all students need to have. A phone symbolizes safety and security. I feel safe and secure knowing I have my phone when I need it.

Sometimes emergencies come up with parents their children. Someone could be almost dead in the hospital, but students wouldn’t know because they can’t flip open the phone and see what is going on.

It is less distracting for parents to text their student on the phone than stop the entire class to get up and talk on the school phone.

Allowing students a few min­utes of texting can sometimes increase their focus on work be­cause then they will be less in­terested about talking to a friend about something important that has come up.

Texting is not a problem; it can be a solution to various issues. Students text and ignore teach­ers because they choose to--not because they need their phones in class.

We shouldn’t ban a tool stu­dents need; some teachers need to give students something worth­while to look up at from their phones.

Con:

By: Amanda Oder

When students text in class they do not get their work done. This is why their use is banned during the school day.

Cell phones are not good to have when students are working on in-class assignments or tests because some students use them as tools to cheat. Though they can be used for educational purposes, more often than not they are de­vices that cause distraction and apathy towards work. Students, even when allowed to use them in class to get work done, usually choose to use their phones for other purposes.

Electronic devices are not al­lowed because there are too many distractions, and students need to be more into school than tex­ting someone else, which in turn causes them to be distracted.

The goal of school is to give students a good education, to have good grades, and to plan for their futures. It is not to have students socialize. This is a component that can go along with learning but is not the sole focus.

Usually texting is an excuse to not do all of one’s work or to just tune the teacher out. We are only at school for eight hours each day; we can wait to use our phones un­til school is over. What ever hap­pened to talking to people face to face anyway?

Dress Code Issue

Pro:

Wearing a bracelet support­ing breast cancer aware­ness should not be considered a violation of any school dress code policy. The popular “I <3 Boobies” merchandise is a well-known phrase.

Many items support the Keep a Breast Foundation by mu­tual funds with the purchase of any product, such as the “I <3 Boobies” bracelet.

The organization’s purpose is to help educate youth about methods of prevention, long-term health decisions, and of course in­form as many about breast cancer itself.

Many adults, parents or even school administration and em­ployees might find the wearing of this logo to be offensive or even a bit immature.

Some school districts are even starting to ban the wearing of “I <3 Boobies” merchandise. While this has not happened as of yet in the Dysart district, some students are concerned that their rights to support certain organizations could be taken away shortly.

Bracelets are a way for students to express themselves and show their support for a noble cause. Hopefully they do not become a ban against the dress code.

by: Evelyn Marquez

Con:

  

More people around school are starting to wear bracelets that say “I <3 boobies” in support of breast cancer awareness. I un­derstand that it’s for a good cause and all, but I sometimes wonder how far supporting certain causes could go. What happens when students want to show their sup­port of prostate cancer?

It’s not what the bracelets say that bothers me; it’s the fact that people are wearing them for all the wrong reasons. It seems like high-school students, especially guys, are going to Tilly’s and spending a dollar on these brace­lets, not because they think “I’m going to donate to help the Keep a Breast Foundation”, but because they might instead be thinking “Yeah, one more thing I can do to push the limits and rebel against adult’s rules”.

I know that either way, mon­ey goes to the Keep a Breast Foundation, but still, the fact that people are doing this just for the sake of being rebellious seems to rub me the wrong way. If you’re going to do something for a good cause, you should have good, selfless intentions behind it.

Sooner or later it will fade out, and a new fad will come in to play.

by: Taylin Nelson

Chilean Miners Escape Their Ruse

By: Zeanna Hawk

Thirty-three miners trapped since August 5 in the col­lapse of the San Jose mine were finally rescued at 9:30 p.m. on October 13.

The miners were trapped 2,300 feet below the ground. The men were kept alive over that time by deliveries of food and water, that was sent to them through narrow holes that were drilled into the ground.

They also had video confer­ences with their families to give them hope. On October 13, all 33 miners were successfully lifted to the surface in a specially-designed rescue capsule.

According to http://www.guardain.co., “Chilean miner Florencio Avalos was embraced by President Sebastian Pinera af­ter he became the first of the 33 trapped miners to be hoisted to safety.”

Friends and relatives who had been camping near the mine for months were joyful as they were reunited with their loved ones.

Three days after 33 men were trapped within the mine, Andre Sougarret was summoned by Chile’s president to find a solution to get them out alive. He hired an engineer who would be in charge of digging them out. Sougarret didn’t even know if the miners were alive, but would be blamed for their death if he didn’t try.

With modern technology, the contact Sougarret needed was made. With contact, now the lo­cation of the miners could be de­termined. From the first few con­fusing days, until the October 13 finale, 46-year-old Sougarret was the man with the answers.

“Sougarret’s management of the crisis was so successful that nearly all the rescued miners walked out of the hospital Friday perfectly healthy” (www.wfsb.com).

Most of the rescued miners were released form the hospital on Friday, October 15, and only two of the miners required extra attention and were transferred to other hospitals. The families were

Arizona State Fair Attracts Crowds

by: Zeanna Hawk

The Arizona State Fair opened October 15 and closes November 7. It’s closed Mondays and Tuesdays and open Wednesday through Sunday. Wednesdays through Friday the fair will open at 12p.m. and Saturday through Sundays the fair will be open 10a.m.

“Every moment of the State Fair is awesome,” said senior Natalie Pinkowski. The regular general admission is $10 adults, $5 children [5-13], and $5 seniors [55+]. These prices are good any day of the fair.

The Arizona Sate Fair has been going on for 125 years. In November of 1884, a group of citizens in the territory of Arizona wanted to organize an event especially for families.

The first Arizona Territorial Fair was held in Phoenix by the Salt River. People who went enjoyed horse, pony, and mule races along with exhibits including agriculture, home economics, dairy and beef cattle. “My favorite attraction is the merry go round,” said senior Riley Poff.

This year the fair is featuring Freestyle Monster Truck Action and Motor Home Demolition Derby on November 5 at 7p.m., November 6 at 7p.m., and November 7 at 5p.m.

The United States Arm Wrestlers are coming for the Arm Wrestling Championships. People can visit the Dave Bang Playground - an exciting playground area set aside for the children. One exhibit that will be there is the Floriculture, Agricultural Sciences, and Minerals & Jewelry in the Home Arts Center. Finally, the Great American Petting Zoo will be at the fair.

The fair’s 2010 menu will be featuring: funnel fries, mealworm caramel apples, deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, scorpions and crickets dipped in chocolate, apple dumplings, and frog legs. “The fair has the best food; my favorite is the chili cheese dog,” said senior Courtney Piazza.

The fair will also host musical artist such as: Montgomery Gentry who will be performingNovember 3 at 7 p.m. with reserved seating for the price of $20. There will also be Old School Jam per­forming November 5 at 8 p.m. with reserved seat­ing at $15. Miranda Cosgrove will be performing November 7 at 5 p.m. with reserved seating at $15.

For further information, fair-goers can visit the Arizona State Fair website or call 602-252-6771. The fair’s address is 1826 West McDowell Road Phoenix, AZ 85007.

Hope and Strength: Breast Cancer Awareness Month



Organizations across the country participate and support
National Breast Cancer Awareness month each October.



by: Sydney Allen

October is Breast Cancer awareness month, and many stores are selling items with pink labels to support breast cancer research. When an item with a pink label is purchased, a percentage of the money goes to breast cancer research.

The percentage that goes to the research varies depend­ing on what stores agree upon. Items such as water bot­tles, laundry detergents, and soda cartoons are being sold in stores like Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart, K mart and Target, with a pink label.

Radio station Mix 96.9 held fundraisers like “Bras for a Cause”, which was held on October 8 from 5:30 a.m. -6:00 p.m. at Tempe Marketplace by DJ and spokesperson of Mix 96.9 Matthew Blades. He organized the fundraiser because he believed it would help ordinary people make a statement about breast cancer.

Women donated bras to any Pita Jungles through October 7. Blades said, “The bigger the wall of bras we can create, the bigger the statement we’re going to make on October 8. The bigger the statement we make, the more attention we’re going to get. The more attention we get, the more women and men are going to wake up and realize that they have to give self exams and go in for mammo­grams, because chances are, if you catch it [cancer] soon enough, you’re going to beat it.”

The event was a success; Mix 96.9 collected hundreds of bras for the wall of bras going on display in front of Tempe Marketplace.

“Breast Cancer can be cured with early detection and a positive attitude. The best thing to do is give self exams and go in for mammograms. Early detection is the key. And keep your mind positive,” said yearbook advisor Amy Mctague.

Breast cancer is a serious problem for American wom­en. It is the most common cancer in females besides skin cancer. Over 39,000 women are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer and become terminally ill every year, although that number has been decreasing since 1991. Advances in treatment, screening, increased awareness, and earlier detection now make it easier to treat.

Line Cutters: Beware and Play Fair

By: Kayla McGee
We all have experienced that annoying kid in the lunch lines who is known for being a “line-cutter.” While other students are waiting patiently for food, this person cuts in line ahead of ev­eryone else and becomes next in line to get his or her meal.

Why doesn’t anyone stop this? Occasionally, there is that one brave student who stands up to the line-cutter, but why aren’t the other bystanders and victims standing up?

Lunch in the cafeteria is a cra­zy, frantic time. Everyone is on a deadline, and there is not much time to get lunch, eat it and so­cialize with friends. This makes it even more unfair for those who feel as though they are at liberty to cut in line whenever and wher­ever they want.

Although this line-cutting is not the biggest problem that Willow Canyon must face, it is certainly not something we should ignore. It just creates more chaos for students. The only thing that we can really do to save our school from this is to stand up for ourselves and tell line-cutters to cut all the way back to the end of the line.

But why don’t people speak up when this happens. Maybe they think that if they approach the line-cutter, they will be physical­ly harmed. Is it really worth it to fight over a spot in line? Everyone wants to be treated fairly, so let’s start respecting each other--their place in line and their time.

This nonsense needs to stop as soon as possible. The next time you think about cutting in line--just don’t.

Vandalism...Is It Really Worth It?

By: Jessica Wood
Vandalism can be seen every­where--from the graffiti on neighborhood walls to Willow Canyon’s campus. According to dictionary.com, vandalism is “the deliberate mischievous or mali­cious destruction or damage of property.”

On August 18, I found out how much vandalism can hurt an individual. After school I found my car door damaged, headlight plastic broken off and my wallet stolen from my car in the student parking lot.

Someone’s meaningless rebel­lion turned my day into a disaster. I was lucky because another stu­dent found my wallet on the other side of the parking lot.

However, my car was still damaged, and I was still hurt. There is no simple cure for that.

This one act of vandalism real­ly hurt, but this is not the only act of vandalism Willow Canyon has seen. A few days prior to this inci­dent, another student’s car speak­ers were stolen. In the weeks that followed, a few students’ iPods were stolen.

The culprit of these thefts was later recognized as the same stu­dent who vandalized my car. That student ultimately received pun­ishment for the vandalism and thefts. Were a few silly “pranks” really worth jeopardizing his education?

However, this one student is not the only person who is guilty of vandalizing. Willow Canyon has seen many acts of vandal­ism such as: writing on bathroom stalls, the theft of the wildcat stat­ue last year, graffiti on the walls of buildings and many students have had their personal posses­sions stolen from the gym locker rooms.

We as a student body need to be mature enough to stop vandal­ism before more people get hurt.

When something horrible hap­pens to you, you can’t help but wonder “why me?” Whether the act is direct or indirect towards that person it feels the same way. They feel violated. The thought that someone will go out of his or her way to harm someone is a sad thought.

Sir Isaac Newton said, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” It is up to each individual to find which choices are the best because choices and actions have consequences.

I believe each person has good inside them. However, it is up to each person to make the right decision.

One way to look at things is every time you think about rebel­ling or doing something stupid, think: “Would I want this done to me?” I’m guessing a lot of prob­lems wouldn’t occur if people would just think about what they are doing. Most people wouldn’t want to go out of their way to hurt people.

With every choice we make, think about the consequences, whether it be vandalizing or be­ing inconsiderate to someone or something. If the consequences aren’t better than the advantages, then it’s simple: don’t do it. After all, we are one high school; we should be helping each other out, not causing more problems for someone.

Breaking Up Cliques

 By: Zeanna Hawk
Every day students at Willow Canyon are rushing and pushing in the lunch lines to go sit with their same group of friends.
Why are teenagers so afraid to branch out? We get told to have fun and meet new people by parents and counselors, yet we are still sitting with the same friends we have known since kindergarten.
There are more then two thousand students at Willow Canyon. The majority have friends, but what about the rest of the students who don’t have friends?
With as many students as there are at school, everyone is bound to have a friend, right? But instead, everyone stays in their comfort zone of friends and won’t risk being vulnerable.
Imagine having no friends--no one who cares how you feel, no one to have fun with. There are a number of teenagers who feel they are not good enough. Is this how we want our school to be known, or more importantly is this how we want people around us to feel?
Everyone has problems--at times they feel they’re not good enough, don’t have the right backpack, the right clothes to be “cool” or “popular.” If you agree with this belief, then act upon it. When you see that a person is alone or without a friend, let them know they matter too.
My thoughts are: Be nice to everyone, even if you don’t personally care how he or she feels. There is a quote by the famous philosopher Plato that says, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
Bottom line: life is hard enough within yourself and worse when you’re being dumped on from someone else. This is what Plato was saying. You may say someone’s “ugly” or “not funny” and this might be a harmless joke to you. A few minutes later you forget what you did or said to that person. But they remember, and it hurts them; it makes them feel as though they are worthless. Everyone has been teased, and everyone knows what it feels like.
I am tired of people grouping others as jocks, nerds, outcasts and beauty queens. I am tired of people being teased and mocked by their peers.
Who says you can’t branch out of your clique, your friends, or your fears. You should be in control of yourself, and only you decide whether you want to branch out or not. Be you; be unique. Only you decide who you are; other people already have their opinions on how they see you. That’s all it is anyway, an “opinion,” not the truth, so be you and not what someone or a group says you should be. Whose life is it anyways, theirs or yours?
So I suggest: try once a week sitting by someone at lunch you don’t know very well. It may be fun and you might find someone who relates to you

Welcome Back Students

By: Jessica Wood
Welcome back to another great year at Willow Canyon. With the 2010-2011 school year started, I would like to express my gratitude to the faithful Paw Print readers and let you know a little bit about what is planned for the rest of the year.
I am excited about being the editor-in-chief this year for the Paw Print. This year The Paw Print plans to have eight consecutive issues like last year.
As editor, I would like to see more students featured in the Paw Print. This year the student body is able to submit poems and artwork to The Paw Print, and it can be seen on the entertainment page each month. Also, if anyone has accomplished anything interesting please feel free to put a comment in the box outside room 242 and explain what you did, and you could be featured on the features page.
As continued from last year, The Paw Print will be selling “Shout Outs” for $1. For those of you who are new to this school, “Shout Outs” are a way for you to send a message to your friends. However, all shout outs must be school appropriate, or they will not appear in The Paw Print.
In the past, The Paw Print has had an advice box available in the counselors’ office. This year we will continue with having a box in the counselors’ office and having a folder outside The Paw Print room. (Room 242) There, you will be able to submit any advice, artwork, comments and letters to the editor. Also, you may email any submitted work to our adviser at Carianne.Wargowsky@dysart.org. All items submitted must have the students name and grade.
This year has already proven to be memorable with the success of the Back to School Bash. With that great turn out, it is easy to say that this year is going to be filled with fun events to get everyone involved in school activities. We want The Paw Print to be relevant to all our readers, so your comments and feedback are very appreciated.
With that said, I hope everyone enjoys The Paw Print and has a memorable year.