T h e

B r y a n

H i g h

S c h o o l

NORSEMAN

Volume 42, Number 2 December 2012

www.BryanHighNoresman.com

IN-BRIEF

3450 Campus Drive Bryan, TX 77802

bhsnorseman@gmail.com

Season of giving, season of hope

SEE MORE
Clubs, organizations work to give back to community
ONLINE Regina Flores
ing Salvation Army Angel Tree children community because theyre very willing
Breaking News
The News category of The
Norseman is the best way to
stay up-to-date with the news
& information at Bryan High.

FEATURES
Teacher has Wright stuff,
dedication
Assistant editor Yvette Ybarra
gets the story on teacher Nina
Wright and her influence on
the students shes worked with
over the years.

Sports
To
stay
up-to-date
with
the latest sports scores for
Bryan High School athletic programs, be sure to visit
bryanhighnorseman.com/sports.

OPINIONS
Off-campus lunch
makes students more
responsible
Staff writer Dania Robinson argues for the enstatement of offcampus lunches.

College Bound
#NoFollowBacks
Assistant
editor
Andrea
Mendes explores the fears of
starting over at college only to
find that everyone from your
past followed you there.

Follow us:
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BryanISDBryanHighNorseman
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bhsnorseman/

Assistant editor
Men and women standing outside of
stores ringing bells, childrens names
hanging on Christmas trees, piles of
canned goods stacked at the local food
bank - all symbols of goodwill that seems
to pour out during the holiday season.
With lights, trees, gifts, food, and family, the holiday season is considered the
greatest time of the year. But unfortunately, some cannot have a joyful holiday without a helping hand. Countless
children lack warm beds to sleep in, and
some dont even have houses to live in.
Many are without an education, clean
clothes to wear, or shoes for their feet.
Some have no parents, much less toys, at
Christmas time. The least that the more
fortunate can do is brighten the lives of
the underprivileged with a loving dash of
holiday charity.
Several organizations including Key
Club, FFA, Hammond Oliver, and Student Council have done their part to
reach out to those in need. Every year,
Key Club hosts A Day With Santa to
help children from low-income families
have a merry Christmas.
On A Day With Santa, we have a large
number of young kids at Carver Early
Childhood Center who typically cannot
afford to go to the mall and pay the price
to have their picture taken with Santa,
Key Club sponsor Ted Vaughn said. We
go there and have a picture made with
every student at Carver Elementary with
Santa. Key Club pays to have it developed, so they all get a picture with Santa
for free.
Since cash donations can be more helpful to some, FFA helped the less fortunate
by raising money for Make a Smile Happen.
We collected money to give to the Radio M.A.S.H., FFA sponsor Scott Pesl
said. Then they can buy gifts for Toys
for Tots so that folks that are underprivileged can have presents for Christmas.
Student Council reached out by supply-

with needed items in time for Christmas

to let us come into their places of work,
We went one weekend and picked so we want to say thank you.
two students, Allen who is five and Car- Around school, students enjoy giving
men who is eight, StuCo sponsor Cyn- for many personal as well as moral reathia Owens said. Were asking students sons.
in Student Council to bring two dollars I like to give because it gives me the
which should give us about a hundred satisfaction of knowing I helped somedollars, and what were going to do is one, junior Adriana Donate said. We,
have a shopping paras human beings,
ty for everyone who
should help each
wants to go shopping
other.
for them. We really
Junior
Diana
want to meet their
Flores agrees and
needs and give a little
emphasizes the
bit back to the comeffects that giving
munity.
to others has on a
Owens pointed out
person.
how giving to oth Giving is imers makes the giver
portant because it
thankful for things
shows good charthat they didnt con- Sophomore Perla Cruz donates
acter and makes
canned goods to benefit the Food
sider special before.
one a better perfor
Familes
Food
Drive.
I think giving is
son on the inside
important because it helps you to real- and out, Flores said. I like giving to
ize what you have, and even when you others less fortunate than me because it
feel like you dont have a lot, you realize makes me feel good on the inside, and I
that there are others out there that are so like making people happy.
much needier, Owens said. It also helps However, giving isnt limited to helping
students see that even just a little bit - only humans. There are many different
two dollars - will make a difference when ways to give to the community around
we put it all together and work together you.
to meet the needs of our community.
I volunteer at the animal shelter by
Students at Hammond Oliver served loving and caring for homeless animals,
others in numerous ways, some not even junior Adrian Sanchez said. Giving is
local.
also important because it makes the con We call the day before we get out for nection between people stronger.
Thanksgiving holidays our Make a Dif- According to students, giving not only
ference Day, Hammond Oliver princi- benefits the receiver but the giver as well.
pal Judy Hughson said. Some of our stu- I like to give because it helps people
dents went to Twin City Mission to help and betters the world, junior Beth Akin
clean and decorated doors for children said. If everyone gave a little bit, the
at Carver Early Childhood. We had some world would be a better place.
students who wrote letters to soldiers and By giving even the smallest gift - whethsent cards and gifts, chose a name off of er it be one dollar, one hundred dollars,
an Angel Tree and bought and wrapped or even a simple act of kindness - giving
gifts for those people, and went out into in any form is a package deal. By helping
the community to decorate trees at Sher- others, joy comes to the giver. Even the
wood and Health For All. We just feel like simplest act of kindness can give a person
its important that we give back to the hope.

Page 2 - Around Campus/Features

Around Campus
News & events at Bryan High School

Spring Semester
The spring semester will
begin on Tuesday, Jan. 8.
Students will report to
their first semester, first period class for their schedules.
Any changes will take effect after the beginning of
first period when students
receive their new schedules.

sophomore Jesse Baxter

placed 2nd in editorial writing.

Senior Pictures
The last opportunity for
seniors to take pictures that
will be included in the yearbook will be Friday, Jan. 18.
This picture session will be
a quick shoot where any seniors who have not previously taken a picture will only
take a yearbook pose.
MRC UIL Results
The journalism UIL team
participated in the MRC fall
event in November.
Junior Alanis King placed
5th in news writing and

Belton UIL Invitational

The UIL academic team
competed in the Belton Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 8.
Senior Noel Tate placed
1st in Computer Applications, while sophomore Andy
Ramirez placed 3rd.
The Journalism Team consisting of juniors Alanis King,
Andrea Mendes, Maurissa
Ramirez, Justin Sanders and
Emily Nash took home the
1st place team award.
Individually, King placed
1st in Editorial Writing and
Headline Writing. Mendes
placed 3rd in Editorial Writing and 4th in Feature Writing. Ramirez placed 3rd in
Feature Writing. Sanders
placed 2nd in News Writing and Headline Writing.
Nash placed 2nd in Feature

Writing and 3rd in Headline

Writing.
Pancake Breakfast
The Viking Color Guard
will host a pancake breakfast
on Saturday, Jan. 19 in the
Silver Cafeteria.
Contact Color Guard sponsor Marie Debellis or a member for more information.
Journalism Department
receives state recognition
The Texas School Business
magazine highlighted the
journalism program as one
of 12 initiatives honored in
the magazines Sixth Annual
Bragging Rights 2012-2013
special issue.
Bragging Rights recognizes school districts that have
implemented programs that
are bettering the lives of students, schools and communities.

Feast of Carols

Communication, culture, community created through language acquisition

Maurissa Ramirez
Staff writer
Teaching two languages is something
of a challenge, but for Anja Schwalen,
this comes naturally. Growing up
in Germany and studying abroad in
Spain, pushed her to want to teach
Spanish and German in America.
Schwalen started learning English
during school and also took a few years
of Latin and French.
My belief is, if you want to learn a
language, if you are motivated, it is doable, Schwalen said. It is important
though to not be a perfectionist, but to
experiment with the language.
Schwalen started learning Spanish
after high school in her community.

Many Germans like to take language

classes because it is customary to travel
abroad to neighboring countries and
because it is considered fun, Schwalen
said. I later decided
to major in Spanish
alongside
history.
During my college
years, I had the opportunity to spend a
year in Madrid, Spain
and attend university there.
Schwalen said that after living in
Spain for a year it improved her listening, speaking, and writing skills in
Spanish. Teaching both German and

Spanish classes this year, things can become hectic for Schwalen, but with her
teaching abilities
she has overcome
this challenge.
I have more
preps and less
space in my classroom since I have
to store all the different
materials
for both languages, Schwalen said.
Although a benefit would be that I get
to collaborate more with Mrs. Krammer.

Students
recognize
Schwalens
teaching abilities and admire her back-

ground in education.
I believe that she is an extremely
professional teacher, senior Blaine
Brezina said. Shes also a great teacher
and I admire that. Being that German
is her first language and that shes
studied abroad in Spain, and is now
teaching Spanish is very impressive.
Opening yourself up to new languages and new cultures may benefit you in
more ways than one.
Studying another language benefits
you because you get to know a different
culture and a different way of thinking, Schwalen said. I value education
a lot. I feel teaching is a good way to
share my talents with others.

getting to know Mrs. Schwalen...

Favorite Food:
Spaghetti with pesto

Favorite Movie:
Casa Blanca

Favorite Vacation Spot:

Normandy

Favorite Restaurant:
Maddens

Favorite Hobby:
Yoga

Favorite Language:
Dutch

Favorite Color:
Mauve

Favorite Sport:
Tennis

Favorite Dessert:
Chocolate mousse

Favorite Book:
The Magic Mountain
by Thomas Mann
Favorite Childhood Memory:
Playing at the beach in the Netherlands

Features - Page 3

There is an I in swimming

Self-reliance, determination, individualism prosper through sport

Alanis King
Thurstins personal drive in swimming not only
Staff writer
makes her successful in the sport, it gains her the
Swimming: a self-motivated, individual sport attention of her fellow teammates.
where ones performance is based solely on their Shes self-motivated because of how independent
mindset and work ethic. This aspect of the sport
is what makes or breaks ones success, and for
sophomore Brittany Thurstin it not only makes
her, the individualistic attitude required of
swimming carries over into other facets of her
life.
Swimming not only makes Thurstin a better
athlete, it makes her a better person, teaching
her to persevere no matter what the circumstances.
Swimming has taught me to never give up
in the face of defeat, because you might go to
practice so many days a week and you might
not get an end result of the time you wanted, Sophomore Brittany Thurstin takes the lead after a turn in
Thurstin said. But you can look back and say the 50-Freestyle event during the New Caney meet.
I did all of this and I still got somewhere. You get she is, and because shes self-motivated, it makes
to places that you wouldnt normally get if you were her a fast swimmer, swimmer Austin Ayers said.
just sitting at home on your couch.
The primary motivation Thurstin has in swimming
Though sitting at home on the couch sounds a lot is her goal of competing in college, preferably on a
more inviting, and a lot less difficult, Thurstin en- scholarship to avoid financial stress faced by many
joys the challenge swimming presents.
collegiate students. However, shes also working at
You have to push yourself, Thurstin said. You achieving more short-term goals, such as those for
cant rely on anybody else, you have to go out and her high school swimming career.
make yourself better or youre not going to reach the [Thurstins] goal right now is to make the state
goals that you want to reach.
swim meet, swim coach Gina Rodriguez said. She

has some high goals set and they are very achievable
for her. Were looking forward to Brittany having a
great year this year.
Not only is Thurstin working toward her swimming goals, she is also trying to excel academically, aided by principles swimming has taught
her.
Swimming is an individual sport, so you
dont have anyone to rely on to pick up your
slack, like teammates would in [other sports],
Thurstin said. You know how to do your own
work, you dont have to rely on others, therefore
it transfers over in your work and your schoolwork. It shows that youre independent and you
can get things done, and other people can rely
on you to carry your own weight.
Teammates on the Viking swim team see
this individuality in Thurstin as well.
Brittany is a strong individual person,
which is good for swimming because its an individual sport based on your strength and how hard you
work, fellow swimmer Sarah Cadarette said.
Perseverance, goal setting, individualism, and
athletic ability are all things that Thurstin has
gained from swimming. As she prepares for her future in swimming at the collegiate level and in life,
all of the assets she has learned from this sport will
be sure to benefit her.

Vikings make splash

Diving team returns to Bryan High

Erin Garcia
Staff writer
When the word sports comes to
mind most think of football, basketball, or baseball, but what about all
the others? Unfortunately, many
high school students dont view
sports out of that realm, but divers at
Bryan High are challenging that way
of thinking.
The diving team existed for a short
period of time in the early 2000s before Bryan High split with Rudder.
During its short time at Bryan High,
the team was composed of gymnasts
and since that sport was transferred
to Rudder, there was no one left to
man the team for Bryan.
When Coach Gina Rodriguez took
over in 2011 she began to steadily
work to expand the swimming team,
and in doing so aimed to reinstate the
diving team as well.
For one, it adds to the points for
the teams overall achievement, Rodriguez said. There are a lot of teams
that have divers.
Having been around the water for
over 35 years, Rodriguez has a passion for the sport.

I dove in high school myself, Rodriguez said. As soon as I graduated, I started swimming in a masters
program, but then I started to coach
diving and swimming with middle
school kids and then I started at a
high school level.
Given the breadth of Rodriguezs
involvement in aquatic sports, she
has developed many valuable skills.
When it comes to the proper approach for boosting her teams confidence and efficiency, she knows how
to push them to flourish not only in
the pool, but in other aspects of their
life.
What drives me to coach my best
is to help the swimmers be the best
that they can be, Rodriguez said.
Not only in diving, but challenging them with their academics and
pushing them to try harder things,
because when they try harder things
here in a safe environment, in life,
theyre able to see that they can rise
up and meet the challenge.
With every sports team, the pressures of proving skills and abilities
weighs on each member, since their
performance in the pool and the

work they put in determines their

success on the team.
The practices are what motivates me to do my best, senior
Kyle Hughes said. If I dont give it
my all, then all the hours I spent in
the pool are going to be for nothing.
Such dedication to the sport, pushes the divers to prove their abilities
for all to see.
I want people to know that we
are a fantastic diving team, sophomore Rayvon Johnson said.
Although diving is more of a
fringe sport in Texas, the Olympics
have helped it reach new popularity.
I definitely think that the Olympics has a positive effect on the reception of diving on both the local
and national levels, Hughes said.
The Olympics basically glorify all
sports and encourages youth to
try new things. Its easy to get secluded from basketball, football,
and the main sports, but hopefully
we can get a little more recognition
and involvement from the rest of
the school.

Senior Gregory Gonzalez practices a

front double while diving at the Bryan
Aquatic Center after school.

Page 4 - Clubs & Organizations

Memories captured through lens

Justin Sanders
Photography editor
In the late 1800s a peculiar type
of art was rising and slowly becoming popular among the masses. With
the invention of Brownie cameras by
Kodak in the early 1900s, photography became popular and progressive
technology has led us to modern day
DSLRs. Through cameras, pictures
capture a moment in time and gives
people the ability to create art.
Individually, photography gives
people a creative outlet, photography
teacher John Burrows said. It gives
you something creative to do where
you dont have to be skilled with a
pencil or a paintbrush. For the mass
population, it really allows them to
see creativity in a way that they can
achieve it.
Photography opens up the ability
for anyone to create anything they can
imagine, all one has to do is create and
image and produce it.
Its just my outlet that I can express
myself. I dont have to worry about
anything else that is going on in the
world when I take pictures, Senior
Caylee Davis said. The only thing going through my mind is the vision I
have for my pictures.
Photography gets introduced to
peoples lives in different ways, whether looking at a website or visiting an
art gallery.
I started an Instagram account and
I would start to see really good photographs and it inspired me to start taking some of my own, junior Landon
Hoover said.
A photograph records history and is
something that is forever there once
taken, it creates an image of what it is

like at that certain time.

It gives an honest perception of
what is actually going on in the world,
Burrows said. You can actually see
what has happened around you.
Pictures are not set to images that
you would normally see, special effects can be created and send off a
different vibe to images that only the
photographer may understand.
I like more of abstract photography, which is light painting, just stuff
that you wouldnt usually see, not just
a normal photograph of people or objects, Hoover said. Its my own vocal
expression of how I see the world. It
is my way of showing the world how I
see things.
With the accessibility of cameras to
consumers, photography is becoming
more popular among different groups
of people because it gives everyone
the chance to take a photograph and
capture a special moment. But just because its more popular, doesnt mean
the quality of the images will get better.
There is a mass influx of people who
are able to buy digital cameras and
feel that they can take great images,
Burrows said. Soon people wont be
willing to pay for professionals which
will lower the quality of images.
Photography is heading in the right
direction by being easily accessible
to the public, but the problem arises
when people have the mind-set that
its easy. Burrows says that if people
are truly serious about advancing photography as an art it needs to be done
so with actually learning how to take
good photos.
You have to know how to set the
camera because you cant let the cam-

era do all the work for you, Burrows

said. The best way to learn is taking
a photography class. There are also
books, research, and the biggest thing
is taking lots and lots of pictures.
Photography is not as simple as it
seems. Pushing the button and actually capturing the image is the easy part,
but the steps that are before and after,
really makes a good picture.
Anybody can just pick up a camera and take a picture, Burrows said.
But it takes someone capable of understanding all the settings to be able
to really make a good picture.
Photography is something that can
be carried on throughout a lifetime
and become a profession.
I became interested in photography a few years ago, and I became really fond of it, senior Austyn Degelmen said. Photography is more than
a hobby to me and someday I hope it
will be my job. Photography is where I
can create art in the way that I see it.
Photography covers a wide range
of subjects from sports to pictures of
people at an event anything can be
done with photography.
[I like to shoot] outdoor, landscapes getting away where I dont have
to worry about anything else but the
outdoors, Burrows said. For me personally, finding photography was the
moment in high school when I really
figured out who I was and what was
mine.
Davis believes photography is an art
form that allows for people to express
themselves and have the ability to create any image they choose and relate
any message to their audience.
Its just a way that I can express
myself and not feel judged, Davis

said. I have fun figuring out different

shots and angles and coming up with
new creative themes for my pictures.
It can be a cool thing to do with my
friends because I have them be my
models.
Davis has also been interested in
photography and aspired to be something better.
I have always just loved taking pictures ever since I was little. I would
see pictures in magazines and think, I
want to do that. I want people to open
a magazine and see MY pictures, Davis said. Hopefully it is going to be
my career, I am going to a photography college, I got accepted into Brooks
which is like the number one photography school.
Taking a photography based class or
just playing around with a camera are
good ways to learn the skills of photography.
I took the photography class here
last year, but then over the summer
I kind of self taught myself and just
learned all about the camera and what
looks cool and what doesnt, Hoover
said.
Photography is an art form that may
not require the skill of a paintbrush or
pen, but it is not as simple as pushing
a button. Photography skills take time
to develop, but it is something that has
the potential to make a huge impact
because everyone now has the capability to capture a moment of history
forever.
Photography is my way of expressing my views through the images I
capture, Burrows said. Anything can
be done with photography, you just
have to create it.

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Expressive perspective

Clubs & Organizations - Page 5

Art provides opportunity for freedom

Andrea Mendes
The passion that art students have for their work is what
Staff writer
keeps them going and continuing to strive to improve.
While many of us struggle to find our place in high [Inspiration strikes] super late at night, like staying
school by searching for clubs and classes that spark our up until 5 am and being so tired you want to die, but then
interest, a select few have broken free of these struggles BAM, inspiration strikes and you stay up 4 more hours
by joining the art program.
doing art, Weaver said.
The best thing about art is that it
Many young artists
can be anything that you want it to
today find themselves
be, Senior Mary Gibbs said. Anymarveling at the greatthing could be art, its all about perest artists in history
ception.
by mixing their classic
Senior Blaine Brezina said the art
influences with more
program strays from the everyday
modern artists.
fine arts programs, being as it is more
Old school names
individual, versus a team efforts seen
like Van Gogh and Miin band or choir, and Weaver agrees.
chelangelo, American
Its a lot less recognized, were
comic artists like Leinil
like the awkward kid in the family
Yu, Bryan OMalley or
of fine arts. The art kids are in their Senior Janequa Campa uses pastels to create a
Tessa Stone, and carown little corner just doing their own self-portrait during AP Art.
toonists like Natasha
thing, Senior Samantha Weaver
Allegri are fantastic,
said. Its a lot more individual, beWeaver said. People
cause youre not a team, when it comes down to it, youre whose styles I want to emulate inspire me to work harder
on your own.
to improve my own stuff.
With art being mainly an individual activity, artists As well as being influenced by famous artists, students
must be self driven and find inspiration whenever they are encouraged by their surroundings and their peers.
can. For many, its the main way they express them- [Im encouraged by] people who tell me to do art for
selves.
myself and the enjoyment of feeling rather than those
Ive never been a great verbal storyteller, Brezina who take technique as a characteristic of good art,
said. But I love art and how it tells a story, so I usually Brezina said.
try to do it through that.
These art students continue to work hard
Gibbs said art appeals to most for its emotional value and stay passionate in their
work as they aim to
and its ability to convey a message, and Brezina agrees. satisfy their expectations of
themselves, as well
I would define art as anything which was created to as providing their peers
with an expression of
show emotion or create an emotion within the viewer, themselves.
Brezina said.
I think art is most suc Brezina loves how universally art can convey emotion. cessful when it speaks to
Even if every person feels something different from a many different people, Weavpiece of art, the fact that each person feels something is er said.
great, and Weaver agrees.
I like how free form art is, that moment when you realize you dont need silly parameters to hold you down
and you just go with it, Weaver said. [You just] pick up
a brush and paint because you want to. Art is open for
interpretation to everyone.
Weaver said that art knows no boundaries, with
styles like abstract, surrealism, expressionism and
numerous others, art truly lies in the eye of the beholder.
If you have an idea or a feeling you want to portray, like ripping all the stuffing out of your pillows
and sticking them to your walls with toothpaste
and it portrays something to you, then yeah, thats
art, Weaver said. You do what feels right [for
you].
Gibbs agrees and said that there is no right and
wrong in art, which is what draws her to it. She sees it
so each person has complete control and the ability to
create whatever theywant, however they want.
It feels good to use my hands and create something
that was once just a tiny thought in my head, Gibbs said.
For most artists, inspiration may strike at any time.

Sophomore Kerra Bordieri - Prismacolors

Senior Samantha Weaver - Oil pastels

Senior Trystan Clary - India ink and

Watercolor

Page 6 - Santa Letters

Santa Letters - Page 7

s
t
n
e
pres

Page 8 - Opinions

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Scorpions falling from the sky, fire coming from the
surface of the earth, buildings and bridges collapsing,
dead animals on the streets, humans eating humans,
earthquakes every hour, tsunamis engulfing islands,
cars falling through cracks in the streets and down to
the center of the scorching earth to be burned, with
no mercy on the lives of all 6 billion people living on
this planet.
According to those crafty Mayans, the world is coming to an end before many of us have even had a taste
of life. Weve all heard of this crazy revolution, and a
few of us have already long prepared for the upcoming apocalypse. And of course, were all wondering
how the world is going to end this time.
A Christian named Harold Camping led a movement saying our Judgement Day was to be in the
1970s and again in May of 2011. Before that in 1999,
several Christians believed the Jesus would be coming again, along with dramatic tribulations because
of the new millennium. Others in 2000 thought that
the alignments of the planets would cause several
episodes of volcanoes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. Before that, there are countless other
predictions of Doomsday, and all of them, obviously,

ended up being just another day the world supposedly ended.

So how is the world going to end this time? Perhaps
it will be by natural disaster, and the sun will explode,
in which case we wouldnt even realize it for a whole
eight minutes because thats how long it takes for
light to travel. For a whole eight minutes, the earth
would still be bright and shining, and no one would
even suspect a thing. Or maybe well get hit with a
deadly epidemic, something even scarier than the
swine flu or the Spanish influenza. There would be
people in agony, dying of a torturous disease with no
cure. Who knows, maybe even the zombie apocalypse
is a possibility, the dead eating our guts
and leaving the rest of our bodies on the
ground to die a slow and painful death.
How will everyone prepare for this revelation? People may be preaching from the
sidewalks about fire and brimstone. Some
may believe that they can beat this apocalypse by storing months worth of water
and canned goods under their house in a
bunker, with all sorts of weapons to protect themselves.

Norseman Funnies
Hobbit Hipster

By: Campbell Herman

So dont bother planning out your career, picking

what college to attend, or even your grades for the
rest of the semester. On top of that, forget about that
dream house you had in mind, the beautiful family you were going to to raise, and the life you had
planned ahead of you.
Instead, plan out your bucket list for things to do
before December 21. Perhaps youve always wanted
to eat an entire 72 ounce steak by yourself? Or dye
your hair bright, eccentric, crazy colors? Maybe even
drop out of school?
Or... maybe not.

Emily Nash, 11

Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200

Its widely accepted that some sort of
punishment is required for individuals who
break a law. However, the nature of that
punishment is a source of much debate. The
most oft used form of punishment is either
a monetary fine or jail time. I think both of
these punishments serve their places, however I think the court system needs to be
much more stingy with handing out jail
time.
It may seem reasonable that people who
have broken the law shouldnt be allowed
back in public, but there are millions of
non-violent first time offenders that are
receiving food, shelter, entertainment,
clothes, and other amenities being paid for
by the government. It begins to seem like an
unreasonable enterprise. When those same
offenders who committed no greater crime
than say, possession of marijuana, or insider trading, are put in prison, what result the
government is expecting to achieve. It isnt
like those individuals were poisoning to
society, it isnt like
they posed any sort
of threat to anyone.
They just broke a
law. This is where
the prison system
becomes a problem.
Currently
the
volume of prisoners is an issue. We
simply dont have
the money or space
to keep up with the

rising amounts of non-violent inmates. Perhaps more house arrests should be issued,
or more tracking anklets. Regardless, any
solution that keeps more citizens out of that
striped uniform, is a step in the right direction.
Another facet of the justice system I
dont agree with is its claim of rehabilitation. There are numerous studies that have
proven prisoners relapse and end up back
where they started, oftentimes because of
committing a worse crime, but almost always with a repeat offense. All that time
they spend being rehabilitated in jail, in
fact made them even more likely to return.
The environment the prisoners were submitted to while in prison, instead of being
rehabilitating corrupted them even further,
to the point where returning was really the
only outcome that. While there are institutions that are meant to help newly released
prisoners, they increasingly have trouble
handling the sheer amount of freed citizens.

Davis Downey, 12

Opinions - Page 9

Google Glasses

Emerging technology pushes toward augmented reality

Augmented reality glasses sound like something
from a science fiction movie. With over a year before Google releases a prototype, Google Glasses
will be a reality. Project Glass was revealed on August 4th, 2012, and a consumer version is planned
for 2014. While this technology has many advantages there is also the potential for misuse by
Google.
Google Glasses are wearable computers with an
integrated display in the top right corner. This is
activated by looking up and to the right, initializing the display. The Glasses are hands free and can
be accessed with head movements due to a camera, or by voice commands. They are powered by
a small battery inside the frame that has a life of
about six hours, which Google hopes to increase to
an entire day. The operating system is a variation
of the Android system designed for the Glasses.
Google Glasses have many functions, they can
take videos and photos which can be uploaded and
instantly shared with friends or family, and have
the ability to video chat with others as well as being able to access the internet. Another feature is
Google Maps, which will be incorporated into the
project allowing directions on-the-go. One of the
primary functions of the glasses are information,
providing information about ones surroundings

or storing information that is wanted. For example, one would see a notification if the subway in
front of them was closed, or could store notes and
voice recordings for later use.
While Google Glasses have many interesting
features, they also have disadvantages. Although
developers do not plan to include ads, it would be
possible with such technology to send them directly to the glasses. Another negative possibility concerning Google Glasses is that it would be possible
to track where people are and what they see when
they use the glasses. Although this will probably
never happen, it is still possible and should be kept
in mind.
These glasses can also be a safety issue for a
lot of people. If worn while driving these glasses
could cause disastrous results. Look
at how many people die while driving
due to cell phones. Driving isnt the
only concern, these glasses may be
distracting so that people could get
harmed by walking into danger. For
example, if someone was video chatting and walked in front of a bus, the
distraction the glasses caused would
cost them their life.
Google Glasses are augmented

Giving back offers dual benefits

As we approach the holiday season,
we begin to see widespread food drives
and donation stands run by the Salvation Army and other organizations to
give people the opportunity to donate to
the less fortunate in the community.
Giving back is an important way of
supporting the community. Charity not
only makes the giver feel better about
themselves, but it also makes a much
larger impact on the people in need who
are receiving donations.
Whether you give gifts for families who
cant afford to buy presents for Christmas or food for those with the most urgent need, those without appreciate any
assistance from their community.
While its always good to give to those
in need during the holiday season, many
seem to forget that giving isnt restricted
to one time of the year. Many organizations like the Brazos Valley Food Bank
and the American Red Cross run fundraisers year round.
Donating to organizations that are
run nation wide, and even world wide is
another option, such as Habitat for Humanity and Samaritans Purse are both
organizations.

Even for those who cant donate by

giving money or other means, offering
services by promoting and volunteering
helps just as much as giving monetary
donations.
Volunteering at shelters like Scottys
Home or serving meals at Soup Kitchens are good ways of giving to the community.
Even performing random acts of
kindness to strangers by giving a smile,
opening a door, or just making their day
a little brighter through kindness can
greatly impact a person.
Many in need, however, feel as though
donations are a hand out and are reluctant to accept the helping hand that
comes from the community.
Fundraisers are implemented to help
those who are not able to afford food for
their families or other needs as a means
to lend a hand up instead of a hand out.
Giving to those who are under financial stress and simply cannot provide
for their families is meaningful because
who knows where you will be in the future.

- The Norseman Staff

reality glasses, providing information about surroundings as well as performing other functions
such as video chatting, providing directions,
among others. I think that these glasses are the
next step in technology because they increase integration of technology into aspects of daily life.
However, with the increase of technology into
daily life, the risks also increase as it is easier to
violate freedoms and misuse technology. I feel that
overall Google Glasses are will benefit society, yet
we should not become dependent on such technology and be watchful of the companies that create
such technology. They have not been tested on a
wide scale and it is unknown how the public will
act when they are released.

Jesse Baxter, 10

NORSEMAN

Adviser
Rebecca Dominy
Editor
Emily Nash
Emma Raleigh

Assistant Editors
Regina Flores
Andrea Mendes
Maurissa Ramirez
Yvette Ybarra
Photography Editor
Justin Sanders

Staff writers
Jesse Baxter
Davis Downey
Erin Garcia
David Gilman
Alanis King
Gabby Martinez
Leigh Ann Netka
Andy Ramirez

http://www.
bryanhighnorseman.com
http://www.twitter.com/
bhsnorseman
http://www.facebook.com/
BryanISDBryanHighNorseman

Highlight editions are published in print on the last Friday each month
The opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not reflective of the
administrators, faculty or staff of Bryan Independent School District.
Submissions to the editor are welcomed, but must be signed and should not exceed
300 words. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions in the interest of
clarity and length or to not print a letter at all. Letters containing obscene or
libelous material will not be considered.
Bryan Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex or handicap in providing education services.

Page 10 - Entertainment

Living in moment, artist mesmerizes in person

Leigh Ann Netka
Staff writer
One of the best days of my life was
when I saw my favorite artist Kid
Cudi. My best friend and I waited outside in the burning hot sun for hours
at the Cedar Park Center just to get a
glimpse of the man himself.
As we found our seats, they were
playing some of Cudis most popular
songs on the loudspeaker. The lights
began to darken and smoke started
filling the air as his opening act, Chip
Tha Ripper walked onto stage
and the crowd began to roar.
Before Chip got started, he
gave a little speech that was
just perfect for the night, he
said that everything that
was happening outside of
the arena doors didnt exist, for the night we were
just there in the moment.
Chip started off with
some good uplifting songs

that got the crowd united. Although

Chip put on a good show I was anticipating Cudis performance more than
anything. Chip said his goodbyes, and
then the wait began for Cudi.
Fifteen minutes later, Cudi finally
appeared. The only thing you could
hear were the hundreds; of screaming
fans
chanting his name.

Listening to Kid Cudi
live compared to a
recorded version is
completely different because of the
atmosphere. When
theres
thousands
of Kid Cudi fans
crammed together,
sweating and singing the lyrics in unison
there is nothing that
could compare. Its also
different because on a recorded version you dont
really see the artists manner-

isms and passion, but when live you

can feel the presence and energy as if
Kid Cudi is singing right to you.
In all honesty, I could never truly
pick a favorite Kid Cudi song, but one
of my favorites has to be Man on the
Moon. Its fast paced beats combined
with a rhythmic melody is the perfect
combination to go along with Cudis
voice. The lyrics in Man on the Moon
really speak to me because hes completely honest. He talks about how
hes different than your average person and that people doubt him and
think hes weird, but he just doesnt
care. Cudis message in the song is to
stay above the hate and just live your
life the way you want. Getting to hear
Man on the Moon live was an incredible experience because its one of Cudis older songs and he doesnt really
perform it anymore.
Another one of my favorites is Embrace the Martian. Its a fast paced
synth beat with a futuristic sound. Kid

Cudi feels that you should embrace

the weird in you. He just wants people to join him in being themselves.
A lot of his songs revolve around this
concept and thats what allows me to
connect to his music so much.
Although Cudi has a sound unlike
any other, if you like Wale, Lupe Fiasco or Common, you might enjoy Kid
Cudi too. All three of these artist have
a style thats different from your average rapper. They actually rap about
real life situations, not just drugs and
violence.
Overall the concert was just a really
good time. Not only was the audience
filled with good vibes, but we could tell
Cudi really enjoyed himself too. After
seeing Kid Cudi live I could honestly
die happy. Hes the one who sang me
to sleep during my rough times and
his music helped change my perspective on life and is part of what made
me who I am today.

American culture embraces viral video

Gangnam Style set to break one billion view mark
Andy Ramirez
Staff writer
Music is considered a universal language, a
force that is meant to bring people together in
celebration of common achievements. Then
there is the hit song Gangnam Style. Like it or
not, most have heard the trademark beat of Korean Pop single PSYs hit, and wondered what
exactly the lyrics mean.
So is this just a passing craze, or will Gangnam Style remain in popular culture for years to
come?
Gangnam Style was released on July 15, 2012,
and has since become one of the most recognizable songs of the year.
The song has since been viewed over 829 million views on YouTube, and in only four months
it has reached the number one spot in over 25
countries worldwide.
What exactly is it about this song that makes it
so widely popular? Perhaps its the catchy beat,
or funny dance moves? Whatever the reason,
Oppa Gangnam Style seems to remain a force
to be reckoned with.
At first, the song sounds like a mix of techno

with dubstep, topped off with a man speaking in

a foreign language saying things that sound
like In the summer air, Korean I dont know,
and Baby you know what I say.
Dont feel left out if the words arent easily recognizable though, since there are
only nine English words in the entire
song, dominated by the phrase
Hey, sexy lady, helping to
facilitate the spread of
the song into
The
United
States,
Great Britain, and other English speaking areas.
For some, the official music video
for Gangnam Style is what sets the
song apart from other songs. The video is a mockery of the lifestyle of the
residents of the Gangnam district of
Seoul, the Korean equivalent of Beverly Hills.
The video features PSY in what is
supposed to be the Gangnam district,

partaking in less than high class activities. From

sunbathing at a childrens playground to doing his famous invisible horse dance in
an actual horse stable, the video takes the
viewer through what is meant to be a day
in the life of someone who lives in the
Gangnam district.
It is obvious that any song that
can surpass Baby by Justin Bieber
by taking the most views in YouTube history is not going
anywhere soon.

So love it or hate
it, you might as well familiarize yourself with
the catchy beat, crazy lyrics, and hilarious dance, because Gangnam Style
wont be going anywhere.

Who knows, maybe all this success will prompt PSY to make a brand
new song we can all dance along to. After all, music is supposed to bring people
together, and isnt that what Gangnam
Style does?

Entertainment - Page 11

Tragedy ever after

Traditional fairy tales twisted, modernized to capture audience

Yvette Ybarra
Assistant editor
Once upon a time Snow White found
her prince charming and she lived happily ever after... except for when their
wedding day was interrupted by Snows
stepmother, the evil queen, and she
threatens to curse the entire land so
that shes the only one with the happy
ending.
As kids, many people were told stories
such as Cinderella,
Pinocchio, and Snow
White and the Seven
Dwarves, and each
character gets their
happy ending. But
what if someone decided none of these
stories
deserved
happiness? What if
someone is standing in their way?
ABCs Once Upon A Time is the story
of how an evil queen curses a magical
land of princesses, fairies and monsters
and sends them to our world. The series

takes place in the fictional seaside town

of Storybrooke, Maine where the mayor is the evil queen and the well-known
shop owner Mr. Gold is Rumplestiltskin. These two serve as the main
antagonists in the series as they are in
conflict constantly with the main characters. Almost everyone in the town is a
storybook character from different classic fairy tales, but
they are unaware
of it. The only
hope they have
of returning to
the magical land
is a bail bondswoman, Emma
Swan. Reunited
with her biological son, Henry,
the two use his
book of fairy tales
to reveal the key to ending the curse.
The first season brings Emma into
the town of Storybrooke to get her biological son, Henry, back home after he
tracks her down in an effort to find his

mother. But, there is more to Emmas

purpose than just reconnecting with her
son. Henry is convinced that Emma is
the daughter of Snow White and Prince
Charming in a book of fairy tales he was
given by his teacher. The crazy thing is
that he is right, though no one believes
him. Still, the last episode of this season ended with the curse breaking and
the town people were remembering everything about themselves, while wanting the queens head on a platter. During this same episode, Mr. Gold brings
magic to Storybrooke for the first time.
This show puts a dark twist on the
stories we grew up with. Each episode
focuses on one characters back story as
it goes back and forth from the characters storybook life to their life in Maine.
The audience is given insight on both of
the characters lives, helping to weave a
picture of who they really are.
I found out about this show when my
mom came home on a mission to get
to the screen before anyone else. We
watched the first episode together and
as soon as I saw that the story was more

than just fairy tales, I was glued to my

seat and my eyes were focused on the
TV as the evil queen barged into Snow
White and Prince Charmings wedding.
The second season started off with
a twist, as Emma and Snow White
were transported back to the magical
land. Charming, left in the real world,
along with Henry, is doing all he can
to get Emma and Snow back, as they
are doing their best to get back themselves. The season is about to end and
of course it will leave viewers on a cliffhanger, as usual. Though I am not looking forward to that, the commercial for
the last episode has got me pumped for
another season of amazing stories and
crazy twists. One thing I know for sure
is that in any fairy tale, there is always a
happy ending so even though this ending is most likely no different, it has me
no less excited for the third season.
So forget the stories you thought you
knew. They are nothing compared to
the stories you will hear on Once Upon
A Time.

The Heist captures audience with originality

David Gilman
Staff writer
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis The
Heist is a collection of previously released singles and new songs by the
independent rapper-producer duo, and
their first album to attain mainstream
success. The album benefits from a
strong ensemble of guest musicians,
catchy hip-hop beats, and a diverse selection of emotional themes, running
the gamut from the humorous Thrift
Shop to the political Same Love.
Anyone who loves rappers with a
message beyond violence and drugs,
such as Immortal Technique or
Scroobius Pip will enjoy Macklemores
unique take on intellectual rap: smart,
well written lyrics that manage to escape conformism and occasionally
even attain lightheartedness.
Fans of Macklemores previous work,
such as the single Otherside, will already be familiar with Macklemores
life, such as his recovery from drug
addiction and his love for his hometown of Seattle. The theme of his song
Neon Cathedral is recovery, where he
compares his alcoholism to religion. In
Starting Over he talks about relapse
and how he feels he is a false idol for
overcoming addiction due to his per-

sonal demons. This somber attitude

adds weight to the album without
weighing it down or feeling preachy.
BomBom is a brief instrumental
interlude set in the middle of the album that serves as a counterpart to the
heavy lyricism of songs like
Jimmy Iovine, a fierce,
modern sounding track that
cleverly highlights Macklemores strong feelings
about being an independent
artist.
Some songs are personal
and biographical without
merely orbiting around
drugs or alcohol, something
many song writers cant accomplish without sounding whiny or contrived. The
opener, Ten Thousand
Hours discusses the idea
that it takes ten thousand
hours of work to master
anything, and Macklemores journey to
reach that point. Cleverly following it is
Cant Hold Us, a powerful and catchy
wake-up song reminiscent of youth
without being blatant. Make the Money continues with the personal theme
by allowing Macklemore to rap about
his views on hip-hop and consumer-

ism, and how his real reason for rapping is his love of the art, not shallow
materialism.
Continuing the consumerism and biographical themes is Wing$, a story
with a moral about Macklemores expe-

rience as a boy with an expensive pair

of Nike basketball shoes and how they
colored his view of materialism for the
rest of his life. This song is a powerful
statement flawlessly mixed with excellent production and a well-related
story.
The Heist is a deeply personal album,

often tinged with seriousness, but never saturated with it, as shown with the
most successful Macklemore single to
date, Thrift Shop, an upbeat, poppy,
tongue-in-cheek song which consists of
Macklemore bragging about his love of
eccentric, cheap, Goodwill clothing. Hidden
within the humorous
song is a message about
the silliness of a consumer driven culture,
but still manages to be
tasteful.

The closing track,
Cowboy Boots, manages to artfully encompass
several
of
Macklemores favorite
subjects: Seattle, his
life, and alcohol in an
excellent track about a
summer in his younger
days. This song does an
excellent job of showing Macklemores
weariness, but it doesnt seem that of
an irony-wracked hipster, but that of a
man with convictions; and that is the
real strength of The Heist: its ability to
speak real, personal truths without being weighed down by them.

Page 12 - End of Semester Information

Semester Exam Schedule

Study Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Final exams are approaching which means long

nights of studying and frazzled behavior. As students we tend to procrastinate on every assignment
and finals are definitely no exception. At the end
of the semester studying is the last thing we want
to do, and the cooler weather and Christmas music
playing in the hallways doesnt help. This semester,
challenge yourself to remain focused until the final
bell rings on December 21st.
The first and most essential part of tackling finals
is organization. Keeping a planner during the most
hectic time of the year will ensure you memorize
every verb conjugation and have derivatives down.
This is only the first step of finishing the first semester with success. Heres a list of tips to help you
get through the week without too much stress.

WolframAlpha - This website provides help on

math & science including graphs & equations.

Sparknotes - This app and website give book

summaries, videos, and provides clarity.

Dos:
-Take breaks every hour or so; eat a snack or take a walk
outside
-Separate yourself from distractions and study in a quiet,
clean space. Make sure where you work is comfortable, and
conducive to studying and concentrating.
-Listen to music that helps you feel focused. Sometimes
loud, upbeat only serves to distract you, but do what works
for you.
-Keep a glass of water by your side, you need to stay hydrated and keep your mind awake.
Donts:
-Dont check your phone for Twitter or Facebook updates,
or texts from your friends. These are distractions!
-Dont eat Cheetos or other messy foods while you study.
The last thing you want on your review sheet is orange
stains.
-This should go without saying, but dont fall asleep. Taking
naps between studying keeps you from focusing.
-Dont freak out. Just breathe, finals will be over soon!

Evernote - This app

lets you organize activities, lists, recordings, and photos.

Khan Academy This website gives

helpful tips and
tricks for all academic areas.

iTranslate - This
app gives translations for all languages offered at
school as welll as
others.