Volume 3 Issue 4

Happy 2015 Rangers!

Index
News
News In Brief...pg.5
Orchestra and band prepare for concert...pg.5
Fall Exam Schedule....pg. 6
Moving students around...pg.6
Changing Course Deadlines...pg.6
Lifestyles
Celebrate New Years around the
world....pg. 7
How to win the ugly sweater contest...pg.7
Decorate for Christmas yourself...
pg. 8
Winter specials Starbucks addicts will
love...pg.8
Satisfy your sweet tooth...pg. 9
How to spread holiday love on a
budget...pg.9
Great things to look back on in

Volume 3 Issue 4

2014....pg. 10
Learn the art of gift giving...pg. 10
Features
Nintendo rises from failure...pg. 11
Fear of ebola varies....pg. 11
Looking back on the holidays...pg.12
Travel makes the winter holidays...pg.12
Church faces problems with optimism...
pg.13
Dutta makes senior memories...pg.13
Perspectives
How business stole the holidays...pg.16
How business promotes the holidays...
pg.17
Publication Policy
The Round Up, a feature magazine published by the students in Clements High
Schools Magazine Journalism class, is a
designated forum for student expression.
The Round Up is distibuted to its readers
and the student body at no cost.

Your ad
could
go
here!

Sports
NCAFF prepares its first playoffs...pg.
14
Americas team rides back to town....
pg. 14
Comedian Connor talks aspirations...
pg. 15
Clements forward runs through school...
pg.15
Voices
What is your number one gift choice?...
pg. 18
What is your New Years resolution?...
pg.18
Humans of Clements: Whats your most
memorable memory?...pg. 19

From the Editors desk

Future out of reach, present touching fingertips

By SAMANTHA JREIJ
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Recently, for my birthday, someone
who knows me very well gave me
a birthday gift that fit me, but more
interestingly, that made me think.
The gift is called a Buddha Board
Mini. Basically it is just a special
type of paper propped up on a canvas.
It comes with a brush that you dip in
water and paint onto the canvas. All
of this seems relatively plain jane,
but theres a catch. The masterpiece
that you create disappears after about

thirty seconds
Now this may seem really silly to
you, but the Buddha Board Mini is
not just something hopeless artists
and art enthusiasts hoard in their
homes among other such trinkets. It
has a message.
Buddha Board Mini is inspired by the
Zen idea of living in the moment. It
is meant to teach you to master the art
of letting go, of living in the moment.
For example, one of the symbols
drawn as an example is Enso. Enso
infinite art gently encourages you to
value the here-and-now. Enso comes
from the Japanese word circle and
is a simple, single brushstroke that
represents infinity and the flow of
life. It is an artistic expression of the
moment.
This thoughtful gift made me
think about living in the moment. I
sometimes think too much and make
myself anxious, usually about the
future. The future scares me, which

I know is clich, and maybe even a

little cowardly. The unknown scares
humans, we like to know what is
going to happen to us; it makes us
feel safe. A lot of things in life are not
just terrifying but difficult; thinking
too much can usually be traumatic.
Sometimes when our minds and
thoughts are not in the moment, the
emotions of the moment pass us by,
they leave us and we are left wishing
we had been able to experience all of
those moments, but more importantly,
we are left wishing we had been all
there to experience all of the emotions
behind the moments.
I am a strong believer in feeling
every emotion we are meant to feel.
To think about the future and the
fearful emotions that come with it,
instead of the emotions of the present,
seems a waste to me. We cannot
touch the future; it is and always will
be out of our grasp, but the present is
touching our palms right now.

Tea brings unknown health benefits

BY LAURYN MERRIETT
Co Editor in Chief
Tea is widely used in many different
cultures for many different things. I for
one, love tea and what I am about to
share with you is some things of which I
was unaware. For all you tea lovers, here
are some more things to adore about one
of the worlds favorite drinks.
1) Green tea is helpful in interfering
with the growth of breast, lung, stomach,
and pancreatic cancer. It also can prevent
the clogging of arteries, burn fat, and
reduce the risk of neurological disorders.
2) Black tea, though it has the highest
caffeine content, can protect the lungs
from damage caused by cigarette smoke
and also can reduce risk of stroke.
3) White tea has the most potent
anticancer properties compared to other
teas. It is uncured and unfermented, so

it is really nice if you want something a

bit lighter.
4) Oolong teas antioxidants can lower
cholesterol and is claimed to also help
with weight loss.
5) Chamomile tea, widely known as
being a very calming tea, also helps
prevent loss of vision as well as nerve
and kidney damage. It can also stunt the
growth of cancer cells.
6) Hibiscus tea when consumed three
times a day can lower blood pressure.
7) Rooibos tea has cancer-fighting
properties
8) Instant tea is very popular and most
easily available, but it may contain very
little actual tea and is mostly just sugar
and artificial sweeteners. During the
process to make instant tea, 90 percent of
the antioxidants that make tea so healthy

is lost. If you would like to benefit

from the qualities listed above, I would
recommend loose tea.
Especially with this being the new year
and everyone promising to be healthier,
hopefully, these facts will help you keep
resolutions in a fun and tasty way.

NEWS

Stars sparkle for competition

By ALY BOBO
Ads Editor
The Stars Dance Team, under the
direction of Michelle Barth, has won
numerous awards and gained lots of
recognition in the recent years. They
work hard year round with their football
season in the fall, their contest season in
the winter and spring, and close the year
with their Spring Show in May. With
the football season over, for the past
couple of months they are working hard
on learning and perfecting the routines
they will perform for judges and against
schools all over the greater Houston area.
The routines they will compete
with include two pieces by outside
choreographers and three ensembles
by the teams dance officers. The
officers are Colonel Danielle Torrey,
Lieutenant Colonel Michelle Liang,

and Junior Captain Melina Westerlind.

I think the team is doing great so far. We
have come such a long way since August
and I am looking forward to winning at
contest with all my friends, said Liang.
I hope we perform to the best of our ability
in all of our dances, continue to grow as
a team and make memories to last. And
of course win our division, said Torrey.
The Stars first team wide contest
is Wednesday, January 28.
This
competition, Fort Bend Dance Classic,
is a preliminary contest for all the Fort
Bend schools to compete at in order to get
started back with the intensity of contests.
This event is at Hopson Field House and
there the team hopes to have a great start
to their winter and spring dance season.
On February 12, the Stars have a
contest sneak peak before their area
wide contests begin the following

weekend. This sneak peak is held at

Clements in the Girls Gym and other
students are encouraged to attend to
see what they have been working on.
The Stars second team wide and first
area contest is the American Dance and
Drill Team Houston Coastal Sr. Dance
Classic at Morton Ranch High School.
This is the Stars first large contest, and
they have high hopes for themselves.
The second and final contest of the
season for the Stars is the MA Dance
Nation High School Showdown at
Katy Taylor High School. Barth said
that this can be one of their hardest
contests, but she knows they can do well.
Finishing out the school year is the
Stars Spring Show on Friday, May 1
and Saturday, May 2. This is a huge
fundraiser for the team, and they
have the opportunity to show off their

photo by Jaime Rodriguez

Talents rise to fame

By JAIDA SWANSON
Reporter
The annual Clements Idol talent
contest is set for Friday, Feb. 20 in the
auditorium at 7 p.m. Clements Idol is
an annual tradition started over a decade
ago. is loosely based on American Idol.
The difference between the two however,
is instead of having a set amount of
judges, the audience votes for the winner.
The tickets are for 5 dollars and anyone
who attends gets to vote. It is open to the
general public. The auditions are held in
December and the CTV producers pick
ten acts to compete against each other.
Clements Idol is the Sistine Chapel
of high school talent shows. Its a classy,
yet playful experience worth much more
than the five dollar admission fee,
said Reilly Lenechek, CTV producer.
Clements Idol was created by the CTV
producers to raise fund for equipment
for their broadcast station. The talent

show accepts all sorts of acts as long as

they are school appropriate. Performers
of all types participate in Clements
Idol, such as: musicians, singers,
dancers, martial artists, and once there
was even a winning hand flute player.
There are requirements for the acts;

By EVELYN LAZARIS
Lifestyles Editor
Cell phones have become a huge part
of the modern world. We rely on them to
do even the simplest of things and they
control the entirety of our social lives.
We are always thinking about our new
status update or Instagram post, but have
we ever stopped to think about the risks
we are taking in picking up the phone?
As human beings concerned about our
physical health, we must ask ourselves,
Is cell phone usage dangerous?
Although many believe this to be a myth,
the idea that cell phones can produce
cancerous radiation holds some truth to
it. Radiation is a constant threat with
todays technologies. Walking through
even a kitchen can give a person reasons
to be cautious. In reality, cell phones have
just as much of an effect on our health
as microwaves do. Radiation should be
monitored based on the level of exposure
rather than what is producing it. Thus,

we should not fear cell phones any more

than we should fear common household
appliances. A person who is constantly
on the phone and places their phone
close to and on their skin is more
likely to get cancer.
The same,
however, goes for someone who
stands in front of a microwave all day.
Where a person stores a cell phone is
crucial. Because of the constant radiation
emitted from cell phones, it is important
that the phone is not placed somewhere
that may be considered vulnerable. Many
people put their phones in their pockets
or on their belts. This can have serious
effects on relatively sensitive organs such
as the kidneys and liver in this area. There
are also theories about cell phones role
in breast cancer. Similarly to the storage
of a cell phone, talking on the phone can
also produce a few undesirable effects.
Tumors in glands of the cheek are said
to be caused by pressing a cell phone
to the side of ones face while talking.

photo by Jaime Rodriguez

they have to have appropriate lyrics,

language, and dress in their performance.
The acts there will be introduced by
guest presenters who are seniors from
various clubs and organizations. The
voting process provides the audience
with a ballot to vote for their favorite
entertainer. The CTV staff counts votes
and announces the winner the same night.
It certainly is going to be an excellent
example of a talent show this year. I
feel it in my heart. Come out and see
some great acts, and my band Oddities
plays while you vote, said Lane
Glasscock, senior and CTV producer.
I hope a lot of people come, because
its great fun, and I am always amazed
at the amount of talent our school
has, said Linda Carroll, CTV sponsor.
The winner of Clements Idol along
with second and third place will receive
trophies. The winner however, gets the
bragging rights as the idol of Clements.

Killer effects of cell phones

While there are many ideas and studies

on the dangers of cell phone usage, there
is no strong evidence that cell phones
can truly cause cancer. There are many
possibilities and ways in our radiationfilled world in which a person can acquire
cancer, and we should jump to conclusions
with cell phones. On the other hand, as
a society, we have become too dependent
on technology and need to step back and
realize that talking and texting on cell
phones is not always beneficial to us.
photo by Jaime Rodriguez

LIFESTYLES
How to make the most out of 2015

By ALY BOBO
Ads Editor
With 2014 officially over and 2015 having just begun, the traditions of ringing in
the New Year are at their peak. Everyone
seems to make New Years resolutions
but breaking your habits is a hard task to
accomplish. Instead of a complete self
reversal to better yourself this New Year,
here are five ways to better your year.
1- Say goodbye to solidarity and hello
to the outside world. 2014 was the year

of technology and who is to say 2015 will

not be either but getting out of the house
more is a sure way to make this year more
enjoyable. Putting down the cell phones,
laptops, and tablets that are enjoyed so
much and exploring what is around will
set you up for a great start this New Year.
2- Pick up a good book. Reading is
relaxing, promotes your vocabulary,
and is a great way to pass the time.
2015 also has some great books coming out, so the list of choices is endless.
3- Get hooked on a new series. There
is nothing better than falling in love with
the characters of a TV show, and what is
a new year without a new addicting series to dig into. Whether a new one is
starting or an old one catches your interest there are plenty of grabbing TV
show s to hook you until the very end.
4- Explore your city. Sugar Land
and Houston are home to so many hid-

den gems that many do not even know

about.
From restaurants like The
Hobbit Caf to quirky and cool structures like the Before I Die Wall
in the Heights, there is a place to go
every weekend of this New Year.
5- Try new things. Whether you are
a picky eater or a play-it-safe kind of
person, 2015 is the perfect year to experience all you have missed out on.
Trying the calamari at your favorite
restaurant or riding the roller coaster at
Kemah are things that are impossible
to regret. New experiences go hand in
hand with the New Year and are a ticket
into happiness as this year progresses.
Changes are almost impossible to make
but simple choices are not. If resolutions
are not working for you in your journey to make the New Year the best year,
try these ideas that will create the same
positive outcome with half the work.

Prepare for winter with a delicious recipe

By LISA NINAN
Ads Editor
Want to start off the new year right
with the perfect holiday treat? Here is
an easy recipe on how to make chocolate caramel cookie bars for your friends
and family. This recipe is good for up
to 16 bars. This was based on a recipe
found on marthastewart.com.
Ingredients:
For the Crust:

4 1/2 ounces (9 tablespoons)
unsalted butter, room temperature, plus
more for parchment

1/4 cup packed light-brown
sugar

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon table salt
For the Chocolate Caramel:

10 1/2 ounces milk chocolate,

chopped (2 cups)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon sea salt

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make the crust: Line a 9-inch square
baking pan with parchment, leaving an
overhang on all sides; butter parchment,
excluding overhang. Beat butter and
brown sugar on medium speed until pale
and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour
and table salt, and beat until just combined.

Step 2: Press dough evenly into pan,

and bake until lightly browned, about 30
minutes.
Step 3: Make the chocolate caramel:
Place chocolate in a medium bowl.
Heat granulated sugar and water in a
small saucepan over medium-high heat,
washing sides of pan with a wet pastry
brush to prevent sugar crystals from
forming, until amber, 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove from heat. Add butter, cream,
and table salt. Bring to a boil, stirring
until smooth. Pour over chocolate. Let
stand for 2 minutes. Stir to combine, and
let stand until cool, about 10 minutes.
Step 4: Pour mixture over crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight. Run
a knife around edges; lift parchment to
remove whole bar from pan. Sprinkle
with sea salt. Trim edges, and cut into
16 bars.

Books released in 2015

By LISA NINAN
Ads Editor
For all the book lovers, there are many
options to look forward to this year.
From action packed thrillers to romantic tragedies, it is all coming up in the
upcoming year. Here is a sneak peak
for top 5 cant-wait books for 2015.
1) Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4)
by Marissa Meyer- This book is part of
a series that follows a life of Queen Levanas stepdaughter. Winter decided to
never use her lunar gift, so she has not
used her Lunar glamour since she was
twelve. But when a lunar chooses not to
use their gift, it slowly starts to drive them
crazy, so Winter is afflicted with bad hallucinations, and as the book goes on, her
mental state starts to slowly deteriorate.
2) Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare-Its been five
years since the events of the Mortal Instruments when Nephilim stood poised on

the brink of oblivion and Shadow hunter

Emma Carstairs lost her parents. After
the blood and violence she witnessed as a
child, Emma has dedicated her life to discovering exactly what it was that killed
her parents and getting her revenge.
3)The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6) by
Richelle Mead-The Ruby Circle is the
sixth and last book in Richelle Meads
Bloodlines Series that follows the life
of Sydney and how she risks everything
to hunt down a deadly former nemesis.
Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed
in a puzzle that could hold the key to a
shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret
that could shake the entire Moroi world.
4)End of Days (Penryn & the End
of Days #3) by Susan Ee-The final
book in Penryn and the End of Days
series is about 17-Year-old Penryn
Young, her schizophrenic mother, and

7-year-old sister Paige struggle to survive in their destroyed city, with the
threat of street gangs and angels. The
book ends with Penryn seeing Raffe
fly away. She slowly starts to thaw
out and feels proud of being a human.
5)The Heir (The Selection #4) by Kiera
Cass-Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince
Maxons heart. Now the time has come
for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection
of her own. Eadlyn does not expect her
Selection to be anything like her parents fairy-tale love story. But as the
competition begins, she may discover
that finding her own happily ever after is
not as impossible as she always thought.
With a new year starting soon, it is
the perfect time to check out these
fun-filled books, and hopefully, everyone can look forward for a sequel.

Movies arriving in the new year

By JAIDA SWANSON
Reporter
A
new year equals new movies. Even though there will be many,
here are just a few of the movies that will be debuting this year.
Insurgent: This is the sequel to Divergent. If you loved the first movie then
you will probably love the second one
even more. Beatrice Prior has to continue her fight against her society and
in the meantime figure out more about
who she is. Its expected release date
is March 20, 2015. It is not yet rated.
Mockingjay Part 2: Hunger Games
fans will have to wait exactly a year
for the end of Mockingjay. It comes
out November 20, 2014. The outcome of Katniss and the rebellion is
365 days away. It is not yet rated.
Minions: Everyones favorite little
minions from Despicable Me finally
have their own spotlight. It tells the story
of how they came to be the way they are
and how they served their evil masters.
This movie comes out July 10, 2015.
Fifty Shades of Grey: The interesting story of Christian Grey and Anas-

tasia Steele and their unique love story. This special movie is rated R and
will be released February 13, 2014
Pitch Perfect 2: The Bellas are back for
the second installment of the comedy and
musical that is Pitch perfect. Fat Amy and
Beca are in their senior year at college.
Movie will be released March 15, 2015.

Hotel Transylvania 2: Dracula and

his daughter are returning to theaters
for a sequel. The plot is unknown but
it does come out September 25, 2015.

Ted 2: The second installment of

the comical bear created by Seth McFarlane is back for a sequel. This
film is not yet rated but will be arriving in theaters June 26, 2015.
Pan: In this movie, we get to find
out the true story of Peter Pan and his
adventures in Neverland. This movie will be about his journey in the fun
yet dangerous place and how he finds
his destiny. The film is not yet rated and will come out June 26, 2015.
Tommorowland: Movie with George
Clooney and Britt Robinson who explore Tommorowland, a place between
space and time. This movie is science
fiction, and comes out May 22, 2015.
Cinderella: We have yet another installment of this classic. The father dies and
the princess is left to her cruel stepmother. She is invited to the ball but she cannot go. The fairy godmother helps her.
This movie comes out March 13, 2015
Taken 3: In this movie, Liam Neesons wife is murdered, and he is blamed
for the crime. Now he has tofind the
real killers. This film is not yet rated
and will come out on January 9, 2015.

2015 brings fresh new music

By HAANIYA DAWOODALLY
Copy Editor
With a new year comes a blank slate,
a fresh new start. That means new additions pop culture is expected. Along
with movies and books comes new music. From bands releasing their first album to comebacks from legends a lot

of new music will be coming in 2015.

The New Year is set to kick off with
Rixtons Let the Road featuring Me
and My Broken Heart and Wait on Me
in January. Rixton made their first US
debut on March 18 with Me and My
Broken Heart and have continued to
achieve many accomplishments there on.
In February, AJR, a three brother band, will be releasing Living Room after a bit of delay.
Ellie Goulding, Christina Aguilera, Demi Lovato, and Blink 182
have also announced that they will
be releasing their albums in 2015.
Along with this fresh music comes
tour dates. Each are a chance to enjoy
live music ranging from Indie Rock to
EDM to Country. Here are some artists

that plan to come to Houston in 2015.

Kongos (January 31, 2015)
Chris Brown and Trey Songz (February
7, 2015)
Maroon 5 (February 17, 2015)
Pierce the Veil and Sleeping with Sirens
(February 28, 2015)
Lana Del Rey (May 7, 2015)
5 Seconds of Summer (August 8,2015)
So far, 2015 looks like a year filled with
much-welcomed music and concerts for
everyone to enjoy.

Who will win the Hunger Games?

By EVELYN LAZARIS
Lifestyles Editor
Twelve famous celebrities are put into
the arena. Who will be the last ones
standing? You decided. 270 Clements
students were asked in a random survey to
choose one boy and girl celebrity whom
they thought would come out on top in
the Hunger Games. Here are the results:

10

Features
Anticipation rises for 2015

photo by http://zelda.com/majoras-mask/
By WILL HERNANDEZ
Reporter
With 2014 behind us, millions of gamers
have been looking to what is ahead. The
PS3/Xbox 360/Wii generation is mostly in the past. Although, a few games
here and there are still being developed
for them. But 2015 is an important year
for many, as the PS4, Xbox One, and Wii
Us capabilities will be fully explored,
both visually and gameplay-wise. Here
are three games that have people in a
frenzy. All are set to come out this year:
It is safe to say that after Nintendos
11/5/14 Nintendo Direct, The Legend of
Zelda: Majoras Mask 3D is everyones
most anticipated game of this year, at
least for Nintendo fans. The reaction it
got all over the games industry and media is evident of that. Majoras Mask
was originally released on the Nintendo
64 during the consoles late stages. Being overshadowed by the PS2s release,
most never got to experience Majoras
Mask as they did with its predecessor,
Ocarina of Time. It also did not help its
case that it was not an Ocarina of Time
clone. Nintendo went for a tone that
was dark, creepy, and just straight-up

different from every prior Zelda release.

Since then, it has gone on to garner a
huge fanbase, some even citing the ever
so eerie game as their favorite Zelda...
ever. Following the release of Ocarina of Time 3D, Zelda fans wanted the
same new-school treatment that fan-favorite Ocarina of Time got. Fans even
went as far as to start a petition asking
Nintendo to make a Majoras Mask 3D,
called Operation Moonfall. After three
long years of begging, and easter eggs by
Nintendo, Majora's Mask 3D was finally announced for a Spring 2015 release.
The fun picks back up this summer.
Batman fans around the world rejoiced
when Rocksteady Studios announced the
sequel to the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham City. Batman: Arkham
Knight -- exclusive to PS4 and Xbox
One -- picks up one year after the events
of Arkham City. Batman is back to
take on his final adventure in the Rocksteadys original universe. The Arkham
franchise, dating back to Arkham Asylum, has been consistently praised for
its free-flowing, responsive, and exciting combat. With the power of PS4 and
Xbox One, Rocksteady has said that

theyll push Arkham Knight to its limits, continuing to define what a Batman
game should be. After getting hit with a
huge delay, Batman: Arkham Knight will
smash its way into stores on June 2nd.
And to cap-off the list, it is only appropriate to mention Naughty Dogs newest
game. The fourth game in the Uncharted
franchise, Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End.
Naughty Dog launched their way into
gamings rear-view mirror with the PlayStation smash-hit trilogy, Crash Bandicoot. Since, they have gone to make the
Jak & Daxter trilogy, the Uncharted trilogy, and latest release, The Last of Us.
Many regard Naughty Dog as the best
developer in the mix. Among them being Colin Moriarty of IGN (the biggest
video-game-dedicated website). Like
Arkham Knight, A Thiefs End is set to
end Uncharteds legacy. Uncharted is a
third-person shooter, action-adventure,
puzzle, platform game. Previous releases, such as Uncharted 2, have amazed
critics and fans for telling an impressive movie-like story, while not kicking gameplay to the curb, but embracing it as well. Uncharted 4: A Thiefs
End currently has a 2015 release date.

11

Noorani juggles activities

By ZAHRA KHERAJ
Perspectives Editors
Alishan Noorani could be a circus
star, considering his juggling talents.
Noorani stays active in his community
both in and out of school as a member
of Red Cross, debate, Science NHS,
and NHS. He is also an intern at Houston Methodist Research Institute at the
Nano and Regenerative medicine labs,
researching ways to prevent breast cancer from spreading to metastasis sites.
Being involved in so much
can make it difficult to keep up.
With all the clubs, extracurricular activities, AP classes, and leadership outside of school, its hard to manage my
time and still do well, said Noorani.
Nooranis dedication has helped him become who he is over these past four years.
Ive gone from being shy and quiet
to more outgoing and open, Ive come

photo by Jaime Rodriguez

to learn that grades dont define you as
much as what you do, said Noorani.
Noorani shows his true
self
through
his
actions.
Whenever I can, I love helping those
who are in need of it, said Noorani.
Noorani spends a lot of his free time volunteering, especially at his religious center.

Aside from school and volunteering, Noorani plays the guitar and
basketball as well in his free time.
My most passionate hobby is napping. Some people may argue its not
a hobby, but napping is what I do in
my free time, and I believe a hobby is
characterized as what someone does for
fun in their free time, said Noorani.
Noorani has a bright future ahead of
him. While having an internship at the
Research Institute, biomedicine is just a
passion of his in the fight against cancer.
He hopes to go to either Rice or Columbia University to pursue his career focus.
I hope to get a job in the computer
science field in Houston, said Noorani.
Noorani is sure to succeed as
he continues to pursue his interests with a positive mindset.

Chang sets sights sky high

By ZAHRA KHERAJ
Perspectives Editor
Michelle Chang has her sights set. As
member of PALS, debate, National Honor
Society, Interact, and Students for Christ,
photo by Jaime Rodriguez

Chang has stayed busy to make the most

out of high school by giving back to others
as well as excelling in her own interests.
Academics and extracurricular activities
can make it hard to maintain a social life,

but Chang succeeds in balancing it all.

Im the type of person that if Im
really passionate about something,
Ill make time for it no matter what, I
try to space out everything Im doing
and plan ahead of time, said Chang.
She devotes much of her time
to giving back to the community
through PALS and volunteer work.
Just to be a part of PALS is something that
I am honestly grateful for, said Chang.
Through the organization, she
works with special needs children as
well as elementary school students.
Playing games and seeing a smile on
their faces is one of the most rewarding feelings in the world, said Chang.
The term Work hard, play hard
applies to her.
Whenever
things
get difficult, she keeps her
head
held high and pushes through.
The hardest part of high school

was managing my time well, but I

stay motivated by concentrating on
my goals and thinking about my parents, I hope to one day give them all
the finer things in life, said Chang.
Chang also has advice to
give
to
underclassmen.
Take classes and clubs that you actually have interest in. Dont do it because it looks good on college apps,
also, stay humble and stay motivated
because high school will be much more
enjoyable that way. Stay concentrated in
the beginning to the end and know that
whatever struggle youre going through,
you will get through it, said Chang,
After her memorable four years in
high school, Chang plans on majoring in
chemical engineering at UT Austin. She
may be leaving the city, but Chang plans
to continue giving back to the community as well as make her and others happy.

Yoga benefits the body

By SAMEEN SIDDIQUI
News Editor
When people ponder about yoga, they
probably imagine random poses that do not
actually benefit the human body. On the
contrary, yoga is a beneficial exercise that
helps with flexibility, strength, posture,
stress related problems and much more.
Dispelling myths about yoga must
begin at the beginning. It dates back to
the fifth century Indian tradition that
helped to relieve the mind and body
spirit.
Even though it requires an
abundance of patience, the poses help
to stretch out all tight muscles that are
the building blocks to feeling less stiff
and tired during the course of each day.
Many people believe that yoga does
not help improve muscle tone, but this
is not the case. Certain styles, such as
power yoga, can become very physical
with poses like upward dog, downward
dog and plank pose. It is also useful for
those that are in need of a better posture. The different poses that are used

in yoga build up strong core muscles

that make people sit up straight. When
people are feeling very stressed out from
work, school, tests, sports, and other daily chores, yoga is the go to answer for
a more relaxed state of mind and body.
Another way that it helps to relax the
photo by Jaime Rodriguez

mind and body is that certain styles of

yoga help people to maintain a consistent breathing pattern. It also lowers
blood pressure and helps people to have
a slow heart rate. Having a slow heart
rate is beneficial for people with high
blood pressure, heart disease or people who have had a stroke in their life.

There are many types of yoga such

as Bikram and Jivamukti. Some types
of yoga may be easy, but Bikram yoga
is very arduous. It is when people do
a variety of poses in a sauna-like room,
and it is mainly used for losing weight
and building stamina. At first, Bikram
may seem like a worthless task that is
too difficult and impossible, but with the
proper motivation, it can help anyone
tremendously. Jivamukti is an invigorating type of yoga that includes five
different types of tenets such as, Shastra, Bhakti, Ahimsa, Nada, and Dhyana that each has their own style. This
type of yoga is used all over the world
and is very beneficial to the soul as well.
Yoga is a practice for both the mental and
physical health. Unlike many peoples
thoughts about the practice, yoga is quite
physically arduous, and anybody who is
interested in the practice can start with
little difficulty. There are many yoga studios in Sugar Land, so interested people
do not have to look far to explore yoga.

Study for success

By PATRICIA ANNE MANZINARES
Voices Editor
Some students have trouble when
it comes to studying for tests, quizzes or just reviewing for their classes.
Here are some ways to try
and help improve study abilities.
One way that may help is chewing a
different flavored gum while studying and chewing the same flavor of
gum before taking a test or a quiz.
It is supposed to reinforce memory.
Another way is while reading a book
relevant to the test or just skimming
through previous notes from a class, jot
down points on an index card. Also, it
might be a great help if notes are written
using different colored pens. Color-coding is supposed to be a memory aid.
As for people who do not have trouble multi-tasking, listening to music while studying can be an absolute

help. However, avoid listening to rock

or music genres that could cause distraction, because it will definitely take
attention away from studying, especially if reading is the task assigned.
Before the beginning of every math test,
it is best to write down the formulas first.
Discipline is important. Students tend
to be on their phone or their devices most
of the time, either playing games, talking
to friends, or going on social media. Students must know their responsibilities or
discipline themselves by learning to put
down their phones and study. It is also
about learning how to manage time wisely.
The one common thing that students tend to do, when given a project
or review a few days or weeks before a
test/exam, is they tend to wait until the
last minute to do their reviews. It is a
common mistake that does not help,
because there may be more than the

expected tests scheduled on the same

day. Secondly, there is not enough time
to review every note the day before a
test. Finally, do reviews beforehand so
the teacher can be asked for clarifications if there is a question or confusion.
In short, nothing beats self-discipline
and concentration when studying for tests.
The results will surely be a great reward.

13

SPORTS
Sports Editor predicts Super Bowl XLIX
By SANTIAGO DIAZ-ARAUZO
Sports Editor
The most exciting game of the year
creeps upon us. Two teams clash to hold
that sterling, silver trophy we call the
Vince Lombardi trophy and be claimed
World Champions.
Super Bowl
XLIX arrives, and it will be held on
February 1 at The University of Phoenix
stadium in Glendale, Arizona, home of
the Arizona Cardinals. Most experts
believe that the two most likely teams
will be the Denver Broncos from the
AFC vs. the NFC Green Bay Packers.
Teams such as the New York Giants,
Tennessee Titans, and the New York Jets
are out of the picture completely and look to
rise up next year. Five teams from the NFC
that have a chance to be crowned include:
Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers,

Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks,

and the Detroit Lions. In contrast, for the
AFC, five teams who hope to compete for
the crown include: New England Patriots,
Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals,
Indianapolis Colts, and the San Diego
Chargers. The hardest question remains
still, who will win the Super Bowl?
The most favored AFC Championship
game could be a battle between two
powerhouse teams, The Denver Broncos
vs. The New England Patriots. Two
future hall of fame quarterbacks, Peyton
Manning and Tom Brady, battle to
reach the Super Bowl. Tom Brady
remains victorious this season after
defeating the Denver Broncos 43-21.
The most favored NFC Championship
game could be a battle between the Green
Bay Packers vs. the Seattle Seahawks.

An offensive powerhouse vs. a coldblooded defense looks to be a spot-light

match and a spectacular match. Aaron
Rodgers looks to seek revenge vs. the
Seahawks after a loss and their famous
Immaculate Reception, where Golden
Tate caught a touchdown after a push to
a Packers cornerback. The Seahawks
seek a repeat after winning Super Bowl
XLVIII against the Denver Broncos.
Super Bowl XLIX is in favor of the
Denver Broncos who are throwing for
3,737 yards and 36 touchdowns through
12 games. Green Bay, on the other hand,
has made great strides and Aaron Rodgers
hopes to win a second Super Bowl with
hot-shot receivers, Jordy Nelson and
Randall Cobb. No matter whom in favor,
it looks to be an exciting game and give
people joy for their prospective teams.

Hometown Rockets continue to soar

By WILL HERNANDEZ
Reporter
Several games into their season,
the Houston Rockets are the talk
of the NBA. It is their first season
advancing to an early 6-0 record since
1996, a Rockets team that year which
ultimately lost in the 1997 Western
Conference Finals in six games. This
years squad hopes to go beyond that.
Led by James Harden and Dwight
Howard, the Rockets are setting their
bar very high, especially after the
heart-breaking game-six loss to the
Portland Trail Blazers last year, but
this season brings almost a brandnew team. On paper, the Rockets
look to have gotten worse over the
offseason, but their fast start has
proven otherwise, at least for now.
It is no question what the duo brings
to the court for the Rockets, but what

Photos Courtesy of Jaime Rodriguez

about the heavily debated bench? For

an NBA team to be successful there is
no doubt that someone has to come
off the bench and shine, to take some
of the heat off the starters, universally
dubbed as the sixth man. Off the bench,
Kostas Papanikolaou, a 68 shooting
forward out of Greece, has been a huge
boost for the Rockets depth. Despite
averaging only 6 points per game, his
height and three point shooting ability
brings a much needed presence for
a team looking for that sixth man.
K-Pop and the coaches hope to see
improvement throughout the season.
Another bench standout has been
veteran Jason Terry.
Terry has
been brought in to lend the Rockets
knowledge of the game, and lead them
through the long 82-game season. Most
importantly, he has been shooting a
high .460 from the three-point line. The

Rockets bench seems to be growing,

but what about Parsons replacement
at Shooting Forward, Trevor Ariza?
So far, Ariza, brought in from the
Wizards, has been what the Rockets
have been lacking: a defensive threat.
Ariza has shined as a wing defender,
but he has also contributed to high
shooting from three. Several games in,
he has made a total of 31 threes. With
both his defensive prowess, and great
shooting, many have deemed him as a
better fit for the Rockets than Parsons.
The 2014-2015 season looks to be a
bright one, rather than doom-andgloom many forecasted during the
summer.
With a much improved
defense, and fast-paced offensive game,
the Houston Rockets are showing the
league that despite losing great players,
they can play at a higher level than ever
in this new era of Houston Basketball.

Soccer Star speaks varsity and ftbol

Photo Courtesy of Jaime Rodriguez

By SANGEETHA PUTHIGAI
Voices Editor
Tyler Hubert is a well-rounded
member of this years senior class. He
plays outside left mid on our schools
noteworthy soccer team. Soccer has been
a center point in his life for a while now.

Ive been playing it since about

the sixth grade, said Hubert.
After his soccer career began, Hubert
has excelled on the field. In high school,
he became a player on the varsity team,
and last year, the team that won the state
championship. He owes his interest in
the sport to a well-known soccer player.
Ever since I was a little boy
and started watching Messi, I was
inspired to play, said Hubert.
Messis impact on Huberts life
is everlasting when seeing Huberts
success with the sport. Hubert regards
the teams success at state last year as his
most rewarding experience since playing
soccer. He hopes that this year, the soccer
team will be able to accomplish the
same. He has no doubt that the team will
grow together like a family this year too.
I feel that were all new to each
other this year, but after a couple
weeks of practice, were going to

be

a great squad, said Hubert.

Making the varsity team is not an
easy task because it is very competitive,
for this reason, he regards making the
team the biggest hurdle he jumped
in his soccer career.
Hubert does
have some peculiar traditions when
it comes to preparing for a game.
I eat a bucket of fried chicken
from
Popeyes,
said
Hubert.
He might take this tradition all the way
to college as he hopes to play Division 1
soccer while studying to be an engineer.
If the chance comes along, he will strike
and do it. Apart from soccer, Hubert
manages his grades and life in a balance.
He is an active member of National
Honor Society, too. When asked how
he does it, he responded with this quote.
I grind in school and I grind on the
field.
In all, I grind, said Hubert.
Tyler Hubert has earned many
memories these past years in Clements.

Princeton golfer swings to number #1

By SAMEEN SIDDIQUI
News Editor
Amber Wang is not an ordinary student.
She is involved in NHS and participates
in golf both outside and inside of school.
I love the game because it is so
challenging, which is what makes
the reward so sweet, said Wang.
Currently, she is number one in the
state for high school golf, and the team
is third. She has competed nationally
against the best of the best high
school golfers and is in the top 100.
Excelling in sports is not her
only accomplishment. Wang has
also been accepted to Princeton
University where she plans to
continue pursuing her passion of golf.
Senior year is definitely my favorite.
The academics are still hard, but I have
a lot more time on my hands to explore
what I enjoy and spend time with friends
before we all part our ways, said Wang.
Her most challenging experience
would be junior year due to
balancing
her
arduous
studies

On the other hand, her most memorable

experience is this years first Varsity
Girls HS tournament at River Ridge,
where they won the entire tournament.
and she thinks it is fun to be around them.
For freshmen, I would definitely
tell them to enjoy their time in high
school, but make sure to work hard
and succeed in their studies. Time
management is crucial, said Wang.
She wants to be remembered for
being one of the best golfers to
graduate from CHS along with Portland
Rosen. She dreams of winning state.
My inspirations for achieving my
goals would be my mom. She dedicates
her life and time to me, molding me into
the person I am today. She comes to
every one of my tournaments, schedules
everything I need to do, and pushes me to
my potential in both academics and golf.
Everything she does is for me, and I really
want to make her proud, said Wang.
After high school, she plans to
major in economics at Princeton and
be on her way to grad school. She is

not completely sure about what she

would like to do, but playing golf
professionally could be a possibility.
Amber hopes to be a role model for
future Clements female golfers. She
believes with hard work comes success
and her motto in life is to work hard, do
her best, and have a good time. It is very
evident in her many achievements
over the past four years that
she truly strives to be the best.

Photo Courtesy of Jaime Rodriguez

Perspectives

Lack of SENSE
By MEGHAN BEYTEBIERE
Features Editor
It is said that in every lie is a grain of
truth. Similarly, there is most likely a
truth behind every superstition that makes
it a valid belief to many people. While
walking under a ladder may not ruin a
life in years to come, in some instances, it
could have caused harm to someone. Perhaps there is something to superstition.
The definition of a superstition is the
supernatural link between two unrelated
events. Superstitions all revolve around
the idea of luck. Four leaf clovers will
bring fortune and broken mirrors will
bring suffering. Everything has a good
or bad energy tied to it that affect the
person involved. And while many may
also not believe in luck along with superstitions, both are a state of mind. It
is not necessarily that spilling salt over

your shoulder will bring good luck, but

the belief that it might positively influences a persons attitude and outcome.
The more a person believes in superstitions and follows the ideas towards
fortune, the more positive the persons
outlook will be, thus creating a better
day already. In this way superstitions
boost peoples confidence and positive
outlooks so that finding a four leaf clover can truly make them feel lucky. It
may not be the superstition directly deciding the outcome of the day, but it does
have a definite role in many peoples
everyday lives. So while superstitions
are not essential, they are important to
many because of psychological value.
Superstitions have a long
history
in
many
cultures.

For example, crossing ones fingers as a

sign of luck is associated with Christians
who would cross their fingers in reference to the cross, or wishing on a falling
star was good luck to the Greeks who
believed that stars were falling souls.
Superstitions can help people connect
to their culture in an everyday way that
will help them appreciate their roots. It
may not truly affect the outcome of a situation, but by representing a belief in a
common everyday way, a person may feel
more connected with their cultures ideas.
So whether knocking on wood or
saying, God bless you after someone sneezes, a superstition is a luckbased belief that can offer comfort
to some through the promise of good
fortune or a connection with culture.

PC: Jaime Rodriguez

Perspectives

Lack of LUCK
By SANGEETHA PUTHIGAI
Voices Editor
Everything we do defines us. Every
thought we think, every action we do, every
breath we take, and every belief we commit
ourselves to define us. But, why believe
in things that restrict you from defining
yourself? Why surrender to superstition?
Life is filled with opportunity. Many
times, it takes creativity and thought
away from the norm to find opportunity. We are restricting ourselves by closing our minds off from new ideasby
having ego in our own thoughts and
beliefs. At times, it is necessary to rethink our beliefs, self-analyze to discover new ways to define ourselves.

When self-analyzing, we realize that we

succumb to superstition: a belief or practice
resulting from ignorance or fear of the unknown. Why live a life with fear and ignorance when life can be lived with freedom?
Bill Withers once sang, When you
believe in things that you dont understand, then you suffer. Superstition
aint the way. By living under superstition, we cage ourselves from experiencing all that the world has to offer.
Freeing yourself from these self-imposed
bounds liberates us to redefine ourselves,
and explore the worlds full potential.
If superstitions were true, imagine how

many mothers backs would have been

broken from stepping on cracks. What
exactly makes Friday the 13th so bad?
Why are black cats considered spooky?
Many superstitions that do exist are believed in with no evidence or reason.
In life, it is important to take things with
a grain of salt. When blindly trusting ideas,
we take our own freedom away. Only after
analyzing an idea and making thoughts and
opinions for yourself should you believe.
Liberate yourself from boundaries set by
ego and the unknown. Remove your fears,
discover yourself, and discover the world
as it is for yourself by avoiding superstition.

Voices
Whats the most diffucult situation youve been through
and howd you overcome it?

Sleepovers makes me happy,

Regina Chen, junior.

I once took care of my friends cats, and one of

them died, so I bought a cat that looked the same,
and gave it to her in exchange of the cat that died,
Kevin Yeh. junior.

School. I overcame it by studying,

Holai Johnson, sophomore.

My grandma passed away, and she had moved to

Chicago, and I felt guilty for not spending time with
her while she was in Texas,
Anjali Shah, freshman.

I got stuck in a mountain while skiing in the dark

and I trudged down a mountain until I got saved,
Kylie Ting, junior.

A couple of years ago, my dad passed away, and I

overcame it with music,
Oliver Hassall, freshman.

In 2007, I went to marble slab and they ran out

of vanilla, so I didnt know what to do, so I started
to cry and my mom dragged me out of the store
because I was causing a disturbance,
Rahul Chauhan, freshman.

College apps, and i sucked it up and got through

it,
Zhenkun Guan, senior.

Well, I was driving to work, and I got in a car wreck.

I hurt my leg really bad, and I had to go through
therapy,
Nick Vallier, junior.

Calculus BC, and Im still struggling,

Mary Younan, junior.

So we were at JETS, and we got wrecked. Then,

we decided we were going to work much harder to
succeed. #jetslife
Varun Rajaram, sophomore.

One time, i was on a weekend trip and I came home

at 2 a.m that monday morning, and I had a couple
of tests thats day, so I drank a lot of tea to keep
me up.
Stone Wang, senior.

Humans of Clements
What makes you happy?

My friends,
Farida Sewewilam, sophomore.

The people in my life,

Laudan Moaven, sophomore.

Netflix,
Evelyn Huang, freshman.

Cross-dressing,
Gregory Tan, senior.

When my grandma Sarah died, and I had to deal

with getting her stuff out of her apartment, so I
just reminisced on the memories we had together,
Sierra Smolens, freshman.

I love clouds,
Linda Stoeltje, admin.

A fat and juicy steak,

Seth Upthegrove, freshman.

Nina Sun makes me happy,

Nic Garza, junior.

Making people happy,

Raven Crowder, CCR counselor.

Alexis Vu makes me happy,

Ronnie Kuriakose, senior.

Getting accepted to college,

Angie Gregerson, senior.

Vacations,
Karen Diao, junior.

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11/11/14 3:45 PM