The applications that were to be submitted include those who wish to transfer to the new school no matter where they are zoned. Those who wish to stay where they currently are, or if they are a freshman and would like to transfer where their older sibling is going.

“I am transferring for my little sister Marina,” junior Maya Hawkins said. “I just want her to go to a nicer school and have an all around good experience in high school.”

Hawkins wants her sister to have more opportunities to be open for her. By transferring to Lake Ridge Marina Hawkins agrees with her sister.

“Transferring to Lake Ridge with my sister will open up more opportunity’s for me,” freshman Marina Hawkins said. “The pro’s about transferring is that education might be better than here, there might be smaller class sizes and when there are smaller classes sizes the time the teacher will be able to spend helping students will be greater.”

Just like a coin that has two sides, transferring will have two sides to the argument, both good and bad.

“I would have to travel a long way to school,” Maya Hawkins said. “But my parents are willing to drive me as long as I want to go. Also the fact that the basketball team at Lake Ridge will not be as good as Summit’s. With me leaving and all of the varsity basket ball girls that are leaving, opens up a lot of positions that I could have earned next year. But transferring might better my education experience.”

Marina Hawkins isn’t the only one that is thinking about the opportunity’s that will open up when one transfers to Lake Ridge.

“Transferring to Lake Ridge will give me a better experience and open up more opportunities for me,” junior Katnicha Phillips said. “The teachers there are of course going to be different, therefore I might click better with them than most of the teachers that I have here.”

The prospect of new and different teachers, however, is not the only reason why students are choosing to leave Summit.

“To me moving to Lake Ridge means that my class rank will be higher than it is here,” junior Joelle Ruhaa said. “Not only that my class rank will be higher but also I will be a senior and I will be the first class to graduate at Lake Ridge.”

Juniors who will be seniors next year are transferring to Lake Ridge to live senior year to the full. It is the last year so live it to the full.

“We are always told to live our senior year like it’s our last year of life,” Phillips said. “So transferring to Lake Ridge feels like I would be living my senior year to the full.”

Going to a new school senior year might be considered stressful, especially if it means having to leave and make new friends, and leave old friends behind.

“I will eventually make new friends,” Phillips said. “Don’t get me wrong I will miss all of my friends here and all of my teachers but, what can you do.”

For some making new friends will come easily. When it comes to being a freshman, making new friends is a skill that must be learned.

“When it comes to friends I am sad to leave my friends that I have made so far,” said Marina Hawkins. “However, I am very outgoing and I am confident that I will make more friends very quickly.”

Being so involved in school and in clubs and sports will make it easier to make new friends. But then others think that transferring is based on that particular club or sport.

“I just want everybody to know that I am not transferring because of basketball,” Maya Hawkins said. “I just want my little sister to have a good high school experience, and my entire family and I agree that she will better get that experience if she goes to Lake Ride.”

Maya also said that Summit would not fall apart with students transferring, and everything will survive and it will pull through.

“Here at Summit we have a good, strong program, and it will not fall apart because of one player,” Maya Hawkins said. “It is strong enough and they will continue to be incredible.”

The nine All-State musicians will travel to San Antonio in February to perform at the 2012 Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention.

Natural talent isn’t the only thing needed to reach the All-State level. Though some may disagree on what the most important aspect of band and choir is, all will agree that practice is a key factor in becoming great.

“Honestly, raw talent isn’t what really got me here,” junior James Smith said. “Yes, that was a factor, but it’s just the beginning of what it takes. You have to build on that in order to get far. It took a lot, a lot of practice. Just trying harder music really helped too. And really good private lesson teachers.”

Gabe Kunda, the only member of choir to make All-State, agreed that practice was important. He said that it is the single most important part of making it to this level.

“Time, dedication, and perseverance,” Kunda said. “That’s what got me here. Sometimes it can be discouraging when you get a lower seat than you wanted. You just have to look at what you need to work on to improve yourself. Practice is number one in my book.”

Making it this far wasn’t necessarily an easy feat. Preparing for the state auditions that began back in fall of 2011 was an uphill battle for some.

“There are so many other things to do like play Skyrim or prepare for Acadec,” Smith said. “It’s really hard to force myself to just sit and practice. But this is the dream I’ve had since the 7^th grade. It’s something that I’ve always wanted so forcing myself to practice was something I needed to do.”

Though Smith and Kunda are involved with two different organizations, they can agree on one thing: this is something they’ve always wanted.

“All-State is something I’ve always looked at,” Kunda said. “Texas state choir is the best and I always wanted to be a part of it.”

Other band members include juniors Chris Adams, Parker Davis, Hazen Dean, Christina Koo, Elizabeth Martinez and sophomores Hirsto Rodriguez and Tyra Thompson.

The proposal still includes an eight period day, but the start time for high school has been moved from 8:15 to 7:30 and the release time from 4:10 to 3:00.

The move to an eight period day comes after the Texas Legislature cut $13 million from the district’s budget for both this year and next year. The district said that the change in schedule will save approximately $4 million.

At the last school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Bob Morrison said the school board would vote on the format of the eight block schedule at the Dec. 13 meeting.

Head boy’s basketball coach and world geography teacher Jason Mutterer likes the idea of a an eight block day.

“It’s a necessity,” Mutterer said. “It will be good for students because they’ll see their teachers everyday which means they’ll have more retention. But 45 minutes goes by quick.”

Some students, however, aren’t quite in favor of going to class everyday. Freshman Jessica Martinez said she’s concerned about what it will do to band.

“We’ll have less time to prepare for concerts,” Martinez said. “It usually takes a half hour to warm up and with the 45 minute class, we won’t have time to practice. We might have to do after school rehearsals for concerts now.”

Martinez also has concerns about how her other classes will be affected. She thought of taking Culinary Arts at Ben Barber but is unsure she will be able to since Ben Barber classes will take up three blocks.

“I’m not sure how I’ll be able to complete my foreign language credit, band and culinary arts like I wanted to,” Martinez said.

Athletics will also have to make changes to fit into the new schedule. Among the changes will be the elimination of the study hall time.

“It won’t give us much time to spend with our players and work on improvements which means we will have to spend more time after school to practice,” head baseball coach Chris Peacock said.

The district has also put in a plan in place to limit homework. First, third, fifth and seventh blocks would be allowed to give homework on odd numbered days while second, fourth, sixth and eighth would be allowed to do so on even numbered days. The same follows for tests.

“This program is designed to increase parents involvement with their children and their school,” assistant principal Kendra Davis-Martin said. “We designed it this way to make it so parents will be able to come,” Davis-Martin said. “Today parents’ work, so we made the schedule flexible.”

During these days, the library will be set up for Infinite Campus, PTSA will sell cookies, football and band will have open practice, and Keli Cullen will be having clown school with the teen leadership class.

The flexible schedule would allow working parents to come and watch what their child does everyday at school. With todays economy the average working mother spends about one hour and a half a day with their kids and the average working father just an hour a day, according to the New York Times.

Since parents do not spend as much time with their kids, communication decreases to one-word answers

“When my mom asks how my day was I just say it was either okay, good, or bad,” freshman Ashleigh Norman said. “I don’t usually give her full details. Once I give her an answer we move onto a new subject.”

This lack of communication was a contributing factor to introducing Walk with a Jag.

“Parents should truly know the ins-and-outs of high school, and how their child’s day really works,” Davis-Martin said. “So much has changed since parents were in high school. This opportunity gives a chance for parents to see a day in the life of Jag.”

Schools are always encouraging parents to be more involved with their child’s school. Even though having parents at school isn’t a popular idea, there are a few select students who actually encourage parents to come.

“If my parents wanted to come I would let them,” freshman Grant Wilkie said. “I wouldn’t try to tell them no, I would just tell them that they might be bored watching me do work all day. But they do work, so it is doubtful that they would be able to come.”

Even though this program is designed to encourage parents to become more involved, it might also be discouraging for them considering some of the student body wouldn’t want their parents to attend.

“Honestly, I would not like my mother to come,” sophomore Sophie Baker said. “It is not that she is an embarrassing mom, it is just that I don’t like the thought of her following me around all day or even for five minutes.”

There are some students that already have their parents here selling cookies. Seeing mom at lunch and having her come to class can be two different things though.

“Having my mom sell cookies is ok just because we only see her at lunch,” sophomore Rachel Hanes said. “Having her come to class would be a completely different story. It would make us feel that we couldn’t make a single mistake, and we would have to do everything perfect. However, if she really wanted to come we would let her, because that is something that she likes to do.”

Having parents involved should not add pressure Hanes said. If anything it should give encouragement to do better.

“From my experience as an assistant principal, when parents are involved grades are higher and attitudes are better,” Davis-Martin said.

Though parents may have involvement with schoolwork, it is when parents come to school and become the shadow for the day that the story and feelings change.

“When parents ask if we have homework or help us we make good grades,” Hanes said. “However if either one of them were to come I would not only be embarrassed but I would not be able to concentrate during class.”

Freshman Scott Sorensen said that being in high school is hard enough. Add bringing your parents on top of that would give people even more of an opportunity to make fun of you.

“Bringing you parent to high school would just be like painting a red bulls eye on your face asking to be made fun of,” Sorensen said.

While Walk with a Jag may not be fun for the student, it would give parents the flash back of their child’s days in kindergarten.

“With ‘Walk with a Jag’ we are trying to recreate that feeling that parents have when their children are in elementary school,” Davis-Martin said. “Having a daughter in elementary school myself, I see that parents are more involved. As their child grows up that involvement decreases. So all we want to do is to try to change that feeling, and let parents know that their children still do need them; no matter how grown up they are.”

National Teen Driver Safety Week is this week (Oct. 16-22). Ever since its establishment by Congress in 2007, NTDSW takes place on the third week of October and is “dedicated to raising awareness and seeking solutions to unnecessary teen deaths on the road” according to the Teen Driver Source website. This year’s theme is encouraging parents to be involved in teaching their teens how to drive.

According to the Teen Driver Source website, “research shows that teens who say their parents set rules and monitor their driving in a helpful, supportive way are half as likely to crash and twice as likely to buckle up as teens with less involved parents.” The website mentions that 87% of teen drivers had a parent involved in the learning process as well.

The website also cautions that parents may not have the necessary tools to teach their teens effectively.

Jasmine Fields is a parent taught driver and believes that being parent taught is beneficial.

“My dad taught me how to drive.” Fields said, “He’s never had a crash so I felt more comfortable with him. I think being parent taught reduces your nerves. He gave me useful tips about driving.”

While being parent taught may be associated with being easier and less work, Fields disagrees.

“My dad still made me read the handbook.” Fields said. “He’s also very adamant about wearing a seat belt.”

Other students believe that being class taught is better than being parent taught.

“I think being class taught is better because the teachers have taught it multiple times.” Emma Luke, a junior who took Driver’s Ed, said, “I wouldn’t like being taught by a parent.”

Luke believes that the classroom setting helps the student learn more.

“You get more information because there are more people with you.” Luke said, “The other students ask questions that you didn’t think of.”

Other students see no difference between being parent taught and class taught.

“It really depends on the parents and the person learning how to drive.” James Smith, a parent-taught driver, said, “My parents are responsible and calm and went by the book before giving me helpful advice.”

According to the Teen Driver Source website, there are many benefits to having supportive parents involved in the learning how to drive, such as the teenagers being “70% less likely to drink and drive”, “half as likely to speed”, and “30% less likely to use a cell phone while driving”.

For more statistics and information about National Teen Driver Safety Week, visit: www.teendriversource.org

“This scholarship is a big deal,” Dyl said. “It is a way to get ahead of the pack.”

Dyl is apart of the 57^th annual National Merit Scholarship program. He is one of 16,000 semifinalists that will be considered for some 8,300 National Scholarships.

“Matt is the kind of kid that has never really needed any help, because he is so sharp,” Mrs. Evans, his counselor said.

Evans played an important role in preparing Dyl for this very moment.

“Matt wanted to do swimming and Ben Barber class,” Evans said. “Yet he also wanted to do all of the advanced classed. It was always a challenge to pick his right classed that would help reach his career, but somehow we always found a way to make it work, between Matt, his mom, and myself.”

Dyl wants to be a doctor in the field of Nanomedicine.

According to The NIH Common Fund the Nano medicine program is to determine how cellular machines operate at the nanoscale level and then use these design principles to develop and engineer new technologies and devices for repairing tissue or preventing and curing disease.

The National Merit Scholarship program requires each scholar to choose their top college that they would like to attend. To start his career, Dyl would like to attend Texas A&M, but doesn’t quite know where he wants to do his residency.

“Texas A&M is close to home, but it is also far enough,” Dyl said.

Now comes the most tedious process for Dyl and his family. They must wait. The final list for the National Scholarships will be announced in the spring.

“This is an immense honor not only for our school, but also for our teachers, students and staff. I am so proud of our teachers and students for working so hard,” Principal Jimmy Neal said. “I am looking forward to having many more National Merit Scholars in our school in the years to come.”

The five oldest elementary schools are Alice Ponder, Tarver-Rendon, J. L. Boren, Charlotte Anderson and Glenn Harmon, all of which were built between 1967 and 1988.

According to the bond website, the elementaries that are in consideration for rebuilding have classrooms, libraries, restrooms, kitchens and gymnasiums below district standards and out of date structural, heating and Ac, electrical and plumbing systems.

“I think rebuilding is absolutely necessary,” Sharon Ferguson, the principal of Glenn Harmon for the past 14 years, said. “I won’t miss the building.”

The rebuilding will change not only the condition of the school but the appearance and layout of the school as well.

“The new building will be two stories and look like Holt and Neal Elementaries.” Ferguson said. “We will have two computer labs. We will also get new playgrounds and will no longer have portables. I think it will create a better learning environment and increase the pride of the school.”

Harmon is third on the list of schools to be rebuilt if the Mansfield ISD Bond is passed, after Tarver-Rendon and Boren. Anderson will be the last to be rebuilt.

“I am pleased the district has recognized the need to improve existing structures with the bond,” Ferguson said.

The general atmosphere towards the bond is positive at Glenn Harmon ES. Many of the teachers are in support of the bond and recognize that the school is in need of repair and rebuilding is a necessary action to keep the educational environment up to standards. However, former students of various Mansfield ISD elementary schools have differing opinions on the subject.

“I was very upset when I heard the news that my old school may be demolished.” Justin Whalin, a current sophomore at Summit and a Glenn Harmon alumni, said “My mother does the yearbook for Harmon, so I’m still somewhat attached and involved in the school.”

The bond website states that it would cost more to renovate Harmon than to rebuild it. Despite knowing this fact, Whalin would still prefer the building to be renovated.

“I know that the school is old, and I know longer attend it, but I am still affected by it,” Whalin said. “Those were the best school years of my life.”

The idea that the school should be renovated rather than rebuilt is not shared by all.

“I am in favor of rebuilding the school,” freshman Tristen Dungan said. “While I have many memories at Harmon, I believe the improvement of the learning environment of the students is more important.”

Dungan is still tied to the school and thinks about the future of the students because her sister is a third grader at Harmon. Her cousin is also attending the school and her little brother will go to Harmon when he enters kindergarten.

Junior Christina Koo, a Charlotte Anderson alumni, supports the bond.

“I am generally unaffected by the possible rebuilding of the school but I am in favor of it because I think the school is too small and needs better technology.” Koo said. “For the sake of the student’s education they should pass the bond. A child’s education should not be curtailed due to a poor learning environment.”

According to the bond website, the bond, in addition to rebuilding the five oldest elementary schools if passed, would add a third gym and a new concession building to Summit. The bond is for the amount of $198,530,000. An increase of a maximum of 4.4 cents to the tax rate will be one of the ways Mansfield will garner the money.

Principal Jimmy Neal said that the team will be an off-campus sport. Like the Mansfield hockey team, bowling is not an UIL sport. Team members from all four schools will be separated by gender, not school.

Sophomore John Howell has been on the bowling team since last year. He is anxious for the new bowling season to begin.

“I love bowling,” Howell said. “I began playing individually in middle school and have been playing for four years now.”

Howell also said students shouldn’t be nervous to tryout.

“We won’t turn anyone down,” Howell said. “We have plenty of spots to be filled.”

Students wishing to tryout need to bring $15 and a bowling ball if they own one. Howell also recommends that those students remember one thing.

“Bring your own pair of shoes,” Howell said.

Nervous for the first day, Cook found himself lost trying to get to advisory.

“I didn’t know which hallway I was in and I ended up about 15 minutes late,” Cook said.

When he was younger, Cook always wanted to be in high school. Now that he’s finally made it, he’s not so sure.

“I’m a bit scared,” Cook said.

Cook wasn’t the only freshman lost on the first day. To combat this, Student Council had its members out before kids arrived to help them find their way.

“We had people with the ‘Just Ask Me’ IDs on who gave out maps of the school and helped the freshman get to their classes,” Senior class president Blu Sims said. “Freshman are like fish. They need to be reeled in and that’s what the J.A.M. guides are for.”

On the flip side, Principal Jimmy Neal is excited for the new year.

“This is a good freshman class and the school spirit is high,” Neal said.

Senior Joey Lockhart is also excited for the new year, but only for certain aspects.

“Many people think senior year is a blow off, but really you need to buckle down,” Lockhart said. “Half of the classes seem to be blow offs and half of them make you work.”

And for the first time in a few years, no new rules were created over the break.

“We’re going to enforce the rules we have and make this a great place to be,” Neal said.

The senior-sophomore game was relatively quiet. The seniors got on the board first with a Adrienne Skull touchdown run and two-point conversion with 1:41 left in the first. Then Jakayla Cage tacked on another touchdown with a two-point conversion, bringing the score to 16-0.

The junior-freshman game, however, was a different story.

The freshman drew first blood, scoring on a Kila Hearon interception returned for a touchdown late in the first. The juniors responded five minutes later with a touchdown run by Victoria Clarke. The sophomores then retook the lead with 19 seconds left in the half.

In the fourth, the juniors finally tied it up with a Trae Dimanche touchdown run, sending the game into overtime.

“It was really intense,” Dimanche said. “It was more intense than I anticipated.”

In overtime, the sophomores scored first, but the juniors struck right back to send the game into double overtime. There, the juniors scored on a Tierra Brown run and converted the two-point conversion. On the next freshman possession, junior Nina Le stepped in front of an ill-advised pass to seal the game.

“I wanted it to count for a score,” Nina Le said. “I was waiting for an interception all game.”

Afterwards, the juniors went to Chicken Express to celebrate while the seniors reveled in the glory of a win.

“It’s a lot of fun for everybody,” Cage said. “I got nervous, but it was fun.”

The juniors and seniors will face each other in the final for a second straight year. Last year, the juniors pulled off the upset. This year’s juniors hope to do the same.

“Seniors, look out,” Dimanche said. “We’re coming for you next.”