february the 2012 precedent VOLUME V ISSUE V PERRY HIGH SCHOOL || PRIDE · PROGRESS · PURPOSE || GILBERT, AZ Inside Angry Birds: Construction to end bird problem By Brooke Karakey the precedent Poop; it’s a substance that doesn’t discriminate. So when one is peacefully enjoying their lunch without a care in the world and suddenly an ominous white-brown splotch splatters on some sweet, sweet Back in the cafeteria pizza, something is a little off . swing of things Recently the growing Both the baseball and number birds that have taken softball teams look to re- shelter in the rafters of campus peat their playoff success awnings have been causing quite the ruckus regarding from last season, mov- sanitation. As a result, the ing into the 2012 spring construction of canopy sports season. ceilings are being assembled to deter any free-dropping Page 11 fl ocks that have overstayed their welcome. “We’re having a bird Racial and sexist remarks problem, the birds are getting make their way into up in there and nesting,” conversation more often assistant principal Joe Greene said. “ ey’re pooping on photo by Tatyana Garcia than we think. The seem- students and all that kind of Workers Gerald Tsinnie and Davey Lopez from the AARA Construction company prepare the ramada above the gym for remodlel- ingly unbiased nature of stuff so we’re enclosing all of ing in order to prevent bird nesting. Sanitary concerns caused the district to take notice and require changes to the school. conversations on campus that opening so the birds can’t Patterson, assistant principal. “Twice a year we go Schools’ team commented on escalated blockage. get up there and ruin stuff .” Naturally, excrement is not through this thing called the poop build- up suggesting “It’s quite an undertaking, may not be so neutral. e building of the topside something a school can have ‘Clean Schools,’ where people we rectify the bird issue they’re working on the Page 4 cover itself will not interfere lying around, especially when come out and grade our before it becomes unhealthy. auditorium right now,” with students daily activities. routine school-wide health school to see how clean it is Furthermore, to eliminate Greene said. “Anywhere that “I’m glad they’re fi xing the analyses are conducted every to the point where there is too an impending doom, the you come, if it was open Perry Idol showcases the problem because nobody likes other year to assure the purity much grout,” Patterson said. blocking of elevated support they’re going to start enclosing singing talent of musical bird poop,” joked Heather of the learning facility. Previously, the ‘Clean beams is to ultimately avoid it.” students. Katie Hardin takes home fi rst place. Page 8 STEM program may be deal-breaker Both boys and girls have ‘Race to the Top’ dollars will funding will play an important the STEM courses are the established “codes” as Future East Valley students may be be used for the advancement role as Arizona sets higher a same teachers that teach guidelines for communi- swayed by new and accelerated programs of STEM and for it to be standard. In order to make the higher-level classes on cation. The staff debates considered a key element in informed decisions about campus already. e only Arizona’s future. their children’s education.” class that will be diff erent is bro code versus the girl By Alli Klassen to PHS. “A top-fl ight education Greene added, “It is my the specialized class that will code. the precedent At this point, there system is critical in a working goal for STEM program to be restricted to only students in STEM. Page 5 have been 17 applications economy,” Gov. Jan Brewer be available to every one.” e STEM program, submitted and there is said said in the press release. “ is e teachers that are teaching which is set to debut next to be only 50 people in the Extracurriculars are often fall, has opened many new STEM program. cited as having positive and positive doors for Perry Assistant principal Heather High School. e program Patterson also acknowledged impacts on education as will include engineering, the importance of the new a whole. Yet, a risk may math, science and math and science actually be proposed as technology. program. According to “Anything that you well. assistant principal Joe learn in high school Page 3 Greene, STEM has and apply it to the been giving Perry a future is benefi cial,” lot of attention with she said. World/Nation: radio interviews, to In a recent press One hundred years ago, an article in US News Joe Greene release, the Arizona Arizona joined the United and World Report. Department of States of America. Today, If the STEM Education announced Feb. 14, marks the day in program progresses, a new that it is awarding a $25 which AZ offi cially became computer science program million grant for education a state of the U.S. Arizona would also be introduced at (from the ‘Race to the Top’ was declared part of the PHS. contest). Arizona will use the Territory of New Mexico Greene says that the money to build a data system until southern New Mexico STEM program was a good which parents, students, seceded from the union as deal-breaker for future eighth teachers and administrators Confederate Territory of graders that were choosing will be able to track the Arizona in 1861. photo by Sarah Crow between other schools, and progress of each student. Junior Thomas Granado and Junior Alice Burgess set off catapults built in Physics class, one of e fi rst attempt at that it will bring lots of kids Another portion of the the numerous programs to be enhanced by the STEM program beginning next year. statehood in 1891 was rejected by congress, who later tried admitting New Mexico and Arizona Proposed bills put the internet in danger territories as one state (which are started, relationships are of entertainment - whether ese acts are aimed at taking site for copyrighted material. was also rejected). en, in By Raphael Shafeev created and basic needs and the precedent movies or music or video down websites that post said While the users, on the other 1912, then President William wants are purchased over it. hand, were calling out the Howard Taft signed off games - and sharing of has copyrighted material. By Since being created during So it would make simple sense grown exponentially. e act monitoring the content posted government for their blatant Arizona as part of the United the Cold War, the Internet that people would strongly attempt at censorship of the States of America. of sharing anything, for free on a website, the Justice Dept. has been an extraordinary protest the censorship of this or profi t, that needs to be behind the two acts can cut Internet. invention that has phenomenon. purchased from the producer funding for the website off , as With the only support revolutionized the modern e Stop Online Piracy of the product is considered well as block search engines, for the bills being the Table of Contents world along with everyone Act (SOPA) and the ProtectIP copyright infringement, and such as Google, from letting congressmen that wrote them, News || 1-3 in it. Act (PIPA), introduced in the is illegal across the United people search for the site. and with the nation-wide e Internet has evolved House of Representatives and States. Internet users and website black out of major site such as Opinions || 4-5 incredibly fast over the past the Senate respectively, have Yet for every person caught owners around the nation cried Wikipedia on Jan. 18, the bills Features || 6-7 decade, taking society along been stirring up quit a ruckus downloading something out in protest against SOPA were eff ectively stalled from a A & E || 8-9 with it. Most interactions around America. for free, there are tens of and PIPA. Major community voting session in Congress. between people are based on Both SOPA and PIPA thousands of people who get website companies called the Yet the war on plagiarism is Sports || 10-12 the Internet, be it small talk are aimed at taking down away with it daily. bills out, saying they could not yet dead on Capitol over Facebook or buying and copyright infringement. It is for this reason that not monitor every bit of user see INTERNET page 2 selling on Ebay. Businesses Recently, the uploading SOPA and PIPA were created. generated content on their 2 news || the precedent || februaury 2012 Teen spending effecting the economy Talented junior Our counry suffering Perry High school showed results working toward from each grade’s weekly spending from the bad economy habits. However, the percentages Ivy league might be comming to collected from the survey and the By Alyx Alcala an end, thanks to the percentages collected from the the precedent average American’s yearly income high amount of student were not synonymous. All bright high school students When asked the question, “On deserve an opportunity to obtain spending. average, how much money do you prestige in the university of their spend a week,” students throughout choice, but in this time of economic By Lauren Moore hardship, diligent students are held the precedent each grade responded with various answers. The general consensus back from a world of possibilities For anyone that hasn’t been living gathered from the freshmen class due to financial circumstances. under a rock for the past year, the was approximately $30 a week, Paola Carrasco, an academically current state of which the economy sophomore’s $50, junior’s $80, and talented junior is working toward is in, is no surprise.