Ponder High School Roar

Region Band by Elizabeth Richardson

On December 13th, seven members of the Ponder High School band travelled to Bowie to audition for a spot in the region 2 band. For region band auditions, each instrument is asked to prepare the pre- scribed scales and etudes. The high school musicians give a blind audition and are given a score by an unknown panel of judges. These scores are taken and the students are ranked from highest lowest with a set number of the highest scores earning a chair in the symphonic or concert bands. Of the seven whom auditioned four made the band and all four of these players advanced to the area auditions which the final step in making it in the state band. Senior Eric Dearmin earned first chair in the symphonic band and was the first 3A clarinet to qualify for area. Senior Austin Jones and freshman Chaise Glenn made the concert band in trumpet and advanced as the first and second 3A trumpets. Senior Elizabeth Richardson placed in the concert band and was the second 3A flute to qualify for Area. Whitney Glenn, Zack Holt, and Tiffany Dearmin made a strong showing and missed making the band by just a few chairs. This group marks the most people the Ponder has in the region band. At the Area auditions, the four Ponder qualifiers each went into a holding room with their respec- tive instruments waiting to go through the two audition rounds. The first round consists of scales and the lyrical music etude prescribed by the Association of Small School Bands (ATSSB) and the second round is the technical etude. Eric Dearmin for the second year in a row breezed through the auditions, landing him a spot in the ATSSB All-State band. Elizabeth Richardson narrowly missed qualifying for state by two positions and Austin Jones and Chaise Glenn represented Ponder well in the trumpet auditions. Eric will perform with the ATSSB All-State band on February 14th at the Texas Music Educators Association conference in San Antonio. More information about the concert can be found on the TMEA website. Christmas Past By Ally Gordon

The Christmas Tree Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness. But Germany is actually credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. Some built pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles, if wood was scarce. The first record of a Christmas tree being on display, in America, was in the 1830s by the German settlers of Pennsylvania, -al though Christmas trees had already been a tradition in Germany for a little bit. By the 1890s, Christmas ornaments were arriving from Germany and Christmas trees were becoming popular around the U.S. It was noted that Europeans used small trees about four feet in height, while Americans liked their Christmas trees to reach from floor to ceiling. The early 20th century saw Americans decorating their trees mainly with homemade ornaments, while the German Ameri- cans continued to use apples, nuts, and marzipan cookies. Popcorn joined in after being dyed bright colors and interlaced with berries and nuts, kind of like Christmas lights. With the invention of Christmas lights, Christmas trees began to appear in town squares across the country and having a Christmas tree in the home became an American tradition. Santa Claus Who is Santa Claus? Well, he’s not really that creepy man climbing down your chimneys and sneaking into your house on the night of Christmas Eve. Actually this jolly man in red was a real person named Kris Kringle. His story starts out he was abandoned as a child who was a poor orphan. When he got older he would deliver toys to other poor children. Kris Kringle is the mispronunciation of the German word Christkind, which means” Christ-child,” thought to be the “gift-bringer”. Everyone has their own version of Santa Claus, whether it be St. Nicholas, Grandfather Frost, Father Christmas, Joulupukki, or Thomas Nast. The CHRIST in CHRISTmas A long time ago, a young girl, named Mary, was chosen to have the son of God, the messiah, Jesus. Well about 9 months after being chosen, Mary and her husband traveled to Bethlehem to pay their taxes. When they reached Bethlehem they had a hard time finding a place to stay. The only place they could find was a stable with animals, and this is where Mary gave birth to Jesus. They wrapped him in “swaddling clothes” and laid him in a manger that animals ate their hay from. Just outside Bethlehem in the fields, the shepherds were looking after their sheep all night. As morning approached an angel appeared to them and told them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And then they went. When Jesus was born a star appeared in the sky, which led the three wise men to Jesus. The wise men gave gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the infant. It is because of the birth of Jesus people appointed a day of Christmas. No one actually knows the exact day of the birth of Jesus, so Christmas was made the 25th of December.

Ringing it In By Teryanna Sledge The celebration of the New Year is one of the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible crescent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring). The earliest recorded festivities in honor of a new year’s arrival date back some 4,000 years to ancient Babylon. For the Babylonians, the first new moon following the vernal equinox—the day in late March with an equal amount of sunlight and darkness—heralded the start of a new year. They marked the occasion with a massive religious festival called Akitu (derived from the Sumerian word for barley, which was cut in the spring) that in- volved a different ritual on each of its 11 days. In addition to the New Year, Atiku celebrated the mythical victory of the Babylonian sky god Marduk over the evil sea goddess Tiamat and served an important political purpose: It was during this time that a new king was crowned or that the current ruler’s divine mandate was symbolically renewed. In many countries, New Year’s celebrations begin on the evening of December 31—New Year’s Eve—and continue into the early hours of January 1. Revelers often enjoy meals and snacks thought to bestow good luck for the coming year. In Spain and several other Spanish-speaking coun- tries, people bolt down a dozen grapes-symbolizing their hopes for the months ahead-right before midnight. In many parts of the world, traditional New Year’s dishes feature legumes, which are thought to resemble coins and herald future financial success; examples include lentils in Italy and black-eyed peas in the southern . Because pigs represent progress and prosperity in some cultures, pork appears on the New Year’s Eve table in Cuba, Austria, Hungary, Portugal and other countries. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries, a sign that the year has come full circle, round out the feast in the Netherlands, Mexico, Greece and elsewhere. In Sweden and Norway, meanwhile, rice pudding with an almond hidden inside is served on New Year’s Eve; it is said that whoever finds the nut can expect 12 months of good fortune. In the United States, the most iconic New Year’s tradition is the dropping of a giant ball in New York City’s Times Square at the stroke of midnight. Millions of people around the world watch the event, which has taken place almost every year since 1907. Over time, the ball itself has ballooned from a 700-pound iron-and-wood orb to a brightly patterned sphere 12 feet in diameter and weighing in at nearly 12,000 pounds. Various towns and cities across America have developed their own versions of the Times Square ritual, organizing public drops of items ranging from pickles (Dillsburg, Pennsylvania) to possums (Tallapoosa, Georgia) at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Escaping the Winter Blues By Shannon McGill and Shelby Cormier

Sick of the stress that comes with Christmas shopping for everyone on your list? Tired of the short daylight hours that never give you enough time to do anything after school? Does the cold weath- er have you feeling a little blue? Let’s face it, the winter can be a pretty hard season; especially for us down here in the south who are love our flip-flop weather. Stress and gloomy weather tend to bring out the worst in us around this time of year. Studies have even shown that one in every ten people is likely to become a little depressed during the winter season. Dr. Drew Ramsey, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and author of “The Happiness Diet”, even states “We certainly see dips in mood and energy levels in the winter months.” that “There are a lot of demands on you during the holidays [like] social obligations [and] shopping lists…” But this time of year doesn’t have to be a sad or dreary. You can use these tips to beat the winter blues and to keep yourself feeling happy and healthy until spring rolls around: 1. Stay positive about the weather. stewing about how cold it is or how dark it is or how miserable it is won’t change the weather outside; all that complaining only warrants a forlorn mood shift during the season. Remember, winter can be beautiful too. All that snow, ice, cold and rain have sounds and smells of their own that can have a calming effect on many people. Keeping a calm, positive attitude about the winter cold can keep you feeling just as light as the summer heat does. 2. You need to stay warm. Whether this means snuggling up to a pet or loved one by a fire, wrapping yourself in layers and layers of blankets or clothes, or just having a warm drink, you need to stay warm in order to stay healthy during this time. 3. Find something to keep your time preoccupied. Read (or write) that book you’ve been meaning to get to. Go to the movies more often. Visit the museum, art galleries, astronomy observatories, or food-making facilities nearby so you can learn something new. Or even use the indoor sports facilities such as rock-climb- ing walls or badminton halls. The more time you spend doing something fun and/or creative, the less time you have to be sulking about the cold outside. 4. Stay bright! Winter brings the shortest days of the year which can be a bit gloomy for some people and down right infuriating to others. But if you find time to go out or stay indoors and surround yourself with bright, cheerful colors, you’ll see a drastic improvement in your overall mood and behavior. 5. The last thing to remember is to keep your health up during the winter season. Eating healthy and maintaining a normal amount of physical activity will guarantee that you not only feel great during the winter months, but you’ll also be ready for that swimsuit when the weather changes for the better. If you’re having trouble getting out to exercise, try indoor exercises like climbing stairs or jumping rope. Winter doesn’t have to be dull and depressing; it can actually be fun and inspiring if you give it the chance. Don’t let the winter blues get you down, get out, have fun, and enjoy the change in scenery rather than resent it. Senior

Brooke Haibach BY Noelia Sandoval Brooke Hailbach, aka Brookie Cookie, has been in Ponder for six years. She’s funny, strong, smart, friendly and trustworthy. Brooke’s role model is her mother because she doesn’t let anyone mess with her or put her down. Brooke played for the Ponder High School football team her fresh- man year, she was in band and played her freshman and sophomore year, and now since her junior year she’s been in powerlifting and made it to regionals, she’s qualified for state in her senior year! Her advice to freshman is to do your homework and turn it in on time! She wants to go to school in Germany to pursue her culinary arts career for college.

Dare Odunaiya BY Ben Montgomery By now everyone knows Oluwadare Odunaiya, or as everyone calls him, “Dare”. Dare has gone to Ponder his whole life, and in ten years he sees himself as still being awesome. He has played several sports during his high school career, from to track, and of course cross country. He has also been a part of PALS. When asked to describe himself in one word, Dare replied with ”philosophical”. Dare’s favorite teacher is Coach Holt and his favorite singer is Michael Jackson. His role model is his dad. His advice to incoming freshman would be “don’t be cocky”. Spotlights

Cameron Sallee BY Shane Scott Cameron Sallee has lived in Ponder his entire life. He also wishes that he could learn how to wakeboard. He can also be known as “Camo”. His fa- vorite actor is Ashton Kutcher, and his favorite TV show is Workaholics. His favorite movie is Lone Survivor, and his favorite sport is Basketball. Cameron was a member of last years State Champion Basketball team. His favorite color is blue. His favorite animal is a lion. His favorite teach- er is Mr. Lankford. His favorite singer is School Boy Q. His favorite restaurant is Olive Garden, and if he could change his name it would be Paco. If he could take a dream trip anywhere he would go to Tahiti. Cameron describes him- self as fearless. If he could be deserted on an island with anyone it would be Ariana Grande, and on this deserted island he would bring a basketball, a boat, and a teleportation device. His role model is his Dad. His most prized possession is his phone. He wants to go sky diving re- ally badly. As a young boy, Cameron wanted to be a Cop, now he wants to be filthy rich. In ten years he sees himself owning the world. His advice to freshmen is to have the coolest lunchbox on campus. In his four years at Ponder he has participated in Basketball, , and honor society.

Cheyenne Morris BY Kaylee Buell

This year is Cheyenne Morris’ fourth year of playing on Ponder High School’s girls’ basketball team so it is no surprise that her favorite sport is basketball. Her favorite movie is Remember the Titans and her favorite singer is Ed Sheeran. Cheyenne’s favorite color is baby blue. Her favorite animal is a pit bull and her favorite teacher is Mrs. Read. She would like to change her name to Shayanne because of the spelling. Her dream trip is to go to the Baha- mas. One word that Cheyenne would describe herself as is independent; she is so independent that if she was on a deserted island, she would want to be alone with only her clothes, food, and water. Varsity Boys basketball By Andrew Andersson

Over the break the boys went to Chisolm Trail for the Whataburger Tournament. They played 4 games against Sanger, Mexia, Kennedale, and Argyle. In the first game vs Sanger the Lions won 62-56 to start the tournament 1-0. Next they played Mexia, ranked 11th in the state for 4A, which they also came out on top 66-62. The same day they played the 16th team in the state for 4A, Kennedale, losing that game 80-69. The Lions then moved on to play in the 3rd place game against argyle losing that game also 63-54. The boys finished the tournament in 4th place going 2-2. Continuing through the week the boys battled it out at Whitesboro, who are ranked 11th in 3A, crushing the bearcats 88- 77 for the W to start off the district season the Lions way. Upon asking Riley Low what his favorite thing was about the games over the break, he responded with “I liked the fact that I got to eat Whataburger for breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the tournament” Varsity Girls basketball By Danny Rivera

If you haven’t been to a Lady Lions basketball game you are missing out! The girls are straight fire! The Lady Lions are Avery Leveridge, Bridget Rivere, Cheyenne Morris, Daisy Terra- zas, Kellie Smith, Kylie Green, Michala Fenter, Payden Barrick, Rylee Romero and Teryana Sledge. Over the Christmas break the Lady Lions won constellation in the NCTC Tournament. The Lady Lions top scorer is Avery Leveridge with 174 points and 33 as- sists this season. On January 3rd your Lady Lions played Whites- boro and lost by only 6 points with a final score of 45 to 51. On January 9th they played Pottsboro and lost 34 to 49.

Powerlifting By Ben Dankesreiter Powerlifting season has begun, everyone is ready to lift. Danny Rivera, who is a 3rd year powerlifter, says, “We have all been working very hard to get better. Everyone is very support- ive; this will be a great season.” All of the lifters are ex- cited for the first meet on January 17th at Chico. We have many returning regional qualifiers who are ready for a shot at going to state. Gone Digital The Online Lion Roar is now on the website. You can get access to it at school and home or anywhere you please. Go to the ponder website, go to schools, high school, then scroll down and click on PHS Roar Newspaper. Get online now!