The McLean Express December 6, 2016
Holiday Movies to get you into the Spirit Watching holiday movies with the family has been a tradition since 1946. Many families spend Christmas Eve watching movies about Santa, elf ’s and the most famous reindeer of all Rodolph. Spending time with family and laughing and smiling and then off to bed for the next day to wake up to a presents stacked under the tree from Saint Nicholas. Here is a quick sample poll of some of the McLean High School family’s favorite holiday movies: Elf : 6 votes The Polar Express: 5 votes Home Alone 1,2 or 3: 4 votes Frozen : 3 votes The Grinch: 3 votes Christmas Vacation: 2 votes
Vol. II, No. V
By Raeanne Jones
Winter Break is almost here!
By Brooklin Houghton
Well, are you ready for Winter Break already? Everyone has their own opinion on the upcoming holiday. Krysta Norris - “I think Christmas is the best time of the year! You get to spend all day with your family and you also get gifts. When you give someone a gift it shows the love you have for them. In my family we eat breakfast instead of dinner. We have done that for 5 years. My favorite thing is the Christmas music, hot chocolate, bright trees and the Christmas sweaters. I go to Deming Park and love to look at all the amazing lights they have out there. Christmas makes me so happy.” Jordan Davis - “It’s the time of the year to be happy and enjoy friends and family.” Mrs. Vicory – “I love the holidays! It’s filled with shopping, baking, and great times with friends and family.” Mrs. Trosper – “I think Christmas is the best holiday of the year. Time with family and friends. Be thankful for all you have in life.” Ms. Ellis – “I absolutely love Christmas! It’s the best time of the year. Everyone is so happy and I love when people are happy. There’s nothing better than Christmas movies, baking, and hot chocolate.” But we all need a little joy in us. I wish you all a good morning with a little joy under the tree waiting for you.
Holiday Wish Lists! The holidays are coming up, so let’s get the Holiday Wish Lists out. I went around the school and asked a few high school students and staff what they desired from Santa this year. Nick Weir - Mr. Fears to grow some hair Mr. Doyle - Zeke Elliot or Cole Beasley jersey Mrs. Ellis - Peace and a pine green Stingray Corvette Corbon Sams - Xbox One Courtney James - clothes and shoes Desirae Rentschler - new phone Raeanne Jones - another dog Wade Walker - money Matthew Michaels - Xbox One with Elder Scrolls online and a yellow Lamborghini Tyler Mccloud - PS4, panda, and a tiger
By Payton Wilson
Election Outcome a Surprise to Many Students The presidential election happened on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Some feel that’s the day America made a turn for the worst. The two candidates were Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, and Donald Trump, a Republican. It seemed like each and every American citizen had their own opinion about the both of them. I asked a lot of high school students here at Mclean on their views about the two candidates. The views and opinions on Trump were he would “Make America Great Again” (Trump’s campaign slogan), “Trump had what it takes to turn the country around and fix the problems Obama had caused.” Or, he was an idiot that had no idea what he was getting himself into. One student said, “Trump is a businessman and needs to stay in business only, he has no idea what the responsibilities it takes to become a president.” The views on Hillary Clinton were similar in their negativity: “she is a criminal, liar and all she is going to do is drag our economy more into the ground than it already is. Another student said, “The stuff Hillary has done, would have half of us in jail, but she is still walking freely.” Very late in the evening on November 8th we
By Clara Crowther
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at the Indiana Theater in Terre Haute, IN. found out our next President of the United States would be Donald Trump. It’s been a wild couple of months with a lot of negative campaign ads everywhere you turned. Now it’s time to keep our country in our prayers to make sure we will get through the next 4 years as smoothly as possible.
Vigo County Picks the President Once Again
Staff Report
In the election that took place a couple of weeks ago Vigo County, where the largest city is Terre Haute, Donald Trump took more than 54 percent of the vote to nearly 40 percent for Hillary Clinton, according to unofficial results. This means that Vigo County voters extended the county’s streak as an accurate presidential bellwether to 16 consecutive elections — dating all the way back to 1956. Beyond the current streak of 16 correct elections, Vigo has picked the losing candidate only twice — with Adlai Stevenson in ‘52 and William Jennings Bryan in 1908. Due to its uncanny ability to pick the winner, there is talk that a 2020 Presidential Debate should be held in Terre Haute. Time will tell.
Lighting the Way Towards
Various McLean staff members and their families participated in the “Light Your Way” Christmas Parade during the Miracle on 7th Street event in downtown Terre Haute on Friday, December 2. McLean’s display of “Lighting Your Way Towards Peace” was well received. Special thanks to Mrs. Ellis for designing the float and getting everything organized. Senior Skyler Kane built the lighthouse used in the parade.
Student Profile -
Staff Profile -
Ms. Weatherspoon Gradpoint
WHAT WERE YOU LIKE IN HIGH SCHOOL? To say the least, let’s just say that I was interesting.
knife IF YOU WERE A BOX OF CEREAL WHAT WOULD YOU BE? Lucky Charms, because Lucky Charms are so sweet.
IF YOU COULD SING ONE SONG ON AMERICA’S GOT TALENT WHAT WOULD IT BE? I would sing “I believe in you and me” by Whitney Houston
DO YOU BELIEVE IN BIGFOOT? No.
IF YOU WERE ON AN ISLAND AND COULD ONLY BRING 3 THINGS WHAT WOULD THEY BE? Food, boat,
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL TO SEE AT THE ZOO? Dolphins, I love watching the dolphins perform.
WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR FREE TIME? Hang out with my family.
Kindness Kart winners Recent Kindness Kart winners include Mrs. Higgins: nominated by Payton Wilson and Mrs. Mooney: nominated by Kaitlyn Dickens. Mrs. Grant was nominated by 6th grade student, Bret Clevenger. Also, Mr. Mier (Thumbs Up!) was nominated by Reba Jones and Mrs. MacLaren got a kindness nomination from Ozzy Beasley. A winner will be drawn each Thursday and the student will deliver a treat to the teacher that they nominated. Give a “Shout Out” to a special McLean staff member today in the cafeteria! The student who nominates the winning teacher will receive 5 McBucks. Speaking of McBucks – the next drawing for a Pizza Party on the Court will take place December 15th. Five winners will be drawn and those winners will get to choose 1 friend to take with them to the pizza party in the school gym. Don’t forget that you get a treat from Mr. Jackson every Friday if you come to school every day and have zero dean referrals that week!!
Junior
Created By Wade Walker
Created By Wade Walker What do you teach? How long have you been at McLean? I work in the Gradpoint room. I have been working at McLean for 4 years.
Johnny Fulk
WHAT DO YOU LIKE/DISLIKE ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL? I like leaving. I dislike showing up. IF YOU COULD SING ONE SONG ON AMERICA’S GOT TALENT WHAT WOULD IT BE? I would sing Fireworks by Katy Perry.
Captain Crunch so I could be the captain of the crunch.
IF YOU WERE ON AN ISLAND AND COULD ONLY BRING 3 THINGS WHAT WOULD THEY BE? A speed boat, gas can and food.
WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR FREE TIME? Put on a Bigfoot costume and scare kids at the park.
IF YOU WERE A BOX OF CEREAL WHAT WOULD YOU BE?
DO YOU BELIEVE IN BIGFOOT? I am Bigfoot.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL? Go into the military.
Short Story
By Matt Michaels
Book Review
Illustration by Tyler McCord
Reviewed By Desirae Rentschler
Fishy Holiday News Reporting live from the banks of Pride Lake is News 7 reporter Mary Fly. “Today on News 7 the annual Thanksgiving Day parade of Pride Lake is only a day away and the floats look spectacular as always. Everyone is most amazed by the float dedicated to the lost souls of the lake. Now, back to you in the studio Jack.” “Thank you Mary, now in other news, another child has gone missing in the pride lake park. The child is ten year old Brian J. Hills. At fourfoot-two he has black hair and green eyes. Brian was last seen in a red hoody with blue jeans. He has a crescent scar on his forehead and was last seen in Pride Lake swimming when his mother, Mrs. Jasmine Hills, left to her car to get sun screen.” “Mrs. Hills came back to see her son gone. Police divers searched the
lake for young Brian but were unable to find any signs of him - just like the other missing children over the past week.” “People suspect it to be the urban legend of the Mekong giant catfish that was allegedly set lose forty years ago by Mike D. Francis who died two years ago of a heart attack. Mr. Francis supposedly got the catfish from a visit to Thailand.” “This speculation was never proven because there was no evidence that he ever owned any fish at all. There have been sightings of this allusive catfish. Although those sightings were never proven to be true the people of Prideville have many questions about the strange and reclusive fish.” “Hold on, we seem to have a pedestrian sighting of the unusual fish.” The television screen quickly goes to
BOOK REVIEW – Slated by Teri Terry a shot of Mary back at Pride Lake. “That’s right Jack, this young man has seen the monster fish. Young man, what is your name?” “James, mamma”. “Okay James, could you explain this creature to us?” “Well, the fish was the size of a bear and had huge whiskers and a slick body; it really looked like a monster.” “Thank you, son. Okay Jack, you heard it here first, I’m Mary Fly reporting on News 7. Back to you.” “Well folks, that’s all from News 7 till next time and Happy Thanksgiving.”
2nd Trimester McLean Express Staff: McLean Express Staff (LtoR): Clara Crowther- Reporter, Payton WilsonReporter, Brooklin Houghton- Reporter, Tyler McCord- Artist, Wade WalkerReporter, Matt Michaels- Short Stories, Desirae Rentschler- Book Reviews and Raeanne Jones- Reporter
The McLean Express Staff McLean High School 961 Lafayette Ave., Terre Haute, IN 47804 812-462-4330 office • www.vigoschools.org Principal - Mrs. Jeanne Conley
What would you do if you didn’t have any memories, no real personality, how would you react? Would you be able to trust complete strangers? In Slated by Teri Terry, a futuristic dystopian novel, teen terrorist get Slated their memories are wiped, they have to relearn everything. The slated teens get a thing put on their wrist called a levo and if a slated gets too upset, scared, or angry the levo vibrates and the slated will black out and possibly die so the slateds have to stay happy. The main character of slated is Kyla and she is a slated, but she is different than the other slateds. The government punishes teens who are under 16 by erasing their memory and personality, giving them a bracelet that monitors their moods and will knock them out or kill them if they do something violent. When the government slated someone they are giving that person a “second chance”. Kyla has a second chance but if all of her memories are supposed to be gone why does she have terrible nightmares that she believes are actually memories? Why is it that when she gets mad her levo doesn’t vibrate? Kyla doesn’t want to be returned but she wants to know what happened, and why she is remembering. When a new teacher is at school in biology class and he gives Kyla a weird feeling like he knows what she is thinking that she isn’t normal when slateds are supposed to be happy listeners and not to really question things. When Kyla starts to notice things that she shouldn’t and she gets nightmares that don’t make any sense she starts looking for answers. Kyla’s sister’s boyfriend takes them to his house and Kyla meets a guy named Aiden and he shows her a non-government authorized computer and he shows her a website for missing kids. Kyla is on the site. Finding any of this intriguing? Well then you should check out the book and read it! I personally really liked this book, it was really good. Find out what Kyla finds out.
2nd Trimester 2016 Reporter – Clara Crowther Reporter – Brooklin Houghton Reporter – Raeanne Jones Artist– Tyler McCord
Short Stories – Matt Michaels Book Reviews – Desirae Rentschler Reporter – Wade Walker Reporter – Payton Wilson
