Matthew Fioti
Junior Staff Writer

On August 31, 2009, Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment, Inc. for $4 billion in cash and stock.  The deal took place in the offices of Disney and Marvel in Burbank, California, and New York, New York.  The boards of directors for both companies approved a transaction that would allow the merging of the companies.

The two companies are enthusiastic about the deal.  In a press release by Disney, Marvel’s CEO, Ike Perlmutter, said that the deal is an “opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand… by accessing Disney’s tremendous global organization and infrastructure.”

Robert Iger, the CEO of Disney, further stated, “Adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value.”

The enthusiasm regarding new opportunities for Disney products extends here at A-TECH, too.  Freshman Sonia Daniel said, “Disney could bring Marvel characters into Disneyland and Kingdom Hearts.”

However, not everyone is so enthusiastic about the deal.

Sophomore Alex Washington expressed concern in Marvel’s future content.

“Marvel won’t be able to put certain things in comics because of Disney restrictions,” says Washington, “and that might reduce readers.”

Alyssa Hahn
Senior Staff Writer

Freshman year in high school, for many people, is the most awkward and unforgettable year in their high school career.

Nobody can forget the feeling of walking through the front doors on the first day of school with nothing but a backpack–all alone in a swarm of upperclassmen.  The first impression of A-TECH can stick with you throughout the following years in high school.

Ms. Paradiso, the ninth-grade counselor, thinks she knows why freshmen can sometimes find it challenging to adapt to the high school climate–especially when going from middle school to A-TECH, which has a far more demanding curriculum than average high schools.

“It’s mostly the friends thing they’re concerned about,” says Ms. Paradiso, the ninth-grade counselor, “They’re worried about who they’re going to sit with at lunch, what kind of friends they’re going to make, but they’re also equally concerned about academics.”

For freshman Kaytee Garcia, adjusting to the high school environment was a difficult task since teachers at A-TECH assign more work to students than she was used to at her middle school.

“It’s way different from middle school,” says Garcia. “They challenge you a lot more here and it’s a lot harder.”

Carlos Lemus, another freshman, had a hard time getting used to A-TECH for a different reason.

“I just don’t like the location of the lockers,” says Lemus. “They’re too far away from my classes and they’re out of the way.”

Many Freshman think school work in high school is a lot more difficult than the work they were used to doing in middle school, but they also come to an agreement of the best part of being at A-TECH.

“The best part about A-TECH is the people. There aren’t any jerks here.” says Garcia, “Everyone’s pretty nice.”

“Most freshmen are kind of intimidated because they go from being the top dogs of middle school back to being the youngest in high school,” says Ms. Paradiso, “But they all seem really happy here, like they made the right decision.”

Kristiana Trinidad
Advertising Editor

As time goes on, schools are becoming more and more comfortable with using technology as one of their primary tools for teaching, especially for high schools and colleges. It wasn’t a mistake to call this school Advanced Technologies Academy because A-TECH is probably the epitome of using technology, especially computers for education.

The homework assigned by teachers seems to require some sort of technology for completion. Taking quizzes online to save time in class is done so frequently that it isn’t seen as a big deal, especially in AP classes. Instead of getting a paper copy of an assignment, many classes have resorted to posting digital copies to Web sites in order to save time and paper. Even calculus and algebra classes are following in the majority by making it a requirement to own a graphing calculator.

A recent trend, not only at A-TECH, but in other high schools all over the nation, is to take virtual classes instead of going to summer school. Classes are even available throughout the semester for those who wish to get an early credit or retake a class for a higher grade. Now, anyone can be a full-time virtual high school student never having to leave home to learn.

In the real world, technology is used all the time. So, it’s a benefit if teachers prepare students for the future. After all, anyone not familiar with it will be at a disadvantage against those who feel comfortable using technology. Besides, it’s so convenient, so why shouldn’t students take advantage of what’s right in front of them?

Despite the many pros of using technology in school, using it too much has its cons as well. Most of A-TECH will agree that lacking the proper materials at such a technologically-oriented school is a one-way track to failure. Have teachers and students forgotten the small minority of fellow peers who simply can’t afford Internet or even a home computer?

With so many assignment that require the use of a computer, those few are forced to stay long hours in the library or borrow someone else’s laptop just to finish homework. In the end, some students result in failing major or core classes.

Such reliance on technology in A-TECH can even cause problems for students that do have access to computers and the Internet. Since this generation seems to frequently use technology, it’s not exactly a rare sight to have computers crash or faulty printers.

This, in turn, hinders students from completing their homework. It’s a very common problem for A-TECH students.

A-TECH students were aware that a school that specialized in technology needed to use it as a primary learning tool when they enrolled. Teachers should continue teaching in the same style, but it would be much easier on students if some assignments had an alternative for those who can’t easily access a computer or those that encounter problems with their computers at home.

Stanley Blake
Junior Staff Writer

Many wish Advanced Technologies Academy had a sports team. “Sports at A-Tech get no recognition”, according to Logan Ziegler. Ziegler, an all star soccer player, is one of those people who think sports are important.

Born in Minot, North Dakota on June 17,1992 he lived there for one year before he moved to Las Vegas. Ziegler has been playing soccer for five years. It runs in the family- his dad played soccer and so does his younger brother. Logan’s favorite soccer player is Franklin Lampard of Chelsea FC.

Logan doesn’t want A-Tech to have a soccer team. He plans on having a career in architecture unless he receives some type of scholarship for soccer.

Ziegler currently plays varsity soccer at Eldorado High School. He plays the Wing-Outside Mid Field position. He listens to hardcore and mellow rock bands, such as Linkin Park and Metallica to get him “pumped up” for games. Every good player has its weakness-his heading. Vice-versa his strength is his incredibly good vision.

The creative, driven, out going, fun-loving, laid back, Ziegler proudly wears number two on the field. Finally, Advanced Technologies Academy students that not only excel in the classroom but also on the field can be recognized. Students that multi-task should be spotlighted.

Kristiana Trinidad
Advertising Editor

The administration has announced to the school that last year’s graduating seniors earned a total of about $5 millionn scholarship money. Some students may be wondering how they managed to obtain so many scholarships as such a small class. To do achieve, students should apply for as numerous scholarships.

“Yesterday should have been when students started applying for scholarships,” commented AP Government and psychology teacher Mr. LaShomb. “There’s money out there, but the problem is there are others that want that money too.”

“By August, potential seniors should know what they want to do for college,” says A-TECH school counselor Ms. Marshall. “Throughout the entire year, they should be applying for scholarships.”

The first rule for scholarships is for A-TECH students to set aside some time from their schedules to research the scholarships that they’re applying for. There are scholarships available for just about everything. This makes it very easy to find several scholarships students are eligible for The real complications lie in applying and getting accepted.

“I’ve put up information on scholarships on the A-TECH Web site,” stated Ms. Marshall. “There’s a link to the Clark County School District Web site. CCSD always posts information on available scholarships and updates it ever week.”

Another aspect to take into consideration when applying for scholarships is that most families wouldn’t be able to pay for college as easily, meaning more competition for students. Knowing this, it’s wise for A-TECH students to apply for as many scholarships as possible.

With all the competition out there, foundations that are giving the money tend to look at grades first, so the higher a student’s grades are, the more likely they are to receive a scholarship. Luckily for those with less than perfect grades, there are some scholarships out there that take no consideration on academic performance whatsoever.

“There aren’t many,” said Ms. Marshall, “but there are some out there like ethnicity and essay scholarships that don’t look at grades.”

Fortunately for some of the lazier students at A-TECH, it’s actually possible to receive a scholarship without having to apply for one. Getting accepted to UNLV or UNR automatically applies all future students for all scholarships funded by the Universitites.

“There are a lot of colleges and universities out there that do this,” stated Ms. Marshall.

For information on applying for college scholarships, schedule an appointment with the A-TECH scholarship counselor, Ms. Marshall.

“Unless you have a sugar daddy,” joked Mr. LaShomb, “all A-TECH students should apply for scholarships.”

Alyssa Hahn
Senior Staff Writer

In the summer of 2009, the swine flu (H1N1) pandemic swept panic across the world. A television could not be turned on without viewers hearing about the virus, nor could a cough be heard without somebody making reference to the swine flu.  This panic still exists today, months later.

After the virus was first detected in April 2009, the media hyped it up to sound like it was just as bad as contracting polio or tuberculosis. The media spoke of the illness so fiercely that people all around the globe panicked, but there really is no concern for panic.

According to Dr. Marc Lipsitch of Harvard University, the death rate of H1N1 could be compared to that of the seasonal flu. Like the seasonal flu, H1N1 mostly affects those people who are suffering from pre-existing conditions.

H1N1 is easily confused with the seasonal flu. It has all the same effects on people. People experience fever, sneezing, and nausea—all symptoms that could be confused with the regular flu.

Though some people have died from the virus, most of those who have died from it have been affected by previous ailments.

So far, the people who have gotten seriously ill from H1N1 had previous ailments or deteriorating immune systems.

Though a healthy teenager may be able to contract H1N1, they will most likely not be able to pinpoint the differences between H1N1 and seasonal flu.

Raybin Dockery
Junior Staff Writer

From the beginning of his campaign, President Obama has focused on a universal health care system.  For the last several weeks there has been immense examination and criticism of his plan for a reform.

According to CNN, President Obama and his administration believe comprehensive health reform will reduce long-term growth of health care costs for businesses and government, protect families from debt because of health care costs and assure affordable quality for all Americans.

A-TECH student Parker Junger said, “Obama’s health care reform will help stabilize the American people, but it will take some time for people to begin to warm up to the idea of a universal health care system.”

Although many Americans agree with Obama’s health plan, many citizens are still not convinced with his proposal. According to the Los Angeles Times article, “Obama seeking out skeptics of healthcare reform,” Obama did a series of town hall meetings including southwest Montana. On Friday, August 14, 2009 in southwest Montana many of his skeptics came to a town hall meeting to express their concerns.

Of President Obama’s skeptics, insurance salesman Marc Montgomery of Helena, Montana accused Obama of vilifying the insurance companies. The President has emphasized that a public plan would not be subsidized, but Montgomery, 52, said “A public plan will eventually drive individuals or other insurance companies out of business because we can’t compete with a plan that’s subsidized by taxes.”

More criticism came from Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito. Shelly Moore Capito believes the health reform will do nothing more than “hike taxes on employers, ignore the need for meaningful tort reform and threaten to push millions of Americans onto a government insurance plan.”

After a restless summer of town hall meetings and Obama’s opponents leading the health-care debate, President Obama on Wednesday, September 9, 2009, appeared before Congress and cleared any misconceptions about his plans for the reform.

Obama also discussed how the alternative to reform would lead to a steady decline in the coverage Americans have access to.

President Obama steadily presses for his health reform and continues to rally for support.

Sean Diggins
Junior Staff Writer

Veterans Tribute Career Technical Academy (CTA) opened this school year and the new campus is already bringing changes to A-TECH. A-TECH students were subject to change from the new school before a single student stepped foot into the state-of-the-art facility. Construction brought its own challenges, too: broken water mains, dust and heavy equipment.

The single biggest change is the bus schedule. A-TECH students are no longer routed through Bridger Middle School. Additional campus enrollment means A-TECH and Veterans now have enough students to skip the Bridger stop.

Sophomore Genevieve Pichler says, “During PE, I sometimes see Veterans’ freshmen using up major parts of the field, which takes away our valuable space that we need because of our already gigantic class size.”

Behind the scenes are hundreds of other smaller changes, which go unnoticed by students. A-TECH and Veterans’ administration had worked together to prepare for the opening. They had to plan out the transportation system, the bell systems had to be in sync for the buses to leave and arrive on time and evacuation plans also had to be altered to accommodate the additional students on campus.

“Orchestra and band are already combined between the schools,” says Mrs. Price, Dean of Students at A-TECH, “and there are plans to combine other classes in the future, such as AP classes and other small-population classes.”

Some students appreciate the new students on campus as a social time and a way to meet new people.

Jordan Helm, an A-TECH senior, says, “I’ve seen minimal effects but at most just new opportunities to socialize.”

But a more introverted student sees it in a different light, “I dislike the new school because of the crowded buses, less room for personal space especially for us who sleep or do schoolwork on the bus,” says sophomore Erik Leon.

This year, only freshman and sophomore classes were accepted into the school. Next year , a junior class will be created and the year after, a senior class. Veterans’ campus population will continue to grow as the higher grades fill up.

Michael MacDougall
Junior Staff Writer

At first glance, Apple’s Snow Leopard update, which was released on August 28, does nothing new. It just sold the same thing for $29 more. However stopping for a second glance can reveal there is much more going on behind the scenes of Apple’s new version of OS X.

One of the many reasons to make the purchase is that it takes the old Leopard install size of 16 gigabytes, and cuts it down to a mere ten gigabytes. Also, people who make a mistake in the hour long installation and somehow turn off their Macs mid-download have nothing to worry about. Snow Leopard picks up right where they left off, with no adverse effects.

One of the several downsides to Snow Leopard is that people using the older, more operating system, Tiger instead of regular Leopard are going to have to pay drastically more money for the upgrade—$169. Yes, it does come bundled with iLife, which has movie editing tools and Garageband, and which costs around $55 on Amazon by themselves, but this is still a dramatic price increase. There are rumors, however, that suggest the standard $29 dollar install is compatible with Tiger. Even worse is that people using Power PC processors instead of Intel are out of luck because Snow Leopard is incompatible with these models.

For people who meet the requirements to install Snow Leopard, the new operating system is worth every bit of stress and worry. Loading speed is faster from pushing the power button to shutdown. A few things are tweaked to perfection, or at least closer to perfection than the previous version of OS X.

Safari, Apple’s standard Internet browser, for example, is much more suited to the new operating system than it was before. It takes advantage of what Snow Leopard has to offer, like its faster loading times.
One thing that drastically stood out in the new operating system is the newest version of Quicktime, which is the Mac equivalent to Windows Media Player. For one thing, the application is much easier to use, and gets a new makeover, and it looks good. A new, very useful feature with practical applications is the export option. Videos played in Quicktime can be uploaded to iTunes, for iPod and iPhone formats. Videos can also be uploaded to YouTube and MobileMe, Apples mail and information server.

Whether Snow Leopard is worth $29 depends on what the user wants.  The new OS X repackages the old to work better, run faster, and save people six precious gigabytes of hard drive space.

Brianna Vargas
Editor-in-Chief

Art Club: Run by art and graphics teacher Mr. Gearhart, the purpose of Art Club is to give students the opportunity to redo any art projects they began in other classes and person projects. Art Club is for students interested in refining their art skills. The club allows students the freedom to work at their own pace while still having the materials and guidance they may need. This year, graphics teach Ms. Woodbury will also be helping our and introducing new art concepts such as mask making. Art Club meets every Friday at 1:40 PM in room 407.

Guitar Club: Along with Art Club, Mr. Gearhart also advises Guitar Club for players of all levels. Members do not need to bring their own guitars or even have experience. They can come to room 407 every Thursday and perfect or begin their skills. Guitar Club also performs several concerts through the year entitled Battle of the Bands. Volunteers sign up to perform on stage and show off their singing and instrument skills. Guitar Club is also hosting Open Mic in the library every block day lunch period. Open Mic is a live performance of a students instrumental or vocal skills.

Student Ambassadors: This is a select group of students advised by Mrs. Leavitt-Roberson who show the drive to do more for their school and community.  To be chosen as a Student Ambassador, students must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA, low absences, hardworking, and be a junior or senior. Previously, Student Ambassadors just focused on recruiting middle school students to A-TECH. This year, however, Ambassadors are focusing on giving back to the community. They will be tutoring at several middle and elementary schools, tutoring patients at Sunrise Hospital, and cooperating with other clubs such as NHS and STUCO in community volunteer events. Ambassadors is more than just showing of A-TECH, it’s about showing A-TECH cares about its community.

Recycling Club: Following this century’s greatest trend, Recycling Club advises student on going green. Recycling Club informs students about how simple it is to take care of the environment, beginning with their school. Every Thursday, club member go around the school picking up paper products, plastic products, and metal products from the classrooms. A-TECH then has the Republic Services pick up their recycled products. To sign up for Recycling Club, see Mrs. Belin in room 404.

Drama Club: Drama Club is back in action this year with a brand new advisor and big plans. Already, Drama Club has selected a play for this school year and is awaiting approval. Instead of performing strictly after school for several hours, Drama Club is trying to host performances during specific block days. Drama Club serves as a great outlet for students wanting to express themselves through theatrical performance. Students will participate in plays and improvisations and learn to do away with shyness. Drama Club meets every Thursday in room 312.

Board Game Club: Advised by math teacher Mr. Patterson, Board Game Club introduces students to a variety of education, competitive, and fun board games. During its first year running, Board Game Club began hosting Board Game Marathons where all A-TECH students were invited to play games in the SAC with friends and food. Since the first, there has been a marathon every several months. The next marathon is scheduled for October 16. Besides marathons, Mr. Patterson has decided every Thursday in room 804 to introduce new games to his members. He will post a list outside his room with date and games, which students can refer to.

Mock Trial: With the mentoring of Mr. Stanley, Mock Trial members prepare for the Las Vegas Mock Trial competitions. Students will receive a trial to debate and will prepare during the meeting for the competitions. Students perform as judges, defenders, prosecutors, and victims. Once members are well prepared, they compete against other students from high schools all over Las Vegas. Judges decide the winner based on best performance of the trail. For more information, see room 305.

Global Studies: Members of Global studies, also guided by Mr. Stanley, communicate with students from all across the globe. Members focus on helping other countries with economic problems such as food shortage and working with the Red Cross. Global Studies main focus for this year is helping refugees in Turkmenistan and working with UNESCO Youth, a division of the United Nations. Through out the year, members perform volunteer work outside the country through televised broadcast. Previously, Global Studies created a donation program for the Middle East, entitles Rock for Refugees.  Along with the help of Guitar Club, Global Studies held and Open Mic in the SAC and gave all proceeds to their refugee partners. For more in information, see room 305.

Intelligencia: Brand new to A-TECH, Intelligencia is a student-run philosophical club. Every other Friday, members will discuss a reproved topic with their fellow members. The topics can range from current to local and worldly problems. Meetings are held in room 618.

Key Club: Members of Key Club are all about serving their community. Meetings are held every Thursday in the lecture hall to discuss new volunteer opportunities through out the I Las Vegas area. A-TECH’s Key Club works with other Las Vegas high schools during volunteer events such as the Candle Lights Walk and food drives. Every year, Las Vegas Key Clubs travel to Six Flags to meet with the California and Hawaii divisions of Key Club. Through out the year, all Key Club members- including Hawaii and California- host meetings with the Kawanis board to see how to make volunteering and the club even better. During the year, members have the opportunity to receive 50 hours if service and receive a cord of recognition of the volunteer actives at graduation.