Hanukahh also know as the Festival of Lights, an eight day Jewish holiday commemorating the redediction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt in the 2nd century B.C.E. Hanukahh is observed for eight days and eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev.

“I’m not fully Jewish, so I celebrate both Christmas and Hanukahh,” Sophomore, Tyler Kirkland said.

Some people have noticed how chain grocery stores primarily showcase Christmas decorations over others, such as Kwanzaa or Hanukahh, which some find offensive.

“I don’t find it offensive at all, it’s not like the stores are pushing Christmas on anyone. I believe their decorations are for all of the holidays in general not just one,” Kirkland said.

Christmas, or Christmas Day, is an annual holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ celebrated on December 25. It is a feast central to the Christian liturgical year, which closes the Advent season, and initiates the Christmastide, which last for 12 days (which is what the Christmas Carol “the twelve days of Christmas” is about). The holiday in many nations is a civil holiday, and is an integral part of the holiday season.

“I celebrate Christmas, and I think it’s good that stores say ‘happy holidays’ instead of ‘Merry Christmas’ since some people don’t celebrate the holiday.  I also believe that having different decorations for different religions is good as well,” Sophomore, Blake Benton said.

There is only one World, with many different cultures and Religions, and however you celebrate, Happy Holidays.

“I love going to haunted houses and getting scared with my friends, but I never thought of the work that goes into it” junior, Khoa Le said.

Many of the volunteers at these haunted attractions are young high school students.

“ I work at Chaos and most of the volunteers are teenagers. I would say, and this is just estimation, that around 80 percent of the volunteers are ages 12- 19,” senior, Alex Burk said.

Research shows that people enjoy being scared while in a safe environment such as attending a movie, riding a thrill ride or attending a haunted house; and they are willing to pay for the experience. So, the typical haunted attraction averages around 8,000 guests.

“We see lots of people there. Both as patrons, ready to be scared, and as the volunteers, ready to do the scaring. It can get really crowded. Especially on a busy night, which is usually around Halloween,” Burk said.

Actors go through a lot when setting up and working in haunted houses. They take the time to get their make-up done, and they work late hours. Most don’t even get paid; they are all volunteers strictly there for their love of acting and scaring people to death.

“The hardest thing [about the job] is dealing with patrons that stroll around the place like they own it. It is okay though because I get to scare them off their self made perch, but I tend to lose my voice that way,” Burk said.

Make-up artists also contribute a great deal to the attractions, they are responsible for each actor and making sure they look their scariest.

“I’m a make-up artist at Chaos, which I love. I’m always mixing my make-up on my arm trying to figure out what mixes best so everyone will look great,” sophomore, Bri Davis said.

All of the people contributing to the haunted houses do so for the sole purpose of entertainment and the spirit of Halloween. To them, it doesn’t matter if they get paid or not and the result is always a unique success.

“I do feel that it’s completely worth working in the haunt,” Burk said. “I could care less if I got paid; scaring people gives not only the patrons a thrill, but the volunteers as well.”

Evening had arrived, and the lights beamed down upon the Homecoming court as they glided across the field. Everyone in the crowd held their breath in anticipation of the announcement of king and queen. The nominees were ready for the shock, but two individuals in particular were unprepared for the events about to take place. Suddenly, a voice bellowed out the names of the winners, seniors, Luqman Adeniyi and Mackenna Lytten.

“I’m very excited, but when they first announced my name I was so nervous; I was shaking and moving around a lot,” Lytten said. “I have this habit of twirling my hair when I get nervous, but obviously I couldn’t do that on the field, so it was difficult not to.”

Adeniyi was calm during the ceremony, as a football player, he was more focused on the game.

“The game is my favorite part about Homecoming,” Adeniyi said. ” I enjoy working with my team, we put a lot of hard work into what we do. It’s disappointing that we lost, but we won’t lose again because we are going to fight our way through the next few games.”

Despite the team’s loss, the two of them walked away from the game with a win.

“It’s nice to know that everyone wanted me to win,” Adeniyi said. “I like knowing that my peers think that I’m a good, fun-loving person; even though I’m friends with alot of people, I don’t think that I’m better than everyone else.”

Adeniyi and Lytten value their friends, family and team mates above all.

“I enjoy working with my fellow StuCo members, and I enjoy playing on the Varsity Volleyball team,” Lytten said. “My volleyball group is my main group that’s always there for me, and they can always make me laugh. My Student Council people are just the sweetest people on earth; they always have something uplifting to say when you’re in a hard situation.”

Mackenna and Luqman are both active, high-ranking members of the Student Council.

“I love working with everyone on StuCo, including Ms. Brenner and Ms. Golden,” Adeniyi said. “I just like being around people and helping others out.”

Adeniyi’s desire to help others has led him to the conclusion that he would want to pursue a career in Broadcast Journalism.

“I don’t want to pursue a career in football; I want to be a reporter,” Adeniyi said. “I want to gather information correctly so that I can let people know what is going on around them. I don’t like lies, I want to be the voice of truth.”

Like Adeniyi, Lytten loves to help others; she has plans to attend Texas A&M University, and major in Allied Health.

“I would like to be a pediatric nurse,” Lytten said. “I really love working with kids; I have an eleven year old sister. I look up to her in the literal sense because she’s taller than me, but she does look up to me as an older sister; she’s very sweet.”

Although some might argue that winning Homecoming Queen is everything, Lytten has a different perspective.

“To be honest, ten years from now, being Homecoming Queen is not going to matter; what matters is the friends that you’ve made along the way.”

“When my mom got breast cancer, it put me in a more responsible position. I was taking care of my brother and sister more, while my dad had to take on more of a household responsibility,” Junior, Courtney Cobb said.

Cobb’s mom, Cindy Cobb, was diagnosed with infiltrating ductal carcinoma which is a type of breast cancer with a 85% survival rate. This can take a tole on anyones family knowing that their mom only has a 85% chance of living. Cobb’s younger siblings had a hard time grasping all of this.

“My younger brother and sister were vey worried. They didn’t understand fully but later on they were concerned she was going to die. My mom consulted them and they got better,” Cobb said “My brother freaked out when my mom lost her hair, but my sister, Lauren, just thought it was interesting.”

Cancer can not only change the lives of those who get it, but also their family friends and loved ones. Cobb’s life was changed by her moms cancer in several ways.

“I had to mature rather quickly, I relied on my dad more which I wasn’t used to doing. I had to help my mom around the house more too.” Cobb said.

Students from districts across the country took the PSAT and NMSQT in 2010; Senior, Rayna Smith was recently chosen as a semi-finalist among 1.5 million juniors who took the test that year.

 “I was having trouble with my schedule at the beginning of the year, so I went to the counselor to try and fix it,” Rayna said. “Then as I was leaving she said ‘Oh by the way, you’re a national merit semi-finalist’, which was really funny.”

Rayna also knows from her counselor that she is currently the senior class Salutatorian; yet, ever since she was young, she has always had a knack for academics.

“Rayna’s kindergarten teacher noticed she was a good math student, and she worked it out so that Rayna could sit in with the first graders during math,” Rayna’s mother, Laurie Smith said. “She had no problem keeping up with the older kids, and we’ve known ever since then that she was an exceptional student.”

Some people believe that a student’s desire to succeed comes from overbearing parents, who pressure their child to make good grades.

“We have always let Rayna know how much we love her and how proud we are of her achievements, but we have never really ‘pushed’ her,” Laurie said.  “Rayna has two older sisters that were also outstanding students at MHS. Early on she may have been motivated to be like them, but now, as a senior herself, she wants to show what she is capable of in her own right.”

Rayna believes that the NMSQT was not easy, yet she is no stranger to test-taking.

“I take a lot of AP classes and tests; by the time I get into college, I’ll almost be a junior,” Rayna said.

Despite the difficulties of the NMSQT, Rayna did not have to spend much time studying for the test.

“I didn’t really prepare for the test that much, all I did was sign up for the question of the day on the College Board website,” Rayna said. “I pretty much won by chance; I’m just a good test taker.”

However, some students assume that because Rayna is Salutatorian, she spends all of her time studying for her classes. The reality is that Rayna is a regular teenager who likes to have fun.

“I wish I could say that I always [study hard for all my tests], but sometimes I’m lazy, even if I try to study,” Rayna said. “When I’m not studying, I read, I watch obscene amounts of television, hang out with my friends, and I ride my bike around Rose Park.”

Rayna still does not know what college she wants to go to, or even what she wants to major in; but she has the full support of her parents.

“We couldn’t be more proud,” Rayna’s father, Beau Smith said. “Rayna is smart, creative, organized, and a very hard worker; but she is also kind, fun to be around, and has a great sense of humor.”

It is the time of the year for juniors and seniors to begin focusing on the after life, meaning after high school. High school is stressful in itself, and with the added pressures of applying to colleges and applying for scholarships, it can seem impossible to get everything accomplished in a timely manner.

“Don’t stress,” Senior, Rebecca Rangel said. ”Applying to college is a multi step process and without any help it may seem hopeless, but it all works out in the end.”

Crystal Barnett, counselor, encourages students to choose top two or three schools by the start of senior year. For anyone that is considering at least one Texas school, applytexas.org is the way to go.

“Apply Texas is a very user friendly site,” Barnett said. “It is like one-stop shopping for students who apply within the state of Texas.”

Yet, some students are feeling pressure from their parents to apply to certain colleges.

“My parents are making making me applt to UNT,” Rangel said. ”I was not born in Texas and I prefer the snow, since I’ve lived in Colorado. It’s too hot in Texas.”

Yet going to school in-state is not a choice for everyone.

“I was recently accepted at the University of Oklahoma. It was my first choice,” Senior, Chloe Voreis states.

Voreis has advice for fellow seniors about applying to colleges.

“Put everything [activities, sports, clubs] that you’ve possibly ever done in your application,” Voreis said. “Those who don’t participate in extra-curricular activities need to get in something right now.”

Extra-curricular activities not only aide in the application process, but in scholarships as well.

“The more involved you seem in your school, the more likely it will be that you can get scholarships,” Voreis said.

Mrs. Barnett suggests that students apply for at least ten to fifteen scholarships.

“It is the best way to receive money,” Barnett said. ”Also, meeting the scholarship deadlines are crucial. Make sure to read the criteria of the scholarships you are applying for. The Mansfield ISD website features a link under the student tab called “Scholarship Opportunities” where students can search for available scholarships and learn about scholarships scams.”

The best way for students to be more prepared is to listen to the announcements and check the MHS website. If students have any questions relating to preparing for college, the counselors’ office is the place to visit.

National Hispanic Heritage month began September 15 and will last until October 15. This is a holiday where America celebrates the contributions and cultural heritage of Hispanic Americans. National Hispanic Heritage month starts on September 15 because it is the Independence Day of five Latin American countries.

This celebration encourages people to learn and appreciate the Hispanic culture. Yet, for many Hispanics in America, it is a month to express how proud they are of their heritage by celebrating their culture in their own ways. Senior, Andi Rodriguez, celebrates with family.

“Usually we try to get some close family together, and possibly have a small barbecue dinner,” Rodriguez said. “Also our church has a huge festival every year, and usually in the evenings there’s a lot of Mexican celebration and culture going on.”

For Senior, Sandy Remierz, it’s not just about celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, but about being proud of her culture and where she comes from.

“The Puerto Rican culture is just so rich,” Remierz said. “I also like it because our Spanish dialect is very different from other Spanish speaking countries, and it really makes us stand out.”

However for Senior, Arizbeth Smith, it’s about celebrating her mixed heritage.

“I’m an adopted Mexican in a black family. I don’t know what my heritage is anymore because I consider myself half black and half Mexican,” Smith said. “For meals we have tacos, rice, beans, cornbread, ribs, okra, and gravy. Soul food and Mexican food are the same to me now.”

National Hispanic Heritage month is an important holiday to many Hispanic Americans because it not only gives them a chance to celebrate their culture and heritage, but also the chance to share it with anyone and everyone who does not know about their cultures already.

Blackout has been a tradition here ever since 2002, and Summit became the school’s first in-district rivals.

“When the school split in 2002 and Summit opened, it became our very first rival school,” Assistant Principal, Mr. Vopal said.

Blackout was given its name because black is the school’s dominate colors.

“We call it blackout because anytime a school [has a major game against a rival], they pick the school’s more dominate color, and we chose black,” Vopal said. ” Also, we do this so that everyone ends up wearing the same color; it makes us look more united.”

The very first blackout football game was won by Summit. They also won the next six games that followed. It wasn’t until 2008 that the tigers won their first black out game.

“Mansfield won for the first time in 2008, and we have only won two out of the last three games,” Head football coach, Jeff Hulmes said.

Equally as important as the game was the first blackout pep rally.

“I remember they would turn off the lights and use spotlights. They also passed out glow sticks to all the students, it was a little different,” Astronomy teacher, Rebecca Baker said.

Another part of the rally is the cheers. The cheer where the cheerleaders say “ay oh” is the most popular. The reason the school does it, or where it came from is unknown.

“Everyone does it. I’ve been a cheer sponsor for five years, and I still don’t know where it came from. I guess it’s just one of those cheer mysteries,” cheer-leading sponsor, Brandi Gates said.

Many students are excited are excited for the game tonight.

“My favorite part about blackout is dressing up because it’s really fun,” sophomore, Emily Townsend said.

With only a week left of summer vacation, many students will spend their final days getting ready for school or having as much fun as possible before school starts.

Many students are opting to spend what little time they have left to hang out with friends.

“Some of my friends are in college already and I’ve been spending my time with them,” Senior, Andi Rodriguez said. “So far we have gone ice skating and to the movies, but we mostly just hang out and play video games. I’m going to miss them a lot; they are like my big brothers.”

Despite all the fun that most students will be having this week, many will not get this time to relax and prepare for school.

“Since I’m in marching band I have to go back to school at the beginning of August in order to practice our marching show,” Rodriguez said. “I do still get to hang out and have fun with my band friends, but I don’t get to hang out with them in a relaxed, non-school environment.”

However, there are students who will be spending this week shopping in order to get prepared for school.

“I’m going back-to-school shopping this week; getting pencils, notebooks, and all that good stuff,” Junior, Savana Daniell said. “But, I looked in my closet the other day and realized that none of my clothes were considered school appropriate. I’ve been buying longer shorts because I’ve been wearing soccer shorts all summer.”

Sadly, some students will end up working this whole week.

“I am working at the pet shelter this week, Monday through Thursday from 12:00 to 5:00,” Senior, Daria Dupont said. “I bathe kittens and puppies at the start of the day and when I’m done with that I walk the puppies and bigger shelter dogs. It’s so much fun! I get to play with them in the dog park and show off how cute and loveable they are in front of potential adoptees. On Thursday, I get to decorate the shelter because we are having an adoption fair. My job doesn’t pay because it’s volunteer work, but it is well worth it.”

With the end of summer comes the beginning of headaches, especially for students who have summer projects to finish.

“Mr. Kadekawa gave the AP Physics kids two packets to work on over the summer with questions from previous AP exams,” Senior, Megan Meeks said. “We are pretty much teaching ourselves, but he set up a facebook account for all AP Physics students so that people can post their questions about the packet and everyone can help each other. I’ve been working on it on and off all summer, but I will have to spend this whole week finishing it.”

Out of all the students who have used the summer to work on their projects, there are a handful of those who have procrastinated.

“My procrastination was really bad earlier in the summer,” Dupont said. “I’m supposed to read The Invisible Man for AP English, but I’m only on chapter ten out of twenty-five. I would much rather spend my time hanging out with my friends. That book is haunting me in my sleep because I know that I need to read it, but it’s so boring that I’ve not cared enough to force myself to read it.”

Time is most definitely running out because school will officially begin on August 22^nd.

“I am excited to see all my friends again, but I would rather sleep and not worry about it,” Dupont said. “I just want it to start now that way I can just graduate already!”

“I wear a purity ring because it is a symbol of the promise I made to my future husband to not have sex until marriage,” senior Berryhill said.

Berryhill’s decision reflects her Christian values.

“I am a Christian,” said Berryhill, “and in the Bible, it says to wait until marriage to have sex.”

Senior Jacky Escalante also wears a purity ring because of her religious beliefs.

” I believe that remaining pure until marriage is a way of honoring God,” Escalante said.

Berryhill says she gets many different reactions. Some people make smart remarks of course, but most people just say that’s cool that you’re doing that.

Most kids understand and respect Berryhill’s decision, but others do not.

“This one guy in my psychology class made this huge scene when I told him what my ring was for. He was telling all the guys around me to stay away. I found it pretty funny though,” Berryhill said.

Sometimes, people are  shocked when they see the girls’ rings.

” When people see my purity ring they are usually surprised.” Escalante said, “Nowadays, most people don’t wait until marriage to have sex, so the idea of me waiting is shocking.”

Regardless of other people’s reactions, Berryhill and Escalante keep their promises to stay pure.

“I wear a purity ring,” said Escalante, “because it stands as a symbol of my choice to be sexually abstinent until I get married.”

No matter what decisions other people make, Berryhill, Escalante and other students who have vowed to remain abstinent are determined to continue to keep their promise.