Exer-gaming can burn 90 calories in half an hour University of Oklahoma researchers reported. That’s three times as much as sitting still. Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) had kids ages 10 to 16 test the latest fitness games and here are their results.

For only $60, you can get the EA Sorts Active Personal Trainer for Nintendo Wii. Players try to beat their personal records on over 30 sports and drills. It is the best rated workout. Jillian Michael’s Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for Nintendo DS and Wii can be purchased for $30-$40. In this game The Biggest Loser’s drill sergeant whips players into shape with customized cardio and strength routines.

For Nintendo Wii, Playstation3, or XBox 360, The Beatles: Rockband cost $60. Gamers twist, shout, and burn calories while rocking out to 45 Fab Four tunes. This game was the favorite among the testers. For $50 you can get Wii Sorts Resort. Wii-ers can play a dozen resort themed activities. Shooting hoops is a great full body workout.

It’s time to give those worn thumbs a rest and start exer-gaming.

* E-mail - students can now sign up to receive daily official SAT questions via their e-mail.

* “There’s an App for that”- There are thousands of apps to choose from for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and now Apple has included an SAT quiz with the 25 most common SAT vocabulary words.

* 60 Minute jingles- The Princeton Review’s Vocab Minute has introduced 60-second long songs that students can download to their iTunes libraries to help memorize challenging words.

* Facebook goes nerdy- There are now vocab apps like Word Challenge and Scramble that students can add to their Facebook page. The games can help boost verbal skills and students can have fun while increasing their vocabulary.

Technology is helping to make SAT studying a little less painful, because lets face it looking at a book for hours has lost its appeal. Now students can have quick, cheap fun while helping their intellect to soar higher than ever before.

“They all work really hard and definitely deserved to be selected. They are all legit,” varsity team member Sandra Villa said.

Both Gonzales and Rawls are no strangers to district honors. As a freshman Gonzales was named Newcomer of the Year, as a sophomore she was the Offensive Player of the Year, and now as a junior she is a first team selection. This makes the second year that Rawls has been selected to the district team.

With three of the players chosen only being sophomores and two being juniors, there will be plenty of returning talent for next year’s season.

“I’m very proud of all the students who participated. I think it was very successful day for everyone involved,” choir director Mr. Matlock said. Students who performed solos spent hours outside of class preparing. One key element to the whole Solo and Ensemble process is the piano playing of Mrs. Hogan, the accompanist. She puts countless hours of time and dedication into getting prepared for each and every student’s solo. The entire choral department would like to extend a “thank you” to Mrs. Hogan for her efforts.

There are 3 A Capella ensembles that will be advancing to state.
Members include:

Naomi Chapman
Briana Shouse
Hayley Willis
Claudia Montoya
Mayra Baeza
Brandi Holcomb
Bethany Ragland
Steph-o Williamson
Brandon Atkins
Josh Bustamante

Kelly Fisher
Taylor Terry
Cortney Morren
Jenny Osborn
Elissa Hadden
Shayna Lewis
Jimmy LaRue
Kevin Sawyer
Carson Carruth

Lizzie Leese
Ruby Flores
Crystal Ruano
Sole Sanchez
Ataly Zamora
Keisha Bermea
Kade Corley
James Penman
Alex Mote
Curtis Hubert

Soloists earning a division 1 rating on a Class 1 solo and advancing to state include:

Mayra Baeza
Josh Bustamante
Carson Carruth
Naomi Chapman
Kade Corley
Charlie Falcon
Joe Haygood
Nicholas Hemann
Curtis Hubert
Danley Hyer
Kassidy Lee
Cortney Morren
Jessica Pool
Crystal Ruano
Angelica Sandoval
Kevin Sawyer
Cyan Scott
Briley Waldroop
Clay Walker
Steph-o Williamson
Hayley Willis
Whitlee Woods

In addition, there was a medium ensemble from Chorale to receive a division 1 rating.
Members include:
Chabeli Olivas
Kathryn Salcido
Sarai Sanchez
Ashlee Sanders
Clay Walker
Darby Comer
Crystal Flores
Jessinda Moore
Danielle Simon
Riley Jefcoats
LaDonna Stuart
Natalie Valles
Bryce Pace
Kenny Reese

The Yearbook Yearbook features the top yearbooks of the year and serves as an inspiration for journalist across the nation. The yearbooks chosen are selected based on cover design, theme development, layout design, photo content and secondary packages. Taylor publishing only awards the top 15% of yearbook staffs with Honorable Mention recognition.

“Being selected for the Yearbook Yearbook is like being handed an Oscar, an acknowledgement of superior quality,” education specialist Judi Coolidge said. “But more important, your work will be admired by thousands of student journalists who use Yearbook Yearbook as an inspiration to ignite their creative process.”

Past yearbooks can be purchased right now in the journalism room during their “Garage Sale”. For only $10 you can step back in time and purchase old memories. Don’t miss this opportunity!

1 United States 37
2. Germany 30
3. Canada 26
4. Norway 23
5. Austria 16
6. Russian Federation 15
7. Korea 14
8. China 11
9. Sweden 11
10. France 11

Be curious like Alice. Fall in to the rabbit hole and experience the magic as the theme for this year’s prom is Alice in Wonderland. As you enjoy yourself in the night of mystical fun, have you ever thought of who makes up prom? Did you even know there is a class just for creating prom?

Prom art is held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; also known as our ‘B’ days. Prom art is devoted to preparing everything for prom. They work on things such as deciding the theme for prom, making and creating decorations and picking the color scheme for prom.

“We have to stay at least three hours a week after school for a grade in prom art,” said Tiffany Harris, a senior in prom art. “We do the stuff that no one else wants to do.”

When prom art decided to go with Alice in Wonderland as the theme for prom, they did not want it to be your typical idea of the story. The class decided to take the story and make it their own.

“It is not going to be like Disney’s Alice in Wonderland and it will not be like Tim Burton’s verison of it either; it will just be AWESOME!” said senior Shayna Lewis, who is also in prom art.

Prom this year is March 27, 2010, you have a very important date.

I recently went to the theater and watched “The Fourth Kind.” Within this thrilling/suspenseful/TERRIFYING flick, there is a scene that haunted me for weeks. There is actual footage of a man killing his wife, children, and then himself. How messed up can it get!? Beyond just scaring me, this sincerely bothers me. Where are the days where “The Birds” was scary? Wherever they are… I miss them. Call me a wiener, but I don’t particularly enjoy seeing blood, guts and murder.

As a matter of fact, I once left my girlfriend in the theater because I couldn’t stand the horrific scenes on the big screen. I wanted to watch “Madea’s Family Reunion” but she insisted we watch “The Hills Have Eyes.” I stood up to “use the bathroom” three times in the first thirty minutes, and then decided I wasn’t going to force myself to do anything any longer. So I went to the lobby and played pool until the movie was over. Needless to say, she was quite upset, but at the time I didn’t care because I was too.

Out of 32 people surveyed, 18 claim to enjoy scary movies. If we were honest with ourselves, we would see that by watching these movies we’re destroying what little innocence we have left as a society.

“I do enjoy watching scary movies. More than anything it’s for the adrenaline rush. But honestly I think it affects the way I view things,” Junior Sid Baeza said.

“I enjoy scary movies because that’s where the most interesting plot lines are. They’re just movies,” Senior Whitney Jamison said.

Watching these horror flicks does absolutely no good for anybody. They spark violence, death, and overall negativity into our minds.

“I don’t really enjoy the feeling of being scared,” Shelby Ballew said. Some might argue that they “enjoy these films” or that “they’re only movies, no harm done.” But we’re a very visual generation with photographic memories. Mix that with our wild imaginations and it could potentially lead to some problems, not only for the person engaged in these films, but society at large. If the eyes are the window to the soul, then viewing these disturbing images corrupts not only our minds, but also our souls. Guard your eyes.

Ingredients:
Snow
Your Body
Gloves (not mittens!)

Steps:
Pick up snow (preferably snow that is not yellow)
Form the ball into a spherical shape (if not sure what a sphere is, see a geometry teacher)
Smooth the edges so it is PERFECT!
Then set it aside with your stash of snowballs and wait for an unfortunate victim to walk out the door, and BAMM!!!

Recipe #2: Snow Fort

Ingredients:
Lots of snow
Flat ground
Gloves
And hour or more of free time
Hot chocolate waiting inside

Steps:
Decide where the best spot to make your fort is
Collect a lot of snow around your spot
Begin by building up one wall, take your time so it is strong
Flatten out the bumps and make the wall pretty!
Now move on to the other walls and repeat the process
You must ensure that your walls are tall enough so you are protected from incoming projectiles
Slowly your fort will come together, and you will be the victor of the war…well snowball fight.

Recipe #3: Snow Angels
Ingredients:
Snow
Your body
Some warm clothes

Steps:
1. Find a clean snowy area outside. Make sure there is nothing on the ground that will hurt you.
2. Start by standing upright with your arms and legs slightly apart and your back facing the area of ground that you want to make your angel on.
3. Now lean backwards until you fall in the snow, but try to keep your body straight. (Make sure you protect your head and fall in a clear area. Nobody wants to see red snow!!) If you’re flexibly challenged, you can start by sitting down rather than standing.
4. Now pretend that you are doing jumping jacks and move your arms up and down while opening and closing your legs.
5. Once you’ve made your snow angel, just sit up and jump for safety. This last step is the most crucial. If you mess this up, your snow angel will be completely ruined and your life will be worthless.

Recipe #4: Snowman
Ingredients:
Snow
Warm clothes
Scarf
Sticks for arms
A carrot for the nose
Buttons for the face
Steps:
1. Follow steps 1and 2 on recipe #1 to make 3 snowballs.
2. Now roll these in the snow so that they are three different sizes. A small one for the head. A medium for the body and a large one for the behind.
3. Next, stack them on top of each other.
4. The last thing you have to do is decorate.

Yes, these are the signs of prom dress stress. So, I guess you’re just going to have to take what you can get and work with what you have, right? Wrong! I’m here to relieve you of what can be the hardest part of prom prep. Because after getting a limo, making sure everyone pitched in money, helping your friends do their hair, and helping your date with his tie, you still want to look good!

Here are a few simple tips you can keep in mind next time you’re waist deep in sequins, tulle, and colorful fabrics. First off decide what body type you have. 5 common body types are hourglass, pear, apple, or rectangle.

If you are hourglass shaped, the top and bottom halves of your body are generally well proportioned. This body shape is usually the easiest to dress. Fitted, tighter clothing looks best on this body shape. Your waist is usually the smallest part of your body, so picking a dress with a cinched in waist will accentuate it and give your curves more definition. Also a darker bottom and lighter top will give you a curvier look and the two separate colors will give your hips, waist, and bust more definition. Low necklines and V-necks are also great for hourglass shape. Try to stay away from stiff, bulky fabrics and high necklines.

Pear shaped bodies tend to be smaller on the top and larger on the bottom. This is said to be the most common body shape among women. Our goal here is balance. You want to give your shoulders and bust a wider look to take the attention off the widest part of your body. Play up the top half of your body with brighter colors, wide neck lines, and if possible darker colors on bottom. This will give your hips a slimmer look. Flared skirts look great on pears. Empire waists and wrap dresses also flatter this body shape by flowing gently over your hips. Try to stay away from rounded shoes because they give your body a shorter heavier look. Pointed toes on a shoe help to give your legs a longer and sleeker look, which will also elongate your body.

Apple shapes tend to be larger on top than on bottom. They have broader shoulders and larger breasts and also have a fuller undefined waist and narrow hips. Your goal here is to elongate your torso and draw attention to your best attributes. Dresses which gather under the breasts will make your waist look smaller and more defined, which will draw attention away from your tummy. Shorter skirts will accentuate your legs and draw attention away from your fuller mid-section. Simpler designs look best on apples, so stay away from extravagant prints and multi colored fabrics. Wedged heels look great on you and draw more attention to your legs and balance out your body. Try to avoid stiletto shoes, which give you an unbalanced and disproportional look. Sleeker shoes with a thicker heel will give you that perfect balance.

Rectangle bodies are very slim and have almost no curves, so the idea here is to create curves on the top and bottom half of your body. An ideal look for rectangles would be something like a ball gown, with a cinched waist and full skirt. Embellishments are also another way to accentuate your waist. Ornaments, belts, wraps, darts, and ribbons are a few ways to play up your tiny waist.

Also, drawing attention to your bust will draw away from your small hips. Rhinestones or beaded necklines help with this. Try to stay away from fabric that is too clingy because this will just silhouette your small body and give no appearance of curves at all. Patterns and colors add dimensions to this body shape, so don’t be afraid to wear something that sticks out in a crowd.

Remember to keep balance and proportion in mind, while finding simple ways to play up your best attributes. Whether it’s your legs, shoulders, or small waist there is always something you can do to play it up. Next time you’re breaking a sweat in a dressing room relax, take a deep breath, and think back to these few simple tips that can go a long way to make you the most beautiful girl on that special night.