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Under Lock and Key
Story by: Kerenza Robinson
The loudspeaker comes on and the principal announces that we are about to go into a lockdown. Except this time, he says nothing about it being a drill. It’s just like some kind of scary movie. The teachers lock the doors, turn out the lights, and tell the students to stay very quiet. At least, that’s what is supposed to happen. But, that’s not really the case.
In the office, they were aware that the lockdown was real right away. They immediately went into the conference room to wait for the end of the lockdown. But, since they didn’t actually know what happened to cause the entire school to go into a lockdown, they were not all that concerned. Careylyn Mendoza said, “We didn’t think it was that serious because I don’t think anyone knew what was going on yet. We didn’t know there was a shooting.” In fact, the teacher assistants and counselors started a game of charades. Ms. Lunn was the one that came up with the idea after waiting for a long time in boredom. They played charades in teams of two and the game went on for a long time, with Ms. Lunn being the champion.
In Mr. Mayes room, he reassured the students that they would be safe by downloading a shotgun app on his phone. The plan was that he would pump the shotgun to scare away an intruder. But he decided not to fire it, because when he did, it sounded like a firework going off. In the meantime, he put on the movie Holes to entertain the students while they waited.
However, the lockdown wasn’t just fun and games for everyone. Kylie Robinson, a senior, was locked out. She had gone to her friend’s car to put something away when the drill started. Once she heard the announcement, she ran to the nearest classroom, but they wouldn’t answer. So she hurried back to the car and hid in there. When she got inside, she began to reason with herself by thinking that if a shooter is on campus, he isn’t going to go looking in a parking lot because, supposedly, nobody would be there. She was also praying to God to keep her safe, and was focusing on her breathing. When she finally heard that the lockdown was over, she got out of the car and just started crying.
Ronnie Rondeau was another one of the students that was locked out of class. When he heard the announcement, he tried to run back to class, but the doors to Mr. Ferguson’s class were already locked. But he wasn’t worried, he says, “I just thought it was a drill.” The vice principal, Mr. Thompson, let him into the classroom. When Mr. Ferguson realized Rondeau was locked out, he says he was thinking how it would make a good movie script.
Mr. Ferguson predicted the lockdown earlier that same day. He says, “I seem to predict things when I’m joking and they come true.”
This lockdown was an unexpected event and it caught the whole school by surprise. Fortunately, the school remained safe during that time and nobody got hurt.
“A Lot of Ones Makes a Lot”
Story by: Makayla Ogdahl
Though our community is incredibly saddened by the loss of our teacher, coach, and friend, Richard Casey, students and staff here at Twentynine Palms High School continue to honor his contributions to our school, and have found a way to make his name immortal in Wildcat history. And so, on the quiet evening of January 28th, the gym filled not only with moms and dads cheering for their girls’ basketball team, but with community members from an incredible variety of different activities that Mr. Casey participated in. Fellow teachers, co-coaches, church members, and friends filled the bleachers that evening to witness the official renaming of the now “Richard Casey Memorial Gym.” But the most important group there, settled in the center of the bleachers, was his family.
When half-time is called, the mood in the gym turns to solemn remembrance. Mr. Monical stands at his podium, and after a few words, a moment of silence is taken. But this is not a sad occasion, although you can never truly get over the loss of someone so important and loved. This year would have been Mr. Casey’s 30th year of teaching at our school, which is honored by a bronze plaque in the gym. Although he was unable to complete this last year, he joins prominent teachers like Pete Ricards and Jim Sable in commemoration upon the wall.
It’s evident that hearts heal on their own time as Dana Casey takes the stand and begins to speak. As I listen from the bleachers, surrounded by people who cared for him, the air of respect and solitude is tangible. Although a few tears are shed, a feeling of warmth overtakes the feeling of emptiness.
Mr. Casey’s daughter, Samantha Casey-Lane, said the renaming was an unbelievable honor. “My dad, mom, brother and I have all shared memories in that gym… competing, coaching, teaching. Being the humble man he was I know my dad would be so incredibly touched. On behalf of our entire family, including my dad, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Family, friends, colleagues, community… You’ve all shown up for us during our time of need. My dad rests easy knowing we are so well taken care of,” she wrote after the event.
Later on, Mrs. Casey had these words to offer: “We hope people will see the name on the gym and remember how much Richard cared about people. We hope it will inspire kindness. Our entire family is incredibly grateful to the school administration, staff, parents and students!”
Although a great person is gone, his effect on us will stay forever, whether it be “Tie Tuesday”, the small memorial in the library, his plaque upon the wall, or the Richard Casey Memorial Gym.
So as we look upon his gym, let us not be sad or discouraged. When we walk by, let us remember his dedication and strength. And when this cycle of students comes and goes, and TPHS welcomes freshmen who have never heard of Richard Casey, let us take the time to educate them about a man who cared so deeply for everything he was a part of, a man who personified the spirit of his high school, and a man who touched the hearts of everyone around him.
So here’s to you, Mr. Casey, and the hope that your name inspires the love, kindness, and dedication that poured from you every day.
Carpe Dime: Seize the Coin
Story by: Madeline Quinn
Being a part of a high school varsity soccer team is a hard task in itself. Now imagine being the last defense against the opponent scoring a goal: the goalkeeper. Pretty nerve wracking, right? The whole team looks to you as the goalie to stop that ball from going into the back of the net.
Being goalie isn’t normally a player’s first choice for their position, mainly because of this reason. But for KJ Morton it is. And many people think he’s great at it too, although sometimes he doesn’t agree. Who would after a losing by a score of 0-10?
Even though KJ sometimes has a hard time believing others when it comes to their opinion on how he plays, there is plenty of people out there who think he did great during the Desert Mirage game on January 15th, including one of the referees. And this ref certainly made sure that KJ knew as well.
This ref went out of his way to pull KJ off to the side after the hard game to personally tell him that he thought KJ did a fantastic job at being goalie that night. The best he’d seen, to be exact. To further prove his point, the ref gave KJ his CIF coin that he got when he played in the CIF championships in 2006. The blue and yellow coin meant a lot to this ref, and according to what he told KJ was something that he wouldn’t give away so easily. It was something that the ref had never thought of giving away to anyone until that night.
What was it like receiving such a unique gift? KJ describes it as “one of the best things ever.” To step off the field after a tough game, thinking that it was one of the worst games played, only to have someone tell you that it was the best playing of soccer that they’ve ever seen and to give you a special coin to prove it, one could consider that a pretty good feeling.
“I felt pretty happy” recalls KJ. “ Whenever a goal was scored I felt like I had done a bad job as goalie, but after the ref said that to me it made me realize that as long as I tried my hardest to get the ball then I know I did the best I could and that’s all that matters.”
February 20th, 2015
January 23, 2015
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