The state meet was held May 8-11 at Mesa Community College. He also took 2^nd place in the shot putt. Mercer’s winning throw went 158.6 feet, beating the second place winner by two feet.

“It was a good experience and I was glad for the opportunity to get first place,” said Mercer.

Discus is an ancient sport, estimated to be about 2,500 years old, where one uses a large, heavy disc which they try to throw farther than their opponent.

“A lot of people think it’s easy,” he said. “But it actually takes a lot of technique and footwork.”

Alexis Center, a freshman, also did well at the meet. She won 2^nd place in the girls division in the 100 meters, was 4^th in the 200 meters, and was part of the 4X100 meter relay team which finished in 6^th place.

The South Mountain girls finished in 16^th place overall with 16 points, while the boys came in 13^th with 18 points.

A: Dear Love Struck,

Dating at a young age, or any age for that matter, can be extremely confusing. Between the long talks, huge smiles, and adrenaline rushes, you become oblivious to the facts. However, you need to wake up, because the consequences of you dating an adult can be severe.

Depending on state law, your partner could be sent to prison, or have to register as a sex offender. It is illegal to date a minor. In the city of Phoenix alone, your partner can be convicted of a class six felony. This can happen if you both engage in sexual intercourse or oral sexual conduct. Meaning a simple kiss on the lips might be sufficient evidence to land your partner in prison. Hate to break it to you, but not very many bosses want to hire a felon, so the the man you’re dating might have a difficult future.

If you want a serious relationship with this person, then this will be a test of character and love. If your partner truly cares about you, he will wait until you are of age. If you  care about your partner, you will not want to jeopardize his future.

“I feel proud that we got the award, but even more proud, that we all stuck together as a team,” said producer and technical editor Conner Wade.

“It meant that we are capable of so much more. It’s a measurement of where we are now, and how we can improve,” said artistic director, Xavyer Zeigler. ”To anyone that thinks something is out of their reach, you never know until you try.”

Good Morning Arizona reporter Gina Maravilla, who also served as a judge in the competition, explained why it was important for the “Too Young To Drink” PSA to get out during prom and graduation season.

“It’s an important message, and while all the students who entered did a fantastic job with their videos, South Mountain won, and the message is raw and it’s good, and it’s what the teens need to hear,” she said.

The students were treated to a tour of the station following their live interview.

Below is a link to the video of the Jaguar News students on Good Morning Arizona.

http://www.azfamily.com/good-morning-arizona/Teens-warn-peers-about-drinking-with-strong-206258661.html

You’re walking in your cap and gown looking better than ever.  You stare up at the stadium seats filled with people screaming, cheering, holding up signs, and pressing their horns. You smile, and a sudden burst of joy explodes inside of you. Congratulations senior! You finally made it.

The big question is, what are you going to do now?

“I didn’t  do anything. I didn’t expect it to come so fast,” said senior Miranda Guzman, when asked what she has done to prepare for after high school.

It’s time to start thinking about your future, seniors. Here are some things to help you get started. First let’s get you thinking. What are you interested in? Do you want to go to college?  Trade school? Straight into work? If you need help deciding, talk to your academic advisor at school, to help you on your path to success. That’s what your counselor is there for.

Second, if you’re thinking about going to college, consider how you’re going to pay for it?

“Look for scholarships. Apply for as many as you can that can relate to you,” said Ellen Spinner, a counselor at South Mountain High School. “Get to know a teacher or counselor well to get a good letter of recommendation for a scholarship, too.”

Another way to pay for college is by filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA. To apply, go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. Make sure when you apply for FAFSA that you have your parents tax forms from the recent year. Also, when you’re applying for college, keep in mind that they do have deadlines, so try not to procrastinate. The first people to apply for money have a better shot at getting it.

When you apply for college you are going to have write a personal statement. A personal statement doesn’t necessarily have to be your life story, but it should include information about where you’ve been, where you are now, and your hopes for the future. Take your time and think your statement through. A good personal statement is one of your tickets into the college of your choice.

Graduation is coming up, seniors. Make sure you have a plan.

According to Dr. Ralph Paffenbarger,  who is recognized as an exercise authority internationally, ”People who participate in tennis three hours per week at a moderately vigorous intensity cut in half their risk of death from any cause.”

Dr. Jim Gavin,  the author of  ”The Exercise Habit,”  wrote, “Tennis outperforms golf and most other sports in developing positive personality characteristics.”

So tennis is good for you, though it takes some work.

“It might seem like you are just swinging a racket, but you really have to know how to hold one and what position you’re suppose to hold it,”  said varsity tennis player Lydia Oliveros, a sophmore at South Mountain.

This sport has no time constraints, so there is no rush.  A match goes on until a player reaches a  certain number of points. Unlike other sports such as soccer or football, you don’t need a big group of players to play a game. Tennis can either be played individually or with one other person in pairs competition.  In most tennis matches, a player must win two of three sets. A set consists of six games.

“In order to become a good tennis player, you have to focus,” Oliveros said. ”You have to know what abilities your opponents have. You also have to have fast reflexes. Good eye coordination is needed, because you have to see where the ball is going to land and see if it is in or out. You also need to see the speed of the ball and where it is headed.”

“(Playing tennis)  helps you take out anger when you’re playing, and it’s entertaining,” said junior Miranda Rivera. ”You depend on yourself and not on other people.”

For students looking for something new to try, tennis is a great option.

“Here at South, tennis is not a fiercely competitive sport, rather it is a sport where everyone gets a chance to play and learn new skills,” said Shindler, who’s been coaching the Jaguars team for seven years. “I would like to see more students join tennis.”  

So go ahead and give tennis a try. Contact Shindler about joinging next year’s team.

A salsa contest was also held. And, no, folks, not a salsa dancing contest. It was for the best-tasting salsa recipie. The competition was open to all students and staff.

Spanish teacher Julio Rubio was in charge of the salsa table.

“Special thanks to those who were brave enough to be our judges,” he said.

And the winners were:

1^st place – for the second year in a row:  Spanish teacher Bolivia Gaytan

2^nd place:  Senior  Alex Uriarte

3^rd place:  AVID Student Krisynthia Sampson

With all the fun, it was easy to lose sight of the real reason to celebrate the Cinco De Mayo.

“Cino De Mayo is not a celebration to drink and go out,” said Rubio. ”It is about the Mexican heritage.”

O.K. So what is Cinco De Mayo? It’s a day recognized in Mexico to commemorate the Mexican victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

Student government funded the event and STUGO students also decorated the annex. Around 85 people were fed a catered meal, much of which came from Red Devil Restaurant. Music was  provided by the KJAG-Radio students.

Staff members that helped organize the College Shower were Multimedia Communications teacher Anne Montgomery, who organized the food, Social Worker Debbie Linldley, and counselor Stephanie Clay. South Mountain Principal Alvin Watson spoke to the soon-to-be-leaving Jaguars, and told  them to take college seriously.

“Students, you must discipline yourself. Because you are not going to have teachers running around saying get this done, get this done,” he said. ”When you get into the college setting, they consider you an adult. When you pay your money, they expect you to always show up on time to the classes. Best to earn that credit, so that one day you may return to visit us here at South Mountain.”

When asked what food was his favorite, Watson said, “I like the salad more than anything.”

“Hand-eye coordination, being able to hit the ball then run bases, catching and throwing the ball are all skills needed to play,” said South Mountain senior Jesse Palafox. “Baseball is different from other sports, because it is more a game of mental ability.”

“You must picture a play before the ball is pitched to be ready to make that play,” said senior Anthony Atondo. “Baseball is a sport that takes strategy.”

In baseball focusing plays a big role. Taking your eye off of the ball for just a quick second can make a player miss making a simple play.

“Staying focused is tough,” said Palafox. ”You need to have the ability to expect the unexpected, because baseball is a game of adjustments.”

Baseball can also hurt, occasssionally.

“There is always a chance of getting hit in the head with a baseball or taking a bad hop in the mouth or face,” said Jaguars varsity coach JD Ramirez.

“It’s a risky sport,” said senior Geovani Zavala. “You can even get hit while sliding.”

Overall, baseball is tough and risky but a beautiful favored American sport.

“In a real lock down, we are trying to hide from the shooter, so no one will be shot or even worse, killed,” said Ruben Quintana, the Dean of Students at South Mountain High School. “So, we hide, so the shooters will not know that there are people in the classrooms.”

Courtney Spiess, the School Resource Officer at South Mountain said, ” Teachers and staff are asked to lock classroom doors and be quiet for their safety. There could be a possible threat on campus, and locking doors, staying low, and keeping quiet will give a better advantage to you, not the threat on campus.”

“It is important to practice emergency drills, because students and staff will know what to do and we can keep everyone safe,” said Quintana.

Spiess added that, ” If students do not take lock down drills seriously, they could get themselves hurt or someone will hurt them.”

And students who misbehave during drills will most likley be punished for their actions.

“Students who do not take emergency drill seriously could expect to receive some sort of discipline from the school’s dean,” said Spiess. ”It is vital that you understand and follow directions during an emergency at school.”

So. . . what are you going to wear? If you’re still not sure, Lady Jags, no need to worry, because the  prom dresses have arrived!

“Dresses are expensive,” said South Mountain Social Worker Deborah Lindley, who has helped collect prom dresses for South students.

If you’re on a budget and don’t want to spend money on a  dress you’ll probably only wear once, head over to the couseling office during lunch or after school.

“Some people need a free dress or else they can’t afford to go to prom,”  Lindley explained.

Don’t let not having anything to wear keep you from a memorable night, and if you  happen to have a  dress you no longer need, you are welcomed to donate it.

“Yes, dresses can be donated and not only will they be used for prom, but also for graduation,” said Lindley.

The dresses will be available until prom day, which is Saturday, April 27.