By: Michelle Ivette Rodriguez

 

As the candidates calmly walked onstage and took their place in front of their assigned podium, cheers and applause erupted. Ecstatic fans rooted and showed their unconditional support for the candidate they thought best fitted to represent the 16^th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives Jan. 16 at the Coronado High School auditorium.

Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D) and his three Democratic challengers, Beto O’Rourke, Jerome Tilghman and Ben Mendoza gathered to discuss their views on issues such as education, the Dream Act and the Defense Authorization Act.

 

Reyes will be running for a ninth term in the House of Representatives, but it seems that he will have serious competition. According to an exit poll taken by the hosts, 77 percent of the pollers favored O’Rourke following the debate. Reyes came in second with 13 percent.

 

During the debate, O’Rourke criticized Reyes for going to an outside source regarding the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.

 

“I don’t know why our representative here on the U.S.-Mexico border, the capital of the border, isn’t leading the charge and why, instead, it’s being led out of Chicago, Ill.,” O’Rourke said.

 

“I think our representative could have an amazing opportunity to band together with representatives (from around the country) and make our case to the rest of the country that immigration…in a rational, reasonable way, is a net positive and a net benefit (to the country).”

 

O’Rourke said we need an “active (and) aggressive leader who will take initiative.

 

Reyes responded to the accusation by expressing his contributions to the creation process of the act. He blamed the delay of passing the act on the bipartisan disagreements in Congress.

 

“Not only do I support the DREAM Act, I helped formulate it into legislation and we continue to move forward (with it). All you got to do (to understand why the DREAM Act hasn’t been passed) is tune in to the Republican (Presidential) Debates. Translate (the disputes between the candidates) into the representatives that are in Congress that are afraid to go back and work and compromise the way we did back before Sept. 11 in the Bush Administration,” Reyes said.

 

O’Rourke questioned the credibility of Reyes’ beliefs regarding the length of a congressional term throughout most of the debate. O’Rourke’s main focus was on a statement Reyes made at the beginning of his first term in 1995. Reyes stated that a member of Congress should not run for more that three or four years – he has now been in office for nearly 16 years.

 

Reyes said that if a member is “doing the job well” then he should be in office for as long as he is willing and able to.

 

Because the debate was sponsored by the broadcast students of Coronado, the candidates also discussed improvements and changes they hoped to promote and possibly install in the Texas education system.

 

Reyes believes that students need to be motivated. He takes reference from his elementary school days and the his teachers’ lack of belief that their kindergarten students have the potential to become a member of Congress.

 

“(Students need to have a) good role model, a good character, to not do stupid foolish things like violate the laws…(Students need someone) to say ‘You can do it, if you persist…if you set your mind to it,’” Reyes said.

 

Tilghman, who received 11 percent of the exit poll, said the education system has more of a social input.

 

“The future of this community and this country is in the classroom right now… If we look at the historical trends from those who are educated…and those who are not…the income levels (have) a vast difference between those who start and finish school, and those who do not finish,” Tilghman said.

 

He believes that if the community has “a larger capability to learn,” then the community will have “a larger capability to take care of any responsibilities (they) incur.”

 

Mendoza agreed with Reyes to an extent, but took a different perspective on the issue.

 

“I believe that (to improve the educational system) students must be in an innovative and motivating environment,” Mendoza said.

 

Mendoza believed that if teachers included more technology into their curriculum, they would be able to sustain students interest.

 

Mendoza also had strong opposing views toward the passing of the National Defense Authorization Act – an act that allows over $600 billion to go into the U.S. Department of Defense, particularly for counter-terrorism. This act is considered controversial because of the way it permits military personnel to detain terrorism suspects.

 

“(Through this act), the Republican and Democratic parties have given the president dictatorial powers… When this occurred…Hitler rolled over in his grave and said, ‘we won,’” Mendoza said.

 

Tilghman disagreed with Mendoza saying he does not believe the political parties are entirely to blame. He believes that if Congress meticulously read the bills that are in the process of being passed, the Bill of Rights and the sense of national security would be preserved.

 

Reyes defended himself stating that “as a senior member of Congress,” he did fight the passing of the NDAA, but considering the Republican-Democratic ratio, a compromise had to be reached and the act is the compromise.

 

Reyes is a Canutillo native who has served in public life since 1966 when he joined the Army. He began his first term in the House of Representatives in 1995 and is running for a ninth term. O’Rourke is an El Paso native who owns an internet software business. He was a member of City Council from 2005 – 2011.

 

Tilghman shares a similar background with Reyes as he too served in the Army. Tilghman later became an educator at Moore Head Middle School.

 

Mendoza is a real estate agent. He has run for office in the House of Representatives twice, in the 2006 and 2008 elections.

 

The primary election is April 3 and the general election is Nov. 6 at various voting polls that are to be determined at a later date.

 

By: Rebeca Cazares

Last year the French Honor Society gave Christmas gifts to underprivileged children at Sageland Elementary School.  This year the FHS participated in the Bel Air Street Fest and also gave Christmas gifts to the children hospitalized at Del Sol hospital along with the Spanish Honor Society.

“My favorite event was our Christmas present donation to the children in the hospital,” junior Marysol Chavira said.

The members decided to help the children in the hospital this year for the sole cause to cheer them up and put a smile on the children’s faces despite the situations many of these children face.

Apart from going to the hospital, the FHS also participated in the Street Fest for the first time.

“Last school year, FHS wasn’t present for the annual Street Fest. This year was different; all members decided upon selling brownies and cookies to collect money for the upcoming FHS Induction ceremony and other projects. The fundraiser was a success, and we had fun selling them.” junior Erick Romero said.

The FHS raised $600  and the money raised will be used for this year’s induction ceremony to recognize the new members.

“I started a chapter here at Bel Air to recognize the best French students for their academic excellence and interest in French,” sponsor Dr. Holly Thomas said.

To be selected into becoming a member the student must be at least in the second semester of French 2 and have an A average in French.  Apart from that the student must have a B average in all their other classes during the semester selected.  He/She must also have an A- average for all other French classes taken before.  In other words the sponsor is looking for well-rounded students that excel in all classes as well as in French.

“I was inducted at the end of my freshman year. I participated all my sophomore year and hope to continue until the end of my high school year,” Chavira said.

All 40 members of the FHS have the same goals to promote an interest in the French language, culture, and to provide community service to the Bel Air community.

“As the president of the French Honor Society, my role is to communicate with other officers, preside over all meetings, provide an agenda for all members, plan activities such as service projects and fundraisers, and maintain discipline within the organization,” Romero said.

 

 

By: Edna Ferguson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new organization, The Hispanic Culture Society, will take an 11-day trip to Spain this year. The trip is sponsored by Bel Air’s Spanish teacher, Abel Herrera.

The club started when Herrera gave a class on the history of language and names.

“The kids wanted to know where their names came from,” Herrera said. He then started to plan a trip.

At first, Herrera planned a trip to Mexico, but decided to take a tour through Madrid, Barcelona and Paris “when the kids said they wanted to go to Spain.”

Crystal Martinez, one of Herrera’s first period students, is part of the club.

“I have never been [to Spain] so I’m pretty excited.”

Herrera’s Hispanic Culture Society’s main objective is for each student to make $3,000 to cover round-trip flight cost, hotel, and food. The club plans to make a Bowlathon, sell plate dinners, and candy grams. Yet, mostly each student has to raise the money on their own.

“I’ve paid the $3,000 already…I had a sponsor,” Martinez said.

The Hispanic Culture Society is made up of 12 to 20 students.

“Anybody can still join,” Herrera said. ”They don’t have to be in my class, they just have to want to know about their history, come to every meeting, and do community service.” Herrera also said there is still time for anybody to go on the trip.

By: Edna Ferguson

Nominated for her achievement and hard work in school by Patricia Lindemann, Abigail Corchado was named Student of the Week by Dr. Dora De la Rosa December 7.

“I didn’t know I was nominated,” Corchado said.

Abigail Corchado was in Lindemann’s class when the announcements mentioned her name that morning. All throughout the day her peers called her “Student of the Week” and pointed her out for everyone to see.

“They made fun of me,” Corchado said about her peers.

Lindemann had Corchado last year as a sophomore and said that this year she has been lucky to have her again. She said she nominated Corchado for her overall work and her creativity.

“I think it is a very special recognition for students who are interested in their education, and Abby is one of them,” Lindemann said.

Corchado is part of the Varsity Soccer team at Bel Air, Mock Trial, CIS, and joined yearbook this year.

“I am really dedicated to yearbook,” Corchado said, “but I wish I could have joined other clubs, too, like the Book Club or Student Council.” Interested in Fashion Marketing, Corchado is also part of DECA.

Corchado admitted that she, in her own eyes, did not do something specific to get nominated. “There are other people I see that are more involved than me,” Corchado said.

One of her peers, Elva Aranda, a fellow soccer teammate, described Corchado as a “good player” and “a responsible person.”

“She is very mature and humorous,” Aranda said. “She is so cute.”

Corchado’s soccer coach, Tod Hansen, said Corchado was “hardworking, dedicated, and energetic.”

“She’s a nice young lady,” Hansen said, “She most definitely deserved that honor.”

Hansen made clear her attitude alone got her the nomination. “Everything I’ve seen her do she does accurately and wholeheartedly,” Hansen said.

“Abby is one of those kids that have fun with the projects,” Lindemann said. “She is fun, silly, inquisitive, engaging, driven, and diligent.” “She makes me laugh sometimes,” Lindemann said.