“My choice in career was mechanical engineering,” junior Alex Bernal said. “So I thought, ‘Why not learn more about it?’ ”

The class is very interactive, with students regularly doing oil changes, 25-point inspections and rotating and balancing tires. Recently, the students learned about brake systems and are currently learning about steering and suspension type work, including alignments.

“I get hands-on experience,” junior Ben Kemp said. “I like to get my hands dirty.”

Where a regular class has textbooks, the auto workshop has workbenches; where ordinary classrooms have white boards; auto tech has cars suspended in the air.

“It lets me have hands-on work,” Bernal said. “I understand the things we’re learning physically, not just learning out of a textbook like a regular class. I get to learn a whole bunch of stuff.”

Working on the cars has both educated the students and given them a challenge they enjoy.

“I wanted to learn to be able to fix cars up later in life,” sophomore Chris Boettcher said. “It’s something that interests me.”

Not only is the class educational, but it also gives the students experience they can use in their daily lives.

“I use it at home when my mom needs help with her car,” Bernal said. “If I don’t know how to do something, I know I’ll probably learn it later in the year.”

Teachers regularly bring their cars to the shop for work, and the advanced students also work on outside cars and student cars. Next year, there will be a third year program that is a practicum class. Some students will be employed at local shops or as an internship. Instead of going to class for three hours, the students will go work in a shop.

“If a student is interested in being a technician, then it’s a great experience,” Auto Tech teacher Jeff Milam said. “Or, it’s also good if they want to see if they have an interest.”

These are all programs that are available on only specific campuses in the district. Students who wish to pursue these careers later in life attend two schools, spending one day at one campus, then the next day at the other school.

“When I first started they had buses so I went there half the day,” senior and Air Force ROTC cadet Colton Lammons said. “It was scary being at Leander with upperclassmen. I remember thinking ‘This is crazy, I can’t do this.’ And then I’d come back here and it’d be a ghost town.”

ROTC is offered at two campuses, Vista Ridge and Leander High School. The course at Leander is targeted to students interested in the Air Force while the course at Vista Ridge is to prepare students for the Navy. The ROTC program provides many different groups and leadership opportunities to the cadets.

“I’m not in leadership because you have to be a sophomore, but I am on rifle team,” freshmen Navy ROTC cadet Ivan Castelan said. “I like shooting, it’s really helping me prepare for my future career as a Navy SEAL.”

Leadership programs and opportunities promoted throughout the ROTC program help the cadets to prepare for a military future.

“If it wasn’t for ROTC I wouldn’t have the leadership positions I have now,” Lammons said. “It set me up for positive and successful future relationships; it adds perspective and helps me socially by helping me to form connections and meeting people and interacting. It’s not just this school; it gives me another student body to interact with.”

Another dual campus course that is offered at Leander High School is Cosmetology. This course requires an interview before a student can be accepted. Students who are accepted into this program have to adhere to a strict dress code of scrubs and have to have their makeup and hair done.

“The interaction with everyone and learning how to style hair and doing nails and stuff makes it worth the hassle,” junior Cosmetology student Christina Hunt said.

The beauty program prepares students for a career in salons and teaches hair styling, nails and other such beauticians’ work. The students work long hours to meet the requirements to become a licensed beautician.

“This cosmetology program is way cheaper than going to Paul Mitchell’s Beauty School by thousands of dollars so it’s worth being dual campus,” junior Cosmetology student Jessica Aguilar said. “At the end of your second year you can take the test to get certified and begin your career. If you don’t pass then you’ve graduated so you have to just keep trying.”

The craving to create also draws students to a dual campus life style. While RHS has some cooking classes, Cedar Park offers an advanced culinary program. Senior Matt Warrenburg attends RHS on A days and heads to Cedar Park on B days.

“Culinary has been my passion for awhile,” Warrenburg said. “I took a food science class and they told me they offered a higher program so I chose it.”

While the benefits of attending two schools at once help to prepare students for their future careers, there are also downsides.

“I feel split, the sense of belonging isn’t quite there,” Lammons said. “Tutorials are another challenge, meetings with teachers are more difficult to arrange because they have to work around your schedule. Sometimes I wish that I could split myself into two people so that I could do everything I want to.”

Lammons, who is also part of FFA, has to work around his complex schedule to make important events and meetings.

“It’s difficult not being able to see certain friends and clubs because you won’t be there for them,” Lammons said. “It’s easier at one campus because you don’t have to worry, it’s difficult to overcome, but eventually you adapt.”

Despite the disadvantages, dual campus students like Aguilar still say it’s worth it.

“You get to be a part of more than one family,” Aguilar said. “If you don’t fit in at one place, you can fit in at the other.”

Student Council is sponsoring Teens for Jeans, a project to collect blue jeans to give to homeless.

“It’s an honorable thing for our school to be doing,” junior Mark Castilla said. “It shows that our school cares. I think we will get at least 100 [pairs of] jeans, at least. I feel inspired to want to donate my own jeans.”

StuCo will accept donations of gently used or new jeans through Feb. 12. Jeans should be dropped off in the front office. The leadership group is hoping to have a strong donation turnout.

“I hope it will be a positive experience,” senior Josh Companion said. “I hope we can collect a lot of jeans, but any amount will count. I’m super excited and it feels really good to help people out.”

Feb. 9 – The girls track team will hold a practice meet with Cedar Ridge and Leander after school at the track.

Feb. 20 -11 – A mandatory meeting for cheerleader and mascot candidates and their parents Mandatory candidate/parent meetings will be Monday, Feb. 20 at Leander High School and Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Vista Ridge High Schools. Both meetings are from 7 to 8 p.m. and candidates must attend of the two meetings to be eligible to try out. A mandatory cheer clinic will occur April 10 -13 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. on campus and tryouts for cheerleaders and the mascot will happen April 14 at Vista Ridge High School.

Feb. 23 – PALS is hosting the first-ever dodge ball tournament Thursday, Feb. 23 at 5:30 p.m. The teams must have six people and be co-ed, with at least two members of the opposite gender. Registration is $7 per member, $42 for the team. The deadline is today, but teams can pay a $10 late fee to enter by next Friday, Feb. 10. The tournament will be in the competition and auxiliary gym with trophies given for the best dressed team, crowd favorite and the tournament champion. General admission is $1.50 for advance tickets and $2 at the door.

Feb. 25 – The first-ever Mr. Rouse pageant for senior guys will be at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. The winner will get a free tux rental for prom and there will be cash prizes for first, second and third place.

March 1-2 – Student leaders from campus clubs will attend Camp Wannaleada Thursday and Friday, March 1-2 at T Bar M in New Braunfels. Students will participate in ropes courses and other leadership activities to help build leadership skills.

“We’re pretty confident that we can with the SXSW show, we got the word around Rouse and a lot of people voted,” senior David Johnston said.

The band has been in existence for three months, and has gotten a pretty good start, already having a gig and a manager, as well as writing their own songs. All members of the band have a part to play in the writing of the songs.

“Michael [Collins] and Zach [Schuler] write the instrumental parts, giving each other ideas to play off of,” Miller said. “David [Johnston] writes the lyrics, because the rest of us aren’t creative enough to.”

The band will play their first gig this Sunday at Red Eye Fly at 7 p.m.

Kayla Demar – Reserve Champion Market Swine
Colton Lammons – Reserve Champion Dark Other Pure Bred, 2nd place Heavy Weight Dark Other Pure Bred
Coleton Callan – Reserve Champion Southdown, 2nd place Southdown
Kaleigh Nichols – 2nd place Duroc
Dakota Bush – 2nd place York
Nicollette Howe – 2nd place Southdown, 3rd place Southdown
Lauren Hammond – 3rd place Duroc
Shelby Mott – 4th place Medium Wool
Chase Carpenter – 4th place Medium Wool, 4th place Fine-wool Cross Sheep

Lammons also earned the Reserve Champion Senior Showman.

“The entire Rouse FFA made quite an impact through teamwork and individual success,” co-sponsor Beverley Schroedter. “ We have the highest number of students in the sale as compared to other schools.”

“I am most excited that it is collaboration between dance, choir, band and theatre snd for Arden Beckham and Ryan Hawthorne because they have never been a lead in a musical before,” choir director Brenda Justice said.

The expectations of the show are high due to last year’s musical selling out both nights. Last year’s success warranted adding a third performance this year, a first for the theatre department.

“I think it will be the best yet,” Justice said. “We have seniors who are intelligent about acting and music and are able to practice on their own and their skill level is much higher.”

Even though the musical is about a plant with a thirst for human blood, there is still comedic moments.

“The audience will enjoy all of the humor,” said senior Arden Beckham who will play Audrey. “Some parts aren’t supposed to be funny but are, like a subtle humor.”

Little Shop of Horrors promises to be upbeat and full of surprises. More than 90 students auditioned in October for the show.

“I think it will be amazing because a lot of talented people are in it,” Beckham said. “Now that we have a full school, it’s going to be bigger and better than ever.”

Senior project is a graduation requirement for all senior English classes throughout the district. The project includes a paper, portfolio and visual presentation before judges.

AP English classes read two thematically linked novels, wrote a 8-12 page paper and created a portfolio and visual presentation. During the presentations Nov. 16 and 17, the students were judged on their portfolio and presentation skills.

“It incorporated the skills we learned throughout high school and pulls it all together,” senior Diane Lee said. “This allows you to stand up for what you believe in and use your knowledge that you have now to do something about it.”

Instead of reading a book, regular English classes chose topics to research for their senior projects. Students were required to create a senior sign, write a letter to the judges, submit a revised copy of the 5-8 page research paper and complete six hours of community service.

These classes presented their projects in front of judges during advocate classes this Wednesday and Thursday. Senior Karen Solórzano chose animal abuse as her topic.

 “I care about animal abuse,” Solórzano said. “We need to tell the community about it and I want to motivate people to try to stop it.”

For the presentations, seniors were coached how to dress and act professionally. Guys wore slacks and button down shirts with ties, girls wore dresses or dress pants and nice blouses. During their presentations, the seniors fielded questions from the judges and other observers in the room.

“Senior project is preparing the student for real life,” English IV teacher Sherri Sneed said. “This project will put everything in perspective.”

“I feel super thankful for him coming home this Christmas before he gets deployed,” Auchey said. “This Christmas isn’t just about getting presents or what we normally see Christmas as, but it’s a chance to be with and be around my brother before he leaves.”

Auchey’s not the only one with family heading to the war in Afghanistan. Senior Okairi Torres and science teacher Marlene Blanchett both have brothers heading overseas.

“I tried not to think about it at the time,” Torres said. “But then I realized I might never see him again especially since he doesn’t live at home anymore.”

The war began in response to the Sept. 11 attacks 10 years ago; Al-Qaeda agents who were behind the attacks were given refuge in Afghanistan. As of Dec. 5, 2011, there have been more than 1,800 U.S. casualties with Operation Enduring Freedom, according to the Department of Defense. There have been more than 4,400 casualties with Operation Iraqi Freedom.

 “I try to keep myself busy with work here,” Blanchett said. “I’m obviously worried but he’s had a lot of training, he’s very smart, he’s very aware and I’m confident he’s going to come back.”

The military departures are sad for families affected, considering President Barack Obama recently announced he was bringing home all troops from Iraq by the end of the year. While Fort Hood will be flush will soldiers returning, other units are heading out to Afghanistan as the new year begins.

“I’m sad, shocked, and scared for him at the same time,” Auchey said. “I keep thinking to myself ‘Oh my gosh, my brother’s going to Afghanistan and he could die there.’ ”

Sophomore Ivy Gutierrez knows Auchey’s pain. She watched her father head off to war when she was in second grade. Gutierrez’s dad, a Marine, returned home periodically, but was fighting in Iraq on and off for three years.

“I was really happy,” Gutierrez said. “We all went to go to see him at the airport with balloons to welcome him back.”

Torres hopes to have her own welcoming home party for her brother in a year. Until then, she’ll be waiting.

“Even though I’m worried he might not come back I still understand,” Torres said. “I understand the people who have done it in the past fighting so we have the freedoms we have today. Although, he does have a daughter at home to take care of and it would be really upsetting if she grew up never knowing him and never having any memories of him because of the sacrifice he made so she could have the liberties she has today.”

8:45 – 10:15 a.m. 1st period

10:21 – 11:56 a.m. 2nd period

12:32 – 2:09 p.m. 3rd period final/lunches

2:15 – 3:45 p.m. 4th period final

Wednesday, DEC. 14

 8:45 – 10:15 a.m. 5th period

10:21 – 11:56 a.m. 6th period

12:32 – 2:09 p.m. 7th period final/lunches

2:15 – 3:45 p.m. 8th period final

Thursday, DEC. 15 (Half day)

8:45 – 10:15 a.m. 2nd period final

10:21 – 11:56 a.m. 1st period final

Friday, DEC. 16 (Half day)

8:45 – 10:15 a.m. 6th period final

10:21 – 11:56 a.m. 5th period final