They soon discover that choosing a god isn’t as simple as it seems, mostly due to the fact that gods demand so much. Finally they found Luka, the raccoon god of prosperity, who in return for his services only demands a small portion of their good fortunes…and a place to stay.

At first the young couple doesn’t seem to mind their new roommate, and the parties, but soon realize that they had entered something that they will find difficulty escaping with their lives.

Divine Misfortune is A. Lee Martinez’s comical portrayal on how religion is seen more as a fad in these modern times, and how it is taken way too seriously, but if you’re looking for a good laugh and a book that is controversial as well, then this could be the book for you.

                                                                                                                                                                                                           By Cody Zivley

   At last! Summer’s here, and LHS students are jumping out of their desks and up for joy. Uninterrupted sleep, long days out with friends, and warm weather, who could ask for anything more? It’s a season to be enjoyed, and for that reason it’s easy to forget the most basic necessities of summer safety. Namely, applying sunscreen and covering up to protect against Texas’s summer sun.

   Nobody likes a sun burn, and what’s more, nobody likes cancer. With more cases than lung, breast, and colon cancer combined, skin cancer is currently the most common type of cancer in the United States. Every single year, millions of individual cases are reported. Although there are three different types of skin cancer, melanoma is the most dangerous, and the number of those diagnosed with it is increasing faster than any other type of cancer.

   To many, it seems skin cancer is the product of a lifetime spent out in the sun, but in reality, it’s the second most common form of cancer for those between the ages of fifteen and twenty-nine. That’s because any change in your skin, be it a severe sun burn or even a light tan, is the result of UV damage, and ultraviolet radiation is a carcinogen. Of course, summer is the season renowned for its unrelenting UV rays.

   Fortunately, it’s not difficult to protect oneself from the dangers. Simply wearing a shirt reduces the risk, as does wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. But above all that, it’s best to apply sunscreen before even stepping outside. Most dermatologists would recommend the use of sunscreen with a broad spectrum to ensure protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

   While nobody likes getting burned by the sun, summer’s still a favorite time of the year and simply remembering to stay protected can keep this year’s `summer full of fun.

   The new officers will have a busy year next year preparing for Dinner Theatre, Thespian Convention, as well as various charity events and productions. Congratulations, ladies!

  This past Saturday evening was the annual band banquet, at which the leadership team for next year was announced. Teaming up with veteran, Kelsey Blanscet, are Hanne Keiling and Hunter Green. All three drum majors have been in band since their freshman year and are very excited to be working together as leaders.

Kelsey:

What do you think of your new team members?

They’re the best!  I couldn’t be more excited for next year! I think we make a great team.

Since you’re a veteran, do you get to be in charge of the others?

(Laughs) No. It just means that on top of the regular responsibilities of being a drum major, I get to teach the new guys.

What are you most excited about for the next marching season?

Everything! It’s going to be an amazing year for the program!

Hunter:

How excited are you to be a drum major?

Really excited! I’m extraordinarily happy to be part of something great.

Is this something you’ve been working toward?

Most definitely. Three years of hard work are finally paying off.

Are you going to have to cut off your hair?

No. All I have to do is pull it back and make it look as clean as possible.

Hanne:

How excited are you to be a drum major?

I’m extremely excited! Next year is going to be awesome—I can’t wait to see how our season turns out.

Is this something you’ve been working toward?

Yes! I’ve been a trumpet section leader since my sophomore year, and every season is a learning experience. I’m honored to have been chosen as a drum major for the ’10-’11 school year.

How are you planning to balance this huge responsibility with your already rigorous IB schedule?

Lots of praying (laughs).

For most students high school represents a time in their lives that will go down in their minds as “the good ol’ days,” their various escapades will earn their rightful places in history as they gain the ears of acquaintances to come and friends yet to be made.

For me, high school has meant gaining the friendship of some of the most amazingly fascinating people I will ever meet. We could fill volumes with the sheer quantity of inside jokes and double entendres in our arsenal.

It is both a gift and a curse, cliché fully intended, being surrounded by the same 40 or so students every day for two years. It has meant unwavering friendships and a constant support system through the treacherous journey that is the International Baccalaureate Program, but it has also meant being trapped by what is accurately referred to as the “IB bubble.” Without the occasional AP class thrown in, a student in the IB program can go through their junior and senior years knowing only fellow IB students, virtually caged off from the general high school population.

None the less, I owe a lot to the journalism program for forcing me to mix with the student body and keeping me from being a total recluse. Apart from the number of commitments that go hand in hand with IB, I have really only invested my time in one other pursuit: journalism.

For me, writing for The Roar has been a life changing experience. I started high school with no expectations, an unassuming freshman with little to go on but the iconic films of the eighties. Needless to say The Breakfast Club does not quite prepare one for all that a secondary education entails. Journalism became my port in a squall. When my heavy course load became unbearable I could rely on the newspaper to be the one place I didn’t have to try. Not that it isn’t hard, just that it’s natural. The Roar feels right; it feels like a home; it is a family. I have seen this family soar to new heights under the protective wing of a remarkable teacher and I have been privileged to tag along for this amazing ride.

I would be lying if I claimed to be deeply saddened to be saying goodbye, due in part to the fact that it simply has yet to sink in, but due primarily to my knowledge that this is anything but an ending. I am moving forward to the promise of an incredible future and The Roar will continue on its journey to becoming an even more incredible student publication. With such happy sights ahead, being sad makes no sense. This is not goodbye, this is a glimpse at a vibrant future and an excess of opportunity.

   Many comedies hit the screen and give their audiences a few hearty laughs before promptly growing stale. However, every so often one reveals itself to be enjoyable not only the first time, but the second, and maybe even the third time as well. It’s not the plot that brings viewers back to a movie, but the performances, the scenes and dialogue that friends can giggle over time and time again.

   Date Night is one such movie.

   Opening to the average day of average married couple Phil (Steve Carell) and Claire (Tiny Fey) Foster, the movie soon takes a sharp turn when, on their weekly “date night”, the two assume another couple’s identity to mix it up and nab a table at the hottest restaurant in Manhattan. Little do they know, the couple they pretend to be is currently on the wrong side of a local mob boss.

   Despite the common concept of a case of mistaken identity spiraling out of control, the couple’s misadventure is still an entertaining one. Overall, it’s well paced and the humor well placed. Adding to that, Carell and Fey are a match made in comedy heaven. On screen, their chemistry is unquestionable and even the pair’s talent for improv is utilized to make the movie something to remember.

   By the end, it’s clear that Date Night doesn’t merely roll out laughs as it also boasts a highly realistic portrayal of marriage. It rings true with a message all married couples can appreciate: the slump of routine doesn’t have to end in divorce. Rather, sometimes a marriage just needs a little kick, and that kick is precisely what separates Date Night from the mass of other comedies.

   For many juniors and seniors prom marks a rite of passage into their lives past high school as the impending promise of graduation marches closer and closer.

   Prom is a night to have fun with friends and make memories that will last a lifetime, which is exactly what students did as they danced and laughed the night away at the Double Tree Hotel in Austin:

   May is just around the corner, and for Advanced Placement (AP) students, so are exams.

   A year spent under the pressure of a college level course all boils down to a single test that will decide whether or not the student obtains college credit in the field. For some, it’s a chance to save money; for others, it’s a chance to prepare for college, but for all, it’s a chance to get ahead.

   There are currently over thirty AP courses offered nationwide, and each is a rigorous commitment. But the intimidation of such a reputation isn’t keeping students away. According to the College Board’s AP Report to the Nation, more students than ever are tackling the challenge and it’s easy to see why.

   Statistics say that AP students are much more likely to graduate from college within four years, and that those who take the time to study for the end-of-the-year exam are better equipped to retain information in future classes. At the same time, students that score a three or higher are shown to typically experience a more successful college career, complete with a higher graduation rate, than a student that has not taken an AP course.

   Even those students that do not score high enough to obtain college credit have only pushed forward. Undertaking an AP course and exam shows academic ambition and dedication, both of which are traits that colleges across the country desire in potential students.

   What’s more, by doing well enough on an exam, a student can bypass entrance level college courses and become that much more likely to study abroad or double major, making it an endeavor well worth undertaking.

   In order to help prepare this year’s students, AP World History is offering review sessions every Saturday from April 17^th to May 8^th in the Little Theater, similar to AP Chemistry which is also offering weekend review sessions and a chance to come in after school until five. Meanwhile, AP Calculus students have been given not only a multitude of review packets, but also a practice test.

   These are just a few examples of all that LHS’s AP teachers are doing to support their students, and in turn, AP students themselves are encouraged to take advantage of such opportunities as well as anything else that will help them succeed.

Grade: A-

   With a whopping total of $16,007,426 opening weekend, The Last Song hit a high note as it rang through theaters. It is the movie to delight girls and guys of every age that love a good ‘chick-flick.’ Based on its novel by Nicholas Sparks, the Last Song challenges the boundaries of young love and rebellion.

   Ronnie Miller (Miley Cyrus) plays a teenager who is shipped to her father’s home in North Carolina for the summer. Upset from her parent’s divorce, Ronnie comes aggravated and uninterested in her father or the idea of being there in the first place.

   Along the way, she meets new friends and discovers young love with Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth).  As they adventure into summer on an amazing journey, they are threatened with many tough decisions that they must face together and apart.

   Creating a story full of unexpected challenges, Sparks embarks on another journey of love he is known for. Yes, the thought of yet, another mushy love story comes to mind, but this movie is definitely out of the box. With an unpredictable ending and many new twists, this movie is sure to bring a tear to everyone’s eye, as did the book.