“I knew I was Muslim, but I actually wanted to practice my faith. At first I was nervous because I didn’t know what people would think or say,” Atieh said. “After the first day of school I felt comfortable and confident.”

Atieh said her worry wasn’t necessary. Her classmates asked questions, but they weren’t rude about her deision.

Atieh said wearing the Hijab represents modesty, dignity and integrity. Muslim women wear the Hijab to present a sense of respect and freedom for themselves. The Hijab helps Islam women to express beauty within themselves, instead of what most of society views women as.

“My mom influenced me to start wearing the Hijab because she always told me that self respect is more important than outer beauty,” Atieh said. “I also was encouraged when I watched a YouTube video produced by a faithful Muslim follower, Joshua Evans. He talked about what the Hijab really meant and spoke about the beauty of a Muslim woman.”

Once a woman decides to accept the Hijab, it is understood that they should always wear it. It is better for someone to never put it on than to put it on and take it off later. Although it is a woman’s choice to wear the Hijab, it is not highly looked upon to take it off later. The Hijab should be worn at all times, especially in public. A Muslim woman can take it off in front of family but not male cousins.

“In Islam, a woman’s beauty is so honored and respected that we should seal it,” Atieh said. “We don’t show it off to the world.”

Although TOMS shoes is hosting the event in order to influence the public, Rider students can not participate in the event during school.

“I understand that this event interests many students and is participated in globally,” Principal Judy McDonald said. “However, not wearing shoes to school is hazardous and can lead to infection. Even though participants of TOMS are asked to not wear their shoes tomorrow, I ask that the students wear their shoes to school because of the number of health issues that are involved with not wearing shoes.”

The Wichita Falls Independent School District Student Handbook states that “Shoes are to be worn at all times. Shoes designed for strings or buckles must be fully laced/ fastened. Students shall not wear shoes that the principal determines to be a hazard to the safety of students or others on campus.”

“If students show up to school tomorrow without wearing appropriate shoes, they will be sent home or have a parent bring them shoes,” Assistant Principal Monte Thacker said. “If the students wants to show their support, they may make home-made TOMS shirts or wear their TOMS apparel.”

Junior Kyler Young wanted to participate in “One Day Without Shoes.”

“I want to participate to experience what it’s like to not have that privilege of wearing shoes,”  Young said.  “It will help me appreciate all I have while experiencing what it is like to  walk in someone else’s “shoes” for a day.”

Podoconosis is caused by walking or working in silica-heavy volcanic soil. It is a debilitating disease that causes extreme swelling, repeated ulcers, and deformity; especially the legs. Podoconosis can be prevented by simply wearing a pair of durable shoes. When TOMS are purchased the company gives a pair of shoes to an underprivileged person.

“I hope that people will realize how lucky they are to have basic everyday essential such as shoes,” Young said.

“I own about 12 pairs of shoes while thousands of others around the world risk infection and disease everyday because of walking barefoot.”

“We peaked at just the right time of the season, and everything was looking good for a good run to state,” junior Chase Roberts said. “That’s why the loss was so disappointing.”

There is much to be said of the Raider’s defense, and holding a team to no goals in a hundred minutes of soccer reflects well of Andrew Goldstein, Tyler Howard, Nick Oechsner and Patrick Barker. The solid senior defense held Guyer to a scoreless game up until the time of the shootout. Senior Dylan Hillard also had an impressive four saves in the goal, making big contributions to the game.

Come time for the shootout sophomore Drake Szczepinski took his place in the goal, and allowed Guyer to score on their first two attempts during the shootout. Although senior Josh Findlay missed the Raider’s first attempt, Howard and Oechsner replied by each getting a goal past Guyer’s Brewer. Guyer’s next two rounds came unanswered as Szczepinski came up with two stops to keep it tied at two. Going into the fourth round tied after Harrison Howard’s goal was denied, Guyer came up with a goal in the fifth round, making it a score-or-go-home situation for Rider’s final attempt at keeping the game alive. Barker gave it his all, but unfortunately came up short, leaving the game at 3-2, and giving Guyer the win and advancement in the playoffs.

Although a very disappointing loss, it was accompanied by a valiant effort by the Raiders and their 15 seniors’ very last game as Raiders.

“They were each one of a kind, bringing something different to the team,” Roberts said. “I’ve learned a lot from them and they have been the best part of soccer for all three years I had with them.”

Roberts feels they have been great leaders, and even more importantly “better friends”. They will definitely be missed.

All five of the goals from Rider came in the first half. Senior Josh Findlay set the pace of the game with the first three goals, one off a penalty kick.

“We came up ready,” senior Cash Fields said. “We played pretty solid but I wish we didn’t allow that one goal, but that’s all right.”

Soon after Fields subbed in he landed his goal of the night. Sophomore Nathan Van De Vyvere scored the 5th goal of Rider. Senior Aaron Kurtz and junior Chase Roberts each recorded an assist on the night.

“This team — we’re really tight and really close,” Fields said. “It’s been a blessing.”

Since the days of enjoying sliced oranges after his game or getting the routine McDonalds on the drive home, Aaron Kurtz has had the dream of playing soccer his whole life. His dream continues as of Feb. 25 when he signed with Wayland Baptist University.

“My goal is to get a higher education, play soccer, and survive college,” Kurtz said.  “I think college soccer will be better.”

Kurtz currently plays soccer for Rider and competitively with Express Soccer.

“I always seem to enjoy competitive more because you surrounded by people who want to be out there,” Kurtz said. “I’m not saying high school kids don’t want to play but people out there have to pay, so they are actually trying.”

Kurtz’s parents support him in his chosen plans.

“My mom is really excited,” Kurtz said. “She just can’t wait to see me play some college ball.”

Kurtz hopes to be a starter by the beginning of his Sophomore year.

“The coaches there are really cool,” Kurtz said. “If you work your butt off, you’ll get to play.”

As the days near, Kurtz’s dreams get closer and closer.

“I love it all,” Kurtz said. “When you get a sweet goal or something and the crowd goes wild — it’s just amazing.”

Freshman Mosley Pape knows all about the old Haiti, now he’s learning the nightmare of post-earthquake Haiti.

“My sisters are all right, but they are the only ones I know about right now,” Pape said. “I am still unsure about my brother and dad.”

Pape is not alone. The streets, that were already horrible in the first place, are now nearly non-existent. An already suffering nation is being forced to go by the natural law of Darwin — survival of the fittest.

“They don’t have the basic needs to survive,” Katrina Farmer, executive director of the North Central Texas chapter of the America Red Cross, said. “They will have to be supported by the world.”

The biggest needs currently in Haiti are what’s a given here including food, water, and shelter.

“This is a mass care situation, not an individual,” Farmer said. “It’ll take them years to recover.”

The American Red Cross has already directed $200 million toward the matter, $35 million being from the $10 text message charges.

“[The Red Cross] are checking with the people on the ground and making sure the money is spent correctly and directly,” Farmer said. “The important thing to know is that [help for Haiti] really needs to be monetary donations. Let the large aid organizations do the work.”

Evangel Temple pastor Kile Bateman sees Haiti as his second home.

“My wife and I have been there close to 30 times over the last 10 years,” Bateman said. “We adopted our two children from there.”

Bateman said he and his wife have always supported Haiti.

“When we heard the news, our first reaction was ‘what can we do’,” Bateman said. “I wanted to be there the moment it happened.”

Bateman said Haiti was nowhere near prepared enough for this.

“It is a logistical nightmare everyday in Haiti,” Bateman said. “It’s hard to know who to blame for [the lack of readiness].”

Evangel Temple has a relationship with a mission located in Haiti called the Mission of Hope. The mission was not affected by the earthquake.

“It’s amazing because [the mission] is located at a point where it should have been annihilated,” Bateman said. “We believe the hand of God was on them.”

Within the next few weeks, Evangel Temple will have a medical team set off to provide aid.

“We’ll probably be one of the first teams there,” Bateman said. “By the time we get there people are going to be dying from diseases that were not treated.”

Bateman said they will have to be prepared for anything and everything.

“I know that I’ll be doing funerals,” Bateman said. “I know of family members that have had loved ones thrown into the trash dump that never got a decent, respectable memorial service.”

The Haitian people have been the “victims of a corrupt government for generations, but yet they overcome it.”

“Conditionally, if you live in an environment like that you have to suffer and learn how to manage through tough times as normal times,” Bateman said. “They are the most loving, loyal, and passionate people.”

Bateman wants to make sure people don’t listen to someone who hasn’t been there.

“Don’t believe what you hear when they say [Haiti] is cursed and evil,” Bateman said. “I tell the people that go to Haiti ‘you will see hell, but you will also see heaven’.”

Freshman Mosley Pape remembers vividly what life was like in Haiti before he was adopted and brought to America.

“Where I was in an orphanage we didn’t have a bed,” Pape said. “Everybody had to sleep on the hard floor.”

Pape said he is very grateful for the opportunity he had been given.

“I’m very lucky to come here,” Pape said. “There’s a lot of things that I have that they don’t have like a home, room for my own, electricity, an opportunity to play sports, and three to four meals a day when they are lucky to have one or two.”

Pape hopes to return to Haiti some day.

“Hopefully I can change their lives,” Pape said. “And give them an opportunity of education that my adopted parents gave me.”

More than 200,000 lives were lost, and two million left homeless. Pape said he’s learned from the tragedy.

“Just be happy with what you have,” Pape said. “Don’t take it for granted because any day it can be taken away.”

From the first day Pape arrived in America, his life was changed.

“People in Haiti are living in the streets now,” Pape said. “It bothers me a little bit because it could have been me in there.”

AFC

New York Jets @ Cincinnati Bengals
First of all the Jets shouldn’t even be in the playoffs. Their last two games were against teams who already had a clinched their playoff spot and sat many of their starters. Last week the Jets did beat the Bengals 37-0, but I don’t buy it at all. Cedric Benson was out. Ochocinco was out the second half. And three of the Bengals’ defensive starters did not play.
New York won’t be able to rely fully on the run game as they did last week because of the probable return of defensive end Robert Geathers, defensive tackle Domata Peko, and free safety Chris Crocker, all whom are key players in the stingy Cincinnati run defense.
The one thing about the Jets that is scary is the top ranked defense. It will be interesting to see the Derrelle Revis and Chad Ochocinco match up. This defense will cause turnovers and make plays to put it in the hands of their first round pick Mark Sanchez — which leads to why New York won’t win. Sanchez is not a playoff quarterback. The Jets need to rely on him to make big plays and get the ball down the field. Not going to happen.
Cincinnati has more of a drive to win out. They came in this year at the level of the Browns and Rams, but they went undefeated if one of the toughest divisions in the NFL. They have suffered more losses than any other team this year; offensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s wife and wide receiver Chris Henry. I am picking the Bengals hands down in this one.
My “clutch” players of the game are Cincinnati’s cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph. Each has six interceptions and over 65 tackles on the season. Look for them to make the plays with a rookie arm in a crunch time position.

Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
I’ve got to go with Baltimore in this game all because of one player. Wes Welker. With him the Patriots could win this, but without him — no chance. Welker led the league in receptions this year with 123 catches, 40 more than Randy Moss even though Welker missed the first three games of the season. With Welker out, the Ravens will be able to focus more on double-teaming Moss. When Welker was out the first three games the Patriots struggled in a nail biter 25-24 win against the Bills and a 16-9 loss against the Jets.
However, for Baltimore to win they would need to get up early. This season the Ravens were awful at coming back from behind. When they get up early, their defense makes the plays to keep them on top. I think this up front Raven defense, led by Ray Lewis, will be able to hold the Patriots running game to under 100 total yards.
My “clutch” player of this game is Ray Rice. He has been the center of this offense for the whole year and that won’t change in the playoffs. He is fast, can find the holes in a defense, and most dangerously he can make the big plays in the receiving game.

NFC

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals
This should be a very close game. Both offenses are explosive and we all know about Larry Fitzgerald’s performance in last year’s post-season. I could see this game go either way.
If Arizona were to win, defensive tackle Darnell Dockett needs to put pressure on Aaron Rogers. If the Cardinals win the turnover battle, they will win this game.
For the Packers to win, they need to heavily protect Aaron Rogers. At the beginning of the year, they did terrible at this, which caused losses. When the O-line finally figured out how to protect him, they won six of their last seven games, the loss being to the Steelers on that last second touchdown heave to rookie Mike Wallace.
Green Bay will look to their defense to shut down the forceful Arizona offense. You can expect to see Charles Woodson, possibly the NFL defensive MVP of the year, all over Larry Fitzgerald. I think Woodson can hold Fitzgerald to under four catches and no touchdowns. The Green Bay defensive line is unknown, but underrated. They can get the job done up front by stuffing the run and putting much needed pressure on Kurt Warner allowing the secondary to make plays. In this game, I am on Green Bay’s side.
My “clutch” player of the game is rookie linebacker Clay Matthews. Matthews will be a force to be reckoned with in the pass rush game.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys
If I were told at the beginning of the year that Dallas would beat Philadelphia twice in the regular season, I would’ve laughed. Yet, I am now saying they will win the third matchup of the season.
The Cowboys need to be able to be consistent in the run game. Between Marion Barber III, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice, they should be able to put up over 150 total yards, which will give them the edge. One factor about the Eagles that could break Dallas’s defense is Desean Jackson. They need to double cover him. If Terence Newman is on him by himself, Jackson will find the end zone (remember Newman vs. Marshall in week 4?). I bite my tongue as I say this, but Roy Williams needs to actually make catches this game. If he does, he will take pressure off Miles Austin and Jason Witten.
The Eagles have an awkward run game situation. Brian Westbrook is back, but it is unclear who will get the carries between him, LeSean McCoy, and Leonard Weaver. That being unanswered raises red lights on how effective they can be against this stout Dallas run defense. Defensively, the Eagles have great coverage corners and safeties; however, they are terrible at covering opposing tight ends. Jason Witten will be able to find the holes in their defense to make much needed plays in the passing game.
My “clutch” player of the game is outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware. The Eagles will not be able to contain him at all. When Ware gets to Donavan McNabb, McNabb will make mistakes and wear down (no pun intended).