Rider theatre advances to UIL area competition

This year the Rider theater advanced to area for the UIL one-act plays with their play “The Anatomy of Grey,” where the two lead roles won awards for  their performances.
“It kind of took us by surprise,” senior Taylor Jackson said. “Everyone cried, even Mr.Jefferson. It made a big impact on us.”
Theater has not advanced to area in eight years making this year an even bigger deal to those in theater.
“We had a week less than usual,” Jackson said. “It was really stressful, especially for Sarah [Harmer] because she had the lead role.”
“The Anatomy of Grey” is about a Christian community that has a disease that is thought to be spread by the main character, when in reality is being spread through the water.
“It’s a play that revolves around religion versus science,” junior John Coleman said.
Junior Sarah Harmer won an award for best actress.
“I was surprised,” Harmer said. “It was one of the proudest moments I’ve had since being in Rider theater.”
Coleman, who has only been in theater since January 2011 won an All-Star cast award.
“I thought it was a joke,” Coleman said.
Now that UIL is over, the Rider theater will  be putting on Student-Directed One Act plays, and they will be put on April 14 and 15. The cost for the tickets are $4 for students and $5 for adults.

Rider students feel pain of past ridicule

You’re gay.
Just go kill yourself, no one wants you.
For years sophomore Baden Gunter* lived with bullying from his peers. It got so bad that in sixth grade Gunter tried to kill himself.
Today Gunter, who is straight, says he’s able to laugh off the remarks in large part because he’s become numb to them.
Gunter isn’t alone. Recent studies show Bullied teens, regardless of sexual orientation, are more likely to hurt themselves.
“I was bullied for three years,” Gunter said. “I got constant ridicule from my fellow peers calling me an emo homosexual.”
The bullying took a toll on Gunter’s life, causing him to go into a deep depression.
“I stopped talking to my friends and family,” Gunter said.
Bullied students say it gets worse if sexual orientation becomes part of the harassment. Gay teens are three times more likely to commit suicide.
“It makes me pretty mad,” senior Eddy Smith* said. “It’s not like I dress in drag or anything like that.”
Smith doesn’t consider himself to be outrageously gay and doesn’t understand why people make fun of him for it.
“I pretty much keep it to myself,” Smith said.
The teasing the bullied students face has caused them to change the way they look at everyone.
“I changed completely as a person,” Gunter said. “I became a bitter person and separated myself from everyone.”
The students also changed the way that they look at other people in the world.
“I learned that other people will make fun of the way you look or act to make themselves feel better,” Gunter said. “As a result of how I was treated, I don’t make fun of others.”
The bullying on the students still affects them today, and they still face the ridicule.
“[The bullying] is scars left on me,” Gunter said. “But they are more like open wounds that will never heal.”

Who you gonna call? Hauntings Lead to Fun, Trouble

As he opens the gate, he looks up onto the house ahead of him. The house, where 30 years ago two brothers battled burglars, appears to be on fire. As the story goes, the house is haunted and the thought of it makes sophomore Mason Bata’s heart pound and palms sweat.

The feeling he gets is all too familiar, but still a feeling that he loves. He pushes the door of the creepy looking building open and steps inside into a whole new thrilling adventure, not caring whether or not it is dangerous.

“I love the adrenaline rush it gives me,” Bata said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen, it makes it really fun.”

Bata has been to multiple haunted locations in Wichita Falls, but Pinky’s Cave is the one he visits most frequently.

“My experience was scary and frightening,” Bata said. “You can’t see anything. There’s a light at the opening, but then you turn a corner and it’s really dark. You find all kinds of weird stuff down there.”

Bata loves all of the feelings he gets when he is visiting the spots.

“It’s fun hearing the stories,” Bata said. “And when you hear them, you want to see if they are true.”

Bata prefers to go with groups of people, for safety reasons.

“I don’t want to get killed by people who could possibly be at the sites,” Bata said.

As someone who doesn’t really believe in ghosts, the experiences for Bata are more fun than scary.

“Witch’s Gate was just creepy,” Bata said. “But nothing really happened.”

There are places Bata won’t return to.

“Someone owns the White Sanitarium,” Bata said. “So I don’t plan on going there.”

Bata does see dangers in going to these areas, though.

“[Teenagers] should go because it’s thrilling,” Bata said. “But they also shouldn’t go because you could get arrested, or harmed.”

In Wichita Falls Police Officer Brad Love’s opinion, the biggest fear kids should have is getting caught on the private property that the buildings are on.

“You get filed for criminal trespassing, which is a class B misdemeanor,” Officer Love said. “Regardless of what you’re doing on the property, if the owner finds you, they will think that you are trying to perform criminal mischief.”

The consequences of getting caught can be severe, no matter what the intentions are.

“You could be arrested,” Officer Love said. “A report could be filed, and a detective will follow up on it later and charges could be filed. If you are inside the building and decide to pick up something to keep as a souvenir, it is considered burglary. In the state of Texas property owners are allowed to protect their property with use of deadly force.”

Officer Love also added that going to the cemetery is a very bad idea, and the city has zero tolerance for those caught there after dark.

“It’s violating the law,” Officer Love said. “It’s one thing to get permission, but another to go to the sites without it.”

Mrs. Bacus Takes A Bow

She stands at the front of the choir with her familiar warm smile and positive attitude towards her many students. As they sing the last note she puts her baton down and turns to the audience to take her final bow. The students tear up, and they clap for her.

Choir director Karen Bacus plans to retire this year after an 11-year career, leaving a long history and legend at Rider High School.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Mrs. Bacus said. “But I need more time with my family. This job is not just during the school day it’s also on weekends and after school. My husband is also retiring this year.”

Band director Loy Studer is sad to see Bacus go.

“The choir has its own legacy because of Mrs. Bacus,” Studer said. “Mrs. Bacus is awesome, and she is phenomenal at what she does.”

Junior Chris Gonzales is sad that he won’t have Bacus his senior year.

“She is a really cool director,” Gonzales said. “It kinda stinks because she is one of the best directors I’ve ever had.”

Senior Toby Deaver is glad Bacus is going to be a able to spend more time with her family, but is also sad to see her leave.

“I have mixed feelings about it,” Deaver said. “ The school won’t have her around next year, and when I visit the school she won’t be there. It’s kind of cool that my senior year was her last year directing. It feels really special. She’s had such a successful career directing, and she deserves to retire.”

Deaver is also glad Bacus will be retiring along with her husband.

“They’re going to have a blast traveling together and spending even more time with family,” Deaver said.

Expectations for the new director will be high, since they will be taking the place of a musical legend.

“I hope they would pick up where we left off, and take a step forward,” Mrs. Bacus said. “I also hope the students lend them their full support.”

Mr. Studer knows the new director will be able to help the choir be more amazing.

“I think the choirs’ success is dependent on their attitude,” Mr. Studer said. “Whoever is director will be good, the choir will still be fabulous, and they will still continue to build the program.”

Gonzales hopes for a new director with a wonderful personality similar to Mrs.Bacus’.

“I hope they are chill like she was,” Gonzales said. “And that they have the ability to direct as good as she did.

Choir students, teachers, and the rest of the student body will all remember the legacy Mrs. Bacus is leaving behind after teaching at Rider for 11 years being alumni.

“[Rider] has a lot of fond memories,” Mrs. Bacus said. “I have a better understanding of what it means to be a Raider, it’s more than just going to the school.”