If you attend Meeker High School, one thing that you definitely know is that we have the most incredible and genuine woman as our counselor. Elaine Collins.

No matter what it is that you are struggling with in your life, Mrs. Collins will do everything in her power to help you out. It makes no difference to her what color hair you have, if you’re wearing cool clothes or if you have tons of friends, she will help you the absolute best that she can.

Mrs. Collins is also a very genuine person. She means every single word that she says and truly cares about the students of  Meeker High. What many people do not know about her is that she lives an hour and thirty minutes away from Meeker. She makes an extremely long commute to Meeker every morning and every night just to help us. She is dedicated.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Collins announced that this is her last year counseling here. She says that she wants to spend more time with her husband. While every single person here will miss her, we will never forget how she has helped us all in different ways. Make sure you let her know just how much she means and tell her thank you before it’s too late to do so.

We will miss you dearly Mrs. Collins and we hope that your life goes wonderfully after your time here at Meeker High School.

There will be a dinner hosted by the Meeker Student Travel Club going to Europe, before the Harlem Ambassadors game later that evening at the high school. The dinner and game are on March 10th. The dinner begins at 5:30 until 7 p.m. . Dinner is held at the meeker high school cafeteria. Costs for adults $12.50 and children under ten are $10.

The menu for that evening is english roast beef with horseradish sauce, french garlic bread, herded steamed potatoes, italian anipasto salad, and assorted desserts.  Please help support the Meeker Student Travel Club.

Space Cowboy, Funky Chicken, California Rush and Airplaning are just a few different names for the “Choking Game.”

It seems commonly known that the game is dangerous but why is the “Choking Game” dangerous?  The “Choking Game” has been around since the 1800s.  Back then it was called the Harvey Wallbanger, which was an adult drink but used as a code name.

To begin, the “Choking Game,” lives up to its nickname.  Just like marijuana or cocaine, teens choke themselves to get a brief similar type of high.  In this case kids keep track of their “high time” to compete with other teens.  The game itself is prepared like any other where there are rules.  The first rule: everyone playing must get choked once and let the new players play first.

Teens on the internet warn kids that if they are looking at the “Choking Game” online to always delete their internet history.  The internet, cell phones and even gaming stations are all ways for kids to find out how to play the game.

“Choking Game” bloggers give details on how to choke themselves.  One blogger gives his way of playing the game for those who don’t “want to die!”  He gives a detailed plan, with spotters, on how to attain the desired “trip.”  There is no reason to share the techniques involved in the interests of safety, but the name alone speaks for itself.

The CDC says that only 82 kids have died from the game since 1995. This is wrong, and the CDC had admitted to it but it is not their fault.  Most of the “Choking Game” deaths are ruled as suicides and are yet to be proven otherwise.

What does the choking game do to your body?

The “Choking Game,” is not just a game.  Some little 4^th grader hanging out with his friends trying to find out who can hold their breath longer is unfortunately playing the “Choking Game.”  The biggest problem with the game is asphyxia, which is being deprived of oxygen.   The lack of oxygen can lead to horrible brain damage and kills many brain cells.

Brain cells transfer information and if they die then your brain will take longer to transmit information or keep memories.

Many parents wonder about the “Choking Game” and what to look for in their children.  The signs are easy to see but hard to catch.  Kids will have marks on their necks, bloodshot eyes and terrible headaches.  That of course is not all to look for because teens will be more irritable, wear high neck shirts, disoriented and have ties and ropes hanging in their rooms.

The “Choking Game” is killing kids, make no mistake.  No matter what is said on the internet or how safe it is told to be; it is dangerous and sooner or later it will kill you.

“Come on, try it…I dare you.” This was a quote from an episode of Criminal Minds  (Risky Business)  about a dangerous game called the “Choking Game.”  The FBI team discovers the quote on a website that was used to convince teens to play that game. “It’s the ‘good’ kids high,” says one of the FBI agents. Many good kids may see this game as a innocent, harmless way to fit in.

In reality this game is not at all harmless.

When Sarah Pacatte was young, she was enticed into playing the game by kids from a different town. This game was called the Hyperventilation Game. She only did it once, unimpressed with the high it was supposed to give.   She thought it was an unimportant part of her past.

Until it killed her son.

Gabriel Harry Mordecai was a twin.  He was a very caring, active young man who loved every thing about his life and he was Sarah Pacatte’s son.

Gabriel had a older brother and a twin brother. He loved the outdoors and snakes. He was a honor student who wanted to go to college, then head to the Marines Special Forces.  His idea of  bliss was someday to retire and care for snakes.

That all changed when Gabriel began playing this game.

One day Sarah overheard her twin sons talking about the game. She told them to stop;  it could kill them– thinking she was exaggerating– not knowing the game actually could.

A while later, while fishing with their older brother, Gabriel found a rope and started to chase Samuel around. He told him to stop and tried to convince him to throw the rope away.

Gabriel snuck the rope home.

Once inside his bedroom, he tied the grimy cord to his top bunk and wrapped it around his neck. He didn’t tie it–just loosely looped it.  His brother discovered him and called frantically for his mother.  Sarah rushed in and when she slipped her fingers underneath the rope, it fell away.  The slight pressure had been deadly.

When he was found his twin, Samuel called 911 while his mom tried to do CPR.  The following is a transcript of the 911 call:

“Hi, I have an emergency,” said Samuel overwhelmed in tears.

“Ok, what is your emergency?” the 911 lady  said trying to keep calm.

“My little brother might be dead.”

“Your husband might be dead?” she said not understanding.

“No, my brother.”

“Your brother. Ok, is he there with you?”

“Uh, Uh, yeah.”

“Ok.”

“But we think he might be dead. I don’t know.”

“Ok, hold on a second. How old are you? How old are you?”

“Thirteen.”

“Ok, where is your brother at? Where is your brother at?” again repeating herself to try and get Samuel to understand.

“He’s in our room.”

“He’s in your room. Is he breathing? Are you there by yourself?”

“No, I’m with my mother.”

“Ok, I want you to stay on the line with me.”

“Ok, ok, I need you to get an ambulance right away.”

“Ok, why do you think he’s dead?”

“Because there’s a rope around his neck tied to a bunk bed and he’s all purple and stuff.”

“Ok, how old is your brother?”

“Thirteen, we’re twins.”

“Ok, you’re twins and he’s thirteen too?”

He died 18 days after he was taken to the hospital. He was just 13 years old.

In another part of the country, Kevin Tork was playing the same game. His parents described him as a boy that would do anything for anyone.

When walking his sister home, a truck drove past them and yelled something at them. The truck drove up a hill and turned around. The passenger had a knife, Kevin pulled his sister behind him and the car drove off.

Another time, Kevin and his family were having lunch downtown, a lady came to Kevin’s dad asking for money. He said that he would not give her money but offered his meal. Kevin pulled out a ten dollar bill that he earned mowing lawns and gave it to the lady. Though his parents said she would probably use it to buy drugs, Kevin believed that it would help her.

Monday, March 30, 2009.

Kevin took a belt for the bathrobe that he had gotten from his dad. He tied it around his neck. When his sister walked in to the room the Choking Game had taken affect. His heart was still beating, but he died on the way to the hospital. He was just 15 years old.

Both of parents have had to fight through a horrible tragedy.

“I think of him every minute, of every hour, of every day,” says Ken Tork.

Sarah Pacatte says the same of her son Gabriel.”I think of him all the time, he is still my boy,”

They both prayed heavenly and looked to God for help. Something they didn’t do, is crawl in a corner and give up. They have done everything they can to tell the horrors of this game.

Have you played the game?

Kevin Tork                                             

Gabriel Harry Mordecai

The Cowboy Roundup will be starting an all new column called Chillin’ With Collins. The column will be for Mrs. Collins to answer questions and give advice for important obstacles in any student’s life.

Please note that if you send in a question, there is a chance that it will be published with an answer from Mrs. Collins. If you have something personal and do not want others to read it, it would be better to ask her in person than to ask online.

This week, Mrs. Collins will be writing an article about dealing with step-parents. It will be on how to live with them and how you can cope with them.

This is an opportunity to get help fast and easy.

1907 November 16th, Oklahoma becomes 46th State

1959 November 16th the “Sound of Music” opens for the first time on Broadway