The Catamount - February 2023 issue - vol. 11 no. 4

Black History Month uplifts African-American culture, highlights struggles, achievements

Cheyenne Clark Editor

Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States and it honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today.

“It means taking time to look back at the people who had to fight for rights and to look back at the growth that has happened,” senior Fimi Adesemoye said.

The meaning of Black History Month can differ from person to person. For science teacher Jerecq Willis, the month uplifts Black accomplishments throughout time.

“The purpose of Black History Month is for Americans

to set aside one month in the year to specifically highlight and celebrate the important African American achievements, contributions and people throughout the course of American history,” Willis said.

Along with celebrating achievments, the month’s purpose is to also spread awareness of these achievements to those unaware of Black people’s influence in history, according to CSHS receptionist Tiffany Mashack.

“It’s a time to celebrate for the masses just so the world knows the things that Black people have done for our community, whether it be a small portion like College Station, or the whole as far as the things we have contributed,” Mashack said.

Many students and admin know of the display Mashack created in the front office of famous Black leaders and activists in the sororities and fraternities.

continued on page 2

Art by Briceida Bellon

Teaching Black history provides support for future generations

Founding of Black Greek Organizations

Alpha

Phi Alpha

Dec. 4, 1906 at Cornell

Phi Beta Sigma

Jan. 9, 1914 at Howard

Iota Phi Theta

Sept. 19, 1963

Kappa Alpha Psi

Jan. 5, 1911 at Indiana

Zeta

Phi Beta

Jan. 16, 1920 at Howard

Omega Psi Phi

Nov. 17, 1911 at Howard

continued from page 1

“It is a representation of the nine Black Greek organizations that are pretty much at every college university in the world,” Mashack said. “There are four female organizations and five male organizations, one I am actually a part of which is Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated,” she said.

Mashack knows there are a lot of young people who do not realize some of the actors and notable entertainers in the world that are affiliated with these organizations and wanted to share with students.

“I put it up every year, usually starting at the beginning of Februrary, which is the founding day of Kappa Alpha Psi until the end of February to celebrate everyone that helped contribute to Black History Month,” Mashack said.

While celebrating the historical month should be full of celebration and peace, Adesemoye also believes it is important to focus on preventing the problems that the Black community continuously has to face.

“Educate yourself on any problems we may be facing from society and also be open minded on what black people have to say and not dismiss everything if you haven’t experienced everything,” Adesemoye said.

People can learn about the contributions of Black Americans not just in February.

“It’s more than Macolm X and MLK,” Willis said. “I want [people] to dig deeper and I want them to know that they don’t have to wait until Black History Month to get this information. It’s available all [other] months as well.”

Society does not have the best reputation of accepting and supporting the Black community, but there are steps to help them achieve that.

“There aren’t a lot of ways that society as whole is pushing this purpose,” Willis said. “I believe the intended idea of a Black History Month was a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, it is just more of a formality now.”

Black History Month can highlight both the struggles and the achievements of the Black community.

“It’s a step in the right direction from all the things that have happened in America to Black people historically speaking,” Adesemoye said. “It shows that people want to try to make things better in our community.”

The lessons learned can teach younger generations what the older ones wish they had growing up.

“Be great and aspire for something but know that it takes work,” Mashack said. •

Source: yesprep.org

Sigma Gamma Rho

Nov. 12, 1922 at Butler

Delta Sigma Theta

Jan. 13, 1913 at Howard

Alpha Kappa Alpha

Jan. 15, 1908 at Howard

Important Figures in Black History

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (1929 - 1968)

Made his mark by preaching nonviolent means of protesting the segregation of whites and blacks in the United States.

Rosa Parks (1913 - 2005)

“Mother of the Freedom Movement,” she and King together made great strides in procuring basic human rights for African Americans across the country.

Frederick Douglass (1818 - 1895)

Best known for his seminal autobiography, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave,” Douglass outlines his life as a slave and his subsequent escape, which proved instrumental to the abolitionist movement and the ultimate goal of ending slavery.

W.E.B. Du Bois (1868 - 1963)

An esteemed author, academic, and civil rights activist. Du Bois was one of the founders of the NAACP, or National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Source: National Geographic

CSHS receptionist Tiffany Mashack points to her display dedicated to the nine black sororities and fraternities founded on university campuses. Mashack is a proud member of the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha. PHOTO BY BRICEIDA BELLON

at Morgan State

[Black history month] shows that people want to try to make things better in our community

-fimi adesemoye senior

UIL competitions offer practice, experience in academic fields

Emily Borham Editor

As the clock ticks down to zero, students quickly scramble to finish the last of their news articles, current events essays and calculator application questions. At the end of the contest, competitors hope to take home a shiny medal from the University Scholastic League (UIL), a state organization that offers contests in various subjects and pushes students to better their skills through academic competitions.

Journalism

Senior Elisabeth Stewart takes UIL journalism to the next level having been named to the All-State Staff three years in a row and achieving second place in Feature Writing last year at the state meet.

“It’s rewarding to see over time how you’ll start as maybe a freshman who’s nervous and doesn’t know a lot about the contest, and then be a senior who has state competitions behind her and a new sense of confidence,” Stewart said.

Through her years of writing competitions, Stewart has been able to “hone [her] skills with writing concisely and quickly.”

“It would take me hours or even days to weave a story together,” she said. “While limited to 45 minutes to an hour, I learned how to pace myself and push myself to produce a good product within a limited time frame.”

In honor of Jeanne Acton, who served as UIL’s journalism director for decades before retiring last year, the 2022 state feature writing prompt featured quotes from Acton about her career.

“She was trying to calm our nerves, so she started dancing on stage, and when I started writing my story, I thought, ‘that’s the perfect lead,’” Stewart said. “It was happening in front of me as I was writing.”

Stewart said that “UIL is worth sticking with over time.”

“You won’t start out winning every contest, but you’ll get so much better over time as you practice and become more familiar with your contest,” she said.

Computer Science

With the goal of doing research with artificial in-

Academic Contests

Accounting - Accounting is an hour-long test with 80-100 questions over topics from the elementary principles to bookkeeping terminology.

telligence and getting certifications in machine learning and data science, senior Jordan Carter uses UIL to get hands-on experience with computer science.

“Most of what we do is problem solving, so everyone has to huddle together and figure out what our strategy is,” he said. “We have to go, ‘Here’s the problem, what are we going to do? How are we going to do this?’”

Carter said he is able to gain leadership and build relationships with his teammates through “having afternoons to talk to each other about our interest in computer science.”

Not only are Carter and his teammates able to have fun geeking out about codes, they also build useful skills for future careers in UIL.

“When I started, I didn’t know a lot of things, but through the help of my upperclassmen I’ve really grown,” he said. “Without joining UIL, I wouldn’t have opened those doors.”

A unique aspect of computer science is that many former CSHS graduates come back to the class to mentor students. One graduate reached out to computer science teacher Kimberly Muñoz in hope of mentoring young girls in the subject.

“There aren’t a lot of women in this field, and she wants to help encourage more girls,” Muñoz said.

Muñoz said that “UIL is a great way to meet other people who are like minded and what to learn and do the same thing as you do.”

“Computer science is a very specific interest, so you don’t always know who also wants to geek out about all the Java things,” Muñoz said.

Current Events and Issues

Current Events and Issues test students on the latest news in the United States and Texas with a 40 question test and essay. Junior Jacob Larkin competed at the state meet in this event last year.

“It’s not something that is super hard,” he said. “It doesn’t take a lot of time and it’s just fun, helpful and all around a good opportunity.”

When preparing for competitions, he said keeping up with the news is the most important tool.

“If you can just get an understanding on what’s going on in the world, you can use context clues to answer a lot of questions,” Larkin said.

When coaching, geography teacher April Falco tries

Computer Science - Computer Science tests speed and accurately processing data and spreadsheet application.

Current Issues & EventsThrough 40 multiple-choice questions and an essay, contestants are quizzed on current state, national and world events.

Literary Criticism - A ninety minute contest over the concepts of literary analysis and history and understanding of texts.

Ready Writing - In two hours students write an expository composition from the choice of two prompts.

◄Senior Elisabeth Stewart practices feature writting for upcoming UIL meet. In this contest, she has one hour to compile a human-interest story from provided quotes.

PHOTO BY EMILY BORHAM

to steer students away from only reading news articles from one side of the spectrum.

“It isn’t left versus right because the test isn’t meant to be biased one way or the other, but it’s meant to be in the middle,” Falco said.

Current Events and Issues forces students to gain a better understanding of national news and conflicts and “helps you become a global citizen,” she said.

Once you read all sides of the news, you realize how many people don’t know what’s happening in the world,” Falco said.

This month, the UIL teams will meet on Feb. 11 at CSHS and Feb. 25 at Consol. The district meet is scheduled for March 25. •

Social Studies - Through 45 questions and an essay, the contest asseses general social studies knowledge.

Spelling and VocabularyStudents share knowledge on vocabulary and proofreading and must spell 70 words pronounced aloud.

Art by Emily Borham

▲Junior Jacob Larkin reads from the library’s magazine selection to prepare for Current Issues and Events.

PHOTO BY EMILY BORHAM

THE CAT’S EYE VIEW staff editorial

High school relationships can survive through communication, goal alignment

From the perfect Disney movies displayed on TV screens throughout childhood, many students may dream of a “fairy tale” love story of their own. When this dream finally becomes reality, most high school couples strive to maintain the dreamish essence of first love.

With the impending statistic of only 25% of high school relationships surviving until marriage weighing down on them, along with the obstacles of long-distance and different goals thrown their way, can high school couples last post-graduation? No, some may argue; as graduates navigate adult and college life, their career and life goals are subject to change. Opposers would have some merit-the new opportunities and perspectives that post-high school life offers teens cause them to change.

However, high school couples shouldn’t fear these changes; instead, they should embrace them and use them to grow together.

Through constant communication of goals and needs, this dreamish essence of first love can be recaptured and live on for eternity. Yes, commitment requires emotional maturity that arguably, most high school students lack. However, as years progress and teenagers mature into young adults, emotional maturity will foster over the years. If teenagers want their young love to last, participants of the relationship need to be understanding of each other’s growth and setbacks.

Fairy-tale relationships are most of the time just that: a fairy tale. Real, healthy, loving relationships require alignment of future aspirations and a constant stream of communication. Instead of watching the clock tick down until graduation, high school couples should actively articulate their future plans and continuously support one another, regardless of whether they’ll pave their future path together or separately. •

2022-2023 Newspaper Staff

Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor

Page Editors

Reflection on the importance of communication

Cartoonist

Faculty Adviser

Assistant Adviser

Elisabeth Stewart

Briceida Bellon

Emily Borham, Lauren Byerly, Cheyenne Clark, Dean Crick, Claire Guo, Rhyan Kalke, Emily Ko, Sonya Lin, Amari Rutherford, Sadie Rigby, Joi Speck

William Crick

Courtney Wellmann

Mindi Cameron-Green

I’m aware of just how important good communication is, but sometimes it’s hard for me to communicate my emotions, to both myself and to others. Pulling emotions from my heart and to find the correct words for what I’m feeling, while simultaneously not wanting to hurt others’ feelings by saying what I feel is difficult for me. Not too long ago, I found myself unable to communicate my feelings with my mom who was simply trying to help me. I have a foam mattress, and a topper that goes over it. The topper is very tight and fitted to the foam mattress. My mom and I were trying to put it back onto my mattress, but it was difficult for both of us to do this. What started as joking between us soon turned into snarky comments, and I became bitter and irritable and frustrated. Tears had begun to well in my eyes. My mother noticed and joked “hard work makes Lauren cry,” when it was quite the contrary. Hard work doesn’t make me cry. What made me cry was not being able to do a seemingly

easy task as well as I had wanted. I cried because I was frustrated with myself and angry at my mom. I, however, didn’t communicate this to her.

Lauren Byerly

She let me work on putting the mattress together on my own for a bit, and when she came back she asked why I was being rude to her and my sister, who also had offered to help me. I told her I didn’t know why I was being rude, but I did. Communicating my feelings to her at that moment would have helped her help me. But instead came the familiar “I don’t know,” which resulted in a lecture and more tears.

This hasn’t been the first time I have not been able to properly communicate how I am feeling, nor will it be the last. I am still a kid; I am only 16 after all. I have spent 16 years on this earth and I have learned many valuable things, like the importance of communication, for example. But some things simply take longer to learn than others. I have much more time to work on communication before it becomes crucial. I’ve improved so much so I need to cut myself some slack because after all, we all struggle with something. •

View of the Pride:

can high school relationships last after graduation?

“As long as both parties have a clear, set plan for the future, and their ideals and lifestyles compliment each other.”

YES-Favor Ezeanuna, senior

“Any relationship can last after graudation if the couple has good communication and patience.”

-Savannah Tate, sophomore

The Catamount Newspaper

“High school relationships don’t have meaning. We don’t know enough about relationships to make a substantial impact.”

NO-Grace Clark, sophomore

“When we go to a university, we adapt to a new environment, meet new people, our personality changes and we’re separated by different majors.”

-Nu Ton, senior

The newspaper is produced by the Advanced Journalism: Newspaper Production class at College Station High School, 4002 Victoria Ave., College Station, Texas, 77845. The opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not reflective of the administrators, faculty or staff of the College Station Independent School District.

Submissions to the editors are welcomed but must be signed and should not exceed 300 words. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions in the interest of clarity and length or to not print a letter at all. Letters containing obscene or libelous material will not be considered. The Editorial Board consists of all staff.

The newspaper is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC) and a winner of their Bronze Star award in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2022 as well as their Silver Star Award in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

College Station ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex or handicap in providing education services. Monica James, Director of Human Resources, 1812 Welsh, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5412) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Title IX. Molley Perry, Director of Special Services, 1812 Welsh, Suite 120, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5433) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Streaming causes show quality to decline over time

Things are always changing, especially in the entertainment industry. We’ve witnessed more and more people drop cable and subscribe to streaming services like Disney+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. As more people make this switch from cable, we start wanting access to all episodes of every season, of a show all at once, in other words being able to binge-watch a show. This has led to not being able to fully value a show.

Amari Rutherford

With cable we weren’t able to binge shows unless we could record them to the DVR. An episode would air and there would usually be a weeklong break. Within this week anticipation for the show would be built-up as we waited, running through what happened in the last episode, and what could happen in the next one. And then the episode finally aired. I think this formula was gold. It creates an active community, one where the viewers, and fan base can reminisce on the older seasons or releases while looking forward to what’s coming next.

could contain an acceptable amount of filler content. The push from 30 minute episodes to episodes as long as an hour just further solidified this transition. Seasons containing five to ten, fifty minute episodes all released at once became the norm. With this transition, a multitude of shows could be spat out in a shorter amount of time. It’s gotten to the point where Netflix has a, “Watch in one weekend” category. The shows have no longevity- it’s all released in one night and it was watched that same night.

Art by Rhyan Kalke

In TV shows now, we’re spoon-fed as much plot as the writers can fit in the limited amount of episodes, yet in a way where the 50 minutes per episode

Additionally, there is a lack of original ideas. This is especially correct for reboots. Since late 2020, reboots have been put into high gear. Often putting out a mediocre show that hinges on the lingering fan base, while trying to welcome new fans that aren’t familiar with the original content. The target area is to strike on the nostalgia of original fans. It’s easier to create essentially another show that already exists in a different font than create a new show from an original idea. The entertainment industry, once a place of big and bright ideas, a land of hopes and dreams, while never being squeaky clean, has now become an oversaturated, yet shallow shell of what it once was, containing content with a lack of identity, lack of quality and original ideas.•

keller sophomore

“I’ve tried so many different sports and activities, and I have a ton of random hobbies, like how I played softball and volleyball and did swimming, dance, school cheer, tumbling and archery. It’s helped me develop my love for tumbling and cheering because I tried so many things while I was in cheer and dance and I always came back to them, just because I loved them so much.”

Hard Times at CSHS by William Crick

cassidy

AI technology increases risk of cyber copying

The rate at which technology has evolved over the years is equally parts fascinating and terrifying. This is especially true with the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

AI has, in recent years, garnered a ton of attention and controversy. Today, we have programs that can even gen erate artwork and essays. Whereas AI gener ated content used to be an amusing scramble of randomness, it has now taken on a likeness eerily similar to that of human creation. AI is not only capable of mimicking the styles of famed artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Georges Seurat and Katsushika Hokusai, but also those of published writers—filling many colleges with unease as to whether submitted essays are student work or digitally constructed.

to form the result the user requests. In a way, it can be likened to a parasitic relationship with the common lack of consent involved. As there aren’t yet legal boundaries nor formal, established laws concerning this online “borrowing” of styles, anything on the internet is fair game–angering creators of all kinds.

Voices

Joi Speck

At its very core, artificial intelligence is just that–artificial. It cannot create something from nothing, much less an authentic piece. Instead, it draws from works published online, integrating elements of others’ content

Art by Cheyenne Clark

As an aspiring artist and writer myself, I am both irked and intrigued with this tech. On one hand, those who try to pass off the AI’s results as their own work are infuriating–but on the other, I can’t imagine how complicated it must’ve been to program them in the first place. Still, seeing these programs spew out content in a medium I’ve been perfecting for years does make me bitter–even more so concerning the possible decline of fine art professions’ demand.

While it is encouraging that we are advancing as a society, an encounter with moral ethics is inevitable. I’m a firm believer that nothing is truly unachievable, but one must always consider not if they can go through with something, but if they should.•

Makeup aids self expression journey, confidence

during my annual summer family vacations to South Korea, I soon became familiar with countless products. Although I definitely wasn’t good at first, applying makeup was a motivation for me to learn. With constant practice and help

Emily Ko

When I was just in fifth grade, I remember often secretly sneaking to my mother’s bathroom and going through her makeup pouch, confidently trying on every product I could find out of curiosity, and then frantically rubbing it all off before I got caught. I had tried countless times to convince her to let me wear makeup to school, but I was only disappointed each time and told that “bare and natural” was always the best. There was always this constant feeling of self-awareness that I had at school because at that time my only desire was to fit in with those wearing makeup.

Fortunately, however, I was finally granted permission from my mother in the summer of fifth grade, and that’s when I discovered the beginning of my journey with makeup. With constant advice and tips from my mother, along with frequent trips to makeup stores

from my mother, along with words of encouragement, I soon improved day by day. It wasn’t until the summer of freshman year though that I considered having made a significant improvement in my journey.

That summer, I had finally been able to reunite with my cousins in South Korea, one of whom was an expert in makeup. She taught me new techniques, and

as I took her advice with me back to College Station, I found myself practicing everyday with endless Youtube videos, until one day, I finally felt self-satisfied with my makeup and how I looked. The most important thing that I had realized that day though, was that although I had first started makeup in hopes of better fitting in, I had come to a point where I wasn’t wearing makeup for others, but for myself. I had been too self-absorbed in constantly trying to fit in that I hadn’t realized the passion I had developed for makeup along the way. Once I realized this, I expanded my skills by focusing on myself.

I often think about what would have happened if I hadn’t discovered my love for makeup, and in the end, I always come to the same result. Without it, I don’t think I could have possibly grown as much as I have now. Makeup has allowed me to have a constant hobby and comfort at any given time, something that my fifth grade self thought I could never have, and I’m blessed to consider it a lifelong journey. •

What was you no. 1 song on spotify wrapped?

What are you looking forward to after the “A Sasquatch costume to scare children.”

Sam W,

“‘Answer’ by Tyler the Creator. I like the rhythm and beat of the song. It’s a slower, sadder song I listen to when studying.”

Rafaella Skvaya Machado, freshman

“‘ Wolf Like Me’ by TV on Radio. The song grew on me since I saw the live version and I’ve loved it [ever] since.”

Juno Gerdes sophomore

“‘Ghost’ by Justin Bieber. The end of sophomore year, I listened to it a lot because I was really excited for summer and was not tired of it yet.”

Annie Li, junior

“‘Nightcrawler’ by Travis Scott. I heard it in the car with my boyfriend and got addicted. It’s also a good song for lifting [weights] at the gym.”

Summer Hajj-Ali, senior

“‘Victorious’ by Panic! At the Disco. Panic is my favorite band to listen to.

In fact, my go-to playlist is one I made of all Panic songs where each seamlessly flows into the next.”

Matthew Bowen, Math Teacher

makeup has allowed me to have a constant hobby and comfort

Entrepeneurs enhance diverse pastimes through mini-businesses

Lauren Byerly and Claire Guo Editors

Passion isn’t tangible, but can manifest in very tangible ways. For some CSHS entrepreneurs, their passion is immersed within every product and good they share with their fellow classmates. From confectionary art to stylish jewelry, CSHS students have utilized their hobbies and devotions by developing their own businesses.

“The idea for [my] business really started last summer, and it’s taken me all this time to develop my products,” said senior Nessa Larson of her jewelry business. “I’ve been called a jack of all trades because I like to learn new things. My friend had a little jewelry making activity, and I fell in love. That led all the way here.”

Jewelry might be under the spotlight, but Larson has named her business “Songbird Creations” in order to allow her to branch off into other types of products in the future. While adorning charms is Larson’s speciality, senior Abigail Jammullamudy skills in more edible creations in her business called “Sweetness from Scratch.”

“I’ve always loved baking. It was the one thing I was good at. Throughout four years of high school, I’ve always baked for people. I just never sold it up until this year where I have more freedom. So, I just turned a hobby into a business,” Jammullamudy said.

Young entrepreneurs find inspiration for their products in various ways. For Larson, motivation struck when coming across other vendors at First Friday.

“I saw these cool vendors boosting or selling and making money, and they were doing what they love. [I realized that] I wanted to do that,” Larson said. “I researched materials, made my product, and I set up my booth.”

Others may find their source simply with their loved ones.

“[I was inspired by my mom.] She works with a lot of international students in town, and she makes food for them. My parents [also] used to own a restaurant when we lived in Alabama,” Jammullamudy said. “I’ve always wanted to [start my own business]. I just didn’t have the right time until now.”

Sophomore Bekha Raymond discovered sugar cookies are her area of expertise in baking. In her business called “Bekha’s Cookie Craze,” Raymond uses royal icing in order to decorate cookies for all occasions, including weddings and Christmas.

“It’s been something that I [have] really grown to enjoy because I get to try new things and learn how to

do new designs that sometimes are challenging,” Raymond said.

When pricing their goods, these business owners have to take into consideration their cost of materials, time, effort and inflation.

“I started at only about $25 for a dozen cookies. But now, because of how expensive things have gotten, it’s about $35,” Raymond said. “Sometimes there’ll be orders where I’m all out of supplies and I have to restock. I really don’t make anything with that because I spent all that money, but then it slowly evens out over time because I don’t have to spend the money for other orders.”

The meticulous nature of creation is prominent in freshman Abby York’s talent, which is crocheting. York plans on publishing crochet patterns in the future.

“It takes a lot of time and effort. A lot of people who don’t knit or crochet don’t understand the effort it takes to actually make the product,” York said.

While starting a business is an arduous task, owners can gain new knowledge through their experience.

“It’s taught me a lot again, about not procrastinating and really just making sure that I stay focused. But also it’s taught me a lot on how to work with people because I have to be able to text them. I have to be able to work with people, especially whenever they’re coming up with ideas,” Raymond said.

Experienced creators share wisdom towards hopeful entrepreneurs.

“Going into business, you need a lot of knowledge of how the economy works and how you need people skills. You need mathematics. You need a lot of things in order to just have a grasp of what it means to be an entrepreneur,” York said.

When embarking on their adventure of business, many work alone. But when working with another, each has the support of the other.

“If you want to [start your own business,] have fun

with it,” Jammullamudy said. “It’s really good to turn to friends because I turn to [my friend] for a lot of things, like logos and stuff like that. But I think one thing that I was always reminded of is the motive of why you want to start a business.” •

▲ Selections from Sweetness from Scratch are baked by Abigail Jammullamudy. PHOTO BY BRENNA BOATCALLIE

▲ Freshman Abby York and freshman Madeline Bankston create handmade crochet art together. A hat can take around two or three hours to make. PHOTO BY CLAIRE GUO

Committed

Elisabeth Stewart and Rhyan Kalke Editor-in-Chief and Editor

High school couples walk each other to class, decorate Homecoming proposal signs and plan picnics in the park. Time flies and a one-month anniversary might become two, then three, then 12 months and maybe even four years spent together.

“When I first started dating Brooks, one of my family members told me, ‘You’re only in high school. There are so many other fish in the sea,’” said senior Nadia Dujka, who has dated senior Brooks Dewitt since their freshman year. “But when you find your one person, you know it can last.”

Throughout their relationships, set against the background of life changes and high school drama, committed couples preserve long-lasting bonds and grow together.

“People always say, ‘I don’t want to get into a relationship because I won’t have a good high school experience,’” Dujka said. “But we’ve been with each other through it all and have still had every single high school experience. You can experience high school while dating someone. Find your person, experience it with each other and create even more special memories.”

Seniors Peyton Faulker and Elliott Lewis said that respecting each other’s time has contributed to their relationship’s longevity. After meeting at band camp in seventh grade, their relationship began with quality time spent virtually during the COVID-19 lockdown.

ner said that their quality time often revolves around making and talking about music, but that she’s also “learned to find her independence in a relationship with someone else.”

“The thing that’s different about [long-term relationships] is managing two peoples’ time instead of just yours,” Lewis said. “We’ve learned to be patient and realize that our time is not necessarily reserved for the other person. They can have their friend groups and outings. You don’t have to be there. You’re still together, even when you’re not.”

Senior Leslie Lehrmann recently celebrated her three-year anniversary with Dany Kocmoud Navarro, a senior at A&M Consolidated High School.

“We’re at different schools for eight hours a day, we both have jobs and I have gymnastics practice. Half the time, we don’t see each other during the week, and if we do, it’s for an hour or two at a time,” Lehrmann said. “Being very understanding that we have separate lives is important, and being able to communicate, ‘Hey, I want to see you right now, but I can’t do it today. I’m off of work on this day, are you?’”

Lehrmann and Kocmoud frequently get meals and watch shows together. Dujka and Dewitt have tried each other’s favorite hobbies, attend church and family dinners together, and in the fall, capitalized on football-season experiences.

“Most people go through tons of relationships in high school, so I think it’s just hard for adults to be able to tell the difference [between that and longterm relationships],” Beard said. “A lot of people in high school aren’t mature enough, so I think some adults remember themselves at that time knowing that they wouldn’t be mature enough and think that all high schoolers are the same.”

Beard and Crisp mentioned that they “never end on bad terms” when a conflict arises.

“We know that if one of us is upset, it’s not personal to the other person,” Crisp said. “If we do disagree on something, we try to go about that disagreement in a way that’s more logical to understand why we’re having that disagreement and how to go from there. We never let [being upset] escalate.”

Lehrmann said that “ups and downs” are inevitable when “you’re with someone for more than a month.”

“When you find yourself in those situations, don’t just throw in the towel,” she said. “Fight for [the relationship] if you really want it. Be willing to make sacrifices. Compromises have saved us so many times.”

Additionally, while growing alongside another person, long-term couples hit “all maturity levels,” Dujka said.

◄Senior Nadia Djuka cheered on senior Brooks Dewitt for the first time their freshman year (left), and again at senior night in September (right). PHOTO PROVIDED BY DJUKA

Djuka: “I feel fortunate that the school nominated us [for Homecoming Court]. Reading to kindergarteners was so special. There is a song that goes along with the book he read, and my favorite memory is him reading the book and the kids singing along with him.”

◄Seniors Peyton Faulkner and Elliott Lewis met at a band-camp dance in middle school, and plan to date long-distance from Texas A&M and West Texas A&M, respectively. PHOTO PROVIDED BY FAULKNER Lewis: “One time, I went over to her house, and I left at about 12 a.m. I was driving back home, and she called me and asked, ‘Will you come back?’ I was like, ‘Sure I’ll come back.’ I stopped in the middle of the road, turned my car around and we ended up star watching for the next two hours.”

PHOTO BY ELISABETH

“She was actually the only contact I had in my phone at the time, so I randomly reached out to her just because I was lonely and hadn’t talked to anyone in two months,” Lewis said. “To my surprise, she answered my FaceTime call. We called every single night during the pandemic until 4 a.m. and lost track of when one day ended and the next one started.”

After three years of dating, Faulk-

“[Cheering Brooks on at football games] is something I’ll always remember,” Dujka said. “He knows that cheer is a very important part of my life, and I know that football is important to him. Having those two things overlap was special. His grandparents came to every game and when I saw them at half-time, they would say, ‘It is just so cool seeing you down there then looking on the field and seeing Brooks.’ Who else gets to experience that with a significant other?”

In high school, a time that many adults associate with “dating around,” young couples sustain their relationships despite the misconceptions. Juniors Carter Crisp and Emma Beard met in their freshman year Spanish class.

“[When we started dating], neither of us could drive, so our parents would drive us places or my sister would pick me up. There’s always a way of seeing each other,” she said. “Don’t hold back your feelings. If you like him, there’s going to be a way. Having that person at such a young age and growing up with them makes your bond so stronger.”

Likewise, Crisp and Beard have learned from each other’s differences and changes.

“[Growing alongside someone else] is really interesting because it’s also scary,” Beard said. “We are definitely not the same people we were two years ago. It’s crazy to see how as we grow, it doesn’t separate us. We grow together and we educate each other and learn from each other. We’ve only gotten closer.”

◄Seniors Leslie Lehrmann and Consolidated senior Dany Kocmoud Navarro met in freshman year geography. They document special memories through photoshoots with friend and senior Danielle House. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HOUSE

Lehrmann: “We’ll go get lunch or dinner, eat in my car and put on a show to watch together. The show we’re watching right now is ‘Gilmore Girls.’ It’s not his type of show, but now he’s at the point where he asks me, ‘So when are we going to watch ‘Gilmore Girls?’”

◄Juniors Emma Beard and Carter Crisp met their freshman year. To ask Beard out, Crisp changed his biography section on Schoology to say “I like Emma.” PHOTO PROVIDED BY CRISP

Crisp: “We like to go to Farmhouse Frozen Yogurt. They have board games and stuff there so we just sit inside, get yogurt and then we play whatever board games or cards they have and we stay there for an hour or two. Even after going there multiple times, I really enjoy that because it’s so simple yet fun.”

relationships endure joys, challenges of adolescence

◄ Juniors Emma Beard and Carter Crisp have dated since their freshman year.

sky’s the limit

Diverse activities provide source of contentment, relaxation

Dean Crick and Emily Ko Editors

Whether physical, relaxing, or crafty, hobbies are constantly undertaken by countless students, done when school requires a mental break, or during leisure time. Through hobbies, many students are able to reap numerous benefits, ranging from improved mental health to a significant decrease in stress.

Senior Dominic Motekaitis, who has been cooking since age 12, first discovered his love for this hobby through his parents.

“Cooking is sort of an intrinsic activity for every person because you go home and your parents cook or somebody else could cook for you, so [it’s] really essential,” Motekaitis said. “I’ve known how to cook for a while now but I’ve really gotten into it lately.”

Through cooking, Motekaitis has attained new skills and experience, as well as a serving for a mental break.

“It’s therapeutic, it’s fun, and it’s applicable to the future,” Motekaitis said. “So when I go off to college, I’ll know how to cook for myself, which makes it a very practical skill to learn.”

Senior Gracie Ward, who has multiple hobbies including collecting porcelain clown dolls, crafting beaded jewelry, and making mini clay figures, has found emotional benefits through her crafting skills.

“Though I haven’t gotten a reward or anything like that for the things I do, it’s more like an internal feeling,” Ward said. “It’s like how I’m happy to do this, and that I have this skill for crafting that I can use.”

Sophomore Giovanna Castellani, who recently started flying glider planes at the Soaring Club in Waller, TX, was first introduced to the unique hobby through her dad in 2022. For Castellani, flying glider planes was a unprecedented

chance to undergo new experiences.

“I find being in a new environment and just meeting new people is a new thing every time I go there,” Castellani said. “I’ve never met so many new people in a single place, and there’s always someone new that I haven’t met before.”

Castellani, who flies glider planes at least twice a month on Sundays, describes her ideal part of the rare experience.

“My favorite part is probably doing all the tricks, like how there’s one where you lift the plane’s nose up and you go to around 40 miles per hour, and then you start going down,” Castellani said. “It’s really cool because when you do it, it gains a bunch of speed, which makes it really exhilarating.”

Despite multiple challenges in learning skills, flight patterns and the difficulty of remembering numerous small details, Castellani has pushed through with commitment and motivation.

“I’m always going one step forward to achieving something that I want to do,” Castellani said. “Like soloing, it’s more steps towards something that I want to achieve in, no matter how small.”

Amongst the many benefits of having a hobby, one student in particular has found comfort in mentality through a mental hobby. Sophomore Phat Pham, who has partaken in his hobby of computer science for over eight years, first discovered his passion through his sister.

“It came to me when I did the same course as my sister when she went to college,” Pham said. “Then, I gradually continued on that track.”

Through his journey in computer science and coding, Pham has discovered a significant increase in improvement of mental health.

“Honestly, what I find appealing is just the ability to create something from my own logic,” Pham said. “It’s enabled me to enjoy just how simple and relaxing

it is at times. I would describe it as a keystone that I cannot replace.”

Unlike Pham, sophomore Sam Aguilar has discovered a passion for fashion design, first beginning almost two years ago.

“I’ve always had an interest in aesthetically pleasing things,” Aguilar said. “Fashion is about the results of bringing your ideas to life and the art about it. It’s a very unique way of art.”

Although focusing on fashion for a short time, Aguilar has found multiple benefits, the most prominent being confidence.

“It’s improved my confidence,” Aguilar said. “I see beauty in a lot of things now. Like I don’t just see black and white, and it just broadens my horizon. Everything.”

To students who are looking to start a hobby, Aguilar emphasizes the importance of confidence.

“Just do your thing,” Aguilar said. “Don’t compare yourself to others. That’s probably the worst thing about starting something new, but if you have confidence, it gets better. Confidence is key.” •

▲Sophomore Giovanna Castellani poses by a glider plane at practice in Waller, Texas on Oct. 30, 2022. PHOTO PROVIDED BY CASTELLANI

▲Sophomore Sam Aguilar works on a dress for his first fashion line, SAM S1, on Jan. 27. His collection will have a total of 21 dresses. PHOTO BY EMILY KO

Graphics by Emily Ko

American Sign Language Club enhances understanding of Deaf culture

Sonya Lin Editor

CSHS has an abundance of outstanding clubs providing students unique opportunities and experiences. New clubs are being established all the time, however, one club in particular–the American Sign Language club–is the first of its kind in CSHS History. Meetings are held every Thursday after school in room 2106.

“I’ve gradually started to lose my ability to hear certain things that I used to be able to hear when I was younger, like my dog’s footsteps,” club vice president Logan Joiner said. “This encouraged me to get a head start on learning [sign language]. When I learned that Mrs. Ballew is fluent in sign language, I asked her to be the sponsor for our club. She agreed and so I grabbed my friends together and created the American Sign Language club.”

Joiner has high hopes for the ASL club, setting various goals for it with a key purpose in mind.

“Our goal for the club is to help everyone learn basic signs and to grasp a better understanding of the deaf culture,” Joiner said. “We want to expand the school’s knowledge on people with

disabilities, but mainly focus on deaf culture.”

The club offers various means of immersion and a diverse array of activities.

“We want to incorporate videos, guest speakers, people who are involved in sign language or the deaf community to come in and speak so we learn pretty holistic stuff,” chemistry teacher and club sponsor Natalie Ballew said.

Ballew acquired her eloquent skills in sign language through her experience attending a Deaf school.

“I attended a Deaf school and so the class that I was in had Deaf kids and hearing kids. We had an interpreter at the front all of the time,” Ballew said. “I gradually began to pick up signs over time and became friends with the Deaf students in the classroom. I really enjoyed my time at this school.”

For Ballew, learning sign language is something she believes should be more widespread in society.

“More and more people in the United States have some degree of hearing loss than anybody thinks. I’ve known tons of people that have hearing problems because of Tinnitus and knowing some degree of sign language can be really helpful,” Ballew said.

Carreño is a member of the club, his

motivation for joining lies in his desire to learn a new language and to help others.

“I love learning new languages,” Carenno said. “Not only can I learn to speak sign language as a way to have fun, but [I can also] help deaf people if I ever need to! I would definitely encourage others to [invest] some time in learning [this].”

Learning sign language offers insights and a new perspective on the world of the deaf.

“We often take our hearing for granted. One of my assignments when I was in Sign Language IV was to go a whole day with earplugs,” Ballew said. “It was hard

to enjoy the things that I guess hearing people normally enjoy, and so it was really eye-opening. I really hope that students can gain a different perspective, respect, and appreciation for their ability to hear, and to see another population that I feel like is underrepresented.”

Club President Luisa Ross, wants the ASL club to be something people will remember and use after graduation.

“I hope the ASL club is something that people can remember many years later when looking back on high school. I want to continue the club for many years to come,” Ross said. •

I hope the ASL club is something that people can remember for many years

-Luisa Ross sophomore

▲ Chemistry teacher Natalie Ballew leads the American Sign Language Club in signing the alphabet. Ballew grew up attending a Deaf school where she learned to sign. PHOTO BY SONYA LIN

Photos by Sonya Lin

Collaboration on court develops discipline for senior forward

Briceida Bellon Managing Editor

Senior Grayson Fowler has repeated drills during after school and in-school practice to achieve skill in basketball.

“He’s been a really big senior leader for us,” basketball boys coach Jerron Reese said. “Alongside shooting the basketball for us and doing a phenomenal job defensively, he’s a tremendous leader off the court and a great person to be around.”

Fowler has been playing basketball through middle school and leading up to high school.

“I think it was really middle school where basketball kind of ‘clicked’ for me,” Fowler said. “I love [basketball] because [the game] challenges me and enables me to build friendships with my teammates.”

Now as a senior, compared to years prior, Fowler’s physical and mental skills have developed.

“I’ve finally started to grow [as a player],” Fowler said. “With time I’ve grown with confidence about my skills and try to play more when I’m on court. [Now,]

I’m not so afraid to make passes on court.”

Alongside growing mental and physical skills on the court, Fowler said basketball encourages him and other players to improve on cooperation skills off the court.

“I think [as time went on], we as a team just got closer,” he said. “[Basketball] is a collaborative sport that needs people to work together on and off the court. I think a lot of things in life are like that.”

However, out of a combination of cooperation skills and a confidence boost, Fowler said he believes “determination” is the most valuable lesson learned during his time bearing the number 12 jersey.

“Basketball [taught] me to be disciplined, comfortable and realize that no matter where you go, there is going to be constructive criticism,” Fowler said. “The best thing is to be ready for that and to have a determined mindset [and think] ‘I’m either all in or not in at all.’” •

Senior Jadyn Davenport sprinted from start line to finish line, hurled footballs across 120 yards and swung baseballs home. When she shot her first ball into the hoop in middle school, only then did Davenport realize her passion for basketball.

“Growing up, I dabbled in sports because of my brothers, who I played sports like football with,” Davenport said. “I think I really started playing basketball because of the fact that girls didn’t really dabble in football, so I told myself ‘You can try basketball.’”

When she transitioned into a junior in high school, she took a more active role on the team. The year was a “changing point” in her career, with Davenport leading the basketball team to seize the state semi-finalist title and earning her 1000th career bound point on the way.

“Things started taking a turn my junior year when I [became] a starter,” she

said. “I think [becoming a starter] impacted me because I used to start in middle school, and then sophomore year I didn’t start as much, so I took it as a chip on my shoulder.”

But Davenport’s lessons learned from basketball transcend beyond the courts, and apply to her daily life.

“I’m really competitive,” she said. “I remember crying during my freshman and sophomore years if we lost a game. But now, due to my change in mindset, I stopped taking everything to heart and learned to just enjoy the game. It’s kind of how I approach [interactions] with people in general as well.”

But basketball develops into some-

thing enjoyable due to the environment the teammate fosters, according to Davenport. Players encourage others to support teammates, on the court and off the court.

“I think cheering others [on] is how I mainly support my teammates,” Davenport said. “We have a lot of younger players on the team, and they’re not really used to fast-paced basketball. It’s really that contant motivation and encouragement that helps.”

According to basketball girls coach DeAnna Doles, Davenport has not only grown tremendously and become a valuable player for the team, but is also a compassionate teammate.

“[Davenport] has always been sure to

support her teammates and has helped the team on the court offensively,” Doles said.

This collaboration her team creates allows Davenport and her teammates to proudly bear the title of mighty Lady Cougars, making it difficult to ignore common misconceptions about “lady” basketball.

“People try to compare girls basketball with boys basketball, and they’ll think [girls basketball] is much easier and that boys hit harder, when in reality we hit the same. I have bruises from basketball [to prove it].”

Despite gender disparities being “frustrating,” the dedication and drive basketball instills in players like Davenport prove to be essential in navigating the adult world.

“[Basketball] isn’t something that you can wake up and be [perfect] at,” Davenport said. “Perfection, or anything close to it, is something you have to constantly work and have a lot of dedication for.”•

The best thing is to be ready for that and to have a determined mindset [and think] I’m either all in or not in at all

-Grayson Fowler Senior

▲ Senior Grayson Fowler dunks the ball during a game in Cougar gym. Their next home game is Tuesday, Feb. 14 against Magnolia. PHOTO PROVIDED BY FOWLER

Senior center’s passion for basketball blossoms from young age

Briceida Bellon Managing Editor

[Basketball] isn’t something that you can wake up and be perfect at

-Jadyn davenport senior

Boys soccer team looks to future, higher achievements

Amari Rutherford Editor

The boys varsity soccer team is a team that builds their relationships on and off the field.

“I think [in terms of relationships], we have a lot of guys that played together for a long time, whether it be tournament soccer or just growing up together,” head boys soccer coach Chad Peevey said.

Peevey said friendships are fostered, not only when they are playing together, but they can also translate into their lives outside of the team.

“[Players] stay out there and just hang out and have fun together, do team dinners and and we don’t hesitate to help each other out and kind of have [their] brothers back out there,” Peevey said.

The captains this year are seniors Zach Dang and Jonathan Corado. Peevey said their way of captaining complements each other very well, with Corado being a vocal captain and Dang being one that leads by example.

In the beginning Corado said he found it to be challenging to be a leader on the team.

“At first it was kind of hard being a leader because I was used to messing around with the other guys. Now that [I am in the role] as captain, I try to be a good leader,” Corado said.

As captain, Dang said he wants to lead by example and make sure the team has the right energy in the locker room, at practice, and on game days.

Peevey also added that the team has grown and changed over the years.

“I think our expectations have changed a whole lot. Now there’s an expectation that every single game has a little bit of pressure so we have got to go out and perform and win the game and not just be there,” Peevey said.

While the boys soccer team hasn’t always been at the top of their game, the players want the team to achieve more.

“As a freshman I came into a losing program,” Dang said. “By sophomore year we made the playoffs for the first time in years. My junior year we made program history and won not one but two playoff games. This year we have high expectations.”

Achieving more this year is the focus.

“Being on the team for as long as I have been, countless guys have come and gone, but I have a lot of confidence in the group of guys we have this year,” Dang said. •

Girls soccer cultivates friendship, growth through encouragement

Amari Rutherford Editor

The girls soccer season started playing district games in late January and garnered their first district win against Montgomery, 3-2 on Jan. 31.

The team includes four captains: seniors Elie Dang, Kylie McRaven, Camila Del Rio and Kelsey Slater.

“I think we each have something to add and have qualities that complement the way we want to lead our team,” Slater said.

The captains have been playing with each other for a long time and, through that, they have garnered a lot of experience with one another.

“We have actually a pretty strong dynamic where all four of us have played together since freshman year, and outside of just high school soccer ,[we even] played club soccer together, and we’ve just known each other for a very long time. I feel like we know each other and how the others work. I feel like we have a strong leadership there,” Slater said.

The girls soccer team is bond-

ed like a family and the captains push themselfs and their teammates to the best that they can do, Dang said.

“It is the culture that we have in our program that’s been passed

bringing it to practices and games.

With many older seniors graduating last year, the team this year includes many players who are on varsity for their first time.

“Because we’re a younger team with a lot of new incoming players, it’s definitely just a lot of just practicing together and working with each other to [be] able to know how each other plays for the season,” McRaven said.

Currently the team has two captains out with torn ACLs, but that hasn’t slowed them down.

down,” she said. “And our coaches have always told us that our worth is not just winning or losing. And we’ve always held that to each other accountable. And I think it’s more than just a soccer aspect but we make sure that family is really important.”

This season the captains have put encouragement in the forefront,

“Because I am out, I can’t actually play with the girls,” McRaven said. “So, I’m trying to be more of a vocal leader from the sidelines, I try just to be encouraging and help them out as much as I can without being able to play.”

The girls team has high expectations for this season.

“We all hope to make it past district and into playoffs so hopefully our hard work pays off,” Slater said.

The team plays Rudder at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Cougar Field. •

▲Senior Elie Dang (13) steals the ball in a game against Consol on Feb. 3. The Cougars lost 0-2 but will play Consol again on Feb. 28 at Tiger Field. PHOTO BY AMARI RUTHERFORD

▲Senior Jonathan Corado (22) dripples the ball against Montgomery on Feb. 2. The Cougars won 3-1. PHOTO BY AMARI RUTHERFORD

It’s the culture that we have in our program that’s been passed down -elie dang seniOr

Meals on Wheels

Cultural food trucks prepare various authentic, tasting experiences

Antojitos Mi Pequeña Guatemala

Elisabeth Stewart Editor in Chief

Every time I drive down Texas Avenue, the bright blue beacon of the Antojitos Mi Pequeña Guatemala food truck catches my eye. Last week, I finally stopped to sample its auténtico sabor chapín (authentic Guatemalan flavor).

Nestled in the shopping center left of Target, Antojitos delighted me with a variety of Central American classics common to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. The menu features pupusas (warm, grilled pockets of masa filled with beans, cheese or meat, served with tangy curtido slaw), pollo con tajadas (chicken served over vegetables and fried plantains), baleadas (a stuffed flour tortilla) and more.

The food was simply heartwarming. For $10, I ordered the churrasco, or grilled flank

Abu Amar Halal

On the bustling road of Texas Avenue, there is an automobile unique to the other rushing cars. The smoke that flows from Abu Omar Halal food truck emits the fragrance of freshly made Halal food.

The truck is housed in a lot near Target. Abu Omar Halal opens at exactly 11 a.m., and my friend and I were one of the first customers of the day.

Inside the truck, there were two workers, both friendly and welcoming. The menu was printed on the side of the truck in eye-catching colors. The truck offered shawarmas, rice bowls, ka-

steak, and for $8, my mom ordered the Guatemalan-style tacos, which included shredded beef and finely chopped cabbage. Both plates came with hefty sides of black refried beans, rice, ensalada rusa (potato salad) and warmed tortillas. Between the charred steak and varied sides, there were many flavors to enjoy in every bite.

Friendly staff informed me that the truck is adjusting to new management, so hours are uncertain, but they soon hope to serve food seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Antojitos frequently posts updates about opening times on their Facebook. Or, like me, you can simply drive by and know that the truck is open by the line of customers outside the truck. Antojitos also has an extensive catering menu on Facebook, and diners can order ahead by calling 979-5990600.

Antojitos will satisfy the antojos (cravings) of anyone searching for traditional fare made with love from Guatemala. •

bobs and a wide selection of falafel dishes. After browsing for a bit, my friend ordered the chicken kabob, as recommended by one of the workers. I decided on the chicken shawarma arabi, recalling from their online website that it was what they were known for. In total I paid around $11.

After some time, the worker who took our order called us to pick up our meal. We were given a bag with our items, the kabob wrapped neatly in paper and my shawarma combo plated inside a styrofoam container. Since there wasn’t an area to dine, we had lunch inside my car. I opened my box and was greeted with the chicken shawarma cut into bite sized pieces, the combined aroma of spice and fresh tortilla flow-

ing through the air. Admittedly, I did get sauce all over my hands. The chicken was tender and cooked well, and the softness from the meat meshed in perfectly with the crispness of the lettuce and pickles. I was a bit confused at first since I remembered the arabi meal came with fries, but my questions were answered as I ate and uncovered mounds of thick fries underneath the shawarma.

For anyone with a craving of the wonderful flavors of Halal food while shopping at Target, take a small walk outside and you’ll be greeted with Abu Omar Halal, the red of the truck’s name matching the nearby department store.•

Bad Chx

On 303 Boyett St in College Station is the classic American styled food truck Bad Chx, open Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Bad Chx has a selection of American meal options including chicken tender sandwiches, burritos, tacos, subs, loaded fries and chicken waffle sandwiches.

The meal I ordered was the chicken waffle sandwich, but I was disappointed to find out that the buns were not really waffles but instead a waffle pressed hamburger bun. This is very misleading since it says otherwise on their menu.

My family and I had the food for dinner and we did not give it good reviews.

The food truck messed up my order as well as my moms by adding coleslaw to our burgers when we specifically ordered them without, and the chicken was very dry. Their chicken is also only served spicy, which excludes younger kids from eating it because of their low spice tolerance, which was almost the case for my baby sister.

I would have enjoyed the food better if the chicken had more flavor instead of it just being spicy, as well as the fries that were served with the burger.

Initially the fries looked really good, but it was not until I had my first one when I realized they were overcooked and had a rubbery texture.

I had high expectations for Bad Chx, but unfortunately, the more of my meal I ate, the lower my expectations went. •

Claire Guo Editor

Cheyenne Clark Editor

▲Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Stewart enjoyed the churrasco, or grilled flank steak, and Guatemalan-style tacos at Antojitos Mi Pequeñ a Guatemala on Jan. 17, 2023. PHOTO BY STEWART

Fairytales, folktales, fables, fiction influence generations

Joi Speck Editor

For millions of years, humankind has endorsed fictitious tales, imbuing them with elements of their nature and receiving an evident influence of the psyche in return. AP Psychology teacher Matthew Gray is well-versed in how its consumption affects the human mind.

“The brain’s right side is a little stronger [creatively], with a lot of ‘HOT’ skills–Higher Order Thinking skills–stemming from its frontal lobes, or prefrontal cortex,” Gray said. “When you read fiction, the creative center of your brain is being used to a much higher degree than when you’re reading nonfiction.”

This spike in creativity has encouraged the creation of a diverse range of tales, surviving eons of time. Librarian Tina San Angelo recognizes their mark on the world as nothing new.

“Since antiquity we’ve learned through stories,” San Angelo said. “If you’ve read some Greek writers’ works or even the Bible, these stories passed down from ancient times have taught us values and how to live [with] a sense of virtue. All of these things still apply, even more so [today].”

Behind every fictitious tale was a root cause for being written. AP World History teacher Chad Lehrmann is knowledgeable of this exact purpose throughout history.

“Legends, fairy tales and myths create a sort of moral compass for the times,” Lehrmann said. “If you look at Aesop’s fables, they were teaching what the general society’s view of morality was at that time to children. They sought to teach them [values] such as kindness and patience from a young age.”

These real-life lessons–conveyed at such a young age–play an important role in early childhood development. However, there is solid reasoning behind their being projected beneath the guise of something entertaining and fictitious.

“[Children] who’ve experienced [moral] fictional readings are more likely to [correlate] its lessons with similar situations in life,” Gray said.

“When they attach it to [those situations], they’re going to remember it for a much longer period of time [than if] they were simply lectured on it.”

A lot of these tales are built upon those of the past, albeit with some tweaks.

“There’s an old prov erb that says ‘there is nothing new under the sun,’” Lehrmann said. “People thought they could embellish [existing] stories, similar to Dis ney’s [adap tations of] fairy tales. They’re completely different from their original source material, [often] made to be less terri fying. We retell different [tales] and put our own spin on the stories.”

Although these tales may be fictional, they’ve still had a signif icant impact on the real world.

“A lot of what we be lieve as a culture came from fiction,” San Angelo said.

“We [shape] our values and form our [worldviews] from stories. It’s something you cannot undervalue–it’s extremely important.”

The Catamount recaps favorite memories of 2022, aspirations for 2023

Best of 2022

Songs and Albums

Movies

“Everything, Everywhere, All At Once”

TV Series

“Heartstopper”

Favorite Moments

“because I liked a boy” by Sabrina Carpenter

“It was admirable how she was able to transform her feelings surrounding the hate she received into a catchy melody.” -

Claire Guo

“Snow Waltz” by Lindsey Stirling

“Her electric violin music is just so unique. She can make a cover of anything and it’d stand on its own. Of this album, my favorite song was “Ice Storm”--super intense and the best song to write a story to.” -

Joi Speck

“Un Verano Sin Ti” by Bad Bunny

“The album is a masterpiece, a tribute to the Caribbean and a mesh of historic and emerging music styles. The 23 tracks capture every mood of the summer, from nostalgia over lost love to a summer night with friends.”

- Elisabeth Stewart

Outlook for 2023

What Excites Us

“I’m looking forward to exploring more music genres. I haven’t dived into many genres, but I’d like to discover more artists and their songs. So many artists deserve so much more credit for their songs, and I’d like to help them do that in my own way.”

- Emily Ko

“I want to drive the two hours to Austin by myself. I have a close friend who lives in Dripping Springs, and when we first got our permits, we promised each other that one day we will meet

“This film captures generational trauma in a very unique, multiverse way that is beautiful. It also has Asian-American representation and portrays the immigrant family experience accurately.” -

Briceida Bellon

“20th Century Girl”

“This simultaneoulsy gut-wrenching and heartwarming story of acceptance, identity and young love amid social stigma against the LBGTQ+ community is the kind of show you need to watch while holding someone’s hand.” -

Elisabeth Stewart

“Moon Knight”

“I loved going to the beach this summer with my family. We went to Port Aransas, and it was a blast. I also enjoyed getting my first ever Spotify Wrapped, and I also got to read some great books throughout 2022.”

- Lauren Byerly

“It’s a South Korean movie about a girl who falls in love with a classmate but realizes that he’s her lovesick best friend’s crush. I initially thought this movie had another cliché plot I’ve seen a billion times, but I realized that it defines the line between friendship and love, a concept we all encounter at some point.” - Emily

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”

Ko

“Its animation was incredible, resembling that of ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,’ and its plot was entertaining the whole way through.”

- Joi Speck

up at the Buc-ees between Austin and College Station. Now, months later, we both have our license and we have yet to make the journey.”

- Claire Guo

“I plan to rediscover my love of my old hobbies. Ever since starting high school, I feel my enthusiasm (and time) was sapped away in a quest for perfect grades, and I can’t help but feel a part of me has been missing.”

- Joi Speck

Graphics by Elisabeth Stewart

“It was an awesome Marvel series, and I’m speaking as someone who wasn’t even aware such a superhero existed. It was exceedingly creative and had plot twists I never anticipated.” -

Joi Speck

“Wednesday”

“I’ll admit that the only reason I first started watching was that ‘Wednesday’ was because it was in the top ten list on Netflix. I love that one of the actresses from my childhood is the lead, and the plot twists are always something to look forward to, no matter how many times I watch.”

- Emily Ko

“Homecoming. Last semester’s Homecoming was my first, and I’m happy to have snatched this opportunity to attend. My favorite part of the night wasn’t even the dance-although that was also fun--but spending the night with my friends as we took pictures and had a happy dinner.” -

Claire Guo

“I loved watching how everyone reacted to the World Cup and who they were rooting for each day. People who never really talked to each other came together to cheer for their team.”

- Emily Borham

Our Goals

“I’ve learned that mental health is so important when it comes to daily pressure and stress from school. Time management is hard, but somewhere in between that time, I want to find more time for myself. I’ve learned from personal experience that setting even just ten minutes a day to do something I love helps so much.”

- Emily Ko

“My biggest goal this year is to put some distance between me and my phone. I don’t currently own any forms

of social media, nor have I explored it much, but I find other ways to distract myself, somehow ending up with seven hours of screen time per week.”

- Joi Speck

“I’ve consistently sacrificed my happiness for my success. Now that I’ve finished college applications and all I can do is wait to see where the future takes me, my goal is to reclaim my happiness. Every day, I’m spending time on the hobbies and people that mean the most to me.”

- Elisabeth Stewart