The Catamount - Vol. 11 No. 5 - March 2023

A Helping Hand A Helping Hand

Partner Art, Partner PE students form friendships, offer mutual support to provide new perspective

Claire Guo Editor

As the last remnants of winter fade into spring, a new year welcomes a new March. This month houses not only the beginning of a warmer season, but also serves as a month to bring awareness to developmental disabilities. With developmental disabilities affecting one in every six people, having a month focusing on uplifting and recognizing our communities can create a positive environment and broaden understanding. This includes the community here at CSHS, where programs such as Partner Art and Partner PE were established to foster connections and thriving friendships.

Both Partner Art and Partner PE share a goal in reaching achievements through the shared bond between students in special education and students in general education. In Partner Art, the aim is to create an art environment where student partners work alongside students with disabilities to create art.

“You do not have to be an artist to become a part of the Partner Art program,” Partner Art and art teacher Sara Jordan said. “You just have to be willing to help others, be patient and willing to learn ways to communicate when there might be communication barriers.”

Despite being a very recently created program, Partner Art has already cemented genuine friendships. Paraprofessional Anita Hudson expresses her joy in working with these students.

“[Partner Art] educates both groups of people in inclusivity and patience, guidance and it’s just downright fun,” Hudson said. “They have taught me more than I could ever teach them. [I’ve been] taught how to approach teaching in different ways because each one of these kids is different so you have to teach them differently.”

Since art allows artists to converse freely among themselves during the creation process, Partner Art has generated connections between the students.

continued on page 2

▲Sophomores and PE partners Ellie Skow (left) and Abena Hassan (right) perform a “butterfly” stretch on the track before physical activity. This is Skow’s first year serving as a partner in the program, which she describes as a “welcoming environment.”

PHOTO BY BRICEIDA BELLON

Integrated PE, art classes promote inclusivity among students

continued from page 1

Hey David!

Art 1 and Partner Art classes display their collaborative recreation of famous Italian artist Michealoangelo’s David in the CSHS art hallways in front of art teacher Sara Jordan’s classroom, room 1118. With the assistance of her fourth period and Art 1 students, Jordan painted a large version of David’s face using black acrylic paint into four connected poster boards and cut them into 16-pieces. Later, during her combined Art 1 and Partner Art fifth and sixth period classes, Jordan assigned each Partner Art student a piece to color and design. Students were encouraged to utilize bright colors and different textures. With the help of their partners or a paraprofessional, the students colored, painted and collaged.

PHOTO

BY CLAIRE GUO

Graphic by Briceida Bellon

“I think it’s cool that each student is unique in the way that they communicate and express themselves,” junior Annie Pryor said.

Along with developing friendships, Pryor believes that expressing support is another vital aspect of Partner Art.

“It’s important that students are able to come in and see what it’s like to help people,” Pryor said.

Conversely, Partner PE has been established since 2018. Since its creation, the program has been successful meeting physical activity achievements through the connections of paired partners.

“Partner PE is important for both [gen-ed students and special-ed students],” Partner PE teacher and coach Zachery Marlow said. “Students with specific needs wouldn’t get their PE if we didn’t have this program, and if they did, it wouldn’t be to the level of which they are getting it now. The program also [encourages] their partners to help out the other students and help them think of others.”

Like Partner Art, Partner PE has generated many meaningful connections.

“It’s such a positive atmosphere, with all the friendships and bonds that they make,” Marlow said.

Student partners in PE are responsible for leading their partners in physical activities, helping them understand how to play certain sports and games and providing a source of support. As someone who’s been a part of Partner PE for two years, senior Grace Liesberger has found her experience supporting others incredibly rewarding.

“It’s just a great way to help somebody out and form bonds. [We] watch

them learn something new, try something new or just plain have fun,” Liesberger said. “We all just kind of come together.”

Junior Xaria Shabek chose to attend this program because her mom works in special education.

“Everyone here is really nice,” Shabek said. “I know a lot of people might seem like they act differently, but deep down they have the biggest heart.”

Shabek mentions how a key skill in Partner PE involves how to navigate through different situations.

“You do have to be a problem solver when working with different students to see what works and what doesn’t,” she said.

The journey to becoming a student partner may start as early as intermediate school in CSISD, where interested students may choose to become a buddy for students with disabilities.

“Schools do a good job at creating a welcoming environment,” sophomore Ellie Skow said. “I really like that they give opportunities for the students, not just their teachers [teaching them], but to have friends that are their age to teach them.”

During Developmental Disabilities Awareness month, classes such as Partner Art and Partner PE further emphasize the importance of integrating these connections between students with disabilities. Both partners learn and experience new perspectives together, whether that be playing a sport or illustrating a wonderful artwork.

“It’s just a really good experience if you’re wanting to do something that’s bigger than just you and what’s going on in your life,” Skow said. “This is a really good way to impact a lot of lives and be a leader.”•

[partner pe] is a great way to help somebody out and form bonds

-grace liesberger senior

OVERworked and uncertain

Post-COVID academic burnout rises in student population

Joi Speck Editor

In the wake of COVID-19, student burnout has been at an all-time high. This particular wave of weariness hasn’t gone unnoticed by staff, especially UIL head April Falco, who is aware of its toll on the CSHS student populace.

“Through COVID-19, people [sought out] an outlet and got more involved in extracurriculars,” Falco said. “[In turn] kids are so busy outside of school that they don’t have time for it—they’re tired, they get their phones out and they shut down.”

English III AP teacher Mindi Green has tested this theory of technology’s role in stimulating fatigue, citing social media as a major contributor in such scenarios.

“This semester in AP English III—while reading ‘Fahrenheit 451’–students tracked their phone usage and determined how much time they’re actually spending on social media,” Green said. “I think it was very eye-opening for students [because] some had upwards of four, six and eight hours [of screentime] a day, and doing the math [revealed] that they’re spending 25% or more of their life with a phone in hand.”

This prevalent and demotivating social media ad-

and [perform] them all perfectly is what’s really wearing us out,” Green said. “I see a lot of my students—particularly those who are incredibly involved—putting a lot of stress on themselves to succeed. That stress, compounded by multiple AP classes, organizations and teams mean they’re just constantly buried [beneath work] and weariness.”

Under all this stress and academic fatigue, some students call into question just how much of their learning material will remain useful throughout their adult years. Sophomore Layni Kaase explores this idea in accordance with students’ college endeavors.

“Some of my friends who went to college last year are having to take classes that aren’t even related to their majors,” Kaase said. “[Picking] a major in college that you’re interested in—and then having to have a different requirement—might bring down your [drive] to learn because, although you get to [take] a class you like, you also have to [take one] that’s completely unrelated.”

Like school’s diverse array of subjects, students possess a diverse range of learning styles–many of which aren’t accounted for in the standard American education system. As a result, the plummet in learning motivations has become increasingly evident.

“I think school courses need to be adjusted to some degree, especially the AP courses,” Marrs said. “I’ve had that I learn and study ny the AP courses that it would be easier if we had hands-on sort We have AP teachers that are great with that, but

I just feel like we need to do more than sit in front of a smart board for an hour and have notes spewed at us.”

According to the Fulshear Treatment to Transition program, lack of sleep can also hinder one’s personal motivations and overall mood. While workload has its hand in this, ‘revenge bedtime procrastination’–as well as its daytime counterpart–can be seen reinforcing this dilemma as well.

“A huge part of staying motivated is not procrastinating,” Kaase said. “I used to be a terrible procrastinator. Now I force myself to [complete] an assignment or I’ll never get it done. When you get into that habit, it’s nice because you have more free time. I’ve started getting back into reading because I have the time now.”

Though academic fatigue is often the byproduct of caring immensely about one’s future, such concerns serve little purpose if they deter present enjoyment.

“At the end of the day you need to be a kid,” Falco said. “Yes, it’s good to have all of those [credentials] but in the grand scheme of life your mental well-being–and just enjoying being a child–is way more valuable.” •

Ways to Get Psyched About Life Again

1. Find the Cause Behind Your Lack of Motivation

Discovering the root of your lack of motivation aids in finding the specific measures needed to counter it.

2. Quit Doomscrolling

Though difficult, taking a step back from negative news circulating online can benefit your mental health significantly. Try to avoid stumbling into “internet rabbit holes,” as they can entrap one’s attention far longer than needed.

3. Note the Small Joys Throughout Your Day

Taking time to appreciate the little things in life better highlights the sheer miracle of living it. Even if it’s something as simple as enjoying the weather on a particular day, relish it!

Source: Wondermind.com

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELISABETH STEWART

Change in multimedia entertainment influences girlhood

Briceida Bellon Managing Editor

Junior Emily Shafer remembers when she was 10 years old tuning in to shows like “Jesse” and “Austin and Ally” on the Disney Channel weekly.

“I feel like these shows had good messages behind them. ‘Be yourself.’ ‘It’s okay to be different.’ ‘It’s okay to fail.’ These shows all incorporated important lessons while contributing a good story and humor,” Shafer said. “Now, I don’t really see much of that.”

Shafer would not be alone in her observation. Junior Anamarie Walker reminisces on her awkward yet somewhat innocent stage of life with fondness.

“When we were in middle school, we were taking awkward selfies with our braces and the Snapchat dog filter,” Walker said. “Preteen girls nowadays are only 12 years old using beauty filters to sexualize themselves.”

Preteen girls or “tweens” nowadays have ditched watching Disney Channel television shows and sporting sparkly “Justice” T-shirts in favor of on mature media. According to the New York Times, one-third of US TikTok users are under the age of 14. What was once a flourishing market for individuals between the ages of 12 - 14 has remarkably merged with a market catered towards young adults. The Spectator names this phenomenon “the death of the tweenager.”

“Social media like TikTok definitely has more influence nowadays,” Sociology and Psychology teacher Montana Long said. “It’s a driving force in influencing the market [for] the younger demographic.”

Tweens haven’t always been exposed to mature content. Growing up in the early 2000s, Long remembers the difficulties accessing any type of media, mature or not.

“The first thing you notice is that access is completely different now. Growing up, if we wanted to access any sort of social media, we had to utilize chat rooms,” she said. “There were more obstacles and accessing media than there are today.”

Since becoming a teacher in 2015, Long has noticed changes in her middle school and high school students as social media access became more widespread.

“[Middle school students] look completely different,” Long said. “I have seen more girls wearing lashes

than ever before, and I didn’t even know how to apply those as an adult because I didn’t have access to [tutorials].”

While makeup application and care for appearance may have derived from organic interest, society can often enforce girls specifically to maintain their outer appearance.

“It’s natural for young adolescents to want to be older than they are,” Long said. “But I also think society is putting more pressure on girls to mature. There’s a traditional expectation in society for girls to grow up faster than boys”

This increased speed of development can have more detrimental effects on preteen girls, explains AP Psychology teacher Matthew Gray. In a recent study by the Center for Disease Control, the CDC notes that nearly one in three high school girls claimed to have considered suicide and 10 girls reported to be so persistently sad or hopeless that they stopped with regular activities.

“The research now says that preteens who are exposed to mature content are more prone to stuff like alcohol and drugs, early sexual behaviors, teen pregnancies and psychological issues,” Gray said.

These negative effects are rooted in adolescent brains that are not fully developed yet.

“The prefrontal lobes of the preteenager brain are not working at the same level as young adults and late teens,” Gray said. “They’re not going to be able to weigh the risks and rewards when it comes to those behaviors.”

Although the exposure to explicit or mature content runs rampant in the media, it’s up to parents and educators on how to approach topics in a healthy manner.

“[Preteens] need to have conversations with parents and guardians about this type of content before their child’s introduction to sexual activity or drugs are shown through shows like Euphoria, where those [behaviors] are romanticized,” Shafer said.

Shafer was introduced to sex by her parents giving her the dreaded “talk,” but not all students have the privilege of receiving this type of education from their parents.

“Schools should stop being scared of these topics,

MEdia consumptION: THEN VS. NOW

THEN : Austin and Ally (2011 to 2016)

Austin is an extroverted musician and Ally is a smart but shy songwriter. To gether with Dez and Trish, they navigate the ups and downs of fame, friendship and love.

Parents say: 8+

Kids say: 7+

Now: Riverdale (2017 to Present)

After a teenager was murdered within the town of Riverdale, Archie and his gang try to unravel the evils lurking within this seemingly innocent town, whilst navigating the troubled waters of romance, school and family.

Parents Say: 16+

Kids say 13+

Source: IMDB

or preteens might gain curiosity and see misrepresentation of these behaviors through the lens of sexualized media,” Shafer said.

Instead of approaching sexual topics in an informative manner, tween media has opted to promote sexual liberation as a form of female empowerment. While positive for adult women, the question of whether it can be just as positive for younger girls remains debatable, according to Long.

“There are positive changes happening in our society with more acceptance of letting go of traditional roles for females,” Long said. “You see that changing, but I think there is still an impact on younger girls who are still developing and don’t necessarily have that ability to differentiate between making choices for themselves and being influenced by the media.” •

Art by Emily Ko

There’s a traditional expectation in society for girls to be more mature and grow up faster than boys

-Montana Long Psychology Teacher

Lifelong resident reflects on lack of hometown recreation THE CAT’S EYE VIEW

Curing a lack of motivation among students requires community action

There’s a word for the constant, never-ending spiral of avolition that presses into our lives as students and teachers, preventing us from addressing our ever-growing to-do lists: burnout.

In 2019, the World Health Organization officially declared burnout as a “syndrome” that results from “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” leading to exhaustion, increased negativism and reduced efficacy. Psychologist Christina Maslach at the University of California, Berkeley, and her team defined six causes of burnout, including an “unsustainable workload,” “perceived lack of control” and “insufficient rewards for effort.” These are organizational issues founded in an environment’s structure–not issues that we can solve by simply adding self-care to our routines, per Jennifer Moss, author of “The Burnout Crisis.”

There exist some “organizational barriers” that we cannot change, like the selectivity of our dream universities or the still-present effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. But we can, as a CSHS community, attack organizational struggles like increasing workloads, mental health challenges and pressure to succeed with both empathy and action.

CSHS has already addressed these struggles by implementing WIN Wednesday to provide a time and environment to catch up on work. Moving forward, teachers could examine the workload they provide to students and choose quality over quantity of work, which would reduce students’ workloads as well as the time teachers spend grading work.

Most importantly, we must stop attributing students’ lack of motivation to “laziness” or irresponsibility. We as a community should acknowledge that burnout is a valid physical and mental condition deterring us from displaying our best work. Finding a solution requires collective action to address its causes before burnout’s flame consumes our physical, mental and social health. •

2022-2023 Newspaper Staff

Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor

Page Editors

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

Sonya Lin

Upon moving to College Station I have come to realize that it is the most boring place ever. The only source of entertainment people get here is either from Texas A&M or it’s long in the tooth Cinema, built in 1993.

As a fellow citizen of College Station I am of the opinion that BCS should bring in more forms of entertainment for its residents. As our population consists of college students. They are constantly working hard whether it’s homework or working their jobs. When they want a break to hang out with friends, they have nowhere to go. If they are seeking real forms of entertainment, someplace where they can fully let go of all worries and live in the moment they have to take a two hour long drive to

Houston. With the high accumulation of gas prices right now, it is simply not worth it, not to mention the thought of having to drive two hours to and back from Houston depletes the whole mood of having fun. Many families also live here. It is unfortunate for the kids who will have to grow up here in such a dull and boring place.

The environment in which kids grow up plays a big part in their personalities and ideologies so it is important that kids grow up in a bright and lively environment. As of right now College Station does not meet these standards. College Station has many parks but only a few consist of playgrounds. There is also a water park, but with the pandemic the park is no longer a safe place to leisurely pass time during the weekends. Would you really want your kids to grow up in such a monotonous environment? •

View of the Pride: Do you think that students are less motivated nowadays than they were three years ago?

“I feel like as school work has become more grade-oriented throughout time, students become less inspired to learn and have more anxiety about it because they fear they will not score well.”

- Sanni Saari, senior

“As pressure to perform in school and obtain scholarships has increased with the cost of living and college attendance, students have grown overwhelmed by standards and apathetic to success.”

-Lindsay

Flanigan, senior

The Catamount Newspaper

“I would be biased, since the people in my grade are fiercely competitive, but I think that we are actually much more motivated since college has become more competitive ”

-Lena Abdelwahed, junior

“Nowadays, the stakes for education for young students are higher. They are almost forced to be motivated so they can prepare for the future.”

-Haley Knight, 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.

Cartoonist

Faculty Adviser

Assistant Adviser

William Crick

Courtney Wellmann

Mindi Cameron-Green

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.

School journey leads to indecision for senior editorial

Dear Catamount Readers,

Next month, you will read the most consequential piece of writing I will ever compose in my entire life: the se nior editorial. In May, graduating staff members write one last opinion column in the Catamount’s spe cial senior issue. For many, this column is a goodbye; for oth ers, a last hurrah, a collection of memories, lessons learned, a homage to the Cat amount staff, a thank you to the school, or simply one last chance to tell the school everything we’ve ever wanted to say. Upon learning of the senior editorial when I joined staff freshman year, I thought, “This has to be the best article I will ever write,” so I began planning my se nior editorial as a naive freshman.

Freshman Elisabeth planned her senior editorial around her favorite high school memories–memories that she had yet to create. By junior year, she had collected quite a trove of memories. But a few weeks ago, senior Elisabeth opened her “Senior Editorial Planning” Google Document for the first time this year and realized that she had experienced complexities of life that she did not anticipate

four years ago, or even four months ago. Rejection, doubt, regret. Despite my careful planning, I had not escaped life’s complexities to emerge unscathed with only positive expe-

Now, as I’ve finally realized that I cannot plan every moment of my life or anticipate constant ease, I have no idea what to write for my senior editorial. And that terrifies me.

Maybe I’ll write about regret. Or maybe I’ll write about how I actually have no regrets–a few forgotten wishes and broken promises to myself, but no regrets. Who knows? I’m not yet sure what I regret and what I don’t. (Do I sound cryptic or confused? Good, because I am confused.)

Maybe I’ll write about how I’ve spent the last two months rediscovering my happiness after dedicating myself to chasing my crazed ambition for the past four years.

Or maybe, just maybe, my senior editorial will remain the majestic sendoff I had always planned.

None of these ideas have a definite ending, and they will lack a conclusion for the foreseeable future. At the very least, this editorial can serve as the prologue to admit to you, dear Catamount readers, that for the first time in my life, I have no plans, no expectations, no idea what to write. •

Anastasia Hueste Senior

“I do ice skating and that’s something I’ve always been passionate about. I started ice skating when I was four, and I also teach little kids at the Spirit Ice Arena. My favorite part is performing in the annual Christmas shows because I get to do fun routines for my family and friends.” •

by

William Crick

Graphic by Emily Ko

Elisabeth Stewart

Staffer finds happiness in more modern reading list

As the teacher passes out the year’s English syllabus, I slump into my chair and brace myself for another year of “thou art bored to death.” While being an active reader, I’ve grown to appreciate classic literature, but after four years of struggling to understand four-centuries-old jokes, I only find myself reaching for more modern books.

Emily Borham

In middle school the assigned books were about kids of similar age with a variety of genre options throughout the year. From the godly world of Percy Jackson to the found family in “Counting by Sevens,” the relatable text and cast of characters engulfed me. Freshman year bombarded me with Jane Austen and William Shakespeare and no escape for a brain break. Now, in high school, I only find myself interested in one or two of the books forced in my hand each year.

Recently, I’ve found myself hooked on memoirs and realistic novels such as “The Glass Castle” and “If I Had Your Face,” which explore the struggles of women. In modern books, the author takes the reader on a path of relatable struggles through modern language, unlike classic literature, which forces the reader to understand the time period in order to fully understand the jokes and dialogue. I find the enjoyment of the dramas are lessened due to the outdated language and act as a barrier for new readers who want to get into reading outside of school. Even though exposure to classic literature is crucial, I believe giving students the desire to continue reading after high school is more important.

Reading should be a healthy escape from the world, and we should motivate kids into wanting to read, not push them away with outdated speech. •

Through “Ctrl” album, SZA fan relinquishes control

Voices

What was your favorite childhood show and why?

“‘Curious George,’ because I remember sitting in front of the TV patiently waiting for it to air.”

Aliyan Umatiya, sophomore

that be through her aggressive, hot-headed personality or infectious self-hatred, which causes her to be unable to maintain relationships.

Briceida Bellon

I first encountered SZA’s 2017 debut album, “Ctrl,” when entering middle school, still leeching on leftovers of my sister’s identity. My sister blasted “The Weekend” and “Love Galore” through her car speakers as we navigated Texas Ave nue during the 5 p.m busy hour. Natural ly, I found myself humming along to her.

And while I’ll dance to my heart’s content to the combined R&B and trap, it’s when SZA is at her most vulnerable, when her songs transform into universal messages, where I resonate most with her. Through tracks like “Super model,” “Drew Barrymore” and “Normal Girl,” SZA depicts the emotional turmoil and self-hatred that comes with losing control.

At the album’s final track, SZA’s mother reminds listeners that there is power in holding onto the illusion of control. But what power derives from an arguably evil fantasy? Throughout a majority of the album, SZA illustrates instances in her life where she has lacked control, whether

One sleepless and unmotivated night listening to “Ctrl,” I frustratedly set aside my impossible physics worksheet, succumbed to typical teenage shenanigans and scrolled through TikTok and found a

a script, their unique identities and message transcend their fictional restrictions. In a room full of strangers, Kyle argues that Santa Claus has significantly impacted lives more than some real people ever can.

Defining imaginary characters as “imaginary” is easy. But most people scramble to comprehend how someone can define that same character as someone real. In contrast, defining control as something “real” is easy – we see the consequences of lacking control affect our lives, whether that be a failed relationship or pushing bodies to their limits. To define control as imaginary is the challenge that SZA encourages listeners to take on.

Power exists in acknowledging control is a fantasy, because we can take away the power control had over our lives when accepting our bare-faced, naked selves and our unique personalities.

For too long, I clung onto SZA’s seemingly insecure lyrics--I too longed to be a “Normal Girl” and someone’s “Supermodel.”

“I loved watching ‘Phineas and Ferb.’ I watched it when I had nothing to do, and it put a smile on my face everytime.”

Dylan Brod, sophomore

“‘Courage the Cowardly Dog,’ because no matter what happened, Courage always pulled through for his loved ones.”

Christina Swanner, junior

“‘Shake It Up,’ because I always wanted to be like them. I wanted to wear those high converse shoes that Zendaya wore.”

Zoe Zamora, senior

Art by Elisabeth Stewart

of a novel or lines of

But were they really meant to be self-deprecating? At the end of the song “Normal Girl,” my personal favorite, SZA’s doleful voice ponders “Normal Girl, how do you be?” I always interpreted the line as SZA asking normal girls how to be ordinary, with a sense of longing and jealousy. Perhaps SZA asks this question from the perspective of an unordinary girl who is proud to be anything but ordinary. •

“‘Captain Kangaroo.’ It was fun and taught colors, numbers and letters. I looked forward to watching it every day.”

Sara Wendt, Calculus teacher

Black History Month highlights true identities, busts misconceptions

It was recently Black History Month, which, as everyone knows, celebrates the people as well as the lost lives within the Black community. As a Black student, I love and look forward to the month of February because it gives me a breath of fresh air. Everyday during this month I walk on the tips of my toes.

about my skin color and hair. It was always, “you’re so dark” or “you’re not dark enough to be ‘Black.’” Which one is it? Am I “too Black” or “not Black enough?”

Cheyenne Clark

Just because I am African American, I never know what will happen if I go out with friends or even go out to get the mail. It seems as if we lose more and more men and women every month due to police brutality or people wrongly shot because of looking “suspicious” with a hood up. Every time I read a news article, I am angrier and angrier. I lose more hope and sense of security seeing the people who are here to “protect us” doing the opposite.

Ever since I was in elementary school I was teased

I have nev er considered myself to have been bullied through out my childhood, but people have always had a hefty opinion of me. During my freshman year I would get told every oth er day how “whitewashed” I was and how I was “faking” being mixed because of me being bira cial. They would use random reasons like not knowing cer tain rappers, talking prop erly, not living in the hood or even me not dressing like the other girls. No matter what I said to help defend

myself, it always boiled down to my parents being of different races. Eventually I just had to deal with it because there was nothing else I could do.

My family has suffered the same thing with being bullied because of their race; my aunt was a cheerleader, my mom had long hair and was in all AP classes, my other aunt has a light skin tone and my dad has a light skin tone as well but grew up with an afro.

People still believe the stereotypes of Black people having big afros, long nails, big lips, picks in hair, sagging pants and horrible grammar. But this is a new millennium, a new generation, a new decade, and those stereotypes are not the case anymore.

I have always had a problem with expressing my true self whether it be talking openly about my family or wearing my hair out. If it were not for my true friends and family members, I would still be the little eight-year–old girl with chemically straightened hair and wishing I looked different. But now I know who I am and I know that I owe no one an apology. •

representation

The first time I read “To Kill a Mockingbird” was in seventh grade. What I didn’t know at the time was that this book was one of the very few that I’d have to read in high school that had adequate and respectful representation of female characters.

The storyline and themes created by Harper Lee, one of the few female authors whose work we study, have been a part of me ever since I read it, and the messages and themes from the book have never left me. The things we’re required to read have astronomical influences on us as people. Books have the ability to influence teens for better or for worse, and some of the books we’re required to read throughout high school undoubtedly can have negative effects on students.

To start, very few of the books we’re required to read in school have positive female presences in them. In the book “Lord of the Flies,” which I was required to read freshman year, there’s no real female characters present. William Golding throughout his novel writes in a way that

rejects femininity as a whole, going out of his way to make characters that favor traditionally male viewpoints. In the novel, there is an event where the characters refuse to tie their hair up, saying “like a girl? No, of course not,” that he’d rather be non practical than act in an ordinarily female way. The lack of female representa tion in the books we read enforces the idea of mi sogyny by fa voring male characters and presences over female protagonists.

Similarly, very few of the books we’re re quired to read are written by women. Whether purposeful or not, the curriculum excludes female authors, which leads to very limited views of society. Even inadvertently, this diminishes the contributions women make to literature by failing to incorporate their ideas and themes into the curriculum.

Additionally, the female characters that we do see in books are overly sexualized and objectified. In George Orwell’s “1984,” required sophomore year, Julia is objectified by Winston to the point where two pages at the beginning of the book are devoted to talking about her in a derogatory way. This is a reflection of the writer’s own personal bias that’s shown in his work. Furthermore, themes in these novels enforce traditional ideas and beliefs. Some of these ideas, like the traditional ideas of women being virtuous and wholesome, are enforced by the addition of the Junior Anti-Sex League for young girls. By requiring books with these themes, the curriculum tends to paint a picture of women that doesn’t reflect women today, after societal changes and improvements have changed the way we

view femininity over time.

The “Great Gatsby,” a required read in junior year, paints the main female figure as an object to be obtained. In this specific story, the main character pines after a woman for the greater portion of the novel before realizing she’s not what he thought she was. This aspect of the book reinforces the traditional idea that women are meant to be what men want of them by implying that Daisy was supposed to be there for Jay Gatsby. In turn, this theme can be seen across several of our required novels and impresses the ideas of traditional gender roles on teens.

Despite this, the books we’re required to read do teach us about important lessons about the real world. Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” teaches us about the dangers of censorship, and “1984” teaches about the importance of free thinking, Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” teaches the crucial skill of ambiguity. It’s also important to consider that we, as readers, need to recognize the time period in which these novels were written. It’s unreasonable to assume we could eliminate any of these books from the curriculum, but it’s not unreasonable to ask that the themes in these books are better acknowledged in classrooms. •

Rhyan Kalke

Required readings lack accurate, respectful female

Graphic by Elisabeth Stewart

Hand in Hand

Elementary mentoring program provides comraderie, bonding

Lauren Byerly Editor

CSHS offers a variety of extracurriculars including elementary mentoring, in which a high school student spends time with an elementary aged child one morning a week to become a positive role model in the child’s life.

“I wanted to be a mentor because I love to help others and hanging out with little kids is a lot of fun. The kids we mentor are ‘at risk of dropping out of high school’ because of something that has happened in their life, so helping them and just talking to them means a lot to me,” recurring mentor sophomore Dylan Brod said.

Mentoring provides benefits to both mentors and mentees, and according to sophomore Ellie Heye, mentoring is fulfilling for her.

“I think it’s really helped me understand how much joy I get from spending time with kids. One of the highlights of my week is getting to see the kids,” Heye said.

The kids’ unique perspectives on life not only teach mentors about themselves, but also helps mentors to appreciate their time spent with their mentee.

“I think for my big kids, it brings them back to their childhood,” said counselor Valarie Reed, who sponsors the program. “Sometimes they get a kid that won’t talk until like the second semester, and then they see that eye opening experience that [they] built an interest with [the kid] when they started talking. And then the big kids realize what they have, as far as their blessings in life, and so they can kind of help them and then the little kid thinks that [the] big kid is a rock star.”

Being a mentor provides a good example for younger kids to look up to, and to learn from. Any aspiring mentors can sign up through Reed any time of the year or at the meeting in October.

“The whole point is you’re trying to

be a symbol of what high school students are like, what a good person should be,” junior Addison Jennings said. “So, when you act interested in who they are, and you validate the good things they do, and maybe correct some of the [bad behavior and] not encouraging that behavior, I feel like that leaves [a] good impression. That’s the whole point of doing this: leaving a good impression.”

Mentees get to experience the wonders of the massive high school, CSHS, with their mentor, when the mentees come to visit in the spring semester.

“A big thing we have is at the end of April, we invite the little kids to come over and they take a tour [of the high school],” Reed said. “They walk into the chemistry lab and they see the microscopes [and they are] just in awe of what they have to look forward to [when they will be in high school]. Then they go get to play on the football field, and we throw Frisbees and blow bubbles. It’s just a great time.”

Kids are very observant and learn from watching other people.

“I would say so far it’s kind of a learning experience for me because you just have to communicate and see the world on that 10 year old level, which is definitely a refreshing perspective from how I usually talk or observe things,” junior Jiwon Choi said.

According to junior Armaan Gilani, he hopes to help his mentee through his tough times without “invading his privacy,” while simultaneously letting his mentee know that he’ll “get through [it].” Jennings emphasized the importance of forming a relationship with the mentee.

“It’s hard to build a connection when you treat [the kids] like they’re so much younger than you. [We just have] normal conversations [with them,] even if they are 10,” Jennings said.

Through his two years of experience mentoring kids, Brod recognizes the importance of having someone to talk to.

“I would totally recommend becoming a mentor. It’s really a lot of fun hanging out with elementary kids and remembering that you were once where they are,” Brod said. “My advice would be to just be a friend. Talk to them like

[you] would talk to [your] own friends and build relationships with them. They really do look forward to seeing their mentor each week because they feel they have an extra friend that they can talk to.” •

Favorite Mentor Memories

“[My mentee is] a short [haired] brunette and she walked in [one day] with waist long hair and I was like, ‘what?’ Apparently she likes to wear wigs. So, that caught me off guard. I thought that was really cute.”

Jiwon Choi, junior

“She was telling me about how she was going to her iFly trip with her friend, and she got so excited about it.”

Kat Fouch, junior

“One of my favorite memories is our end of year field day and high school tours. It was so much fun playing football, baseball and other yard games out on the field.”

Dylan Brod, sophomore

▲Sophomore Ellie Heye and her mentee look at books in the Creek View Library on March 2. Heye visits her mentee once a week on Thurday mornings. PHOTO BY LAUREN BYERLY

Graphics by Lauren Byerly

Album, vinyl collectors embrace nostalgia, richness of old-fashioned listening styles

Emily Ko Editor

As streaming services continue to dominate the music industry and the influence of online music is expanding its horizons, a group of CSHS students are turning back the clock and embracing the classic analog sound of CDs.

K-Pop, a form of music originating from South Korea, encompasses a variety of Western and South

Korean pop music elements and is currently proclaiming its position as the internationally popular and trendsetting music genre of the 21st century. With over millions of albums sold and many ranking at the top of the chart, fans revel in their signature group’s original albums and in the authentic sound produced by the CDs.

▲Curious Collections in Bryan, TX, sells thousands of vintage vinyl records. PHOTO BY ELISABETH STEWART

Evolution of Music

Aug. 12, 1877

Invented by Thomas Edison, the phonograph was the first method of recording and playing sound.

LP’s, also known as a long-playing vinyl record,

K-Pop CD Album Enthusiasts

Senior Sophia Gharaibeh, whose collection of albums extends to a range of artists including K-Pop boy band TXT, Sza and Frank Ocean, first started collecting in 2022, when she developed an interest for K-Pop.

“My first [album] was the ‘Eternity’ album by TXT,” Gharaibeh said. “I didn’t have any albums before then, but with all the inclusions and things in the album, I liked seeing what I got. I then started listening to the CD and not just on my phone, and I feel like that itself was a different experience.”

Through her parents’ old CD player, Gharaibeh has encountered a new perspective on listening to music.

“I feel like when I listen to it on the CD player and turn the sound up all the way, I can feel music filling up the room, so the music is everywhere and not just in my ears, like if I had listened with my airpods,” Gharaibeh said.

Like Gharaibeh, junior Lena Abdelwahed has joined in on the diverse fandom of Korean idols, having first discovered her interest for K-Pop through YouTube hauls and unboxing videos shared across the platform.

“I used to do a thing where if I got good grades or grades that I was satisfied with every six weeks, I’d buy myself an album,” Abdelwahed said. “It’s a fun little activity to do on the side. It’s also something to look forward to spending your money on, especially if you earn it yourself.”

With the indulgence of listening to albums through her CD player, Abdelwahed derives enjoyment from listening to her collection.

“Right above the row of albums that I have on my bookshelf, I have a CD player that I [like to listen to] sometimes, especially if I’m cleaning,” Abdelwahed said. “I like having it there, and I feel like I’m not using [the album] right if I’m not using the CD.”

Sophomore Edgar Tapia, who first jumped in on the gradual trend of collecting in 2020, has

July 1, 1979

The Cassette Tape Player began the transition for other formats such as CD, mini-disc

Invented by Hewlett Packard, the recordable CDs took 3 years as the top-selling

collected more than 100 K-pop albums in just a span of two years.

“I would describe it as something that gets my head out of [reality],” Tapia said. “When I feel nervous or I have anxiety, I just look at my albums or listen to music or start collecting or buying stuff to feel better.”

Many students have discovered a deeper meaning to listening to CDs, despite occasional funding challenges. Senior Ange lina Lopez, a collector of K-Pop albums since 2019, relates to this new perspective.

“It feels special because it’s different, since anyone could lis ten to it on their phone, but not everyone could listen to it on the CD,” Lopez said. “It heightens my experience of listening to the album, and [just overall] elevates it to a new level.”

As a longtime K-Pop fan and al bum collector, Lopez recom mends taking things slow.

“Make sure that you don’t spend all of your money on it,” Lopez said. “It’s okay if you don’t have everything at once. There’s a reason why you’re collecting. Over time you’ll get everything that you want in general, but [learn how to] be patient with things and know how to enjoy the process because it’s fun.”

Vinyl Collectors

Despite the ever growing digital age, vinyl records are making a comeback among some CSHS collectors. These collectors are drawn to the nostalgia and authenticity of vinyl, challenging the

May 14, 1997

Oct. 23, 2001

June 9, 1999

The Napster allowed people to easily share their song files with each other.

Released by Apple, the iPod allows users for the first time to hold photos, music and videos.

The first successful MP3 player was released, making FM and AM iTunes introduces a way to manage audio on computers, make playlists and purchase music.

notion that physical media is a thing of the past.

Sophomore Tyler Bailey, a collector and long-standing listener of rock bands Third Eye Blind and the Arctic Monkeys, first started collecting as a means of branching away from his mom’s previous collection of vinyls.

“It’s not necessarily what the music sounds like, but what the record player makes it sound like, which is a different experience because sometimes you hear other parts of the song that you might not have heard with something else,” Bailey

With his experiences in collecting vinyls, Bailey recalls various challenges faced while collecting during the time.

Bailey said that by listening to vinyls, he finds new music that he “hasn’t gotten around to listening to

“So, I guess I find more music that way, Math teacher Matthew Bowen’s taste in music encompasses a wide range of genres, from rock to indie pop. Bowen first started collecting vinyls in 2018, and now has a total of around 200 records in his collection with artists including Panic! At the Disco, Pink Floyd and Billy Joel.

“I was always intrigued by record players and finally got one for Christmas that year,” Bowen said. “I ordered about eight to nine records from Amazon to go along with the player and the rest was history. I love showing off my collection to my friends whenever they come over, and I’ve also got

some of my favorite records on display on my wall at home.”

According to Bowen, collecting records has provided an engaging bucket list for traveling. “I don’t actively seek out new records, but whenever I see a record store, I usually try to go in and browse their collection,” Bowen said. “Usually, I like looking through their used records to see if there is a hidden gem in the store. It’s a lot of fun being surprised by what the stores have in their used collection.”

From his amassed collection of records, a prominent one holds a special significance as it marks the beginning of Bowen’s collection.

“The first record I bought was Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall,’ Bowen said. “This particular album is what’s known as a concept album where each song leads into the next and the entire album tells a cohesive story through the lyrics and sound of each song. What I enjoy most is knowing that regardless of what changes may come in the future of music streaming, I will always have a physical copy of my favorite albums through my records.” In relation, Bowen recalls one of the perks of collecting physical copies of music in a digitalized society.

“Although it’s fun to collect the records for their album artwork, the entire purpose of the record is to be listened to,” Bowen said. “It’s great to have the accessibility of streaming apps like Spotify, which I couldn’t live without, but there’s something appealing about having a permanent, physical copy of my favorite music that I can keep with me forever and pass down.”

Through his longtime journey of collecting records, Bowen reflects on his experiences and outcome of collecting.

“I would describe my enjoyment of collecting records as an extension of my personality,” Bowen said. “There are so many records that exist that finding, and selecting the ones that I want to be a part of my collection is a unique way for me to express my personality.” •

When I listen to the CD player and turn the sound up all the way, I can feel music filling up the room

-Sophia Gharaibeh senior

Source: Timetoast Graphics by Elisabeth Stewart

Art creates healthy outlets for students to express emotions

Rhyan Kalke Editor

Across the world, different styles and mediums of art are used as forms of self expression. At CSHS, students express themselves through studying or creating art that they are emotionally attached to or invested in.

“Art is all about creativity and problem solving,” art teacher Annie Sellers said. “For me, that’s really important, not just when you’re making things, but just in life to be able to take what you have and come up with a solution. That’s what we do [in art], but in a different way than in academic classes.”

Students take classes through the curriculum offered at school that encourage creativity and foster their artistic pursuits. Most students have been making art for years.

“I [work with] everything because I’m given the opportunity to,” senior Haley Knight said. “I’ve been making art ever since I can remember, even in kindergarten. Freshman year I really struggled with the transition to high school, that was probably my lowest point, so I grab emotions out of there and put it into my art.”

Knight enjoys art as a hobby, and uses emotions to influence and create her art.

“I love art, it’s one of my favorite hobbies,” Knight said. “I really like expressionism because now art is [focused on] realism and I like to do something more unique. Since [my emotions] are already in my mind it’s easy to

just put something on the paper and build off of that.”

Similarly, most students put their own emotions into their work.

“Art is an extremely personal thing,” junior Nana Kimble said. “Students are able to relate themselves to art that they study and see as well as creating emotional connections with it. I think it’s really great to under-

“Everybody has their own background knowledge and their own experiences that they bring to the table,” Sellers said. “So everybody responds differently to art. If you can learn as a teenager, that everybody responds differently, and that that’s okay, it translates well to adulting. When you become an adult, you understand that not everybody has the same perspective that you do, and that doesn’t necessarily make them bad or wrong. It just means that we all approach this life differently.”

Students participate in various forms of art that they’re emotionally invested in, some of which aren’t taught in CSHS classrooms. For junior Marie Vause, this art form is sewing.

stand the inner workings of someones’ mind. You can see basically the thought process, ideas and emotions of a person. It’s really great for reading and understanding people.”

Kimble, who uses primarily graphite and charcoal as their medium, uses art as a form of expression, and as an outlet for what’s going on in their life.

“It’s a great outlet for me,” Kimble said. “I’m very connected to the pieces that I make because they’re essentially just parts of me that I couldn’t figure out or understand that I put on a canvas, parts that I wanted to express so badly.”

Through this, students learn valuable lessons about the world and their own lives.

Take this short quiz to determine what art style best fits your personality!

1. What kind of art do you like best ?

a. Unique art that takes lots of skill.

b.

Art that looks interesting and visually appealing.

c. Art that has a message to express.

2. Which art piece resonates with you the most?

a.

The Desperate Man, Gustave Courbet

b. Improvisation 28, Vasily Kadinsky

c. Starry Night, Van Gogh

Art by Rhyan Kalke

“[I’ve been sewing] for a couple of months,” Vause said. “I consider art to be a method of expression for people. Sewing gives me something to create, and I’ve always wanted to learn how [to sew].”

Art is important to teens not only because of the emotional connections students form, but also because it has academic implications and encourages problem solving. However, while art is a perfect outlet for some, others have different forms of expression.

“I think it’s important for students to have an outlet,” Sellers said. “I don’t think art is an outlet for everybody. For some people, it’s stressful. It’s not going to be an outlet for everybody, I think that’s important. But I [think] appreciating the beauty in what’s around you, and appreciating that we don’t live in a great world that’s plain and simple [is important].” •

3. What is the most important aspect of a work?

a. Realisticness

b. Form

c. Expressiveness

4. What qualities do you look for in artwork?

a. The realistic qualities of it.

b. Various techniques and designs.

c. It doesn’t matter what qualities it has as long as there’s meaning in it.

5. What is your opinion of a successful art piece?

a. How accurate it is to how real life looks.

b.

If I like how it looks at a glance, I’m satisfied with it.

c. I think art is the most successful when it has me thinking about it hours later.

Mostly A’s: You’re an imitationalist! You care about art that requires skill. You don’t necessarily care how it looks, rather the effort it took to make.

Mostly B’s: You’re a formalist! You’re attracted to abstract art that is visually nice to look at. You don’t really care about the meaning behind it or about how realistic it is.

Mostly C’s: You’re an expressionist! You care most about the meaning and emotion artists put into their art. You prefer pieces that you can think about long after you’ve seen them.

it’s easy to just put something on the paper and build off of that.

-Haley Knight senior

GONE FlSHlNG

Fishing provides calm escape, aids in destressing

Amari Rutherford Editor

▲Senior Tyler Chmelar holds a largemouth bass at a CS Anglers meet on Oct. 22 of last year. PHOTO PROVIDED BY CHMELAR

The Brazos Valley hosts a plethora of different fishing spots. From the rich Navasota and Brazos Rivers that run throughout the county, to the many isolated lakes and ponds, fishing opportunities are not sparse.

Junior Thomas Coufal throws the fishing line into the water and sits down. After some time, when the line pulls, he jumps to his feet to reel in his fishing rod. He retrieves the line from the water and pulls out a Largemouth Bass.

“Fishing puts me outside, where I can

Rod & Reel Combo

and implement that plan while out on the water so [I can] ensure that I am doing the things I need to do to have the most suc cess,” Connally said.

Conally finds fishing to help wind down.

“Its a stress reliever that gives me an excuse to spend time with the people I love,” she said.

Coufal builds on this by stating how it’s been a part of his schedule to go fish ing weekly.

“It’s important to me to go [fishing] at least once a week so I can focus, [especial ly] during the spring semester [when] a lot of kids are stressing out and all I [have] to do is go fishing and I’m happy,” he said.

Coufal states that fishing can be even more enjoyable when he goes with others.

“[Going] with a friend or friends be cause that’s when you have the most fun, catching [my] personal best wouldn’t have ment as much had I not been with my best bud,” he said.

PACKlNG THE ESSENTlALS

- Your combo of choice is important and dependent upon how you want to fish as well as what you want to catch.

Swivels

- The most basic function is to help anglers keep their lines untwisted and untangled.

Sourses: Academy.com and Deepersonar.com

Hooks

- An intentional, diverse and tiny, but mighty, piece of equipment that makes it possible to hook and catch a fish with ease.

Needle Nose Pliers

- A staple for anglers of all skill levels, needle nose pliers are essential for removing hooks from anything you catch

Fishing Line

- A non-negotiable piece of gear that allows you to intentionally present your baits and lures and turn your rod into a versatile tool.

Bobbers

- They are a perfect tactic to use because they give anglers the ability to present the lure or bait at intentional depths.

The CS Anglers organization also promotes leadership within the club.

“Right now we’re all able to sign up for jobs for our club meetings, and I’m the acting secretary,” Dewitt said. “As the secretary [it’s my job] to [take notes] of what’s going on in the meetings, [mostly] for people who missed it, but there are a

Connally states that you don’t need anything fancy to start your fishing jour-

“It’s easy to get swept away in all the fancy and complex rods and lures but the basics work just as well,” she said. Shmelar elaborates on how it doesn’t take much to go out and start.

“I wouldn’t say you need anything fancy,” he said. “I started off with a $50 rod and reel combo from Academy [and] it doesn’t take anything special. [It] takes

Graphics by Amari Rutherford

Boys golf team prepares for district competition at tournament next week

Sadie Rigby Editor

The boys golf team will aim to make a strong showing at district on March 27 and 28.

“We hope to pass district. If we don’t make it as a team I think we’ll at least get a couple of individuals out,” Coach Brian Edwards said. “We’ve been fortunate for the past three or four years that we’ve made it to the regional tournament, and we’ve made it to the state tournament three out of the past four years.”

Senior Gabe Montelongo points out the benefits of the team playing in the district tournaments.

“It’s a good chance to compete with some really good guys in our area and try our best to advance to regionals and potentially state,” he said.

The golf team begins practicing and going to tournaments when school starts in the fall semester.

“The golf season is all year,” Montelongo said. “Some people think that it’s just in the spring, but it actually starts in September and runs through May.”

On top of a year-long season, many of the players also compete in private tournaments.

“They put in a lot of hard work

into their sport outside of school points to a devoted team.

“They are absolutely devoted,” Edwards said. “If they really want to improve their game or if they’re looking to move on to the next level they need to be playing in those tournaments.” •

Team chemistry propels girls golf to district

The girls golf team competed in district this week on March 20 and 21. Though the team is relatively small with only eight girls and despite the varying ages of the team with four freshmen, two sophomores, a junior and a senior, the group is very close and has good chemistry, the team said.

“We’re all super close, we love going to tournaments together and playing,” freshman Chloe Gutierrez said.

While players will compete as a team in tournaments, they play as individuals. Junior Emma Beard explains the importance of still having a strong team chemistry.

“You’re not playing with your team when you’re competing because everybody’s playing separately, so you don’t really know how each other is doing, but it’s good to be a team and encourage each other. It will make you want to come to practice,” she said.

Senior Tenlie Ward said that Coach Allison Rackley guides the team to growth.

“She’s one of those coaches who really loves hard work. Even if we’re only out on the golf course for an hour, she still expects us to get in as many reps in as we can,” Ward said.

Gutierrez shared some of the ways the team has been showing growth in tournaments recently.

“A junior and two freshmen just broke 100 in the

▲Senior Dylan Wong practices chipping at Pebble Creek Country Club on March 21.

PHOTO BY SADIE RIGBY

It’s good to be a team and encourage each other. It will make you want to come to practice.

-Emma Beard

Sadie Rigby Editor

▲Junior Heuiseung Kim takes a swing at the driving range during practice on March 21. PHOTO BY SADIE RIGBY

Wrestling team makes it to state through endurance

WRESTLER Maneuvers

Single Leg Attack

Double Leg Attack

Dean Crick Editor

This past season, the CSHS wrestling team has, through hard work and dedication, had several of its members including T.C. Willis, Grant Sutton, Abby Rodriguez and Grayson Garcia advance from the district competition to the regional competition. From the regionals, Willis and Rodriguez advanced to the state competition.

“[The regional and state competitions are] both a lot bigger [than district] and more intense because you have a lot of people there who deserve to be there,” freshman T.C. Willis said. “There was a higher level of competition and there was a lot of more work involved.”

The sheer amount of emotions and reactions when participating in the state competition cannot be overstated.

“[The state competition] was really overwhelming. It was very

big. It’s very crowded. Everyone was at the top of their game, and it can get in your head,” senior Abby Rodriguez said. “But just knowing that you’re there just makes you feel like you’re good enough.”

None of the members of the wrestling team made it past state, but making it to that point is a great accomplishment.

“I think making it the state was my proudest achievement in wrestling,” Rodriguez said. “My brother did it and I wanted to be able to do good.”

All of the competitions were organized in brackets. In order to qualify for the next competition, a wrestler must place in the top four spots.

“Throughout the match, there’s ways to score points, there’s takedowns, reversals and escapes and things like that to where you can’t get a pin, you can win by decision and that’s just having more points than the your opponent,” wrestling coach Casen Delucia said. “And then if you get to the point where you win it by 15, then the match and that’s called a technical foul.”

To achieve goals such as reaching these competitions, serious training is required as well as the ability to react quickly and effectively on the spot during a match.

“We like kids to chart for 20 different ways [to win],” Delucia said. “Some like to rise, some like to be

on top where they’re getting the top bump position, some like to be on bottom and getting escape point and work from there.”

Daily practice, as with any sport or passion, is essential to succeed go as far a the regional or state competitions.

“[To start] we do our warm-ups. And then we’ll drill, where we usually focus on neutral aspects of it. And then when they will do bottom when they will do on top,” Delucia said.

“And then sometimes if we don’t or if we have an extra day, we’ll work on stuff that we need to specifically work on from the previous match.”

However, as is expected from a sport such as wrestling, there some physical risks involved in the sport.

“Injuries are very common. For example, I have nosebleed every one to three matches,” Willis said. “Almost every tournament we went to the season, someone had some sort of major-ish injury on our team.”

The wrestling team has also had to learn several important values in order to succeed and go to the regional and state competition.

“[Wrestling] provides a lot of discipline for sure,” Rodriguez said.

“It’s a whole mental game, it’s completely individual, you can’t rely on anyone other than yourself, and it just really builds up your confidence.” •

▲Sophomore Tyce Vela and sophomore Alex Warner practice wrestling moves during class on March

Warner qualified for region this year.

PHOTO BY BRICEIDA BELLON

▲Freshman Harrison Falcone and freshman Nathan Burch practice during class on March 22. PHOTO BY BRICEIDA BELLON

Powerlifters head to state, excel in competition setting

Sonya Lin Editor

CSHS’s powerlifting teams are raising the bar and expectations as they move onto state from their regional victory March 4th. Powerlifting coach Gregory Frashure takes pride in their win, especially in knowing the many challenges such a sport entails.

“Powerlifting is a competition where [students] compete in three events: squat, bench and deadlift,” Frashure said. “They get three attempts at each to do their maximum weights. The combined total of their three best lifts is used at the end to determine their placing. This is all done based on their weight class.”

Powerlifting involves various tactics despite its “nothing but brawn” reputation.

“Powerlifting requires a lot of technique, [something] obviously important in all sports, but in powerlifting it can be the difference between a [win or a lose],” Frashure said. “Everything is about your ability to produce power [in the right way].”

To succeed in powerlifting one must have the endeavor to work hard and to persevere.

“I think that you have to be very coachable,” Frasure said. “I think that you have to be a very hard worker and I think you have to be extremely disciplined. You know, if you have those three things, you’ll be pretty successful.”

To sophomore Scarlett Whitacre powerlifting in terms of success is quite similar to other sports, success in powerlifting comes from dedication, hard work and encouragement.

“It takes time and hard work but also a lot of encouragement,” Whitacre said. “You can be struggling to lift some heavy weights, but when you hear people yelling for you and encouraging you it feels really nice–it gives you the push you need to break through.”

Powerlifters have other personal lives and ambitions too, including juggling other sports as the year

Girl Qualifiers

progresses. In the case of the boys’ team, this would be during football season.

“The majority of our boys are [also] football players,” coach Chance Locklear said. “Football is the primary sport [for them]. [Nevertheless], we still have had individual state champions.”

The coaches’ support and advice for the students run outside of powerlifting in teaching them valuable life lessons.

“One thing Coach Frashure told me last year that I still apply to competitions and other things in my life is that ‘you can be happy with your results, but not satisfied,’” Sultan said. “It taught me to persevere and to keep on aspiring for more.”

For Whitacre, powerlifting has given her confidence in her self-image.

“I’d say [powerlifting] has taught me quite a bit of discipline [as well as] not being so concerned about myself and body weight,” Whitacre said. “I used to be really in my mind about my height and my size, but I’ve come to realize that there’s a lot of things you need to intake to be able to have a healthy and sustaining lifting body in general. It’s taught me a lot of self-love, selfcare and discipline.”

For senior Emily Thompson, powerlifting has given her a second home and a place where she feels she fits in.

“When I joined powerlifting, nobody judged me for anything,” Thompson said. “We’re one of the most diverse groups of people, anybody [can powerlift] regardless of their body type. I’ve seen so many different kinds of people excel in powerlifting.”

Locklear hopes that they will continue to work hard, allowing their stream of success to never run dry.

“I hope they will continue to always give their best in all things and to remember that the easy way and the right way are not always the same. It’s important to always choose what is right, even if it’s difficult,” Locklear said.•

state powerlifters

Boy Qualifiers

- Jessica Kolodziejczyk

- Scarlett Whitacre

- Ashley Harris

- Emily Thompson

- Jacee Oehlert

- Keileigh Bowie

- Kylie Kramer

- Madison Barber

- Reese Sigler

- Giovanna Castellani

▲Senior Kylie Kramer lifts at state on March 18. She is in the weight class of 132 pounds and placed second at state in that weight class.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY GREGG FRASHURE

▲Sophomore Scarlett Whitacre lifting in the weight room on March 2. Whitacre is in the weight class of 181 pounds and qualified for state. PHOTO BY SONYA LIN

- Korbin Johnson - Gabe Tan

Graphic by Sonya Lin

Gymnast overcomes self-pressure associated with sport

Last year, Lehrmann rejoined competition on the CSHS team under the guidance of Coach Lexa Newsted. As team captain, Lehrmann hopes to lead the team to the state meet, and as the only upperclassman, to encourage bonding and positivity among teammates.

“It’s so much fun working with these girls,” she said. “If you watch us at a meet, you’ll see me walking around making sure you know where we’re going, and they’ll be trailing behind me, so they call me ‘Mama Leslie’ and I call them my ‘ducklings.’ We really have come together as a team this year, and I’m so grateful for them.”

Long before joining a competitive team, Lehrmann began preschool gymnastics classes when she was four years old.

▲Senior Leslie Lehrmann prepares for impact on vault during practice at Brazos Valley Gymnastics. PHOTO BY ELISABETH STEWART

“My family jokes that I’ve been flipping since before I was born,” she said. “My parents noticed how active I was, and they said, ‘She’s got to be put into something.’”

At age eight, Lehrmann began competing and training with Newsted at Brazos Valley Gymnastics. Soon, however, the sport that Lehrmann loved became filled with intense pressure to excel and several negative experiences with contest judges.

seen [her] coach at a gymnastics meet.”

“She had trained so hard, and it didn’t end the way we had hoped,” Newsted said. “My heart was broken because I knew how much work she had poured into it. I was surprised and happy when not long after, she asked me if I would coach her privately to keep everything going without the pressure of competition.”

For six years, Lehrmann took private lessons and started her first job teaching preschool recreational classes and private gymnastics lessons at Brazos Valley Gymnastics. When Newsted took over the CSHS gymnastics program last year, she asked Leslie to consider returning to competition.

“I let her know that she would be allowed to pour herself out there without the pressure of having to qualify [at competitive meets],” Newsted said. “It takes a lot of maturity and personal growth in this sport to know when you have the mindset of ‘team first’ and are ready to compete. She was at that point, so I asked her.”

As the only upperclassman on the team, Lehrmann serves as captain and works alongside her younger sister, sophomore Kenna Lehrmann.

Senior gymnast Leslie Lehrmann said she loves performing routines on the bar, but the bar “doesn’t love her back.” Her wrists and muscles strain as she produces beautiful whirls and flips in her routine.

Until last year, Lehrmann didn’t think she would touch the gymnastics bar, mat or vault again in a competitive setting after she left the world of competitive gymnastics when she was ten years old.

“I had loved gymnastics until that point, but I had some unfair judging experiences, and it wasn’t fun for me anymore,” Lehrmann said. “I realized that I still loved the sport itself, but I hated the actual competition part. That was one of the hardest decisions in 10-year-old Leslie’s mind: quitting competitive gymnastics.”

Meets

Distrct Meet

• Round Rock High School

• March 23-24

Regional Meet

• Rudder High School

• April 12-13

State Meet

• A&M Consolidated High School

• April 27-29

Sources: All Gymnast, Master Class, USA Gymnastics

“In this sport, there is so much pressure,” she said. “I’m very nit-picky with myself, so I would see my scores and think, ‘I did better last time. What happened?’”

Often, the scores Lehrmann received didn’t make sense to her or her coach, despite Lehrmann’s improving skills. Lehrmann said her breaking point was at her final meet.

“I had just gone up on beam. Beam’s not my best event. It never has been. I scored a 7.2 [out of 10]. I thought, ‘That’s weird,’” Lehrmann said. “I didn’t fall. I barely wobbled. It was honestly one of my better routines. I turned to my coach, and she said, ‘That makes no sense.’ My coach challenged the score, and she rarely challenges the scores, so it means a lot that she did.”

Lehrmann said that was the “most mad [she] had ever

Gymnastics Events

“She does a great job about making sure the girls are always on task,” Kenna Lehrmann said. “She makes sure everyone still has fun at practice by adding in little activities for us to do.”

On Monday, Feb. 27, Lehrmann and the team competed in their final practice meet before district in Round Rock, which will begin their path to qualify for state. Newstead said that “more than just hosting,” the team wants to compete at the state meet.

“I’m super happy and proud of Leslie and these girls,” Newsted said. “When they come in, I know they’re tired, injured, sleep-deprived and have homework. There’s the pressure of school and being an athlete. It’s inspiring. Even as long as I have done this, I still get inspired by them.”•

Vault - The gymnast springs down a narrow runway, launches onto a springboard and vaults off of a four-foot-high table.

Beam - Raised four feet off the ground, the gymnast stands on a four-inch-wide beam, and performs leaps, jumps, turns and more as if she were on the ground.

Uneven bars - The gymnast demonstrates several skills by mounting, circling and moving between the two bars. Routines should flow from one movement to the next without pauses or extra swings.

Elisabeth Stewart Editor-in-Chief

Floor

- Floor routines allow gymnastics to express their styles and personalities through music and choreography choices.

Nostalgic shows initiate resurgence of childhood values, memories

During what I call “The Great Renaissance of Disney Sitcoms,” “Dog with a Blog” aired Oct. 12, 2012 on Disney Channel. The show is told from the perspective of Stan, a household dog, that the newly-wedded parents adopted in an attempt to get step-siblings Tyler James, Avery Jennnings and Chloe James to get along. Oh! And the dog has a blog. It’s a simple concept that I think went a long way for me as a kid.

The show is a standard Disney sitcom, following mostly stand-alone-ish episodes as the Jennings-James family lives their day-to-day lives. “Dog with a Blog” can be watched on Disney+, after being added to the streaming service in February of 2021. It consists of three seasons, about 70 episodes, after the show was suddenly canceled after the running of its third season.

An episode that I remember fondly is the first episode of the series, titled “Stan of the House.” In this episode the kids’ dad, Bennett, adopts Stan. Avery and

Tyler end up learning that Stan can talk, and though they aren’t very fond of each other, they agree to keep Stan’s secret. Chloe, the youngest sister, thinks that it’s normal to have a dog who can talk and tries to tell their parents about Stan, but they chalk it up to it being her imagination. This episode set the family dynamics: that Avery wasn’t too happy about moving in with the James family, and even the kids’ parents parents–Ellen Jennings and Bennet James–occasionally became awkward as things like big family de cisions and traditions are discussed. In general, the show highlights how the newly-blended Jennings-James family interacted with one another. I think this makes it one of the better Disney sitcom pilot episodes.

At its core “Dog with a Blog” is a fun show with lovable characters that brought something new to the Disney Channel landscape. It embodies everything

of a standard sitcom, from the laugh track to the goofy scenarios–with the added touch of a talking dog who happens to have a blog. While not being an avid watcher, watching this show as a kid was so entertaining and I was fully invested in the lives of the Jennings-James family. I think it’s a fun and silly sitcom that anyone can enjoy. •

“Austin and Ally” was the show of many childhood summers for me, with my mom recording every single episode so we could watch the show throughout the summer.

“Austin and Ally” is a mu sic-based Disney show, centered around four high schoolers, one of which becomes an overnight sensation in the music industry. The show is set in Miami at Ally’s father’s music store, when two teen boys suddenly show up and start play ing the drums. The main character, Austin, hears Ally playing a song which he accidentally steals from her. Austin then becomes an overnight sensation and is required to write more songs. Partnering with Ally as his songwriter, the duo creates music and goes on wild adventures with their other friends, Dez, his music video filmer, and Trish, his manager.

“Austin and Ally” is an early 2010’s Disney show, so second-hand embarrassment is a guarantee. While some of the moments or dialogue is cheesy, it is still a well written show that develops a great friendship between the four main characters. The humor is childish, as it is a show designed for a younger kids, but I recently found myself laughing at some of their jokes. The show is a stereotypical Disney teen show, with the popular blonde guy, the dorky best friend, the responsible and uptight girl and the fun loving girl.

The show had so many hits, of which I still remember. “Heard it on the Radio” was a summer, beachy themed song with great lyrics. “Two in a Million” was the last song that “Austin and Ally” sang on the final episode of their show. It was a sweet song centered around one of their earlier connections.

Overall, the show is a fun pastime and brings back many bittersweet memories for me.

“Austin and Ally” is available to watch on Disney +, and I recommend giving it a go.•

After almost every day of kindergarten I’d come home and watch “Wild Kratts,” a show best for children ages five to nine. Wild Kratts showcases two brothers, related in real life, who transform into animated characters and go on adventures in a magical flying tortoise with their team Aviva, Koki and Jimmy.

Shows like “Wild Kratts” represent simpler times, when the main goal for PBS and most children’s shows was to educate before entertain.

In one episode, the Kratt brothers find interest in an animal they’ve observed and take a unique approach to studying it. Aviva has developed high-tech suits for the brothers that grant them the power to transform

into whatever animal they want. As they journey through the episode, they share fun facts and details that educate the audience.

Wild Kratts persuades viewers to pursue their interests with curiosity. The overall message of the show is very uplifting: to embrace learning and treat others and the planet with kindness. This really contributes to a child’s positive growth. Even the social interactions and humor impress an audience with malleable minds toward constructive development and respectful treatment of others.

The show is worth rewatching every now and then for its wholesome qualities and exciting messages. Because “Wild Kratts” showcases a diverse array of interests and talents such as computer skills and mechanics, it can easily entertain and include many children. The show can be found on PBS kids, Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Vudu. •

Lauren Byerly Editor

Sadie Rigby Editor

Amari Rutherford Editor

Art by Joi Speck

Ghosts, aliens, Bigfoot provide tales for generations

Emily Borham Editor

Noises creaking in the night; shadows dancing across a wall; creatures, real or imagined, creeping past our eyes. For thousands of years, humans have investigated and hypothesized about the paranormal. While not all investigations involve the scientific method, many people enjoy hearing about different paranormal experiences in order to prove their theories or superstitions.

Paranormal

One of the most debated topics of mankind is the con cept of what happens after death. Sophomore Madison Szuluk believes when hu mans die, they take their new form as a ghost.

“When people die with unfinished busi ness or tragically, I think they turn into ghosts as a way to finish their life,” she said.

Szuluk’s father lived near where the Salem witch trials occurred, and she grew up hearing his experiences there with ghosts.

“He would tell me stories of visiting the site, and how even just walking near the site, he could feel the air get heavy and eerie,” Szuluk said.

Szuluk claims that communicating with the dead involves a connection between a person and a spirit.

“It’s like you summon them,” she said. “Whenever you see a reminder of them and get the chills, that’s them actu

ally watching over.”

Szuluk believes that as long as a person is respectful, reaching out to ghosts can “help answer questions you have in life and [provide]some comfort.”

Aliens

Senior Cedric González has believed in aliens since middle school after learning the universe is ever expanding, with new stars and planets constantly being created.

“The universe is just a grand amount of space, and I find it hard to believe that we are the only sentient beings when we are a speck of dust compared to how grand the universe is,” González

After diving into the idea of unworldly beings, González found that Aztecs, Mayans, Egyptians and Greeks all have similar carvings of alien-like creatures in their cultures.

“I doubt that they could have come up with the same idea so similar,” he said. “Each drawing has similar stories of beings coming down to help build something in their society,” González said.

Whether they are green martians or human-like creatures, he said there are “enough planets with similarities to ours to cater the idea of life.”

“There has to be life out there because the universe is just too grand for us to be the only sentient beings to live,” González

Bigfoot

One of the most faked conspiracy theories is Sasquatch, an ape-like crea ture that lives in the Appalachian moun tains. Senior Emily Moreno has been a firm believer in bigfoot since first hearing the stories at four years old.

“I watched a lot of ‘Finding Bigfoot’ shows, and as a little kid, I grew really in terested in trying to find him,” Moreno said.

One show in particular, “Moun tain Monsters,” goes into great depth of the different types of bigfoot species that live in the forest and mountain ranges.

“It’s fun watching them gath er evidence about how bigfoot con trols human minds to stay hidden,” Moreno said. “I think it’s important to have fun when believing in conspiracy theories, and not take everything so se riously.”

Through trying to capture proof of bigfoot herself, Moreno gained the hobby of hiking.

“I tell people I love hiking due to the beautiful scenery, but it’s main ly because I hope one day that I can find and befriend bigfoot,” she said.

The truth behind bigfoot is still in question, but “there’s a lot of the world we haven’t explored, and he could be just behind a tree,” Moreno said. “Just think of him as a species of animal, and he’s not that farfetched. There will always be a possibility that he’s out there, waiting to be discov

Tattoos cement permanent expressions of meaningful stories, personalized art

Cheyenne Clark Editor

Tattoos have been a way for humans to express themselves for centuries, and even today most tattoos are a permanent reminder of something powerful in life or an experience that cannot and should not be forgotten.

“I like art that is mine, so once I put it on my body, [like my vase of flowers and skeleton] it changes my mind in a way,” said Bethany Coile, college and career advisor.

Coile was an art history minor at Texas A&M University, which is where she developed her love for art.

“I am happy that [tattoos] are becoming less of a problem,” Coile said. “I’ve actually been used as an example for students before. One of my students showed their parents a picture of me and was like, ‘look, she’s a college advisor, she’s super professional and everyone respects her.”

to have a special connection. Similarly, senior Kash Richter has several tattoos with significant meaning.

“I have multiple tattoos, but the one on my left bicep means the most,” Richter said. “It’s a family logo me and my dad came up with and it represents every family member in my family.”

Richter received his tattoo on his 18th birthday, and he wanted it for a while because his parents have tattoos themselves.

“I think tattoos are a way to mark and express a time period in your life and that’s the main reason I got mine,” Richter said.

Make sure you get Something meaningful to you

-Kash Richter senior

When you go and get a tattoo most of the time there is a meaning behind it, whether it is from an emotional connection or a personal experience. But there is a downside of getting addicted to the feeling of being tattooed, not necessarily just getting a tattoo.

“I do want more tattoos because they are addictive,” Richter said.

Similar to Coile, junior Andrew Pickett has a tattoo that he got not too long ago.

“It’s a Batman themed tattoo,” Pickett said. “I’ve had a love for Batman ever since I was four, I’ve always had something Batman in my room or with me, so that is what inspired my tattoo”

Pickett’s emotional connection to the DC superhero came from his birth mom, and wants to continue with getting tattoos with a deep meaning.

“The next tattoo [which will say LLT] I want is in honor of my friend, Trey, who died,” Pickett said.

Pickett always wants each tattoo

While there is currently no employment law against tattoos, there are several professions that do not allow tattoos such as the military, airlines and even medical professions.

“My advice to people for getting tattoos is to just have fun with it but be smart on your placement as it can affect your future jobs,” Richter said.

Many believe that when a person gets a tattoo there should be meaning behind it, obviously that is not required but heavily encouraged.

“But make sure you get something meaningful to you,” Richter said.•

▲ Andrew Pickett’s batman theme tattoo was inspired by his love for Batman. PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANDREW PICKETT

▲College and career advisor Bethany Coile’s tattoos had many inspirations, one of them being an art book she found on the Texas A&M campus for her column tattoo.

PHOTO BY CHEYENNE CLARK