The Catamount October 2022 Vol. 11 No. 2

Upcoming state, local elections stimulate voter participation, student-teacher discussion

Lauren Byerly and Dean Crick Editors

Seniors who are 18 and registered to vote will be able to make their selections at the ballot box for the first time in statewide and local elections on Nov. 8. Early voting in person began on Monday, and the last day to apply for a ballot by mail is today.

Greg Abbott, the Republican incumbent of eight years, and Robert Francis ‘Beto’ O’Rourke, the Democratic challeng er, will face off in the gubernational race.

“When Beto O’Rourke actually ran against Ted Cruz for our U.S. Senate spot, even though Ted Cruz did win, we saw, again, a larger percentage of Democrats coming out of vot ing,” social studies teacher Stephanie Padgett said. “That’s why this election is so important, because it’s really going to show: where is Texas leaning?”

Many students are now eligible to vote in this upcom ing election. Through the government class, teachers such as

Padgett provide voter registration forms to those students.

“As a government teacher, my expectation is to provide the information about voting. It is actually a state law that we are required to do voter registration in the classroom, not by any means telling our opinions and telling our bias or any thing,” Padgett said. “Public schools are required to allow students to be able to register in the classroom, and so we did provide voter registration cards.”

Social studies teacher Ed Wetterman also handed out vot er registration forms when he taught government.

“I give [the students] time [to] fill it out, but that’s up to them. Once it gets to that point, there are certain things that we’re not allowed to do. So it’s like, here’s how you do it,” Wetterman said.

Some students have been excited for the ability to vote in the upcoming election for the first time.

“[Padgett’s] been talking about it, encouraging us to vote. A lot of us have already turned 18, so that’s really exciting,” senior Elizabeth Morton said.

Photo by Briceida Bellon

Information, political involvement, emotion influence new student votes

continued from page 1

“I think it’s part of their job as government teachers to encourage the students who have turned 18 to express their right to vote.”

Although a large number of students are not yet el igible to vote, there are multiple ways to show support.

“There’s always ways to get involved, like going to the candidates that they’re interested in and volunteer ing. They can also volunteer with their local county po litical office. Here in Brazos County, we do have a Repub lican Party of Brazos County and a Democratic Party of Brazos County,” Padgett said.

Students also need to determine who they will vote for. But some students, such as senior Konnor Buck haults, have not yet decided which candidates they pre fer.

“I’m just deciding which one aligns closest with my personal political views,” Buckhaults said.

As well as the gubernatorial election, local elections include candidates for city council and school board, as well as Proposition A, a VATRE (Voter Approved Tax Rat ification Election). If approved, the district intends to use the additional funds to increase teacher and staff salaries while maintaining a balanced budget.

“College Station ISD has never done a VATRE be fore,” CSISD Director of Communications Chuck Gle newinkel said. “It is something that has been around for a long time, but College Station ISD has not done this.”

In this VATRE presented to voters for approval, the proposal is to cut the tax rate by 3.7 cents rather than 6.7 cents per $100 valuation so that the revenue generated can increase teacher salaries.

“That additional 3 cents on the tax rate will generate an additional $3.3 million in revenue from local taxes and will also trigger the state having to contribute another $1.7 million in revenue,” Glenewinkel said. “So it’s right at $5 million that the 3 cents will generate, and all of that money is going to teacher and staff raises.”

Voters agree that being informed as a student voter is incredibly important when making political decisions for elections.

“I think it helps to make well informed decisions,” Morton said. “I think that a lot of people get really scared because they don’t necessarily know their options or what they’re going to vote for. And, I’m a little nervous myself. That’s why I’ve been researching, and I think it’s really important to know who you’re voting for and the candidates and who best supports what you believe in.”•

CITY COUNCIL ELECTION

Greg

Graphics by Briceida Bellon

AP, advanced students handle course load in unique ways

Sonya Lin and Joi Speck Editors

Upon taking their first step into high school, many students immediately immerse themselves in the fierce competition for GPA ranking and scholarships. This of ten means taking advanced and Advanced Placement classes, and although these classes do offer higher GPA points than on-level courses, students often find them selves buried in school work. However, there are stu dents who have acquired the skills, habits, practices and perspectives to thrive in these situations.

Through her experiences in high school so far, ju nior Meghana Vemulapalli has learned the importance of sleep and its correlation to one’s welfare and grades.

“I try to avoid late night studying so I can [stick] to my 10:30 p.m. sleep schedule,” Vemulapalli said. “Being more consistent with sleep has improved my emotion al health [so that] I dread doing assignments less and [complete] them much quicker. If you dread the work you’re doing, [you’ll] spend more time on it.”

comes in the form of procrastination, something that sophomore Bowen Tian has found a way around.

“Everyone has procrastinated on an assignment before,” Tian said. “I usually try to knock out [assign ments] once I get home from school, so then I won’t procrastinate as much. For me, when classes are giving more work, be it with incoming tests or labs that are due, the stress [from them] is helpful in stopping pro crastination.”

Meanwhile, freshman Gavin Tao is well experienced in combating fast-approaching deadlines and keeping himself productive.

“For deadlines, I usually try to complete my proj ects as soon as possible,” said Tao. “[This leaves] me extra time later to double check [my work] with others. A big part in being productive is enjoying your school work, and I think that should be the most important part in course selection.”

Students often complain about the amount of work they are given, but from a teacher’s perspective the load is necessary to help challenge students and aid them in bettering their abilities.

PHOTO BY SONYA LIN

However, not all work loads are equal, and some can pile up so much that work time bleeds into the night hours. Sophomore Kelly Ding is seasoned in her late night studies and well versed in how to maintain one’s focus during such tiring times.

“On [late nights], I ro manticize studying,” Ding said. “I keep the lights on really [bright] so I can’t fall asleep, get comfy, get a good playlist going and then I just work. Sometimes I’ll hop on a call with one of my friends if they’re doing something similar or just stay ing up late too.”

Nevertheless, trading sleep for good grades, ex clusively A’s, is not always a wise bargain, particularly in challenging classes such as advanced or AP chemis try. According to Natalie Ballew, advanced and on-level chemistry teacher, one’s undivided attention is needed in order to achieve success in such classes.

“Success for every student is different,” Ballew said. “Not every kid can get an A in advanced chem, so success for them might mean a B [which] is still a great grade. If you’re struggling, seek help [and] come to tu torials. Get an AP tutor; they’ve been there and they’ve done that. Advocacy, stamina, endurance, self-reflec tion [and] asking questions is how you’re going to ex cel.”

“I think that with advanced [and] AP courses, sometimes people misinterpret [them] and think that if you take them you’re doing more work. Our goal is that students aren’t doing more work, but more challenging work,” En glish teacher Courtney Wellmann said. “What makes a course AP or advanced isn’t the volume of the work being done, but the type of work we’re asking them to do. For students choosing to take an advanced or AP course, our goal is to support them in [their] choice.”

Students, often in a rush to make it to class during the bustling school hours, may miss the beauty of high school and the academic opportunities at hand. Senior Heyu Li is not one of these students, for he has learned to appreciate all that CSHS has to offer and his chance to attend CSHS.

“First of all, don’t think about it in the context of surviving,” Li said. “Think about it as a gift. Look at this school. It’s like a glass castle. We’re so lucky to be able to come to this school. It’s funded and it’s not raggedy. We don’t have teachers who have no idea what they’re doing, most of the time. We have computers everywhere. We have 2,000 potential friends in this place. Thinking about it from that perspective, you realize how lucky you are to just be getting an education. You [should] take advantage of every aspect of [this] gift you have. I feel lucky to be coming to this school.” •

Graphics by Sonya Lin

Another challenge students often grapple with

really about

attitude towards

regulate

EYE

Advanced Placement classes should balance rigor with student needs

The College Board’s Advanced Placement classes present more than just an opportunity to get ahead; they also present students with constant choices: living a high-schoolers’ sched ule or a college students’ schedule, actually learning the ma terial or just “getting by,” going to bed or finishing one last assignment. Students make the choice to sign up for advanced classes and the associated workload, but no student should have to sacrifice other equally important aspects of life to have an accelerated education.

Students sign up for AP classes aware of the college-lev el rigor, and therefore, should expect more homework and advanced instruction. But while their course load may reflect that of college students, the outside schedules and lives of high schoolers do not. Most college students take four classes a se mester, not seven, and their classes do not meet every day. They may be in class 15 hours a week, leaving time outside of class to study. The workload of AP classes, while suitable for a college class, is not always suitable for high schoolers with jobs and extracurriculars in addition to 40 weekly hours in school.

Since the College Board gives teachers and districts liberty to design their own syllabi in AP classes, teachers and students can strike a balance between the college-level rigor and con straints of a high school schedule with intentionality about the expectation of learning outside of school. The CSISD Grading and Assessment Procedures state that “homework is an oppor tunity for students to practice with variation of the information previously learned,” and is not “time to acquire new skills not previously taught” or “in excess of what may be completed in a class period.” The workload in AP classes must push students to their full potential without diminishing their motivation or joy upon learning, thereby rewarding their college-level efforts long before college or the AP exams in May. •

Borham

In the fifth grade I failed my first hearing test. Finding out I’m hard of hearing was a shock mostly because muffled sur roundings had always been my world. As years went on, simple pleasures I once enjoyed faded to whispers, including music.

Slowly the radio started to become a challenge to hear without my parents constantly turning up the volume, so out of frustration I took out what I thought was the prob lem: music. I didn’t think it was fair for everyone to hear when I couldn’t, so I closed myself off from music altogether, not wanting to be come attached to something I wouldn’t be able to listen to in the future.

despite

I fell in love with music again. Even if I won’t be able to hear the music forever, I realize loving mu sic while I can is better than focusing on the future.

Graphic by Elisabeth Stewart

Through my parents’ music, I gained a love for the songs of rock and metal. With the loud guitar and heavy bass, it didn’t matter that I couldn’t al ways hear the singer, since the instrumentals are always loud enough to compensate. My love for loud music only grew as I realized I can feel the music through the speakers no matter the volume, so even as my hearing diminishes, I can still feel the bass of my favorite songs. I also per sonally like to believe a person can’t lis ten to metal quietly, so my need to turn the volume up just adds to the aesthetic.

A couple of years ago I went through my par ents’ old CD collection and a wave of nostalgia fell over me as I thought of the old songs I listened to with my parents. As I heard one of these old CDs,

In the future, when the music fades away from me altogether, I find comfort in purchasing the albums that I love so I can hold on to a part of the songs forever. When I look at each album on my shelf, I will remember the feelings each song brought me even if I can’t listen to them anymore. •

View of the Pride:

YESNO

“Though it is a hefty workload, these courses do well to teach and prepare students for the upcoming AP tests and assignments in the future.”

-Anika Ruiz, senior

“It’s a college-level course--the class is meant to challenge you and be rigorous, not a walk in the park.”

-Lujein Abdelwahed, senior

Catamount Newspaper

“On one side, you signed up for the class, on the other, some classes go overboard and give you hours of homework.”

-Dylan Brod, sophomore

“I stay up to the early hours of 12 a.m. to 3 a.m. working on homework and studying for tests. My friends think I have no social life, and they are right.”

-Susan Xu, sophomore

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.

The

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.

Homesickness sparks perseverance at band camp

For the seventh morning in a row, I

different time zone no less. I had only tiny pieces from my home that I could

wanting to make the best of the sit uation. Perhaps it was the realization

cided was perfect for her phone alarm. I turned to the clock perched on the wall opposite from our beds, the numbers barely processing in front of my halfasleep eyes. I knew that soon enough the dorm attendant would come to see if we were awake. This would be the morning routine that I followed for the next two weeks while living at West Texas A&M at only twelve years old.

I came to this campus to attend the band camp that was held here. Music was one of the creative gar nishes that I cherished for a better part of my life, and to partake in a journey focused solely on my musical growth was not an opportunity I could miss. Yet, the days before the 10-hour bus drive were anything but relax ing, as were the days that followed. It would be the first time I spent this long away from my family, and in a

by

Stewart

Art by Elisabeth Stewart

Ryanne

“Dog showing is an incredibly fun sport in which both the handler and the dog can learn, grow and succeed. I’ve participated in dog showing since I was eight. I’ve shown Boston terriers, Welsh terriers, springer spaniels and schipperkes. It is an incredible atmosphere and culture where you are surrounded by people who want to encourage healthier, happier and better dogs. I recommend visiting a local show if you love canines and want to see them prosper.”

by William Crick

Claire Guo

Listening to music yields calming effect, relaxation

Research shows that music can have a ben eficial effect on brain chemicals such as dopa mine, which is linked to feel ings of pleasure, and oxytocin, the so-called “love hor mone.” And there is moderate evidence that music can help lower levels of the stress hormone.

I play a woodwind instrument, I have to keep a good embouchure so I am not flat

or after school, if I had an overwhelming day, I can do the same thing.

Voices

Cheyenne Clark

Art by Cheyenne Clark

It is a rare occurrence to see me without at least one AirPod while walk ing in the halls. This helps me avoid an tack due to the loud sounds and number of people who are in the hallways.

I was raised by several family mem bers who were gospel singers at my childhood church. I would always hear them sing beautiful songs, and I would be mesmerized with how they could hit both high and low notes as well as keep a steady vibrato while they were singing a long phrase. It was an everyday occur rence to hear my family singing together at gatherings, and I always remember thinking, “I want that to be me one day.”

I sort of achieved that goal, but in stead of singing I play an instrument. If I break down the fundamentals of both, there are a couple of similarities. When

The days when I feel those emotions, I always look forward to my band period so I can let out all the pent up aggression onto the page. Or during practice before

Not too long ago my family and I went on a vacation to San An tonio, and we were in a very packed restau rant with tons of peo ple. As we were waiting for our food, I suddenly got very overwhelmed and felt as if the walls of the restau rant were closing in. My dad told me to listen to loud music in both ears.

Music has always provided a sense of comfort and security that people do not. I would not trade anything for being a huge music nerd.•

Avid reader finds emotional escape through books

What’s your favorite fall activity or tradition?

“My family and I bake pumpkin seeds, decorate our house and watch a bunch of Halloween movies to rate them together. ”

Tatum Hapes, sophomore

“A tiger because it’s fierce and free in the wild. It describes who I am.”

Meghan Miles,

“I love pumpkin carving because I try to outdo myself every year. I really hate the guts, so my friend helps scoop them out while I find some thing super cool to carve.”

Katie Lewis sophomore

“An E-boy. I’ll wear chains, rings, a striped shirt with a long-sleeved black shirt underneath.”

Arden Duffield, junior

class, or not do it at all, just to read a book. I once got so invest ed in a book, I finished it in one day. I read the book any chance I could get that day. That book was called “The Mary Shelley Club” for any mystery fans.

Lauren Byerly

My younger sister hasn’t read a book in years. She doesn’t like to read, along with a large majority of our school’s population. Most only read because of English projects, and even then Spark notes is their best friend. But I am a reader, although I haven’t always been.

I didn’t read much in my el ementary years, other than the graphic novels. My older sis ter, Hannah, would tell me that I would learn to like reading. That may have been the only time she was ever 100 percent right about something. Now, at 15 years old, I enjoy reading. I love to read fiction, horror and mystery, and I love going to the library, or Half-Price Books, and spend ing 30 minutes just to find a good book to read.

Not to be cliche, but reading has been an escape a few times in my life. I could have piles of homework, but would still choose to read before I started. I would rush to finish the homework in

However, I don’t share this excitement around books with many of my peers. I have quite a few friends who don’t read, and when they do, the reading is for an English essay.

To read is to invest a part of yourself, albeit a small part, to something that is of interest to you, to something you care about.

I wish more people would read books to explore the won derful stories of Harry Potter, to experience the heartbreak of “They Both Die At The End,” to be fully immersed in the case of Andie Bell or to watch the uprooted life of Percy Jackson. I wish I had more people to share these experiences with rather than being judged for simply engaging in a hobby.

I feel sad for people who don’t get to have the same expe riences I do, ones that are accessible to everyone.•

“Halloween is my favorite fall tradition because I get to dress up as the most random thing and nobody questions me.”

Ryan Marsh, junior

“The scariest thing I can think of: a responsible adult.”

Bre Wallen, senior

“I love the fall be cause it gives me the excuse to bake all sorts of goodies to give away. I love spending joy to anyone I can, and no one has said no to a plate of fresh cookies.”

“Tigger, because my group of friends decided I was high-key too energetic.”

Nessa Larson, senior

Paula Bernal, junior

“A mean, old teacher.”

Mrs. Rothrock, Astronomy teacher

“My birthday is the day before Halloween, and my husband’s birthday is on Halloween. That week is always full of cake, candy, costumes and fun.”

Annie Sellers, Art Teacher

What are you looking forward to after the

“A Sasquatch costume to scare children.”

Sam W,

Student-owned bakery offers delectable homemade sweets

Claire Guo Editor

Just like how people are never fully dressed without a smile, some believe that a meal is never fully dressed without dessert. The nature of a sweet treat is truly versatile, with its ability to be a particularly delightful standalone breakfast, a yummy snack following lunch time and the special bite that dinner shares its spotlight with.

K&E Bakery, a small business run by senior Kev in Yu and junior Elia Kim, was created to share baked goods with consumers and highlight the joy of desserts. These homemade desserts play a role in brightening a customer’s day with their sugary flavors.

It was around early June during summer of this year when the creators were first inspired to start their business.

“We created this business because we wanted to share our desserts with everyone else,” Yu said. “I loved baking for Elia and she loved every dessert I made, and [we] came up with different dessert ideas.”

To Yu and Kim, baking is a special activity.

“What drew us into baking was the fact that we were able to spend time together doing something we love,” Kim said.

The bakery’s main platform is Instagram. Through K&E Bakery’s account @kebakery_1004, customers can click the link in the bio in order to visit their website. From there, they can access the bakery’s order form, as well as their customer feedback form and their Venmo for payment. Customers can also email the owners at kebakery1004@gmail.com.

“Our order form is a simple Google form,” Yu said. “We would be notified of an order, then the day of de livery we would prep fresh ingredients, measure every thing, and just bake, package and deliver!”

However, there are always challenges that arise when starting a small business. Yu stated the first in volved spreading the word about K&E Bakery.

“Since we are a small student-owned business, most people aren’t aware of our bakery,” he said.

The encouragement from loved ones has given them strength to continue pushing forward. Yu and Kim have shared that they have been uplifting each other throughout this entire process.

“We feel like we get tons of support from our friends, family and especially each other,” Kim said. “At school our friends would often compliment us about our bakery, and our family would be our number one sup porters. We are very grateful to everyone that supports K&E Bakery and hope they will continue to support us.”

K&E Bakery has garnered positive feedback from not only the owners’ fellow students, but their teachers as well. Yu has shared his desserts with his counsel or Valerie Reed, who first found out about the business through a meeting with Yu

“It came up at National Honor Society interviews,” she said, “and I was excited because I’m all about the food.”

Reed stated that her overall experience with K&E Bakery has been wonderful. K&E Bakery’s salted brown ies are the most recent desserts purchased, which she found delicious.

“That’s two of my favorite things, brownies and salt,” Reed said. “I think [their business] is amazing because it’s a chance for them to show creativity.”

As for the future of K&E Bakery, the owners have some plans for their career’s resolution.

“Because Kevin is a senior and I am a junior, our business will end sometime before the class of 2023 graduation,” Kim said. “The future of our business is now, so we cherish every order we receive, and until graduation, we will make wonderful desserts and mem ories together.”

CELEBRATING O u r C u lt u r e

Elisabeth Stewart Editor-in-Chief

Senior Joseph Chunga-Pizzaro spends his Saturdays at the only place in College Station that serves lomo saltado and alfajores: his fami ly’s restaurant, Fusion Peru, where he works as a waiter. Paintings from local artists in Lima sent by his grandmother line the walls, and his personal playlist of cumbias and Peruvian psychedelic rock stream from the speakers. While serving up ají de gallina, his favorite dish, he strikes up conversa tion with customers.

“Normally, people who visit the restaurant aren’t really familiar with Peruvian food,” he said. “In the whole entire county, this is the only Pe ruvian restaurant. It’s really fun to genuinely talk to people, which is why I love being a waiter at Fusion. They’ll ask, ‘Hey, are you Peruvian?’ and I have a story to tell about that.”

As part of the fastest growing minority in the United States, Hispanic teens have leaned into cel ebrating their cultures despite the challenges, and not only during Hispanic Heritage month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, but also year round by “just being themselves,” as senior Cedric González said.

“I really like to see whenever people are cre ative in my culture,” he said. “That’s really what inspires me in telling our stories through art.”

González’s parents immigrated to the United States from Monterrey and Mexico City, Mexico, in 2000. An artist himself, González has created a visual-journal-style Spanish dictionary and a statement art piece with the Mexican flag draped over the border wall.

“In the piece I’m working on now, I’m rede signing the [CSHS] art room into a 60s and 70s style, but I’m bringing in Hispanic elements that we also had during that time because a lot of our stuff was mainstream and we’re just not credited for it, so I love highlighting those,” he said.

Despite his love for sharing culture through art, González admits that he has “had a bit of a struggle with [his] own identity.”

“I’ve grown up in predominantly white towns, and then moving here wasn’t any different,” he

said. “I begged, ‘Why can’t I be pale? Why can’t I be white?’ I felt so outcast because nobody else looked like me. Going to elementary school, Angelina Lopez and me, we were the two brown kids. Ev eryone thought we were siblings.”

Lopez, whose grandparents were born in Mexico, grew up between Brownsville, Texas, and College Station, before moving here permanently when she was six years old.

“Whenever I moved, my Spanish worsened, so it was hard to communicate with [my grand mother],” she said. “That really bummed me out. I would try to learn, but I obviously couldn’t fully commit to it because I was still learning basics like math and reading at that time.”

During elementary, middle and intermediate school, González and Lopez felt like they had to “suppress” their cultures and language to fit in, a common tendency among teens, according to Spanish teacher Michelle Vizquerra.

“I was so afraid to speak Spanish because that was just another thing that someone could make fun of,” Gonzalez said. “Instead of listen ing to Spanish music, I only listened to the ‘top hundreds.’ Even if my mom had leftovers from the night before, I just brought sandwiches. I wanted to just blend in.”

Now, instead of blending in, González said, he wants to “stand out” and “[holds] his head high” when asked about his culture, and Lopez makes an effort to engage in Spanish with her parents.

“High school was when I first started to get in touch with my Hispanic identity again because I made a lot of Spanish speaking friends,” she said. “As much energy as I was putting into school, I also had time to hang out with my Spanish-speak ing friends and I was getting input again.”

Junior Mateo Dominguez, recently recognized by College Board for earning a perfect score on his Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Culture exam, moved to the United States from Caracas, Venezuela, two years ago. He said the “bigness” of the United States, from “Texas Edi tion” products to the grand aisles of HEB, initially

He bought Vene zuelan Savoy choc olate and tequeños, which he describes as “moz zarella sticks, but 1,000 times better,” for his friends.

“Every opportunity I have to eat my food, lis ten to my music, remember the good memories I have, I always do, because in the end, it’s who I am,” Dominguez said. “It’s hard for people who haven’t lived in their home country, like second generation immigrants, because they don’t have these same background experiences.”

Senior Heidy Toribio moved to Texas from Totonicapán, Guatemala, at four years old, and has not yet returned to visit.

“I grew up with the American culture,” she said. “When people ask me certain questions

[about Guatemala], I can’t answer them. I hear stories, but it’s not the same as living it.”

maintains ties by talking to fami ly over the phone and cooking Guatemalan food like pepián de pollo with her dad. Likewise, Chun ga-Pizzarro has yet to visit his family in Peru, but talks to his grandmother over the phone every day.

“My mom will just burst into my room as I’m doing homework and say, ‘Hey, grandma’s here,’” he said. “I’ll always ask, ‘What are you cooking?’”

Senior Alexa Ayala said that she feels most connected to her culture while visiting family in Honduras. Every summer, she drives through the mountains from San Pedro Sula to La Paz, stopping at a lake to eat fried fish and platanos fritos on the way

“Being around my family in Honduras is unparalleled. The first night it’s always like, ‘Oh, y’all are here. Let’s have a party,’” she said. “It’s so lively and everyone is always talking and people are loud. They are present. When I’m talking to my tías, I get louder, like I am yelling at them in Spanish. It’s such a lively thing.”

In the United States, Ayala said she struggles with feeling “Hispanic enough” and feeling dis

““I didn’t get to say goodbye to my tía. I said goodbye to my abuelo over the phone. Losing those moments makes me feel like I’m losing the grip that I have on my culture because those are important moments,” Ayala said, “and every sin gle time I lose family and don’t get to be there, I feel as if I am drifting farther and farther away.”

Despite not always feeling “Hispanic enough,” Ayala said, she has come to realize that she is “Hispanic in [her] own right.”

“When I am under a table on New Year’s Eve to manifest love, or when I’m eating 12 grapes to make a wish for each month of the year, or when I’m doing these Hispanic traditions with my fam ily, it really reminds me how much I love my cul ture,” she said.

Know Your Terms

“The terms used to refer to Latin Americans are as vast and varied” as their communities, and “every person has their own experience with these definitions.” Read for a guide to some of these terms.

Afro-Latino/a/x

A person of African and Latin American descent; this term was adopted as a response to the Black diaspora in Latin America and the Caribbean

Chicano/a/x

An American of Mexican origin or descent; previously used as a xenophobic slur against Mexican immigrants, but anti-assimilation activists reclaimed the term to facilitate social justice

Hispanic Latino/a

Relating to Spain or to Span ish-speaking countries, especial ly those of Latin America

A person of Latin American origin or descent; as an adjective, reflects the default use of the -o ending in Spanish to describe a group of people when gender is not specified

Latinx

A person of Latin American ori gin or descent, used as a gender neutral or non-binary alternative

Latine

Carries the same non-binary designation as “Latinx,” but since ending a word in two con sonants defies typical Spanish pronunciation rules, some prefer the “e” ending

Source: New York University Library

Teens embrace vibrant, multifaceted identities during Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond

▲Senior Cedric González adds black outlines

his

design of the

art room.

drew inspiration from Mexican symbols and architecture from the

BY ELISABETH STEWART

▲Senior Alexa Ayala captures the view from a restaurant in San Lucia, Honduras, during her trip in June.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY AYALA

▲Ají de gallina is senior Joseph Chunga-Pizzarro’s favorite dish from his family’s Peruvian restaurant.

PHOTO BY ELISABETH STEWART

I wanted to just blend in,

that’s why I Want to stand out now

▲Senior Angelina Lopez, then four years old, poses in a folklórico dress during Charro Day to celebrate the friendship between Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Mexico. PHOTO PROVIDED BY LOPEZ

▲Ayala and her cous in went sightseeing in Intibucá, Honduras. PROVIDED BY AYALA

Theatre puts magical twist on beloved franchise in fall show

Emily Borham Editor

From casting spells to directing actors across the stage with the flick of a wand, the theater department’s fall show “Puffs” brings a magical retelling of the beloved book series “Harry Potter” straight from Hogwarts to the CSHS auditorium. Told from the point of view of three Hufflepuffs, rather than the famous Boy Who Lived, “Puffs” showtimes are at 7 p.m. on Nov. 3-5, with a matinee on Nov. 5 at 2 p.m.

“Whether you’re a fan or not, it can be funny to laugh at some of the references that are made and things like that, but even if you are not a mega fan, I think [the show] is just a good vibe,” senior and costume de signer Fimi Adesemoye said.

“Puffs” is a comedic spin on the life of a regular boy named Wayne as he goes through his year at Hogwarts. Or, as senior Nate Laffin puts it, “Puffs” is a look into what “the other characters are doing be cause everyone knows what lightning scar man was doing.”

“[In the book series,] the three other houses took such a lead role and the Huf flepuffs just kind of got sidelined for the majority of the series,” Laffin said. “They would always get third or fourth in the house cup, so “Puffs” is kind of like, not exactly an underdog story, they don’t really end up winning much, but it’s more like, ‘What are the other guys doing?’”

For many, this show was their first ex perience having to use an accent, and junior Carter Crisp took on the challenge, allowing him to “develop as an actor.”

“The accents are supposed to be bad, so it’s just a whole lot of bad English accents,” senior and stage manager Alexa Ayala said.

The humor was a focal point of the show with “there [being] a joke in there for at least everyone,” Laffin said.

“I’ve been working on the show for a while now, but I still laugh at the jokes even when we’re performing and rehearsing,” Crisp said.

One special feature of this show was weekly competions, with the cast and crew split into different houses with two head students for each house.

“We have house points. We get them for various things, like games, attendance, workday points and just all sorts of differ ent things,” Adesemoye said. “And for each house there are ‘Wizards and Witches of the Week.’”

Laffin said he’s excited to see an “en tire world explode onto the stage” on open ing night.

“I’m excited to see the actors act to their best potential because everyone working on the show is so great, and I know whenever we are doing our performance, it’s going to be incredible,” Laffin said.

▲Junior Carter Crisp and Senior Brenna Boot callie chat in the Puff’s common room on Oct.

EMILY BORHAM

Art by Emily Borham

▲Juniors Nick Geyvandova and Erin Lewis duel in Puffs’ common room during rehersal. “Puffs” is the theatre department’s fall show that opens on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7:00 p.m. The show will run from Nov. 3 to Nov. 5. PHOTO BY EMILY BORHAM

Law courses give experience, insight for future careers

Amari Rutherford

Editor

Law classes like Forensic science are best known for their location in the basement coated with brick, and interesting projects. Over the summer, an additional teacher was hired to teach forensics science because of increased student interest.

One of the teachers applies his law enforcement ex perience to the class.

“I was a cop for almost 17 years here in College Station. And before that, I was a probation of ficer and before that, I worked in the prison system,” law enforce ment and forensic science teach er Jason Summers said

The forensic science pro gram has grown over the last three years.

conference period, and that way we can set up because most of the materials that are involved are rather very hands-on in class [and] difficult to set up. We’re trying to make sure that we can balance that and not negatively influence the students’ experience.”

Having so many students has brought challenges, causing Welch and Summers to adapt.

“We’re trying to keep up with the extra materials we need and trying to make the lab experiences more stan dardized,” Welch said

I really like the fact that we see a real perspective -Naya Farrow

senior

“Because all of these things can be entertain ing topics,” Summers said. “There’s always excitement and things that are going on with them. And then especial ly with forensics, though, it’s super important to get your hands dirty.”

“I think a combination of things caused [the growth],” Summers said. “[Forensics] is still pretty new to CSHS. This is its third year. I think I influenced some of that because we made it kind of fun and exciting, and who doesn’t want to [see] crime scenes and look at blood and stuff like that, right? And then students realize that [they] can actually get a science credit for it and not just a CTE credit.”

That growth led CSHS to hire a second instructor to teach the class.

“[The growth of Forensics Science is] how I got my job here because [it was so] explosive,” new teacher Dawne Welch said.“This is my first year. It’s so exciting. I’ve been teaching for 23 years, and I have a huge science background.”

With Welch being new to teaching the course, she works hand in hand with Summers.

“I have the techniques, but I don’t have the content. So, Summers has guided me on that content, ” Welch said. “Summers’ [conference period] is when I have my

Even though Welch and Summers have had to adapt and change, they are still just as excited as the students are about the course.

“I get to teach this all day long. Every section [and] every unit is completely different, but it all blends to gether,” Welch said, ”And a chance for more and more students to have that opportunity. [We’re limited] if [we] only have one teacher who has three openings, then [we] have to turn people away who have interest in it. But now there’s so many [we] were able to make a teacher focused on that, we can bring it to anybody who has a desire for [it].”

Students like senior Naya Farrow, who is in the law class also participates in the law enforcement club, ad vised by Summers. With the intention to gain experience and insight on a possible future career in law enforce ment.

“I plan to go into forensic psychology as a future career,” Farrow said. “It’s kind of like psychology, [it’s] the study of what makes criminals act. I want to decide whether they go to a mental institution, or if they are

just a criminal and they go to jail.”

Law enforcement club occasionally has guest speak ers.

“I really liked the fact that we see a real perspec tive of what it’s like to be a police officer and plus all the guest speakers that come show us the real scenes,” Farrow said, “Like last year, we had canine trainers come with real canines, and they showed us the training they do. And I also like the fact that some other club mates of mine [also] want to go into law enforcement.”

With the goal of becoming a game warden, sopho more Dylan Brod has been in law enforcement club for two years.

“I watched “Lone Star Law” on Animal Planet. It was really interesting. [I’ve] always kind of wanted to do something in law enforcement, [so] enjoy that [law enforcement club] is hands-on and not just lectures all the time” Brod said. •

Jobs in law enforcement

Police Officer

Police officers work primarily in uniformed patrol, but may also be assigned to training, administration, some investigative assignments or community relations.

Forensic Analyst

Graphics by Amari Rutherford

Sometimes called a criminalist, performs a scientifc examination of evidence seized by law enforcement officers in the feld. They work in a laboratory and have advanced degrees in chemistry, molecular biology, physics or toxicology.

Ranger

They often do double duty as naturalists, explaining the particulars of wildlife and/or vegetation in the park. Most rangers are sworn, armed and uniformed but some may rely on local police for enforcement needs.

Bailiff

They maintain order in the courtroom, make arrests at the direction of the presiding judge, and escort prisoners between holding cells and the courtroom.

Detective

They investigate crimes that are more complex or prolonged and handle crimes of a particular type, such as auto theft or burglary.

Border Patrol Agent

Assigned to a station on the border between the United States and Mexico, or Canada, they perform active patrols looking for people who have crossed the border unlawfully.

Girls cross country runners push through with determination

Rhyan Kalke Editor

During before school practices and on long runs on Saturday morn ings while everyone else is asleep, cross country runners make the sac rifice to run. CSHS girls cross coun try allows runners to build lifelong friendships, develop skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives and find a passion in sports.

“I just have a love for running,” senior Maddie Jones said. “I found it fun to find a sport where I could challenge myself and work towards a goal. Cross country has become like a family to me.”

cool things as a team, when we all know that we’ve been working to gether.”

Additionally, it’s those team relationships that create a unity among the players and create mem ories the coaches want them to have for life.

▲ The Cougars qualified for the state compe tition at the region 3-5A championship race on Oct. 25. Team members are (left to right) Delaney Ulrich, Jadyn DeVerna, Katherine Brunson, Megan Roberts, Ellie Seagraves, Maddie Jones and Audrey Wong. PHOTO PROVIDED BY ROB ERTS

Like many other sports, the family dynamic of the team is im portant to the success of the sport.

“I love the team environment,” junior Jadyn DeVerna said. “Those girls are some of my best friends. Racing together, you’re out there to be better. I love when we accomplish

“If we’re only focused on the goal and not the process that leads us to the goal, we’re just spinning our wheels so to speak,” Joshua Munson, the head coach of the girls Cross Country teams, said. “Cross Country is a challenging sport. It’s hard mentally and physically, and there’s not a lot of people that choose to do it, so it’s cherishing those times that you were working alongside someone who was work ing for the same things you are.”

Cross country teaches runners not only how to run the sport, but also life skills and values.

“[It teaches] the willingness to be internally motivated,” Mun

son said. “It’s finding something inside of yourself. Cross country is one of those sports where you’re going to be on your own, outside of the watchful eye of people. It can’t be somebody clapping that’s pull ing you along. It has to come from somewhere deeper and instilling that internal motivation will car ry you beyond just a sport in high school.”

Despite the coaching efforts and team support, cross country re mains one of the most challenging high school sports to be involved in.

“I’ve had so many highs and lows in running,” senior Megan Roberts said. “A piece of advice I’d give to younger athletes is don’t read into every single race, don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Be happy for your teammates and support each other, because it’s so easy to say that you’re a runner, but you’re a person first.”

•

Boys cross country prepares runners to overcome challenges

Cheyenne Clark Editor

Running across the bumpy hills of a cross country course, junior Noah Benn has found sat isfaction in the challenges of his sport since his very first mile.

“I first started running really young, just do ing local 5ks and stuff with my mom, but my first school-organized running experience would’ve been that of the legendary Coach Childers’ runner club program in intermediate school,” Benn said.

Last summer, Benn logged over 60 miles of running a week, although his hours decrease during the school year when does more speed training.

“I set my goals in the preseason by looking at my previous seasons’ times, my time trials from that time, and by coming up with a good, hard goal for the season, in terms of both a 5k time to reach, and where I want to place at state,” he said.

Benn’s biggest challenge has been the recur ring Achilles tendinitis he has had the past couple

of years, though he has largely kept it at bay with ice and good stretching.

“Noah is a focused racer,” coach Joshua Mun son said. “You’re gonna have to endure some dis comfort to beat him. His head is always up and he races with a purpose.”

Benn leads by example and Munson considers him a leader for the team. He sets the tone during training, Munson said.

“I feel like I’ve been better at leading by ex ample this year,” Benn said. “In previous years, I’ve had a bit of a tendency to keep my focus on my performance, and while that focus is important, cross country is a team sport and requires each of us to hold each other accountable and work as a coherent unit.”

Benn said he is proudest of his state qualifica tions between his freshman and sophomore years.

“Cross country requires a lot of work to be competitive at a high level,” Benn said. “I hold a great appreciation for the opportunities to com pete at that level brought by my coaches and teammates.”

•

2022 varsity cross country roster and Region 3-5a placing

Girls Varsity Runners: Audrey Wong- 19th Delaney Ulrich- 10th Ellie Seagraves- 64th Jadyn DeVerna- 12th Katherine Brunson- 4th Maddie Jones- 9th Megan Roberts- 3rd

Boys Varsity Runners: Noah Benn- 22nd Ricardo Lopez- 29th Vance Ballabina- 35th Justin Biatcallie- 81st Dylan McCue- 93rd Grant Mariast- 94th Camilo Riano- 113th

Art by Rhyan Kalke

Doubles tennis teammates encourage skills, friendship

Briceida Bellon Managing Editor

With their goal of qualifying for state in reach, senior Tristan Batten and junior Zachary Smith display their skills as a duo at the CSHS tennis courts everyday at 3:05 p.m. sharp.

Both Batten and Smith picked up the sport at a young age from watching their moth ers who were skilled with the racket. With years of experience under their belts, Batten and Smith explored other sports, such as basketball and baseball, until eventually being led back to tennis during late middle school.

“At first, I liked tennis be cause I never really had to de pend on a team like in other sports. It was a journey on my own and [the speed of] my im provement [solely] depended on me,” Smith said. “But that’s changed now with team tennis. Now there’s the aspect of rely ing on someone else.”

Smith and Batten met during their freshman and sophomore years, respectively.

“There was a game during

the spring season that was de layed because of the rain,” Bat ten said. “Me, Zachary and [an other teammate took] shelter under the bathrooms and sat to gether watching the entire ‘Bee Movie.’”

Once they played doubles last year in the fall, the two de cided to team up again for this fall season and qualify for state.

“Whenever I’m thinking we’re gonna lose the match, [Smith] reminds me, ‘Come on, we got this,’ which helps me stay focused mentally on the match,” Batten said.

According to Smith, tennis is a very “mentally exhausting” sport, which is why a team mate’s encouragement and en ergy goes a long way.

“Anything can really be fun [in tennis] when you play as a team, [like] trying to hit the dumbest shots possible in prac tice,” Smith said.

However, there comes the added responsibility of looking after someone else when play ing doubles.

“For singles, you’re really out there alone. There’s no ex tra person. You have to focus on

getting your shots in,” Batten said. “For doubles, you’ve also got to worry about your team mate and make sure they get the shot and be prepared to defend.”

The individualistic mindset can be detrimental in tennis, Smith said.

“When you get into tour naments where you’re play ing back to back to back for the whole weekend, or if you’re in a bigger tournament where it’s going on for weeks, then your physical strength will re ally [deteriorate],” Smith said. “And once your physical [state is] down, then your mental state starts going down. [Your men tality] is kind of like your whole premise that kind of keeps you in the game. If your mentali ty goes down, you’re going to start wondering why you’re still there.”

According to Batten, the difficult mental challenges ten nis players face, putting more effort into practice will yield improvement. Smith agreed having a teammate to rely on, on and off the court serves as a great motivator.

“I used to keep to myself.

▲ Doubles partners junior Zachary Smith and senior Tristan Batten claim an 18-1 victory against Waco on the Oct. 13 area-window meet. The two played at regionals the weekend of Oct. 21, resulting in Katy’s victory. PHOTO

PROVIDED BY SMITH

I didn’t really cheer anyone on during my freshman year nor did I talk to anyone,” Smith said. “[With the help of Tristan]

I got out of [the individualistic

Tennis Stroke Techniques

a

ball

Drop Shot

or

a shot where the ball is hit so lightly it barely goes over the net, forcing the opponet to hustle to get the ball before it bounces twice

mindset] and got into the team mindset. Now, I motivate myself and try to support my team mates.”

•

Groundstroke

a forehand or backhand shot that is execut ed after the ball has bounced on the court

a shot in tennis where the player returns the ball before it bounces

Sources: New York Tennis Magazine, HowTheyPlay, Tennis Warehouse, The Stadium Reviews

Graphic by Lauren Byerly

Cougar football team faces Consol in district contest tonight

Courtney Wellmann Advisor

For the first time in four years, dis trict opponents and local rivals CSHS and Consol will face off at Cougar Field to night at 7 p.m. in a match up that impacts district rankings and community pride.

“Everybody knows or has rela tionships and ties to the other school, so there’s so much familiarity with all participants,” said head football coach Stoney Pryor who began his teaching ca reer at Consol in 1994 as a student teach er and was hired there in 1995. He moved to CSHS when the school opened in 2012. “And there will be a great competitive at mosphere because both schools and pro grams are really good, and in this case the game means a lot for standings in district and playoff implications.”

The Tigers are currently in the lead of district 11-5A with a 5-0 record while the Cougars (4-1) are ranked third be hind Georgetown after their 49-38 loss to the Eagles last Friday night.

linebacker Jaxon Edwards said.

Edwards’ father Brian Edwards is the special teams coach for the Cougars and has been with the program since its in ception in 2012.

“Growing up on the sidelines and watching us play Consol is very special to me, and now as a senior getting to play them one last time is going to be great,” Edwards said. “It’s going to be a very big environment, a big crowd, but we’re ready for it.”

Because of enrollment differences in 2018 that impacted UIL realignment, the two schools moved into different dis tricts for varsity football and have not played each other since the fall of 2017 when the Cougars won 28-17 at Tiger Field. The first match up came only three years after CSHS opened in 2014 when the Cougars won 34-31 at Tiger Field. Fol lowing that win, the Cougars won 24-17 in 2015 and 23-14 in 2016, both at home.

standards are now upheld and enhanced by what they do. So, the history is proba bly more important to everyone else, and winning the game is important to us.”

Edwards said he is using his experi ence on the sidelines of the four previous contests to encourage the team.

“I know what it’s like to be involved in big games like this, so we need to play within ourselves,” Edwards said.

Pryor said that preparation this week has been the same as other weeks with similar routines and practice plans, but he has also emphasized new consider ations.

“There is so much local emotion that I am reminding the players to stay off social media, stay out of the fray, let their play on the field do the talking, be accountable and be good representatives of our school,” he said.

BY COURTNEY WELLMANN

History

“The loss was hard, but this is a big week, and we have put that behind us and our spirits are high, and we’re very ex cited for this game,” senior and starting

College Station 24

A&M Consolidated 17

College Station 10 7 7 0—24

A&M Consolidated 0 7 3 7—17

First Quarter

CS— Braden Tschirhart 7 pass from Reece Easterling (Ryan Bowersox kick)

CS — Bowersox 18 field goal

Second Quarter

Glover 94 kickoff return (Ryan Bowersox kick)

CS — Bowersox 27 field goal

Third Quarter

CS — Drake Carnes 33 pass from Cole Whit tlesey (Bowersox kick)

AMC — Derrick Dick 81 kickoff return (Gan kick)

AMC — Tyri Merchant 2 run (Gan kick)

CS — Jeremiah Booker 11 pass from Whittle sey (Bowersox kick)

Fourth Quarter

CS — Quinterrian White 3 run (Bowersox kick)

CS — Bowersox 18 field goal

CS — Quandree White 6 pass from Easterling (Bowersox kick)

AMC— Mason Hickson 2 run (David Gan kick)

Third Quarter

CS— Mark Golladay 8 pass from Easterling (Bowersox kick)

AMC— Gan 33 field goal

Fourth Quarter

AMC— Rodney Jernigan 7 pass from Hickson (Gan kick)

“All four of the previous games were really great games, very competitive with momentum swings, and we expect some thing similar [tonight],” Pryor said. “But the history of the games is only import ant so far as for the players to realize that their program was built by those who went before them, but the traditions and

College Station 23

A&M Consolidated 14

College Station 7 0 0 16—23

A&M Consolidated 0 7 0 7—14

First Quarter

CS— Braden Tschirhart 1 run (Ryan Bower sox kick)

Second Quarter

AMC — Tony Williams 21 pass from Cade Williams (C. Williams kick)

Fourth Quarter

AMC— Robert Franklin 6 run (C. Williams kick)

CS— Eric Peterson 47 pass from Marquez Perez (Bowersox kick)

CS — Bowersox 38 field goal

CS — DaDa Anderson 1 run

Pryor added that the “packed house” will create the small town feel of local high school football.

“It’s going to be fantastic because of the crowd with so much noise and ex citement and energy,” Pryor said, “and I hope we will soak it all in, that the coach es and players will take a moment to en joy it, but once we start, we will revert back to what we always do in a game.” •

College Station 28

A&M Consolidated 17

College Station 0 6 22 0—28

A&M Consolidated 7 10 0 0—17

First Quarter

AMC — Aaron Campbell-Love 22 run (Kevin Leonard kick)

Second Quarter

CS — Truce Tumlinson 10 punt block return (pass failed)

AMC— Leonard 25 field goal

AMC — Charles Williams 3 run (Leonard kick)

Third Quarter

CS — Jaelin Campbell 84 pass from Marquez Perez (Perez run)

CS— Azarian Foght 52 pass from Perez (Alan Guerrieri kick)

CS — Harrison Wellmann 55 punt return (Guerrieri kick)

Ageless TV series have undying relevance, everlasting humor

Emily Ko Editor

“Bewitched,” a fantasy sitcom series with a total of 254 episodes grouped in eight seasons, is considered a part of the “vintage spooky series,” having first aired on Sept. 17, 1964, and is per fect for the ongoing fall season with its Hallow een-themed vibes. Available to watch on multiple streaming services including Hulu, Apple TV and Amazon Prime, the series features the late Eliz abeth Montgomery and York, who portray an av erage, stereotypical couple, but with a distinctive twist. Samantha Stephens, portrayed by Mont gomery, is a witch who falls in love with mortal Darrin Stephens, played by York, and marrying him but deciding to keep her witchcraft a secret until after they’ve wed.

On the day of their honeymoon, Samantha

confesses to an incredulous Darrin her longtime secret, promising to live not only as a mortal without the use of her powers, but also as a good housewife to her husband. However, much to her dismay, obstacles begin to complicate her life. Her mother Endora (Agnes Moorehead), strongly dis approves of her marriage to Darrin and does ev erything she can to break them up--regardless of what it takes.

To make matters worse, more obstacles come her way when in the first episode, Darrin’s ex-girlfriend, Sheila Sommers (Nancy Kovack), a rich but arrogant and spoiled snob, gets in the way of Samantha and Darrin’s relationship by publicly shaming and embarrassing Samantha at a gath ering. Though hard to watch, these moments make up the majority of the comedy and hilarity that comes from this top rated sitcom, confirming the reasons for its once widely-spread popularity and peak rankings.

I have to admit, when I first sat down to watch this series I didn’t have many expecta tions set nor patience for it. Anything that was considered a “classic” or even relatively close to vintage were never to my taste. I was soon proven wrong as I found myself steadily drawn into the series, it becoming harder and harder to exit the screen. Although I wouldn’t consider myself super ob sessed with this series, I would unquestionably recommend “Bewitched” to lovers of old-fashioned or vintage shows, or even anyone who is looking for a taste of Halloween witch craft with a romantic twsit.

Amari Rutherford Editor

“The Twilight Zone” created by Rod Serling is a strange mix of horror, sci ence-fiction, drama, comedy and supersti tion, many of the black and white episodes concluding with a surprise ending. Overall, it has five seasons and about 150 episodes that can be watched on Paramount Plus and Amazon Prime Video.

The phrase “Twilight Zone,” inspired by the series, is used to describe surreal experiences. The show features ordinary characters who find themselves in extraor dinary circumstances that they overcome in an elaborate and unexpected manner. “The Twilight Zone” has one-off episodes, meaning the stories from one episode do not crossover into another episode, with only the narration at the beginning of each episode connecting them.

The first episode, “Where Is Every body,” which aired Oct. 2, 1959, features

no supernatural elements only relying on the emptiness of a town to create an eerie atmosphere. This episode set the tone for the show as a whole, showing that it didn’t need a supernatural entity for it to be en tertaining and engaging. At the end of the episode, it is found that the main charac ter was undergoing tests in an isolation booth to determine his fitness as an as tronaut. The town had been his hallucina tion, caused by sensory deprivation from being in the inspection booth for over 484 hours. When I say that twist ending was a good twist ending, I mean it. I was a little worried about the timing and pace of the episode as well as whether the resolution would seem rushed. However, the episode has a nice flow from the beginning to the end.

“The Twilight Zone” sparked a move ment to encourage the eerie and mon strous aspects in television and media. Even producing a spin off and its small re vival in 2019 and 2020 on CBS, “The Twi light Zone” is a wonderful series with its iconic charm and revelating topics.

•

Joi Speck Editor

Over the years, “The Addams Family” has undergone many adaptations ranging from animation to live action. However, if there’s one thing that’s stood the test of time, it’s the odd bunch’s iconic, eccentric flair. This spooky season I used Amazon Prime (the original series is free with ads) to trace the family’s roots back to their first airing in 1965, and, upon viewing season one, am awestruck with how well the hu mor has held up…even 57 years later.

“The Addams Family” series follows a peculiar family of seven: Morticia Addams, Gomez Addams, Wednesday Addams, Pug sly Addams, Mrs. Addams and Uncle Fester (along with side characters such as their butler “Lurch” and helper “Thing”) as they navigate life in the ordinary world. Their quirks often cause various misadventures to ensue, resulting in hysterical misunder standings that are a joy to watch unfold.

Art by Joi Speck

Unlike their dark garb and gothic-es que manor, the family’s attitude is cheery rather than dreary. Throughout the series, they remain oblivious to their contrast against average society, never once try ing to conform to “the norm.” Gomez and Morticia’s wholesome romance provides a sweet base for each episode as the rest of the cast causes mischief for a humorous background.

The show’s setting, though rarely straying from the Addams’ manor, still re mains rich and varied in its meticulous de tail and fitting décor. Credited to the tech nology of the time, its lack of color actually accentuates the series’ aesthetic as it fol lows the family’s daily routines.

Overall, I’d recommend anyone who knows of the Addams’ family name to check out their original series, especially if they plan to consume any other content concerning them. It serves as a good point of comparison for the evolution of film and makes a spook-tacular October watch!•

Parking lot paintings provide chance for creativity, individuality

Ko Editor

High school traditions are considered a significant part of the high school experience, serving as a way for students to make their mark on the school as they grad uate. One of these traditions, which provides a chance to seniors to personalize their parking space, has now been modified, making it available to any eligible stu dent with a driver’s license.

“It’s really only been a senior tradition, but we wanted it to be a Cougar tradition as well where stu dents could have a platform to represent themselves,” assistant principal Joshua Rhine said. “The whole pur pose of it was so that students could have a chance to show their value and uniqueness.”

National Art Honor Society and art club, who held a teacher parking lot fundraiser, helped expand this tra dition to teachers. As part of the fundraiser, teachers could pay for either a Cougar paw print or a CS logo to be painted on their parking lot space by members of the two clubs.

“It’s a great deal for the teachers because it’s a small fee that streamlines the whole process [of paint ing a parking space],” art teacher Annie Sellers said. “I think it’s really great that there’s now a new tradition where the art students have a way to put their handprint on the school.”

Through the newly modified tradition of painting parking spaces, students were introduced many oppor tunities for fun and enjoyment, as well as a chance for self-expressment. Junior Taylor Duty, who has been a “Swiftie” since she was 10 years old, expressed her love for Taylor Swift through her parking space.

“My design is a Spotify and Taylor Swift themed spot, and it’s meant to look like an album to commemo rate my junior year,” Duty said. “It took my mom and I several hours to do on the official painting day, and the process was difficult; we had to tape and chalk out each different font before painting over it.”

Despite a difficult process, Duty was able to find not just fulfillment in experiencing a memorable process, but also self reflection in her creation.

“I enjoyed the project, and I think that Taylor Swift is amazing, so it reflects me well,” Duty said. “It turned out super cute too, which is honestly the best part.”

Similarly to Duty, junior Ryan Marsh also reflect ed his personality in his parking space, by painting a cat-inspired parking space with his family.

PHOTO BY EMILY KO

“I like my cats, so I decided to paint my cat for my parking space,” Marsh said. “We had to use a lot of blue tape to outline it which took a while, but it was fun overall.”

Although facing some difficulties throughout the process, Marsh managed to find satisfaction in the end.

“We would mess up on the painting sometimes, which made us have to go do it again, [but other than that] I think it looks really nice,” Marsh said.

In contrast to Marsh, junior Patrick Sutton, who painted SpongeBob as a caveman for his space, was in spired in an unexpected way for his design.

“I drew it on my math notes, and so I thought I could draw it again on my parking space,” Sutton said. “I wanted something that I would be able to make jokes about, and would be recognizable to other people.”

Junior Emma West, who painted a dragon fly-themed parking space with mushrooms on a pink canvas, was inspired by her longtime love and passion for dragonflies.

“My uncle, [who’s a local artist] painted dragon

▲(Above left) Junior Emma West poses with her dragonfly-themed parking space, inspired by a longtime passion. (Above right) Junior Taylor Duty’s Taylor Swift-themed parking space is shown.

PHOTOS BY EMILY KO

PHOTO PROVIDED BY RYAN MARSH

flies on my nursery wall when I was a baby, so it was kind of like a full circle moment to paint them on my high school parking spot,” West said.

Through painting her parking space, West has been able to find an opportunity in self expression and indi vidualism.

“I think part of the beauty of a parking space is that you get to express yourself on it, and then somebody else can recreate it a year later when you graduate,” West said. “It’s only temporary, so I get to enjoy the beauty of it while it’s here, and then somebody else can make it their own.”

To future students, West recommends that they should refrain from overthinking their design.

“I would say don’t think too much about it when your starting out,” West said. “It’s a good thing to be precise in certain cases, but you’re painting on concrete, and there’s only a certain level of preciseness you can get. There’s beauty in the imperfections and sometimes, things just end up looking better if you kind of just let go, and you get that perfect balance.”

Art by Emily Ko

▲Junior Patrick Sutton poses with his SpongeBob-themed parking space.

▲Junior Ryan Marsh poses with his cat at his cat-themed parking space.