Volume 46 Issue 1

THE FEATHERDUSTER

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page 14 Westlake High School

Volume 46

Issue 1

page 20

page 44

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October 17, 2014 4100 Westbank Drive Austin, Texas 78746

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OCTOBER 10

Complex idea

Who is paying for our new sports facility?

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Oh, the horror

With Halloween fast approaching, we recommend five chilling films.

Editors-in-Chief

Rachel Cooper Caitlyn Kerbow Peyton Richardson

Business Manager Sabrina Knap

Brains + Brawn

Jack Stenglein Asst. Sophia Ho Asst. Cooper Kerbow Emily Martin Asst. Drew Brown Asst. Colleen Pletcher

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Acrobat takes to the skies on the flying trapeze

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Head football coach Todd Dodge introduces new policies

People + Places

Madeline Dupre Georgina Kuhlmann Asst. Zhouie Martinez

What’s new?

Sara Phillips Asst. Ananya Zachariah

Rants + Raves

Katelyn Connolly Asst. Jack Speer Asst. Jack Wallace

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Local model poses internationally, aims for Vogue

Webmasters Alexis Huynh ZZ Lundburg

Online Editors

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The Featherduster attempts to inform and entertain in a broad, fair and accurate manner on subjects which concern the readers. The publication seeks to provide a forum of ideas and opinions between the staff of the newsmagazine, the faculty, the student body and the local community about issues presented. In this vein, the staff encourages signed letters to the editor. Due to space limitations, not all can be published, and the editorial board reserves the right to edit them.

All material published by The Featherduster staff is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced without the writer’s consent or that of the

Nikki Humble Jacob Prothro Kathryn Revelle

Art

Editor Michaela Moss Ariana Gomez Reyes

Digital Art

Editor Alex Charnes

Photography

Editor Tim Whaling Asst. Lucy Wimmer Nick Appling Mary Beth Burns Samantha Jabour Alex Unflat Justin Whaling

Reporters

Ally Ameel Nelson Aydelotte Drew Brown Jae Hee Cho Lexy Connolly Raine Lipscher Jazmine Longridge Nikki Lyssy Aro Majumder Maddie Miller Ellie Mizell Arfa Momin Conor O’Bryon Kiera Quinn Monica Rao Julia Rasor Emily Sheffield Sage Sutton Dylan Webber Michael Wiggin Damien Wills

Adviser

Deanne Brown

Cover photo by: Tim Whaling Cover art by: Caitlyn Kerbow and Peyton Richardson Quarterback sophomore Sam Ehlinger at the Southlake Carroll game Aug. 29. editors. Content decisions rest in the hands of the staff, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier. Opinions expressed in the columns that appear in The Featherduster do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire staff, the school administration or the adviser.

No material will be printed that is libelous, advocates any illegal activity or which the editorial board deems is in poor taste. This restriction includes letters to the staff, advertising and anything else the board feels presents an inappropriate message.

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brains + brawn

The youngest band, Hate Mail, played during the second set of the night. “The crowd was great and the PAC was awesome to perform in,” sophomore Huxley Kuhlmann said. “We are looking forward to doing it next year.”

Lucy Wimmer

20th Annual

BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Emcees seniors Jasmine Anderson and Landon White quizzed the audience on musical trivia during breaks at Battle of the Bands.

The award for best drummer went to Iconoclasm’s senior Tim Cornwell.

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his year marked the 20th anniversary of Battle of the Bands, an annual competition organized and produced by The Featherduster and the Technical Entertainment Crew. Battle of the Bands allows student musicians to pursue their musical ambitions by providing them with their own stage production.

Five bands competed for the title of best band, which was chosen by the audience via electronic voting. Big Wy’s Brass Band was able to sweep the crowd off its feet and win this year’s contest.

“We try to bring up the spirits of everyone watching us,” Big Wy’s tenor saxophonist senior Jeremy Howell said. “That’s our main goal, to make everybody happy. If we can do that, that’s all we’re here for.”

In addition to Big Wy’s, other bands including Skyline, The Cicadas, Hate Mail and Iconoclasm performed.

“I have attended four [Battle of the Bands] competitions,” junior Christian Longoria said. “I always expect the best of the best. I’m always pleasantly surprised and happy with each performance every year.”

Seniors Tim Cornwell and Cameron Fisher won awards for best drummer and guitarist, respectively, for their intense performances in the metal band Iconoclasm. Senior Mina Lee, one of the lead singers for Skyline, was named best vocalist. Sophomore Audrey Sutter, part of Hate Mail, took home best bass guitarist.

“I try to make it about what the other people in the audience are hearing and experiencing,” Audrey said. “It’s all about the audience and their enjoyment. I draw energy from the crowd. I love their reaction and participation at Battle of the Bands. It’s what fuels me to play my hardest.”

The bands delivered both an impressive and entertaining spectacle.

“It’s really awesome to create something that no one else has made before and just play it out,” Jeremy said.

There are no guidelines or restrictions as to what the bands can or can’t play, so long as the music and costuming is school appropriate. As a result, each band delivers its own unique sound.

“I always expect at least one fun band, the kind of band that will make you laugh, not at them but with them,” Christian said. “Other bands, like Iconoclasm, are there to rock and just make your face melt with guitar solos. There’s always people at Westlake who want to show what they can do, and that’s what makes Battle of the Bands great.”

—Michael Wiggin

Clad in fur, senior Jeremy Howell plays the alto saxaphone in Big Wy’s Brass Band. Big Wy’s won first place at this year’s show.

Lucy Wimmer

Senior Mina Lee sings with Skyline. She won best vocalist at Battle of the Bands.

The award for best bassist went to sophomore Audrey Sutter of Hate Mail.

Trumpet player senior Wyatt Corder dances during Big Wy’s Brass Band’s show at the 20th annual Battle of the Bands.

Tim Whaling

Senior Ian Yonge plays his guitar during The Cicadas’ set.

The Cicadas performed all original songs for the show.

Frontman sophomore Shawn Fore hits the right notes during Hatemail’s cover of “Hey Ya!” Although the band did mostly covers, they also played their original track “Free My Mind.”

There’s a club for that Returning, new clubs encourage opportunities for student involvement

Suicide Awareness

Model U.N.

The Suicide Awareness club seeks to educate people about suicide and find a way to change the epidemic of suicidal tendencies in teens. It’s a club that has personal significance for club creator senior Ali Young, whose best friend took her own life last year.

The club makes posters, runs a blog and spreads information about mental illness through both. So far this year, they’ve organized a day to wear purple (the color of suicide prevention) and have also passed out bags of Hershey’s kisses to all the eighth period English classes in an attempt to brighten students’ days, even in the smallest of ways.

“Our goals this year are to provide a safe space for people to talk freely and get the help they need — for them to know they’re not alone, that there are people who care about them,” Ali said.

Suicide Awareness meets every Thursday after school in English teacher Melissa Dupre’s room. Anyone is welcome to come by and get or give support. The club strives to be a place where people can honestly be themselves without judgement.

“If you or someone you know is struggling with these issues, we’d love to see you at the club,” Ali said. “Even if you yourself aren’t struggling, it’s a great way to give others the support they desperately need and to raise awareness for a very worthy cause.” ­—Sophia Ho

Model United Nations is an educational simulation of the real-life, modern-day United Nations. This is a club where students can discuss their thoughts and opinions about various topics ranging from politics to religion to diplomacy.

“It teaches us about being involved in current events and what’s happening in the world right now,” freshman Conor O’Bryon said.

Along with a new-found understanding of current events, students in Model U.N. can learn more about public speaking, critical thinking and teamwork.

“Model U.N. has really changed my life,” junior Kayla Savage said. “It’s helped me think in a more different and understanding way, and it’s helped me become a more well-rounded person in terms of the international nations.”

Model U.N. has affected many students by helping them discover that words do have a deep meaning to them, and that expressing each other’s opinions does not have to lead to an intense debate. According to junior Michael Wiggin, Model U.N. is about reaching consensus and agreement as a group.

“I never really liked debate because of the belittling of your opponent, and I feel like this is what a debate club should be like,” Michael said. “It should be about being able to listen, and either support it, or add a little input to it.”

—Jae Hee Cho

Rachel Cooper Suicide Awareness club members talk about upcoming projects and ideas to help improve student body morale. brains + brawn westlakefeatherduster.com

Samantha Jabour Junior Rachel Gardner checks last year’s robot, before taking it home Sept. 25.

Robotics Westlake has multiple competitive robotics teams available for any student to join with no experience or prerequisites required. There are currently six For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Technical Challenge teams, for underclassmen, and one FIRST Robotics Challenge team, for upperclassmen, each with its own schedule and meetings.

Both teams have qualified for the world championship. The future goals of the club, according to CEO of Chap Research junior Rachel Gardner, are to have an even amount of girls and boys on the teams.

“We have had a huge increase in the number of girls joining, but we’re still improving that aspect,” Rachel said. “Furthermore, we hope to get more space and mentors so that we can fill the demand at our school.”

Although the team involves after school meetings, members agree that the time commitment is worth it.

“If you are willing to have the hardest, most time-consuming fun of your life, hop on the train,” design and matching lead senior Francisco Blankemeyer said.

—Ally Ameel

Nick Appling Junior Eugene Miravete leads a Model United Nations conference after school on Sept. 29.

HOSA

Lucy Wimmer During an interp rehearsal, junior Walker Register practices a humorous piece.

Oral Interp Each Wednesday afternoon, actors and actresses from all grade levels gather in the theater room for the new Oral Interpretation club. Founded by speech and debate teacher Jon Watson, the club allows students to prepare short performances for competitions.

Though interp was taught as a class in the past, it is currently not offered as a course. Watson saw the opportunity to renew interest in interp by founding this club.

“I suppose what truly sparked me to start the club was me getting the job of speech and debate coach,” Watson said.

“I’ve always been interested in the idea of acting and performance. Since we lost our theater teacher before the school year started, I had an opportunity as the new speech and debate teacher to pursue interp events.”

Though most of the club members are newcomers to interp, a few of the actors are experienced competitors. They find that the tournaments are a fun way to gain confidence.

“Last year I went to a Bowie competition,” club member junior Zach Freeman said. “I was able to get into the finals. That was really motivating for me, and it was an experience that really helped me believe in myself.”

Watson’s plan is to have everyone perform a piece in a competition by late October. For now though, he’s happy to see students taking an interest and growing as actors. Everyone is welcome to join, and those interested should contact Watson.

“This club is full of passionate, talented people that are having fun and performing for others,” Watson said. “If you join, you’ll grow as a performer, a person and a communicator.”

—Sara Phillips

Health Occupations Students of America is a national student organization whose sole mission is to help open new doors to career opportunities in the medical field for students. HOSA has been at Westlake for about six years now, and its numbers have grown ever since. HOSA has helped many students discover what a career in health care would be like, and it has affected students’ views on the medical world.

“HOSA has impacted me greatly,” fouryear member senior Jenae Forni said. “I did competitions with HOSA, and that’s what got me interested in medicine.”

HOSA is open to all grades in Westlake, and participating in this club offers students the chance to meet others who share the same interest in medicine and health care. Besides the various service projects and events, a typical meeting has a very comfortable atmosphere, and it is usually coupled with snacks. Hands-on competitions are also available for the students who are up for a challenge. These competitions give students a chance to explore the world of medicine and forensic science.

“I enjoy the team work, the companionship and the way we as a high school demonstrate to how big and united we are to the Austin area, the state of Texas and the country [during the competitions],” HOSA president Mariano Bracamontes said.

Even though the club has grown over seven times larger than when it first started, HOSA always welcomes new members with open arms.

“Join HOSA even if you’re shaky about it,” Jenae said. “If you go and don’t like it, then at least you got a new t-shirt. But you might be pleasantly surprised about how much you like it.”

—Jae Hee Cho

Cade Ritter Seniors Sonal Dhuka, Krinza Prasla, Saamiha Kenkare and Jenae Forni talk to a HOSA officer after a meeting. “I’m a part of HOSA because I’m going to be a nurse, so medical field and HOSA kind of go together,” Sonal said. “My favorite part about HOSA is meeting new people, getting to go to competitions and traveling with a large group of people that have the same interests as me.”

Nick Appling Junior Avadh Patel collects recycling for Cleaning Up The Environment club on Oct. 1. “I joined CUTE club so that I could remind people that recycling is more useful than they may think,” Avadh said. “Reusing bottles is a lot more efficient than mass prdoucing plastic bottles that can’t be decomposed and only increase the troubles of overpopulated dump sites.”

CUTE club Ninety-two percent of plastic trash in the U.S. goes to landfills, and the average person generates four and a half pounds of trash per day. Cleaning Up The Environment club, or CUTE club, is working to prevent that. The club mainly focuses on making people think about their effect on the planet.

“With so many people concentrated in one place, Westlake has a very large impact on the environment,” club sponsor Lauren Gehman said. “Anything that we can do to lessen that environmental impact makes a huge difference. By recycling, we are consciously trying to make sure that less plastic makes it to our landfills.”

The recycling bins in each classroom are emptied by CUTE club members every Wednesday, but the club is expanding its reach. The club plans on performing different projects and field trips including cleaning up the Christmas trees on 360.

“CUTE club has made me more aware about recycling and the importance of it because before, I didn’t really care that much,” club co-president senior Ananya Zachariah said.

Ananya sees the importance of recycling and hopes that others will make the effort to reduce their waste.

“Recycling is important, especially in an age where so many people aren’t aware, because we’re not really out in the environment much anymore,” Ananya said. “We’re inside all the time. It is especially important now to know that the environment is still something we need to be aware of.”

If you are interested in joining CUTE club, please see Gehman in room 320 for more details and information.

—Sage Sutton

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New indoor training facility to be built near junior lot

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Construction for a new sports facility located near the junior lot is scheduled to begin in early January. With the start of construction, various areas of the junior lot will be inaccessible, but the lot will not close completely. While some students who park in the lot may be displaced, the district is currently looking for alternative parking areas.

Students are able to get a refund for spring semester parking now, but it is recommended that they wait until they see how the lot is affected by the project. Many juniors, already irritated by the existing traffic difficulties of the lot, have expressed anger over the construction.

“We don’t need more sports facilities except for a pool,” junior Zach Stoebner said. “I think a better effort would be solving traffic problems in the Ben Hur lot. Maybe another exit from the lot would be a better construction effort.”

In October 2013, EISD issued a request for offers to lease 5.68 acres of the Shriner tract, which is a 17.89-acre property in total. The proposal for the indoor training center, known as the Westlake Athletic and Community Center, was submitted by Westlake Athletic Center, LLC. The Board of Trustees approved the plan this Aug. 27.

Unlike the facility proposed in the failed 2014 bond, which would have been paid for by taxpayers, the WACC will be paid for entirely by Westlake Athletic Center. This includes construction, maintenance, operation and personnel. After 10 years, EISD will assume ownership of the building, and Westlake Athletic Center will begin paying the district $60,000 a year in rent. After 25 years, the district will have earned more than $1 million from the center.

The WACC will be around 65,000 square feet

brains + brawn westlakefeatherduster.com

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JUNIOR OLYMPIC-SIZE POOL

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FIVE TO SIX FULL-SIZED BASKETBALL COURTS

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10 TO 11 VOLLEYBALL COURTS

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50-BY-63 YARD INDOOR TURF FIELD

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PARKING LOT

and will include five to six full-size basketball courts and 10 to 11 volleyball courts. Additionally, there will be a 50-by-63 yard indoor turf field. The 63yard width allows for a regulation 53-yard width field with five extra yards on either side.

The proposal also allows Westlake Aquatics Center, LLC three years to finalize plans for a pool facility on the site. This facility would include a junior Olympic-size pool along with a supplemental pool for swim lessons and other group activities. However, if no plan has been finalized in three years, the district may construct the aquatics center itself or permit another company to build it.

“It’s about time [we got a swimming center] because we have had a swim team for almost 20 years, and we have never had a pool of our own,” swim team member sophomore Carson Newman said.

“We have to go to Rollingwood to swim, and it is not ideal because we only get the pool until 5:30 p.m.

We even had to make cuts this year because there wasn’t enough space for everyone to practice. It is really good because swimming is underrated.”

The facility will be used for a variety of purposes, including band, soccer, lacrosse, wrestling, football, volleyball, Robotics, cheer, Hyline and weight training. Furthermore, the WACC will host a multitude of camps for young children during the summer, spring and winter breaks.

“Probably one of the biggest benefits [of the center] is that student groups are fighting for space, and practice times tend to be early in the morning or late in the evening,” EISD Director of Communications Claudia McWhorter said. “The center would let us manage that better. Additional space means groups that practice at 6 a.m. can practice at 4 p.m. or during eighth period.”

—Jack Stenglein and Julia Rasor

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Students explore the Uncommon Space located off of the Commons.

an uncommon attraction Westlake boasts fine art gallery

Just the facts: • Open: 8:15 a.m. to 4:05 p.m.

• Senior Show: March 25 • What’s there: Drawings, paintings, prints, sculptures, collages, photography, digital art, movies and animation • Who contributes: Art and sculpture classes, photography classes, digital media classes

art by Lacy Lichtenhan

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photo by Lucy Wimmer and aurasma by Cooper Kerbow

n the left side of the enhan is a member of the UncomCommons, between mon Crew, a group of junior and the bathrooms and the senior art students who help the nurse’s office, stands staff to maintain, hang and update a set of double doors the gallery. that conceals one of Westlake’s “The only people who really hidden treasures — the “Uncomdiscover it are the people who mon Space” art gallery. Since its are hanging out in the Commons opening in 2007, it has housed and are like ‘oh let me go hide everything from the Art 1 students’ and make out with my freshman beginning self-portraits to the boyfriend,’ and then end up there,” prize-winning masterpieces of AP Lacy said. “I really think people seniors. should go in there to look at the art “We display works in all media, more.” including drawOn more than ings, paintings, “When you work so hard for one occasion, prints, sculpadult visitors to something ... and when it tures, photogthe Uncommon means so much to you, it’s raphy, digital Space have been really gratifying to have other so taken with a art, movies and people appreciate it.” animation,” art piece on display teacher Roselle –senior Lacy Lichtenhan that they have Casey said. “Inoffered to buy it stead of changfrom the student ing it out all at once every two creator. One such parent recently months, we take out old pieces and approached Lacy about purchasing put in new ones as they’re made.” a series of her drawings they saw in Casey wants to make people the gallery. more aware of the gallery as a re“When you work so hard for pository of fine art and encourages something and put so many hours students, teachers and visiting parinto it, and when it means so much ents alike to visit it on school days to you, it’s really gratifying to have between 8:15 a.m and 4:05 p.m. other people appreciate it,” Lacy “We get a lot of teachers going said. in there and commenting on how Each and every item in the beautiful the show is,” Casey said. gallery was created by students “The only time it’s open to the genusing cameras, canvases, kilns and eral public is during ‘Don’t Dessert computers, so while the room may the Arts,’” our annual senior show, be called an “Uncommon Space,” and even then it’s mostly kids and there’s no reason for it to be an their parents.” unknown one.

Art student senior Lacy Licht–Georgina Kuhlmann

PLAYING Outside of the football program, expectations weren’t high coming into the 2014 season for the Chaparrals. With no returning starters on the offensive side of the football and a new coaching staff, it was the first year in a long time that Westlake wasn’t ranked in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football’s Top 25.

Their schedule didn’t do them any favors either. In their season opener, the Chaps would be playing up I-35 at top-10 ranked Southlake Carroll. There, in one of the toughest home environments in the state, 18 new starters would get their first taste of 6A Texas varsity football.

Despite being heavy underdogs, Westlake came out hot, but faded in the second half en route to a hard-fought 14-17 loss.

“They completed their tails off,” head coach Todd Dodge said. “Our youth showed quite a bit down the stretch, and we just weren’t able to muster enough offense to win.”

Although the result was not what they wanted, the team showed it could compete with some of the best teams in the state, and that boosted its overall confidence level.

“I think we have a bunch of players that have a goal in mind and work hard every day to achieve that goal,” offensive line coach Brandon Murdoch said.

He may not have set any records, but quarterback sophomore Sam Ehlinger demonstrated his ability against players that were two, even three years older than him, proving that he belonged at the varsity level.

“He’s a stud,” senior Gabe Duran said. “He’s taking this team to places that not many people can take us to.”

Sam, who was named the starter following an injury to senior Sean Rollings in a spring scrimmage, showed his maturity in a 49-48 win over then number two-ranked 5A team, Temple. He led Westlake to a come-from-behind victory, scoring six total touchdowns in the process.

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“Sam stepped up and filled [in for Sean] really well,” Gabe said. “He’s done great ever since. I think he will continue to do well.”

Following the win over Temple, the Chaps played their inaugural game in the new District 14-6A against Anderson. Debuting an alternate jersey, the Chaps stomped the Trojans 48-7 in a game that was started late due to a thunderstorm.

“I was pleased with how we performed early in the game, especially after getting off to a slow start against Temple,” Dodge said. “We had the rain delays, and I thought our players really responded and took control of what we could control. Obviously we can’t control the weather, but we can control how we play.”

Against rival Austin High on Sept. 19, Westlake started well and didn’t look back, cruising to a 63-12 victory over the Maroons to improve the Chaps’ record to 3-1 and 2-0 in District.

“That was the first example of us really going out there and consistently executing at a high level on every side of the football,” Murdoch said.

Westlake didn’t play the week of Sept. 26, giving them time to heal up. In the second half of the season, the team will run through the gauntlet of District 14-6A’s traditional powerhouses, with home games against Bowie, and then an away game against Lake Travis in the annual “Battle of the Lakes” on Oct. 24. In addition, the homecoming game will be Oct. 17 against Hays.

Players look forward to what’s yet to come.

“We have a bunch of good teams left to play,” Gabe said. “It’s going to be unreal. It’s our senior year and all, and we want to get deep into the playoffs. Not many teams get to do that, but I think we definitely have a shot.”

—Jacob Prothro

“I think we have a bunch of players that have a goal in mind and work hard to achieve that goal.”

—offensive line coach Brandon Murdoch

Reacting to an incredible play, seniors Wagner McClendon and Harrison Lutz jump and cheer.

Cheer coach Natalie Wyll joins the Push-up Squad during the Westlake vs.

Temple game.

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Senior offensive lineman Mike Haneman rests on the sideline at Southlake Carroll.

Football team adjusts to new head coach, exceeds early expectations Jumping over his teammate, senior running back Travis Braithwaite attempts to score a touchdown against Akins Oct. 9. The Chaps destroyed the Eagles 70-28.

TEAM THOUGHTS “This year more than any other year, we are confident that we will win.

Coach Dodge has made it clear that we should respect our opponents, but we must approach every game with a controlled cockiness. This season we have been functioning as a unit. I think it is well within our ability to win, and it is ours to lose.”

—senior Court Manske “We are out here grinding, just playing some dodgeball.”

—senior Nick Scott

As he runs the ball, sophomore quarterback Sam Ehlinger is tackled by a Temple player.

“In my four years of playing football, I have never felt such a strong brotherhood in a team. We struggle together and we succeed together.

We have big dreams and we plan to reach them.”

—senior Will Price “Everything has changed — the coaching is completely different. We don’t slack off any day of the week.

Every day at lunch, we are up in the fieldhouse watching film and getting ready for the next opponent. Everything we do has a purpose, and shows we’re here to win.”

—senior Gabe Duran I’m looking forward to playing Lake Travis because I think we have the best team that Westlake has seen in many years, and we have a great chance to win. ­—senior Malek Jacobs

SERVING UP SUCCESS

Volleyball team undefeated in District play

The Lady Chaps have powered through their first District games undefeated. Westlake has an overall record of 33-4, and a District record of 11-0.

The Chaps have a tough schedule ahead but have made it through the first round of District with a perfect record. With the Chaps ranked eighth in the State and 21st in the nation the coaches and players have high hopes for the season. Their state ranking has jumped 23 points since last season. In addition to the strong 2014 season, varsity coach Al Bennett won his 900th match against Del Valle on Sept. 30.

“Our goal is to win District and to progress as far as we can and get to State,” Al Bennett said.

“There are a whole bunch of little goals that have to happen all the way, like making it into playoffs. You have to take it a little at a time. We just have to play our best volleyball when we need to, which is the hard part.”

In addition to District play, the team competed in three tournaments and two matches. The Lady Chaps won both matches, and placed 11th in the Pearland tournament, first in the Fraulein Fest tournament and second in the Lonestar Circle of Champions tournament. The tournaments featured some of the best competition in the state, allowing the girls to prepare for District.

“We’ve learned a lot about ourselves as a team in the tournaments,” Bennett said. “We lost to some very good teams, including previous State Champions. I feel we’ve made a lot of progress as a team, learning to play together and battling extremely well. We’ve shown we can compete with anyone in the state.”

The team trains every weekday, with Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays having long practices that can last up to three hours.

On Tuesdays and Fridays they generally have shorter practices so the girls can warm up for the matches. All of this time spent training has helped bring the girls together as a team.

“There are 12 seniors on the team, so they are all already close, and with only six underclassmen, the seniors do a really good job of taking us under their wing,” junior Taylor Flahterly said.

“This helps us on the court because there are certain people who can calm the team down and no one really gets mad at anyone else. One of the reasons we do so well I think is because we are all so close.”

Although this will be the last year of volleyball for many of the seniors on the team, a few will continue to play in college. Seniors Jesse Turner and Madison Borowski will both play at South Carolina, and, although they have another year of Westlake volleyball remaining, junior Claire Hahn has committed to Texas, and Taylor has committed to Colgate.

“I want to play in college because I love the sport so much and I couldn’t imagine not playing it,” Taylor said. “I decided on Colgate because when I visited I fell in love. Everything was perfect — volleyball, academics and location. I can definitely picture myself going there.”

—Jack Stenglien

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brains + brawn westlakefeatherduster.com

Julia Rasor At the Westlake varsity volleyball match-up against Bowie Oct. 3, senior Madison Borowski receives the ball in the first game. The Chaps beat Bowie 25-18, 25-13, 25-12.

meet the team

“My greatest achievement in volleyball has been when I made a really good play this year and I saved a game. I was really proud of myself because I didn’t think I was going to make it and I did. I felt really exhilarated and also surprised because I thought they were going to call it bad but they didn’t, I felt like I was a really good contributor to the team.”

—senior Sydné Fowler “One time at a tournament there was a ball that was shot to the ceiling and it was definitely going out and I was yelling to everyone and I was like ‘Out, out, out!’ and I stood on the baseline and it hit the top of my head.”

—junior Clare Hahn

“[Volleyball] has been the best experience in my entire life. I started when I was in fifth grade and it’s kind of shaped me into who I am. It’s built character and really it’s built a lot of leadership for me. It’s taught me how to be a team player and to really work for my goals.” quotes compiled by Raine Lipscher —senior Michelle Irvin

Warming up on the trapeze, senior Nicolette McManus swings her body in order to gain momentum.

Nicolette started out with simpler exercises before moving on to aerial splits.

Tim Whaling

In the swing of things Acrobat learns the ropes of flying trapeze

Tim Whaling

Tim Whaling 1. Senior Nicolette McManus stretches before her first trapeze flight of the day.

2. Nicolette chalks her hands for the trapeze bar. She uses talcum powder and special hand guards to avoid injuring her hands.

Far away from the noise and commotion of the city, there is a peaceful haven on a property called Stunt Ranch. Clusters of trees surround a large, open space and it’s so quiet you can hear every individual sound ­— wind rustling the leaves, children laughing in the distance, birds chirping sweetly every so often. This place is the epitome of bliss and serenity for senior Nicolette McManus.

“Don’t take your eyes off your hands,” her instructor, Russell Codona Torreto, says.

Nicolette nods as she rubs chalk over her palms and takes a deep breath. She puts herself into pre-jump stance, with her legs a little more than a shoulder width apart, and then leaps forward, her hands reaching out to catch the bar.

“My first experience with trapeze was in eighth grade,” Nicolette said. “My friend had a birthday party at Trapeze Austin and I went with her and a big group. I really liked it, so after the birthday party, for a year or so, I would go once or twice.”

At the time, Nicolette’s love of competitive diving prohibited her from being committed to much else, but after her team hired new coaches that she wasn’t fond of, she decided to put her efforts into the art of flying trapeze. Nicolette loves it because it’s wildly different from anything she’s done before.

“It’s not a competitive art; it’s a performance art,” Nicolette said.

“And it’s not something that everybody does, which I think is cool.”

Nicolette has been training diligently with the instructors of Trapeze Austin for about two years now, in classes that are open to anyone, no matter the experience level.

“Normally there are up to 10 people in a class,” Nicolette said.

“Most of the people in the classes are beginners and they’re doing it once just because they want to try it, but they never come again. I’m called a ‘frequent flyer’.”

Flying trapeze requires intense focus. The flyer has to keep her mind completely engaged while flying because there is a lot to think about. She has to pay close attention to every move her body is making, and also has to listen for the instructions of the trainers that get randomly shouted out.

“Stay tighter.”

“Keep your legs straight.”

“Keep the energy on the downs.”

It is an art that demands a dedication to consistent improvement, and is quite mentally and physically draining, but there’s nothing Nicolette would rather do.

“I guess I just like the feeling of flying,” Nicolette said. “I’m an adrenaline junkie. Plus, when I’m trying really hard to get a trick down that I haven’t been able to get, and then I finally get it, it feels so great. I feel very proud.”

Flying trapeze is an art that is extremely physically and mentally draining, but for Nicolette it is all in pursuit of her ultimate dream — Cirque du Soleil.

“I’ve seen almost all their shows,” Nicolette said. “I would like to try out after getting a degree. I’d want to train an additional year after college to be where I need to be. For their standards talent [is the most important thing]. They’ll give you anywhere from a oneyear to 20-year contract depending on your [talent and] spot in the show.”

Unlike other physical activities like swimming or dance, flying trapeze is a very collaborative art. It requires complete trust of the instructor or partner, especially during catches, which is where the flyer spins off of their bar and the catcher grabs the flyer’s legs.

“If I don’t trust the people I work with, then I wouldn’t be able to do my best or fly at all,” Nicolette said. “Catching is one of the best parts of trapeze. When a trick is caught, it is a success for the catcher and the flyer. Both have to work their hardest to make the catch possible.”

After doing several tricks, including back end splits and knee hangs, Nicolette eagerly climbs up the ladder to the pedestal to try more. As she coats her hands with chalk and gets into pre-jump stance she thinks to herself, “Don’t fall.”

And she leaps.

—Ananya Zachariah

She’s got drive

Varsity golfer sophomore Kennedy Swann poses with her driver after completing an evening practice at Lions Municipal Golf Course. “One of the coolest moments I’ve had playing was when I had my first hole in one this past spring, at my favorite course, and went on to shoot a 66,” Kennedy said.

Tim Whaling

Young golfer commits to Clemson, aspires to play professionally Sophomore Kennedy Swann is known for many things: she has been the best in the world for her age group, carried the golf team to win District and as of late, committed to Clemson University in South Carolina.

Despite all these achievements, she’s surprisingly only been playing for about four-and-a half years.

“I played softball for probably five years, and then I got burned out,” Kennedy said.

“About once a month my dad would take me to the [golf] course just to hit balls. After I quit softball, I just kind of picked up golf.”

She hasn’t left it since. She kept getting better and better, until she felt confident enough to take on the world. In 2010 she qualified to play on the famous Pinehurst Course in North Carolina, a course known for hosting many tournaments, even at the professional level. It started out rough.

“The very first year I played in the U.S. Kids Golf Teen Championship I got 83rd out of 85,” Kennedy said. “The next year I got 53rd out of 60. I got fifth [the third year,] so I knew I was coming back with a chance if I played well.”

She began training even more extensively, confident that her return to Pinehurst in 2013 would result in a finish higher than fifth place.

“Honestly, I would just practice every day,” Kennedy said. “I normally would have two to three tournaments per month, and you have to stay sharp. So if the tournament [in 2013] was at the end of July, I would practice for the two weeks preceding the tournament, every day between one and five hours.”

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Pinehurst is famous for its tournaments, but it is also notorious for its challenging courses.

“Pinehurst is kind of a historic course,” Kennedy said. “Pinehurst No. 2 is where they play the U.S. Open. I played at Pinehurst No. 1 [in 2013.] The hardest part about it was that they just redid the greens, so they weren’t soft yet. [The balls] were really, really fast and so trying to get the speed right was hard.”

While she experienced some trouble with the actual course itself, her competitors also offered some significant problems for her.

“I wasn’t leading going into the third day,” Kennedy said. “I was three back, and the girl who was leading had beaten me the year before, and two years before she got third. I definitely knew that she could play well.”

Despite her troubles, Kennedy managed an incredible comeback to clinch her spot as best in the world.

“I came from three back, and I ended up winning by two,” Kennedy said. “It was just the fact that I didn’t let it get to my head, thinking, ‘Crap, I’ve got to beat her.’ I just played my own game, and she ended up making some fatal mistakes.

“It still doesn’t resonate with me,” Kennedy said. “Obviously I played well at the time, but after I made the putt to win, I looked at my dad. My dad was crying. I was like, ‘Did I win?’ and he comes up and picks me up and spins me around, saying, ‘You won!’ Everyone was freaking out. It was just a rush.”

But her story doesn’t stop there. She has continued to excel, qualifying for the U.S.

Girls Amatuer Championship in Flagstaff, Arizona, and taking fourth in an American Junior Golf Association tournament in South Carolina. She even played in a tournament hosted by professional golfer Jordan Spieth.

It’s no surprise that she has taken this experience and raised the bar. She has been a consistent team leader on the Chap squad, leading the team in District last year.

“I see a lot of enthusiasm and competitive spirit [in her,]” head golf coach Chuck Nowland said. “I think she has really put in good, steady work, and set some realistic and high goals. She’s really enthusiastic and loves competition. She’s a great asset to our team.”

Kennedy believes that her enthusiasm and talent are assets to the team.

“I feel like my skill is good, and I feel like I can motivate my team,” Kennedy said. “I’m a very peppy person, and I’ve been told my peppiness is kind of contagious. [My teammates] will get excited because I’m doing well. [Then they think] that they can do well too. It just kind of spreads throughout the team.”

To top it all off, Kennedy has recently announced her commitment to Clemson.

“Clemson is ranked 14th in the nation for golf and 20th academically,” Kennedy said. “I really wanted a balance between the two. The coach is one of the funniest guys I’ve ever met, but he is also a coach that will push you when you need to be pushed. You may not always like him for it, but I really feel like he can take my game to a higher level. I feel like I can win a national championship there.”

—Jack Wallace

Varsity boys golf team places first in State Preview Junior Trevor Brown hits a practice shot at the Falconhead Golf Club on Sept. 25. “There is no reason why we shouldn’t win State again,” Trevor said. The Chaps return to Falconhead on Nov. 3 for the Four Points Shootout.

Nick Appling

In full swing Last year the varsity boys golf team re-established its prominence as the best team in Texas. For the seventh time, the Chaps brought the State Title back to Westlake. But this year, they are without 2014 graduate and last year’s individual first place winner, Matthew Perrine. However, coming to replace him are several promising young players who may be the Chaps’ next keys to success.

“I think we’re definitely the best team in the state again,” junior Trevor Brown said. “I think the youth will help us — they aren’t really inexperienced, they’ve been playing golf all their lives. I think they will be eager and ready to help us win State.”

The Chaps play a fall season in preparation for the spring season, when State playoffs are held. The first challenge of the fall season started as the Chaps played in the State Preview on Sept. 26-27 at the Wolf Dancer golf club in Bastrop, landing three players in the top 20 and two in the top 10.

“We feel very confident,” Trevor said. “All of our guys are playing great right now, and I’m excited to start the road to State.”

Sophomore Reese Ramsey has been growing his résumé over the summer by competing in and winning many prestigious tournaments. As he develops his golf game, he looks to become a solid

backbone for this team for the next couple years.

“I had a lot of good finishes,” Reese said. “I’m having fun while I’m playing golf. I’m not worried about the score or what position I’m sitting in. I see myself being a leader, but it’s not all about me. It’s about getting better farther in the season. We don’t have any senior captains, but we do have the will to win. We will be a great team again.”

Last year as a freshman, Reese earned the ranking of second best golfer in the State, just behind Matthew. Heading into this season, he is very optimistic, but realizes the challenges they will face.

“We’re going to have to play well — you always have to play well,” Reese said. “We will have to learn from our mistakes early on. State is in seven months and that will give us time to grow, but I feel like we will be right in the mix when it comes down to it.”

The Chaps played Lake Travis on Sept. 15 at the Roy Kizer golf course to open the season. They were able to roll over their bitter rivals and the seventh ranked team in the State, 4 matches to 1, solidifying their standings as number one and giving them much needed momentum heading into the rest of this season.

—Nelson Aydelotte

Legends o P

&

P

The Guard

people + places

The Substitute

Ale xU

Ever heard of the goon squad? How about the threat of being thrown in a dungeon for misbehavior in a classroom? These sayings are characteristic of Dean Phillips, a substitute teacher who has touched many students with his lively personality over the years.

Phillips has no lack of experiences to draw from to educate his students. He served for 22 years in the Army and retired from working in the Pentagon in 1996. Phillips was enjoying retired life until he was tricked into being a tour guide for a group of high school seniors.

“I have a cousin that has a travel agency, and he asked me to take a group of seniors and meet them in San Antonio,” Phillips said. “I used to live in San Antonio, so I thought, ‘That’d be fine.’ I figured a bunch of seniors – old people – how bad could it be? Thirty-eight high school seniors got off the bus.”

Phillips loved his experience so much with those kids that he began substitute teaching in the fall of 2000. He has a special place in his heart for the camaraderie Westlake students share.

“Students are curious,” he said. “They give positive feedback to other students who succeed at things. I’ve found courtesy pho schools where, when somebody was to successful at something, the other students would make fun of them and try to beat them down. In Westlake, when people are successful at whatever it is they do, everybody in the school pats them on the back and gives them credit for it.”

Senior Kaitlee Haralson loves Phillips’ style of teaching.

“He makes the class fun and he has expectations for us but isn’t mean about them,” Kaitlee said.

Phillips’s commitment to Westlake goes far beyond the classroom. He attends every sports function and goes out of his way to support students. Kaitlee, a member of the volleyball team, is grateful to see him in the stands at her games.

“I really, really appreciate it because he is at every single game. He comes to away games too, and I really appreciate how much he supports Westlake,” she said.

Kaitlee thinks that Phillips’ commitment to the team is unique.

“It’s really cool to have a sub who will do that,” Kaitlee said. “He’ll travel really far to come watch us play. He doesn’t have to. He doesn’t have a kid playing. He chooses to support us.”

Phillips believes that he is destined to be here for a long time.

“I’m going to substitute teach until God tells me I’m not supposed to anymore,” Phillips said.

—Nikki Lyssy

On a typical day, Oscar James leaves his house in Bastrop before dawn and arrives at Westlake shortly before 6 a.m. He sits in the empty school, in the early morning darkness, while most students are still fast asleep — and goes through the same routine that he’s been doing every day for the past 27 years.

“Early every morning I drive around in the truck, checking on the kids up in the Shriner Lot,” James said. “Then I’ll check around the parking lots. Usually I’m in [the Chap Court] by 7:15 to start the day because the door opens at 7:30, and it’s my responsibility to check people in and keep an eye on the young people here.”

As a security guard, James is in charge of checking in every visitor who enters the school through the Chap Court, making sure that these visitors pose no threat to the students.

“It’s a matter of keeping the school secure,” James said. “[We check somebody in] and this program that we use scans a 50-state database.

There are about 750,000 sexual predators, and it grows annually.

That’s specifically what we scan for.”

Since James sets up shop on some of the prime real estate in one of the t a nfl most heavily traveled areas of the school, he sees a lot of people.

Staff, students and parents alike get to know him.

“Being here gives me an opportunity to speak to parents face to face,” James said. “That’s been a real blessing. I also get to see the staff on a daily basis; I enjoy that a great deal too. As we talk with one another we learn more about one another, and it’s very beneficial. It increases camaraderie and things of that nature.”

One thing that students don’t know about the 82 year-old is that he’s an ordained minister and has manned the pulpit at four churches. His religion plays a big part in his daily life, and it’s part of the reason he comes to work each day. “[Working at a high school] enables me to meet young people on their grounds, so to speak,” James said. “As a consequence, over the years I’ve been able to lead some to the Lord and baptize them, and see them become members of the church and live the [Christian] life. That, in and of itself, is a joy.”

French teacher Libby Lucera, who’s been at Westlake for James’ entire career, agrees.

“He’s always very kind and incredibly compassionate,” Lucera said.

“He’s just interested in the well-being of everyone.”

But just like James has made an influence on the numerous students who have walked the halls in the past 30 years, Westlake has made an impact on James.

“I’ve seen a lot of fine people come through this edifice,” James said. “I’ve got a lot of good memories as a result of it. It’s a great place to be, and a great place to grow up for young people.”

—Jacob Prothro

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f Westlake

Four men who’ve made an impact on our lives

The Storyteller

Surrounded by walls of sports car posters and newspaper clippings, John Thomas addresses a class seated in antiquated orange desks while an air-conditioning unit howls over his nostalgic narrative.

Thomas is a driving instructor at the Austin Driving School, and has been for 27 years — in which he has left an indelible mark on the local community through his teachings.

In 1985, he left his job at the Texas School for the Deaf to teach at a small school in South Austin. After the school’s closing, Thomas took the advice of an old colleague and became a driving instructor.

“I’ve been a teacher my whole life,” Thomas said. “I’ve never done anything but be a teacher, in one way or Julia Ras another.” or The Austin Driving School’s curriculum consists of regulated coursework, educational videos and Thomas’ own brand of anecdotal teaching. “[A mother of a student] was talking to the secretary,” Thomas said. “She asked, ‘Is Mr. Thomas still here?’, and I stuck my head out. She said, ‘One of your stories saved my daughter’s life.’ I said, ‘Which one was that?’ She said, ‘The one you tell about the lady whose accelerator stuck, and, after trying everything else, she [removed the key]. It happened to my daughter in San Antonio.’ Her accelerator stuck, she [disengaged the key], and coasted over to the side of the road.”

Thomas has even had students with driving stories of their own.

“One boy — his older brothers taught him to drive when he was about 11 — drove a getaway car in Chicago,” Thomas said. “One girl started driving an 18-wheeler sitting on her parent’s lap when she was 3. When she turned 17, she got her trucker’s license, and she owns her own trucking company today.”

Thomas’ most important anecdotes are somber. He continues to tell the story of his father’s death, as well as his own near-death experiences behind the wheel, and shows graphic videos of automobile accidents such as the Red Asphalt series, to demonstrate the dangers of driving. “[The Red Asphalt videos are screened] to show the reality that driving is not fun and games, that it’s not to be taken lightly or for granted, that bad things can happen when you don’t have your speed under control, you don’t have your seatbelt on, or you’re distracted — for whatever reason,” Thomas said.

Over the years, Thomas has taught many students. His fame in Westlake is the result of longevity in his field and memorable stories.

“I run into former students everywhere,” Thomas said. “I’ve had more than a dozen students bring their kids in. I had one boy tell me his mother and father actually met in my class.”

Thomas is proud of his role as a driving instructor.

“I’m sure every instructor that’s been doing this for a while has their own stories,” Thomas said. “I don’t know if they have as many as I do.”

—Jack Speer

The Enthusiast

Westlake football is a passion for thousands of people. The fervor on game-day Fridays is hard to miss when a quarter of the school is dressed like they’re on a beach vacation, teachers are wearing football jerseys and band members excitedly whisper about the halftime show. But for few is Westlake football so important as it is for Ed Ramsey, a former school bus driver, who has come to every varsity football game and most practices for 22 years.

“I just got caught up in it, the parents and the kids,” Ramsey said. “I liked what I saw, and it just attracted me. How can you explain something that just puts you at ease and makes you feel comfortable? And everything on campus makes me feel that way.”

The reaction Ramsey has gotten from the football players throughout the years has been warm and appreciative.

“Mr. Ramsey defines the true Chap,” quarterback senior ling a h Jake Coker said. “He is there at 5:30 in the W Tim morning, at every practice, at every game, at all levels of play. To someone in the program, it reminds you what you are blessed to play for. There is a lot of history in this, and Mr. Ramsey is definitely a big part of it. It makes my day every time I shake his hand before I take the field.”

One reason Ramsey loves to support the team is because of the school itself.

“There’s an aura at Westlake.

It’s, to me, a very satisfying feeling,” Ramsey said. “I often say, when I’m on campus here, there’s no place in the world I’d rather be. It’s just I’ve been here so long, it’s part of me. The Westlake community is part of my family.”

The 85-year-old loves everything about the school, however, not just the football program.

“Football is not the only interest I have here,” Ramsey said. “I go to the other sports too, [but] not as much. And that’s not the only thing that interests me ... [there’s] so much to enjoy — the music, the academics.”

Ramsey didn’t play football in high school, but he was a boxer when he was an administrative officer in the military from 1947 to 1960.

“Coaches told me I was too small [to play football],” Ramsey said.

“I was quick; I was a good athlete. When I was in the military, I was a boxer, and I had 29 fights without losing.”

Ramsey is thankful for his wife of 54 years, who has encouraged his interest.

“Never once has she said, ‘Why do you go to so many practices?

Why do you go so far for football games?’” Ramsey said. “She’s always been so supportive. She’s not an athletic person, but she supports me when I want to participate in anything on campus.”

Ramsey has been coming to the school so long, it’s become a part of who he is.

“Why do you go home?” Ramsey said. “Any time I come to this campus, I feel like I’m coming home.”

—Madeline Dupre

musically incli ned

Nico Bressi

Huxley Kuhlmann Sophomore Huxley Kuhlmann has been playing instruments since he learned how to walk.

“I told my parents I wanted to play violin when I was 4,” Huxley said. “I’ve been taking lessons ever since.”

Throughout the years Huxley has picked up piano and guitar, along with learning how to sing.

“My biggest inspirations change over time,” he said. “One day it’s Beethoven, next it’s Jim Morrison.”

Huxley also sings in choir and is involved Justin Whaling

At 3 a.m., all is not quiet in junior Helen Nebeker’s house. Each morning she sits at her Steinway baby grand piano for two-and-a-half hours before school. After school, she goes home to practice for another two-and-a-half hours. On the weekends, she travels to San Antonio to meet her teacher, who helps her prepare for recitals, competitions and college.

“I usually play classical music,” she said.

“This culture is a really nice thing to be in — it’s intellectually stimulating. It’s more of a process of thinking while playing. Occasionally I’ll play some jazz or church hymns for organ. I’m a hobby organist.”

Senior Nico Bressi has been banging on the drums since fifth grade. “[I first started playing music] after my friend [senior] Grady Gimbel would play [the drums] when we hung out, and I thought it was really awesome,” Nico said.

After learning the basics, Nico joined the middle-school band, for which he played percussion until eighth grade. Eventually, he picked up a five-string bass guitar and has played in several different bands over the years, some of which played in local venues.

“I really enjoy playing bass,” Nico said. “It has the same rhythm as the drums but has strings to create great melodies.”

Nico joined a band called Chronicles in

with a musical theater company called Kids Acting.

“I love being a part of choir,” Huxley said.

“The directors and the community are great, and singing every day really helps the voice.”

Already having nine years of experience under his belt, Huxley isn’t going to stop performing any time soon.

“Music is what I do, so I hope that my future has something to do with it,” Huxley said. “I’d love to write music for a rock band or a symphony — I don’t care.”

—Ellie Mizell CeeCee Hood

Helen Nebeker

Musicians accompany choir performances

Her favorite pianist is Franz Liszt.

“Even though he’s a composer, his pianistic skills surprised most others in his time and he’s a flamboyant character,” she said.

She has traveled to various places to compete at both the national and international level. Two years ago she played a benefit for children with cerebral palsy in Taiwan. Her main focus is to build a name for herself.

“When people are interested, they end up remembering you and what you’re good at,” Helen said. “So even when people remember me as ‘the piano girl,’ it’s better than just being remembered as a name.”

—Arfa Momin Lucy Wimmer

Taylor Thomas

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Mary Beth Burns

people + places westlakefeatherduster.com

For as long as she can remember, junior Taylor Thomas has loved to perform. Since an early age she has been putting on shows for her family’s entertainment.

“I used to dress up in my costumes of bunny ears, slippers and oversized t-shirts and do giant performances of Barney songs,” Taylor said.

In fourth grade, she participated in her school’s show choir, and knew that she wanted to sing and perform professionally. Since her first production, she has been working her way to a lead role. She now participates in the Pre-

May. He hopes to pursue rock music professionally one day.

“Getting tight with a specific group of guys that I hang out with all the time is one of my favorite parts,” Nico said. “Creating and playing music together makes you really good friends.”

Nico is currently working on creating and recording an album with his band, and he hopes to finish soon so they can go out and play at local venues.

“I like the creativity that you have with music,” Nico said. “You can pretty much do whatever you want. You create any sound you want and play it how you want. It just gives you a lot of freedom to express yourself.”

—Sabrina Knap

Professional Company at Zachary Scott Theatre.

Taylor is the only junior girl in Madrigals, Westlake’s top-performance choir.

All of her hard work has placed Taylor well on her way to achieving her dreams of full-time performances on Broadway.

“I cannot think of a better career than being able to sing and dance for pay,” Taylor said. “Every time I go and see a Broadway show, I am completely amazed by the skill and the talent that the performers have, and I long to be like them one day.”

—Mary Beth Burns

Mary Beth Burns

Choir students put hours of work into training their voices, but the members of the Choir House Band go above and beyond to provide accompaniment for their fellow singers. This year, the band consists of junior Lizzie Craven on the bass and senior Sam Breitigam on the guitar.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s fun to be involved at a deeper level than just vocals,” Sam said.

House Band members not only participate in the singing choir, but they also add depth and variety to performances by showcasing their other musical talents.

“I think it really adds something to the music of choir,” Lizzie said. “It makes me more involved in the organization, and it’s something that I can give back.”

The House Band is on call any time a singer needs accompaniment for an audition, or choir director Ed Snouffer wants live music for a choir performance.

It doesn’t matter if they’re notified a week or a day before — the House Band’s specialty is learning things quickly.

“Last year for the Cabaret there were some girls [who] were playing a couple songs,” Sam said. “They came up [to me] on Friday the weekend before the performance and said, ‘Hey, can you learn these

two songs?’ It took a couple of hours out of the weekend, but it all worked out.”

Although the House Band is sponsored by Snouffer, the students are the ones who lead this program by sacrificing their time and energy.

“I joined [because] I talked to the directors about my interest in giving back to the program, and they suggested that I take part in this leadership role,” Lizzie said.

Although they enjoy playing such an integral role in choir performances, both Sam and Lizzie admit that the House Band is a strenuous and time-consuming responsibility.

“The time commitment after school isn’t very big, but the time commitment on your own, like learning the music or practicing the songs, can be crazy during concert season,” Lizzie said.

Accoriding to Lizzie, despite all the work, the Choir House Band is a really neat opportunity for students to learn more about music while having fun.

“It’s taught me a lot about music and performing with a group and what it’s like to play an instrument along with voices,” Lizzie said. “It’s just made me a better musician all around.”

—Mary Beth Burns

sarah holland loves to dye her hair.

About once a month, senior Sarah Holland tries a new color — this has fueled a quickly-growing YouTube channel.

Over the past year, she has tried colors ranging from silver to green to purple to hot pink. However, picking the next color is not just about what is trending.

“It has to do mostly with the color wheel,” senior Sarah Holland said. “If you dye your hair red, it’s hard to go to a blue. However, it’s easier to go from a faded blue to a red. It’s something I’ve learned as I’ve gone along — which colors are easier to transition to. I plan to dye [my hair] every color of the rainbow …

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people + places westlakefeatherduster.com

then I’ll probably shave it off and never dye it again.”

Dyeing at home takes research and time if you want to get the right color without frying your hair.

“I’ve learned from doing my own hair that sometimes no amount of research can predict what your hair will do,” she said. “Sometimes you put in a color on and despite all of the preparation you’ve done, it turns out different than you anticipated. That can be a good or a bad thing.”

What started as an experiment has become both an online success and a big part of her life.

She has been creating informational videos since her sophomore year.

“I started the

o

m Pal Ava

channel because I was planning on dyeing my hair red,” she said. “But all of the tutorials [online] were incredibly boring … I decided I was going to make my own tutorial and incorporate elements of humor.”

What began as a series of amateur videos has now become much larger. Her channel, DyeYoung, is exponentially gaining subscribers.

“The purpose of my channel originally was to make people laugh and also teach them about hair dyeing,” Sarah said. “But it’s grown.

I’m trying to go into different avenues like comedy and vlogging. I want to make improvements in the type of content I produce, release some short films and maybe some comedy skits.

Basically I want to branch out from hair dyeing because that’s a very small niche. I want to reach as many people as possible.”

With her growth rate, it is plausible for Sarah to one day join the ranks of YouTubers who have made careers from their hobby.

“I plan to grow my channel and see where it takes me,” she said. “I’m already so surprised by the growth that has happened. My goal for this year was to get 5,000 subscribers and I recently reached 10,000. [Depending] on the rate that it grows, I can determine whether it would be something to consider for an occupation or just a hobby.”

Even with her growing views, Sarah wants to wait before cashing in on her videos.

“Companies [can] pay you to play their advertisements before your videos,” she said. “I chose not to do that because when I watch YouTube videos it really annoys me when there’s an advertisement before the video. I’m going to wait until my audience is bigger before I start monetizing.”

Although Sarah is not making money directly through YouTube, her videos have helped her to network.

“An alternative clothing brand from the UK, Blue Banana, contacted me recently,” she said. “We’ve made an agreement in which I link their products in the description box of my videos and if my viewers click on that link then I get 10 percent of the purchases they make. Blue Banana is also going to give me free hair dye to try out and

review, which is awesome.”

Creating her channel has shown Sarah that the world is much bigger and brighter than the Westlake bubble.

“It has made me realize how supportive people are,” she said. “In high school, you sometimes get the impression that people are sort of harsh because you don’t have much time to interact with them. But these videos have proven to me that everyone is trying to connect.

People are incredible. My favorite part [of making videos], technically, is editing. But emotionally, my favorite thing is the feedback I get from my viewers. They say the nicest things and it really makes all the difference.”

Sarah’s videos have taught her much more than how to perfectly color her hair.

“I’ve learned that it’s important to take risks,” she said. “My first couple of videos were very reserved. I didn’t want to make too much of a statement in case people hated me. But I’ve learned that people really accept you for who you are. Essentially, the weirder I am, the more receptive my audience is. They encourage me to be myself.”

Since the internet can be accessed worldwide, Sarah has affected thousands of viewers who have out to her with more than just praise.

“The best thing is the friends and relationships that I’ve made with my viewers,” she said.

“I’ve touched the lives of people who I wouldn’t be able to because they live all the way across the world. Girls have sent me messages saying, ‘I’ve had a horrible day and such terrible things have happened but your videos made me smile.’ People say that my videos are pulling them out of depression. Stuff like that is absolutely incredible and I can hardly believe it.”

Sarah is hopeful that she can keep making videos and impacting people’s lives well past graduation.

“The best occupation in the world would be a YouTuber because you have so much control over the content that you produce, and I like that,” she said. “I’m very independent. But that’s obviously very, very difficult and I’m still very, very small. I just want to do something with film or theater, which are also very hard.”

The ease of uploading content to YouTube has allowed Sarah to spread a positive message.

“The internet allows every kid to make their voice heard,” she said. “All you need is a camera and a computer, and all of a sudden you have the power to make all these people listen to what you’re saying. My message is to be yourself and not be deterred by what people think.”

—Caitlyn Kerbow

to see sarah’s videos,

go to: youtube.com/user/GrlInTheSkellyPjamas

Fashion Forward Model pursues passion, works to break into industry

S

ummer in Paris — 7 a.m. breakfast with the models; 8 a.m. check-in at the Vogue office; 9 a.m. casting call at Balenciaga; 11 a.m. meeting at Céline. This is high fashion. And for junior Sophie Jones, this is her world.

After being scouted at a Lady Gaga concert at the age of 12, Sophie began her foray into the modeling industry. She was spotted by a woman from California, who recommended she get in touch with an agency nearby and consider the possibility of modeling as a career.

With this advice in mind, Sophie had her photos professionally taken and sent to the Campbell Agency in Dallas. Soon afterwards, her career took off and she signed with Major Models in New York and Paris.

“I loved [modeling] immediately,” Sophie said. “And it’s definitely gotten better over the years. You first spend a long time getting developed and doing test shoots, which basically help to get your book [or portfolio] ready. The book is then sent to clients, and you start booking jobs and shows. At first it’s a little bit slow, but after that it starts to pick up.”

Over the past few years, Sophie has participated in both sides of the modeling business — posing for photo shoots in magazines, as well as walking the runway for designer shows. However, the majority of her work has been shooting with photographers.

“For a photo shoot, you usually meet the whole team early in the morning,” Sophie said. “Then you do makeup and hair, which can take up to three hours. Sometimes they don’t even do makeup and hair, which gives the photos a more natural look, which I like. Then there’s usually a stylist who styles you in different looks. It’s often between one to eight looks. They then shoot each look, and sometimes they change hair and makeup in between each shot. You really bond with all of the people on the team, so it’s fun.”

Beyond the logistics of getting the perfect look, the process behind posing for a photo shoot is just as specific and calculated.

“When you do shoots, a lot of photographers will give you a word, and that’s what you focus on,” Sophie said. “[For example], they might say ‘act strong,’ and then you have to create a strong look with your eyes. You have to be thinking about something, or else your expression becomes blank. I shot with a photographer this summer who was a little different and a little weird. He would say ‘Act like a snake,’ or ‘Act like a drama queen,’ in order to get the look going. But that’s what works.”

Despite the fact that most of her experience has been with photo shoots, Sophie has also worked extensively to prepare herself for the runway. It’s an entirely separate art than posing for photographers, but still remains an integral facet of the fashion industry.

“Runways are a lot crazier,” Sophie said. “You’ve got about 20 girls all at once, and there are only about three makeup artists, and they just have to keep rotating. Once you walk in your clothes you have to run to the back, change really quickly and then go back out. It’s really fun, but walking in a runway show is actually one of the hardest things.

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I still don’t have the perfect walk. There’s a perfect form, and all clients look for that, so it takes a lot of practice. To train for [my walk], I worked with a lady in Dallas, Jan Strimple, who knew the runway really well. She puts on runway shows now, and she used to be a model herself. She taught me the basics. Other models also help you out, and by watching the fashion shows online you can get good insight into that. You have to get to the point where you’re comfortable walking in heels like you would walk around school.”

There are numerous components to the “perfect walk,” and Sophie continues to practice and study, with the ultimate goal of attaining flawless form to fit the demands of various clients.

“Your hips are tilted forward, your shoulders are back and your arms have to move very little,” Sophie said. “You keep your shoulders steady, put one foot in front of the other and keep your eyes locked.

Some directors like you to walk fast and some slower. Before the shows they tell you what they want, and they have you walk it without heels.

It’s a little bit scary, because at the end of the runway there’s a mob of photographers, and everybody’s watching you; but I haven’t fallen or anything yet.”

Throughout this whole process, Sophie’s parents have been completely supportive, allowing her to pursue this passion with the only caveat that her schoolwork comes first. In the past she has taken short periods of time off during the school year to visit New York City in order to work on her development as a model and meet with her agency.

This past summer marked a significant transition in Sophie’s career, as she lived in Paris for three months, to focus on booking jobs and meeting with different clients. Sophie also had the opportunity to work with David Bellemere, a renowned photographer in the fashion industry.

Bellemere has shot numerous Vogue covers, as well as a plethora of models and celebrities from Karlie Kloss to Vanessa Paradis.

“I shot with [Bellemere] twice actually,” Sophie said. “He wanted to shoot me again which is awesome. It was probably the best casting that I’ve been to. It was really amazing, and I went to the Vogue office in Paris, which was great. However, I feel like the best part about [this summer] was really just meeting people. I got to make so many friendships and connections.”

To date, Sophie has appeared in numerous magazines and ad campaigns for names including Men’s Fitness, Austin Monthly, Citygram and Jerry Szor Jewelry. However this already impressive résumé is just the beginning, and Sophie has high dreams and expectations for herself.

“I want to make it as big as I can and sign with agencies all around the world,” Sophie said. “You can have one per city, so I’d like to be with agencies in London and Milan as well. I also want to make it to each Fashion Week in New York City, London, Paris and Milan and walk the runways for designers like Calvin Klein. I know this is a high goal, but I guess the ultimate dream would really be the cover of Vogue.”

—Monica Rao

“ I want to make it as big as I can and sign with agencies all around the world.”

—junior Sophie Jones Alex Unflat

honorable mention

Teacher accompanies vets to memorial

Calculus teacher Debbie Rodell assisted World War II veteran Lorrie Henderson on Honor Flight Austin’s latest trip. “There was no way I was going to miss it,” Rodell said.

Interested in World War II? Apply to be a volunteer or guardian for the next Honor Flight on honorflightaustin.org.

Plan a day trip to the Pacific War Museum in Fredericksburg.

Visit the library for more info.

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Thirty-five veterans sit country,” Rodell said. “It’s just awe-inspiring. in wheelchairs, staring up at They’re crying, and you’re crying.” the World War II Memorial.

They arrived in D.C. with another procesThey’re wearing matching sion and welcome, as well as a police escort shirts and hats and have to the hotel. The next morning it was time to American flags in hand. As see the feature of the trip: the World War II the national anthem plays, memorial. some wipe away tears and “It’s absolutely beautiful how they put it remember their comrades together,” Rodell said. “[Even though] it took who have fallen and their ex- 65 years for them to think about building it, periences in the war. They’re it’s just beautiful. [At the memorial] there was here thanks to Honor Flight, a special ceremony for [the veterans], and a program doing whatever it they played “Taps” for those who didn’t make takes to let veterans see war it home. I don’t know how many tissues I memorials. used, it was just crazy. I don’t even know why The nationally-recognized I put makeup on. The theme [of the trip] was organization has a branch in crying.”

Austin that takes frequent The group then toured the other war mecourtesy photo fall morials across the and National Mall, with spring trips to Washmembers of the Army ington, D.C. Calculus and Navy constantly teacher Debbie Rodell greeting and thanking was selected to be a the veterans. After guardian and assist a visiting the ArlingWorld War II veterton Cemetery, they an on Austin Honor stopped at the Air Flight’s most recent and Space Museum at trip on Sept. 5.

Dulles.

“It just happened “We’re in front to be a phone call at of the P-51 [plane in the right time in the the museum] and the right place,” Rodell tour guide says ‘Y’all

said. “Two guardians probably know more had just cancelled, and about this than me,’” my husband is friends Rodell said. “One guy with the guy who is —calculus teacher raises his hand and on the board for the ‘I flew that.’ And Debbie Rodell says Honor Flight, and he he starts talking about asked us if we could how he was avoiding go. I didn’t have much enemy fire, and how time to prepare before he had to dip the wing, [the trip], but there was no way I was going to pull the throttle and dip the nose. He rememmiss it.” bered every detail of how he flew that plane, Rodell was assigned to be guardian to and it was mind-boggling. I mean he probably 90-year-old Lorrie Henderson, who served didn’t even remember what he ate for lunch, in California as one of the WAVES (Women but he knew how to fly that plane.”

Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) The trip was only 36 hours, but it will have during the last six months of the war. Hena long-lasting impression on both Rodell and derson’s job was to turn the rough technical her husband, as both of their fathers served in sketches of engines and other materials into World War II. clean drawings that were used in school books “[The thing that stood out to me most was] and various manuals. just how strong these men and women were,” “She joined because there was a poster that Rodell said. “This war was probably one of the said ‘If you join as a woman, you will allow few wars we’ve had in our history where if we an active duty man to come home,’” Rodell didn’t win we would all be speaking German. said. “I think it was propaganda, but she still It really impacted everybody, and even people believes it. She did what she could do to help.” who didn’t go and fight in the war were imBefore their departure at the Austin airpacted. That’s why you’re so indebted to these port, they were greeted with a hero’s welcome. men and women. They have so much to share, An announcement over the intercom cleared and we don’t really remember that. I think the aisle for the veterans, and a color guard that’s what inspired me and my husband. We and bagpipes led the procession. were just like little kids looking up to them.

“As you’re clearing the aisle, people are We were so young, and they hold so much of coming up to the vets thanking them for their our history.” service and for what they’ve done for our ­—Rachel Cooper

It was like being in a living history book.

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In the past six months, changes have made their way to our school and district. We have a new coaching staff, 44 new teachers, a new finals exemption policy, a new superintendent and new students.

These changes affect us all.

Here are the stories, facts and opinions on what’s new. what’s new?

Three of the 44 new teachers, teaching assistants share their thoughts Hunter Ruffin Physics and chemistry

Stephanie Kimbrough Spanish

The Featherduster: What were your expectations coming into Westlake?

Hunter Ruffin: I expected a lot of rigor. I knew this school has a lot of history of academic excellence. I knew that there would be a lot of expectations of me to bring in quality instruction and keep the expectations of the students high. So really I was expecting a very high level of academic focus.

Allyson White Biology

The Featherduster: What were your expectations coming into Westlake?

Stephanie Kimbrough: I know it has an awesome reputation as one of the best high schools, not only in Texas but also in the U.S., so I really expected the kids to be very academic, a little more advanced, and more able to use technology in the classroom.

FD: What excites you the most about your job?

HR: I genuinely enjoy working with kids. I want to have a positive impact and influence on their lives in whatever way I can, whether it is getting them more interested in science or helping them learn time management skills and organization — anything I can do to better prepare them for the road ahead.

The Featherduster: What excites you the most about your job?

Allyson White: It’s fun here because the kids want to learn, whether or not they think they do, and they are involved in class. They want to get to know me as a teacher so I don’t have to work very hard at forming those relationships. For me, it’s really about me coming in to work with kids every day and doing it in a place that makes it really easy to do that.

FD: Do you expect to use the iPads?

SK: I’ve used the iPads a lot. I’ve used them for projects that the students have done, and I’ve been playing around with different apps. I did one called Strip Design, which makes cartoon strips, and I’ve used Kahoot! a lot, which the students love. I’m trying to use an app for them to create videos. I’ve heard about Shadow Puppet and a few other video apps that I’m hoping to use for my Spanish 3 classes.

FD: What’s the greatest hardship of teaching?

AW: The students and the parents have such high expectations. It’s really hard for me to watch as a teacher if a student doesn’t do well on a test. Either they get upset or their parents get upset, or both. The hardest thing is navigating that. There is a balance between helping the students learn to study, and just giving answers on certain things.

FD: What made you want to teach?

SK: I never thought I was going to be a teacher. I thought I was going to be a journalist.

I always loved Spanish class, even though it wasn’t my favorite. I [realized] that I could actually get paid to talk about something I am interested in, and that I have been good at. I had always liked students in middle and high school. It’s just a really fun age to teach.

FD: What made you want to teach?

AW: When I was in college my degree was in biochemistry, but I didn’t study any education courses or anything like that. I ended up getting my teaching certificate after I graduated.

I worked at a learning center at UT where I was tutoring biology and chemistry and I really liked that. I was finding that for students that had no idea what was going on in their classes, I could take really hard concepts, and I could bring it down so they could access the material and understand it.

FD: If you could tell everyone one thing about teaching, what would it be?

SK: It’s not all grading. I think that when people have a view of teaching, they think of grading, and instruction and very rigid classes. It doesn’t have to be that way. It can be creative, and it can be fun. Westlake really has been a great place for me to blossom in that aspect.

—Conor O’Bryon

FD: What is the greatest hardship of teaching?

HR: Organization. Teaching is much more of an organizational challenge than I was anticipating; however, there is lots of support, and other teachers are helping me out a bit. It’s all about figuring out what system works best.

FD: What made you want to teach?

HR: Subject matter wasn’t the most important thing to me in teaching. Yes, I enjoyed chemistry, physics and math. Those are things I felt comfortable teaching. It is the day-today interactions that I have that impact kids [that made me want to teach]. I just felt that I could best do that in a science or math setting.

oss ela M a h c Mi

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FD: If you could tell everyone one thing about teaching, what would it be?

AW: It can be the hardest job in the world. It really can. Sometimes, when I think about the fact that I voluntarily work with 160 teenagers every day, I think that maybe I’m kind of crazy, but I love it. I think it’s great. I have a lot of fun here, and I think my students do too, so it works for me.

new

Superintendent looks forward to time with the district

Tim Whaling

superintendent Dr. Tom Leonard was happy where he was. He was superintendent of Barrington 220 School District in Illinois for seven years. Last February, he was speaking at a conference for superintendents in Nashville, TN. Recruiters for the soon-to-be vacant job of Eanes superintendent were there, looking for a possible replacement for former superintendent Dr. Nola Wellman.

During the conference, one person told him he’d be perfect for the job. He wasn’t interested. Another told him the same thing. Still not interested. After a third approached him, he asked where the job was.

Texas? No way. But finally, he agreed to a coffee with the recruiters, and the rest is history.

“I like a little bit of an adventure,” Dr. Leonard said. “I was very, very lucky and successful where I was. I could’ve kept doing it forever, but it would’ve been the same old thing, and it would’ve been a little boring. I needed to go do something else.

Also, winters in Chicago can be brutal, and Austin has a good reputation. It’s an up-and-coming kind of place with a lot of interesting things happening, so I thought ‘Let’s go try it. What do I have to lose?’”

Dr. Leonard has been superintendent of Eanes officially for about two months.

Going forward, he may propose some programs which were successful at his former district, such as language immer—superintendent sion and business classes.

“I think that what I’m trying to do is see if some ideas would have legs here,” Dr. Leonard said. “I think there’s a couple things that would. In the elementary schools, we were doing immersion classes beginning in kindergarten, so a kid would walk in and the teacher would only speak Chinese to them, so by the time they got to high school they were fluent in whatever language they chose. We also did some real business and entrepreneurial classes, [as well as] engineering classes. Some kids started businesses by the end of their sophomore year. Some of those ideas I’m talking to people about, and we’ll see. They may want to do it, they may not want to do it.”

Since Dr. Wellman was superintendent for 10 years, Dr. Leonard has long-standing programs and traditions to learn about and improve. He is currently trying to implement promising new ideas.

“I think that great schools and great school districts should keep their eye out for what other people are doing,” Dr. Leonard said.

“Whether the idea comes from where I was, or comes from New York or comes from California, it doesn’t matter. When it’s a great idea, you should steal it.”

Dr. Leonard also has to face the difficult challenges that come with being the new head of a school district in an education-focused community.

“The Texas method of financing schools, particularly for property-wealthy schools, is very difficult,” Dr. Leonard said. “You’re in a structural deficit at this time which means you’re spending more than you’re taking in and eventually we’ll have to find a solution to that.

That’s not something I’m going to be able to solve myself. There’s going to have to be some difficult conversations. Some of those may be with the Texas legislature, trying to talk to them, but some of it will be internally. If we cannot find the funds, what compromises will we have to make? And that’ll be hard. You’re also in a situation where, rightly, you fund technology out of bonds, but it means you have to vote for a bond every couple of years, and if you don’t get the vote you’ll lose the technology. And that’s not a healthy place to be. You don’t want to give people technology and have all your curriculum wrapped around it and then take it away.”

Although there are difficulties to the job, Dr. Leonard is excited by what he’s Dr. Tom Leonard seen so far from the district.

“You’ve got a lot of great things going on here,” Dr. Leonard said. “You are doing some phenomenal things with technology. I love the fact that you’ve brought the iPad to another level. There are some things that you do that I don’t know are being done anywhere else. The products that you’re putting out there are just extremely impressive to me.”

Not only is he impressed by Eanes as a whole, but the high school specifically. Every program from TEC and robotics to art and yearbook has caught his eye.

“There is a good energy at Westlake,” Dr. Leonard said. “I’ve been in some of the best high schools, not only in the Chicago area, but throughout the country. I’ve seen some really, really good high schools.

And Westlake is right there with them.” ­—Rachel Cooper

what’s new?

“I think great schools and great school districts should keep their eye out for what other people are doing.”

what’s new?

Head football coach touches down on new policies

the

fatigue, giving them “fresh legs.” His players have reacted well to the change and arrive most mornings at 5:30 a.m., ready to go.

“That tells me I’ve got a team that cares,” Dodge said.

Although it may seem that players would prefer afternoon practices, they don’t mind waking up early. Junior Mack Kelley said the players get to go home after school which helps with study habits.

This year, the players go straight to the locker room after games instead of spending time on the field. Dodge made this change so there is closure for the players and coaches after the game.

“You need to have a chance to celebrate together,” Dodge said. “You need to have a chance to lick your wounds together if you get beat.”

Dodge’s new policies have affected more than just the varsity squad, as this is the first year that JV has practiced by itself.

“You are not developing your JV players if all you do is ask them to come stand on the sideline at a varsity practice for 75 percent of the [time] and for the other 25, they are being used as a scout team,” Dodge said.

The players have agreed with this agenda and have felt that it is a great chance for the JV to improve their skills.

“Both JV teams [are] a lot better now since we aren’t just sitting around watching varsity,” junior Hunter Spencer said. “It really gives us an opportunity to prepare ourselves to play varsity football in the future.”

Dodge has also brought in “double dipping.” This is where the coaches select a handful of JV players to practice not only with JV, but also with varsity too.

While “double dipping,” the players are also allowed to suit up with varsity and stand on the sidelines during the home games.

“It’s improved my game tremendously,” Hunter said. “You get more reps with better

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Tim

Head coach Todd Dodge directs sophomore quarterback Sam Ehlinger during a morning practice Oct. 2.

Wh

alin

g

football program has undergone some major changes this year, the most important being the introduction of new football coach and athletic director, Todd Dodge. He has immediately made an impact with big adjustments to the schedule and the format of team practices among other things. A lot of the changes Dodge has implemented have been policies he enforced at Southlake Carroll, where he coached from 2000 - 2006.

“There is a stark contrast between Dodge and [former coach] Allman,” senior Court Manske said. “Allman was more of an administrator, and Dodge is more involved in knowing players.”

During training camp the team started doing early morning practices, and that trend has carried on into the season. Until now, Dodge has never coached on a practice field that had lights. While historically the team has practiced after school, having lights allows the players to practice in the early morning instead. Getting a chance to practice while the weather is cooler played a huge role in Dodge’s decision to move practices before school. This has helped with the team’s

players and also get to observe the older players and learn from what they do.”

Another new change that has been implemented is varsity backups replacing JV as the attack team. The attack team is essentially a way for the backups to challenge the starters and it makes everyone on the team better. The attack team that Dodge implemented allows everyone on the team to have a role and the backups have embraced this change.

“If there wasn’t this emphasis on the attack team, a lot of players would have quit,” Court said. “It really does help everyone out.”

These policies affect more than just the players, as Dodge has gotten staff involved as well. Each Friday, football players are released early from practice to give a faculty member a replica jersey to wear that day and night.

“It’s an opportunity for our players to give back to teachers, counselors, people who work in the cafeteria, principals or whoever it might be who made a difference in their lives,” Dodge said.

The teachers’ responses have been positive.

“I have gotten a lot of emails and notes from the teachers that have said thank you for introducing this new tradition here,” Dodge said.

The players have also enjoyed getting this chance to give back to the staff.

“It gives us a chance to show the teachers we appreciate them,” Mack said.

A big change that affects all sports at Westlake is the decision to move the football period from eighth to third. This change has benefited football players that also play other sports.

“It allows them to get a great offseason workout earlier in the day and have recovery time before they go to their afternoon sports,” Dodge said.

Dodge hasn’t implemented these new policies just to improve Westlake’s football team, but hopes to develop the players into young men off the field.

“I’d like to think we run a football program that’s more than just blocking, tackling, throwing and catching,” Dodge said. “Week in and week out we spend time with our players going over some character curriculum and life lessons.”

With Dodge’s new policies, we see a blend of the Westlake traditions we know and love, and new ideas that bring students, staff and member of the community closer together. ­—Aro Majumder and Dylan Webber

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everyone

in Austin knows about the so-called “Westlake bubble,” a stereotype that has inevitably caused endless debate. Senior Rawan Fakhreddine discovered the secret to popping the bubble when she moved to Lebanon for four years in 2010, just after finishing seventh grade. Both of Rawan’s parents are Lebanese, and much of her family lives in the country. She grew up learning about its culture and visiting often — often enough that she began to consider the move.

“I was enthusiastic [about the move] and it was mostly my decision,” Rawan said. “I had gone to Lebanon every summer and it hurt to have to leave after three months. I said ‘Let’s just go, I want to live there, I want to be able to stay for a while.’ I kind of pressured [my family] into it.”

Rawan, her mother and her two younger sisters, Jana and Jumana, moved to Lebanon while her dad remained in the U.S. for work reasons. Despite feeling excitement at this change in her life, Rawan immediately encountered obstacles at her new school. She enrolled in an international institution, with classes in English, but teachers taught using the French style of instruction.

“I had a hard time catching up,” Rawan said. “They don’t have worksheets, they don’t have packets, they don’t have study guides — they give you the notes on the board, you either take them or not, you learn them and you get them done. They treat you like you’re an independent person, and you have to deal with it, you know? I think I do [prefer Lebanese schools to American] because a lot of stuff here, like projects or worksheets, don’t help me as a person. There, they don’t give you what you need to do, you decide for yourself.”

Another element of her new school that Rawan appreciated was the smaller classes and individualized attention.

“If you needed to ask questions, it was more interactive with your teachers,” she said. “And I think it goes back to Lebanon being a small country, that you can talk to your teachers like friends. You feel much closer to them, because everyone’s culture is the same. If they ask you where you’re from, you tell them the specific mountain, and everyone has their village, and they just kind of determine who you are by that.”

Going to school abroad, especially at an international school, was an opportunity to meet people from around the world. Rawan’s classmates came from all across Lebanon, as well as from other countries.

However, she wasn’t sure whether she should continue nurturing her relationship with her American friends, or if she should move on. Ini-

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tially, she saw her new home in Lebanon as a permanent situation.

“It was a lot of emotions,” Rawan said. “There was a sadness to leaving home. Honestly, when we left we weren’t planning on coming back. I was leaving; I was never seeing these people again. So there was a ton of sadness, and there was confusion — like, do I keep in touch with these people, or do I just move on and save myself from the pain of having to worry about keeping in touch? And then we came back, and that fixed my problems.”

Moving back to America was a decision motivated by many factors. For one, universities in Lebanon are astronomically expensive, and financial aid is patchy. With Rawan about to enter college, and a younger sister close on her heels, that became a major concern. Additionally, turmoil in the Middle East began to affect her home in Beirut.

“There was one experience,” she recalls. “It didn’t even happen directly to me, it was a friend who lost someone in a suicide bombing.

And that’s just ridiculous to me, because it doesn’t have anything to do with the country itself — just these outside conflicts that surround us getting into the country. It made the decision of coming back so much more clear to me. You hear a lot about [the unrest], you hear about it on the news, but no matter how much they put out there, I don’t think you can understand until you’re in it.”

Even surrounded by their extended family, the support was not enough to keep them in Lebanon, once safety risks were considered.

“My mom was stressing out so badly because my dad was here, in the U.S.,” Rawan said. “And then things got bad and my mom felt this huge responsibility for safety and everything going on. My dad was worried even more because the media makes things so much worse than they really are. So he kept telling us to come back, but he was in New York and we didn’t want to go to New York. Then he moved to Austin and that was when we started saying that we could go back.”

Upon her return, Rawan enrolled back in school with the very people she had known in her childhood. Naturally, many things had changed, but what surprised her were the things that hadn’t.

“I only stayed in touch with four or five people,” she admits. “I came back, and of course they’d changed a little bit, personality-wise, and that’s great. And they’re still awesome. And then I realized that they had expanded the group, so there’s all these new people. And in Lebanon, you have one class, you don’t switch classes, and you don’t get to see other people. Here, in each class, I’m meeting new people … I was surprised the first day — I’d walk in and people were remembering me.

That was weird, because I was a quiet person in middle school, so I

Just for being a Muslim. I wanted to say ‘You don’t get it! We are different people!’”

Even with the variety of interpretations of the Islamic scriptures, in Rawan’s view, the principles of Islam are universal.

“In the Koran, the first thing it says is that God is merciful, and God is kind,” she said. “So be kind. I just want people to see that aspect of Islam. I don’t think any religion could ever be about cruelty, because religion is supposed to map out your life, it’s not supposed to make you do bad things. I guess I learned a lot in the four years [in Lebanon] that I don’t realize that I learned, and I even view my own religion differently now. I hope people stop viewing it badly. Our generation is being put through a lot of tests, and we have to be open-minded to be able to get through everything that is going on. I saw the Koran as a rule book that I had to follow, and after Lebanon, I realized that’s not it. There are the main points, and then come the rules.”

—Katelyn Connolly

what’s new?

“There was a sadness to leaving home. Honestly, when we left we weren’t planning on coming back.”

—senior Rawan Fakhreddine

Tim Wh

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Michaela Moss

New students from across the globe describe their worldly experiences

didn’t expect people to actually remember me.”

Rawan is now facing the challenge of applying to American universities. Although she is a Texas resident and U.S. citizen, her transcripts are international. Westlake cannot provide her with a new transcript until January, and Lebanese colleges require only an SAT score, foregoing transcripts altogether. Luckily, Rawan does not have to apply as an international student, but she is still struggling to catch up to her classmates applying this semester. “[Counselors] go through the process with you guys in junior year and senior year,” Rawan said. “In Lebanon, it’s more independent. You figure it out yourself, and there’s not that much to figure out, so it was easier. And here, I’m just lost. I question everything before I do it. I’m just waiting until after December. I think that’s where my anxiety will disappear. I will have applied, and what happens, happens. I did what I had to do.”

Certain elements of Lebanese culture have stuck with Rawan on her journey home. Religion, in particular, plays a larger role in her life. “[Islam] is a big part of my life now,” she said. “Because it does tell you to cover up, it tells you to fast, it tells you to pray — but before that, before it even gets to the rules, it starts with the most important things, which are: do not lie. Do not treat people badly, even if they treat you badly. And the main part of the religion is to always give to the needy, always give to the people who don’t have what you have. Throwing away food is a sin in this religion, because people around you need that food. Save it, or give it to someone that can eat it. That’s the main point of fasting in our religion. To feel what the homeless, what people who can’t have three meals a day, feel.”

Other members of her family were also influenced by the prominence of Islam in Lebanon.

“My sister, Jana, wanted to wear the hijab when she was [in America], when she was still in elementary school,” Rawan said.

“My mom put it on when she was in her 30s.

It’s not something that you have to do, and I don’t know why my sister kept begging my mom to put it on. I think Lebanon was her excuse, so she got to [wear it], and she got to build confidence with it before she came back to America.

That’s what Lebanon helped her with.”

As for Rawan, learning more about Islam has encouraged her to speak out about her religion. She hopes to educate her peers and community about her beliefs, and to propagate a more positive view of Muslim-Americans.

“I had a preschool teacher, [named] Ms. Linda,” Rawan said. “We still keep in touch with her. When we first met her and started telling her more about ourselves, about our religion, she said that she now understands the true aspects of Muslims. Not how most people view them. I understand where they’re coming from, because there are a lot of bad people, but that’s not everyone. So when we came back, the first thing she said was that I now have more chances to change people’s view about my religion. I thought that was really cool. We have this power we aren’t aware of. Just being good people changes someone’s view about our religion. I’m excited about that. I like to be a representative for my religion. I remember in middle school, before I even moved, I was honestly called a terrorist more than once.

what’s new?

Sophomore Maximallan Krass is from Dusseldorf, Germany, and is staying with the family of freshman Dean Vanetek. Max is part of a cultural exchange program.

The Featherduster: Did you know your host family before arriving?

Max Krass: No, they just sent me an email saying “We are your host family,” and two days later I was on the airplane. It happened very fast. I had no time to hesitate.

FD: What is your family like back at home, and what is it like living without them?

MK: I lived with my parents, and I have an older sister who’s 22. I have two cats. One is called Kitty, because of her white fur like Hello Kitty, and her daughter’s name is Mitty because she was like a small version of Kitty, Mini-Kitty. My family is [what I miss most]. When I passed the security in the Dusseldorf airport, I knew I wouldn’t see my family, couldn’t hug my mother, for nine months. That was really tough, but that’s just how it is. We keep in touch with Skype and email.

FD: Had you ever been to America before? What’s been the biggest change?

MK: No, I’ve never been so far away from home. The language of course is a big change, but also the climate. In Germany it’s like 70 degrees.

FD: How does the Westlake food compare to food in your old school?

MK: Near our school there were some small stores where you could buy snacks and drinks, and we had also a small supermarket. I use the cafeteria at Westlake pretty often. There is a bigger variety than we had in Germany. There you could only choose between a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian meal.

FD: What’s your biggest pet peeve about Westlake?

MK: You have such a great school, but everyone is so annoyed with it.

In Germany you wouldn’t have such a great school: you’ve got iPads and pep rallies, and a football team that’s really good, and you can choose many of your classes. This would be so great in Germany and you don’t appreciate that.

FD: Is the school day different in Germany?

MK: Yeah, like today you have those eight classes and the next day you have the same, but in Germany you would have certain classes today and others tomorrow. You rotate classes and it’s all shuffled.

Sometimes you have ten periods, sometimes only six.

what’s new?

“I can’t use cologne. In Germany we have proper presentation and it’s not very good if you smell bad, so you use cologne to smell neutral when you mingle. And I wanted to put it on here because I get so sweaty, but my host father said ‘No, don’t use it, we don’t here.’”

—sophomore Maximallan Krass “Our mom is from Argentina and always spoke to us in Spanish, but we always spoke to her in English because we hated Spanish. When we got to Argentina we didn’t speak really well, but we really learned and started speaking Spanish quickly.”

—freshman Cecilia Luther “Smoking is very common there. My best Chilean friend there smoked a pack-and-a-half a day, and she was 16.

Also, they’re not punctual there. Here, that doesn’t fly. If you’re late to work you get fired. There are consequences.

There, you show up 30 minutes late and you’re right on time.”

—junior Sarah White

FD: What has been the weirdest thing coming to Westlake?

MK: I can’t use cologne. In Germany we have proper presentation and it’s not very good if you smell bad, so you use cologne a lot to smell neutral when you mingle. And I wanted to put it on here because I get so sweaty, but my host father said “No don’t use it, we don’t here.”

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These sisters are used to being the new kids. Freshman twins Fiona and Cecilia Luther have lived in Chicago, Houston, El Paso and most recently Argentina before moving to Austin in August.

The Featherduster: Where in Argentina did you live?

Cecilia Luther: We moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina when we were in fourth grade [and stayed] until half of ninth grade. In Argentina, school starts in the end of February and ends around Nov. 30, so since we left July 3, it was the middle of the school year.

FD: Why did you move back to America?

Fiona Luther: The only reason we didn’t want to leave Argentina was because of our friends, but you couldn’t even walk a block by yourself.

It was really unsafe. My parents thought it was now or never [to move back to the U.S.].

FD: How was it learning Spanish?

CL: Our mom is from Argentina and always spoke to us in Spanish, but we always spoke to her in English because we hated Spanish.

When we got to Argentina, we didn’t speak really well, but we really learned and started speaking Spanish quickly.

FD: How easy was the transition back to English?

CL: We’re grateful we’re bilingual, and sometimes we switch languages without noticing. People think we switch languages so they won’t understand us, but it’s not on purpose.

FL: For example, we’ll be speaking in English and won’t know how to say a word so we’ll switch to Spanish. If we’re around people they’ll look at us like “These people are weird.”

FD: How is the culture transition going?

CL: We try to keep the culture and traditions here. Over in Argentina, to say hi, you give them a kiss on the cheek.

FL: Here, you either wave or shake hands, and it’s awkward.

FD: What do you think of taking the bus?

MK: I had never taken the bus to school because in Germany my parents always drove me. It’s a real classical American bus, like you would picture in the movies, and I didn’t know you still did that. The seats are very small and since I have long legs I have to sit strangely.

FD: What do you think is the best thing about Austin so far?

MK: It’s the most American place you can get, Texas. It’s just America and that’s great. For example, everything is about football — the school, the pep rallies, the marching band, the cheerleading. It’s so different because in Germany we wouldn’t combine sports and school so much.

—Georgina Kuhlmann

Following in the footsteps of her older brothers, junior Sarah White left her home in Austin to spend a year abroad in Chile. Now she’s back to complete high school at Westlake, and she has plenty of stories to tell.

The Featherduster: What initially made you want to go to Chile?

Sarah White: I wanted to learn Spanish, and I also got really bored of Westlake. I had a very common and paced life since eighth grade and so it was all completely new. Both my brothers did it and they had loved it, so I was like “OK, I’ll do it!” It didn’t take much convincing.

FD: Were you worried?

SW: I wasn’t really worried because I went in thinking I knew a lot more Spanish than I did. So I went in thinking “Psh, I’ll be fine, I’ve been through three years of Spanish at Westlake.” I was so wrong though. I could only speak in the present tense, so it was a little embarrassing. I became worried when I first arrived because I realized that I couldn’t speak [well].

FD: So that was a big learning curve?

SW: Oh yeah, definitely. It wasn’t until about three months in that I could understand people.

FD: What’s most different about Chile, and what was surprisingly similar to life here?

SW: It’s a first-world country. A lot of people don’t seem to realize this, but I was in a real town with cars and hospitals. I didn’t live in a shack. I lived in a real house. Smoking is very common there. My best Chilean friend there smoked a pack-and-a-half a day, and she was 16.

Also, they’re not punctual there. Here, that doesn’t fly. If you’re late to work you get fired. There are consequences. There, you show up 30 minutes late and you’re right on time. Also, they’re way more touchy and that really weirded me out at first. When they greet each other, they kiss each other on the cheek, and that made it super awkward for me because I didn’t grow up with that kind of culture so I couldn’t detect the body language.

FD: What was your least favorite part of this experience?

SW: I told my coach that I was pregnant, [embarazada], instead of embarrassed. He was freaking out and I was like “I don’t get it! Being embarrassed isn’t that bad!” That was awkward.

FD: So you’re technically a junior now that you’ve missed a year at Westlake. Was it worth it?

SW:It was totally worth it. Don’t get me wrong, it sucks that I’m not a senior and I won’t be graduating with all my friends, but it was definitely worth it.

—Peyton Richardson

FD: What are the differences between your old school and Westlake?

CL: At our old school in every grade there were about 60 people, so it was a big change. But I like it [here] because I feel more independent.

Also, here everyone’s much more competitive. In Argentina you would get a bad grade and everyone would be like “Don’t worry, it’s OK,” and here everyone’s like “Wow, don’t talk to me.”

photos by Justin Whaling

FD: What do you like about coming back to the U.S.?

CL: You get a lot of freedom here. Everyone’s really welcoming, so that’s good. We’re having fun. I’m looking forward to making friends, improving my English and not feeling different.

—Rachel Cooper

what’s new?

Despite having her first day of school in 2012, freshman Hope Lambie is determined to make up for all the years she missed. After living most of her life in Kampala, Uganda, Hope is now staying with the Prideaux family for the semester. She is a cross country star and a diligent student and she hopes to one day offer other African children the same opportunities that she has been given.

The Featherduster: When did you arrive in Austin?

Hope Lambie: I came July 16 with my [adoptive] mom and brothers, then they went back in August. It was my first time in a plane. I’d seen things about how planes crash and I was so scared to be going on the plane, but it was fine — I slept from Uganda to London.

FD: How is Westlake different from your school in Uganda?

HL: I went to a small Christian middle school, so it’s very different moving to a public school. My grade in middle school was only 15 kids, and everyone was like family to each other.

FD: What is your favorite thing about Westlake so far?

HL: [My favorite thing is] how people welcome the new kids and make you feel you are at home. When I came here, I was very nervous. When you watch TV shows there’s a lot of bullying, and in my imagination it would be just like that — my first day they would lock me in the bathroom and put horrible things in my locker. But I started cross country in the summer, so I met a lot of kids, and when school started they were all around me, helping me.

FD: How did you come to stay with the Prideaux family?

HL: My family knew the Prideauxs before they came to Africa, and two years ago, the [Prideaux] family came to visit. After that I told my family I wanted to go to America for my first year of high school.

the school I’ve been missing in my life. It’s really hard.

FD: What are your thoughts about how your life has played out?

HL: Everything I have right now, the only reason I’m living and I’m here, is thanks to God. I’m sure that since the day I was born He has had plans for me — that I’d have a difficult life but it would end the easy way, which happened — it’s thanks to God I found a family who loves me and took me to school.

FD: So religion is important to you?

HL: Religion is the one thing in my life I can never lose. I must keep having faith and trusting God. I thank Him every day and every night.

FD: What are your plans for the future?

HL: I want to do what my [adoptive] dad is doing with the African Children’s Choir — helping kids. I’d like to create my own orphanage for the African kids begging for food, and the babies that teenagers leave on the street. I want to give them a place to stay and an education, because education is so important. I pray every night and I have commited to go to college, because I think that’s what God wants me to do with my life.

—Georgina Kuhlmann

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FD: What was life like in Africa?

HL: Overall it is good, but life is much more difficult there for the poor families. Many, like [my birth family], cannot pay the school fees so their kids stay home and do farming or chores. My [birth] mom left when I was 2 years old, so I never had a mother growing up, and I moved between my dad and my stepsister’s house. But I began to get into fights with my stepsister because she said she was going to take me to school but she never did — she kept me doing things to help at home. [Due to the unsatisfactory situation with her birth family, she was adopted.] I never went to school until the second semester of sixth grade, not even kindergarten or anything like that. The reason I’ve come here is to get better at English, my third language, and to catch up with school because I’m really behind. I have to work really hard and give everything I have to at least pass classes and catch up with all

Justin Whaling

“My [birth] mom left when I was 2 years old, so I never had a mother growing up, and I moved between my dad and my stepsister’s house. But I began to get into fights with my stepsister because she said she was going to take me to school but she never did — she kept me doing things to help at home. I never went to school until the second semester of sixth grade, not even kindergarten or anything like that.”

—freshman Hope Lambie 40

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Changes to exemptions leave some students dissatisfied

this semester

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one of the most pressing questions on everyone’s mind is “What is happening with our final exemptions?”

The new exemptions policy created by students, parents, teachers and the school board will go into effect during December finals. The main reasons for the change were the inequity in the distribution of finals and comments from former students.

“It seemed to be upside down that freshmen who had never taken an exam in their lives before suddenly had five or six exams, and seniors who are getting ready for college and will be taking lots of exams [had close to none],” principal Dr. John Carter said. “We also had some feedback from graduates that it was inverted.”

The new policy has a completely new setup for the class of 2016 and beyond, but the class of 2015 will not see many changes.

“In a nutshell, seniors are basically grandfathered into a mostly unchanged plan,” Dr. Carter said. “That was a big part if the feedback, from seniors and parents, is that seniors lived three years with a certain policy so they should finish out their time with it. There are pros and cons to that.”

Seniors will still have the ability to exempt all finals so long as they have an 88 in a class and haven’t been absent for more than five days.

The big change for seniors, and for all grades, is the requirement to attend finals days.

“For everybody, there is the requirement that you have to show up during the attendance period on exam days,” Dr. Carter said.

“That’s one part that is still in flux. We need to figure out what that looks like. That will become more clear as we move through the semester, but [students should] just know that they do have to come for the attendance period, which has to encompass 10 o’clock.”

Many students are outspokenly opposed to the new attendance policy.

“It’s not fair for us to be put into this new system, when every past year wasn’t,” senior Ari David said. “We didn’t know about

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this new system when we were signing up for classes. Why would I work hard, besides obvious reasons, to exempt a final I have to show up to anyway.”

There are two main possibilities for what the attendance period could look like. Students will most likely go to either their first final of the day, or to a mass study hall.

“Going to first period, even if students are exempt, would probably be the most efficient because those teachers know your face and they could take attendance very quickly,” Dr. Carter said. “Mass study hall in the Commons or the cafeteria is an idea, but attendance would not be very efficient because the people proctoring there would not necessarily know your face, so that would be a very slow process.”

For all other classes except seniors, attendance is also changing for daily classes. According to the new guidelines, students are allowed to miss no more than 10 percent of the class time, or nine days, in order to maintain exemption eligibility.

“Because so many students were appealing [attendance], we decided to just have one standard around lost of credit,” Dr. Carter said.

“There is no appeal because there is no appeal for loss of credit.”

Missing class time for school related activities and college visits are not counted in those nine days.

The tardy policy has also changed. Students are now allowed only three unexcused tardies per semester before they are required to take the final in that class.

“Many students have asked me about that, but there are many times when there are excused tardies,” Dr. Carter said. “The teacher gives you a pass? That’s an excused tardy. If you are coming back from a doctor’s appointment and you stop by the attendance office and she gives you a pass? That’s an excused tardy. Unexcused tardies are when you just show up [5 minutes late].”

Seniors might not see too many changes to their finals, but underclassmen have an almost entirely new finals policy.

“There are two [exemptions] for freshmen which is an increase,” Dr. Carter said. “Then there are two for sophomores which is status quo. Juniors have two first semester and three second semester.”

Non-seniors will also see a change when it comes to AP classes being exemptible.

“So there is an AP exam criteria, that rather than being an 88 grade, if you take an AP exam, and you have a 75 or better, you can be exempt from an AP class,” Dr. Carter said.

In the original policy from the beginning of the year, exempting an AP would count as one of the final exemptions. This has since been changed back to the way that it was last year.

While Dr. Carter said that it is too early to give a definitive answer, he says that he sees positive responses from the community.

“The ones that were involved in [the changes] saw all of their feedback in it,” Dr. Carter said. “People who are happy usually don’t let you know that they are happy, but they are definitely happy even if they don’t come out and say it.”

—Peyton Richardson

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rants + raves

Alex Charnes

with all due

RESPECT

Disrespect, cheating still more prevalent than we’d like to believe

A few weeks ago, you were scrolling through Yik Yak, laughing. You upvote a funny post about that kid in your history class. But then you stop. There’s a post about you. And it’s not funny anymore. Yik Yak, the social media app where you can anonymously say whatever you want to anyone within a five-mile radius was eventually shut down at school at the end of September because the cyberbullying became so vicious. The disrespect continued in the realwestlakeyearbook scandal, in which a student took screenshots of “finstas,” or fake Instagrams, where people upload photos of themselves drunk or high, and posted them. We’ve all heard the lecture where a teacher or speaker at an assembly wags their finger at us and tells us that cyberbullying is bad. That’s true, but the issue here is more one of respect than anything else.

There are real consequences for these actions that seem like jokes.

Yik Yak blew up in September and mostly consisted of making fun of people’s physical features or calling girls sluts, on a good day. The anonymity of the app took away the worries of getting in trouble, so Yik Yak became a hub of cyberbullying without any ramifications. The frantic need to post led to a mob mentality where the posts about others became more and more malicious until the app was made nearly impossible to use at school by the administration. In the realwestlakeyearbook situation, the stolen images

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were tagged with “#westlakeyearbook” and “#ctodd.” Even though what those girls were doing was illegal, to post their pictures without their consent is disrespectful. And to act as if the yearbook and their adviser, Cindy Todd, had anything to do with underage drinking and drug use hurts the journalism department and the school by making all of us look foolish. Even if you don’t care about how the school looks, you should at least care about the damage your words cause.

And it’s not just words that are part of this disrespect, it’s our actions as well. The prevalent cheating at our school has added to the level of disrespect for peers as well as teachers. The situation is ridiculous, because the people who are cheating to raise their grade point average for college are hurting themselves. They’re skewing the system that they are trying to cheat by raising the average grade that people get on assignments. Snagging a high ranking becomes even harder, because everyone else’s GPAs are even more padded and ridiculously high than theirs are with AP multipliers. These cheaters aren’t only hurting themselves, but they are also hurting their peers, teachers and future students. If a non-cheater is trying to get good grades, their hard-earned 92 seems like a poor attempt compared to a cheater’s 100. Not only that, but cheating is also unfair to teachers, who are the ones who need to know how well their students understand the

information. When the majority of a class gets an A on a test, a teacher may think that he has done a really good job getting the material across, and will continue to use that method for later years. And then those future students will have difficulty learning the material and some of them will likely cheat out of frustration. This vicious cycle of cheating all started because someone didn’t want to take the time to study, which, in some situations, would have taken less time than the cheating itself.

These things affect your friends and teachers. There are people in our school who already have low self-esteem and the “harmless” Yik Yak post about the fat girl who is within five miles of you made her feel unworthy in our ignorant society. Looking over at your neighbor’s paper seems like an easy way to get an A, until you study hard and someone cheats off of you. These things feel fine until someone disrespects you publicly.

Soon, there’ll be a new app or website that will be used in a similar way. It’s up to us to respect ourselves, and others, enough to not participate. We can’t blame the platform for our actions. When we look back at high school memories, we’re going to feel horrible when realizing that we cyberbullied someone or when our grades are slipping because we didn’t retain any information from high school. If disrespect to others isn’t enough to convince you, think about yourself before you cheat or make that post.

CHILD’S PLAY

Nostalgic teen struggles to accept that trick-or-treating is for kids

Michaela

Moss

With Oct. 31 fast approaching, stores are being stocked with all the usual orange-and-black decor; leaves are falling in their usual sporadic Texan way; pumpkins are getting carved in their usual spooky patterns. But, as I close in on my 16th Halloween, something is missing.

Last year, after trudging through my neighborhood route, decked out in my Hogwarts robes and frizzed up hair, my family made one thing clear: that would be my final trick-or-treat escapade. My days of racing friends from door to door, of beaming when given a candy bar and faking a smile when handed a toothbrush, were over.

“You’re too old, honey,” my mom empathized.

“No one wants to give you candy anymore,” my sister said.

But I can’t be the only one unwilling to give up such a vital component of my childhood. There must be others who wish, as I do, that trickor-treating was socially acceptable for a highschooler.

Remember going outside into the crisp autumn air, the cool breeze carrying the scent of cinnamon and pumpkin spice into your nose? The sun has just sunk below the horizon and the harvest moon is quickly rising. On the corner, you meet your friends with an enormous grin. Everyone’s costumes are properly examined and discussed, and you’re off. You and your squad of hodgepodge characters skip down the road, parents in tow, giggling about the relevant elementary school gossip. As you approach the first house, suddenly one of your friends starts to run. Now it’s a full-on race. At the door, everyone is falling over each other, struggling to be the one to ring the holy door bell. Someone hits it and you wait anxiously. The door opens. You say the well-

known words and receive your prize; this will be the first of many sugary treats that will last you weeks. You continue this process with much enthusiasm until the parents decide that it’s time to go inside. Although you are reluctant, you know that this means the best part is yet to come: the bartering event of the year.

In the living room, bags of assorted goodies are dumped into piles. Putting aside the unwanted candy for later discussion, you sort out the M&Ms from the Skittles, the KitKats from the Snickers, the Smarties from the Starbursts.

And then the deliberation begins: two Almond Joys for a Twix! Milky Way for Candy Corn! Swedish Fish for Crunch! No, but really, does anyone want these Almond Joys?

Candy is tossed from every direction until everyone is satisfied with their loot. And then your friends start to leave one by one, and the night is over. As your mom tucks you into bed, you are already planning next year’s costume.

Is it not bothersome that the year-long anticipation is over? Accepting the fact that I will have to be a “normal” highschooler this Halloween — which means either going to a party or staying home and watching horror movies on Netflix — has made my autumn days seem purposeless. The hours that used to be spent scavenging every Halloween Superstore in town preparing the perfect costume are now spent locked in my room doing pre-calculus homework.

With the trick-or-treating chapter of my life coming to a close, I suppose the best thing to do is enjoy the “high school way” of celebrating and wait until the day I will take my children on the quest for sugar. But for now, I reluctantly say goodbye to my trick-or-treating days.

—Lexy Connolly

NO WORK, ALL PAIN

The epidemic of “senioritis” is as real as it will ever be It’s senior year. No more STAAR testing. No more numerical limits to final exemptions. No more sneaking off of campus for lunch. Finally, we will be the ones turning our back to the freshman class and winning the spirit stick that is rightfully ours. This year will be our year.

Just kidding.

Senioritis has hit. And it has hit hard. It’s an epidemic, affecting every student, and even some teachers. Wake up. Honey Ham. Sleep through four periods. Chipotle. Sleep through two periods. Go home. Netflix. Eat. Sleep.

Repeat. We try to do homework, we really do, but between college apps and visits to schools across the country that look just like Hogwarts, we can’t seem to take our upcoming math quiz very seriously. We’re stuck in this painful transition between high school and college. Right now, where we will be next year seems to take precedence over our current high school standing.

While Homecoming used to be the high-

light of the fall season, the stress of spending hundreds on a dress and bus, getting a group together and finding the right photographer seems too overwhelming to even consider. We’d much rather spend this time visiting our prospective colleges and desperately trying to get our applications in before their deadline. An internal debate between the perks of attending a Friday night game and putting the finishing touches on our résumé has become a struggle that we have more often than we’d like to admit.

We’re always tired, always stressed and always overwhelmed. No matter how early we go to bed, we always wake up with bags under our eyes and a new wave of college emails crowding our inbox. Dressing cute just isn’t an option anymore. More often than not, putting together a new outfit for school sounds like so much effort, we skip the process altogether. This t-shirt? I slept in it.

In the few cases we do find the inspiration to try, we end up sliding into class a few minutes

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after the tardy bell has rung. We’re just glad our grade isn’t a part of the four tardy exemption rule.

Without our morning Starbucks fix, we wouldn’t make it through the day.

—Alexis Huynh and ZZ Lundberg

DRONES

A DJI Phantom drone, equipped with a GoPro camera, records the action around the iconic 360 Bridge. This photo was taken at near the maximum legal altitude for drones, 400 feet.

What do you think? “[Drones] can be cool because they can take cool images and videos but privacy can be an issue if you are just intruding on other people’s privacy.”

—junior Jesse Olguin

Popular civilian drones pose new regulatory problems Drones. The word conjures up dramatic images from movies where they are used to spy on, or even shoot, innocent people.

But drones have added a fascinating new angle to photography and videography as well. Sure, I could use an airplane or helicopter to get the captures I need, but they’re quite complicated. Normal planes are expensive to operate, loud and can’t fit into tight areas. Drones offer the perfect balance of cheap, easy-to-use hardware that gets the shot that I need as effortlessly as possible.

I fly the DJI Phantom, an entry-level consumer drone. Running around $500, it is an easy way to get into drone photography without breaking the bank, but it’s expensive enough to make me think twice about risking it in dangerous situations. The Phantom is powerful enough to carry a GoPro camera up to unbelievable altitudes — in excess of 8,500 feet — and has four powerful electric motors that give it incredible stability, enough to fly in strong winds and turbulent air.

Perhaps its most remarkable feature is the “return-to-home” mode. This is a fail safe that will bring the drone back to its takeoff location and land itself on autopilot — all using GPS. Before every flight I allow the drone to complete its location diagnostic and compass calibration. After about 20 seconds, the drone picks up six GPS satellites. A green light blinks on the back of the Phantom to let me know it is ready to fly. Now, after takeoff, if it ever flies out of sight, I can activate return-to-home and save the drone, as well as anyone who could have been hurt by the potentially out-of-control drone.

With all of these capabilities, the Phantom is like a mobile Google Earth, allowing photographers to capture beautiful landscapes in real time and in super-high definition. Satellite imagery is great, but it always looks flat and boring. The drone can take photos at any time of day, which gives the images beautiful texture and definition.

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However, drones are also extremely easy to abuse. The Federal Aviation Administration has numerous laws in place attempting to control their use: you must fly below 400 feet, you must fly at least three miles away from an airport and you can’t fly over densely populated areas. Unfortunately, these laws are nearly impossible to enforce and are broken daily. Each of these abuses endangers the hobby and livelihood of those who fly drones safely.

As an airplane pilot, I am aware of the risks that drones pose to the planes that I fly. Imagine for a moment, a five-pound metal and plastic drone impacting a five-ton airplane at a closure rate of 500 miles per hour. The destruction is huge. Gashes in wings, shattered windshields and, worst of all, destroyed jet engines are all possible consequences. And the scary fact is, there are close calls every day. It is only a matter of time before a kid with a drone hits an airplane. Not only will this be dangerous to the people in the airplane, but it will likely bring a halt to all drone operations, ending the hobby for all of the rule-following participants. If people used common sense, everyone would be safe. Planes could fly safely, and drone flying would still be legal. People know not to fly drones up high and near airports, where airplanes fly. Yet, they still do.

Already, people’s lack of common sense is hurting many drone fliers. In August, a tourist crashed his drone into Yellowstone National Park’s largest geothermal hot spring. The drone, which to date has not been recovered, could potentially damage the fragile ecosystem of the spring. In the months before that, drone incidents in national parks had skyrocketed. In response, the National Parks Service issued a complete ban on all drone use. The unintended consequence is that now, skilled drone pilots, including many professional photographers, are unable to fly and create compelling content, which results

“The commercial use of drones is inevitable. Faster and cheaper means of transporting goods will always be favored over labor-intensive systems.

Private use raises some questions in regard to the safety and privacy of others. Because of this, laws will be necessary to regulate the use of drones in residential areas and cities. I think it is worth mentioning that even though there are many ways that drones can cause problems, they can also be useful in getting resources and locating those trapped in areas of natural disasters or hardto-reach areas of rural countries. It will be exciting to see how drones will shape the world around us.”

—senior Court Manske

in less exposure for the National Parks.

Another issue is trespassing. During the University of Texas football season opener, a student flew a drone over the field during the second half. University police located the student and detained him for the rest of the game. The case is under further investigation, because civilian drone regulations are so vague that there is debate on whether the student’s actions were actually unlawful. The FAA had issued an unpublished Temporary Flight Restriction classifying airspace above a stadium that seats more than 30,000 people during a football game as National Defence Airspace, meaning aircraft are prohibited from flying within three nautical miles and no less than 3,000 feet above a stadium during games. These notices, however, are not published in any FAA release, making them nearly impossible to find for pilots and drone fliers alike.

Additionally, a new Texas law states that it is illegal to use a drone to capture an image of an individual or privately owned real property in this state with the intent to conduct surveillance on the individual or property captured in the image. But the rules are fuzzy as to the boundaries of our property. Do you own the area 40 feet above your house?

Drone use is a growing business that is going to force us to think seriously about how we can safely and legally accomplish flights. This growth won’t stop — companies like Amazon, DHL and Google will continue to develop delivery drones and more people will use drones for photography and for fun. We can’t ignore the mounting risks. The future of drones for commercial use will be determined by the action the FAA may or may not take. Like most government agencies, though, the FAA will be slow to regulate. Meanwhile, it is up to every one of us, drone fliers and bystanders alike, to use common sense and, above all, fly safely.

—Tim Whaling with research by Emily Martin

“It’s a violation of my privacy.”

—freshman Jason Najjar “It’s a big risk because they are easy to hack and modify.”

—freshman Teak Toles “Having something like [a drone] would be useful to get interesting shots. It’s a useful tool especially to filmmakers.

—senior Julian Guevara

Tim Whaling

“I think [drones] are fine, but if it’s a private event and they are using a drone to record it, like the UT incident, that could be an issue.”

—sophomore Mackenzie Mountain

HORROR FILM EDITION

REVIEWS 8.0

Children of the Corn 1984

Do you like freaky Stephen King movies? How about freaky little men who look like children? Then Children of the Corn is perfect for you. In Gatlin, NE, a town of dutiful churchgoers is held captive by the enigmatic Isaac. He says he speaks for the even more mysterious “He Who Walks Behind the Rows.” And after months of murderous sacrifices, “interlopers” Burt and Vicky get lost in Gatlin and call out the psychotic Isaac and his followers. What ensues is a mix of a terrifyingly great plot and oddly humorous “effects.” Some slack needs to be given, though, since the movie was filmed in 1984. Despite this, it’s a classic for a reason.

—Nikki Humble

7.9

Pan’s Labyrinth 2006

The flabby, child-eating ghouls and mystical prophecies aren’t what make Pan’s Labyrinth a chilling movie. Rather, it’s the calculated cruelty of the humans in Guillermo Del-Toro’s fantasy/horror film that made me shiver. Teenage Ofelia and her mother take up residence with her sadistic stepfather in fascist Spain. Amidst the fighting, Ofelia discovers that she is the reincarnated heir to the throne of an underground fairy realm and must complete three tasks in order to reclaim her destiny. While the monsters and violence are not for the faint of heart, Pan’s Laby-

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rinth is no jump-scare or slasher — it’s a haunting story about courage, innocence and the human capacity for both great kindness and unimaginable cruelty.

—Georgina Kuhlmann

7.0

The Blair Witch Project 1999

Many horror movies resort to the infamous shaky-cam technique out of sheer laziness (looking at you, Cloverfield). But The Blair Witch Project, the movie that started it all, did it right. A group of teenagers scour the woods in search of the notorious Blair Witch to film a documentary. According to legend, a man murdered seven children. When he was put on trial, he claimed he was possessed by the fabled Blair Witch. Their trip goes drastically wrong when they really do find the Blair Witch. The result is a truly terrifying experience, so horrifying it almost feels like you are the one in danger. And the scariest part? You never even see the witch.

—Jack Wallace

8.2

Alien 1979

In space, no one can hear you scream. The seven crew members of the mining ship Nostromo learn this the hard way in Alien. After answering a distress signal on an unexplored planet, they learn that they are no longer alone on their ship. A hostile creature has boarded their

vessel, and with nowhere to go, the crew is caught in a deadly game of cat-andmouse. Alien was released in 1979, so it’s no surprise that the special effects are anything but special. The alien is clearly a man in a suit, and the explosions at the end are laughable. However, if you can look past the dated effects, Alien is a solid movie, with strong writing and likeable characters. It takes its time to get to the killing and scares, and in doing so creates an atmosphere of suspense that many horror movies don’t have these days.

—Jack Stenglein

6.0

House 1977

1977’s House is a deranged Japanese horror film unconcerned with traditional genre preconceptions and instilled with a certain air of childlike naivety. While it may have originally seen a universally negative reception in the box office, it has since developed into a full-fledged cult classic. House follows the exploits of a group of six schoolgirls on vacation in one of their aunt’s homes.

The twist is, the aunt is both a practicing black magician who died waiting for her husband to return from WWI and an evil spirit who exists only to consume unmarried women and possess random household objects. House has one of the least convincing plots of any film in the horror genre, a cast of characters whose names describe their archetypal personalities (e.g.Gorgeous, Sweet, Kung Fu), a carnivorous piano and a man that undergoes a transformation into a stack of bananas.

But despite the implied campiness of these elements, it proves to be a wholly entertaining experience.

stuff we like Awkward Eye Contact You’re sitting alone, minding your own business and absently scanning the room. Then it happens: your gaze meets that of the person across from you ... and you share a long, uncomfortably intimate moment before one of you looks away. Two minutes later, it happens again. You feel like you should smile or wave to make things less awkward, but what if they think you’re creepy? You try in vain to avoid looking at them, but this unpleasant dance continues until they pack up and depart, leaving you with a touch of emptiness.

Or you could be walking down an empty hallway and the motion of someone rounding the corner ten yards away makes you look up and lock eyes. You let your gaze slide to the floor, but you’re marching toward one another, relentlessly. Shouldn’t the Rocky theme song be playing or something? You curse the world for its ridiculous notion of putting eyes on the front of people’s heads, but the world doesn’t care. It just laughs at you as you suffer under the terrible burden of awkward eye contact.

but we can’t help it. We are addicted ... to Welch’s Fruit Snacks. Costco has made our addiction a breeze with their conveniently priced 80-pack. We’ve tried to quit cold turkey, but we just keep crawling back. Seriously though, what do they put in these things?

Ariana Gomez

ye

We go through at least a pack a day, and if we go too long without them, we go into withdrawal and just wait for our next fix. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, we’ll sneak out of bed just to get a hold of some.

And, we know, we know, they’re not good for our health,

s

Fruit Snacks Re

Shoelaces Having trouble keeping your shoelaces tied? Try a double or even a triple knot — whatever the case, never convert to velcro. Shoelaces add immensely to your level of cool. You don’t even have to own a pair of shoes to use them. They can be used as

hair bows, crocheted into scarves, braided into bracelets, or tied together into a rope that can be used to climb out your window in the middle of the night. So do yourself a favor and go find some rad shoelaces. Life without them would be knot-so-glamorous.

Baby Peach So there’s Satan. There’s Voldemort. There’s Cruella de Ville. There’s an endless parade of malicious Disney queens. But one villain transcends them all: the ruthless Baby Peach. Any true Mario Kart-er can relate to the struggles of dodging the endless obstacles that arise in a normal circuit. But blue turtle shells? They’ve got nothing on this psycho she-devil. She won’t rest until her thirst for blood is quenched. You could be crossing the finish line of Rainbow Road when you hear the high-pitched battle

cry that could only be replicated by a young Michael Jackson inhaling a can of helium. If it wasn’t bad enough that the aggression built up during a game of Mario Kart is tearing your friendships to shreds, now this lunatic fiend is coming up behind you. So what is it that makes Baby Peach so infuriating? It could be her irksome voice or her unexpected victories. But we know one thing for sure: with the help of our fellow Kart-ers, we can fight to end the reign of this princess from hell.

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