Roughly 95 percent of my wardrobe is second hand, from my beat-up pairs of Converse collected from Goodwills to the vintage sweaters and cardigans I inherited from my late grandfather. I have become accustomed to thrifting for all of my fashion needs, and I think it’s the best way to build a unique and quality wardrobe for relatively cheap. Additionally, I think it’s important to stop purchasing from the fast fashion industry, which continues to be a leading industry in the destruction of our environment. Thrifting is the perfect replacement.
A few years ago, I took my love for fashion (and thrifting addiction) to a new level by regularly selling old clothes I didn’t wear any more. I began a sort of informal gig as a “reseller,” buying clothes from thrift stores and selling them for higher prices on online shopping platforms such as Depop. As I’ve immersed myself in the world of second hand fashion, I’ve also encountered numerous instances of disagreement regarding the ethics and sustainability of thrifting. I think there is plenty of misinformation online about both, and I aim to clear the air using my experience as a reseller and as a thrift shopper.
First of all, many have called into question the ethics of thrifting as a middle or upper class person who could, theoretically, afford to shop at “regular” stores. Despite the fact that there is no shortage of donated clothing, thrift stores have raised prices drastically compared to before the pandemic. This has been widely attributed to the increase in demand for second hand clothing, but demand does not account entirely for price hiking. It should be noted that clothing stores, like all other industries, are subject to inflation, which skyrocketed during and after the pandemic; the effects of inflation still linger as corporations are reluctant to reduce prices from their all-time highs. The increasing unaffordability of thrifting correlates with a rise in demand, but it also correlates to an economy that is entirely unaffordable for the working class.
encounter pristine vintage items that were never put up for sale or went unnoticed by customers. Price hikes are attributable to corporate greed, not the habits of consumers. Furthermore, the only viable alternative to thrifting for middle and upper class people is to buy fast fashion, which constitute the vast majority of fashion companies.
On that note, I should add that my research into the second hand fashion industry has also led me to question just how sustainable thrifting really is. I know it seems like I’m contradicting myself, but I think both fast fashion and second hand fashion have the potential to harm our planet. When I first got into thrifting, I was so enamored at how cheap everything was, I bought of clothes I didn’t really want and couldn’t wear. I thought I was doing the planet a favor, but most of that stuff I just ended up throwing out anyway. And, the items I donated back to the thrift store probably weren’t going to get picked up by someone else—in fact, the EPA estimates that 84 percent of donated clothing will eventually just end up in a landfill or an incinerator. So, donating clothes isn’t actually as sustainable as we think it is,
Again, there is also no shortage of donated clothing that necessitates this price increase. Thrift stores receive an overwhelming volume of donations, far more than they can sell, and quality clothing gets sent to the landfill all of the time. I’ve seen it myself—at the Goodwill bins, one of the last stops for donated clothes before they’re sent to the landfill, I frequently
Many of us are encouraged to donate our old clothes instead of recycling them for other purposes, even though donating has a much higher chance of harming the planet. In this sense, second hand fashion could actually be harmful. I do, however, still think it has the potential to live up to its sustainable reputation. Personally, I am a much more conscious consumer now that I have thrifted for years. I often enter the thrift store and come out with nothing; on a good day, I’ve maybe found one or two items that I know I will wear often. And, once I do tire of them, I will sell them to someone else who I know will wear them, or cut them up and use them for other purposes. If more thrift shoppers decreased their spending and put more thought into their purchases, we could actually contribute to a positive cycle of sustainable fashion, and at the same time stop funneling so much money into thrift corporations that continue to hike up prices for no reason other than greed. I don’t think any form of consumption will ever be perfect for our society or our planet, but we can always strive to do better. I know I am.
Within the last few months, many athletics teams on campus have been having amazing seasons and have gone far in their respective sports. Powerlifting sent many of their athletes to state, including Ryan Doggett who placed first at state. Then the track meet hosted its first and very successful "Susan Thompson” Unified Track meet, as well as performing well at the Area meet. There was also the girl's soccer team who made it to the semi-finals of the State soccer tournament, an amazing testament to their skill and teamwork. These athletic programs have done amazing things and there is still more to come from many of the other athletic programs that are still going on. The athletic performance of the past couple of months is a hit
During the recent two weeks of district testing, students and staff were oftentimes left in the dark about the school’s exam schedule, resulting in widespread confusion on campus. Although teachers were notified in advance if they were to proctor an exam, schedules regarding hall monitor duties were delayed until the morning of the exams. This not only resulted in a spontaneous change of plans for the teachers, it also resulted in some teachers to miss their shifts as monitors entirely-leaving gaps in the typical testing procedures.
Additionally, the testing set up as a whole is inefficient. The unequal class time distribution results in one period getting ahead of or behind the others, throwing off teacher schedules and resulting in a headache for those teachers who have to get them back on track. This issue is also seen for the grade levels who are testing, since those students must continue with their last two classes following their exams. This again throws teachers off schedule. Considering both of these reasons, the school’s testing procedures are a miss.
During EOC testing, schedule changes naturally had to be made to accommodate testing students. While not uncommon for alterations to school bells and lunches to be made, the lack of awareness and definitive answers on these changes was uncommon. Students did not receive emails of these changes as they usually would. Extended period lengths and lunch time changes were not made aware of to many students. The most notable adjustment to the schedule was the removal of D lunch, which was reserved for testing students. Those who commonly had D lunch were then either assigned to B or C lunch. No email or announcement was made on the loudspeaker, leaving students confused. Some ended up attending the wrong lunch altogether or returned to class late. The lack of communication and awareness regarding the scheduling for EOC testing is a miss.
“I think recycling is really important. I mean, landfills will just continue to fill up if we can’t recycle things back into something new. I think recycling and compost are both very important. I don’t like that Pflugerville doesn’t have a compost system.”
- Maple Willis, 10
“I feel like I don’t see a lot of recycling prevalent in this school. I see people putting paper in the recycling bin and I’ve heard that the recycling doesn’t actually go to the recycling and get recycled.”
- Maddy Allgood, 11
“I like to recycle when I can. We have a recycling bin at home and I make sure I throw the right things in there, like plastic water bottles. I feel a little guilty when I don’t recycle because I feel like I’m just wasting things that could be reused. I think everyone should recycle because there’s no downsides to it.”
- Lucas Zavaleta, 11
“The lack of recycling in Henderson High School is kind of disappointing because Pflugerville is a decent well off city. Socially wise it’s modern, it’s a mixed community, There’s a lot of opportunities for different minorities. It’s kind of sad though that at one of the better high schools we don’t have an area for recycling and that we aren’t pushing for the environment in the success of our environment. Seeing that, I hope, that the older population wants to see a better world for the younger generations.”
- Leo Atwood, 10
“My family and I like to recycle a lot. I think that it’s very beneficial for the Earth and more people should actually start doing it and implementing that into schools.”
-Afomiya Michael, 11In recent years, climate change has begun to develop more rapidly. Temperatures throughout the U.S have reached all time highs and extreme weather events are occurring more frequently. As a result, negative effects on communities are rising. Human’s physical and mental health are deteriorating. Animals are no longer able to maintain their habitats as natural resources deplete and construction destroys their homes. The results are only estimated to worsen unless action is taken.
Evidence of these effects have become apparent in Texas. The most notable effect has been weather related. Heat has been at an all time high in recent years. According to The Texas Tribune, there have been more than 1,600 days when the heat had matched or broken a record. In 2013, the average had been significantly less at 561 days.
Aside from the heat, extreme weather events have occurred for Texans. The abrupt freezes during the winter are theorized to be a result of climate change’s effects on climate patterns (The Texas Tribune).
The main contributors to the advancement of climate change include the burning of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. One of the many ways to combat climate change is to recycle. Doing so reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the need to produce new raw materials.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the shutdown of schools and the transition to online school, recycling bins had been a standard staple in every classroom. Essential Academic kids would go from classroom to classroom to pick up and empty the bins and the papers. Following the full reopening of the school, recycling bins in classrooms and on school grounds were no longer present.
responsibility mainly falls on students and their willingness to dispose of their trash correctly.
While it may seem like a lack of recycling in one school wouldn’t pose the greatest threat to the environment, it does. When combined with improper disposal in general and the waste production from over 2,000 students, the impact is not so miniscule.
In addition to the school’s waste contribution, it’s essential to recognize the other ways we contribute to climate change. Many students drive to and from school, while also often driving off campus for lunch. Driving so frequently releases large amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Hence, the benefits of carpooling, taking the bus, or reducing the frequency of going
Aside from the contributions of trash and
Additionally, the cafeteria previously separated waste from recycling. Ultimately, the system ended up not working due to how time consuming it was. The main factor in the decision to remove recycling bins came from cost. Though, the cost could be decreased by students properly recycling, as doing so would decrease high disposal costs of trash. That
transportation to the environment, significant contributor is food waste. The trash cans in the cafeteria commonly overflow with half eaten and sometimes even untouched food. The food waste produced from this emits the greenhouse gas methane. These seemingly insignificant daily actions actually contribute heavily to the deterioration of the environment and the progression of climate change. With that, the seemingly insignificant actions of properly recycling, working to lower driving time, and trying to minimize food waste can actually lead to significant change and progress when everyone works as one to better the environment.
Teachers strive to make their classroom and environment as safe and efficient as possible for themselves and their students. This march for improvement is what allows for the nominations of the Teacher, Humanitarian, and Rookie of the Year, where the school staff votes for which teacher they think deserves the awards. The teachers have recently been chosen, with Livia Hernandez winning Rookie of the Year, Latraica Spencer winning Humanitarian of the Year, and Emily Hall winning Teacher of the Year.
“When I first saw the nomination, I was pretty excited,” Hernandez said, “When I found out that I won, I couldn’t believe it. I thought that the other teacher nominated was going to win, so I was kind of in shock.”
Hernandez is in her first year of teaching and constantly tries to improve and adapt to her new situation. She also tries to make time for her students and properly takes care of them.
“I think that having a good relationship with the students is really important," Hernandez said. “If I can’t get into their minds, I can’t get into their hearts, and If I am not able to have a good relationship with the students, they aren’t going to want to listen to me.”
In regards to taking care of their students, Spencer has won Humanitarian of the Year for just that. Humanitarian of the Year means that a teacher has been rewarded for their efforts in taking care of their students and fellow staff members.
“I feel grateful and supported by my
staff members,” Spencer said. “I am always trying to put others first and I am there when teachers and students need support, which is what a Humanitarian does.”
Spencer is the special education teacher here on campus and is constantly trying to make sure students continue to move forward and do their best here on campus.
“ I know a lot of kids don't think that what they are learning here relates to life skills,” Spencer said. “So I think making a better connection between the skills we learn here and the skills we need in life is very important.”
Hall has won the Teacher of the Year award, which is a testament to the skill she has as a teacher.
“I was really surprised, I’ve only been at Hendrickson for three years, and I feel like with such a large campus it’s really hard to get to know everybody,” Hall said. “I was definitely shocked and honored.”
Hall has been teaching for 11 years and tries to get herself involved in all facets of school life.
“I try to be active around campus as much as possible," Hall said. “I like going to games, pep rallies, and any extracurriculars I can.”
Hall also strives to make her classroom the best it can be and the best environment for her and her students.
“I try to make my classroom a place students want to be, where I want to be, and I look forward to coming to school every day, which I think is really important,” Hall said. “If I get to a point
where I am not excited about coming to school then it’s probably not a good placement for me anymore.”
Hall has a chance to be nominated for moving on to District Teacher of the Year, where she can compete against other teachers around the district.
“With Hall winning Teacher of the Year, she is entered in a competition with teachers from all over the district who have won Teacher of the Year to decide who will be District Teacher of the Year,” Principal Michael Grebb said. “From there, they can be entered into the state
and even national competition.”
Even with Hall winning Teacher of the Year, it is important to highlight the importance and impact of all teachers on campus, whether or not they have won an award.
“We have excellent teachers, not just these three in specific,” Grebb said. “Students are lucky to have such amazing teachers.”
Latraica Spencer, Livia Hernandez, and Emily Hall, pose with their awards.
The Hawk newspaper continued their history of winning national awards this year with the announcement of the Crown awards, granted by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association on March 15. This is the sixth Crown award garnered by the publication in its history; beginning in 2018.
“Two national organizations are basically the hallmark of scholastic journalism,” journalism adviser Kari Riemer said. “One of them is the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. They select publications that they consider the best of the best.” The awards are separated into two tiers,
Silver and Gold Crowns. This year, The Hawk won a Silver Crown. The awards are also particularly selective, granted to relatively few high school publications.
“This year, there were only 15 Crowns total for print newspapers,” Riemer said. “So, I just think at that national level, competition is high.”
The strength of The Hawk lies mainly in its news coverage, according to CoEditor and senior Lili Moran.
“I think we talked about a lot of unique issues,” Moran said. “Issues that aren’t covered in other school newspapers.”
Riemer also said she thought The Hawk’s coverage contributed to the win.
“The kids are putting out high quality
products and in-depth writing,” Riemer said. “They’re not afraid to investigate or cover things that are not only controversial, but that are challenging.”
Additionally, the newspaper is currently run by a much smaller group of students than in previous years.
“We have such a small staff, but I feel like we have maintained the level of rigor and quality of work we’ve previously done,” Moran said. “Also, I feel like design-wise we’ve improved, especially with a lot of the great artists that we have now.”
Traditionally, Riemer purchases cake and various items for the staff year after year in order to celebrate the award.
“When we get a national award, we always get cake,” Riemer said. “And, I’ve been trying to do silly things. Last year, we did silly little paper crowns; this year, we did temporary crown tattoos.”
Moran said she felt “very honored” for the newspaper to receive the Silver Crown.
“It just feels nice to see our hard work get paid off,” Moran said. “I don’t think a lot of people realize how much work it really does take to put out an issue every single month. It’s a lot.”
The speech and debate team brought home an abundance of victories at the Texas Forensic Association state competition and UIL CX state over spring break. Junior Waleed Haider was named State Champion in International Extemp and placed 2nd in Congressional Debate at TFA.
“I was really glad to be able to speak about political issues that I care deeply about, while also happening to do really well,” Haider said. “Next week I will be going to Kentucky for the Tournament of Championships and then later this year we will be going to the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Iowa. I’m hoping to work as hard as I can to place
as well as I can and represent Texas at a national level.”
Other notable TFA victors include senior Johnpaul Buwule who placed 4th in Oratory, senior Cecilia Acosta who made semi finals in Informative and senior Briana Williams who made semi finals in Oratory. Senior Maya Hay became a quarterfinalist in Domestic Extemp as well as junior Rin Moore and sophomore Natalie Mathews who made it to quarterfinals in Informative. Their success is a feat Speech and Debate coach Kirsten Nash takes pride in.
“I think it’s nice to see the culmination of a lot of hard work,” Nash said. “The people who did really well, especially at TFA state, work really hard, they
put in a lot of hours. I mean, I’ve never seen someone give as many speeches as Waleed, so it’s nice to see all that work pay off. When someone who has practiced so much and is so successful, it’s nice as a coach to see your guidance pay off.”
In addition to the team’s success at TFA, senior Aiden Cheely and sophomore Marvelous Aije made it to semifinals at UIL CX. Something Cheely feels grateful to have as one of his last moments as a part of the team.
“Overall, I felt like we had done really well as a partnership,” Cheely said. “For me, it was my last year competing in the event. I feel really good about it and it was a really nice experience and
what I would consider a nice end to my highschool speech and debate career.”
The team continues to triumph as they turn their focus to upcoming competitions.
“We’ve just had UIL district and the team couldn’t have done better,” Nash said. “We took 1, 2, 3 in Persuasive Extemp and 1, 2, 3 in Informative Extemp and one and two in LD, so those kids are prepping for UIL regionals. But before that, some of those kids are going to the Tournament of Champions in Kentucky in World Schools and we have three individual competitors for that.”
The last time the district had to search out a new superintendent was in 2017, with the hiring of former PFISD superintendent Dr. Douglas Killian. Now that Killian has moved to Cypress Fairbanks ISD; the district has been in search of a replacement. After a meeting on April 4, Dr. Quintin Shepherd has been selected as the lone finalist.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve as superintendent of Pflugerville ISD and to champion the cause of students, teachers, parents, and community members as we embark on our journey of continuous improvement,” Dr. Shepherd said in an email from the district. “Joining a community that places children and families at the heart of its mission is both an honor and a calling.”
Dr. Shepherd has nearly three decades
of experience within public education, and has served as the superintendent of Victoria ISD since July 2018. Consisting with Texas laws, there will be a 21 day waiting period before the board can hire him. The hiring process has been helped by the use of focus groups and meetings with both representatives of the community as well as teacher and student input.
“Some of the attributes we will seek in our next superintendent are as expressed by our community through several focus groups and input,” PFISD board president Renae Mitchell said. “Knowledge and skill in academics/curriculum, proven record in student successful outcomes, school finance, teacher and staff retention, innovation, etc.”
The board considered a wide range of candidates with the help of
representatives David Thomspon and Dr. Mike Moses.
“Dr. Moses and Mr. Thompson are representatives from Thompson & Horton LLP who are conducting the search for a dynamic and visionary leader to guide our school district into the future,” Mitchell said. “As part of the search process, the external firm will advertise the position, actively recruit individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills, and conduct multiple focus groups.”
The board branched out into the community through many meetings, taking in community members’ opinions. These opinions are stressed by the board as being very important, as they invited Pflugerville ISD students, teachers, staff, parents, local elected officials, business owners, community members, and
leaders in the community. This inclusive list of community members helps to contribute to many different voices participating in the selection of the new superintendent.
“The board aimed to incorporate input from all community voices and stakeholders in the decision-making process for selecting a Superintendent to lead the district,” Mitchell said. “We appreciate the community's contribution to the process. The PfISD Board of Trustees remains committed to identifying and hiring the most suitable individual for the well-being of our students, staff, parents, and the community, as well as one who cares for our PfISD family as much as we do.”
Students speak up on the importance of low waste mindsetEliana Grant | Asst. Editor
The goal for total environmental sustainability can seem a complicated quest to embark on. This is why students stress the importance of starting with small everyday actions in an effort to help the world around them.
“Being environmentally sustainable to me means doing things that will benefit the environment to the best of my abilities,” junior Jackson Collins said. “I definitely recommend starting a garden, it’s a great way to get fresh vegetables and gardening can be very enjoyable. You don’t have to be all ‘save the planet’ and such to be environmentally sustainable, you don’t have to go all out and live off the grid,
small things such as using reusable water bottles and tupperware, recycling, not littering, things that are small ways anyone can be environmentally stable.”
There are many actions and routes one can take to help out the earth, most commonly using a reusable water bottle. A reusable water bottle provides benefits such as reducing plastic waste, and not requiring students to spend as much money on buying plastic water bottles every day.
“I started recycling because my parents were doing it and I learned the habit of doing so,” sophomore Jole Rincon said. “I use a reusable water bottle because it can hold more than plastic bottles and I enjoy the filtered water from my home more
than from a water bottle.”
Many students are careful with their actions, and thus have looked for other ways to reduce their plastic waste. These other ways include looking for alternate options to plastic, as well as making sure to reuse items when they can.
“I keep plastic utensils and stuff I don’t use with me in case anyone needs it,” junior Aaron Pomerantz said. “I think everyone should try to be more sustainable, our earth is dying. Definitely try to reduce the amount of plastic you use, and make sure to reuse whatever you can in order to reduce waste.”
Reusability is greatly important, and can be implemented in many parts of a
person’s daily life.
“My family has been in a routine of sustainability since I was really young,” sophomore Kayla Nguyen said. “As early as elementary my father had created a rainwater collector from the downspouts [that] would collect rainwater into multiple containers. We would use that water to water our garden. That was my inspiration to become sustainable. Although my parents grew up in poverty in Vietnam, they together were able to show me the power of being resourceful and sustainable; from using what we had to learning to make things ourselves.”
Juniors thrift for sustainability, affordability, aestheticGia Patel | Asst. Editor
Many thrift not only to find unique pieces of clothing that fit their style, but also to shop more sustainably with the planet in mind instead of buying items from fast fashion retailers.
Junior Lucas Nguyen enjoys thrifting not only to find clothing pieces that go well with his style, but also to help the environment and planet by contributing less waste.
“I do find a lot of clothes for my style because when you thrift, there’s a big range of clothing you can get and it is really nice because everything is sustainable,” Nguyen said. “And another good thing about thrifting is that a lot of the stuff is really cheap, since a lot of stores now are really expensive. Those are the main reasons why I like thrifting.”
Nguyen is relatively new to thrifting for clothes.
“I would say like last year was when I got into thrifting,” Nguyen said. “I think everyone else started doing it, so I just tried it out and it really worked for me.”
Nguyen’s favorite place to thrift is locally, around the Pflugerville area.
“I would say my favorite place to thrift is Goodwill,” Nguyen said. “I go to the one by McDonald’s.”
Not only does Nguyen shop at thrift stores like Goodwill, but he has also explored the bins at the Goodwill Distribution Center.
“I went to the bins once and it was really cool because it was really cheap,” Nguyen said. “But it’s really hard to find clothes that actually fit, so I don’t think I would ever go there again.”
While thrifting, Nguyen wants to find items that resemble his current style.
“Mainly when I thrift, I’m looking for stuff that fits the clothes I wear already, like my style,” Nguyen said. “I definitely make sure that the clothes fit me well enough.”
Nguyen’s best find at Goodwill was a pair
well.”
The best way to start thrift shopping according to Nguyen is to look around carefully in order to ensure a successful trip to the thrift store.
“You just need to keep looking because it is really overwhelming and there is a
of jeans he fixed.
“My favorite thing I found while thrifting were my baggy jeans that I wear often,” Nguyen said. “I cut them so they fit me
bunch of stuff that’s kind of bad,” Nguyen said. “You just need to keep looking and then you’ll find stuff.”
Similarly, junior Mikaela Ancira enjoys thrifting, which is one of her favorite
pastimes, as well as a way she spends time with her grandmother.
“I started thrifting because it was affordable and aesthetic,” junior Mikaela Ancira said. “Three years ago I really started thrifting with my grandma.”
Ancira enjoys thrifting at shops down in the Austin area.
“I would definitely say you got to hit up Texas Thrift,” Ancira said. “I like to go to Goodwill’s which are a classic and then little mini thrift stores around Austin.”
While thrift stores are a classic, the bins at the Goodwill Distribution Center are another alternative for thrifting, but they pose some challenges for the shoppers.
“It’s so chaotic at the bins, some people even wear gloves,” Ancira said. “You never know what you’re expecting, so it makes for a different experience every time.”
When Ancira thrifts, she tries to find little pieces that catch her eye.
“Sometimes I go in specifically to find a tank top, a top, or shorts, it just depends,” Ancira said. “I’ll either go in with a mission or go in with absolutely nothing in mind.”
Ancira’s favorite thrift store find was a vintage purse.
“I used to wear it every single day, but it’s still so classic,” Ancira said. “It’s pink and green with peacock feathers and one of my favorite finds ever.
Ancira believes that the best way to get into thrifting is to find pieces that already resemble your current style instead of trying to find another.
“Just go for it,” Ancira said. “Be yourself and stay true to your style.”
Siblings describe process behind running small businesses, working together, and upcycling
Hayes
Carving a cake into the shape of a heart. Securing a tent at a farmer’s market in the pouring rain. Collecting bottle caps to make into jewelry. All are scenes in the daily life of senior Cecilia Acosta, who has managed an array of small businesses throughout high school selling clothes, baked goods, jewelry, and art. Her latest endeavor: upcycled clothing.
“What I do is I buy clothes second hand for very cheap; sometimes people donate them to me, other times I’ll just buy directly from people and garage sales or just whenever I have the opportunity to,” Acosta said. “It’s stuff that would otherwise be thrown away. And then I carve designs, print them and sell them at markets locally.”
Currently, Acosta operates her business out of the Taylor Market Days in Taylor, Texas.
The business, named the Cloudy Cactus after her old Etsy shop, requires her to carve designs into blocks of linoleum and press them into clothes in order to imprint the artwork.
““I saw people doing lino prints on the internet, and they usually do it on paper,” Acosta said. “I thought, ‘this is so cool.’ I was wondering if there was a way to bring it to fashion, so I got on the internet and of course they make fabric ink specifically for that. So I was like, ‘why is no one doing this?’ And I figured if someone’s going to do it, it might as well be me.”
Much of Acosta’s designs are inspired by nature.
“Usually that’s kind of my number one source of inspiration,” Acosta said. “I sketch things usually with a reference, so I’ll either find a reference physically like just by looking out my window or I’ll find a reference online, but I always try and make the design my own.”
“It takes place at Old Taylor High and it’s definitely my favorite market because it’s pretty close but it also draws a big enough crowd,” Acosta said.
“I’m going to be moving to bigger markets, hopefully in Austin, and flea markets, but that’s my main spot for
While Acosta’s clothes profitable enough to continue selling at the Taylor market, which requires vendors to pay a fee, the business model still presents unique obstacles.
“It is a lot of work, because I have to cart all of my designs to and from markets which are usually about half an hour away,” Acosta said. “And, it’s not super consistent because every single item is unique and different. There’s no guarantee that I’m going to be able to find enough clothing to suit every single demographic. Essentially, every batch that I make is different, but I also think that’s what gives it a little bit of charm.”
In the end, Acosta values sustainability and incorporates this into her business practices.
“I emphasize sustainability through the idea that nothing should ever be wasted,” Acosta said. “I go from just taking these materials, which are clothes that would most likely end up in a landfill anyways, and I turn them into something brand new that can live its own several million lives.”
Junior Bella Acosta’s small business bloomed out of chance. Inspired by her entrepreneur sister, senior Cecilia Acosta and their shared love for thrifting, Acosta’s shop combines her craftsmanship with her creativity inorder to “unlock” new purpose into items that were once deemed useless.
“I found some old keys and I didn’t know what to do with them,” Acosta said. “I was bored and wanted something to do, so that’s when I came up with the idea of making rings out of them.”
I don’t sell any, while I still put in all that work to make them. So, it’s not as big of a profit.”
Despite the difficulties of beginning a business, Acosta feels her work has begun to pay off. A trend she hopes to continue to grow as she works on improving her product marketing.
Currently two months into her business, Acosta has been selling a variety of jewelry on her Etsy shop, “The Old Key” and her Depop, ”1470bella” as well as vendor markets with her sister. Her products range anywhere from $10 to $25 depending on the style, product type, and labor required.
“I also started selling earrings made from keys and rings made from spoons I thrifted,” Acosta said. “We’ll go to a bunch of antique places and I’ll ask around, sometimes I’ll even get the items for free.”
Once she has the materials, Acosta starts the molding process.
“To cut the rings, we use this tiny, baby saw,” Acosta said. “After that, we grind it down so it’s not sharp anymore. Then, for the [key rings], I have to heat them up and then roll it out and I hit it to size it. [For the spoons], I have a little machine that bends them into a circle.”
As Acosta continues to run her shops, she hopes to expand her business, a goal she feels takes a lot of work, especially when just starting out.
“It’s been kind of slow so far, but it’s started picking up,” Acosta said. “The markets have been the best because I can talk to people and they can see my work in person, so they sell more. I’m also working on setting up an Instagram or something like that to help advertise.”
Acosta feels she owes much of her success to her dad, not only for his assitance in her business but also his encouragement. Which she claims as a big part of what makes the experience an enjoyable one.
“It’s not just about the money,” Acosta said. “My dad helps me, so I like being able to spend time with him. We use fire and two big tools that I don’t know how to use, so he helps me set it up and work with the a bit dangerous. also drives me to go thrifting and whenever we’re on trips we always find a random place to shop at. In addition to her dad, Acosta is thankful for her sister for
“My sister also really helps,” Acosta said. “Since she already knows what she’s doing, I can just learn off of her.”
“I definitely want to make it bigger,” Acosta said. “It’s a lot of labor to make them and trying to sell them. Sometimes
a lot of plans
James Jackson said. “Our program used to be in the Open Class division and I would love to get them back to that level. I would also love to grow the program to over 40-50+ members and start a middle school program so students know what color guard is before going into high school. Next year, I would like to take the program to the WGI (Winter Guard International) World Championships in Dayton Ohio. The team hasn’t been there in 8 years. The future is bright for the Hendrickson Hawk Guard Program and I am excited to see what we can achieve and create in the future.”
Andrea Foster | PhotographerCampus views once in a lifetime total solar eclipse in Austin area
Gia Patel | Asst. EditorThe latest solar eclipse occurred on Monday April 8 as the Austin region was in the path of totality, something that won’t happen in the U.S. around 2044, compared to the annular eclipse on October 2 where the sun was partially obscured for a brief moment, according to astronomy teacher Tasha Roberts.
The solar eclipse was visible from 12:17 p.m. to 2:58 p.m., with totality from 1:35 p.m. to 1:38 p.m. Students made their way to the Hawk Stadium during their third periods to safely watch the partial eclipse and then the total solar eclipse soon after.
Before totality, there was a pep rally celebrating the soccer team advancing to state. Students wore solar eclipse glasses that were donated to all the students in the school district in order to protect the thousands of students’ eyes.
“In simple terms, a solar eclipse is where the moon moves between the sun and the Earth,” Roberts said. “Which then blocks the sun’s light.”
Solar eclipses occur on a rare occasion as they don’t occur as often in the Austin area. As the last total solar eclipse where Austin was in the path of totality was on
May 26, 1397.
“The tilt of the moon makes it so that a solar eclipse doesn’t happen that often,” Roberts said. “The revolution of the moon is tilted at an angle.”
Roberts is looking forward to the next eclipse that she will be able to view.
“The next one in the contiguous United States is going to be in 2044,” Roberts said. “But, solar eclipses happen somewhere in the world about every 18 months.”
Roberts recognizes the importance of students and staff wearing the solar eclipse glasses during the partial eclipse. However, it isn’t necessary for the glasses to be worn in the four minutes of totality.
“If you don’t wear the solar eclipse glasses, you can damage your eyes,” Roberts said. “So it’s a lot brighter than you think it is even if it’s only a sliver of the sun so you can damage your vision.”
Since Robert’s teaches astronomy, seeing the total solar eclipse was a surreal, once in a lifetime experience for her.
“My favorite part about seeing the eclipse was definitely the totality and how it got really dark,” Roberts said. “I liked the corona and seeing the solar flares on the sun.”
crowd cheer for things they think are cool,” winter guard team instructor James Jackson said. “I also love how everyone in the Winter Guard community is so supportive of each other and cheer each other on and compliment each other on their show, uniforms, make-up, and choreo.”
Andrea Foster | PhotographerOn Feb. 17 and 24, the Silver Dancers competed at the Lost Pines Showcase and received the award of the best of the best team on both days. “We were awarded this because out of all the other high schools we were going up against we scored the highest on all of our dances we competed which granted us the first place overall team award which is a major accomplishment in the drill team world,” senior Kendal Binkowski said.
At a competition, the order placed goes by how big the teams are that go against the school levels.
“Before receiving the award,” junior Mikaela Ancira said. “I was nervous because we were going against another talented team, so all of our nerves were high, and the anticipation quite literally filled the room.”
After receiving the Best of the Best Team Award, the performers were really surprised by what they’ve accomplished.
“At first, it felt surreal,” sophomore Mya Phyfiher said. “I questioned if I had misheard the award, but when my teammates began leaping, screaming, and celebrating, I realized it was true reality. The overwhelming happiness and sense of accomplishment washed over me. It felt even more incredible knowing that all the hard work I had put in, along with my
team, had paid off.”
Aside from emotions, thoughts also ran through students’ heads after receiving this big award. “I was reflecting on how fortunate I am to be a part of such an incredible team,” Phyfiher said. “Dance is my escape from reality, and winning such a significant award reminded me of why I fell in love with dancing in the first place. It’s not just about the victory, but about the shared passion we all have for dance. We succeeded because we genuinely love what we do and put in the hard work throughout the year to achieve this award.”
As nerve-racking as it is to perform in front of a big crowd, the dancers try to find a way to relieve the anxiety that they may have before performing.
“To calm my nerves before performing, I take deep breaths, crack my knuckles, chat with my teammates, and shake my whole body,” Phyfiher said. “I tend to get anxious before going on stage, fearing that I might forget or mess something up. But these tactics help me relax and calm down.”
Getting an award can have a positive impact on performers.
“This award made me very proud of everything that I’ve worked hard for these past two years and it gave me a little bit of confidence boost in my dancing,” senior Alyssa Villanueva said.
Educators with second jobs, not always a negative
Johst | Copy EditorFollowing COVID-19, teacher pay and treatment has been a hot topic of discussion. The salary does not just correlate with the work teachers put in, and it isn’t enough for teachers to sustain their lifestyle. The low compensation for teachers has led many to pursue a second job in order to support themselves and their families. Biology teacher Timothy Bayliss formerly worked a second job at a running specialty store for thirteen years in order to earn extra money on the side.
“I worked at Rogue Running that sold running shoes, clothes, and accessories in downtown Austin,” Bayliss said. “I typically would only work on Saturday mornings from 8 am – 12 pm.”
Often, teachers pick up a second job to
earn more money as teacher salaries are relatively low.
“When I started teaching, I was also a coach. But after 9 years of coaching, I took a step back to be able to spend more time with my family,” Bayliss said. “Being able to work at the running store helped ease the pain of the pay cut I took when I quit coaching.”
With some teachers who work a second job, those added hours can impact their job as an educator. This was not the case for Bayliss, as his second job was incredibly flexible and only had him working 3-4 hours a week. Additionally, he was not required to work school days.
“It certainly reduced my personal time, but never impacted my job as a teacher,”
Bayliss said. “I would have been downtown running on Saturday mornings anyway, so I figured I might as well stick around a few extra hours and earn some money.”
While Bayliss mainly picked up a second job at Rogue Running to earn extra money, he also did it because of his love for running.
“I started working at the running store because I love running and talking to other runners about races, training, gear, etc,” Bayliss said. “It rarely was that draining for me emotionally or physically.”
Contrary to what others may experience, Bayliss found his second job to be a necessary change of scenery from the classroom.
“Working at a retail store is very
different from teaching so it was a break emotionally from teaching,” Bayliss said. “Physically I am a high energy person, so that was not a problem for me.”
Despite Bayliss’ positive experience working a second job, he recognizes the issues teacher’s salaries impose on their ability to sustain their living.
“The cost of living, especially in Central Texas, has increased dramatically and it is very difficult for a single person that works as a teacher to keep up with rising rent, health care, and food costs,” Bayliss said. “Oftentimes people think that teachers have all this time during the summer to take trips and vacation, but it is difficult for teachers to be able to afford to travel.”
Within school walls, there are a few teachers who have careers outside of teaching that they partake in. They take up these new jobs to pay certain bills and debts, for their children's activities, and simply because they have fun doing the job.
“I have been working at Tiff’s Treats once a month as a delivery driver since June of 2023 because I originally thought that I would need the extra money,” AP Statistics teacher Ashley Campbell said. “It did help a lot during the summer because I was traveling a lot, but I don’t need to keep the job, I just like working there.”
Campbell makes sure to share her treats with her students as well, as she can easily
The stats:
52% of Texas teachers work a second or third job (Texas AFT)
get treats from her job.
“I give out treats to my students for their birthday month,” Campbell said. “Having this job gives me a way to give to my students and let me celebrate their birthdays.”
Michelle McCoy on the other hand is a teacher who relies on both her teaching job and her outside jobs to sustain her life.
“I work at Kohl’s, I’ve worked there for six years, started on the floor, and now work in customer service, “ McCoy said. “Then about eight to nine years ago I started working with Goodheart Willcox, which is a publishing company, and I actually have two textbooks that I am part of and work with, and so I get royalties
from that as well.”
McCoy works three jobs in total and needs to sustain them to not only provide for herself but for her family as well.
“I started because I had to have two emergency surgeries in one year and it was to pay those bills off, and between my husband and I, we couldn’t do it,” McCoy said. “At the same time, we also had two kids, one playing paintball and one as a cheerleader, and so after we got the bills paid off, we used the extra money towards them so we weren’t as strained.”
McCoy has to work much harder as well due to certain circumstances falling on her family.
“Both my kids have graduated high
school, and it has helped to pay for some of their expenses for college,” McCoy said. “But due to my husband having to retire because of a physical disability, his income was cut in half, so I’m picking up the half that he can’t pay any more.”
Despite what McCoy has had to go through, she still is incredibly smart with her money and has a plan in place to make sure she can retire smoothly.
“We have a five-year plan in place, meaning that in five years we will have everything but the house paid off,” McCoy said. “And if that is the final thing we need to pay off and there are no other expenses, I’ll be able to retire.”
89% work their second job during the school year (Texas AFT)
13% of teachers left public education between Fall 2021 and Fall 2022 (Community Impact)
69% of K-12 teachers said they have considered quitting their job (Community Impact)
Throughout March, the male and female powerlifting teams were preparing to go to their state meets to compete against other school powerlifting teams throughout Texas and show the strength and determination that they have had throughout their entire season. This was shown most of all in sophomore Ryan Doggett, who got first place in the girl’s state meet.
“I feel really proud of myself for how I did,” Doggett said. “I have been training hard for the past two years and I really feel like I had an opportunity to show off the results of my work.”
Doggett has been powerlifting since she was a freshman and has shown the experience that she has gained over the last couple of years.
“I had a really good season because I
started to push myself even more and realized how I could improve my technique to get higher numbers, “ Doggett said. “I would train every morning from 6:30 to 8:00, and would make sure to make my training much more meaningful, although, I do think that I could have shown up more and improved even more.”
The powerlifting team is led by Coach Peter Noonan, who is in charge of overseeing the training of all the athletes on the powerlifting team.
“For the boys powerlifting team we had senior Tysan Breaux, senior Logan Morris, and junior Ayden Kamenicky make it to state,” Noonan said. “On the girls side, they have two division, one being the unequipped side, meaning they don’t lift with any of the powerlifting gear, where junior Lauren Riojas and sophomore Raeanne Tapia made it to state, and the
equipped side, where they are able to use the powerlifting gear, sophomore Ryan Doggett, junior Holley Matthews, and junior Jordyn January also qualified.”
Training for powerlifting is methodical and rigorous, and Noonan makes sure to bring out the best of the athletes during it.
“We train about four days a week from 6:30 to 8:00, where we train the core lifts of bench-press, squat, and deadlift,” Noonan said. “We always try to strengthen our weak points and enhance our strong points and constantly try to improve upon what we can.”
A powerlifting meet is a competition where people show the depths of their strength and training and involves as much technique as it does power.
“We have nine total attempts in a meet, three attempts per lift, where we strategize the necessary jumps in weight to try and
Kiara Evans | Photographer
get the best combined total of all three lifts,” Noonan said. “Whoever is able to lift the most in their respective weight class will win their division.”
This year, the powerlifting team is the best it has ever been statistics wise in school history, a testament to their current skill and determination.
“The season has been incredible, we had the most people qualify for the regional and state meets in school history for both boys and girls,” Noonan said. “We had 50 different boys and 24 different girls individually lift at meets, and even with that high of a number, we still manage to keep a down to earth and family atmosphere during training and during meets. I really can’t express how thankful I am towards all the kids and parents for how fun and successful they have made the season.”
Sophomore Ryan Doggett poses with her medal at the Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association state meet. “I feel really proud of myself for how I did,” Doggett said. “I have been training hard for the past two years and I really feel like I had an opportunity to show off the results of my work.”
Photo Courtesy | Hawk Powerlifting
Following the baseball team’s unfortunate failure to make it to playoffs last season, they have reemerged to redeem themselves as of February of this year.
“Honestly, we are doing a lot better than I thought,” senior Mason Cortinas said. “Coming from last year, there were a lot of better people than we had but honestly, we’ve done pretty good with staying together and being a team.”
The team is determined to not only
go further than last season, but they also hope to improve as a team and prove others wrong.
“A lot of people didn’t expect us to do as well as we’re doing right now,” senior Traden Hendrix said. “So, I think we’re proving a lot of people wrong.”
Compared to last season, the team is doing exceptionally well. Recent games have set them up for success in making it to state and then playoffs.
“We’re undefeated right now,” Cortinas said. “So, we’re doing pretty good.”
Richard Dimas | Photographer
The team hopes to maintain that placement in order to qualify for district and playoffs.
“We’ll play district and then we’ll go to playoffs,” Hendrix said. “And based off your record, there’s a seating and then you just keep playing teams and once you lose, you’re knocked out.”
Practicing and trusting their coaches is how they plan to improve and prepare for playoffs.
“We’re buying in on our coaches,” Cortinas said. “They give us a game plan and we’re all in on it.”
During practices, the team works to target weak areas and strengthen them.
“I’d say our hitting and defense is pretty good, but it could be a little bit better,” Cortinas said. “I think if we can really get our hitting going and our bunting, then I think we can go a lot further than people think.”
Alyssa Lee | Photographer
Patel | Asst. Editor
The girl’s varsity softball team has been working toward their goal of getting to the playoffs. The team has an away game against Pflugerville on Friday, April 5, where they have been preparing in hopes of advancing and finishing off their successful season.
“We have been practicing from 3 to 5 p.m.,” sophomore Andrea Villanueva said. “We practice a lot, to the point where we are really tired, but it’s okay since it helps us a lot in games.”
Villanueva’s goal for this season is to beat her past records from her freshman year after two years of playing the sport.
“My goal is to hopefully get some RBIs,” Villanueva said. “An RBI is like a new record in softball.”
Sophomore Brianna Guffey has been in
softball since she was in the sixth grade, and playing in school since her freshman year and looks forward to making it to the playoffs this year, depending on their performance at Friday’s game.
“I’m nervous,” Guffey said. “I think we will win because last week, the game was a tie and we’ve been working on our team bonding and strength as a team.”
Softball’s strategy to ensure high performance is to practice as if they are playing at a game.
“We know how the other teams play now,” Guffey said. “We’ve been practicing as we’re playing everyday.”
Guffey’s goal for herself for the remainder of the season is to improve her performance.
“I just want to be better than I was last season,” Guffey said. “I also want to keep
playing for the rest of high school.”
ainst Pflugerville on Friday, April 5, where they have been preparing in hopes of advancing and finishing off their successful season.
“We have been practicing from 3 to 5 p.m.,” sophomore Andrea Villanueva said. “We practice a lot, to the point where we are really tired, but it’s okay since it helps us a lot in games.”
Villanueva’s goal for this season is to beat her past records from her freshman year after two years of playing the sport.
“My goal is to hopefully get some RBIs,” Villanueva said. “An RBI is like a new record in softball.”
Sophomore Brianna Guffey has been in softball since she was in the sixth grade, and playing in school since her freshman
year and looks forward to making it to the playoffs this year, depending on their performance at Friday’s game.
“I’m nervous,” Guffey said. “I think we will win because last week, the game was a tie and we’ve been working on our team bonding and strength as a team.”
Softball’s strategy to ensure high performance is to practice as if they are playing at a game.
“We know how the other teams play now,” Guffey said. “We’ve been practicing as we’re playing everyday.”
Guffey’s goal for herself for the remainder of the season is to improve her performance.
“I just want to be better than I was last season,” Guffey said. “I also want to keep playing for the rest of high school.”
“I like the trend of men having longer hair because I think it’s casual and helps break down gender stereotypes, which is cool.”
-Willie Messer (11)“I like the Y2K style minus the cropped tops, like baggy clothing. I’ve never liked super tight clothing, especially during hotter weather, it makes me uncomfortable. It’s also just really comfortable.”
-Gisé Henry
“My current favorite trend fashion wise has to be the comeback of alternative style from the late 90s and early 2000s because I feel in the style you are able to express yourself and wear clothing pieces that suit your personality rather than wearing clothing that blends in with the crowd.”
-Jocelyn Herrera (11)“I really like the academic clothing style because I feel like if I wear preppier clothing I’m going to be more productive and be more responsible with my time, it makes me feel confident and determined to set and complete my goal.”
-Eve Stiba (11)“I like jorts because it gives barbecue dad vibes and I’m so here for it. I just love seeing people take their parents’ clothing and just slaying it.”
-Johnpaul Buwule (12)“My favorite fashion trend is slouch socks because they look good with shoes, especially when you’re wearing shorts. I like to wear them with either Air Forces or Converse.”
- Jada Looney, 11
“My favorite fashion trend is cargo pants. I love them, they’re my favorite. They’re comfortable, and they’re stylish but not too casual.”
- Ian Vizcarra, 12