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Teen discusses overcoming depression...page 8-9
the Hawk Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pf lugerville, Texas 78660
INSIDE:
Volume 12, Issue 1 August 16, 2018
Immigration policy....2
Body Image...10-11
2
News Volume 12, Issue 1
stateof the
UNION Carolina Yanez | Asst. Editor
As promised before the election of 2016, President Donald Trump made attempts to tackle immigration policy. Many of which such as the separation of families at the border was deemed controversial and received backlash.
Under age 5:
103 58
Between ages 5-17:
2,531
total children seperated
confirmed reunions
1,569
Under the Obama Administration: Family detention centers were established to keep families together while their legal cases were being processed. There was also a program available to release families from the detention center and maintain supervision on them.
Family Separations at the Border:
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions enacted a ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy for border crossings in April 2018. Under this policy, all families who cross the border were to be separated. However, in June, President Trump ended family separations and replaced it with a policy of family detentions. Branches of his administration are now responsible for making facilities available or building new ones for these families.
total children seperated
Reunions of Separated Families: reunited in ICE custody
Families still separated have deemed parents unfit for reunion and face deportation. The parents of
the Facts
386 children have been deported without their kids.
A hotline has been established to help parents and children reach each other. ICE has to reunite the child with parents once their cases have been processed, however parents facing deportation may request to have their child leave with them or leave them in the U.S. with a sponsor.
*Information take from NPR and ThinkProgress
Bosnian refugee tells her view of hatred towards immigration
Kaitlin Mackey | Asst. Editor
At 18 months old, Katarina Antolovic and her family travelled halfway across the world, all the way to Pflugerville, Texas in attempt to get away from the Bosnian War in the 1990’s. At 18 years old in 2008, she graduated from Pflugerville High School and became a citizen while helping with financial issues, dealing with her father’s death, and trying to connect with her heritage. “When I was younger, I was a translator for my family members. In school, I was always ashamed knowing I spoke Bosnian because I just wanted to fit in, so I never spoke Bosnian.” Antolovic said, “However, I regret being ashamed, because being proud of my culture made me feel closer to my family both in the United States and in Bosnia.’” After leaving Bosnia, her family
worked hard to guarantee a good life for her and her sister. After experiencing all of the trouble her family went through, it did nothing more than make Antolovic and feel lucky and privileged for such an opportunity and does all she can to make her parents proud after trying so hard to give her the life they wouldn’t be able to live. Antolovic is currently working to get her PhD in hopes to become a professor. While working on becoming a professor, she plans on conducting research about how being bilingual could help with stroke therapy, based off of her personal experiences with her mom. To help her do this, she volunteers at LLAMA Lab, a psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic laboratory to help people with speech. While working at the LLAMA Lab one day, she heard a woman say something
that caught her attention, “immigrants and refugees come into our country and take our jobs.” Hearing this infuriated Antolovic. Without hesitation, she commented on what this woman had said, “I’m a refugee; What do you think of me? I’m here standing alongside you and I’m not trying to take your job.” Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, divisiveness on immigration has increased. More people have been opinionated with how they feel about immigrants; good or bad. In May, Trump implemented the Zero Tolerance Policy, where immigrant families that attempt to cross any U.S. border illegally are detained and children are separated from their parents. The children are held in a shelter while the parents are prosecuted.
“I believe the Zero Tolerance Policy is horrible,” Antolovic said, “It’s the lowest of lows to take children from their parents.” Although Antolovic is indeed a Bosnian refugee, many don’t look down on her or bully her because they don’t realize that she is Bosnian at first glance due to the pale white color of her skin and because sounds like an American citizen. However, she would always be direct towards people who speak down on immigrants and/or refugees. “Seeing hatred towards refugees and immigrants is extremely upsetting to me.” Antolovic said, “I personally believe that if someone isn’t having a good life due to war or financial issues in their country, they should have a right to be able to leave and go where they feel they will have a better life.”
Debaters make quarterfinals at national debate competition McKenzie Quiroz | Asst. Editor Seniors Sydney Stogel and Bryce Hann both broke to quarterfinals at the Ronald Reagan Great Communicator National Tournament, each taking home $2500 in scholarships. In the Ronald Reagan Great Communicator debates, students are given a topic and have to prepare an affirmative and negative side on whether or not the resolution is true. They then have to back up their claims with evidence, but the debate focuses heavily on persuasion and connecting with the audience, making it a debate for the public. “This competition was challenging because not only were there 16, very experienced, competitors there, but it’s all about appealing to the audience,” Stogel said. “In my normal debate events, it’s very focused on evidence and argumentation but this event pushed me to dial down the jargon and think differently. I had to put myself in the audience’s shoes.” In order to prepare for the competition Stogel spent time researching and doing speaking drills, trying to figure out what sounds more rhetorically appealing. She had
to find quotes, stories, anecdotes, and other devices to drive her arguments. “There are some missed opportunities I had for lines that would’ve sounded great, but I was too nervous to try because I was afraid of risking the argument level of debate,” Stogel said. “I think though I was incredibly nervous, I was a confident speaker. I improved on the clarity of my narrative and overall I had fun doing the debates.” Competitors received an all-expenses paid trip to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Southern California. The three day trip included a private tour of the library, dinner under the wings of Air Force One, and a chance to meet a group of young leaders. “The entire experience was amazing. Even though there was a lot of pressure, I had so much fun connecting with people who have the same interests as me,” Stogel said. “The scholarship money felt unreal of course, but I think just getting to nationals was a prize in itself and it really encouraged me for next year and the future.”
Seniors, Bryce Hann and Sydney Stogel, pose in the recreated Oval Office at the Ronald Reagn Presidential Library in Southern California.
News August 16, 2018
3
District to hire new security positions Megan Fletcher | Co-Editor Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year, PfISD will hire 11 new “routine” security positions, according to the Austin-American Statesman. The security positions, with one stationed at each middle school and two at each high school, will not replace current school resource officers and will not be armed. The new hires will also go through Level 2 security training, which includes “security conflict resolution,” “use of force” and “response
to emergencies,” according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. “We have implemented new security measures along with this position that we feel will strengthen HHS student safety,” associate principal Michael Grebb said. “These positions will work in conjunction with our SROs. These people will under go more training and will help monitor the outside as well as the inside of the school.”
Seniors accomplish AP Capstone courses, receive distinguished diploma McKenzie Quiroz | Asst. Editor On August 13th, seniors Anisa Luangaphay, Keerthana Duvvuri, Kathy Nguyen, and Zoe Jones received the AP Capstone Diploma. In order to receive the diploma, they had to earn a score of three or higher on the AP Seminar and AP Research exam and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing. “My counselor was really supportive for me to take the Capstone classes because it was the first time the school offered it,” Luangaphay said. “A lot of the teachers were actually really supportive of the class saying how it was similar to most work done in college; especially AP research because it works similarly to conducting research for a thesis paper.” Instead of teaching specific subject knowledge, AP Seminar and AP Research use an approach to develop the critical thinking, research, collaboration, time management, and presentation skills students need for college-level work. “AP Research was unique because we were expected to conduct research then write a 20,000 word paper regarding our findings which was something I have never been expected to do,” Duvvuri said. “The program helped me a lot in other classes too, such as english and history because it taught me to write papers effectively and made writing 20,000 words seem easy.” The College Board developed the AP Capstone Diploma program due to those who saw a need for high school students to begin mastering these skills before college. “The main thing that was different about
Capstone classes was the autonomy, everything is on you,” Luangaphay said. “The grade that you put in the work for is the grade you earn, and your teacher, unlike other classes sometimes can’t help you because they’re also your test proctor. You for the most part can control what you do and learn about.” Students typically take AP Seminar in grade 10 or 11, followed by AP Research. Each course is yearlong, and AP Seminar is a prerequisite for AP Research. “I would recommend people to consider it especially as a freshman or if you already know you’re going to take other ap classes,” Luangaphay said. “The AP capstone diploma has other requirements beside the Capstone classes, but the requirements for the diploma weren’t specifically hard or out of my way since I already took other AP classes.” In both courses, students investigate a variety of topics, guiding students through completing a research project, writing an academic paper, and making a presentation on their project. “The classes forced me to schedule and strictly stick to it because a school year seems like a lot to do one research project but it really isn’t, and you will not meet deadlines with work you’re happy with if you’re not careful,” Luangaphay said. “You need to learn how to do it yourself and make sure you don’t get behind or off task, which is why getting the Capstone Diploma makes me feel like I finally did it.”
Opinions Volume 12, Issue 1
My Turn
Trip to Guatemala changes editor’s perspective McKenna Lucas | Co-Editor
Last year, my history class was freezing. It was cold enough for me to bring a jacket every day, even in August. Cold enough for me to consider stealing the light bulb out of the perfectly positioned lamp my teacher directed on the thermostat. And cold enough for me to complain every single day without fail to my friends about how cold it was. And then I spent a week without AC in a small village in Guatemala, and I suddenly felt very foolish. I went to Guatemala with my church youth group. We hosted a Vacation Bible School and built a house for a family of six. I was under the impression that I was the one helping them, but really it was the people who made me see the flaws in my character and altered my world view. The first thing I learned in Guatemala was that I had no idea what true poverty was. Poverty isn’t just not having money. Poverty is two families living in a makeshift two bedroom shack. Poverty is having rotting teeth. Poverty is not having clean water. Poverty is having two kids by age 15. Poverty is having diabetes, but not having medicine. Poverty is the uncertainty of life and the certainty of suffering. Yet in their suffering they still have joy. Which is still a little incomprehensible to me. I’ve come to the conclusion that when all of your material happiness is stripped away from you, you’re forced to find joy in other things-family, friends, and community. Even their faith in God is
stronger than mine. I’ve been blessed with good health, education, wealth, but in a single moment of insecurity my faith shatters. How can people who have nothing, have faith in a God that could give everything? I still don’t know. Maybe they consider every day, every breath they take as a gift from God. But is breath enough? I don’t know and maybe I never will. One day on my trip it started raining while we were walking through the village. An old lady let us into her home to wait out the rain. She was going blind and had diabetes, but she went and found every chair and stool in her three room house and offered them to us. She was so weak, but she refused to sit. She only wanted her guests to sit. We were strangers, but she put us first. As I sat and listened to the rain I had my last and hardest realization. I recognized that I’m not sure if I’m a good person. I think I am a comfortable good person. I’m a good person as long as the sacrifices I make don’t interfere with my own personal interests. That’s funny actually, I don’t even know what sacrifice means. Aren’t sacrifices putting the greater good before ourselves? That lady and I are not equals. She is generous, kind, humble, selfless, she gives chairs to completely able people, while she is burdened by an incurable disease. I’m not sure if I want to be this person anymore. I don’t want to always complain about the temperature. I don’t want to be consumed with selfishness and doubt. I want to be a good person, not a comfortable good person, but a good person. I want die to self. And maybe one day I’ll be worthy enough to sit on an old chair on a dirt floor in front of an angel.
The Hawk, the official student newspaper of Hendrickson High School, is an open forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions.
Adviser: Kari Riemer Principal: Daniel Garcia www.facebook.com/HawkNewspaper
Opinions expressed reflect the beliefs of the student author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire Hawk Staff, the Hawk Adviser, the Hendrickson Faculty and Staff, or the Principal. Letters to the editor are welcomed, and may be dropped off in E211 Corrections will be printed when brought to the attention of the staff.
The Hawk is printed monthly at Granite Printing in Taylor, Texas. 1,000 copies are printed each run, and are distributed to the student body through an advisory period and on newsstands throughout the building.
New off-campus regulation ensure safety Starting this year, seniors who want to eat off campus must drop off their student ID to a checkout station in the cross hall between C and E hall. Teachers will guard the doors so students can’t leave without checking out first. In the past, there was no guarantee of how many students were eating off campus, what grade level they were in, and if they would come back to school. By documenting who is coming and going to school, administration can continue to make school a safe place. If a student was to get hurt while off campus, administration would notice their extended absence and begin safety procedures immediately. The new off campus procedure is a hit.
Extended lunch periods provide senior freedom This school year, there will only be two 37-minute lunch periods. Because of this, second and sixth period classes no longer split time before and after lunch: students either have lunch between first and second periods or between second and third periods, enabling teachers to effectively use their class time instead of splitting it to accommodate lunch, as they did in the past. In addition, the increase in lunch time allows more seniors to leave campus, reducing cafeteria foot traffic. The new lunch periods are a hit.
Policy requires students to take finals In previous years, students were given the opportunity to receive an exemption from a certain class’ final depending on their grade and attendance for that class. However this year, the students can no longer receive this opportunity because according to state laws students must be present at school. While the district has no part in this policy, taking the class final can cause more stress and increased pressure to do well on the test because of it’s effect on overall semester average. The newly enforced policy is a miss.
Editorial Staff Co-Editors: Megan Fletcher & McKenna Lucas Assistant Editors: Brisa Espinoza, Abigail Hill, Kaitlin Mackey, McKenzie Quiroz, Anna Schulze, Carolina Yanez.
Seth Deaton Anabella Galan Taylor Hedlund Cayla Ibanez Lauren Lebakken
Reporters
Maya Lewis Ikram Mohamed Angelyna Rosales Bryan Ross Camryn Sadlier
Lauren Saenz Maria Torres Zachary Valdez Kyla White
Associations Interscholastic Press League, Texas Association of Journalism Educators, Journalism Educators Association, Columbia Scholastic Press League
als sun o r
s ise
Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville, TX 78660 http://www.pfisd.net/HHS (512) 594-1100 Student Population: 2450 Staff: 230
Hit or Miss
Th e
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Teen discusses overcoming depression...page 6-7
Honors ILPC Bronze Star, 2014 & 2015, 2017 Columbia Scholastic Press League, Gold Medalist 2016, 2017 Silver Crown, 2017, 2018
the Hawk Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville, Texas 78660
INSIDE:
Volume 12, Issue 1 August 16, 2018
Immigration policy....2-3
Body Image...10-11
Design by Megan Fletcher Photo by Carolina Yanez
Prospering in journalism
News August 16, 2018
5
After editorial oversight, new legislation hopes to open student press freedoms Megan Fletcher | Co-Editor
When Prosper High School newspaper staff writer Haley Stack published an editorial against the school’s choice to ban A Separate Peace from the 10th grade English curriculum, she didn’t expect to be censored. Prosper’s principal, John Burdett, asked newspaper adviser Lori Oglesbee-Petter to take the piece down from the paper’s website, citing the editorial and two others as “incorrect, not uplifting and did not voice all 3,000 students at the school,” according to the Dallas Morning News. Oglesbee-Petter’s contract was not renewed for the 2018-2019 school year. «You have a principal that is upset that the teacher is not teaching how to produce fake news,» Student Press Law Center’s Senior Legal Counsel Mike Hiestand said to SPLC. «He is telling the kids, ‹You can publish the news as long as it›s happy news.› That is the definition of fake news.» After multiple instances of scholastic press censorship
such as this, a nationwide movement gains steam. New Voices hopes to establish state legislation for student journalists to have more autonomy in the editorial decision making process. It works at the public high school, and public and private university levels. However, the bills in working legislation are cited by opponents as contrary to the 1988 Supreme Court Case Hazelwood vs. Kuhlmeier, which states that the First Amendment rights of student journalists are not violated when school officials prevent publication of articles in a school newspaper, according to the Dallas Morning News. In March of 2017, Sen. Jose Rodriguez, D-El Paso, filed Senate Bill 2225 as a “discussion vehicle,” according to the New Voices website. The current version of the proposed bill requires school boards to allow students to “determine the content of the newspaper” and prohibit school employees from “censoring protected speech or punishing a student for engaging in protected speech.”
States currently campaigning Arizona Florida Georgia Hawaii Indiana Michigan Minnesota Missouri
Nebraska New Jersey New York Rhode Island Texas Utah Washington Wisconsin
States that have succeeded Illinois Maryland Nevada North Dakota Vermont
New
Voices 3 Parts, 3 Situations, 3 Goals Part One: High Schools - Restore This will restore the Tinker standard made in 1967 that protects student’s speech as long as it isnt an invasion of privacy, dangerous, or fake.
Part Two: Public Colleges - Protect This bill will protect public college students from going to dangerous court that apply against the Hazelwood standard (to allow administrators to justify censorship to stories) since they will be considered adults.
Part Three: Private Colleges - Extend This is an extension to part two, including private college students in the bill as well.
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Feature Volume 12, Issue 1
Road to Change Parkland activists encourage teens to register to vote Brisa Espinoza | Asst. Editor
30 minutes before school is about to end, Nikolas Cruz entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with an AR-15 assault rifle and extra ammunition hidden away in his backpack on February 14, 2018 and began to shoot students and teachers within the school. Cruz killed 17 students and teachers and wounded several others. The United States has had 23 school shootings in 2018 alone, the shooting in Parkland was the 8th shooting to take place. Marjory students soon started the “#NeverAgain Movement” following the attack. The student led movement founded by David Hogg, Emma Gonzalez, Sarah Chadwick, Cameron Kasky, Alex Wind and Jaclyn Corin, advocates for stricter gun laws to prevent gun violence. The national tour “Road to Change,” that is a branch of the “#NeverAgain Movement”, focuses on traveling across the country to get “young
people educated, registered, and motivated to vote.” The goal of the students is to ultimately have enough students registered to vote in the upcoming elections. But as well as to prove to politicians that gun safety is not an issue to be taken lightly and change needs to be made. With having more young people registered, they will have a greater chance to vote on officials who will help gun reform and try to prevent gun violence. Because of the shooting in Parkland, Florida, youth activism has increased. Many areas have had their voter registration increase as well. Because of the motivation from activists to register to vote, many have been familiarized with how to register and the benefits of it. With more people registering to vote, not only will new officials be elected but it will also allow for students to prove to others that the young people movement is on the
Cruz enters Marjory Stoneman Douglas and kills 17 students and teachers with an AR-15 assault rifle
February 14, 2018
rise. The student activists have lit a fire in many students around the country to stand up to gun violence. They have also spoken out on gun violence to many major news outlets, talk shows, and rallies/protests, all while catching the attention of celebrities and politicians throughout the last couple of months. The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas goal is to educate others on gun violence, voting and political involvement of teens. Many believe that the students are still fighting a war that should no longer be fought. Though their movement started because of a shooting that happened at their high school, they as the next generation, want to stop fatalities from happening again and not let other students experience what they have. For that to happen, registering young adults that are 18 or soon to be is their main priority to have change.
Student activists announce the “March for Our Lives” protest, that will take place on March 24, 2018.
February 18, 2018
Registering to vote According to “VoteTexas. Gov”, to be eligible to register to vote, you have to be: a United States citzens, resident of the county you’re submitting the application, at least 17 years old and ten months or 18 years old on election day, and you’re not a convicted felon. To be able to vote, you have to have an application filled out and ready from the voter registrar’s office in the county you’re wanting to vote in. Or you may get an online voter registration application form and then mail it to the voter registrar. Once registered, you will receive a voter registration certificate, which is to prove that you have been registered. The certificate
will tell you what precinct or area you have to vote. When confirming your voter registration status, you have to show your: Texas drivers license card, if you provided it when applying, Voter Unique Identifier (VUID), which appears on your voter registration certificate, or your first and last name. Voter applications must be received to the Registrar’s office, 30 days prior to the election day in order for you to be eligible to vote. The next election that is to take place in Texas is on: November 6, 2018. It is the Midterm election, where voters will be electing the Texas Senator, representatives and executives.
Parkland student activists announce the “Road to Change” national tour.
“March for our lives” protests were held throughout the country and around the world. Over one million protesters take part.
June 11, 2018
March 24, 2018
February 28, 2018
March 14, 2018
Dick’s Sporting Goods agreed to stop selling assault rifles and raised minimum age to buy guns to 21. Other stores and companies would soon follow.
The “#Enough! National School Walkout” is organized by the Women’s March Youth Empower. The walkout, was held a month after the Stoneman Douglas shooting.
April 20. 2018 Student activists organized second national school walkout, on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School Shooting.
Feature August 16, 2018
Free the Mind
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Calming activities to improve mood, outlook McKenzie Quiroz | Asst. Editor
Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor
More often than not, teens get caught up in social norms and find themselves stressed out by the people around them. It is always good to take a step back from every day life and focus on the more simple aspects of life. Below are some examples to destress, relax and have a postive attitude. Painting With a Twist, with locations including Round Rock, allows everyone to feel like a painter. More structured than the Graffiti Park— it includes step by step instructions in order to ensure everyone’s piece turns out to their liking. Customers are allowed to bring their own food and drinks which can then be eaten during the breaks, as music plays in the background.
The Graffiti Park at Castle Hills is a place in Austin to fully express yourself, or watch others complete their artwork. Bring your own can of spray paint and let your mind takeover as you create your own designs.
The Great Outdoors is a garden center located on South Congress with a large inventory, including seasonal vegetables, perennials, cacti and succulent, indoor plants, palm trees, shrubs, water plants, vines, roses, fruit trees, and more. There are so many plants available that customers are able to find their style, whatever it may be.
McKinney Falls State Park is a big park with many many activities available for it’s visitors. Here you can camp, hike, mountain or road bike, geocache, go bouldering, and picnic. You can also fish and swim in Onion Creek. Going with friends and family makes the park even more enjoyable and safe to visit.
According to everydayhealth.com, gardening can be a simple way to interrupt negative thoughts. the activity could help reduce the severity of depression. Like cognitive behavior therapy, which helps people redirect their thinking, engaging your mind in something else, particularly something creative, can be helpful and uplifting.
Mt. Bonnell is a place, alongside Lake Austin, to get exercise when you want to go somewhere by yourself. The climb to the top seems long, with many stairs, but it’s worth it for the view of the lake and skyline. It’s a popular tourist destination so it’s not likely to be peaceful or quite, but there is a feeling of relief when you make it the top.
Cafe Monet is another business which allows their customers to fully experience art. Customers pick pottery of their choice and are given the chance to decorate the piece however they choose to. They don’t, however, have to do it alone, as one of Cafe Monet’s trained artists teaches them how to use all the tools. Once it is done, the customer is left with a long lasting, dishwasher safe, piece of pottery.
According to the bustle.com, art therapy can help people cope with their problems and give them a way to express themselves Creative engagement can decrease anxiety, stress, and mood disturbances, including depression.
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Feature Volume 12, Issue 1
s e s i R o s l A n u S The Teen discusses struggle with depression Carolina Yanez | Asst. Editor
M
iguel Sanchez’s* first struggles with mental health followed the end of one of his earliest romantic relationships. He sought comfort from one of his teachers he trusted for support. “It was just constant fighting, so we ended things for good and it hurt a lot,” Sanchez said. “After that, I would constantly talk to my English teacher who was super understanding and knew [my girlfriend and I] both. She listened and would let me tell her everything which was really helpful.” Sanchez describes what causes his thought and feelings during his toughest moments and how he has dealt with his internal conflicts. “It deals with my tendency to overthink everything, it drives me crazy sometimes questioning people’s actions and conversations,” Sanchez said. “It’s kind of an on and off thing, some days it’s super bad and I’ll just and worry and then others it’s a quick spur of the moment. Either way it happens, it ruins a lot of opportunities for *pseudonym
me and I just do my best to hide that part of me.” Many people with depression show a loss of interest in what they usually enjoy. Sanchez also experienced this when his love for art started to fade. “Depression itself has come around mainly because of school and problems within friendships,” Sanchez said. “It’s just a feeling that you’re not motivated to do anything you love or even get out of bed. I’m really into drawing and I quit because of the moods I was put in. I’m finally motivated to do things again, but for a while it was something I lost interest in.” These
issues don’t simply vanish into thin air. Episodes can still be triggered after the severity of the condition appears to fade, Sanchez says. “The only mental struggles I have now are the overthinking issues and stress,” Sanchez said. “Stress from relationships and school isn’t getting much better, but I’m dealing with it. Overthinking is still a factor and I don’t know when that’ll stop but it’s not something I’ve dealt with before.” He believes that society often ignores mental illness, despite the number of people who suffer from it.
"There's no timeline on when you should be done feeling the way you do."
Miguel Sanchez, 12
“Society dismisses it because we deem other news more important,” Sanchez said. “It’s something that impacts people from all age groups and I feel like people need to be prepared to deal with it whether it’s seen in an adult, teen or child.” Because of his experience, Sanchez now looks and treats the people around him differently. His past helps him to understand and accept others. “There’s no timeline on when you should be done feeling the way you do,” Sanchez said. “Let people help you, if you see that someone has an interest in your well-being then let them in and help you. Find someone you trust and just let it all out. Keeping things bottled up won’t do any good. Most importantly, remember you are an important and living person who people care about. Even if you disagree, there is someone who loves you and wants to see you g e t better.”
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Feature August 16, 2018
n o i t n e v e r P d n a s s e n e r a w A Suicide See something, Say something:
Look for possible signs of suicidal thoughts:
1.
- Feeling hopeless.
If you’re an adult, talk to them and be there for emotional support.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts about suicide, report it to a hotline: -Both hotlines are recommended for victims of attempted suicide
- Self-hatred. - Increasing isolation as a coping mechanism
2.
If something seems off about someone (seem more isolated or are not themselves), ask if they’re okay or tell a trusted adult (ex. school counselor or your parent) that you’re concerned about them.
- Self destruction - getting involved with drugs/alcohol, getting into more trouble, being careless/reckless. - Talking about suicide often. - Focusing more on violence and death.
3.
Get them help from a school counselor, social workers, a doctor.
1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255):
- Giving away personal items/ valuables.
Understand: depression is more than a mood or a phase. It's caused by chemical imbalances in the brain.
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Feature Volume 12, Issue 1
More Than Skin Deep
Editor reflects on impact of modeling Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor I was 14 when I was scouted in a Starbucks by a new and upcoming agency, when I quickly signed a contract that would last me two years. Two months later, my mom and I took a flight to New York where I walked in six shows for New York Fashion Week. Although they weren’t high profile designers like Dior or Marc Jacobs, I was exhilarated to be 14 and walking during fashion week. The following month, spring break came and I had the opportunity to walk during Los Angeles "Do you Fashion Week, starve “She and do a phojust yourself?" toshoot for Bello Magazine. wants If you were to to ask me how life show was going at the off her time, I would’ve body" said fantastic… As far as modelANOREXIC ing went. But life “Why at school? Not so would much. she Being recogwear nized as a model that?” at school cost me almost all my “She friendships. As doesn’t even a middle school work out” girl, I’m sure you can imagine what kind of things were said “She must be dumb” about me. Although people knew about me, they didn’t actually know who I was or what I was really about. All that to say though, as 8th grade year finally came to a close, I was ready to start a new chapter of my life, free from toxic friendships and ready to enter high school. For the next several months, I did all sorts of gigs in Austin, participated in Miami swim week, and took another trip to New York that fall. What I learned most from all these trips is the importance of responsibility. By going to places you’ve never seen before, alone, you get a real taste of what independence is like. At school, you get people coming up to you
asking, “Are you Abigail Hill?” or “Aren’t you a model or something?” But I learned to get used to that. I’ve learned to accept the fact that people will assume they know you and your life story. However, because of this, I can confidently say I wouldn’t be the person I am today without modeling. As cliché as it sounds, it’s completely true. Going through rejection… A lot of rejection, experiencing all kinds of people and participating in events for hours on end has brought me to accept all there is that life is going to throw "Why at you. With how are the industry is changing and you so adapting to sotall?" cial moralities, I “Not pretty enough” have high hopes not good for the future of enough to modeling. Almodel though I see why certain brands Too short prefer a certain size and look, stuck more and more companies are up accepting models of any size, race or ethnicity. Diversity is a be“She eats coming a theme too much” throughout mod“She eling and it’ll only keep progressshould look ing. like...” I’ve experienced problems with my height, and because I am “too short,” I couldn’t sign with a big agency in New York or California, but that didn’t stop me from getting myself out there. I won’t quit doing what I love just because some might say I can’t do it. And maybe it’s true, maybe there will always be someone out there prettier than me, skinnier than me, more “talented” than me. But there will never be someone exactly like me, and that’s what matters to me. Modeling didn’t make me stuck up, it didn’t make me better than everyone else. Modeling made me appreciate the beauty we all uniquely possess.
"you can't do TOO it"
FAT T O O S K I UGLY N FREAK N Y
Senior wins scholarships in pageants Anna Schulze | Asst. Editor Competing in beauty pageants was something senior Gracie Anderson never saw herself doing, and something she never assumed would help her on her path to college. “When my mom brought pageants to my attention I was initially skeptical about it,” Anderson said. “I thought all the girls would be petty and the environment would be superficial, but it didn’t turn out to be that way at all.” Beauty Pageant competitions consist of many rounds that the girls must prepare for, such as interviews with the judges, activewear, and artistic expression. Each girl has the opportunity to win one of the rounds, however at the end an overall winner is selected. “Initially I thought it would be an every man for himself type environment, and that the girls would only focus on themselves,” Anderson said. “I was completely wrong though, everyone helps each other out, whether its rehearsing speeches or just touching up make up, its really awesome to be apart of.” Beauty pageants offer their competitors
a wide range of scholarship opportunities that help many get through college. With each title won, small or large scholarships are awarded to the winner. The amount of scholarship money given depends on the title won and the size of the pageant, it can range anywhere from 250 dollars to 10,000. “The main reason I started competing in pageants was for the scholarships given,” Anderson said. “That’s how my mom paid for her college, and it definitely will help me pay for mine.” Many other benefits however are offered through competing in beauty pageants as competitors are expected to learn to speak well in front of an audience and judges, be able to perform a skill of their choice, and confidently walk down a stage in a choice outfit. “Competitions are very nerve racking but also very fun,” Anderson said. “ I recommend anyone who’s slightly curious about competitions to try it out. They teach you valuable life skills like how to be graceful under pressure, and simple ones such as good posture.”
Anderson stands by the former winner of the Miss Texas beauty pageant.
Photo provided by Anderson
Beyond Face Value
Feature August 16, 2018
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Former student becomes counselor after recovering from eating disorder McKenna Lucas | Co-Editor “Why are you so fat?” Five words shattered then-fourth grader Bridget Weiss’s heart and began her unhealthy obsession with perfection. “I felt so humiliated and embarrassed in front of the class, that I just thought if I just have it 100 percent together on the outside, then nobody would be able to poke a hole in me again,” said Weiss. “I thought if I was perfect, people would love me and I would never have to feel shame and embarrassment again.” Immediately after the experience Bridget began long distance running with her dad. They would run three to four miles a day. She became consumed by the idea of trying to be perfect in all areas of her life--grades, music, band and even church. “It became a vicious cycle, where I was just never good enough, never perfect enough and was putting pressure on myself that I could never attain,” Bridget said. “I constantly felt like I wasn’t good enough. Nobody was telling me to have straight A’s and everything, but I just felt like I didn’t people weren’t going to accept me, I wasn’t going to be loved.” The summer before her freshman year, Bridget got out of a unhealthy relationship. She decided to join some of her family members on a new diet. “I just took it to a whole other level, I began starving myself, exercising every single day, on top of what I was already doing in volleyball,” Bridget said. “The entire summer onto October of that fall semester of my freshman year was just me starving myself.” Bridget was an example of the 41.5% of high school female athletes reported with
69 percent of girls ages 10-18 claim magazines inspire their ideal body shape.
disordered eating. Females aren’t the only believed,” Bridget said. “I think my mom and ones at risk of eating disorders, 25% of people some other people in my life were trying to who suffer from anorexia are males. They tell me what was true, like ‘you’re beautiful, are even more at risk to dying from anorexia, you don’t need to worry about how you look. because they are often diagnosed later. This You don’t have to be perfect.’ It was kind of is due to the common misconception that just bouncing off my head.” men can’t suffer from eating disorders. It took Bridget over a year to finally Bridget’s family didn’t realize she was recognizing the lies that she was telling starving herself. She would eat a little bit, but herself. Instead of placing her identity in her it was only healthy foods. She categorized outer appearance or success, she began food as healthy foods and bad foods. She placing her identity in her faith. wouldn’t eat sweets or breads. If she did have “God gave me a new view of myself: as sweets she was perfectly loved always tempted to and accepted. I throw up, although "Eating disorders have a no longer had to she never did. perfect,” said way of sapping the life out be “I was constantly Bridget. “He gave thinking bad of you, because they lead me a new view thoughts about of other people. I myself, constantly you to believe that you realized that other comparing myself don't have value." people could really to others,” Bridget be struggling and said. “When I would nobody would sit down I would feel know. I had a my leg on the couch heart to really help and it would drive others, and support me insane.” and encourage them.” Bridget eventually told her mom about her Bridget quit volleyball her junior year eating disorder. Her mom took her to visit her because she realized it was a source of cousin who had struggled with anorexia and comparison. She decided she wanted to was hospitalized, but had recently overcome spend more time serving at her church and it. Although Bridget was underweight, she pursuing things she truly enjoyed. didn’t meet the threshold body weight“I just want [people] to know that they have mass index to be medically pronounced value,” Bridget said. “They have value not as anorexic, but she was functioning like because they are a perfect, or have perfect one. Bridget began regularly meeting with grades, or say the perfect thing on social a Christian counselor and her small group media or to their friends, they have value leader from her church. because they exist, because God made “My counselor helped me figure out what I them and just because they are human.
Bridget Weiss
In the U.S, at least 30 million people suffer from an eating disorder.
A person dies every 62 seconds as a result from an eating disorder.
Eating disorders have a way of sapping the life out of you, because they lead you to believe that you don’t have value or that you have to earn it.” Bridget’s biggest advice for people struggling with an eating disorder would be to recognize that they have one. It’s hard for people to realize they have a problem because they are under the impression that ‘everyone thinks bad thoughts about themselves’ and ‘everyone wants to eat healthy’. Bridget describes the balance between normal thinking and disordered thinking as a pendulum. It’s not healthy or normal to only think negative thoughts. “I think a lot of [people] find it hard to admit that they are struggling,” Bridget said. “I think that they fear like I did, that if I’m not perfect, that if I’m weak, something is wrong with me. We need to be okay struggling in our weakness, so that we may ask for help. Because I think going to a counselor or telling a teacher or a friend that you really trust or a small group leader at church, can be so lifegiving and helpful. God wants to use your brokenness and turn it into beauty.” Bridget’s struggle led her to become a counselor. She is in her last semester of graduate school. She is happily married and recently gave birth to her first baby, Liam. As of now she counsels for free at Hill Country Bible Church, Austin Lakeline. “God has used my struggle with disordered eating in so many ways, that I can not even count them,” Bridget said. “So much so that I would go through it all again to know what I know now about myself, to know what I know now about God, and to be able to help others in the way that I am.”
10-15 percent of the population suffering from Anorexia and Bulimia is male.
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Feature Volume 12, Issue 1
If We Were a Movie
Back to school movies to get ready for the school year
Mean Girls (2004) Megan Fletcher | Co-Editor Let Regina George (Rachel McAdams) and her gang take you on a wild ride through North Shore High School’s drama. The movie’s main protagonist is Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan), the new girl from Africa who struggles to fit in. While many schools, including Hendrickson, don’t have the kind of cliques depicted in this classic, Mean Girls serves as a blatant exaggeration of everyday events and heavily relies on highschool stereotypes. While Mean Girls is fiction, it does show how common bullying and exclusion is in highschool. Despite the ups and downs, Cady manages to bring all of the students together in the end. As everyone goes back to school this week, this movie helps assure people that no matter how tense it becomes with friends and significant others, it’ll -- probably -- never get to Burn Book levels.
The Breakfast Club (1985) McKenzie Quiroz | Asst. Editor The Breakfast Club shows how surprising the high school experience can be. It shows how a rebel, princess, outcast, nerd, and jock can come together, despite being in detention. It shows that there is more to a person than meets the eye. They each have a chance to tell his or her story, making the others see them a little differently and when the day ends, they question whether school will ever be the same. This goes to show that you may find a friend in someone you’ve never talked to before. The Breakfast Club helps us to remember to put ourselves out there and start a conversation. Getting to know others could make your time at Hendrickson even more memorable, as you gain friends throughout the year.
Easy-A (2010)
High School Musical
(2006)
Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor
Brisa Espinoza | Asst. Editor
The 2010 teen film, Easy A presents itself to be a classic high school story, but when Olive's (Emma Stone) lie is spread around school, she becomes recognized in a way she never intended. Like all high schools, rumors and gossip can spread like wildfire, but of course it can always be put out. Keeping a tight friend group, trusting the right people and staying true to yourself can make high school all the better. Like the book that it’s based on, the Scarlet Letter, women who are sexually active get shamed while men often get praised. This can be seen today by slut shaming in high schools while the movie adds a comedic twist to a real-life problem.
High School Musical focuses on two high schoolers from different social backgrounds coming together to try to break the “status quo” and perform in the school musical, despite others attempting to sabotage their chances of performing. Throughout this Disney Channel film, it shows the pressures and events throughout high school. This movie has many lessons that can help you prepare for high school such as: you’re allowed to venture out of your comfort zone and try new things. As well as the realization that you’re not the only one going through some things. Watching this movie can help you calm your nerves about high school and get you ready for the start of school.
Feature August 16, 2018
Map of Hendrickson
First floor
Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor
Getting around can be difficult at first. Knowing how to get to and from classes fast will be helpful for oncoming students and staff. Use this map to know where important locations are around the school.
Bottom Floor Book room
Front office
A Hall
Art
Library
PORTABLES
AG Building
Tips for getting around Use the back hallways
B Hall
Top Floor
Band hall
B Hall
C Hall Courtyard
ROTC B Hall
D Hall
E Hall F Hall
Courtyard
P.O.D.
PAC
Dance and Choir
E Hall
C Hall Courtyard
Theater A+ FCU
B Hall
Cafateria
Courtyard
F Hall
Small gym
G Hall
Main entrance
Big gym
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Memorize hall locations and order Plan walking routes
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Sports Volume 12, Issue 1
Q & A
Blaine Barker left, Brendan Cano right
Senior Gage Mahoney answers questions about summer trainings for football and the upcoming season.
Chris Coleman
What is the summer training schedule like? “We started on August sixth and we practice anywhere from three to four hours a day, running plays and building the team up as a whole.”
Chris Jackson
How do you manage practicing in the heat efficiently? “The heat is really tough, but we all drink lot of water and we pour a lot of it on our heads, anything that helps to cool us off.”
What is your favorite part about trainings? “For me personally, I like to help the younger kids so the program as a whole grows and continues the legacy we helped to build and that was there before.”
What is your favorite thing about playing football overall?
Do you feel prepared for the season now?
“The brotherhood I have with my team members, spemding all this time with them, you really get to know eachother and encourage eachother through the tough practices.”
“Absolutely, we’re flying high, these trainings have prepared us and this is a really strong team all the way around, we have good players and a good brotherhood going.”
What are your expectations for the upcoming season? “We have a strong team this year, so we should be able to make it to last years point, fourth round in the playoffs, then surpass it.”
What is your favorite drill or play to do during these practices? “I like when we do team offense because it is cool to see everything we’ve been practicing get put together.”
When does the season officially begin? “Our first scrimmage is on the 17th against Pflugerville, and shortly after that well get into our season. The first game is on the 23 against Waxachie.”
How do these trainings and summer practices help build up the team as a whole? “The long hours together create closeness among everyone, and the heat factor helps us get ready for the season because it is really no cooler on a Friday night than it is now.”
Sports August 16, 2018
Abigail Hill | Photographer
Photo provided by: Madison Oppliger Kaitlin Mackey | Photographer
Training Day
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Far right: Junior Mikaya Halle plays front row outside right hitter during tryouts for the upcoming volleyball season. Middle: Sophomore Madison Oppliger swims the freestyle race during the summer league Pflugerville Piranhas swim meet. Far left: Junior Chris Jackson runs the ball in position groups during the summer football practices
Athletes discuss summer preparation, training for upcoming season Brisa Espinoza | Asst. Editor As junior Duce Hester runs the ball during the first week of football practices, he soon realizes he has executed the football play he’s been working on all summer. Athletes use their summer vacation as a chance to prepare themselves for their upcoming sports seasons. PfISD offers a variety of camps throughout each of the four high schools during the summer. The camps allow for students to stay fit but also helping students practice plays and their techniques for certain sports. “Strength and Conditioning Camp has helped me stay in shape, get faster and stronger throughout the whole summer,” freshman volleyball player Mahina Pedlow said. “We got different perspectives and insights on different things that coaches are looking for and wanting for their players.” Football, volleyball, cross country, tennis,
and swim start their seasons before or right when school starts. Sports starting their seasons early on, gives the athletes that play these the sports the summer to prepare for the seasons, as well as tryouts. Many sports require different run times and techniques for tryouts, athletes prepare themselves for the tryouts that will decide whether they’re playing this season. “I work out and train as much as I can to make sure I stay in shape for next season,” Hester said. “Weight lifting and running is what I try to focus on the most, because once I have those two key elements down, it’ll eventually lead me to more beneficial scenarios in a game.” Colleges offer camps throughout the summer that teach the athletes what college sport programs expect and what they’re looking for. Athletes go to these camps
hoping to learn new techniques but as well as showing the college coaches their skills in hopes of receiving offers from the college or to recruiters. “The college camps that I go to help me get looked at by college coaches,” sophomore volleyball player Skylar Cavil said. “The experiences of the college camps is something I really like because I get to meet new people and I learn how to play with anyone and be successful.” Apart from summer camps, there are sport club teams that offer a summer league for athletes to join. The summer leagues give athletes a chance to continue playing the sport apart from the “regular” season. “The swim summer league I’m a part of has more meets than my club swim team, so with summer swim I get to race more often,” sophomore swimmer Madison Oppliger
said. “Racing more often helps me learn what I need to focus on in a race to become a better swimmer. Whatever I learn from the races I take into practice and work on that.” Some athletes have meal plans during the summer to help them keep a strict diet to keep in shape. Camps, training sessions, summer leagues and workouts are all things athletes go to during the summer to be ready for the season. “I do strength and conditioning camps, college volleyball camps, play sand volleyball, and go to the YMCA and workout. I have my low, medium and large carb intake diet too,” Cavil said. “I do all these things during the summer because I like to make sure that I’m ready for anything the coaches would like to throw my way during the season.”
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People Volume 12, Issue 1
Teachers Throughout Time
Original staff reflect on fifteen years of working at Hendrickson Hendrickson first opened in 2003, with a staff of over 30 teachers and 500 freshman and sophomores. Fifteen years flew by since the opening, now there is over 2000 students and 180 staff members. Throughout the years only 9 staff members have remained at Hendrickson. Staff members include: Carol Peterson, Michael Fisher, John Bush, Matt Carney, Monica Lawrence, TJ Johnson, Reggie Morgan, Frances Contreras and Geneva Lechler. “For the first year, all the classes were held on the first floor; the second floor was off limits to all students. In front of the school were just corn fields. The nearest store to get supplies was the HEB and Walmart. The Stone Hill Shopping Center was just a field. Throughout these fifteen years, I have gone gray and gained some weight, but I feel I have also become more of a leader. People seem interested in my suggestions since I am the only founding faculty member left in the English department. Of course, I have a lot more experience having taught a section of every single course with the exception of AP Literature and Composition. I have much more confidence in myself.”
“We had a very small staff, that you were able to get to know everyone. Now, I don’t know most of the teachers. There’s around 180 teachers here and I only know about half of them. All the teachers knew all the students because you would have these students in your classes and you would get to know all of them. It’s the same way with sports, because there are so many more students that are wanting to play, they have to compete more to start now because there’s so much more competition.”
-Reggie Morgan
-John Bush
“Hendrickson was pretty much surrounded by pasture or cornfields, our faculty was small enough that we all fit in one school bus. Hendrickson has really grown over the course of 15 years, initially we started with about 450 students and actually grew to almost 3,300. Besides getting older in the last fifteen years, I’ve moved from being the receptionist in the front office to working with grade level principals, this will be my 5th Senior class that I get to work with, also the biggest with almost 875. I have seen many faculty come and go, which is sad because I have enjoyed working with everyone and it’s always hard to see someone leave.”
-Frances Contreras
“When HHS opened 15 years ago we had 450 students in 9th & 10th grades with many more freshmen than sophomores - we called them Hawkmores back then. We had a staff of 50 and everyone knew everyone. We have excelled in athletics, band, drama, speech and debate, science olympiad, and choir. The most eventful things to have happened are the toll road bringing all of the construction, the soccer state championship, the time a burning down the road smoke got into the upstairs and set off the fire alarms and we evacuated the building to go out into a major thunderstorm. But the good news is that with the growth, we have added a lot of awesome classes that students can take, In the beginning it was only the necessary ones, now we have people taking all kinds of electives that seem to be fun. We have set standards that other schools want to mimic.”
-Carol Peterson