Nov 2018 Hawk

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Bridging the Gap Students create roads to inclusion pages 10 and 11

theHAWK Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pf lugerville, Texas 78660

Volume 12, Issue 3 November 2, 2018

INSIDE: Midterm elections, page 2... Fulbright scholar... page 8

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News Volume 12, Issue 3

stateof the

UNION

Midterm elections to decide Senate, House positions.

The Candidates

Beto O’Rourke

Nominee for the Democratic Party, running against Ted Cruz. Goal is to establish universal healthcare for the country, increase in Government control, advocates background checks for all gun sales, expand Medicaid, and pass the DREAM act.

Lupe Valdez

Ted Cruz (incumbent) Republican, U.S. Senator since 2013, ran for 2016 presidential election.

Cruz is in favor of abolishing the IRS, instituting a flat tax system, supports “strategic fencing” on the border, and helps pay for border security.

Greg Abbott (incumbent)

Democratic nominee for Governor of Texas, running against Greg Abbott Supports stricter gun laws, works to protect the LGBTQ community, and raise taxes for open health care.

Republican Governor of Texas. Focuses on creating more jobs and opportunity for everyone, advancing the education system, and upping border control to protect Texans.

Mike Collier

Dan Patrick (incumbent)

Running for Lieutenant Governor, Democrat Mike Collier advocates for strengthening border security while also strengthening trade relations with Mexico, legislation that ensures equality between all people, and advancing public education.

Running for Lieutenant Governor, Conservative Republican Dan Patrick advocates for stronger border security, tax breaks for business and property owners, the second amendment, and pro-life laws.

Your Turn

“I think that the Republicans will keep control over the Senate and the Democrats will gain {more seats] in the House of Representatives, but I don’t think they will gain control of the House. I also think that Republican incumbent Governor Gregg Abbott will win re-election over his Democratic challenger Lupe Valdez.”

Landon Self, 9

“I think Beto [O’ Rourke] is going to win. Nowadays, in society, the Democrats have a lot of impact in Texas because people are moving in from California, so the Republican party really isn’t as dynamic. The Democrats are definitely taking control of the political issues going on and I believe he’s really good for Texas and the senate. Especially with the rise of teenagers going to vote, he’s definitely appealing to the younger population, which can have a large effect on the outcome of the election.”

Ashley Lister, 11

“There is a remarkable chance for the Democrats to take the House of Representatives and make the majority blue, and there is a chance for seats in the Senate to be taken by the Democrats, too. Not enough to shift the Senate into a majority of blue seats though.“ Max Garcia, 9

“I think Beto [O’ Rourke] is going to win, I think it’s all him. It’s just in the way that he speaks, and how he’s so passionate about the things he stands for. He kind of has the Andrew Jackson appeal, where he’s like the common man. I feel like he’s going to make some good changes.”

Winston Ross, 11

“I think the outcome of the midterm elections will be unpredictable. In Texas, the race between Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke is very close. I think nationwide, there is likely going to be a surge of Democrats voting in the midterms, because of the increase in the number of young people voting due to all the celebrities and influencers encouraging young people to get out and vote.”

Ian Falkenbury, 10

“I believe that Ted Cruz is going to win, but I want Beto [O’ Rourke] to win. I watched the debate and noticed that Beto focused on ordinary people, he wants to do something about the issues within our society, while Ted Cruz gave a lot of statistics, population wise, and was taking the side of law enforcement in issues concerning the innocent killings of people by them. I believe the Beto O’Rourke is going to be right for Texas, but Ted Cruz has a better chance of winning.”

Kosi Otutu, 11

By the Numbers Seth Deaton | Reporter

Megan Fletcher | Co-Editor

News November 2, 2018

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Midterm elections provide opportunity for political shakeups in Texas, nation

Every four years, halfway through the president’s term, America has midterm elections.

During the midterm election one third of the senators, who serve six year terms, and all 435 members of the House of Representatives, who serve two year terms, are open for re-election.

Currently both houses are controlled by Republicans, and this year Democrats have 23 seats open for re-election, while Republicans have eight.

If Republicans keep all their seats and win over some of the Democrat’s seats they will have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, meaning Democrats will be unable to call for a filibuster, a lengthy, often irrelevant, speech designed to stall during legislative meetings.

As of right now, Republicans hold the majority in the House of Representatives with 235 seats to Democrats 193 seats, with seven seats being left vacant, however the Democrats are expected to gain seats this year.

28 percent of young voters aged 18-29 say they will certainly vote in midterm elections, according to Vox.

Senate election leanings reveal possible voting outcomes The map to the left is based on data collected by the New York Times.

Many of the states pictured lean blue because there are more Democrat Senate seats up for re-election than there are for Republicans. Because of this, Democrats would have to win 28 of these elections to gain control of the Senate, but Republicans only need nine.

In Texas, for example, the Senate race between Republican incumbent Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke could go either way, although the majority of polls show Cruz to be in the lead. However, if the Democrats’ campaign to get more young liberals to vote in the upcoming election goes to plan, then O’Rourke may become the first Democratic senator from Texas since 1995.

Other red-ish states, like Mississippi, are indicated in the off shade because the state has not one, but two Senate seats up for grabs, both currently held by Republicans. Senator Cindy HydeSmith will run in a special election.

Blue states in New England, California, and along the Canadian border are “soldily Democrat,” indicating more than a 50 percent chance of the Democratic incumbent senators being re-elected.

1= solid Democrat, 5= solid Republican

Where can I vote?

Today is the last day for early voting and you can vote at any of the following locations. If you choose to vote on election day on Nov. 6, you must go to the location listed on your voter registration card.

- Blackhawk Amenity Center - Park Crest Middle School - Pf uger Hall and Conference Center - Falcon Pointe Community Center - Pf ugerville County Tax Office

What do I need to vote?

Voter Registration Card Texas Driver License Texas Personal Identification Card US Citizenship Certificate US Passport * If your driver’s license or other form of photo ID is expired by less than four years, you can still use it.

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News Briefs

News Volume 12, Issue 3

Mental Health Club provides awareness Carolina Yanez | Asst. Editor After years in the making, Hawks Connected has began to try to reduce the risk of suicide and depression here at school. The sponsor for the club is the school Social Worker Lori Carl and meetings are in Jana Powers’ room in E208 once a month.

“Right now we are working on advertising the National Out of the Darkness Walk in downtown Austin on Nov. 10,” club president and senior Rebecca Tobias said.

“We also plan resource fairs during lunch and find other ways to spread positivity at school.”

Hawks Connected wants to emphasize they are strictly trying to distribute

Emily Irlanda | Photographer Cheerleaders chant under the Friday night lights in an attempt to hype the crowd full of parents and students up at Dragon Stadium during the varsity football game against the Cedar Ridge Raiders. The team ultimately ended up losing 28-21.

Cheerleaders, firefighters struggle for equal locker room access

Seth Deaton | Reporter

Every sports team has a locker room.

It’s where teams prepare themselves for their games, practices, and performances.

However, athletes like the cheerleaders and the members of the firefighter program don’t have this opportunity because they don’t have access to a locker room.

The firefighter program trains in the morning during first and fifth period. The workouts and drills they do cause them to be drenched in sweat, but because they don’t have a locker room they don’t have anywhere to shower and get ready for the rest of the day. The administration has talked about cheerleaders and the firefighters sharing the locker rooms in the G hall in the morning, but nothing has yet been done.

“We’ve talked to athletics about the firefighters in the morning using lockers, and using the showers,” associate principal Michael Grebb said. “It’s hard because we’re sharing facilities with cheerleading and wrestling in the winter. What we try to do is have everybody work together to make sure that the space is equitable for all the programs that we have.”

For some members of the firefighter program not having a locker room costs them valuable time because they have to find other ways to have access to a shower. Senior Dillon Tecson is in four AP classes and finding a way to shower after his workouts proved very difficult.

“We definitely get hot and sweaty and it’s the first class of the day so you don’t want to go through the rest of the day all sweaty and nasty,” Tecson said. “There were days that I had to find a way to go home and take a shower and it really sucked.”

Not only do the cheerleaders not have

locker rooms for shower purposes, but they don’t have anywhere to store uniforms and equipment. The firefighter program keeps their equipment and uniforms in the back of room B109 and in the shed behind the school, but the cheerleaders have to carry their uniforms and practice clothes around with them all day.

“We would have a place to store clothing, belongings, etc,” cheerleading coach Bleva Sheport said. “Right now everything is basically in their backpacks and are carried back and forth to home.”

Along with a locker room the cheerleaders could use a designated place to practice.

Currently, they are using the cafeteria after school for practices.

“We need an appropriate place to practice,” Sheport said. “Every day we have to take up the tables, move the tables, and lay out our mats. After practice we must roll the mats back up and the tables out. This takes a good 20 minutes out of class time.”

Time isn’t the only problem with practicing in the cafeteria. Students that are in the cafeteria after school cause distractions for the cheerleaders trying to practice.

“We are always being interrupted by other groups,” Sheport said. “They sometimes tend to get loud which causes interruptions.”

Both these programs have been able to function successfully without a locker room, but having access to the showers and the storage space would help the programs function at a higher level.

“I can’t think of any cons to having a locker room,” Sheport said. “We need a locker room.”

resources to bring awareness to mental health issues through information and events.

“We have meetings in Mrs. Powers room for space and a healthy environment,” Tobias said. “We discuss ways to boost morale and bring awareness to mental health at school. This club is important to me and my peers because mental health is so stigmatized and joked about. It’s our goal to create a healthier environment for students and bring awareness to resources that the school provides and other available resources.”

GSA club switches their name to QSA Carolina Yanez | Asst. Editor The formerly known Gay-Straight Alliance club, sponsored by Kathryn Gurganus and Sarah Smith, now goes by Queer-Straight Alliance.

Club president and sophomore Faith D’Alfonso says the name switch came after the group unanimously showed an interest in changing to better represent the club’s diverse group of students.

“It is important because the word ‘queer’ serves as an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of identities and doesn’t risk excluding groups that might otherwise feel left out by using the word ‘gay’,” D’Alfonso said. “The ambiguity

of the new name helps bring an overall sense of community and togetherness to the group.”

In addition to the name switch, QSA plans to volunteer in more events and team up with other clubs.

“QSA is planning to attend the National Suicide Prevention Walk in Austin as a group and volunteering with other clubs, including Girl Advocates, in various activities,” D’Alfonso said. “We ultimately want to provide a safe space for LGBTQ students and their allies to interact and engage with one another within a social support group.”

Upcoming Club Meetings Mental Health Club (in room E208): Nov. 13 Dec. 4 Jan. 15 QSA (in room D207): Nov. 15 Every other Thursday after school

Class of 2022 president sets goals for future Anabella Galan | Reporter Following in her sister’s footsteps, freshman Anna Huynh-Duong was elected class president and is setting goals for her presidency.

“I decided to run for class president because my sister (recent graduate, Andrea Huynh-Duong) was president of her class and I’ve always wanted to do it,“ Huynh-Duong said. “My job as class president is to raise a lot of money for our grade, plan events, and to unite the whole class and raise school spirit.”

Huynh-Duong hopes that by hosting fundraisers, such as a pet clinic and a bake sale, she can make an impact on not just the school, but on her fellow classmates, too.

“I’m going to try to raise as much money

as I can so all of our events are successful and everyone can have fun,” Huynh-Duong said. “Even the students that don’t usually enjoy them.”

Since freshman year sometimes has a slower start with fundraising, student council advisor Hellen Barczi has planned the first fundraiser for the class, giving the freshmen their first step towards their goals. Huynh-Duong strives to maintain her position as class president for all four years of high school so she can carry out her plans leading up to her senior prom.

“If I’m still president by junior year, I want to raise a lot of money so our prom can be super fun,” Huynh-Duong said. “I want to start planning early so we can get a good hotel for our prom to be held in.”

Awards & Accolades

News

November 2, 2018

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Choir girls advance to Pre-Area

Journalism attends State Convention

Maria Torres | Reporter

Carolina Yanez | Asst. Editor

The Hawk Choir auditioned at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Region 26 Choir. Many choir students who auditioned and placed will also advance to Pre-Area on Nov. 14. The following students who are advancing to Pre-Area are seniors Cindy Mims and Sabine Gray, junior Jasmine Anderson, sophomores Kelly Abels, Emma Pitman, and freshmen Janessa Kumpati and Harlow Hurley, all of which play as both soprano and alto singers.

The Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) is an organization of over 12,000 school music educators dedicated to promoting excellence in music education.

TMEA is comprised of divisions including

band, orchestra, and vocal performances.

The songs in which were selected for the auditions were divided in cuts and were the singers qualifying were separated by parts in which they perform in.

“I practiced whenever I had time and I especially practiced a few days before the actual auditions,” Kumpati said. “All you need is practice.”

As the ladies prepare for their next challenge, Maria Tolleson, the director of the Hawk Choir program, helps the young qualifiers for the upcoming Pre-Area.

“There’s a lot of talent in choir,” Tolleson said. “I was so excited for the students because they worked really hard and so it all paid off.”

Band excels at regional competitions

Carolina Yanez | Asst. Editor

After multiple rained out performances at football games, the Hawk Band finally performed a portion of their show for the first time at the Bands of America competition in Austin on Sept. 29. Their show “Blueprints for Life” features clarinet soloist senior Gihvon Bilal in a bright blue uniform.

“I had no idea how truly large it [the solo] was going to be,” Bilal said. “I’m honored to have such a special part. It is the emotional experience that only I can share with the audience, is what I love the most.

Through me, the audience can understand our show.”

According to senior drum major Gabby Emken, every member in band is eager to see the show grow and develop as the season continues. This competition season for the Hawk Band has high hopes in store due to their growth in quality and

cleanliness since last year.

“The band directors are really focused right now after every rehearsal performance we have they watch recordings of it and analyze all the problems,” Emken said. “I am so excited for this show and season. The concept of our show is so impactful in the current society dealing with exclusion and not knowing your place in the world. The closer of our show brings a smile to my face every time.”

Since the cancellation of BOA Waco on Oct. 13, the band performed at the Lost Pines Marching Festival in Bastrop and the U.S. Bands Yamaha Cup in Converse.

“We still did our show but we’re just given judges’ comments instead of an actual score,” Emken said. “It was nice to do a show with no pressure, the show is a lot of fun and I think people really enjoy it.”

Hawk journalism attended the Texas Association of Journalism Educators (TAJE) Fall Fiesta, a three day state journalism convention in San Antonio on Oct. 20-22. The Hawk newspaper was awarded second place Best of Show. The following students also won individual awards: Portrait photography: Abigail Hill, Superior On-site Feature Writing: McKenna Lucas, Superior On-site Sports Feature: Brisa Espinoza, Honorable Mention On-site Photography, In the Details: Kaitlin Mackey, Superior On-site Photography, Convention: McKenzie Quiroz, Superior

Debaters advance in tournament Taylor Hedlund | Reporter From Oct. 12-14, seniors Trey Gutierrez and Dylan Scott competed at St. Mark’s Tournament of Champions qualifying meet. They advanced to the quarterfinal round where they gained a chance for a possible spot for the National Debate Tournament of Champions that takes place in April.

During the week prior to the tournament, several members of the debate team gained national rankings. The rankings represent the work these students put into

each tournament and their sides of these disputes of their topics.

Senior Rene Otero ranked second in Texas and third nationally for extemporaneous speaking. Seniors Trey Gutierrez and Dylan Scott placed in fourth and fifth in Texas, as well as ninth and twelfth in the nation. Seniors Sofia Valdespino, Bryce Hann and Sydney Stogel gained the positions tenth, fourteenth and sixteenth in Texas and are all in the top sixty students in the nation in public forum debate.

BOA Austin- 6th in Prelims, 8th in Finals UIL Region Contest-1st Division UIL Area Contest-4th in finals, and advancement to state competition.

The state competition takes place next Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 5-6.

Featured clarinet soloist and senior Gihvon Bilal performs in the band’s marching show “Blueprints for Life.”

Brisa Espinoza | Photographer

The Hawk Band performs during the PfIugerville Pfestival of Bands on Oct. 1. In the 6A Area D competition, the band won 4th in finals and will advance to the UIL State Marching Contest next week.

Brisa Espinoza | Photographer

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Your Turn

Opinion Volume 12, Issue 3

Staff Editorial One of current gifted/talented programs no longer necessary

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While not widely advertised, Pflugerville ISD’s ASCEND program provides services to identified gifted and talented students they don’t get through PfLEX, the default route for G/T students.

Housed in the Department of Special Programs at PfISD, the program allows what the district identifies as the top one percent of the district to take an accelerated pathway of classes to high school.

For example, after most of the students in the program are identified in fifth or sixth grade, they enter Windemere Elementary School taking math and science a year ahead.

By eighth grade at PfIugerville Middle School, they’re enrolled in high school geometry and biology. If they choose to continue in the program, ASCEND students then enter Pflugerville High School taking algebra II and pre-AP chemistry.

However, the opportunity to take courses a year ahead, like taking geometry in eighth grade, is not limited to ASCEND students, and are available at other middle schools, like Kelly Lane and Park Crest. With Credit

By Exam, anyone who passes a test can take an advanced class – without attending a different school through the ASCEND program. While this wasn’t always an option, the new policy eliminates the need for the program.

Given gifted and talented students now have the ability to take classes above their grade level (or just skip a grade), the ASCEND program has lost its purpose. Why force children to transfer schools for two classes they could take at their current schools?

Some proponents of the program would respond saying the ASCEND program’s clustering approach allows gifted students to flourish by grouping them together through the years. However, the credit-by-exam method has the same effect: if you’re taking geometry in eighth grade, you would take geometry with other eighth graders who tested out of Algebra I, without having to transfer from your current school.

While hundreds of students have benefitted from the ASCEND program over the years, it has lost its necessity.

It may reflect well on PfISD to have top one percent students brought together in a special program, but the reality is that students no longer have an exclusive benefit from it.

Instead, the solution is to advertise creditby-exam and eliminate the ASCEND program.

This will alleviate budget issues by reducing transportation costs, as transportation to ASCEND campuses was a guarantee of the program. In the end, PfISD students will receive the same services they do with the current program, but without the undue burden of a transfer and an acronym.

The Hawk, the official student newspaper of Hendrickson High School, is an open forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions.

Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pf lugerville, TX 78660 http://www.pfisd.net/HHS (512) 594-1100 Student Population: 2450 Staff: 230 Adviser: Kari Riemer Principal: Daniel Garcia www.facebook.com/HawkNewspaper

Do you think the ASCEND program is a necessary district implementation?

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 Community Impact in Pflugerville, Texas. 1,000 copies are printed each run, and are distributed to the student body for free through an advisory period and on newsstands throughout the building.

“I do believe it was helpful, because I think it gives kids the opportunity to do more with their education, so they don’t feel that they’re being weighed down.”

Marc Abdallah, 12

“I think the ASCEND program is a great way for kids who are at a higher place than the average student. Because, a lot of the time these kids don’t feel that they belong with the other students. It’s just a helpful way for kids to get together who are on the same plane, and share ideas, discuss things, and be academically challenged while being in a social environment where they can fit in.”

Soomin Cho, 12

“I do think it was helpful to differentiate in education. But I definitely believe that GT students are fine in the gen-ed classrooms.”

Lily Croix-Blust, 11

“I think that at the time the ASCEND program was created it was really necessary because there wasn’t really a way for us to accelerate our classes. I think that in high school it isn’t necessary because you can take whatever classes you want as long as you have the prerequisite classes, but for middle school and elementary school, I think it was a good experience.”

Sydney Stogel, 12

Abigail Hill | Cartoonist

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 Addison Hildebrandt Maya Lewis

Reporters

Ikram Mohamed Angelyna Rosales Bryan Ross Camryn Sadlier Lauren Saenz

Associations Interscholastic Press League Texas Association of Journalism Educators Journalism Educators Association National Scholastic Press Association Columbia Scholastic Press League

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Bridging the Gap

St u d e n t s c r e a t e r o a d s t o in c lu s io n p a g e s 10 a n d 11

Maria Torres Zachary Valdez Kyla White

Honors ILPC Bronze Star, 2014 & 2015, 2017 Columbia Scholastic Press League, Gold Medalist 2016, 2017 Silver Crown, 2017, 2018 Pacemaker Finalist, 2018

t h e HAWK H e n d r ic ks o n H ig h Sc h o o l Volume 12, Issue 3 19 2 0 1 C o lo r a d o Sa n d D r iv e November 2, 2018 P fl u g e r v ille , Te x a s 7 8 6 6 0

INSIDE: M i d t e r m e le c t io n s , p a g e 2. . .

Fu lb r ig h ts c h o la r . . . p a g e 8

Design by Megan Fletcher Photo by Aashiya Vahora

Hit or Miss Current hall monitor system causes frustration with students There are three types of hall monitors in the morning. There’s the monitor who barely looks up as a student walks past them, the one who only asks where a student is going before letting them into the hallway, and then there’s the monitor who won’t even consider allowing a student into the hallway unless they show them a tutorial pass.

The inconsistency of hall monitoring is annoying and ineffective.

If a student is denied access into one hallway, they can simply sneak in through another.

Another problem that arises for students is the infeasibility of receiving a tutorial pass. Many don’t even know they need help on homework until the night before the homework is due. In this case, there are three courses of action: they can either sneak into tutorials the next morning, they can email their teacher that night and hope the teacher responds before school starts the next day, or they can just not get help. It’s easier to merely sneak into tutorials and get help than wait for an email that could not arrive in time.

A possible solution to this problem is for hall monitors to actually monitor the hall, instead of standing guard at the entrance of a hall deciding whether or not students can walk through. Teachers should allow students to come and go from tutorials and only step in to ask someone to leave if they are being excessively loud or distracting.

Tutorials give students a chance to clear up confusion with teachers and strengthen their grasp on a subject, but under the status quo, some students are denied that opportunity. The inconsistency between the hall monitors is a miss.

New cafeteria lunch policy creates inconveniences, confusion For the past two years, teachers on cafeteria duty have refused to let students out of the cafeteria in the last ten minutes of lunch.

Whether you have to go to the A+ FCU bank or see a teacher, they won’t let anyone leave, no matter the reason.

This was more of a problem last year, when B and C lunches had split classes, and some students wanted to get a head start on their work before lunch ended, but they couldn’t. While the new lunch schedule eliminates that issue, students still need to leave the cafeteria for productive reasons. It’s true that some people only want to leave to meander around Main Street, but plenty of students do that anyway because they didn’t eat lunch in the cafeteria.

Ultimately, this policy punishes students for eating in the cafeteria, the room built specifically to eat in. Leaving the cafeteria a bit early relieves congestion and allows students to take care of business without leaving class or taking a tardy. The school policy on leaving the cafeteria is a miss.

Interactive SROs give outlets for stronger students relationships There has been a noticeable difference in the attitudes of the School Resource Officers (SROs) this year. They have gotten more interactive with all grade levels. Whether they play tag, duck, duck, goose or games with imaginary equipment, their interaction provides a way for authority to connect with students. At times, it may seem overwhelming, but their efforts to get to know the the student body in unique ways, allows them to properly do their job.

The SROs’ increased interaction with students is a hit.

My Turn

Opinion November 2, 2018

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Livin’ La Vida Loca

Editor reflects on childhood, culture

Brisa Espinoza | Asst. Editor Growing up, I always saw people wearing ponchos, sombreros, and fake mustaches and I never saw a problem with it. This may have been because of my arrogance for my Hispanic heritage. I refused to speak Spanish to my family or do anything that proved to others I was Mexican, I always told myself that I was “too white” to be Mexican. I didn’t accept my heritages beliefs or values.

I was in a predominantly white school district, and being one of the few with darker hair and tanner skin, I wanted to be able to “fit in.” I did everything I could to try not to stand out amongst the other kids though it was impossible not to stand out because of my name of Spanish origin. My name was constantly mispronounced and always made fun of. Because of my name, I despised my parent for naming me something that was different and unique, I asked them constantly, “Why? Why this name?” I would sometimes cry over my name and why it wasn’t the same as everyone else’s at school.

In the past few years, cultures and traditions have become something that others of a different culture believe they can mimic or do. Their actions have outraged people from the background they’re representing or even others that are not directly affected. In many cases, the mimicking is considered cultural appropriation when done with a harmful motive. But are people intending to make fun of the culture or race? Or are they appreciating the culture for its beauty and its workings?

Now when I see people wearing ponchos, sombreros and fake mustaches, I see a problem with it. They’re generalizing my Mexican culture for what they believe it is. It’s differ ent w h e n someone appreciates

a culture and tries to praise its beauty to when someone does it to make fun. Although many people don’t mean to cause harm, most people’s immediate thought is that they are meaning to be rude. Maybe that’s what’s wrong with our world, we’re always so quick to judge without actually hearing the back story and reasoning.

Cultures are depicted in all the wrong ways throughout society and social media. If no one corrects people for what it really is, everyone’s beliefs would be the same. Everyone would have the same generalized thoughts about people of different races. At times these stereotypes will have others questioning you and if you are actually what you say you are. In my case I’ve been told that I couldn’t be Mexican since I didn’t dress like I was. Though people are not physically mimicking my culture, they are impersonating it. They believe every person of that culture or race is the same.

As there are still many obstacles for our world to overcome with racism, stopping stereotypes is the first step into ending racism. But with that, ending the appropriation of cultures is needed. No one should walk the street and hear people making fun of a person’s eye size or see someone wearing Native American headdresses as a part of their costume. As a country of many different cultures roaming every acre of land, we need to show appreciation in the right way, not in ways that are deemed offensive.

Though for a good part of my life I was unhappy with my culture and wished I was someone else, I gained love and accepted my heritage. I never cared to think in depth if what people were wearing was to impersonate my culture in a rude way. But throughout the years, I was able to prove what was right or wrong. Culture appropriation is wrong. Believing in stereotypes is wrong. But wanting to show appreciation for other cultures is right.

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Feature Volume 12, Issue 3

Broadening the Borders Former student named Fulbright scholar, United States cultural ambassador McKenna Lucas | Co-Editor It’s her first semester of St. Edward’s.

Gabrielle Wilkosz knocks on the door of the ‘Fulbright Gatekeeper’ Caroline Morris.

After showing her some samples of her high school writing, at 18, Wilkosz thought she was ready to begin the extensive Fulbright scholar application. Despite Wilkosz’s initial enthusiasm, Morris knowingly said ‘come back in three years.’

Two years later, after deciding to graduate early, Wilkosz began the grueling Fulbright Scholar application.

After receiving the scholarship, former Hendrickson student and St. Edward’s graduate will leave the U.S. on Jan 1. 2019 to embark on her 10-month stay in Malaysia as a cultural ambassador of America. In Malaysia, she will teach English instruction to secondary school children and conduct qualitative research on the daily lives of school children through interviews.

“When I was researching countries that I could go to, I stumbled across this collection of essays called Balik Kampung, which means “to return to one’s village” in Bahasa Melayu, which is the tongue of Natives in Malaysia, as I started filing down and reading these essays, I started finding many voices that sounded like my own,” Wilkosz said. “There was just this point in my research where I was like ‘I could go to Romania, because I’ve already been there, to teach English, or I could go to one of the more fancier countries like France, which would be cool, but my French sucks.

Or, I could try this place that resonated spiritually with me. And so I just decided to go for it.”

Currently, Wilkosz is focused on learning Melayu before her trip. The Fulbright program will pay for Wilkosz room, board, and transportation. While she lives in

Malaysia, she will work with the Fulbright experience and to make her more Commission as well as Malaysia’s Ministry applicable for the scholarship Wilkosz of Education. taught English in Romania two summers “I had a lot of reservations at first when ago. She stayed with an American friend in I was deciding whether or not I wanted the town of Media, in Central America and to apply for the program. As you know worked with Romani Gypsies, a small ethnic many countries and communities in the group. Romani Gypsies are not Romanians world suffer from the long-term impacts and are hated and discriminated against. of colonialism, white supremacy, and They can not legally own land, forcing Eurocentric ideals. them to live in Whether it’s in abandoned houses beauty, like the that would look "I’ve decided due to the status popularity of like crack houses in of this world, that if sharing my skin bleaching America. products in India, “Gypsies are knowledge of English, sharing Pakistan, Malaysia some of the most what little I know, can inspire or whether it’s misunderstood, and encourage students who in business unreported, I meet, I think that’s a worthpractices, [like] unknown people Nike’s sweatshops. groups in the world. while way to spend my time."

Colonialism The way their family exists and many structures work is countries today basically women continue to suffer aged about 15 for it and from and younger will modern adaptations of it,” Wilkosz said. stay in the home base camp. If you are “I struggled. Would I be a part of that as a Romani Gypsy woman and are 15 and a white privileged American representing under, you stay at home and birth babies my country? How do you deal with that and the father is usually like a grandfather, ethically? After some soul searching, I cousin or brother,” Wilkosz said. “So I had decided to be prescriptive rather than the opportunity to work with those very descriptive: I can describe the situation young women and it was very challenging from what I felt and have been educated because my sister is 13 and just seeing a on it or I can be prescriptive about what group of 13-year-olds raising a family was I would do, and how I would change, or hard.” approach a current global phenomenon At the beginning of May, Wilkosz found out or situation. I’ve decided due to the status that she had been wait listed. She started of this world, that if sharing my knowledge thinking about a ‘plan B’ and began looking of English, sharing what little I know, can for jobs. Although she didn’t believe she inspire and encourage students who I was going to receive the scholarship, her meet, I think that’s a worthwhile way to community never lost faith. spend my time.”

“I felt like I let my community down To gain some more international because this whole time, my professors,

community, all of these people who I admired had been rooting for me,” Wilkosz said. “When it finally started coming out and people were asking “Gabrielle, did you get it? Did you get a yes yet?” and I said, “I’ve been wait listed.” I felt so heavy.

I was expecting them to feel heavy, too.

But nearly every single one of my friends, professors, mentors was like ‘You still got this. If anyone can do it you can.’ Against all odds, they still believed in me.”

After living in Malaysia, Wilkosz is planning on going to grad school. She is looking at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Wilkosz wants to get into a master program with an emphasis on cross-cultural studies, particularly rhetoric. After graduate school, she is thinking about working for UNICEF and doing humanitarian work. She passionately believes in the importance and privilege of supporting public schools around the world. Wilkosz will speak at a PFISD school board meeting on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.

“I think it’s no secret that I share in many educators’ views on the importance of public education in Texas and the democratization of public education worldwide,” Wilkosz said. “I believe that when only the wealthy or otherwise wellprivileged have access to well-rounded instruction, safe reliable facilities, are communities experience general strain over time. The young people who I will teach are described as high risk. They live in rural areas about 9,783 miles away from PfIugerville, but I believe that whether you’re situated in the dense tropical climate of Malaysia or the dry rolling hills of central Texas, access to public education is the first step to building inclusive communities in the greater context.”

In 2016, there was a 97.6% literacy rate among students ages 15-24 in Malaysia.

The Next Generation

Kaitlin Mackey | Photographer

Current co-editor McKenna Lucas interviews former co-editor Gabrielle Wilkosz about her time at St. Edward’s University.“I think when you are in the presence of someone who is very passionate about what they are doing, it kind of brings you to this sort of sponge like state where you can become a higher form of yourself,” Wilkosz said. Wilkosz spent time as editor-in-chief for both St. Edward’s newspaper and academic journal.

*Statistic taken from Department of Statistics Malaysia

A Taste of Europe

Feature November 2, 2018

9

Group to travel Italy in summer Maya Lewis | Reporter It’s Cassandra Neve’s first year teaching AP Human Geography, and it’s also her first year taking a group of students on an educational trip. Having traveled to 18 different countries and territories herself, Neve has learned to appreciate her experiences and wishes the same for the students. She loves to immerse in the culture and see how life is different from her own.

“Growing up, I hated learning, but the minute I started traveling to other countries and experiencing different cultures and different settings, I appreciated it a lot more and I started wanting to learn about that,” Neve said. “I hope they learn to love to travel and I hope they learn to love learning.”

Neve is taking any student, who is able, to Italy in July of 2019. On this ten-day trip, costing $4,300, the group will go to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, Pompeii, and Capri to experience the different geographic and social cultures of Italy.

“If we talk about geography, Venice is not going to be around much longer because of the rising water levels,” Neve said. “I want them to get a chance to see it before it’s gone.”

As this is the first time Neve travels with a group of students, she needed some help planning. Neve talked to her father and French teacher, Liliane Brockington, who had also done similar trips she said.

“They’re going to research the places we’re going to and know the history and the background,” Neve said. “So when they get there it’s not completely new but it’s still immersive.”

The U.S. Travel Association proved in a study that class trips can be very beneficial to students and the learning environment. Neve agrees and believes class trips engage students and encourage them to want to learn more about different cultures and societies.

“Trips provide the experience of learning and seeing things that they have previously read about or seen in a textbook,” Neve said. “I think by having an immersive hands-on experience, kids are more likely to be engaged and learn a lot more.”

Expectations are high as the students and Neve have never been to Italy and she plans on doing something like this again if all goes well.

“It seems like it’s a great opportunity and I’d love to continue it, if not every year, every other year,” Neve said. “They’re going to remember this trip and everything that they learned even when they’re 70 years old.”

via railpass.com

Brockington to take French class around Western Europe Maya Lewis | Reporter Born in France and now teaching French, Liliane Brockington is filled with excitement for the European Highlights tour. Brockington will be taking students from her classes to one or two cities in Ireland, England, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands.

“They’re going to see their own country differently,” Brockington said. “This forces them to compare and appreciate languages more.”

Brockington has done the European Highlights tour before and plans on doing it again.

At the start of the school year at Open House, she introduced to students and parents the culture-filled trip. This summer experience costs $4,218 for anyone under 23 years of age and $4,928 for anyone older than 23 years old. The group plans to leave on June 18 and return home in July after the tour in Europe, including an extended stay in France.

“I always say I won’t do it next year, but the students make me want to go,” Brockington said. “I am from France and even I’m excited to travel and be with the students.”

Educational trips like these are important to the classroom to bring to life what students speak and write in school. Brockington expects anyone going on this trip to speak French in French-speaking areas, giving purpose to their vocabulary tests. Students will go shopping and to restaurants and have to ask questions and order food.

“They get to interact with people from Europe and get to see their reality and how Europeans are with languages,” Brockington says. “Even the language tells you something about a person.”

Traveling to new places exposes students to different ways of life and helps them become more understanding. They become aware of life beyond their bubble and are motivated to learn more about it.

“My biggest hope for the children is that it opens their eyes to the world of languages,” Brockington said. “I hope it’s going to give them the want and the will to dip into new languages or travel more.”

Every year, students and chaperones go on the European Highlights tour, and learn something new while having a blast seeing a different country. Brockington plans on continuing to show new people the highlights of Europe next year and give them the chance to sample the EU. “It’s going to change that person,” Brockington said. “If that person has never been to Europe, you see them in awe, and they tell me ‘this is the best experience of my life’.”

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Feature Volume 12, Issue 3

Bridging the

Gap

Best Buddies leaders recognize social divide in school, society McKenna Lucas | Co-Editor The cafeteria has the loudest room in the school but with the most obvious display of exclusion. Between the long lines and crowded tables, there are pockets of students eating alone.

The Best Buddies club leaders are trying to build friendships between students with and without intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) and end the social exclusion many individuals with disabilities face in school settings.

“There’s a social divide between people general [education] students and students with IDD because of the lack of interaction and the force of isolation that exists starting in elementary school,” Best Buddies vice president senior Kimmy Ehler said. “They have their own halls, own lunch periods, and hardly ever interact with general ed students. This not only causes students with IDD to not feel included but also prevents general ed students from learning how to interact with them. This lack of connection starts so young, and by the time general ed students are in high school, they have no idea who the students with IDD even are, although they’ve gone to school together for years.”

The Best Buddies chapter president, senior Zoe Jones, and the secretary, senior Bre Derderian both have siblings with disabilities. Their siblings are motivating forces for them to continue organizing and managing the club.

“I grew up with a brother who has a disability and I saw how excluded he was in everyday life,” Jones said. “I’ve witnessed at our school how individuals with special needs aren’t included in our environment and everyday activities, so I really wanted to incorporate them. I want them to hang

out with like everyone else because they are like everyone else.”

One of the goals of the Best Buddies club is to end the word “retarded”. They have planned events this year around the “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign, a campaign encouraging people to stop saying the “R-word” due to their belief that the word is dehumanizing and derogatory towards people with intellectual disabilities.

“The “R-word” used to be a medical term for people with special needs, but now in modern times it means “stupid” and has such a negative connotation that we want to totally get rid of that word because it is offensive to students with special needs,” Jones said. “The word makes it seem like people with special needs are stupid and they are so not. It is disrespectful and hurtful and we understand that a lot of people don’t know that because they may have grown up saying that word, but we’re just trying to spread that message to end that word.”

Best Buddies is additionally trying to spread the phrase “person before disability” to remind students that disabilities do not solely represent a person, according to Jones.

“To me, the phrase ‘person before disability’ means not letting someone’s disability define someone,” Jones said.

“The example I always use is if someone has asthma, we don’t call them the ‘asthma kid’ because their asthma doesn’t define them, and neither does a disability with a student. We should call students with disabilities by their name. A disability shouldn’t define them or hold them back in life.”

Last summer, J o n e s went to an international Best Buddies conference in Indiana, where she met with other Best B u d d i e s c h a p t e r presidents and listened to speakers.

She plans to use the information she learned at the conference to improve the Best Buddies club.

“There were speeches at the end, speeches made by people with special needs and they all talked about how Best Buddies changed their life and how they were finally included in everyday activities and it was really inspiring,” Jones said.

“I learned a lot of information from other presidents and I’m really excited to bring that to our club this year.”

The biggest challenge for the Best Buddies club is finding opportunities for students to interact more with students

“I want them to hang out with everyone else because they are like everyone else."

Zoe Jones, 12

with disabilities outside of the club. One of the more apparent signs suggesting a social divide between teens with and without disabilities is the lack of interaction between the two groups at lunchtime, according to the Best Buddies leaders.

“I think including [students with disabilities] in [general education] classes is a good thing, when students help out and mentor. They enjoy being able to work with everybody. Having that mentor relationship with someone gives them a name to a face,” special education teacher Heather Lindgren said. “Sometimes they like to stand out in the hallway and wave to students they know. They are also allowed to sit with other people in the lunchroom and anyone can sit with them. They would love that.”

Best Buddies is an international organization dedicated to ending the exclusion and social isolation of individuals with special needs. Everyone is welcomed to join the club and participate in its events.

The next Best Buddies meeting is Nov. 28 and the next school event is Friendsgiving Nov. 30.

“I’ve learned a lot about people, society, and equality through Best Buddies,” Ehler said. “I’ve learned that, although people may have the same IDD, treating them as an individual and discovering their personal likes and dislikes is the only way to create a friendship with them. I’ve learned how uneducated society is about those with IDD, and how our school system hinders their interaction with general ed students. Isolating them helps no one.

Lastly, I’ve learned that people with IDD lack the most equality out of any minority group in America, and no one is doing anything about it.”

Feature November 2, 2018

11

Sophomore volunteers, teaches in local equestrian center Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor Volunteering at a horse therapeutic riding center for people with emotional, mental or physical disabilities for over a year, HELP (Horse Empowered Learning Programs) is where sophomore Emily Lucas fills her passion.

“I am currently getting trained to be a horse handler care, which is someone who takes care of the horse’s needs,” Lucas said. “Every Saturday, I work with the same riders and I’m amazed at their growth in their abilities to ride independently over time.”

Although Lucas spends the majority of her time teaching students with IDD to ride horses, they also play games like Simon Says, Red Light Green Light, or do patterns in the arena.

“When I’m not in lessons, I will help maintain the needs on the property. Like, clean and refill the horse’s water troughs, sweep the barn, pick up trash, and check all the first aid kits,” Lucas said.

Along the way. Lucas has built friendships with the riders, and has learned more about herself since this journey she claims.

“They don’t have as many friends as we do,” Lucas said. “A friendship to them means

that they will always have someone to laugh and smile with, that they will always have someone to stick up for them and that they will never feel judged by them, someone who they can trust and feel safe around.”

Although helping students has had a positive impact on Luca’s life, she claims, it has brought on its own challenges as well.

“My ultimate goal is to keep the client safe. And when they’re not paying attention, there’s a possibility of an accident to happen involving the client, or yourself or other volunteers and the horses,” Lucas said. “As a volunteer working with clients and horses, you need to be extra careful and be aware of your surroundings at all time.”

Through the things that she’s done, she’s had the opportunity to work with riders, see them grow, and succeed. “[When] I see a rider, I get a huge hug and when I see them light up with joy because of their progress they have made on the horse, or something they were able to do, it fills me up with joy,” Lucas said. “There the ones who put a smile on my face, they are the ones who make me laugh, they are the ones who are the highlight of my week.”

“I see them light up with joy because of their progress they have made on the horse, or something they were able to do, it fills me up with joy.”

Emily Lucas, 10

Federal, local policies on special education in spotlight Megan Fletcher | Co-Editor The Department of Education released a report on the Texas Education Agency’s “noncompliance” with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in January.

According to a similar report from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the TEA “failed to ensure” all children with disabilities in Texas received special education services.

This was largely due to the TEA’s “representative indicator” of 8.5 percent, meaning the state set a standard portion of the school population receiving special education services. According to OSEP, this decreased the actual number of people receiving disability services. For reference, about ten percent of PfISD’s enrolled students receive disability benefits from the district. In fact, the number of special education students decreased by 32,000 people from 2003 to 2017, while the total enrollment in Texas schools increased by more than one million students.

List of terms

State and federal law requires students receiving special education or 504 services be subject to confidentiality laws. This requirement, combined with state and local regulations on daily activities of 504 programs, creates the isolation some groups, like the Best Buddies, strive to remedy.

Percentage of 504 students served in general classes, ages 6-21

IDD According to the National Education Agency, the current average cost per special education student is

Intellectual and developmental disabilities

$16,921

504 The federal and state code for special education, usually for people with IDD and in gifted/talented programs.

From the National Center for Education Statistics. “There’s a social divide between people general [education] students and students with IDD because of the lack of interaction and the force of isolation that exists starting in elementary school,” Best Buddies vice president senior Kimmy Ehler said.

12

Feature Volume 12, Issue 3

GETTING INTO SPIRIT

Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor

MEME/VINE DAY Jada Phoenix, 12

Ashley Reytor, 12

Isabella Cruz, 10, Amanda Carroll, 10, Zoe Ellis, 10, Makayla Ritchi, 10, Monty Thompson, 10

CHARACTER DAY Elizabeth Drost, 10

Madelyn Elise, 10, Aneesa Raujo, Maeve Lindell, 12 Vanessa Ruvalcaba, 10, Isabella Cruz,10

Zoe Ellis, Makayla Ritchie, 10, Katy Chloe Johnson, 12, Hailey Flores, 12 Evans, 10

WAYBACK WEDNESDAY Eliana Galan, 11, Isabelle Cano, 9, Alyssa Vargas, 10

Carolina Yanez, 12, Julianna Delaney, 12, Alejandra Renfro, 12, Jada Phoenix, 12

Andrea Hernandez, 11, Jonet Powell, 11, Michelle, 11

Diego Flores, 12, Letty Alejandra, 11

Abigail Hill,11, Dylan Verbeke, 12

JERSEY DAY Bianca Osborn, 12 Megan Coffelt, 12

Mackenzie Ancira, 10

Camryn Sadlier, 11 Madison Oplinger, 10,

Madelyn Nash, 10, Isabella Cruz, 10, Vanessa Ruvalcaba, 10

PINK OUT/ SPIRIT DAY Cindy Mms, 12 Kira Connally, 12

Madelyn Nash, 10, Alyssa Vargas, 10 Elizabeth Drost, 10, Kyla White, 10, Jorden V, 10, Alison H, 10, Jazmine S, 10

MacKenzi Haub, 12 Hailey Flores, 12 Newspaper staff

Feature November 2, 2018

CROWN HER KING Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor

Rachel Shulze | Photographer

Seniors MacKenzie Haub and Emily Rebne cheer during the Homecoming announcements of King and Queen, Joshlynn Chapa and Natalie Blackburn.

THE GAME

Joshlynn Chapa kisses Natalie Blackburn on the cheek after being announced King and Queen.

Homecoming Queen and King, Natalie Blackburn and Joshlynn Chapa pose for a picture during Homecoming Court

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14

Feature Volume 12, Issue 3

Fresh on the Boat Junior prepares for National Rowing Competition Carolina Yanez | Asst. Editor

Practicing five days a week and two hours every day afterschool, along with 28 other teammates junior Lili Binetti trains in order to prepare for her upcoming rowing competitions.

“I started rowing back in August,” Binetti said. “I started rowing because I needed something athletic to do since I stopped playing basketball, and my mom also rowed in college and I wanted to follow in her footsteps.”

Rowing gives Binetti the opportunity to push herself and others and compete while still having fun. Although she’s on a large team, there’s only about 9 girls on one boat rowing at a time.

“Rowing has helped my endurance and being able to work together with a team,” Binetti said. “I have some good friends on my team but we aren’t super close.

You get really close with the girls on your specific boat, but the team itself is too big to be close.”

During her practice, she questions the

effort behind rowing, but those efforts are validated once she races.

“At practice we run for endurance, we use ergs, which are rowing machines to do strength training and we use practice techniques and distance in the boat,” Binetti said.

“Rowing is super tiring, but you have to be able to push past the pain mentally for your teammates.”

Her most recent race was a 4K that took place on Oct. 7 on Town Lake in Austin.

Binetti and her team usually compete on Town Lake, however competitions can be

anywhere.

She usually competes against other all girl’s teams, unless it is a mixed race where then it is four guys and four girls in a boat.

“We got a time of 15 minutes and 52 seconds,” Binetti said. “An average 4K is about 16 minutes.

It rained the whole time down the course but we still won.”

Her previous competitions enable her to practice for her biggest competition.

“We’ve been prepping for nationals for a few months,” Binetti said. “There’s been a lot of long distance running, weight training

“Rowing is super tiring, but you have to be able to push past the pain mentally for your teammates.”

Lili Binetti, 11

and rowing behind all of our practice.”

Her and her team will travel almost 900 miles for her next upcoming national race, Head of the Hooch, on Nov. 4 in Chattanooga, Tennessee in a regatta, which is a race anywhere from 30 to 100 plus teams.

“My hopes for my next race are to win,” Binetti said. “We’re flying up to Tennessee for the competition. I’m mostly excited about hanging out with my team and spend time with the girls. It would be super cool to win an out of state regatta with my team since we’ve been working really hard. During practice, it’s a lot of ‘Why am I doing this to myself?’ but after racing and competing makes it all worth it in the end.

Rowing is all about pushing yourself past your limits and doing better for your team.

It builds mental and physical strength as a unit. Rowing has given me a good sense of place and a really good, welcoming and accepting community to be a part of.”

*Photos provided by Lili Binetti

Lili Binetti and her team rowing on Town Lake, where her practices are also held. In this competition, Binetti and her team won first place.

Binetti stands alongside her teammates after her race in the rain.

Feature November 2, 2018

15

The (Conspiracy) Theory of Everything

New club provides free-thinking, interactive environment Bryan Ross | Reporter

Kyla White | Reporter

Illuminati. Flat Earth. 666. They’re well-known, often mocked, rarely actually considered conspiracy theories. But what about the people who really think about them?

Sophomores Jeremiah Gorman and Kylah Davis planned to find that out when they created the Conspiracy Club this school year.

“I made Conspiracy Club because I realized we didn’t have one at this school,” Gorman said.

“I wanted to make a place where I could just have fun and talk about things that interest me.”

From the origins of 666, to the Mandela Effect, even to something as seemingly innocent as Disney, Conspiracy Club is already off to a loaded start, but they haven’t even reached the tip of the iceberg, Davis said.

“We just realized that there’s a lot of weird stuff about Disney,” Gorman said. “Did you know Disney owns ESPN, which is weird

Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor

because why would Disney own ESPN? We just made an entire day where we talked about all things Disney and made our points and our arguments and whether we believe in them or not.”

Disney, which owns companies

the club talks about. Google, who has become synonymous with internet searches and email, was also looked at.

“Google knows your information, your height, your weight, what you searched in the morning, what you searched at 5:00 a.m. two days ago,” Davis said. “When you Google anything at school, like if you don’t know the answer to a problem in math, you Google it.

Nobody says ‘search it up’.

They say ‘Google it’. Google has become this big thing.”

Despite the mysterious marketing, the connotation of conspiracies, and intriguing topics, the Conspiracy Club is just a place where free-thinking is encouraged.

“I just want the club to be a place to just have fun,” Gorman said. “I still want to make an environment where people can just talk about things and not really be judged for their beliefs and whatever they think.”

“Google knows your information, your height, your weight, what you searched in the morning, what you searched at 5:00 a.m. two days ago,” Kylah Davis, 10 like ABC, Pixar, and ESPN, isn’t just the target of conspiracies due to the amount of companies they own, but the variety and seemingly unrelated companies, according to Davis.

“Disney owns everything,” Davis said. “When you’re a child, you watch Disney. When you’re an adult, you watch ESPN. It’s just weird to think about.”

Disney isn’t the only company

The Illuminati

The Illuminati is a secret society that was created to spread the groups ideas of enlightenment, it was originally called the Bavarian Illuminati, founded in 1776 in Germany. Today’s Illuminati is barely influenced by the Bavarians and molded to pop culture conspiracies and view on it. Many still say that the Illuminati survived all these years and succeeded in taking over the world.

Conspiracies today say that the secret society is behind all of the world events, even accusing celebrities of being a part of it.

Flat Earth

The Flat Earth Society is a common conspiracy that was first brought to light by Samuel Shenton in 1956. The idea that the earth is not actually a sphere but flat, like a plate. Many celebrities also believe that the earth is flat and turn down any proof that the earth is the globe we know it to be. Pictures from space and any other kind of evidence is labeled as fake by flat earthers.

666

666 is a number feared for years, known as the mark of Satan.

But where did it come from? It’s actually found in the New Testament, in Revelation 13:22, which reads “Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is [666].” This has led to fear of the number and association with the devil for thousands of years.

The Mandela Effect

“Luke, I am your Father.” One of the most famous lines in movie history, right? Wrong. The oft-misquoted line is actually “No. I am your Father.” This is an example of the Mandela Effect; when a group of people mis-remember an event. Named for the large amount of people who believed Nelson Mandela actually died in prison in the ‘80s, the Mandela Effect has been used as evidence by many that alternate realities exist.

16

Entertainment Volume 12, Issue 3

Let’s Be Real

Staff reviews current, past reality TV shows MasterChef Junior is a spinoff of MasterChef with one major difference— kids compete instead of adults. The competitive cooking show features young prodigy chefs aged 8-13 showcasing their culinary skills through various food challenges. Award-winning chef Gordon Ramsay is the host and is joined by chef Christina Tosi and restaurateur Joe Bastianich on the judging panel.

The winner receives $100,000 and the MasterChef Junior trophy.

MasterChef Junior outshines its other cooking show competitors with their heartwarming yet experienced and masterful contestants. While Ramsay is often very harsh and jarring to the adult contestants on MasterChef, he shows compassion and warmth for his younger participants. Ramsay shows blatant favoritism, and this often occurs with young boys who remind him of himself as a child. It’s understandable that he has his favorites but he should not make it so Lauren Saenz | Reporter obvious.

The diverse cast consists of young kids full of energy that are sure to win over your heart. They’re fearless and are ready to take on any challenge thrown their way.

MasterChef Junior has yet to be officially cancelled or renewed for a season 7, but casting for a new season began in December 2017.

After 13 years and 27 seasons, Dancing with the Stars has premiered a spinoff series on Oct. 7: Dancing with the Stars: Juniors. The show consists of children who are celebrities such as Ariana Greenblatt, “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson, and Kaitlin Mackey | Asst. Editor Mackenzie Ziegler.

The show is similar to the original Dancing with the Stars, however there are some significant changes to make the show slightly easier for the junior contestants.

For starters, the contestants have a professional junior dance partner, similar to the original Dancing with the Stars, and they are also accompanied by a professional dancer who will mentor the dancers. One of the hosts is Jordan Fisher, who starred on many Disney movies such as Teen Beach Movie. Fisher was a former contestant and winner of Dancing with the Stars in season 25 with partner, Lindsay Arnold. The other host will be Frankie Muniz, actor from Malcom in the Middle and former competitor who placed third in season 25 with partner Witney Carson. The judges of the series consist of choreographer of La La Land, Mandy Moore, professional dancer and two-time winner of Dancing with the Stars, Val Chmerkovskiy, and Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, who also won the most recent Dancing with the Stars: Athletes.

While the judges do critique, their critiques are rare and gentle due to the fact the contestants are sensitive because of their young age. They don’t get told what to fix from their previous dance, so they have nothing to improve on and they don’t get better at dancing. So if they dance poorly and they aren’t critiqued and dance poorly again, there’s a high chance they could get voted off of the show. This makes it hard for the contestants when they are voted off of the show, and both them and all the other contestants cry in pity. The age range is 9-14, so they are still very sensitive. Therefore, while the show is cheesy and cute, some of the contestants are too young to emotionally deal with being on the show.

With 38 seasons and counting, Survivor, is a renowned reality show, putting 20 castaways on an Island, where they are split into “tribes,” having to capitalize on their individual advantages and use it against their opponents.

The players have to compete against each other through challenges and tribal councils in hopes to make it to the end, become the Sole Survivor, and win 1 million dollars. The show’s intense, competitive, and ruthless theme has drawn Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor in viewers for nearly 18 years and counting. With each season comes diverse players, unique alliances, and shocking reveals, all making the reality show one of the best ones out there.

Addison Hildebrandt | Reporter

The Voice aired its 15th season on Sept. 24 with judges Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and newest judge Jennifer Hudson. The Voice is a reality TV series where singers come to Los, Angeles to sing in front of the judges during a blind audition. Once the artists are done singing, the judges turn around to battle and persuade for the artist to

join their team.

The Voice is a great way for the artists to show their talent to people that can help put them into the music industry and get their music career started. Winning The Voice is a huge opportunity and a great way to help singers get out there for people to hear them.

The winner gets $100,000 and a recording contract with Universal Music Group.

The Voice is different than other talent competition shows, like American Idol, because during The Voice, the judges are turned around and on American Idol the judges are watching you which can be more intimidating. The Voice is a great show that doesn’t have people faking emotions which makes it raw and real.

When the judges turn their chairs around, you can see in the artists face that they are excited without changing their tone of voice. The camera also transfers to the family watching behind the stage, where they usually scream which can also lead into tears of joy because they are excited. This show is great because it shows people who are willing to show their talents which can show viewers that they can conquer their fears and can help express their talents.

The Amazing Race has one premise, complete the race to win $1 million. Each season starts with 12 groups of two who use clues given to them that lead them to the next clue which leads them to the rest stop they must reach to secure their spot for the next leg of the race.

Along the way they may encounter problems such as a roadblock or a challenge, but there is no limit and Taylor Hedlund | Reporter self-growth. Many of the groups form deep sentimental bonds of friendship and learn more about who they are as people. The race shows people at their best and at their worst in high stress situations while letting them experience the world outside of their comfort zones. As it shows the cultures of different countries, as well when they stop at their rest stops they truly get to reflect on what they have seen and the culture they are experiencing.

Behind the Scenes

Entertainment November 2, 2018

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TV portrays lives of people with disabilities Students share The Good Doctor experiences with loved Camryn Sadlier | Reporter ones with special needs The Good Doctor is about a young man named Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) who is a surgeon with high-functioning autism and savant syndrome, a condition that one of ten people with autism have that enables them to possess skills and abilities exceeding the average human brain. Throughout the series, he experiences challenges and situations that represent different sides of the life as an individual with autism. Shaun has a hard time keeping steady friendships with people and had a rocky childhood due to relentless bullying in grade school and at home.

With this, he struggles to get past his difficult beginnings but prevails nonetheless.

After having a hard time living in his current countryside home, he chooses to move to a different city where he is chosen to work at a well-esteemed hospital in San Jose, California. In this new environment, he continues to challenge the stereotypes of people with autism and proves his disbelieving colleagues wrong while exceeding all normal expectations of a surgeon. As the series goes on, Shaun experiences exponential character growth and helps the audience put themselves in his shoes. The plot is fresh and keeps the interest of viewers throughout the whole story line.

Speechless

Kaitlin Mackey | Asst. Editor The sitcom Speechless which premiered its third season on ABC on Oct 5, is a show that displays challenges that a family goes through while raising a son that has a disability. The son, JJ DiMeo (Micah Fowler), has cerebral palsy, which is a disorder that is caused by abnormal brain development; it affects a person’s movement, muscle tone, or posture. Many people that have this disorder sometimes have an aide to help them throughout the day. Kenneth (Cedric Yarbrough) is JJ’s aide that signs up to be his aide due to the fact that the two immediately had a connection.

Although JJ has a disorder, he finds a way to take advantage of his disability in different scenarios. He’s also not like a stereotypical person with disabilities. JJ has a sassy attitude, which is one of the reasons him and Kenneth get along so well together, which makes the show even more hysterical.

The sitcom is primarily shown through Maya DiMeo’s perspective, who is very protective of everyone in her family. Even though the show is a comedy, Speechless also portrays some serious moments throughout the season and shows how the family deals with them.

Speechless manages to show both positive and rather difficult events that occur in a household with a son with a disability that can be pretty funny at times.

Atypical

Angelyna Rosales | Reporter Atypical is a two-season series showing the struggles of highschool senior, Sam Gardner (Keir Gilchrist), who is on the autism spectrum, building romantic relationships for the first time. Sam first realizes he is interested in girls when he develops a crush on his therapist, Julia Sasaki (Amy Okuda).

Throughout season one there are no actors who actually have autism, but season two introduces five new actors that are a part of Sam’s support group, who are also on the autism spectrum. Some of Sam’s behaviors represent someone on the spectrum such as talking excessively about a specific topic, resistance to being touched, taking things literal and making blunt comments about their observations. However, some of his actions are magnified to the max, such as hypersensitiveness to lights. Atypical shows a good representation of the autism spectrum and what young people on the spectrum can experience.

Camryn Sadlier | Reporter “My brother’s name is Ricky Hinds. He is in second grade and has autism. Having a sibling with autism can be different sometimes than a neurotypical sibling because they can have a hard time transitioning from one thing to another.

Whenever I take care of Ricky and we’re doing something, he has a hard time changing the topic or changing what he is doing at that moment and he will get upset very easily. I think that having a brother or sister with Autism makes life more interesting. I love that he knows when I’m upset, and when I’m sad he always wants to hug me. I would never change the fact that he is autistic because that’s what makes him different and special.”

-Abbi Hinds, 9 “I have a twin named Chapman but he usually goes by the nickname ‘Chappy.’ He has Down syndrome. It’s hard to narrow it down to my favorite memory with him because we’ve had so many together but my favorite memories are always when I see him happy. Because he’s different, my life is more fun. Since Chappy has Down syndrome, my daily schedule is affected because he cannot be home alone so sometimes I have to watch him. The challenges of having a sibling with Down syndrome are some people staring at him while in public and viewing him as someone different. Sometimes it’s also hard to get him to listen but I always make sure that he’s safe and out of trouble. But beyond all of this, we are very close and even though he’s different, I wouldn’t change anything about him.”

-Catherine Ross, 10

“There is a boy that I babysit who has autism and is very high functioning. His challenges include having anxiety at night and not being able to fall asleep without knowing where everyone in the house is. The bedtime routine is very long and I have to check in on him every few minutes or else he gets scared and anxious.

Even with these challenges, we still have wonderful memories such as the time we read Harry Potter and then had a movie marathon together. I’ve definitely grown as a person by spending so much time with him and I cherish every moment. I think I have a better understanding of how autism affects people in social settings and how differently our brains work after babysitting him for a while.”

-Micaela Allgood, 10

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Sports Volume 12, Issue 3

In The Final Quarter

Senior football players recount last four years playing together

Brisa Espinoza | Asst. Editor

As the football season comes to an end, the seniors face the final games as high school students. Senior quarterback Blaine Barker, Defensive linemen Shaylon Roberts, Offensive linemen Jace Chambers and Corner back Andrew Travillion reflect on the changes they would like to see within the program after graduation and how the team has grown.

During a game against Vandegrift, Barker looks for a reciever to throw the ball to. “The team has definitely gotten better. We went from having a 3-7 season in 2016 to being 10-4 and top in our district in 2017. I think from being a team constantly overlooked to a team that people admire is a big difference,” Barker said. As of now they are 4-2.

Natalie Owings | Photographer

QA &

Travillion waits for the play to start so he can cover the reciever at a game against Cedar Ridge. “Hendrickson football has become better since our 3-7 season in 2016. Since then our motto has been ‘never again’, it has really changed the mindset of the team to play our best,” Travillion said. Travillion hopes the team makes it to playoffs this season.

Brisa Espinoza | Photographer

“My main goal for the team is to continue all the traditions. Some of these traditions have been around for a lot longer than our class. The team can’t let these traditions go to waste.”

Jace Chambers

What are you hoping to accomplish for your last year?

Why did you continue to play football?

How has the team changed?

Andrew Travillion: “I hope as a team we win the 6A State Championship, it’s our set team goal for this season.”

Andrew Travillion: “My passion and love for football is so great. Nothing could ever make me love the sport any less, not even a losing season. Anything that happens

Andrew Travillion: “We’ve matured as a unit. We’re much smarter than we have been in the past.”

Blaine Barker: “We all want to win state.

The state title for our football team is something we’ve all dreamed of having and this year we’re trying to make this dream come true.”

will only make me better.”

Blaine Barker: “We’ve all grown up and matured together. There are 47 seniors on varsity this year and we’ve all put our experiences together to make the team we can.”

Shaylon Roberts: “The goal is to win state.

After how far we went last year in playoffs, we just want to go even farther.”

Jace Chambers: “The obvious goal is to reach the state round in playoffs. The rest of the seniors and I want to finish our last year with a bang.”

Shaylon Roberts: “I continued to play football because of the benefits that come from playing. If I put in the effort and time with sports, it can eventually lead me to being able to play in college while receiving a good education.”

Jace Chambers: “I kept playing football because I wanted to stay in good shape, the constant motivation to stay fit is what kept me going. I obviously love the sport too, if I had quit, I wouldn’t be where or who I am today.”

Shaylon Roberts: “The team has changed for the better throughout all the years. It took us time to develop and grow so we could end up where we are now.”

Jace Chambers:“I feel as a team we have more experience than last year and have grown together. We lost some key players from last year but we’re still doing good.”

How does it feel like knowing that soon you’ll be done with high school football?

Andrew Travillion: “It’s depressing, I’m going to miss all my ‘dawgs’ on the team but I’m excited to see where college takes me and how my life turns out after college.”

Blaine Barker:“I’m grateful for everything.

All the memories I’ve made have made me thankful for the past four years. But I know that I’ll be off to bigger and better things.”

Shaylon Roberts: “Football ending is definitely bitter sweet; there are a lot of hard times but everything was worth it. It was a highlight of my high school years so I’m going to miss it.”

Jace Chambers: “It’s my last year playing high school football so I’m sad but I have high hopes for college football.”

Swimming for Gold

Sports November 2, 2018

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Swimmers discuss goals to qualify for Olympic trials, reach Olympic games Brisa Espinoza | Asst. Editor

Camryn Sadlier | Reporter

As sophomore Rachel Simonds dives down to finish her 200 backstroke at one of the most important meets of the year, she looks up at the result board to realize that she is a mere six seconds away from the Olympic Trials time.

Swimmers practice over 10 hours per week with before and after school practices. Focusing on both swim and physical training as well as mentality, their lives revolve around swim. Balancing school work, diets, sleep, and practices is a pressure that not many can relate to, but to swimmers and it has been a part of their schedules since the youngest age of five.

“I train about two and a half hours a day.

Besides in the swimming pool, I have about thirty minutes of strength and conditioning training (dryland). My everyday diet consists of lots of carbs and proteins,” sophomore Carlea Wyman said. “Most nights, I get seven hours of sleep. After practice, I go to bed at about 10:30 and wake up for morning practice at 6:00.”

With more athletes wanting to pursue professional careers, the Olympics has been a goal that many want to achieve. It has set a standard of times that swimmers hope to meet in order to reach the Olympic trials and games.

“I remember the first time I realized that I wanted to go to the Olympics,” sophomore Konner Faust said. “I was watching Katie Ledecky swim the 800 free, the moment I

Rachel Schulze | Photographer

saw her blow away all the other swimmers hours of swimming. On Tuesday and and hit the touch pad, I knew I wanted to Thursday, I swim two hours in the morning be in her position in the 2024 Olympics. and 45 minutes of dryland as well as two Since then, that has been my dream.” hours of swimming in the afternoon. I try Despite the constant reminder that their to get seven to nine hours of sleep and eat goal is not possible by others, swimmers a balanced diet.” Faust said. “With this, value the support given by their parents school work can be hard to get done at as they make the times but I try to change in their keep a positive lives to train and I'm trying to make trials by mindset and stay prepare.

2020 and the Olympics by determined.”

“My parents As swimming have been 2024 in the 200 and 100 m. takes up the my biggest majority of their butterfly. My family is ex- daily routine, supporters from the time I started tremely hopeful and will do their love for the swimming on a sport only seems anything to help me succeed to grow. The way local summer league team swimmers feel to reach my Olympic goal. to where I am in the pool is a now,” Simonds homey feeling to said.

“They them because of understand that the continuous its extremely hours spent competitive but they support me no matter inside. And as the security that is felt when how big or crazy the goal. “ around their teammates.

Although the Olympic games is every four “One aspect of swimming I love is the years, athletes have started to prepare for ability it has to make you forget everything the upcoming games. Once the student else. Your body and mind both are realize they want to qualify for an Olympic completely encompassed by the water swim event, diets and practices have and workout,” Simmonds said. “The changed. satisfaction you get after completing a “I train Monday, Wednesday and Friday really hard workout is a such great feeling. I for 45 minutes of dryland and then two have really great coaches and teammates

Carlea Wyman swims the 100 yard breast stroke during the Round Rock District opener on Sept.20 before the meet was cancelled due to rain. “I never thought I wanted to go to the Olympics until about seventh grade,” Wyman said. “I want to go to the Olympics to reach greatness and do what I love as long as possible.”

that keep the overall practice environment really fun and competitive, but at the same time calm and low pressure.”

Regardless of the next summer Olympics being only two years away, some do not wish to participate in the 2020 Olympics. Swimmers are wishing to be able to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics, giving them six years to prepare themselves physically and mentally for the games.

“I want to compete in the 2024 Olympics.

2020 is too soon for me. I want to graduate high school before I go to the Olympics,” Wyman said. “If I went in 2020, I would have just finished my junior year. I want to have experienced high school and my teenage years, I don’t want all my focus on the Olympics just yet.”

Only 52 swimmers (26 women and 26 men) can make the Olympic team after placing in the top two of 13 events during the trails. Because of the amount of swimmers that are eligible to compete, it makes the competition tighter and gives those competing more pressure.

“Once you get to the Olympic trials level, you’re competing with the absolute best athletes the sport has to offer,” Simonds said. “My ultimate goal is to make Olympic trials and if I make the Olympic team in that process, it would be absolutely surreal.”

Rachel Simmonds dives into the water during the Round Rock rescheduled District Opener swim meet on Oct. 13. “I plan to keep on training to the best of my ability to reach the Olympics,” Simmonds said. “I really just want to continue having fun with the sport.

Athletes compete their best when they’re confident with what they’re doing.“

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People Volume 12, Issue 3

Meet the Johnsons

Common name creates confusion, friendships Brisa Espinoza | Asst. Editor Ikram Mohamed | Reporter Bryan Ross | Reporter Maria Torres | Reporter Kyla White | Reporter Anabella Galan | Reporter Lauren Lebbakken | Photographer

Jill Johnson “I teach geometry, because it is my favorite math subject. Working with another Johnson in the same department is not any different than if we all had different names.

I’m not sure what sets me apart from the other Johnsons. I am me and everyone is unique in their own way, despite if we carry a common last name. Having other Johnsons doesn’t bother me. It’s been kind of fun, like there is an imaginary Johnson club that we’re all in.

Johnson is my married name and taking my husband’s name represents my commitment to him.

My husband, Richard, is my favorite Johnson.

He is kind and would do anything to help anyone in need and that’s what makes him my favorite.”

“This year, I’m teaching Pre-AP geometry and calculus. I am the first Johnson, the ‘alpha’ Johnson. I am a part of the founding faculty that started out in Hendrickson. There were many glorious years where I was the only Johnson on campus and now there’s seven.

It’s actually kind of a big joke with all the Johnson teachers, because the only thing we have in common is our last name.

I only work with one other Johnson, [Jill] Johnson, and that’s because we teach the same classes, so I don’t have much interaction with the others we really only say ‘Hi’ to each other in the hallways.

Sometimes we all get our mail mixed up so we have to go find each other to exchange mail.

I don’t ever get annoyed by people confusing all us Johnsons. No one comes up to me and asks if I can teach them English or history.

I definitely do have favorite Johnsons, my son and daughter: Alex and Maddie Johnson.

TJ Johnson

Bruce Johnson “I’m not originally from Texas. I’m from Minnesota. I moved from Minnesota to Texas in 1990 and have been a Texas resident ever since. I teach AP Human Geography, which is in the Social Studies department.

I think having a lot of Johnsons is great, the more Johnsons the better, in fact I wish there was a Johnson in the science department so that a kid could have just Johnsons for all their teachers, that would be awesome. It’s been fun to have a wide variety of Johnsons on campus. There’s a sense of comradery between all the Johnsons. A lot of kids believe that I’m married to Ms. Taylor Johnson, but she’s like half my age so that would be really kind of gross.

I think I’m the best Johnson, because I’ve been a Johnson all my life. Being a Johnson is where it’s at for me.”

“As a librarian some of the things I do are break out education [which is kind of like an escape room] virtual reality, field trips, and I help students find specific books they’re looking for. I think that because I work with all the faculty and students here, I have to try and know who everyone is and that sets me apart from all the Johnsons.

It’s confusing when I’m around other Johnsons because teachers or students will come up to us asking, Ms. Johnson? and all of us will turn around and say, ‘wait which one?’ One time Mr. Busch sent out an email saying ‘hello’ to all the Johnsons on campus, so it does get confusing from time to time. There are even some teachers who confuse me and Jackie Johnson so it’s kind of funny. I work very closely with the English department so my favorite Johnson s would be Taylor and Jackie Johnson, because I work with them a lot and I know them the best.”

Kara Johnson

Jackie Johnson “This is my third year at Hendrickson, and I teach both academic English IV and OnRamps. I feel that working with other Johnsons is really fun. I kind of dig having other teachers with the same last name as my own.

The joke in my room is that I’m the [original] lady Johnson, because I was the first female Johnson on staff. All of a sudden it went from me as the only lady Johnson, to four lady Johnsons. But, what I feel sets me apart from the other Johnsons is my over the top, loud personality.

We do get a lot of confusion. The kids get us confused every now and then, but it’s not a big deal. Though it isn’t as much as it used to be.

It was most confusing last year, when I moved into Jill Johnson’s old room. So, for a while people were calling me looking for her, or a kid would bring over math homework to turn in and I would have to walk it down to her room. It helps that we are on the same page, so there’s a lot of comradery there.”

Angelyna Rosales | Reporter

“I teach English I Pre-AP and English IV academic. It feels cool to be a Johnson it’s like I’m part of an exclusive club. I was a Rehn, then I got married and became a Johnson.

After I became a Johnson, I realized how many there were so it’s kind of cool because we’re like a group that no one else can be a part of. I’m cooler than the other Johnsons, I think since I’m younger, and maybe a little sarcastic than they are. I think we’re all kind of interesting. Mrs. Johnson could be me, or Mrs. Jackie Johnson, Mrs. Kara Johnson, Mrs. Jill Johnson, and I’m pretty sure that there is another Johnson. Mrs. Jackie Johnson is more like spunky and has more energy than me.

Somehow she’s more jaded than me but I’m more bitter. She and I are basically helping each other stay above water this year. She’s super sassy and she’s like my inner self but if I could actually speak to my inner self.”

Taylor Johnson

TJ Johnson “I teach special education. I really enjoy teaching to the kids and kind of being the second teacher in the classroom with them.

The only Johnson I know the most extensively is the math teacher TJ Johnson. I went to high school here and he was a teacher at Hendrickson at the same time I was a student.

We both got confused by others whenever I was in school because we both go by [TJ].

I’m really used to the amount of Johnsons there are because of how common the lastname Johnson is worldwide and throughout the United States, but I’m pretty positive I’m the coolest Johnson there is at Hendrickson.”