BEHIND CRACKED SCREENS Various aspects of social media affect teens’ lives
theHAWK Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pf lugerville, Texas 78660
Volume 12, Issue 6 March 8, 2019
INSIDE: International Women’s Day page... 8, App Reviews... page 16
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News Volume 12, Issue 6
state of the
UNION
Distilled, synthetic marijuana leads to legal consequences Anna Schulze | Asst. Editor
Megan Fletcher | Co-Editor
With the constant circulation and normalization of marijuana, the drug has managed to evolve, or rather be broken up into different substances all sharing the origin of the original plant, such as K2, CBD, and THC, however the effects of each vary largely. Incidents involving students on campus with THC oil as a “fIavor”are new to campus this year. Administrators and school resource officers find out about most of them through Anonymous Alerts, a system established last school year to prevent crime on campus. Students caught with a vape pen suspected of having THC are sent to Provan Opportunity Center (OC) while the pen goes through drug tests at the Department of Public Safety’s crime lab. After a period anywhere from a few weeks to six months, the pen comes back from testing. If positive and the student is under
18, they are charged with a felony per the Texas Health and Safety Code. While THC concentrates have severe legal consequences, a new drug, K2 or spice, also brings on negative health effects. “K2 is synthetic marijuana,” Registered Nurse Donna Brown* said. “It’s not very natural at all even though it is made up of the plant and some other herbs, its doused in chemicals to create the mind altering status.” Besides creating a high, K2 is known to increase the heart rate, and possibly cause people to feel nauseated, generally sick, or
The Facts
have shortness of breath. It is a stronger alternative to regular marijuana and often used through a device called a dab pen, which allows it to be smoked. THC, another drug form derived from marijuana, it is the actual substance in marijuana that causes the high. It is known to be a psychologically a d d i c t i v e substance. “THC can have negative effects on memory and over all body movements,” Brown said. “It can increase the heart rate, cause anxiety and paranoia, and over time weaken the immune system if it is smoked.”
"There's a lot of miscommunication with this drug. People assume it's regular marijuana."
Donna Brown, RN*
CBD is derived directly from marijuana, however it is the non-addictive, nonmind altering substance. CBD is used for a number of things and is becoming increasingly popular in the world of medicine as a drug treatment, there have yet to be any negative health effects found in CBD. “You see it used a lot for patients with anxiety disorders or chronic pain,” Brown said. “There’s a lot of miscommunication with this drug, people assume it’s the same as regular marijuana, and in a way it is, but it doesn’t create a high.” Despite these drugs all being derived from marijuana, the effects and extremeness of them differ greatly. Each is pulled from the natural source however, K2 and THC have harmful chemicals added that cause many negative effects. *pseudonym
THC
EXTRACTS HAVE
A CONCENTRATION OF
MARIJUANA HAS A THC CONCENTRATION OF
3-8%
50-80%
By the Numbers Usage of marijuana, alternatives increase among teenagers McKenzie Quiroz | Asst. Editor
Megan Fletcher | Co-Editor
Teenage marijuana use is at its highest level in 30 years, and today’s teens are more likely to use marijuana than tobacco Today’s marijuana plants are grown differently than in the past and can contain two to three times more tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the ingredient
that makes people high. The ingredient of the marijuana plant thought to have most medical benefits, cannabidiol (CBD), has not increased. There are now alternatives to marijuana, like K2, and more ways to consume the drug. Information gathered from www.cdc.gov, and www.aacap.org.
THC
EFFECTS
cannabinoid receptors in
THE BRAIN which help control appetite, mood, and memory
7.5% OF SENIORS AND
7% OF JUNIORS
VAPED MARIJUANA within the past month, up from 4.9% and 4.3%. respectively, in 2017.
While CBD and THC have the same chemical formula, they have
DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENTS OF THEIR ATOMS which create a difference in their chemical properties
K2
CBD LACKS THE
PSYCHOACTIVITY COMPOUND OF
THC
9.2 PERCENT of highschool students
NATIONWIDE have used SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA at some point in their lives
News March 8, 2019
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SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA SIGNS & SYMPTOMS Synthetic cannabinoids (synthetic marijuana), also know as “Spice” and “K2,” are various man made chemicals that some people may use as an alternative to marijuana. Synthetic cannabinoid products can be toxic, causing severe illness and death. Synthetic cannabinoids can affect brain function. Signs and symptoms include:
RAPID HEART RATE VOMITING AGITATION IRRITABILITY HALLUCINATIONS CONFUSION PSYCHOSIS DELUSIONS SUICIDAL THOUGHTS VIOLENT BEHAVIOR SEIZURES SLEEPINESS DIZZINESS Some have to get help from emergency medical services or in hospital emergency departments or intensive care units. Synthetic cannabinoids can cause other health problems:
BREATHING PROBLEMS HEART ATTACK KIDNEY FAILURE MUSCLE DAMAGE SEVERE ANXIETY HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE These health problems depend on many factors, including the specific synthetic cannabinoid, the dose (how much), and the duration of use (for how long). The long-term effects of long-term synthetic cannabinoid use are unknown.
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News Briefs
News Volume 12, Issue 6
Assistant principal discusses hopes for new role McKenna Lucas | Co-Editor
The new eleventh-grade assistant principal is Brenham, Texas native, Joshua Colvin. He’s taught English and Special Ed Inclusion in the past in Hutto and Austin ISD and he also has experience coaching football and baseball. This year is the first year he’s acting as an assistant principal, replacing Lacey Ajibola who has moved on to another school. “A good assistant principal carries out the vision of the principal,” Colvin said. “Our work should be creating a community that students feel safe, a community where students feel like they have a hand in shaping the climate of the school. So our job is to be another set of eyes, to create an environment that is creative, safe, and that hopefully gives students an outlet,
a pathway to post-secondary success. I’m excited to be here, and I’m really appreciative and grateful to be a hawk.” Colvin’s office is in D100 and he encourages anyone to drop by if they need anything. “I just want everyone to know that I’m here to help in any way I can,” Colvin said. “I think that you guys have some great programs that are already in place and systems that really work well. I’m just here to add to that, and to add to the success you’ve had in the past and the success you’re going to have in the future. I just want everyone to know that I’m here to help, to lend a hand in any way I can. If there is anything that someone is struggling with, or if they just need help promoting growth or taking the next step, I’m here. That’s what I’m here for.”
Athletes to compete HOSA students advance to state competition in Abu Dhabi Special Olympics Ikram Mohamed | Reporter
Junior Kosisochukwu Otutu and senior Sebastian Carzola won eligibility to advance to state in Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) on March 1-2 at Connally High School, where students competed for the area conference, the second level of competition following a virtual meet.. The students have been preparing for the competitions by meeting every two weeks and receiving feedback from their directors Christine Gilbert as well as Shay Haude. “I try to help my students, especially with nurse assisting as I’m an RN, and I have experience with that,” Gilbert said. “Though, there are certain events where
they have to be self motivated. Like with prepared speaking, I just have to read over the speeches with them and give them a bit of pointers or edits. I try to allow them to have a voice of their own and attempt to not impose.” The group has been successful in preceding years, with two students making it to state last year and Carzola, having already gained eligibility preceding the area conference, heading there at the end of March. Though, Gilbert feels the students abilities will not only make it to state, but internationals as well. “I absolutely, in my gut, believe we are going to make it to Internationals. I don’t see why not,” Gilbert said. “These kids are so motivated, and they’ve been working so
hard, and I’ve been in this for a long time and I don’t see why we couldn’t make it.” On March 28-30, the students will head to San Antonio to compete in state. From there, depending on placement, they will learn whether they have won eligibility to participate in HOSA’s International Conference held at Disney World near the end of June. The following students placed at HOSA’s area conference. Junior Kosisochukwu Otutu won first place in Prepared Speaking. Senior Sebastian Carzola won third in Transcultural Health Care. Senior Anisa Luanaphay won fourth in Healthcare Photography. Senior Kathy Nguyen won fifth in Extemporaneous Health Poster.
Science Olympiad moves on to state meet in May Angelyna Rosales| Reporter
HOSA team members senior Anisa Luanaphay, senior Reem Fashho, senior Kathy Nguyen, junior Kosisochukwu Otutu, sophomore Halia Matthews, senior Loren Mathews win awards at the District meet.
The Science Olympiad team will compete in the state competition after the A-team won first overall and the B-team won fourth at the Corpus Christi Regional tournament this past weekend. Overall, the A-team won first place in Astronomy, Circuit Lab, Designer Genes, Dynamic Planet, Fossils, Herpetology, Mousetrap Vehicle, and Science Word. The team also placed second in Disease Detectives and Mission Possible, as well as third place in We’ve Got Your Number and Write Stuff. The B-team placed first in Disease Detectives, second in Anatomy and Physiology, and We’ve Got Your Number as well as third in Boomilever and Herpetology. The teams will compete at Texas A&M University in May. If the team places first overall, they will move on to Nationals in Ithaca, New York.
Ikram Mohamed | Reporter Hendrickson alumni, William Mullican, and his Unified Partner, Matt Rueter, will be competing in the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019. After winning a gold medal in Level 2 golf at last summer’s National Games in Seattle, the two were selected to represent the US in the upcoming games. The Special Olympics is the world’s largest humanitarian sporting event, focusing on the empowerment of those with intellectual disabilities through sports. “I am excited about traveling to another country,” Mullican said. “I am lucky to lay for Team USA, as it’s an honor for me to represent my country.” The two have worked closely together for about three years now, though since the age of seven, Mullican has participated in PfIugerville’s Special Olympics team alongside Coach Amy Wiesenhutter. Though Mullican participates in both basketball as well as flag football through the program, he discovered golf to be his favorite, winning multiple awards for his, as well as his partner’s work. On March 6, the two will be departing Austin for Abu Dhabi to represent the US on this international platform. “I have had the opportunity to meet many interesting people,” Reuter said. “I’ve been to many cool places, and I’ve done many different things, but being involved in Special Olympics, playing golf with William and most importantly becoming his friend is by far the greatest thing I’ve accomplished.”
Awards & Accolades
News
March 8, 2019
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VASE competition sends student to state Taylor Hedlund | Reporter
The Visual Art department attended the UIL VASE Competition on Feb. 16, the competition was held at Cedar Ridge High school and resulted in many hours of work for the participating students. These hours put in resulted in Senior Amanda Usry moving on to the state level for her piece. “I was confident in my piece,” Usry said. “Because I had spent months working on it and I put a lot of detail into it.” Many students from the whole department competed with pieces that they specialized in. Each participant and guest had to go through an interview process before going
Teachers receive top awards in recognition of accomplishments Maria Torres | Reporter Speech and Debate teacher Kirsten Nash has been named the 2019 Teacher of the Year. Elected by the faculty, Nash has been recognized for her esteemed interaction with her students. “Being named Teacher of the Year means a lot,” Nash said. “As long as I’m doing my best to have this positive relationship with students, and the classroom is a great place to learn.” History teacher Sara Lucas has been named Humanitarian of the Year for outstanding teacher representation. “I am very honored and humbled,” Lucas said. “I hope to live up to it and continue to
be a positive influence.” As a former Teacher of the Year in 2017, Lucas reflects on Nash being this year’s Teacher of the Year. “She is well deserving,” Lucas said. “I predict with absolute confidence she’s going to be the District Teacher of the Year. I am just in awe of her.” For her first year, English teacher Jacqueline Gonzalez has been named Rookie Teacher of the Year. “I was really surprised,” Gonzalez said. “I’m literally the youngest teacher of the school. Every day is a good day to work.”
2D AP Design Katie Bogan, 11 Julianna Pino, 11 Marley Smith, 12 Painting 3 Madeline Godoy, 12 Sculpture 3 Madison Boothby, 11 Bennett Brooks, 11 Sculpture 2 Savannah Harding, 10 Olivia Shea, 12 Painting 2 Haisel Chase, 11 Kayla Rodriguez, 11 Heidi Stringer, 11 Avril Villabos, 10 AP Drawing Madeline Godoy, 12 Zoe Kinacid, 12 Harrison Lloyd, 12 Kat O’Brien, 12 Amber Teal, 12 Rebecca Tobias, 12 Drawing 3 Madison Boothby, 11
Jazmine Cerda, 12 Madison Grant, 11 Niva Johns, 11 Caadence Wooten, 11 Drawing 2 Mandy Bagwell, 10 Rhea Keneipp, 12 Grace O’Donnell, 12 Zofia Paez, 10 Amber Rose Pride, 10 AP 3D Design Anne Johnson, 12 Ceramic 3 Niyah McKinnon, 12 Makayla Moore, 12 Riley Quiroz, 11 Amanda Usry, 12 Ceramic 2 Rylee Claridge, 11 Madison Grant, 11 Vincent Luisi, 10 Lilly Selestino, 10 Art 1 Lilina Binetti, 11 Andrew Usry, 9
to view all the competing pieces before the judges would decide those that moved onto state. “I made a small house almost,” Usry said. “You have the exterior and the interior of like a living room, and there is like a whole bunch of little details on the inside there is like tiny books, tiny paper crumbled up. It basically represents how I feel safer by myself in my own little area and where I can do my own thing and just how I feel comfortable doing what I love.” The following are the other participants that received medals:
Amanda Usry’s artwork
Silver Dancers bring home gold in various competitions Anna Schulze | Asst. Editor The Silver Dancers continue their winning legacy for contest season. Placing first for both the officer portion of the competition and the team portion competition at Westwood on Feb. 1, senior Krystal Daoud, says the team did as expected. “We put in a lot of work,” Daoud said. “It was difficult at the beginning, the team really struggled with the dances, but we worked hard on what we needed to and it paid off.” After football season, the Silver Dancers begin to polish dances and perfect their technique for the competitions, which are hosted at two different high schools over the course of three weeks. “Over the summer we prep for contest season by learning different dances which consist of a jazz, contemporary, lyrical
and hip-hop dance,” Daoud said. “It’s a lot of work, but we need it. The hardest part is during the school year with morning practices every day after football ends, but you learn to love it.” The second competition, hosted at Seguin High School on Feb. 16, added to the teams winning streak, as the officers received overall grand champions in their portion of the competition, and the team got second overall. “We have come a long way, at the beginning of contest we were really worried about how things were going to go,” Daoud said. “Our dances weren’t really coming together like we expected. But as the season went on, it started to feel pretty good.”
On Saturday, March 2, Daniel Garcia received National Speech and Debate Association Heart of Texas Administrator of the Year, junior Eliana Galan World School’s team, junior Sanjitha Yerdarlli World School’s team, senior Lauren Thompson Nationals qualifier, senior Sydney Stogel Nationals qualifier, senior Rene Otero Nationals qualifier and NSDA Heart of Texas Student of the Year, senior Trey Gutierrez Nationals qualifier, senior Dylan Scott Nationals qualifier, and junior Jared Williams. Senior Alejandro Castaneda, senior Jazmin Gonxalez and junior Claire Martinez also made World School’s team.
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Opinion Volume 12, Issue 6
Online news, social media replaces paper journalism There’s a certain beauty in the ink that stains your fingers, the smell of fresh paper, and the crinkling sound the paper makes as you flip each page. But newspapers are a dying art, and just like everything, it will return to dust. While newspapers may be dying, the news is still very much alive. It’s changing and becoming more accessible as more and more people read online newspapers, it’s at the tip of everyone’s fingertips. How can newspapers compete with the glow of a white screen? The days of waiting for the newspaper to land at your door has come to an end because the internet opens all doors. The biggest problem the news faces today is the mob mentality of social media. Every retweet of bias or uncredible news is a step in the wrong direction. Sensationalism has always been a problem, but the speed in which sensationalism can spread now is new. Instead of a tool to enlighten more people, it’s become damaging to the reputation of journalism. Journalists must act as a police force in social media. When a sensationalized headline goes viral, it’s the journalist’s responsibility to comment below and correct it, or retweet under a new headline. When celebrities decide to be a news spokesperson, journalists should ensure that their facts are correct. It’s what editors do: edit, but on a much larger scale. We must edit the internet, become watchdogs for ethical journalism. Additionally, the modes of journalism must change. People don’t like reading anymore. Large chunks of text don’t attract readers, pictures do, videos do,
Adviser: Kari Riemer Principal: Daniel Garcia www.facebook.com/HawkNewspaper
How do you feel about social media being used for news?
infographics do. It’s not necessarily the fault of any generation, it’ just that society changes. Instead of journalists linking articles in their social media posts, they should post pictures of infographics and pictures, with a brief caption. We must find ways to make readers stay and listen to the news, even when they’re feeling the pull of social media, video games, and TV shows. Videos, infographics, and pictures are the solution. Of course, it’s not reasonable to believe that journalists must get rid of writing entirely, that in itself may even become dangerous. But they must carefully pick and choose the most effective way to share the news, and sometimes a full page story isn’t the answer. Like everything in transition, the credibility, reputation, and future of the news is at risk. It’s like the metamorphosis of a butterfly. We started with pens in ink, but we’re changing into something greater. We are currently in the chrysalis of journalism, and we are being attacked on all sides. When the people no longer trust the news, when the politicians drag our name through the dirt, now more than Vy Bui | Artist ever, journalists must practice ethical journalism. Turning our back on traditional journalism will be painful and in many ways, it will feel like we’re complying to society’s deteriorating views on reading, that we’re changing for the worse. But journalism isn’t defined by paper, but the stories of the people who are in it. And those stories can be told and everything is a cycle and people will hunger for the inky pages of newspapers and magazines someday again.
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
Your Turn
Staff Editorial
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.
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
Maria Torres Zachary Valdez Kyla White
“I usually find out about the news through social media and TV. I have my Alexa play the news for me every morning while I eat breakfast. It gets out to all walks of life on social media, and kids can be more informed since I feel like those are the only things we pay attention to on too now. Using social media can help to make sure that majority of our population knows what is going on in the world. However, things can get twisted around so quick on social media. Also a lot of stuff on social media is just trying to become “famous”, so they will use a shocking headline on social media in order to get a reaction from people and people believe it. You don’t know how many times I’ve seen a tweet, but when I click on the article it’s completely different.”
-Meadow Reyes, 12
“I usually find the news out through the newsletter through my Gmail from editors like the New York Times or the Washington Post. The pros of journalist using social media is the public attention that is more likely to catch younger viewers or those who don’t read the paper. The cons would be the fear of fake news and media playing an influence on the social platform. I believe that they should hold unto the past and print because a good majority of people still read the paper.” -Alyssa Vargas, 10 “I find out about news through social media, usually through Instagram or from people talking about it during school, then I would look it up. But mostly Instagram, because we do not have news channels or cable in our house. Some pros are that it gets out quicker and is more accessible to the younger generation. The cons are that the news can be misinterpreted through words or from a certain stand point. For example, Buzzfeed News or Fox News. They will have different ways of wording it causing a drastic difference in what people perceive.” -Naia Fulton-Jones, 11
Associations Interscholastic Press League Texas Association of Journalism Educators Journalism Educators Association National Scholastic Press Association Columbia Scholastic Press League
BEHIND CRACKED SCREENS Various aspects of social media affect teens’ lives
Honors ILPC Bronze Star, 2014 & 2015, 2017 Columbia Scholastic Press League, Gold Medalist 2016, 2017 Silver Crown, 2017, 2018 Pacemaker Finalist, 2018
theHAWK Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pf lugerville, Texas 78660
Volume 12, Issue 6 March 8, 2019
INSIDE: International Women’s Day page... 8, App Reviews... page 16
Design by McKenna Lucas Photo by Abigail Hill
Hit or Miss
My Turn
Opinion March 8, 2019
7
Inconsistency of temperatures cause distractions in class One of the biggest factors in a learning environment is the temperature and climate of the area. The temperature from room to room changes drastically, which can often be uncomfortable and distracting. It can go from being the perfect temperature, to freezing, to so hot and humid that the room feels like a sauna. If teachers had control over the temperature of their classrooms, they’d be able to keep them from getting to the point where it’s a problem and becomes a distraction. Another option would be to set all the rooms to the same temperature in order to keep it more consistent. The inconsistency of the building’s temperature is a miss.
Job fair provides local job opportunities, career advice A job fair was held to show opportunities for jobs in the area as well as providing career advice on March 1. Booths run by nearby fast food places, local government organizations, and presentations by potential future employers. Different grade levels were released to go at different times, making congestion a non-issue. While it was a little crowded, it ran smoothly, and with the help of a large number of volunteers it was a place where students could collect information, applications, and links to apply for a range from summer jobs to full-time career advice. The job fair was a rousing hit.
Vy Bui | Artist
Being Black in America
Reporter refIects on struggles with race Free library printing offers convenience, financial equality While the library has always given students helpful resources, this year the library staff has gone one step further and allowed students unlimited printing privileges. Prior to this new change, students had to pay to print out papers that were longer than two pages, but now there is no added fee. This is especially helpful for students who don’t own a printer at home or need to print out work last minute. This new benefit, however small it may seem, supports the school’s ideals that all students, despite varying socio-economic backgrounds and circumstances, are given the same opportunities and resources. The free library printing is a hit.
Free SAT relieves financial strain of college application process Although the junior class is still offered the ACT on campus, the school now gives a free SAT on Wednesday. This provides the class of 2020 with a unique opportunity to take college entrance exams during the school day, allowing them to use districtprovided transportation instead of getting themselves to a local campus on a Saturday. While the junior class was required to pay the normal testing fee to take the ACT in February at school, the free SAT also lightens the heavy financial burden of the college application process. Even though the entire class is required to sit down for the test, it gives them vital experience to possibly take the SAT again. The free SAT is a hit.
Ikram Mohamed | Reporter Coming from a smaller sized charter school, in kindergarten, there wasn’t all that much diversity. It made me insecure to say the least, having to feel so out of place at such a young age. This, coupled with lack of representation in the media, caused me to resent my heritage. I rejected my color. I hated it. I wished for nothing more than to be able to cleanse the ‘dirt’ off my skin, stretch my curls into linear strands, and completely disassociate myself of my entire identity, morph into someone else. These emotions of resentment only strengthened following my parents sitting me down to have ‘The Talk.’ Having your own parents have to explain to you that you will inevitably face hardships within your life for nothing more than the pigmentation of your skin is heart wrenching. I felt so much hatred, having my innocence ruined while others continued to go through their childhoods oblivious to what those who shared my color are meant to endure. Realizing that wherever I go store clerks will follow every move I may make, as those of lighter complexions meander the store unbothered. Applying for jobs, though having to be met with the bitter reality of rejection as I’m not as favorable as someone of caucasian descent. People locking their car doors as they see me approaching, as I merely walk the sidewalk. Realizing these small acts could turn into larger fears. Fear growing in the pit of my stomach as I see red and blue lights reflect across my rearview mirror, knowing that no matter how terrified I may be in that moment I will be held responsible to ease their discomfort. That an officer may pull me over for minor traffic violations, all the while their hand will continue to hover over their firearm.
Though my loathing has since morphed into admiration, with the headlines nowadays, it’s hard for me to see that hate against who I am continues to prevail. Hate crimes continue to stream through news channels, police brutality causing fires to ignite within society only for them to be put to rest under the courts’ injustice, blackface continues to find its way into the media; as some have begun to believe this is the next new trend, wearing a dark skin tone for show yet continuing to remain ignorant to what permanently bearing this darker tinge truly means, fashion designers knowingly putting out controversial items as a publicity stunt, insensitive to what it all truly means, blinded by greed. The cycle continues on. Those chanting “Black Lives Matter” once a new inhumane death has surfaced, yet going silent when real solutions are proposed on solving these issues, many remaining mute when they themselves witness society’s shortcomings in the ways in which they treat minorities. It hurts. Witnessing these acts, and coming to the realization that due to having a darker skin tone I will be targeted more, and that if I weren’t able to act ‘right’ in the wrong situation, it could end fatally. Witnessing children being gunned down, fathers being shot in front of their families, and women being jailed for a traffic stop and showing up dead in their cell three days later, it’s terrifying. At times, being black in America can be daunting, but being able to bear the skintone of so much hardship that was faced by minorities overall is something I take deep pride in. Having to come to terms with my identity in a society which at times may reject it can be overwhelming, though my heritage is something I wouldn’t change for the world.
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Feature Volume 12, Issue 6
Women Redefined
Sophomore refIects on women’s rally, relationship with mom Maya Lewis | Reporter
On a cold January morning, all bundled up, Mackenzie Ancira and her mom have joined up with other Texans to rally for women’s rights. Mackenzie wears a baseball cap with “The Future is Female” embroidered in white and carries a sign reading “Girls just wanna have fundamental rights.” Filled with ambition and pride, the two join the rest of the women gathered at the state capital and prepare for the march down Congress Avenue. “The biggest impact she’s had on me is helping me find strength in myself and my faith,” Mackenzie said. “Without her, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.” Mackenzie’s mom, Rebecca Ancira, has taught at Murchison Elementary School for 19 years. Throughout these years, Mrs. Ancira has continuously been a student favorite. Mrs. Ancira inspires students
every day and more importantly, her own daughters. “There are so many things that I love and admire about my mom it’s hard to choose just one,” Mackenzie said. “But, I would say the thing I love and admire about her the most is that she is always genuinely herself.” Earlier this year, both Anciras attended the Women’s March in Austin together and got to share
their passion for women’s rights while making memories and standing up for what they believe in. “Both of us being a part of something bigger than us, planting our feet into a message that helps uplift and empower women of all kind,” Mackenzie said. “It’s amazing to do, especially with my mother by my side.”
Mackenzie’s mom encourages her daughters to support political figures who stand by fair morals, especially when it comes to women’s rights, racism, and immigration. “She lets me know what she believes and pushes me to make the right choices when it comes to the people I support politically,” Mackenzie said. “People who want a better future for generations to come and who don’t tolerate injustice.” Mackenzie never fails to show appreciation for the people in her life, but even more so, her own mother. “Whenever I feel down on myself, she always reminds me that tomorrow is another day full of new chances and new hope,” Mackenzie said. “To not worry on the past, but focus on making a better future.”
Leader of feminist group shares insight on International Women’s Day
Carolina Yanez | Asst. Editor
Girl Advocates sponsor and librarian Kara Johnson emphasizes the importance of feminism with the celebration of International Women’s Day. She became the club sponsor because her ideals align with what the group stands for. “The mission of Girl Advocates is empowering girls through education, self-image, and mentorship,” Johnson said. “Leading a group of feminists is a huge privilege for me. I admire our club members and think they do awesome work. They volunteer at Cele Middle School and Kelly Lane Middle School mentoring groups of girls. They have also worked so hard to sell tacos to raise funds to donate money to the Malala Fund, which fights for girls’ education across the world.” Johnson said her family was very traditional and she made her own decision to believe in feminist values. “It’s funny because I never really had any strong feminists in my family to shape my views,” Johnson said. “I grew up in a pretty conservative family with traditional
gender roles. I think I became who I am based on my experiences in life and getting my education. I will say that an example of a strong woman that I look up to today would be Michelle Obama. I just got her book and can’t wait to read it.” Johnson said she tries to set an example for the members of the club by showing them to be strong, teaching them to uplift each other and telling them to be themselves. Johnson believes feminism is important to e m b r a c e , especially in today’s society. “Women only hold about 25 percent of the government elected positions in America and the percentage of minority women is only about nine percent,” Johnson said. “There is still a gender pay gap and an
even larger gap when it comes to minority women compared to white men. There are so many issues in women’s rights that make feminism so important: sexual assaults on college campuses being ignored, brushed under the rug, victim blamed, or the rapist inadequately punished. The #MeToo movement came out of a culture of wealthy men in power sexually harassing or assaulting women, women not being believed, not to mention the atrocities that occur to women and young girls in countries across the world. We must keep advocating for all women.” While being the sponsor of the club, Johnson has learned many things from her members. “I want our members to feel a strong
"There are so many issues in women's rights that make feminism so important."
Kara Johnson
sense of self, a desire to serve others, and possess a feeling of confidence and accomplishment,” Johnson said. “I have learned that our members are so smart, strong, brave, and driven. I’m also happy to be able to say I’ve gotten to know more students this year through the club. I always try to express positivity and respect. You get what you give.” Johnson believes if you identify as a woman, you are a woman. She adds that it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day to appreciate all women all around the world. “Being a woman means living your best life, uplifting each other, and doing your part to make positive things happen,” Johnson said. “There are so many women and girls across the world that experience atrocities that we can’t even imagine here in America. It’s important to have at least a day that we shed light on things we may not know about and also to celebrate the accomplishments of different women across the world.”
Feature March 8, 2018
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Push to Power
Female wrestler and powerlifter speaks out about equality Camryn Sadlier | Reporter Junior Devyn Bauer is a varsity wrestler in the 165 weight class who made 4th in district and was the only female who advanced to regionals. Achieving one pin during her first year of wrestling, Bauer is a model for many.
How do you feel being a woman in male dominant sports?
What do you think defines you as a woman?
A:
“I think what defines me as a woman is being powerful and having a positive influence on other women. Being a female in a male dominated sport is definitely more stressful because you want to prove that you are just as good as the guys. But in the end, it doesn’t matter how you look because we are all alike.”
What kind of representation do you think you give your sport?
A:
“I think wrestling represents women in a good way because it shows that us women are as strong as men are.”
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“At times, I would feel like I was not good enough, but all you have to do is push through and show them that you are good enough to be there. You won’t even need to tell them.”
What is your proudest moment when competing?
A:
What does equality mean to you?
A:
“If you believe that you are equal to men, then you are. I try my hardest to lift women up by showing them that it is possible to do what isn’t expected of us. Being in powerlifting and wrestling definitely affects my daily life mainly by changing how I feel about gender equality.”
A:
“My proudest moments were when I pushed through and pinned a girl during one of our meets. Even though I felt like I had nothing left in me, I took her down in less than 30 seconds. And I had wrestled that same girl in another meet. It shows that hard work pays off.”
How would you encourage a girl to join a male-dominant sport? “It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or girl, we will all have a chance to do what we love best. And as long as you love what you love most, who cares what others think?”
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Feature Volume 12, Issue 6
Behind CRACKED SCREENS
PfIugerville Tea, anonymously run Snapchat account, posts false information Anna Schulze | Asst. Editor Looking through Snapchat upon waking up, senior Storm Ebert was surprised to find his name attached to something untrue and vulgar about him, posted for hundreds of people to see. With the rise of technology, social media apps are increasingly popular, and with it, unintended consequences, such as cyberbullying have arisen. Social media accounts can be run anonymously which allows people to say and post things without their identity being compromised. The most locally known anonymously run
account was PfIugerville Tea. “They said something very inappropriate about my actions in school,” Ebert said. “There was no truth behind it, and luckily my friends didn’t take it seriously and it ended up just being funny.” For Ebert, there were no negative effects about what was said because he was able to find the situation humorous rather than hurtful, however this was not the case for everyone. “They said something really bad about my friend,” senior Giselle German said.
“I was so surprised when I saw it, and because I know her I didn’t believe it, but other people probably did, and she was pretty upset about it at first.” PfIugerville Tea operated the account by asking people to send in “tea” or information about others that they post. They posted information about high school students from all over Pflugerville ISD, even extending to Round Rock ISD. “I think people send in stuff for one of two reasons,” Ebert said. “Either to bully and hurt someone, or as a joke because of how
big the account has gotten.” The account, has since been shut down, due to its content, ranging from alleged habitual drug users, to sexual explicit acts by others. “I’m happy it was shut down. Some people were fortunate what was said about them wasn’t that hurtful, and others, like my friend weren’t so lucky,” German said. “Accounts like this are pointless and cause more harm than good. I think people should be held accountable for their actions and things like this take that away.”
Editor looks back on experiences, effects of social media Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor I’ve dealt with curse words thrown at me. I’ve dealt with classmates calling me names, and spreading false rumors about me that spread like wildfire. I was just 14, starting 8th grade, the year I started to model. I can remember the time I wasn’t invited to a birthday party because one of the girl’s thought her boyfriend would choose me over her. Or the time my “friends” spread accusations about me, telling the whole grade, “She sent naked pictures to so-and-so!” It’s not easy being a target for ridicule, to put yourself out there in a way so people can judge you 24/7. When I entered high school, I was terrified. I wasn’t a part of a clique, or a sports team, or a club. I wasn’t the first choice when it came to hanging out. I was bothered and sad that every single night, I would be alone, unless I got lucky, and was asked to come along. Nobody knows this, of course. I don’t throw pity parties and complain. I stay silent. Most of us do, actually. And to top all of this off, social media was growing in its popularity by the minute, and I was the victim of a growing
term “cyberbullying.” No one puts the bad stuff on social media. It’s a rare occurrence, even for myself, to post an ugly photo or a “bad angle.” I mean seriously, if you’re willing, anyone is able to create a completely fake life. A life that may seem fIawless, but really… it isn’t. What does it tell us about our society when all we ever do is post our seemingly “perfect life?” Social media does that to us. It makes us feel “less than” or “not as good…” But, it can also unite us. It can help us build connections, find work, and even create lasting friendships. It can help us, inspire us, and motivate us, yet it can do the complete opposite as well. I used to always try to imagine myself living in the 70’s. No smartphones, no smart TVs, and no advanced computers
SOCIAL MEDIA TIMELINE
like today. I wonder what life was like without the pressures that come with using social media, and I wish I could feel what it’s like without it. But, to do that in our society now would be depriving myself of all we have today at the same time. Although I imagine myself what life would be like without the luxuries we have now, I am thankful to be living in an age of innovation and global connection. I believe if I didn’t go through what I did at a young age, younger than most girls, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t be as aware, as immersed in the world as I am now at 17. When I took a break from Snapchat for about five months last year, I remember a feeling of disconnection, yet relief when I saw people glued to their phone. I
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remember I felt pity for people snapping a selfie in the middle of class just for streaks. Streaks alone bothered me because while everyone had friends to send “streaks” to, I did not. To this day, I have exactly three streaks. And maybe streaks don’t seem like a big deal looking at it from the surface, however I believe there is a bigger problem at hand, which is the want, or frankly, the need for more and more. A problem that leads to depression more often than not. When we compare ourselves to how many friends another person has, or celebrities with a “perfect” life, or the looks of another person, we often forget what we have and what we uniquely possess. Some people have never experienced the darker side to social media, but I have. I have gotten past the torment I used to receive, and I hope all people that have struggled with cyberbullying get past it as well. I have hope for the future of technology and that it will ultimately benefit us, but on the contrary, to be naïve in the midst of it, can wreck us.
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Feature March 8, 2019
11
Anonymous app leaves lasting impact on student’s life Kyla White | Reporter
Brisa Espinoza | Asst. Editor
Sophomore Allison Humphries, a frequent user of anonymous apps like Lispi, shares how the app has negatively affected the way she perceives herself and others around her. Anonymous messaging app Lipsi allows people to send anonymous messages to others whenever someone creates an account or posts a link that can be used to access their account. “I started using Lispi because it was really on trend and I wanted to see what people thought about me in another perspective where they couldn’t say it to my face,” Humphries said. “For the most part, I thought it was cool at the time because it was anonymous.” She’s received both positive and negative comments from the app. Due to the anonymous feature on the apps, no one has a way to find out who said what. “I’ve gotten a lot of good comments mainly about how I look or my singing,” Humphries said. “But then I’ve also had really bad comments like hatred towards how I dress and act. Not a lot of people are a fan of how I present myself.” She also received a lot of hate through a similar
“I use these the apps because it lets people have a way to express how they feel about me and it builds up my confidence. It’s a pretty cool app, since it gives people a chance to say things that they wouldn’t normally say in real life.” - Nathaniel Davenport, 11
app called Sarahah. Sarahah’s main goal is to “help you receive constructive honest feedback while maintaining privacy.” And Lipsi message is to, “Give anonymous feedback. Find your friends and give them honest feedback.” “Before I got Lispi, everyone, including myself, used Sarahah, and it’s basically the same thing as Lispi, but Lispi filters a lot of the things on there,” Humphries said. “But back in eighth grade, I got a lot of hatred and bullying.” Being in middle school at the time, Humphries claims she was vulnerable and insecure of who she was as a person and it all came down to the nameless faces on the app. They allow people to say whatever they want to say, without the consequences of confrontation. “It actually affected me more than I thought it would, and I had to get off my phone for three months because of all the social media,” Humphries said. “When you’re in middle school, and you’re still not really sure of yourself, that can cause a lot of damage. But since entering high school, I’ve gained confidence in who I am as a person.”
“It allows for one to say what they want without judgement. It gives people an outlet to be honest. Whenever people say things to me, it can boost my self-esteem and others can just put me down but I just try to ignore it as much as I can.” - Bix Bradley, 10
“I haven’t figured out who has said things about me. People like to hide behind a screen rather that saying it in person. I don’t let any of it affect me until something is being said about me and I know it’s not true.” - Kamri Fox, 10
Junior explains how cyberbullying has impacted her life Camryn Sadlier | Reporter Cyberbullying is an epidemic of victimization, self-esteem abuse, and continues to rise around the United States. One in four high school students have dealt with bullying. Junior Julia Logan speaks out about her experience. “I’ve been dealing with cyberbullying since middle school but fifth grade is when it got bad,” Logan said. “I had been bullied for months and it started progressing over text messages. It seemed like people would be meaner over a screen than in person and at the time, they didn’t care how it affected me. They just wanted to put their hurt on me.” Internationally, 47% of people under 18 have experienced cyberbullying and the effects of it on their mental health. Logan believes that the rise of cyberbullying is due to social media being the center of our society. Many sources such as Enough.org
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and StopBullying.gov claim this to be true. “I guess in a way, they didn’t like that I wouldn’t do what was thought as ‘socially acceptable,’” Logan said. “I didn’t try to be a follower. It definitely made it hard to go to school and I was constantly second guessing myself and my worth. I think people are trying to prevent it but there is only so much they can do and it is also up to our peers to point it out and speak up.” The lasting impact of cyberbullying effects not only the bullied, but the bully themselves. A case in the 1990’s shows
that 12 out of 15 school shooters had a history of being bullied. An earlier study says that bullies are just as at risk for psychological consequences as the victims are. “When I hear the word ‘cyberbullying’ I see bullies and the hurt they spread,” Logan said. “I personally believe that they harass people online because they feel bad about themselves, are looking for attention, and want to pick a fight. This is such a huge problem that it happens all over the world, not just here.”
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In middle school, the bullying led to Logan having a hard time building trust in relationships with friends and family. Now, she has grown and learned that words can hurt people more than actions and can impact the rest of their life. The harsh words from her past made her more understanding and able to help others in the same situation. “When I was being bullied, I would tell myself it isn’t worth getting caught up in,” Logan said. “People are doing it for attention. Their idea of me doesn’t matter because I know who I am and the people who love me know who I am and that’s all that matters. For someone who is being bullied right now or was in the past, speak up, tell somebody, and stop the bully because you may be only one of many that they are harassing.”
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Feature Volume 12, Issue 6
BEHIND CRACKED SCREENS Teens look back on how social media has changed friendships Seth Deaton | Reporter The way people communicate has changed a lot within the last 15 years. Smartphones with features like FaceTime, faster texting, as well as the rise of social media, have impacted the way people communicate. For junior Filip Puchacz, a foreign exchange student from Poland, social media has had a huge impact on his life since coming to the US. He says even though he doesn’t get the same emotion through the conversation over social media as he does face to face, it’s been super helpful meeting people and staying connected. “I’ve met a lot of cool people through social media and now when I am here it helps me a lot because I can communicate with my family in Poland,” Puchacz said. Freshman Kyra Huiras says she’s seen people try to fit in with everyone else on social media and it caused them to view
themselves differently and focus on their embarrassing for them. She says it’s much fIaws. easier for people to stand up to someone “Instagram and Snapchat give people or ask them a tough question when they expectations in a way,” Huiras said. “If can’t see their reaction. you don’t look “It’s used as an or do the same escape from real things as other "If you don't look or do the c o n v e r s a t i o n , ” people on social Huiras said. same things as other peo- “Social media media then you’re seen as weird. ple on social media then gives you an Now my friends alternative to you're seen as weird." asking a friend out and family only see the few things or asking them a that they don’t like hard question in about themselves person. Instead instead of the you can just send huge list of things they should like about them a snap. People use it to get out of real themselves.” life confIict.” In Huiras’s opinion, many people use social Not only do people use platforms media as a way to avoid confrontation like Snapchat and Instagram to avoid with people that can be awkward and confrontation, but according to Huiras,
Kyra Huiras, 9
many people post and share things about someone that they wouldn’t want being shared just to hurt and spite them. “It’s so childish when people post things just to expose someone,” freshman Ethan Bell said. “It’s just terrible to do something like that to someone. When people say ‘it’s not my fault, you’re the one that did it,’ is so immature.” As social media has become more and more popular, it’s changed the way people interact with each other, both positively and negatively. “Social media has created relationships but it’s also affected them in good and bad ways,” Huiras said. “I mean, look at how many people you have added on Snapchat that you didn’t really know and ended up talking a lot to through it. Social media has brought millions of people together and apart.”
Freshmen discuss not having social media, how it affects them Angelyna Rosales | Reporter Social media has changed the way people connect, what people talk about, what people find funny and how people find out about international events. It’s the main platform on which people communicate and share important information. Freshman Emily White is not allowed to have social media due to cyberbullying and harmful language. “There have been a lot of times when I
don›t know what people are talking about, which negatively affects me,” White said. “It›s helpful to keep a positive attitude so you don›t hear all the negativity.” Many students don’t have access to social media because their parents believe it’s a safety risk, and can take up a lot of time. “My parents don’t really believe in technology,” freshman Taylor Chase said. “They think that I should spend more time
On average, teens spend
25% of teens say
social media makes them feel less lonely
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hours a day on social media
with my family and I agree with that, and the only reason I was allowed to get a phone was if I didn’t have social media.” However, open communication with almost anyone can bring out anonymous cyberbullying, which is one of the main reasons people don’t use social media. Big social media apps and platforms can also produce a lot of graphic, inappropriate, and mature content. Most of the time, these types of posts get fIagged and then
later deleted, but they can reach unsuspecting people. “Social media can be really negative because people can use it to their advantage of talking about others when they know the other person won’t find out,” White said. “There are a lot of negative and dangerous aspects to it, I think it really just depends on what accounts you follow, and who you talk to.”
1 in 3
94% of teens use social media daily
teens say social media is an important part of their lives
Feature March 8, 2019
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SCREEN TIME Social media statistics unfolded in light of popular use by teens Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor
Kyla White | Reporter
Screen time is a feature from a recent Apple update which tracks phone and app usage daily and weekly. The numbers below reveal students’ average hours spent on particular apps accumulated weekly.
*Average hours over a span of one week
What are the pros and cons of socials media? “We’re addicted to social media and it’s a distraction from the outside world and what’s actually going on outside of our phones.”
Cassandra Nguyen, 11
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“Social media is good for when you’re trying to maintain contact and stay caught up with your family or friends that live far away because they’re able to post updates.”
Katie Rzepniewski, 10
INSTAGRAM: 7 HOURS OTHER: 2.55 MESSAGES: 1.7 HOURS
“Social media can be time consuming and take away from time that can be spent on more important things like practicing or doing homework.”
SNAPCHAT: 4.46
Dallin McCullough, 9
“Using social media keeps me up to date on all of the new trends and it’s fun to see what other people are doing and posting.”
Miranda Viegra, 10
Love at First SITE Senior shares experience on dating app, meets current boyfriend Kaitlin Mackey | Asst. Editor
Deciding to join Bumble out of boredom after her friend mentioned the app, senior Ashley Kolin met her current boyfriend on the app a few months after getting it. In this century, dating applications have become more popular. Initially, the first dating website (matchmaker.com) was launched in 1995 and dating apps and websites have skyrocketed from there. “I was never on any other dating apps so I was really skeptical about the app when I first joined,” Kolin said. “But I felt better
after some people on Bumble would tell me really sweet things that made me feel good about myself.” Bumble isn’t your typical dating app. With most other dating apps, the boy or the girl can initiate the conversation. However, on Bumble, the girl must initiate a conversation with a boy, not the other way around. When it comes to a samesex match, either person can send a message first. The app was first developed by Bumble Trading Inc. in 2014. This dating
app, along with many others require the users to be at least 18 in order to make an account. “I think joining Bumble was a really great and fun experience for me,” Kolinsaid. “I met my boyfriend and we’ve been dating for about two months now; since the end of December.” Kolin’s boyfriend is in the army, because of that, they aren’t able to talk or see each other as much as they would like to. Although Kolin and her boyfriend live
approximately 45 minutes from each other and aren’t able to talk much. While they still manage to make the relationship work, not all relationships can work and it can cause some problems. “I personally believe that dating apps don’t always work,” sophomore Wendy Geraldes said. “You don’t always get to meet a person face-to-face and there’s some situations where people could get catfished which are pretty serious.”
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Feature Volume 12, Issue 6
Below Freezing
Local business helps athletes recover, grow Angelyna Rosales | Reporter
Photos Courtesy of: Percy Townes
Local business, upTowne Recovery has been helping athletes rejuvenate their bodies through cryotherapy and compression. Cryotherapy Involves the exposure of extremely cold air in a chamber for several minutes to help reduce inflammation, improve sleeping patterns, improve range of motion, increase energy levels, and improve blood flow. “Once the cold air hits, your body goes into a flight or fight mentality which automatically makes your cold receptors kick in and your body will do anything to generate heat,” owner Percy Townes said. “At that point, your blood vessels constrict and blood starts rushing up to your core, and as it’s passing your body’s natural filtration system starts looking for any type of toxin or inflammation. The whole time your body is doing this to generate heat while also increasing enzymes, nutrients, and oxygen so you end up walking out of
the session with energy and an endorphin help her recover after a gymnastics meet. rush.” The family then decided to open Uptowne Compression at upTowne Recovery is to help educate people about recovery done with pulsating methods and concompression boots nect with athletes. which improves "The reason we started “First and blood circulation. foremost the “The compression upTowne was to educate reason we started boots will inflate people about the importance upTowne was to to the shape of educate people recovery from an about the imporyour legs one time of through, and every of recovathletic and chronic pain tance time after that it ery from an athwill start a vibrating standpoint." letic and chronic motion throughout pain standpoint.” the sections of your Townes said. legs to break up any “However, the inflammation or main reason is that lactic acid for about 30 minutes,” Townes we wanted to have a platform to reach out said. to athletes.” The Townes family introduced cryotherapy Since the opening of Uptowne, they have to Pflugerville two years ago after their helped over 630 athletes heal, while also daughter, senior Mia, used cryotherapy to educating them about health and support-
Trying the chamber, senior Blaine Barker uses it for his first time. “I’ve always done ice baths whenever I’m in pain,” Barker said. “I tried the chamber out since it’s quicker but ice baths still work better.”
Junior Sarah Malinkowski uses compression parts on both her arms and legs. “It helps my muscles feel really refreshed afterwards and my body is able just to reset because of it,” Malinowski said. “ It makes the lactic acid in my body get fIushed out and helps me be less sore, which benefits me.”
ing them at their games. “UpTowne helps me recover when I’m really sore, I can use the compression sleeves or get in the cryo chamber to help rejuvenate my legs,” freshman Erika Suarez said. “Percy is a really positive person and he›s very encouraging. He›s always pushed me to do my best and he comes out to support my basketball games which is really nice.” The Townes family hopes to continue growing their business and connect with more people in the coming years. “We love our athletes,” Townes said. “We love the kids in the community and it’s a pleasure for us to have them here and be able to talk to them about life and help them be the best person they can be, not only from an athletic standpoint but from a holistic standpoint. We see this as our opportunity to impact lives and to continue to see athletes progress, not only in their sports, but as people.”
Using the chamber, sophomore Faith Cummings is with Owner Percy Townes when doing cryotherapy. “I liked how nice everyone is there. Everyone is super friendly and helpful,” Cummings said. “When I went I had a lot of pain in my back and shoulders. The chamber relieved the pain that I was having.”
Entertainment March 8, 2019
There’s an App for That
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Staff reviews perks, benefits of trending lifestyle applications
Depop
Sleep Cycle
Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor
McKenzie Quiroz | Asst. Editor I used to always wake up with no energy, setting five alarms back to back. Even when I got up on time, I struggled to go about my morning, but with Sleep Cycle, a free app, I’ve found it easier to get out of bed. When setting the app up, users get to decide on a variety of options to customize the alarm to their liking. There is an option to change the alarm sound, which can be one of the provided alarms or a song from users’ music library. There are also ambient noises to choose from if users are in need of sleep aid. You can also add features to the alarm for when you wake
up, which includes sleep notes, wake up mood, weather, and heart rate. The app also analyzes sleep patterns and picks the moment users are sleeping the lightest, during the 30 minute increment they decide, to wake them up. This helps users wake up with more energy, not so quick to hit the snooze button. After completing the first night of sleep the app begins to define trends to help sleeping patterns get better. After using this app for the past year, I can say that it’s made me into a morning person, more motivated to start my day than ever.
Pacifica Lauren Saenz | Reporter I’ve struggled with anxiety since I started high school. It comes and goes in waves, but each wave is more intense than the last. Anxiety drained me of my energy, left me constantly worried and at times had me feeling hopeless and trapped. I considered counseling or medication to help reduce my anxiety but then I found an effective and free way to help cope: using an app to help relieve my symptoms over time. At first, I was skeptical of using an app to help treat a mental health problem because I didn’t think it would be effective, but I was proven wrong. The Pacifica for Stress and Anxiety app is a free* app aimed at reducing anxiety and
depression. The app has multiple breathing and meditation techniques to help calm down, destress, or build confidence. It also allows you to journal your mental and physical health, and provides tips to help improve both. The app offers guided paths, which are audio lessons and activities to help manage your anxiety, stress, or depression, and turn your thoughts into positive thinking. While the app doesn’t provide immediate assistance to someone in a crisis, it helps reduce symptoms over the span of a few weeks if used regularly. *free with in-app purchases available
I enjoy the app because it has brought me some money on the side, and I have been able to find some cute, affordable clothing items as well. Because influencers use the app too, it’s gained a lot of users and buyers from all over, making this app a favorite and a go-to when selling my clothes.
Relax Melodies McKenna Lucas | Co-Editor Relax Melodies: Sleep Sounds, an app specializing in ASMR and meditation, would be a great investment for people who suffer from anxiety or need white noise to sleep. I use the app to help me de-stress when I’m doing my homework. While the app does charge money for a lot of its features, they do offer an assortment of free functions. Like any white noise app, Relax Melodies gives users a variety of different sounds that they can mix together to adhere to their needs and desires. I love the rain sounds and the wave sounds. Users can use timers and alarms to control when and
how long the sounds play. With additional fees, the app provides a large selection of sounds, a sleep program, guided meditations, and breathing routines, and premade themed sound playlists. The basic monthly membership costs $2.99 a month, membership for one-year costs $29.99, and a LifeTime membership costs $199.99. Although the app is pricy, positive results are almost absolute. According to Business Insider, Relax Melodies is the highest rated app in history, with over 134,827 reviews and a 4.8 star average.
Life 360
Kaitlin Mackey | Asst. Editor
Plant Nanny Bryan Ross | Reporter Plant Nanny, a free app designed to increase the amount of water you drink, allows you to take care of a plant by watering it as you drink. Users log the water they drink in a day, and over time the plant grows from a sprout to a full plant. Before I downloaded the app I felt like I drank a lot of water, but it turned out I was probably drinking about half of the water I should be. The first couple days were a bit
The popular retail app Depop is a great way to not only shop for clothing, but also connect with people who have a similar taste to you. On the app, people are able to list their clothing to sell and mark their own prices for it. All transactions go through PayPal, and it’s a reliable way to make money on the side.
of a challenge, but it didn’t take long for my body to get used to it. The app is not very complicated, and doesn’t do much by itself, but it got me thinking more about how much water I drank by giving me an objective to fulfill. This is a really nice app to have, and besides a few extra trips to the bathroom, it’s been a positive experience in the time I’ve used it.
The family networking app, Life360, gives friends and family the opportunity to share their locations with each other when their phone is turned on. First developed in 2008 by Chris Hulls and Alex Haro, the app gives smartphones the ability to see how fast a person is going while traveling, when they leave or arrive places, their battery percentage, etc. On Life360, there is a feature for users to create their own “circles,” or private groups of people they would like to locate. The app is generally used for family members to locate each other, but friends can use them, too. I believe that Life360 helps ensure that your loved ones are in a safe place as
well as alerts those in their circle when there are emergencies. It is also an easy way to see where my family members are without asking them consistently. Although I have an iPhone, I feel that it’s better than Find My iPhone because it’s accessible to all smartphones unlike Find My iPhone. However, some children who have parents that are in their circle may feel restricted or untrusted when going out to hang out with friends or run errands. Additionally, if someone’s phone dies, they won’t be able to be located. Therefore, if something bad happens during that time, there’s no way for anyone in the circle to know.
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Entertainment Volume 12, Issue 6
Fun in the Sun
Staff reviews, describes upcoming local festivals during March Hot Air Balloon Fest
Festival of Colors
Maya Lewis | Reporter
Lauren Saenz | Reporter The Festival of Colors celebrates Holi, a Hindu celebration acknowledging the arrival of spring and end of winter. The festival will be held at Milburn Park Soccer Fields in Cedar Park on Saturday, March 9 from 4-7 p.m. and will include dance performances, a live DJ, food vendors, kids activities, and a rain dance (the throwing of colored powder.) Tickets are $10 and kids under age 12 are free.
Georgetown
Cedar Park
PfIugerville Austin
The Austin Rodeo
ABC Kite Festival
Addison Hildebrandt | Reporter The Austin Rodeo will be back this year for two weeks from March 16-30. The event hosts live music located in the Lukedecke Arena with over 100 performances from artists like Aaron Watson to Flo Rida following the ProRodeo, with tickets priced $20 to $175. A carnival with tons of different rides, games, fair food favorites, and more will be located on the fairgrounds. Tickets for the fair will cost $5-$8 for a one day pass and $15-$25 for a season pass. There will also be a rodeo with many different competitions including bareback riding, steer wrestling, mutton busting, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, bull riding, bullfighters, and rodeo clowns. To enjoy corn dogs and funnel cakes, make sure to stop by before the end of the month.
Garey Park will open it’s polo field again for the annual Georgetown Hot Air Balloon Festival on Friday, March 22 at 4 p.m. and Saturday, March 23 at 9 p.m.. Located at 6450 Ranch to Market Rd 2243 Georgetown, TX, the festival will feature activities like tethered balloon riding, live music, polo matches, pop-up galleries, and more. Vendors, chefs, artists, and musicians are all expected to show up and make the evening all the more fun. Passes for Friday night are $12, weekend passes are $22, and tethered balloon rides are $30 per person. All tickets need to be purchased in advance at www.eventbrite.com and there are no refunds. Sales end March 24. If weather permits, the balloons are expected to fIoat as the sun sets on Georgetown once again.
Carolina Yanez | Asst. Editor
SXSW Lauren Saenz | Reporter South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual festival hosting music, film, gaming, interactive and comedy events in Austin, Texas. With the SXSW Guest Pass, there are multiple free events and shows every day from March 8-17 such as performances by showcasing artists, expos, giveaways, panels, and movie screenings. Venues include the Palmer Events Center, the Austin Convention Center, and Fairmont Austin. To register for a guest pass to access free events, visit guestpass.sxsw.com.
This year Zilker Park hosts the 90th annual ABC Kite Festival on Sunday, Mar. 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission into the festival is free. The festival includes a fun run and kite contests for those who register online, and even if you don’t own a kite, there’s a workshop to make a kite under ten minutes at the festival or kites available for purchase. In addition to its events, available food vendors include Cane’s, Wholly Cow Burgers, Funtastic Funnel Cakes and Amy’s Ice Cream. Parking may be limited and shuttle rides are $5 roundtrip per person from Downtown at the State parking lots at 1604 Colorado Street, or the Toney Burger Activity Center at 3200 Jones Road. The event supports local non-profit organizations through every purchase. Whether you want to bring your own kite to fly, or picnic and witness the colors soar through the sky, the ABC Kite festival is the perfect place to reminisce on childhood memories
A Journey’s End
Sports March 8, 2019
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Varsity basketball teams end season with playoff run
Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor
Kaitlin Mackey | Asst. Editor
On teacher appreciation night during the game against Vista Ridge, senior Mikayla Woods gives a T-shirt to History teacher, Sara Lucas to show her appreciation toward her. “This year, my senior year, was definitely my best season because my freshman, sophomore, and junior year we didn’t make it as far as we did this year,” Woods said. “Practicing and playing with my team these past three years helped us and we all got better as a team playing together.” The girls’ varsity basketball team finished the district season with a 16-0 record. During the first round of playoffs against Cypress Lakes, senior Hannah Blair attempts get around the opponent’s blocking. “My favorite game was the game against Vandegrift at Vandegrift,” Blair said. “We were missing one of our key players and I knew I had to step up and I had a lot of three-pointers.” The Lady Hawks eventually ended up making it past the third round, until they lost 78-68 against Allen High School during the fourth round, naming the team Regional Quarterfinalists.
Senior Isaac Bullard focuses on his free throw at the district game against McNeil, playing McNeil for the second time in the season. “Personally, I worry about whether this game or the next game will be the last game I play or not,” Bullard said. “Anything can happen so I try to focus on the positives and just go out there and have as much fun as possible.” After a long, hard fight against the Mavericks, the boys’ varsity team lost the second time around 70-52. However, the first time the two played against each other, the boys’ varsity team won 71-43.
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Sports Volume 12, Issue 6
Photos provided by Mackenzi Haub
Left to right: Hailey Flores, Kelli Carl, Mackenzi Haub, Taylor Bachmeyer, Nicole Garcia
The Final Inning
QA &
Returning varsity senior softball players refIect on how team has grown over years, expectations
What position do you play, and why do you enjoy it?
What is it like knowing it's your last year playing high school softball?
How have you seen the team change over the years?
What are your expectations for the season?
Nicole Garcia:“I’m third base and catcher. I like this position because you have control when you’re catching. And when you play third you get the ball a lot, it’s not quit as tiring and a little bit more fun because the ball gets hit there more than other places.”
Nicole Garcia: “It is really sad knowing that it’s our last season together, so I’m trying to make the best out of it, no matter wins or losses.”
Nicole Garcia: “The team has grown tremendously with the chemistry and how we work with each other. We’ve definitely learned our differences and how to make them work.”
Nicole Garcia:“To go far in playoffs with a good run, we have a strong enough team to do it.”
Taylor Bachmeyer: “It’s sad because these are the people I’ve been playing with since my freshman year, like Coco, and I know after this I won’t be able to play with them anymore.”
Taylor Bachmeyer: “My freshman year we were casual about playing, but over the years we’ve really developed a sense of urgency to win. We have a more intense attitude.”
Kelli Carl: “It’s sad, but it’s also kind of exciting because we all get to go to college soon. It makes us cherish every moment of the season though, because we know it’s the last we’ll all be together.”
Kelli Carl: “We’ve all grown a lot closer over the years, now that we’re all together on varsity. Our abilities have all gotten better as well which is nice.”
Mackenzi Haub: “I get really sad thinking about the fact that this is my last year playing softball here. I have gotten really close to my teammates and I’ve grown so much as a player and as a person in general because of it, so knowing that I’m leaving next year is kind of heart breaking to think about.”
Mackenzi Haub: “Freshman year we didn’t really mesh as a team, but over the course of high school we’ve grown closer and there are less cliques than there used to be. Everyone talks to everyone and its easier for us to work together and win because of that.”
Taylor Bachmeyer:“I am the pitcher. I’ve been playing this position since I was ten. You always get the ball and are constantly involved, there’s always something to do.”
Kelli Carl:“I play right field. I like playing this position because I’m fast which makes it easier to get to the ball. It is also exciting watching the game from a further view and trying to get the runners when theyre heading around the bases fast.”
Mackenzi Haub: “I play left field. I like this position because you get a little adrenaline rush every time you catch a pop fly or throw someone out at home.”
Hailey Flores: “I play center. I really love playing that position it’s what I’m good at because I’m fast, I can read the ball well and communicate with others.”
Hailey Flores: “It’s sad. I’m really going to miss it and all the people I play with, because I’ve been with them for so long.”
Hailey Flores: “We have grown a lot. When we first started playing we weren’t that close, but over the years our chemistry has grown a lot.”
Taylor Bachmeyer:“To win more games than we lose, and just to play our hardest.”
Kelli Carl:“To go far to play offs and play to our full potential. To play every game like it’s our last because it’s our senior year and some of us aren’t going on to play in college so to play to our full potential.”
Mackenzi Haub:“To work hard, grow together, and make it really far in playoffs because we have a lot of talent.”
Hailey Flores: “To go pretty far, further into playoffs than we have before. We communicate and work together really well this year.”
Step Up to the Plate
Sports March 8, 2019
19
Baseball team prepares for new season, goals Bryan Ross | Reporter
The baseball team walked off of the field for the last time of the 2018 season after a 6-7 loss to Anderson High School. Despite a successful season, getting upset in the first round of the playoffs always stings. Even though it may have felt like the end of the season, it wasn’t. It was the beginning of a new one. After a long winter, baseball season returned Feb. 22, and district play begins March 12 against Westwood High School. For members of the team, it’s been a long time coming. “I practice basically every single day for about three hours every day and then we have workouts every single day,” senior Edward Munoz said. “We’ve been preparing for this since last year. We’ve been working hard and trying to make the best of this season so we can do well this year.” To other players, preparing for a new season can be an emphasis on mental refocusing, more so than physical practice. “It’s a lot of mental stuff, going through the basics again,” junior catcher Marcos Carrion said. “Trying to build on from last season, what we can do better, just having a game plan. We plan to be better, do everything we did and then some. We plan on just having a different approach.” And according to Munoz, the team hopes to up the
success from last year by keeping their eyes on the prize. “We’re just going to see if we can try to up last year,” Munoz said. “We feel like we could’ve been better last year but we weren’t as focused as we are this year. This year we’re more focused and determined on what we’ve gotta do.” So far, coach David Neelley believes the team is in good shape to do just that. “We have a young group coming back, but the group that we have is very hard working,” Neelley said. “They have that desire to do very well, so we use the past years’ success and mold them into what we’re looking for.” And according to Neelley, it takes more than just that focus on doing well. He says it takes a focus on details and making sure everything is done right. “We instill discipline, respect, responsibility from day one,” Neelley said. “We have great attention to detail as coaches, and never let up on that. Just little bitty things, paying attention to those, and making sure we’re doing those as well.”
Carrion echoed that statement, saying that every player needs to be successful in order to be successful as a unit. “The key to success is everyone playing their role,” Carrion said. “Everyone doing their job, everyone doing what they’re supposed to do, when they’re supposed to do it, and how they’re supposed to do it. Perfectly.” But while that is important, there also has to be a balance between doing everything right while making sure you play your own game, Munoz said. “You just gotta be focused and try your hardest and just have fun,” Munoz said. “You can’t do your best when you’re too worried about whether you’re gonna mess up, or you’re gonna get in trouble, or if you do something wrong. You just gotta go in there and relax and have fun and enjoy the game, ‘cause it’s not meant for you to be scared all the time. You just gotta have fun.” While baseball is important, it’s not the only thing. To Neelley, above all is building the character of the players. “To me, you need to build a culture first,” Neelley said. “Because yes, we want them to be great baseball players, but we’re building them into young men. Great young men, great future husbands and great future fathers. That is our primary focus, building them into great men, then hopefully translating that to the baseball field. So yes we want to win, and we’re going to do what we need to win, but first we want to make sure they’re winning in life.”
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People March 8, 2019
The Truth Pours Out
Teens describe importance, meaning of water bottle stickers McKenzie Quiroz | Asst. Editor “I actually didn’t buy my Hydro FIask, it was a present given to me in seventh grade. I knew I wanted one for myself because they keep water so cold all day. I for sure think my HydrofIask makes me drink more water because on days when I forget it, I feel like I can barely function and I’m so dehydrated. I didn’t think about the way I decorated my Hydro at first because I’d had it for so long. I kind of gathered random stickers and put them on there, but now I want some cute stickers and I actually think about the placement of stickers. I have a sticker for Dog Boys Dog Ranch, because it’s where I worked over the summer, one from Mod Pizza, Bucee’s, Vineyard Vines, Supreme, and a ‘Beto for Senate’ sticker. Even though I didn’t
Anabella Galan | Reporter realize my Beto sticker isn’t waterproof, it means the most to me. It’s easily seen by other people because I carry my Hydro all day. When they notice my Beto sticker, they notice something about me. It defines a part of who I am, standing as a symbol of what I believe in. I don’t mind having the dents in this Hydro since its four years old, but whenever I got a new one over the summer, I dented it the very first day and I wanted to cry. It’s like your Hydro is your friend, and you don’t want your friend to get punched. It’s really difficult to get over, but then you roll with the punches. If anything, it’s part of the characteristics of the water bottle.”
-Olivia Fish, 11
Abigail Hill | Asst. Editor “I got my water bottle at the beginning of freshman year, so over three years ago. I don’t think my Hydro FIask has a very deep meaning, it’s just my water bottle. However, my ACL, Unified Fists, and “Nugs not Drugs” stickers probably mean the most to me. The ACL one is nostalgic, the fists are representative of feminism and the “Nugs not Drugs” one is funny to me
because I really like chicken nuggets. I get my stickers at Patagonia, ACL, Redbubble, and Brandy Melville. I don’t think the water bottle represents me anymore because I started decorating it freshman year, however it showed I was a ‘quirky’ teen who received an abundance of free stickers.”
“I’ve had my water bottle since the beginning of this school year, so for about seven months. I started adding stickers to my Hydro Flask because I like the look of having stickers on it rather than just having a plain, boring water bottle. I wanted to make it my own, so I just decided to start adding stickers. I got some of my stickers from stores and I
“I chose my water bottle because I wanted to stay hydrated and I hate refilling my water bottles constantly. It can be a little too heavy considering it’s 60 oz. Whenever I have to fill it up it takes a while since it’s so big. My stickers all mean something to me. They symbolize things that I like and support, as well as just some of my hobbies. I bought some of them and others I got while I was on
-Gage Mahoney, 12
-Taylor Adamek, 9
Camryn Sadlier | Reporter “On the 17th of February last year, I went to a debate tournament at Harvard University where I found my water bottle. I wanted to get a water bottle instead of a shirt or a hat because I knew that I would eventually outgrow the use for other things but I always need water. The whole experience at Harvard is what really makes my water bottle special and getting it was a memento of the event. My favorite stickers on
my Nalgene are the Bart Simpson, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the Darth Vader sticker, but the Darth Vader one is special because I’ve always been a fan of Star Wars, Anakin Skywalker, and his struggle of good versus evil. I’ve brought this bottle with me to the Speech and Debate state tournament, the Bahamas, Florida, and California. I’ve been to a lot of places with it so it’s connected with a lot of memories. I like water bottles and I like putting stickers on them.”
-Jared Williams, 11
-Eliana Galan, 11
Brisa Espinoza | Asst. Editor
got some from shops online like Redbubble. I have stickers of places that I’ve visited, where I’ve lived, and stickers that I like and think are cute. The sticker that means the most to me is probably the one that says “Sacramento” or “California” because that’s where I grew up.”
Brisa Espinoza | Asst. Editor vacation and the rest I got as a gift. But I definitely don’t regret getting my water bottle despite its size. A lot of people ask me if I can drink all of the water or how I can go around carrying it all day. It’s really funny to me, but I don’t mind it since the water bottle keeps me hydrated and healthy.”
“I love my water bottle, it’s super unique and it refIects me. I chose it because it’s bigger than most water bottles so it can hold more water and it’s cheaper than Hydro Flasks, which makes it different. It can get a bit heavy whenever it’s full since its 50 oz. but it always reminds
me to drink water and stay hydrated. All my stickers are things that I say or think are funny. I got some at Bucees, art shows and from Cuties [mandarin orange] stickers. I’ve ordered stickers through RedBubble but my mom also makes stickers so I get some through her.”
-Emma Pitman, 10