The Hawk November 2023

MORE THAN HAIR Students stress importance of self expression

Recordbreaking heat poses challenges for student body

Pages 6-8 Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville. Texas 78660 Volume 17, Issue 2 November 3, 2023

In Inthis this Issue...

Issue...

3

CROWN Act

4-5 Awards, VATRE

11

Volleyball Successes

Pages 6-8

2 Our Turn Hit or Miss Editor documents self-exploration Seniors forced to buy parking passes again process through cutting hair Opinions Volume 17, Issue 2

Lilianna Moran | Co-Editor The first time I ever cut my hair myself, I was 14 years old. I felt the lockdown was the ideal time to take change into my own hands. I took my rusty fabric scissors and cut about five inches off my hair, following the advice of a random how-to video on YouTube. Now, I had a bob and not to brag, but I had done a fairly good job for my first time.

Unlike other events in my life, hair was something I have complete jurisdiction over. The uncertainty surrounding Covid and the prospects of the future, had myself, like many others, on edge. Everything in life felt so out of control, so I turned to my hair as a way to deal with it all.

It was mine to mess with.

However, my use of hair as a way to cope did not stop with the end of the lockdown.

The next time I chose to cut my hair was during my sophomore year, but this time it was not as a way to deal with stress. I wanted to give myself a new look during a time when everything felt stagnant and boring. I wanted something to change, so I thought, why not myself?

So, after around 5 months of letting it grow out, I decided to give myself those popular curtain bangs I had seen all over my social media; I also took care of my split ends. Eventually, the bangs grew out and my hair got much longer.

My junior year was when most of my hairstylist antics occurred. Like most juniors, I was stressed, tired, and anxious. Unlike the other times I chopped my hair it was not a carefully thought out process, it was sporadic. I was tired of having to deal with something else that felt heavy on my shoulders (quite literally) so I trimmed around nine inches of hair and had a long bob. My mom was definitely not thrilled, but I loved it. It was easy to manage and reminded me of when I was a child and my parents would always cut my hair short, it reminded me of a time when my stresses were limited and light. After that big chop, I’d cut my hair

every few months to make sure the length of my hair stayed where I wanted and again to add some curtain bangs. For me, it was fun. It was both my way to control and express myself as well as play hair stylist. I got to become whoever I wanted through my hair.

Towards the latter of my junior year, I was invited to prom and my mom banned me from cutting my hair. She argued that my hair needed to be long enough for an up-do, so I needed to grow it out. I hated this, but I did want to put my hair up for prom so I complied.

However, once prom had ended, her ban stuck. She wanted me to get my hair cut by a professional, which I still don’t fully understand the point of. I do a good enough job and it saves money, but I didn’t argue. I got my hair cut by a professional and it was way better than anything I have ever done to myself.

I had layers, my bangs were fully even; It was great. I enjoyed what the hairstylist did to my hair for months after and didn’t cut it once throughout the summer.

I was happy and content with my life and felt no need to change anything, including my hair.

This changed with the start of August.

The stress of college applications, attempting to figure out my future, and some social stressors, I wanted to vent. Currently I feel incredibly lost about my future. I don’t know the path I want to take with my life going forward, I don’t know what or who I want to be, and the pressure to figure it all out right now has sent me into a slight spiral. So, little by little I’d trim my hair until it was the length I wanted and little by little I’d trim my bangs til they reached my eyebrows. It’s my way of control. Unlike the decisions about my future or my inability to control the events surrounding my life, I have complete authority over my hair. I can shape it however I want, and the best part is that no matter what I do to it, it’s never permanent or serious; it’s hair.

Illustration by | Diane Salazar

This year the school is having seniors pay for a parking pass even if they already bought a parking spot to paint. This makes seniors have to pay more money for a pass when they already paid $75 to paint a space and shouldn’t have to pay even more.

The problem is that these are two separate fund raising events with the money going to two separate entities. Seniors pay for a parking spot to help the class of 2024 and buying a parking pass helps the school earn money for other necessities. Unfortunately, seniors are getting hit twice paying for the same thing.

Something that could improve this issue would be that the school gets a portion of the parking spot money, like $25 of the $75 would go to the school. For these reasons, seniors having to pay for a parking pass after already paying to paint a parking spot is a miss.

Increase in pep rallies aid school spirit Over the course of this school year there has been a definite uptick in school pep rallies. These pep rallies are held on football game days, to ‘pep’ up students for the upcoming win. As many students may have noticed there have also been more of them than there were last year, increasing the school spirit exponentially and helping to bring us all closer together. Pep rallies provide an array of excitement across campus, and also let students have a break in their normal school day routine by giving them something to look forward to.

The mixture of feeling interconnected to your fellow hawks, as well as the pure enjoyment of celebration in school pride is what makes pep rallies a hit.

District cuts impact AP Exam funding As a result of the continued lack of funding from the State, the district and school board has been forced to cut their budget significantly. This has impacted multiple aspects of the school, including AP Exams.

Typically, if a student passes their AP Exam they can expect to receive their money back on the exam sometime during the fall. However, starting this year, the district has removed this feature for schools in order to save money.

For students (and their families) who spend a large amount of their money to pay for these exams, this cut is a huge disappointment, especially for those who already struggle to pay for the exams. Despite that, the resentment against these cuts can not fully go towards the district, rather the State’s lack of school funding is a miss.

Opinions November 3, 2023

Your Turn “I think that it’s been past the time where hair-based discrimination should even be a thing.

There shouldn’t be discrimination on how people or their hair look.”

- Olivia Quarshie, 11

“I think it’s weird [if] the school wants to control our hair. It’s not theirs, so they shouldn’t be worried about it. It’s a students choice what they do with their hair, the school shouldn’t be allowed to control that” - Jackson Collins, 11

“It’s literally your hair. I don’t think schools should care about your hair, because it’s on your body and no one else is being impacted by it. I don’t understand why it should be in dress code if nobody is getting hurt.”

- Ayanna Rutagengwa, 12

“Personally, I think [the school] should have no control, it’s not their bodies or their hair.”

- Zion Byers, 12

“I think students should have as much control as they can have over their hair. They should be allowed to do whatever because it’s their hair, their bodies, and no one can tell them what to or not to do.”

- Alyssa Lee, 10

Staff Editorial Discrimination continues despite passage of bill, lacks enforcement Last May, the Texas legislature took an important step towards realizing racial equality in our state. Unfortunately, their work is far from over.

House Bill 567, otherwise known as the CROWN Act, received massive bipartisan support in the Texas legislature, was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott, and officially took effect on Sept. 1. The law, which stands for the “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act,” bans race-based hair discrimination in Texas workplaces, education, and housing. The CROWN Act has seen adoption in 21 other states, first beginning with California in 2019.

This is an unequivocally positive development in Texas politics, praised by activists and lawmakers of all political orientations, and for good reason: hair discrimination continues to be a pressing social issue for the Black community in the twentyfirst century.

Even though d i s cr i m i nat io n based on race has been outlawed for decades, what constitutes a racial ch a r a c t e r i s t i c is open to legal i nt er p r et at io n.

Therefore, numerous instances of discrimination against textured hair were legally permissible before the CROWN Act, and justified with the reasoning that they are “inappropriate,” “unkempt,” or “unprofessional.”

All of these reasons are racist. The only reason textured hair is looked down upon is because it does not conform to the white beauty standard of straight hair, so in order for the government to ensure equal treatment of races, there must also be equal treatment of racial characteristics. By passing the CROWN Act, Texas has clarified that racial discrimination can extend to hair, and as a result Black people will gain more protections.

This would be effective if the law was actually being enforced. Unfortunately, it’s not.

Beginning on Aug. 31, Barber Hill ISD student Darryl George was suspended for more than three weeks because his locs, a protective hairstyle traditionally worn by Black people, violate the district’s standards of grooming and dress. The dress code states that men’s hair cannot extend past their eyebrows or ear lobes. George’s family filed a federal lawsuit in response, claiming that the suspension is in

violation of the CROWN Act and that Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton are failing to enforce the law to begin with.

George’s school told him he would have to cut his hair or face disciplinary action. Not only is this a gross overreach of school authority, but it is also culturally insensitive. Protective hairstyles have long been considered a symbol of resistance by the Black community because enslaved people were forbidden to wear them. Furthermore, Black boys are more likely to actually see the consequences of a ban on long hair; in schools, Black students are disproportionately subject to disciplinary violations compared to students of other races.

This is a well-researched phenomenon known as the school-to-prison pipeline, and Barber Hill ISD’s suspension of George is just another example of the system at work to marginalize Black students. Ending hair discrimination won’t completely abolish the pipeline, but it can at least dismantle a part of it. George was suspended despite the existence of a statewide law, however.

This suggests that the best path forward is the implementation of a national CROWN Act. The Democratic-controlled House voted in March 2022 to pass a federal version of the CROWN Act, but, for unclear reasons, the legislation stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate. A new CROWN Act has not been introduced in the 2023 legislative session.

Were it to be signed into law, however, a national CROWN Act would be much more efficient than the current trend of passing it into law state-by-state. Unfortunately, as is the case in Texas, state governments can simply not enforce a law if they don’t agree with it.

This is not usually the case with the federal government, and since President Joe Biden has voiced strong support for the CROWN Act, it’s likely that his enforcement of the law would be much more effective than Abbott’s.

For George, and the millions of other Black people still impacted by prejudice, we must work at all levels of government to fight discrimination. Hopefully, with federal legislation, we can continue to move towards a more equitable society and ensure just treatment of people of color in all spheres of life.

Illustration by | Avery Howe

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Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville, TX 78660 http://www.pfisd.net/HHS (512) 594-1100 Student Population: 2,134 Staff: 180 Adviser: Kari Riemer Principal: Michael Grebb www.facebook.com/HawkNewspaper

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

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 before school on publication day and on newsstands throughout the building.

Editorial Staff Editors

Co-Editors: Kate Hayes, Lilianna Moran Copy Editor: Sophia Johst Assistant Editors: Eliana Grant, Gia Patel

Reporters Emily Rodriguez Travis Tellez

Artists Diane Salazar Eliana Grant

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

Honors ILPC Bronze Star 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 ILPC Silver Star 2021 Columbia Scholastic Press League, Gold Medalist 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 Silver Crown, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022 Pacemaker Finalist, 2018

Illustration by Diane Salazar

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News Volume 17, Issue 2

Lucas recognized for teaching excellence

Taken aback by the surprise, History teacher Sara Lucas is handed balloons from the Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association of Greater Association as she recieves her award.

“Mr. Grebb told my husband, so my husband was grinning at me, which was super sweet,” Lucas said. “My class could not have been any nicer. There were balloons and there was a very beautifully formated letter.” Gabrielle Guyton | Photographer Kate Hayes | Co-Editor Following the announcement of her finalist status in September, AP Psychology and ACC History teacher Sara Lucas was awarded the Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association of Greater Austin Teaching Excellence Award. The award, given to teachers on the basis of classroom innovation and expertise, grants $2,500 to the winning teacher for personal use, and $500 to the teacher’s principal to be devoted towards their school.

“Mr. Grebb nominated me,” Lucas said. “It was a lovely compliment. I definitely exist for affirmation, and Mr. Grebb knows that about me, so it’s nice of him to validate me with that.

Lucas had to undergo a competitive

application process after nomination in order to receive the award.

“They sent me an application with a bunch of essay questions, and I finished them the night before my husband and I left for vacation in Mexico City,” Lucas said. “That was mid-June, and they came out with the finalists Sept. 13.”

Lucas was one of three finalists, all of whom were teachers nominated from school districts in the Greater Austin area.

“It’s very sweet and it means a lot,” Lucas said. “But, I also worry that I’m not living up to these things. My insecurities remind me when somebody does something nice like that, I also worry that people will know all the times I didn’t wrap up a lesson well, or I messed up a

Mrs. Lucas was nominated for the Teaching Excellence Award by principal Michael Grebb. “I specifically chose her because she’s an exemplary teacher that represents everything that I’d like to see in the classroom at Hendrickson High School,” Grebb said. Gabrielle Guyton | Photographer test, or a student was sleeping in my class.”

Now, Lucas will reward herself by spending the $2,500 personal grant to celebrate her birthday and spend time with her family.

“I turned 60 this summer, and I love traveling,” Lucas said. “Our daughter

now lives in Massachusetts, so I want to go there and then go up to Montreal and visit. Although, I have not told my husband that I’m actually funneling this money to there, so FYI Mr. Lucas—this is how your wife wants to spend her money.”

Israel-Hamas war sparks global concern Lilianna Moran | Co-Editor The Palestinian militant group Hamas initiated a large-scale attack on Israel on October 7. This has been the worst assault on Israeli ground since the Yom Kippur War fought fifty years ago.

During this attack the Israeli military has reported 224 hostages including soldiers and civilians to have been taken by Hamas into Gaza. 50 of those hostages Hamas has claimed to have killed, however there is no

current proof of this claim.

Immediately following this attack, the Israeli government announced war on the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian enclave governed

by Hamas. So far, Hamas continues to launch air strikes throughout the southern parts of Israel, while Israel has issued consistent air and artillery raids into Gaza.

In addition to these strikes, the Israeli government has cut off electricity, most water, and the importation of food and medicine into the strip.

According to the BBC, over 1,400 Israelis and over 7,000 Palestinains have currently been reported dead. Nearly 3,000 of Palestinians killed were children, a toll that is projected to rise on both sides as the war progresses.

As of now, neither Hamas nor Israel appear to want to surrender, and neither want to negotiate a two-state solution that Fatah, a Palestinian political group that controls the West Bank, and parties on the Israeli Knesset have long advocated for.

In addition to the regional impacts, this war has further aggravated tensions between Muslim and Jewish populations with the continuation of the Holy Wars, as well as provoked an international uproar regarding Israelís treatment of Palestinians and Hamasí attack on Israel soil. Moreover, antisemitism and Islamophobia has also seen a rise globally given these recent events.

News November 3, 2023

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VATRE approval would help fund schools Travis Tellez | Reporter This year, Pflugerville ISD, alongside many other school districts, is projecting a funding shortage due to inaction during the 88th State Legislative Session. To try and circumvent this, the district is calling for a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election on November 7.

Schools are mainly funded by the district's local property tax, along with some additional funding by the state.

To find the amount of funding a district receives, the Texas Education Agency estimates the amount of tax revenue a school district should receive based on local property tax values.

“Pflugerville ISD, along with school districts from around the state, have not received any additional money from the state legislature to fund public schools.”

Chief Communications Officer Tamra Spence said, “Similar to families dealing with the rocketing inflation, the money we have cannot purchase the same amount of goods and services as it could 4 years ago in 2019.”

This lack of funding has forced the

district to make hard budgeting decisions over the past few years. There have been cuts to staff budgets and positions, as well as many student programs having to be shut down.

“We asked our Legislators in the last session to increase public education funding by $1,000 per student in the basic allotment, $100 per student for safety and security and $100 for student mental health support. These funds were needed just to bring us back to the same level of funding in 2019.” Spence said, “Unfortunately, this was not addressed by our Legislature in this past session.

Instead, they used the $32 Billion fund balance to pass property tax relief. This required all school districts in the state to lower their maintenance and operations tax rate.”

The large loss of money has also led to district officials thinking of closing campuses or even imposing student fees for extracurricular activities. These are not actions that the Board of Trustees wants to take, but even with all of the budget cuts, the district is still over 2.9 million dollars in debt.

“Just as employees need an annual raise to attempt to bring more money to keep up with inflation, school districts also have this need, but we do not receive any additional funds. The VATRE is the only way for our district to bring in additional dollars.” Spence says.

A VATRE adjusts a school district’s tax rate, which affects their maintenance and operations budget and pays staff salaries without adding to the district’s debt.

If this VATRE succeeds, homeowners will see a 15-cent overall decrease in their tax rate, and it will provide an additional $10.7 million to the district’s maintenance and operations budget, which will be used primarily for teacher and staff raises.

If this VATRE does not succeed, district staff will not receive any additional pay increase, Pflugerville ISD will remain in a budget deficit of $1.3 million, and the tax rate will decrease from $1.2646 to $1.0392, instead of $1.1092. The tax rate will still lower whether or not the VATRE goes through. However, with the VATRE, the district and schools will be able to acquire more funding through tax rates.

Tax Rate Current PfISD Tax Rate: $1.2646 PfISD Tax Rate with VATRE: $1.1092 PfISD Tax Rate without VATRE: $1.0392 Regardless of whether VATRE passes, PfISD taxpayers will have a lower tax rate.

Speech and Debate to compete at pivotal tournament Kate Hayes | Co-Editor It’s the end of the first quarter, and Hendrickson’s Speech and Debate team have begun gearing up for one of the most important tournaments of the year: the 25th Annual Longhorn Classic, a national tournament held at UT Austin.

“The UT tournament is basically the biggest tournament of the semester because it’s not just people in Texas, it’s people from across the country,” senior Brianna Williams said. “It’s different and interesting because debate isn’t the same in every state.

It’s really interesting to get exposure to different people’s style of debate.”

The Longhorn Classic is “one of the largest and most competitive tournaments in the country,” according to UT Austin Speech and Debate directors Brendon Bankey and Martin Cox. This year’s tournament will take place from Dec. 1-3.

“UT is one of the biggest colleges in the country, so people from, like, California and Florida come around just to compete,” Williams said.

“This year, I’m competing in Original Oratory and Informative Speaking.”

Last year, Williams broke to quarter finals in the event of Original Oratory.

“Obviously this year we’re aiming higher than that, maybe finals,” Williams said.

“We say the goal is “to make it to Sunday” since UT is one of those tournament where it’s Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Salary Increases Salaries increase up to 3% for all staff

The Speech and Debate team pose with their awards after the conclusion of the tournament at Hays ISD. “I made it to Semifinals in Informative Speaking,” senior Cecilia Acosta said. “I was happy because I was the only person who didn’t have visual aids, so considering that I did pretty good.” Photo provided by | Kirsten Nash It’s one of the longest tournaments.”

The highly competitive nature of the tournament means extra preparation for the Varsity Debate members who will be participating.

“This is usually the time where we’re rewriting our speeches and making tweaks based on judges’ comments,” senior Johnpaul Buwule said. “I’m competing in Original Oratory and Informative Speaking.”

Despite the increased workload, the Longhorn Classic is not that different from the other tournaments the Speech and Debate team compete in year-round.

“Really, the goal for UT isn’t to completely change what we’ve been previously doing, but to fine tune smaller details in our performance,” senior Maya Hay said. “It’s important you get nitpicky to make sure you’re at the same level as everyone else.”

Budget Outcome $1,323,143 surplus instead of $2,941,088 deficit *Graphics and VATRE information provided by PfISD.

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MORE TH Students stress import

Feature Volume 17, Issue 2

Lilianna Moran | Co-Editor Sophia Johst | Copy Editor Gia Patel | Asst. Editor

“I like my hair dark because I go for a darker style. I dye my hair to fit that sort of aesthetic. I really like purple because it’s one of my favorite colors. So, I try to add a hint of purple or red to my hair because I think it looks cooler. When I was younger, I did highlights and in sixth grade I started dying the ends purple. In 2020, I went half blue and half purple. Recently, I’ve dyed it black with purple undertones. I think my hair represents how “spunky” I am, as my mom always calls me.”

“I dye my hair just to show people that you don’t You know, you can just do whatever you want. Hair change it all the time. You can make it fit your pers how you feel.

I change my hair about every month to a different color for me is blue, which sucks because it’s my m But there’s another reason to do your hair, you don’ people - just do what you want.

My hair represents how unpredictable and fun I a know what I’m going to look like. You only know it make a statement, which I like to say I do. My hair person because I can control something about myse

Jane Deaton, 10

“My favorite hair color I’ve had is blue and purple. I usually style it down. I get my hair dyed professionally, but I bleach my hair myself.”

Andrea Arrescue, 11 Kate Hayes | Co-Editor

Kelsie Herold, 12

STRAIGHT Walk us through your daily hair routine.

“I usually use the soothing balm from the brand “It’s a Ten” and leave-in conditioner. That’s basically all I use.

I either shower or spray my hair and put it in.”

How often do you wash your hair?

“I wash it every other day.”

Would you say your hair products are expensive?

“No. Maybe like $20.”

Do you use any hair gel or hair spray?

“No, I do not.”

Do you protect your hair when sleeping?

“Sometimes I’ll braid it and in the morning take it out and brush it, but nothing special.”

What are your favorite hair care brands? ,yaR yeliaK “I usually just use It’s 1a1 10.”

V

Walk us through yo

How often do y

Would you say your ha

Do you use hai Do you protect your

What are your favori Sienna Le, 9

HAN HAIR ance of self-expression

have to be too serious. r is not permanent. You can sonality. You can make it fit

t color. My favorite hair mom’s least favorite color. ’t have to listen to other

am, because you never t’s gonna be bright and makes me feel like my own elf.”

Feature November 3, 2023

“My freshman year, I dyed my hair purple and it was really cool. That was the first time I ever did something really bold with my hair. Before that, I only used natural colors, like black or brown. That’s kind of what started me continuously dying my hair in different colors. So, after that, I dyed my hair a vibrant red, and I really liked that for a little bit.

It’s not always just the colors, it’s also the style. I like to change up my look, and I get bored with how I look. So, something that helps me with that is my hair because there’s not a lot of stuff you could change about yourself as quickly to try out a new look.

I feel like for me, my hair is my persona. It’s who I am.

When people see how your hair is styled or the color, it can tell a lot about your personality and who you are as a person.”

Laila Allen, 9

“My favorite color of my hair is the one that I have right now which is red. I think that the red shows that I’m confident, I’m ready to be here, and make friends.”

Zhia Brown, 11

VS

our daily hair routine.

you wash your hair?

air products are expensive?

ir gel or spray? hair when sleeping?

ite hair care brands?

CURLY

Walk us through your daily hair routine.

“I take a shower, wash it, then I like to put it in sections so the product gets everywhere and I don’t have a lot of frizz. If I have time, I use a Denman brush to define my curls then diffuse.”

How often do you wash your hair?

“I try to wash it once a week or once every two weeks because it dries out my hair. I don’t like washing it.”

Would you say your hair products are expensive?

“Very. Every time I go out to buy new products, the total is probably $100.”

Do you use any hair gel or hair spray?

“I don’t use hair spray. I only use gel if I have to put my hair up.”

Do you protect your hair when sleeping?

“Yes. I wear a bonnet when I sleep.”

What are your favorite hair care brands?

“I love Myel, I just started using it. I also like Carol’s Daughter and tgin.”

Kailey Ray, 11

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Feature Volume 17, Issue2

MORE THAN HAIR

BSU officers discuss hair importance to Black community Lilianna Moran | Co-Editor The CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act, which prohibits race-based hair discrimination within workplaces and schools officially went into effect this past September.

Governor Greg Abbot signed this act into law earlier this year following a legal battle over a Black student’s extended suspension because of his hairstyle.

“Hair to the Black community means a lot because not only is it a hairstyle, it represents individuality,” Black Student Union secretary Autumn Black said. “I feel like anyone, whether they want to wear their hair down or up, ultimately that’s their choice and they should be able to do that without getting punished.”

However, this fight is nothing new to African Americans, who have faced centuries of repression regarding their appearances. Throughout American history, racial tensions and white supremacy have played a significant role in the repression of Black features, as the nation encouraged assimilation to whiteness, whether that

took shape in skin tone, dress, or hairstyle.

African American’s natural hair was left particularly vulnerable to employment and educational discrimination, lowering an individual’s employability.

“For a long time we were forced to perm our hairs and have them straight, we couldn’t really embrace it,’’ BSU vice president Johnpaul Buwule said. “So, that’s why today when we see Black people being turned away from schools and jobs because of their hair, we take offense to that because it’s a part of who we are. We can’t change that.”

The emergence of the civil rights movement brought a wave of change to Black hairstyles. African Americans began to embrace their natural hair with the resurrection of braids and afros as a popular style to rebel against these eurocentric ideals.

“As a form of fighting oppression or discrimination, we wore our hair naturally to signify our pride in being Black and our individuality,” Buwule said. “That’s a part of the reason we’re so proud of our hair

because for a long time we were told that it was ugly and we couldn’t wear it.”

Still, America battles the residue of systemic and societal racism, as unconscious stereotypes regarding hairstyles continue to impact African Americans within work and schools.

For this reason, Buwule emphasizes the importance of protective laws such as the CROWN Act. “At the end of the day, when it comes to discriminating against African Americans based on hair you’re reinforcing the idea that that aspect of them is ugly and therefore they have to revert to eurocentric beauty standards that a lot of African Americans don’t fit into,” Buwule said. “So, when you pass legislation that protects Black people from discrimination, then you’re reaffirming that being Black is beautiful and that you don’t need to fit into this eurocentric standard that isn’t catered towards people of color. You can be who you are.”

A HAIR-OR STORY

Junior recounts hair regrets; lessons learned, personal growth

Lilianna Moran | Co-Editor Junior Simon Alvarez’s relationship with his hair has come a long way. “[My hair journey] was rough,” Alvarez said. “I came from using “51 in 1” shampoo to discovering that maybe I should not shampoo my hair everyday, maybe I shouldn’t use two in ones, especially with my sensitive skin. I’m very prone to getting a lot of dandruff and irritation on my scalp.”

Following a rough patch in his life, Alvarez used his hair as a way to cope and a method of expressing his grief and desire to move forward.

“During my freshman year I needed a

restart and it all went away. I had a loss of someone that I really cared about and I needed to overcome it. So, I thought, “What’s more of a new slate than getting a buzz cut?” Alvarez said. “It was awful.

I’d get compared to other Hispanic people on TV, I was also called an egg at one point. The growing out process was also difficult, especially during the first couple of months, [my hair] was all pointy.”

Although he did not like his shaved head, Alvarez feels grateful for the lessons he learned during that stage in his hair journey regarding both his perception of his hair as well as his life.

“Despite embarrassing things that may

seem like the end of the world right now, they pass and you can continue living your life,” Alvarez said. “Now, I think of my hair as something I’m growing out as I grow as a person.”

Currently Alvarez hopes to grow his hair to his shoulders, a goal he is close to accomplishing.

“I still have progress to do,” Alvarez said. “Of course I want to grow it out more. I still have a lot more growing as a person and in a hair sense. I’m not where I want to be yet, but I’m pretty happy where I am.”

FACT OR FICTION?

Hairstylist debunks common hair myths Gia Patel | Asst. Editor Business owner and hairstylist Yvonne Martinez specializes in women’s hair coloring and cutting at her salon, A New Hue, and she has over 13 years of experience with hair.

Cutting your hair makes it grow faster.

“No, for trimming your hair we typically say six to eight weeks. But really, hair growth happens at the scalp. The only reason we suggest this [amount of time] is because it prevents split ends and breakage.”

If you shampoo less often, your scalp will gradually produce less oil.

“This one is like yes and no. It is good to wash your hair everyday because you want to have good hygiene.

Ideally, you shouldn’t wash your hair everyday because you want to prevent grease, since the oil is actually good for your hair.”

It’s better to air-dry your hair than to blow-dry it.

“This is for sure a myth, because blowdrying is not bad as long as you’re protecting your hair. Letting your hair air dry can cause a lot of frizz and moisture on your scalp.”

Dry shampoo is just as good as regular shampoo.

“Yes, it is just as good if you don’t wash your hair everyday.”

Don’t use conditioner if you have oily or thin hair.

“This is a myth since you are only supposed to condition your hair midstrands to ends, never on your scalp, so using shouldn’t matter if you have oily or thin hair whether to apply it or not.”

Brushing your hair 100 times a day makes your hair healthier.

“False, this does not make your hair healthier.”

You need to adjust the heat setting on your hair tools depending on your type.

“Yes and no. Any setting on a hair tool over 325 degrees is considered burning.

So yes, if you have very fine hair you don’t want to put the temperature all the way up to 320 or 300 degrees. You want to lower the heat settings if your hair is super thin, brittle, or damaged.”

Feature November 3, 2023

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Staff members of various hair types recommend products Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner

Kate Hayes | Co-Editor Mixed Chicks is a hair care and makeup brand formed in 2003 by Kim Etheridge and Wendi Levy Kaaya, two mixed Black women who formulated their product due to the lack of products that sufficiently hydrated their curly hair. One of the most significant things about Mixed Chicks is that Etheridge and Levy Kaaya still retain ownership of the company 20 years later, making it one of the few cosmetic brands owned by women of color. Their signature product, the Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner, is formulated for a variety of hair types from wavy to coily, and has remained an indispensable product in my routine for about a year.

I originally learned about the Mixed Chicks conditioner from my mom, who has used the product for much longer than me—about ten years. For most of this period, she had curly hair that stretched

all the way down to her waist, so she’s a pretty good testament to its effectiveness.

The first time I used it, I was amazed at the shine it added to my hair without feeling greasy or heavy. My curls were more defined than ever before. I quickly got settled into a routine: every morning, if needed, I wet my hair with a spray bottle and work in the leave-in conditioner with my hands. It’s a quick and easy process that gives my curls all-day hydration.

The only problem, though, is that my extensive use of the leave-in quickly depletes it. I typically have to buy a new bottle every three to four weeks. At $22 for a 10oz bottle, that’s a serious investment, even if it isn’t the most expensive curly hair product on the market. Despite the cost, this is still one of the best curly hair products I have ever purchased, and will likely remain a favorite among the many I use.

Aussie Instant Freeze Hair Gel

Eliana Grant | Asst. Editor In my exploration of my hair, I have tried out many colors, cuts, and products. I have thick, slightly wavy hair, though I have kept it short for most of my life. In the summer of 2022, I cut my hair into a short pixie. During this time, it was obvious I was going to need some form of cream or gel to keep things in place.

After scoping out the aisles in Target with deep consideration, I picked out Aussie Instant Freeze Hair Gel. With its bright purple bottle and general unintimidating appearance, surely this was the product

for me. It turns out it was: my short pixie cut could now be held in place without being overly wild or frizzy. The only real negative was if you used too much it could become hard or clump into one section, however this could usually be avoided with practice and patience.

Overall, this product worked perfectly for me. For a reasonable $4.99 per bottle, if you find your hair’s a little hard to control or manage I would completely recommend it, especially for those with shorter haircuts.

Ouidad Mongongo Oil Sophia Johst | Copy Editor In my own experience, the biggest issue curly hair faces is frizz. Wisps of baby hairs create a halo around my head. In order to combat this, I use the Ouidad Mongongo Oil. This product can be applied on wet or dry hair to smooth frizz and create light shine. I use it almost daily to combat the Texas humidity. This product works well, though I do have a few complaints. As

Argan Oil

Lilianna Moran | Co-Editor Argan oil is a plant oil produced from Argan tree kernels. The product can be found for cheap in the hair section of most grocery stores, as well as the health and food oil aisles. The oil is very light and carries a slightly earthy scent. Given its lightness, the product works well on more fine and wavy hair types. For

myself, I like to apply the oil on my hair from the ears down to reduce frizz and provide some moisture to my ends. This is a product I use every time I wear my hair down, both styled and natural. Argan oil has been my saving grace in reducing my hair’s frizz during any weather condition (with the exception of rain.)

with all curly hair products, it is noticeably pricier than other hair care products. $38 gets you a small bottle of the oil. The main problem is that if you really want the product to work you need to spray about 10 times. The product drains far too quickly for me to feel particularly comfortable spending that much money on it. It is still a good product, but I’m sure there are just as adequate anti-frizz oils for cheaper.

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Sports Volume 17, Issue 1

Spike To Success Volleyball team works towards playoffs Travis Tellez | Reporter The volleyball team continues their winning streak streak as they continue to succeed in the current season. Coming second in both the Austin Tournament and the tournament they hosted, the volleyball team has been coming together in order to surpass what they have done before.

“The girls have come together to be really close, and they were fighting through adversity when I was out dealing with my family emergencies,” head coach Laitraica Spencer-Bailey said. “I think this year they all have a good head space that they could go further and they know that they are a really good team, and when they come out on the court, they put their best effort forward and feel like they are unbeatable.”

The team had a successful season last year, making it all the way to the playoff rounds, but losing right before they made

it past that point.

“Last year, I think we were not experienced enough in the playoff rounds.” Bailey said, “A lot of the girls were returning varsity players, but the lack of experience and time got the best of us when it came to going further and succeeding in playoffs last year.”

This year however, the team has the potential to not only match last year’s season, but surpass it as well.

“I think this year, they are all in on the same goal and they want the same thing,” Bailey said, “It’s a lot of seniors, so they are a very experienced group that have all been playing together, and I think they want to continue their legacy that has been started in the volleyball program, and I think they’re locked in on that legacy and going further than what they did last year.”

Senior Kamea Uitenham tips the ball during the volleyball game against Georgetown.

Despite losing 0-3, the team was able to progress to playoffs.

Nol Sarnpanich | Photographer

Senior Kara Wynn attempts to intercept the ball during the volleyball game against Georgetown. The team would go on to advance to the second round of playoffs after winning against the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders 3-0. Nol Sarnpanich | Photographer

Senior Cassie Rivera receives a senior basket on Volleyball Senior Night. “There was candy, a blanket, and I asked for a lot of makeup,” Rivera said. “It’s usually pretty personal and just really nice.” On Senior Night, lowerclassman volleyball players are typically assigned to make gift baskets for the senior players. Zoe Ewing | Photographer

Sports September 22, 2023

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Sit This One Out Injuries disrupt student athletes’ seasons Andrea Foster | Photographer

Ryleigh Mackey | Photographer

Junior cheerleader Sophie Griffin sits on the sidelines following a serious injury that has left her in crutches. “It was really hard because I just felt really helpless,” Griffin said. “It was hard for me to ask for help all the time because I felt like I was a burden to all my friends.”

Senior Luca Matamoros sits out during a football game against Georgetown due to a sprained ankle. “I think the worst part of it was not knowing if I’m going to play again, especially as a senior,” Matamoros said. “I have opportunities to play in college, but high school is the last time to play with your friends from your hometown.”

Gia Patel | Asst. Editor With the start of many sporting seasons, injuries have been on the rise for student athletes. Injuries are causing athletes to lose time participating in their sport because of physical restraints and restrictions they have, resulting in them losing playing time during the season.

Junior Sophie Griffin, a varsity cheerleader and a game day captain who has been cheering for over five years, got injured at cheer practice.

“We were stunting,” Griffin said. “The stunt went wrong and when I caught her, my hip, back, and lower back area hit the ground really hard and she fell on top of me. When she fell on top of me, I heard a loud pop and then I couldn’t get off the floor.”

The diagnosis of Griffin’s injury remains unclear for medical professionals in what

exactly she hurt.

“There’s no major direct diagnosis at the moment,” Griffin said. “We know that I made something in my back really angry, and it just doesn’t want to calm down.”

Being injured has been a part of Griffin’s daily life for weeks. She now has physical limitations to activities she can and cannot do.

“I have been hurt for like a month and a half, and I probably have a month and a half left, so about three months,” Griffin said. “I can’t walk without my crutches, bend over, or really squat. I also can’t sit for longer than an hour or stand for longer than 20 minutes. I also can’t jump, stunt, or do anything cheer-related.”

Physical therapy has helped Griffin in the recovery process with her hip and to help alleviate the pain.

“I do physical therapy four times a day

and I go into the office twice a week,” Griffin said. “I have four or five different exercises that I do.”

Returning back to cheerleading once she is cleared has Griffin feeling a mix of emotions.

“I’m excited to go back, but I’m terrified to get hurt again,” Griffin said. “It’s really sad because I love to cheer so much and I’ve never been this scared to do it. I’m scared I’m going to reinjure myself and I don’t want to have to go through that experience again.”

Senior Joe Flores, a varsity football player has not been able to play because of his foot injury.

“I have been playing football for six or seven years,” Flores said. “I got injured during spring football last year. I think I pivoted wrong and then the outside of my foot broke.”

An extended amount of recovery time has prolonged Flores’ period of healing his foot.

“The recovery period was roughly supposed to be a total of three months but I prolonged it by re-injuring my foot again, so it was around five months,” Flores said.

“Everything was pretty much limited since I was on crutches.”

Breaking the outside of his foot has made physical therapy and recovery routinely for Flores.

“The recovery process has been very tedious,” Flores said. “I am currently doing ankle therapy.”

With being injured for over five months, Flores is ready to get back on the field and resume playing football.

“I just feel excited to get back,” Flores said. “I’m waiting to get cleared and get back to the field.”

Senior qualifies for Cross Country State Kate Hayes | Co-Editor Senior Cassie Rivera made waves on Oct. 23 at Cross Country Regionals when she qualified for UIL State, the only runner on the Cross Country team to do so.

“From Regionals, the top four teams plus the top 10 individuals who were not a part of one of those qualifying teams go

to state,” Rivera said. “I was one of four people who qualified as an individual out of 200-something people.”

This will be Rivera’s third time competing in the Cross Country State Championship.

“I was just really glad,” Rivera said. “It would suck if I had qualified before then didn’t this year.”

The Cross Country team qualified for Regionals, traveling to compete in Houston, but did not qualify as a team for State. Rivera will be competing as an individual in the State Championship at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock on Nov. 3 and 4.

“I knew I qualified when I finished

because I ended up 13th,” Rivera said. “I was really happy. It’s kind of hard because after you finish you’re just so tired, and it’s like the worst feeling ever. You’re happy, but it’s excruciating.”

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Entertainment Volume 17, Issue 2

Out of This World

Unique, subversive alien films analysed by editors Alien

Kate Hayes | Co-Editor Alien is slow. Painfully slow. It’s as if every scene drags out for far too long, demanding the audience pay attention.

The opening scene, a series of extended shots of the setting, clocks in at three minutes. A lot of people in 2023 would find this pacing to be mind-numbingly boring, but it’s actually what makes Alien such a fantastic horror film. By the end, it’s created an atmosphere so rife with tension that every second longer engenders increasing anxiety within the audience. It’s a movie that makes you care, which is hard to find in a science fiction flick made in 1979. And not only is it a movie that’s enjoyable to watch, but it’s a movie that matters.

The basic premise is this: after the futuristic space vessel Nostromo responds to a distress signal on an uninhabited planet, a terrifying and seemingly unkillable creature boards the ship, and hunts its crew down one by one. It’s basically a slasher set aboard a spaceship, except instead of a masked killer, it’s an alien, and it’s not teenagers that it’s hunting, it’s astronauts. Despite this relatively unassuming narrative, Alien is considered to be one of the most significant thriller/horror/science fiction films ever created. I think it’s for a good reason.

What is perhaps most significant about Alien is how it reverses the traditional gender dynamics of horror films. It’s no secret that horror was built on female v i c t i m i z at io n— the genre’s classics all e x e m p l i f y violence against women one way or another, particularly in connection to their sexuality.

In Psycho (1960), Marion Crane is murdered in the infamous shower scene, stabbed to death in a series of quick shots emphasizing her vulnerable naked body. In Halloween (1978), all of the female characters are murdered right before or after they have sex; virginal Laurie Strode is the sole survivor. These tropes have persisted throughout horror, either punishing or exploiting the sexuality of women.

Alien continues the horror tradition

Avatar Sophia Johst | Copy Editor Among the hundreds of alien films, almost all follow the same formula of a harmful inhuman being preying

of exploiting sexuality, but in a very different manner. For example, the alien first infiltrates the Nostromo by means of a “facehugger,” a member of its species which latches onto executive officer Kane’s face and implants eggs inside of him. A few scenes later, the infant alien bursts from Kane’s chest, screaming and covered in blood. All of this intentionally draws comparisons to human processes of sex, conception, and birth, through the lens of bodily invasion.

Most intriguing about this, though, is that all of this happens to a man.

Part of what made Alien’s horror so effective is it showed men what it was like to be sexually vulnerable, something many women have already seen—and experienced—numerous times. It’s a deeply uncomfortable movie the whole way through, and that adds to the effect.

All of this is easy to miss, however, if you aren’t reading into it. There is more obvious evidence of how Alien challenged gender roles. Meet our protagonist, warrant officer Ellen Ripley.

Ripley is a woman, but she occupies a role in the film that, at the time, was typically reserved for men: when other characters panic, she is level-headed and rational. When the crew bickers over how to survive, she keeps them on track. And, of the majority-male cast, she is the only one who proves capable enough to defeat the alien. For the first third of the movie, it’s not apparent who the protagonist even is (yes, it really is that slow.) But, when the facehugger infects Kane, Ripley stands out from the rest of the crew: she insists on following quarantine protocols, refusing to let him back inside the spaceship. Her decision is ultimately overridden by science officer Ash, but it does tell the audience she is more logical and competent than her crewmates. The film continues to follow Ripley after this point, up until the very end when she expels the alien into space, the sole survivor of the Nostromo.

The landscape of horror was forever changed as a result of Alien’s implicit feminism. The legacy it left behind continues to inspire generations of writers and filmmakers to this day.

Nope on innocent humans. The highly popularized film Avatar and its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water takes a spin on this common and somewhat dull plotline. Instead of the aliens, known as Na’vi, invading the humans, the humans are the harmful species destroying and harming the Na’vi people and their environment.

The high quality CGI and unique plot also contributed to the series’ high praise and dedicated cult following. The first movie premiered in 2009 and was then followed by a sequel in 2022. The sequel contains great special effects, but lacks in dialogue and acting quality.

Regardless of the dip in quality of the sequel, it also addresses similar themes of family, humanity, and love.. The series is worth the watch if you’re seeking movies with an interesting twist to traditional alien tropes and commentary on the environmental destruction from humans’ presence on Earth.

Lilianna Moran | Co-Editor The 2022 Jordan Peele film Nope steers away from the common alien invasion trope, offering a unique perspective of the predatory relationship between humans and the unknown.

The movie centers around the strange events occurring on a young man and his sister’s horse ranch. Horses go missing, items end up displaced, and a certain cloud appears to never move.

Determined to uncover the reason behind these mysterious incidents, the pair decide to investigate and quickly realize the cause is extraterrestrial.

The film also explores the horrors of humanity. One key scene of the movie is the chimp attack. During this scene, the audience is introduced to businessman Jupe’s backstory. As a child, Jupe was a part of a sitcom featuring a live chimp, Gordy, who one day unexpectedly rampages and murders several cast members.

Peele’s inclusion of Gordy’s animalistic innocence draws to question human’s treatment of beings considered “foreign,” using this to convey themes of exploitation, humanity, fear, and natural instinct, blurring the lines between who is predator and who is prey.