The Shield

the

shield

McCallum High School / 5600 Sunshine / Austin, TX 78756 / Oct. 17, 2014 / Issue 1 / Volume 62

WHAT’S INSIDE Students, staff adjust to having a single lunch page 6

Seniors face reality of college expenses, taking out student loans page 12

Students, staff raise over $700 for breast cancer awareness during Pink Week pages 14-15

Staffer points out flaws in National Football League administration page 23

inside

news

03 04 07 10

the issue

Students, staff compare new online grading system, TEAMS, to Gradespeed District 7 candidate Jeb Boyt, students discuss new Capital Metro plans for the Metro Rail

feature

Seniors, juniors work to revive Key Club, get involved in more community service Junior Xanthe Hammer hopes to gain signatures on a petition to allow gay males to donate blood

sports

20 22

Students play friends with imaginary NFL teams during the professional football season Sisters Eboni and Britny Mitchell discuss playing varsity volleyball together for the first time

opinion Staffer points out flaws in the American prison system Staffer advises seniors not to stress while working on college applications

the date

oct.

save

24 25

Top: Senior Alonso Fernandez reaches to strike a ball during a tennis match against LBJ. Photo by Mary Stites. Bottom: Senior Sabion Cannon look to make a pass during the district opener against Crockett. Photo by Aidan Foster.

For more visit www.macshieldonline.com

21

McCallum Lady Knights Volleyball vs. LBJ @ MAC

22

Orchestra Concert in MAC

30

Late Start

31

Halloween Battle of the Bell vs. Travis @ House Park

Cover: Jake Holmes (12) and Jesse Levy-Rubinett (11). Photo by Mary Stites

the

shield

I’ve been using TEAMS for probably six years now because we use it for scheduling, so I know that part of it, and so that’s fine. What’s hard is helping teachers with their grade books and the attendance because it’s new to the teachers and it’s a really old program.

Like any new system, part of it’s just the learning curve.

What I dislike about it is the number of times I have to click just to get to any function. There are six steps to get to where I actually have to take attendance. It seems to be a little excessive. It’s not a very smooth interface.

-Sophia Sherline, Assistant Principal

-Tom Watterson, English teacher

Taking one for TEAMS

Students, teachers learn to adjust to new grading system RONALD DOTSON staff reporter

SEREN VILLWOCK coeditor-in-chief

Science teacher Richard Whisennand keeps his grades in two places. First, he marks down all his grades on paper. Then he puts them in TEAMS, the district’s new grade and attendance system. He does this as a safeguard against glitches in the new system.

“I have put in grades, I have saved them like they’re supposed to be saved, I have gone through the process of posting grades, and then have had the grade not show up a day later,” Whisennand said. “It’s simply not there anymore. Kids have said, ‘I gave you that paper,’ and you know some kids will tell you they gave you the paper and they really didn’t, but I remember the paper, I remember putting it in, I remember going through the stages of saving it and all that, and it’s not there.”

Whisennand said the problem isn’t that TEAMS isn’t trustworthy, but that

17 oct. 2014

it’s hard to use.

“It’s got so many multiple steps that are meant to be safeguards, but they’re actually extremely tedious,” he said. “I find it very difficult. It takes me twice as long to be able to put in grades.”

World History teacher Allen Kemp said at the beginning of the year, teachers had to log in over and over, but now the system is getting better.

“The new system has a learning curve,” he said. “What I’ve considered the worst part was the implementation.

However, the district has put a place where we could relatively easily put our concerns down.”

TEAMS allows teachers to access information they couldn’t with Gradespeed, the previous system.

Students’ pictures, class schedules, parent information, and attendance are all available.

“It’s just been a technical issue, but we slowly get over the hump,“ Assistant Principal Gabe Reyes said.

“It is just like getting a new phone. It seems awesome, but then you have to learn how to work it.”

Whisennand said perhaps the district should have spent more time

doing training with the teachers.

“I’ll get better at it, but right now it’s very confusing, and the beginning of school is nerve-wracking to begin with,” he said. “It’s really tense, especially when they’re shuffling kids around and you have big classes and late work and all that. It’s really just a pain to deal with. It puts teachers on edge. This is just one more thing teachers have to do.”

Senior Miriam Rice said it was frustrating switching to a new system after using Gradespeed for three years.

“Gradespeed was more accessible, I think, for students,” she said. “It might have just been last year, but there were a bunch of apps that could connect with Gradespeed that would alert you of your grades, and TEAMS is really difficult to access now. The thing that really bothers me is that it’s for the people downtown. It’s for their benefit and not for us, and it’s made it a lot more difficult. Every time you click on something, it has to reload a new page.

It’s just time-consuming and really frustrating.”

At the beginning of the year, Rice pushed for students to call the district

offices downtown.

“I posted a lot on our Facebook page for the Class of ’15,” she said.

“I was like, ‘This is really frustrating.

We’ve got to make a change.’ I called the office downtown and talked to them, but basically, I didn’t really get that much help. It’s just really not as convenient as Gradespeed, but at least we can see our grades.”

Because of the switch to TEAMS, some of Rice’s teachers had to adjust from a point-based grading scale. In her English class, most students had a grade of 10 for a period of time, she said.

“I completely understood that the change from points to categories would be difficult, but I feel like it shouldn’t have to affect the students,” she said. “School is supposed to help the students and not just make things efficient for people. It was just really abrupt, but now it’s okay.”

Despite the challenges of learning to use TEAMS, Kemp said he still prefers either Gradespeed or TEAMS compared to using pen and paper.

“TEAMS works much more than it doesn’t,” he said, “and the previous system wasn’t perfect either.”

03 news

the

shield

De-railing how to get places A new proposition could completely change the way Austinites get around town ACC Highland

S

JULIA ROBERTSON staff reporter

enior O w e n Summers says he is no beginner when it comes to riding public transportation. The bus was his main method of transportation freshman year.

“It would extend my commute home by 45 minutes, which was never fun,” Summers said.

With the upcoming propositions on building a light rail system in Austin, there could be more ways to get around Austin without using a car. There is a possibility for a new Light Rail system which would be a track that would run throughout parts of downtown Austin, as well as a new route for a system called Metro Rapid that is an advanced bus system that runs a faster bus route. These would accompany the current Metro Rail, which runs primarily on train tracks without going onto individual streets in Austin.

Austinites will vote on the bond in November.

“I would definitely consider using it to get to school,” Summers said.

The proposed urban rail line is scheduled to be 9.5 miles in length and would connect the Riverside corridor across Lady Bird Lake to downtown, the Capitol Complex and the University of Texas, and extend north of the Hancock Center and Highland Mall area. Potential expansions are

04 news

possible in the future, according to Kyle Keahey, the vice president of HNTB Corporation, a firm providing architecture engineering, planning and constructive services.

All the proposed stops for the Urban Rail, are just temporary and are subject to change. At several points there are transition points when the car would transfer onto Airport different roads and tracks branching off BLVD into different parts of the city.

Hancock A common misconception is that this is an extension of the Metro Rail, but the proposal is for the Urban Rail.

The Metro Rail St. David’s primarily runs on the current UT North Stadium Medical School Capitol E. 7th St.

The route of the proposed urban rail refered to as the “Highland Route”.

train tracks while the Urban Rail is “Through my work with the essentially a streetcar.

Alliance for Public Transportation, The rail project that is included I have actively taken part in the in the 2014 Bond Program is not development of the current urban rail an “extension on the Metro Rail in proposal and all the prior discussions Austin.” The existing Metro Rail and for more than a decade,” Boyt said. the proposed Urban Rail are two very “We need high-capacity transit. We different rail services. Metro Rail is a need transit that will support land diesel-powered, commuter service that uses consistent with the vision of a arrives every 15-20 minutes maximum, compact and connected city set forth with service six days a week.

The proposed urban rail is an “We need high capacity transit. We electric- powered transit service need transit that will support land uses that operates on consistent with the vision of a compact a dedicated guide way in the street and connected city set forth in the as opposed to a Imagine Austin comprehensive plan. ” separated train tracks like the -Jeb Boyt, District 7 candidate Metro Rail.

The Urban Rail would work 20 plus hours a day, seven days a week, in the Imagine Austin comprehensive rather than just six that the Metro plan.”

Rail currently offers. It would also be This bond has qualified for federal faster at a rate of service of every 10-15 funding for half of its construction minutes. costs. The Riverside portion of the Urban Rail is one of the talking proposed route scored at the top of points in the city council election. all the technical reviews and public McCallum is located in District 7 where comments. eight new members are running to With 110 people moving to Austin represent the district. Jeb Boyt, per day, the current roads simply will candidate for a District 7 seat, not hold up, according to the Project says he is for an urban rail. Connect website.

Convention

Grove

Center South Central

Travis

Waterfront

Heights

Lakeshore

Burton

Pleasant Valley

17 oct. 2014

the

shield

A design of how the rail would run through downtown. Courtesy of Project Connect.

Urban Rail isn’t the only thing that “While there are some clear benefits could be zipping around Austin. to looking at Guadalupe/Lamar for Metro Rapid “803”, a potential route, there are also maa high capacity bus system, is going jor challenges.” to be put in place later this fall.

-Job Boyt, District 7 candidate Metro-Rapid is a bus system that is more technology advanced. The The current Metro Rail goes from “Onboard Signal Technology” holds Leander down to central Austin. traffic lights green a little bit longer “While there are some clear benefits when a vehicle is running behind to looking at Guadalupe/Lamar for a schedule. potential route, there are also major The Metro Rapid and Metro Rail challenges,” Boyt said, “such as the both have amenities such as free-Wi- existing congestion on the route, how Fi and quiet, comfortable spaces to to add rail into the existing right-ofsit. way from MLK to 35th Street without

17 oct. 2014

taking away half of the road capacity, the difficulty and cost of crossing the Metro Rail at Lamar and Airport and where the end of point of the route should be. The Highland route offers a superior connection to the Metro Rail.”

The Highland route up for vote could be useful for McCallum students. It could run close to the school so students could easily get to school and not have to worry about traffic. Since it is on a tight schedule, it will get to stops quicker and at more precise times.

Project Connect has more in store for the future if the first bond goes through. According to website maps and diagrams, the future expansions extend all the way south

to San Antonio and as far north as Georgetown, Pflugerville and Leander. The Regional Rail may eventually extend farther to service more people.

Even if approved, work wouldn’t start right away, Keahey said.

“If the bond referendum passes this November, the project will be advanced into a two to three year long period where preliminary engineering and an environmental impact statement will be prepared,” Keahey said, “and conversations with the public about specific matters such as station locations and environmental impacts. The projects anticipated opening date is late 2021 or early 2022, and will be refined as the project design is progressed.”

05 news

the

shield

One for all and all for one Administrators combine lunches to give students more access to teachers EMMA CUNNINGHAM staff reporter

Administrators decided to break away from the two lunch system and has gone back to one lunch system the school used to have.

“It creates an opportunity for students to have access to their teachers, should they need it,” Principal Mike Garrison said. “That was one of the main reasons for changing the schedule.”

Teachers’ tutoring hours have shifted since the one lunch system has started. Teachers are now more open for tutoring during lunch.

“Potentially, [the one lunch schedule] helps students get the help they need since the teachers have the same lunch as them, instead of two

Student wins third place in national journalism contest Senior Mary Stites won a third place Gold Circle Award for her photo essays from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association at Columbia University in New York City. This contest receives entries from people all over the country.

“I’ve never really won an award that isn’t just from Texas, so it was kind of cool,” Stites said. “It was funny because I didn’t know that [adviser Rhonda Moore] had even submitted anything. She gave me an announcement to read on the announcements that said ‘Congratulations, Mary Stites.’ As I was reading the announcement, I was like, ‘Oh, sweet’ because I didn’t know what it was or that it had

06 news

lunches at possibly not the same time,” “It creates an opportunity for stuAssistant Principal dents to have access to their teachSophia Sherline said.

“It also provides a ers, should they need it.” time where teachers can get together and -Mike Garrison, Principal collaborate more or socialize more with each other.”

A-lunch used to be at the first half as opposed to 10:30 in the morning.” of 2nd/6th period starting at 10:37 a.m., Though the school has 1700 and B-lunch used to be at 12:44 p.m. students, Garrison said he and other after 2nd/6th period while the A-lunch administrators and teachers try to people were still in class. During those be everywhere they can to watch all times, the side that still had class would students. be off limits to students for lunch.

“At the beginning of the year I did “The one lunch prevents students have some complaints saying ‘the lines from taking two lunches and skipping are too long’ or ‘it’s too crowded,” class to go to both,” Garrison said. “It Garrison said. also allows lunch to be at a decent time The complaint number has dropped

news in brief even happened.”

This is the first “major” award Stites said she’s received and that it reassured her that she’s doing something right.

“I’ve never won an award like that, so it’s kind of nice when someone else recognizes when you do something nice,” Stites said. “To have someone else say it who’s looking at stuff from all over the country and probably doesn’t feel obligated to say it is nice and gratifying. It was nice to get some positive feedback even if they didn’t explicitly give me a critique. Just knowing that I got third place is kind of a nice thing so it definitely gives me more confidence especially for this year because it’s the first time that I will be any editor.”

In addition, 2014 graduate Grace Frye won an honorable mention in front page design from CSPA.

Ballet Folklorico performs at local elementary school Ballet Folklorico went to Casis Elementary Sept. 16 to perform classic Mexican dancing as part of Casis’ Spanish classes. This has been an ongoing tradition for many years.

“We go and we do a 30-minute show,” Spanish teacher Juana Gun said. “We take three different costumes, and we show them different regions of Mexico. Then we bring the kids up on stage and we do a minilesson, and it is a lot of fun. Casis kids are wild and crazy fun. I forget if it’s close to 16 or 17 years [that we’ve been doing this].”

The Ballet Folklorico troupe per-

from many students to none over the course of the first six weeks. “[With] 1700 students having lunch at the same time, instead of being split up by two lunches and having an hour-and-a-half split into 45 minute halves, it’s easier to make sure the students aren’t skipping class and are staying on campus,” Sherline said.

Students are finding more and more places to sit on campus. From teachers’ classrooms to behind the band hall, students from all grades can be found in different places around campus.

“Though I like getting to eat with my friends every day instead of maybe every other day, I still don’t like all of the crowds of people everywhere,” sophomore Sara Scarborough said, “but we’re figuring out places to sit that aren’t too crowded.”

forms at different elementary schools all over Austin.

“Our goal isn’t just Casis. We love Casis, but we want to go to any elementary school that invites us,” Gun said. “We get invited all over the city, especially the months of September [and] October because of Hispanic heritage month and then again for Cinco de Mayo, so there’s twice a year that elementary schools call us.”

The group hopes to continue performing at these elementary schools for years to come. “[The best part is watching] the little children up on stage,” Gun said. “The little kids love McCallum Knights and McCallum Knights love Casis Elementary because that is a wild and crazy little school.”

Ballet Folklorico has upcoming performances at Barbara Jordan and Maplewood elementaries.

17 oct. 2014

the

shield

A new set of keys

Senior Addie Carlson: Membership officer

Club officers create volunteer opportunities for students MAYA COPLIN photo editer

Senior Addie Carlson knew if she didn’t become an officer and restart the Key Club, it might not continue.

“Last year it ended because we didn’t have very many projects available for kids to participate in,” Carlson said. “So this year me and a group of three other kids—Seren Villwock, Irie Corpus and Haley Hegefeld— are restarting it. This year I’m kind of helping people get involved in it and dealing with all the membership stuff.”

Second semester of last year, the club was deserted because students did not have any events at which to volunteer. Club sponsor Tim Bjerke

17 oct. 2014

said he is not going to let that happen this year.

“The officers were seniors [last year], so they just blew it off,” Bjerke said, “which is why I am really hard on these folks because we got to make sure they really do it. We can’t just drop the ball in the middle here.”

Instead of having all four senior officers, this year two officers are juniors.

Officers’ roles have also been changed this year. Instead of having a president and vice president, all four officers have specific jobs.

“Membership is just going to worry about money and getting people signed up,” Bjerke said. “Events [officer is] going to be our coordinator, so that’s going to be our contact about any of the events we are going to par-

ticipate in. Communications [officer] is supposed to promote us, and then our secretary is going to have a more narrowly focused job, so they will just deal with the applications. Then we are going to use a text reminder. That way everyone that gives us their number has a chance to go to any event.”

For students to be more involved in the club, text reminders will be sent out and monthly meetings will occur.

Communications officer Irie Corpus said she wants to make sure all the students involved can get their credit and will stay involved in the club.

“We are making it a rule,” Corpus said, “where it’s like three service activities and you get a pin. You have to put in certain hours to receive credit.”

No events for Key Club have been planned yet, but normally volunteer organizers contact Key Club with volunteer opportunities. In past years, the club has worked with KLRU, the Texas Book Festival and different homeless shelters.

“We do a lot with KUT,” Bjerke said. “There was a book [event] where there was Clifford the Dog, and there is a book festival up at the capital and they got to volunteer for that. There is stuff where you go clean up. There is

Junior Irie Corpus: Communitations officer

Junior Haley Hegefeld: Secratary

Senior Seren Villwock: Events coordinator a big variety of stuff. There is something every weekend, so you know if you can’t do it for a while, you can still come back the next week and keep going.”

07 feature

the

shield

Making a statement HANNAH ILAN staff reporter

Although fashion is not every student’s cup of tea, people still express themselves through their clothes, which is important for people to get to know each other and to stand out in society, senior Peter Richard said.

“A lot of people are content to simply do whatever they think is comfortable, and they don’t worry about it. I think that’s a excellent representation of themselves,” Richard said. “Some people try really hard to look good every day, and that is, of course, another representation of themselves, trying to please people. I think that that is extremely important. It gives people a good way to help get to know who you are without even having to ask.”

In a community that is made up of so many different people and personalities, it is important for people to be comfortable to stand out and not blend in, Richard said. The Fine Arts Academy brings many diverse people together to form a large school filled with different ideas and unique ways of expressing them, often times through intriguing fashion choices, he said.

“When you have something like the Fine Arts Academy, that attracts a lot of artistic people,” Richard said. “It attracts a lot of people who are sort of outsiders, sort of unique, and I feel that that sort of definitely helps because you get a lot of things that you wouldn’t see at places like Reagan where everybody might all do a certain thing. Here you get your visual arts majors who might be wearing things you wouldn’t see, or you might see your band kids also, and I think that that’s a really incredible experience.”

McCallum is a much more accepting community about how people express themselves through fashion than other schools in respect to its faculty, students and lenient dress codes, junior Addy Hernandez said.

“Everyone’s pretty cool about [all the different fashions],” Hernandez said. “It’s a fine arts academy, so people naturally are going to express themselves through more ways than one. I think that fashion is one of the first that they turn to.”

Hernandez said it is important that McCallum has an accepting environment because if students

8 feature

Junior Addy Hernandez: “I like to think of my style as a blend of how I dressed when I was like five with a very… I don’t know I’m very big on color schemes so like… basically how you would dress your toddler. Toddler chic, mixed with a little hello kitty and black.”

Junior Ramona Beattie: “I don’t know what I would call [my style] at all, I mean there are like weird tumblr trends people would probably associate with how I dress, but I don’t know. They would probably call it pretty Norm core.”

come to school every day in something that they are not comfortable in, then not only will a student’s confidence be negatively affected, but the student will also do poorly throughout the day.

“If you come to school and you’re like, ‘Hey, I feel totally awesome,’ then I feel like you do a lot better throughout that day,” Hernandez said.

Junior Ramona Beattie agreed McCallum is a place where students can feel welcome to take risks when expressing themselves. With no limitations from uniforms or strict dress codes, Beattie said the freedom to dress how they want is liberating for students who come from other, more restrictive schools.

17 oct. 2014

the

shield

Students use fashion as a way to express themselves at school

Senior Peter Richard: “[My style is] a little bit of everything. Honestly, I just throw a bunch of stuff at a wall and see what sticks.”

Junior Kate Stallworth: “I suppose [my style is] unique and personal.”

“[McCallum has] definitely always been a place where I feel welcome to express myself, and I feel like other people feel that too,” Beattie said. “People are just generally accepting and nice here.”

McCallum also allows students to expand their creativity and transfer their ideas from art class to their everyday style choices, Beattie said. She said

17 oct. 2014

Junior Texi Fischer: “I like to dress like from the late ‘40s and early ‘50s.”

students can foster their ideas from their artwork and continue to shape and express them to other viewers in school through their fashion choices.

“People being creative makes for a more welcoming environment in terms of how you dress and how you express yourself, which is very nice,” Beattie said. “Like I feel like if I wasn’t in the art program,

people would be like, ‘Why are you dressing like that. That’s so weird’ sometimes.”

Junior Texi Fischer said McCallum’s accepting environment allows students to feel comfortable expressing themselves not only through the activities they take part in but also through their style and personality choices, which helps them enjoy high school.

“I think it’s kind of funny that I like to dress like a housewife because I play contact sports and I’m not very lady-like,” Fischer said.

Whether it be through music or art or fashion, it is just important to express one’s true self to others, Fischer said.

“Having a bunch of artistic people who are from the same area of Austin [and are] able to go to the same school kind of gets a whole lot of unique types of people who express themselves in different ways,” Fischer said.

For students who have a harder time expressing themselves through connections and verbal interactions, junior Kate Stallworth said fashion is a way for students to express themselves to others in an easy way.

“The way that you dress expresses the way that you feel about yourself and how you want to present yourself to other people,” Stallworth said. “For instance, if we had a uniform school, people could think that, ‘Oh, just because we all dress the same we all have to express ourselves through the way that we speak and the way that we act.’ But for some people, it is really hard to do that. [Fashion] is like an impression that you put out, not just to people that you talk to every day but to your acquaintances and people that see you.”

When Stallworth and her fellow anime club members decided to dress up as anime characters at school, she said the staff and students thought nothing of it and that helped solidify the idea that McCallum is a very open- minded community when it comes to self- expression through fashion.

“Everybody was really cool about it, which was awesome,” Stallworth said. “It’s cool that you can come to school in costume here and nobody really says anything about it. They’re just like, ‘Oh, I like your costume,’ instead of like, ‘What’re you doing?’”

9 feature

the

shield

Equal rights for all Student creates petition to change law banning gay men from donating blood MAYA COPLIN photo editer

Days before the blood drive sponsored

by PALs, junior Xanthy Hammer started a petition to allow gay men to donate blood.

In 1977 a law was created to ban gay men from donating blood to prevent the blood supply from being contaminated with HIV. “Any man who has had sexual relations with another man any time in his life cannot donate blood,” Hammer said. “Basically, it’s stupid because when two straight people have sex and one of them has HIV, the other person only has to wait a year before donating blood again.”

Hammer first heard about the law from her older sister, but it wasn’t until she was discussing the issue with technology teacher Tim Bjerke that she wanted to do something to change the law.

“I think probably my big sister just told me about it one day,” Hammer said.

“I thought it was pretty dumb. I’ve always thought it was really dumb, but it wasn’t until we were talking about it that I decided to try to do something about it.”

The goal from the petition is to have 100,000 signatures so that President Obama will have to address the issue. Be-

10 feature

fore the petition is available to the public, 150 people must sign it. To encourage more people to sign and become aware of the issue, Hammer has posted on Facebook and tweeted the link. She even had a few AISD representatives sign it.

“Right now the petition isn’t even searchable,” Hammer said. “I think it has 80 signatures or something right now.

The public can’t find it without someone who already knew about it directing them to it. It’s not available to view. The ultimate goal is 100,000 signatures.”

Even though organizations such as the Red Cross have tried to change this rule, the FDA has not allowed it. Bjerke said he believes the petition is the best way to change the law.

“American Red Cross and other companies have tried to get them to drop that requirement,” Bjerke said. “but they won’t do it. The FDA is run by an appointed secretary. So just petitioning the FDA is worthless, It’s one out of a million letters they get in a day. So the idea is to get Obama to at least address the issue because it makes no sense anymore. There are just as many straight people; just as many people of color getting HIV, so there is no reason anymore. So it’s just a petition to kick it in the butt and say we need to

change this now.”

Hammer said her ultimate goal is to have the ban lifted.

“It’s not really going anywhere at this point,” Hammer said. “I don’t know how else to get people to sign it. I’ve tweeted it, sent emails about it and posted it on Facebook. A lot of people have shared it, which is good, but just not that many people. You can look at where people have signed it in other states and stuff.”

Before blood is donated to someone, the blood is tested for HIV, AIDS or other harmful diseases.

“There’s the big thing. If I want to help my community, this is one way that I can’t help,” Bjerke said. “And you see ads on TV or hear it on the news, ‘We are low on blood. We need as much as we can get.’ If you need blood that much, then this has to go. You are excluding a huge group of people who would be giving blood a lot. So really in the end it just hurts them. So really, if they were that desperate, they would say we test it all anyway.”

The Blood Center of Central Texas follows federal laws concerning blood donations and who is eligible to donate.

Public relations manager, Cindy Rowe said the blood center and the Red Cross believe the current law regarding men who

have had sexual relations with other men should be modified.

“Donor deferral criteria should be made comparable with criteria for other behaviors that pose an increased risk for transmission of transfusion-transmitted infections,” Rowe said. “We strongly support the use of rational, scientifically-based deferral periods that are applied fairly and consistently among blood donors who engage in similar risk activities.”

Rowe said if the law is changed, the Blood Center of Central Texas would support the decision the FDA makes.

“We support ongoing efforts by the Department of Health and Human Services and National Institutes of Health to fund research to evaluate deferral policies and prevent potential risks to the blood supply,” Rowe said. “Maintaining a safe and available blood supply continues to be our highest priority.”

While sharing the petition, Hammer said she has received a great deal of support.

“Someone shared it and said that your ability to help should not be determined by your sexual preferences,” Hammer said, “which I think makes a lot of sense. It doesn’t really make sense to say that the world says they support gay people when we don’t want anything to do with their blood.”

17 oct. 2014

the

shield

JULIA ROBERTSON

“A vegetarian item does not necessarily mean that the item will be lower in cost. In fact, our most expensive item is the garden burger. ”

staff reporter

Across the region schools are implementing a “Meatless Monday” cafeteria menu. This campaign encourages everyone to stop eating meat at least once per week. Schools on Mondays will serve items such as cheese pizza, bean burritos, cheese nachos and other non-meat goods.

Dripping Springs Elementary just started Meatless Mondays several weeks ago. However, AISD has always had Meatless-Monday options for the past four years for all campuses. June Hayman, AISD Nutrionist, explained that the AISD high schools have numerous non-meat options daily.

“In addition to the home-cooking line, high schools offer numerous other options daily,” Hayman said.

“Non-meat items are available on most of those lines daily.”

She also said the cafeteria manager has said she wants to plan additional non-meat items on Mondays. The idea of Meatless Mondays is appealing to some students as well.

Freshman Genevieve Temple said she was interested in the idea of having a completely Meatless Monday menu at here.

“I would consider getting the food from the cafeteria if it was meatless,” Temple said. “It sounds like a good way to be healthy and to help protect our planet.”

Hayman said the cafeteria manager at McCallum is looking to make Meatless options more prominent at school.

“She has offered to plan additional non-meat items for the homecooking line for Mondays,” Hayman said. “The manager also will make some signs to assist students who

17 oct. 2014

-Yvonne Seiders, AISD Nutrition and Food Services

Lunch staff prepares lunch for the students. Photo by Julia Robertson. wish to observe ‘Meatless Mondays’ and find all the non-meat items more easily.”

Students can already find vegetarian items here every day, and the options will likely continue to increase,

Hayman said. AISD already implements the proper nutrition like gluten-free options, dairy-free options and other nutrional options so that students can have options when it comes to lunches to choose a health-

ier path.

Freshman Anika Verma said she is very interested in having a completely vegetarian menu once a week.

“A Meatless Monday menu would be nice so we could have a healthy vegetarian meal,” Verma said. “And this would also be helpful to all the people who are vegetarian.”

Yvonne Seiders, the assistant director for Austin ISD Nutrition and Food Services, said, in fact, it isn’t going to save too much money even if AISD completely switched to a meatless menu for every day.

“Believe it or not, a vegetarian item does not necessarily mean that the item will be lower in cost. In fact, our most expensive menu item is the garden burger,” Seiders said. “Garden burgers are not only expensive but, unfortunately, not too popular among the students.”

AISD lunch menus already have the essential five ingredients consisting of fruits, grains, vegetables, dairy and protein.

“Having a healthy option at least once a week,” Temple said. “is just the next step in building a more healthy life and a more healthy earth.”

11 feature

the

shield

It all goes up from here Congress brokers a deal for escalating student loan interest rates RACHEL WOLLEBEN staff reporter

Senior Penelope Stopper was thrilled when she found out she got accepted into the summer pre-college program for the Maryland Institute College of Art, until she had to start thinking about the cost.

“I was really ecstatic about it because I’ll be able to get into an art school,” Stopper said. “But then when we had to start talking about money and stuff, that’s when it hit me pretty hard that I have all these dreams and stuff, but then money gets in the way.”

Interest rates for college students taking out new federal loans went up in July due to a deal brokered last year

by Congress.

“I think it’s a shame,” senior Benjamin Pargmann said. “I honestly think the government should regulate it because education stimulates the economy. The fact that interest rates are allowed to be so high is only making America stupider because you can’t pay off your loans and you can’t get the job that benefits your country and yourself.”

The deal, which was signed by President Barack Obama, ties the student loan interest rates to the financial markets.

“Our government should reduce the interest rates for student loans,” college counselor Nancy Nitardy said.

“Corporations across the country get to borrow the money for something like, you know, less than 3 percent or 2 percent or 1 percent, and our students, our young people across the country are having to borrow at 6 percent or 4 percent. I think it was 4.8 percent or something. It’s 5 percent or 6 percent now. It’s crazy.”

Undergraduate Stafford loan interest rates have gone up from 3.86 to 4.66 percent and cannot top 8.25. The

12 feature

graduate student loans rates increased from 5.41 percent to 6.21 percent and can’t pass 9.5 percent, and interest rates on Parent Plus loans have gone up from 6.41 percent to 7.21 percent and top out at 10.5 percent.

“The typical one that almost anybody that applies for is the FAFSA, which is a Free Application for Federal Student Aid,” Nitardy said. “Anyone that completes that would be offered the Stafford loan, and that is divided into either unsubsidized or subsidized. And then there’s also other ones. There’s the Perkins loan and there’s the Parent Plus Loans, which are where parents borrow the money, that also are

awarded through the government.”

Because of increasing tuition prices and lack of money saved for college, around 40 million Americans now have at least one outstanding student loan.

“I think all students pretty much, unless you’re very wealthy, but most students are going to graduate with some loan,” Nitardy said. “Ideally you want to make it the least amount, the better. I think the average is about $2025,000 that a student graduates with.

If you can be that low, that would be great.”

Student lenders are giving loans to young borrowers who don’t have

financial track records or substantial credit histories to begin with.

“I feel it’s as if student loans put college graduates at a disadvantage because you come out of college already having to pay off, oftentimes a crippling debt, which influences your hunt in the job market and your personal happiness,” Pargmann said.

However, trying to pay for a college education isn’t just a problem for the young as the growing percentage of older Americans struggling to pay back student debt proves.

“I mean, we knew we weren’t going to be able to pay all of it at once, which is what they wanted,” Nitardy said.

“I guess they offered payment plans, but there was no way we were going to make those on the due dates. So the loan was the only option.”

The student loan debt for older Americans has increased significantly from $8 billion in 2005 to $43 billion today.

“My friend’s looking at 10 years,” Pargmann said. “It takes so long because you don’t just get out of college and start paying off your college loans.

You get out of college and you buy a house. A lot of times you get married

Illustration by Rachel Wolleben and have kids, and that pushes things back. Cars is a big one. You have to have a car, so you get out of college and buy a car, and even a used car requires debt. So, other expenses get in the way, and then it only grows because of late fees.”

Not only are student loans difficult to pay off, but they are hard to get information for, according to Stopper.

“Yeah, I have no idea how it works,” Stopper said. “I know my parents have already taken one out for a pre-college that I did. It was a small one, and it’ll be paid back quickly, but that was still scary because I still don’t know if it might work.”

Students may not be able to discharge loans through bankruptcy, but Nitardy said going into teaching,

See ‘Interest rates’ on page 13 17 oct. 2014

the

shield

Vision and voice

Juniors take 1st, 2nd place in poetry contest sponsored by Austin ISD, ACC HALEY HEGEFELD co-assistant editor

While the clip of junior Lizzie Fierro’s poem played on the screen, Fierro was trying to hide her face. A week before, the winners of the AISD and Austin Community College-sponsored poetry contest, “Vision and Voice,” had to read their poems for KLRU, who filmed them.

“I was absolutely terrified when they were showing my clip,” Fierro said. “It was really awkward, but it was a good experience.”

Fierro won the contest and went to a reception Sept. 19 for the winners from each grade at the new ACC Campus at Highland Mall.

“There were some speeches from the ACC president and the AISD superintendent and Carey Fountain, who’s a poet,” Fierro said. “It was mostly listening to the speeches and listening to the clips.”

Fierro said she wrote her poem about representation in media, and

how she felt the characters that one said. “I took scenes that I had seen sees in books and TV do not reflect the and I made them into poetry. There way people really feel. are three scenes. One of them is we “[Winning the contest] was kind were in our orchestra dresses, which of surprising because honestly, I was are really long, black dresses. We were kind of self-conscious about [the walking on a pier, and there was music poem],” Fierplaying, and ro said. “It’s one of my very different “[Writing] was a very person- friends has a than most of and al thing for a long time. It was girlfriend the poems. they danced It’s very perthe first time people had actu- to the music.” sonal and it’s After writally been reading.” very long, ing their piecand I was es, the girls -Lizzie Fierro, junior also worried simply subit was a little mitted their bit, not really inappropriate, but kind entries online and waited to hear the of hard for a school district contest. So results. It took about a month for the I was kind of surprised.” entries to be read and then the deciJunior Marisol Sobek also entered sions to be made and sent out. the poetry contest in March and placed “They didn’t email me telling me second. how I had done,” Sobek said. “Then “My piece is written about my or- [English teacher Flor] Mota was like, chestra trip to New York, where we ‘Oh, Marisol, you didn’t submit a final played at the Lincoln Center,” Sobek form for this competition that you’re

getting second place in.’ I was like ‘What?’ That’s how I found out [I had gotten second].”

Both Fierro and Sobek have been writing since they were young. Sobek said she starting writing haikus in elementary school and has been writing poetry ever since.

“The first short story I wrote was about a dime, the monetary unit,” Fierro said. “It walked and talked. That was in kindergarten. Then I wrote a lot in middle school. In high school everyone gets busy, so that poem was actually the first real creative thing I had written since high school started. “ However, Sobek said writing for a competition is very different from writing for fun because she had to worry about how the judges would perceive what she said. “[The contest] made me think a lot about how people react to my writing, which was interesting because it was a very personal thing for a long time,” Fierro said. “It was the first time people had actually been reading.”

Interest rates for college students rise Continued from page 12 or taking a specific job, may be of use when it comes to paying off loans.

“If you go into teaching, you can do like a teach program where if you go and eventually get a teaching degree, work in a certain area of the country (which is a low-performing, high-need area) for so many years, you can get your student loans erased,” Nitardy said. “Some work jobs. Some jobs you go into potentially might offer to pay off your loans. Those would be the main ways to get them erased.”

However, without those opportunities, the United States government

17 oct. 2014

has a variety of ways to get the money for “We had to start talking about students, usually by money and stuff. That’s when it hit docking from their Social Security or wages, me pretty hard that I have all these and even by taking tax dreams and stuff, but then money refund dollars.

“Honestly, interest gets in the way.” rate is the major prob-Penelope Stopper, senior lem. There should be absolutely no late fee penalties,” Pargmann said. “It’s difficult to say that because more to go to a school.” then people may not pay them, but at However statistics show that going least give them a chance of zero inter- to college pays off with higher lifetime est, just to go to school so that you pay earnings, better employment opportuwhat you pay. You don’t have to pay nities, and lower poverty levels.

“I do think it’s worth it to go get trained at something,” Nitardy said.

“To have a career and not just a job.

Yeah, I think it’s worth it in the end.

It does pay off and it should pay off.”

Despite the overwhelming price of a college education, Stopper said she will do whatever it takes to get into her dream college.

“Don’t let money get in the way of your favorite schools or your dreams because there’s always a way to do it,” Stopper said. “Money, you know, worries me about my dream school and stuff, but I know plenty of people who make it through and can do what they want and achieve their goals.”

13 feature

Pretty in pink

Susman shaves head in solidarity with his older sister who is going through chemotherapy to b MARY STITES

co-editor in chief

W

hen English teacher Micah Susman’s older sister, Tara Susman-Pena, was diagnosed with breast cancer, he worked to make sure she knew that she was not alone in her fight against cancer. Upon hearing she would go through chemotherapy and radiation, Susman shaved his head.

“She has breast cancer that was discovered last spring,” Susman said. “It was first in a lump that she found herself. It spread, so she had to have a double-mastectomy over the summer and now she is going through months of chemo and radiation because the doctors are afraid that it could spread again. “ Susman said hearing the news of his sister’s diagnosis was upsetting, but his

14 feature

family has a history with breast cancer.

“I was very upset [when I found out] about the diagnosis. My mother and my grandmother had had breast cancer as well,” Susman said. “I knew deep down that it would be okay because it didn’t take either of their lives, but to know that my sister and someone in my generation had something that could be fatal definitely showed me the mortality of my loved ones.

I was afraid.”

Susman works to keep his sister’s moral up as she goes through chemo and radiation. He said he wanted to stress to her that she was not in the battle alone.

“As soon as she told me she was going to go through chemo,” Susman said, “the goal was really to make sure that she didn’t feel like she was alone. It wasn’t to raise awareness on my end, but I wanted to say, ‘Hey if you’re going to suffer, I’m going to suffer too.’ I know I can’t come even close to suf-

fering like she is, I probably shouldn’t even say suffer, but it is about going through changes that we don’t want. I can’t come close to knowing what it is like to have cancer and go through this, but taking off my hair, a defining characteristic of my personality, lets her know that she is not going through this alone.”

However, Susman said watching his hair fall to the ground was a new experience after having long hair for his entire life.

“I laughed a nervous laugh [when I saw that first piece of hair fall to the ground]. I have never in my life had that little hair; I was born with more hair than on a shaved head. It was shocking and strange to feel the air, the sun and the weather on my head.”

During Pink Week, PALS raised money, as well as awareness, for Breast Cancer Awareness. Susman said the times have

changed, allowing for his sister to be more open with others about her condition. She has joined a support group and connected with others who are also going through chemotherapy.

“Tara has had a great experience with a support network of people she knows as well as through social media. People have definitely worked to raise awareness of breast cancer, and I think that as long as people are doing it for the right reasons and doing it because they care, makes her feel good because she knows that she doesn’t have to hide it. One or two generations ago cancer was something like the AISD epidemic, that you would be able to tell other people about. It’s great that something so personal can be talked about so out in the open without damaging their personality.”

Susman has made a point to remain in contact with his sister. Before her diagno

17

ield

eat breast cancer sis, the two talked rarely; now Susman talks to his sister at least once a week. At the beginning of November, Susman will go visit his sister in Washington, DC. “She is taking me to go see Stevie Wonder, and I will go have dinner with her every night,” Susman said. “I’m going up for a conference for [the literary magazine, Excalibur], but every night I will join her for dinner. We will just hang out, laugh and not worry about cancer.”

After having three family members battle breast cancer, Susman said he will continue to support the breast cancer awareness cause after his sister has overcome cancer.

“This has just made me appreciate my family more,” Susman said. “Before she was diagnosed, I only talked to her once a month, and now I talk to her at least once a week. This whole experience has really brought me closer to my family.”

t. 2014

PALS raise over $700 during #MACPinkWeek 1. Senior Penelope Stopper paints nails during the first day of Pink Week. Students paid $1 to have their nails painted pink.

2. Senior Tyquise Johnson throws a water balloon at PALS during “Peg-a-Pal.” 3. Junior Elisabetta Diorio drops change to donate to breast cancer awareness. “It is great to see my peers dedicating their time to raise money for breast cancer awareness,” Diorio said. “I really like that everyone wears pink all week long and everyone is supporting the same cause. I think that there is a really big sense of community against a common obstacle, that is cancer. It’s really cool to see everyone come together.”

4. Junior Katherine Mendoza pies Assistant Principal Larry Featherstone during the pink pep rally.

5. Senior Alonso Fernandez rolls on the ground to dodge a water balloon.”My favorite part of pink week is getting together and seeing the entire school come together and have a good time while contributing to a good cause,” Fernandez said. “I also really enjoyed getting to pie [the teachers] during the pep rally. My favorite activity was definitely Peg-a-Pal because it was a lot of fun to run around and get pegged by water balloons. I was soaking wet by the end of it. Pink Week was definitely a huge success.”

6. Senior Jake Holmes ducks as a water balloon hits him. “It was painful [being in the Peg-a-Pal pen],” Holmes said. “It hurt to get hit by water balloons, but it was for a good cause, so it was actually very rewarding to have the chance to participate. Originally we were going to do a water balloon fight with everyone, but we realized that a lot of girls wouldn’t want to get wet during school. So then we decided to do a shooting gallery so that only the PALS got wet.” Photos by Mary Stites.

15 feature

the

shield

Customers pick Apple Computer company unveils new iPhone, watch, payment option MARA VANDEGRIFT news editor

When sophomore Lauren Freng heard about the new iPhone 6, she decided she wanted it. So she and her mom waited in line at the Sprint store to get it.

“I told my mom one day ‘I want to iPhone 6,’ and she was like, ‘Okay,’” Freng said. “So we went to the Sprint store and we got one. We had to wait in line for three hours, but it was better than the Apple line.”

Waiting in the line was bad, but it could have been worse, according to Freng.

“We called ahead, and he said we would have an hour wait,” Freng said.

“And then we went in and there were like 15 people in front of us, and then we waited for like three-and-a-half hours, which was terrible, but it was inside so it was better than at Apple.”

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus—the eighth generation of iPhones—were released Sept. 16 along with the new Apple Watch. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches respectively, making them the biggest iPhones to date. “[I like] the size in general,” Freng said. “I’m, like, senile, so it helps to have a bigger screen.”

Not everyone likes the larger screen, however. The size was off-putting in the beginning for some.

“At first I was resistant to a bigger phone, but I’m excited to have more space for apps and browsing,” junior Claire Sanford, who is getting the new iPhone 6, said. “I like the screen size a lot.”

The new iPhones don’t only include a bigger screen size. They include a new retina display, 6.9 mil-

16 feature

iPhone 6 and 6 Plus features -Bigger phone size -Thinner phone width -New retina display -New camera features -Time-lapse -Slo-mo -Focus Pixels -Touch ID home button -Apple Pay -IOS8 -Faster wireless

limeter width—the thinnest yet—as well as having a similar design as the original iPhones. With these new features, some people think Apple is copying Android. Others disagree and still think Apple is the technology frontrunner. That loyalty shows: Apple sold a record-breaking 10 million phones in the first weekend alone.

“I don’t [think Apple and Android are becoming more similar] at all,” Digital Media teacher Timothy Bjerke said. “The big thing is Apple controls the content, so you don’t have to worry about viruses or spyware whereas [with] Android, anyone can give you anything and you don’t know. It could

be spyware. It could be sending everything you do to someone else and telling them exactly what keys you push for your bank account and everything.”

Even though Bjerke said he likes the new iPhone and it’s features, like the ability to make the screen smaller by swiping the home button, he said he would have liked to see more improvement.

“I think they’re good,” Bjerke said.

“I don’t think they’re as big an improvement as people expected. I think the big thing is gonna be the watch.

[I would have liked to see] a better camera and a better price on larger

storage.”

Those aren’t the only changes people would have liked to see. Freng wanted to see more changes from the iPhone 5s. “[I would have liked to see] more things that differentiated it from the 5s because most changes were because of IOS8,” Freng said. “I think the only thing the 6 has going for it is it’s bigness.”

The iPhone craze comes from a long-standing familiarity of Apple products, Sanford said.

“I wouldn’t switch over to an Android because the majority of people I’m surrounded by use iPhones, and I feel like all the apps are designed for Apple now,” Sanford said. “It’s more universal. I have grown up using Macs. We have always had them at home, and it’s what we used at Highland Park, so it’s the system I learned on. I definitely prefer the Apple interface because I think it’s simpler than Android.”

Many people are talking about Apple’s additional project: the Apple Watch.

“My favorite thing Apple has released would be the watch,” Sanford said. “I think the watch is really innovative and a big step towards the future of more integrated technology.”

Bigger screens and sharper cameras aren’t the end for future Apple products, according to Bjerke. He said he thinks the company has more innovations to make.

“I think there’s gonna be a flexible screen phone that’s like three layers of plastic basically that you carry around and can bend and everything,” Bjerke said. “I also think the watch is gonna take off. I think a lot of people are gonna like [it] because it’s Apple as opposed to Samsung or Android.”

17 oct. 2014

the

shield

A fresh bite of Apple

Staffer gives opinion on latest products from computer giant RACHEL WOLLEBEN staff reporter

During Apple’s show-stopping event held on Sept. 9, the world was given an insight into Apple’s future and current releases of all kinds of new products and services, including the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the Apple Watch and Apple Pay. Apple devices and software are now so significantly incorporated into our daily lives that we may be able to predict how these new products and applications will fare.

Many of us have already set expectations for the technology giant, so there will be many critics ready to face Apple’s next set of products and features.

After getting the scoop on the Apple event and all the new goodies were announced, I could already see how each one would be accepted, or not, by students.

Though I know the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus will be extremely successful for Apple, many of the ideas and features that come with the Apple Watch and Apple Pay seem cool but will never branch out quickly with consumers like us.

Students will need a bit more time and answers regarding the Apple Watch and Apple Pay in order to feel comfortable actually using them and taking them to school, where a number of things can happen.

But back to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which everyone expected from Apple since they release a new model of their smartphone almost every year.

I have no doubt that we will be seeing people carrying iPhone 6 and 6 Pluses all over McCallum in the next year or so, given how dependant we are on them.

These small, handheld devices

17 oct. 2014

can help us with math calculations, translate vocabulary in multiple languages, tell us news going on on the other side of the planet, and even keep us entertained by helping us achieve new high scores for games like Flappy Bird, all with just a few taps on your screen.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus may be thinner and larger (as usual) and include some new features like new apps and a longer battery life, but from what I see there are no significant changes.

There’s even a joke that the only difference between the new Apples nowadays is the size, which couldn’t be more true.

But there will no doubt be new features and apps, and with these come unnecessary use of storage on our phones, like the Passbook App for example, which I’ve never even opened on my iPhone before.

Nevertheless, I don’t expect the fewer changes and escalating prices for the smartphones to make any difference in whether or not students will buy them, which they no doubt will in order to keep updated with the latest software.

Now the Apple Watch proves that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus aren’t the only new Apple products with pros and cons.

The Apple Watch looks beautiful and sleek and comes with as many features as the iPhone.

A wide variety of apps will come with the Apple Watch, such as a new fitness app that can track how much

you exercise and encourage you to do so, and even a Starwood Hotels app that lets you unlock your door with your wrist, which sounds pretty cool.

Smart watches aren’t new to the technology market, yet they aren’t exactly common at McCallum, and I’m sure wearing one to school would get a variety of responses from teachers during classes.

Who knows if these things can be useful or a distraction?

The Apple Watch sounds like it will share the same outcome as the Google Glass.

It will sound interesting and maybe even look appealing, but no one will actually wear one.

S m a r t Watches for other c o mp a n i e s h a v e flopped in the past, and though having o n e come out under the Apple

Illustration by Rachel Wolleben name may difference, seems to iPhone on their wrist when

make a no one want an they can

just stick with the old one.

Finally, Apple has announced the future release of a new mobile payment system, called Apple Pay, which sounds more like Apple’s version of PayPal. Apple Pay will allow the new iPhones to interact with payment terminals in a single tap.

You can add a new card to your phone, use your existing card associated with your iTunes account, or scan your credit card to purchase items at participating stores by placing your smartphone to a sensor, which is pretty useless if you’re like me and don’t have any sort of payment card.

However, to those who do use some sort of payment card, the Apple Pay would be would be pretty useful if you could figure out how it worked and where to use it. I know of a few people who use a mobile payment system to go online shopping, but so far abandoning the wallet for an app hasn’t become the newest trend.

Several stores throughout Austin haven’t caught on to the standard mobile payment systems already developed, like PayPal, so imagining them using Apple Pay doesn’t seem very likely. I expect that we’ll just have to wait and use this payment system for ourselves before the verdict can be reached for Apple Pay. Out of all of these devices and services announced and released by Apple, I have no doubt that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus will shine the most since we’re all prepared for it.

When it comes to the Apple Watch and Apple Pay, I just don’t think we can find room in our daily lives to make these new products useful yet.

Maybe they will catch on eventually and become the next big thing, but from the way it looks now, I don’t expect to be seeing or hearing about them at school very much anytime soon.

17 opinion

the

shield

The e-book craze As schools begin to use electronic textbooks, teachers discuss the possibility at MAC RAMÓN WALKER

A concern within the use of textbooks in school is the fact that many books released have been The new e-book craze is spreading somewhat biased, which means that like an infection in the education material from some textbooks unfairly system of the United States, yet AISD prejudiced for or against someone continues to adopt new textbooks. or something. For example, in many E-books are available to those who history textbooks released in the want to use them, but textbooks are United States, other society’s flaws are still assigned to students in almost often downplayed in favor of a more patriotic view. every core class.

A plus of using e-books would also AP US History teacher Joe Underwood said despite the ease of be the fact that sometimes shipments accessibility e-books offer, he prefers of adopted books don’t get to a school being able to physically write in the on time to be used for the class, like in Nick Martin’s Latin class. book.

“We were sitting in class one day, “I personally am still a fan of actual books. I like to write in the books and and the textbooks hadn’t come in, “ use sticky notes and stuff, and you can’t sophomore Matthew Ferguson said. really do that on e-books,” Underwood “We got photo copies of the textbook. said. “But if the students would like to But when we looked at it, it wasn’t copied to the pages we needed.” access it, I’d be fine with it.”

The fact that the Latin textbooks When students are able to mark what they’re reading, it can make it had not come in slowed down the easier to remember the assigned text, classwork in Martin’s class. Instead of and most e-books don’t have that doing work, the students had to wait option. But most of this generation for copies to be made.

“Every single translation we do is grew up around technology, so it may seem normal to access reference from the textbook,” Ferguson said, “and there’s material on a dictionary technology “All books are going to be biased, just in the back because period. It’s a matter of what degree of the book, it’s so which we of bias and how deep is that bias. prominent don’t have today.

Anything we write is going to be in our “I do biased, and we just have to accept printouts, so recognize that that’s the reality of it.” that’s very that most of my scholars

-Joe Underwood, now have AP US History Teacher grown up in a digital age, where they access everything inconvenient.”

Building manager Mary Noack online, so to them it may be better to do e-books,” Underwood said. said McCallum doesn’t get much “But I know that sitting in front of say regarding choices of textbooks. a computer, it’s really easy to get However, teachers can request their preferences of books. Because the distracted, and with a book less so.”

staff reporter

18 feature

World History textbooks from past years, stacked in Alan Kemp’s classroom. Photo by Ramón Walker. school does not actually own the books (they are rented from the state), when a student loses a book they must pay the state back for the lost or damaged textbook. Every summer someone from the state will come and count the inventory to make sure that every student has returned his or her books.

“Right now, new social studies and math textbooks are up for adoption, so were going to start getting boxes and boxes from different publishers of their materials, and the teachers will view them and then give their recommendation of why they would

rather have this book versus this book,” Noack said. “But that’s as far as we go as having any input into it. We can [only] say we like the curriculum in this book more than another book.

In addition to using e-books, some schools even equip their students with iPads to use instead of adopting textbooks.

“Online books are going to be the future,” Underwood said. “I think that’s just where were going to go for cost sake, for resource sake, due to the printing cost and the shipping cost of textbooks.”

17 oct. 2014

the

shield

1

2

3

4

Who’s house?

5

Knights defeat LBJ 42-23

1. Senior running back Clement Jones looks ahead as he carries the ball. Jones had the first touchdown of the night, a 17-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

2. Senior Sabion Cannon grasps the ball during a late play in the game after scoring three touchdowns for the Knights and rushing 189 yards.

3. Sophomore linebacker Brion Edmonds runs towards an LBJ player to advance the ball.

4. Cannon leads the Knights out of the half-time huddle.

5. Senior defensive back Tyree Washington dives to tackle an LBJ offensive player. Photos by Aiden Foster.

17 oct. 2014

19 sports

the

shield

Fantasy football phenomenon Students enjoy competing for bragging rights with online sport NICK ROBERTSON co-sports editor

When junior Quinton Reed saw that his first round pick was injured, he was devastated. He thought his season was going to be a bust. But this did not deter him from continuing to play.

Fantasy football generates around $1.6 billion in revenue each year. However, all of the money people win from playing fantasy football costs employers of people who play roughly $13 billion in lost time and productivity.

“I spend a lot of time playing fantasy football because it is really fun,” Reed said. “It is also interesting to keep up with another sport. Since I am competitive, that adds to the fun.

Trying to beat your friends in order to have bragging rights is an extra perk.”

Usually players start a league by getting a group of friends together.

The members of the league then draft players to form a team. The team that someone drafts then is matched up against a friend’s team.

“Players score points by running for more yards, catching more passes, completing passes,” Reed said.

“If your players score a touchdown, that is worth a lot of points. Basically, whenever they do well when they

have the ball.”

Fantasy football players employ many strategies in an effort to gain the upper hand. For example, senior Bret Smith said he usually tries to draft an elite running back in the first round. This is not the only strategy.

Whole websites are dedicated to helping someone draft an “unbeatable” team.

“I usually see who the individual players are playing each week,” Smith said.

“If a running back Illustration by is playing a tough defense, then you might bench him for another player who is playing someone else.”

Much of the money spent on fantasy football in 2013 was spent on gambling or betting on fantasy leagues.

“A lot of leagues put down money at the beginning of the year,” Smith said. “At the end of the year, the winner of the league gets a bunch of money. If you make the playoffs, you get

Ramón Walker. your money back.”

Hundreds of websites, TV shows and radio programs offer “expert” advice. The advice may be about who will be the break out player of the year or who is a good “sleeper pick” (a player who isn’t expected to do well but may end up exceeding expectations.)

“I have stopped listening to the experts,” Reed said. “They don’t know anything. The projections they make

are just terrible.”

According to Forbes.com, of the 33 million people who play fantasy football, only 20 percent are women.

“I don’t think that many women play. The really competitive ones do,” Reed said. “Not as many women play fantasy football, I think, because not as many women follow the NFL as much as men tend to. This may be because of the violent nature of the sport.”

According to Reed, when one of the players on a team gets hurt, it can ruin the season and cripple the chances of winning for a league player.

“I never like to see people get hurt,” Reed said. “However, the violent nature of the sport does make it more exciting to watch. Everyone likes to see the huge hits, but they never want those hits to happen to players on their fantasy team.”

While money and the violent nature of football are both draws to play fantasy football, the main draw for both Smith and Reed is the competitiveness that is spawns in owners.

“It feels so awesome when you win a matchup against a friend,” Smith said. “Like when I won this week, it was just so exhilarating. If I do well this season, I’m just going to talk a bunch of trash.”

sports in brief NICK ROBERTSON co-sports editor

Varsity football team beats rival LBJ The varsity football team beat district rival LBJ 42-23 last Friday. According to senior Brent Chandler, this was huge victory for the Knights.

“We started this year a little slow

sports 20

and lost our opener to Anderson,” Chandler said. “And then the loss to Crockett was a huge wake-up call for us. We knew that we had to start focusing more. The coaches moved people to different positions, and there are a lot more players playing both offense and defense.”

According to Chandler, even when the team was struggling, the players have always supported each other.

“Beating LBJ really gives us confi-

dence,” Chandler said. “It shows us that we are capable of beating a good football team, and it sets the standard for the rest of the season.” , Chandler said he was not going to be content with just this victory.

“We are going to continue to work hard,” Chandler said, “day in and day out to try to get better and win the district.”

The Knight’s next game is tonight against Bastrop at Nelson Field.

Varsity volleyball team in fight for playoffs The varsity volleyball season hasn’t quite gone to plan so far, according to sophomore Andrea Janns.

“The season could be better,” James said. “We are a pretty tight team, but Continued on page 21

17 oct. 2014

the

shield

Rolling around Austin

Junior encourages participation in female-dominated sport AIDEN FOSTER

grade and was coached by a math teacher who played for TXRD’s (a local adult Austin league) Cherry Years ago when the movie “Whip Bombs. The team had a rough beginIt” came out, junior Texie Fisher ning.

“A lot of the girls who joined didn’t watched and fell in love with it.

“Whip It” features roller derby, a full even know how to roller skate beforehand,” Fisher said. “We hadn’t really contact and female-dominated sport.

“I liked that it took place in Aus- gone over group tactics; it was very much just tin and that it ‘be able to looked like a hits.’ whole lot of “I guess I felt like I was going take When we fun,” Fisher to betray [the Ann Richards started out, said. “I like was very the confidence team]. I was there from the itrag-tag.” they seemed start.”

O v e r to have as a the years, team.”

-Texie Fisher, junior though, the Fisher said team became she really started more stable to enjoy the sport because it was the first team-oriented sport she got into. and organized. The girls are under She also liked how it’s a contact sport the direction of a new coach who is that she could do “without feeling ter- striving to make it more of a sport rather than entertainment. rified.”

Since Fisher no longer attends Ann Roller derby formed at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Richards, principal Jeanne Goka told Leaders when Fisher was in sixth her it “would be a poor representa-

staff reporter

tion to have a girl who left keep playing for the team.” The team, however, is affiliated with the Boys and Girls Club, and the school just provides the space.

Fisher said she doesn’t want to join other teams.

“I guess I felt like I was going to betray them,” she said. “I was there from the start.”

Playing with Ann Richards meant playing for free, but playing with TXJRD or the Derby Bratz (other junior roller derby teams in Austin) means providing a monthly fee.

Fisher said she doesn’t think she’s done with roller derby, though. She actually wished it were more popular as a sport, especially at McCallum.

“I feel like McCallum would be the kind of school to have a derby team,” Fisher said. “And, I wish the stigma of ‘girls on skates who look hot’ would go away. It’s not slutty. It’s a sport.”

Photo illustration by Seren Villwock.

sports in brief continued Continued from page 19 lots of us like to coach ourselves, so there are different opinions for everything.”

The Lady Knights have a record of 19-16 (8-5) and are in the fight for a playoff position. After losing to Bastrop Tuesday night in three matches, the team is tied with Cedar Creek for third place.

“Our biggest goal right now is to make the playoffs,” Janns said. “We also want to be able to get through the second round of the playoffs. ” The Lady Knights take on Eastside

17 oct. 2014

at Eastside Memorial today.

Varsity tennis team places third in district The varsity tennis team placed third at the district tournament Tuesday. Second place went to Bastrop; LBJ took the first place title.

“The past couple years we’ve finished second behind LBJ,”senior Alonso Fernandez.

Fernandez said new players have been an important part of the team.

“The team’s been coming along really well,” Fernandez said. “We got some new payers this year and they have definitely been working hard. I’d definitely say that there is a lot of improvement.”

Cross Country looks toward district meet The cross-country team has had a strong season so far this year, according to senior Adam Freng.

“We are doing well,” Freng said.

“We lost a lot of seniors this past year, but we have definitely improved a lot.”

According to Freng, each runner has seen significant improvement from meet to meet throughout the season. The team has one more meet this season before it heads to district.

“We expect to do as well as we have done before,” Freng said. “Our big goal is always to beat LBJ, and I hope we get to do that this year. We also hope to beat Cedar Creek this year since they just came into our district.”

21 sports

the

shield

HANNAH ILAN staff reporter

The Shield: What is it like playing with your sister this year?

Eboni Mitchell: It’s cool because I can tell her what to do. But then we do argue a lot. But it’s cool, I guess.

It’s definitely a good thing because you can trick people up and stuff.

TS: What’s your favorite part about volleyball?

EM: Winning. And when you come together as a team and do a lot of stuff as a team, not just individual.

TS: Do you plan to play volleyball out of high school?

EM: Yes. I have a scholarship to the University of Louisiana, but I’m working on getting into the school. But I do plan on playing outside of high school. I don’t know for sure where, but I do plan on playing.

TS: What’s it like traveling with your club team?

EM: We don’t travel as a team. My mom will drive us down there. Me and my sister, sometimes we play at the same gym. Sometimes I might play in Dallas and she’ll play in Austin. But it is fun because you get to play different schools. In school, you only play

BRITNY MITCHELL

people in the same district, but in club you play, you play teams from other states and it’s more competition and stuff.

TS: How do you manage your schoolwork?

EM: Well, it is very difficult to do that, but you just set aside time to do it. I also have a job, so all three of them, you just have to manage your time wisely.

TS: So what is it like now that you guys have to play new teams?

EM: Well, it’s kind of hard because you don’t know any background on them. Because other teams we’ve played four years in a row, and we know who their players are. But with those teams, we just see them and are surprised.

TS: So is the team upset about the change in the district?

EM: Well, they’re not upset about it. Hopefully we do better with the surprises. Because we have another team that we have to play, but I don’t think that’s a problem.

TS: What are your personal goals this year?

EM: To have better stats this year and just do better overall. And be a leader.

EBONI MITCHELL

The Shield: What is it like playing with your sister this year?

Britny Mitchell: It’s cool. I mean, she screams at me, like weird. She thinks it’s okay, and I’m like, ‘Whatever.’ We usually get in trouble, but whatever.

we played really well that game. We’ll get them next time. It was really crazy and the crowd was crazy, so that was really fun.

TS: What are your personal goals this year?

BM: I want to become a better hitter, and I want to higher my vertical. I also want to become a better defensive player; I want to be better at back row just in case I have to.

TS: What are your team goals?

BM: Become more as a team, not get down on each other. Work on problems that should not be there like covering, or covering tips or whatnot, just getting better, growing and having that chemistry.

TS: Do you plan to play volleyball out of high school?

BM: I hope so. I want to go to Baylor for the school, but if I get a scholarship, I’d go anywhere, so I’m not very picky on that. But Baylor is my main school.

TS: What is your best memory from volleyball?

BM: I guess when we played Ann Richards, and we did really well. We didn’t win the game, but I think

22 sports

TS: What’s the hardest part about volleyball?

BM: Not getting down when we’re losing. It’s so easy to start blaming, getting mad and just getting out of the game more than trying to come back.

TS: How do you and the team get to know each other?

BM: We’ve been playing with each other for three years. We do team bonding sometimes. Last year we went swimming. We go to school together, so you see each other in the hallway. We compliment each other and we talk sometimes, help each other with homework. When you’re playing with them, and you see when somebody is down, you gotta pick them back up, so I guess over the experience you kind of get to know them.

TS: What is it like playing new teams in the district this year?

BM: Unfortunately, the teams are better that are new to the district, so I guess it’s better for us. It’s not just an easy, breezy, skip all the way to district, so I guess it’s going to benefit us in the long run.

17 oct. 2014

the

shield

NFL commissioner drops the ball Inconsistent punishments for players raises questions, concerns

17 oct. 2014

Fraud

Murder

Burglary

Prostitution

Domestic, nonviolent

Theft

Sex offense

Disorderly conduct Domestic violence Gun-related

Drug-related

Assault, nondomestic

DUI

Arrests per 100,000 people per year

the topic, and it seemed he The NFL has been under tremendous scrutiny in and wondering what took so long. recent months because of the lack of and varying deThe NFL, one of the strongest organizations in lacked the remorse and disgrees of punishments given to players for differing America, cannot be run by someone as weak and tress that was needed for the legal problems. spineless as Goodell. He doesn’t have the courage situation.

Meanwhile, still more Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice’s, NFL and strength to make critical decisions, and he has career, which had been a shown it in the last few years. NFL players are getting in success up to this point, When the video of Rice strik- trouble for domestic vioabruptly ended on Feb. ing his fiancée was made lence issues. Arizona Cardi“The NFL’s priorities are all 15 after he struck his fipublic by TMZ, Goodell and nals running back Jonathan out of whack, which is almost ancée (now wife) in the many other NFL officials act- Dwyer was arrested on aghead and knocked her ed as if they hadn’t already gravated assault charges for all the fault of the spineless BEN BROWN unconscious. Initially the seen the tape. But on Sept. assaulting his wife and subco-sports editor NFL suspended him for 10, the Associated Press re- sequently breaking her nose leader they have commanding two games, but Cleveland ported the NFL had received as well as throwing a shoe at them, Roger Goodell.”

Browns wide receiver access to the video in April his 17‐month-old son. The Cardinals took immediate Josh Gordon was susand had in fact seen it before action, unlike the Vikings, and deactivated him from the team. It wasn’t because of pressure from sponpended an entire season on drug charges. While it’s Goodell and other executives denied this fact. clear players shouldn’t be allowed to take perforOn Sept. 19, Goodell made his first public appear- sors and NFL executives. The team did it because it mance-enhancing drugs, Gordon was suspended an ance in over a week when he addressed the situa- was the right thing to do. The NFL executives and entire season for his second positive test for marijua- tions involving Rice and Peterson. His speech was the owners of the teams need to be on the same page of these proporna, which seems it would be more detrimental to a that of a politician. He had little-to-no emotion about when it comes to problems tions. player’s performance as opposed The NFL is incapable of stopping to enhancing it. domestic violence, but with the harshThe NFL’s priorities are all out Arrests of NFL players vs. all men ages 25-29 er punishments and the new and of whack, which is almost all the stricter implementations, they may 2000 fault of the spineless leader they be able to slow the problem down. have commanding them, Roger The NFL has been scrambling trying Goodell. He didn’t have the courNational Average to save face since these incidents, but age to suspend Rice for more than 1500 hasn’t been doing a very good job of two measly games for punching NFL Average it. and knocking his wife out cold.

Goodell and other NFL executives In, addition Goodell left the fueven went as far as to meet with the ture of Minnesota Vikings star 1000 University of Texas Longhorns coach running back Adrian Peterson up Charlie Strong, who has been makto the organization he was playing a name for himself at Texas by ing for after he beat his child with dismissing over 10 scholarship atha switch, and it wasn’t just a small 500 letes for violating his 5 core values beating. He broke skin all around policy that includes being respectful the child’s body and scarred him to women, not doing drugs and not for life. All the Vikings did was sit using weapons. him out for a week. But, of course, 0 The fact that NFL executives who the Vikings sponsors wanted no are paid millions of dollars a year to part of a team that employed and do the job of keeping the NFL safe coveted a man convicted of child and making the league look good are abuse. Finally the NFL intervened meeting with a college coach about and suspended him indefinitely. rules and safety is absurd. It shouldn’t Similar to the Ray Rice case, peohave to come that level. ple were left shaking their heads

23 sports opinion

the

shield

Mass (Inc.)arceration Staffer disagrees with some of the country’s prison policies During the summer, I volunteered of ever getting out of jail, there is no at a week-long stay-away camp for incentive to learn how to function in children living in lower socioeconomic society again.

America is the only country in the neighborhoods in Austin. The camp was a place where these kids could go world that uses this sentence on minors. and not have to worry about whatever In addition, according to the VERA Institute of Justice, the U.S. houses was happening to them at home.

The children were just like every 5 percent of the world’s population w h i l e other child housing 25 I had met. percent of They loved to “They have no possibility of an people in jail dance, sing, appeals process, no chance to (2.4 million play and try new things. reacquaint themselves with so- individuals).

The rate of They were ciety, no reason to try to better p r i s o n e r s so loving capita is towards themselves. Without hope of per higher than o t h e r ever getting out of jail, there any other people and in the towards life is no incentive to learn how to nation world, but in general. the crime function in society again. ” The hope is rates do not that through mentoring, stable relationships, the kids fully contribute to this statistic.

This epidemic of mass incarceration will grow up to escape the problems in started in the 1970s when three-strike their neighborhoods. These children are the most at-risk for arrest in their adult laws and the war on drugs began.

More people began getting sentenced lives.

Many of these kids had at least one to longer stays in prison for nonviolent parent in jail, which multiplies the likelihood of them being arrested at some point in their lives. In addition, children in these under-resourced areas often experience physical and sexual abuse.

These children have a great deal to overcome. Although these circumstances do not guarantee they will end up in prison, the likelihood for this ending increases dramatically.

For juveniles as young as 13 living in America, life in prison without parole is a real possibility. Once these minors go in, the door will be slammed on them for the rest of their lives. They have no possibility of an appeals process, no chance to reacquaint themselves with society, no reason to try to better themselves. Without hope

24 opinion

crimes, and 40 years later, our society can see the effects.

These are just a small fraction of the injustices taking place in the prison system. The injustices are not only towards the prisoners, though.

The cost of imprisoning people is very high, and it comes out of taxpayers’ money. For the fiscal year 2014, the budget for prisons was $8.5 billion. The strain on the economy for mass incarceration is not justified.

In addition, the racial disparity between inmates arrested is huge.

According to the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, AfricanAmerican minors are sentenced to life in prison without parole at a rate 10 times that of Caucasian minors per capita.

Life as an ex-offender is challenging, even impossible at some times. Aside from the social rejection of ex-offenders, they also go through “Cultural Shock” of being reacquainted with society.

It is very difficult to find a stable job and housing, which often causes the ex-offenders to go back to crime to survive. According to the Bureau of

HALEY HEGEFELD co-assistant editor

Justice Statistics, about three-quarters of the released offenders they tracked were rearrested within 5 years.

Beginning in the 1970s, mass incarceration has grown into a monster that current reforms are not helping.

There are already organizations in place trying to remedy this situation.

Some focus on helping ex-offenders after they get out of prison reacquaint with society and find jobs. Others focus on helping the kids who have parents in jail and trying to break the cycle of imprisonment in families.

These organizations need to be continued and multiplied if a future without mass incarceration is to be realized. In addition, the legal system needs to change. The arrests need to be reduced; the sentences need to be reduced. People convicted of drug-related offenses need to go to a rehabilitation center, not to a prison cell.

However, the best way to stop the epidemic is to focus on the root of the problem: poverty and education. These prisoners were all once children. If we start to intervene in their childhoods, by mentoring them and making sure they receive a good education, more will grow up to be contributing citizens. With these steps, they have a chance to escape the cycle of arrest that has so long defined American society.

17 oct. 2014

the

shield

Seek self-acceptance over college acceptance These past few months, I’ve heard so much advice about applying to colleges. I’ve been told to start early.

I’ve been told to present my best achievements without describing too many activities because it’s better to appear dedicated to a few things than over-extended. I’ve been told it’s best to use a formal voice, or a creative voice, or a heartfelt voice in my essays.

It’s great advice, with the best intentions. But as I am being told these things, I’ve also been watching my classmates focus all their energy towards the possibility of acceptance.

My friends tell me they can’t think of anything else. I hear them asking, “Am I good enough to get into college?”

And pretty soon, that turns into, “Am I good enough?”

In large doses, the language surrounding college applications can

be degrading. “Acceptance” is the buzzword in my English class. The pressure is on: put on your best face and admissions will decide if you are accepted or rejected. Pretty soon, that drive to get accepted turns into a fear of rejection, which becomes a desire for approval, appreciation and security.

We’ve been trained well. These past years in high school, there has been so much competition. The grades and class rank system is based on numeric success, while individual strengths go unnoticed, at least on paper. It’s hard to see those around me stressing over their application credentials so much that they feel less valuable or less worthy of an education than others.

I hear people talking about “safety schools” and “reach schools,” and how many things they can put on their resumes. I hear panic about test scores

and insecurity use to send out about class rank. these letters. I am In truth, how reminded, though, can one individual of the things that be any more give me hope for the worthy of success high schoolers soon than another? to move on. First, Everyone has applications don’t different strengths. have to be about There is more to a fear for the future. person than can be Sometimes they can expressed into a be about doing your box with a 650 word best and late night count limit, and ice cream. Second, being OK with that we all deserve to be is so important. educated and to be The other day able to pursue our I was clearing out SEREN VILLWOCK aspirations.

Selfmy mailbox of coeditor-in-chief acceptance is more college information important than any pamphlets, again. I don’t want to acceptances or rejections that can come know much paper these schools in the mail.

5 things I learned from failing my first road test

5

Don’t take really know someone else’s bad anything about day personally. me besides one Sometimes other people mistake that I are having totally rotten made, and so days. And when people I can’t take her are upset, they usually bad attitude want everyone else to be personally. upset with them. This is the first thing I learned Be patient, while attempting to because get my license last in a few week. My instructor, a years you’re short, mid-40s woman not even going with sharp nails and to remember a massive rock on her the few days left ring finger, was you had to having a terrible day. NATALIE MURPHY wait.

And so, when I made a I wasn’t really co-assistant editor few mistakes on my test ready to take she brought me right down with her. my road test. I didn’t have anything Yes, she laughed right in my face and left to learn, and my dad did a really told me I don’t know what I’m doing great job preparing me to have a behind the wheel. Ouch. But, after license, but once I failed I had to wait a few tears and a large order of fries a whole week to try again and that I realized that this instructor doesn’t seemed like the longest week of my

4

17 oct. 2014

life. But looking back, it was actually really good that I waited. It gave me a chance to take a deep breath and be focused when I went back. And those couple of days won’t matter in the future. Don’t be afraid to wait for something so that you can know how much you truly want it and how hard you’re willing to work to get it.

3

Focus on the present.

My questions for my dad on the way to my test weren’t “What should I do if ____?” or “How do I ___?” but sounded more like, “Can I decorate the car?” and “Are you paying for my gas?” I realized afterwards that I failed my test because in my head I wasn’t taking a test. In my head I already had my license and I was cruising around town with the windows down and a Taylor Swift song blasting. I needed to focus on each step of the test and then celebrate when it was over. If you always focus on the future you’ll miss what’s going on right in front of you.

2

It’s OK to admit that you failed.

The worst part of failing my road test is that I had to go school right afterwards. I walked in and immediately saw a bunch of friends who asked me how it went. I cringed and said, “Well the lady was really mean so she failed me.” But something about that description just didn’t feel right to me. So after a few minutes I said quietly, “I made a mistake.” I waited for the laughter, it never came.

Instead I got a calm, “Aw man, what a bummer.” That’s when I realized that real friends want to know when you failed and they don’t let you worry about it for long. The conversation quickly changed to last night’s English homework and a detailed description of every Pokémon character ever. It’s OK to fail, and it’s OK to admit that you did.

1

Stop at red lights.

Trust me.

25 opinion

the

shield

what’s new on macshieldonline.com Hannah McEvilly (11), Ezra Hankin (11)

recent headlines Knights of Steel welcomes prospective students Paint the school pink Broadway musical “The Producers” runs two weekends on arts center stage Student artists impart works to the community Deeds in the Dominican

share the shield Like: facebook.com/ macshieldonline Follow: @theshieldonline on Twitter

Miguel Minnick (12)

Cover: Jake Holmes (12) and Jesse Levy-Rubinett (11). Photo by Mary Stites

the

shield

Redundant rides

Capital Metro wastes time, money on MetroRapid In a city that doesn’t value public transportation as much as other larger cities around the nation, Capital Metro has worked to make the public transportation system more appealing by investing in making it quicker, more accessible to all and by equipping vehicles with amenities such as WiFi, “scan to pay” apps and LED lights for a “premium experience.” However, the premium experienced offered by the MetroRail should be a baseline standard for all Capital Metro vehicles.

In August, Capital Metro launched its new attempt to draw in clientele, the “MetroRapid.” Busses 801 and 803 are the MetroRapid busses for the standard, most common routes, one and three.

These new busses are designed to minimize riders’ time spent on the bus. The busses have “onboard signal priority technology” that allows the busses to hold green lights longer for the busses, special designated bus-only lanes and extra wide doors to allow for “faster boarding.”

However, the higher-end CapitalMetro experience comes at a higher price: a day fare of $3 as opposed to $2. While an increase of a dollar may seem insignificant, the increase in fare has caused a noticeable division in the riders of the busses. Those who can afford the luxurious ride have moved to MetroRapid while those unwilling and unable to fund

a more expensive ride are left on the classic CapitalMetro transit busses. Riding bus 801 highlighted the socio-economic differences in the population of Austin.

Not only have the new MetroRapid busses indirectly segregated the public transportation systems, but Capital Metro has also invested in a program that doesn’t truly directly benefit anyone. Sure, it may save everyone a few extra minutes, but it is going the exact same route and not truly fixing any issues. The 801 is the third attempt three at reducing rider commute time after 101 (the express 101) and 1L. After investing over $90 million into creating a single line, the new MetroRapids seem to be an attempt to fix something that isn’t broken.

Rather than working a completely new program into Capital Metro, the new amenities that the MetroRapid presents should be incorporated into all standard Capital Metro busses. The MetroRapid ideals should be incorporated as the standard for all vehicles, and riders should not have to pay an extra fee for quick transportation. Those who cannot pay the extra dollar are equally as reliant on Capital Metro

assistant editors Natalie murphy haley hegefeld

sports editors BEN BROWN Nick robertson

for transportation and should not have any lesser of an experience due to a bus fare.

To avoid redundant projects and unnecessary expenditures, the values that are highlighted for MetroRapid should be emphasized for all Capital Metro vehicles. If a clean, fast experience is a standard, more people will feel inclined to utilize the public transportation.

A.N. McCallum High School 5600 Sunshine Dr. Austin, TX 78756 (512) 414-7539 fax (512) 453-2599 contact.macshield@gmail.om

the

shield staff

Political cartoon by Colin Youngblood

editors-in-chief

mary stites and seren villwock

news editor MARA VANDERGRIFT

photo editor

adviser

MAYA COPLIN

Rhonda Moore

reporters KEAGAN ALEMAN, BELLA CUDE, EMMA CUNNINGHAM, RONALD DOTSON, AIDEN FOSTER, HANNAH ILAN, JULIE ROBERTSON, RAMÓN WALKER, RACHEL WOLLEBEN The Shield is published by journalism students in the Newspaper production class.

Although students work under the guidance of a professional faculty member, the student staff ultimitely determines the content.

Students may not publish material that is obscene, libelous, or that which

17 oct. 2014

will cause a “substantial disruption to the educational process.” Content that may stimulate heated debate is not included in this definition.

The Shield operates as an open forum for exchange of ideas. Opinions expressed in editorials are the ideas of the staff. Opinions expressed in the columns are that of the writer’s alone.

Letters to the editor are encouraged and must be signed. Positive identification may be required when a letter is submitted. Letters may be edited. Letters that are critical of the newspaper staff’s coverage of events or that present information that may stimulate heated debate will be published.

Letters that contain malicious attacks

on individual reporters, the adviser, or the principal will be rejected.

Anyone interested in purchasing an ad should contact adviser Rhonda Moore at (512) 414-7539.

The Shield is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference, National Scholastic Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

27 opinion

the

shield

Producing a hit show

Theatre Department presents its first show of the season

1

2

3 3

1. Junior Hannah McEvilly, who played Ulla the Swedish actress, auditions for “Springtime for Hitler” in “The Producers.”

2. Junior Kendrick Knight, while playing Roger, steps in for Franz after the character breaks his leg.

3. “The Producers,” played by senior Jacob Roberts-Miller and junior Dylan Tacker, celebrate after becoming successful producers.

4. Junior Ezra Hankin and junior Hannah McEvilly sing in the finale of “Springtime for Hitler.”

5. Senior Peter Richard sings “In Old Bavaria” in Act I. Photos by: Maya Coplin

28 feature

5

4 17 oct. 2014