Kingwood Park Times - November 2024

Juniors eye changes as UT-Austin lowers automatic acceptance

By Fallon Head Editor-in-Chief

The University of TexasAustin has changed its automatic acceptance rate from the top 6% of students to the top 5% for students applying to enroll in the Fall of 2026.

In the junior class of 466 students, those ranked between No. 1 and No. 23 would still be automatic admits to UT. In the past, students ranked 1-28 would have been admitted.

“I was a little shocked [when I heard about UT’s change],” junior John Howk said. “I realized that it might be a little bit harder to get into, and that maybe other schools may be doing similar things. So I need to lock in on grades a little bit more.”

university with a lower percentage.

Those who rank in the top 6% the past few years have often applied and considered UT because of its reputation. UT has an overall acceptance rate of 11%, and is considered the most prestigious public university in Texas. In the latest US News “Top Public Schools,” it ranks No. 7 in the country.

“[Auto-acceptance] makes me feel a bit more secure,” said senior Olivia Brenner, who just made the 6% cut off for this year’s applications. “I know that if nothing else works out, I have that, and it’s a very good option.”

back burner and, knowing that, I didn’t have that same comfortability with it as I did for Texas A&M. Kind of just like [decided], okay, that’s not something that I really am willing to keep up with.”

Automatic admissions to Texas public universities started with a law signed in 1997. This law makes it so a percentage of students are automatically accepted into state schools. Most colleges have an auto-acceptance rate of 10%. UT is the only public

Automatic acceptance helps make it so students are guaranteed acceptance, which reduces the stress level in many high-ranking students. For some, however, UT lowering its automatic acceptance rate makes the school no longer worth it.

“It definitely marked UT off my roster,” junior Jada Cassidy said. “I already just barely had it on the

UT is also one of the few public universities requiring test scores in applications. Most of the Ivy League and some top private institutions have reimplemented SAT and ACT scores being required. Public universities have mostly remained test optional.

“What we’ve always been told as counselors [for their reasoning in changing automatic admissions], is just the overgrowth and population in that their school is built right smack in the middle of

the city,” lead school counselor Jenny Van Horn said. “So there’s not a lot of room for growth and expansion when the population continues to increase.”

Texas saw a record 73,000 applicants this year, triggering the decision to lower the acceptance rate to 5-percent for next year.

“While I still make the cutoff now, I don’t want to ever get complacent with myself because I don’t know,” junior Caitlin McLain said. “These colleges change their policies like every year now. So I never want to get too comfortable.”

Juniors in AVID class work on projects as a wall displays pendants from colleges and universities across the state. AVID students work on college preparedness with Texas college visits a regular occurrence each year. Photo by Fallon Head.

Publications staffs win sweepstakes

For the third year in a row, students won sweepstakes at the TAJE Fall Fiesta journalism conference in San Antonio.

By Olivia Brenner Staff Writer

At the end of fall break, 16 journalism students attended the state journalism convention TAJE Fall Fiesta. They collected 29 awards and brought ideas back to improve the publication staffs.

“I always love going to state and national conventions because it’s a time where everyone on staff who goes gets to be able to learn more about journalism and just spend time with each other,” KP Times editor-in-chief Fallon Head said.

At Fall Fiesta, students competed in journalism-based competitions, attended workshops and heard from speakers. They also had the opportunity to participate in fun activities, like trivia night, and spend time together outside of class.

“Learning about new things to take back to your staff and really incorporate it to make yourself better is amazing… but also it really gives the people who go time to bond as a staff and you really come back feeling closer,”

Fall Fiesta Awards

The fall state journalism contest was held Oct. 12-14 at the San Antonio Convention Center.

STAFF AWARDS

Online News Site - 2nd place

Print Newspaper - 2nd place

Yearbook - 3rd place

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Kaitlyn Sitton - Marketing (Superior), Newspaper Design (Excellent), Feature Photo (Excellent)

Ella Hickman - Digital Photo (Best of Show) Beginner Yearbook Design (Honorable Mention), Digital PhotoBig Feelings (Superior)

Shelby Townsend - Editorial Illustration (Honorable Mention)

Fallon Head - News Writing (Superior), Feature Photo (Excellent)

said yearbook editor Shelby Townsend, a senior who competed in editorial illustration.

For the third year in a row, Kingwood Park won Sweepstakes at the state conference, in addition to second place for online news site and print newspaper, third place in yearbook, and many individual awards. The conference gives journalism students a chance to be recognized for their hard work and exceptional content.

“I was kind of shocked… I wasn’t expecting the amount of awards we were going to get… and I didn’t think we were going

to win the whole thing,” said Preston Carpenter, who competed in feature writing, “I’d say it was a really positive experience.”

Students appreciated the opportunity to focus on journalism for the weekend, and many are looking forward to their next trip already. On Nov. 6, 12 journalism students will attend the Fall 2024 JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Conference in Philadelphia as Pacemaker finalists, and they are up for nine additional individual awards.

“It is just journalism, and being able to experience it with people from either across the state or across the nation, and talk about journalism, it’s just very impactful,” Head said. “I think it helps the staff and myself stay motivated and just see that our work does matter.”

Sydney Ortiz - Video News Story (Excellent), Video Feature Story (Honorable Mention)

Emily Mckithern - Photo Portfolio (Honorable Mention), Sports Action Photo (Excellent), Sports Reaction Photo (Honorable Mention)

Jacob Dihn - First-year Photo (Superior)

Tricia Darcy - Sports Action Photo (Superior), Digital Photo: Big Feelings (Honorable Mention), Digital Photo, Rizz (Honorable Mention

Jordan Hutchinson - Digital Photo: Peak Action (Honorable Mention), Digital Photo: Student Journalists (Honorable Mention)

Bishop Scott - Digital Photo: Rizz (Superior)

Heather Horace - Digital Photo: Taste of San Antonio (Honorable Mention)

Maggie Spara, Paisley Thomas, Marie Wakefield and Amber Batiste - PSA (Honorable Mention)

Darcy Gordon-Claassens, Lexi Ratcliff, Tatumn Perry, Rachel Hamilton, Haley Pena - PSA (Excellent)

Peyton Smithson, Ella Hickman - Video Sports Story (Honorable Mention)

Journalism students Ella Hickman, Heather Horace, Michelle Klanke, Kaitlyn Sitton and Shelby Townsend erupt after hearing they won one of the social media contests during Fall Fiesta on Oct. 14 in San Antonio. Photo by Jordan Hutchinson.

Sophomore Ella Hickman looks at her awards with senior Heather Horace during the awards ceremony at the TAJE Fall Fiesta. Hickman won three awards, including Best of Show for the digital photography competition. Horace also took home an award for her photography. Photo by Jordan Hutchinson.

Seniors Fallon Head and Kaitlyn Sitton look at early awards collected by the students at the state journalism conference. Photo by Jordan Hutchinson.

County officials, teachers advise seniors prior to election

By Zachary Ford Staff Writer

Presidential election seasons are exciting times for Government teachers – as well as first-time voters. Harris County Voter Registration officials visited the campus in October to help seniors in Government classes register to vote and learn the importance of voting.

“I tell my students to be informed,” AP Government teacher Jess White said. “Know why you want to vote a particular way or why you would support the candidate. Secure your vote. Take into consideration, what's important to you?”

Each Government teacher has unique approaches to helping students understand the importance of what it means to be electing the country's future leaders.

“I really recommend using the ‘I Side With’ quiz,” Government teacher Jeff Knight said. “The quiz helps give the students an idea of their political perspectives and also matches them with the platforms of the leading candidates.

“Just make sure you have information about each candidate. You’re voting for what you feel is in your best interests and also the country's best interest. Try to get some information about the issues and what the candidate plans to do.”

Senior Wells Kenny was excited to participate in this year's election and made sure he was getting information the past few months from reliable sources.

“I’m stoked,” Kenny said. “Absolutely stoked. I just recently went online to VoteTexas.gov and got my registration. I try to follow a variety of news outlets and sources. I’m trying to receive my information from everywhere in order to get an unbiased opinion.”

The teachers encourage students to be informed about the candidates they are voting for. They also teach the different steps in

the voting process, such as how to register and how to properly cast your vote.

“Last year we had the League of Women Voters talk to the seniors and they actually brought a sample voting machine and I thought that was very beneficial,” Knight said.

This year, the Harris County voter registration officials led the discussion with seniors, which included a PowerPoint presentation. They also brought a sample voting machine, like the ones used on election day.

“I learned from the guest speakers that in Harris County, voters

have the flexibility to cast their ballots at any designated vote center,” senior Matthew Villapando said. “Additionally, there are opportunities to engage actively in the electoral process by serving as a temporary election rally staff assistant, which offers $17 per hour.”

Along with the outside speakers, the teachers try to help instill the importance of following through and using the right to vote.

“When people say, ‘My vote doesn't matter.’ I don't support that kind of perspective,” White said. “I try to talk the students out of it because, if you vote for somebody and if they don't get elected, at least you tried to do something. By not voting, you are letting other people decide your future. You're letting other people decide your policies. You're letting life happen to you instead of the other way around.”

Senior Jonas Ermel fills out a voting registration form as Nathan Datz listens to the guest speaker during first period on Oct. 4. Photo by Fallon Head.

Billy Nguyen, a Harris County Voter Registration official, talks to students in first period Government on Oct. 4. Students were given opportunities to register to vote during class. Photo by Fallon Head.

Scan this QR code to ask your parents or grandparents to buy you a yearbook.

Asian-American club returns with new focus

By Olivia Brenner Staff Writer

The Asian-American Association had its first meeting last November.

Throughout the year, the club leaders welcomed students of all backgrounds to celebrate Asian culture through food, clothing and the diverse traditions of Asian regions.

The organization was especially food-oriented last year. The students hosted many potlucks, where students from Asian backgrounds brought cultural dishes and had the opportunity to talk to the group about their culture and food. While food is still a big part of the organization, this year represents a shift to emphasize different aspects of the culture.

“I’ve tried to make it more community oriented, where our peers can more connect with each other over a culture, instead of just coming for food and leaving,” president and co-founder Sophia

Nguyen said.

Nguyen’s goal is to create a safe space for students of Asian descent to share their culture and food, free of judgment, as well as to try new foods and learn more about Asian culture. She also loves being able to help new students from places like the Philippines adjust to the culture shock.

“If we’re all aware of what makes us a person and appreciate each other’s values, I think that we could all be closer as a school and also as a generation.”

- senior Nabeeha Salman,social chair for the Asian-American Association

Last year, one of the club’s most successful events was a culture day, where members were encouraged to wear their traditional cultural clothing.

The organization’s main goal is to unite the student body by celebrating and learning about Asian cultures. Vietnamese, South Asian, Filipino and more have been featured in their meetings.

“If we’re all aware of what makes us a person and appreciate each other’s values, I think that we could all be closer as a school and also as a generation,” social chair Nabeeha Salman said. When the Asian-American Association first started meeting, they encountered some problems and setbacks. With a goal of uniting students through respect and appreciation of a culture, low attendance and instances of racism from fellow students were discouraging.

“We do have some instances of people being racist, and that’s my least favorite part about the club,” Nguyen said. “It’s really hard when you try to bring so many people together, and then no one shows up. I think that’s

the worst.”

However, the club leaders continued to meet and advertise, and now they have increased their average attendance to around 15 students. In the future, they hope to continue to increase membership and possibly get t-shirts, have a fundraiser and have field trips to temples or restaurants.

“Whenever people do show up, it really makes you happy because everybody’s here and we’re all talking and eating,” Nguyen explained. “I just want for people of a similar culture to have a safe space.”

The Asian-American Association welcomes all students, even if they are not Asian. They encourage the mixing of cultures, as long as everyone is respectful of others.

“You really have to be appreciative of culture or be a part of the culture,” said vice president and co-founder Ash Siddiqui. “I feel like anyone can be a part of a culture as long as they respect it.”

Seniors Layna Argueta and Makenna Broderick talk during an Asian-American Association meeting on Sept. 27. Club members played games, ate snacks and chatted together. Photo by Olivia Brenner.

A Fitting Tribute

JROTC, band member honor Marine veteran

By Pilar Retamales Staff Writer

As a Marine for three years, Clarence Vaughn was taught many values he would not have learned otherwise.

“To my dad, being a Marine meant honor, tradition, to have work ethic, having order to everything,” said Cyndi Vaughn, the Silver Stars coach and dance teacher. “It taught him to be a man.”

That is why Vaughn and her siblings wanted a military service at her father’s burial service at Houston National Cemetery on Oct. 8. They did not realize the challenges they would face though.

Clarence Vaughn

When planning the burial, Vaughn and her siblings found out that the military would only perform one time. Clarence Vaughn’s wife had already had the military service at the funeral. That left Cyndi Vaughn and her siblings with no way to honor their dad at his burial. Vaughn was at a loss and did not know what to do.

“After I found out, I just sat on my phone and was looking at YouTube videos of different burial services at national cemeteries, and it just clicked,” Vaughn said. “We have a JROTC here.”

She reached out to Master Sgt. Anthony Bullock, the JROTC instructor at Kingwood Park. He immediately got to work helping. He went to the bookkeeper and ordered a flag, started organizing his cadets and provided a script and a service without hesitation.

In addition, sophomore Elijah Vasquez played “Taps,” which plays daily in the military to signal the day is over. It has also been designated as the National Song of Remembrance.

“My band director chose me because she knew I would do it and be respectful,” Vasquez said. “Ms. Vaughn was grateful I was playing, and kept thanking me.”

When Bullock first read Vaughn’s email, Bullock said he felt respected and proud that she wanted to specifically reach out to the JROTC. He was confident in the cadets’ ability to perform at a function that is usually reserved for a professional organization.

When it was time for the burial, the JROTC students and Vasquez arrived before the Vaughn family.

The JROTC students practiced the folding of the flag. Vasquez looked to find the perfect place to play “Taps” on his trumpet.

“I felt honored to have her have that much respect and confidence in us – teenagers – to perform it

well,” senior ROTC cadet Noe Ortega said. “I felt proud.”

The entire situation was one Vaughn said her father would have loved.

Growing up, Clarence Vaughn loved high school. He had seven brothers and sisters, so Cyndi

Vaughn said going to school was his way of making new friends and exploring his personality. He learned his values and character from his teachers. Cyndi Vaughn said he was a friends-walking-toschool-together type of man.

Clarence Vaughn treated the Marines the same way.

“In his old pictures I always see him with a group,” she said. “When he is alone, he is writing a letter or on the phone, and in the background there was always a buddy Marine doing something goofy. He always surrounded himself with fun people too.”

That camaraderie he loved was evident even at the burial as his daughter was surrounded by those Kingwood Park student volunteers.

“They were so professional and so respectful and very organized,” Vaughn said. “It was really special that they wanted to do that.”

Dance teacher Cyndi Vaughn was appreciative of the ROTC students who participated in her father’s burial service, which included Master Sgt. Anthony Bullock, senior Douglas Graves, junior Isaiah Montes, junior Araya Wolfe and senior Noe Ortega. Clarence Vaughn was a Sergeant in the Marines. He was buried at Houston National Cemetery on Oct. 8. Photo courtesy of Cyndi Vaughn.

Sophomore Elijah Vasquez stands with Cyndi Vaughn after the funeral of her father. Vasquez played “Taps” at the service for Marine veteran Clarence Vaughn. Photo courtesy of Cyndi Vaughn.

Barbering class jump-starts students’ careers

Cameron Minatrea Staff Writer

Junior Keoni Mallari’s school day starts at 4:30 a.m. He gets ready and gets dropped off at his bus stop, which then takes him to Five Star Elite Barbering College. He spends three hours each morning learning what it takes to become a barber.

Mallari is one of three Kingwood Park students who has made sacrifices to take the new Barbering I course. Along with a $500 fee they must pay, students also must sacrifice two electives. Mallari still needs a language credit, meaning that he must take a summer course to graduate. Even with all this, Mallari said the struggles are worth the experience, as his newfound passion gives him a career to pursue.

“Barbering is what I feel gave me a chance at having a future,” Mallari said. “I don’t want to give this up like I did with other things.”

Junior Chris Garcia also gave up a lot just to join. Garcia quit his favorite sport football to pursue his dream of being a barber. He enjoyed getting haircuts and still remembers the happiness he got from them as a kid, so he decided he wanted to recreate that feeling for other people.

“I’ve always wanted to become a barber,” Garcia said. “You get to connect with your workers, you get to have fun and everything. You’re doing what you like to do.”

The boys credit much of their early progress to their teacher Elizabeth Moranchel, also known as Mrs. E. They said she enjoys teaching just as much as the students enjoy learning, making it an overall great atmosphere in the class.

The second-year teacher has helped students with no experience grow into well-trained barbers who are able to pursue their Class A barber license.

“I like our teacher, she’s awesome,” Garcia said. “I remember

my first day, I thought I did pretty good until she came over there and showed me a couple tips. You think you know until you have an actual instructor showing what to do.”

Senior Emmanuel Lopez, who is the oldest of the three, said he’s wanted to cut hair since he was 14. He loves connecting with other people in the course and learning from them.

The students cut hair outside of school and use social media to promote their personal haircuts.

Lopez and Mallari each own a barbering account where they showcase their work in order to bring in new customers. This has been a recent trend within the barbering industry, as a good amount of people have used socials to promote their business.

“When you start, you have no clients,” Lopez said. “The hardest part is getting people to trust you.”

The students have been able to give their clients more professional haircuts due to the advanced

kit that comes with the class. The students’ $500 fee includes all the equipment a student needs to become a barber.

The students are encouraged to use their kits outside of class. Students need 1,000 hours of experience in order to obtain their Class A barber licenses, so some will go to a barber shop located in Atascocita in order to put in some extra work and get licensed as soon as possible. The location is called Barber Shop, and it’s located next to Five Star Elite Fades. All the profits made go toward the shop and the owners.

In the end, the students just love being able to pursue their passion to become future barbers. Money and classes aside, they love the feeling and atmosphere that the career provides, and hope they can one day recreate that feeling in their own barber shop.

“The best part is connecting with the client and making people feel good about themselves,” Garcia said. “It gives us confidence in the future, and it feels good when you make someone else feel good.”

Senior Emmanuel Lopez works on cutting hair as junior Chris Garcia watches closely. The boys spend periods one through three in Barbering class each day. Photos by Emerson Harris.

Junior Keoni Mallari tries out some of his new lessons on a classmate during Barbering class. Mallari is working toward earning his barbering license.

WHO

Calling all photographers, writers, videographers, sports reporters, graphic designers, podcast creaters and artists.

WHAT

Join the national award-winning newspaper and yearbook staffs.

WHERE

Room 1504 houses the cameras, computer labs, podcast and photo studios.

WHEN

Stop by Room 1504 today to find out what class is best for you!

WHY

Meet new people. Make great friends. Know what is happening around the school. Be in on all the action. Have fun!

HOW

During class registration, sign up for Journalism I or Photojournalism I.

FOR THE KIDS

By Sydney Ortiz Sports Editor

Flavia Salima Marcano, then 10, was sad and excited for the surprise vacation her parents planned. She didn’t like leaving her family and friends in Venezuela, but she was looking forward to visiting her cousins and aunt who lived in the United States.

What Salima Marcano didn’t know was that the “vacation” was permanent -- and that her family was about to leave everything they knew behind. Daniela and Frank Salima were scared to tell their two young children the truth.

The Salimas were not in support of the Venezuelan government. Both Daniela and Frank were college-educated and had successful careers, but they were unhappy with the changes coming into

place. Groceries became difficult to purchase. They realized that they were not going to be able to pay the next school year’s tuition for Flavia or her younger brother Fabio. Not being able to send their kids to their private school was the turning point.

“I told Frank, ‘Ok it is time to think of a plan B,’” Daniela Marcano Latuff said.

Just like it is today, leaving Venezuela was not easy in 2017. Sometimes the Venezuelan government separated families at the airport so they could question kids on the reason for their travels.

Pretending the move was a vacation was the only way to keep the family safe and keep from risking

With hope for a brighter future for their children, Daniela and Frank Salima left Venezuela to seek political asylum in the United States in 2017.

the family’s chance to escape. Since 2014 with Venezuela in turmoil, 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled the country, according to the UN Refugee Agency.

When the family arrived in the United States, they sought political asylum. Their case continues pending, which allows them to live and work legally in the U.S. Though that brought relief to their parents, the kids thought they were still on vacation.

It took Flavia less than a month to realize the stay was permanent. She made the connection when her mom and dad started telling her that they were looking at soccer clubs she could join in the United States.

“I was mad,” Flavia said. “I was sad. I was everything but happy.”

It took Flavia’s younger brother, Fabio, even longer to realize what had happened.

When Fabio’s parents told him they were also looking for a new soccer club for him, he reassured them that they didn’t have to worry about that. He said he would just wait to play soccer again in Venezuela once their vacation ended.

That was really difficult for his mother to hear, partly because she wished it was true. She hoped things in her birth country would improve soon.

“I thought maybe this is not going to be for a long time,” Daniela Marcano Latuff said.

Marcano Latuff described their life in Venezuela as “perfect.” The family had a big house and lived quite comfortably before the political destruction.

Flavia and Fabio Salima Marcano hold the Venezuelan flag their family brought with them when they sought political asylum in the United States in 2017. Millions have fled the country in the last decade to escape economic hardship and political repression.

Photo by Sydney Ortiz.

Fabio and Flavia Salima Marcano take a selfie with their parents in the Fort Lauderdale airport before the family’s flight to Houston in August 2017. The family had just escaped Venezuela to seek political asylum in the U.S. In that moment, the children thought they were visiting the United State for a vacation. Photo submitted by Daniela Marcano Latuff.

Wikimedia Commons/Creative Commons

VENEZUELA

“What I wish people would understand about Venezuela, is that it is one of the most beautiful countries in the world with some of the most nice and warm people,” she said. “Believe me, most of us in some way were obligated to leave the country to preserve our lives and our loved one’s lives.”

In the United States, the family started from scratch. Flavia, Fabio and their parents lived with their aunt in Kingwood for three months. It was difficult for the family to acclimate to the United States, especially because of the language barrier.

Daniela had a bachelor’s degree in administration. Frank Salima had a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a master’s in mechanical maintenance. Finding a job was a challenge, however. In their early months in the States, Marcano Latuff worked at McDonald’s while her husband worked at a nearby car wash.

They focused on their goal of building a safe life for their kids.

The children were enrolled in Woodlands Hills Elementary, where they started to learn English while making friends.

By November 2017, the family was able to rent their own apartment.

and uncle. The family made sure to move after the kids’ birthdays, so they could spend those days with friends and family. Photo submitted by

home and often make traditional Venezuelan meals.

In 2021, the family was able to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS gives the family more security in the United States, even making it easier as Flavia started applying to colleges and filling out scholarship applications.

“We are blessed to have the opportunity to be here and have the chance to [give] our kids a better life. That is priceless.”

- Daniela Marcano Latuff

As the humanitarian crisis continued in Venezuela, the Salima Marcano family realized there was no going back. It took Fabio almost a year until he realized that Kingwood was now his home.

“I thought we were just coming here for a vacation, but after we had stayed here for a year I asked when we were going back,” Fabio said. “They told me it was permanent.”

Even though the family can’t return to Venezuela even for visits, they continue to celebrate their culture. They speak Spanish at

Daniela and Frank Salima could not have predicted what life would be like seven years after they first boarded their flight from Venezuela.

Daniela currently works as a proposal coordinator for Oceaneering, and Frank started his own small construction company.

Their kids are well adjusted at Kingwood Park. Flavia and Fabio are both in the highest level of English for their grade levels, as well as other advanced classes.

As a senior, Flavia is taking college-level Chemistry and English, while also taking AP Calculus AB. She is also a captain of the girls soccer team, and the president of the Spanish National Honor Society.

“We are blessed to have the opportunity to be here and have the

Flavia and Fabio Salima Marcano stand outside Woodland Hills Elementary school on the first day of school in the United States. Flavia was starting 5th grade and Fabio was starting 2nd. They did some online instruction to learn English, but picked up more of the language just being with their new friends. Photo submitted by Daniela Marcano Latuff.

chance to [give] our kids a better life,” Daniela Marcano Latuff said. “That is priceless.”

Flavia hopes to earn a degree in electrical or mechanical engineering like her father. She has big dreams of repaying her parents for the sacrifices they have made for her and her brother.

“It’s not something that stresses me out, but I do wanna give them what they gave me and more in the future,” Flavia said. “I’m confident that I will.”

Requenas find safety in U.S.

By Sydney Ortiz Sports Editor

The picture of the Caracas Mountains in Samantha Requena’s living room transports the sophomore back to her birth country of Venezuela.

“It’s in my memories, I see it, and I remember looking at it,” Requena said “I remember hiking up the mountain.”

Samantha Requena

Requena’s memories of her birth country are limited. She moved to the United States at 2 years old when her parents noticed rising crime rates, job insecurity and the scarcity of baby products in Venezuela.

The Requenas also wanted the safest place to raise Samantha, who was born with a congenital amputation of her left arm due to amniotic bands syndrome.

“We wanted to make sure she grew up in a society that was a lot more diverse and accepting of physical differences,” her mother Daniela Requena said.

The family started researching the move around July 2010. By February 2011, Daniela sought a work visa for the United States. Nine months later, their move was approved.

Once the family was settled in the United States, they continued their process of seeking citizenship.

“With all the political uproar that we lived through since we were 17 years old, and all the problems that we went through, for us, it was important to be part of somewhere and belong to a country and be able to vote,” Daniela Requena said.

After 12 years of being in the United States, Samantha and her father Andres became United States citizens on Feb. 8, 2023. Her mother was granted citizenship in July 2023.

“[Being granted citizenship] gave us a feeling of safety, like nobody can kick us out anymore,” Daniela said. “It makes you feel grounded. You finally belong somewhere.”

Fabio Salima Marcano celebrates his last birthday in Venezuela with his grandma, grandpa, aunt

Daniela Marcano Latuff.

With jobs, school and family obligations, students struggle to find a balance.

By Preston Carpenter Staff Writer

Senior Nolan Datz was about to cry.

As an intern, he sat alone in a little corner of a workshop in front of a conveyor belt, ducts gathering in piles waiting to be glued together. The work was physically and mentally tiring, and the combined feelings of stress and loneliness had become too much.

He was burnt out.

According to the World Health Organization, burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been managed successfully. The effects of burnout can range from physical fatigue to depression and decreased self-worth. Burnout isn’t something to be prepared for, as even in enjoyable jobs, it can still find a way to affect them.

Datz was excited when he got an internship at a manufacturing facility last summer. He believed the internship would push him closer to his goal of welding. The day of the internship arrived and Datz could tell from the start it was going to be difficult.

“It was just a really degrading environment,“ Datz said. “The work and the type of job, it was just very abrasive, fast-paced and just a really mentally challenging environment.”

Datz continued to work at his internship for around a month before ultimately quitting due to the extra stress and mental tolls. The internship, while negative, helped Datz realize that welding wasn’t a career he wanted to pursue.

“I think my outlook has changed, I have more realistic expectations for myself as to what I can do and what I’m capable of,” Datz said.

While burnout brings excess stress and pressure to those affected by it, the jobs causing it still remain necessary in the lives of many students.

Senior Alexa Grubb’s burnout stems from working three jobs throughout the week. Grubb works as a host at Zero Gravity Jump

Zone, a caretaker at Second Baptist, and as a babysitter whenever she isn’t working at her other jobs. Grubb typically works 15 to 25 hours a week. This, along with theater rehearsals after school, has left her with little time for herself.

Despite the lack of free time, Grubb keeps on working. Grubb’s jobs give her the money she needs to pay for her car. However, even without the money, Grubb said the experiences given to her by the jobs have made all the time and effort worth it.

“It can get tiring, but it’s pretty nice,” Grubb said. ”I want to major in elementary education, so all the experience with all the kiddos is really nice for me.”

A major reason that people continue to work through burnout is the money they receive from their jobs.

Even while being burnt out from working at Olive Garden, junior Tatum Holloway continues to work because of the money. Hol-

loway started working at Olive Garden after being told by her mom to go out and get a job. Quickly after joining, burnout began to impact Holloway’s day-to-day life.

The strain of getting home at 11 p.m. and then starting homework had a noticeable impact on her schoolwork. Holloway’s grades started to drop. Despite this, Holloway is still committed to making money – going as far as picking up double shifts on the weekends and staying to close the restaurant whenever she can.

“Honestly, I don’t think I will quit for a while until I’m able to become a server because the pay’s good for my age,” Holloway said.

The mental strain burnout causes can be a lot to handle – even overwhelming at times; however, the experiences they bring still lead to positive growth.

“I don’t regret the experience I got,” Datz said, “but I regret the trauma it gave me.”

Senior Nolan Datz worked at a internship for one month over the summer. He had planned to become a welder, but he changed his mind after the internship. Photo of manufacturing facility by Nolan Datz. Photo graphic by Kaitlyn Sitton.

Burnout leads Villegas to new career, focus

By Olivia Brenner Staff Writer

By her senior year of college, Kimberly Villegas was over it.

“It” was college, classes and especially writing essays. She had a huge term paper to write, but waited until the last minute. She stayed up until 6 a.m. to finish it. After two long years of taking 17-20 hours of English and an all-nighter of writing, she turned in “the worst, most trash essay in the history of the world.”

Villegas, now an English teacher, experienced burnout, something that is now the norm among many students. Throughout her beginning years of college, Villegas changed her major at least four times. Before ending up as an English literature major, Villegas was originally a double major in chemistry and French. She was also on a pre-med track, hoping to someday become a doctor.

“I wasn’t even willing to put in the work that was necessary to get to the burnout stage. Organic

6WORD STORIES: Burnout Edition

Students share 6-word stories of their burnout experiences.

“2 jobs. 75 hours. I’m done.”

Jaxon Garrett, 12

“Burnout. Passion later becomes a chore.”

Paisley Thomas, 11

“There’s a thing called free time?”

Anya Henry, 12

“Wake, work, rest. Wake, work, weep.”

Jack Coffey, 11

“Hard times and always very tired.”

Alyssa Topass, 10

“Tired of all the advanced work.”

Rayden DeSouza, 10

“Sometimes there is just too much.”

Kallen Cosper, 12

chemistry was what broke me for pre-med,” Villegas said. “It turns out, you should major in things that come naturally to you.”

Villegas sees burnout in her students often. Becoming too involved and biting off more than they can chew is common, making burnout very prevalent, especially among juniors who are preparing for their college applications.

According to Villegas, sometimes it’s necessary to drop an activity, change habits, or switch your focus when facing burnout. When dealing with burnout in college herself, Villegas found that taking a fun class, like keyboard piano playing, or just changing scenery, helped her stay balanced. She believes that in order to maintain that balance, sometimes it’s necessary to take those breaks or drop something all together, in favor of what is more important.

“Focus your attention on things that you can control,” Villegas said. “What can you take off your plate?”

“It ruins my mood and energy.”

Rocco Huerta, 11

“Passion faded. Energy drained. Dreams postponed.”

Haley Pena, 9

“I can’t focus. What’s the point?”

Marie Wakefield, 10

“My senior year: School, work, repeat.”

Kiersten St. Julien

“Motivation faded, routine remained, spirit dimmed.”

Rachel Hamilton, 9

“I start strong, but end weak.”

Angelica Gonzalez, 12

“Exhausted,frustrated, depressed. Not myself anymore.”

Amber Batiste, 11

“High expectations but lacking needed rest.”

Hogan Anderson, 12

“Pushed too hard. Stepped back, thrived.”

Isa Salgado, 10

“Too much work, not enough rest.”

Bryce Gerbasich, 11

“Sleep deprived and AP history class.”

Valeria Torres, 10

“School gets exhausting. Breaks are motivation.”

Emma Thaxton, 11

“It happens almost every single year.”

Elena Amos, 11

“Being tired of my hobbies.”

Harper Toth, 12

“Overwhelmed from schoolwork and home life.”

Bailey Eitreim, 12

“Too much tennis then I retired.”

Andrew Carson, 12

“Started really early, lasts pretty long.”

Garrison Moritz, 12

“Stressful, overwhelming, monotonous, isolating, disappointing, exhausting.”

Avery Hewitt, 9

“Half flame, whole burn, half return.”

Claire Slaydon, 10

During 6th period Dual Credit English 4, Kimberly Villegas talks with senior Sarah Cahill as students have a work day. Photo by Olivia Brenner.

Five Nights at Freddy’s

How do you play? You are a security guard and you are trying to survive until 6 a.m. every day for five nights. You have a camera to check the animatronics and the levels get harder every night.

What is the ultimate goal in the game? The ultimate goal is to survive all five nights and to protect yourself from the creatures.

Why it’s fun: This game is very fun and entertaining. I was surprised to find out that it was free online because it is a game that you usually have to pay for. Some of the controls, like opening the camera were suboptimal, but the actual premise was really cool and I’m pretty sure they had most of the FNAF games on this page. I was really impressed with the quality and would definitely play again.

- Maggie Spara

Super Mario Bros.

How do you play? To play super Mario you have to jump and run over enemies and obstacles to the checkpoint.

What is the ultimate goal? The ultimate goal is to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser who kidnapped her.

Why is this fun? This is one of the most fun games at school to play because it’s easy to play. The game also carries your progress using the level skipping mechanism. Also, it’s a great classic and casual game that is addictive and creative, proving to be good after all these years.

- Chase Canlas

SCAN AND PLAY

Scan the QR code to play on school WiFi. You can play these games on desktops or Chromebooks in your free time.

FNAF

Need a brain break? Check out a few of the top games available on school WiFi, offering a fun escape on computers and laptops when you find free time.

Geometry Dash

How do you play? In Geometry Dash, you are personified as a square block with three little blocks for two eyes and a mouth. You jump by clicking the space bar, and that’s about all you do. Obstacles come at you with alarming speed, and you must avoid them lest you be crushed into green spraying pixels.

What is the ultimate goal? You have one goal in your life, and that is to reach the end. If there is an end… It seems to stretch on endlessly, and the only thing that keeps you sane is the increasing high score.

Why is this fun? This game drives you insane. You will laugh, you will cry, you will shake your fists to the heavens in protest against cruel, cruel fate after you have met your demise for the seventh time. You will proclaim you’re done, and you won’t click that spacebar to play again. You have work to do, a math test to study for, a chemistry paper to do.

However, you are mortally flawed and the temptations of humanity are branded upon your brow; and you will play again and again and again, until your life and what made it worth living has fled, and you are alone with the yellow square with blocky eyes that reflect into your own pools of nothingness. You will swear you will never play again, but will ultimately click that cursed space key one more time to rally for another battle of the keyboard.

- Marie Wakefield

Super Mario Bros. Geometry Dash

Papa’s Freezeria Hoopgrids

Papa’s Freezeria

How do you play? Run a Freezeria by using point and click mechanics

What is the ultimate goal? Make as much money as possible. Why is this fun? It’s fun because it has held up for many, many years. It’s engaging, which makes you want to continue playing for long periods of time. The mechanics are easy and it doesn’t require skill. It’s an extremely fun game and perfect to pass the time. Truly a staple to Cool Math Games’ website.

- Eleanor Durand

Hoopgrids

How do you play? You use the search function to find an NBA player that fits into all the categories listed.

What is the ultimate goal? The goal is to name the most obscure players you can and get the lowest rarity score.

Why is this fun? It’s a great way to keep up with NBA knowledge as well as think outside the box. You can replay to try and get better scores. It’s a daily updated game so you can always look forward to it, as well as play the previous days. A great game for all basketball fans.

-

Jack Coffey

How do you play? The game consists of finding the word of the day, which is always five letters long. The game gives you five guesses. Once you type in a word, the game will let

Pac-Man

Stick Duel

How do you play? You play as a stick person fighting another stick person. You have to pick up a weapon and try to defeat your opponent. Every round when you kill the opponent or vice versa, you gain a point. If you gain all the points you win the game. In some maps you can’t go outside the barrier or you’ll die and the opponent gains a point.

What is the ultimate goal? The ultimate goal of the game is to just defeat your opponent in battle by picking up different weapons before they kill you instead, collect kill points and win the games.

Why is this one fun? This is one of the most fun games because it gives you a challenge. When I was playing this game it was really fun, I had to play it more than once because it was so fun and because I kept getting killed. The highlight of the game would be for you to just dodge your opponent and grab weapons, because it’s the main part of the game. A goal people might have with this game is just trying to kill the person because it jumps and runs a lot. It’s really quick when it comes to dodging and grabbing weapons before you. When I found this game it really made me interested because every time I won I still decided to play it again. It gave me a challenge. I never played this game when I was younger but it still gives me a lot of nostalgia because I used to watch stick fighting videos.

- Amber Batiste

you know if one of the letters is correct and whether or not it’s in the right place. What is the ultimate goal? To find the word of the day. Why is this fun? Wordle is one of the best online games

because it makes you think, but not so hard that it sucks the fun out of the game. If you are like me and English is a strong suit for you, you will love this game.

- Kiersten St. Julien

How do you play? You start out as Pac-Man and begin eating the little yellow dots surrounding you. You’re trying to run away from wandering ghosts while continuing to eat nearby dots. There are 5 total dots which are bolded for you to eat, and once you consume one you will then have the ability to eat the ghosts. Once you eat all bolded yellow dots, the remaining ghosts are terminated. What is the ultimate goal? The goal of this game is to stay alive and eat all the ghosts in the area. Why is this fun? Pac-Man is a straightforward game. You eat the ghosts and hope they don’t eat you first. It’s very easy to play and it gives you a rush, making the game more fun to play. This rush can be a challenge though. If you don’t eat all the ghosts in time, you have to restart. The goal of eating all the ghosts before they eat you creates a loop, making you want to keep playing. This game can get addictive, but it can be an entertaining game for those who have free time at school.

- Sophia Artola Villaorduna

Wordle Stick Duel Pac-Man

Taylordle Ragdoll Runners

Tiles

Senior Ivan Reyes sprints to make a tackle against Crosby on Oct. 10. He started playing football for the first time when he moved to Texas from Mexico as a junior in high school.

Reyes emerges as vocal leader one year after joining team, learning English

By Zachary Ford Staff Writer

After living in Mexico all of his life, senior Ivan Reyes moved to Texas his sophomore year. When he first moved, he pursued his passion and started playing organized football for the first time as a junior.

Reyes was the backup middle linebacker on Kingwood Park’s junior varsity football team last year and helped the team to a 10-0 record.

That was just a starting point though. Being a backup didn’t deter his work ethic going into the offseason.

“It was crazy the amount of work I did,” Reyes said. “If I didn’t put in all the work I did that offseason like the weights, running track and everything else, I don’t think I would’ve made it to where I am now. My mindset was to do my best. I wanted the other team to be scared of going against me.”

Moving to Texas did not only introduce Reyes to football but also to a new language. He learned English not only by taking classes,

but he primarily learned it by being around his fellow teammates and coaches.

“I didn’t know English when I moved here,” Reyes said. “But com ing to school and talk ing to teammates really helped me. The football team helped me find a place where I could feel comfortable while learning a new language and also a new game.”

After all of the off season work and grit, Reyes was the number one middle linebacker on the depth chart going into his senior year.

“Ivan is very aggressive and likes to hit, which makes for a really good linebacker,” assistant coach James Showers said. “He is hungry, smart

and improving each week. I think he has a chance to play at the next level depending on his continued

Showers said he can see the determination and leadership that Reyes brings to every play whether it be practice reps or game situations.

“He has grown into the position well,” Showers said. “The middle linebacker is the leader of the defense and has to be able to lead vocally and by example. Ivan is a natural leader and is handling the position well. He knows how to lead and is not afraid to speak

Fellow middle linebacker Talon Benton notes that Reyes’s hard work is not going unnoticed. The two

teammates are helping each other continue to get better. They’ve created a bond on the field and strengthened their friendship and brotherhood off the field as well.

“This is one of the hardest working seasons I’ve ever had and it’s been tiring yet rewarding,” Benton said. “Ivan is a playmaker; he’s getting better the more he plays. He always has my back in practice and in games. When someone talks trash, hits me late or fouls me, Ivan will be the first to jump in with me to fight for me. We’ve become insanely close and he’s become a brother to me.”

In only his second year in the sport, Reyes is becoming a leader and just enjoying the game. He’s taking advantage of the opportunities presented to him, and he can’t wait to continue to perfect his craft.

“God is the most important thing in my life,” Reyes said. “None of this would happen if He was not there. I can’t wait to continue to get better and improve with Him guiding the way for me.”

Ivan Reyes. Photo by Sydney Ortiz.

Senior Ivan Reyes listens in a huddle to coach Sean Bright give instructions to the defense in a game against Dayton. Photos by Tricia Darcy.

RACE AGAINST CANCER

Swim team races to raise money in open water charity event

By Marie Wakefield Special Contributor

After girls swim coach John Dissinger’s mother passed away last year from cancer, he wanted to make a difference.

As a five-year open water competitor, Dissinger invited the swim team to a charity swim event on Lake Conroe in Margaritaville on Oct. 5. The event was to raise money for MD Anderson Cancer research with the nonprofit Swim Across America.

Swim Across America has raised over $100 million for cancer research and aims to make cancer a chronic disease.

“Since losing my mom, I tried to get more people involved and spread the word and spread the fight,” Dissinger said.

When he extended the invitation to swimmers on the boys and girls swim teams, Dissinger didn’t expect how many people would answer the call. Kingwood Park Swimming ended up raising more than $8,000, which was double the amount of any other swim team in attendance.

There were three races available for the Kingwood Park athletes: the half mile, the mile and the two mile. While a majority of the team swam the mile, sophomore Courtney Scott decided to race the two mile.

Scott has been swimming in open water events since she was 10 and has competed at the national level. She enjoyed watching swimmers who have never swam open water do it for the first time.

“[I loved seeing] all the new people try out open water and get to experience it,” said Scott, who finished second to freshman Jaxon Major in the two mile event.

During the event, everyone signed a banner with the name of a loved one who was fighting

cancer, had beaten cancer or who had passed away due to cancer.

Almost everyone there had a name to write down.

Daisy Thompson, a distance swimmer and a harpist in chamber orchestra, used a Sharpie lying on the table to add a name to the banner.

“I have a best friend,” Thompson said. “His name is Darren Han. He passed away at the beginning of this year from brain cancer, so I’m swimming for him.”

Thompson also believes that anyone – even in a global issue like cancer – can make change. By participating in events like Swim Across America, critical money is raised for research.

“I think that perspective is really important, and that if we find a new perspective then we can make a difference,” Thompson said.

Swimming the race wasn’t the only way to help out. Kingwood

Park was not only a powerhouse in providing funds but also in providing volunteers as well. The volunteers passed out towels, helped register people for the swim and greeted swimmers at the finish line.

Junior Marisa Chinen, who could not swim due to a medical

issue, still came to support her team and the cause.

“You can always do something,” Chinen said. “I mean, I’m here volunteering [even though] I can’t swim. Just being here helps out everyone and everyone gets to see the effect on cancer.”

The swimmers compete in the one-mile event at Lake Conroe in Margaritaville on Oct. 5. The Kingwood Park swimmers raised more than $8,000 for the charity event. Photo submitted by Nancy Wakefield.

Swimmers Daisy Thompson, Marie Wakefield, Amerie West, Deborah Sullivan and Cecelia Sullivan meet Mark Barr, a cancer survivor and 4x paralympian. Barr is the 2024 bronze medalist. Photo submitted by Nancy Wakefield.

Car crash motivates Lora leading up to Senior Night

By Zachary Ford Staff Writer

When football players prepare for game day, they know to be ready for anything. But senior running back Chris Lora never expected his biggest challenge on the day of his final home game to be off the field. As Lora drove to school on Oct. 24, he was involved in a three-car accident.

“I was in utter shock like I didn’t think it was real,” Lora said. “You see all these crashes in movies and on social media and you never know how it feels until you get into one. I didn’t know what to do after it happened, so I just called my mom.”

worked so hard to get? I just played that game for my grandparents and my mom, because they worked so hard to get me to where I am.”

This road bump didn’t affect his performance. He scored a touchdown in his last home game to help the Panthers to a 41-7 victory over Pasadena.

Though his car was totaled, no one was hurt. Lora used this conflict as motivation to have a successful Senior Night at Turner Stadium. Lora understood the adversity was in the past. He made sure he remembered who he was playing for – his family.

“I just knew that it was only up from there,” Lora said. “I mean, what worse could happen than wrecking your car that your parents

“It felt great to score,” Lora said. “It’s definitely one of the more special touchdowns I’ve scored this year. It felt great celebrating it with my brothers on the field.”

Even though he scored, the stats Lora put up would be considered subpar compared to his season averages. This was because he had fewer carries due to it being Senior Night, where playing time was spread out to allow all seniors opportunities. This did not disappoint Lora though. He was ecstatic for his fellow running backs to get in the game, especially senior Aaron Rivera who hadn’t played all season.

“Aaron’s one of the most deserving people I know,” Lora said. “He works his butt off day in and day out and he just makes sure everyone’s okay. He definitely deserves it the most. I’m glad I got to see my teammates succeed and play well.”

Q&A

WITH KRISSLYN BOYLES

On Oct. 18, two-year captain Krisslyn Boyles recorded her 1,000th dig. In this Q&A, the senior reflects on her career.

Q: What was it like as you neared 1,000 digs?

A: “I was very excited and surprised, I didn’t know I got that many defensive touches because I saw myself as more of an offensive player.”

Q: In the game before you reached the milestone, you had 999 digs. Were you aware you were close?

A: “I was unaware. It was actually really funny though because the whole team knew, and I didn’t understand why they were upset when the game ended. I kept asking what was going on and everyonwe just told me it was a guy drama. I felt really bad though because I thought there was something seriously wrong because everyone on the team seemed affected.”

Q: What does it mean to you to reach that milestone?

A: “It means for me that all of the little things and the hard work really does show up in games. Over the years I have really grown as a player, especially on defense. I wasn’t very good at defense compared to people in club when I was younger, so to see how far I have come has been really awesome.”

Q: Who or what in particular has most helped you get to this point in volleyball?

A: “My mom and my older sister are definitely an inspiration to me. My mom played volleyball in college at HBU and coached after that, so she helps explain and give advice after games or if I have questions.

“And God has really helped me pull through this season. There were a lot of times I

was mentally tired of being in pain and injured. There was one game I just recovered from a back injury so I could hit again, and then only after a few points I strained something in my rotator cuff and I had to take another break, and I didn’t know how I could keep mentally going.

“I had to really rely on God and my relationship with him throughout high school, and to get me to this point in my volleyball career.”

Q: In what ways has playing club beach volleyball helped helped you in high school?

A: “Beach volleyball has helped increase my vertical so I can get higher on the net. Since beach is more strategy, I got to see holes in people’s defense better and exploit them by placing the ball. My ball control and knowledge of the game definitely got better because beach volleyball helps you look at indoor in a different perspective.”

Q: What will you miss about high school volleyball?

A: “The amazing people I get to practice with and goof off with everyday, that’s something I will miss looking forward to. This has definitely been one of my favorite teams I have been on, and I will miss everyone a lot. Also being the captain, I feel like I take care of the team and I will definitely miss that leadership position.”

Q: What are your goals for after high school?

A: “Get committed to a college to play beach volleyball and become a coach.”

**See the complete Q&A with Boyles at KPTimes.com

Senior running back Chris Lora is escorted on the field by his mom and grandparents prior to the Senior Night game at Turner Stadium on Oct. 24. Lora was in a car accident that morning. Photo by Rocco Huerta.

Senior Chris Lora’s vehicle was part of a three-car accident on North Park before school on Oct. 24. Photo submitted by Chris Lora.

Merino, Brown run friendly rivalry to State Meet

By Tricia Darcy Visuals Editor

As the shotgun is heard to begin the race, seniors Carson Brown and Elijah Merino sprint off the line to get to the front of the pack. At the beginning of the race, Brown pushes Merino forward to help lead him to the front.

After multiple races of Brown doing this, Merino said he always expects the push at the beginning of the race.

Brown and Merino, who are the cross country team’s top two runners, qualified for the UIL 5A Cross Country State Championships for the third year in a row.

“Elijah and Carson have been really good leaders,” boys cross country coach James Higham said. “They have helped establish a culture of running. They’re really pushing themselves and pushing each other to be the best they can.”

Both runners competed in the District Meet at Atascocita High School on Oct. 10. Merino placed second and Brown placed third. At the Region Meet, Merino took fifth and Brown was 7th.

They focused on helping lift each other to one more State appearance all season.

“Every time we didn’t feel like running or didn’t feel like giving it our all, we’d always push each other,” Brown said. “Whether it be harsh love or soft love, we always told each other we have to do this. We only have four years, and this will be our last chance.”

It was during their sophomore seasons when Brown and Merino started to push each other the most. Both athletes wanted to be the team’s number one runner, so they fostered a healthy competition.

“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be as fast,” Merino said. “He’s very much that source of motivation because I don’t want to be beat by him, so I’m going to run faster.”

As they became veterans on the

cross country team, the two also became a reliable source of leadership. Since becoming the new head coach, Higham has recognized the runners’ work ethics and the accountability each possesses. He likes the healthy competition they created for themselves.

“There’s always that friendly competitive spirit,” Higham said. “They both do a good job of bouncing off of each other and helping each other out.”

With the help of their coach and competitive attitudes, Brown and Merino have worked to fight for the top two spots. While other

teammates have quit the sport along the way, Brown is grateful to still battle with Merino each day.

“It means a lot because a lot of people in our grade that did cross country, they dropped out,” Brown said. “So at least being able to have Elijah, who’s up there with me in speed, it means a lot to me.”

With expectations of running in college and remaining friends, Brown and Merino said they are excited to move on to the next level. However, they will not forget the connections built at

Kingwood Park.

For both of the athletes, Merino especially, running cross country has proven to be a memorable experience. Since their freshman year, the athletes grew what they call a “brotherhood” between all of their teammates.

“It’s sweet in the sense that I’m so glad that it happened,” Merino said. “But also bitter in the sense of, I don’t know what happens next. I know we can always be friends, but it’s just a matter of time before it’s over.”

Seniors Elijah Merino and Carson Brown jump off the line at the sound of the gun during the Nike South Meet in The Woodlands. The two always line up together with Brown helping Merino set the pace in the races. Photo by Tricia Darcy.

Being bilingual should become a priority for all

Speaking three languages or more is totally normal in Europe, so I was very surprised that most American students learned a language in school but didn’t speak it very well.

By Michelle Klanke

In Germany, I started learning English at school when I was 9 years old. When I was 12, I started learning French. I had to take both languages until last year. In the three years that I have to study in Germany when I return until I graduate, I have to continue learning one of the languages.

WHAT’S HOT?

Beyonce. Thank you, Beyonce, for letting us publish this newspaper Lone Star Showdown. UT-Austin vs. Texas A&M. The best rivalry in college football is back for the first time since 2011.

Tyler, the Creator. His new album’s surprise features were a mood booster on a Monday morning. Pesto the penguin and Moo Deng. Cute animals cause an internet storm. Yay!

Being educated on politics. USA. USA. USA! Voting is important. Wicked. How will we be able to wait a whole year for a Part 2??

WHAT’S NOT?

The fog and heat. We can’t see anything, and where is fall?

Morning traffic. We’re just trying to get to school on time.

Bad WiFi. The workload is crazy, and now we can’t even get to our assignments.

Hallway traffic. Hey! I’m walking here!

Concert ticket prices. Hundreds of dollars for nosebleeds?!?

Senioritis. It’s too early for this, yet here we are.

In Europe it is also very easy to travel to another country. So many people do it. Especially in Germany it is very popular to travel to other countries because it is so centrally located. You can be in another country in three hours by car, and thanks to the European Union we don’t need a visa to do it. I myself have been on vacation in Denmark, the Czech Republic, Belgium, France and three times in Spain. My five different countries that I have traveled to are few for European standards, so it was a bit of a culture shock for me that some people I have met here have never traveled to another country before.

I think it’s important, when you travel to another country, to know a little bit of the language to show

that you’ve taken a little bit of time to understand it, even if it’s just hello, please, thank you and goodbye. Learning the language of the country you are traveling to not only shows the people that you are interested in the culture and you can learn more about the culture. It also makes your stay easier because sometimes English

doesn’t work so well.

For me, my language lessons have been very helpful so far because I was able to do a little exchange from my school to France for a week and my current exchange year here. I have to say that it is very helpful to know the languages beforehand.

Acceptance to Mizzou is relief in senior year

After a long four and a half hour drive and a week of college visits, I stepped foot on the campus of the University of Missouri. It was the last college tour I would go on and would decide my future.

I started my college journey in February of my sophomore year with a tour at the University of Texas in Austin. It was amazing. I thought I would end up there; but after a few more tours, I realized it wasn’t meant to be. I preferred a campus with a smaller feel in a college town. I ended up touring nine other colleges throughout my junior year, ending my journey with the University of Missouri – Mizzou.

By Kaitlyn Sitton

I already knew Mizzou would

be good for me and my career after visiting a college fair at a national journalism convention my sophomore year in Missouri. I intend to go into journalism and the journalism major there is amazing. I talked with a group of students, got some flyers and realized this would be a really good school for me. I just didn’t realize how good of a fit it was for me. When people say you’ll feel when a college is right for you, they mean it. When talking to the tour guides and some of the admissions people there, I felt like I belonged at Mizzou. The campus was so nice, the journalism program was amazing, I could see myself walking to my classes there everyday.

That’s when I knew where I wanted to go.

I ended up applying to Louisiana State University, University of Arkansas, University of North Texas and Mizzou. Of course, my ultimate goal was to get accepted into Mizzou.

I had a college coach help me with my common application and my essay to make sure it was the best it could be. I triple checked my application before I finally pressed submit on Aug. 3.

I anxiously awaited a response from Mizzou on my acceptance. I checked my portal everyday to see if something had changed. One morning, I opened my portal to a burst of yellow and black confetti and the words “Congratulations on your acceptance” in big letters.

I burst into tears and ran downstairs to tell my parents. We were all crying and screaming. It was a feeling like no other.

Artwork by Fallon Head

Must-read books hit library shelves

This year, the library features many new titles available to students. Construction in the past has limited the number of new books that could be ordered, but with new shelf space, librarian Jessica Castille has stocked up on new titles interesting to students.

By Olivia Brenner

Some new and exciting books you can check out at the library include:

Down Came the Rain

by

Jennifer Mathieu

If you grew up in the Houston area, you remember Hurricane Harvey from 2017. Down Came the Rain is a novel about Hurricane Harvey and its impact. Eliza’s home was destroyed in the storm, and she is forced to move schools, like the Kingwood High School students who shared a campus with Summer Creek. At her new high school, Eliza gets involved in environmental activism, despite her father’s job in big oil, and meets Javi. They connect over their shared experiences of natural disasters. Based on an event many of us experienced, Down Came the Rain explores themes of mental health, climate crisis and activism, classism and love.

The Do-Over

by

Lynn Painter

Many of us remember New York Times best-selling author Lynn Painter from her popular novel Better Than the Movies, and this new novel keeps to the same genre: an adorable, heartmelting romance. After watching her boyfriend Josh cheat on her on Valentine’s Day, Emilie becomes stuck in a time loop, forced to endure the terrible holiday over

and over again. Every time, no matter how she tries to change the outcome of the day, she runs into Nick. Nick forgets the previous day’s events every time the day restarts, but Emilie remembers each version of the holiday. The Do-Over is perfect for readers looking for a sweet romance that may or may not cause some second-hand embarrassment.

Stateless by

Elizabeth Wein

Give Me A Sign by

Anna Sortino

Author Anna Sortino’s goal with this novel and her newest novel, On the Bright Side, is to increase diverse representation in the media by writing about disabled characters. In Give Me

A Sign, Lila is tired of not feeling normal enough but also not deaf enough to identify with either, so when she has the chance to be a counselor at a summer camp for the blind and deaf, she eagerly accepts. Her goal going in was to improve her ASL, but she ended up discovering a community in the campers, lifeguards and fellow counselors. Give Me A Sign dives into the complexity of deaf culture and identity in this coming-of-age, debut novel by Anna Sortino.

Set in between WWI and WWII, Stateless by Elizabeth Wein is what you would get if murder mystery and historical fiction had a baby. Europe in 1937 was dangerous and contentious. In the midst of the world conflicts and tensions of the era, the “Circuit of Nations Olympics of the Air” took place, intended to foster peaceful connections between the nations of the world. In reality, “peaceful” might not have been the best word. Young entrant Stella North discovered the other cut-throat contestants might be up to no good when one of the other pilots is rammed right out of the sky. When the evidence begins to point toward Stella as the culprit, she realizes she has to find the killer before she becomes their next victim. In Stateless, Elizabeth Wein delivers a thrilling murder mystery based on the true events of the pre-WWII era.

plot and well-written characters, A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow might be for you. Lila Reyes adores her home in Miami, but after a series of losses in her life, her worried family sends a very reluctant Lila to stay with her aunt in England. Despite missing Miami, Lila finds another home in England. She works in the kitchen of her aunt’s inn and makes friends with the local kids. One of the friends, Orion, even volunteers to be her personal tour guide. As her feelings for Orion and England grow, Lila begins to wonder what “home” really means. Through Lila’s story, A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow explores the merging of cultures and hearts.

If none of these titles caught your eye, suggestions for new books for the library are open. A QR code can be found in the library to request books to be included in the next order. While submitting a title does not guarantee it will be purchased, Castille encourages students to take advantage of this and request books that students will love.

Laura Taylor Namey

A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by

If you’re looking for a book with romance but a good, solid

New books in the library like Down Came the Rain and Give Me a Sign are available in the library. Photo by Olivia Brenner.

Latest Dragon Ball game worth the time, money

By Jack Coffey Special Contributor

The brand-new entry in the popular Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series has taken the gaming world by storm –selling over three million copies in its first 24 hours. The arena fighter has garnered an immediate casual and competitive community with nearly 300,000 concurrent players.

“Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero” hosts one of the largest rosters in fighting game history spanning four animated shows and 182 separate characters with more on the way in the form of paid DLC. The story of the game retells the most important events from the Dragon Ball TV show. There are small variations called “What If’s” if you manage to meet certain conditions, like beating a boss within a time limit or at a certain difficulty. There are also stages made by the community in the custom battle mode. These can be played online or downloaded for offline use.

The controls have been completely revamped for modern con-

Kingwood Park TIMES

November 2024

Volume 11, Issue 2

Kingwood, Texas 77339

EDITORS

Fallon Head, editor-in-chief

Kaitlyn Sitton, editor-in-chief

Tricia Darcy, visuals editor

Sydney Ortiz, sports editor STAFF WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS & SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS

soles, making use of every button for precise and fast-paced gameplay. Each character’s moveset includes a standard melee attack controlled by the square button (on PlayStation), and a ranged “Ki Blast” attack controlled by the triangle button. There are also three special moves used by holding down the right trigger and pressing the corresponding button on the ultimate attack menu. Each character also has special “skills” that can be used to regain health, give themselves a power boost, or dodge incoming attacks by

consuming a designated amount of skill points.

However, things are not all sunshines and rainbows as the game does have a fair amount of negative aspects. The most glaring problem is the model clipping – when a 3D model in a game seems to get stuck within obstacles in the environment. This can interrupt the flow of the game and cause a match to be restarted, which is very annoying in the case of ranked online matches. There is also the abysmal loading times in between menus, which can

bog down the experience when you want to get to a certain mode and have to wait near minutes for the game to catch up with your inputs. Lastly, there is the lack of character customization with most only having one or two alternate costumes. That is a big disappointment for fans of previous entries in the series as they were known for extensive personalization. All of these problems can, of course, be rectified by future updates. Considering the game is so new, I would imagine players wouldn’t have to wait long for quality improvement patches.

The game is a relatively steep $70, which may seem too much for a fighting game. However, for the swaths of content studio and community made accessible with this title I’d say it is more than worth the price tag. And with the holiday season around the corner, it may be on sale soon. I give Bandai Namco’s Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero a solid 9 out of 10 and a raving recommendation for all Dragon Ball or fighting game fans.

KP MEDIA EDITORIAL POLICY

KP Media is the official student-produced media of news and information published/produced by KP Media students. KP Media has been established as designated public forums for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisers may – and should –coach and discuss content during the writing process.

The media will cover community, state, national, and international news if it is directly relevant to the school community, and includes local angles.

The media will strive to provide coverage to all school organizations and functions.

Any decisions affecting the publications on all levels will be made by the editorial board, the adviser is allowed to give legal advice and his/her opinion, but the final decision rests in the hands of the editorial board.

Sophia Artola Villaorduna, Amber Batiste, Olivia Brenner, Chase Canlas, Preston Carpenter, Soleil Cavallo, Jack Coffey, Eleanor Durand, Zachary Ford, Heather Horace, Rocco Huerta, Jordan Hutchinson, Michelle Klanke, Rionna Martin, Emily Mckithern, Cameron Minatrea, Danielle Nalley, Pilar Retamales, Kiersten St. Julien, Bishop Scott, Maggie Spara, Marie Wakefield.

Adviser: Megan Ortiz

Cover Photo: Senior Alexa Grubb has dealt with burnout during high school. She works three jobs during the school year. Photo by Fallon Head.

Cover design by Kaitlyn Sitton, Fallon Head and Tricia Darcy.

Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of KP Media is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself, its student editorial board and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.

The media will serve the best interest of the students and faculty of Kingwood Park High School, keeping itself free from any commercial obligations distracting from this purpose; this is defined by the media itself.

All writing in the media, other than letters to the editor in the newsmagazine, will be written by students of the journalism program and will not be accepted otherwise.

The media will specialize in and emphasize on informing their readers of school news and unique students of the Kingwood Park High School community.

Only the editorial board may prevent material it judges to be in violation of the media editorial policy, from being printed.

Letters to editor will be printed in the opinion section of the newspaper or on the website. Letters to editor should not exceed 300 words, must be signed and must include writer’s address and phone number for verification. Letters to the editor will be verified by a member of the editorial board to determine the authenticity of the writer.

The school newspaper will be distributed free of charge to all students every 6-8 weeks. The paper is completely financed by advertising revenues and fundraising. The money raised is used to pay for the school media printing costs, supplies and other media expenses.

See the entire staff editorial policy at KPTimes.com

“Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero” is the latest edition to the popular Dragon Ball Z franchise.

Flex Hour offers ideal break to help avoid burnout

Burnout is described by Science Direct as someone’s reaction to chronic-stress. In a study by Common Sense Media, 27% of teenagers report feeling burned out.

Teens are juggling so many activities, sports teams, extra-curriculars, jobs and family responsibilities these days. Often sleep is lacking and stress is prevalent. While more needs to be done at school to recognize the issues at hand, Flex Hour is the most

“Burnout

beneficial time in the day that truly addresses this issue for teens.

Flex Hour provides a vital break for students, allowing them one hour of unstructured time in the middle of the school day to eat, rest, talk with friends or do homework.

The time to study and get ahead on homework helps students balance their workload and make it somewhat manageable. The more manageable homework is, the more likely it is a student will get

is Real” by Tricia Darcy

a significant amount of sleep.

For students who are involved inside and outside of school with sports, work, school organizations and other responsibilities, the hour of flex can be a vital time for students to catch up with friends. The time flex provides for students to sit and talk with each other is vital for building social skills and communication.

Flex also allows students to take some needed time to relax. Sometimes the best thing students

can do during flex for their success and health is for them to take the hour to rest. For students who work non-stop, the time to sit with friends and unwind is vital. Life can be non-stop, and the pressure of staying on top of school and work can lead to students neglecting themselves.

Having an hour every day in school to do whatever you need to get done, even if that’s something like a quick nap or catching up on homework, helps students greatly.

LAST LOOK

The annual dodgeball competition between Kingwood and Kingwood Park took place on Oct. 21 with KHS winning the ultimate bragging rights. All photos by Jordan Hutchinson.

Junior Nathan Eveler, senior Nick Hardin, junior Micheal Segura and junior Griffin Resendez celebrate teammate Blake Heckman after winning a game against Kingwood during their dodgeball tournament.

Seniors Collier Smith, Carter Hawkins and Talon Benton react to referee calls during a dodgeball game against Kingwood on Oct. 21.

Senior Kendall Lockett, senior Catherine Rodee, junior Madison Staggs, and senior Alaina Villagomez prepare for their dodgeball game while the whistle is blown at Kingwood High School.

Senior Blake Heckman and junior Micheal Segura prepare for the whistle to be blown for the beginning of their dodgeball game against Kingwood.

Sophomore Julianna Tartamella participates in the dodgeball game against Kingwood, playing for the Fashion Club team.