MyDSHS March newspaper

MARCH/2017

MYDSHSNEWS

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DSHS students strap up in preparation for the enormous school-wide Nerf War sponsored by Interact. Photos special to MyDSHS.

DSHS turned war-zone over hugely successful Interact fundraiser IN THIS ISSUE OPINION

Column: The word triggered Page 2

SPORTS

Feature: Basketball senior Payton Hall moves forward Page 16

FEATURES

DSHS Jams at lunch Page 8

JT Dahill

News Editor On Friday, Feb. 17, the Interact Club launched its annual Nerf War supporting an international service project. With 84 teams of six people, this year’s Nerf War fundraiser raised over $5,000 for the First Baptist Mission of Haiti. Unlike last year’s Nerf War, the Interact officers opened up participation to both upperclassmen and lowerclassmen.

“I absolutely love it,” high school math teacher and parent Adrienne Jones said. “It provides students an opportunity to learn and practice teamwork, conflict resolution, and social skills.”

Teachers and students agree that the Nerf War is an extremely creative way to fundraise for charity.

“It is really funny but strange how the school, which is under-

standably very strict towards weapons on campus, allows students for a few weeks to be walking around campus packing tons of Nerf guns,” sophomore Ella Gardner said. “I also find it funny that someone would call the police to investigate a Nerf ‘hit squad’ waiting for one of their adversaries to walk out of a store.”

Although the Nerf War aims to be an exciting event while...

Continued on News >> Page 4

OPINION

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March, 2017

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The word “triggered” Clara Comparan Staff Writer

Emotions are powerful things. Often certain words or images trigger different emotions. These immediate primal responses are the result of thousands of years worth of evolution and development. Humans are hardwired to react quickly; it’s what has kept us alive. In a world that is constantly changing, one would think language is constant. This is completely untrue.

Words change and develop every day. These changes don’t often happen in the way a word looks but rather the emotions the word elicits. The connotation changes as does the way it is used.

One recent example of this shift is in the word triggered. I am indeed guilty of using it in joking manner,

and this is not an article trying to restrict or judge anyone using it, just to simply explain the changes in its meaning and the way it has affected people.

Recently, as I was scrolling through Instagram, there was a slightly controversial image posted by a student about her experience at the Women’s March.

The post detailed her pride in being a woman and her hope for eventually accomplishing equal rights for all.

Of course, I was wildly proud of this and liked it immediately. However, as I was scrolling through the comments of this post, I came across a comment made by another student saying, “Wait, what rights do women not

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have?” I was surprised and shocked by the obvious aggression displayed by this student after the original owner of the post responded politely about why she had marched. A short conversation ensued in which the girl diffused the situation by refusing to argue with someone who was unwilling to see both sides of it.

I later checked back to the post and was surprised to see “TRIGGERED” commented beneath the short altercation. This is where I began to recognize the change in the way the word was being used. It was said offensively and was completely inaccurate to the situation.

I was surprised that someone would call the girl, calmly defending herself in the comments, triggered. I had heard the word thrown around the hallways at school, of course, as a joke and even used it myself a couple times in order to laugh off my own offence at something, but the word has changed from a lighthearted joke to an insult.

I find this to be completely surprising seeing how important the word is to some people. I do not believe in censoring students or making them feel ashamed for something that seems so

Meet the Staff Editor-in-Chief Jaxson Thornton ‘18 Opinion Editor Rylee Matousek ‘17

Features Editor Jaxson Thornton ‘18

Sports Editor Jillian Shepperd ‘17

Entertainment Editor Nifa Kaniga ‘17

Online Editor Grayson Ruiz ‘18

News Editor JT Dahill ‘17

Staff Writers Emily Curran, Giselle Galletti, Alyssa Weinstein, Camryn Horst, Jade Berry, Liliana Reyes, Clara Comparan, Olivia Fletcher, Dallas Johnson

trivial and unimportant but triggers are very real for some people.

Students are lacking the perspective needed in order to see what the world really means. For a retired military member or a victim of sexual assault, anything could trigger an immediate negative reaction. These events or words are called “triggers” because they can cause awful flashbacks and/ or trick the mind into panic attacks or worse. Traumatic triggers are tied to PTSD, and people should not be made fun of or called out for having sensitivities to often traumautic events. I hope for the safety of other people that words will be chosen more carefully in the future andwe can stop using this word incorrectly.

When someone is triggered, it’s because something has set off a negative emtion or memory inside of them, causing their emotions to spiral. When someone talks about a topic they feel passionately about, they are not triggered. When someone seems upset, they aren’t triggered. Let’s save this word for those who have truly experienced a traumatic and life changing event so we can refrain from lessening the severity of their experience.

Opinion

MyDSHS welcomes reader viewpoints through letters to the editor and guest columns. Opinions expressed in myDSHSnews are not necessarily those of the Dripping Springs High School or Dripping Springs ISD administration.

Editorials, Columns & Letters

Editorials express the opinions of the myDSHS Editorial Board. Letters and columns are the opinions of an individual and not myDSHS.

Letters

To submit a letter, email DSHSstudentmedia@dsisdconnect.com. Letters should be a maxiumum of 400 words. The letter is not guaranteed to be published.

March, 2017

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COLUMN

A divided nation Grayson Ruiz Online Editor

The past few months have been exhausting for America’s political system. The rhetoric and harangue of the last election cycle further divided this country and almost put it in utter chaos. The constant back and forth of the Republican and Democratic parties - both trying to prove that their side is the more knowledgeable one in terms of where America is now headed, each trying to prevent something destructive, but also trying to please the American people. The protests, the anger, the frustration that one side is not able to understand the other - it seems like all of this was brought forth during this election for some mysterious reason.

So, why are people clinging to their beliefs so much and absolutely refusing to see the other side of things? The Washington Post reports that “Research on ‘cultural cognition’ indicates that people are tribal when it comes to certain issues, such as climate change, gun control, abortion and evolution. People tend to trust the news sources that confirm their beliefs. Those beliefs become statements of identity and community loyalty.”

Personal experiences and beliefs that were passed down from generation to generation can also have an effect on the minds of society today. People just naturally believe that their opinions are the correct ones, and seeing a news network or cable channel that symbolizes that view or belief makes them have reassurance that their opinion is the right one.

Tye Hardin, the Young Republicans of DSHS president, says that one of the key points in this election season was immigration. “It’s a really tough situation,” Hardin said. “There are so many good people coming in to help their families and they are looking for a better life. It is a privilege to be in America.”

When asked about unity, Hardin does believe that “we need to come together” instead of the constant negativity towards one another.

On the other hand, Mia Haraguchi, the Young

Democrats of DSHS president, says that she feels America “should be focusing on inclusion” and “instead of being isolationists, focus on becoming a part of the world economy.”

“People were dissatisfied with the last administration, and now they’re dissatisfied with the current administration,” Haraguchi said. “That is the reason for the opposition. I hope America can find unity, because after all, we are all striving for one thing: a better nation.”

A Gallup poll recorded that an astonishing 77% of Americans believe this nation is divided with only 21% believing we are united.

Truthfully, it’s not hard to believe. In all my life, I have never seen as much hatred and mud slinging coming from both parties. Every day, there is a new story about the election or our current president. People are upset that Barack Obama left, but also our president’s past problems and rhetoric. People truly aren’t sure if he, once a businessman and entertainer, has the ability to lead us. And they’re

scared. They’re scared that their rights will be stripped away from them and America won’t end up being a symbol of unity anymore. The opposing side is just frustrated that many are acting this way and want society to just accept the facts - we have a new president in office, and we should give him a chance.

We need to come together instead of standing separately. We need to work together and hear each other’s opinions with an open mind. The thing is, we are all putting this opposition on ourselves.

We stir it up. We sometimes make certain things a bigger problem than it actually needs to be.

For the many out there who are angered or disappointed, I understand. I feel what you are feeling. It’s taken me some time to realize that we can’t continue to be living like this. I don’t want to live in this. I understand that we do not possess the capability to make everyone happy, but why has the strive for working towards things together suddenly vanished?

It’s very challenging to be present in the political system and hear about the constant negativity in our world. However, there are many things that continue to give me hope for a healthier political community.

Hardin described the idea of “working with the Young Democrats for a community service project,” one of the many things high school political clubs all across the United States should be doing in this time of unification crisis.

As American philosopher and historian Will Durant says, “The political machine triumphs because it is a united minority acting against a divided majority.”

It is my hope that the Dripping Springs community, and the entire nation for that matter, will learn to educate others with copious amounts of knowledge, accept those who are different, and challenge one another to view the world and politics with a much more open mindset. It is not impossible, but it will not be easy.

NEWS

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Mock Trial Strikes Big Camryn Horst Staff Writer

The Dripping Springs mock trial team won the Young Hearts Matter Day of Action award on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at the Hays county court house in San Marcos, Texas.

The award was presented by the Texas Council on Family Violence, due to efforts made over the years to raise awareness about dating violence, as well as the mock trial.

“The award recognized Sarah Brandon and all the work that has been done to promote dating and family violence awareness,” Coach Watts, an important facilitator to the students during the mock trial, said.

The mock trial is an event that simulates the circumstances of an actual trial that revolves around teen dating violence.

The students get to learn how trials work from the inside.

“Students act as the lawyers as well as the witnesses, and they learn the proper procedures of going to trial and then have an opportunity to simulate it in the presence of judges and court officials,” Watts said.

Junior representative Gwyneth Pietrzyk says being on the Dating Violence Awareness Board is one of the most rewarding clubs to join.

“It felt amazing to win the Young Hearts Matter award,” Pietrzyk said. “Knowing that individuals see how much we care about our community and notice a change is one of the most rewarding aspects of the whole process.”

Participating in the mock trial is also beneficial because it is said that it teaches the students helpful life lessons.

“This project sends an important message to all teenagers, and we believe this has the utmost value to our students,” Watts said.

“It is also a goal of this district to provide our students with the tools necessary to make good decisions and handle difficult situations.”

Pietrzyk agrees and says that being a part of the trial benefits the community as well as the members.

“Understanding how powerful and capable you can be is the best experience,” Pietrzyk said. “In

doing mock trial and being a part of the board, I have learned a lot about myself and what I can do, and I only hope others could feel the same way.”

The Dripping Springs team was hand picked as a pilot school for this program.

“A panel of teams came together and looked at all the high schools’ mock trials, and we were chosen 100% across the board,” Watts said.

The mock trial team consists of around 125 students. The volunteers will be serving in a variety of functions throughout the proceedings.

“We are attempting to accommodate all interested students,” Watts said. “There are positions available for jurors, lawyers, witnesses, and historians.

The event lasted all day Tuesday, Feb. 28.

“We hope to have as many students participate as possible,” watts said, “and we will accommodate all interested parties.”

Continued from Page 1 ...fundraising for a good cause, many reports regarding students and reckless driving have made parents a little nervous.

“Parents have a valid reason to be concerned about reckless driving,” a high school teacher said. “I don’t believe that issue has anything to do with the Nerf War, but it is still a valid concern.

Besides reckless driving concerns, there has been some tension between different teams regarding rules and circumstances.

Some students acknowledge this

but also know that things tend to settle down when the students are reminded that the event is for a good cause.

“Some issues have definitely come up,” Gardner said. “But we always come back to the fact that the Nerf War is for a good cause and that tends to calm things.”

Others agree that the Nerf War provides valuable opportunities and learning experiences for high school students, including responsibility and accountability.

“It gives kids the opportunity to

interact with those they may have never met or even seen,” Jones said. “They also learn that it’s only a game and that the only thing that really matters is having fun.”

On the other hand, some students who are competitive in nature just love stepping up to the challenge the Nerf War offers.

“If I do compete next year, I will do whatever it takes to come out on top,” Gardner said. “I will put in my all to become the next Nerf War champion.”

March, 2017

MYDSHSNEWS

Activism In Action Emily Curran Staff Writer

On Saturday, Jan. 28, thousands of pro-life supporters marched to the Texas capitol building in support of saving the lives of children by abolishing abortion during the Texas Rally for Life. Among the crowd were several Dripping Springs High School students, including junior Bridget Roberts and sophomore Hunter Davis, as well as sophomore Taylor Hays from One Day Academy.

“I think the Rally for Life is important because people have to make a difference. You have to show up and show support,” Hays said.

The Rally for Life provides a way for all those who are pro-life and those who are not to congregate together in an attempt to make a difference through peaceful protest.

“The Rally for Life was very kind and peaceful.

Everyone there was very supportive of their cause and beneficial towards it. They didn’t taint the name in any way,” Davis said.

In addition to being a good way to show support, the Rally for Life also provides evidence of the composition of the pro-life movement: people from all ethnicities, religions, political parties, ages, genders, and any other “dividing” characteristic.

“We should show that pro-lifers are loving and care about women’s health and the health of babies,” Roberts said.

A common misconception about pro-lifers is that they do not care about the women and simply want to deprive women of their freedom; however that is, as stated, a misconception.

“A lot of people are afraid and don’t feel ready, financially or emotionally, to be a parent, so they think they can just end the life of their child and forget about it. I think we can make [moms] feel less afraid by offering support. There are always ways to get help,” Hays said.

In line with Hays’ beliefs, pro-lifers tend to be on the same page about helping mothers ready themselves for pregnancy and beyond. The three students were asked why they are pro-life or why they are unsure in order to help others come to the same conclusion they have.

“I am pro-life because all lives matter,” Hays said.

“Making abortion illegal would save so many lives.

People that could become great people.”

“I am pro-life because I think killing babies in the womb is wrong and that everyone deserves a chance,” Roberts said.

“I wanted to expand my mind on political opinion,” Davis said.

Although the dates for the 2018 Rally for Life have not yet been released, those with varying beliefs seem encouraged to attend, pro-life or not.

“I think if you are neutral and are trying to decide which side to be on, or are pro-life, the Rally for Life is a good thing to go to,” Davis said.

Poet Makes Slamming Appearance At DSHS Camryn Horst

Staff Writer On Feb. 3, guest speaker Taylor Mali, a wellknown slam poet, read a few of his poems to the students of Dripping Springs High School in the competition gym during their advisory period.

While some students might not have initially recognized his name, they became intrigued after they realized that Mali was also the voice of a Burger King commercial.

“I had never heard of him, but the speaker was very interesting, because I never thought that you could be a professional poem reader and actually earn money,” sophomore Emily Rapp said.

The teachers especially appreciated Mali’s take on life in school.

“He had a really great rapport with both teachers and students, which is key in grabbing their attention,” Miss Casanova, English 2 teacher, said.

Mali’s idea to have students gather in a circle proved to be a big hit, as multiple students joined him on the gym floor.

“I thought it was a good way to have those who were really interested in what he was saying to have a more intimate experience,” Casanova said.

Sophomore Kenzie Olsen also thought the assembly was more unique than previous assemblies.

“Although I had never heard of him before, it was interesting to hear some of his work and learn about what he does for a living,” Olsen said.

Casanova, on the other hand, had heard of the poet previous to the visit.

“When I first became a teacher, a friend of mine sent me a YouTube video of him reciting his poem ‘What Teachers Make’,” Casanova said.

Olsen and Rapp both agreed that assemblies are a good way to have fun and give your brain a break after a long school day.

“I like the idea of guest speakers as long as it’s an interesting topic,” Rapp said. “We already sit through 7 hours of learning and work, so assemblies and guest speakers are a good way to relax.”

Casanova said that it’s really great to see where life can take you.

“We have some students who are really interested in poetry, who may want to be a poet one day,,” Casanova said. “And for them to be able to see that it is possible to make a living at it, is really inspiring. No two people have the same background or come from the same experiences, but having guest speakers

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who grew up in similar towns or similar conditions, is a great way to show you that if you work hard, you can be successful.”

Some students said they didn’t know what to expect.

“I was expecting a lot of boring poems written by famous poets, but most of them were about the reader’s experiences, which was entertaining,” Rapp said.

Although the crowd was a bit rowdy, an English teacher like Casanova realizes that a speaker can never capture 100% of the audience’s attention.

“I thought he did a great job redirecting those who were getting rowdy to focus back on him,” she said.

There were also times that Rapp said she struggled interpreting what Mali was trying to say.

“I didn’t like that the assembly seemed rushed and the microphone kept cutting out,” Rapp said.

Casanova said there was more to Mali that the students didn’t get to see.

“Taylor Mali came to our faculty meeting that morning,” Casanova said. “He spoke about what it is to be a teacher; the good and the bad times. It’s unique to actually meet a poet who is so successful, so I did appreciate the insight into his process.”

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Winter Guard sees success

Youth thrives on experience, exposure to other programs Jade Berry Staff Writer

The bus was warm, and each two by two seat was filled with overstuffed duffel bags, assortments of blankets and pillows, and 27 celebrating students. The sounds of laughter and excited cheers echoed around the half-full school bus as the members of the JV and varsity winter guard celebrated their recent success at their first winter Gward competition.

The competition was held by Canyon High School in New Braunfels on Saturday, Feb. 4, kicking off the official winter guard season. After both performances, the scores were announced, placing the JV guard in third place with a score of 57.540, and the varsity also in third with a score of 65.760.

“Our performances went really well, especially the JV,” varsity member junior Libby Picotte said.

“They did really well handling the pressures of their first competition. And I thought the varsity show got a lot of good reactions from the audience, and kind of boosted everyone’s performance and made us all enjoy our first competition instead of stressing about it.”

The JV show is themed Paper Imagination and is a contrastingly soft show compared to the varsity’s sharp show entitled Primary Anarchy.

“I think the theme of Paper Imagination is unique enough to stand out,” sophomore JV member Stephanie Valor said. “I doubt that anyone else would make a paper themed winter guard show.

But I love how light and airy it is, and it’s so adorable.”

Despite the overall cuteness of the JV show, most audience members were blown away by the varsity performances due to their higher level skills and performance energy.

“I feel like, since I was on JV last year, no matter what you do on JV, there’s never really that much excitement,” sophomore varsity member Sophia Burson said. “But once you hit varsity and you’re starting to do higher tosses and more com-

VARSITY WINTER GUARD. Front Row: Sophia Burson, Raven Chavez, Lieutenant; Madeline Bininger, Julia Lopez, Lieutenant; Josie Boehm; Second Row: Elizabeth Picotte, Lieutenant; Avery McKitrick, Captain; Harley Stover, Rylee Kirkey; Third Row: Mary Smith, Hannah Sharman, Christopher Lee, Kelly Matlock, McKayla Cothern. Photo by PhotoTexas

plex choreography, you get more of an audience reaction which really hypes you up.”

Although there are several differences in the level of complexity and accuracy in skills, both guards have managed to start the season off on a nice note.

“I wouldn’t say that the season is perfect so far, but it’s only been a few weeks,” Valor said. “And in that few weeks I think we’ve made progress in figuring out what needs to be worked on and most of us have been practicing by ourselves or practicing with someone else.”

While all of the members have had performance experience from marching season, winter guard requires more attention to detail because of the smaller performance area and closer audience.

For JV members, performing to a much closer audience is a new experience, resulting in a lot of

pre-show nerves.

“I thought it was pretty good. We were nervous,” sophomore JV member Sophia Marek said. “I myself was very nervous, and I was making sure that I wasn’t cringing so much during the performance because of how nervous I was.”

One factor that can either boost a group’s confidence or increase their nervousness is the audience itself.

“I think that the audience knew that this was everyone’s first competition,” Marek said. “So they were very supportive of everything going on, and that really helped.”

The response from the crowd is extremely dependent on the connection performers make with various audience members in order to convey emotions.

“They were really responsive, which was great,”

March, 2017

MYDSHSNEWS

Picotte said. “It stimulates the performers’ minds, because they’re actually communicating with the audience, and the audience is communicating with them. And I felt like both the JV and the varsity’s connections with the audience were really strong in the first competition.”

With advanced guards that are part of independent groups that don’t restrict performers from age groups above high school level, such as Invictus and Spirit Independent, high school performers are encouraged to join the audience after their performances and watch the other groups perform.

“Watching the other shows, it made me want to become more like them,” Marek said. “It made me want to become better, because I want to take this seriously and become as good or even better than them.”

While the competition is mainly to assess the skills of all the surround-

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ing Texas guards, it also allows the performers to meet and talk with others from different schools.

“My favorite memory from this competition is probably getting to meet the people from Cedar Park, because they were very nice and friendly,” sophomore JV member Staci Turner said.

Overall, both the JV and Varsity gave solid performances and look forward to bettering themselves before their next competition. The squads will use the feedback and their observations of other programs to inform their practices.

“We all did pretty good. We all had mess ups, but then again this is our first competition, and it can only get better from here,” Marek said. “Even if we don’t get first, the only thing that matters is your own personal growth.”

‘One act’ a send up Olivia Fletcher Staff Writer

Every year, the Dripping Springs High School theatre department competes in the UIL One-Act Play competition, performing against hundreds of other schools across Texas, and this year the department is performing The Marowitz Hamlet.

“It’s basically the story of Hamlet, but the author has a deep hatred for Hamlet,” Technical Director Mr. Rickman said.

Charles Marowitz spent much of his life analyzing Shakespeare’s plays and compiled his opinions and works in a collection called The Marowitz Shakespeare. Marowitz, however, wrote The Marowitz Hamlet in the late 1960s in an effort to retell one of Shakespeare’s most renowned works through a different light; his loathing of the troubled college student who utters one of theatre’s most famed lines ‘to be or not to be.’

Marowitz wrote about the character Hamlet as follows: “I despise Hamlet. He is a slob, a talker, an

JV WINTER GUARD. Front Row: Alyssa Qualls, Christyan Scheulen, Mackenzie Newlan, Stephanie Valor; Second Row: Aimee Welch, Sophie Marek, Jonathan Martinez, Isabelle Avena; Third Row: Abigail Davis, Jade Berry. Naomi Lewis, Staci Turner, Alexis Burch

analyser, a rationalizer. Like the parlour liberal or the paralysed intellectual, he can describe every facet of a problem, yet never pull his finger out.”

And Dripping Springs Theatre is extremely excited to bring this show to the stage and tackle the daunting task Marowitz’s show provides. “[Marowitz] takes the story of Hamlet and chops it up and puts it all into a different story line. It goes inside the mind of the character Hamlet,” Rickman said.

Marowitz wanted to travel into the demented mind of one of his least favorite characters and present a story that examines the aspects of Hamlet’s madness from within rather than without. He has, thus, taken Shakespeare’s original text and reassigned lines among the characters, changed the sequence of events, and stylistically altered the performance of scenes in order to convey his desired message.

“We’re utilizing the use of strings and ropes attached to set pieces connecting to different places and actors as a representation of the insanity in Hamlet’s mind,” Rickman said.

And on top of all the aspects of confusion within the play itself, UIL One-Act Play guidelines also pro-

vide some limitations on the creative forces behind the production.

“One-Act is it’s own entity within the state of Texas, in that instead of having total, complete creative freedom, we’re limited to a handbook of different rules of, for example, the amount of fabric we use, or the types of materials for set pieces we use so we’re limited in that way,” Rickman said.

And, to top it all off, with eight shows performing at each competition, every show has to be performed in under 40 minutes, with 7 minutes beforehand to build the set and then 7 minutes immediately following the show to take the set down and move it off the stage so that the next school can perform.

“And you’re always traveling with the show,” Rickman said. “So, you have to make sure that you can pack everything up and take it with you if you continue to advance and perform at different locations all across Texas.”

Dripping Springs High School is hosting both district and bi-district competitions in March, and the theatre program is confident that they will be able to tackle the beautiful story of Hamlet the way Marowitz would have intended.

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Students that Jam together, stay together Giselle Galletti Staff Writer

Austin, Texas has been the self proclaimed live music capital of the world since 2000, but it started inspiring young artists way before then. From giant festivals such as Austin City Limits (ACL), South

by Southwest (SXSW), and even The Fun Fun Fun Fest, to popular tour stops going by the names of Emo’s, Stubb’s, and The Frank Erwin Center, there is no shortage of places to see artists perform your favorite songs live.

Not to mention the number of bars in the downtown area that offer live venues for smaller bands and individuals is always increasing, helping those hometown names get the recognition they need to eventually sell out entire stadiums.

A few individuals of Dripping Springs High School have latched onto that dream and decided to help out others who have that same dream (or maybe they just want to show off to their friends). Whatever the case is, The Jam is DSHS’s very own lunch time entertainment in the form of live music. Led and created by Assistant Principal Michael Norton, with the help of junior Pyeatt Hitchcock, sophomore Foster Joyce, sophomore Maya Diaz, freshman Jacob Misko, and senior Michael Thornton, it has had quite the kick off.

“The Jam is a music thing that we’re organizing

during the Friday lunches on the outside patio in the courtyard. It’s about giving kids the opportunity to play their instruments and interact with their peers while doing so,” Misko said.

And it has become just that, with their first production on Feb. 3 and its follow up performance on Feb. 17, and more in the future, they have more than enough acts to show everyone.

“It is an opportunity for Ban-Joe, or Joe Gaines, strums his banjo at the Jam. Photo by Alexis Hunt students to both appreciate live music and for students to The Jam committee members are all fully commitperform, because I think that putting a performance ted to their jobs and have the same goal: to help give base in a high school and having that be accessible the students of DSHS a chance to get themselves out to students, so that they’re given a performance op- there into the music world as best as they can. portunity will really be helpful to students that are “Being on the committee, I am simply helping ortrying to further that into a career or just as an inter- ganize it and make sure we have sign ups, set up est,” Diaz said. “It is similar to the talent show except and auditions, just keep it running smoothly,” Misko it happens every week so definitely more people are said. gonna be able to perform, but as for what it is right Most of them have been brought onto the team now it’s basically just a weekly performance.” because teachers recommended them to Mr. Norton

based on their passion for creating, performing, or producing music.

“I know a lot of people, so I ask people to play and then I also do a lot of audio engineering so I control the majority of the volumes. If there’s some wonky sounds coming from the speakers, I go up there and try to adjust them as best as possible,” Hitchcock said.

Senior Michael Thornton happens to be in a band that had the chance to perform with his band mates.

“I’ve been playing music and the piano for 8 years now and what got me started with a band was I started with my church first, and people suggested I play in a group,” Thornton said. “The band got together because one of the dads actually said, ‘Hey y’all should be in a band. That would be kind of cool,’ so we did, and then we made it more consistent and started doing gigs and stuff, so it’s just been really fun.”

You can check out his band, Left on Red, occasion

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Micheal Thornton (singing), head of the Jam committee, rocks out at lunch with his band Left on Red to full crowd of students. Photo by Alexis Hunt ally on Fridays and at their occasional local gigs.

They were just one of the performers that Friday with other students playing the banjo, testing out guitar solos, and covering popular songs.

Sophomore Maya Diaz also took advantage of this opportunity and showed everyone something she’s been working on.

“I’ve always been pretty musical, just singing around the house as a kid. But in the last year or so I’ve been learning guitar which has helped me because I write songs, so I do that, and that’s what kind of got me into it,” Diaz said.

Originally Diaz was pretty worried about how people would react to her performance, and to others, but she was gladly proven wrong.

“I could not believe how many people were there.

At one point I turned and was like, ‘This whole place is full. What happened?’” Diaz said. “It was such an amazing experience with everyone there and just seeing the energy and the way people received it, I did not expect it. I expected to people to be a little more cynical, but everyone was totally cool! It was really weird, but it was so awesome.”

For anyone looking to audition for an upcoming spot, there’s no need to overthink anything, just come play or sing some of your best chords.

“The audition is simply a check off, ‘Yes, you’re

good’, and there was a few of the performers that we friends up there playing music and not only are their told, ‘Hey you need to work on things,’ but for the friends playing music, they’re playing really good most part, the majority of the students that were music,” Hitchcock said.

The Jam isn’t going away anytime soon, so make there [to watch], they don’t know whether somebody’s off key or not,” Norton said. “The perform- sure to look forward to live music on Fridays from ers do, and they beat themselves up, but nobody else your favorite Dripping Springs locals, and maybe does. And on the flip side, you get to eat lunch and you’ll even find yourself up there performing too, like Jacob Misko: listen to music, which is kind of cool.”

“You know starting this off, maintaining it The responses to the performances have been phenomenal, and more kids have come out to watch each throughout the years, I think this is going to be a really worthwhile thing.” time.

“It’s amazing. I mean, it really is. And just this last [performance], it was awesome to see the amount of students that came out,” Norton said. “It’s providing these kids with the opportunity to play in front of people, to get used to performing in front of an audience.”

There are guys standing in the walkway right outside of the cafeteria listening in, girls dancing in the middle of the courtyard, and students everywhere genuinely cheering on their peers and friends.

“Usually people talking about school things are all like, ‘Ugh school is lame,’ but school is not lame, and they see that when they see The Jam, because they’ll see their Maya Diaz playing guitar and singing. Photo by Sam Cisneros

Entertainment

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March, 2017

ALL THE LATEST ENTERTAINMENT NEWS >> Visit myDSHS.com/category/entertainment.

“Eliza? Where the devil are my slippers?” Review on the DSHS production of My Fair Lady

Alyssa Weinstein Staff Writer

The Dripping Springs High School January production, My Fair Lady, starred the talented duo of senior Trinity Adams as Eliza Doolittle and junior Connor Bailey as Mr. Higgins.

The musical tells the lighthearted comedy of a young Cockney woman, Eliza, who is anything but a high class woman in the way she articulates and dresses. However, once she is noticed by Mr. Higgins, a phonetics professor. He is immediately intrigued and appalled by her speaking. Mr. Higgins states that in six months he could transform this wretched young woman to a proper lady by teaching her how to speak, dress, and act correctly in high society.

The next day at Mr. Higgins’ home, Colonel Pickering (Rob Thomas), an older gentleman, who studies Indian phonetics, and Mr. Higgins discuss phonetics at his home.

Mrs. Pearce (Kamrie Holmes), the housekeeper, notifies Mr. Higgins that Eliza is here to see him. Eliza asks Mr. Higgins to give her speech lessons so that she will be able to work in a flower shop, but she has barely any money to offer him. Instead, Colonel Pickering’s interest in this matter makes him propose a bet to Mr. Higgins that he would be incapable of correcting Eliza’s speech and that he would pay Mr. Higgins for her lessons. Immediately, Mr. Higgins gladly accepts his bet with extreme confidence.

After months pass as the Mr. Higgins and Eliza do various exercises with different techniques and

tools to help her speech, Eliza finally pronounced her syllables properly in the verbal exercise “the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain”.

Therefore, they attend Ascot, an elegant horse racing event, and Mr. Higgins has high hopes for Eliza’s behavior and speech. Once Eliza starts talking with people, she introduces inappropriate subjects of discussion and yells a crude remark to one of the horses during the race.

Mr. Higgins realizes that Eliza wasn’t ready for Ascot and continues to teach her to prepare her for their next event: the Embassy ball.

The night for the Embassy ball arrives and Mr. Higgins, once again, has high hopes for Eliza, and this time, she does not disappoint. Eliza was the most talked about woman at the ball as she was the embodiment of class and beauty. However, once the ball is over, and once Mr. Higgins won his bet against Colonel Pickering, Mr. Higgins disregards Eliza completely saying he doesn’t need her anymore, so she leaves in the middle of the night.

After a few hours, Mr. Higgins and Mrs. Pearce realize that Eliza has left and Mr. Higgins can’t understand why she would leave when everything was going so well.

Mr. Higgins, sad to see Eliza gone because he loves her dearly but was never be able to bring himself to tell her, listens to an old recording of one of her voice lessons and closes his eyes. Then the recording from the phonograph abruptly stops and he opens his eyes to see Eliza standing in front of him. He then asks, “Eliza? Where the devil are my slippers?”

The DSHS ensemble of actors

who took on these ambitious roles of My Fair Lady did a beyond excellent job in portraying each of these characters.

Eliza Doolittle played by Trinity Adams was the perfect fit. Adams executed Eliza brilliantly from beginning to end with the combination of her singing, dancing, theatrical mannerisms, and her hilarious Cockney accent that had to be difficult to learn. When I found out Adams would be playing Eliza Doolittle, I had no doubt that she would be capable of filling the shoes of this big role as I greatly enjoyed her character from Noises Off a few months ago.

I was also highly impressed with Connor Bailey’s portrayal of Mr. Higgins in My Fair Lady. I especially took notice to his way of using the entire stage in his dance numbers and his extreme animation in mannerisms throughout the play.

The entire cast deserves a round of applause for their amazing dance and singing numbers, especially the dance number of Act II Scene III. To conduct a dance number as they did with that many people and of such complexity and skill was one of my favorite scenes in the entire play. However, the musical numbers could not have been done without the talented orchestra paired with them. From beginning to end, the orchestra was one of my favorite parts of the whole musical as it enhanced the quality of the overall production. The musical would not have been the same if they danced and sang to pre-recorded music.

The costumes also concerned me after seeing the film due to their extreme extravagance, especially for

the Ascot racing scene. The black and white attire of the men and women were gorgeous in the movie and turned out to also be gorgeous in the play. I was a little disappointed in Eliza’s dress in this particular scene, as well as in the Embassy ball scene. They were wonderful dresses, but they weren’t as intricate, flamboyant, and extravagant as I thought they would be.

Another notable element of this production was the set. I was concerned about this at first because after seeing the 1964 film of My Fair Lady, I was unsure if they’d be able to create a set that could accommodate the different settings of the play. However, my concern vanished after seeing the first scene of the play. With the two levels of the set, the signs for the Flower Market (especially the Joe Burns sign), the staircase, and the colorful lighting and projection of various images shining through the set all together created a one of a kind set for this play. The crew did an excellent job with smooth transitions of sets between scenes.

Overall, I give the DSHS production of My Fair Lady 4 out of 5 stars. For the theatre department to tackle such a classic and timeless musical such as My Fair Lady deserves great praise and applause.

Although, I felt at some parts of the play it droned on for a little too long, and there were minor discrepancies in the set.

The capability and productions of DSHS never cease to amaze and only get better each time. I am looking forward to their next project The Marowitz Hamlet as I’m sure will be another hit.

March, 2017

MYDSHSNEWS

What’s going on with the gaming industry?

Nifa Kaniga

Entertainment Editor You get rewarded for going above and beyond; you chose to do do more than what was asked. You don’t get rewarded for doing what needs to be done; you did your job, big whoop. You get ragged on for doing a bad job; you chose to put lack of effort in your craft.

These three concepts in the billiondollar market known as gaming determine whether the consumer will like or dislike the game.

Triple-A games (the best of the best games in the industry) have sort of set up a new standard. No longer is it about making the consumer happy so they give the developers money for a good product, but now, developers make half-finished (I’m talking about you Star Wars Battlefront), poorly op-

timized (I’m talking about you Fallout 4), recycled products (I’m talking about you Call of Duty), games full of expansions and DLC that should have been in the game in the first place (I’m talking about you Destiny), or full of microtransactions for items (I’m talking about you mobile gaming), or straight up lying about what’s in the game (Yeah Sean Murray I’m talking about No Man’s Sky), all in attempt to suck the money out of the consumer like a parasite, providing little in return.

However, it’s not the developers who have set these lackluster standards—it’s the community. By saying “It’s OK, it’s a Triple-A game,” we, the gamers, have accepted these terms as they should be the best in the industry and no one dares question them.

Seeing other companies show minimal effort in their games with high payoff from suckers, why should they put in much effort to produce a game that will sell just as well?

Why is this happening? Well, I personally think it’s because video games are the now. Back in the day, people were made fun of for playing video games, but now, video games are as popular if not more popular than the titans of the entertainment business as movies, TV, and music. As more and more consumers made video games as big as they are today, more and more investors sought to cash in on its influence, bringing us an era of greedy white collar developers. E-sports are on the rise as well, as more and more people seek to make their mark in competitive gaming (and we can give props to Call of Duty as they were platform for the most (in)famous sports teams and memes as Faze, Red Reserve, MLG, Optic, as well as Smash Bros whose influence doesn’t seem to be dwindling as it stands the test of time). Even YouTube has made a separate extension solely for YouTube gamers to promote their content because there is so much of it.

With all this said, rebellion within the gaming community is brewing.

There are the complacent sympathizers who allow the Triple-A developers to continue their half-effort, money-wrenching products and the rebels who stand up and refuse these games. The statement was bluntly made when the Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare trailer released on YouTube, who promised to bundle a remastered fan favorite Call of Duty 4 with the $80 Gold version of the game (using nostalgia to sucker the players). The trailer has a like to dislike ratio of 1:6.

Many gamers and connoisseurs with influence on YouTube are calling out these franchises and the companies. It was amazing to see how badly Infinite Warfare did after the massive boycott

11

from gamers and their own hardcore Call of Duty fans after the community publicly complained and suggested improvements to the companies in charge of the billion-dollar franchise for a year.

Now, not all Triple-A developers are doing it wrong. Few are doing it right, understanding that building a good reputation and a strong community will bring you happy customers who will treat you as you treat them and continue to support what you do. Titanfall 2 is the most prime example and a beautiful example of what success is. Titanfall 1 was kind of a failure. There were many things needed, and many problems with multiplayer, and many things that players wanted.

People were not angry with Respawn Entertainment, just unsatisfied at a meh game. The announcement of Titanfall 2 brought skepticism about if they were able to do better. Oh boy, they did great. Titanfall 2 was a massive success and rose to fame competing side-by-side with Battlefield 1.

They had listened to the community and fixed their problems, and people had their faith restored. It doesn’t stop there though. Free DLC was given to the players where as other games would make you pay for extra content!

Then there is game of the year winner Overwatch. Blizzard naturally already has a high standard and good rep in the community, so Overwatch was a success. It outdid itself though because of its ability to draw in casuals and hardcore players with its lore and actually caring about the gameplay. Each character has their own story and personalities, as well as diversity to make everyone who plays happy and relate with a hero they choose to fight with. All of this has made Overwatch literally one of the best games ever as the cult-like community is ridiculously strong, driven, and influential.

All in all, it seems like Respawn has started a train of good vibes and healthy relationship between consumer and developers. Gamers, let’s make

CREATIVE

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March, 2017

WANT TO TELL A STORY? >> Visit myDSHS.com/category/contribute to submit your creative writing.

Free?

March Madness

Maximilian Hodsden Contributing Writer

Freedom is more than a thought Is it not?

People are free Aren’t we?

Free to do this Free to do that Free to be lazy, greedy and fat?

Do we all have “freedom of speech”?

Or is that just something they teach?

I am free, Am I wrong?

Am I free to sing this song?

Am I free to do as I wish?

Can I put what I want in my dish?

Can I do as I please?

Or first do I have to beg on my knees?

Freedom, Can I get some?

What is it?

Can I be free, or am I not fit, To receive the greatest gift of all We need to be free forever, we can’t let it fall But what if we never had any But what if we’ve always had many So now I only have one more question, To you from me, It’s this: free?

March Puzzle Answers

by Jade Howe

1. Irish 2. basketball 3. Lent 4. clover 5. Ides 6. Leprechaun 7. gold 8. Villanova 9. green 10. jig

11. equinox 12. savings 13. birds 14. Ash 15. UConn 16. Kiss 17. Penguins 18. Brutus 19. Charms 20. chicken

SPORTS

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March, 2017

WANT MORE SPORTS? >> Visit myDSHS.com/category/sports for all the latest coverage.

Success in near future for lacrosse Team enters third official season Camryn Horst Staff Writer

The Dripping Springs girls lacrosse team is kicking off their third season as an official team. The team has participated in Westwood Tuneup, a local lacrosse tournament and played against Bowie on February 8, and Austin High on February 15 so far this season.

Sophomore Isabelle Steele says that she thinks this season will be successful.

“I’ve watched a ton of girls that didn’t even know what lacrosse was at the beginning of the school year make amazing progress and they seem to be really loving the sport,” Steele said. “Although we’ve had some tough spots, we’re doing great!”

The team lost their game against Bowie, but it was said to still be very educational.

“The game against Bowie definitely could’ve gone better,” Steele said. “I learned that I need to practice more and get in better shape. It showed my team and I that we all need to work hard!”

Senior and Wimberley student Felicita Hawes said she was pleased that the team was able to bounce back from the loss against Bowie.

“The lacrosse season has hit the ground running

Sophomore first year player Molly McGregor

but to be blunt, we still have a long way to go,” Hawes said. “We simply need to continue to be consistent in our improvement and teamwork in both practice and games. So far, I am satisfied, yet we still have a long way to go.”

Hawes has played for multiple teams, but she says that in Dripping Springs, she has noticed the improvement of teamwork.

“It’s no longer a one-man show and never should be,” Hawes said. “After one year, there has been a growth in understanding each other’s playing style and how we work individually. This allows for the greater benefit of teamwork itself which is what many spectators and I have noticed.”

Although improvement still needs to be made,

Photo by Federica Rumor, staff photographer

Steele says they are extremely close and play as a whole.

“Everyone on my team is very dedicated to the game,” Steele said. “Everyone is constantly trying to improve their skills and are always wanting to do better. Our team could definitely do better at playing as a team but we have improved a lot and we’re looking good. We all get along really well and we have so much fun together.”

Steele says she thinks the sport goes unnoticed.

“It’s full of amazing people where you make friendships that last a lifetime,” Steele said. “It’s a game full of passion and devotion that whips you into shape and you have fun while doing it. And don’t forget, it’s the fastest sport on two feet!”

Tiger track season under way The track team started their season at Canyon Lake High School on Feb. 18 before hosting the Tiger Relays on Feb. 25. The team will also host the District Championships on April 11-12. The Area meet will be hosted by Marble Falls High School with the regional meet at Alamo Stadium and state at UT Mike A. Meyers Stadium.

Photo by Natalie Thompson, staff photographer

Sophomore Clayton Jetton takes down a San Antonio Johnson wrestler at his home meet. Jetton went on to finish 1st at Regionals in his 195 weight class, qualifying for state.

March, 2017

MYDSHSNEWS

Setting up for success Giselle Galletti Staff Writer

Juggling academics along with athletics is no easy feat, but senior Maya Clausen was able to excel at both, and then some.

Tiger volleyball is the pride and joy of DSHS, with Clausen right there front and center leading her team, or right side hitter when referring to her position, to state in the 2015 - 2016 season and then again to playoffs this past season.

“I started playing volleyball when I was 12 and super awkward and really, really awful,” Clausen said. “In seventh grade, I’m pretty sure I only made a team because I was tall for a seventh grader, but I love the game so much, so I worked and got better year by year.”

Clausen has signed to and will be attending Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas

this coming fall with a $30,000 academic scholarship and a prime spot on their volleyball team with plans to study psychology.

Clausen is an all-around phenomenal student, being named to the Academic All-State Team, while also earning All-District honors as both a junior and senior. On top of that, Clausen is this year’s National Hispanic Scholar, the historian of the National Honor Society, and was the co-president of the Spanish Honor Society last year. But volleyball has been her life for the past six years.

“I love that it’s not just a physical game. It’s a mental game as well, but it’s also the epitome of a team sport,” Clausen said. “If everyone doesn’t do their job perfectly, things are not going to go well, but at the same time if someone messes up, the next touch has to bring everything back together.

My favorite memory from my last four years was obviously winning state. Nothing can really beat that.”

However, it hasn’t always been that easy for Clausen and her team. With all of the seniors leaving last year, there was a lot of weight and expectations put on the seniors this year, but their team had their backs the whole time.

“The memory that hit the hardest was in the locker room after our loss against Alamo Heights, knocking us out of playoffs,” Clausen said. “You could feel how badly every single girl wanted the ride to continue, and never have I ever felt closer to another group of people in my life. These girls are my family, and they will always be my family, no matter where we are.”

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Follow DSHS sports on Twitter VGs finish 4/17 this wknd in Bastrop!

Another PB from Monty. Battle @ the Lake next wknd. VB/JVG @ Star Ranch

Girls Swim Team finishes 15th in the State. #allin #onetigernation

Lydia Evans gets 13th in the State for the 100BR

Girls 400 FR Relay takes 7th in the State Finals! Way to go Tigers!!

Katie Touhy takes 14th in the State for the 100BA!

Girls 200 Meldey Relay takes 10th place in the State Finals

Tough 19-17 loss for varsity against @GT_LAX on the road. Thanks for hosting us on your game field @SUPiratesMLAX

Varsity boys finish a 2-day event @ Colovista. Rob/Case overlook the signature hole. Next stop is Star Ranch.

Photo by Madison Bonnett, staff photographer

Senior Maya Clausen signs her commitment to Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX alongside her family and Head Coach Michael Kane.

16 MYDSHSNEWS

March, 2017

UP TO THE MINUTE SPORTS NEWS >> Follow @myDSHSsports on Twitter.

Making ‘ball is life’ a reality Giselle Galletti

DSHS Athletic Council, all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA, earning Hall an academic scholarship as well; she is looking forward to majoring in pre-law or sports management.

“For anyone who wants to become a collegiate athlete, you have to be prepared to make a

helped keep me going through all the ups and downs in my basketball career so far.”

Lady Tiger basketball is an exLady Tiger basketball had a tremely competitive team at all great season last year and again three levels, and senior Peyton this year.

Hall was very excited Hall knows that more than anyand proud to have been part of all body. Being a 3-year JV player, of that. she was fighting her way to the “My best memory [overall] was top her entire high school career. having a completeBut her hard work ly undefeated JV and perseverance district season my paid off in a big way, junior year,” Hall with her being a varsaid.

“My best sity forward for the memory from this 2016-2017 season. last season was beHaving verbally ing part of the first committed as a JV [varsity] DSHS player during her Lady Tiger basketjunior year, she has ball team to make subsequently officialit to the playoffs in ly committed to play 11 years. It was at and attend Henparticularly endrix College in Conjoyable for myself way, Arkansas in the Photo by Marcel Acosta, staff photographer and the five other fall.

Seniors Peyton Hall and Kara Kelly in their home game against seniors who made “I worked very Lockhart. The team won 48-31. it through all four hard to get here,” Hall years.” said. “I played basHall has a whole lot to look forketball year round - sometimes lot of sacrifices and overcome a lot of obstacles,” Hall said.

“One ward to after graduation, and it’s for multiple teams - practicing for of the things you cannot sacrifice all thanks to her hard work and hours on end. Before every tournais your school work.

I would not determination to be the best she ment, I would email every coach have been recruited by schools can be.

Not many people have the at the schools I was interested in like NYU, Millsaps, and Hendrix drive needed to get there, but Hall to let them know when and where without maintaining my grades.” did, and all of DSHS couldn’t be I was playing. I truly believe that Basketball has been a big part prouder and will always be there with tournaments of over 300 of Hall’s life for quite a while now, to support her every step of the teams my communication with and she’s never stopped wanting way. the coaches brought them to my “I am excited about getting to games, but my performance on to be better than she was the day before. continue my basketball career the court is what got me my offers “I started playing basketball in as a Hendrix Warrior,” Hall said, to play at the next level.” the fourth grade with DSYSA bas“[and] to facing off against many Hall is not only a phenomenal ketball,” Hall said.

“My love for of my friends that I have played basketball player, she also lettered the game and my desire to play at with and against in school and in track for shot put and discus. the next level was the main drivthrough select at the colleges they On top of these accomplishments, ing factor.

Having all of my best will be attending.” she is a member of the National Honors Society and founder of the friends playing with me has also Staff Writer

SPORTS Tiger basketball in the playoffs Jillian Shepperd Sports Editor

The Lady Tigers defeated Crockett High School 41-31 to win Bi-District before falling to Port Lavaca Calhoun 45-34 to end their season. The Bi-District champions finished third in district 26-5A with a 10-4 record.

Photo by Alex Lunn, staff photographer The team huddles at their home game against Kerrville-Tivy on Jan.17.

The boys varsity Tigers defeated Kerrville-Tivy on Feb. 10, 46-44, securing their spot to go into the 25-5A playoffs in a tie for third place. Keeping their momentum, the team also defeated Seguin Feb. 14, 56-54. They faced Austin-Reagan High School in the Bi-District round, winning 62-56.

They faced Columbus Friday, Feb. 24.

Photo by Taylor Arvidson, staff photographer The substitutes watch the team play Alamo Heights Jan. 31 with the squad edged 56-55 at home.