February 2022 Warrior Post

THE

WA R R I OR

POSTthe health issue VOLUME 40, ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY 2022

Give me a break • pg. 13 Day in the life of a Celiac • pgs. 18-19 Be a man • pgs. 26-27

Helping hands

Support the men and women behind keeping our schools clean

J

{Staff Editorial}

ames Sanders and Yolanda Martinez. Do either of those names ring a bell?

Well, they should, because those are the names of the people who come in everyday and work their hardest to keep our school clean and all of us healthy.

Everyone in elementary school knew the custodians – their names, faces, and how much work they did around the school.

Sanders and Martinez are our everyday daytime custodians.

Sometimes you will see a third or fourth custodian helping them, but with staffing issues it is more often than not just these two hidden heroes.

The average custodian in Arlington ISD works for $13 to $17 an hour in eight hour shifts.

These workers are in charge of all of the cleaning for the school, – everything from taking out the trash and cleaning all the classrooms to manually refilling the toilets when our school recently had a water main issue.

There are only 446 janitors over the entire district, with the amount of work they do we as a school should be showing far more

2 • OPINIONS

appreciation than we currently do.

These people aren’t just in charge of keeping our school clean everyday, they also have lives outside of school.

These custodians are moms and dads and friends and coworkers just like any one of us, and we need to keep that in mind when we see them cleaning up after the students throughout the day.

The students at this school don’t put much thought into who cleans up after them when they are throwing food at lunch, missing the trash can with their soda cans, or like earlier in the year, stealing sinks and paper towel dispensers.

These amazing people don’t have to come to school everyday and do this but they do, and we never hear them complain about it.

The least we could do is learn the names of the people behind the scenes who take care of our school and us.

We as a school should put more thought into thanking these people and remember to give appreciation for all they do everyday, or let them know next time you see them.

WP

the warrior post

Martin High School 4501 W Pleasant Ridge Arlington, TX 76016

Editors-in-Chief Jordan Clark and Aysha Mirza

Sports Editors Ally Little and Laynie Stroup

Copy Editors Lilly Griffiths and Claire Loyd

Entertainment Editors Keyla Holmes and Molly Maddock

News Editor Amanda Kohutek Features Editors Ezrie Camp and Trinity Orosco Opinions Editor Mallory Menard

Photo Editor Lorelai Hofer Adviser Tricia Regalado Principal Marlene Roddy

Staffers: Independence Atwood, Olivia Bell, Zizi Belvin, Olivia Branch, Jessica Castillo, Grace Connolly, Katy Dixon, MacKenzie Estes, Allison Greenwood, Sirinity Hubbard, Alyssa Lee, Ashlynn Lee, Chloe MacFoy, Katie Nguyen, Kierra O’Leary, Noelle Pond, Sally Rodriguez, Tiffany Quach, Margaret Saxon, Helena Snegon, Asia Wilkey, Ely Williams, Kylie Woods, Shelby Zimmerman

The Warrior Post is the official publication of Martin High School. Opinion columns don’t necessarily represent the opinion of The Warrior Post or of Martin High School.

“She loved freely and completely” Students and faculty remember English teacher, NHS Sponsor Tonji Lewis

Kierra O’Leary • Reporter

A

s accurately expressed in English teacher Tonji Lewis’s obituary, “Love was the central component of her existence. She loved freely and completely.”

On the afternoon of Nov. 26, the Martin community lost a remarkable influence. Tonji Lewis was a Martin teacher of 22 years, as well as a Warrior alumni.

Lewis’s Celebration of Life was held Dec. 3, where friends and family came together to remember her.

Lewis’s contributions as an educator include teaching two advanced English courses, involvement with the STEM Academy, sponsoring the National Honor Society, and participating in a leadership program through The Holdsworth Center in Austin.

Principal Marlene Roddy, who worked with Lewis in the leadership program, described the legacy she believes Lewis will leave behind here at Martin.

“I think her legacy will be that she was driven to do the absolute best for her students and to get them where they needed to be in order to be successful,” Roddy said.

Lewis’s impact on her students is unlimited, leaving

a mark on every student who passed through her classroom.

“Mrs. Lewis was full of spirit, curiosity, and communication,” junior Sierra Nguyen said.

Due to the unique education circumstances caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, many students found the back-to-school transition quite difficult. Nguyen described how Lewis helped students adapt.

“She pushed the community in such a seamless way that coming out of quarantine didn’t feel intimidating, but welcoming,” Nguyen said.

As one of the sponsors of the National Honor Society, Lewis devoted hours of time to her community.

Current NHS president, senior Nicole Tacconi, and fellow sponsor Nina Glass said that Lewis was truly selfless, spending hours planning and executing projects to better not only

Art by Sierra Ngyuen (11) the Martin community, but all of Arlington as well.

“Mrs. Lewis made deep connections with her colleagues here at Martin, and she will be remembered for those connections, both to the students and teachers,” Tacconi said.

“Mrs. Lewis became my mentor and my friend,” Glass said. “I came to her with all of my dilemmas and problems – related to teaching or not. She was my confidante. She instilled wisdom into my life each and every day, just by being her.”

Students and coworkers said that Lewis always had a smile on her face and projected her genuine happiness onto others. There was never a dull moment in her classroom, and it was

always full of warmth and excitement.

English teacher Jennifer Rothwell, a very close friend of Lewis, whose classroom is right next door, said she has many fond memories of their close relationship.

“We did Bible studies together, we helped each other with parental advice, she helped me with my job”, Rothwell said. “She impacted almost every aspect of my life ”.

Colleagues and students said that Lewis was one of the kindest and most inspirational people to enter Martin. Martin mourns alongside her husband Jonathan, and daughter Sarah.

NEWS • 3

Free the tampons Students struggle with period care on campus

W

Ally Little •Sports Editor

ith the multitude of stressors that we encounter on a dayto-day basis as high school students, finding feminine products is not something we should have to add to that laundry list of concerns.

These struggles are something that should be talked about for the health and convenience of all students on campus who experience periods.

One of the main issues is the accessibility of the products provided by the school.

Some bathrooms have dispensers that claim to have products available but in reality, they are more often empty than supplied.

Not only are the dispensers empty, but you have to have 10 to 25 cents on you, which is not something many students just have on their person or bring to the bathrooms with them.

Some students are aware that the clinic supplies feminine hygiene products for free.

As of this year, there is now a basket of pads at the entrance of the clinic office for any student who may need one.

Oftentimes nurse Kate Hale will have a student in the clinic especially now with flu season coming up but, for a student who has

4 • opinions

never gone and gotten a product before they may feel like they need to ask for one, but that isn’t necessary anymore.

All of this, of course, is contingent on if the student can get away from class in order to go get what they need.

With the new bathroom policy in play, students can’t be in certain areas in the school with a certain color pass which poses issues for a student who may need to walk to the nurse’s office.

In order for a student to get a special pass that allows them all over the school, a student needs to tell their teacher where they are going and the teacher will typically follow it up with a, “Why?” which in this context some students are not comfortable talking about with a teacher.

The clinic, however, does not care what color pass you have.

Hale won’t let your section colored pass stop you from getting what you need. This does not mean that the security officers follow the same policy, and they may ask, which once again poses an awkward moment for a student who may not want to explain themselves to a security officer.

It would be much easier and more inclusive if products were supplied in the

Photo by Aysha Mirza bathrooms.

It is a lot easier said than done to provide products in all bathrooms for the students to use and grab freely, not to mention the amount of money it would cost, but it would be much appreciated if the school could put forth an effort, or at

the very least let us know of the efforts they do have in place, to help students who have to deal with a period in a high school setting.

The reality is that emergencies happen, and can cause stress that could be prevented for the sanity of students and staff alike.

Instagram gone wild The viral accounts that took over Martin

Jordan Clark • Editor-in-Chief By now everyone has seen, heard, or even been posted on the Martin High School anonymous Instagram accounts. These random Instagram accounts popped up to the MHS public in early December and while some students find it hilarious, not everyone seems to be a fan.

There are some accounts that simply capture particular findings around Martin, like @Martinhighschoolbadparking, or accounts that help students like @martinpromdresses2022.

There are some accounts that may simply go too far and rate students and teachers.

These accounts have hundreds, some even thousands of followers, but why?

Nobody seems to really enjoy being on them, but for some reason, we all still find them funny when our peers are.

How much fun can it really be, scrolling through Instagram and one day seeing a picture of yourself sleeping on @Martinhs_sleepers?

Making these obscure Instagram accounts originated from a Tik Tok trend that blew up in early November.

Have you been feautured on an account?

Since then, more than 20 accounts relating to Martin have been created.

A majority of the accounts are not harming anybody and are just comical, while others highlight students in a negative way.

Senior Simon Kowalski said he has not been featured on any of the accounts but is in close relation to those who have.

“Whether the account frames a person in a positive or negative light, it still frames someone to an objective perspective which may not represent who they are,” Kowalski said. “Even if it’s satirical, not everyone knows the person which the account posts about.”

Being featured on one of the accounts without providing consent to the picture or it being sent in is a violation of privacy that some students just can’t seem to get on board with.

Out of a poll of 62 people, 44 students did not provide consent to the picture being sent in and 33 of the 44 did not consent to the picture in general, let alone it being sent in.

“I think some of these pages are okay if people are okay with having photos of them posted if they’re comfort-

Did you consent to being featured on the accounts?

able with it,” said sophomore Jude Vasquez, who also has not been featured on an account.

Seniors Amethyst Brewer and her boyfriend senior Jacob Schultz were featured on the @Martinhighschool_ couplegoals page. They were standing outside merely speaking to each other when the picture was taken.

“I didn’t know the photo was being taken and sure, our friends thought it was cute, but at the same time this is making kids believe you can non-consensually share photos and videos of people,” Brewer said. “I think that’s wrong.”

Having pictures being taken without consent is the main reason for negativity surrounding the infamous accounts. But a lot of positivity has arisen from some accounts.

“In my perspective, I think the underclassmen might feel united somehow by doing stuff like that because it’s a trend,” Brewer said.

“I think that a lot of people find some of the pages funny and in a way it gets people involved in the school more just by following or submitting or even running the accounts,” senior Emily Adams said.

Do you like the accounts?

9.7% 19.4% 59.0% No

41.0% Yes

17.7% 29.9%

53.2%

53.2 percent - no consent to either 19.4 percent- consented to picture only 17.7 percent- consented to picture and being sent in 9.7 percent- not applicable

70.1%

70.1 percent - yes it’s funny 29.9 percent - no it’s an invasion

NEWS • 5

Off-campus

eats

Ashlynn Lee • Reporter

Going off-campus is a privilege – a fun, exciting, and freeing privilege. But it can be really confusing. There are just so many options, and a lot to consider when choosing where to go. You have to ask yourself, “Will I make it back to class in time? What will I be eating? And can I even afford it?”

Here’s a guide on the good, the bad, and the ugly of off-campus eating.

Sir...

This is a Wendy’s: Wendy’s is known for… well, being Wendy’s. But many students appreciate this mediocrity, making it one of the most popular off-campus options.

However, I have to give props to Wendy’s: their menu has a large range of items, consisting of meals like the Baconator, Chili and Baked Potatoes (and who could forget their iconic Frosties).

They also have a few good nutritious, healthy menu items like their variety of salads and their Grilled Chicken Sandwiches.

For the vegans and vegetarians, Wendy’s actually has something on the menu that isn’t just cheese and bread. Wendy’s offers baked potatoes and salads.

Regarding Wendy’s prices, it really just depends on what you order and how you order it.

To get to Wendy’s from the Martin parking lot, it takes around eight minutes (depending on the traffic).

Likewise, the line for Wendy’s, drive-through and inside, is different depending on the day. Somedays the line is really short, and other days, the line can wrap around the building.

6 • entertainment

“Chipotle is my lifeeeee”: Some students take this Vine saying quite literally, making Chipotle their go-to off-campus drive-in.

Chipotle has a diverse selection of meals, letting you decide exactly what to eat.

Their assortment of addons has options for everyone. Chipotle even offers Sofritas, a plant-based protein perfect for vegans and vegetarians.

It’s pretty obvious that Chipotle has healthy-eating options, but what are the best ones? Well, it depends on how you order it. Switch the white rice for wholegrain rice and look out for the addition of dairy toppings in your meal.

After all of this being said, Chipotle does have its downfall – price. Its meals range from $4.75 to $7.50, not including extra toppings, sides, or drinks.

In addition to Chipotle’s high prices, there is one more key factor that makes Chipotle a questionable off-campus order: the wait. Unfortunately, Chipotle does not have a drivethrough. The wait time is normally 10 to 15 minutes. So if you’re in a time crunch, Chipotle isn’t your best bet.

The Infamous ChickFilA:

“What-a-burger?” or “Water-burger?”:

According to everyone I’ve talked to (and by how long the drive-through line is), it’s obvious that Chick-fil-A is one of the most popular off-campus options. But is it really worth the hype?

Considering the dreadful Martin parking-lot traffic, it takes approximately nine minutes and 45 seconds to get to the parking lot of Chick-fil-a.

When it comes to ordering, the options are almost endless – with regards to it only being chicken. For the vegetarians and vegans, you’re stuck with fries and/or mac and cheese. If you want to eat healthily, Chick-fil-A isn’t too shabby. The grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps are protein-packed and low-calorie.

Not craving grilled chicken or lettuce? Chick-fil-A’s classic nuggets are surprisingly low-calorie, and they are the cheapest meal on the menu.

Speaking of price, Chickfil-A is considered tolerably affordable with their meals ranging from $3.05 to $8.59.

Its reopening in November reminded students how much they love and missed the great option of Whataburger. From the Patty Melts to the Chicken Strips, Whataburger has a great range of menu items that students love. During lunch, the lines at Whataburger aren’t too horrendous – they can be pretty manageable. But depending on your order, the wait for your food might take some time.

The vegetarian options at Whataburger are slim, only consisting of their Grilled Cheese, French Fries, and a Veggie Burger that might contain trace amounts of animal products.

Interested in eating healthily?

Whataburger isn’t your go-to. The healthiest meal at Whataburger is their Garden Salad and some apple slices.

Price-wise, Whataburger is the place to go. Their meal prices range from $3.09 to $7.89.

Devastation. Destruction. Distress.

The controversy between AISD and RJ Construction takes to the streets and the lawns of Arlington Lorelai Hofer • Photo/Multimedia Editor Winter storms blew through an unprepared state.

Devastation.

Destruction.

Distress.

A local business claims they came to the rescue of a dismantled school district, yet no repayment comes to rescue the business. The business has resorted to putting signs in yards and hoping for support from the community to seek justice in the legal battle to gain payment for their work.

The winter storms of February 2021 wreaked havoc in Texas causing many people to not only lose power, but also experience severe damage to their houses and buildings. One building, in particular, Sam Houston High School, faced destruction from the chilling weather. RJ Construction and Roofing, a local business, said they jumped into action to help repair damages after receiving a call for help from AISD Assistant Superintendent of Faculty Services, Kelly Horn, though conflict has arisen over the lack of payment to the construction company.

After reaching out to members of the school board for an interview, I was directed to the marketing and communications executive director, Anita Foster, who was unable to answer any questions due to legal constraints. The

AISD did recently put out a statement concerning their side of the conflict with RJ Construction.

“Kelly Horn made some promises to me and to my team and showed us all the widespread damage at Sam Houston, which is the biggest building in all of the AISD,” RJ Construction’s founder Robert Jordan said. “He made some promises to us that he never kept.”

On Feb. 24, a bill, and an estimate was given to the AISD. In return, Jordan and his team received keys to the high school and began working to get the school reopened. On March 2, a procurement agreement, essentially a contract that officially outlines a buyer and sellers relationship, was signed by Horn.

RJ Construction then received emails of gratitude for their work from both Horne and the environmental and safety services executive director, Corey Robinson.

“We had 37 team members there,” Jordan said.

“We had team members from South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri and Kansas that came to help. And then [Horn] and Cory both sent us emails thanking us for our hard work and the great job that we did to get those kids back in school.

Then what happened after that was they refused to pay

the bill. They had buyer’s remorse. They wanted to retrain the deal.”

In AISD’s statement, the district claims they sent a check to RJ Construction for the work performed.

The check was never cashed. The check was for approximately one tenth of the total amount RJ said he was owed. AISD claimed they would pay more if RJ Construction provided additional documentation.

In June, RJ Construction filed suit against AISD. Jordan said he offered mediation – a process in which a third party works to settle the dispute – twice, but AISD continued to deny the request, according to Jordan.

“Mediation can be an effective form of alternative dispute resolution,” licensed Texas and Illinois attorney who is not involved with the case, Brad Russell, said. “Mediations can take hours, days, or even longer to exhaust all efforts for the parties to settle. Mediation

is typically voluntary unless there is some contractual or other obligation. Mediation can be pushed off for years or even indefinitely.”

The Arlington ISD has made differing claims pertaining to mediation than Jordan and his team.

“Arlington ISD made the first proposal to mediate and has repeatedly offered to mediate since then, but RJ Construction has refused,” the AISD’s statement said.

A hearing was held in September, in which the district lost. The district’s attorney then filed to the courts that they would consider mediation again in 2020 to 2024. After losing the hearing, AISD declared that the lawsuit fell under sovereign immunity protection, which shields a government body from a lawsuit without their consent.

continued on page 10

NEWS • 7

‘You have to really commit’

Rituals and routines help students and staff Keyla Holmes • Entertainment Editor

M

artin students fill the halls every day doing their best to show up fully for their classes and activities. Putting your best foot forward can be difficult when you don’t practice finding a comfortable pace, and expectations can be quite a strenuous thing.

Along with the many valuable skills and life lessons students are able to gain, learning how to create routines and rituals that work for the individual Warrior is one of them.

Being in tune with your needs can be a difficult thing to take into consideration when you feel overwhelmed by your commitments and goals, but according to students, it’s all about simply getting started.

“I always start habits by

8 • FEATURES

first, forcing myself to get up and complete it, but after about a week or two it simply becomes a routine in the morning and night,” senior Kirstyn Dickey said.

While getting started on a routine can be difficult, it comes with high reward.

“Following a routine has made me feel more organized,” senior Kate Atkins said. “By sticking to a schedule, I can accomplish a lot more.”

Figuring out ways to take the time to tend to your needs can be a necessary element in assuring that you don’t become drained while trying to juggle different aspects of your life.

“Self care is a big deal for me since I have to take care of myself physically and mentally while also being drained in my work and life outside of school,” Dickey said. “Self care can be the

thing that lets you take a step back and breathe.”

The assurance that committing to a routine brings makes it all the more worthwhile.

Consistency brings peace of mind and helps in eliminating anxiety and stress.

“I set everything out the night before or put it already in my vehicle before I go to bed,” varsity soccer coach Sabina Harrington said. “I can just lay down with more calmness and not think of things running through my mind, so it allows me to relax better in the evening.”

While it can be easy to only view strength in the physical sense, it’s significant for students to learn that strength often comes from within. Being able to fuel one’s body, mind, and spirit is essential in being “Warrior Strong,” but also beyond our halls.

“In a routine, I’m not just taking care of getting my

workout and schoolwork done, but allowing time to take care of myself,” Atkins said. “Such as setting time aside to relax or take a nap.”

As students open up about their routines, the discussion of patience and grace takes its presence.

“Being totally transparent, I don’t always let myself take a step back during the week because of the way my brain forces me to get more and more done,” Dickey said. “Although I do try to take at least 30 minutes to myself a day, it can become difficult and I do see the results of not taking breaks by the end of the week.”

It can take time to establish a routine that works for you, so continuing to make an effort to build yourself up is important. Creating that relationship with yourself now can positively affect future relationships.

“Starting my routine of waking up at 5:50 was a struggle,” senior Carsen Clark said. “But you just have to really commit and it gets easier everyday until it becomes a habit.”

With spring around the corner, the idea of growth and rebirth fills the crisp air. As students move through the second semester, it can be a great time for students to implement routines or new rituals in their lives. Feeling grounded and having a plan can be the perfect recipe for success, and be uplifting as we look forward to spring.

“Following a routine has helped me stay calm and grounded throughout this year,” Clark said. “It allows me to have structure, which I personally thrive in.”

Male skincare routine This is my skincare routine. My skin has never been too terribly afflicted with acne, but this has helped make sure I never get gross.

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

This is the skincare routine for senior Andrew Mirabelli.

“I would say pretty effective,” he said. “I’ve gone from being a pimple face to only having certain areas where it’s severe.”

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

This product serves to remove oils from the face, as well as generally clean it. I use this during my showers.

This product is used to clean your face of any dirt/grime/oils that might’ve accumulated on it during the day or while you slept. I use it just before bed.

Like me, Mirabelli uses this product to remove oils from his face. He uses this product twice a day.

CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion

Cleansing Wipes Just like the moisturizer I use, this product prevents the skin from getting too dry and protects it from the elements.

Anti-Blemish Gel

Sunscreen Unlike me, Mirabelli uses sunscreen to reduce exposure to UV light, which is harmful to the skin. Most sunscreens are safe to use for skincare.

This product is used to target specific areas of acne or stubborn pimples. I use this after cleaning my face.

Neutrogena On-TheSpot Treatment

Moisturizer

This product, as the name suggests, moisturizes the skin. I use this after using my antiblemish gel, I think of it as a sealer of some kind.

Ely Williams • Reporter

This product works similarly to my anti-blemish gel. It targets specific problem locations of acne.

FEATURES • 9

continued from page 7: Devastation. Destruction. Distress “It is absolutely possible for the AISD to claim sovereign immunity as a defense in the lawsuit RJ Construction filed,” Russel said. “In a claim for breach of contract, public entities in Texas can escape liability unless it clearly and unambiguously waived as a defense. But if RJ Construction can show that the AISD explicitly breached their contract, it may be able to defeat the sovereign immunity defense AISD raised.”

The district’s attempt to draw out the court process was perceived by Jordan as a way to make the business lose all of their money before any results can happen.

“AISD’s attempt is to outspend us and to bankrupt us to prevent them from having to pay the bill,” Jordan said. “So we are currently in the process of filing our appellate brief.

We don’t expect our appeal to be heard until probably February or March.”

The AISD has made a different statement concerning their use of sovereign immunity.

“Language in a brief filed

by Arlington ISD’s attorneys referenced RJ Construction (eventually) ‘losing everything’ as it relates to the appeal process and lawsuit,” the AISD’s statement said. “Arlington ISD is utilizing the defenses that are available to the district under the law, including immunity from paying inappropriate amounts that do not reflect the scope of services actually provided.”

10 • news

Controversy has arisen regarding statements uttered in and out of the courtroom amongst the district’s declaration of sovereign immunity.

“The government doesn’t have to pay their bills, is what they’re claiming for their defense,” Jordan said.

“That’s what they’re telling the courts. They’re telling the public that I didn’t give them paperwork, and that I refuse to mediate with them and chose to sue them instead, which is a flat lie.

So they’re lying to the public, and they’re giving very little information to the courts.”

Though this case may seem like a vacillating drama, in which fingers are constantly being pointed in all directions, the issue boils down to the refusal to pay a large sum of money to a small business. Not only is the initial amount of money owed over a million dollars, according to Jordan, the constant legal battle has cost RJ Construction an additional massive amount of money, which has caused newfound financial risks.

“The AISD owes about a million to six million,” Jordan said. “Because of their delinquency, and because we’ve had to file suit against them, more than 25 percent of our accounts receivable, is in litigation.

That has created some real problems with us from how we normally operate as a company. We have paid for a bunch of labor and materials that we never got paid for.”

The AISD has stated a different total amount of money for the claimed

191,000 square feet of work the construction company has done.

“According to a professional insurance adjustor, RJ Construction performed work valued at $179,520.54,” the AISD statement said. “RJ Construction has not provided the appropriate documentation.”

Though the legal battle continues, some community members have spoken out.

“We have a petition that we’ve had people signing,” Jordan said. “Number two is we put Pay RJ signs in your front yard. The third [action] is to email your displeasure to the school district.”

Many people have already started to show their support by placing signs in their yards and advocating for the business to their friends.

“We have shown our support for RJ by placing a PAY RJ sign in our yard, sharing on social media,

and through conversation,” homeowner J’vette Helsel said. “After seeing his videos of work done at the school, and knowing how many schools and houses were affected by the storms, his company could have worked anywhere.

They chose to jump in to support the AISD district so students could get back to classes. The company should be paid, they worked hard and long hours to get the school back open.”

Though Jordan has been an Arington-raised business owner of 15 years, he faces the novel adversity of navigating through legal issues for the first, and optimistically the last time, in his career.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, a really long time,” Jordan said. “I’ve never had to sue anybody to get paid. This is the most egregious abuse of power I’ve ever seen in my life, and these are the people that are in charge of educating people.”

Comfort in the classroom

Students’ take on what makes a classroom comfortable and what some teachers are doing to achieve that

Sally Rodriguez • Reporter

With school already

as stressful as it is, the environment we work and learn in should feel comfortable and safe. While some classrooms may make us feel this way, others are the complete opposite. As far as improvements to the learning environment, students have their ideas as to what they’d like added to their classrooms.

A large part that makes a classroom so comfortable is the lighting. Students find it easier to learn when a classroom’s lights are dimmed or even natural

rather than dealing with the bright, fluorescent lights that are in every room so early in the morning.

“I love my classes that have windows,” freshman Samantha Vuong said. “It makes it feel more cozy.”

Another aspect of the classroom environment that affects the comfort level of the class is the feeling of being able to have discussions with the teacher.

A teacher who makes their students feel that they are open for conversation gives the students the courage to ask questions and reach out for help from them.

“I always want my room to

feel like a safe space for students where they can come have discussions and share their opinions,” music theory teacher Lisa Hampton said.

Some students said they found it difficult to be comfortable in a class full of peers that they didn’t know well.

“I wish teachers would do more activities that allow us to get to know each other throughout the whole year, not just at the beginning,” sophomore Riba Hussain said.

Other changes that students feel would improve their learning environment

are warmer classrooms, comfortable seating, and even just the ability to express themselves in class.

Teachers who do realize that a student’s environment can greatly impact their performance in class say they make an effort to create a place that is as relaxing as students need in order to do their best in learning.

“I like to have a warmer tone in the classroom,” English teacher Brianna Stone said. “I feel that the bright, fluorescent lights can be more overwhelming and anxiety-inducing to the students.”

Ten and two?

The challenge when you put teenagers behind a wheel Trinity Orosco • Features Editor tion one may feel during a

O

perating a 3,000 pound vehicle is dangerous on its own, so what happens when you put a 16-year-old in the mix?

Juniors Grayce Pham and Marshall Sherman were leaving the junior parking lot during lunch, when in the blink of an eye, they collided with each other.

“I was turning out, but there was a big truck next to me, and I backed up a little and looked both ways, and I didn’t see anyone,” Pham said. “As I went, Marshall came speeding out and we crashed.”

The accident luckily didn’t leave any permanent damages, but that doesn’t mean the cars were left unscathed.

“She came out super fast and just hit my front driver’s side, and gas started leaking out of my car,” Sherman said.

Pham’s car was in such bad condition that her dad had to come and drive it home.

“Grayce’s dad had to come and lift the metal off of the tire because she couldn’t turn right,” junior passenger Noelle Nguyen said.

An accident of any kind can cause distress, no matter the person.

“I was so mad, and I was already having a bad day and thought, ‘Of course this happened too,’” Pham said.

Anger isn’t the only emo-

12 • features

collision. Worry is a common one as well, especially for the parents.

“My parents were scared, because I had just gotten surgery on my knee, and so they got scared because my foot was hurting a little bit afterward,” Sherman said.

Student drivers may have a bad reputation, but they do know when to accept the blame.

“I could have double-checked when going out, it was partially both our faults but more mine than his,” Pham said.

As bad as this accident seemed, Pham did walk away with a valuable lesson.

“You’re not invincible,” Pham said. “On the road you think, ‘It happens to other people. It’s not going to happen to me.’ But it does happen to you.”

That lesson doesn’t just apply for driving, but apparently for parking as well.

Martin’s student parking has gotten so bad that the Instagram page, Martin High School Bad Parking, was made solely to highlight it.

“I originally came up with the idea when someone parked so close I had to climb through my driver side door just to get through and decided that I was going to go out and expose the worst parkers at Martin,” the anonymous owner of the Martin High School Bad Parking page said.

The amount of submis-

Photo by Lorelai Hofer sions the page receives is a reflection on just how questionable the student parking at Martin is.

“On average the amount I am sent at least three or more a day,” the page owner said. “I would say I nearly get over 15 to 20 a week.”

So, according to the page owner, which grade has the worst parking at Martin?

“Definitely juniors,” they said. “That’s when most of them start driving and they think they’re the coolest thing since sliced bread.”

Everyone has their own bad experiences with student drivers, even teachers.

“I definitely got flipped off

by a student once, and the ones who won’t let you in when you try to get out are annoying,” Theatre teacher Kelly Groves said.

Bad experiences or not, everyone has that one parking lot at Martin that they steer clear of.

“You couldn’t pay me to be at the exit of the senior parking lot, because of them speeding, not looking where they’re going, and running that light,” Groves said.

So what is the best advice people can give to students when it comes to driving?

“Wait two years,” Groves said.

“ I had to climb throughA

https://images.app.goo.gl/BTtwy7BmrXoupRfVA https://images.app.goo.gl/

my driver side door d to climb

just to get through

”

Give me a break Student athletes stuggle to find time to recover from overworking their bodies Laynie Stroup • Sports Editor High school athletes have so much pressure to be the best, some often forget just how human they really are.

“The most important thing as an athlete is to be yourself and to go hard for the person next to you,” varsity football junior Michael Barrow said.

The competition of these sports has intensified so much in the previous years, the overall need for training has escalated.

“I practice soccer Monday through Saturday every single week,” varsity soccer senior Grace Reddic said.

These workouts are perfectly designed for these athletes and the program itself.

“Our football workouts are a variety of eccentric body workouts to hypertrophic workouts meant to work on a specific muscle group day to day,” varsity football senior Ernest “R.J” Cooper IV said.

However, all the time spent in training may be the cause of injury. Overworking your body can occur when you spend too much time working out but do not give yourself enough recovery.

“The number one thing for recovery is rest, aka sleep,” athletic trainer Johne’ Booty said. “Trying to get as much sleep as possible, foam rolling, stretching, eating healthy, and drinking plenty of water can help your body recover faster.”

Overworking puts a strain on your body and the continuation can result in injury.

“My coach has had to talk with me because I hate taking off,” Reddic said.

“During the summer I load up on workouts and my coach has pulled me aside and told me to not go as hard to prevent burnout.”

It is an athlete’s responsibility to take care of their body and take the steps to recover.

“More often than not you will see me in the training room trying to recover my body by either ice or Normatec compression sleeves,” Cooper said.

Booty said she treats anywhere from 30 to 50 student athletes a day all ranging from different sports and injuries.

Some student athletes said they have trouble balancing their time between school and athletics.

“Thinking ahead is the most important thing to help me stay on top of my assignments,” Reddic said.

“I know that If I have a game at night I need to get my homework done before the game because I will be tired and can’t trust myself to finish it after.”

Booty said some of the sports at Martin may be overworking their athletes.

She said a great way to reduce some of these injuries is by adding a few recovery days into a program.

“If I feel like my body is being put in a bad situa-

Dodging a tackle, junior Michael Barrow runs the ball in hopes of scoring a touchdown against Bowie on Oct. 15. Barrow went on to recieve Utilty Player of the Year. Photo by Aysha Mirza tion, I’m able to converse with the coaches and see what’s best to ensure my body stays healthy,” Cooper IV said.

One of the biggest problems student athletes face is trying to produce more than they are putting into their bodies. Athletes are depending on their skills

but are not taking the proper steps to keep their bodies injury-free.

“Your body signals to you when you are hurting,” Booty said. “So if you come in and get treatment when you feel a little pain, you can get it worked out before it gets too bad and hopefully be back to competing.”

‘Just because we think differently doesn’t mean ’ we have to be rude to each other’ Students navigate political discussions with peers

MacKenzie Estes • Reporter Nowadays, politics can be a very heavily spoken topic. Respectful agreements and discussions on political views have now turned into disagreements, arguments, and even physical fights among one another.

People have even started basing their friendships and relationships solely on what other peoples’ political views are. The maturity level to speak on the topic of politics also comes with a wide level of respect towards others’ opinions.

“I always feel that my opinion is overlooked when conversing with people on the other end of the spectrum,” sophomore Landyn Nichols said. “I do feel comfortable sharing my political opinions the majority of the time. Sometimes if I know that the other person has a different opinion than me, I try not to share all of my thoughts to avoid arguments.”

When wanting to speak out and have a voice on political topics, having maturity and respect towards other people plays a big role in being an active part in politics.

“My political views are definitely a major priority to me,” Nichols said. “I believe that it is a very beau-

tiful thing to be able to express my opinions freely.

I try to respect everyone’s opinions because I want to be treated with respect when talking about my feelings. When someone would disrespect my opinions and try to make me feel like I was worth nothing because of my political opinion, I would be quite uncivil. I now try to remember that we are entitled to our own thoughts and feelings and just because we think differently doesn’t mean we have to be rude to each other.”

It is a good idea to be educated and have an opinion, but with that comes the maturity level to be courteous and keep in consideration both political sides.

“I personally do not care what your political affiliation is,” Nichols said. “If we are friends before I find out your political stance, there is no reason that we cannot be friends after. However, I have lost many friends due to politics. I have been blocked, called horrible names, publicly harassed, and slandered on social media, which obviously leads me to not wanting to be those people’s friends. I would never say to anybody that we cannot be friends because of our difference in political opinions.”

“I would never say to anybody that we cannot be friends because of our difference in political opinions.”

14 • features

“In most political conversations, most people are open to hearing my thoughts, but as a conservative straight, white male, my opinion doesn’t matter to some people as they believe that people like me are ‘privileged,’” sophomore Nash Sanders said. “I am comfortable with sharing my political views to others because I’m aware of what I stand for and what I value, so I am able to openly state how I feel on certain situations.”

Playing an active part in politics is very important to most people because they want to be educated and have a voice in what is go-

ing on in political discussions.

“I stay active in politics and what is going on in the world as I believe all people should, but it shouldn’t control our lives,” Sanders said. “I respect other peoples’ views and opinions but I give them mine in hopes of them understanding how someone else from a different background may view a political standpoint differently. I do participate frequently in political debates, but I do not let political opinions determine my relationship with others, unless someone’s beliefs are extreme and endangering.”

Healthier eating in 2022 How to stick to your resolution to eat healthy Sirinity Hubbard • Reporter As we ring in the new year, people try new things. They make resolutions and try their hardest to stick to them. Although it may be hard to stick to a new year’s resolution of eating healthy, with a few different options, it could possibly be easier.

To accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets, restaurants have started to bring in more veggies and other healthy options that avoid the use of meat. It’s common knowledge that you can keep meat in your diet and still be healthy, but eliminating meat on occasion could possibly help you hold to your resolution.

Instead of ordering a beef hamburger when going out, ordering a veggie burger could be a better and healthier option. Places that offer veggie burgers are: Chapps Burgers, Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, Twisted Root Burger Co. and many other places.

Another food to help you stick to your resolution is pizza. Yes, pizza.

The thought of pizza being healthy might seem absurd, but pizza can be made healthful. Instead of getting a pizza full of meat, try getting a pizza with meat and veggies, just veggies, or even a vegan pizza.

Doing that can increase your intake of all the nutrients meat and vegetables give rather than just meat.

Places that provide such pizzas are: Mellow Mush-

room (offers vegan pizza), Papa Johns, Dominoes, Pizza Hut, Marco’s Pizza (offers crustless pizzas and cauliflower crust) and most other pizza places.

This one might be less of a shock, but another food to help stick to your resolution is anything at Chipotle or Subway. At Chipotle, you can get a complete veggie bowl or one with meat and veggies. They also offer sofritas which are braised tofu. You can make a lifestyle bowl, salad, quesadilla, taco, burrito bowl, and a burrito healthier.

Subway, much like Chipotle, offers a variety of healthy options such as sandwiches, wraps, bowls, melts, and salads, all of which can be made healthy.

Who would’ve thought things like burgers, pizza, Chipotle and Subway would help you keep to your new year’s resolution?

Making little changes like inviting more vegetables into your life can make a big difference and benefit you greatly. Putting a twist on foods you regularly eat to make them healthier can also do the same.

What’s up with...?

Art NHS Art NHS is focused on doing murals around the school. They are also working on Painted Tree commission where they are doing a mural for a local retail shop and several areas around the campus with interactive murals.

“We work with people and bring the arts to them and show them what art can be,” Art NHS sponsor Sharon Miller said.

Roboboat Roboboat is a club at Martin that designs and builds a robotic boat that can navigate and complete a number of tasks on an aquatic course for a competition in June.

“The great thing about Roboboat is that it’s a learning experience for everyone,” junior Rebekah Lara said. “Everyone that is in the club is learning together and no one knows exactly how to do 100 percent of everything.”

Show Choir The Varsity and JV show choirs are preparing for their UIL competition at the district’s annual Show Choir Showcase. The following night is the traditional spring “Pops” show highlighting seniors, “The next month and a half is going to be pretty busy, but it’ll all be worth it once we wrap things up with our final performances,” senior varsity dance captain Simon Kowalski said.

FEATURES • 15

Before your bottle overflows

Easy ways to manage stress in your day to day life Zizi Belvin • Reporter

which could make them more qualified to help you through whatever you’re working through.

Seeking out support when your emotions are trying to get the best of you can be difficult for many people, especially when it seems like you won’t have time in your schedule to do so.

But even when you feel like it’s an impossibility, if you bottle up your emotions, the bottle will eventually overflow. Here are a few ways for you to vent in order to help yourself out:

Pets:

Sometimes it’s too hard to say what you need to say or even ask for a hug from another person, so a friendly alternative could be a pet.

Whether you have a dog or cat to play with, or a fish to admire, talking to them about what’s weighing on you would give you an opportunity to voice what you’re thinking, and could help you to move on a bit from a situation or at least accept it. They could also help you avoid feeling alone when you want some space from other people, and give you a sense of purpose or responsibility while caring for them.

Sitting in a room with only a fish to talk to may turn out to be better than sitting alone.

16 • features

Martin support:

Junior Arlie Coker writes in a journal for stress relief. Journaling, pets, and interactions with trusted friends and adults can help regulate emotions. Photo by Mark Regalado

Journaling:

Journaling is another great option. It can allow you to rant and express your feelings without the worry of other peoples’ opinions while getting creative.

Not to mention, it’s easy to flip back a few pages and see how much you’ve progressed or changed since you began the journal.

At first, it may seem terrifying to fill the first page or even to buy the journal, but once you start writing and expressing yourself, it tends to come more easily.

Friends:

There’s always the classic option of talking with your friends, which I’m sure most students here have done, but some tend to forget that your friends are there for a reason. They care about you and may be

able to give you an opinion on your situation or emotions without overly clouded judgment because you don’t always think clearly when you’re stressed.

On top of all of that, they could also help you make some fun new memories.

Trusted adults:

Another person you could turn to to get advice or just talk to is a trusted adult. It could be a family member or even school staff. Any grown-up would work.

It may seem uncomfortable to approach them and express your thoughts, but once you have it all off your chest, you’re sure to feel at least a bit better and both you and the adult might find that you trust each other a bit better.

It could also help that they may have personal experience with the topic,

A few organizations at Martin have begun to realize the importance of mental health and how it can affect not only academic performance, but our everyday lives as well. During the week of December 6 through 10, Psi Alpha held a Wellness Week. In addition, a new club for girls called Shift meets after school and during lunch to provide emotional support.

By creating these safe spaces, opportunities for students to be themselves and make friends open up, allowing students to relax for a moment to keep their stress and unwanted emotions at bay. It is these moments that get students from one day to another and allow them a chance to sort out their emotions when their minds are otherwise too crowded to process what they need to.

The most important part of this, however, is to make yourself feel better. If one of these processes makes your situation worse or doesn’t help much, then you could try another or come up with your own. Getting creative can provide a distraction and can allow you to find the method best for you.

While some experiences are universal, solutions are often individual.

39 years of making a difference

Ready Set Teach and Principles of Education teacher makes the hard decision to leave teaching mid year

Aysha Mirza • Editor-in-Chief

A

teacher touches lives every day. The number of impacts made in just a year is countless. But for Ready Set Teach and Principles of Education teacher Linda Fetters, her 39 years of teaching have made incomparable impacts.

With so much experience in the education field, Fetters was given the opportunity to teach Principles of Education and Ready Set Teach three years ago. With this job, she has helped hundreds of students become teachers of the future.

But after suddenly being given a once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity, Fetters has decided to retire in February and move to Georgetown, Texas to be a private nanny.

“My husband and I met Christopher (who I will be working for) eight years ago through my son, and since then we have become like parents to him and his wife Courtney,” Fetters said. “They now have a son named Finn but need someone to take care of him after Courtney started having pregnancy compli-

cations with their second baby. So we will live in a house that Christopher has bought for me and my husband and will work together taking care of Finn.”

Leaving in the middle of the year was a hard decision, but Fetters explained to her students how right this decision felt and has received full support since.

“My husband’s health gave me the big push,” she said. “He had his first heart attack in 1999 and is the first in his family to survive a heart attack. More recently, my husband had openheart surgery three years ago. We have also been dealing with health issues with my youngest son since he was three when he had cancer. So when this opportunity came up, it just felt the safest.”

A teacher’s schedule can become very time-consuming, especially with how dedicated Fetters has been to make sure her students are well prepared.

“I live, sleep, and breathe my job,” Fetters said. “In my mind, I have all these years of experience so I have had to be a model teacher to teach my students how to be the best teacher in the future that they can be. So if I am not ready, how is that going to affect my students?”

Although the schedule is

tough, the effort Fetters has put in has helped her students in so many ways.

“Mrs. Fetters always comes to class with a smile on her face and it shows that she spends so much time and effort on her job,” senior Ready Set Teach student Kendal Rushing said.

“You can tell she truly loves what she does and cares about all of her students.

This has impacted me because she spent so much time and effort getting me my placements for RST and teaching me everything I need to know to be successful in the field site.”

While Fetters plans for her big move and prepares for the rest of the year’s plans for the next teacher, her students reflect on their favorite memories with her.

“My favorite memory with Mrs. Fetters is the first day of Principles of Education and Training my freshman year,” senior Lina Ruiz said.

“I wasn’t aware of it then, but that’s the day when I got to know what kind of exciting experience I would have for the rest of my high school experience thanks to her motivating attitude.”

Part of being such a welcoming teacher like Fetters is genuinely loving the job.

Fetters said she has known since high school that teaching is what she wanted, and now she helps encourage her own students in their future teaching careers.

“Her teaching has helped me reflect on what kind of teacher I would like to be in the future,” Ruiz said. “I want to be a kind, respect-

ful, and flexible one, just like Mrs. Fetters.”

Fetters said she gets to interact with students in ways most teachers don’t get to.

“I have a wonderful position at Martin,” Fetters explained, “And as upset as I am to leave, I know that I am giving this amazing position to someone else, which has helped me let go a little bit.”

But to Fetters, being in the class and interacting with her students has been the most memorable part of her career.

“This position has been the cherry on top,” she said.

“Having young people care as much as you do about doing a good job has been the best gift because you guys are such amazing people in who you are and to see all the amazing qualities of amazing teachers in each of you. You are going to make a difference. And the fact that I was a part of that has been the most memorable.”

Students said that Fetters has always made sure to make her class an exciting and welcoming environment. While she makes sure to prepare her students for their future careers, she also makes sure to have fun with her students.

“We were doing a game and Mrs. Fetters had to climb on top of the desks to close the blinds and we all just thought it was so funny,” sophomore Lea Connerly said. “It just showed that she can be a really fun teacher.”

Photo by Mark Regalado features • 17

Gluten not-friendly

A day in the life of someone with Celiac disease Amanda Kohutek •News Editor

What is Celiac disease?

Celiac disease, also called Celiac, is an autoimmune disease that causes those with it to be unable to digest gluten.

But what exactly is gluten? Gluten is a protein specifically found in wheat, barley, and rye, most typically known in foods with wheat flour, like bread, cookies, cakes, and more. The disease is hereditary, so those with it have the gene passed on from one of their parents, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that their parents have Celiac. Many people can have the gene for Celiac disease, but it is typically triggered by an event or anomaly in the body, often in the form of a severe illness.

Celiac affects each person differently, but the most common symptoms are stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, and fatigue – all from eating gluten. The logistics of a Celiac reaction to gluten involve the immune system attacking gluten proteins that enter the small intestine, but also damaging itself along with it.

Some patients who are diagnosed find extensive damage to their small intestine, which can take months to fully heal. Furthermore, this kind of autoimmune disease puts Celiac patients at extreme risk for other autoimmune diseases and disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and more.

The only solution for those with Celiac is a complete gluten free diet for the rest of their lives. Some diets need to be stricter than others due to varying degrees of sensitivity. Because of eating with extreme restrictions on gluten cross-contamination, sometimes people think that Celiac is an allergy to gluten. This is false. Although there are such things as wheat allergies, Celiac is an autoimmune disease that simply has similar restrictions to an allergy.

18 • opinions

My diagnosis:

I was diagnosed with Celiac disease in August 2015, after having both bloodwork and a small intestinal biopsy.

I had been sick for the majority of the few years prior to that time – being constantly nauseated, having a bloated stomach, and barely eating.

The blood test and extreme damage to my small intestine indicated that I have a very serious case of the disease and would have to go on a full gluten free diet, taking into consideration cross-contamination as well. I have been living on that diet ever since.

On a day-to-day basis

Here’s the rundown of some things I have to do on a typical day to maintain my Celiac-friendly gluten free diet Morning:

If I want to grab breakfast before school, it can be rather hard to find a quick grab-and-go. My go-to is an “Oven Baked Bar” by Glutino, which is about as close to Pop Tarts as it gets. But if I want to make a larger breakfast, like on a weekend, changes such as substituting gluten free pancake batter are necessary.

If I make toast, not only must I use gluten free bread, I have to use my own toaster separate from my family’s.

This toaster has only ever had gluten free bread in it, and it is necessary so that I don’t get sick from cross-contamination of gluten. If I want butter on that toast, I need to use a separate butter tub and knife from my family, because it’s common for people to put their knife back in the butter after spreading it on bread, leaving crumbs of gluten in the butter that would get me sick. The same goes for jams, jellies, and Nutella.

••••••

Lunchtime/afternoon:

Being strictly gluten free, I can’t eat the typical school lunches. So I bring my lunch everyday (or go off-campus because I’m a senior).

Packing a typical sack lunch looks a bit different when it comes to being gluten free. Your basic sandwich, cheese and crackers, and more must be substituted for their gluten free counterparts which sometimes don’t hold up being carried around in a lunchbox all day.

My go-to (don’t laugh) is gluten-free dinosaur chicken nuggets. They are microwavable or oven-cooked and I pack them in my lunch along with some ranch dressing to dip them in.

Along with that, I usually pack some fruit and chips for a side, as many potato chips are gluten free naturally (that doesn’t mean all though).

••••••

Evening:

Though my mom has perfected the art of cooking with gluten free flours (like almond, potato, or rice flour), my family is still able to eat out with my gluten free diet – we just have to be very careful about where that is.

Chick-fil-A, for example, has gluten-free grilled chicken nuggets, and they also have a gluten-free bun for a grilled chicken sandwich. But the real stickler when it comes to these restaurants is my favorite food: french fries. Though most fries are simply cut-up potatoes stuck in a fryer, if the fryer oil is shared with that of gluten-containing foods like chicken tenders, I cannot eat them due to cross-contami-

nation. Luckily, the french fries at the Arlington Chick-filAs are separated from the chicken nuggets, but any time I venture to a new restaurant with fries, I have to ask them whether they use separate fryers, which will often land me speaking with the manager.

When it comes to sit-down restaurants, I usually have to ask for a gluten free menu or one with the main allergens listed to find something to eat. If all goes according to plan and I end up with french fries, I’m happy.

••••••

Events:

Finding and eating full gluten free meals has become a lot easier for me as time has gone on, but provided snacks, specifically those at school, are a different story. A typical way to gain the interest of high school students for club meetings, parties, or after-school activities is to provide food.

The first examples that come to mind are pizzas, cupcakes, and cookies: all gluten-containing items.

By now, I’m used to not eating food at these events, which is probably better for my health in the long run anyway, but if I know about the provided food beforehand, I may bring my own snacks to tide me over.

There are some instances where, if the club directors or leaders know me well, we will talk beforehand and something separate will be provided for me. The same goes for many friends of mine with allergies or intolerances, so luckily I’m not always alone in skipping out on party food.

••••••

Moving forward:

So far, it seems I will be on a gluten-free diet for the rest of my life, having a checkup and blood work with my Gastrointestinal doctor every year and enjoying the best gluten-free foods I can find. Although, there is ongoing research for supplements that will allow those with Celiac to eat a small portion of gluten along with it, and maybe one day they will have a breakthrough that will change the game.

But for now, as more and more people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Celiac disease every day, I hope to spread awareness about the disease and those it affects so that more restaurants and food services will begin to provide gluten free options.

For more information on Celiac disease and research for a cure, feel free to visit beyondceliac.org. opinions •

19

Do audiences romanticize health issues?

Analyzing the portrayal of diseases in movies and observing the impact it creates Chloe MacFoy • Reporter To romanticize is to deal with or describe in an idealized or unrealistic fashion or make something seem better or more appealing than it really is.

I have always wondered about types of movies that have people with deadly diseases fall in love and how they reflect back to audiences.

Context

Some movies that fit in this type of category are The Fault in our Stars and Five Feet Apart. The general summary of these movies are people falling in love with deadly diseases.

Both of these movies have a lot of similarities when it comes to the plot. The Fault in Our Stars has two teengers fall in love while having cancer. In Five Feet Apart, two teenagers with cystic fibrosis have to stay apart because of their disease but end up staying together. Both of these movies don’t necessarily have happy endings but are not “bad” endings.

The good

Not everyone romanticizes these health issues and type of love stories, and they can just be a unique representation of love. Uniqueness is what people could be searching for instead of the average type of love story.

These movies could also help people who never get any type of representation about their diseases, and it could put a disease that almost no one has heard of in the mainstream. Almost all movies have a story to tell, and audiences don’t always reflect a person’s work. These movies can be good and entertaining but can also have some flaws with the story itself and the audience.

The bad

Where does romanticization of these movies come from? Romanticization in these movies comes from wanting to be different or the idea that you will find love if you have a deadly disease.

Outside of romanticizing these illnesses in movies, another downside is that some of them are inaccurate or do have not enough information about the disease. If the only thing people know about a disease is from a movie, misinformation could spread around.

Also, the people who play these roles never actually have the disease. So it’s questionable if the people with these diseases are accurately represented.

Overall

I feel like stories like these can be harmful but can also tell a story you might love. People always consume content that could be a little problematic, so my final thought is to look at stuff you watch and think about the information it’s presenting to you. Also, the grass is greener on the other side, so don’t romanticize things that you probably don’t want.

features • 21 entertainment • 21

Fighting it out As societal tenisons rise in America, Martin student face the facts of physical problem solving Mallory Menard•Opinions Editor Earlier this year, junior Nathan Sullivan found himself in the midst of more than just a verbal disagreement with a fellow student.

“He [opposing student] was talking trash and we were both beefing back and forth,” Sullivan said.

“We got into an argument in front of the school. He swung on me and things went from there.”

On a global scale, about 150 million students ages 13 to 15 report facing violence against their peers in a school envrionment.

But, ever since the re-start of in-person teaching after the effects of Covid, it seems that students are getting more and more restless – hungry, almost, for drama.

According to Education Week, the notable spike in our nation’s violence is due to serveral underlying factors including the social unrest following the murder of George Floyd and the Covid pandemic. Here at Martin, it seems that spontaneous outbursts of violence are growing more and more. However, that’s not necessarily the case.

Having to complete in-person classes for the first time in a year and a half has been an adjustment for us all.

In a “normal” year, the amount of physical dis-

22 • FEATURES

agreements would be around the same as they have been this year.

Assistant principal Amanda Cobb shared about the initial and continuous consequences on fights here at school.

“The initial consequence for a fight is that the student(s) are home-based for two days,” Cobb said. “Depending on the time of day, we contact parents, then they’re sent home and suspended.”

Nevertheless, for Martin students and staff, these fights are getting old.

For teachers and administrators especially, after having a year of slim to no issues, we all keep wondering the same thing: Why? Why do these students feel the need to dish things out in the most violent ways possible?

With no prior issues with the student, Sullivan confessed the entire issue was a waste of time for everyone.

“We were arguing over stupid stuff, and even if we didn’t fight, things would be the same as they are now so it doesn’t matter and there was literally no point,” Sullivan said.

As equal as the fight was, the two students were both suspended for two days.

Sullivan got into trouble with his family, and had some very enlightening advice for anyone else in his

shoes.

“Try to resolve things before you get into physical matters because it’s really not worth getting in trouble for it,” Sullivan said.

While some fights end up being “stupid” on both ends, others still have questons behind it.

Junior Max Rhodes also landed in a physical disagreement, but with a very different background than Sullivan. Rhodes had no idea who or why the opposing student did what he did, and still does not understand.

“It was really random,” Rhodes said. “He said something to me in the hallway and I was like, ‘What? I don’t even know who you are.’ I don’t even know what grade he’s in.”

Rhodes was walking out of the locker room when the opposing student pushed him from behind.

“I was freaking out,” he said. “Right after it was over I called my mom and she told me to go to my coaches. When I did, we got things worked out and everything was over.”

With some fights, like Rhodes, someone else is just looking to take out some anger and nothing much happens. In cases when students carry on multiple fight offenses, Cobb outlined the worsening effects.

“In terms of discipline wise, the consequences go up depending on the kid and situation. They can have additional days, OCS, choices, or even up to Turning Point,” Cobb said.

A spoon full of sugar Natural remedies for a healthier you

Ezrie Camp • Features Editor

I

n today’s world it is so easy to rely on medicine to fix a lot of health problems. There are also many foods that are natural remedies for a lot of the minor health problems people have today.

Sometimes, the body is more accepting of natural sources of necessary vitamins, and minerals and food are a great way to get those things.

Anti Inflammatory:

These foods help to reduce inflammation of joints that causes discomfort in everyday movements. Foods considered to be natural anti-inflammatories include Turmeric and cherry juice.

Iron:

Iron is a mineral that aids the body in the production of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that helps to transport oxygen throughout the body. This promotes recovery as the muscles receive the oxygen they need to repair. The travel of oxygen also helps the brain to be more alert and high functioning because it is receiving what it needs from the blood.

Overall, iron is beneficial to both mental and physical performance. Foods high in iron include red meat and spinach.

Potassium: Blood Oxygenation:

This is similar to the benefits of iron. High blood oxygenation is also extremely helpful in athletes as it helps the body to recover quicker and allows the body’s oxygen stores to be replenished faster.

Foods that help with blood oxygenation include: beets or beet juice.

Potassium is most well known for preventing muscle cramps as well as helping muscles to contract properly and nerve cells to respond more efficiently. Foods high in potassium include: Bananas Dried fruits (raisins, apricots) Potatoes

Magnesium Rich Foods:

Magnesium has many health benefits and can be absorbed through many everyday foods.

One benefit of magnesium is that it reduces the occurrence of migraines, a common symptom of magnesium deficiency. It also helps to increase athletic performance as it aids in the breakdown of lactic acid in muscles, which can help with muscle cramping and overall muscle endurance.

Magnesium also helps with heart health as it helps to regulate a person’s heartbeat and protects the heart from stress.

Foods high in magnesium include: pumpkin seeds, beans, dark chocolate, and avocado.

Nausea:

Sleep:

Many foods that are high in melatonin are a great way to help with sleep. Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland in the brain. It helps to control the sleepwake cycle. Foods high in melatonin include: almonds and Chamomile tea.

There are many natural remedies to a lot of common minor health problems that people have. A lot of the natural minerals and aids can be found in foods that are easy to incorporate into a person’s everyday diet, but they can make a world of difference in a person’s everyday functions.

One of the best known foods to help with nausea and digestive problems is ginger. It comes in many forms, such as candy, juice, crystallized natural ginger, and all natural ginger root that can be incorporated into a variety of dishes.

Ginger can help with nausea that spans from car sickness to morning sickness and even just a stomach bug.

features • 23

Prom problems

Students’ struggles and insecurities surrounding prom Ally Little • Sports Editor With prom quickly approaching, seniors are starting to wonder just how early is too early to start prepping for prom?

Stress about the look, the ride, and the price are flooding our minds while also trying to enjoy the night for what it is – a party to celebrate the end of our final year as high school students. With so many things to worry about, everyone has a combination of struggles.

Many seniors said they prefer to go to prom alone to enjoy the night with friends instead, but senior Amethyst Brewer said she isn’t going to let her relationship get in the way of having a great prom experience.

“I think going single with friends would be a blast, but I much rather spend my time with my boyfriend and with all of our friends because it’s a night to celebrate each other and our time here in high school rather than just the couple or your date,” she said.

Even though senior Saima Hussain doesn’t have a significant other to go with, she said she is not going to let that dampen her excitement for the night to come.

“I’m not too worried about being asked because I think I’ll enjoy it more with my friends rather than an actual date,” Hussain said.

Hussain said she has some common stressors in mind but still some that resonate

24 • features

with many seniors.

“I think I’m stressed about the money portion,” Hussain said. “Where I and my friends will eat, tickets, makeup, the dress.”

One of the most important aspects of prom, what to wear, is consuming the minds of many seniors even this early in the year.

“I’m stressed about finding a dress because of the expense, and I’m worried if I buy it too far out, it won’t fit by the time prom happens,” Brewer said.

There are also many things to consider when it comes to the specifics of what to wear. Hussain said she is already thinking about what she wants for her dress.

“I’m considering the size and what color and if I want it to be flashy or long sleeves and the price,” Hussain said Whether it be online on a website like Miabella or in person at a place like WhatchamaCallit in Fort Worth, deciding when and where to get your dress can be stressful. But Hussain and Brewer already have a plan for that.

“I’ll probably purchase my dress in January or February to get a head start before the dresses get more expensive as it gets closer to prom season,” Brewer said.

With prom being one of our biggest events of senior year many seniors are dealing with social pressure about it, senior Grace Connolly said she has felt some of these pressures.

Senior Ella Knight tries on prom desses at Whatchamacallit. Pressure to buy prom dresses peaks in early spring. Photo by Shelby Zimmerman “I think there’s a lot of expectations around prom,” Connolly said. “You’re supposed to look your best, and you feel pressure to look the best out of everyone.”

Hussain said she has felt some of the same pressures.

“I’m a little nervous about people judging my dress or makeup,” Hussain said.

Senior Parker Kuehn said they have thought of a pressure many of us would even think about, but is a very real concern for many students.

“Gendered clothing,” Kuehn said. “I have no problem wearing a suit and tie but I know there are others out there that face that sort of oppression.”

Despite all the struggles with prom, Hussain said she is not letting anything get her down about prom.

“I just think prom will be the best thing,” Hussain said. “I am nervous to be judged, but I think the whole point of prom is to just celebrate the end of your senior year and just have the time of your life.”

Kuehn said they don’t want anyone to let anything stop them from going to prom.

“I hope this gets out there for other kids to know they can wear what they want to prom and for everyone to know that fighting at prom isn’t something that should happen,” Kuehn said.

“Please go to prom,” Brewer said. “You’ll never forget it and it’ll be a blast, especially if you go to Bahama Bash afterward. It’s a good excuse to dress in your dreamiest dress/suit and party it up with your friends.”

Debunking

diabetes

Students face the reality behind a disease that isn’t all that well-known Katy Dixon • Reporter

Diabetes is a disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine. There are 2 types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2.

In type 1, the pancreas can’t make insulin. The body can still get glucose from food, but it can’t get into the cells where it’s needed.

With type 2, the pancreas still makes insulin, but the insulin doesn’t do its job as well as it should in the body.

“I have type 1 diabetes,” sophomore Cheyenne James said. “I was eight when I was diagnosed. I started feeling sick one morning and my mom let me lay down and rest the rest of the day, but then I started throwing up everywhere, so she took me to the ER. When we got there, the nurse said I had a blood sugar in the 300s.”

A normal blood sugar level is under 140.

After being diagnosed, it becomes a part of everyday life.

With health problems come misconceptions and misunderstandings, and with so many of them, you can get lost in knowing what’s true and what’s a

myth.

“A lot of people think diabetics are just unhealthy, like you get diabetes because you didn’t eat right or like we don’t exercise,” senior Karson McGuire said.

“But that’s not true, especially for younger people.”

Technology has greatly improved from 1964, when test strips were first introduced. Now we have easier ways to check and manage blood sugars.

“I keep track of my sugars using a Dexcom CGM (continuous glucose monitor) or a True Metrix meter,” James said. “I usually have to test my blood sugar eight to ten times a day.”

Advanced technology allows for smaller and easier transportation for anytime of day so now you can carry all your supplies in one bag that’s quickly accessible.

This solution eliminates any problems that can occur throughout the day.

“I carry my tester, glucagon tablets, ketone strips, Novolog pens for correcting my blood sugar when it gets high, and needles,” James said.

But as high school students, we still have to go to school eight hours a day, diabetes or not. And sometimes, complications can get in the way.

“It can affect my school day,” McGuire said. “Especially if my blood sugar

goes low, and I’m not able to focus or I have to leave class to go get sugar to try to bring myself back up. Or if I go too high, and I have to go to the bathroom a lot, then that can also affect it.”

To some, it can seem confusing and/or complicated having to manage your diabetes on top of highschool classes and halls. What about lunch? Or when their blood sugar drops really low or gets really high?

What do they do?

“Some students have special permission and don’t have to come, but if not, they have to come for lunch and when they’re high or low,” nurse Kate Hale said.

“When someone is critically high or low, we treat it here and when it’s normal, they go back to class, but if they become unresponsive, we have to call 911.”

Some people can’t help but be judgemental, while others just don’t complete-

ly understand it. So they resort to making jokes or asking questions that can sometimes be particularly offensive.

“I’ve gotten asked, ‘Is that heroin?’ before,” James said. “And the ridiculous, ‘This is so sweet it’s gonna give me diabetes.’ It’s very annoying and I really don’t like it.”

But things like that can be easily rectified with just some more clarity. There are certain topics that not everyone understands, but when the confusion occurs, it’s better to ask questions and research it before jumping to major conclusions.

“It’s not as huge of a deal,” McGuire said. “It doesn’t affect me as much as people think. I’m still just a very normal student that goes to class. It’s like having asthma or something else. It’s just something I have to deal with.”

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Be a man

High school boys struggle with body image

By Lilly Griffihs • Copy Editor

Senior Jacob Schultz is your average Martin student: bright, involved, and driven.

What many wouldn’t know about Schultz is that he struggles with how he sees himself. From changing the way he eats to the way he pushes himself in the gym, this struggle affects his daily life and many of the students around him would never know it.

Body image has been portrayed as an issue that stereotypically women struggle with, but it can affect men just as severely. As a result of this, men might not know that they are struggling with body

“Why do you look like that?”

26 • features

image issues and that they can, and should, reach out for help.

Having problems with body image can progress into habits that range from changing the way you eat to even just changing the way you dress. Regardless of the severity of men’s body im-

age issues, it’s still a prevalent issue in society today.

“I already eat a lot, but sometimes I tell myself I need to eat more if I want to gain more muscle mass,” Schultz said. “While that may be true, there is an issue with guys eating a ton of calories in unhealthy forms. It’s called ‘dirty bulking,’ and while it may be a form of gaining weight, it isn’t effective or healthy long term.”

Men don’t only overeat in hopes to achieve a perfectly toned body, but they also cut back if they feel they’ve gotten out of control.

“Some days, when I’m feeling insecure about how I look, I find myself cutting back and restricting what I eat,” senior David Lopez said. “I usually try intermittent fasting so that there isn’t as much time in a day where I can eat.”

The average high schooler should eat three full meals a day with a few snacks here or there. With that being said, the average teenage boy should eat around 2,800 calories a day.

“I usually eat some fruit and toast for breakfast, then I eat something like a Clif Bar for a mid-morning snack,” Schultz said. “Typically I try to have a balanced lunch, another snack, and then whatever my mom makes for dinner.”

In contrast, body image isn’t only about how much

“Facial features aren’t something you can change.” muscle a man has, or his physical attributes.

“I feel that faces can be really overlooked,” Lopez said. “People care a lot about how your body looks, but facial features are something you can’t change.”

Facial features aren’t the only thing boys are concerned about. They’re also worried about how they’re perceived because of visible blemishes they may have on their faces.

“I’ve struggled a lot with acne and it’s not socially acceptable for men to try and cover acne with makeup,” Schultz said. “‘What’s wrong with your face?’ is a question I used to deal with daily because of my acne

Photos by Macy Clift

and how it looked on my face. Guys are supposed to be tough and not let those things get to them, but it’s hard to do when someone just says that to you.”

Insecurities like these start a lot younger than just high school level. Many teenage boys said they start discovering insecurity from the minute they’re put into an athletics class at school.

“It happened at a pretty young age, I’d say as early as seventh grade,” Schultz said. “I was influenced to have a six pack and be super tall.”

Focusing on your image can take a toll on not only your physical health, but also your mental health. If you feel that you need to lift a certain amount of weight to be successful, you aren’t in the right headspace.

“It is more about health for me than it is for image,” STEM Academy Coordinator Jason Forsythe said.

“Not focusing on this allows me to focus on other things that make me happy and fill me with a sense of worth.”

These insecurities don’t only come from a person

“I find myself cutting back what I eat.”

and how they appear themselves, but how they compare themselves to others, sometimes even girls.

“Most of my insecurities stem from intrusive thoughts I have,” Lopez said. “I find myself comparing myself to others a lot and it’s really detrimental to my mental health.”

Comparison contributes a lot to how men portray themselves and they try to show off in the gym.

“Guys are more concerned about lifting as much weight as possible rather than using proper form or using the proper amount of weight for them,” Schultz said. “When I’m in the weight room, or in any gym setting, guys who are much bigger than me make fun of me for the amount of weight I use or just because I’m smaller than average.

It can be highly discouraging.”

In contrast, some boys said they don’t feel a sense of toxic masculinity when walking into the gym.

“I’m more self-aware in the gym,” senior Nana Boadi-Owusu said. “But I use those around me who may be stronger and faster than me as motivation.”

A lot of boys have an idea of what they want to look like, but they just don’t know how to achieve it.

Dieting and workout plans could be harmful without knowing what the end result could be. “​​Goals always have more value if they are things you want for yourself,” Forsythe said. “Seeking somebody else’s ideal image of what you should be has never ended well for me.”

There are a lot of factors that come with a man and his body image. A lot of the time girls forget to consider

“I was influenced to have a six-pack and be tall.”

that men have body image issues and there is a feeling of hopelessness when they realize they can’t change a certain part of themselves.

“The things that guys are most insecure about are things that are generally uncontrollable,” Schultz said. “You can’t change your height or the way your body is structured. Everyone is different and I think people need to realize that’s okay. Toxic masculinity and the idea that you need to have huge biceps and a six pack – that’s not a realistic idea for every guy.”

Although body image is something everyone struggles with, it’s hard to get out of the mindset that you’re the only person experiencing it. Only you have the power to change your thoughts.

“I know it sounds cliche, but be happy with who you are,” Forsythe said. “You have the power to shape who you want to be and how you want to look. If there are things in your life that you don’t like, you have the power to change that.

Just make sure your selfworth comes from things you want for yourself and not things people want you to be.”

FEATURES • 27

‘It’s a disturbing amount of people struggling’

Students and staff share their experiences with eating disorders Grace Connolly • Reporter Sophomore Cassidy Morgan* is used to feeling guilty.

She feels guilty after she eats, and she feels guilty if she doesn’t eat. She feels guilty if she purges, and she feels guilty if she doesn’t.

Her eating disorder affects her both mentally and physically, and she feels like she fails if she doesn’t counteract that guilt that she experiences after eating.

One of the many issues teens experience is eating disorders or disordered eating, and this issue is also present at Martin.

The discussion about disordered eating is so necessary to help people’s health, make people comfortable, and even save lives.

Eating disorders are psychological disorders that are revealed through abnormal eating habits. Disordered eating, on the other hand, is an irregular or unusual pattern of eating, for any number of reasons.

No matter what a student is experiencing, it’s important to discuss eating disorders and their effects because it is a serious health issue.

“I think kids don’t realize they have an eating disorder, or they have one and don’t know that it’s as big of a problem as it could be,” coach Jamie Couch said.

Despite its importance, there are a multitude of reasons why people don’t talk about their experiences with eating disorders/dis-

28 • features

ordered eating.

“I think it’s a very difficult subject to talk about, so I think it takes a lot of courage,” counselor Amy Benson said.

Eating disorders can affect anyone, but one group that seems to experience disordered eating a lot is athletes.

“I definitely think with athletes it is more prominent because we’re also talking about our physique,” Couch said. “Like when runners continuously get stress fractures, if they aren’t increasing nutrition, that deficiency can lead to injuries because they aren’t equipping their bodies with what they need.”

With anyone, eating disorders can lead to difficult conversations. Conversations that may make them choose to not discuss their eating habits with anyone.

“Just like with any other issue, I think that if they have a good relationship with teachers, or counselors, or any adult really, they would talk to them,” Benson said.

Because talking about disordered eating is so important, it’s also necessary to build an understanding of what an eating disorder could look like.

“It can be anything, like specifically for me, it’s like, I have to obsessively check the calories of everything I eat, and it’s just constantly thinking about what I’m putting in my body,” senior Brianna Stubbs* said.

Even though there may be a lack of understanding when talking to someone

who hasn’t experienced disordered eating, it can still be helpful to discuss with someone about eating disorders.

“I went to a therapist for it because my older sibling has experienced similar things,” Morgan said. “And it helps to talk to someone who knows what they’re talking about for sure.

Who’s like not in the family.”

Eating disorders can greatly influence actions and decisions, just as much as someone’s mental health.

“I eat when my mom’s not home cause I just feel like I have to,” Morgan said. “I don’t eat at school in front of people. Like I’ll eat in class when everyone’s attention is away from me.”

People’s words and actions around those with eating disorders can impact their health, whether it be mentally, physically, or both.

“I feel like strong emotions, of any kind, are triggering,” Stubbs said. “If someone makes a comment to me about my eating habits, I’m going to get more insecure and maybe not want to eat as much around other people. Eating disorders are usually fueled by being insecure about your body. I started noticing that other people looked the way I wanted to look and I was like, ‘How can I fix this?’”

As well as the act of harming oneself through eating disorders, they can also be experienced through the guilt or shame someone feels throughout their eat-

ing disorder.

“I feel like there’s so many things in the house I shouldn’t eat, that I don’t need to have because I don’t have the ‘right’ body that would allow me or make me deserving of eating this stuff,” Stubbs said.

“And when I do crack and eat that stuff, I feel so guilty about it.”

Eating disorders are present within any age group, but mainly teenagers. However, people of younger and younger ages are starting to experience what can only be described as disordered eating habits.

“It developed around eighth grade, but it got worse as I went through high school,” Morgan said.

High school is such a milestone point in teenagers’ lives, with so many new emotions, feelings, and experiences all at once.

This wild environment can lead to and worsen serious health issues that plague the younger generations.

Talking about some of the most difficult subjects is scary, but it can also save lives.

“Eating disorders aren’t really talked about because specifically in high school, like being a high school girl, it’s like, ‘Oh, so many people have one,’” Stubbs said.

“It’s not something weird, it’s not something special or whatever. I think it should be talked about because it’s not just something everyone experiences. It’s a form of self-harm.” *Not her real name

Burden of the

mind

Students grapple with suicidal thoughts Noelle Pond•Reporter

Suicide. One of the leading causes of death in high schoolers. One of the effects of not taking mental health seriously. Holding on to your emotions and thoughts in your head till you can’t anymore.

These were feelings that sophomore Lily* experienced as she became more suicidal over time.

This goes into the topic of how we need to listen to our friends and look for warning signs.

“My suicidal thoughts started at the start of the 2020-2021 school year,” Lily said. “My mental health got really bad from school anxiety, then anxiety all the time, then depression and suicidal thoughts from those.”

Sophomore Rebecca* said that past experiences played into her mental health.

“I was also starting to think about my past trauma

more, and things just got really dark in my mind all the time,” she said.

Looking from a self-care point of view, the first step towards that direction is getting a healthy support system that you feel comfortable enough to open up to.

“Doing something you feel passionate towards can distract your mind,” junior Connor* Rello said.

Sophomore Tina* said that they feel like there are not enough resources that they are comfortable to reach out to throughout the community and school, “I’m terrified my family will find out, and or I’ll end up being hospitalized,” they said. “It scares me out of ever being honest and getting help.”

So many people with strong purposes in life are weighed down by mental illnesses. Sophomore Ava* said she deals with this as

well.

“I either rebel, which I don’t tend to do anymore,” Ava said. “Or I do literally nothing because no matter what I’m doing, I can’t get away from myself.”

A hurtful stereotype is that people with mental illnesses are just lazy and don’t want to take accountability.

Usually, it’s quite the opposite – people just can’t find the motivation because our brain is being unbelievably hard on us. But, coming from a different perspective, these people could be your friends or family and you might not even know.

Freshman Bella* said that even close peers may not be aware.

“I mask it, and if someone notices, I just say that I’m tired,” Bella said.

Suicide research has found that the best response if you notice a friend or stranger having a tough time and fighting their battles on their own is to reassure them and empathize with them. Be non-judgemental. Don’t criticize or blame them.

“We don’t want the easy way out, we are just in such a bad place that we don’t know what else to do

and also people who are like this are not selfish,” junior Luke* said. “All we care about is the burden we create for other people and we just think it’s better for them and us to not be there.”

A lot of kids like to joke about people with suicidal thoughts, whether it’s saying “you’re fake depressed” or “everyone is depressed to a certain degree.”

“Just be aware of what you say, joking or not it can always affect someone,” sophomore Ivy* said.

Show your friends that you are there for them and do not just make a joke about what they are dealing with because that makes them feel one hundred times worse and more alone.

Lily has a message to those that are also dealing with mental illness, “You are gonna make it through,” she said. “I know it’s a hard time and you feel like it’s just you, but you can do it. You are gonna make it through in time and you can always find someone to talk to, if not in person, then an online friend or family you can message.” * - Not their real name

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) Square.org.au (Suicide, Questions, Answers, Resources) Crisis Text Line by texting "START " to 741-741

Male mental health is often overlooked Shelby Zimmerman • Reporter For decades, mental health stigmas have become more and more relevant to people of all ages, but especially teenagers.

Junior Josh* talked with me about the extent to which people truly deal with mental health issues.

“I know a lot of people who have dealt with problems, myself included,” he said. “I really just pushed on, just knowing other people rely on me. I rely on myself too.”

With social media becoming our main source of collective information, awareness for mental illness has become widely accessible, and thus brought light to men’s mental health.

Statistically, men are much less likely to properly treat mental illness than women. According to the Mental Health Foundation, the male suicide rate is three times higher than the rate for females, and only 36 percent of therapy referrals are for men.

Another student shared his personal experience with mental health over his life and that he found it easy to not focus on the negative.

“As far as I know, I’ve always been a happy and optimistic person,” he said.

“I really haven’t dealt with that too much. On days where I’m not feeling too good, I usually just tend to think of the bright side, and think of what I’m looking forward to and that usually always helps me continue

30 • features

on and helps me not really have any mental health issues.”

Women find therapy much more accessible, due to the negative stigmas surrounding gender roles. Men are typically pushed to handle their emotions and struggles in silence.

Certified psychologist Dr. Shirley Willis addressed these stigmas.

“Men are taught to be strong, not to cry, to ‘get over it,’ to be a hard worker, but not emotional,” Willis said. “Many men in the past were finding an inability to call in, or schedule therapy, due to the standard people put onto them.”

This standard can be harmful because it teaches children and adults that showing emotion or facing your feelings in a healthy way is a sign of weakness, when in fact it is the complete opposite.

With the introduction of social media, especially the realm of infographics and self-help programs, it seems as though the mentality may be dissolving.

“A lot of women call,” Willis said. “But men, more so than ever before, are calling. A lot of people are getting more educated, more aware, and it’s wonderful because more men are coming in.”

From a high school standpoint, several male students claimed that they were, or are currently, shying away from seeking therapy or addressing mental health because they are meant to be stronger than their strug-

gles.

“I was stressed out for the longest time, but I thought it would be better to just try to work through it on my own,” sophomore Katie* said.

Many girls in high school have also begun to notice that their male friends aren’t as open and under-

standing of their mental health.

“I’ve talked about mental health stuff with my friends before, and it almost seems like some of my friends find it unnatural or unfamiliar,” sophomore Alexa* said. “It makes me sad because everyone deserves to get help if they need it.”

‘I think mental health is a serious issue’

Students and staff share their stories of struggle and healing We asked students and staff: Have you ever seriously struggled with mental health?

If so, what’s the story behind that?

Margaret Saxon • Reporter “I have a brother with ADHD. But he took medication for it when he was young because he needed it. He no longer even takes any kind of medication and is doing just fine. I know that my sister went to counseling but, to be honest, I learned about that after the fact after she was completely done even doing it, so, I really have no insight with my sisters.

But I know hers, I think, was related more towards some kind of depression? But, she went and saw a counselor, and apparently has that sorted out.”

- male teacher, age 31 “I don’t know if I’ve ever dealt with other people’s mental health issues, but when I was younger I did. I did suffer through my own depression because I got picked on when I was young. To say that I did something to resolve it would be a bit of a stretch because it just kind of resolved itself as I got older, and realized that a lot of things I worried about when I was young didn’t actually matter.

So being popular, and having cool shoes doesn’t matter as soon as you graduate high school, all of that goes away.

I guess just realizing that helped me a lot with my self-confidence.

- male teacher, age 32 “Personally I have, and what I did to deal with it was that I gave myself time to go through every emotion I was having, and went to therapy.”

- female junior, age 17 “As far as I know, I’ve always been a happy and optimistic person. I really haven’t dealt with that too much, but on days where I’m not feeling too good, I usually just tend to think of the bright side, and think of what I’m looking forward to and that usually always helps me continue on and help me not really have any mental health issues.

Also in eighth grade, I was a little bit sad moving because I would be missing all these friends that I once had. So I think that messed with me for a little bit, but other than that, that’s the only thing I can think of and I’ve been a pretty optimistic person since then.”

- male junior, 17 “I know a lot of people who have dealt with problems, myself included. The way I dealt with it? I really just pushed on, just knowing other people rely on me. I rely on myself too.

I also think mental health is a serious issue. If you ever need help with it, you can definitely reach out to someone trusted or even authorities if you need it that badly. I really just kept myself busy, and just kinda took care of myself, and made myself more appreciative.”

- male junior, age 16 “I’ve been struggling with mental health for a really long time, probably since I was like eight or nine, I think? Depression, very severe anxiety, and bipolar possibly like mood swings.

But, I guess, mostly, I turn to isolation as a coping mechanism a lot of the time. I pull away from people a lot. I’m trying to get better, and like, actually have friends, let myself be happy, but I’m on Zoloft now. It’s really helping my depression and anxiety, but my ADHD symptoms have gotten so much worse. So, I’m talking to my therapist about that.”

- male sophomore, age 15

how to: Eleven tips to keep your hair healthy from all kinds of experts Bleaching, straightening, curling, and blow-drying are all routine activities that we do to make our hair look “picture perfect.” Despite the stylish looks of these hairstyles and fun colors, they all can cause some serious damage. This is a guide of how to keep your hair looking good and feeling great.

Alyssa Lee • Reporter

Local hairdresser Cindy Wallace’s Words of Wisdom 1. Keeping your hair trimmed keeps the split ends from splitting up the hair.

2. Over-processing your hair (putting bleach on bleach on bleach) is very unhealthy and can have severe damages.

3. What we put in our bodies comes out through our hair and skin.

4. Avoid any chemical process until your hair is in better shape.

32 • features SPORTS

CTC Cosmetology Student Noelle Pond’s Words of Wisdom

Famous Hairdresser Brad Mondo’s Words of Widsom 1. “Touch your hair less, and it will be less oily.”

1. Don’t wash your hair everyday. This strips your hair of its natural oils.

2. Minimizing heat use is very productive when growing healthy hair.

3. Using hair masks and deep conditioners regularly, shows many benefits to your hair.

2. Using cold water doesn’t allow the hair follicles to open up and absorb your washing products, so add a little bit of heat.

3. Putting conditioner on your scalp might increase the amount of oil production.

4. Wash your hair in vertical motions and not in circles, because circles will create tangling and breakage at your hair’s most fragile state.

How do youth feel about today’s societal standards of beauty?

Tiffany Quach and Jessica Castillo • Reporters “My skin is so bad.”

“These clothes don’t fit me anymore.”

“I wish I had their body.”

“Why can’t I dress like them?”

In today’s society, beauty standards have been soaring high – especially towards teenagers. With beauty standards comes stress and the draining of your mental health. Teenagers constantly feel the need to change their appearance, fit in, please others, and maybe even do things they don’t want to.

“There were times where my friends would compare me to other people, but it would be in a positive and in a negative way,” sophomore Lanae Terry said. “In a negative way, they would compare my body and sometimes face to others, but they would compare my eyes to others in a positive way. I get complimented on my eyes a lot.”

Terry said she considers body shape to be the most common beauty standard.

“People always want bigger features, like in their chest or bottom, but there are also others who want to be flatter or skinnier,” Terry said.

With such standards, Terry said that could have both a negative and positive effect on others.

“People try their hardest to fit in with other people to

seem perfect,” Terry said.

And sometimes it’s positive, because they sometimes better themselves.”

There are people who could change their hair, their face, get plastic surgery, and still not be satisfied with themselves.

Then there are people who change for the better and feel more confident in their skin.

As for Terry herself, she has also been affected by beauty standards.

“I have really curly hair, but I prefer it to be straight,” Terry said.

With those changes, Terry says that beauty standards make her a little self conscious.

“As long as I feel comfortable in my own skin, I shouldn’t really care about what others think,” she said.

Everyone has at least one thing they find beautiful about themselves.

Terry said that if she were to choose something that makes her beautiful, it would probably be her personality and the way she looks.

“I do find myself pretty, but not in a vain way of course,” Terry said.

Sophomore Ariana Sierra also spoke about the beauty standards that have been experienced by others, and herself.

“Body. Definitely the way your body looks,” Si-

erra said. “My mom would sometimes compare my weight with others. Sometimes it would be a joke, but I still took those comments to heart.”

Comments and beauty standards like those have a negative effect on others because it brings them down.

“Some people admire others for their great hair or looks, and wish they would look like that,” Sierra said.

“It makes them feel bad about themselves. Beauty standards kind of make me insecure. I start to doubt myself and my appearance.”

Sierra said she finds herself constantly comparing herself to others.

“I guess I started wearing makeup because everyone around me was wearing makeup, so I felt behind in some way,” Sierra said.

“It's tiring and can mentally drain people.”

AVID and Advanced English teacher Perinza Reddic explained how she feels about beauty standards, and how it impacted her growing up.

“When I was younger, I was skinny and the cultural environment I grew up in at that time associated beauty with being ‘shapely in all of the right places,’” Reddic said.

Beauty standards vary from person to person, but Reddic has her own stance

on it.

“Particularly, at my age, it is the focus on having a flat stomach,” she said. “It just seems like the common perception with beauty standards is that fake is in, for example, fake hair, lashes or nails.”

Reddic said she has also endured a time where she felt the need to change something about herself.

“In high school I had my dad shave one side of my hair because that was the style back in the 80s and I wanted to fit in with the other girls,” Reddic said.

In Reddic's eyes, she said she feels that beauty standards have a negative effect on others.

“I have heard so many people that go out and get something changed about themselves and they don’t get the reaction they thought they would get,” she said. “It doesn't matter to me, because now it's all about staying alive. Beauty is being mentally, physically and emotionally healthy.

The love that I have for others is what I think makes me beautiful. I also think it's about feeling good about myself, when I wake up in the morning and have the right attitude about living. I find joy in helping others, so it's not so much about my appearance.”

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Pulling punches Are the fights at Martin that bad?

Inde Atwood • Reporter Hallway fighting was a big deal at the start of this year.

Some claim online that Martin is the worst school in Arlington, and there were threats of cutting our lunch time down. But is it all true? Is it actually that much worse than the last full year of school?

“The numbers suggest that it’s not,” assistant principal Steven Smith said. “It could be the severity of the fights. There seems to be a real sense of tension and high alert from students and teachers.”

Not all students hold this view. Almost half of all juniors and seniors who were asked thought fighting was worse in the 2019-20 school year.

“There are not a ton more fights this year,” junior Avery Michener said. “But it’s noticeable.”

“There’s an increase due to the new freshmen picking fights with each other, including seniors and even teachers,” junior Sam Henley said.

Smith said he agrees that freshmen are the biggest issue. He proposed a special meeting between just the male freshmen and male counselors, and vice versa to get through to them.

“Somehow we’ve got to find a better way of communicating our behavior expectations to the freshmen,” Smith said.

Beside the threat of splitting lunch periods, the school’s administration doesn’t have a widespread plan to stop the fights. The surprising part? It’s getting better.

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“I think the sophomores and juniors are putting a stop to the freshmen, and the rest are going to Choices,” Henley said. “I know a freshman who was expelled for causing a big ruckus.”

Cutting our lunch time, on the other hand, isn’t the best option according to many.

“Not cool,” Michener said.

“I don’t want to have to do that,” Smith said. “But if there is a situation where students are unable to control themselves, we will have to shorten lunch for the safety of our students.”

None of the students or faculty want to make this change, and most students don’t think it would work.

“It’s not gonna stop anything,” junior Donovan Allen said. “I’ve talked to other students at the CTC (who go to schools with split lunch periods), and compared to other schools, Martin is a paradise.”

The idea had some supporters, and Henley thought it would be effective.

“It’s both smart and stupid,” Henley said. “I don’t think it’s necessary anymore since the fights have gone down. I do think it would be effective.”

The notion that fighting has exploded this school year isn’t driven by fact, so what is behind it?

It could be that no fights occurred last year since no one was here, or that social media, especially Instagram, is spreading information much faster than before. Whatever the cause, school fighting hasn’t changed as much as the rumors would indicate.

“It’s complete malarkey,” Allen said.

‘Excuse me’

Students cope with social anxiety Kylie Woods • Reporter Social Anxiety is a chronic mental health condition in which social interactions cause irrational anxiety. An example would be meeting new people and having a sense of fear of talking to anyone.

Teachers have different perspectives of what social anxiety can be and how it affects their classroom and relationships with people they know.

“Social anxiety is when you have feelings of nervousness or being judged around other people,” AP US history teacher Olivia Basham said. “Students look reluctant to share with a large group and have difficulty with public speaking and students overall not showing information.

Sometimes it will look like anger, yell at the teacher, and look like fear.”

Over the past couple years during Covid, social anxiety in people has grown and affected their relationships with their friends and family.

“I do see social anxiety more than in the past, I think social skills have to be practiced and take time,” Basham said.

Teachers can do many things that could help their students who struggle with this in coming out of their comfort zone.

“I help my students with social anxiety by doing social activities like true colors, north, south, east, and west which describe the students’ personality in dif-

ferent quadrants and recognize the quality in yourself and others,” Ready Set Teach teacher Linda Fetters said.

Students also have diverse perspectives and how they see anxiety present in themselves.

“Social anxiety is breaking down trying to get up the courage to order food for myself every time I go to a restaurant or every time I need to move past someone in the halls at school by saying, ‘Excuse me,’” senior Ryan Bone said.

Students can have different ways of facing social anxiety and how it can become better in the future.

“I just try to take deep breaths and realize that these people aren’t going to care or remember me unless I make a big deal about it,” Bone said.

Students also have different ways social anxiety can help them.

“Social anxiety rarely helps me other than when I know I shouldn’t be talking in a situation,” Bone said.

Having social anxiety can impact life greatly, especially with family and friends they are close with.

“I feel like I can never go anywhere in public without another person,” Bone said.

“Social anxiety isn’t always apparent and it’s important to recognize that just because a person seems loud and talkative it doesn’t mean they aren’t freaking out at the thought of saying hello to you.”

Healthy change

How nutritious are the snacks in the vending machines?

Olivia Bell and Asia Wilkey• Reporters School vending machines can be a convenient source of food and beverages throughout the day, but they don’t always carry the healthiest options.

Out of 19 total vending machines in school, coming in first place for the most unhealthy food option in the vending machines would be Cheetos Flamas commonly found in the machines by the cafeteria. The spice in this delicious snack can cause inflammation and gastritis which can be very painful.

Predictably, in terms of drinks, sodas are by far the most unhealthy option in our school vending machines. Despite not having

any sugars, diet sodas are just as bad and can still wreak havoc on your body.

Soda contains acids like phosphoric acid and carbonic acid. These create a highly acidic environment in your mouth, which makes your teeth vulnerable to decay.

While the acids in the sodas can cause damage, it is the combination with sugar that makes soda particularly harmful.

The healthiest alternative isn’t always what students look for, but having the option regardless is a step in the right direction.

It helps them gain the energy they need and gives them a boost to help them

through the day. The best food option in our vending machines at Martin would be Welch’s Fruit Snacks.

Although Welch’s Fruit Snacks are the healthiest, knowing the Nutrition facts is still very important when trying to make educated choices for your own health.

The fruit snacks, along with being an excellent source of vitamins A, C and E, are also fat-free, gluten-free, and have no preservatives.

For some people, following a gluten-free diet is essential for their health and having products that cater to that lifestyle is fundamental.

Most vending machines only contain popular snacks that usually contain gluten.

By providing gluten-free

products, we ensure that those who would usually miss out can get a healthy snack on the go.

Most drinks in the vending machines at Martin are gluten free, but Welch’s Fruit Snacks are the only food in the machines that doesn’t contain gluten.

Knowing exactly what you are eating is key so that you can make informed choices that will benefit you rather than damage your health.

By learning how to make healthier and more mindful choices, you may be able to control compulsive eating, binging and weight gain.

By taking charge of your appetite, you may also gain a feeling of calm, high energy levels, and alertness from the foods you eat.

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