The Warrior Post - January 2019

the warrior post at martin high

the warpo

equality issue Volume 37 issue 2

Deaf can do it • PG. 16/17

What You Missed Embracing their inner characters, senior Bella Murphy and junior Roe Hale perform in A Midsummer Night’s dream on Nov. 11. The performers acted on stage as well as in the aisles of the auditorium to Interact with the audience.

Photo by Meridith Moore Expressing themselves on the court, the sundancers perform their last routine During the nov. 2 pep rally.

Photo by Valentina Rivas looking for a way to pin her opponent, Sophomore Maya Soto wrestles on Nov. 15.

Photo by Trinity Stephens Executing his routine on Dec. 1 at the gymnastics meet, freshman Zach Kravitz soars high. Photo by Aivrey Zaiger Celebrating the St. Nicholas day celebration, german club poses for a group picture.

Photo by Payton Harris

2 • news

WP

the warrior post

4501 W. Pleasant Ridge Dr. Arlington, TX 76016 Elena Regalado Editor-in-Chief

Fairdoes not always mean equal While consistency is important, students are individuals and may need unique help

E

quality is not the answer to all of our problems. Equality is treating everyone the same regardless of their current situation or background, which can be positive compared to how we use to treat minorities, but not innovative.

The answer is no longer simply equality for all, but equity for all.

While consistency is important and equality is an essential idea that has been instilled in all students at our school, instilling the understanding of equity within students would allow for a growth as a society as a whole.

Despite teachers believing they’re treating us all the same, in no way do all students in our school feel as if they have everything they need in order to be successful.

A student who comes from a single-parent home, compared to the student whose parents take turns bringing them to school every day do not need nor have the same things given to them by the district.

How many low-income students have been pulled out of class and given workshop

[staffeditorial]

scenario lessons on how many options they have for college regardless of income?

How many low-income students know that if they apply to the right schools that they’ll get their tuition taken care of because of their current situations?

How many students know that regardless of the point in time in the year lunch can be provided for them, even in the summer?

Not all students need the same things. Not all students need to be treated the same way. Some students need tough love and other students need to be told that they can do it – that they will be successful if they just chase their dreams no matter what. Telling students that they should all be treated the same goes against what they may need to be heard to be successful.

Classes aren’t one size fits all, and that’s definitely understood by the district, given the options they’ve provided students with. Yet the fault isn’t in the options but the actions inside

of those classes.

Overall, building greater relationships with students will be the difference between yelling at them for being late or knowing that they are late because the bus never came for them and no one else could take them to school.

Building relationships creates an understanding of what it is that students actually need, which eventually leads to giving students the support that they might not be getting at home.

The lack of understanding on what equity actually is creates a problem when eventually entering the real world. Teachers haven’t and don’t currently explain to students the difference between treating everyone fairly and treating everyone the same.

Moving forward, relationships and efforts to know the motives behind the actions of students should be pursued over teaching them materials of a curriculum needed to bubble in answers.

Let’s build the person over the student, and add to society instead of thinking that treating all of us the same is the answer.

One size does not fit all.

Olivia Dague Copy Editor Shelby Simmel News Editor Katie Kohutek & Meridith Moore Features Editors Chloe Christenson Sports Editor Alyssa Deluna Entertainment Editor Michael Sandoval Opinions Editor Brooklin Bruno Design Editor Aivrey Zaiger Photo Editor Tricia Regalado Adviser Marlene Roddy Principal

Staffers: Collin Adams, Aisha Al-Refai, Sara Blasingame, Caroline Brown, Brandon Chrabasz, Hanna Clausen, Caroline Demby, Alysse Ellerbrook, Tristan Flores, Erika Karaganis, Saber Lamb, Isabella Lozano, Caleb Martin, Rylee Richardson, Marleigh Richey, Wendy Rivera, Humberto Rodriguez, Leila Schwitter 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.

opinions • 3

play it Saber Lamb • reporter

If your New Year's resolution was to spend less time playing video games, then here’s some

bad news

Starting in late November, there has been a slew of long-

awaited sequels that players have been very eager to get their hands on.

Just Cause 4 came out Dec. 4 and continues the story of Rico Rodriguez, upping the ante of the insane sandbox action by adding dynamic weather systems such as lightning tornadoes.

Kingdom Hearts 3 comes out

Start 2019 off right with some new music ranging from airy alternative to rap to some throwbacks.

listen to it Caroline Brown • reporter

Jan. 29 and is the long-awaited sequel to the beloved crossover of the Disney and Final Fantasy properties. This game has been confirmed to be the conclusion of the saga.

Fallout 76 came out Nov. 14 and marks the first time that the series has offered multiplayer. The game places players in a fresh Virginia wasteland and tasks them to work either with or against a server of other players by trading, building up bases and even nuking portions of the map.

Rex Orange CountyTelevision/ So Far So Good This upbeat song speaks on loving someone, yet still being curious about the future together.

The techno beats carries the heart-racing lyrics throughout this song.

Lil Yachty ft. Juice WRLDYacht Club In this song, Lil Yachty and Juice WRLD talk about all the fun experiences they’ve had in life along with some worries. This is a feel-good song to

bump to everywhere you go.

Soft Cell- Tainted Love This throwback includes a jarring beat along with the change in feelings they’ve had towards someone they used to love.

This song is great for break-ups because of the message that you don’t want someone anymore.

Semisonic- Closing Time An oldie but a goodie that talks about longing for someone to be with once the night ends. This song pairs well with jamming out while driving on a late night.

Mother!a 2017 Reviewing Darren Aronofsky directed psychological thriller; spoilers included.

Brooklin Bruno • designer

Throughout the movie, Jennifer Lawrence is referred to only as “my goddess” or “my love” by Javier Bardem, who is termed “the poet” – the ultimate creator. The plot toggled in and out of multiple themes, from her constant desire for his

4 • entertainment

watch it

reassurance and love, tied with the demanding and seemingly dainty roles placed on women, to how mankind’s gluttony is destroying the planet.

Immediately the movie has a very startling, lonesome feel as it begins with Lawrence waking up abruptly alone in her bed and voicing a simple, “Baby?”

There is an obvious connection between herself and Bardem, but it’s not enough.

I found myself constantly wanting more passion and communication between the two of them.

It felt like I was choking on Lawrence’s inability to stand up for herself, but on the same

hand, it could have been intentional.

So in the end, Mother! did its job in provoking emotion and left me long-faced, stunned and shaken.

The undeniable complex, beauty in story behind it and the brilliant filmmaking make the movie a masterpiece.

read it Aisha Al-Refai • reporter

Non-Fiction: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth Grit is the perseverance and effort put into a given task or situation, and through this eye-opening novel, Duckworth explores the meaningfulness of grit in different situations.

This perspective-gaining novel teaches the reader how to keep that motivation and effort flowing when things get too tough or too boring.

High school is definitely a mix of the two, and while at times keeping that grit alive seems impossible, people manage to do it everyday.

This novel explores how to quit procrastinating and actually get where you want to be, while working for it yourself. I’ve learned a lot on how to actually stop procrastinating and struggling with my classes, and actually achieving the grades I want without killing myself anymore.

Every person should read this book, even if you’re extremely organized, because it will make a difference on how you handle any task thrown your way.

wear it Alyssa Deluna • entertainment editor

Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel by Val Emmich with Steven Levinson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul In this novelization of the award winning Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, you will be found.

Evan Hansen is a lonely, invisible, anxiety-crippled teenager caught in a web of lies involving the suicide of fellow classmate Connor Murphy.

Evan has to manage to fool everyone into thinking they were best friends so he can turn his life around.

This novel highlights the social

your look this Valentine’s Day. Converse may be really basic but they are cute and comfortable to walk in. They also come in so many colors, so you have all the options.

Try adding a small clutch to your look so you can carry your essentials with you wherever your journey takes you.

power struggle teenagers face with how a lie is manipulated as a blessing in disguise to climb the social ladder.

Evan, like most teens, has fallen off the ladder or just gotten stuck on a rung for a while; this is normal.

Life isn’t just getting popular overnight and getting attention.

It’s a struggle.

The depiction of feeling like a wallflower in high school is really spot-on.

As the end of the school-day comes and the pile of the homework begins to seem overwhelming, coffee shops seem to be the answer whether its for energy or motivation.

Sons of Liberty in downtown Fort Worth might be the perfect option for you.

drink it

Girls! wear something cute and spicy this Valentine’s Day!

If you are going for a more date night look, wearing any kind of dress will never fail you.

Wearing an all-black outfit with a pop of red or pink will really make you stand out.

Red or pink leather jackets and furry coats are really in at the moment and would add that something something to

Fiction book:

rylee richardson • reporter

Coffee

8, I ordered the cappuccino and it was the closest I have had to Italian coffee in awhile.

Distance

5, It is in Fort Worth so the drive can be a hassle, but good coffee is worth it.

Cost

6, The most expensive thing on the menu, excluding food, is around $5 which is fairly priced.

Chatting Environment

9, It is never too quiet to have a conversation.

Study Environment

6, It is normally very loud inside, so in order for a productive study sesh you need a good pair of headphones.

Music

7, The music is normally very mellow, but depending on the baristas and how late in the night it is, it can be actual bops.

People

8, The workers and people are normally very kind.

ENTERTAINMENT • 5

Olivia Dague • Copy Editor

A freshman transitions from private school in China to Martin

From China to Texas 6 • FEATURES

As freshman Makayla Hsieh steps on the plane traveling from China to America, the warm July air hits her face, and for the last time, smog fills her lungs. As the plane soars into the sky, she watches from the small window as the country she has known for five years vanishes from sight.

Adjusting to a new life

Hsieh just returned to Arlington, Texas after spending five years in China, where her father works.

“I’ve been learning Chinese for five years so I’ve come back to pick up my English and go to college here,” Hsieh said. “My parents think Chinese is pretty important. It’s important to know Mandarin for businesses.”

Hsieh is an American citizen.

Because of this, Hsieh and her younger brother were only allowed to go to a private school in China.

“We had to pay to live there, like a visa,” Hsieh said. “I didn’t become a Chinese citizen because I would have to give up my American citizenship, which my parents didn’t want me to do so I could go to college here.”

Martin vs. Chinese private school

Martin has dozens of extracurricular activities, clubs and sports to get involved in, unlike Hsieh’s school in China.

But she said she didn’t mind the way things were at her old school.

“Actually, I am a studying type of student,” Hsieh says. “I really enjoy the school there.”

This strong work ethic and love for learning has followed her across the world.

“Makayla is an incredibly hard worker,” freshman English teacher Erin Teague said. “She’s diligent and conscientious. She is quiet in class, but it’s evident through her work the level of effort she puts into it.”

Martin is deemed a competitive high school by many students and parents in AISD, but the environment is no match for one of the Chinese private schools Hsieh attended.

“School in China is really strict and has a lot of policies,” Hsieh said. “The school hours are long and there’s more homework.

There are more cultural rules too. Students aren’t allowed to date in school, we have uniforms and we have tests every month. They will post your grade and your ranks every time after the test on a bulletin board.”

Martin is more relaxed in other ways, too.

While the halls of Martin are filled with students wearing sweatshirts and leggings, Chinese students follow a strict dress code complete with a uniform.

“You have to wear long pants for the summer and a white t-shirt with the school logo on it,” Hsieh said. “They have

another kind of uniform when you go on stage, kind of like a suit uniform. Another rule is that girls have to tie their hair up and we’re not allowed to wear accessories, just a watch.”

Extracurriculars and sports are given little priority in comparison to the U.S.: Martin has a “no pass, no play” rule, but to even participate in soccer in China, the rules are more subjective.

“They have a soccer team, but your teacher has to allow you to go,” Hsieh said. “If your grades don’t qualify you, or if you aren’t at a certain level that they expect of you, they can ban you from playing soccer. You have to get your studies done first to be able to do sports.”

Hsieh also noted some cultural differences in respect between students and adults in China versus Texas.

“Teachers in China are at a really high level of respect, unlike here, where students can kind of talk back to the teacher,” Hsieh said. “It’s a more respectful but here teachers are kind of like our friends.”

The pressure was on in China

Hsieh said she enjoys the variety of options for classes she can take at Martin, especially those catered toward certain

career paths, unlike the school she attended last year.

“In China they don’t prepare you for a certain career,” Hsieh said. “Here we have endorsements and stuff, but in China you just learn the basics: physics, chemistry, biology, geography, history, politics, Chinese, English and math. You have to take all nine subjects and you don’t get a choice in what you take.”

Hsieh said the amount of pressure put on young children in China is unreasonable.

“They put too much pressure on kids there,” Hsieh said. “It’s kinda the culture there. Studying is really important. There are so many people there, you need to compete. Parents put pressure on their kids since kindergarten, and they have to learn so many grade levels of information ahead of their current grade level.”

Kids are often forced by their parents to participate in activities that will make them stand out among the billions of people in

China, in order to compete for colleges and jobs later in life.

“Even though they have homework to do, they have piano classes and dance classes even though that’s not their hobby, and that’s not what they like to do,” Hsieh said. “I didn’t have to, though. My parents are chill.”

Preparation for college is similar to America in some ways, but to a more serious degree. The test they prepare for their entire life will determine if they get to go to college, therefore getting a good job.

“The Galkayo is kind of like the SAT,” Hsieh said. “They call it your first test of life.

They take that really seriously because on that day they will limit the amount of cars on the road.”

A foot in two hemispheres

Although Hsieh speaks Mandarin and English, she handles both languages well.

“She is bilingual and she said, when she started English, that sometimes she struggles and she wants to be corrected, she

Photo courtesy of Makayla Hsieh

wants her work to be the best that it can be,” Teague said.

“What I think is ironic about that statement is that what Makayla perceives as struggling, by anyone else’s standard, would be far exceeding the highest expectations. It’s impressive to me her command of dual languages.”

A second home “I feel like it’s my second home,” Hsieh said. “I have friends, but really I don’t have family there [in China]. I have family here. So now I consider it as my second home.”

Hsieh enjoyed shopping at the mall with her friends, dancing and listening to K-Pop. She still stays in contact with her friends, who she says are really interested about her life in America.

“We have an app called WeChat and we text,” she said.

“I usually talk to them before school, so that’s nighttime for them there. There is a 14-hour time difference. They are really curious about American life and ask me to send pictures and videos.”

Hsieh said she enjoyed her life in China because of the new and exciting technology that is developing every day.

“In Arlington I’ve left and

I haven’t been here for five years but then when I came back, it’s like I saw nothing change at all, even the buildings,” she said. “But in China, if I come back again even though it’s a year difference, everything looks different. New roads, new buildings, new stuff going on and new businesses. It’s more fun there.”

Even though she enjoyed the rigor of classes and the education she received in China, Hsieh said she is thankful for the opportunity to go to high school and then college in the United States.

“I want to live here after college,” she said. “There is too much competition in China, and there are so many benefits to being an American citizen.”

Freshman Makayla Hsieh in traditional Chinese attire and at Martin

Photo by Aivrey Zaiger

features • 7

Balancing acts...

ELENA REGALADO • EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Photos by Brandon Chrabasz & Aivrey Zaiger

Dance

“After I stop taking dance classes here at Martin, I will join Sundancers. During football games next year I will sit with Sundancers the first half and perform with them.

Sundancers practice from 6:15 all the way through first period. There is a specific class period for dance. I don’t know all of the Sundancers yet, so I’m not as close to the team.

Both of my instructors care about what they do and can be very strict. With dance we have a spring show, where I get to perform twice. I do dance because I enjoy it. I compare myself to better dancers and what I can’t and can do.

It has made me express myself more.”

Band

“I don’t care about anyone’s attention in band, I do it for myself. I joined band in junior high and have continued and play the trumpet.

At games next year, I will perform with the band at half time and then sit with them the rest of the game. We have competitions on weekends, after-school rehearsals and band camp. At the start of school we practiced from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and then later we practiced from 3:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. I feel more close to the people.

Band has made me more confident as a person. Everyone is involved because in marching season, we are all one whether we are concert, symphonic or symphony band.”

junior Kaleah Hodge

Photojournalism “I’ve been in photojournalism longer, so I’m more passionate about it. People are more willing to work with you in photojournalism compared to yearbook.

Being an editor, a lot of my time is focused on helping.

I constantly have to go somewhere to shoot something for school, or leave class to. We try to have fun when we are shooting because it can be a lot of work, but you really grow close to the people around you.

Journalism made me realize that I had a passion for sharing stories of other people that might not get told.

I’m in all three publications. It’s a lot of effort and time, no matter how efficient you are. I’ve not only grown as a photographer, but also I have been able to develop my people skills. I’ve been able to do things that I wouldn’t have been comfortable doing before.”

8 • features

Yearbook “In Yearbook we write and design. The biggest thing we struggle with is getting people to join.

Yearbook always comes first compared to Photojournalism because Photojournalism is specifically for Yearbook and Newspaper. So Yearbook rightfully needs more attention.

With Yearbook, everything I need to do, I have to do it in the classroom. We have work nights every Thursday from after school to 6:30 p.m., but when it comes to deadline we could stay as late as 10 or later.

Seeing the yearbook when it’s finished at the end of the year is one of the most exciting things. Flipping through it and seeing your name on a lot of pages, and going to the index and seeing 30 different pages that your photos are on is the best. With a yearbook, that’s something that you show your kids 30 years from now and you could show them what it was like.”

senior Brandon Chrabasz

.

F

rom the voluminous notes that resonate from the band hall to the flash and click of a shutter that echos from a camera, the halls are formed around its students and their interests. Martin has become a home to many, and allows them to participate in multiple activities that may seem overlapping and contradicting, yet leave them feeling whole.

STEM

“In STEM, teachers don’t treat me any differently for being in AVID. I feel like people seem to recognize STEM more. In STEM, we are with the same people each year, so we are really united.

You have to apply to STEM for all four years, so if you’re a junior wanting to apply to STEM for senior year, you can’t. I think STEM has helped me because we go to an actual college campus. Other Martin students go to TCC, but we get to go to UTA. I take classes from 2 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. on some days and 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. at UTA. A con for STEM would be the time management. A lot of us get a small amount of sleep because of homework. The latest I’ve stayed up was 3:20 in the morning.

The latest I’ve heard from others was that they pulled an all-nighter for three days. However, STEM lets you take more advanced classes than a regular student.”

AVID

“In AVID, people look at me and notice that I am a STEM student. I usually keep the organizations separate because when I’m in AVID, I consider myself an AVID student. I’m an officer, so I have to dedicate a lot of time to AVID. I participate more in AVID activities because attending activities counts as points for us.

With AVID, we still have some of the same kids, but we still get new ones too. You can continue to have a chance to join. I’ve been in AVID since seventh grade because I knew it would benefit me college-wise.

They’ve helped us make a resume, and that will allow us to apply for scholarships. You get to meet a lot of new people and communicate with those above you. We have mentors where students in different grades are paired up, and you get to learn from one another for the rest of the year. AVID has taught me people skills about how we need to communicate with one another.”

junior Martha Gonzales

Dual Credit

“Dual credit is more college-orient- ed. The college I’m going to accepts dual credit, so I’m trying my best.

They give you an assignment, and as soon as it’s done, you get another one.

I spend two hours a day writing. This year my teacher doesn’t offer the same kind of help most do.

Last year I had one teacher who reached out and talked to us, but the second didn’t care at all. The teacher determines the class because some care and others do less.

For dual credit, I wanted to receive college credit because you receive it as long as you pass.”

AP

“AP feels more like a high school course.

People say AP is supposed to prep you for college, but it doesn’t feel anything like the college classes I’ve taken.

AP seems to get more attention than dual credit.

I think that’s because some colleges don’t accept dual credit, but with AP they’ll just look at your scores on the test.

I study for about two hours a week sometimes for AP classes. I joined AP for the GPA boost and it looks good on my transcript. I think AP does a good job of involving students because it’s geared more towards high school kids. Both of them have helped me with my college classes.”

senior Brandon Dong

FEATURES • 9

“It doesn’t change anything.”

LGBT teachers and their personal lives outside of the classroom

10 • features

Caleb Martin • Reporter

• Photos by brandon chrabasz

P

encils, pens, sticky notes, and passes fill the desk of a normal teacher. The common picture of a wife and a husband, maybe some kids, is placed in the corner; but for some teachers a family photo is missing. For some, they just aren’t married, some are divorced, but a few teachers feel as if they can’t show their family as they may lose their job or receive criticism as they are married to someone of the same sex.

At Reds Roadhouse Nov. 3, 2017 you’ll find a man walking down the aisle with his mother and grandmother to marry the love of his life, another man. The day was filled with joy and happiness as the two joined in marriage.

“I have very high anxiety, so for me that day was just really stressful because of that,” teacher Mr. Jones* said. “I was nervous and happy and my body was just feeling so many emotions.”

True equality

Under the 2015 Marriage Equality Act, all marriages are recognized for benefits and insurance policies.

However, true equality for same-sex marriages has not been reached in the eyes of many. Recently, a teacher in Mansfield was fired after showing her students a picture of her and her wife. This is a rude awakening to the possibility of losing a job or being denied goods and services due for the LGBTQ+ community.

“On a simple note, I would just like Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act,” theater teacher Kelly Groves said. “People say that’s asking for special rights, but it’s not. It’s simply saying that you can’t be fired or denied housing or services because of who you are.”

LGBTQ+ members alike are still fighting to this day for equal rights as the LGBTQ+ community is at risk of unemployment and targeting.

“I would like to not have to worry about if I’m gonna have rights,” Jones said. “I would like to not have to worry about if something were to happen to me or my husband, if we would be able to get benefits from the other. I would like to not have to worry about holding hands and I would like to not have to worry about losing my job.”

Privacy

Straight teachers and LGBTQ+ teachers alike deal with privacy issues and keeping their personal life a secret from students. LGBTQ+ teachers however, deal with an added issue of if their sexuality and personal life become a problem for someone else.

“It’s just so personal,” Jones said. “I don’t wear it on my sleeve and it’s something I don’t publicize to

everyone. It’s really none of their business. It doesn’t change how I teach. It doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t change who I am as a person, so why is it their business?”

Some LGBT teachers however, are open about their relationships with students.

“I don’t feel like I have to hide my relationship with my boyfriend at all,” Groves said. “My students are very open about my life. I think I probably have it a little better because of what I teach though.”

In today’s world, many LGBTQ+ members feel more accepted now than ever. Luckily, for many teachers in the LGBTQ+ community, students, teachers and many people are welcoming and accepting to same-sex relationships.

“I’ve never had any issues with coworkers or people,” Groves said.

“It’s been a non-issue in my life and in my school which is great, as it should be.”

Though teachers may try to hide their lives from students, both straight and LGBTQ+ teachers alike may find their personal lives dug up from the internet.

“I worry about when students know sometimes,” Jones said. “When some students found my pictures at first, it was very strange and it freaked me out, but I haven’t had negativity from any of it.”

LGBTQ+ students also worry some of the safety of known LGBTQ+ teachers.

“I worry a little just because if students are mean to other students, students will be brutal to teachers and maybe not so much in theatre, but I know that if somebody who wasn’t as accepting got into a class with Mr. Jones they may not be okay with it,” Senior Brendon Mercer said. “So I do worry, but at the same time I don’t because they are adults and can handle themselves much more than I can.”

Coming out

Past generations of LGBTQ+ members had a completely different story when they were young adults in high school and college. Being LGBTQ+ was to a point almost frightening and would result in inevitable ostracization and bullying. LGBTQ+ members had difficulty just expressing themselves.

“I had friends, but I never talked about being gay until I was in college,” Jones said. “Some of my friends knew, but I never told them. It was just an awkward stage for me. I loved high school, but at the same time I didn’t express myself totally because I was always afraid of what consequences might occur.”

Openly LGBTQ+ students were practically non-existent in Texas years ago.

“I came out when I got to college,” Groves said. “I graduated high school in ‘93 and it was unheard of in Texas. I didn’t know anybody who was out and I went to a big high school, just like Martin.

There was no one out that I or anybody else knew of. I went to college and came out my freshman year because I was in a totally different environment.”

Coming out was a completely different story for Groves and Jones. Though others say coming out nowadays is a difficult obstacle to overcome, it was much more difficult years ago.

features • 11

“I came out twice, the first time I was 18,” Jones said. “That was a horrible experience, so I lied and went back into the closet. I pretended to be bisexual and that it was just a phase. When I was 23 I actually came out. My parents were way more accepting and it changed 100 percent.”

For Jones, a personal obstacle to overcome was family members and their acceptance.

“When I was 18 people said it was disturbing,” Jones said. “When I was 23, my grandmother reacted poorly and said, ‘I never want to see you again,’ and then I started crying. She said she was sorry and didn’t mean it and was just in shock. Everything has been great since then, they’re very supportive.”

Coming out in high school is difficult, but the culture of acceptance has become a more welcoming environment for many students and the difference is distinct from previous generations of LGBTQ+ students.

“High school was good for me but I was bullied in junior high because of my perceived sexuality,” Groves said. “I notice a huge difference in today’s students in high school opposed to when I was in high school, as far as the culture of acceptance.”

‘Is this a safe place?’

Even after coming out, others say being in a same-sex relationship is difficult, as well. Many same-sex couples say they feel the need to refrain from showing public affection.

“I think that probably as a part of a same-sex couple I may have to think or pause a little bit more than maybe straight couples do about where I’m at and how I can show or if I can show physical affection, and other couples don’t really have to think about that,” Groves said. “But it’s always in the back of my mind somewhere about looking around. ‘Where are you? Is this a safe place?’”

LGBTQ+ students recognize the struggles and obstacles past generations of the LGTBQ+ community had to deal with.

“When they were in high school it was probably a lot more difficult than it is now just because people are typically a lot more open minded nowadays than they were back in the 80s and 90s,” Mercer said “They definitely had to go through a lot more than we did.”

Usually, LGBTQ+ members say the ability to show public affection is dependent on the location.

“We’re always very cautious when we go out,” Jones said. “We don’t really show public affection or anything like that. We will when we’re with friends at their house, but even then we don’t really show everything to the world. We rarely hold hands or kiss in public. In some parts of Fort Worth we’ll hold hands, but normally around here we don’t do that. For one, we don’t want students to see us.”

The complete change in high school culture towards the LGBTQ+ community is very encouraging and shines hope to an even more accepting future.

Students are even able to trust teachers with something once seen as a secret needed to be kept quiet.

“It has changed quite a bit,” Jones said. “It’s nice to see how comfortable kids are with everything and just seeing how open they are. The way most people are so accepting of it is very

12 • features

heartwarming. I’ve had kids tell me that they weren’t out or told me they were gay or transgender, and that happened from the very beginning of my teaching career. It’s just weird because I would have never gone up to one of my teachers and told them that.”

Simple things from ‘Safe Place’ stickers to students participating in drag for school plays show just how much society has changed.

“The most heartwarming thing I see is my students accepting and not thinking anyone who is out or LGBTQ+ is an issue,” Groves said. “One of the great things at this school was having one of my students in drag playing Lady Bracknell, which didn’t raise an eyebrow anywhere and was put on the cover of the school newspaper. I showed this to all my friends who are my contemporaries and they were super pleased and amazed that that is going on in the younger generation. We are super proud of them for that.”

Role models for a new generation

Present LGTBQ+ teachers provide a role model for future LGBTQ+ teachers.

“I guess my favorite part is knowing I can do it too,” Mercer said “Being able to see somebody who is like me and in the same community as me being able to do something I dream about doing is really nice because it shows not everything is going to be an obstacle.”

LGBTQ+ teachers everywhere also have the chance to use their sexuality and gender as a unique teaching method.

“I would say that in a class where I teach freshman, I notice that certain freshman specifically tend to use the term, ‘that’s so gay’ to talk about something they don’t like,” Groves said. “Or I hear the term ‘no-homo’ thrown around, which is still upsetting to hear.

I try to educate people on that and stop that when I hear that. It doesn’t make me tiptoe around my life or who I am. In fact, I always try to use that as a teaching or a learning moment. I always think that being honest and visible is the best way to educate people. If you grow up without knowing a person who is LGBTQ+, then it’s a lot easier to dehumanize that person.” * Not his real name

A safe place sticker on a teacher’s door means students are welcome to express themselves in the classroom.

Pr file me

Caroline Brown • Reporter

Social media tends to show others only a glimpse of people’s lives, so making judgements on someone is very difficult. However, judgements are constantly made about others.

So, to show just how easy it is to make judgements about people, junior Matt Franco, junior Taylor Christie, and public speaking teacher Michelle Fratto tried to make assumptions about three student volunteers’ Instagram profiles.

How would you describe their personality based off their feed?

Franco: “I think he cares about fame most of all because of how many people he follows, the amount of hashtags he uses for more people to see his page, and because he mentions the word ‘viral’ in many of his captions.”

Christie: “I think he doesn’t really care about what people think.”

Would you hire this person for a job based off their page?

Franco: “I would not, based off the contents of his page.”

Fratto: “Well, his page definitely doesn’t seem very professional.”

Do you think their social media reflects positively or negatively?

Franco: “It appears negatively because for instance, his bio says, ‘I’m going to kill myself.’”

Do you think that their social media shows what they’re actually like?

Franco: “I think it shows what he wants to be like. All of his posts mention something about being viral or famous.”

How would you describe their personality based off their feed?

Franco: “She seems like she is outgoing and like she loves her family and friends.”

Christie: “Preppy, popular, and very confident.”

Would you hire this person based off of their page?

Franco: “She shows no clues as to her intellect so I don’t know, but she seems like a team player so I think I’d hire her.”

Christie: “I more than likely would because she shows personality in her page and not negative things.”

Fratto: “I would not because these pictures are not who I would put on my team.”

Do you think their social media reflects positively or negatively?

Franco: “I’d say it reflects positively because it’s a very good window into her life.”

Christie: “Positively, because most of it is her doing things she likes with happy and positive captions.”

Fratto: “I personally wouldn’t post many photos of myself in bikinis.”

Do you think this page shows what she’s actually like?

Christie: “No because social media only shows us what we want to see and not any hardships.”

Students volunteer to have their social media judged

How would you describe their personality based off their feed?

Christie: “I think she has high confidence and maybe a goofy personality.”

Franco: “She seems like she uses herself to express art and is highly confident.”

Would you hire this person for a job based off their page?

Christie: “Yes, because she seems like she’s dedicated, hardworking and will get the job done.”

Franco: “If I’m looking for a model, yes I’d hire her. But if I was looking for an accountant I wouldn’t hire her based off her page.”

Do you think their social media reflects positively or negatively?

Christie: “Positively, because it shows people what she wants them to see, which is mostly good.”

Franco: “I think her social media reflects positively because it’s all bright and colorful.

In the beginning of her feed it was a little darker with less photos of herself, but I think now she has more confidence.”

Fratto: “She seems like she gets a lot of attention from here.”

Do you think that their social media shows what they’re actually like?

Christie: “I don’t think it does because she could post selfies and happy stuff and maybe actually be self conscious and going through a lot.”

Franco: “I don’t think her social media portrays what she’s actually like, but I think there are clues to her personality. Every person shows the best parts of their lives on social media and not many negative aspects.”

features • 13

"Her first time truly living as herself"

Partners in PE students warm up around gym D while waiting to start their daily activities. Each corner of the gym has a specific warm up that students do with their partners, who enjoy the friendships that they’ve made in this class. “It’s a great deal of fun, you’re able to make a lot of friends easily,” junior Anna August said. “My partner who goes

by Bane, he really gets down at the dance floor, and he’s overall an amazing person, and so is this class.” Photo by Grace Powell

Partners in PE class unifies students Sara blasingame•Reporter

I

nside the doors of Gym D during third period, there’s a class that connects those who some would call the most neglected to those who may be considered the most known.

According to participants, the Partners in PE class has changed the experiences for the kids with special needs.

“This is her first time truly living as herself,” parent Traci Bohannon said about her daughter Ellie Bohannon. “She has in a way become a ‘normal’ functioning kid because of opportunities like this.”

The Partners in PE class is a class for both students with special needs and for general education students.

“The class teaches the general education students to lead and interact with the kids with special needs,” Coach Wendy Harvey said.

Although the class is geared towards both groups, the class focuses on skills for each group.

“The class develops leadership,

social skills for all abilities, as well as communication skills and social norms for our students with special needs, along with being physically active and healthy,” Harvey said.

In the class, the students with special needs are paired with a general education student, where they are “buddies” for a time and hang out and do activities together.

“My favorite part of Partners in PE is hanging out with all the kids and having so much fun,” junior Whitney Petter said.

The goal of the Partners in PE class is to be an inclusive program for the students with special needs.

“My favorite part of Partners in PE is playing games,” freshman Ellie Bohannon said.

The class has created an opportunity for the students with special needs that they hadn’t had before until now.

“Ellie loves school more than she ever has and actually feels like she’s a part of things,” Traci Bohannon said. “She gets noticed by peers and her

teachers. She loves the attention and the fun she is having.

I didn’t think teenagers were so kind and caring. I would worry when I sent her to school, but I was so wrong. I have seen her grow more in one semester than all of her other school years combined.”

The Partners in PE class gives the students opportunities to create and build friendships, while walking on the track and playing dodgeball, kickball and karaoke on Fridays.

“No matter our differences, we have one thing [music] that makes us equal and we can have fun and relate to,” Petter said.

Through the Partners in PE class, Special Olympics is encouraged for all students. Most of the students at Martin participate on a volleyball Special Olympics team.

“We also offer Special Olympics, which the district funds, which allows for a sports side,” Harvey said.

However, one does not need to be in the Partners in PE class to participate. Students who

are in need of volunteer hours are able to gain those hours through helping with Special Olympics.

“My favorite part about Special Olympics is knowing that we’re making a difference and that we’re making someone’s day,” Petter said.

AISD is also developing a Unified Sports program to continue the opportunities for friendships between students with special needs and general education students.

“We’re creating unified sports with teams of six special education students and four to five general education students to support,” Harvey said.

In order to be in the Partners in PE class, talk to a counselor for more information about the application process.

“There’s an application process and Coach Patrick Dunn and I call the students in to go over their application,” Harvey said.

All students are welcome to apply for the class and volunteer with Special Olympics.

features • 15

D

E

A

F

can do it

A deeper look into the Deaf Education Program and what Deaf can do ERika Karaganis • Reporter Hands fly fast as teachers and students alike have silent conversations and lessons throughout the halls and classrooms.

The Deaf Education Program is a largely supported program as well as the only program of its kind in all of the Arlington and Mansfield schools.

Hearing students here may only recognize it by their deaf classmates or the interpreters seen in many different classes from this year all the way back to elementary school.

Stephanie’s experience Senior Stephanie Sisemore is one Deaf student who is known throughout the school. She participates in track, the Police Academy and happily talks to both hearing and deaf students alike.

As a whole, she says she has had a very positive experience in the Deaf Education Program.

“I have an interpreter every day so I never have a problem,” Sisemore said. “The teachers all treat me the same as the other students.”

16 • features

While she says her experience has been mostly positive, there are occasional issues she runs into.

“Last year I had some issues because the teacher would say something and I wouldn’t understand,” Sisemore said. “That was a problem.”

Alexa’s experience Senior Alexis Arauz is another student in the Deaf Education Program. Arauz moved here from Dallas and said she has been very impressed by our education system.

“It's a good program because it really helps everyone to be involved and work together and communicate more,” Arauz said. “It helps you to understand and improve your English for conversations in the future.”

Arauz said she has benefitted from the support of the interpreters at Martin.

The ability of an interpreter to communicate with a Deaf student may depend on many things. For example PSE (Pidgin Signed English), which uses ASL signs in English word

order, or SEE (Signed Exact English), which uses “English” signs to make sentences that use English grammar and syntax, may be harder for some deaf students to understand.

“It depends on the person,” Arauz said. “Their facial expressions, personality and their signing. Personally I don't understand SEE. It’s difficult and if the interpreter interprets something wrong, you don’t know.”

A teacher’s view The students and teachers in this program have both expressed their commitment to accessing the correct level of education for the student.

While some students such as Arauz and Sisemore view the Deaf Education classes as easy, they have other, more difficult, classes readily available.

“The counselors are incredible at helping us match teachers, students and interpreter schedules,” Deaf Education Teacher Jennifer Cobble said.

“The assistant principals and the security guards look out for them in the hallways be-

fore school and at lunch.”

This extra help from other staff helps to make sure that all students are not only taken care of but safety is a necessary accommodation from the school.

“If a student can be in general education classes with an interpreter for everything, then that’s where they should be,” Cobble said. “That is where they go and we provide interpreters and in class support if they need it. If they are at a level where they need more help, like in a resource class, then they are looking more at going to a junior college or going straight to work. It just depends on what job the student wants to get when they graduate and then we meet them where they are.”

Program growth The growth of the Deaf Education program over the years has been a positive one according to the students and teachers.

With growing support and size, at 24 students actively involved in this program, Cobble said she is happy with the advancements she is see-

ing and is excited for them to continue in other areas that may need some growth as well.

“There is more technology that helps our students now like interactive screens,” Cobble said. “Just having the overhead projectors and being able to project things just so our students can have a visual is great.

A lot of the interactive work that we can do on computers has improved along with our technology access. Even simple stuff that is taken for granted, like FaceTime has helped.”

The advance in technology has been one of the biggest helps among the Deaf education and general education, Cobble said.

However, the growth of the program is requiring extra staff and accommodations that they don’t have.

“I think we have a very good Deaf-Ed program, but I definitely think because we are growing and because we

are bigger this year than we have been in the past, we need help,” Cobble said. “We need more interpreters and a third Deaf-Ed teacher to help out.”

Room for improvement The many tests and certificates required to become a Deaf Education teacher as well as the small desire to be involved in a field involving ASL causes there to be a very small pool of applicants.

While there may be some room to improve more, the Deaf-Ed program has made amazing strides in the right direction, Cobble said. With everything from college preparation to technology to general education access, many positive advancements have been made.

Cobble says the biggest help is more visual examples through technology and physical diagrams and examples.

As time goes on, many students and teachers are hoping strides

towards equality will continue to progress on an uphill scale.

“My kids are just like everybody else,” Cobble said. “They have their good days and their bad days and they shine in

some areas and they don’t in others. Just because they're deaf doesn’t mean they should be felt sorry for and shouldn't be praised. They should be treated just like everybody else.”

Senior Stephanie Sisemore Signs with a friend about school schedules and what is going on in their lives. They use american sign language to communicate and break the language barrier between deaf and hearing. Photos by Meridith Moore and Brandon Chrabasz

AIR JORDANS a i r

j o r d a n s

The differences and the similarites of an Academic athlete and an athlete who did his damage on Friday nights While all students are given the opportunity to pursue elective courses of their choosing, many of them have come to the sudden realization that their passions, unlike other groups or clubs, aren’t backed by big bucks.

No MACs for the Key Club and no trucks with team logos on them for students who are in AcDec. Passions are met with truths that put students’ willingness to do their best no matter what to the test. Students who put in the hours, the effort, and the dedication towards greatness put their schedules up against the schedules of athletes. But seniors Jordyn Anders and Jordan Ashley both have very different surroundings that push them towards their passion in the same sense.

What do Academic Decathletes do?

Michael Sandoval • opinions editor

Jordyn Anders Jordan Ashley

- Receive and go over Cram-Kits - Study Cram-Kits alone - Quiz each other in class and outside of class over information on Cram-Kits - Reread Cram-Kits outside of class alone.

- Come back into class with questions over Cram-Kits - Read 30 pages worth of information every night leading up to competition of any sort

- Weights after school - Off-season workout - Track practices - Track and field events - Personal Backs work - Defensive Backs meetings

In-season work Monday- Practice

A week in AcDec

- Split into two groups: students on the team and students who help teammates prepare - Work on Quizlets or one of the seven packets handed out early in the year that are each at least 80 to 120 pages at least.

- Read over packets in class and discuss - Read 30 pages worth of reading at a personal pace Preparation leading up to class -Read again - Go over Quizlet - Group discussion - Personal study time

18 • features

What do football players do all year?

Tuesday- Personal backs work Wednesday- Run the starters against the second strings for reps Thursday- Run sets for Friday's games Defense one on offense one Defense two on offense two Run throughs Friday- Get with the coach and go over game plans. Wear jerseys to school and get a meal after school to mentally prepare for the game.

Photos by brandon chrabasz

The XX factor Katie Kohutek • Features Editor Photo by Meridith moore

“We put a societal expectation that girls don’t do engineering, which is totally wrong. And that girls don’t do science.

Which is also totally wrong.”

- Physics teacher Jay Atman features • 19

-

C

ardboard airplanes fly over the heads of students. A foosball table is in one corner of the room, a ping pong table in another. Competitive cries can be heard as advanced Physics students attempt to best each other in friendly competition in a place where fun and learning are combined. Yet, the sounds coming from this classroom are overwhelmingly masculine.

I entered this Physics 4 room at the start of the year expecting to find an equal mix of girls and boys similar to my other classes.

What I found instead was 12 boys and a male teacher, with no other girls in sight.

I had hoped that the other girl in my class was absent or simply late, but she never came. She was never in that class to begin with. I was the only one.

I took my seat at a table by myself, and only one guy was willing to sit with me. It stayed this way for about two weeks until some of the guys took pity on me and invited me to sit at their table.

While the boys have started to acknowledge my presence more, the environment is still not very female-friendly. Every day it is clear that males dominate in this classroom, and it can be very intimidating.

My AP Physics 4 class is not the only instance of boys exceedingly outnumbering girls in an upper-level science class.

This phenomenon also occurs in AP Physics 3, AP Chemistry, computer science, and the engineering classes.

Many upper level Science, Technology, Engineering and Math courses are suffering from a severe lack of girls, and my experience is only one of many.

Only one third of the population in AP Chemistry classes taught by Lydia Berry are female, and AP Physics 3 teacher Doug Sharkey’s ninth period contains just four girls in a population of 24.

20 • features

The Observation

Senior Yazmine Ortiz is the only girl in her AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism class.

She stays to the far edge of Jay Atman’s classroom and said she doesn’t mix herself in with the high levels of testosterone.

“Nobody talks to me, and everybody else already has their little cliques,” Ortiz said. “I’m just left to do my own thing and I don’t really have anybody I trust to ask for help, though I do have one friend in there.”

Though not quite as extreme, AP Physics C: Mechanics experiences a similar trend. In a class of over 20 students, Ortiz is one of only six girls. Jay Atman teaches both of these advanced Physics classes, and the lack of girls has not escaped his notice.

“We’re fighting a society trend,” Atman said. “We put a societal expectation that girls don’t do engineering, which is totally wrong. And that girls don’t do science. Which is also totally wrong.”

Engineering teacher Kelly McCollough said she has also noticed a deficit of girls in her classes. In her STEM Academy classes, she approximates about 25 percent of the students are female. In her regular classes, she estimates only about one to three in a class of 24 are female.

McCollough said she is unsure as to why the gap is so large, but she has noticed a difference in the way girls and guys approach engineering.

“Some guys have much more of an advantage in that they tinkered in the garage with

Junior Monseratt Villarreal demonstrates the separation between men and wom the boys from her engineering class collaborate as they fix a robot. Photo illus Dad, so they already have an idea of how things go together and how things work,” McCollough said. “The girls want to have a purpose behind what they’re doing, and to see that it matters, that it’s gonna affect somebody.”

The Hypothesis

The STEM Academy strives to admit approximately equal numbers of males and females to the program each year, but once they are admitted students are allowed to pick one of four pathways to study throughout high school. Out of the total

158 students on the engineering pathway, only 42 are girls.

“I think it’s more because people associate engineering with construction,” sophomore STEM Academy student Josselyn Robles said. “And to everybody it seems like you have to be strong if you want to do construction, so it’s more of a man’s job, but it’s not. Girls are

Atman said he believes that this trend cannot be allowed to continue.

“Things are not okay the way they are. We need engineers,” Atman said. “Our country is 20 years from collapse because we don’t have the flat out numbers of people to do the problem solving. The problems we will have within the next 20 years

The Experiment

Senior Devin Pearcy, a boy in AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism, said he sees a definite advantage in adding more females not just to engineering, but to the STEM field as a whole.

“I feel like if there are more girls in the STEM field then it gives us another perspective,” Pearcy said. “One thing that helps in the STEM field is just having more perspective and having more angles. Having more people in general with different backgrounds gives you a better chance to do more.”

While many agree that more needs to be done to encourage females to pursue STEM fields, it is difficult to decide how that should be done. McCollough argues that there is not much encouragement present because there is no definite way to spark the interest of girls.

“The question is, what does it take to interest a girl in engineering?” McCollough said.

“Because I think for them, the application is the most important part. You have to have a reason behind it. So how do you do that? I think if we knew how to do that, we’d have more women in engineering.”

The Conclusion

ween men and women in the engineering field. Villareal works by herself while obot. Photo illustration by brandon chrabasz underestimated. Girls can be tough. Girls can be intelligent.”

Historically, this trend is nothing new. Males have always been dominant in the engineering field, while many females have been pushed to pursue careers as caretakers, such as nursing or teaching.

haven’t come up yet and so there is no solution. So do we need everybody? Yes. And more than half the population are women. So should more than half be engineers? Why not.

There’s no question, they have the talent and the intelligence to do that.”

Ortiz suggests that more needs to be done in high school to keep girls interested in engineering, such as female-oriented STEM activities and field trips. Last May, current senior Courtney Peterson organized a conference and college fair specifically geared toward STEM girls. There were female speakers representing the different STEM fields from well-known companies, such as Lockheed Martin and Exxon. During this conference that took place at Martin, the girls were encouraged to ask questions and also meet with representatives to help plan their futures.

Peterson organized the conference as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award because she had observed a lack of mentorship, leadership skills, and networking amongst STEM girls. Often times, without some type of encouragement, girls will feel pressured to drop out of STEM and pursue a different field.

“Everybody in STEM is already under pressure, and then having the added pressure makes people end up dropping out,” Ortiz said. “I have actually studied demographics, solely for the purpose of understanding what I’m getting into, and that is a trend. Females end up dropping out as people put more pressure on them.”

Encouragement can come in many different shapes and sizes, however. Every year Atman does his part in inspiring girls to take higher level science courses by visiting the Pre-AP science classes with underclassmen.

“For the STEM students I try to interact more with freshmen, sophomores, and juniors,” Atman said. “I don’t get to see them until they’re seniors or maybe juniors, and by that point their decision has already been influenced and made. This year I am going to be talking to all the pre-AP chemistry classes and the physics classes and try to be encouraging and honest.

Yes, I know it’s hard, but don’t let that be the decision-making part of it.”

Besides the biases that girls may have to face in a male-dominated field, Atman said he has no doubt that women are just as capable as men in STEM fields and can be just as successful.

“Other than a predominantly-male culture that women have to play into, the academic challenges are the same for everybody,” Atman said.

“Women have as much talent and as much creativity, and they can handle that, no question.”

features • 21

Students get pulled out of class for help improving speech Meridith Moore • Features editor “Wipe, Ripe. Rail, Whale,” they repeat to themselves as they approach the new face standing in front of them. To kids with speech difficulties, a simple conversation is far scarier than any spider or snake, because every conversation brings the possibility of miscommunication. Every repetition of what they said for clarification elicits more and more aggravation.

At that moment, it’s probably easier to give up on trying to articulate their point.

However being able to speak your truth is an important thing, and that’s what the speech therapy program strives to do.

Speech games

Martin’s speech therapy program is for students who have difficulties saying certain sounds or words which could put them at a communication disadvantage.

“It helps me a lot and I’ve come a long way,” senior Brooklyn Robinson said. “There are still Rs I can’t say, but it’s less than it was. When people can’t understand me it makes it hard on the phone.”

Students in the program usually get pulled out of class to go to speech therapy where they practice their speech by playing speech-related games – which Robinson says she wins.

“We play games like UNO,” Robinson said. “We will draw sticks and the stick would have CAR on it because it has the

22 • features

letter ‘R’ and I would have to come up with a sentence.”

According to Robinson, her explanation of leaving class to go to speech often elicits questions from her peers.

“I don’t think they fully understand it because they don’t take the class,” Robinson said.

“It’s hard for some students when we can’t pronounce that letter. They need to put themselves in our shoes because if it was flipped they would want us to know how they feel.”

“It did help me improve”

Senior Zach David said he has difficulties pronouncing sounds of R’s, W’s and Ch’s,’ but that doesn’t hold him back at all.

“It did help me improve,” David said. “Speech therapy is something that helps people that are having trouble with speech. I think it’s important that people know about it, it gets people aware and will help out in general.”

David is a fast talker, which can lead to miscommunication and embarrassment.

“I was talking to people, trying to make friends but they didn’t understand me,” David said. “But it’s fine because I slowed down and it worked out fine. I keep on pushing forward because I want to meet people.

When I can pronounce things, I can easily have a conversation without interruption.”

“Sounding British”

A common misconception

about people who cannot pronounce their ‘R’s’ is that they sound British or like a baby.

“I’ve been told I have a British accent,” sophomore Tyler Dill said. “I’m like, ‘Nope, I’ve lived here practically my whole life.’

I go along with it sometimes.”

Communications skills are not just important when trying to make new friends but also needed in a workplace environment.

“Once a year, we go over my college plans and life and what I can do and how that affects

my speech,” Dill said. “I want to be a pharmacist. When I’m talking to people, I want them to understand me especially since something like that could be life threatening.”

Speech therapy teaches the proper way to enunciate words and builds communication confidence.

“I think it helped me find my voice,” Dill said. “At my old school, I didn’t really talk much to people because I didn’t like the way I pronounced things, but now I’m getting better.”

Life as the non-favorite

Generation Sad Compassion needed in solving drug problems

ALYSSA DELUNA • ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

M

y cheeks were wet from the salty tears rolling down my face, my head heavy with negative thoughts and feelings. “They will never treat me as an equal,” I said to myself.

Having a step-sibling and a half-sibling for a couple of years, favoritism has played a big part in my family. I cannot compare to my siblings, because they seem so much more wanted than me. They are smart, active, and the kin to my stepmom, who is everything to my dad, leaving me feeling less important to him.

I can’t wrap my head around this whole “playing favorites” thing. Parents shouldn’t have a favorite child.

My dad rarely asks how my day is or reads the articles I write. When it comes to report cards, my mixture of As and Bs never impress them because both my sisters are straight-A students. I may not get awards like my siblings, but what I write in the newspaper is important to me, and what I write about might help someone else and that’s better than some award.

I think it’s important that parents don’t have a favorite child. Showing more love and support to one specific child can make them doubt their abilities to do anything that’s important to them.

brooklin bruno • designer

M

aybe it’s bad luck.

Or maybe I just have a knack for attracting people with addictive personalities.

Either way, drug use has been an issue that has followed me throughout the majority of my life. Along with it comes the bitterness and apathy coming from strangers and all the other non-inebriated people on planet earth. I argue another side in the fight against addiction – the side of hope.

This sense of compassion towards addicts comes so naturally to me because I have personally seen so many people affected by drugs. Substance abuse has never been a taboo subject to me. It has been a constant factor in my life since before I can even remember, and that isn’t something I’m ashamed of. If anything, I am proud of it.

But I can confidently say that addiction always stems from a place of pain, not pleasure. It is a disease, it is an illness, but the people suffering are always capable of recovery and deserving of second chances.

Just in my peer group alone, I see an abundant reliance on drugs. The people around me are sad, plain and simple, and an easy “fix” to that is drugs. Even

things as simple as marijuana – which is harmless right? – is an everyday dependance for what is quite frankly, a ridiculous amount of teenagers.

It’s really not as casual as you want to think it is.

As someone who has struggled greatly with substance abuse in the past I will say, it is miserable. I didn’t realize how loathsome and lonely it was until I was out of the situation completely. Dark isn’t dark without a little light. I wish my past self would have understood that inebriation doesn’t equal or replace happiness.

But I don’t look back in anger, I look back with love.

More than the angst and worries of a know-it-all 18 year-old is the fact that the U.S. is in the midst of an opioid epidemic. It is real life, in a real place, with real people who are feeling genuine pain. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculated 47,055 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States.

Huntington, West Virginia may be the epicenter of the opioid problem.

As a future film major, I have a deep connection and love for the cinematic works.

Huntington in particular caught my eye through one of those works: a specific documentary called Heroin(e), directed and produced by Elaine McMillion.

The documentary follows three female icons of hope for their community, treating addicts as human. Now is where I note: being compassionate towards someone is not equivalent to enabling them.

There is no helping a person who doesn’t want to be helped,

and there is no forcing a person who really doesn’t want drugs.

The women in Huntington reached out with open arms and provided safe spaces for people struggling to rehabilitate themselves. Time and time again, they would pick up inebriated girls who were prostituting themselves, or respond to an overdose call, hoping that even just one would begin a path to recovery.

Personally, harshness never pushed me towards anything but more drugs. It wasn’t until someone approached me with acceptance and patience that I realized they only wanted to help me.

It wasn’t a clean cut. It takes time, and that is something I have learned to accept as fact.

It’s so easy to slip back into a well-practiced mindset and a few rushes of pleasure, as I’ve seen my whole life. But never is it worth it.

Teenagers in particular are susceptible to addiction, in my experience. Life is hard when you’re messing up and everyone around is against you. Look at drug use with sympathy instead of disdain.

Arlington shouldn’t become the next Huntington. It is a battle-scarred city, but it can recover, as can anyone else that has the desire to. Cycles of addiction start young and small, help our neighbors find a balance between drug use and real life and begin their path to sobriety.

Addicts are people too. They are hurting whether they know it or not, and compassion is the best cure. And as for yourself, refuse to be victimized, stand up to every evil that life affords.

features • 23

(Lamar)tin

showing off Lamar school spirit, junior Hayden Moore embraces her new school. Photo Courtesy Hayden Moore

Former Martin student reflects on her decison to transfer schools Izabella Lozano • Reporter

I

t’s the first day of school and students are swarming to their classes. Most of the faces look familiar, kids that have gone to the same school for years. There is someone new in the back of the class, though, who transferred in search of opportunity and didn’t have to leave the school district to do it.

New students are usually thought of as kids who transfer in from other school districts, but Arlington ISD allows students from any AISD high school to transfer to another AISD high school, as long as there is space for them.

Most students transferring within the school district move to pursue opportunities that are not offered at the high school they are zoned for, such as the STEM Academy, Mariachi band, International Baccalaureate program, and Advanced Placement classes which are offered in various high schools throughout AISD. “Arlington is an open enrollment district and the opportunity to transfer for special programs is one that is requested a lot,” coordinator for student transfers Alison Mendelsohn said. “It’s really nice that Arling-

ton offers this so that students get to take advantage of the opportunities AISD offers.”

Each of the six AISD high schools has its own set of teaching styles and student culture, which is another factor that draws students to switch schools.

Junior Hayden Moore transferred to Lamar from Martin before beginning her junior year this semester. Despite taking a bit of time to adjust, Lamar proved that the differences between AISD high schools were a good thing, because AISD had a school to fit everyone’s needs.

“The classes at Lamar are easier and they give us more time to work,” Moore said. “Most of my teachers are really involved with the students and I know I was really nervous because I wanted to have good teachers and I got really good ones.”

“I miss Martin so much, but I’m happy here and I actually love waking up in the morning to drive to school,” Moore said.

“I have more friends at Lamar and my GPA and class rank are much better here.”

Despite the benefits of switching schools, new students

sometimes deal with tensions regarding school rivalry. The competition between Arlington’s high schools sometimes creates an awkward environment for students who have attended more than one AISD high school.

“My friends from Lamar think I should just go to all of Lamar’s events, but everyone at Martin had such a big impact on my life. I don’t want to just forget about everything there,” said Moore.

Rivalries aside, many students who transfer within the district run the risk of judgement from peers, and accusations of transferring in order to boost their class rank and GPA. Although changes in grades and class rank are possible due to the students per grade level and other factors, most transfer students do not gain an advantage over the students already enrolled in the school.

Senior Jordyn Anders transferred from Barnett Junior High, which feeds into Bowie, to Boles Junior High, which feeds into Martin, before begin-

ning the seventh grade. Once she completed eighth grade, Anders said she chose to go to Martin since she found Boles to be such a good fit for her.

“The transfer hasn’t adversely or generously affected my grades or ranking,” Anders said.

“If anything, it may have made me even more competitive in attempting to reach my dreams.

I have found a group of friends who have really helped me grow as a person here at Martin and likewise for the teachers. I’m sure I would have met great people as well at Bowie, but Martin truly feels like a home to me.”

The opportunities provided

by Arlington schools are just as diverse as the students, so while transferring to another AISD school may seem like an extreme step to get the most out of their educational opportunities, students are willing to take the leap in hopes for the best.

“People acted weird about my transfer and they said it was a dumb decision but I’ve never been more happy,” Moore said.

features • 25

Out of the ballpark

Baseball junior commits to TCU Humberto Rodriguez • Reporter

“I haven’t stopped striving to be better. There is always room for improvement.”

W

hen a student athlete commits, people expect a senior playing their last season to be the one recruited. A junior in high school already committing to a college for a highly skilled sport is not something people hear very often at all.

Junior Elijah Nunez will be attending Texas Christian University on a baseball scholarship that he earned by working hard and never giving up.

“My main goal is to make it to the league so I haven’t stopped striving to be better,” Nunez said. “There is always room for improvement.”

People expect college commits to have top-of-the-line coaches helping them perform their best, but these athletes have also worked for what they have earned.

“I’ve had many mentors and coaches who have all pushed me to be the best I can,” Nunez said. “But I would have to give my hitting coach, Homer Bush, and my family a lot of credit.

Also, my former coach Jason Baca who passed a year ago – he was a big piece of me.”

For teammate senior Patrick Hail, Nunez is like a younger brother. Hail said he feels that he also gained something from being Nunez’s teammate and helping Nunez grow not only as a teammate but as a person.

“I was excited for him because he has worked really hard to get where he’s at now and I’m excited to be his teammate for another season,” Hail said.

When players are in the recruitment part of their high school career, they realize who helped them the most during

26 • SPORTS

that time.

“I talked everything over with my parents and I prayed about it and I felt that it was God’s plan,” Nunez said.

Every player has his own way of thinking through things and have their own drive about the game that they love.

“His mindset hasn’t changed all that much,” Hail said. “He is still the same hard working baseball player we all know and love.”

When a person is dedicated

and driven to make it to the pros, they will also work harder to prove that they deserve a chance.

“He works extremely hard,” assistant coach Brandon Bounds said. “He is one of the guys that you can always count on to kind of mirror what you want the other guys to do, so he works pretty hard out here.

I know he works pretty hard on his own.”

Photos by Macy Clift

Photos by Macy Clift

dual credit Aivrey Zaiger •Photo Editor

Vs

advanced placement

Saber Lamb •Reporter

January, the time of year full of counselors visits and class meetings to figure out next year’s schedule. Every year students are hit with the same question: Advanced Placement (AP) or Dual Credit?

Martin offers many opportunities to gain college credit while in high school, and taking advantage of these opportunities can save thousands of dollars in the long run if these classes are a good fit for the individual.

All students have access to these college-oriented classes, but do all students, even regulars students, know the difference?

“In AP you take the class and then you take a test to get college credit,” junior Hannah Robinson said. “In Dual Credit you get taught by an actual

Advanced Placement classes are a tremendous tool for students who wish to get a head start on their future. They offer a way for these students to earn extra grade points and even take a test at the end of the year that enables them to earn college credit if they do well enough.

However, some students may feel that there is too much stress involved or that they may not have what it takes to succeed in these classes. The following are some pieces of advice and valuable things to know about AP from teachers and students who are already experienced with them.

One of the classes offered at Martin that can greatly benefit students looking to further their education beyond high school is AVID. The teachers who teach this class are very experienced with the college process and know what they are looking for in a student and know how important AP classes are.

“I think the benefits of AP are stepping out of your comfort

college professor and then you learn the whole semester to get the credit.”

Many students want to earn college credit early but are intimidated by the thought of more advanced assignments.

On the contrary, some students are excited by the rigor. In theory, Dual Credit and AP are supposed to be on the same level but that may not be completely true.

“I’ve been on both sides and I’ve taken AP and Dual Credit,” Dual Credit US History Professor Stephanie Hawkins said.

“I felt like my AP teacher was great. He prepared me for college and I was very much used to lecture style. Now I will say, I have had students tell me that they felt that AP really didn’t get them ready for college, but I think it really just depends on

the teacher.”

But what happens if a student enters an advanced class and decides it’s not for them?

The student must decide if it would be appropriate to drop said class.

“If you’ve taken it for the first six weeks and realize it’s not for you, give it a chance,” Robinson said.

Picking classes can be frustrating for students who are looking ahead of high school and having to weigh the pros and cons of what Martin has to offer, especially for students who are just starting to learn about all of the more advanced courses and aren’t sure if it’s right for them.

“In the long run, it’s going to be one less course that you have to pay for and complete in college,” junior Mariela Ruiz said.

zone and challenging yourself to see what level you can reach,” senior AVID teacher Jeff Plemons said. “Being in regulars you get comfortable and you may not grow as much as you need to.”

Students may feel as though they don’t have what it takes or the label of “AP” may intimidate them, but Plemmons offered some support for these students as well.

“I think anyone can succeed in AP if they work hard enough, and I think everyone should have the opportunity to take AP, but at the end of the day it just comes down to how hard they will work,” Plemons added. “I think AP makes a big difference in your college decision, especially in your senior year.

I’ve learned how important it is to have a rigorous schedule your senior year so that colleges can look at you and know that you challenged yourself.”

Anyone can enter an AP class if they would like.

“I think anyone can try an AP

class, but I don’t think everyone could pass an AP exam,” AP Human Geography teacher Sarah Spurrier said.

The AP Physics courses are arguably some of the toughest at Martin, and with that comes some valuable skills such as the pace of the classes and the self sufficiency of the note taking that can really help many students down the line in college. And if they do well enough, they can avoid taking some of these classes in college.

“We tend to have more rigor in this class, and really go quicker, and go deeper in depth,” AP Physics teacher Doug Sharkey said. “If a student is on the fence about it, I would say not to be afraid to try something even if it is hard because I think a lot of kids are too worried about their GPAs. An A or B in AP might be better than an A in regulars because you’re showing colleges you’re willing to work hard and take challenging classes that really prepare you.”

features • 27

Cold play

Hockey athletes chase their ambitions Tristan Flores • Reporter

T

he greatest moments in hockey history might have already been achieved depending on who you ask.

Some may say the Miracle On Ice game in the 1980 winter Olympics which resulted in the United States defeating the former champion Soviet Union.

Some locals might say Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup final which resulted in the Stars winning a thrilling triple overtime game over the Buffalo Sabres which gave them their first Stanley Cup. Others might even say the best is yet to come. But what most hockey fans can agree on is that their love for this brutal and breathtaking sport is never ending.

Now though, we can’t have those breathtaking experiences we love to talk about without star stunned players, and luckily, Martin has a few, but they are forced to play elsewhere, at Mansfield Hockey Association.

Hockey History

After the 2011 season, Martin was forced to disband its hockey team after it broke out in a bench-clearing brawl with Keller, so those who now want to play hockey are forced to do it on their own with a club team, which senior Richard Nguyen and junior Taylor Bowman chose to do.

Nguyen started playing hockey at the age of seven. He said his mother liked what she saw when she took him to the hockey rink, and decided to sign

28 • features

him up.

“I didn’t know what was happening,” Nguyen said. “She just threw me on the ice, and we went from there.”

Bowman said he started around age five when his parents first took him to the mall ice rink.

He said he was fascinated by it, so he asked his parents for some hockey lessons, and from there, he “has been in love ever since.”

Though both Bowman and Nguyen’s love for the game has took them to some dark places, including broken arms, both hope to continue hockey outside of high school.

“Unfortunately, I don’t plan on playing in college, but I do have hopes of finding an adult team to join.” Nguyen said.

Though Bowman’s plans are a bit harder to achieve, it wouldn’t be surprising if they became a reality, as he is already starting as a junior on an already stacked team.

“I do plan on playing in college – hopefully somewhere near here possibly DBU,” Bowman said. “But the plan is to play in college.”

Leaders on the ice

Mansfield Hockey Association’s Head Coach Dustin Donathan was able to give some insight into both Nguyen and Bowman.

“Richard is an exceptional hockey player and person,” Donathan said. “He brings a whole new level to this team with his speed. He is one of, if not the fastest player on the Mansfield Hockey team. Taylor is an ex-

tremely talented hockey player.

He reads the ice so well, and uses his hockey sense to his advantage. He is a huge contributing factor to the whole of the Mansfield Hockey team.”

The boys are also leaders off the ice, according to their coach.

“Richard is also very strong minded, and is amongst the most influential players, and seniors on the team,” Donathan said. “Taylor is also very respectful, and always listens to every word someone has to say, which is a hard trait these days.”

Photos by Aivrey Zaiger

‘Great day for hockey’

senior Richard Nguyen

Now though, the lack of hockey doesn’t just feed back to Martin, as many would even say it’s a statewide issue. The Dallas Stars and their foundation have been very instructive in trying to grow hockey in the state of Texas, as they have built eight Starcenters.

At the Starcenters you can pay a pretty low price to skate, learn to skate, and even learn how to play hockey, if interested. The nearest one is off of Highway 287 in Mansfield.

Due to the warm weather in Texas, ice hockey can be argued as a rich man’s sport, but there are many alternatives, including roller hockey. Despite it not being on ice, it is no different, and you can play it about anywhere, making it much easier, debatably cheaper since it doesn’t require daily ice time, and like several major sports, location doesn’t matter.

As the great Mario Lemieux once said, “Every day is a great day for hockey.”

Remaining Games: 1/31 7:15 Southlake Caroll @ Mansfield Star Center 2/7 8:45 Frisco @ McKinney Star Center 2/14 7:15 Plano @ Mansfield Star Center

junior taylor bowman

Weight time Ambitious senior starts chasing his dreams of personal training

D

eciding what your passion is and knowing what you want to do is a very stressful thing for most high school kids, but not for senior Bryan Woodrow who is already living his goals by being a personal trainer.

“When I was 13 I was made fun of for being fat,” he said. “It really hurt me internally and it motivated me to prove them wrong and I fell in love with working out.”

For Woodrow, playing football his freshman year gave him the opportunity to find a love for weightlifting. Since then, he has been weightlifting every day.

“There are some days when it’s really tough,” he said. “I have had broken hands and fingers but I still make sure I get a workout, just because I’m so motivated. No excuses.”

“I weighed 220 pounds when I started, now I weigh 150 pounds.”

Not only has Woodrow found love in seeing results in himself, he also loves being a personal trainer at 24-Hour Fitness and helping other people reach their goals as he has had four clients with major success.

“My best client is an elderly man who had high blood pressure,” Woodrow said. “We

Collin Adams • Reporter

Senior Bryan Woodrow performing pull-downs in the Martin weightroom on December 14. Photo by Daniel White trained for about two hours a day and four days a week and he lost 60 pounds in a year.”

“He’s always been dedicated no matter what,” Woodrow’s training partner senior James

Villanueva said. “I remember that he would send me a videos of him lifting at 2 a.m. just because he loves it so much.”

Even though Woodrow considers this a job, in reality he

will tell you it’s more of internship.

“You’re supposed to have a certificate to train people but you can’t get it until you’re 18, so I’m actually training them for free until I can get that certificate in a few months,” he said. “It’s kind of like an internship right now. I don’t plan on going to college, I’m not sure if I need it. Most likely I’ll just earn my certificate online, but I would really enjoy studying the human body and how it functions” Woodrow’s mother, Lily Woodrow said she is proud but concerned.

“We do support him but we do think it’s just too much right now with school.”

Woodrow said his inspiration comes from other bodybuilders and family. He said he looks up to body builders like Ronnie Coleman.

“I like those guys a lot, but my only real inspiration would be my older brother,” he said. “He is a lot bigger than me and really promotes a healthy lifestyle, and he’s my training partner.”

Woodrow has mapped out his future as he dreams on opening his own gym and still plans on training people for the rest of his life and is already working towards his goal every day.

FEATURES • 29

Freshman Archer Sophia Garza does not let her impaired vision dictate how she lives her life.

Chloe Christenson • Sports Editor Photo by Aivery Zaiger

32 • SPORTS

A

s the archer nocks the arrow into place, her heart begins to beat faster as the pressure of shooting straight builds. Nothing holds her back as she prepares for her shot and draws the bow. Focusing on the distorted target ahead, she takes a deep breath and releases the string, letting the arrow fly.

Being visually impaired does not stop freshman Sophia Garza from doing what others may consider impossible.

Instead, she continuously exceeds every expectation set for her. A first-year archery student usually experiences challenges.

“It’s something I really wanted to do,” Garza said. “It seemed easier to work with with my vision since it is just me shooting a target, it’s not me necessarily on a team.”

Garza has been finding ways to enhance her ability to be like any other teenager, so that lack of eyesight isn’t an obstacle.

She was born with Glaucoma, damaged nerve tissue that connects the eyes to the brain.

Garza also has cataracts, a medical condition in which the lens

of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in blurred vision.

“I’m not legally blind,” Garza said. “I have eyesight that’s 20/2200 and I wear glasses that correct my vision to 20/2100.

I’m visually impaired.”

In spite of the difficulty surround her sight, Garza does not let it hold her back.

“She exhibits an even keel attitude which helps her remain calm and focused in the face of adversity,” Archery Coach Ricky Albus said. “Perhaps her greatest attribute is her willingness to try new things and to adapt to new ideas and concepts.”

When faced with challenges, a person can either buckle at the sight of it, or they can overcome it.

“It’s harder, but we worked with it,” Garza said. “I’ve got different arrows that are painted differently. When I have it at full draw, I can see the tip of the arrow so that I can align it with the target.”

Albus said he constantly adjusts his teaching style to best fit Garza’s needs, always going the

extra mile. He wears goggles that alter his vision to mirror Sophia’s eyesight. She appreciates the fact that her coaches are so willing to think outside of the box to train her well.

“The goggles I wear were provided to me by one of the vision teachers in the district,” Albus said. “I guess as the old saying goes, ‘Walk a mile in my shoes.’

I am trying to ‘shoot a mile with Sophia’s eyes,’” Albus said.

Along with the goggles, having a spotter is another way that Garza receives aid. While shooting, a spotter informs her of where each arrow lands on the target face.

“He tells me where the arrows land since I cannot see it,” Garza said. “It helps me do better.”

Instructing Garza on how to adjust her bow after the previous shot, Albus continues to be an incredible mentor.

“We are giving her information such as, ‘Up/down 2,’ or ‘Right/left 2,’” Albus said.

Garza said all of her coaches have been extremely welcoming and helpful, as have the students.

Goals are something that

many people set for themselves.

There are also little milestones we reach along the way. For Garza, these accomplishments aren’t taken for granted. She works extremely hard to level the playing field.

“I just want to improve,” she said. “I want to get better as best as I can, because I know I may not be able to get as good as everyone else, but I want to get as good as good as I can get.”

Along with Garza, her coaches have goals for her too and constantly push her towards success.

“Our goal is to continue helping Sophia improve and hone her archery skills,” Albus said.

“We would love to see Sophia competing in Paralympic style archery someday.”

The coaches’ job is to teach Sophia Garza, but she has been teaching them.

“I have been so blessed to have an opportunity to work with Sophia this year,” Albus said.

“She truly is an archer that simply has some vision difficulties and so we’ve made some minor adjustments to help her be successful.”

” Do not ever underestimate her.”

SPORTS • 33

Survey says...

Tests designed to implement positive change have lost their way

Michael Sandoval • Opinions Editor For some, the day is spent taking state-administered tests, but for others, the day is spent crammed in a room for no reason other than for the district to collect the tax dollars that come with keeping kids in a chair regardless of if they are learning something or not.

Hours of testing or being held inside a room for no logical reason are met with AP surveys that are meant to make a difference, but what difference is actually being made through surveys that most students don’t take seriously?

While making all students take a survey that’s meant to make everyone feel included is a good idea, most students who have taken the survey for a few years now aren’t seeing the results to the timely survey administered by the district. All

34 • OPINIONS

AP classes are seemingly feeling the same, and there’s been no difference in part of the teachers who have been in the teaching profession for years.

Arlington ISD has Pre-AP classes and AP classes open for all students who choose to take them, while other districts don’t necessarily extend the same opportunities to all of their students. This is an honorable effort by the district, but the survey itself attempts to complete the circle of equality through a 20-minute span at the tail end of a pointless day.

The efforts should be noted but the flaw in the thought process of extending a detailed questionnaire out every year with little to no change closely followed is disappointing.

Regardless of the common conversation of inclusion through surveys, the purpose isn’t to engage students in 20 minutes’ worth of pointless effort, but to enhance racial numbers in AP classes for minorities.

The question that’s raised through the surveys is one that could easily be seen as confusing or controversial.

Is the goal to include all students in hopes of pushing the culture forward and giving the opportunity to all students to run towards success? Or is the goal to push the number of minority students up in AP classes regardless of if they’re prepared for a college level course or not?

Is the goal success for all students through their own personal effort or is it the perception of equality through numbers that scream equal opportunity?

Most, if not all students are against the idea of taking a survey and haven’t seen any changes occur over time, although few actually understand. The execution of an inclusive survey might be

flawed and miss its original purpose, but the understanding of why a survey is needed in the first place is understood.

Are we simply numbers that are good luck coins or are we actually being put in the best position?

Surveys aren’t the solution.

Classes geared towards success regardless of AP or on level are the answer – classes that prepare us for life, not for college. Sometimes it feels like numbers and perception are the only reasons that a school district minds if students take the college route or not.

All students should be prepared for life regardless of what classes they take or not throughout the four years of life known as high school.

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