The Warrior Post - May 2023

Warrior The Post

PageS 17-20 •

MOST INTRIGUING SENIORS

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Martin High School

4501 W Pleasant Ridge Road

Arlington, TX 76016

Editors-in-Chief

Trinity Orosco and Laynie Stroup

News Editors

Katy Dixon and Helena Snegon

Features Editors

Noelle Pond and Sally Rodriguez

Opinions Editor

Inde Atwood

Sports Editor

MacKenzie Estes

Entertainment Editors

Zizi Belvin and Molly Maddock

Photo Editor

Lorelai Hofer Adviser

Tricia Regalado

Principal

Marlene Roddy

Staffers:

Liv Bell, Kailah Cobbs, Caiden Cole, Addy Davenport, Ava Dunlap, Adam El-Kassih, Celest Harbrink, Jordyn Hentz, Sirinity Hubbard, Terry Jackson, Maham Khan, Alyssa Lee, Ashlynn Lee, Ashlyn Long, Chloe MacFoy, Morgan Martin, Jessica Nguyen, Wil Renfrow, Corrina Reyes, Emonje Richardson, Camila Rivas, Dewey Saracay, Jaylia Spotwood, Avery Whipple, Asia Wilkey

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

-30-

Before computers, reporters used to write -30- to signify the end of their stories. As our WarriorPost seniors end their high school journalism career, they leave words of wisdom.

“It’s better to have a bruised ego than to find yourself exactly where you didn’t want to end up.”my dad Brad. Take a risk, even if it seems terrifying or like people will laugh in your face saying, “I told you so.” Your decisions are yours. Don’t let others make them for you.

- Zizi Belvin

How others view you is not the lens through which you should decide you are enough. You are valued, chosen, and worthy of being loved.

- Addy Davenport

In the wise words of Taylor Swift, “Fake it til you make it you do, til it’s true.” Honestly, most of us don’t know what we’re doing, but if you do it with confidence, no one will second guess you.

- Lorelai Hofer

Be the person you needed when you were younger or struggling. You are strong enough to change someone’s life.

- Molly Maddock

As cliche as it may sound, savor your time in high school. This is the last time you’re gonna be in the same building with all of these people. So make mistakes, try out for that team, tell that person how you feel. Make your time here worth it.

-Trinity Orosco

When opportunities come, take them. It will widen your perspective, and you will learn new things about yourself. Don’t let fear hold you back from seeking your fullest potential.

- Camila Rivas

Don’t let anyone back you into a corner. Speak your truth. If something needs to be said, say it. Your pen is your most powerful tool. Use it wisely and use it often.

- Dewey Saracay

“See ya later, dudes!”Finding Nemo

- Laynie Stroup

What’s lunch got to do with it?

After years of havig one lunch, Martin faces the possibility of change for the lunch schedule

Dewey Saracay• Reporter

It’s 12:34. The bell rings and kids flood the halls. Some go off campus, some go to the cafeteria, some flee to a teachers room, and some simply wander the halls. For the kids with nothing to do and nowhere to go, it can be easy for them to find trouble.

In 1996, Martin went to block scheduling and has had one lunch since then. However, due to recent behavior issues, talk of going to multiple lunches has been circulating.

“We talked about going to two or three lunches but we have a seating capacity of 500 in our cafeteria,”

Principal Marlene Roddy said. “We started off our school year with over 3,800 students so we would be serving lunch all day in the cafeteria because with only 500 in there we’d have to have seven or eight lunch periods.”

Ever since we heard the ominous messages through the intercom in the fall, warning of separate lunches if the behavior didn’t change, the thought of multiple lunches has been in the back of our minds.

We have not heard much since then, leaving the student body and faculty wondering what lunch could look like next year.

“Our number of fights has gone significantly down since the start of the year,” Roddy said. “Most of our

fights are with the freshmen class. Our junior and senior class rarely has that issue. Sometimes sophomores do, but freshmen tend to be the social group that has the most struggles of learning how to deal with conflict without fighting. They are learning and a lot of them have made a lot of progress so we’re seeing less and less issues with them as well.”

Creating multiple lunches raises many questions about the logistics of the plan. However, it might cause more problems than it would solve.

“I always have someone that asks, ‘Why do you only have one lunch?’” Roddy said. “Well, it works for us and has worked very effectively. Even with discipline, I don’t see how seven lunches would solve discipline issues. It would probably create more with kids cutting class to be with other friends at their weird lunch time. ‘Oh you’re a fourth lunch? Well I’ve got third lunch. I want to see you, let’s just skip both.’”

The social media publicity fights tend to create does not help the attempt to stop them.

“When fights happen, it’s almost always in the cafeteria and I see people running towards them,” freshman Parker Neal said. “I usually don’t walk to it. I wait until someone sends a video of it.”

Though there is about ten seconds of excitement that comes with watching a fight video, most students can see there is no point to it.

“I just don’t get the point of it,” freshman Lexie King said. “Why fight? It doesn’t make sense to me. I feel like they should just stop.”

Roddy said that as of right now there is no plan to change lunch next year. However if that changes, it will most likely affect freshmen as they are the class with the most behavioral issues.

“We had talked about doing a separate lunch for freshmen and it would be a shorter lunch and they would be confined to prob-

ably Gym A,” Roddy said.

“But the problem for us, once again, is that we don’t have a viable space for all of them in the cafeteria because that’s our largest class. It’s got over 1,000 students in it but it wouldn’t mean that we wouldn’t consider it. We actually considered it pretty heavily this fall when we were having some serious issues with the freshmen and thought they just can’t manage the freedom and freedom is something you have to manage and take responsibility for.”

The fear of lunch being split will still be in the back of people’s minds for a while. For the current freshmen, they have to hold out hope for the next four years that something drastic won’t happen, taking away the singular lunch for everyone.

“I really hope they don’t take away one lunch which is why I hope there’s no more fighting,” King said. “But I don’t know since these last few months everybody gets riled up. I really hope they don’t do it just because I have a lot of friends and if they split it up, who am I going to eat with if I don’t have a lunch period with any of my friends?”

“One piece of advice I would give to upcoming seniors is to try and be involved in all of the "senior events" because you will regret it if you don't and you'll miss it when it's gone. Everything goes by so fast.”

- senior Dylan Salisbury

“Stay on top of deadlines and keep yourself organized. Keep everything relatively balanced and choose classes that will not drain you out.”

- senior Natalia Flores

“Make sure to enjoy it and do as much as you can and have fun! It's your last year.”

- senior Ahmad Alyousef

When applying to colleges, is there anything you were surprised about?

“I was surprised at how hard it was to stay motivated while I was filling out applications. I kept pushing it off and answered a couple questions at a time rather than sitting down and doing it all at once.”

- senior Natalia Flores

“I was honestly surprised at how easy it was to apply, not a lot of colleges need essays or test scores.”

- senior Ahmad Alyousef

What is something for the class of ‘24 to look out for when choosing their classes and applying to colleges?

“Continue to pick challenging classes so that you are continuing to learn before you go off and take even harder classes. When applying for colleges, apply to several so that you have options.”

- senior Dylan Salisbury

“Prioritize organization. There are a lot of deadlines for different colleges. Everything accumulated gets really overwhelming.”

- senior Natalia Flores

“Try to have some idea of what you would like to study because it makes it easier to make a college decision.”

- senior Ahmad Alyousef

Is there anything you would have done differently when choosing your senior classes?

“When choosing my schedule last year I should have selected science so that I could learn specific things having to do with what I want to study in college.”

- senior Dylan Salisbury

“I have a pretty equal balance of easy electives and more difficult core classes and I would highly recommend it.”

- senior Natalia Flores

Mackenzie Estes • Sports Editor

‘You’ll miss it when it’s gone’ Wisdom from the class of ‘23 to next year’s seniors

Things you should do before you turn 18

18 is when you turn the legal age and become an adult, but what do you need to take care of before you reach adulthood?

Chloe MacFoy • Reporter

Get your driver’s license

~ Being able to drive is convenient and helps you get from point A to point B. Learning to drive before you’re an adult can be helpful, so you don’t have to worry about getting your driver’s license later. If you get your license after you turn 18, you would need to go to an adult driving school and watch the Impact Texas driver video before you can take the driver’s test.

Write a future letter to yourself

~ As you grow up, you change and turn into a different person, and writing to yourself at a younger age can help you see how you’ve grown as a person. You can see what you were interested in at the time, how you used to talk, etc. Looking back at your old self can also give you a sense of nostalgia and make you relive memories you used to have.

Look at colleges/think about your future

~ Becoming an adult is scary, and it might be hard to think about your future, but having a reasonable idea about what you want to do after high school tends to make it less scary. If you want to go to college, you should be researching what you might want to major in, or what location you want to stay in. Of course, college is not the only option. You can go to a trade school or go straight to work.

Get a job/open a bank account

~ Having a job can help young adults learn how to save and manage their own money. Jobs teach teenagers a greater sense of responsibility and help them prepare for the “real world.” Jobs can teach teenagers to balance school and other things at the same time. Opening a bank can help teenagers develop financial skills like using a debit card, being financially independent, and understanding how banks work.

Together forever?

The stress of final exams, saying goodbye to friends and family, planning out a dorm situation. These are all factors of senior year coming to an end.

Another factor many students have to talk about: What will happen with my high school relationship?

Sociology and Journalism teacher Nina Glass married her high school boyfriend. The couple however, took a break during college before coming back together.

“I think at the time we both really needed it,” Glass said. “We had been together for so long and sometimes you just don’t know if you’re together because you like the person or if it’s just out of habit. One thing I knew even as a young twenty-something was that I didn’t want to wake up when I was 35 or 45, look at him and be like, ‘What did I do.’ I had never been with anyone else so it was beneficial to meet other people.”

Despite Glass’s love story starting early on in her life, she has a certain take on teenage relationships.

“I actually don’t like teenagers dating,” she said. “While I do believe that they do help in spousal selection for the future, I also feel like, for people like me who actually find

the person they’re going to marry at such a young age, sometimes really bad habits form when you’re young and you’re highly emotional. You expect so much out of the other person. Those really bad habits can actually carry on into your twenties and later so I’ve always been against teenagers dating because it takes a lot more work to unlearn old habits.”

An adult’s opinion however, is not going to stop teens from dating.

Whether the relationship lasts two months or two years, teens are eager to date.

However, as senior year comes to an end, some of these couples have a tough decision to make.

Some couples hope to attend the same college or university. Other couples in contrast, have made plans which work out for both of their desires for the futures.

Seniors Carolyn Hight and River Perlungher have decided to move to Switzerland after graduating.

“I have been telling my parents, even before he was in the picture, that I do not want to go to college right now, that was just not the plan,” Hight said. “I told them that I wanted to take a gap year and travel. Then when we started dating, I told him that college is just not for me right now and

then he said, ‘I have a wrestling offer in Switzerland. Would you want to go?’ and I said, ‘Yeah that sounds great.’”

Senior Nickolas Mancillas has been dating his girlfriend senior Cassidy Brown for three months and has presented her with a promise ring. They both plan on continuing their studies at TCC after graduation and anticipate a lasting relationship.

“People don’t know how big my heart is and I have very strong emotions,” Mancillas said. “When I say something, I stick to my word and I say I’m going to stay with her forever, so I’m going to stay with her forever.”

After graduation, every choice a young adult makes can affect their life.

Some couples may choose to dictate their lives around each other, and some may choose to plan separately. Nevertheless, the conversation of, “Where do we go from here?” must be brought up.

“It’s not something we just threw into the picture and was like, ‘Let’s just do this,’” Hight said. “When you start dating towards the end of your high school career, it’s like, are you going to stay together or are you not going to stay together? How is it going to work out? So there are a lot of things you have to talk about with a high school relationship. It’s not just something where you get a promise ring and you’re together forever.”

Senior couples talk about their plans after graduation

Dewey Saracay • Reporter

Laughing together, seniors Carolyn Hight and River Perlungher walk the halls together. The couple plans on moving to Switzerland after graduating. PhotobyMaggieAnte

Dear seniors,,,

Seniors reflect on their last year

Katy Dixon • News Editor

What was something overrated about senior year?

“Senior Sunrise because it was literally cloudy and you couldn’t even see the sun.”

- senior Zach Nervo

What was something underrated about senior year?

“The friends you meet. Nobody told me I would have a completely different friend group as I did this time last year.”

- senior Noah Shehane

What was the easiest part of senior year?

“Being able to navigate more because now we know most teachers so you know where to go for lunch, and you just have a whole other perspective of the campus.”

- senior Miriam De La Rosa

The aftermath

How 2020 still affects students

Wil Renfrow • Reporter

What was the hardest part of senior year?

“Preparing for college and, like, trying to send in all your applications and getting letters of recommendation, and just deciding what you want to do after high school and basically for the rest of your life.”

- senior Miriam De La Rosa

What’s something for seniors that you wish you would’ve done, but didn’t?

“I wish I did dual credit. It helps in the long run with college and credits and saves you a ton of money and time. And it would’ve been a really good way to knock off some college debt.”

- senior Alex Chinappi

What’s some advice you’d give to next year’s seniors? About grades, experiences, tests, applying for colleges?

“Sign up for every event that Martin throws. You will never get an opportunity to be a part of something like the Fundancers, Powder Puff, Mr. MHS, etc. again.”

-senior Noah Shehane

Since 2020, everyone has experienced large changes in their lives. These changes have been for the better and the worse, but there is more to the story.

“I would say it made me more dependent on learning stuff by myself rather than teachers actually teaching,” junior Cici Wilson-Jennet said.

Quarantine took an effect on all of us, especially when it comes to academics.

“I would be in my bed just not doing anything,” senior Allie Sevy said. “I failed a bunch of classes. I remember one time I did a Zoom call on a boat.”

The disorganization and lack of social interactions had heavy effects on students as well.

“I didn’t have any friends,” sophomore Ryden Van said. “I had just lost a friend group and didn’t talk to anyone other than the teachers in the classroom when we got back.”

While beginning to get insight on the mental effects of quarantine, the grade students were in during the Covid year affects maturity.

“I was very immature coming into my junior year last year, and even coming into my senior year, I don’t feel as mature as I should be,” Sevy said.

Missing these crucial

years may have contributed to the major differences we see between the classes currently.

“We’re just at different brain levels,” Van said. “Everybody is just sheltered. We’re just on the internet now.”

However, no matter the difference in grade level or quarantine status, one thing remains the same: everyone struggled with isolation.

“I learned that I have a really bad spending problem,” junior Leonidas Bush said.

Students who learned major facts about themselves throughout the 2020 quarantine also got a chance to get to know themselves as well.

“Being quarantined took a toll on everything,” Sevy said. “I gave into impulsivity, piercings, dying my hair, a bunch of random things I wouldn’t do normally.”

While some students learned about themselves, others suffered loss.

“My stepfather died due to COVID related things and that had a massive effect on my life,” Wilson-Jenett said.

No matter the struggle and hard times of quarantine or family loss, there still can be good moments from all of the hardships.

“I learned to love myself, and that’s really hard to do,” Sevy said.

the 2023 Summer Bucket List

Ashlynn Lee • Reporter

There’s 104 days of summer vacation… well there’s more like 76, but you get the point. Those three months can become quite the drag if they only consist of boring repetition. Here are some fun and easy activities to spice up those 76 days.

☐ Learn to do laundry

☐ drive-in movie theater

☐ Read a book

☐ Take a road trip

☐ Make homemade pizza

☐ Go to a baseball game

☐ Tie dye something

☐ Watch the sunrise or sunset

☐ Go camping

☐ Have a movie marathon

☐ Host a card game night

☐ Go on a picnic

☐ Make the perfect s’more

☐ Nap in a hammock

☐ Go on a scavenger hunt

☐ Play disc golf

☐ Go to or host a BBQ

☐ Run a themed 5k or race

☐ Go to a local farmer’s market

☐ Go on a nature walk

☐ Take a bike ride

☐ Learn to juggle

Dorm packing list

For all the Warriors attending a university this upcoming fall, here are a few things to buy for your dorm and freshman year in general

To maintain a clean room environment:

• Vacuum

• Cleaning supplies

• Air fresheners (candles aren’t allowed)

• Brita filter

Extras:

• Outlet cube

• First aid kit

• Medicine- you are going to get sick. It’s inevitable

• Bed shelf

• Good water bottle

• Desk fan

• 10 foot charger

• Wait to buy some room decor. Your style might change and you’ll collect things while you’re there

• You can make your own posters

• Stackable hangers to maximize closet space

• Don’t bring excessive school supplies

• Sunrise alarm clock

Bathroom:

• Slippers

• Robe

• Hard shower caddy so it doesn’t mold. Or a mesh one so you can hang it up

• Shower shoes

Furniture:

• Extra seating

• Lighting (lamps and LED)

• Bath mat

• Extra set of sheets

• Mirror

• Mattress topper

• Hang everything, so buy lots of hooks

• Extension cords

• Don’t buy so many pillows

• Laundry basket with wheels, but separate from your clean basket you take back (maybe one with a liner)

• lots of storage

• desk fan

Addy Davenport •Reporter

Milestones Milestones for women for women

Martin students share inspiring stories of women in business before college

Avery Whipple • Reporter

Being a young person longing for success with ambitions that could reach the clouds in this wide, competitive world is already difficult enough as is, but even more of a challenge for the young women of our society.

With a heart of gold, a desire to be taken seriously, and dreams of changing the world for the better, these successful Martin women share their experiences.

Senior Vivian Nguyen, founder of The Formula Project and of Dyenosaur Apparel shares some of her background in how she got where she is today.

“I never actually intended to start a business, as I’ve always had a STEM background and my parents wanted me to be a doctor my whole life - but there was a project for NJHS (National Junior Honor Society) to raise money for leukemia and nobody was donating, so I decided to combine my love for art with entrepreneurship to create Dyenosaur Apparel, and it opened a whole world for me,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen said she was

grateful for the support systems and the challenges she has faced throughout her time being a woman in business.

“FBLA - Future Business Leaders of America - has been huge for me,” she said. “I’ve realized I have a skill for business, and I can be my own boss and set my own rules. It is hard, though, especially starting a business so young and being a woman in a male-dominated field, because people underestimate you and your capabilities. It’s like people don’t believe what you are doing. In founding the Formula Project, it was difficult because you really don’t see very many women in power. This is why I wanted to create something to uplift and empower our young women striving to succeed.”

Nguyen shared some advice for those with aspirations of any kind.

“You have to stay focused on your ‘why,’ and remember the reasons for your doing this,” Nguyen said. “It takes perseverance to keep up with a project if you want to really make a difference. You do not have to go through it alone – mentors, support, and networking is so crucial. We need to all see each other as partners

rather than competitors. The payoff is so huge. What really makes me happy is to know that I am leaving a legacy, and passing the torch on.”

Taking a look into the world of another young difference maker, senior Madison Scruggs discussed her experience in founding the organization Ready. Set. Period. - a period preparedness project meant to educate and uplift those who menstruate.

“My inspiration began as soon as I got my own period,” Scruggs said. “There was such a lack of education and understanding. It felt taboo or embarrassing to talk about and the ignorance was everywhere.”

Scruggs said it was complicated making an idea become a reality.

“It’s definitely hard to do outreach because not everyone is very receptive to it,” Scruggs said. “It’s hard for people to be vulnerable about their bodies.”

Scruggs shared some of what she has learned throughout building this project.

“I’ve learned to persevere and try my best, because it can be tough to be the one to bring up these scary con-

versations,” Scruggs said. “It is the kind of thing that requires action and initiative, not just thought. And remember that you can always learn from failure.”

Another organization worth learning about is called Project Pink, founded by juniors Gayathri Vanka and Sanjana Kavula. This project is dedicated to spreading awareness about the mental health of women and binding the gap between mental health care and women – especially women in STEM.

“We felt compelled because as we take our steps into our future careers we see the lack of education for the mental health care for women everywhere around us,” Vanka said.

Vanka and Kavula are both aspiring medical healthcare researchers, and that is where some of their inspiration comes from to research and educate about women in the field.

“We stumbled upon an event at HOSA and that is when it kind of kicked off,” Kavula said. “HOSA has been a huge help for our program. We kind of realized this sort of thing is not talked about enough and

continued on page 13

Senior Vivian Nguyen sells DyenosaurApparel merchandise to a customer at Inclusion Coffee. Nguyen formed the company her sophomore year.

Identifying sexual assualt

One in four women will be a victim – and it doesn’t always look the way you think it does

Molly Maddock • Entertainment Editor with anyone. Consent is one of the defining factors between an intimate act and rape.

He pinned me down, his hot breath on my face.

My heart beat out of my chest as I struggled to get out of his grasp. He grabbed the back of my neck, forcing my face closer to his. I reared my head back and smashed it into his, catching him by surprise just enough for me to wiggle away.

I was 14, and he was my friend of two years.

Sexual assault and harassment are something that surrounds people’s everyday lives whether it’s a catcall on the street or someone following them home, it’s best to stay alert.

There are many different levels of sexual assault and some people don’t even realize that what happened to them was wrong. One out of every four American women has been a victim of sexual assault or rape, and those are just the cases that have been reported. One in every ten men experiences sexual coercion or harassment.

Harassment and assault are very similar, but there is still a clear distinction between them. Sexual harassment is a vague term that can include many unwanted behaviors like sexual comments or unwelcome advances.

Catcalling is a big example

of this. Catcalling is when someone makes a sexual comment or innuendo to someone passing by. Being whistled at from a car, comments on my body when I walk up the stairs, and sexual remarks when I pass by are all things that I, and many people experience every day.

Ninety-seven percent of women around the world have experienced sexual assault or harassment, and that’s just the reported cases.

Sexual assault can be defined as when someone intimately touches someone else without consent.

When I was in ninth grade I was pinned down in a secluded area by someone I thought I could trust.

He grabbed me by the back of the neck and tried to force me to kiss him. He ran his hands all over my body trying to convince me to let him.

My protests died in my throat. Of course, I wanted to say no, but I was terrified of what would happen if I did. This is what happens to a lot of sexual assault victims – they are too scared to say no, but the absence of a no doesn’t mean yes.

I was lucky, I was able to stop him before anything else happened, but not everyone can say that.

If I had let him continue, not only would he have been charged with sexual

assault, it would’ve been classified as sexual coercion. Sexual coercion is a form of sexual assault that many people don’t even realize is sexual assault.

Sexual coercion is when someone is pressured or influenced to agree to sex. It doesn’t matter if the person eventually says yes, if you wear them down it’s not a true yes.

You don’t have to say yes to anything you aren’t comfortable with, and you can’t force someone to do something they don’t want to do.

You have to receive consent before doing anything

Not everyone will experience these awful things but it’s important that the ones who do know it’s not their fault. Rape is about power, not sex.

People try to excuse the assaulter by saying the victim was wearing provocative clothing, or they led their attacker on, or they were drunk and said yes, but none of those things excuse assault. It is never the victim’s fault.

Milestones for women...continued from page 12

we wanted to change that.”

The founders share some of where their help has come from and a word of advice for the young women reading.

“Don’t be scared to make a move and do what you truly want to do,” Kavula said. “The first step is always the scariest but the

support is all around you if you want to find it.”

“Our target audience and other non-profit groups, such as the Formula Project, are very active and a great support network when we are searching for speaking opportunities,” Vanka said. “We build each other up, always.”

Editor’s note: This story has mentions of sexual assualt.

The transition from high school to life afterward is staggering, whether it be because plans changed or because you achieved your goals. Facing the world as an adult can be terrifying. Martin alumni still remember their experience, and some of them are willing to reflect on it.

Xander Belvin graduated in 2021, and according to his upperclassman self’s standards, he is doing better than expected.

“I wanted to be a lawyer when I was really young and a game designer in my freshman and sophomore years,” Belvin said. “After high school, I became a welder. I took welding with Mr. Kennedy in my junior year, and I got certified with Mr. Mendez in my senior year.”

Another Martin alumnus who took a completely different route is 2021 graduate Imogen Hofer. She chose to go to the University of Texas at Arlington to study history and social studies secondary education.

“I have done exactly what I planned and more,” Hofer said. “I am scheduled to graduate from my five year program in three years. I’ve known what I wanted to do since I was pretty little, so I mostly expected to be here. I really feel like I’ve come

into my own and become a lot more confident and self assured. I worried about a lot of things, and I still do, but I think past me would have had a lot more fun if she had worried a little less about everyone else.”

The high school experience can help you to find different career paths, hobbies, or even allow you to find out what you don’t want in life.

Agriculture teacher Lizzy Howe discovered a love for poultry, and built a successful life around it. At 27 years old, she has made her way back to AISD and teaches Livestock Production and Horticulture at the CTC.

“My ag science classes in high school and my time in FFA started my passion for agriculture and the desire to educate others about the industry,” Howe said. “My ag teacher at Martin, Kristin Clark, made the biggest influence on my life and career. She helped my decision to pursue a degree in agriculture and then encouraged me to become an ag teacher after I left the poultry industry. I now get to work with her teaching the next generation of agriculturists.”

Even though they all ended up in their own place, the former students were impacted by their teachers.

“Mr. Kennedy taught me a skill I will use for the rest of my life, and Mr. Mendez at the CTC helped me to refine it,” Belvin said. “They changed my life more than they could ever know.”

Then, now, later

Jaylia Spotwood•Reporter

Martin High School was named after James Martin, who served the school system for 31 years teaching every grade level. He later became superintendent of Arlington ISD allowing the community to grow.

Martin High School has been around since 1982 and has had nine principals in total. Our current principal, Marlene Roddy, has led Martin since 2011.

Martin has evolved over the decades, but especially in the last 10 years.

Business teacher Delisa Reed has been teaching here at Martin for 23 years.

“Martin has changed from a decade ago to now because of its less restrictions,” Reed said. “In 10 years from now, I don’t believe it’ll be worse or anything of that nature. I do believe that Martin will always be a part of that standard that has been established since the beginning. I believe that standard will always be in place but we have to be willing to separate school from home. In other words, what’s allowed outside of the school and what’s allowed inside of the school should not necessarily be parallel.”

Martin has always been a school with a big population. Currently we have 3,675 students with an average student to teacher ratio of 18 to 1.

Every year Martin’s population expands, especially the freshman class.

Throughout the school year, the student population fluctuates with students coming in and out of school.

With a big population like that, it can be hard to keep all of Martin’s students in check.

“Students need structure and when we leave it to students to make good decisions, those are good decisions they may not always be accustomed to making,” Reed said. “Students have to be willing to do the right thing and teachers have to be willing to better the students of Martin if it is going to improve from here.”

As years go by, things such as style, teaching, and technology trends will change with society as well. Change isn’t always a bad thing. However, today’s generation of students and staff have most definitely changed.

“It’s gotten much easier, because everything is technological now,” Reed said. Reed mentioned that back in 2011, things were not done like that. Students weren’t as proficient in technology as they are now. Most students were used to using paper.

Students today revolve around technology. They bring their AirPods, iPads, computers and phones to keep them focused. Students depend on technology to keep them going throughout the day, something you would’ve never seen years back.

Alumni reflect on where they are now and how their time at the school impacted them

Zizi Belvin •Entertainment Editor

“...exactly what I planned and more...”

Teacher shares some of Martin’s past and where she thinks it will be in the future

How to lose a senior in 1O days

Alyssa Lee•Reporter

It is inevitable – a part of life that cannot be avoided. The inescapable event of going separate ways from all your friends is a challenge in itself, but having to leave a friend behind is even harder.

How does anyone prepare for a friendship breakup that is scheduled?

Junior Faith Browne and seniors Leah Guerra and Karoline Pompa began their friendship this fall during a busy cheerleading season. None of them went into this school year with the intention of bonding with someone in a different grade level.

“I thought they were off the walls and they are,” Pompa said.

However, due to their close proximity and similar sense of humor, the three became very close.

“We became friends because she was our main base and we couldn’t just ignore her,” Pompa said.

Senior Jenna Carbary and sophomore Mia Wager, another pair with differing grade levels, became close during Carbary’s sophomore and Wager’s eighth grade years.

Carbary said she did not expect to become so close with an underclassman.

Seniors and students from other grades discuss the trials and tribulations of seniors going off to college

“I always felt like it was very separated,” Carbary said. “Like there is no way I could be close to an underclassmen.”

Against her prediction, Carbary and Wager have remained very close, even two years later.

Some teachers and coaches aim to connect their students over varying grade levels. Adding group work into the curriculum and making assigned seats can encourage students to socialize and get to know each other.

Cheer coach Lindsey Oseguera creates “cheer families” in order to provide mentors to the incoming freshman and to form a tight knit community through the different squads.

“It’s helpful during the season, but once they’re out of cheer, the fact that they still put in the effort to maintain that relationship is super special,” Oseguera said.

These friendships will soon be faced with some very testing challenges. Guerra will be moving five hours away to attend Texas Tech, Pompa will move six hours away to attend the University of Arkansas, and Carbary will move to Tyler, Texas to attend Tyler Junior College, two hours away.

“We’ll be going from see-

ing each other everyday to never seeing each other, once a year maybe,” Browne said.

Maintaining long-distance friendships can be very difficult.

“The connection can be lost,” Guerra said.

Even with all the new technology and forms of communication, nothing can replace the liveliness and joy from having an in-person hang out.

“I will probably try to text her to see her, and then I’ll realize I can’t,” Wager said.

Having to alter a habit that has been formed over the years will take practice, and won’t be easy. May is here and school is coming to a close.

How does anyone prepare for the heartbreak of separation?

“We’ve talked about it a lot, but honestly I’m not prepared to leave her,” Carbary said.

Conversations about how to continue the friendship or plans to travel back home are in order, but making this transition is hard nonetheless.

“We just won’t think about it until right before,” Pompa said.

Everyone faces these situations differently, and it can be difficult to navigate which way is more effective.

The impact that the seniors make is underestimated. Having a hard time parting ways goes beyond just friendships.

“Oh, I cry every year,” Oseguera said.

Oseguera said she is having an especially difficult time saying goodbye to this year’s seniors because she has been their coach for three years.

“It is particularly difficult, because you create that bond and I won’t get to see them every day like I’m used to,” Oseguera said.

TCC = FOMO?

Students choose economical options and battle fear of missing out

Camila Rivas •Reporter

By this time of the school year, senior students are making their final decisions as to what they’ll pursue after high school. Determining what is best for their future could be a stressful process.

Seniors Madison Little and Erik Brito have made their choice of attending Tarrant County Community College rather than moving out for college.

What is FOMO? FOMO stands for “fear of missing out”. This term is popular among teens, especially students who are choosing community college rather than a four-year university.

It could be remotely difficult to see their friends and other classmates post on social media, and talk about their new changes and experiences in their life. Students could feel like they are missing out on the typical college experiences, such as football games and

joining Greek Life, as they see in the movies.

Little has 24 college credits and is almost halfway done with her Associate’s degree. She is planning on majoring in cinematography and videography.

“TCC has a good program with what I want to major in, so I want to take advantage of what I can get for a lower price,” Little said.

Most students use TCC as a way to get their basics out of the way.

“I want to get my basics done and out of the way so I can focus on my Bachelor’s and my career,” Little said.

Little is planning on attending TCC for one year and then summer school. Little has family connections through TCC, so her tuition would be even more affordable.

“Although I really would like to live separately and experience making new friends and the college life, I feel like my future self would not regret my

decision to TCC, because I won’t be in heavy debt,” Little said.

After she completes her Associate’s degree, Little said she plans on transferring to a more well-known university either out of state or in Texas. Little advises students who are struggling to decide on community college or four-year university.

“Where you get your Associate’s and basics done doesn’t really matter depending on your major and career,” she said. “Now, in this day and age, saving money will be your best bet.”

Brito is considering attending TCC for two years and plans to transfer to Texas State University to major in Criminal Justice.

“I am choosing TCC because it can help me with paying for student loans, and so I can be close to my family,” Brito said. “I feel like I am making the smartest decision for myself be-

cause I don’t want to be in heavy debt when I am older.”

Brito said he is also struggling with FOMO.

“University is more sociable than community college, so I could lose opportunities to make new friends,” he said. “It’ll be hard to see everyone posting on social media about their new college expierences. The feeling of loneliness affects everyone. It could really make people second guess themselves. It is very important to have a strong mindset and to stay focused on your future goals.”

Counselor Alby Sacks also advises students to take advantage of the financial benefits that TCC offers.

“Yes, finance is a priority when it comes to deciding what college you will be attending,” Sacks said. “Wherever you end up going, it is key to find out what your personal goals are. Stay on a healthy path, and trust yourself.”

Most Intriguing Seniors

Photos by Lorelai Hofer

Reporting by Warrior Post staffers and editors

Most Intriguing Seniors

As per tradition, to celebrate another graduating class and the final issue of the newspaper, the staff asked teachers to nominate students to represent the Class of 2023 as this year’s Most Intriguing Seniors. These ten seniors best embody the word intriguing through their talents, interests, how they live their lives, and who they want to become. Keep reading to find out what makes them so special.

What is your spirit animal?

Kiwi Bird because they’re really funky,

they just kind of exist, and they’re small and I’m funky and small too.

What’s the number one thing on your bucket list?

Going to Seattle to visit the Kurt Cobain memorial.

What is your fondest memory of high school?

Covid year, we were only able to do one production, Hamlet, and

that was my first major show here. I felt like I had found my home, and I made a lot of friends. What do you feel most proud of?

I’m proud of the work that I’ve produced, even if it was stressful or hard. I’m proud of what I’ve done in theater.

Arlie Coker

What do you feel most proud of?

I feel most proud of cheer. I have been cheering since I was four years old. I’ll cheer in college for Texas Southern University. If you found out you have 3 days to live what would you do?

I would definitely travel to Greece and Jamaica. What’s the number one thing on your bucket list?

The number one thing on my bucket list is my education: Nursing and Health/Medical field.

What’s the first thing people notice about you? The first thing people notice about me is my leadership.

Kori Donald

If you found you have 3 days to live what would you do?

I’d probably try to go on a vacation to Alaska, because I’ve always wanted to do

that. It’s such an interesting place, so I would want to spend my last days there.

What’s the first thing people notice about you?

Definitely my height. It’s

always, “You’re so tall. Do you play basketball?”

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I’m probably gonna look for a job, probably something zoology, hopefully something dog related, like wolves, because I find them super interesting.

Elijah Jordan

What song would you say best

describes you? life is short, time goes by so fast, so it’s important to just be happy. It’s hard to let go of stuff and enjoy yourself, but once you do, life becomes way more fun.

“Time of My Life” by Pitbull, because I feel like

What makes you intriguing or special from other seniors?

If you found you have 3 days to live what would you do? I would rob people and spend the money, because I have no consequences. I’d buy a helicopter and fly it to Antarctica where I would just lay in the snow and live out my days. Maybe I’d fight a polar bear. If you could be a teacher, what would you teach? Why? Kindergarten spelling, because I love spelling bees and I was in a lot of them.

Tammy Ho

What song best describes you?

‘Bikes’ by Sun Gloves’, because I wrote that song.

What’s your spirit animal?

As a kid, my mom had a monkey themed bathroom, so I guess it kind of grew on me and I guess it’s the closest animal I related to. So that’s what I’d consider my spirit animal.

Who inspires your passions?

I could say the musicians I listen to, the video creators I watch, just any art I consume from creators. one thing on your What’s the number your bucket list? This may be every artist’s dream, but living off of my art is mine.

I’m in Police Academy, which is a selective program where the selected students get to participate in law enforcement things, which is what I want to do in life. I want to pursue law enforcement and be a detective. I do cadets. We go out and do competitions and win trophies. And I have been doing boxing since 2016. Who’s someone you rely on? My boxing coach. He’s like my dad and he pushes me to do everything. When we go to competitions, he always motivates me to do good and not be stressed. I’ll be at big tournaments, and he’s just there to maintain my composure and to help me mentally. If he wasn’t there, I would be freaking out and panicking.

What’s something you can’t live without?

A pencil or any writing essentials to draw and the nerdy side of me would say to draw out math problems and physics problems. If you found you have 3 days to live what would you do?

The first day I’d overthink everything. Second day I’d spend with my family. Third day I’d spend with friends and then the last moment with a significant other. What is your spirit animal? I would be a cat that does nothing for 20 hours.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Probably still doing art. Hopefully pursuing an engineering degree, since I want to be an electrical engineer.

What is your spirit animal?

I would say maybe an owl. I’m up all night, and I like to think I’m very observant.

What is your fondest memory of high school?

Hopefully it’ll change before I graduate, but right now I would say, last semester I was competing in a video game tournament and our team was the best team in the southern United States, and we qualified for nationals and made a couple grand. What makes you intriguing or special from other seniors?

The two biggest things that make me intriguing is I am in the STEM Academy, and I take a lot of academically challenging classes. I also founded a club here. It’s a gaming and Esports club.

Colin Pierson

What song would you say best describes you?

“Greatest show on earth” by Michael Jackson, because it represent how life is a circus of emotions.

What makes you intriguing or special from other seniors?

I have a certain confidence and presence that can be surprising to people. I created a project called Ready, Set, Period that works to make periods less of a taboo subject. It’s not what you are, it’s who you are and what you stand for.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? That failure is a milestone not a gravestone. Failure is not the end of the road, it’s a way to learn and grow.

Madison Scruggs

If you could be a teacher, what would you teach? Why?

I’d teach dance, specifically Ballet Folklórico, because I’m passionate about it. What is your fondest memory of high school?

Winning Student Council elections. I get to represent the Student Body as Secretary, which is something I never thought I would do. What do you consider priorities in your life?

Making my mom proud, always trying to be kind, and making someone smile.

‘I enjoy having one lunch’

Students and administrators support Martin’s one lunch plan for next year

Celest Harbrink & Corrina Reyes

Every day all the students at Martin High School gather at the same time for lunch for an hour.

To many students and faculty, it is considered a luxury.

While it’s a benefit for some students, others take advantage.

Although fights have been decreasing during lunch throughout the year, the beginning of the year’s fights caused administrators to consider a multiple lunch solution.

“Most of the fights are typically caused by too many students walking in the hallway,” Officer Jamien Jenkins said.

Martin faculty has tried many ways to stop too many people from walking in the hallways because of the disruption.

• Reporters

“I think that we should have more supervision over the halls during lunch from teachers instead of just calling security,” Jenkins said.

“I think that we should do the same thing as last year when we made freshman and sophomores wait a few minutes after the juniors and seniors so upperclassmen are able to hurry and go off campus if they would like or get food from the cafeteria to stop the lunch line from being really long,” assistant principal Luann Kennedy said.

While letting upperclassmen go to lunch before underclass did help more students, it did cut into teachers’ lunch times.

“It’s a law that teachers at least get a 30 minute lunch break without students while they are working, but

with the lunch being split, it would cut into their lunch time so the school doesn’t know what we would do with that,” Kennedy said. “We’re still trying to come up with ideas that would help us all.”

Students think it’s very congested in the hallways due to no space.

“We could use more benches and open more lunch stations,” sophomore Christina Tran said.

Others have had the idea to open up the courtyard again so students can get a scenery change and we would have more space in the hallways.

“Opening up the courtyard might help so we can stay with one lunch and we would definitely consider doing that next school year,” Kennedy said.

Keeping lunch as one would help keep teachers

that have lunch duty right now have their needed 30 minutes of lunch.

Although some teachers still think that we should split the lunch into three different lunches, many people agree that we should keep lunch as one.

“I enjoy having one lunch most of the time,” Jenkins said.

Having multiple lunches would affect everyone from teachers not getting lunch time, students who go off campus or go to teachers during lunch, and security guards having to watch over all of the split up lunches.

“To help with this, I think we should just have more teachers help supervise the hallways after 30 minutes if they aren’t doing anything,” Jenkins said.

Sophomore Grayson Carpenter and juniors Trey Steed and Stone Perlungher eat lunch in the cafeteria. Martin is the only high school in the district with one lunch period, and many students and administrators said they hope to keep it that way. PhotobySarahBurns

Advice from a senior to a senior

A ‘23 grad passes along words of wisdom to the next class {Opinion}

Addy Davenport • Reporter

Senior year. While it’s so exciting to hear that last bell of junior year ring, it might start to set in soon that a season of lasts before a big transition is only moments away.

Maybe you’ve had the next step in your life planned since freshman year and your dream is within grasp.

Or maybe you haven’t thought about colleges and the concept of making any definitive decisions and continuing your education is paralyzing to you.

Regardless of what side of the spectrum you’re on, my advice to you is to not get too caught up in the transition, where you miss what is happening in your present.

This year is one you’ll never get back, your last year with people you’ve known since kindergarten.

Maybe you’re going with your best friend right down the street or maybe you’re parting ways and heading to the opposite coast. It’s okay to feel both eager to start something new, while grieving the very excitement you feel. It’s okay to grieve before it’s over, because how you cope is different than how everyone else copes.

I wish someone had told me to not take on the stress of the seniors around me. My future is unique to me and I have separate goals and ambitions than my peers.

You can cheer on your friends when they receive acceptance letter after acceptance letter, while still having peace and assurance of your own after high school plans.

There’s a weird transition that happens: Adults are going to ask you non-stop what your plan after high school is, and you’ll have to deal with sitting through all their unwanted input.

Your parents will look at you teary eyed more often and say things like “this time next year we won’t be together.”

They’ll realize the crunch to prepare you to be an adult when you still feel like a child.

It’s weird to be old enough to vote but young enough to have to ask to go to the restroom. It’s weird to be caught in the middle, to be torn about what you even really want.

And that’s okay, you’re not going to have all the answers by the end of senior year.

You make more of an impact than you realize. You leave a legacy behind, and

there’s someone here who looks up to you. So, be nice to the freshman, don’t give into the pressure to only hangout with your clique, and go to every school function no matter how lame you think it may be. Not everything about Martin will be something you miss, but you’ll look back

and be thankful for your roots, for the experiences you lived, good or bad.

This school is a part of your story, whether you’ve felt like you belong or like you’ve been overlooked.

Because while it’s sad to say goodbye, your “lasts” are preparing you for your “nexts.”

Seniors stay focused

Jordyn Hentz and Ashlyn Long • Reporters

College is important, but the four years building up to it is make or break. High school is where you find your work style, personality, life-long friendships, and your future career.

Martin offers multiple tools to jumpstart college-prep, but if you wait out you might lose the academic advantages.

Senior Jordan Smith said he has applied for more than 500 scholarships.

“While writing scholarship essays, you need to be very specific and make them personalized,” Smith said. “Remember to always keep it real in your essays.”

Joining clubs can boost your college resume and essays. The more active role you play increases the scholarships available to you. Taking the SAT is also very crucial to going to an

adequate college.

“I took the SAT several times till I got the score I wanted,” senior Marquis Shorten said.

“Try to stay involved, at least you have something to look forward to,” senior Caylin Beasly said.

“Joining clubs is very beneficial,” Shorten said. Martin has many sports, clubs, or academics that you can join to shape you into the perfect Warrior.

“I always keep daily tasks in to-do lists and phone reminders,” junior Erin Cooper said.

Seniors said that having fun on the weekends, maintaining your GPA, and staying prepped will lead you to the fullest high school experience. Timers, reminders, and planners can help balance a workfun lifestyle.

The pressure of beingfirst

Children of immigrant parents share the struggles and expectations that come with being a first-generation student

Sally Rodriguez •Features Editor

As the diversity within the United States is constantly on the rise, more and more parents immigrate to the U.S. from foreign countries seeking better opportunities for their children.

Currently about 40 percent of students entering college are first-generation children, meaning they are U.S.-born children of parents from a different country.

Growing up with parents who have limited knowledge of the U.S. customs means many first-gen children face the pressure of navigating society on their own, not only for themselves, but also for their parents.

“I feel like I had to grow up faster than most kids my age because I had to take on more responsibilities to compensate for my parents not knowing English very well,” said junior Christopher Gonzalez, whose parents immigrated from Mexico. “I had to worry about things that normal kids shouldn’t have to worry about.”

Some students found it difficult trying to adapt to

American schooling when coming from a foreign household with different traditions and expectations.

“You feel pressured to do better in school and make better grades when English isn’t necessarily your first language and you weren’t taught the same as people who have been in America all their lives,” said junior Allison De La Puente, whose parents immigrated from Mexico.

Other students feel as if they owe it to their parents to behave and perform well in order to pay back the sacrifices their parents made by starting over in America.

“I definitely have to deal with the guilt of the fact that they came to a different country in order for me to succeed,” said junior Tiffany Ngo, whose mother was born in Vietnam. “Even when they get mad at me, I always remember that they came here for me.”

As first-gen students do their best to help their parents with various responsibilities, many feel frustration when comparing themselves to others who have grown up with U.S.-

born parents.

“It makes me mad when some people just get things for free from their parents and I have to work for everything I get,” said junior Francesca Carrillo, who has parents from Peru and Mexico. “They get it handed to them.”

The feeling of having different ideologies compared to children with American parents is prevalent in many areas of first-gen childrens’ lives.

One of the main differences can be seen in how children are brought up at home.

“Immigrant parents can be a lot more strict and they have higher standards,” De La Puente said. “They want us to do better.”

Other differences involve expectations of the roles within the household, like “machismo” customs in Mexican culture, which is the assertion of male dominance and superiority in families.

“In the Mexican community, a major problem is the way machismo works and women usually have to do more in the kitchen and clean around the house, whereas American people usually have the same standards or they have someone else that does the cleaning for them,” De La Puente said.

Students who grow up with immigrant parents see the prominent cultural differences compared to their peers as they grow up in an American society. What may seem normal to one family may be disapproved of by another.

“The main difference is that people from America have different ways of thinking,” Ngo said. “Americans tend to have more open ways of thinking whereas people who grew up in Asia tend to have more conservative views. The way they live is different from the way I live at home.”

Socially stable

Most people scroll on Instagram or apps like it daily to check up on family and friends. For graduated students there are moments of discovering that one kid from high school, and seeing the life that they present to others.

Realistic or unrealistic, that’s the only view you have of that person.

But really, how do young adults perceive social media after high school? Can there be more positives than negatives? Is constant self-identity change with large life transitions possible to navigate this day in age?

Is any of it even real?

“The way people act online after high school is surprisingly very different,” UNT student Riley Jackson said. “Since most people move out and go to college they aren’t under their parents’ influence as much. Therefore, people aren’t as modest when it comes to posting things on social media.”

There is also a superficial version of people some users notice with social media that goes hand in hand with not being under as much

parental supervision.

“I think people out of high school portray a false sense of self the same way anyone of any age would,” 2022 graduate Elisena Guerrero said. “Like showing the good side of themselves and hiding the flaws.”

With the social interaction side of being out of high school, social media has its pros and cons.

“I think social media could put up a barrier between people only because people are very bold with what they say behind a screen,” Jackson said. “On the other hand, I think Tik Tok specifically brings people together and gives them

something to talk about.”

As well as producing conversation starters, people are more open to new possibilities and friendships.

“People are more open to trying new things and showing their true interests because they don’t feel like they are in a box of going to school,” Guerrero said. “Or being around the people they were around for four years in high school.”

Not only can social media help graduates make friends, but it can also help them expand their career endeavors and boost sales.

“Instagram benefits college students by allowing people to network and get

their own content out for everyone to see,” Jackson said. “A lot of people start businesses and it’s a great way to showcase your work.”

So, what are some realistic ways to manage a healthy relationship with social media without having as much parental supervision?

“I think social media kinda ruined my attention span for a while before I started limiting my screen time,” Guerrero said. “Reading for long periods of time was painful.”

There are always steps our generation can take to improve how we interact with others online and in person as well, and listening to others that have graduated highschool gives the opportunity to learn more about the dynamics of friendships and how we view each other with social media.

“People can maintain a healthy relationship with social media by managing time on each platform,” Jackson said. “I think a big thing with social media is people put out the best version of themselves. To become more realistic, people also need to showcase the opposite. I feel like people can relate to common struggles and that brings people together.”

How to navigate an online identity after high school

Noelle Pond • Reporter is surprisingly very different.”

“The way people act online

Top guns

Martin boys took the stage this February after preparing to win the title of Mr. MHS

After much planning and rehearsal, the comedy and beauty pageant, Mr. MHS, and its eager contestants took the stage Feb. 23.

For nine years, the show was run by Public Speaking teacher Michelle Fratto, but the torch has now been passed to Environmental Science teacher Taylor Yates. Contestants and students said they were sad to see the Frattos go.

“They both have so much personality,” junior contestant Daniel Tepedino said. “But in turn, I was really excited for Mr. Yates and to see how it turns out this year.”

The fun and the excitement of the show will play on as it always has.

Yates has put his best foot forward while trying to fill the shoes of Fratto.

“There are lots of things that go into planning Mr. MHS,” Yates said. “It’s not a small process.”

Not only do the crew and

choreographers have a big job, but contestants commit much of their time to this show.

Contestants had their lunch and after-school time filled with meetings, fittings, and rehearsals for over a month in preparation for the show. Yet, this behind-the-scenes preparation tends to be some of the contestants’ favorite parts of the process.

“The dance rehearsals are really fun, you just get to know everybody,” sophomore contestant Sam Lozano said.

Every contestant brings their own uniqueness to the show, coming from different backgrounds and involvements.

“It’s the only show that really pulls together everything,” Fratto said. “It has sports, fine arts, STEM, and just about everything in between.”

Each contestant also had a special reason for why they chose to get involved.

“I wanted to get out of my comfort zone,” junior con-

testant Joel Regina said. “I just want to have fun, nothing too competitive.”

All of these different contestants are able to bond over this process, creating new and lasting friendships.

“Mr. MHS means meeting a lot of cool people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise,” Tepedino said. “You really come close to everybody.”

As the show grew near, excitement grew.

“I can’t wait to see it,” Fratto said. “It’s going to be a great show.”

The excitement from the audience, especially the senior girls, was radiant.

“Watching as a senior girl was so much more fun,” senior Karoline Pompa said. “You can just yell without any context.”

This exciting energy remained until the very end of the show when the winners were announced. Junior Daniel Tepedino was named second runner up, senior Jordan Smith placed as first runner up, and senior Austin Punzalan won the title of Mr.MHS.

“Hearing my name called, I couldn’t believe it,” Punzalan said. “I feel like I made my mom proud.”

He even took time out of his performance to ask his girlfriend to prom.

“It was really special,” Punzalan said, “It was the best way I could’ve asked her.”

Memorable moments like this continue to carry on the tradition of pure joy that Mr. MHS has brought to Martin for years, especially for Punzalan.

“Sometimes I wake up and think, dang, I’m really Mr.MHS,” Punzalan said. “It’s kind of crazy.”

Ashlynn Lee • Reporter

Group photo with Mr. MHS contestants PhotobyAddisonSmith

Junior Joel Regina performs in the opening dance at Mr. MHS. PhotobyLorelaiHofer

Senior Austin Punzalan is lifted by seniors Adrian Cornejo and Aaron Martinez after being named Mr. MHS. Photoby LorelaiHofer

into action

Spring sports shine

Hurling the ball, sophomore Josiah Abunassar pitches the it to the other team. Martin baseball finished district play in second place and headed to playoffs.

Preparing for the incoming ball, junior Alyanna Perez catches the ball. Perez competed in the softball team’s first scrimmage of the year. Martin softball finished regular season as district champs.

Taking her swing, sophomore Emma Camacho strikes her ball down the field. Camacho was preparing for an upcoming golf tournament. Photo

Pulling back the string, the archery team gets ready to shoot their arrows. The team won the state archery championship March 22 and 23. PhotobyMadisonLittle

PhotobyZamir Melo

byLanaeTerry

Concentrating on the ball, sophomore Minh Nguyen prepares to serve the ball to his teammate. Photoby MadisonLittle

Photo by Lanae Terry

Hooper heads to H-Town

10th ranked basketball player commits to a top program in the nation

As the school year comes to an end, we speculate on where some of the seniors will be going.

Basketball player Kordelius Jefferson has had many questions regarding where he is going. The four-star combo guard at Martin has received 13 D1 offers.

“Once I moved and basketball scholarships started coming in I started to explore all of my options,” Jefferson said.

John Osborn, Martin varsity head coach, says that his size and athleticism allowed him to help the team so well these past years.

“He’s got one of the best personalities I have ever coached,” Osborn said. “I think one thing that attracted him to a lot of the universities was the ability to communicate and relate, he just has one of those magnetic personalities off the court.”

Jefferson first started to focus on basketball during his freshman year because of his parents.

“Even though I didn’t like that decision too much because I still loved to play the game of football, they made a great decision that worked out in my favor,” Jefferson said.

Jefferson went into his senior year this last season averaging 9.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. Jefferson was known as the leader of the Martin

Caiden Cole • Reporter

Warriors. Teammate senior Ismael Smith Flores said Jefferson brought a fighting mentality to the team.

“You knew when he was on the court he was going to turn us up,” Smith Flores said. “He’s a great teammate. He’s the type of teammate that’ll push you to make sure you’re at your absolute best.”

In April, Jefferson narrowed all the colleges to seven, which included Houston, Tennessee, TCU, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Mississippi St, and Texas A&M.

In May, he decided that he will further his basketball career at The University Of Houston.

The Houston Cougars are one of the top teams in the NCAA that make it to March easily every year.

“Having the opportunity to go on a scholarship to play for one of the best college coaches in the country and help me achieve my long-term goal helped me make that decision,” Jefferson said.

Jefferson said he is very excited for his upcoming school year at Houston so he can have the chance to start all over again.

“I’m taking another leap in my life that’ll be different, but I know that it’ll only make me a better version of myself on and off the court,” Jefferson said.

Jefferson said he is going to go into college undecided and see what fits him the best. In addition, he

will also be learning many different things about the game of basketball at Houston.

The University Of Houston has one of the best coaching staff in the NCAA.

Their head coach is Kelvin Sampson who was among 15 candidates being considered for the Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year award.

Sampson’s Houston team is known for the outstanding defense they can create on the court.

Jefferson said he believes he will bring a great aspect to the team.

“We have a team full of guards and bigs who de-

fend and rebound and at my skill set working with my position coach, Coach Quannas White, everything else good will follow that,” Jefferson said.

He said he hopes to improve every skill set and how hard he plays and hopes to see where that takes his game.

“I want to win a national championship, make relationships, and ultimately reach my longterm goal when it’s all said and done,” Jefferson said. “Even though things didn’t end how I wanted, over all my years in the program, I feel as if I gave Martin basketball my all.”

Senior Kordelius Jefferson signed his commitment paper for The University of Houston. Photo courtesyofKordeliusJefferson

Football for all

Students create a football league...using only non-athetes

Varsity football is a team that only the best of the best athletes in the school get to play for. The Student Sports League, however, is available to anyone who wants to play. Except varsity athletes.

The founders, seniors Asher Nguyen and junior Sayan Mandal, actually started the league as the result of an argument.

“It started after Sayan was talking trash to me, saying he would beat me in football,” Nguyen said. “And then we both assembled a team and eventually created an Instagram account to invite other teams.”

The League grew quickly and amassed 80 people, making up six teams and a group of referees.

Having so many people involved allows the league to hold games once, or even twice per week.

“It used to be once or twice a week, but the past two weeks have been busy,” Mandal said. “We should go back to once a week soon.”

At the moment, the league doesn’t have a rigid structure.

“We have a group chat with all the head coaches,” Nguyen said. “In there, we talk about who wants to play against who and that’s how the games get scheduled.”

However, the League plans on becoming more official, and the first step is to have an actual tournament bracket.

“We are also trying to plan

Inde Atwood•Opinions Editor & Maham Khan•Reporter

more big events, the first one being a powderpuff game,” Nguyen said.

Due to its rising popularity, the SSL is working on adding more sports such as basketball and soccer.

“We’re also hoping to add a kickball tournament,” Mandal said.

The football games are two-hand-touch, which means tackles are removed, making the game safer. However, the risk is not completely removed, and on one fateful Monday in February, during a regular game, senior Austin Nguyen was injured by a cleat.

“Some dude was wearing metal baseball cleats,” Asher Nguyen said. “He ended up tripping, which made Austin trip over him and his shin cut across the other guy’s cleat.”

As a result, the league has banned metal cleats and spikes, per their Instagram post.

The SSL is open to most people who want to join, making it a great socializing opportunity for students.

“It’s a good place to meet people and make new friends,” said junior Paul Adeboje, a temporarily retired member of the SSL.

The League’s very first game was action packed and a memorable day for all of the players.

“Our first game was 5656, there was no defense, and we just kept scoring over and over again,” Asher Nguyen said.

Since Nguyen is a senior,

he will need someone to replace him.

“Once I leave, Sayan will be the only commissioner and he will have to choose a partner and a successor for himself,” Nguyen said. No adults are involved, so the responsibility to keep the league going lies completely on the students who

run it.

“The plan is to make SSL into a club by next year,” Mandal said. “If any teachers want to sponsor us, please do.”

Students can join the SSL by visiting their Instagram @studentsportleague and contacting the commissioners.

Junior Sayan Mandal and his team gather on the Martin football field before a game against Team Asher Feb. 20. The league hopes to expand to include basketball, soccer, and kickball. Photo courtesy of @studentsportleague.

Teens of the times

An analysis of teens in movies from the past to now

Sirinity Hubbard • Reporter

Movies about high school have been a thing for a while. As each decade passes, reinvisioned versions of teenagers pop up to reflect the current generation. Some changes are vast while others are subtle, but a lot can change through the years. Here are two movies that were released four decades apart and their expression of teenagers.

1980s Sixteen Candles

Sixteen Candles tells the tale of newly 16-year-old Samantha Baker. Waking up, expecting a fresh new start and an amazing sixteenth birthday, Samantha comes to the brutal realization that her family forgot about her birthday. Aside from her birthday conundrum, Samantha is having trouble confronting her crush, Jake Ryan.

This movie came out in 1984, an extremely different time from now. Samantha is shown in the movie as a self-conscious, shy girl who lacked confidence in her existence. Positive messages aren’t really obvious in this film and more red flags pop up than green.

The token geek radiated self confidence, but his actions of perverted behavior did not compliment it well. If anything, two main concepts were obvious in the film: racism and lack of consent. Every time foreign exchange student, Long Duk Dong, appeared on screen, a gong sound would play. There’s also an occurrence of date rape in the film.

During this time, teens didn’t seem to get many positive influences when it came to confidence.

2020s Prom Pact

The movie Prom Pact tells the story of Mandy Yang, a high school senior who had the lifelong dream of attending Harvard. After being put on the waitlist, Mandy believes she is out of options and that her dream of Harvard will never come true until she comes up with the idea to tutor the son of a Harvard alumnus in hopes of receiving a letter of recommendation from his father.

Released in 2023, it takes a whole new spin on teenagers while still maintaining elements from the past. Compared to Sixteen Candles, a new light is shined on the concept of teens in movies. Mandy is depicted as a confident, self assured girl who is ready to take on the world. She is a passionate activist of many things and has hopes to change the world.

Concepts of acceptance and respect for others are already coded into the world of this film, and it feels regular. On top of that, people ask for consent before pursuing anything. Teens in this movie are written with confidence and respect the differences of others.

Times are always changing and along with that comes documentation of such changes. After looking at these two movies, a change in the times can now be seen and possibly appreciated. The way filmmakers see teens have come a long way, and more changes are to come.

got back on track’

since

Transferring to Martin during her freshman year, senior Cami Cortinas had a bit of a rough start. Cortinas went to Turning Point twice during her eighth grade year and wanted to “get away from that” as she came to Martin, but it didn’t really go as planned when she fell into the wrong crowd.

“I met this one girl on the second day, and it was this girl I knew from Turning Point,” Cotinas said. “From there, I started hanging out with that group of friends. It wasn’t the best group. They were always being bad and doing things that we hate now, like being ignorant in the hallway and stuff like that. Then three weeks into school, I got into a fight. I ended up getting arrested from school.”

During her sophomore year, school was virtual, due to Covid. This gave Cortinas a chance to refocus her life.

“It was a time away from being near all these people,” Cortinas said. “They weren’t really influencing me, so I was figuring myself out. When we came back to school, I had a whole new mindset. I wanted to get myself together. I got into AVID. For eleventh grade, I got into Student Council and kind of just got back on track.”

Even after going through change, it can be hard not to fall back into old habits.

Cortinas said she tries

to focus on the future she wants to stay on the course she has set.

“There are some times when you just want to stop from the hard things that come,” Cortinas said. “You got to think, if I stop being on the track that I’m on, what will it get me back to.”

Like many incoming freshmen, senior Astrid Tyler said she struggled her freshman year due to the increased workload from her high school courses.

“I didn’t realize how much work high school was actually going to be,” Tyler said. “School was super easy up until then, so it took learning to schedule my time better and actually finding good study methods. I grew up a lot freshman year.”

While learning to balance school work, Tyler added learning to balance a job and marriage, after she became engaged during her junior year.

“I work part time on top of school full time and being a wife,” Tyler said. “I have another person to take care of and more on my plate. I am definitely more of an adult then I was then. It’s a lot to do, but it’s super rewarding. I’ve learned a lot about myself and who I really am.”

Through her four years of trying to juggle all aspects of her life, Tyler said she has gained a new understanding of what’s most important.

“I learned that what people think about you doesn’t matter,” Tyler said. “You have to do what you love

and enjoy every minute, because it only lasts for so long. You can only do so much, do what you can and learn to say no. Most importantly, it’s okay to not be okay. Cry sometimes, it’s good for you, but get back up strong and face the day head on.”

On top of gaining a new outlook, Tyler has gained a partner to help her continue to find balance in her life.

“No matter what comes, I know I have my best friend to take on life with,” Tyler said. “We will see where it goes, because the future is never certain, just live in the moment while you have it.”

Beginning her time in high school, senior Cindy Sanders said she suffered with lack of motivation for school work.

“I was pretty unmotivated,” Sanders said. “I didn’t really have any clear goals.”

As she began focusing on a clear goal, Sanders started to become more dedicated to school work.

“I think having a clear goal for yourself is a very good way to stay on track,” Sanders said. “I think that I’ve kind of grown to realize that in the end, I really only have myself so I’m just working towards the end goal of being successful.”

Sanders has taken this new motivation and started participating more in school.

She now is one of the vice presidents for Psi Alpha, in AVID, and works on the literary magazine.

“I got really into school over the course of high school,” Sanders said. “I got really into my extracurriculars and grades. It has kept me motivated. Now I have a pretty clear career path. Whenever I found out what I wanted to do, that helped direct me.”

‘I

Lorelai Hofer•Photo Editor Seniors reflect on how they have changed

freshman year

Who’s next?

Helena Snegon• News Editor Podcasts

The Orange Tree podcast on Apple podcast

The podcast is a documentary series about the 2005 murder of 21-year-old Jennifer Cave that happened at the Orange Tree condos in Austin’s west campus. The series goes in depth about the brutal murder, the timeline leading up to Cave’s death, the investigations of her murder, and how many lives were changed forever by this case.

Female Criminals on Spotify

In each podcast you get introduced to a different female criminal. But Female Criminals isn’t just about killers, it’s about different types of criminals – thieves, witches, scammers, and celebrity criminals like Winona Ryder, petty criminals, Lori Loughlin and the Varsity Blues college admission scandal. The series includes Lady Gucci, Patrizaila Reggiani, and her life as a socialite, and the infamous Bonnie and her story of how she became part of the America ionic criminal duo of Bonnie and Clyde.

Serial Killer on Spotify

Serial Killer allows the listener to get a rare glimpse into the minds and methods of sadistic murders. From notorious names like Ted Bundy and the Zodiac Killer to lesser-known names like “ The Chameleon Killer” Terry Peder Rasmussen, each podcast takes an in-depth look at the killer or killers, and how they get to become a serial murderer. It shows how some of the most famous horror films may have been based or inspired by a true story.

A Time to Kill on HBO Max

In the town of Clanton, Mississippi, Tonya Hailey was abducted and beaten by Billy Ray Cobb and James Willard. Her father Carl Lee Hailey, is outraged and figures Cobb and Willard will be released. He decides to take justice into his own hands. As he is now on trial for the murders of his daughter's abductor, what will the outcome be?

What to follow when getting into true crime

Shows

Murdaugh Murders: A Deadly Dynasty

The Murdaugh family made headlines when Alex Murdaugh was accused of murdering his wife Maggie and his 22-year-old son Paul. When Alex was accused, three murders that happened in the town of Hampton, South Carolina, that had ties to the Murdaugh family, started to unravel. Mallory Beach, Stephen Smith, and Gloria Satterfield's cases got some light as the corruption of the Murdaugh family finally came to an end.

Accused on Fox

In this series, each week you are introduced to a new defendant in criminal trials and the story of how they ended up there. The question is, are they guilty or not. In episode 12 of the first season, Morgan’s story, a teacher is going through a messy divorce when she gets arrested under suspicious circumstances.

Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix

Unsolved Mysteries is an iconic show that is making a comeback with the newer generations. Each episode talks about real cases of disappearances, murders, and paranormal encounters. In season 1 episode 2, 13 Minutes, Patrice Endres vanishes from the salon she owned within a 13-minute time window, and exactly 600 days after her disappearance her case takes a shocking turn.

Movies

Murder Mystery On Netflix

Married couple Nick and Aurdrey

Spitz celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary in Europe. On the plane, they meet a rich billionaire, Charles Cavendish, who invites them to a cruise ship. When all of Cavendish’s friends gather, they get stuck in the middle of a murder mystery and it's up to Spitz to solve their murders, since they are the prime suspects.

Capturing the Killer Nurse on Netflix

Capturing the Killer Nurse is about serial killer Charles Cullen, and how investigations were able to prove Cullen was killing patients while working at nine hospitals and a nursing home as a nurse in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Cullen has killed up to 40 people, but some suspect that the number is higher.