Warrior Post - February 2015

The Warrior Post Martin High School /4501 W. Pleasant Ridge Dr. Arlington, TX 76016 / Volume 33, Issue 3 February 18, 2015

Three of the four of “The East Village Quartet” perform at the Faculty Talent Show on Jan. 22.

All proceeds benefitted the Dan Regalado Scholarship fund. Photo by Cailynd Barnes

What’s i n si d e A secret New wake

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up call

School board debates a later school start time

illness

Kill all stereotypes

Students express the difficulties of experiencing anxiety

Religious misconceptions prove untrue

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24-25 Old school coaches

Martin alumni return to coach next generation of athletes

‘When one falls, we all fall’

Students come together to remember senior Carl Wilson

Jarred Odsterman • Editor in Chief

Jan. 12 senior Carl Wilson was fatally shot near a Kennedale car wash. Carl Wilson Jr. who was only 18, was a father, son and varsity football linebacker.

He was described as someone who was always smiling and making others laugh.

Carl Wilson III or “King” is Carl’s son who is one year old. Friends, classmates and teammates said Carl did everything he could in order to provide for his son. He had plans to go to college and continue football. Wilson had full custody and pushed himself to do the absolute best for his son.

“He attacked everything on the football field,” Head football coach Bob Wager said.

“Everything was full speed. He only had one speed. I would say that mirrored his affinity for life. One speed, 100 miles an

hour. That was the way he did everything in his life. He was a great student, player and dad.”

Wilson’s death shocked the Martin community, who came together to make t-shirts, bracelets and posters in support of Wilson’s family.

“He never depended on anyone for anything, that’s one thing he taught me,” Wilson’s girlfriend, senior ����������� Dashia Collins said. “That’s why I’m able to be so strong. I don’t know how I’m being strong. No, I’m being strong for him. I know he’s still with me so I’m strong through him.”

A candlelight vigil was held in Wilson’s honor at Martin Jan.13 where alumni, countless students and the choir commemorated all things he was known for. More than 200 students and adults attended.

Choir Chamber Singers sang

“Amazing Grace” while football teammates, classmates, alumni and numerous news stations paid their respects.

“No matter what, always appreciate what you have,” Collins said.

A trust fund was set up on

behalf of Martin Football to benefit Wilson’s son. It is at Affiliated Bank on Pleasant Ridge.

Student council members went to each classroom on Jan. 21 to collect money for Wilson and raised a little over $2500.

Senior Taylor Glaspie, Martin graduate Mercedes Ruth and others were among more than 200 mourning the loss of Carl Wilson at the candlelight vigil Jan. 13.

Photos

by Daryn Taylor

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Sleep deprived

Martin parents work to alter the start times of AISD schools

W

hen you ask students what they hate most about high school, you get a chorus of answers.

One of the main things students would complain about is the fact that they have to be at school and in the classroom at 7:35. This has been a problem plaguing students for years, but Martin parents Cheryl Till and Debbie Moore are attempting to reform this start time.

Moore and Till have been fighting to push the start time forward for two years now, slowly making headway in their cause. On Jan. 14, Till was able to speak at a public hearing in front of the school board.

“We had to wait until one in the morning before we could speak to the board, because the public hearings started late,” Till said. “Ironic that we were presenting on teen sleep deprivation and the need to start school later and we were all sleep deprived.”

Till and Moore are a part of the Arlington branch of a national organization known as Start School Later, whose goal is to push school start time to a later hour. They began as an individual campaign before finding out about the organization and joining it.

The benefits of starting school later are numerous and are validated by a variety of researches and studies.

“Studies have proven that to function properly, teens need at least nine and a quarter hours of sleep,” Till said. “Once you hit puberty, your brain produces melatonin about two hours later than when they were younger,

Kaitlyn Rosenbaum & Gavin McGowan • Reporters meaning that most students The brain heals wounds, can’t fall asleep properly now strengthens the immune system, until 10 or 11 o’clock.” and consolidates information This means that to get the while the body is in the Rapid needed sleep hours, the average Eye Movement (REM) stage of teen would have to wake up sleep. It does this by releasing at 8:15. With the current start chemicals that trigger the time, getting the recommended hippocampus, the memory re��� amount of sleep is difficult. gion, that then moves into the Typically, students wake up brain cortex where the inforaround 6 a.m. to get to school mation is distributed to the apon time, almost two and a half propriate area of the brain. A hours earlier than suggested. good night’s sleep before a test is just as important as any other night’s sleep if the information “Plenty of other districts” Some say that changing the is to be properly retained. school start time would affect This may seem like an easy education, making it harder to task, but the REM sleep stages learn. However, if we look at are not reached until around two some other school districts in hours of sleep, and if students Texas, it’s clear that this isn’t are only getting an estimated six hours of sleep, there is always true.

Richardson ISD starts at 9 hardly enough time for the a.m., nearly two hours after brain to do all that it needs to Martin, and they are a top do while in this stage of sleep. academically ranked school in Although studies promote the Texas. Coppell ISD also starts later start times and more sleep, later, however at a slightly there is another side to the coin. earlier time of 8:20 a.m. Both of these districts start later and can perform well in the classroom, showing that more sleep and an altered start time can have an array of benefits to the students and the school’s reputation.

“There are plenty of other districts here that are doing it, so that’s no excuse,” Till said.

“The district is listening”

Some students work jobs after school, some of which have very strict hours. These hours would have to be altered severely to account for the later school release time. Bus schedules and coordinating them with junior high and elementary schools also fall into this category of strict hours, being the only mode of transportation for some students. Almost all hours will have to change in order for them to correlate.

“If the time does change, a lot of things in our community will change. Not only the start times of schools, but availability of job hours, and the after school

Sleep research

Not only is sleeping beneficial to the overall health of a student, but it also is a crucial time for people to learn. A study done by Dr. Robert Stickgold of Harvard University has shown results that learning is still being done while sleeping.

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practices,” Martin High School Principal Marlene Roddy said.

“The district is listening to all of the parents and supporters, but I do not foresee a decision being made in the near future.”

If the start time changes, that will also change the starting and ending times of activities at the school and surrounding community.

Pushing things back later than they already are, which is equivalent to starting school earlier.

“I believe the community will adjust to the schedule, not the other way around,” Moore said.

Another thing to consider is after school, or extracurricular, activities such as sports, theater, clubs, and after-school tutoring.

Some of these practices and meetings can run for hours after school. If the start times were changed, these already long practices would be extended into the hours of the night.

“Extracurricular activities are just that – extracurricular,” Till said. “They come after education and should be placed after school in importance.”

Students seem to vary their opinion on the matter. Many students share the opinion of freshman Kai Coker, who is in support of the change.

“I think we should change it to start about the same time as middle schools,” Coker said.

Other students, such as freshman Hailey Richardson, said they would prefer if the times stayed the same.

“I like getting out early, because we have more time to do things after school,” Richardson said.

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Endorsements lead to confusion for freshmen Luke Bishop • Reporter Phones ringing and the sound of notifications pinging go on throughout the year as the new endorsement plan is finally in effect for this year’s freshmen.

The new plan consists of four endorsements in which the incoming students will select between: Public Service, Arts and Humanities, Business and Industry, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

The endorsement plan, also known as House Bill 5 (HB5), was passed in June of 2013. The freshmen are being prepared to select a path that they may truly enjoy in college and want to continue as a career choice.

“Having the endorsement in high school it may give them a better idea of what they want to pursue in college,” counselor

know, 14 said they either want to switch their plan or have already done so at least once.

“The Foundations Graduation Plan is new across the state of Texas for students, parents, and counselors,” Stringer said.

“The transition to the new grad plan can especially be tricky for families who have a student on the old plan and a student on the new plan at the same time.”

This could cause conflict with the plan functioning as it was designed for, which is to keep students focused on a certain path.

However, students are more liable to make unnecessary switches or even not realize that there are different options to take without the proper knowledge of HB5.

This could cause students to make a change too late in their high school years and

Dr. David Pyatt said.

The new plan is aimed at helping the students, but it has also brought about more work for faculty and staff, as counselors are finding themselves bombarded with an increased number of parentstudent conferences.

“The information is a lot to process, and that’s part of the reason why high schools across the state hired additional counselors,” counselor Sarah Stringer said. “We have more counselors and each has fewer students to work with.”

With the new system only in its second semester, though, many freshmen are still mystified by all of it.

In a recent survey conducted

by The Warrior Post, 41 out of 57 freshmen were unsure of what exactly the endorsement plan was. Of the 16 who did

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upset their credits, as each endorsement consists of different credit requirements.

Students’ opinions of this program seem to be in favor of the plan, but they added that they think the plan could be improved.

“I prefer it because it allows students to start their own path, but I would expand on the endorsements, making more classes that relate to that endorsement,” freshman Stephen Mohon said.

Other freshmen seem to be in agreement with Mohon.

“Some people kind of like multiple things, so it might not work out for them too well,” freshman Alex Fratto said.

“They may like other things as well, such as science and fine arts. If you have your career planned then you can make it to where you can pursue that.”

A safari of their own

The faces of the ID fight

Outdoor adventure students go on field trip to Safari Club Convention

Photo by Cammi Skanes

Teachers have conflicting ideas on the enforcement of IDs Kamryn LeFan • Reporter

Sophomores Kristen Wilson and Cameron Kurtz fill in information for the photo scavenger hunt. “My favorite picture we took was one where we made really ugly faces with this really pretty turkey replica.” Kurtz said. Photo by Parker Poulos

Parker Poulos • Reporter center searching for items such The bus bumped along on its way to Dallas as the students chatted and drew pictures on the foggy windows.

On Jan. 15 and 16, two groups of Outdoor Adventures students got the opportunity to go to the Dallas Safari Club Convention at the Dallas Convention Center with coaches Sabina Harrington, Ricky Albus and Matthew Criner.

Before entering the building, the students selected groups to stay with for the day and received a sheet of paper with certain things to find in the convention. They were presented with the challenge to find and take pictures with these things as a photo scavenger hunt.

The moment the students walked into the convention center, they were immediately acquainted with the stuffed frameworks of rams and lions as they rushed to get their scavenger hunt pictures.

“I really liked the picture my group took with a really pretty turkey where we were making really ugly faces,” sophomore Cameron Kurtz said.

From nine to noon, the groups wandered the convention

as a full elephant, and a nontypical deer among 1200-1500 exhibits.

“It’s so awesome in there,” Coach Harrington said after leaving the convention. “I love it in there.”

The students were also able to talk to vendors at the convention.

“I thought people would be really pretentious because of the prices of some of the guns and things, but everyone was super nice,” sophomore Kristen Wilson said.

After the convention, everyone on the trip went to lunch at Serious Pizza in Dallas.

“Lunch was rad,” Kurtz said.

“The place was really cool. It had a super hipster vibe.”

The Outdoor Adventures classes learn about survival and camping. They also learn essential skills such as how to start fires, and make or find shelter. They also learn hunting skills like how to shoot a bow, and how to track a deer.

Overall, this experience is one that most students would not give up.

“I bonded with people I thought I would never talk to,” sophomore Emma Clingenpeel said. “It was really cool.”

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It’s inevitable that there are strict teachers who enforce every rule, no matter how minor it may be, and there will always be the teachers who push aside the rules nonchalantly.

A major rule that is tossed around by some teachers, but is required by others, is the use of identification cards.

Wearing IDs has been a part of the dress code policy for many years, but throughout the years they have become less visible.

“IDs are important for security reasons to ensure that individuals who are in the school should be there,” Spanish teacher Yohana ����������� Martinez said.

With the variety of teachers at Martin, there are many different opinions on IDs and how strictly enforced they should be.

“IDs are semi-important,” Chemistry teacher Kathy Meyer said. “Outside of class I would like to be able to identify the student with an ID.” Some teachers feel strongly towards the requirement of IDs to be worn and believe that IDs are beneficial in the students’ learning process. Other teachers said they think that the IDs can get in the way and hinder the students’ learning.

“Personally, I think that high

schoolers keeping up with their IDs now will prepare students to be responsible for their driver’s license when they get older,” Martinez said. “It teaches discipline early on.”

“In the science lab, IDs get in the way of the potentially dangerous burners that are being used,” Meyer said.

“There are so many other things that I have to monitor, so IDs are not at the top of my priorities.”

To guarantee that IDs are on and visible, some teachers stand by the door and monitor the students as they go to their seat, while others only require that IDs are worn when asking for a pass to leave the room during class.

“There are approximately 230 teachers in the school and I would say only about 20 teachers strictly enforce the ID policy,” Meyer said.

Most students said they do not believe that IDs are beneficial at all and think that they are an inconvenience. Students also think that IDs can cause a lot of problems, which include unnecessary tardies.

“IDs don’t really bother me, but I don’t see a point in wearing them,” sophomore Cameron Nguyen said. “I don’t mind having to wear them but sometimes they are enforced too strictly and that’s when it gets to become a hassle.”

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Tales of a high school nothing

Tripp describes transformation as an apathetic teen to Doctor of Theology and Professor Alec De Lon ∙ Reporter It was the 1960s. School was a chore and uninspiring to one young potential genius who would come to be quite familiar with the role of academics, as he would spend most of his life in high school. Art teacher Dr. David Tripp started his adult life as a self-proclaimed high school nothing going to college on an art scholarship.

Later, he would become a doctor in the field of Theology, and eventually a 20-plus year veteran to the field of learning, as he would educate as a professor and teacher to thousands of students.

“I went to school with little more than a pulse,” Dr. Tripp said. “I went to Northwest High School in House Springs, Missouri and let me just say my high school experience was deplorable. I didn’t even think I deserved college. I knew the only reason I was going was because I was a good artist.”

Tripp said he took advantage of his chance to go to college at Truman University in Missouri in 1972, where he expanded his art practices and absorbed the knowledge that surrounded him. Tripp found himself inspired but when it came to choosing a career, he decided to be an educator.

“I thought growing to be a freelance artist was about as rare as a high school jock making it into the NFL,” he said. “So I got my teaching degree as an insurance policy. Then I took a detour into Theology where I would later get my doctorate.”

Tripp began paying for his livelihood and education by working as a pastor and welder until finally earning his doctorate in Theology in 1987. Very soon after his

Art teacher David Tripp and Shelley Allison perform “Dimming of the Day” and “Deep on the West” at the Martin Faculty Talent Show in a guitar duet. Tripp works as a freelance artist, writer, poet and musician. Photo by Cailynd Barnes collective eight-year odyssey into knowledge, Tripp began teaching at Lamar, all the while finding his own style of watercolor and learning about himself as a scholar.

In his later years, Dr. Tripp finds himself influencing students in philosophy and AP/Regulars Art History by primarily giving students the tools to think and consider multiple perspectives through what is called “phenomenology,” the idea that there is more than one way to interpret something.

“Existentialism teaches us that the only real education is self-education,” Tripp said.

Existentialism is the philosophical theory or approach that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible person de-

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termining his or her own development through acts of the will.

“The teachers I have around me are committed and driven, but I am dissatisfied with this stuff attached to numbers,” Tripp said. “I don’t think you can measure quality or that you can quantify education.”

“He’s a guy that I really look up to,” art teacher Dan Darr said.

“He’s like a lamp in my life. He lights up my mind. I think he does that with everybody.”

As a teacher, Tripp said he does as much as he can to teach and influence students without limiting their potential to a grade. Tripp said he believes that many more lives could be influenced if quotas weren’t forced and grading not mandatory.

Dr. Tripp calls upon a quote

from Martin Luther King Jr., a fellow Doctor of Theology: “Statistics are a nose of wax.

Whatever the precondition is, you can always shape the data to your favor.” With this Dr. Tripp explains that while data can be greater and lesser, ideas are always present and able to be formed.

Tripp said he sees dramatic improvements in school systems since his teenage years, but still strives to give all of his students the tools he never received in high school in the hopes that no other potential student slips between the cracks of our scholastic foundation.

Tripp works as a freelance artist in his free time and hosts a prominent art and poetry blog, fulfilling his dream and showing it to the world.

features

I couldn’t help myself Sophomore shares about self harm Bayan Hammad• Reporter

F

or people with depression and mental health issues, life often feels hopeless, which makes it hard for them to cope with challenges and leads them to take drastic measures.

Sixteen-year-old Valerie* shares her unpleasant experience with self-harm that led her to make difficult choices that affected her mentally and physically.

“A lot of things were going really bad in my life,” Valerie said. “My parents were fighting and we weren’t financially stable.”

Valerie describes her depression and what was happening during her life that lead her to self harm. The cause of Valerie’s self harm and depression was mostly personal and family issues.

“Self harming was a way to release the pain that you’re feeling inside on your outer self,” Valerie said. “It felt like it was the only solution to help with all my problems.”

Valerie said she believes that her cutting was caused by her constantly blaming herself because of her parents.

Her parents were going through a tough time together and blamed their relationship problems on Valerie and her sister. She said she wanted to feel the physical pain that she felt inside. Valerie’s way of self harming was with feather blades, which she found from her father’s toolbox, against her wrist.

“Social media is what really influenced my self harm, especially Tumblr,” Valerie said. “It was like websites glorified self harm.”

Valerie’s influences were mostly from social media such

as Tumblr, Twitter, etc. These type of websites made it seem to her that self harm was normal and more of a trend.

“I felt that it makes you feel better if you inflict pain on yourself,” Valerie said.

“Because it’s like getting back at yourself for what you did.”

Valerie explained the reason for her self harm, was like an action that relieved her pain.

“It was a way to get justice for me and my family,” Valerie said. “The pain made me feel like I was getting what I deserved.”

Valerie wore long sleeves to cover the marks no matter the weather condition, and always acted very cheerful around others.

From that, no one ever knew about Valerie’s self harm because of her secretive ways.

“I was hoping someone would help me,” Valerie said.

“I couldn’t help myself. In that position, I obviously wasn’t thinking straight.”

Valerie said she wasn’t looking for help but she was hoping for it, yet no one came to help her.

She wasn’t able to help herself because of her depression.

“To feel the pain, so many things go on and we kind of numb ourselves,” counselor Suzanne Bandy said.

“Sometimes you actually need to go through the pain.”

Bandy said that feeling the pain is basically reinforcing life difficulties.

“Going to friends might be a great way of help, since some of them don’t feel comfortable coming to adults,” Bandy said.

“A friend will understand what they’re going through.”

Bandy said she thinks the best help is to confess to a friend

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Art by Audrey Dao

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what they’re going through and let them know what’s currently happening throughout their life.

“Let an adult know what’s going on,” Bandy said. “If I don’t know much about an individual, I still want to give them the help they need.”

Bandy explains that sometimes you need someone a little tougher, and that it’s okay to get help. The people who are going to help you will make decisions that are best for you.

“I am not the person who goes to people for help,” Valerie said. “I feel like that just brings you down. Even though I know it’s not true I just can’t help it.”

Valerie said she didn’t think seeking help would benefit her and help the cutting problem.

Bandy believes the best thing a friend could do is to let someone know, preferably an adult.

“I think the friend needs to let an adult know,” Bandy said.

“They’ve reached out to you because you are their friend, but regardless of your age, that may be a lot more that you can handle.”

Bandy explained that ����� sometimes self harm is even hard for adults to handle. Sending the message that you need help won’t hurt but will benefit you, knowing that you don’t have to be alone.

“People will think it’s okay and that everybody does it, but in reality it’s not okay and not everybody does it,” Valerie said.

“The first time I cut myself, I was scared and it hurt a lot. But after a few times I guess it just made me feel better.”

Valerie said she believes that cutting herself was not the answer and never should have been, but as she constantly kept self harming, she felt better.

Valerie stopped a couple of months after realizing that this won’t take her far in life, and she can’t run away from reality by harming herself.

“It was kind of a learning experience,” Valerie said. “I learned that preoccupying myself with these things won’t help me. And that I have to work to get myself out into a better position.”

Valerie confirmed that it took hard work to set her mind back in the right place.

“Work to get yourself out of the place you’re in, because nobody is going to come get you out of it,” Valerie said.

“You need to realize that what you’re doing isn’t helping anything. You’re not going to get anything out of it.”

Valerie’s advice to anyone who self harms is to get the help they need.

“As cliché as this sounds, this is not the right thing to do,” Valerie said. “You can always surround yourself with positivity and preoccupy yourself with things you enjoy and love to do.”

“Something that brings joy in me when I feel depressed is spending time with my sisters,” Valerie said. “They fill my life with positivity and send me a reminder of how blessed I am.”

Valerie advised that it’s important for people to do things they love, and get their minds off of what they’re struggling through.

“In the long run it’s just not the right thing to do, it’s a mistake,” Valerie said. “There are so many beneficial and helpful ways to express your pain rather than harming yourself.”

Generation gap In the past 30 years, change has evidently occurred in common aspects of the world. Take a look at the lifestyle that a teenager faces today versus three decades ago.

Sherilyn Morales • Opinions Editor

College tuition and fees (in-state, per semester) Total U.S. cell phone subscribers

1985

2015

340,213

257,300,000

$2,567

$9,310

(58 percent are smartphones)

Calls

Calls, texting, social media, internet, photos

How many workers in the labor force

1.16 million

1.61 million

Highest paying jobs

Corporate attorney (avg $91,690)

Anesthesiologist (avg $234,950)

$20,400

$44,928

$3.35

$7.25

12 months = 1 year of college tuition

1 year, 9 months = 1 year of college tuition

$1.17

$3.34

“We only had radio and TV to get information. If you didn’t check these, you wouldn’t know about world events. It wasn’t instantaneous.” • history teacher Teresa Jarrett

“Kids are less social in person because they are always on their phones instead of going out and doing things like they used to before technology.”

• senior Caelan Beary

Cell phone uses

Average starting salary with bachelor’s degree Minimum wage Work payoff (15 hrs/ week, minimum wage)

Average gas price Lifestyle

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features

An act of kindness Faculty and students share their acts of kindness Aisha Iqbal • Reporter veryone is kind in his or her own way, there are many things someone can do to be kind. I went around the school and asked students, teachers and counselors what the kindest thing they have done for a person is and got unique answers.

••• “The kindest thing I have done is helping out at an orphanage in Costa Rica. I got a chance to help the kids there and got to know them. I did it because I wanted to make a difference in the kids’ lives and to show them God’s love.

Their families were so grateful and kind towards me and my youth group as we helped them throughout the week. I feel very thankful for the opportunity to have met these families and gotten to know them. If I could, I would help them again because it’s very hard work to do the construction work around the orphanage and very tiring, but I loved every minute of it. I am glad I went there and helped them.”

• freshman Natalie Panella ••• “Probably spending a week at church helping special needs kids during the summer.

I helped out because I enjoy just loving on kids and making them feel special in a society that isn’t as accepting towards them as they are towards other kids. I would most definitely do

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it again, because I had a great time helping out. I was assigned to the sweet little boy, JJ, who I had a wonderful time playing and learning with. I didn’t know JJ, before I met him, but after the week was over I met JJ’s parents and they told me how appreciative they were.”

• sophomore Merideth Inman ••• “One time my sisters and I were at a restaurant and a homeless woman and her little girl were asking for food. So my sisters and I gave them both bread and food along with something to drink. They did thank us – a lot, in fact – and it felt like the right thing to do. I love helping others, especially when they’re in need. I am so glad we gave them food because it felt so heartwarming to know I could help someone, especially at a young age. And who knows how long the two didn’t eat and how tired they were. It was so great to see the smile on their faces. If I could do it again, I definitely would.

In fact, I was thinking that whenever I get a job I will have a portion of every paycheck dedicated to people in need because I want to help make this world a better place.” • junior Tamara Joudeh ••• “I think the kindest thing I have done is send my parents on vacation to Paris for a week.

I get the money by working. I

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“The kindest thing I believe I have done is put together a bake sale for Palestine, “Goodies 4 Gaza” during the summer. I put it together because there were a lot of people collecting money to send to Palestine and not many people were donating. And so I thought that if there were a bake sale that someone put together we could donate the money that we raised to Palestine. So, after I talked to the person in charge of the mosque, I made a flyer and asked all my friends and family members to post it on their social medias along with telling people about it.

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Art by Audrey Dao

work at a construction site and usually work six hours a week, so I get enough money to where I can send my parents somewhere for vacation. They were very thankful. I’m extremely glad I did that. They deserved it 100 percent. The way I feel about it is, my parents have devoted a big part of their life to give me education, clothes, a roof on top of my head and many other things, so the least I could do was return the favor.

I try to usually save money to give them a vacation or two every year. This year I’m trying to save up to send them to the Caribbean.”

• junior Derrick Penaloza ••• “The kindest thing I can think of off the top of my head is when I helped a library aide with shelving books. I helped him out because I felt bad for him because there were so many books that he had to shelve them all by himself and I

could also sympathize with him because I had been in the same position the day before. I left as soon as all the books were put away. He may have thought I was a new aide because it was the first day of the second semester. If I was in the same position, I would want someone to help me because there were a lot of books on the cart and I know that it would take me a long time to put them away.”

• senior Zainab El-Hage ••• “When I was a lifeguard at a lake, I saved a 12-year-old boy’s life. He was too deep in the water and was drowning. I jumped in and quickly swam towards him and brought him back towards his parents. Both he and his parents thanked me afterwards. If I were in his place, I would indeed want someone to come save me.”

• librarian Stephanie Korenek

There were two events after another at the mosque that day so we started ten minutes before the first event which was at 7:30 p.m. and ended around 4 a.m. Almost everyone who bought something thanked us for putting it together and said that this was very much needed. We raised more than $3,000 and I had a great time putting it together. If I could I would do it again, not just for Palestine but also for any other country that is in need of help. I am also very thankful for all the people that helped spread the word.” • sophomore Aisha Iqbal

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‘Something’s not right’ Students tell of their experiences with anxiety

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art by Audrey Dao

Kayla Mattox • Reporter

eing anxious every once and a while, especially in high school, is very normal. However, when that feeling you get before the big math test becomes a part of your daily routine, you may have an anxiety disorder, like almost 40 million Americans alone.

“We do see a lot of kids with anxiety issues,” counselor Susan Kingen said. “They get stressed over either test anxiety or the course work or just stuff.

I only have three hundred kids and of my three hundred kids I have maybe 10 percent who suffer from anxiety.”

Sophomore Sadie Taylor, who suffers from anxiety, tells of her experiences with it.

“For a good three weeks I would come home and just cry every day and that’s when my mom was like, ‘Something’s not right,’” Taylor said.

Taylor has been battling anxiety for many years but it wasn’t until this year that she went and sought an official diagnosis. She was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder.

Panic attacks often come with the territory of an anxiety disorder, and also come in all shapes and sizes. Some people experience different feelings when having a panic attack. They can strike anywhere over anything big or small.

“When I take a test this happens, especially if it’s a math test,” Taylor said. “I feel like I can’t even focus on the math test, because I just feel like I’m hearing a bunch of different numbers in my head. I can’t even think, and I know it’s from my anxiety.”

Taylor said her panic attacks

come in three stages. Stage 1: Her stomach ties itself in knots that cannot, no matter how hard she tries, be untied. Stage 2: Her heart begins to race at the half speed of sound and her breath comes just as quickly in short gulps. Stage 3: She breaks down and cries.

“Some of it is school related, but also a lot of it for me is social stuff like friends and, you know, boys,” she said.

“Oh, don’t even get me started on the boys.”

“If I see a group of my friends and they are all standing and talking, I have to literally give myself a pep talk to go over there and talk to them because I have to convince myself that they like me and that they want to be my friend,” Taylor said.

After she began taking medication, her anxiety symptoms lightened and she started to feel more of her true bubbly self.

“This is going to sound really weird, but I have noticed this with my voice teacher, Mrs. Chambers,” Taylor said. “I can sing higher now because what was holding me back from being able to sing higher was my anxiety.

Now that she is on medication, she said she feels freer and is able to do what she loves without feeling nervous.

Some people with an anxiety disorder deal with it on their own, some seek medical assistance, and some have their own methods to calm themselves.

Sophomore Abby Duskin has been dealing with anxiety for a few years as well. Duskin has not been formally diagnosed, but has come to the conclusion she suffers from mild anxiety.

“I know that there’s not a test, like, they can’t see it in your blood that you have anxiety, but I’ve been to the hospital a couple times for like vomiting and things like that which they could not find a cause for,” Duskin said. “They did several tests on my stomach and my intestines and they couldn’t find anything, so they basically told me it could be psychological, and that’s when I kind of knew that I did have anxiety.”

Duskin said she is not on medication and doesn’t plan to be in the future.

“I’m not on medication because I feel like, for me, it’s a psychological thing,” Duskin said. “If you have anxiety, medication probably will help, but ultimately it’s your thinking that

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cures your anxiety.”

Duskin said she has found her own way of calming herself down when her anxiety starts to flare up.

“When you feel anxious or stressed, you always want to find something that you’re passionate about because if you busy yourself and you do things that you love you’ll get your mind off of it and you’ll feel happy doing what you love,” she said. “So I’ll do theater and it really just makes me feel good and makes me feel happy.

Having an anxiety disorder can be very difficult. Some days are worse than others. The trick to overcoming anxiety is to find something to keep you calm whether that be going to your doctor or doing something you’re passionate about. You are not alone, trust me.”

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What you’ve missed

Feb. 3 was a normal Tuesday, but it was a typical busy day in the life of Martin.

1. 8:10 p.m.

Junior Joy Siler prepares to answer a question during the Academic Quiz League Feb. 3 against Arlington High School. Photo

by Bailey Lewis.

2. 6:43 p.m.

Martin Sundancers talk to a future Martin freshman about joinging the squad during Future Fish Night Feb. 3. Photo by Bailey Lewis.

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3. 7:37 p.m.

Senior Andrew Dodson shoots a freethrow during the Feb. 3 game at Martin vs. Weatherford.

Martin took the win with a final score of 72-30. Photo

by Cailynd Barnes.

4. 11:53 a.m.

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4.

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Seniors line up outside to take the traditional senior panoramic picture. Photo

by Bailey Lewis.

Check out this video of Senior Bailey Graham’s interview and Martin Idol performance. Scan the QR code to watch. Video by Tucker Coble

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Do it for DAN

Martin faculty perform a show to raise money for scholarship Binh Le • Reporter Photos • by Cailynd Barnes

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he night of Jan. 22, Martin’s teachers were getting ready for the first-ever faculty talent show at Martin. The teacher talent show was an event to raise money for a scholarship in the memory of beloved photography teacher Daniel Regalado.

The teacher talent show was able to raise approximately $2,000 for the scholarship fund, thanks to all the generous donations by the students, faculty and staff.

“The reason I’m doing the talent show is because of the scholarship in Regalado’s name,” World history teacher Richard Ellis said. “I love that it’s a great way for remembering Daniel Regalado.”

English teacher Adam Powell was in charge of the production of the show. Not only did he plan the show, he also sang “Just a Friend” by

Biz Markie that the audience participated in.

“I got the idea from other schools who did something similar,” Powell said. “I wanted to do it for the spirit of Reg.” The Little Theater was filled to capacity with standing room only for eager students, teachers and parents who wanted to see what the faculty could do.

The acts ranged from singing and dancing to instrument playing.

Some even went as far as to dress up in costumes fitting of their acts. Ellis did a medley of four different songs that had a costume to go along with all four of them.

“All of the acts were interesting,” sophomore Kendall Hendrix said. “My favorite would have been Mr. Ellis since there were many acts and songs incorporated.”

The money that was raised

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1 Art teacher Dan Darr plays the spoons at the teacher talent show.

2 CTM manager Victoria Rutherford strums away on the guitar and sings.

3 The East Village Quartet Rynthia Clements, Jolyn Redden and Rhonda Dunn perform to Gladys Knight & the Pips.

4 Art History teacher David Tripp sings a duet.

5 Science teachers hold up signs for the crowd to sing along to “Uptown Funk.”

6 World History teacher Richard Ellis sings with his backup dancers.

7 Credit Recovery teacher Marty Anderson performs with a sousaphone and elephant.

8 English teacher Adam Powell raps.

is going into a scholarship for a Martin student. The teacher talent show is hoped to be a recurring event at Martin next year and possibly future years.

“It is som���������������� ething I’d definitely see again,” junior Derek Wheeler said.

At the night of the teacher talent show, they were able to collect approximately $1,953 but continued to collect money and was able to raise around $2,000 instead.

“Mr. Regalado was a fantastic person,” art teacher Dan Darr said. “He was the type of person that it was a privilege to be around. He was a person that you’d admire, have fun, and love to be around. He was kindest, most selfless, giving person I’ve ever known.”

Download the scholarship application at: bit.ly/celebratedan

Senior tries again, wows the crowd

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Rosa Castaneda • Reporter “Ever since I was a little girl, at the age of two and even growing up, I was just singing,” senior ������������ Syn’tia Riggins said. “I tried so hard to make Martin Idol my freshman year. Hearing that I didn’t make it then hurt and put me down, but it did not stop me from trying again my senior year. Anything can happen with a blink of an eye.”

Her senior year she tried it out again, and her strong, powerful voice finally made it and competed at Martin Idol.

“I did amazing,” she said. “I rocked the crowd and made it to the second round. Even though I didn’t win, I’m still excited because I won something bigger – being confident and being a star.”

The confidence has carried over into her life.

“I’ve always had trouble with English, but it didn’t stop me from writing and I kept doing what I have to do with my future,” Riggins said. “I have books full of songs.”

Riggins said that her music even caught a record producer’s eye.

“I was at The DFW Fashion/ Talent Show this year,” she said. “I didn’t place to win, but I’m glad I caught a record producer’s attention.”

Giving

students

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Emily Hale • Reporter Jan. 29, 12 contestants from all backgrounds battled for votes in Martin’s Literary Magazine, the Coup, ninth annual Martin Idol. Senior Austin Hudson emerged the first-place winner.

“They’re all very talented,” sophomore Katie Beauford said. “Just listening to them warm-up you just thought, ‘Oh my goodness, you’re amazing!’”

The preliminary performance consisted of 12 acts. The top six musicians advanced to another performance, and from there the winners were chosen.

“Three teacher judges decided the six to go onto the next round,” Coup adviser Erin Adwell said. “Then we had this really cool thing this year where we used Survey Monkey to let the audience members vote for the winners.”

Student voting was intended to promote attendance as well as ensure a more unanimous judgement.

“Student vote changes everything for the better,” Hudson said. “The judges are just vocal judges, whereas the students judge musicianship. I really think that the raw musicians had a chance this year.”

As musicians battled for votes, they tried to create a sound for themselves to set them apart from the norm.

“I don’t just like to do what everyone else does,” senior Bailey Graham said. “It’s fine to go up there and sing and play guitar, but I like to bring something new to the table.”

He played an original song, a risky move compared to other contestants’ song selection.

Senior Jackie Minton, on the other hand, had the opposite approach.

voice 2.

Students choose the winner of Martin Idol 1.Senior Syn’tia Riggins performs in finals.

2. Senior Austin Hudson hypes up the crowd after his performance.

3. Senior Bailey 3. Graham performs in preliminary.

4. Senior Jackie Minton plays gutair to accompany her performance.

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“When I pick a song, I try to choose something that people will recognize, because people like hearing songs they know,” Minton said.

Contestants had varying opinions on who the top competitors were, and with so many attributes to consider, judges and students alike seemed to have their work cut out for them.

“Of course everyone is amazing,” Minton said. “But Bailey Graham has great stage presence and Brooks Knapton’s voice is out of this world.”

With so many talented musicians, contestants’ nerves seemed to be on edge.

“Everyone gets nervous,” Graham said. “You just learn to push past it, but I was really excited to see what people like and don’t like, and since this is the career path I want to do. To me, it was not about placement.

All I really cared about was performing two great shows.”

But contestants are not the only ones who faced challenges in this process.

Coup staffers underwent several weeks of preparation to pull off a show of this caliber

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Photos by Bailey Lewis

smoothly.

“A lot of preparation went into this,” Coup editor-in-chief, senior Anna Rogers said. “We start planning two months out.

A lot of organization and planning is involved.”

Fortunately, Lit Mag was not alone in trying to run this show.

“We have really amazing theatre people who help us as stage hands with lights and acoustics,” Beauford said.

Just as critical as volunteers, was logical advertising.

“Marketing was especially important,” Rogers said. “It would be kind of pointless to plan a fundraiser and have no one come. This is how we keep our magazine running.”

With publication costs of nearly $4000, this fundraiser served to keep the price of the Literary magazine down to $20 per issue.

“Lit Mag actually loses money on the books,” Adwell said. “So we hoped that giving students a voice would increase attendance and make this a more fun experience for the audience and and more successful fundraiser for the literary magazine.”

news

All fired up Fire Academy preps students for an explosive career Kyle Desrosiers • News Editor

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here are many opportunities for students in our district to prepare for careers while still in school. One of these is the Fire Academy, a program that is relatively new to the district, but is growing.

The Arlington ISD Fire Academy gives high school students the opportunity to train to become Texas certified firefighters after graduation. This training is free, part of the regular high school graduation plan, and includes both academic and physical training to equip students with the skills they need to save lives after they leave high school.

The academy is a program where students spend the last two years of high school preparing to start early on a career.

“It’s somewhat of a job interview for three years,” senior Ian Moak said. “Starting sophomore year, your training begins, because you have to get ready to try out.”

The program has been in the Arlington ISD for four years, and has had two graduating classes, as the academy has a two year program.

“We typically start with 25 students and by the end of the years, we have about 13 or 14 in the graduating class,” Fire Academy Director, Lt. Randy Fulton said. “Students are not guaranteed a job with the Arlington Fire Department, but are able to become a firefighter anywhere in Texas. However, seven out of our 27 graduates have gotten jobs as firefighters in Arlington.”

To try out for the fire academy, students have to write an essay, go through panel interviews, pass a physical agility

Seniors Ben Reswick and Krista Garza practice CPR on an infant dummy, Jan. 28 at Sam Houston High School. At the Academy, students learn all the practical knowledge they will need to be a firefighter. Photo

by Bailey Lewis

test, and meet certain grades and attendance standards. If accepted, academy students will begin the training that will allow them to pass the National Registry Test to become a firefighter anywhere in the state.

“In the fire academy, we do fire drills, do a lot of book work, and study to get our state skills test that we need to take at the end to get certified,” senior Ben Reswik said. “In the class, they prepare you for a year and a half to take the test.”

For the first year, academy students have specialized classes for three hours a day, which are mostly book work, but after the second semester the trainees begin doing more drills, such as hose pulls and running up stairs. “‘Skills Week’ in June was our first time to do actual fire training,” Moak said. “We got to go up to station 14 and go to the fire simulation building, where we do actual fire training.”

After studying and doing drills for two semesters, the hands-on practice of the fire simulation is one of the favorite and most exciting part of the training.

“Putting out an actual fire was

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really exciting and really difficult,” Moak said. “You have to pull a 150-foot hose that is filled with water. In the building, it was hot, and you have to wear your full uniform, which is about 60 pounds, and you carry a mask, your own air, your tools, and you have to run upstairs.”

On Saturdays, physical workouts, extra drills, and simulations such as this are run, and during the week, Fire Academy students attend classes at Sam Houston on A Days.

“You have certain skills you need to perform, like how to deal with burning buildings, car fires, all kinds of drills you need to know,” Reswik said. “It’s kind of like being in the army – being all official and training all the time and then having to pass the test at the end.”

Academy graduates gain not only a high school diploma, but also a Fire certification and EMT-Basic from the National Registry. They are prepared to enter the workforce with the knowledge they need to be successful. All the firefighters have different sources of motivation, but they share one main goal.

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“I know it sounds a little cheesy,” Moak said. “But I want to be able to save a life one day.”

After they pass the test, they’ll be ready to enter into the real world with the skills they need to make that goal a reality.

“I believe the program gave me an advantage,” 2013 Arlington ISD Fire Academy alumnus Blake Cretsinger said. “It gave me the confidence I needed to succeed in interviews, and it also gave me a chance to prove myself to the fire department at an early age.”

To alumni like Cretsinger, working as a fireman is hard work, but very rewarding.

“The perks of being a fireman are countless,” Cretsinger said.

“I work 10 days a month, the money is great, but best of all, I get to hop on a fire truck every third day and do awesome things.”

The Fire Academy does is not just classes full of information that students will question the usefulness of. It is a program that gives 18 year-olds the chance to enter the world prepared to both save lives and have a successful career.

The Warrior Post Martin High School • Arlington, TX Jarred Osterman Editor-In-Chief Kyle Desrosiers News Editor Bailey Lewis & Tupelo Witte Features Editors Sherilyn Morales Opinions Editor Garrett Elliott Sports Editor Michaelann Durden Entertainment Editor Cameron Skanes Photo Editor Tucker Coble Video Editor

A change in school start time is feasible but complicated The

6:30 a.m. alarms blare as students wake up in time to beat the school bell. School traffic sits bumper-to-bumper and students fill the hallways as they arrive for the day, often before the sun rises.

It has been this way for years, but recently a school board committee was formed in favor of pushing school start times back to 8:30 a.m. or later in Arlington ISD. It is backed by the research done by American Academy of Pediatrics, which found that about 87 percent of high school students do not get enough sleep each night, receiving much less than the recommended 8 ½ to 9 ½ hours per night.

In theory, this sounds like an excellent idea in favor of students’ health. However, a decision in favor of a later start will bring many more concerning changes than just the time.

Staffers: Cailynd Barnes, Allison Beatty, Gabby Benavides, Luke Bishop, Rosa Castaneda, Jireh Davis, Alec Delon, Roberta Flores, Madison Grisham, Emily Hale, Bayan Hammad, PJ Inthanousay, Aisha Iqbal, Binh Le, Kamryn Lefan, Emma Marshall, Kayla Mattox, Gavin McGowan, Josh Parker, Parker Poulos, Kaitlyn Rosenbaum, Jenna Rowe, Caleb Smith, Desy Thompson, Julie Vest, Lexy Walters, Lauren West, Haley Wiley, Christina Williams, Kenzie Woodruff The Warrior Post is the official publication of Matin High School. Opinion coumns don’t represent the opinion of The Warrior Post or of Martin High School. The Warrior Post will not accept advertisements for products not legally available to students.

Extra time removed from the beginning of the school day must be tacked on to the end of it, which can create conflict among the release times of other grade levels. Many high school students pick up and care for younger siblings in elementary and junior high. This will not be feasible if high school is not out of school before elementary and junior high.

In order to accommodate all grade levels, changing the time for high school may provoke a chaotic need to rearrange all grade level start times, which will create a tangled web of new and differing bus schedules.

In addition, many high school students participate in extracurricular and athletic activities after school. With school releasing much later in the day – possibly 4 p.m. or later – many of these activities

People should value their relationships

Tricia Regalado Adviser Marlene Roddy Principal

[staff editorial]

might not end until almost 6 p.m. or later.

This is especially detrimental to students who wish to hold jobs, as the later release time will not allow them to work, participate in extracurricular activities, and complete school work by a reasonable nighttime hour. Although an extra hour in the morning sounds appealing to students’ sleep schedules, pushing everything further back in the day may cause students to stay up later at night in order to complete all of their activities, which can cancel out the benefit intended by introducing a later start in the first place.

Though it sounds beneficial to students, the actual implementation of an 8:30 a.m. or later start may do more harm than good. The school board should consider all the changes that must accompany a later school morning before coming to a final decision.

Michaelann Durden • Entertainment Editor As teenagers, we live our lives

behind a blind perspective.

Friends and teachers have all established relationships with me, and all have influenced me in some way or another.

Yet I have lost sight of how important people are and the values they hold in my life.

There are friends who are meant to spend a lifetime with, and friends to have for a short time. I’ve had all sorts of friends to lean on and to help me throughout high school – friends who have stayed on the phone to let me

cry and rant, made me laugh, and been there for me when I needed it the most. It has been easy to take advantage of their kindness and compassion. It’s not right to only appreciate my friends when I need them to help me out in times of need.

My friends are always there and always deserve appreciation for it. Even when it’s not a rough time, they’re still by my side.

When it comes time to look back on high school, I’ll look back and remember the crazy and not-so-crazy stories with my friends. They have taught me how to treat people I care about, to trust, and to be trusted.

Friends are what makes high school worth showing up for.

In school, there are good and bad teachers, but a majority of them have the same goal: to educate and give people the opportunity to succeed.

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Teachers are some of the most valuable people in life; they’re the only people in life who share knowledge free of charge.

I watch students lose respect for teachers, and it is so frustrating. Students blame teachers for failing and not learning, but most of those students aren’t trying in class.

I can’t decide if people are just too lazy to try, or they can’t accept that someone wants to help them succeed.

You can’t become the Wolf of Wall Street if you never let anyone invest in you.

Every person has value and the relationships that are established throughout life are important. People can’t be taken for granted. No one knows what will happen or when. It only takes a couple of seconds to appreciate the people who we share life with.

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Because I’m

happy

Perception, positivity go a long way in improving emotional health

Allison Beatty • Reporter In this age of instant gratification and stressful environments, it’s easy for someone to lose himself or herself in the anxiety of everyday struggles.

Stress runs rampant in the halls of Martin, as stretched-thin teens desperately try to meet any and all expectations set before them. Many times, students forget themselves – and their emotional health – in the midst of such chaos. They look at themselves and don’t see

themselves as entirely happy.

They try to compare their prosperity to that of others, and it doesn’t work. Why? When I sat down to write this, I was not very happy myself.

At least, I didn’t think I was.

I had diminishing hope for the future, my grades wouldn’t quite stay put, and the second semester stretched out in front of me like an overwhelming battlefield I could see no end to. But I’ve since learned that happiness is more than a countable, measurable thing; it is something that only the beholder can judge.

I came to this euphoric eureka after getting a good grade on a single test and discovered that, by changing this one, measly, insignificant variable, my mood improved. And suddenly, the second semester seemed to be

something I could tackle. Sure, I still struggle with keeping my head up. But I’ve taken on a new, positive attitude, and feel confident that I can handle anything life throws my way.

Everyone already knows that money can’t buy happiness, but I’d like to propose that happiness also can’t ������������� be compared to that of anyone else – not on a remotely level playing field. It is simply an emotion that is designated by the circumstances of your life and how you view them.

Happiness is a choice. That’s not to say that sadness is also a choice, because sometimes, sadness can’t help but be felt.

But when joy is in question, it is a bit more flexible. It signifies that the beholder has found something in life to be optimistic about – maybe an

Nannies aren’t needed

upcoming weekend, or the end of a difficult class project, or the publication of a newspaper.

Life is hard. It’s quite possibly the most difficult thing anyone could ever do. That’s why, in this day and age, peace of mind is coveted. But instead of envying the contentment of others, I challenge our student body to seek out their own felicity.

It’s scientifically proven that the act of smiling can make you happy, even when you aren’t already feeling the emotion. Perhaps this is more recognizable in the popular phrase, “Fake it until you make it.” You can fake it all you want, but without positivity and something to smile about, you’re not going to make it.

So take a deep breath, think of something that makes you happy...and smile.

Juniors should be allowed senior perks like missing testing days

Bailey Lewis • Features Editor

I set my alarm at 6:30 and

get ready, just to sit in a classroom for an hour and a half in a pointless study hall. This is the case for all juniors on Fridays throughout the school year.

Dual credit classes follow the same schedule as TCC – meaning we only have class two times a week – so we’re left with an extra day every other week. As a junior, I have

to sit in a study hall, while seniors do not have to show up to their dual credit classes on the extra day.

As a dual credit student, I was required to pay for my class, and I am required to do the coursework of a college class.

But I don’t get the perk of being excused from school on that extra day, while seniors do.

These extra dual credit study halls are not the only times students are on campus with no learning to do.

This also occurs on STAAR testing days, when juniors must come and sit in classrooms while underclassmen are testing.

Making students remain in a room for four hours while the rest of the student body is

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testing is a much bigger hassle than a benefit. We’re placed in rooms by last names and expected to stay quiet and find something to do.

During these times we don’t even have the opportunity to go to teachers and get help with our homework because they’re often administering tests or not in their rooms.

At a certain point, it becomes more of a distraction to have students at school when there isn’t a purpose for them being there. A prime example of this is on the final exam days.

Juniors and seniors can earn exemptions, but are still required to be present in the classroom while those who are not exempt take the final.

Some teachers separate the

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students who have to take the test from the ones who don’t.

Even so, extra kids in the room can still be distracting to the test takers.

The school district could run attendance like Mansfield ISD, in which juniors’ and seniors’ parents call in to their attendance counselor to excuse them from Friday study halls.

We could do the same for STAAR testing days.

The district should reconsider these days and whether these students should or should not be required to be at school. It would take away some of the hassle of “babysitting” us.

If it’s not benefiting the students to be at school, it’s wasting our time that could be better spent in other ways.

What it’s like being BLACK in 2015

Jireh Davis • Reporter

In today’s society, it almost seems like a crime to just be black. But then again, how can it be a crime to be exactly who you are and how you were made? Ever since the slave trade in the 1600s, it has seemed to be such a … burden to be black. Even with such a vibrant, creative and intelligent culture, society has done nothing but degrade a whole race of people.

Many changes have taken place since then: slavery was abolished, the Jim Crow laws have been enacted and repealed, and racial discrimination is illegal. But more than 400 years later, has that much truly changed? If you say yes, why are so many people getting blatantly exposed to racism?

In a recent movie I saw called Selma, a young, black male was shot in cold blood by a policeman after leaving a riot caused by a peaceful protest. For a fleeting moment I couldn’t remember if what I was seeing was from 1965 or nearly 50 years later in 2015, because what I saw looked like mirror images to me.

In the recent news, you’ve seen multiple news reports about young, black men getting shot, many times for no reason.

What makes matters worse is that these people, those who shoot and kill these young men, do not get indicted for their crime, but walk away

punishment-free.

I am not the only one who finds this concerning in today’s world. It is no secret that there is a large discrepancy in how people of different races are treated. According to my friends and many other black students, they realize that they are perceived as less than others, with fear that they will wrongfully profiled. Boys who could be your friends, or who look like the ones you walk these very hallways with are getting shot left and right and are told to “not to look for racism where there isn’t any,” by people who don’t have the slightest clue what racism actually looks like.

The older generation of black Americans, like my very own father, were bussed from black schools to white schools, being the very first to integrate schools. They went through so much to be able to integrate schools, and it’s odd that today, sometimes it seems as though we’re still segregated. Here at Martin, a large percentage of our black population sits in the cafeteria at lunch, and that’s all you see in there. Even though we don’t mean to, we are kind of racially segregated here.

According to my dad, he had to fight at school every single day. One day in particular, he got to his bus and the tires were slashed. When they walked to town there was a group of angry, racist white people waiting for them. Adults and kids alike were there to fight them over desegregation. After all they did, to give us a better life, we still seem to be a little segregated.

That was back in the early 1960s, but again as many steps as we’ve taken forward, we are nowhere near where we should be. Back then, when you walked into detention, you saw

mostly black kids. They would send black kids to detention for anything. They had to be better than the average kid at that school, simply because they wouldn’t put up with as much from black kids. And they could act as good as they could and still got detention sometimes, according to my dad.

That sounds familiar. Let’s talk about OCS, Choices, and alternative schools. If we’re being honest with ourselves, we know that if we were to walk into that OCS room, right now, we would see a very predominant group of people: mostly minority males. I’m sure the reasoning would be that they were breaking the rules more often than normal, but who’s to say that’s it? Who is to say that it actually isn’t just the fact that we get chastised more often, or that adults don’t take as much from a black kid?

My sister who lives in Bentonville, Arkansas, is often subjected to racism and ostracized way too often for it to be 2015. According to my sister, she can walk into a restaurant – any restaurant – and get stared at from the moment she walks in until the moment she leaves. How unfortunate it is, for a young, black girl to have to deal with such things, just because of the color of her skin. My personal experiences are very similar, yet less obvious. Sometimes I will walk into a store and get looked at like I do not deserve to be there, or like I cannot afford what is in that store.

Some may think I’m just being too sensitive, but when this is the life you live, you can never be too sensitive.

When I was young and naive, hearing, “Well, Jireh, you don’t act black,” was the biggest compliment. I didn’t want to be the stereotypical black girl. I didn’t

21

want to be seen the same way most blacks were viewed in the media or on television, because I was nothing like them. But now, hearing someone say that is the biggest insult.

For the longest time, I’ve let my non-black friends talk about my race however they wanted to, because, well, I wasn’t “one of them.” I was different than them, but now I realize that I am not all that different. The same people they were talking about were my cousins, aunts, and uncles. They weren’t talking about my family, but then again they were.

Unfortunately, another harsh reality of being black is the criticism you will sometimes get from those of your very own race. Ever since he was little he got made fun of for the way he acted, black kids said he acted too white and white kids said he didn’t act black enough, according to Coach Odom. In my own personal experience, I befriended a young black girl in sixth grade, she was probably one of my first black friends there and someone told me that since I was hanging out with a black girl that I was “finally learning my color.” Oftentimes, you’re too white for the black kids, yet too black for the white kids. Within that stereotype, it’s hard to find where you fit in, often only identifying with one color or the other rather than identifying with people emotionally.

Being at a predominantly white school, I hope most of you reading this will open your eyes, and understand that racism is alive and well. I hope that we will not continue to sweep it under the rug and act like it doesn’t exist. That just won’t work anymore. Being black in 2015 is not simple or easy, but being black is such an honor.

opinions

My Crohn’s journey Cailynd Barnes • Reporter On Oct. 16 I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. The symptoms began in July but didn’t raise concern until August. We decided it was time to go to the doctor and start getting things figured out. I think the worst part of all of this was not knowing. I felt better when I knew what was going on inside me, but until then it was always on my mind eating at me and making life harder than it

already was. Crohn’s is an autoimmune disease where the immune system creates too much of a certain protein and the access of it begins to attack good tissue and organs by forming ulcers. I didn’t really have the words to explain what I felt like, so telling her was a challenge. Along with telling my mom, I had to tell a doctor that I had never met before.

Throughout this whole process I had moments of feeling like I was making it up. I was constantly told that if I have faith I will be healed. I knew this was true, but at the same time it made me nervous about my procedure and what the outcome was going to be.

I wasn’t sure what was going on and felt very scared that if it wasn’t something that could be easily figured out, then it

would be a very long cycle of not knowing and feeling terrible constantly.

When most people are sick they look like they are sick.

I started noticing I was sick I could only feel it. Other times I had been sick there had been something to show I was sick externally.

This time it was internal and hard to explain. I have days where you can tell that I am nauseated or I am super tired from the constant fatigue, but most of the time I look like a healthy 16 year-old-boy.

Just because someone looks fine on the outside doesn’t mean they are on the inside.

The pain someone feels doesn’t have to be visible to everyone.

When someone is insensitive, it affects how people see themselves. Instead of a diagnosis,

people begin to view their illness as something made up. I remember being told I talked about what was happening too much, but that was how I dealt with what was in front of me.

It is not right if student who misses school for not feeling well is scolded or told that they were just too tired to go to school. These students may begin to feel like their illness is more of a problem, when in reality they just want to feel normal.

People don’t understand how their words affect people.

Sometimes you have to look deeper into the person and think about what they may be going through. Something that doesn’t seem offensive can really hurt someone, especially if you don’t know that they are sick.

Accepting criticism can be your biggest strength

Tupelo Witte • Features Editor During one of my many volleyball practices, I was told to “get on the line” after getting yelled at for messing up a control-based drill. My coach critiqued me, and all I could do to hold in my anger was get to the line and prepare for the sprint as fast as I could. I attempted taking it as constructive criticism and after my consequence, I prepared to try the drill again, but found that taking criticism as a teen is much harder than it seems when I messed up multiple times after that as well.

As high school students, no

one likes to be told they are wrong, especially by a peer.

Taking criticism is something that we have never truly been taught in a class, yet some have obtained the skill by being in extracurricular activities such as theater, choir and journalism.

With my experience from choir, it sounds strange hearing one of the directors or student leaders giving a piece of advice, sometimes criticism, and an echo of “Thank you” following immediately after. But this is what we have picked up through the years, and it is said with respect for our directors.

The theater program holds criticism in high regard. They have learned to take any kind of criticism as constructive criticism, and to soak it up to become better at anything they are doing, from acting, to directing, to painting sets.

The first place to start is to

opinions

get a grasp at understanding that criticism is not to be taken personally, which is the main struggle for most. When it begins to feel too personal and offensive, try to detach the criticism from yourself.

Another step is to ask yourself what part of the criticism is going to be helpful to you. Around this time is most likely when you say, “Thank you,” or, “Oh okay, that does make sense,” and consider it, because if you stop to think about it, some of the things these critiques are telling you may help you.

Trying to put the criticism in your own words can sometimes be the best way to take it. Listening to yourself is easier than listening to someone else.

Personally, the greatest way for me is to fix my attitude.

Taking criticism with open ears and being ready to fix what the directors, peers, teachers

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or parents are asking me to do makes me want to do it.

Accepting criticism isn’t just a skill needed in high school and during the teen years, but one that can be used for the rest of our lives, and in the long run, will make us all better people.

As you take criticism positively and remain respectful to the critic, respect is being gained back for you.

As for being the one in the position to give criticism, remember how it feels to be critiqued and aim more for being positive and constructive. Give pointers that you know the person can take in and understand.

Hearing your weakness and being able to attack it politely is the biggest strength someone can have, but keeping an open mind, along with ears open to suggestions, can be the most beneficial way to accomplishing great work.

#KillAllStereotypes Muslim stereotyping continues with hashtag ”#KillAllMuslims”

Haley Wiley • Reporter

T

he Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks created rage at Osama bin Laden, and in addition, the entirety of Islam - one of the world’s most misunderstood religions. Many misconceptions have been spread about Islam. Stereotypes of Muslims and Arabs in the United States have been present through many forms of society, including economics, politics, biased media, and social media platforms such as Twitter.

The Twitter hashtag #KillAllMuslims spiked in numbers in January after the Charlie Hebdo attacks. According to the BBC, about 100,000 tweets contain this shocking message. Hebdo was shot and killed by Islamic Radicals Jan. 7 in France.

“I wasn’t surprised to see a hashtag like that,” Muslim junior Lina Nachawati said. “It makes me feel frustrated but I’m not shocked that it happened. I expect it. It made me really sad and it broke my heart to see that. Not all Muslims are bad people.”

Just as there are extremists in many religions, there are extremists in the Islamic religion, as well. Muslims are people who practice the religion of Islam. Some people view all of Muslim people as cruel, evil, and promoters of violence and terrorism. But this is simply untrue.

“When I was in sixth grade, Osama bin Laden was killed, and my dad told me that if anyone said anything to me

at school about it, just don’t pay attention to it,” Muslim sophomore Bayan Hammad said. “I was like, ‘What do you mean? We’re all happy.

We’re all on the same team.’

That day when I went back to school, people were making jokes. They were saying things to me me like, ‘I bet you’re so sad Bin Laden is dead.’ And, ‘Is Osama Bin Laden your father?’

I was confused. Of course I was happy he’s dead. Thousands of lives were lost on Sept. 11, 2001. I have no respect for him.”

The sacred book of Islam is the Qur’an, and in it, is the code for Muslims to live a rewarding life by the commandments of Allah, which is the Arabic word for God. The Qur’an is often perceived as violent, although it clearly indicates the seriousness of killing an innocent person, and emphasizes the value of human life.

“If anyone murders an (innocent) person, it will be as if he has murdered the whole of humanity. And if anyone saves a person it will be as if he has saved the whole of humanity.”

(Qur’an 5:32) “Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors.”

(Qur’an 2:190) “Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes – from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those

“It made me really sad and it broke my heart to see that.

Not all Muslims are bad people.” who act justly.”

(Qur’an 60:8) After reading these verses, how can Islam and all of its followers be blamed for acts committed by terrorists?

“I once had a non-Muslim friend ask me to get him a copy of the Qur’an ������������������������� that was translated into English because he was tired of his parents talking bad about Muslims and Arabs, so he wanted to read it and actually understand and learn what my religion is about,” Nachawati said. “He said it was beautiful.”

Another common misconception is that all Arabs are Muslim. Arabs are people who speak Arabic as their native language. According to the website Listverse, a vast majority of Arabs are Muslims (75 percent), but there are many other religions that Arabs practice including Christianity and Judaism.

“A lot of people think that all

23

Arabs are Muslims, but that’s not true,” Muslim freshman Ahmed Selod said. “Tons of Arabs practice religions like Christianity.”

Many Muslims have said they are often criticized directly to their face simply because they are Muslim.

“I went to this convention center like a week ago, and random people were telling me and my family that Muslims are terrorists and we should get kicked out of this country,” Sel���� od said. “My sister was crying, and it was just bad to see.”

Many students think that stereotypes must be put to an end. Instead of listening to 10 minutes of news coverage showing only the ugly side of Islam and that people should educate themselves on the very distinct difference between Islamic extremists, and people who simply practice the religion of Islam.

features

Kickin’ it old school Coaches talk about what led them back to the Martin athletic program

Garrett Elliott • Sports Editor Lexy Walters • Reporter

Reagan Tuel

Class of 2006 Volleyball Coach and Assistant Head Basketball Coach Played volleyball at UTA What sports did you play at Martin?

Volleyball What awards did you receive and what records did you set?

We won state senior year, and I had the highest kill percentage on the team.

What made you want to come back and coach at Martin?

I had an awesome experience at Martin and my husband played football here. I played volleyball and I knew I always wanted to come back here.

What is the best part about coaching at Martin?

I love the kids. They’re so determined and committed and we have really good booster programs to help us fund whatever we need.

Right side hitter Reagan Tuel attacks the ball to earn a point for the Warriors.

sports

Alex Mil s

Class of 2010 Defensive Coach and Co-strength and conditioning coordinator Played college football at Southern Arkansas University What sports did you play at Martin?

I played Football and ran track.

Did you receive any awards in High School?

In football I was first team All District junior and senior year, senior year second team All State.

What position did you play in High School?

Played defensive line and linebacker.

What made you want to come back and coach at Martin?

I always wanted to be a coach, and Coach Wager gave me an opportunity.

What is the best thing about coaching at Martin?

The best thing about coaching is impacting the players.

Linebacker Alex Mills prepares for the next play.

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Adley Eshraghipour

Class of 2007 Defensive Line Coach/ Co-Strength Conditioning Coordinator Played football at Texas State, team captain for three years, and Honorable Mention All-Conference What sports did you play at Martin High School?

Football, track and wrestling.

Did you receive any awards or set any records? Did you have any leadership roles?

Awards in football at Martin: All District offensive Line, leadership council member.

What made you want to come back and coach at Martin?

There is not a better place to come. My mentor is here.

What is the best part about coaching at Martin?

Kids haven’t changed at all. They work hard and our staff is great. It’s just overall a great school.

Lineman Adley Eshraghipour (number 74) gets ready to longsnap during a game against Arlington High.

Brooke Brittain Mike Roberts Head Girls Basketball Coach Class of 2000 What sports did you play at Martin?

Basketball, track, and volleyball freshman year Did you receive any awards?

Outstanding field eventer Where did you play in college?

Sterling College then Army, then continued to play at UT Dallas What leadership roles did you have at Martin?

Leader of FCA What made you want to come back and coach at Martin?

I love this school. I just remembered how much it is home. It’s a big community where you have a lot of different ways that you can make impact, so I really like the ability that we’re a large community but still have that family feel and supportive of each other. You have great leaders like Coach Wager who are amazing to work under.

What is the best part about coaching at Martin?

It’s such an inspirational environment with the staff that I get to work with and the kids that I get to work with. They’re so well rounded and such unique individuals. It really is a neat place – just the enthusiasm. For me, personally, my niece and nephew are in feeder schools to Martin and they look forward to going to the games.

Freshman Head Coach/ Offensive Coordinator Class of 2008 At Martin what sports did you play?

Football, track, and basketball freshman year During your time at Martin did you have any leadership roles or win any awards?

I was a part of the Football Leadership Council, 2nd Team All-District Safety, and Academic All State.

Did you play in college?

I walked on for one year at Texas State University.

What made you want to come back and coach at Martin?

The Coaching Staff and the shared suffering built while in the program.

What’s the best part about coaching at Martin?

The best part about coaching at Martin is understanding exactly what the football players are going through and being able to relate to them. I get to build that same bond that I had with my coaches and understand how big of an influence I can be in their lives. It is amazing to see what most of the football players can accomplish in such a short amount of time, and getting to experience it with them is the most rewarding part.

Tim Mays

Head Special Teams/Tight End Coach and Head Boy’s Track Coach Class of 1997 Played college football at Stephen F. Austin University What sports did you play at Martin?

Football, baseball and track Did you receive any awards or set any records here at Martin?

I was a football captain senior year, first team to win district in 1996, district defensive MVP. What made you want to come back and coach at Martin?

I enjoyed the game of football and decided I wanted to coach. Martin is a great place to be.

What is the best part about coaching at Martin?

Martin is full of great kids. Not only athletes, they are great kids who enjoy coming to school and being part of an athletic program.

Tim Mays (number 47) makes a tackle.

Other faculty who are Martin graduates:

Brooke Brittain poses with 1999 Lady Warrior Varsity basketball team.

Defensive Back Mike Roberts (number 48) strips the ball from the Arlington High ball carrier.

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•Betsy Clark •Nate Hawthorn •Bronwyn Kaminski •Geneice Mayeaux •Bennett Mitchell •Chris Proctor sports

Hungry for success Softball plans to sweep district again Josh Parker • Reporter In a sport that plays as many tournaments and games as softball does, going undefeated in district can be hard. But the Lady Warrior softball team was able to do it last year.

They went 14-0. And they beat district rival Weatherford twice.

Last season, sophomore Lacy Mann pitched two perfect games and one no-hitter, helping them make their 14-0 run in district.

Two years ago, the softball team won district, but had to share it with Weatherford High School, making them Co-district champs.

Last year with the Lady War-

riors’ perfect 14-0 in district, they easily won their district out right. This year they plan on sweeping district again.

During district play, the team gets to play each school in their district twice. Seniors Anna O’Connor and Victoria Jetton said they both love playing top rival Weatherford.

“The competition of Weatherford is really good,” head softball coach Cathy Rudy said.

So far, the Lady Warriors have just scrimmaged different teams. The Lady Warriors kicked off their season Feb. 10 with a double-header 4 to 1 win against Plano West and a 2 to 1 loss to Rockwall.

“Our season is looking pret-

Freshman Nissy Lechuga works on her swing during practice.

The team members said they hope to repeat their 14-0 season from last year. Photo

by Desy Thompson

ty good considering we have played state-ranked and beat them, or at least put up a good fight with them,” Jetton said.

The team plays all their games at the Workman Junior High School fields.

“The way that they’re working right now, they’re on their

way to another 14-0 season,” Rudy said. “This year’s team is hungry for success.”

“Coach Rudy always says, ‘Do it wrong, do it long. Do it right, do it light,’” Jetton said.

“So we practice good form and good footwork to save us in the long run.”

Happiness Starts Here…

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Dynamic duo Julie Vest • Reporter Martin’s varsity soccer team is known for its dedication and motivation, but that motivation doesn’t come from thin air.

Seniors Andre Anasi and Zachary Riley, team captains, lead the team and encourage them to always work hard toward a common goal and fighting for it.

Anasi and Riley lead by example, showing their teammates how they need to act and react to be the best athletes they can be.

“We try to come every day with a positive attitude like we want to be here,” Riley said.

“Every day is not gonna be an easy day.”

The dedication and strong will of the soccer team motivates and pushes them through struggles to reach their goals.

“We come in here ready to work,” varsity soccer coach Brady Cagle said. “Whatever’s

going on outside, whether it’s family problems or, you know, lost lunch money, as soon as we get in the weight room, we’re gonna flip the switch and it’s time to work.”

The work Anasi and Riley put into leadership results in the team having a record of 6-1 and an undefeated district record.

Anasi and Riley work as a team within the team. Their strong bond allows them to combine their skills to guide their team to success.

“Since we’re friends off the field, it’s not so hard to see on the field how to work together,” Riley said.

Anasi and Riley’s teammates respond well to their leadership.

“They’re a good group,” Anasi said. “Everyone wants to learn, whether it’s from one of us or an adult.”

Anasi and Riley were selected by their teammates to be team captains because of the respect

Senior soccer captains Andre Anasi and Zachary Riley prepare to lead the varsity team to victory in their last season

they’ve won.

“They control everything,” Cagle said. “The kids look up to them and respect them.

Captains take control of everything on the field where I can’t call a timeout, when it’s continuous play.”

“Having them lead us makes everybody feel better because everybody likes them, so there’s really no problems on the team,” senior Darrien Murphy said. “When we’re in practice and people are messing around, they’re the ones to normally get everyone on track because everybody listens to them. They’re serious about it, so they pay more attention when they say it.”

In addition to their own friendship, Anasi and Riley have strong connections with their other teammates.

“We’re like brothers,” Riley said. “I love all of them like I love my family. I see them

every day, more than I see my family.”

“I came to Martin three years ago, and it’s the seniors now who completely bought into my vision,” Cagle said. “It’ll be tough when they leave because they’ve set the foundation for the program.”

Though Anasi and Riley have already led their team to great things, they continue to work toward goals for the team.

“Hopefully we’ll get to lead them to district,” Riley said.

“District title, and maybe a state championship.”

Cagle said he has high hopes for this year’s team to win the state championship.

“Everyone’s goals are the same: to win the state championship,” Cagle said.

“With this group, the team chemistry and unity, I think we’ll get further than what we did last year and hopefully get to play in Georgetown.”

Left: Senior Zach Riley sprints to get the ball during the Martin vs.

Bowie varsity boys’ soccer game on Friday, Feb. 6. Photo by Cammi Skanes Right: Senior Andre Anasi chests the ball against Bowie High School on Friday, Feb. 6, with Martin winning 3-0. Photo

by Cammi Skanes

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sports

How to lose a

girl/guy

in 5 ways

Want a lasting relationship? Avoid these dating pitfalls

Caleb Smith • Reporter Girls, do you want to be less annoying? Do you want a better relationship with your man?

Read these five things to find out how you’re ticking your guy off.

1. Girls can be overly dramatic.

Guys don’t like it when girls are extremely dramatic. Making a big deal out of everything, especially little things, is not attractive.

Just because you got home late from the movies with your friends and didn’t tell her goodnight doesn’t give a girl the right to go off on you.

2. Girls can be indecisive.

Where do you want to go eat?

“I don’t know.” This can be the most annoying thing to come out of a girl’s mouth. Driving around for 30 minutes looking for a place to eat doesn’t fill my stomach, you know what I mean?

Girls can be ambivalent in many ways. For example, deciding what to wear and then changing their outfit 50 times before going out with their friends is frustrating.

3. Girls can blow things out of proportion.

Girls tend to be quick to judge solely based off of what they

think, and not by listening to the other side of the story. They can be very judgemental and assume things based off of prior knowledge. This is also known as “guilt-tripping.”

A little word of advice, fellas: If a girl keeps assuming things, ask her these three words: “Are you done?”

It works like a charm.

4. Girls can take too long to get ready.

When a guy tells a girl that he will pick her up in five minutes, he does not mean, “I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”

A guy might pull up to a girl’s house and text her to ask if she is ready, and she will respond “almost,” but it really takes 30 minutes. Guys can become impatient.

5. Girls can stalk other people.

“Who is this?” “Why did she like your Instagram picture?”

“Do you text her?” Girls can be very sneaky, and they like to creep on other girls, especially if she finds your ex-girlfriend on social media. Guys don’t appreciate everything being secretly monitored by her.

Listen, ladies. If you want to find a hunk of a guy like Zac Efron listen to my advice.

Don’t be clingy, dramatic, indecisive, or Instagram creepy.

Guys want to know their girl is cool, and isn’t secretly freaking out about something in their minds. So put down the phone, leave my crazy ex alone. (She has her cats to keep her company.) Really think and evaluate the situation before blowing up. And just pick a place to eat, for goodness sakes.

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Madison Grisham • Reporter Guys, do you ever want to know what you’re doing wrong? Why is your lady friend so mad to you?

Figure it out with theses five things that annoy girls.

1. Don’t tell me to “calm down.”

This won’t calm me down, but it will make me more upset. There isn’t anything I hate more than being told to “calm down.”

Stay away from this suggestion. Better yet, never utter the words “calm down” if you know what is good for you. The opposite will happen when you say this.

2. Don’t be clingy.

I don’t want to be suffocated with your love. We like being wanted, but don’t go crazy. We need some days apart to be with our friends.

Try going to lunch with your significant other three times a week. The other two, hang out with your friends. On the weekend go on a date night, then hangout with your family on Sunday.

Too much togetherness is never a good thing. You’ll grow annoyed and irritated with your “bae.” And nobody wants an awkward fight due to love suffocation. Space is a good thing.

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3. I hate being just called “woman.”

We have a name. Use it, please. I can’t express this enough. It is a huge no-no. Call us by our names.

What sounds better, “Woman, turn up the TV!” or “Susie, can you please turn the TV up”? The answer is clear. It’s a respect thing. Call your girl “woman” and you might end up woman-less and sad. You don’t want that.

4. When I try really hard to look pretty, notice.

If I put effort forward, please notice. It is so great to be nicely complimented, and when I say nicely I don’t mean, “Susie you are so hot.” Say, “Susie, you are the most beautiful and magnificent thing my eyes have ever seen.”

Words like beautiful and pretty will get you a lot further than hot or sexy. Always take notice when your girl goes the extra mile to look nice.

5. Pay attention when I talk to you.

Pause GTA, look at me and listen. It is so rude to be talking and all you’re doing is playing your video games. We want your undivided attention.

It shows us that you really care about our feelings and what we have to say.

And watch your body language. Make it seem like you want to listen. Keep your chest open. Don’t cross your arms, or it seems as if you’re annoyed.

For some girls it’s really hard to open up about certain things, so when we do talk make sure you’re there physically and mentally. Everyone wants to be heard, so listen.

Home lives vs homework

Teachers need to consider that students’ lives at home sometimes interfere with their ability to focus on school work

Desy Thompson • Reporter Many students experience hard nights, and one of the last things on their minds is school. The day after one of these nights, they must go to class, which usually results in them attempting to drown out the current lesson the teacher is teaching the class.

How do teachers expect

a student to concentrate on logarithm notes when their parents are screaming at each other every night, and they’re up late wondering if they should leave home? Adding numbers and annotating chapters are the last priority when a student is more concerned with hiding the scars and bruises from the nights before.

Teachers should take into consideration that sometimes their students go through something traumatic in their lives, and school may not even cross their mind in that moment.

Though many teenagers would not like for teachers to insist knowing what’s wrong, sometimes just offering a helping hand, or being someone

to talk to could strengthen the relationship between the student and teacher, allowing a more comfortable and productive learning environment.

If students do discuss what is distracting them, teachers should not belittle their issues.

Everyone has different limits on what they can handle. When a teacher acts as if the student’s problems are nothing, the student becomes frustrated and feels minimized.

Sometimes students are able to act like they are focused on the lesson, even though inside they feel as if they are falling apart. Hard situations outside of class can affect the students academically.

Grades are proof of how much the student is absorbing. If grades are

dropping, instead of ignoring that, a teacher should ask them after class or email them offering help.

There are many teachers who genuinely care for each of their students. It’s a lot easier going to a teacher for help if this is the case, and you know they will be of help.

Showing that you care for the student simply by asking how they are and if they would like to talk is enough. Even if the student doesn’t want to talk about what’s going on, the fact that you wanted to see how they were doing goes a long way.

This can improve the teacherstudent relationship, as well as grades. It also makes for a better learning environment for everyone.

Choose your influence

It is our responsibility to make the right decisions and surround ourselves with the right people

Roberta Flores • Reporter As a kid, your parents set up playdates ��������������������������� with other classmates of yours, and they usually chose the friends you had.

They encouraged you to make friends with people they know you liked and who would be good influences on you.

Now that you are older, it is time for you to choose who you want to spend your time with, in and out of school.

Your peers influence you with

the clothes they wear, their attitudes, and their actions. It can be challenging to choose the right people to have in your life, but in the end you are the only person who makes the decisions in your life.

Growing up, my friends played a large role in my life.

Every day I made big and little decisions with them.

Sometimes they can be lifechanging in both good and bad ways.

When I started high school, I was very scared. It was my first year in a public school and I did not know anyone there, nor did I know where to go or who to talk to.

My first day, I made a lot of friends and I started feeling more confident in myself by the way they opened up to me.

Throughout the years my friendships have changed as I lost and gained more friendships.

But by my senior year, I learned that I need to make decisions for myself and in order for that to happen, I needed the confidence I did not have in the beginning and I thank my friends everyday for it.

Peer pressure can have a bad influence on your life.

You could be pressured into many uncomfortable situations like shoplifting, doing drugs, or even sneaking out at night to a party you know you wouldn’t be allowed to go to.

I believe most of the time, people are pressured into doing things others are doing just to be a part of it all.

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Someone with a low selfconfidence is more likely to follow, rather than lead a group.

They want to see how their peers do things, so they can avoid feeling uncomfortable around them.

However, peer pressure can also impact someone’s life in a positive way.

Having peers who are fully committed to doing well in school, sports, or an organization can influence you to be more goal-oriented.

Now that you’re in high school, you are now figuring out who you are, what you are good at, your interests and responsibilities you will now have to cover.

When you go to college, you will still be making decisions in situations you face.

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Day at the museum Teen programs at the Dallas Museum of Art offer unique experiences Emma Marshall • Reporter Art museums are so often seen as dark, dank, dusty places filled with senior citizens puttering around on motorized scooters and dozing in front of dull, still-lifes and monotone landscapes, but the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) has something brewing. The DMA has many interesting teen programs and there are many more to come.

One of these programs is Urban Armor, a program where teenagers learn to make art in new and interesting ways.

“Urban Armour is really art focused so we try to focus on any new techniques, or the artistic process,” DMN Coordinator of Family Experiences Juan Bigornia said. “And we hopefully try to go and look at works of art and look more closely at them and relate them to maybe our personal live or what were doing in the class.”

Urban Armor is a once monthly workshop. It runs on a register-and-show basis. The program often includes a guest artist and a short walk through the galleries.

In the past there have been programs focusing on screen printing, photography, skateboard design, and even one designing a vinyl toy. While

Urban Armour focuses on art, Maker Club is for those who are interested in technology.

“Maker Club is really about how art and science can complement each other, so it’s using art materials and tech-based materials and seeing how the two can interact and inform each other,” Bigornia said.

Maker Club is also a oncemonthly workshop. It is a dropin type program. This program works with different bits of technology such as LEDs and speakers, and how they can be built into art projects, as well as programs involving sound design and 3D modeling techniques.

In the summer, the DMA also provides service hours through their teen docent program.

“We have a teen docent program and that is a program for high school students in the summer where they can participate in leading tours for visitors,” Bigornia said. “Mostly families and also working on special classes like a summer art camps and preschool classes.”

The teen docent program allows for interactions with galleries and families and other teenagers. It’s also a good way to build a relationship with the museum. Email jrose@DMA. org to get on the waiting list.

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The DMA is also working with the Perot Museum of Nature and Science on a program a program called the Teen Advisory Council.

“The Teen Council is really helping us to plan and design an out-of-school learning space for teens,” Bigornia said. “It would be a space for exploring interests in art and science and how those two can connect with one another. Right now the Teen Council is working with us on prototype programs for the space.”

While the Teen Council is not currently taking applicants, it will be again around the end of next year. However, the Teen Council is working on many community outreach projects.

“Last year, they participated in the Dallas City of Learning initiative with Big Thought,” Bigornia said. “They planned and facilitated a community art project at different sites throughout the city, and they asked people to respond to the question my Dallas is blank.”

They also work on large-scale art projects with a scientific twist.

“They also worked with an

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Top: Mural designed by Teen council and Brittany Ransom at the Perot Museum Left: Screen print design done at Urban Armor class

artist named Brittany Ransom to create a large-scale mural for the Perot museum and it was using these homemade microscopes that Brittany helped them create and it was really about bringing light to the beauty of the microscopic world and the mural was up from July until October of last year,” Bigornia said.

The DMA Perot Teen Advisory Council is also working on a teen-themed late night, on the third Friday of every month, when the museum stays open until around 1 a.m. It includes a creativity challenge, an art activity for visitors, and a performance or two.

Spring Break free You can either sit at home and binge-watch 3 series in your Netflix watch queue . . or you can go on an awesome road trip with a few friends

Palo Duro Canyon Park

Jarred Osterman • Editor-in-Chief

Possum Kingdom

These cabins hold four to eight people, depending upon which cabin you choose. But they still are relatively inexpensive. This is the closer of the two cabins and cost $100 a night.

If you’re looking for a road trip, the five-hour drive to these cabins is the trip for you. These hold up to four people and are $125 a night.

With Spring Break coming up, something that always sounds like a fun time are road trips. You always see the movies where a group of teenagers go on a road trip adventure and it turns out to be a fun-filled trip and everyone comes out more bonded than they were when they hit the road. Senior year is coming to an end and this is the year that you should go on a road trip adventure with your best friends, and create your own twist on the feel-good movie we all know and love.

I chose these places because they were relatively inexpensive and for Fossil Rim you can go to their website to see all the coupons or special deals that they have going on.

Since many hotels require you to be 21 to get a room, we looked for campsites with cabins. Here are two overnight camps that hold four to eight people per cabin at reasonable prices. If your parents aren’t a big fan of sending you away to camp, Fossil Rim is the third option, cause who wouldn’t want to see wild animals and not have to drive too far?

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Fossil Rim

With Fossil Rim being pretty close and not having to spend the night, this makes the perfect day trip.

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