THE CRIMSON CONNECTION
RUNNING TO ROCKY TOP Sebastian Cooper’ s
March 2019
trek to Tennessee
PROM A BUDGET 5 ways ON to save for the big night
XPLOR YOUR OPTIONS the message behind the xplor movement
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Wildcats, it’s been an insane past four years, and I’m forever grateful to have spent the majority of my time, tears, and excitement in the journalism room. And it’s even crazier to think that I was placed in the Journalism 1 class by accident in my freshman year, and I was too lazy to go to the counselor’s to change my schedule. My past laziness ended up revolutionizing my high school experience, and journalism has been the center of my life ever since. With that being said, if you love writing, photography, sports, music, or are interested in graphic design, I strongly urge you to get involved in the Cy Woods journalism program. No other program has given me the opportunity to expand as a writer, photographer, and designer. It’s so rewarding seeing other students excited to read my work, and I love highlighting our Wildcat’s dominance in everything from culinary to engineering to soccer. I hope you all enjoy one of my last issues as editor-in-chief.
FROM,
STAFF EDITORIAL BOARD
Editor-In-Chief Sarah Wheeler Business Manager Ella Pulido Co-Online Editor Erin Ellis Co-Online Editor Caroline Stiff Photo Editor Paige Romig Copy Editor Daphne Tett
STAFF REPORTERS Junior Jerah Bevill Senior Aaron Blevins Senior Madison Friedhoff Sophomore Cooper Griffin Sophomore Justin Paez Sophomore Kaitlyn Orman Senior Sara Zaki
STAFF SOUNDTRACK
THE TUNES BEHIND THE MAKING OF THIS MAGAZINE Business Manager Ella Pulido listened to The Greatest Showman Soundtrack while working on this issue. Editor-In-Chief Sarah Wheeler listened to Little Dark Age by MGMT while working on this month’s issue.
WANT TO READ MORE? VISIT THECRIMSONCONNECTION.COM
FOR DAILY UPLOADS FROM OUR REPORTERS
CONNECT INSTAGRAM @CWJOURNALISM TWITTER @CWHSPRESS The Crimson Connection is published five times a year and is distributed free by the Cy Woods Journalism Department. The mission of the Crimson Connection newsmagazine is to entertain and inform the Cy Woods student body on topics ranging from a local to global scale. We aim to be an unbiased singular voice for our school and community. The editorial board consists of three print editors. The board determines stances on editorials, as well as the content of the newsmagazine. Letters, comments and concerns are welcome and encouraged, and should be sent to room 1866 at the school address. To be printed in the paper, the letter must be signed and legible. The editor reserves the right to edit letters. The opinion of the staff does not necessarily represent the opinions of the faculty of this school or this district.
Make your voice heard. The Crimson Connection staff wants to know your questions, concerns or comments. If you would like to contribute to the next issue of The Crimson Connection, please contact us at:
cwhsjournalism@gmail.com Cypress Woods High School 13550 Woods Spillane Blvd. Cypress, TX 77429
TABLE OF
4 CHILL OUT
STUDENT COUNCIL HOLDS MENTAL HEALTH WEEK
6 ORCHESTRA’S CALIFORNIA JOURNEY
STUDENTS WERE ADVISED BY WORLD FAMOUS CONDUCTOR
7 RABBITS, PIGS AND GOATS, OH MY! A DAY IN THE LIFE OF FFA STUDENT KAITLYN SMITH
8 PROM ON A BUDGET
5 WAYS TO SAVE FOR THE BIG NIGHT
9 PAPER NAPKIN
DISHING WITH COACH CARMICHAEL
11 RUNNING TO ROCKY TOP
SEBASTIAN COOPER’S TREK TO TENNESSEE
12 ROLLING TO VICTORY
SENIOR DAKOTA DUDLEY’S BOWLING CAREER
13 SIGNED UP FOR THE FUTURE ATHLETES SIGN FOR NATIONAL SIGNING DAY 14 XPLOR YOUR OPTIONS THE MESSAGE BEHIND THE XPLOR MOVEMENT
16 MLB VS NFL
THE PROS AND CONS OF THE MLB AND THE NFL
17 MARCH MADNESS
19 20 21 22
THE FAKES, THE FAVORITES, AND THE UNDERDOGS
WORST DATES WILDCAT’S’ MOST HORRIFIC DATE STORIES LINE UP FOR THE RIDE 2019 RODEO LINEUP GIRL CODE/GUY CODE ALL ABOUT PROM THANK YOU NOTES/RANT IN 212
CHILL OUT BY COPY EDITOR DAPHNE TETT
Late this January, the student council hosted a Mental Health Week in order to give students a chance to de-stress and get away from the troubles of being a high school student. The event was held as part of the Texas Association of Student Councils’ mental health initiative, called Resolve to Rise, which focuses on the mental health of students. “Our goal was to ensure students got a lot out of the activities and projects,” senior student council member Jessica Omokheyeke said. “We really wanted the students to delve into their emotions and not have to worry about some assignments that are due or tests coming up.” Activities were scheduled throughout the week to achieve this end, including planting, painting and meditation with health science teacher Laura Anderson. “Everybody was there to support each other,” senior student council member Catie Orwin said. “It was very calming, and we were all there for the same reason, so it was a very nice, relaxed atmosphere.” On Monday was an energy and environment project, where each student got a small cardboard plant holder and planted a flower to be kept in their rooms. “It’s been shown that planting and gardening helps people relax,” Omokheyeke said. “So we had them plant the flower of their choice. It’s very carefree.
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Student Council organizes mental health week
You only have to water them once a day.” On Tuesday was a tips and tricks day where kids made goody bags that had a notepad, a couple of pencils and things to help them get through the day as well as stress-relieving objects like bubble wrap, soft fabric or maybe a stress ball. “In a way, they were packing a tips and tricks bag to make sure they don’t have to stress about ‘Oh, I don’t have any pencils today,’ that type of thing,” Omokheyeke said. On Wednesday was a guided breathing meditation day led by Anderson. “She was in charge of teaching students different sayings and different positions, the type of thing that calms people down in meditation,” Omokheyeke said. On Thursday, there was a puzzle piece activity where everyone got to paint their own puzzle piece, and they put them together into one huge poster. “It was about unity and bringing everyone together,” Omokheyeke said. “The poster is to show that we’re unified as a student body, and it’s hanging up in the Commons.” There were about 10 to 15 students attending most of the events. The most popular was the meditation session, which was attended by closer to 20 students. “The students appeared to really enjoy themselves,” student council sponsor Nikki Self said. “There were lots of laughter and smiles. I believe
each day fully served its purpose.” The student council agrees that schools need to provide mental health resources for their students. “High school is stressful.
Being a teenager is stressful,” Self said. “We’re trying to ease some of that stress.” With all the troubles high school students are put through, students need a place where they can de-stress.
The schedule of events for mental health week. Graphic provided by Catie Orwin
Student Life
Mental Health Facts
Half of all mental health disorders show first signs before a person turns 14 years old, and three quarters of mental health disorders begin before age 24.
Information from mentalhealth.gov
Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including: -Biological factors, such as genes, physical illness, injury, or brain chemistry -Life experiences, such as trauma or a history of abuse -Family history of mental health problems
The puzzle piece poster made by the students at Thursday’s activity. Photo provided by Catie Orwin
Student Life
Friends and family can be important influences to help someone get the treatment and services they need by: -Reaching out and letting them know you are available to help -Helping them access mental health services -Learning and sharing the facts about mental health, especially if you hear something that isn’t true -Treating them with respect, just as you would anyone else -Refusing to define them by their diagnosis or using labels such as “crazy”
“There’s a lot of pressure being put on us nowadays,” Orwin said. “If you want us to succeed in all the stressful situations that we’re put in, I think there needs to be an outlet to keep a good headspace and not be overwhelmed by everything high school demands.” Overall, the first Cypress Woods Mental Health Week was considered a success. “I want it to be bigger the next time the project rolls around,” Orwin said. “But for the first year and for what we had, I’d say it was successful.” There is already talk of having a second Mental Health Week next year. “I feel like the students will want to do it again next year, but that’s entirely up to them,” Self said. “I think more advanced planning and greater advertising would make it an event in which more students elect to participate.” Even though she is graduating this year, Omokheyeke is confident that Mental Health Week will be repeated in coming years. “I know we’re going to do it next year and expand it in a way,” Omokheyeke said. “We did four days out of the week because of scheduling, and they might be doing the full week next year and get as many people to come as possible.”
Promoting the socialemotional well-being of children and youth leads to: -Higher overall productivity -Better educational outcomes -Lower crime rates -Stronger economies -Lower health care costs -Improved quality of life -Increased lifespan -Improved family life
5
Orchestra’s California Journey Advised by World-Famous Conductor
BY SOCIAL EDITOR PAIGE ROMIG Cy Woods Orchestra was recently offered a chance to go on their very first trip to California. At 4:15 a.m. on January(getting the date today), they started their journey on a bus to the airport. When the airplane finally skidded across the pavement, signaling their arrival, the students’ excitement escalated. Although they wanted to jump in with Disneyland, they had other important things to do first. Orchestra performed the piece “Oh Waly Waly”, by John Rutter for world-renowned conductor Larry Livingston. They had an appointment with him, wanting Livingston to bring their playing to the next level. “It was a pretty incredible experience to be under his baton. He's a professional conductor, and a lot of kids don’t get that opportunity, so I am pretty blessed. Some of his techniques and what he did with us was really out of the box, but it worked, and it sounded great,” sophomore and bass player Raj Patel said. Victoria Campion, the orchestra teacher who went on the trip, nervously at first, watched as Livingston took the reins and couldn’t be happier with the musical experience they were able to enjoy.“He worked with the kids and taught them so much about phrasing and music, so hopefully, that will translate into their playing within these next few weeks,” Campion said. Although his techniques and ways to warm them up were different, Livingston brought
a dynamic new sound out of them. Now it's time for the fun: Disneyland with friends. “My favorite part was probably the second day of Disney. We rode the Incredicoaster four times,” senior cello player Eric Phan said. Others in orchestra, though, like Patel, had more of a “chill” experience. Overall, though, the kids had a great time going on rides and hanging out with their friends. “The people who went, I think, became closer,” Phan said as he recalled good times with his fellow seniors. This experience, as said by Phan, was a bonding experience for them, and they are thankful that they were given this chance to do that. “It’s something special to be in the financial situation to be able to go on this trip and just have fun, which is something a lot of kids don’t get, and I’m glad I get to do it by being in the Cy Woods orchestra program,” Patel said. Not only did the students feel grateful for this opportunity, but their teacher did as well. “I feel very lucky because I think sometimes, orchestra is looked at as a frill, but it is really a part of the whole academic thing. It makes students smarter, and this administration and this school understands and appreciates that and supports us. I feel very blessed by that,” Campion said. Orchestra’s California adventure ended with a tiring trip home and new memories they will be able to keep with them forever.
Photo provided by Victoria Campion
“We had to get the violins out of the carry on compartments, oh man the entire front half of the plane was gone, and there were normal people sitting behind us, so they had to wait like at least thirty minutes as we tried to get all of the violins off, it was a nightmare,” said Patel.
Photo provided by Victoria Campion
Larry Livingston conducting the Cy Woods orchestra on their trip to California.
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Student Life
Feature
5:45 a.m.
BY STAFF REPORTER KAITLYN ORMAN
a day in the life of FFA student Kaitlyn Smith
rabbits, pigs, and goats, oh my!
Before School: Smith usually wakes up at this time.
5:45-6:10 a.m.
Smith gets ready for her school day.
6:25 a.m.
Smith gets to the barn.
Kaitlyn Smith with her pig Ollie. Photo provided by Kaitlyn Smith
6:25-6:40 a.m.
EXTRA INFO
Q: Are Ag and FFA the same thing? A: No, Ag is an agricultural class while FFA is a club or organization where people can enjoy different activities.
Smith lets her pig out of his pen, feeds him food and oats, and sometimes conditions him.
6:50 a.m.
Smith gets to school.
Q: Would you recommend others to join? Why?
A: Yes. It’s a really fun opportunity
to be with a group of people who enjoy the same interests as you. There are also many different ways for you to be a part of it. If you don’t want to raise an animal, you can raise a plant.
AFTER SCHOOL:
6 p.m
Smith gets to the barn.
6-6:45 p.m. Smith does the same routine as in the morning, but walks her pig for longer.
After 6:45 p.m.
A close up of Smith’s pig Ollie. Photo provided by Kaitlyn Smith
*not everyday* On occasion, Smith will go to the barn more than once after school if her pig needs a vet or if he gets out of his pen.
7
P R O M On A Budget
F ive Ways To Save Money On The Big Night
1 2
BY STA FF R EPO RTE RM ADI SON
Photo by Sonny Abesamis
FRIE DHO F
F
3
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Get Ready With Friends Many people do use a salon to get their makeup, nails and hair done, but a friend can be just as great and so much fun. If you commission a friend, you can still look great at little to no cost (plus, you can get ready with a group, jam out and make an event out of it).
Ditch The Party Bus While the limo/party bus effect can add the glam cherry on top, the price tag is not so sweet. Carpooling with friends or borrowing a friend’s nice car can make for so many more memories and meaning on the ride to the dance.
Make Your Own Corsages DIY crafts never got so fancy. Handmade corsages that have personalization tied on them is such a bonus too. Plus, you don’t need many supplies. You can run to your local Hobby Lobby and pick up some accessories and flowers to spice it up and complete your outfit with your own, unique twist.
4
Unique Dress & Tux Shopping (Thrifting) Nice dresses from high quality stores are a guaranteed success, but who says you can’t have fun buying a simpler dress and dressing it up with your imagination and some accessories? Plus, thrift stores will often have vintage items that are sure to stand out in a classic and good way (and nobody else on the dance floor will be wearing it).
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Don’t Pay For A Photographer While professional photos do look amazing, a mom in your group with a nice camera or even the latest iPhone that belongs to one of your friends can do just the trick. A photo doesn’t have to look like it’s on the cover of Vogue to make lifelong memories for you and your friends. The general memories of any kind of photo are priceless.
Student Life
PAPER NAPKIN with Coach Carmichael Clubs & Activities: Men’s soccer coach, US History teacher
JERAH BEVILL STAFF REPORTER
Dishing with
What personal strengths do you find especially helpful in your coaching?
How do you connect with the soccer players/students?
“I wanted to make sure that [the players] understood that I expected them to achieve in the classroom as well as on the field. There were certain things they had to do to show me that they were disciplined as well as far as like locker room and things like that, so that was a struggle in the beginning to make them understand that discipline was something that I wanted them to get better on. That, of course, will help change the culture of the program as well as we are wanting to achieve success.”
“I try to make things relevant to them. With my players and my students, I need them to understand that I’m not their friend, but I am there to help them grow as individuals and to develop character [and] integrity, characteristics that when they get older, they’re going to need to have to earn the respect of others.”
What do you like most about coaching?
“Putting character above the game because the game is fleeting. These guys are going to play in high school, some of them might play in college, but for the most part these guys aren’t going to play professional. What I want to teach them is how to be young men and how to grow up and have the characteristics necessary to be good people and productive citizens.”
“The thing I like most about coaching is the kids [and] getting to know the kids in a different way. Teaching kids in the classroom, you get to know them one way, but whenever you coach a kid, you get a little bit more involved in their personal life, and so the relationship is much different.”
What are you most excited about for this soccer season? “I’m most excited about trying to change the culture of the team. Trying to get the school more involved in supporting the program, and pushing that idea. I hope that by the end of the season I get to see those changes. These positive changes will push this program in the right direction.”
What do you think makes a good coach?
What made you want to come to Woods? “The new opportunity to be the head coach and the fact that my children will be zoned here, so I might get a chance to coach my son one of these days if he’s good enough to make varsity.”
What was the last thing you wrote on a paper napkin? “The formation that I run for my game. We were comparing notes. We were jotting down who was going to be where on the field.”
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RUNNING TO
RO CK Y T O P Sebastian Cooper’s trek to Tennessee
BY ONLINE EDITOR ERIN ELLIS This upcoming summer, Sebastian Cooper, a senior track runner, will be heading to the University of Tennessee to pursue his dream of running college track. While it hasn’t been easy for Cooper to get where he is, he is beyond grateful that he will be fulfilling his middle school dream. Cooper started running track at the young age of eight years old; since then, he has some really high highs and some really low lows. Fast forward to his freshman year in high school, Cooper suffered an injury that held him back for a great amount of time. “I had a major injury when I pulled my hamstring; it set me back by not allowing me to finish my freshman season,” Cooper said. “The injury carried over into my sophomore year and even still affected me in my junior year.” While this injury and other personal matters put a damper on his track abilities, Cooper was more motivated than ever to get back out of the track and get back to his normal self. “It took me a lot of work and sacrifice to get back to where I was,” Cooper said. “I had to change my lifestyle by sacrificing my free time and work harder than I ever had.” When junior year season came around, it was safe to say that Cooper was back, and he was ready to grind in hopes of making a name for himself. Cooper qualified for Junior Olympics this past summer, and that sealed the deal for him. Cooper placed fourth in both the 400 and the 4x4. The offers started rolling in for this track star, and his dream was about to come true. “When I first started getting offers, it was a moment of relief
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for my family and myself, but it also felt unreal at the same time because I never thought I would be good enough to become a D1 athlete,” Cooper said. When it came time to decide, Cooper was able to narrow it down to his top three schools, which were the University of Iowa, the University of South Carolina, and, of course, the University of Tennessee. While the choice was not easy for Cooper, he made the decision to verbally commit to Tennessee on November 6, and he then officially signed to be a Vol for life on November 13. “I chose Tennessee because the coaches and athletes treated me like family, and it was a bond built deeper than just track,” Cooper said. While Cooper is taking his track talents to Tennessee, he is also excited to further his education by majoring in kinesiology. “[Tennessee is] also really making an academic push, which is important to me, while still maintaining good athletics,” Cooper said. At Tennessee, Cooper will be running the 400 meter run for Volunteers. While most athletes would say that the 400 is the toughest race to run, Cooper won’t deny that statement; however, he purely loves the feeling he gets when he runs it. “My least favorite part of the 400 would be when I feel like I am dying at the end,” Cooper said. “However, I love the thrill of the race that I get towards the beginning.” While the days are getting closer for Cooper to head over to the Rocky Top, it’s safe to say that the University of Tennessee will be getting a runner who will work hard and a person who will never quit until he is satisfied.
Photo Provided by Sebastian Cooper
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Dakota Dudley anxiously waiting to see if the ball he rolled is a strike. Photo provided by Dakota Dudley
ROLLING
There is always a story behind great athletes, something that creates their passion to succeed and strive for greatness. Great examples of these people are like San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, who became an outstanding NFL player due to the encouragement of his sister, Deja Goodwin, who has cerebral palsy, or former NFL defensive lineman Devon Still, whose daughter had cancer and that motivated him to be a star player in the NFL. Their stories are important to their success, and senior Dakota Dudley’s father, Robert Dudley, has been substantial into helping Dakota to compete at his full potential. Due to his inspiration, Dakota is going to be inducted into the USBC Texas State Hall of Honor in May 2019. Robert Dudley, Dakota’s father, lost much of his hearing at the young age of three due to high fevers, and now he has been wearing hearing aids for the last 50 years. Later on, Robert developed a passion for bowling, and he has made sure to teach his son, Dakota, all he knows. In order to fully help Dakota to get better at bowling, five years ago, Robert decided to step away from playing bowling, and now he has become a teacher and mentor to Dakota. Dakota has been inspired by his father because he has shown determination and dedication to succeed through times of pain and hardships. “He is an inspiration for me to keep going despite all the problems he has had in his life,” Dakota said. Dakota developed his love for bowling around 10 years ago, and this has led him to many successes as a bowler. Over the span of 10 years, Dakota has been able to eclipse 300 points in one game five times. Also, Dakota was named the 2017 Pepsi U20 champion, and he has finished first place multiple times in city and state tournaments. Another huge accomplishment and honor to Dakota is that he is the leader and captain of the Cy Woods bowling team. By being captain, Dakota also has many responsibilities as the leader. “My responsibilities as captain are to lead my team and greatly represent Cy Woods,” Dakota said. As captain, Dakota is at the most critical and crucial spot in the lineup: the anchor. He is counted on to finish up the lineup for the team. With all these accomplishments that Dakota has accomplished, he will be adding another to his already amazing resume. In May of this year, Dakota will be inducted into the USBC Texas State Hall of Honor. This grand honor that Dakota will be getting is very rare for student athletes. Only about two to four people are inducted in the nation each year. Due to Dakota’s outstanding skills at the bowling alley and his great motivation to succeed given by his father, Dakota has been very successful at bowling and he will be working towards being a better bowler and an even greater person.
TO
VICTORY
Senior Dakota Dudley’s bowling career BY STAFF REPORTER JUSTIN PAEZ 12
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signed up for the future
Athletes commit to universites on National Signing Day National Signing Day is traditionally the first day that high school senior athletes can sign a letter of intent for a collegiate sport in the NCAA. Every year, multiple athletes from Cy Woods sign to a college on this day, and by the time they do it, they all accomplish the very thing they have been trying to do for their whole life, and here is how these athletes made their dreams come true. For athletes to make it to the collegiate level, they have to work hard everyday at practice in order to be physically ready to play, but in order to be one of the best, you need to be just as tough mentally as physically.
Senior Lacrosse player Pratrick Fransen signs his letter of intent to North Central College. Photo by Ella Pulido
BY STAFF REPORTER COOPER GRIFFIN
“It takes a tremendous desire to make it to the next level. Not only do you have to be a good athlete, but you have to have be a great student first because the first thing colleges look at is how are their grades. The athletic part is obviously a big part of it; you’ve got to be able to play at a certain level, so you really have to want to play a collegiate sport,” athletic coordinator Trent Faith said. Only about seven percent of high school athletes are given the opportunity to go play at the collegiate level, so being able to is a rare and special moment for each athlete to be given the opportunity to go play in college. “It means a lot; it is not everyday you get to go play at that type of level,” senior baseball player Tre Armendaris said. For every athlete, there are always the people who have supported them and mentored them through their career for a long time, and they are a huge part of their success. “My parents have always supported me and everything I did so, I can’t thank them enough,” senior baseball player Luke Nagy said. Yet for every athlete, in order to accomplish their goals, they have to overcome challenges that are in their way and stay focused on what they are trying to achieve. “My biggest challenge is my dedication to baseball and working hard every day trying to out beat the guy next to me,” Armendaris said. Even though being able to play at the college is one of the major reasons why they decide to go to that college, the main reason is being able to get a education that
Senor football player Carson Danner signs his letter of intent to the University of Utah. Photo by Ella Pulido
sets them up for what they want to do in the future. “The school I'm going to is a position assistant school, so after the four years I play baseball, there is a two-year program after that will basically lead to what I want to do later on in life,” Nagy said. Even though being able to play at the college level is a big deal, college is not going to last forever, so the most important thing for a collegiate to have is a plan for after college. “After college, I'm probably going to try and play professional baseball, but my plan B will be going into construction science and be a project manager,” Armendaris. “This is the day by NCAA where athletes can sign their letters of intent. We choose to use it at our school as a big celebration to our athletes,” Faith said.
CY WOODS ATHLE TE DESTINATIONS Tre Armendaris, baseball - Tyler Junoir College Dalton Bourgeois, baseball - texas Lutheran University Dylan Bourgeois, baseball - Angelina College Carson Danner, football - University of Utah Cole Grimes, baseball - St.Thomas University Brock Gunderson, football - Brigham Young Uniersity Kelly Hines, soccer - McNeese State University Patrick Fransen, locrosse - North Central University
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Luke Nagy, baseball - University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Bailey Peschel, soccer - Texas State University Cullen Sherrill, baseball - Angelina College Tanner Sherrill, baseball- Angelina College Sydney Stanford, swimming - Texas A&M University Erin Strautman, swimming - Quachita Baptist University Jack Willams, baseball - McLennan Community College Justin Wishkoski, baseball - Angelina College
13
Y OP T I O N S U X P L O R
all photos by Paige Romig The back of a red Project X hoodie.
BY CO-ONLINE EDITOR CAROLINE STIFF
“ PURSUE THE THINGS THAT YOU LOVE DOING, AND DO THEM SO WELL THAT PEOPLE CAN’T TAKE THEIR EYES OFF OF YOU.” - the Xplor vision statement
THE MESSAGE BEHIND THE XPLOR MOVEMENT 14
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More and more people are starting to branch out into the territory of self-made businesses and brands. Within that demographic, there is a surprising number of high school students. They happily devote a portion of their time to the products they’ve worked for. Cy Woods is no stranger to students who have made a name for themselves. Seniors Ejiroghene (EJ) and Akpevwoghene (AK) Odjighoro have always stuck together. As twins, they go through similar trials in life side-by-side. As a result, it would only make sense for them to create a business with each other. By taking the E’s off of the word explore, they labeled their vision Xplor. “We make clothing. We’ve had a vision to make clothing since freshman year. It was me and my other close friends and we make a group called Xplor, and it was really just about creating and pushing the mindset of creating. So we said we wanted to make a clothing line and embody that,” AK said. The group did not have much at the beginning; just a YouTube channel and a message they were hopeful to spread. “We just had the idea, we made the YouTube channel, we put some videos up and it had kind of died down [since] we had made it our freshman year. It started to pick back up come junior and senior year,” EJ said. “We knew people who were making their own brands, so we thought ‘Hey, let’s try putting this not just on YouTube, let’s try making a clothing brand out of it.’ [It is about] giving people tangible stuff to refer to whenever they see Xplor. That’s how it sprouted, and then people started buying. I don’t know how. We just wanted to spread a message” Xplor is meant to inspire people to try and achieve their passions. For some, it may be pursuing a specific talent or career, but for others, it could be creating a business of their own. “Sometimes school isn’t for everybody, and there are other ways. You go to school to get a job to get money. So, the end goal is to get money to survive.
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We are just showing people that there is an alternative way, and they can just turn whatever hobby they have and try to [make a business] off of that,” EJ said. As Xplor is about finding a passion and exploring it, the brothers decided to branch off into the world of theater arts. “I do more acting and [EJ] does more of the singing, but we’re starting to bring it together and doing the same thing,” AK said. This becomes even more evident when looking at their past roles. “[In theater], my brother was Troy [in “High School Musical”], and then in “The Seagull,” I was [Boris] Trigorin and in “Chicago” I was Billy Flynn. That was really fun,” AK said. The risk of trying something new payed off well for EJ. “I loved [the “High School Musical”] show actually. Not just because it’s “High School Musical,” but it was my first actual play. I had done one before, but I didn’t do anything in it. So that was my first actual play with lines,” EJ said. “I remember that year, I told my parents that I was going to do theater arts. They said ‘What’re you talking about, why are you doing theater arts?’. Even my friends didn’t want me to do theater arts. But I had a passion; I wanted to do acting and the whole Xplor movement is basically pursuing whatever you want to do. I said, ‘Okay, I’m going to take this to heart and try it.’.” The brothers embody their movement through clothing, singing and theater. However, it doesn’t stop there. They also try to carry out the movement through school by being apart of Cy Woods’ student government. “We’re both on Student Council,” AK said. “I’m the Senior Class Secretary and [EJ] is the Senior Class Vice President.” EJ and AK follow their passions and involve themselves in opportunities where they can grow and enjoy. In short, that’s the message they are trying to spread through all aspects of the Xplor movement.
The back of a green Project X hoodie. EJ and AK showing off their Project X hoodies.
Photo by Geneva Thai EJ, AK, and their friends modeling various Xplor merch.
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NFL V MLB BY STAFF REPORTER JUSTIN PAEZ
Photo provided by Disney
Kyler Murray holding up the 2015 Gatorade Athlete of the year
The pros and cons of MLB and NFL 16
Having the ability to be a talented at a sport is impressive. However, very few people have the ability to be great at two different sports. Players like Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders are just a couple of the very few athletes that were able to excel at two different sports. Recently, a new athlete has come around with these outstanding abilities and his name is Kyler Murray. Murray has reignited the discussion for which sport is better, the NFL or the MLB? Last year, Murray was drafted with the ninth overall pick in the MLB draft by the Oakland Athletics. As people were expecting him to leave the Oklahoma Sooners and go to professional baseball, Murray decided that he wanted to give football another shot so he decided to stay in Oklahoma and play for the Sooners for one more season. Murray ended up finishing the season with the heisman trophy, but still everyone thought Murray would go to the MLB. However, after their season, Murray declared for the NFL draft. If Murray is drafted in the first round of the NFL draft he would become the first person ever to be drafted in the first round of two different sports. This led to the topic of which sport Murray should go to. If Murray were to be drafted in the NFL draft by a needy quarterback team, he could become a star very fast. However, in the MLB, Murray already has a multimillion dollar deal and after that he could make a lot more money. However, the NFL has shorter seasons but a much higher risk of injury because of their very physical games and difficult practices. Furthermore, most NFL contracts have less guaranteed money than MLB contracts however in the NFL he has a greater chance of getting sponsorships by big companies. But in the MLB, most players can be assigned to the minor leagues for very low pay and if they’re not successful, they could be forced to stay there for their entire careers. With all the pros and cons of both sports, it’s clear that Murray should take his athletic talents to the MLB, mostly because of the bigger contracts and less chance of injury. Either way Murray decides to go, he will play outstanding for his team and help them successfully advance their franchise.
Sports
MARCH MADNESS The favorite, fake and underdog teams for the NCAA tournament
Duke Player Zion Williamson dunking. Photo by Keenan Hairston
BY : STAFF REPORTER AARON BLEVINS
The Duke Blue Devils are the easy favorites here. They have the biggest star in college basketball in forward Zion Williamson, who looks like a once in a generation type player. Williamson has athleticism that has never been seen before at such a young age. His teammate guard R.J. Barrett was covered less but was the number one player in his recruiting class according to ESPN’s top 100. Barrett has an argument that he's even better than Williamson right now. Also, they have one of, if not the best, shooter in college basketball, shooting guard Cam Reddish. Reddish was the third best player in his recruiting class right behind Barrett and Williamson. With this trio, the Blue Devils are ready to dominate this tournament.
Bill Self talking to team. Photo by SD Dirk
Texas is back! The Texas Longhorns are my underdog pick. March Madness is full of upsets every year, including the yearly #12 seed over a #5 seed. The Longhorns have quality wins over currently 13th-seeded Kansas, eighth-seeded North Carolina and 15th-seeded Purdue. Also, they only lost by a combined 16 points to currently ninth seeded Michigan State and 18th seeded Texas Tech. The inconsistency of this team is one of the reasons they’re not one of your premiere college basketball teams; one game, they’re beating North Carolina, and the next, they’re losing to Radford. Although Texas will be the underdogs who make it far, and you'll hear chants like you did during football season. Texas is back! Texas is back! Texas is back!
opinion
Kansas basketball started strong but is falling fast. After starting the season with 10 straight wins and reaching number one on the AP college basketball rankings, they've lost three of their last four games and fell to number 13 in the AP rankings. Head Coach Bill Self recently came out and pretty much stated that their offense has been abysmal, only scoring 63 points in each of their last two games. Star power forward Dedric Lawson is being double teamed, and no one else is creating much offense. Self has historically had good teams but this year he seems defeated and annoyed already with this team. Kansas will be a common pick to win the National Championship, but don't go for it as they are going to fall fast and hit rock bottom in the tournament.
Texas Longhorns player Kamaka Hepa and head coach Shaka Smart studying film. Photo by LBJLibraryNow
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Worst Dates Wildcats’ most horrific date stories Hunter melara
EMILY CRAIG
1 “Be respectful, dress nice and smell good. Oh, and make sure you have money.” Hunter Melara
2
Photo by Kaitlyn Orman
Sophomore
So when we decided what to do, he told me he didn’t have a ride, so I had to go pick him up and he lives all the way in Conroe. Now, I don’t want to stereotype but normally the guy picks up the girl, so that was very different. We made it to the football game, and he completely ignored me the whole time. He basically just talked to all his other friends, which would’ve been fine except he didn’t ever acknowledge me. Plus, when the date was over, I had to drive him all the way back home.
Sophomore Feature
“Don’t act like someone you aren’t, because if they don’t like you for you, they don’t deserve you.” Victoria Williams
3
“Make sure you give attention to your date, and don’t only talk to your friends.” Emily Craig
4 “Don’t freak out or get
Caitlyn Nguyen When my date got to my house, instead of coming to my door and knocking, he texted me he was there and honked his horn. When I got into his car, it smelled like a garbage can, and I had to stop myself from making a face. So then we drove to Panera, I paid for my own meal which was fine, but then we saw one of his exes there. They seemed really chill with each other, like almost too chill in my opinion. Then, after they talked for awhile, she walked over and sat down at our table. Through the date, he was only talking to her, plus she was giving me death glares the entire time, so it was just really awkward.
Advice for going on a date
Photo by Kaitlyn Orman
Senior
This was right before homecoming in my sophomore year, and I took this girl to Marvino’s. I told her to order whatever she wanted and that I would pay for it. Everything was fine until it came to the end of the dinner. The waiter comes over and pulls me aside because he didn’t want to embarrass me and says, ‘I didn’t wanna say this in front of your date but your card got declined.’ Now, I hadn’t known this girl previously, so she doesn’t know that I’m broke, and I’m not about to make her pay, so I had to call my dad to come up to Marvino’s and pay for our dinner in front of my date, and we haven’t talked since.
BY STAFF REPORTER KAITLYN ORMAN
Photo by Kaitlyn Orman
nervous, face the little challenges and try to have as much fun as possible!” Payton Munson
picture
5 “Try not to run into their exes.”
Caitlyn Nguyen
Artwork by GoodFreePhotos
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Photo by Sara Zaki
LINE
FOR THE RIDE BY STAFF REPORTER SARA ZAKI
It is that time of year again. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is back in town. This year it will be from February 25 to March 17. First up, let’s talk about that lineup. It looks interesting this year. As expected, most of the artists are country musicians, although Cardi B was a nice surprise. Even though her tickets are a bit expensive, it is not as excessive as George Strait. It is insane that his tickets go up to 3,500 dollars. That will most likely be the most crowded day at the rodeo, considering it is also the last day. Other artists there are Zedd, Prince Royce, Camila Cabello, Cody Johnson, Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, Panic! At the Disco and more. Ticket prices vary based on the popularity of the artist. Concerts are not the only part of the rodeo that are exciting. There are also carnival games for prizes. Not only that, but there
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Upcoming Events; Orchestra’s End of the Year Banquet from 5-9 PM on May 19 at the Berry Center
Fishburn Instrument Drive Contact Matt Hoisington at mwhoisy@msn.com for more information
are the bull riding events, as well as rides and food. Hello, deepfried Oreos. Those are usually very popular, but the lines are the worst. Not only that but also, the cell reception with that many people in one area is always terrible. The tip of the day is do not get lost. Going back to the line up, it is exciting to see the artists that are coming. Even though the tickets are super expensive, it goes towards promoting agriculture. It also provides thousands of jobs for people. Even though the main purpose is plain entertainment, it is also for a greater cause which has a huge economic impact at the end. It raises so much money which has many uses. It brings people together for enjoyment but also benefits young people and the income of those living in Texas every year.
G
G
irl
E D O C
L
E R IN E L L I S O nline Ed itor
adies, it's finally your time to shine. It's time for you to get all dolled up with your makeup, your hairstyle and, of course,
your breathtaking dress. You've been waiting for this day since you walked in the
uy
AARON BLEVINS Repo rter
P
rom is right around the corner, senior male Wildcats. The time for all of you guys to put on your suits and show a lady
a good time. This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for since we were a child one of
door on the first day of your high school years. The time is now.
the biggest moments of our life. I’m here to give you the rundown
The time to dance the night away with all of your friends and your
on all things to do to make your prom night a great memory
classmates. Here's my little checklist that will help your night be
forever.
even better than expected.
First of all, the guy should pay for everything, so guys be ready
Firstly, ladies, we all dream of the perfect promposal, at the
to put up a good amount of cash if you’re taking a girl. Let’s be
perfect place and perfect time, incorporating something that is
honest: the prom ticket is expensive but you need to buy it for her
special to you; so, in case your date is clueless on how to ask you,
anyway. Hopefully you’ve been saving up because guys are prom
be sure to throw out some helpful hints that will eventually make
night is not going to be cheap.
the promposal everything you wanted it to be.
Second, personally, if I’m taking a girl, I’m letting her pick her
Secondly, make sure your date pays you back for your ticket, as
dress and everything and then coordinating my outfit to match
that is the proper thing for the boy to do for dates. Another item
with hers. Us as guys can make any color work if you try hard
of business, this is your night, and you, of course, want to take
enough girls it matters a lot more to them so just let her pick.
the best pictures with your date, so make sure that there is some
Color coordination is key though when you’re going with a date;
color coordinating between the two of you. While your dress is
you want to look like you’re together.
definitely the priority, be sure to let your date know the color of it, so he can be sure to buy a matching color tie or bow-tie.
Last, the promposal the very key to winning over your prom date. Go outside of the box and be creative. Don’t look up
Lastly and most importantly, have fun, leave all of your worries
something on Google and just copy their idea; that’s plain and
at the door and just let loose, and you'll be guaranteed to have a
boring. Think of something that is big in her life and do a play on
great time. This is your last event high school before you walk the
words and then ask her in a unique way also. Remember, guys,
stage and head off to start a whole different journey, so make this
these girls are going to remember this forever, so make sure to
night all that you want it to be, and make sure to never forget it.
give her the night of her life.
PROM IS ON Feature
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Thank You
walk away Minimum wage jobs. Finally I can har I dly made from a six-hour shift knowing enough for a tank of gas. Note by: Sarah Wheeler
u o Y k n a h T
y I ma ugh o h t l ta h. e tha e enoug gm k n i o r d in tb rem y no heeler , for learl A c S , I’m ah W FAF roke by: Sar b e b ote
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Thank You
g me that NBA All-Star game for showin tters. ma t tha g offense is the only thin z Pae Note by: Justin
Thank You Fried Oreos, for taking all of my hard-earned rodeo mone y Note by: Eri n Ellis
Than k Yo u
Thank You Notes
(Inspired by Jimmy Fallon)
Driv e cont -Throug aine h Pe ro r taste f sauce son, who in m good only p on tw y bag. That uts one o of Note ’ s m goin by: A y g aron french fries to Blev . ins
T Thank Y h a n k u Y o ou Y k n ou Tha Towne Lake, where for being the ja one ckp to a pla can drive the ot of suburbia ir mini y stic sur gery ap a pointm cht Note b ent. y: Sara h Whe eler
elling , for canc r e th a e uston w ent body table Ho the stud t e g ld Unpredic u ay. at co a Saturd event th n ly o . n o .m e a th t8 unning a eeler up and r arah Wh S : y b te No
Double squar e-root curves , for not giving me the grade I truly d eserve. Note by: Sarah Wheeler
rant in 212words BY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SARAH WHEELER
Life really hit me when I realized that college admission stress won’t end after I’ve submitted my application… now I have to find a roommate? Now I have three weeks to find someone to live with for a year? I’ve found myself frantically updating my vacant Facebook, posting the three acceptable photos of me on a group filled
22
with strangers, and tagging my Instagram which consists of two annual mediocre photos and mainly middle school horror. The roommate process, although crucial, is insanely awkward and intimidating. How long do we have to Snapchat before we’re committed to being roommates? Who even made up these rules? Going out
of state to a school where you know nobody sounds exciting until moments like these. It’s hard trying to explain this to adults because they can’t understand the level to which teenagers are defined by their social media presence. Like why should my minimal and awkward Instagram status affect my chances of getting a
good roommate? I refuse to go through “the system” and get paired up with someone who’s not prepared to deal with my nocturnal sleeping schedule and regular meltdowns. I think I’ll just wait until the last minute when people get desperate, but in the meantime, I’ll be fixing up that Instagram.
Opinion