Vol. 23, Issue 4

THE ROAR NEWS

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1801 HARVEY MITCHELL PKWY. S., COLLEGE STATION, TX 77840 | FRIDAY, FEB. 16, 2018 | VOL. 23 NO. 4 | THEROARNEWS.COM

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS maya girimaji & sam de figueiredo managing editor & opinions editor

Increasing popularity of teenage e-cigarette use sparks controversy among students, staff There’s a lot of smoke in mirrors when it comes to the latest trend: vaping.

In 2016, the FDA reported that more than 2 million middle and high school students were current users of e-cigarettes.

“Because of the customizability of the devices, it’s definitely a much better alternative [to cigarettes]. Even different types give different sensations,” senior Josh Bierman said. “I’m 100% sure that there’s a flavor or de-

inthisissue

news pages 2-4

vice fit for any person that smokes to get off of it and prefer the vape.”

In 2013-2014, the FDA estimated that 81% of current youth e-cigarette users cited the availability of appealing flavors as the primary reason for use. However, the apparent long term economic benefits attract many Consol students.

“Buying a pack of cigarettes is less expensive than buying a vape,” senior Phuc Ha said. “Buying a vape is

opinions page 5

viewpoints page 6

feature pages 7-11

expensive now, but if you take care of it, it’ll last you a couple of months. With cigarettes, you’d have to buy several packs to last you for a month.”

E-cigarettes use liquids called “e-liquids” that are made up of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavorings and other ingredients.

“vaping” continued on page 3 sports pages 12-13

reviews pages 14-15

brief | the roar

UPCOMING

2 | in

FEB. 16 Tiger Swiming State Meet FEB. 17 Varsity Tennis CSHS Tournament FEB. 19 Staff Day/Student Holiday FEB. 21 HOSA Blood Drive FEB. 28 BPA State Conference MAR. 7 PowderPuff Game MAR. 19-23

CARE Week MAR. 23 Dance Marathon

NEWS

friday, feb. 16, 2018

IN THE

Tiger wrestling team places third at Cougar Classic

The Consol varsity wrestling team won 114 points overall in their meet on January 21. Junior Mason Kruljac and senior Leonard White placed first, sophomores Connor George and Alexis Vehar and freshman Andy Barnett placed second and freshmen John Harris, Anthony Criscione and Jacob Sanchez, sophomore Kurt Hopcus and senior Nadia Vejar placed third.

Consol color guard wins second place at competition

Facing off against nine other guards in their round, the Consol color guard took second place in their first competition of the season. The team consists of seniors Makenna Greenawalt and Sophia Medina, juniors Athalie Schooler, Hannah Odle, Hannah Langefeld and Brandie Webb and sophomore Niki Naumann.

Tiger swimming qualifies for state at Regional meet

Cinderella (freshman Lauren Moore) and Prince Topher (junior Isaac Harris) share a moment at the banquet. PHOTO BY JENNIFER ZHAN

On Saturday, February 3, Consol swimmers competed in the Regional Championships Meet at the Texas A&M Recreational Center. Senior Peter Simmons and freshman Kaitlyn Owens were named the 2018 Region V-5A swimmers of the meet.

Owens won the girls 100 back and placed second in the girls 50 free. She also placed first in the girls 200 medley with sophomore Sydney Cristicello and juniors Jessica Peng and Kaleigh Waguespack and first in the girls 400 free relay with Peng, Cristicello and freshman Kyleigh Harrell. Additionally, the boys’ 200 medley relay, composed of juniors James Rude and Andrew Zhang and seniors Tobias Doerr-Garcia and Simmons, won first place. Simmons also was the individual winner in both the 100 butterfly and 100 back. Junior Mason Wright, sophomore Sara Shankar and senior Peter Liu will join as alternates.

Engineering club advances to state tournament

The club competed in the Regional competition and won the Excellence Award, which is given to the top team overall at each tournament based on Robot and Judged scoring. This will be the first year the newly started club will compete in the VEX Robotics Competition. The students that competed are seniors Michael Townsend, Reid Ragusa, Michael Parulian, junior Mohannad Khattab and freshmen Nicholas Hilty and Barrett Boatner.

theroarnews.com

History teacher Jason Pratt and English teacher Michael Williams serve food at 50 Men Who Can Cook. Money was raised for scholarships for CSISD seniors. PHOTO BY DREW HOWERTON

the roar | news | 3

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Community discusses potential health risks, addresses growing vape culture “vaping” cont. from page 1 “You have a liquid that may or may not contain nicotine, may or may not contain flavoring, and the [electronic cigarette] heats it up to the point where it produces a vapor,” VapeGEEK manager Christina Jones said. “You inhale it and exhale it just like a cigarette. [With a cigarette, though], you’re actually burning the tobacco. The combustion is what causes most of the harmful chemicals.”

Depending on the user’s choice, the e-cigarette can also contain different levels of nicotine.

“90% is propylene glycol or vegetable glycerine and those have been inhaled forever. They’re the base for asthma inhalers for 60 to 70 years now, so that’s not going to be a problem,” Jones said. “[However], I think there will be over time some component of a flavoring that’s not safe to vape.”

Many Consol students view e-cigarettes as a safe source of nicotine found in tobacco cigarettes. However, pediatrician Dr. Neal Spears says those addicted to nicotine shouldn’t limit themselves to e-cigarettes as a solution.

“I think [vaping] is a stepping stone they can attempt to take,” Spears said. “There’s nicotine gum or nicotine patches that are probably safer and more proven ways to do it, but if they feel like they have to smoke or they want to do it, it’s probably safer than cigarettes.”

Commercially available e-cigarettes first appeared in 2003, but they weren’t introduced to the United States until 2006. Since e-cigarettes are relatively new compared to other tobacco and nicotine products, there is very little known about the device.

CULTURE OF VAPING While teens used to hide smoking in the past, it is now not uncommon to see frequent social media posts boasting vape tricks.

“The first time [I’ve seen someone vape] ever was [on Vine], but [then] the guy I was dating brought a vape into my car, and he started vaping in my car,” Kehrberg said. “I was really mad at first because I thought it was going to smell really bad, but it didn’t, and that’s when everything changed.”

The FDA reported that the use of e-cigarettes rose from 1.5% to

16.0% from 2011 to 2015 among high school students. Bierman said that the popularity of e-cigarettes among highschoolers is partly due to the internet’s depiction of it. “[The media shows] that it has zero side effects. There are people who vape because they’re like ‘I don’t think it will hurt my body at all,’ but I don’t agree with that,” Bierman said. “I believe that it has to definitely be affecting your body in some negative way. But it just comes down to if you enjoy it then it’s okay.”

Even though an e-cigarette seems like a better alternative to a cigarette, it sometimes isn’t sufficient for people addicted to smoking to get off of nicotine.

“My mom has been smoking since she was a teen and she’s 33 and my step dad has been on and off throughout the years. They started [vaping] around a week ago,” senior Natalie Barnes said.

“My mom has been telling me that it takes a lot more for the nicotine to equal to a cigarettes -- more hits compared to an actual cigarette.”

While many have turned to vaping in an attempt to quit smoking, a majority of high school students have started vaping as a hobby.

“If [teens] didn’t smoke, I do not encourage them to vape,” Jones said.

“And if you do [decide to vape], choose zero nicotine. There’s no reason make yourself addicted to nicotine.”

Kehrberg said that it might just be a phase of teen rebellion, because at a certain point, the only adults that vape are ones that are trying to stop smoking. “[Teens like vaping because] it’s easy to conceal, it’s not that expensive and it doesn’t smell,” Kehrberg said. “It smells good, which can get you caught, but it’s just really easy to do. It’s also easier than smoking cigarettes, and it’s less addictive.”

Senior Tobias Doerr-Garcia adds that vaping has been successful because smoking has been popular among high school students for decades.

“Now we’ve become so technologically advanced that it seems like we can smoke without really hurting ourselves the way it used to be,” DoerrGarcia said. “Every young kid wants to be edgy and cool but they don’t want to have the health problems associated with other drugs.”

Johnson said that students shouldn’t

view vaping as a casual game used to fit in.

“It’s too new, [and there’s] too many unknowns [regarding] how vaping actually affects the body,” Johnson said.

“I’ve read things about how teens have experienced issues with chest pain, or soreness in the throat.”

The side effects of vaping have been overlooked as more students join in. In some cases, students started vaping for their own enjoyment but found that their hobby had turned into an addiction.

“I would say I’m addicted to [nicotine], definitely. For me, at least, it’s not any physical symptoms,” Bierman said. “It’s more of a mental status of relaxing. It is almost therapeutic.”

Spears adds that it becomes increasingly difficult to quit nicotine after a certain amount of time.

“Once you decide to quit, you actually have to go through a withdrawal period [during which] you have headaches and you’re irritable and you don’t feel good, and so it’s difficult for people to physically get off of nicotine once they get used to using it,” Spears said. “We know for sure that if the adolescent is vaping and using [e-cigarettes], there is a much higher probability that over the next 5-10 years, they are going to at least try cigarettes if not get addicted to it.”

Although Spears views e-cigarettes as a gateway drug to more serious smoking habits, Bierman doubts that students would make the switch.

“I feel like it’s much harder for people to go from fruity vapes or dessert vapes [to tobacco],” Bierman said. “I don’t really know anybody who starts with tobacco flavored vape juice.”

HOW ADMINISTRATION IS REACTING E-cigarettes can be mistaken for regular pens, making them easily concealable and inconspicuous. This makes it harder for administration to enforce their policy.

“We have certain district guidelines that we follow, and the first offense is three days of In School Suspension,” Johnson said. “It’s something that happens infrequently; however, I know that it is something that teens are starting to be more involved in. They may do it more outside of the school setting, but we have had some incidents here at school.”

Vaping on campus is a violation of

the CSISD Student Code of Conduct, which prohibits students from smoking, using, or possessing e-cigarettes or tobacco products.

But vaping off campus isn’t consequence-free either. Purchasing or attempting to purchase e-cigarettes or tobacco products by a minor under 18 years of age is prohibited by the Texas Tobacco Laws.

“Keeping [the legal age] at 18 makes sense because it’s the same as cigarettes, but I don’t feel that it necessarily has to be 18,” Kehrberg said. “Before [18] would be fine, but I think it makes sense to keep it as the same age as cigarettes and tobacco.”

Even though Jones doesn’t sell to minors, she believes it would be better for a minor who smokes to choose a vape over any other forms of smoking.

“Honestly, if you’ve got a 16-year-old that smokes cigarettes, they’re going [to be] much better letting them vape,” Jones said. “It’s a real shame the government doesn’t see that.”

Doerr-Garcia agrees with Jones, saying that if it’s legal to put a 16 year old in a car then it should be legal to put a vape in their mouth. But Johnson thinks that lowering the age would be dangerous for teens.

“I would set [the legal age] up there with alcohol. 21,” Johnson said. “You have more years of experience with making decisions, so I can definitely see the benefits of raising the age.”

Johnson feels this experience would also develop a person’s ability to resist peer pressure. Although Bierman hasn’t experienced peer pressure himself, he acknowledges that it affects many Consol students.

“It’s definitely an issue, especially because of the supposed no health risks.

Some people believe there are none,” Bierman said. “[Vaping] will make you feel a part of a group. [People] don’t have to push that hard. People want to purchase vapes.”

Johnson advises those who feel pressured to participate to stand up to the intimidation.

“You don’t have to be like everybody else. Be your own person,” Johnson said.

“If you know something is not right, then don’t be a part of it. The right group of friends or peers will respect you just the same.”

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4 | news | the roar

Committee members detail procedure behind creation of 2018-2019 district calendar jennifer zhan | editor-in-chief After months of discussion and public input, the school board voted on January 25 to approve option B as the calendar for the 2018-2019 school year.

Major changes on the new calendar include more composition days for teachers, which means more off days for teachers who work during the summer, and, of course, for students. CSISD also applied to become a District of Innovation, which allows school to start a week earlier than it did this year, providing extra staff development days and more flexibility around holidays when people tend to travel.

“There are actually a lot of factors that get considered for a school calendar,” Districtwide Educational Improvement Council member Aimee Parsons said. “I think people think we sit down and pick days. And we don’t. It takes months. It isn’t arbitrary, we don’t just randomly put our finger down on a calendar and say, ‘Oh, that’s a nice day to be off.’”

Local board regulations place constraints on the process, requiring that finals be taken before the semester ends and graduation occurs by June 1. State and federal laws also dictate holidays, staff development days, and the length of school.

“There are 75,600 minutes required for students each year. So we have to be sure that we have enough days in the calendar to make sure that our kids are learning for that many minutes,” Chief Academic Officer Penny Tramel said. “We also have some extra time in case we have a bad weather day or something like that.”

Aside from the mandated features of the calendar, the DEIC also places a high priority on public opinion.

“Around September, we take a look at the existing calendar and make suggestions on changes,” Parsons said. “[The DEIC] committee has teachers, community members, business owners — it has a lot more than just educators. So people poll their respective campuses, but they also poll people they work with and people in the community to see what the community would prefer in terms of a calendar.”

After a couple months, calendars are proposed and the DEIC begins to discuss finer details, from topics such as the way the schedule would align with Texas A&M’s to how pushing back the start date of school would affect sports or clubs like band that begin practice before school.

“We adjust, we negotiate, we say, ‘Well, my people said they really want all of Thanksgiving off,’ and then somebody says, ‘Well, the community doesn’t like all of Thanksgiving off because they have to find childcare for their children since they still have to work,’” Parsons said.

This November, DEIC produced four calendars to present to what Tramel calls their ‘stakeholders.’ After receiving feedback, the choices were narrowed down to three calendars that community members voted on.

“When we closed the voting, we analyzed the comments, because we had hundreds of comments on each calendar,” Tramel said. “Calendar B clearly was the winner, just about from almost every category. So it was the calendar that DEIC chose to recommend to the school board for approval.”

However, the committee is aware that it’s impossible

to please everyone.

“We heard a lot this year from parents about being really mad at how close we got out to Christmas because they couldn’t travel, and that’s not something we liked when we put out the calendar together, but [we had to consider] the fact that we couldn’t start until the last week of August and we had to be done with finals before this semester,” Parsons said.

Tramel said that it would also be helpful if people could be understanding of days needed to help train teachers.

“Teachers need time to learn, to improve for kids, and we need time as an organization to work on instructional practices and our ability to design great learning.

It’s nice to learn during the year because then you can actually go back and implement in your classroom and see what works and what doesn’t work well,” Tramel said.

“We have to consider parent perspective with their kids, but we too want what’s best for kids, and sometimes that involves professional learning during the year.”

Although she said that the ideal calendar would maintain the academic standards the district aims for, Tramel also noted that honoring people’s health is an important factor. Though it is not always easy, she said she thoroughly enjoys that process of finding the balance between rigor and rest.

“It’s great to garner all the perspectives and the input and then come up with something that meets the needs of most people,” Tramel said. “I think that’s what’s good about it. We have a process in place that really values everybody’s voice.”

Facts about the New school calendar Tue

Mon Every month has at least one day off

2

3

7

8 VOTE BREAKDOWN: Option A: 36.3% Option B: 63.7%

School starts ONE WEEK EARLIER THAN THIS YEAR

Fri

Thu

Wed

5

4

9

Type of Voters Parents: 80.3% Teachers: 14.2% Students: 2.7%

10

Extra composition days for teachers

6

11

Source: CSISD Board of Trustees

friday, feb. 16, 2018

tough cookie

elise sawyer staff reporter

Girl Scout desires to be role model, leader Thinking back, my mother and I probably should have realized that wearing nice dresses and bringing only one water bottle to the camp orientation was a bad idea.

It’s not like we knew better. Given that the Sawyer idea of camping is staying in a motel, we could be classified as an ‘indoor’ family. But whether it was some sort of recessive gene or a childhood desire to deviate from my parents, I wanted to be outside. This even reflected in my youth, like when as a toddler I saw a bobcat in my yard, and eagerly pointed out the ‘kitty’. I was then rushed indoors by my horrified mother.

But once I was eight and joined Girl Scouts, things changed- the most major change being Camp Howdy, a day camp in Bryan in a large forest filled with a maze of scenic, dusty paths. My mom, who expected an air-conditioned building, was unprepared. Long story short, my first camp orientation involved my mother and I wandering aimlessly around the camp- and by around, I mean literally going in a circle around the campsites before eventually finding mine. We left with my mother expecting me not to ever want to go back. She was wrong.

My first week of camp had many games, activities, and hikes. What kept them together were not just adult volunteers, but camp counselors. Called “aides”, these were teenagers that almost every camper admired, idolized, and ultimately wanted to be. But it was not just due to their nature and leadership skills- it was that nobody knew their real names. Every aide was known by a nickname at camp, their real names being a closely-guarded secret which the younger campers were determined to find. I, like almost every camper at Camp Howdy, embarked on The Quest to discover the names of as many of the aides as I could. Some involved intense research; for example, I once went through one of the projects that my mother’s 3rd grade class had made

many years ago just to find a name. But it wasn’t just the names. We admired them because of how they made camp even more amazing of an experience: which was why I wanted to be one.

After several years of camp, I was in my AIT (aide-in-training) year: the year where I would learn camp skills, be tested on them and hopefully pass and become an aide. Considering my “indoor” family upbringing, it was a near-miracle that I managed to do it. Whether I was learning how to make a fire when I barely knew how matches worked, attempting to set up a tent and hitting someone with the pole, or accidentally tying my hands together while attempting a knot, it was painfully obvious that I was far from being an experienced camper. I was also working during the afternoons with a camper group- and it is difficult to determine if gaining a set of nature skills in four days or keeping my name from a host of inquisitive fifth-graders was harder (which is why I won’t include my aide name here). Then came the day of the test, the chance I had to prove myself. After making a fire, setting up a tent, tying the required knots, and demonstrating the other skills I learned that week, I somehow passed.

It was on that Friday that I finally became an aide. The ceremony was the same as every year that I witnessed before- the only difference was that this time, I was in it. I realized then the scope of becoming an aide at the summer camp I had went to since I was eight. The fact that I was becoming like the people who I looked up to at a young age made me feel satisfied with myself.

This feeling, I think, is all a part of beginning to grow up- of realizing how much you can truly make a difference in the world. But looking at the crowds of campers and realizing that I could be that person, that role model, for someone else, made it all worth it.

Want to talk about the struggles of becoming a leader? Contact Elise at the. roar.esawyer@gmail.com.

No one anticipated the route my family took, least of all us.

Both of my grandfathers were Baptist preachers, but as my parents grew older, they began to drift away from the Baptist church. Drawn to the poetic services and beautiful churches, they became Episcopalians (their first date was at an Episcopal church service).

Twenty years later, my mom became an Episcopal priest.

What this meant for me as an 11 year old was switching from my familiar, friendly church community to one so decimated that the bishops–our most important regional church officials–had almost shut it down.

Not only that, but our new church– St. Philip’s–was in Hearne, a town with a population of 4,483 that is, by all accounts, radically different from College Station.

To say the least, I was skeptical.

But, three years out, I find I’ve learned a lot from Hearne. Not only has my own faith been deepened by my experiences there, my interpretation of what it means to be a person on Earth has been dramatically changed.

First, the fact that St. Philip’s is such a small church means that everyone in it has to participate. Whereas in my old church, I could go for weeks on end without saying a word unbeknownst to anyone (except my mom, of course), I now had to help lead the service.

This increased need for participation went beyond Sunday mornings. I became much more involved in Vacation Bible School, our community garden, and events such as an annual free Thanksgiving dinner.

Needless to say, this meant a lot more church work than I was used to. I sometimes felt like I had personally raised Jesus from the dead.

But it is this very feeling that makes St. Philip’s so important to me. The knowledge that I have worked hard to make something that I believe is beauti-

ruby perry-mize staff reporter

the roar | opinions | 5 ful and good happen makes me feel I’ve done something truly useful. Moreover, I have come to believe I have a duty to make these things happen–whether it be church on Sunday or the distribution of free food to 200 people from an elementary school cafeteria.

And yes, Hearne has issues. Yes, there is racial strife. Yes, there is crime.

But one of the reasons these issues are so visible is the fact that Hearne continues to bravely confront its problems.

Because it’s so small and full of intricate interdependencies, people are forced to at least try to get along with each other.

Unlike in so many larger communities, the inhabitants of Hearne do not pretend their problems don’t exist. They acknowledge their problems and do their best to deal with them.

The conflict and strife visible in Hearne doesn’t exist in larger, wealthier towns not because those towns are necessarily better, but because those towns keep their problems out of sight and out of mind. Racial issues in College Station have been suppressed to an insidious toxicity that pollutes our atmosphere. We are so afraid of racial strife that it has become taboo to bring up race at all.

In Hearne, people don’t hesitate to bring issues to light and confront them.

The inevitable and necessary failure of many of these attempts at progress is then misconstrued by outsiders as dysfunctionality.

Hearne is a town that struggles with race, class, and economic inequality because it has chosen to struggle.

My life as a member in St. Philip’s, Hearne is undeniably different from my life before. This change has taught me the value of taking responsibility as an individual for participating in important activities, and as a community for confronting deeply-ingrained issues.

Want to talk about adjusting to a new environment together? Contact Ruby at the.roar.perry.mize@gmail.com.

right side of the tracks

Moving to new church facilitates understanding, different viewpoints

6 | viewpoints | the roar

friday, feb. 16, 2018

should the legal age for vaping change?

Vaping has become increasingly popular among Consol students in the recent years. Under the Texas Tobacco Laws, one must be 18 years or older to purchase an e-cigarette. Many agree with the current regulations because it limits addicting substances to minors, while others believe the age should be changed to accommodate teen tobacco smoking.

the roar’s consensus Texas Tobacco laws have existed since 1997, but it wasn’t until 2006 when e-cigarettes were first introduced to the U.S. Because e-cigarettes are associated with tobacco products, the Texas Tobacco Laws prohibit those under 18 from purchasing them.

However, the underage use of e-cigarettes is prominent, especially at Consol. According to the Keck Hospital of USC, the percentage of high school students who smoke tobacco cigarettes has remained relatively stationary, while the percentage of students who vape has risen immensely. Social media portrays vaping as a desirable hobby, which attracts the younger generation. The growing popularity of vaping has initiated a discussion regarding the legal age.

Some argue that e-cigarettes is the best choice for teens to rebel without inhaling harmful chemicals. Others claim that the legal age should be raised to match alcohol. In reality, vaping encourages dangerous habits to teens and can be considered as a gateway to tobacco cigarettes.

The legal age of vaping should remain at 18 for several reasons.

Firstly, the use of nicotine as an adolescent can cause medical issues later. Because a teenager’s brain isn’t fully developed, the exposure of nicotine increases the risk of developing psychiatric disorders as well as impaired attention skills. These medical problems only worsen with time.

Secondly, 18-year-olds are legal adults, and they should be able to make their own decisions. 18-year-olds are able to enlist in the military and vote for government officials, so it only makes sense that they should be trusted with the ability to buy tobacco products.

Lastly, researchers know too little about vaping to encourage it to minors. E-cigarettes have only been around in the U.S. for about twelve years, which isn’t enough time to conduct an in-depth long-term study. The state legislature should not endanger children by permitting them to participate in a murky trend.

Although the current legal age for purchasing e-cigarettes is unpopular among high school students, it should not change to protect teens from long-term damages.

“I think the legal age for vaping should be lower because you don’t have to vape with nicotine, so it’s not necessarily addicting. It should matter how responsible you are, not how old you are. ” junior nakylah carter

“Vaping is an excuse to get away with smoking without smoking, and I don’t think any behavior that encourages [smoking tobacco] should be allowed for anyone who is under 21. Before then, you’re a kid and you can’t make informed decisions.” junior arthur erikson

The Roar 2017-2018 Staff Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Senior Exec Editor Online Editor Opinions Editor Section Editors Staff Reporters

Faculty Adviser Assistant Adviser

Jennifer Zhan Maya Girimaji Drew Howerton Olivia Conway Sam de Figueiredo Sueji Han Ashley Barnes Kara Garza Tessa Matthews Ruby Perry-Mize Alex Roeder Elise Sawyer Jessi Shipp Allen Zhang Michael Williams Chauncey Lindner

The Roar Editorial Board Jennifer Zhan • Maya Girimaji • Sam de Figueiredo

The Roar is produced by the Advanced Journalism class at A&M Consolidated High School, 1801 Harvey Mitchell Parkway S., College Station, Texas, 77840. The opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not reflective of the administrators, faculty or staff of the College Station Independent School District.

Submissions to the editors are welcomed but must be signed and should not exceed 300 words. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions in the interest of clarity and length or to not print a letter at all. Letters containing obscene or libelous material will not be considered. The Editorial Board consists of the editor-in-chief, managing editor and opinions editor.

The Roar is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC), the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). The Roar is a winner of the CSPA Gold Crown, the 1997, 1998, 2000-2016 ILPC Award of Distinguished Merit, the CSPA Gold Medal Award, the NSPA All-American distinction and 2005, 2014,2016 ILPC Bronze Star and 2007-2013 and 2015 Silver Star.

College Station Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex or handicap in providing education services. Monica Jones, Director of Human Resources, 1812 Welsh, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5412) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements ofTitle IX. Molley Perry, Executive Director of Special Services, 1812 Welsh, Suite 120, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5433) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

friday, feb 16, 2018

PHOTOS BY TESSA MATTHEWS AND SAM DEFIGUEIREDO

the roar | snapshots | 7

Mikayla Becker explains the objective of the ASL group.

Mikayla Becker describes her favorite part of working with the ASL group.

a

sign from

God

Mikayla Becker signs her thoughts about the recent weather outside.

Mikayla Becker demonstrates how to sign her favorite phrases.

Junior connects with ASL community by spreading faith tessa matthews | staff reporter Thanks to the sign language group junior Mikayla Becker and her family helped create, the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in College Station are helping the deaf have a chance at religious faith.

“She has always been drawn towards helping people,” Mikayla Becker’s mother Carole Becker said. “I think that makes her confident and proud that she can communicate with a group of people that other people can’t.”

Mikayla and the ASL group encourage the deaf to participate in the church services.

“We go out in the community and look for the deaf which is part of our thing we do since I am a Jehovah’s Witness.” Mikayla Becker said. “We try to bring them the same message that we would in English, but in sign language.”

Helping the deaf learn at the Kingdom Hall has introduced a new group of people to Mikayla Becker.

“I get to see another side of people that I wouldn’t have gotten to see otherwise,” Mikayla Becker said. “I wouldn’t have made as many friends as I have now.”

Not only has Mikayla Becker met and surrounded herself with new people, signing has influenced her faith for the better.

“I think her having a personal involvement in being able to reach people that you usually wouldn’t reach has impacted and

increased her faith and know that the Scripture is coming true,” Carole Becker said.

Mikayla Becker’s involvement in signing has influenced her family’s faith.

“The family is super involved and that has helped them learn not only the language but has helped them increase their faith because they aren’t just passively sitting and listening,” Carole Becker said.

Although the group started with little experience, it continues to grow as new members come to the Kingdom Hall.

“There are about 18-20 members that know sign language or are learning sign. [Sign language] is a continuing learning process,” group member John Melchor said. We are continuing to learn the language and [it is] an ever ending learning curve.”

The ultimate goal for Jehovah’s Witnesses is to spread awareness about Jehovah’s impact, and Mikayla Becker believes ASL group helps achieve that goal.

“The Bible talks about how God cares for everyone but if they look around in society, [the deaf] are neglected a lot.

They don’t get all the services they desire,” Mikayla Becker said. “Whenever they come and see that we have something for them, I feel like that really helps them to see that there is something that God has for them.”

10 | feature | the roar

friday, feb. 16, 2018

Students adjust to parents’ unconventional careers, occupied schedules elise sawyer & ruby perry-mize staff reporters

For some students, the absence of one or both parents at holidays and important events is the rule, rather than the exception.

Junior Ayden Tran’s father is an officer in the U.S. Army and a Bryan police officer, and his mother is a supervisor at the 911 dispatch office.

“Either my mom’s home or my dad’s home,” Tran said. “They aren’t home at the same time, unless it’s early in the morning or late at night.”

Freshman Sadie McCaskill’s father works in oil fields.

“He hasn’t actually made Halloween in years,” McCaskill said. “He’s made Thanksgiving a couple of times, and he usually tries to get Christmas. And then Easter and the rest of the holidays are just kind of iffy. Sometimes he’s there and sometimes he’s not.”

Having parents with limiting schedules can be difficult for students, but senior Makenna Greenawalt, whose father is a College Station police officer, feels it’s worth it. “[His] career makes him who he is,” Greenwalt said. “If he wasn’t who he is now, everything would be different.”

Tran has also come to terms with his parents’ schedules.

“It’s rough [and] kind of sad, but I’m proud of it,” Tran said. “It just means that all the little moments mean that much more. They say it’s the little stuff that matters the most. For me, that rule applies exponentially, because that’s all you have: the little moments.

You have to live that to its fullest.”

Long hours spent at work make time spent with her father more memorable, McCaskill said.

“I don’t take time with him for granted,” she said.

“I don’t take a lot of things for granted.”

Greenawalt has encountered changes in her personal life..

“Things [are] a lot more stressful because you can’t always go to [your parents] for something, because you haven’t connected with them as much as you should,” said Greenawalt.

A parent having to work long hours can be challenging not only to individual students, but to their families as a whole.

“According to my older sister, I became more of a recluse,” McCaskill said. “Mom started being on edge more. [My older sister] also started being a recluse. And [my younger sister] didn’t have anybody to really help her.”

Greenawalt has taken on more responsibility since her father took his current job.

“I don’t have as much freedom anymore,” Gre-

enawalt said. “I have to focus on my little sister now, because someone’s not always there.”

In addition to constraining schedules, these jobs sometimes come with occupational hazards. An example of the many dangers these employees can face is when Tran’s father was driving to provide hurricane relief over the summer when his car flipped.

“Times like that, it’s like, that job really sucks,” Tran said. “Crazy stuff like that gets you concerned, obviously, but, it’s part of the job.”

Despite the challenges, Tran and McCaskill intend to pursue careers with long hours themselves.

“I want to be an archaeologist, which you’ll have to spend weeks away from home at a time,” McCaskill said. “When I was six, Mom gave me this Egypt book, and I’ve been studying Egypt since then.”

Tran has chosen to enlist in either the Army or the Air Force when he turns seventeen this month.

“I think for one it’s the sense of duty. You’re going out there, [and] for me it’s not about fighting people you hate, trying to bring down the enemy, per se, it’s protecting the people you love,” Tran said. “That’s what I felt like my dad was always doing for our family, just protecting us. I feel like it’s one of the greatest forms of sacrifice.”

THE PARENT GAP

the roar | feature | 11

friday, feb. 16, 2018

persisting through pain

Senior leads typical life despite multiple chronic pain syndromes sueji han | section editor The first time she placed the cold pads on her temples, senior Madelyn House felt critical, but now she walks in more prepared for the therapy.

Madelyn House has two unique diseases, Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome and a form of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, otherwise known as CRPS and POTS. CRPS is an autoimmune disease that causes excruciating pain in various parts of the body, while POTS reduces blood level in certain areas, leading to dizziness and fatigue. House has had these diseases [for over 6 years] longer than she has been diagnosed.

“While playing soccer, I sprained my ankle in January [of 2012] and didn’t [get] diagnosed until April or May,” Madelyn House said. “Since then I have been passing out but didn’t find out [about POTS] until my freshman year. I kept passing out and nobody could explain why, so [we went] to the Mayo [Clinic] and did many different tests.”

Madelyn House and her mom, Jana House, traveled around the country in search of a diagnosis, seeking help at both the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and the Boston Children’s Hospital.

“At the Boston Children’s, the psychologist worked with biomedical feedback [where] electrodes were plugged onto her head,” Jana House said. “[The treatment] was intense but [the doctor] could not believe the way Madelyn was able to handle the high level of pain.”

In Madelyn House’s daily life, she also has difficulties in managing the effects of the two diseases. “[For CRPS], it is hard not to focus on [the pain] and instead [trying] to focus on work or anything else,” House said. “[POTS] makes my memory bad. When I go to take the test, I have no idea what I learned the week before.”

Besides the difficulties that come with Madelyn House’s treatments, Jana House faced additional challenges in regard to Madelyn House’s education.

“She didn’t want to be homeschooled or to have a home tutor because she liked people and was afraid that she would [become] withdrawn or depressed,” Jana House said. “When she was first afflicted [in 6th grade] keeping her in school while she was undergoing such high levels of pain while in the middle of a fighting a disease [was a challenge].”

Madelyn House has also received support throughout the years from her childhood friend, senior Riley Morgan. “[My role] is to be her friend, to make her laugh when she is about to pass out,” Morgan said. “We have a couple of jokes that I can say while she’s having an attack to make her laugh, to make her feel better in that moment and be there to make sure that she’s still safe.”

After years of helping Madelyn House, both her mom and Morgan have a different perspective on other people. Not only that, but her mom has noticed that Madelyn views people differently as well.

“She looks at the why behind when people respond in ways that are negative or not attractive instead of judging the person for the way they are acting,” Jana House said. “[Because] she looks normal on the outside sometimes but you don’t know what she’s going through on the inside.”

CRPS there is no specific test to diagnose CRPS. (NIH)

the McGill Pain Index rates CRPS at a higher pain level than childbirth.

there is no known cure.

(NIH)

P OT S

common symptoms of POTS include nausea, weakness, and brain fog.

1 in 100 teens are affected by POTS. (Kennedy Krieger Institute)

12 | sports | the roar

DOUBLE PLAY

friday, feb. 16, 2018

Softball, baseball players refute rivalry stereotypes

pursue playing in the future, they are extremely dedicated to their sport.

“I have a huge time commitment towards baseball,” freshman and baseball player, Cooper Mckenzie said. “It’s all I do.”

From the dawn of Little League, softball and Junior and softball captain Lauren Sorrells has baseball players have supposedly been at each oth- been playing since longer than she can remember, er’s throats. The age-old tradition of gender rival- and is still able find joy in playing the game. ry fuels their feud. However, at Consol, the teams “I like the unpredictability of it,” Sorrells said. don’t exactly feel the same way. The wannabe Babe “You never know where it’s going to go. You have Ruths and Dot Richardto be softball smart, besons feel more like family cause there are so many than anything else. different situations that “We’re not competcan happen, so many ing [against each othplaces that the ball can er],” softball coach and go. I also love the leadEnglish teacher Heather ership with the younger Slaton said. “We are kind girls because I’m a capof a group together and tain. [I love] just helping [we] support each other.” them out and teaching While the two teams them.” may not have a great deal These sports have softball coach of interaction in-season, not only affected the HEATHER SLATON in the fall they did severplayers’ lives, but the al activities together. coaches’ as well.

“We did a profit “Coaching baseshare at Zaxby’s with [the ball has impacted my baseball team] and did a service project [togeth- life more than anything else,” baseball coach Ryan er] where we built a wheelchair ramp at someone’s Lennerton said. “ I met my wife because I coach, home who didn’t have access to their home and I have my Master’s degree because I coach, and I needed that,” Slaton said. “We really feel like we have lifelong friends because I coach. I also get to are connected in that way.” influence young adults on a daily basis and that is The players still have a healthy dose of friend- something I am very passionate about.” ly competition between them as well.

Both coaches agree that the sports are not just “During fall whenever we’d practice [with the about playing the game, but also building relationbaseball team] we would try to one-up each other,” ships that will last for a lifetime. freshman and softball player Anna Townsend said. “[The] girls always remind me that the relaThe passion that every single member and tionships my players are developing are incredibly coach has for their sport really drives the two important. They help reinforce my ‘Why’,” Lennerteams together. ton said.

“I really enjoy it and it made my grandfather In the end, the two teams are able to unite happy,” Townsend said. “I play for him whenever I over their similarities and differences and come go out there. He’s gone now, but I know I could get out successful in the end. a living out of [playing softball] and make this my “We love [each other] and for us it’s not softlife’s goal.” ball versus baseball,” Slaton said. “We really like to Because many of the team members plan to look at it as softball and baseball.”

alex roeder & allen zhang staff reporters

“We love [each other] and for us it’s not softball versus baseball. We really like to look at it as softball and baseball.”

PHOTO BY ALEX ROEDER

friday, feb. 16, 2018

jumping

joy

the roar | sports | 13

for

Lone student gymnast discusses present and future aspirations kara garza & jessi shipp staff reporters At the end of his school day, sophomore, Zachary Leopold, goes from high school to high flying as he swaps his sneakers for step-ins and his pencils for a bucket of chalk.

Leopold is a seasoned gymnast who also happens to be the lone member of the 2018 A&M Consolidated High School gymnastics team.

“I’ve been a gymnast for eight years,” Leopold said. “It started out as a hobby and I just fell in love with it.”

Despite holding the only spot on Consol’s team, the College Station High School gymnastics team acts as Leopold’s unofficial team. Leopold trains with CSHS members for events and competitions, spending long extensive hours amongst them at the gym.

“I work thirteen hours a week, every week, even when my body is beaten,” Leopold said. “I often have to be at the gym instead of at home doing work for my classes. I push myself to the limits by continuing to work outside of the gym. I know that when I’m not training, someone else is and they’re getting better as well.”

Being the only member of the team can be lonesome without other team members at Consol to share his passion with.

“I can’t relate to anyone at Consol regarding gymnastics,” Leopold said.

“I do get to meet a lot of new people at every gymnastics meet. I enjoy getting to spend time with new people who

share my interests.”

However, there is hope for a larger team this upcoming year for Consol. Leopold looks forward to his possible companionship.

“I know some people are going to try to do gymnastics next year,” Leopold said. “I hope our potential members go out there and have fun because high school gymnastics is really great and builds teamwork.”

Comparatively, Leopold tries to mirror his teamwork ethic with that of award winning gymnast, Nile Wilson. Leopold aspires to achieve the level of success that Wilson has attained.

“It’s a hard goal to be the first Olympian to graduate from Consol. I didn’t think I was gonna make it until I realized that I have the potential to,” Leopold said. “I’ve actually talked to Nile through Instagram and I want to be like him because he’s been very successful in the gymnastics field. He has greatly inspired me.”

Although Leopold looks up to Wilson, he said his coach, Rickey Guzman, is his true mentor who has helped him to work hard towards achieving his dream. Guzman has taught him many important lessons that will stay with him throughout his gymnastics career.

“My coach, Coach Rickey, has influenced me to become a better person and be a better leader in the gym and in life,” Leopold said. “He’s taught me to help out the younger kids in our gym and show them what they’re doing wrong. When our coach has to leave for an emergency and all the kids

get off task, I have to make sure they know what they’re doing so that they don’t play around.”

In addition to his encouragement and support, Guzman has also pushed Leopold at each practice and meet in order to help guide him to his many triumphs.

“I’ve earned medals and many times I’ve gotten first or third place,” Leopold said. “I know last year my favorite competition I won was the meet at Alvin High School.”

After high school, Leopold’s focus will lie solely on his eventual goal to become an Olympic gymnast. He’s already started down the road to Olympic status, putting in many hours of hard work. However, Leopold’s journey will be one small step at a time.

“My short term goal, for now, is to find a sponsor,” Leopold said.

“I hope to use the Junior Olympics to strengthen and refine my skills to make it to the National Championships where I would be able to compete for the Olympics.”

Simply partaking in his sport has already helped mold him into the person he is today. Leopold anxiously looks forward to his bright future in the gymnastics field.

“Overall, gymnastics has changed me for the better. Now I have a higher level of confidence in everything I do.

I’ve learned to focus when I’m working,” Leopold said. “What we do, it takes years of training just to even get the basics down. For me it’s not about the goal I have to reach the Olympics, it’s the journey that leads me to that goal.”

PHOTO BY OLIVIA CONWAY

THE RE friday, feb. 16 , 2018

14 | reviews | the roar

the roar reviews: novelties from days past

DRIVE-IN MOVIES

VINYL RECORDS drew howerton | senior executive editor Throughout the day, I’m constantly listening to music on Spotify and YouTube. I can put together playlists of songs spanning generations and tailor them to fit my mood. When I get home though, I prefer to set my phone aside and dig through my crate full of records. Although a crate full of records seems inconvenient when compared to the thousands of songs I can carry on my phone, there’s something charming to the physical format.

Since the early 2010s, records have made a comeback into mainstream culture as nostalgia items. I started collecting records on a whim, and now have roughly 40 or 50 in my collection. Seri-

ous collectors usually look for coveted albums like Dark Side of the Moon, but my selection has a good mix of classics like Frank Sinatra and more modern artists like Daft Punk. One of the great things about vinyl is that modern singers put their discography on records for collectors, meaning that those looking for something this century have a good selection to choose from.

Although I didn’t grow up listening to records like my parents, there’s a certain novelty to putting my phone aside and jamming out the way that they used to do.

Collecting records gives me a way to unplug without sacrificing my music.

tessa matthews | staff reporter My family and I did not go to the theaters as much as the average family since we lived in the middle of nowhere.

Plus, having such a large family, it was too expensive to go out. The Showboat Drive-in Theatre in Harris County, Texas is an inexpensive way to get out of town, watch two movies, and have a good time while being able to see all the stars that dot the sky. Going to an outside theater for the first time was very different compared to the stereotypical theaters that everyone has adapted to. My family piled up in the back of my brother’s truck to sit

comfortably but had to bundle up under several layers of blankets due to the crazy Texas weather. We used a portable AM/ FM radio to listen to “The Maze Runner: The Death Cure” and “The Greatest Showman”. The snacks were a moderate price compared to indoor theater prices.

It was easy to get distracted by looking up at the sky and looking at the millions of stars that lit up the sky that are usually drowned out by the city lights, but did not deter from the experience. Overall, the outside theater is a throwback for everyone of all ages to enjoy.

friday, feb. 16, 2018

the roar reviews:

the roar | reviews | 15

jennifer zhan | editor-in-chief When I walked into the Hey Sugar Candy Store, I was greeted with a bit of a sensory overload. The walls and workers were decked out in bright colors, the rows of candy on the shelves meant I was smelling about a dozen artificial flavors at once, and, in the midst of it all, a Willy Wonka movie was playing on a TV at the back of the store. Hey Sugar has a bit of a ‘50s theme going, and seems to pride itself on its brightness and novelty. It’d certainly be hard to find another place like this in College Station.

When you purchase candy here, you’re given a clear bag and permission to fill it with anything from the store’s aisles. Every pound of candy costs $10. I didn’t see any way to weigh my bag until checkout, so be warned that your shopping experience will inadvertently become a guessing game if, like me, you aren’t willing to spend much more than $10 on some sweets. There is some pretty cool candy there - it’s been a while since I’ve seen rock candy, Candy Blox, or so many old-fashioned sodas sold in a store - but there is also a lot of regular candy you’d be able to buy elsewhere. Rather than its products, it’s the atmosphere of Hey Sugar that stands out. The staff is friendly, the colors are vibrant, and browsing the store inspires a sort of childhood nostalgia. Maybe that’s just what happens to people set free in a candy shop. In any case, it’s a sweet feeling.

We bought an old-fashioned soda and a bag of sweets (including this rock candy).

16 | etcetera| the roar

friday, feb. 16, 2018

THE NIGHT SHIFT Night school provides way for students to earn needed credit ashley barnes & jennifer zhan staff reporter & editor-in-chief When the 3:50 bell rings, instead of heading home, about a dozen students head to the social studies computer lab. The school day might be over, but night school, offered from 4-7 p.m., is just beginning.

“I’m taking three different courses because I started school late and didn’t get credit from last semester,” freshman Madelynn Ybarra said. “So my night school starts from here all the way to May. Then I’ll be caught up to where I’m supposed to be.”

In addition to students like Ybarra that need to catch up on required credits, night school also provides a way for people who failed courses to earn a 70, and for those who want to graduate early to take extra classes ahead of schedule.

“These students are sitting down and doing 45-50 hours worth of work for a course, it’s not like they’re done in two weeks,” night school principal Jason Pratt said. “It’s quiet, [they’re] doing [their] work, they aren’t allowed their phone. We see it as a privilege to be in there.”

This is the first year that the program has been offered on campus.

Currently, two Consol teachers are present every night.

“We walk around and answer quite a few questions,” night school and English teacher Nicole Thompson said. “We also use Edgenuity to monitor where students are in the course, encourage them to get on track if they are behind, and see what portions they got wrong on the coursework and help them with those questions.”

All night school courses are taught through Edgenuity, an electronic teacher that gives its curriculum through a system of instructional

videos, quizzes, and tests.

“Is it the same as a normal classroom? No,” Pratt said. “But the normal classroom is not the best environment for some kids. This is a different path for some kids to get their credits.”

Night school and math teacher Sheri Keyes said she thinks the online program was the best compromise that could be achieved in a situation like night school where there are students who have different backgrounds and are missing different types of credits.

“I think the best part about it is that it’s self paced,” Keyes said. “In my classes I know that I have students that could go way faster than we could go and they’re sitting there, bored out of their skin. But I have to go the pace for those that need that extra time, whereas with Edgenuity, the students can truck along as long as they’d like.”

However, students still have to complete their courses within a certain time frame, which means that night school can be quite the time commitment.

“You have four nights and you have to attend three of the nights out of four to get the credit,” Ybarra said.

“So tonight because I have to babysit my sister, I have to be there [for the other three days]. Or sometimes my friend wants me to come to her scrimmages and I can’t, because I have to get my credits.”

Meanwhile, she said night school lessons can sometimes also be frustrating. “[One night,] I was on this one quiz the whole entire time and I couldn’t get over it. It’s really frustrating because it won’t let you go on your next assignment. You’re just stuck on it and you have to keep studying it,” Ybarra said.

She advises future night school students to bring snacks and take

other steps to keep their energy levels high.

“You are going to get tired. But you’ve got to keep pushing yourself.

Don’t slack off even though you want to,” Ybarra said. “You just have to keep doing it because in the long run it’s going to help you.”

The teachers also feel that night school is worth the time and effort.

“I think that students deserve second chances. There could be a situation for why they didn’t do well on a course,” Thompson said. “I really feel like it’s important for those students to earn those credits.”

However, Pratt said that the main reason night school is so rewarding is because Consol focuses the program on learning first. “[Mrs. Elder] isn’t just pressuring me to get kids through,” Pratt said. “As a teacher I don’t want to be pressured into getting kids to get credit, that’s not the purpose.”

Instead, the teachers value the student’s education.

“I had a student in our first session of night school who was so excited they had finally earned the credit.

They were very proud because they felt like their English skills were improved,” Thompson said. “[My favorite thing to see is] just that joy of succeeding.”

After all, Pratt said that’s the reason why most teachers are in education after all.

“I can engage [with a student] for five minutes, helping them with their night school assignment. And then I’ll have this relationship with this kid. And I enjoy engaging with kids after they’re out,” Pratt said. “The other teachers are the same way. It’s a chance to have a positive impact on another set of kids that we’d normally not have.”

CONSOL NIGHT SCHOOL

47 CLASSES

eLECTIVES, cORE cLASSES, & FOREIGN LANGUAGE

5 SESSIONS sESSION 4........mARCH 19 aPRIL 19 sESSION 5............aPRIL 28 - mAY 24

TALK TO YOUR COUNSELOR iF YOU NEED TO enroll in NIGHT SCHOOL **Fees can be waived based on eligibility**