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1801 HARVEY MITCHELL PKWY. S., COLLEGE STATION, TX 77840 | TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | VOL. 27 NO. 6 | THEROARNEWS.COM
Right to be Heard
LGBTQ+ students face legal challenges, discrimination in schools ian curtis & evy hairell sports editor & staff reporter In the past several months, over 15 states have passed or proposed bills limiting LGBTQ+ expression in schools.
inthisissue
news pages 1,3,4
To many LGBTQ+ students, these acts of legislation are only harming an already struggling population. According to a 2019 study by The Trevor Project, 71% of LGBTQ+ students polled said they had faced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender
opinions pages 5-6
feature pages 7-11, 16
identity. Less than half of those polled were out to an adult at school. But for those that are, school serves as a place for comfort that they may not have at home.
“LGBTQ+” continued on page 3
sports pages 12-13
comics page 14
reviews page 15
UPCOMING
May 21 May 24-26 May 26 May 26 May 27 May 30 Aug. 17
NEWS tuesday, may 17, 2022
2 | in brief | the roar
Film Fest Finals Week Half Day Last Day of School Graduation Day Memorial Day First Day of School
IN THE
The Roar Newspaper wins Bronze Star Award at ILPC
ILPC Star Awards represent the top 10 percent of student newspapers and yearbooks in Texas. The Roar News staff members seniors Emmeline Duhon and Ellie Hague and juniors Myla Cathey, Ian Curtis and Medha Sarin and sophomore Emily Chen won individual awards at ILPC.
BPA competes in Nationals in Dallas, wins two championships
Sophomore Gideon Ong and junior Will Wang reign national champions in buisness law & ethics and java programming. Sophomore Kayley Sze, junior Will Wang, and senior Rebecca Kumar were honored as Certified Student Members. Rebecca Kumar was also awarded the Ambassador Award.
A-side announces 15 new members for the ‘22-’23 school year
Juniors Patrick Winking and Samara Ragsdale dance together at fairytale themed prom on April 23. PHOTO BY MO RYE
Freshman Natalie Green, sophomores Maddie Knoop, Rose Markham, Aiden Ross, Georgia Sledge, Steed Stover, Matthew Winn, and juniors Jordan Ingram, Dash Jasperson, Corey Kingman, Jacob Lane, Dottie Marvin, Race Morgan, Owen Troy and Ashtyn Vollentine were announced as the newest members for A-side in the 2022-2023 school year.
The Roar News
The junior team comes in for a huddle at the annual powderpuff game. The final score was 18 - 14. PHOTO BY DOTTIE MARVIN
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MONDAY-FRIDAY WHEN SCHOOL IS OUT
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New legislation, harassment, lack of respect among concerns for LGBTQ+ teens “LGBTQ+” continued from page 1 “Since I [began] teaching, I have had more than a dozen students talk to me about how to tell their parents about their sexuality,” Gay-Straight Alliance sponsor Lynette Patton said. “These students need the support of an adult that will care about them and help them find their space in this crazy world.” LEGAL CHALLENGES Bills like Texas’ SB 1646 that treats transition-related healthcare as child abuse or Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill can be viewed as taking away students’ support system along with their ability to safely and comfortably reveal their identity. “It’s ridiculous,” sophomore Icarus Lenox said. “I have known who I am since I was able to think. My mother has just recently started calling me by my preferred pronouns and stuff. You’re arresting people who just love their children, and that’s wrong.” FAMILIAL SUPPORT Family can be an important part of many students’ support systems. Unfortunately, parental acceptance is not something that every LGBTQ+ person can depend on. “I was really scared about telling my parents,” senior Hope Graves said. “There’s always the irrational fear that you’re going to be kicked out of your house or something
like that. I didn’t want to tell my parents for the longest time, because I wanted to make sure that I had my college paid for. That’s the case of a lot of people at school, because we’re all minors, so we’re all dependents.” DISCRIMINATION AND HOSTILITY Schools nationwide have often become a fertile ground for antiLGBTQ+ sentiment and actions. “My identity as a gay man has affected me in many ways,” senior Devon Horn said. “I’ve experienced bullying and hate from certain peers, and have been the target person for people to convert to their religion.” This is just one example of violent hostility towards those individuals that has persisted for decades. “When I was in college in the late 1980s, I had a friend who was bullied and even beaten up because he was gay,” Patton said. “I’ve made it my mission to be accepting, open, and supportive of the LGBTQ community.” That level of physical assault is still experienced today, even locally. “Last year, two men came up to me and kicked me in the legs while I was taking a test,” Horn said. “They called me a slur. I had a baseball-sized bruise on my thigh. It hurt emotionally and physically.” Other actions such as ignoring students’ identities can be just as harmful as acts of violence.
“There was this guy in my chemistry class that just refused to call me by my name and my [preferred] pronouns,” Lenox said. “Back when I was at CSHS, I went by David and I kept being called my dead name because it was my given name. It was hard for me.” Some have found acceptance at Consol, but there is still room for improvement. “I would like it to be not so hushhush,” senior Rachel Hitt said. “I’d like to be able to say stuff about it and preach about it without being fearful of someone yelling slurs in the crowd. It’s gotten better, but there’s still problems.” FUTURE HOPE While other groups may be emphasizing what sets them apart, LGBTQ+ students
continue to focus on how they’re just like everyone else. “We just want to be able to live our lives like normal,” senior Marissa Patti said. “We love a little bit differently, but we still love like human beings. And for me, I don’t experience love in the same way, [but] just because I don’t feel the same way as other people doesn’t mean I’m less of a human.” In spite of recent struggles, many students are hopeful for a better future for the next generation. “We’re in an age of acceptance,” junior Emily Brumbelow said. “I’m excited to see the overall trend of more representation in the world. There’s still things [left] to go, but we can all work together to show the world an accurate representation of us.”
4 | news | the roar
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testing their limits Chemistry students compete in test of knowledge, ability to carry out labs atticus johnson & dhriti kolar | staff reporters To encourage students to expand their knowledge of chemistry, Pre-AP and AP Chemistry teacher, John Tollett, offered his students the chance to participate in the Chemistry Olympiad. The top two scorers of the local competition, sophomore Sammy Shankar and junior Jonathan Li, competed in the national level examination on April 26. The Chemistry Olympiad is open for all high school students to participate. Interested students of various levels of chemistry often participate to increase their knowledge of the subject. “Sometimes a Pre-AP student might sneak in there that really is interested,” Tollett said. “But they generally don’t even get half the questions right. They haven’t been presented with [any] of the material yet.” The exam covers a broad range of topics in chemistry that mostly corresponds to the curriculum of the AP Chemistry class. “[Students would prepare by] self-study as it gauges where they are right now,” Tollett said. “There is a whole lot more on that examination [than] what we teach them in AP Chemistry.” After much preparation, Shankar and Li qualified for the national exam, and await their results. “[I] was honestly really [shocked], because all the people [who] took the exam are insanely smart [at] chemistry,” Shankar said. “And I’m just excited that I get to represent Consol.” Along with representing the school, the students also derived a sense of satisfaction. “My parents were pretty happy but I was ecstatic and rather surprised to find out I qualified because I thought I didn’t do very well,” Li said. The exam is separated into three different parts: a multiple-choice, then a free response question section, followed by a two-hour lab that tests the students’ problem-solving skills. The top 20 scorers of the national exam will be invited to participate in a two-week intensive chemistry program hosted by the Air Force Academy during the summer. “From my knowledge, it’s an intensive
camp,” Shankar said. “It’s with a bunch of college chemistry professors. They guide students into learning these really advanced concepts in chemistry.” Despite the fact that the assessment provides exposure to the subject and a great opportunity to increase understanding, student participation has been decreasing in recent years. “I used to require [that AP Chemistry students participate],” Tollett said. “So I would get 100% [attendance], but now we’re down to about 55% even though I [offer] bonus points for [participation].” However, this year, many students found the competition intriguing. “What Tollett did [was] he encouraged all of his AP Chem students to take the test,” Shankar said. “Usually in some schools, [there are] three or four people taking it. But this year, there were 30 people from Consol taking it.” Students who are interested in participating in the Olympiad can contact their chemistry teachers if they have questions, as well as use online and AP Chemistry resources to prepare. “I got involved in the Chem Olympiad through my class in AP Chem,” Li said. “I have a natural interest for chemistry. It’s fun for me to learn more and to dive deeper into the material.” Furthermore, the competition also presents itself as a benchmark for students who desire to test their understanding of chemistry. “[Students] should take [the exam] to find out how much chemistry [they] understand relative to [their] peers,” Tollett said. “That’s really all it’s going to tell you.” Even though the Chemistry Olympiad is timeconsuming and complex, it provides students with much insight into the subject. “I think that chemistry is such a unique subject, and you don’t learn that much about it in middle school [or] anything before high school,” Shankar said. “I thought it was a really great opportunity to see how much I know in chemistry, and it’s always worth it to give it a shot.”
ARTWORK BY ELLIE HAGUE
tuesday, may 17, 2022
I used to be a little bit of a hypocrite. I hate judgmental people with a burning passion, but I found myself judging people constantly. I don’t talk in a lot of my classes. I just listen, and I hear kids say cruel and hateful things about others, like “she’s weird”, “he’s stupid”, or “oh my god, why is she even alive”. Hearing people speak that way makes me angry. But when I thought about it, was I any better? The second I saw someone that didn’t look or act like me, my first reaction was to judge. I realized I was just as bad as everyone else. I didn’t want to be like that anymore. It just doesn’t make sense
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to me how human beings can be so vile towards one another. I can’t say I’m the perfect person and don’t judge anyone at all because that wouldn’t be true, but I’ve gotten better. The way I see it, you should only judge a person if they have wronged you directly. Why judge someone if they’re not directly impacting your life negatively? Every time I get the urge to judge someone, I stop and think about what they might be going through or how their home life is. You never know why a person acts the way they do because no one lives the same life as you or experiences the
breaking barriers
weighing the scales
same things you do. When I started viewing people like that I started talking to more people. People that I would have purposely avoided sophomore criticizes before. People who ended up being some of the best is train your brain to see the people I’ve ever met. bad in everything which can I don’t believe people cause stress, anxiety, and an shouldn’t judge others at all, overall negative mindset. though. It’s a good skill to People need to start have and can keep you from seeing the beauty in others being taken advantage of. rather than seeing their The sad thing is that there are flaws. And if that is somehow plain bad people in the world, impossible for you, just focus so sometimes being able on yourself rather than on to judge someone on their others. actions is a good thing. You I think if everyone just just shouldn’t judge people made it a priority to focus on if you don’t have a valid themselves, the world would reason. The only thing cruelly be a much better place. judging a person does for you
These misogynistic ideas have been repeated through centuries of student contemplates role of women in traditions and are the so-called “way of life”. society debkonya banerjeee Why should a man put up his staff reporter dishes when he has a wife to do it for him? Why should a man clean up a spill on the dining table when his wife could? Why should the woman work outside the house when the Spices man is already working? mingle in These stereotypes make it very hard to break the air. The the glass ceiling. Despite women like Marie Curie, hissing of Aretha Franklin, Hillary Clinton, Sandra Day oil. The O’Connor, and many more who have worked slamming of tirelessly to break these stereotypes, the impact, the sizzling however minimal, did not change much of our daily heat. The life. kitchen. But that’s not all. Women have to hear time and One of the most sacred places in our lives. time again: “You’re going to university for an MRS. It’s the place where we get our nutrition and the degree” or “ Women should just sit and look pretty sweet aroma of our favorite food. The place women while the men do the work.” supposedly belong. Regardless of the many comments, you find Time and time again I have heard these pieces of sunlight breaking through the glass ceiling. stereotypical things. A woman’s place is in the It makes me wonder how someone could reach the kitchen. Women exist to cook and clean. A woman’s glass ceiling. How could other women reach that role is to serve her family without complaint. height? It seems the glass ceiling is not made out of
judgmental attitudes atticus johnson staff reporter
glass. It’s made of steel. One woman may break her ceiling, but that does not guarantee that all of the other women’s ceilings are broken. Not only has the light been shed on the numerous abuse and harassment cases, but it also makes us aware of how far the ceiling is for many women to reach. Thanks to society, women were, more often than not, considered the weaker sex. They were thought of as slaves or objects. Not anymore. There is a new generation of women, advocating for a seat at the table. We humans wouldn’t be able to achieve things we have without the help and support of women, and as women rise and break their ceilings, one thing sought after above all is respect and equality for all. Now we are beginning to see instances of people trying to be more respectful. From the respect of one’s sexuality to respect to one’s religion, our society has been changing and accepting. As society changes, we should change with it. Without change, humanity may very well be over.
Should CSISD provide personal devices to students?
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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 editorin-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, 2021, and 2022 ILPC Bronze Star and 2007-2013, 2015, and 2018 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 of Title 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.
The Roar 2020-2021 Staff Claire Grace Franklin Medha Sarin Piper Hitchcock Ellie Hague Emmeline Duhon Allison Segers Ian Curtis Myla Cathey Emily Chen Elena Alaniz Debkonya Banerjee Alex Gentry Evy Hairell Aliza Jacob Atticus Johnson Dhriti Kolar Dorothy Marvin Evelyn Hairell Comic Artist Mo Rye Faculty Adviser Michael Williams Assistant Adviser Chauncey Lindner The Roar Editorial Board
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Executive Editor Opinions Editor Feature Editor Entertainment Editor Sports Editor News Editor Section Editor Staff Reporter
Claire Grace Franklin • Ellie Hague Medha Sarin
tuesday, may 17, 2022
Proposition B of CSISD’s latest bond reserved $4.525 million for the purpose of acquiring “personal devices” for staff and students. In a video posted on the district’s YouTube channel, superintendent Mike Martindale, along with district director of technology David Hutchinson, revealed before the bond election the money would be used to purchase devices for several purposes. What was not revealed was how this proposal would affect students. In order to effectively benefit the student body, we believe the district should provide a personal device to students in need of one to use both at school and home throughout the year, rather than just having them for use on campus. Two things are undeniable: to have a school experience equal to their peers, students need a personal device capable of accessing the internet, and some students cannot afford those personal devices. CSISD’s extensive use of Schoology has made a personal device a necessity. Some classes have entire assignments that are completed through the program. Furthermore, the program provides a means of contacting teachers. Students should not be dependent on face-to-face communication. When situations such as missing school occur, email and Schoology is practically the only option. Not providing a device to students who do not already have one makes communication impossible. Even assignments that students are given class time on computers to complete often necessitate the use of a home device. Not every student learns and works at the same pace. To expect every student to fully complete an essay or other task in rigid, 50-minute
“[It should be] a choice for [students] who want it, to come get [devices], because if you provide it to [some] people then it might be unfair to other people.” -junior Zohreen Sohani
intervals is ridiculous. This program would allow students to grow in their own distinct patterns of work rather than stressing over fitting into a predesignated window. Other schools, such as the local branch of International Leadership of Texas, have tried similar policies. Those schools have experienced programs with students damaging their devices. This is an unfortunate but necessary consequence of the program we are advocating for. To resolve this, we propose a strike system: Every student is afforded one device repair, but not an infinite amount. While the district clearly should make sure every student has a device, they should not be held responsible for the carelessness and reckless behavior of students. Having a limited number of repairs per student would also ensure that students would treat the provided devices with more care and respect. Having classes that nearly, if not officially, require a personal device to complete while not providing devices to students without one is unfair. The district’s digital focus in recent years has been a positive development, and now they have a chance to fully integrate students into their digital-first vision. We believe it is a chance worth taking.
“[Providing devices] gives everyone an equal opportunity to be able to learn, but I think it should be strictly for [students] who do [not] have one .” -sophomore Georgia Sledge
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Game of Life
During the game of life on April 13, students learned real-world skills, among them being empathetic, college planning, money management, and basic automobile skills. emily chen & dhriti kolar section editor & staff reporter
“[At] the management [station], it was helpful to learn how to manage my time, and it helped me manage my homework, as well as [keep] track of all the things that I need to do,” sophomore Kinlee Mearns said.
“I learned how to make effective goals and how to be empathetic. [Being empathetic and] emotionally connecting with others was one thing that I really struggled to do,” sophomore Hayoung Lee said.
PHOTOS BY DHRITI KOLAR (TOP ROW) AND EMILY CHEN (MIDDLE, BOTTOM ROWS)
8 | centerspread | the roar
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While on a video call with band director Steve Fry, senior Faith Wenck and the rest of the marching band revel in excitement. They had just qualified for state for their show, “Sands of Time”, for the first time in school history, which they competed in from November 1-2 in San Antonio.
At the state meet in Austin, the Tiger swim boys placed third overall, led by individual state championships from their relay team consisting of seniors Andrew Larsen, Michael Peng, and Eric Xiao and junior Carston Johnson in the 200 free and 400 free relays.
highlight reel The Roar staff reflects on some of this year’s significant achievements emily chen & evy hairell section editor & staff reporter
The boys cross country team made their first appearance at the UIL state meet in Round Rock for the first time since 2014. Junior Diego Cardenas would finish with a time of 17:35.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY TIGER BAND, LINDSEY GOUGH, @CONSOLCOLORGUARD ON INSTAGRAM, SOPHOMORE MATTHEW ROWAN CROSS COUNTRY AND SWIM PHOTOS BY IAN CURTIS
After performing at marching band state for the first time ever, color guard went on to compete at state in their season, winter guard. They performed “Diamonds are Forever” by Chaka Khan.
The Audio Video Production Quizbowl team won 1st place at both district and state SkillsUSA competitions for the first time in school history. On the AVP team was seniors Elaine Castro, Marissa Hurtado, Jayden Lasoya, Noah Thomass, Brandon Topf, Nathan Smith, and junior Medha Sarin. The criminal justice team had junior Samuel Bayeh and sophomores Matthew Rowan, Sterling Giles, and Mahathi Kannan.
Senior Rebecca Rowan, junior Dorthia Jones, and sophomores Kendall McKinney and Caitlin Parkey qualified for state in the annual VASE art competition.
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welcome to the jungle Student musicians perform on-stage during district-wide concert myla cathey & dottie marvin news editor & staff reporter Stepping forward into the bright stage lights, sweat dripping down her face and butterflies in her stomach, senior Layla Burton hears the crowd shouting her band’s name. She is filled with a sense of euphoric satisfaction and has finally achieved the feeling she has been working toward: the thrill of a performance. On April 14, student musicians from both CSISD high schools performed in the CSHS auditorium at Jungle Jam, allowing these artists to take their talents to the stage. The event had been canceled in recent years, so this was the first opportunity that student bands, like Burton’s band On the Rooftop, have gotten the chance to perform for a live audience. “Finding gigs is pretty hard, especially in a small city like College Station,” Burton said. “We’ve been trying to perform [at] First Friday in Downtown Bryan. [Our] first performance was for the guitarist of my band’s dad. Jungle Jam was our second performance ever.” Having only played in the school band since the sixth grade, sophomore Walker Dixon decided to start playing guitar to gain a variety of musical experience. Jungle Jam was his first performance outside of the group of band members. “At the soundcheck, I was pretty nervous,” Dixon said. “I didn’t know how it was going to go, but then the audience was great, and they were fun to perform for, so I was happy with it.” Despite the nerves of performing in a brand new way, Dixon credits the crowd’s enthusiasm for his eventual comfort on stage. “[Jungle Jam] is very fun,” Dixon said. “[You] don’t worry about messing up because even if you do, the crowd just encourages you.” For senior Toni West, whose stage name is Angel Toné, a memorable moment from the show was when the crowd began cheering before he even stepped foot on the stage, and he immediately felt welcomed. “I like the fact that there was a very supportive community of people who were ready to support other people’s music no matter what it was,” West said. According to West, the preparation and
rehearsal time for the show was mostly at each musician’s preference. Participants were free to choose their preferred music and could practice on their own. “Even if it was two minutes of my free time, I would just sing through each and every one of my songs I was performing,” West said. “When it comes to callbacks and stuff, I was ready and planning what I was going to do on the stage. [At] rehearsals, I was trying to go through the things I did and remember.” Burton’s nerves made it difficult for her to get on stage. However, the environment at Jungle Jam was incredibly responsive and welcoming to the amateur performers. “I liked how nobody was afraid to just be up on stage, especially all the other performers,” Burton said. “They did so good just getting up there doing their thing. If they messed up, they just kept going, and nobody said anything about it. It’s something you wouldn’t see at other high schools.” Being surrounded by others with the same passion felt like a dream to West, who has only ever recorded his songs, lacking the interpersonal aspect that music should have. “[It felt good] seeing other people do what I enjoy doing as well,” West said. “It’s just very heartwarming to feel like a part of something.” By providing an interactive crowd and a sufficient venue to “rock out” in, Jungle Jam was a success for Burton and the other performers thankful for the musical experience. “Whenever you perform in front of everyone, it means something,” Burton said. “At that moment, I felt like I was the most famous person in the world.”
The crowd forms hearts with their hands to show their support for On the Rooftop.
West (Angel Toné) performs his original music at Jungle Jam.
Dixon plays the guitar during his rendention of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Mary Had a Little Lamb”. PHOTOS BY MYLA CATHEY
tuesday, may 17, 2022
graze anatomy
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Veterinary medicine students pursue passions, practice animal care debkonya banarjee & elena alaniz staff reporters
Pets. From scaly cold-blooded creatures to furry, warm-blooded beasts, there are hundreds of them. Vets have to know how to care for each and every one. So why not get a head start in learning to care for them? Veterinary medicine application is a class offered for juniors and seniors who are interested in the veterinary medicine field. A major aspect offered by these classes is the opportunity to attend off-campus volunteering two times a week. “Monday through Thursday, kids are in and out of the classroom due to their internship,” junior Luke Sanders said. “Then Friday, everyone’s [in the classroom], so that’s when we do our practical clinical skills.” At the clinics, students give vaccines to pets, help restrain animals, and clean kennels as some of the things they do in their internships. “[The vet clinic] hired me as a kennel tech,” junior Alexis Findley said. “As soon as I get my certification, I’m hoping to be promoted to vet assistant.” When the Vet Med students are
not at an internship, they still have big responsibilities to fulfill. “We have 10 ducks [and a couple of] rabbits that we take care of,” Sanders said. “We have a calf out there currently. We’re [also] trying to halter break a cow at the moment.” But these obligations don’t deter them from their regular lesson plan. “In the fall semester, we had more of a classroom curriculum where it was a lot about clinical procedures,” Sanders said. “There’s different things of that nature like the technicalities, and then this semester, we’re really focusing on [hands-on] skills and working with animals a lot.” Sophomore Amanda Dean is one of the students who are following their childhood dreams through the program. “I always wanted to be a vet when I was a kid,” Amanda Dean said. “Like kindergarten dress up day, that was me with my little outfit and stuff.” Because veterinary medicine classes are only for juniors and seniors, many
freshmen and sophomores start with the introduction to agriculture class or the FFA veterinary medicine CDE Contest. “You go in, you get assigned to a group and the groups rotate through the stations,” Dean said. “One station will be organs, another station will be tools, another station will be breeds, and then one station sits down [and] does a test.” Students in veterinary medicine find what they do to be challenging, yet fun and exciting, and would enjoy pursuing it in the future. “I would say that in three words [Veterinary Medicine] is interesting, engaging, and very educational,” Sanders said. “I love the atmosphere. I love working with animals, [and] working with clients.”
Junior Alexis Finney (top) and senior Zoe Sakson (bottom) cradle rabbits.
Senior Kaylee Hall feeds FFA’s Brahman calf a treat.
PHOTOS BY DEBKONYA BANARJEE
12 | sports | the roar
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wheels on fire Star athlete demonstrates resolve on journey to state competition myla cathey news editor
PHOTO BY RAW PHOTOGRAPHY Ireland competes in a track event during the regular season.
throws shot put and discus, says Ireland’s determined attitude rubs off on her, and she partially credits Ireland’s support for her enjoyment of this track season. “She will give a number when we throw,” Humphries said. “At district, she was giving me numbers, and I hit each number. That was cool.” Ireland competed at state thanks to the support of her teammates and coaches and due to her hard work this season. “They push me a lot,” Ireland said. “[It’s helpful to] have teammates set goals for each other.” Martin says that Ireland’s goal-oriented personality has allowed her to achieve great speeds in wheelchair division track and distances in shot put. “She’s one that doesn’t want to take off reps and doesn’t look to get out of a workout,” Martin said. “She always wants to know, ‘What can I do to get better?’ She’s a great athlete in the sense that she understands that hard work is going to help her achieve her goals.”
PHOTO BY RAW PHOTOGRAPHY
At the sound of the starter’s pistol, junior Maria Ireland races with the labor of her upper body and the wheels of her racing chair. Competing in wheelchair division track in the 100 meter and 400 meter events and as a shot put thrower, Ireland breaks the mold of a typical track athlete, but is a fierce competitor nonetheless. The racer says she does not hear many comments about wheelchair track and field besides the shock people feel when they hear she competes in sports at all. “They’re surprised when I tell them I do track, and I do sports,” Ireland said. “They say, ‘Oh I didn’t know you could do that.’” At the area meet on April 21, Ireland threw her personal best in the shot put event and ran her personal best in the 100 meter sprint. “I threw 70 feet for the first time [at area], which is close to the amount that the girls in first and second place at state last year [threw],” Ireland said. “I’m getting there.” Head girls track coach Peter Martin feels that Ireland’s persevering work ethic allows her to excel in both the track and throwing events. “She knew what she had to work on to
allow herself to get faster,” Martin said. “She went out there, executed, and ran her fastest time, which, to me, is a big deal.” To be a successful track athlete, Martin says, one must master both physical strength and mental toughness. “To compete at a high level and be one of the best in the state, you have to have that confidence and that drive of knowing that [you] have prepared [yourself],” Martin said. “She’s gotten much better, she has the experience, and she knows what she needs to do, and that carries over into our workouts.” Between playing basketball and running track, Ireland spends a lot of her time training, but there is also a big financial commitment involved in wheelchair sports. “Not everybody knows how hard it is to get the equipment,” Ireland said. “You have to pay a lot. I have two different chairs. They cost thousands of dollars.” Ireland’s teammate junior Kendra Humphries says that Ireland creates an extremely motivating atmosphere on the field. “You have to work for it,” Humphries said. “It’s not just given to you. At track meets we won’t pressure each other, but we’ll make each other work for our best throw.” Humphries, who
Ireland poses with her gold medal at the Region III area meet. PHOTO FROM @CONSOL.XC.TRACK ON INSTAGRAM
Ireland rounds the track with Martin at a track meet.
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the roar | sports | 13
WAVE YOUR FLAG
Color guard’s creativity, perservence result in success through fall, winter competitions medha sarin & alex gentry managing editor & staff reporter Dance is familiar. And the idea of sports using equipment is nothing new — rackets for tennis, a ball for soccer, a net for ping pong. But there’s a lesser-known but equally beautiful sport that combines both: color guard. Senior and captain Kyleigh Taylor has been in the program since freshman year, in which she twirls and spins artistic equipment in a dance-like presentation. “It’s a movement-based sport that includes the use of equipment, such as flags, rifles, and sabers, to portray a show or a theme to a song or to whatever the main goal is,” Taylor said. The talent of this year’s color guard team has culminated in exciting first place wins and new state competition appearances — like when the guard and marching band made state this fall for the first time in school history. “It was really euphoric,” Taylor said. “To think like, ‘Oh my god, the first time in 101 years,’ we were like, ‘Wow, that’s pretty freaking cool.’ We weren’t really worried about what we were going to make at state because everyone was so excited, and the school was so excited for us.” But that fall performance was not all about the guard. They performed alongside the marching band in a show about eight minutes long called Sands of Time, and they worked under different conditions, having to factor in weather and space. “Marching season is a lot more simplified work so that you can do it in the elements,” junior Rosy Marden said. “If you’re doing really complex stuff and a gust of wind blows in, then there’s no point in that. We have to move farther distances because the field is bigger than being in a gym.” Amid these achievements, color guard director Niki Naumann has seen a COVIDinduced change in the program this season. “I think this year was a building year to
restructure and regrow programs after taking a hit the last two years,” Naumann said. “It was really nice for things to be closer to a normal color guard year. This season was definitely a lot more competitive than last year.” After the unprecedented marching season, they moved straight into winter guard, in which they perform a more challenging indoor routine and compete exclusively against other guards. “We do a lot more complicated stuff skillwise,” Marden said. “The color guard has more of a chance to shine [during winter guard] than [during] marching season because it’s more about the band’s forms and their technique, but winter guard is like our own thing.” They danced to “Diamonds are Forever” by Chaka Khan, a sassy performance and somewhat of a contrast from the Aladdin-esque marching band show. “It was very fancy, very put together, cool, sleek, and kind of poised,” Taylor said. “They were both really fun, but they were different performance-wise and facial-wise.” Once again, they swept the floor at winter guard state after their success at area. Taylor recalls how winning the area competition felt like a translation of their hard-earned efforts. “I wasn’t expecting to get first in area,” Kyleigh said. “In a way, it was relieving, but only because we had put so much work into it. It’s like proof of how hard we’ve worked for this.” Last year, the guard was moved down a class due to COVID; they had only upperclassmen and just met the minimum requirements — five people on the floor at winter guard — which Marden thinks has its pros and cons. This year, they were moved back up a class. “We were a little more competitive this year, but we still managed to do really well,” Marden said. “That’s even [while] still being a smaller color guard than normal for our classification, which I think makes it easier to clean choreography and stuff because there’s
less people to direct. It’s still hard, but it’s easier than having 30 people on the mat.” Overseeing and guiding through these performances since last year, Naumann has felt a huge perspective change. And reasonably so: she had formerly spun flags on Tigerland field as a guard member but has now graduated to director. “There’s just so much that goes into the color guard, or any program really, behind the scenes that you don’t see as a student,” Naumann said. “It’s been fascinating to learn all of that.”
Junior Allie Naumann lifts freshman Morgan Inbody during a winter guard performance. PHOTO PROVIDED BY KYLEIGH TAYLOR
14 | comics | the roar
tuesday, may 17, 2022
tuesday, may 17, 2022
that ’s a wrap
the roar | reviews | 15
the roar reviews: other staffer’s favorite movies
dottie marvin | staff reporter The Batman (2022) is one of the truest forms of Batman I have seen. As an avid superhero fan myself, I’ve seen many movies with Batman in it. This movie changes Batman’s image by revealing his inner dialogue, and opens up a completely new understanding of him. Robert Pattinson also plays an exaggerated version of the secluded billionaire because of the fact that he only leaves his mansion at nights and is quite literally nochturnal like a bat. His drive focuses on solving crimes rather than on blind violence like that of Batmen in the past. He has become a beacon of fear more so towards petty crime than anything else. However, if you’re a fan of action rather than plot driven characters, this might not be the movie for you. The problems that arise are ghosts from Batman’s past. This means that we are more likely to see character development rather than exciting action scenes. It is more of a murder mystery than previous movies which makes it unique and exciting, but not necessarily what I was expecting.
elena alaniz | staff reporter The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller is an amazing film right off the bat. The movie follows the lonesome main character Charlie throughout his freshman year of highschool, all the while he has his own mental struggles slowly retreating to the forefront of his mind. The film is a coming of age movie packed full of emotion. One second you’ll be cheering because Charlie just kissed the girl. Then, the next you’ll be teary-eyed because he feels like he’s alone. Something I greatly enjoyed about the film is the way it portrays Charlie’s past trauma. They were very meticulous as to what they would directly show the audience and what would be left to figure out, leading you to wonder about what actually caused Charlie to behave the way he does. Another thing I loved is the music and inclusivity: the first friend Charlie makes in highschool, Patrick, is gay. Another one of his newfound friends, Mary Elizabeth, is a buddhist. I think being able to see people in films that resemble or act like you is always a plus. Overall, I would recommend this movie to anyone.
16 | feature | the roar
tuesday, may 17, 2022
fun and fellowship Members, leaders of Christian club explain importance of organization medha sarin & aliza jacob managing editor & staff reporter
Christianity. However, regardless of members’ religions, the Young Life leaders try to create a casual, fun space for students. “You can just show up and have fun,” Young Life leader Carly Feuquay said. “Ultimately, our goal is to be able to talk to you and answer questions and have you be open to asking questions about Jesus. You can literally be like, ‘I’ve never even heard of this. I’m just here to have fun,’ and that’s great.” Along with weekly meetings, Consol’s chapter of Young Life also hosts Bible studies and events, such as a summer camp and a kickoff event called Paint Wars.
It’s not every day you get to eat a whole head of lettuce. But in Young Life, eating apples off a string, dressing up as breakfast food, and dancing in a crowd of dozens of other students is a normal occurrence. Young Life clubs exist at high schools throughout Brazos Valley and around the world. Consol’s chapter of Young Life is a way for students to bond with college students outside of school in a The members and leaders of Young Life pose for a group photo. casual and social setting. Junior Leah Miller, who was eagerly invited to Young Life by her sister’s friend, has found that the leaders are a constant source of college and religious advice. “It’s a really great community,” Miller said. “Having someone to ask the hard questions was awesome, and just getting to know them and hearing their stories of how they overcame high school isn’t the end of the world.” Themed weekly meetings consist of wild dance
PHOTOS BY DOTTIE MARVIN
Junior Ethan Horrell participates in an activity in which he and another member make pizzas with their feet. parties and social games. “For the first 20 to 30 minutes, we play games or just hang outside, play frisbee or spikeball or just talk, just fellowship,” Miller said. “Then we go inside and then you literally [have] a dance party.” The meetings end with discussions on
“[In Young Life camp, we do] ziplining, horseback riding, mountain biking, you could just go on a hike if you wanted to. It’s so fun,” junior Dulce Loya said. Loya has also grown to have strong relationships with her Young Life mentors. “If you have any questions about life, about college, they [help]with that,” junior Dulce Loya said. “The leaders will always be there for you. If you need a ride school, they got you. They’re basically like my best friends, which I really like.” Reflecting on her own high school experience, Feuquay believes high schoolers benefit from the extra support that Young Life provides. “In high school, I didn’t really have that
Juniors Gwynne Crosby and Thomas Crosthwait sing and play songs with Young Life leaders.
many good influences,” Feuquay said, “I feel like I just really wanted someone to be like, ‘Hey, I’m here for you’.” Miller sees Young Life as a safe place of little judgment. “Literally you could say something so stupid, but it would be so normal to say because it’s a really free environment,” junior Leah Miller said. While religion plays a part in Young Life, everyone is welcome. “If you know nothing about Christianity, you can still come,” Loya said. “That’s the point of Young Life. It introduces you to that, and it doesn’t go against any other religions or beliefs.” For Miller, who has been part of Young Life since freshman year, watching the impact that Young Life has, not only on herself but on others, is the best part of it. “It’s been really awesome getting to see people being like, ‘Oh, I’m just gonna come because I’ve heard it’s really fun,’ and then being totally changed by it,” Miller said. Thus, she’s come to enjoy the conventional high schooler’s least favorite part of the week: Monday evenings. “I found myself being like, ‘I can’t wait till Monday’ just because I knew that I got to [go to] Young Life at the end of the day, and just have fun and be silly and not have super high expectations,” Miller said.