The Roar Vol. 17 No. 6 by The Roar

the

Roar

A&M Consolidated High School

Check out what happened at Senior Wellness on page 11

1801 Harvey Mitchell Pkwy. S., College Station, Texas 77840

Friday, May 18, 2012

Vol. 17 No. 6

the

power

two

by dana branham, features editor heading into a world of unknowns. Once this year is through, half of the current freshman class will not be returning to Consol. Instead, they’ll be the leaders of College Station High School, acting as the upperclassmen as our district makes a switch from one high school to two. For some, this means leaving friends behinds and PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY AMY ZHANG

tolook

For others, the new school will provide a wealth of opportunities and the excitement that walks hand in hand with change. Regardless of which school you’ll attend, though, the goal of the two facilities will be the same: success. “My hopes—and quite honestly, my expectations—

where News Viewpoints

Health and Rec Snapshots

New school divides district, provides opportunities for students, staff

pages 2-5 Student Life

pages 12-13

pages 6-9 People

pages 14-17

pages 10 Sports

pages 18-20

page 11 Entertainment/Etc. pages 21-24

nthis ssue

are success,” said Mike Martindale, principal of College Station High School. “I hope to establish a standard of expectation that will make us a contributing part of the community, and I hope that we establish the same [success] that Consol has over the years.”

see "new school" on page 3 Some students find doodling to be a constructive habit. PAGE 15 Turn to the center of the paper and check out our first SENIOR issue! SPECIAL PULL-OUT

n the news

2 | news | the roar

Business team wins national championship in Chicago

Senior earns trip to China

At the BPA Chigaco tournament on April 24-29, Consol’s team became National Champions for the fourth year in a row.Senior Nathan Guermond won first place in C++ Programming, senior Jeffrey Steines placed third in Payroll Accounting, sophomores Michelle Liu and Ivy Lee placed in the top ten in Fundamental Accounting and Keyboarding Production, respectively, and the Financial Analysist Team consisting of Steines and juniors Jessie Wu and Kelly Zhou placed in the top ten. Wu and Zhou also received Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications.

Junior wins Gatorade award

Competitors win career contest At the state Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America competition in Dallas, senior Cesia Sanchez won a gold medal for Interior Design, Jaiden Harrison and Grace Wong won gold in the Culinary category. In Child Development, sophomore Shirin Nayani won gold, and Arena Ali and senior Abby Hedge won silver.

Horse judging team advances The Horse Judging Team of juniors Nikki Barnett, Cheyenne Jacobson, Aislin Southerland and Tiffany Becerra won third place at the state meet in Lubbock on April 21. Barnett also finished in third place individually. The Entomology Team of junior Hannah Neely, sophomore Amy Bonnet and senior Paige Littlefield also qualified to compete at the state meet.

friday, may 18, 2012

A qu ck view Several police officers work to remove a student from a crashed vehicle, as part of the Shattered Dreams car crash simulation on May 1. Shattered Dreams was created to raise awareness of the effects of drinking and driving, particularly among teens. PHOTO BY AMY ZHANG

Senior Peter Lambert has been selected by the World Food Prize Foundation for a Borlaug International Internship in China. He is one of 21 students from 10 states who will use this scholarship to research hunger and poverty throughout the world this summer.

The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN HS, announced junior Karis Jochen as its 2011-2012 Gatorade Texas Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. Jochen is the first Gatorade athlete to be chosen from Consol. The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Jochen as Texas’s best high school girls cross country runner.

Academic team qualifies for state The UIL academic team will compete at the state meet in Austin May 21-23. At the Regional meet on April 21 at Baylor University, the entire team won third place. Sophomore Patrick Lynch placed first in informative speaking; sophomore Brooke Versaw advances for placing first in Spelling & Vocabulary; junior Kensen Shi placed third in Computer Science, Mathematics and Science; and Versaw, freshman Shilpa Saravanan, sophomore Taylor Zhang and junior Samantha Wang placed first in Team Spelling and Vocabulary.

Com ng up May 18:

Deadline for changing courses for 2012-2013

May 22:

Senior Salute at 9 a.m. in the auditorium

May 23:

Powder Puff juniors vs. seniors football game 4:30-7:30 p.m. at Tiger Field

May 25:

Finals: 1st period for seniors

May 28:

Memorial day holiday

May 29:

Finals: 5th and 7th periods; 3rd period for seniors

May 30:

Finals: 2nd, 4th and 6th periods

May 31:

Senior picnic and graduation practice at 1:30 p.m Finals: 3rd and 1st periods for underclassmen

June 1:

Class of 2012 graduation at 7:00 p.m. at Reed Arena

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the roar | news | 3

friday, may 18, 2012

“new school” continued from page 1

Completion of second high school opens new doors for students, staff, community NEW SCHOOL

With the arrival of the new school will be the beginning of new opportunities for students, freshman and band member Riley Park said. “Different people can now take charge, and it’s going to be really different, doing that at a [younger] age,” Park said. “I think that’s an opportunity that a lot of people won’t get [at Consol] because the older people take charge of leadership.” Freshman basketball and football player Michael McCord agreed, adding that he was excited that “[his class] will have to be leaders the whole time.” To prepare for the coming year, CSHS athletes—specifically, those in freshman football—have begun to practice separately from students who will remain at Consol. However, the schools will not compete with one another until the 20132014 school year, when they will both have reached a 4A UIL classification. McCord explained that this separation of teams has not created tension, but they expect pleasant relations with the new school—the only conflict occurs during football games, he said. “I think it’ll be a friendly rivalry,” McCord said. “That’s how it always has been. It’s just during the football game [that we feel a rivalry], but before and after the games, everyone is fine.” Freshman cheerleader and Student Council member Megan Paradowski commented that, while the smaller size of the school will make it “less intimidating,” the new students will be making many decisions next year. Park agreed, saying that while there are many decisions still to be made, next year’s sophomores will play a vital role in determining school traditions for College Station High School. “I think the whole point [the district has] with establishing this new school is

allowing us to be the ‘upperclassmen’ for these three years that we’ll be there,” Park said. “We’ll be starting traditions, and I think that will be really cool and very beneficial to have so much leadership in our sophomore class.” Martindale meets with a student advisory council called the Cougar Cabinet to decide on school traditions, as well to receive student feedback. “[The Cougar Cabinet] definitely had some ideas as far as traditions,” Martindale said. “Ultimately, whether a tradition sticks or an activity becomes a tradition or not really is dependent upon if the students embrace it and sustain it.” McCord, a member of the Cougar Cabinet, said he is absolutely ready to be a CSHS Cougar, and has been “wearing more purple” in preparation for the school’s opening. “A lot of [us] are really excited and we’re ready to get there, because we’re just ready for new things,” McCord said. “Even though we’re only freshmen, we’re ready for change.” On the other hand, Park admits to being hesitant at first to attending CSHS. “I’ve had a really good time here, and next year, it’s definitely going to be different,” Park said. “At first, I was so stressed, but now I’m just anxious for this year to end, because I want the next year to start.”

STAFFING CHANGES

One change that will result from the transition from one high school to two is in staffing. To make sure both campuses would have quality teachers, Elder, Martindale, and other staff at the district’s central office reviewed the teachers’ preference forms to decide which teachers would teach at which campus based on the schools’ needs as well as the teachers’ preferences. Casey Akin, current PreAP and AP

chemistry teacher at Consol, will be affected by such changes in staffing, as next year, she will move to College Station High School. Because only freshman and sophomores will be attending the new high school, Akin is forced to make changes to her current chemistry curriculum. “I will need to ready my curriculum to meet the needs of having only sophomores in chemistry, not sophomores and juniors,” Akin said. “I want to make sure that I am being a good example for them, since they will not have upperclassmen to learn from.” Sophomore class president Sanathan Iyer, who had hoped for Akin as an AP chemistry teacher next year for the “possibility of viewing a different teaching style from a different teacher,” feels that the absence of certain teachers next year will give the school a different atmosphere. “Some of the teachers that I know and love, and have had in previous years, are moving to the new high school,” Iyer said. “I won’t get to see them anymore, or as much.” While students like Iyer will miss old teachers, teachers like Akin will miss other teachers as well. “One of the major differences will be that I am the only teacher doing chemistry next year, so I will miss collaborating with the other teachers,” Akin said. “They offer insight and inspiration that is very valuable.” Furthermore, Elder said that there will be an balanced distribution of newer teachers and veteran teachers at both high schools, to make sure that both schools are on an even playing field. “Looking at [plans for] College Station High School two years ago, one of the things that [superintendent] Dr. Coulson has always said is that we’ll have comparable facilities, we’ll have comparable programs, comparable instruction and the

quality of instruction has to be [the same] for both schools,” Elder said.

RENOVATIONS AT CONSOL

Staffing won’t be the only change in store for Consol. While students enjoy their time away from school this summer, Consol will be getting a bit of a facelift. The school will be closed from June 2 to August 10 for renovations. This summer, the changes will include renovations to CATE and special education classrooms, outside entrance beautification, as well as a creation of a student congregation area outside of the library. “We’re expanding our computer technology area and also expanding our health science program,” Elder said. “We’re also coming in with a three new classrooms for art, so this upcoming summer, most of the renovations will be geared towards classrooms.” The following summer, in 2013, the school will be closed for renovations once again. “They’re going to transform the library and create a student open space, where students can congregate and hang out instead of just going to the cafeteria before school and after school,” Elder said. “It’ll be comparable to College Station High School, because they’ll have that open space that we’ll try to integrate.” As we transition to two schools, the district, the schools, the staff, and the students will undoubtedly face unprecedented changes and experiences. However, such changes will only make for a stronger district. “Both schools are going to have high expectations and do well,” Martindale said. “The [goal] is to ensure that the community has two exceptional high schools now, as opposed to just one.”

Changes at Consol: Underclassmen may attend a new school, but next year’s Consol students should prepare themselves for a renovated library, selected classrooms and enhanced exterior facade.

Source: http://csisd.org

Common areas towards front of building

Renovated library

4 | news | the roar

friday, may 18, 2012

Separated families discover additional respect, appreciation, love for each other BY ALINA DATTAGUPTA

managing editor

It was an emotional reunion. After a year of video chatting, talking over the phone, and imagining this moment, senior Joon Eoh was finally able to see his father in person after over a year. Eoh’s situation is complicated. His parents are married, but his father lives and works in Korea, while the rest of his family lives here. He had pictured this meeting many times over the past year and had trouble deciding what to say first because so much had occurred. He saw how his father carefully examined him and was in awe at how much he had grown and changed. Both were speechless, yet in those quiet moments, they were able to communicate just how much they had missed each other. “[Moving here without my dad] was extremely tough,” Eoh said. “He and my grandparents didn’t really agree with my mom bringing us here. It’s hard on my dad because I go to see him once a year, and sometimes I can’t even see him. A lot can happen in a year, and it’s difficult for him to accept that.” Eoh’s father stayed in Korea because he had trouble adjusting to life in the United States. “I feel like he easily could’ve gotten a job at A&M being a professor, but he wanted to stay in Korea, and he liked it better there,” Eoh said. “I think he had some rough times when he was here, and he felt like he could live a better life there because he’s a lot more comfortable in the Korean culture. He’s a lot more comfortable speaking Korean, and his family wanted him to come back there as well.” Senior Kirstin Sylvester’s father has been teaching at different universities all over the country ever since she moved to College Station in the fourth grade. “We stayed here in College Station because I didn’t want to move [since] I had already just switched schools in fourth grade, and I didn’t want to move again,” Sylvester said. “[I was] already rooted here and already [had] friends here, so [I didn’t] really want to start over again.” When she found out about the arrangement, Sylvester was startled at first, but she came to terms with it faster than her sibling did. “I dealt with it better than my brother because boys need their dad,” she said. “It’s not a big deal anymore. Since I’ve been dealing with it so long, it doesn’t bother me. I saw it as

something he has to do. He sat down and explained to us that he has to make a paycheck, and he has to make that sacrifice for us in order to do so.”

Stronger Mothers Eoh’s family arrangement has been this way since he was in kindergarten, when his mother decided to bring her kids here for more opportunities. Since they have been in this country, his mother has become the head of the household and his older sisters have helped raise him. “My mom acts as both the mom and dad,” Eoh said. “She tries to make it so that I don’t have too many responsibilities, but I try to help her as much as I can. Basically my mom and my sisters are the best, and they take good care of me.” For the Sylvesters, such an arrangement has also occurred.

“People need to remember that they are so lucky that their dad works in the same town as they do.” senior KIRSTIN SYLVESTER “My mom really had to step up, and she became stricter and she became the one making the decisions,” she said. “It’s weird sometimes, but we’ve found the perfect balance. At first it was really rocky because [I was] used to someone being in charge and telling [me] what to do, but then someone else [came] home and [the roles changed].” As the years have progressed, Eoh admires his mother for everything she has done. “As you get older you find out a lot more things,” he said. “As I grew older I found out that my mom had to work multiple jobs and had to [work extremely hard] to raise three kids. I have so much more respect for her now because I know she tried so hard so that we could live a normal life and have just as many opportunities as the other kids. I am really grateful for her.” Sylvester said that the arrangement has strengthened her relationship with her mother, and together they often worry

about her father’s well-being. He is currently working as the Department Head of Architecture at a university in Kentucky. “I think that my mom and I are closer because of this,” she said. “She confides in me when she is stressed out, and I will help her around the house because being a single parent is a lot of hard work. [When my father is away] we do worry about him, especially if we see bad weather coming his way.” Even though Eoh has come to terms with the situation, he says that he will not consider this arrangement as an option for his children in the future. “You just accept it,” Eoh said. “There’s not much you can do about it. Your parents do it to help you live a better life. If I could do something about it, I wouldn’t live like that when I get older. It puts a lot of stress on your spouse and kids.”

Still Thankful Eoh feels that despite living away from one parent, he is fortunate to have both in his life. “There’s usually a tendency for kids who don’t have both parents to go towards crime and trouble, and I’m glad that me or my sisters didn’t really do that,” he said. “I’m glad that we turned out normal, and there could always be worse problems. There are kids whose parents are dead, and for me, I’m just glad my dad is not dead and that I can still talk to him if I really need him.” Despite dealing well with the situation, Sylvester still feels that others are blessed to have their fathers nearby. “People always complain about how their dad was gone for the day and how much they missed him, but they have no idea how it is like because my dad is gone for months at a time and sometimes I don’t see him at all,” she said. “I think people under appreciate that have both parents at home at all times, and I think people need to remember that they are so lucky that their dad works in the same town as they do.” Eoh feels that despite living away from one parent, he is fortunate to have both in his life. “Your life is basically what you do with what you have in a given situation and what you take of it,” Eoh said. “Whenever I came here, my mom told me that we had nothing, and the only way to success was through work and education, and I think I really took that to heart. Focus on your education and don’t [separate the family like] your parents did. You can always live a better life than they did by finding an alternative.”

friday, may 18, 2012

the roar | news | 5

Passionate Christian activists reach out, share message of faith

After making the big decision to pursue IHOP, because Ordnoez has a passion for the gospel, he chose IHOP. assistant sports editor “What makes me have a passion for sharing the Upon graduating from high school, many seniors plan gospel is people out there who are not saved, and once you to attend college to pursue education or go into the work come into contact with who Jesus is, you develop a heart force to start on a career. For a few students at Consol, the for who he is and start to hurt when there are people who International House of Prayer, or IHOP, is the next step after do not know him,” Ordonez said. “God made you for high school. Himself for all your desired pleasures to be met in Him.” “IHOP is a twenty four hour, seven days a week in IHOP is different than a room of prayer and most colleges because worship,” senior Landan IHOP University holds Quartemont said. the view that traditional Along with academic accreditation can “I know IHOP would help cultivate Quartemont, senior be more of a hindrance than Josue Ordonez plans a help in accomplishing a passion for Jesus and be a on attending IHOP this the purposes for which coming fall semester in God has called us into Kansas City, Missouri. foundation for the rest of my life. being. Some may think “Landan invited me this idea is unrealistic. to a conference in Kansas “Some people hack IHOP will also root me in my faith City called ‘One Thing’ on IHOP a lot, but people where I learned a lot and there love Jesus more than and a deeper knowledge of the wanted to be a part of so many people I have IHOP,” Ordonez said. seen,” Quartemont said. Besides having just a Lord.” “IHOP is very authentic, prayer room, IHOP offers and people are so hungry senior JOSUE ORDONEZ a university where it wants to see Jesus be glorified: to establish a community They want to partner with built around the centrality of the Scripture, prayer, and anyone who loves Jesus.” worship in a context where the Word of God is continuously The International House of Prayer is a place to expressed through singing, praying, and expressions of specialize in many fields like outreach. ministry to others. The university has distinctive features “I know IHOP would help cultivate a passion for Jesus from evangelism and missions to twenty-four seven and be a foundation for the rest of my life,” Ordonez said. Intercessory worship. “IHOP will also root me in my faith and a deeper knowledge “I am trying to decide how long I want to stay, but of the Lord.” I eventually want to do missions in Central or South Anyone who is considering going to IHOP should give America,” Quartemont said. it a chance, Rego said. For junior Tyler Rego, IHOP is also his vision. “If you don’t end up believing in things they reach, one “I am excited to learn a lot of stuff they teach, meet a lot thing you say you can hold onto is your relationship with of other believers and where they want to go,” Rego said. “I God,” Rego said. “You can be of any denomination and also want to know why they also chose IHOP.” further your relationship with God.” Going to a new city sometimes requires sacrifices. “I am mostly scared about leaving my family because Kansas City is a ways away,” Ordonez said.

BY KIMMIE CESSNA

All about the International House of Prayer Opened in May of 1999 in Kansas City Started around-the-clock worship in September of 1999 Founded by Mike Bickle and 20 full-time “intercessory missionaries” Opened IHOP University in August of 2010 IHOPU houses students from three schools: ministry, music and media Prayer room is the foundation of all ministry and outreach at the IHOP Source: http://www.ihop.org

6 | viewpoints | the roar

friday, may 18, 2012

Adviser reflects on time bonding with newspaper staff

courtneywellmann

The Roar 2011-2012 Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Amy Zhang Managing Editor: Alina Dattagupta Senior Editor: Kate Williams Executive Editor: Kendra Spaw Photography Editor: Laura Everett Opinions Editor: Elena Edwards Features Editor: Dana Branham Sports Editor: Rachel Kagle News Editor: Abigayle English Assistant Sports Editor: Kimmie Cessna Assistant News Editor: Kelsey Gaines Assistant Opinions Editor: Isabel Drukker Assistant Editors: Anne Finch, Devin Dakota, Janet Ni, Leah Crisman, Nicole Farrell, Michelle Liu and Shilpa Saravanan Faculty Adviser: Courtney Wellmann Assistant Adviser: Michael Williams

The Roar Editorial The Roar Editorial BoardBoard Amy Zhang, Editor-in-Chief Alina Dattagupta, Managing Editor Elena Edwards, Opinions Editor

The Advanced Journalism class at A&M Consolidated High School, 1801 Harvey Mitchell Parkway South, 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, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 ILPC Award of Distinguished Merit, the CSPA Gold Medal Award, the NSPA All-American distinction and 2005 ILPC Bronze Star and 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 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. Glynn Walker, 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. Catherine George, 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.

‘Shattered Dreams’ would be more beneficial if staged earlier School administration set aside two hours of the school day on May 1st for “Shattered Dreams,” a program dedicated to spreading the message that drunk driving can lead to serious injuries and the death of students, as well as a unified heartbreak. By picking eight influential students throughout the school to reenact a car accident and the consequences of reckless driving, the student body was given an eerily realistic preview of what a real car accident would look like. Students were stunned as the screams of sirens filled the air and cop cars and motorcycles rushed to the students trapped inside of the smashed cars. With beloved classmates being rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and a helicopter, somber faced teenagers lined the street of the fake accident, and the message that Consol’s administrators hoped to deliver was clear: life is fragile, and the consequences of drinking and driving can result in something unimaginable. However, with the event usually occurring in November in the past, the timeliness of Shattered Dreams is in question. With TAKS week, as well as Senior Wellness, taking place the week before, students and teachers all experienced a glitch in their regular routine and fell behind in lessons. With the hopes of utilizing the following week to catch up, many were irked that the Shattered Dreams event set all classes back twenty minutes, cutting off valuable time to catch up. This is not to say that Shattered Dreams was not a valuable addition to the schools events, but it may be more beneficial for teachers and students if it took place earlier in the year. This way, teachers and students will be able to focus entirely on the impacting reenactment without worrying in the back of their minds just how behind they are and wondering how on earth they are going to catch up.

people unleashes a powerful force that connects us and binds us. Leadership Membership on The Roar has provided 17 students with the challenge of leading their peers as editor-in-chief, but numerous others have also discovered their leadership ability as page editors and in other staff positions. Whether or not they go into journalism as a career, these students have learned valuable skills about responsibility, organization, dedication, delegation and decision making that they will carry with them into their college experiences, After 17 years of advising the newspaper that I began their professional careers and their personal lives. I have also marveled at how The Roar has also led in 1993, I am supervising my last issue of The Roar. It school discussion on topics, serving as a voice to and for is bittersweet to leave a legacy that has been an integral the students. The influence of the media can be great, but it part of my life for such a long time. From the fun of late nights and stress of deadlines each year to the more than can also be abused. The Roar has taken this responsibility 100 staff members who have become part of my family, the seriously for its readers. publication of 99 different issues of The Roar has taught Teamwork High school should be about making friends and me more than how to publish an award-winning newspaper. working as a team. The Roar has provided a place for so many The Power of Writing to belong who weren’t I have involved in any other always had a high school activity. love of words, Through deadlines but I never and state convention understood the trips to Austin, lifelong power of words friendships were until I became formed, identities were a journalist. developed, and a sense Seeking the of responsibility to truth and then others was created. This telling it to your has been the hallmark audience is both of each staff so that empowering and one’s actions aren’t humbling. Over about selfish pursuits the years The but are focused on the PHOTO PROVIDED BY AMY ZHANG Roar has covered greater good of the what some group. This is what I would classify as will miss most as I think about leaving this band of writers: controversial topics, from cutting and alcohol abuse to teen pregnancy and book banning. However, each story, written the fun, the laughter, the bond between the staff. The Roar has won numerous state and national awards responsibly and maturely by the reporter with the full range over the years, but I hope that we have won the hearts of of experts and resources, addressed these topics to help our readers, that they believe in the value of the work we students understand a subject of importance to teenagers. do, thatread they our staff to tell truthful and honest To listen to theand writer histrust editorial, No other publication in our community does that. stories of importance to teenagers. More importantly, I hope I have also seen how writing for your peers, all go 2,700 to http://www.theroarnewspaper. those students who have served on The Roar staff continue of them, can change a writer. I am so proud of the student blogspot.com for the podcast to believe in the power of their words to change themselves who wrote about having never been kissed, and the one who wrote about why she wasn’t wearing a hijab even though and the world. Courtney Wellmann has been teaching at Consol for she is Muslim, and the student who wrote about the freedom 19 years, but is starting anew at College Station High she found in cutting her hair for Locks of Love. School next year, where she will advise the newspaper and Honesty and vulnerability about our own lives can actually breathe life into us, giving us a voice and confidence. yearbook staffs. If you’d like to keep in touch with her, feel Everyone has a story to tell, and telling that story to other free to email her at cwellmann@csisd.org.

If you would like for your opinions to be read, contact the editorial board by sending your letter to the editor. Review our policy for letters before submitting. E-MAIL the.roar@ymail.com

the roar | viewpoints | 7

friday, may 18, 2012

Cutting hair enables act of personal freedom

michelleliu A few weeks ago, a friend asked me, “Why are you eating your hair?” The truth is, I wasn’t--I was merely engulfed by it. At that time, my hair reached to the middle of my back. It was stick-straight and didn’t do anything, besides sitting limply on my shoulders. My hair was, however, my security blanket. Far too often, I found myself draped in it, hugging it to my face like a friendly scarf, or cuddling it like people cuddle kittens, or simply burying my nose in it. That’s not as weird as it sounds, I promise. Or is it? My friend’s question made me wonder, exactly how much do I rely on my hair? Admittedly, I’m probably overly attached to it. Until I was ten, my mother cut my hair into pseudo-bowlcuts. Somewhere amidst this misfortune, I decided that this wasn’t attractive, and no, I wasn’t going to put up with it anymore. Hence, I let it grow out; my bangs endured the awkwardness of integrating with the rest of my hair, which grew past my collarbones, past my elbows. It was my statement of maturity, of hey, my mother doesn’t cut my hair anymore.

The relationship I have with my hair has gotten complicated. The two or three times since my mother last got out her trusty scissors, I cut my hair myself, hacking away at it in front of the bathroom mirror. On nights when I couldn’t sleep, I sometimes found myself chopping off random pieces of it, trying in vain to cut away something I couldn’t articulate. Maybe my hair was holding me back, the comfort that it provided weighing me down. Maybe it was telling me to get out of my comfort zone. Maybe. Thus, when the opportunity to donate my hair to Locks of Love arose, I snatched it. To cut a long story short, after ten inches and an hour, I emerged sporting hair that barely skimmed past my chin. It was a blunt fate for those ten inches, which lay in two ponytails, ready to be made into wigs. Without those ten inches, I have no curtains left to cover myself. I can’t veil my face with my hair, or let it drape to one side. It’s gone, and I don’t have a problem with that. The hefty weight of my hair has been lifted from my shoulders--literally. From practical benefits--less shampoo and no need to tie it up--to metaphorical ones, I’ve found the good in letting go of my hair. Not only did I free myself from the ensnaring, constantly encroaching tangles, but I managed to find a way--a small way, but a way nonetheless--to help someone. And who knows? I might give up a little more of my selfishness, as and I might learn to be more l l Ve open, to help others more, to ice r u grow a little inside. After all, I have a yM nothing to hide behind. Even if all of this b k goes awry...hey, my hair will still grow back. or w t Michelle Liu is an assistant editor for Ar The Roar. If you’d like to comb through some hair memories with her, you can email her at the.roar.liu@gmail. com. She would love to “hair” them.

[insert creativity]

W hat’s the m ost interesting thin g you’ve learned this year? “Genghis Khan the conquerer was a ladies’ man!”

-Regan Schulman, freshman

“I learned that if you want to be successful at something, don’t reveal everything you know.”

- Priyansi Kikani, sophomore

“Sleep’s overrated. I’m most productive at two o’clock in the morning.” -Macon Heath, junior

By Maurice Vellas

“Procrastination”

“I learned that the width of my eye is as long as my nose.”

Do you own a smart phone?

70% 18% 12%

- David Rooney, senior

Yes!

No, but I want one! No, and I don’t want one.

915 students surveyed

“Tinkerbell pens and British accents, in proper moderation, win the hearts of students.”” -Jeremy Sneed, math teacher

8 | viewpoints | the roar

friday, may 18, 2012

Time machines, detectives better than actual human interaction

annefinch Disclaimer: Look, I’m not saying that you have to be familiar with the lives of my favorite fictional characters in order for me to want to talk to you. I’m just saying that it helps. I’m not an even remotely social person. I’ll take a Netflix account over homecoming tickets and a book (pick a book, any book) in the library over hanging out in the cafeteria. I’m terrible with idle small talk (I don’t know what the weather’s like, I spend eight hours a day in a cell without windows), compliments (I like your…face?) and walking around a room full of people without tripping over something (it helps that as a general rule, I don’t tie my shoes. I don’t know why. I guess I just like making life difficult). As someone who spends a lot of time sitting in corners pretending to text or reading a book at public functions, I’ve become pretty adept at avoiding interacting with actual people, and replacing them with fake ones. Substitute parties with Doctor Who marathons featuring fried chicken, and you have my idea of a perfect Friday night. That isn’t to say I don’t know any great nonfictional people. There’s some decent ones out there. Like you, reading this. No, not you. You’re weird. Yeah, you. You’re my favorite. Don’t tell the others. Siriusly, though. I don’t completely limit my interactions with actual people to fawning over the ones that

Paper Clips By Joy Cope

“Capture the Moment”

write the books I read, or perform in the shows or movies I love. I’m perfectly cool hanging out with my nonexistent peeps, but there’s no one cooler than the peeps that love my nonexistent peeps as much as I do. I think part of the reason some people think my occupation (professional fangirl) is so uncool (besides the fact that it really is pretty uncool) is that they don’t realize the kinds of bonds people form over movies, books and TV shows. What you like says a lot about you, and sometimes it indicates how well we’re going to get along. Like French films? That tells me you have the patience of a saint. Like British television? Hi. I’m Anne. Please talk to me, preferably about your favorite Doctor, or whether or not Dame Maggie Smith deserves to be crowned Queen of the Universe. (That was a trick question because of course she does.) Of course, I’m not saying that if you find Doctor Who superconfusing, or you think The Avengers is over-hyped, or you

don’t understand why people love Sherlock so much, that we can’t get along or be friends. But if you hate Harry Potter, you’re dead to me. Just kidding. Marginally. Anne is an assistant editor for The Roar. She’s also a witch, Slytherin, Time Lord, vampire slayer, consulting detective, demigod, airbender, superhero, citizen of Pawnee and a Greendale Human Being. Email her at the.roar. finch@gmail.com.

don’t

Artwork by Joy Cope

speak out Discussion Board Each issue, students can submit responses to The Roar’s Speak Out forum. These questions will be posted on Facebook.

Question: Do you think that the Invisible Children Kony 2012 campaign is effective?

Chandler Lawless, junior I think their hearts are in the right places. I think it’s only as effective as the people that sign up to help and are willing to stick to it. If these people are still dedicating their time to do this, they truly want to change the situation. That is the important point and what the project’s about. Logan Livengood, junior I think it raised some awareness, but overall it didn’t do much. Bree Yuodsnukis, senior Their intentions seem good, but their aim is off. The timing of KONY 2012 is when most of the violence from Joseph Kony and the LRA has subsided in Uganda in the past 5 years. The very illogical timing implies the timing has more to do with the commercial interests rather than humanitarian. We must act on knowledge, not emotion. Add your opinion and see more responses: Friend Roar Newspaper on Facebook. it’s fridayyyy fridayyy gotta get down on fridayyy

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friday, may 18, 2012

opposing viewpoints

YES

the roar | viewpoints | 9

Is dieting a helpful way to improve body image?

by Isabel Drukker, assistant opinions editor

by Elena Edwards, opinions editor

As teenagers, we’ve all dealt with insecurities. For girls, there is a pressure to make sure you don’t acquire the dreaded stomach pooch, muffin tops, or lord forbid, the cankles. And although I can’t relate to the pressures that guys feel, I understand that there is definitely a pressure to maintain a certain level of “ripped-ness.” Afterall, hasn’t today’s youth been taught that it’s the magnificently chiseled men who get the perfectly sexy women? And what better way to achieve this ideal situation and perfect our own body image than through careful and monotonous dieting, right? Maybe if we obsess over what we eat for the rest of our lives, we’ll finally learn to accept how beautiful we are and learn to love our bodies as God made them, right? I have my doubts. Body image is defined as an individual’s concept of his or her own body, so to clarify, body image is not what your body looks like, but how you feel about your body. Many people resort to dieting to improve their self-image; however, this practice can lead to unsatisfying results and a continuous weight gain after months of control and limitations. Dieting can be extremely unhealthy, and when you cut yourself off from all carbohydrates, proteins or reduce your ingested amount of calories from 2000 a day to 500 a day, your body is going to do whatever it can to gain those vital nutrients back, which can make dieting seem like an endless cycle. I do agree with eating healthily, which is why I don’t think that dieting for the entirety of a lifetime is the best way to improve one’s body image. If you really aren’t content with what you see in the mirror, eat healthy foods consistently and eat “junk food” in moderation. Don’t, however, limit yourself in such an extreme manner that you can only carry out your dieting routine for a month or so. People can change their bodies all they want and never be good enough for the media or the public opinion of what is beautiful. So, in order to enhance your own body images, there should be a stronger focus on changing your heart and mindset instead of your body. I believe that the best way to be content with your body is by learning to love yourself just as you were made, spending time with people who cherish you no matter what you look like, and trying your best to ignore the unrealistic standard that teenagers are set up to believe is normal and desirable.

I can’t speak for the rest of the Wall-E fans, but the idea of losing the ability to walk in favor of living in a giant nursery floating in space is not a pleasant one. However, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the nation disagrees. More than one third of the country’s adults is considered obese. This is not an invisible virus, this is not a group of aliens, this is not even money hungry corporate heads trying to manipulate us into buying something we don’t want. This is us making bad decisions, and needing to change. Diets, when planned with realistic health goals, don’t make people hate themselves. Other people make them hate themselves. The key to dieting is remembering it is about how you feel, not how others see you. Of course, they should be joined with regular exercise, but choosing salad and pasta over cupcakes and coffee for dinner is never a bad idea. While we may not know it, our bodies yearn for healthy foods, and the gross feeling that comes from gaining weight is simply a way to communicate it. The psychological factors of a diet can be disastrous. They can also be extremely effective. The result, of course, depends on the diet. If someone goes on a crash diet, then obviously, their mood will become negative, their body will fall to pieces, and they will ultimately gain more weight as their metabolism slows down. However, if someone cuts out unnecessary sweets, and stops eating food right before going to bed, then the product would be more energy, a healthier glow, and an overall feeling of pride and accomplishment. Diets are logical. They make sense. Our bodies are a system, and when there is surplus of anything in a system, it means you have to limit the intake. Granted, one must restrict what is restricted, meaning we should all get fats from milk and cheeses, but nothing is good in excess- too much or too little. Go with the Goldilocks theory, and you’ll find yourself feeling just right.

student responses. The Roar surveyed 60 students to find out their opinions on dieting. Are you happy with your body image?

“

I think dieting is healthy when done the right way. Using dieting as an excuse to not eat is not okay and won’t fix your

67%

insecurities.

33%

“

”

Devon Lokke, senior

It depends on whether or not

Yes 60%

No 40%

Have you ever dieted?

How many times have you dieted?

you commit to it and on how you diet, and whether or not you are really trying by exer-

Yes

cising and eating healthy. Sibba Al-Kahtani, freshman

”

40% none

39% several times

14% once

7% countless

10 | health

& rec | the roar

friday, may 18, 2012

Wrong approach to dieting can have hazardous effects by Rachel Kagle, Sports Editor

Celebrities flaunt their size zero pants. Calorie counter apps fill the App Store. Workout programs, healthy alternatives and intake concerns consume today’s society. Led to believe that thin is the only option, many look toward dieting to solve their issues. “Trying to be thin is all over TV and all over ads and magazines,” Coach Cydrye McMillian said. “That’s what’s pushing people to want to be skinny.” However, this encouragement can lead to unhealthy decisions and incorrect assumptions about dieting. “Dieting is not something I’d recommend for teenagers,” McMillian said. “You want to make the right choices and eat things that are good for you in moderation.” McMillian also believes that dieting for teenagers is dangerous. Coach Wendy Hines agrees. “Sometimes you can lose weight,” Hines said. “But you’re actually losing muscle, which is not good.” Both Hines and McMillian feel that many

take the incorrect approach to dieting, often, by deciding to eliminate certain foods completely. “Other mistakes are not having the right amount of carbs and proteins and fats in your diet,” McMillian said. “You might want to cut out all the protein or all the carbs in your diet, and that’s not always a good thing.” Hines agrees that it is a poor choice. “It’s the worst thing you can do,” she said. “You’ll end up gaining back twice the weight that way. It’s a big circle.” Junior Janaya Holbrook diets; however, she experiences problems with maintaining her weight. “I try to eat lots of protein, and I don’t eat anything unless it’s a balanced protein and carb,” Holbrook said. “I eat every three hours and I eat 100 calories every time I eat, then I have one [full] meal a day.” Holbrook says she has lost all of the weight she planned on, and now faces struggles with maintaining a weight she is happy with. “[My goal is to get] to where I can maintain it the rest of my life,” she said, “not to where I

can only last on it for a period of time.” McMillian feels that the best dieting plan is one that leads to a healthy lifestyle rather than a lower weight. “You want to make sure you’re putting things into your body that will help your lifestyle,” McMillian said. “That should be a goal.” She also believes that another fault in dieting is when people have no idea what they are doing. “Trying to do it on your own isn’t always a good idea,” McMillian said. “You want to go out there and research it and use your resources.” However, a problem with research and online resources is they are not always the right choice for everyone. “Figure out what’s best for your body,” McMillian said, “because the typical diet for someone else might not be what your body needs.”

MyPlate is the new Food Pyramid Dairy In addition to healthier eating, daily exercise should also be part of ones lifestyle.

Exercise Protein Protein is supposed to make up 25% of your plate. In the past, this category used to be described with the words “meat and beans”

Is now shown in liquid form off to the side of the plate.

Fruits and Vegetables should make up 50% of your plate. There should be more vegetables than fruits.

Fruits & Vegetables

Grains Refined grains have been milled to improve their shelf life, but it removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins.

MyPlate can stand alone, but it’s more accurately interpreted when accompanied by the following messages:

Balance calories (enjoy your food, but eat less; avoid oversized portions)

Foods to increase (make half your plate fruits and vegetables; switch to fat-free or low-fat milk)

Foods to reduce (compare sodium in foods like soup, bread and frozen meals, and choose foods with lower numbers; drink water instead of sugary drinks) http://blog.goodguide.com/2011/06/08/goodbye-pyramid-hello-plate-by-the-numbers/

senior wellness the roar | snapshots | 11

friday, may 18, 2012

Seniors relax, bond, compete with each other at Camp Tejas by shilpa saravanan, assistant editor

rtinez, iley Ma Gan R , e k n ic ah Lee, Er Brett M Seniors Svajda, David ompete with c Conner mas Sweitzer n Bus Four in o o and Th ow bus mates e activity was ll it r fe o v ir e fa y th my bus War. “M part because rtinez Tug of n M io ns,” a petit the com the competitio GARLICK won all TO BY ALISON O said. PH

s splashe liamson g down il W y b ir oin Senior K ity r after g Jackie into the wate favorite activ st d n a le y y fa o s M s H “ a a r . w e w use it Jennif re. “It e slide Seniors ose for a pictu were en- th the slide beca on said. PHOs s s p a r le m w o a u Y Amd e no r ,” Willi P HOTO B becaus and fun LLAND KNAP a blast Hoyle said. P O H Y B ,” O d T e K forc GARLIC ALISON

After nearly four years of high school, perhaps it was about time that the seniors got a bit of a break. And so they did. On April 25, instead of taking TAKS tests with the sophomores and juniors, they took a day off. “I’m so, so tired, but I had such a blast!” senior Abbie Craigen said. Each year during TAKS week, the senior class travels to Camp Tejas, near Giddings, for this fun, active day away from school. The trip consists of both individual activities and a team competition and serves as a bonding experience for the class. “It was really fun pulling together as a team, even though our bus lost,” senior Brittany Torrez said. Besides bonding, the trip also offered numerous opportunities for the seniors to try new, outdoor activities, such as kayaking, the zip line and the slide. “I usually get scared with slides, but I was like, ‘oh well, I’ll do it,’ and it turned out being really fun. I’m glad I faced my fear of heights,” senior Michelle McCreary said. The memories remain for all who went, both in their minds and in more physical forms. “I had so much fun,” senior Liz Opiela said, “but I still have sand in my shoes.”

nd ham a n Wind at Camp ly o r a C Seniors mith zipline ce S fun sin l, Kayley It was really oo h c s e “ h from t ,” Smith Tejas. rs e away we wer s just us senio GARLICK a N w O it IS d L n A a OTO BY said. PH

Seniors Laura Casper and Sara Koseoglu boat on the lake at Camp Tejas. “Senior Wellness was my favorite activity because we got the whole day to relax and have fun with friends,” Koseoglu said. PHOTO BY HOLLAND KNAPP Senior Joon Eoh deliberates where to pass the ball during a pick-up game of basketball during Senior Wellness. “It was a great way to relax from a tough year,” Eoh said. PHOTO BY ALISON GARLICK

12 | student

life | the roar

the roar | student

friday, may 18, 2012

life | 13

Super Obsession Staff,

students elaborate on fascination with internationally-known heroes

movies based on DC heroes

by: Michelle Liu, Assistant Editor Whether it’s from hearing the start of the phrase, “It’s a bird! It’s a plane!” or recognizing the iconic colors of a red S on a yellow and blue background, or a black bat surrounded by yellow, many find superheroes an integral part of U.S. pop culture. From the years since Superman was created in 1932, superheroes and their worlds have evolved into multifaceted creations spanning decades of creativity, yet they continue to provide entertainment to an evergrowing audience. “Superheroes are an escape,” English teacher Michael Williams said. “[They’re] something that’s entertaining. [They’re] a chance to step out of the real world.” Though fans differ on the exact definition of a superhero, most agree that a superhero “is someone who has devoted his or her life to protecting the interests of the world,” said Williams, who owns an extensive collection of superhero memorabilia that he houses in his classroom. Junior Claire Chabot finds the backstory of superheroes especially alluring. “I think you should read the comics, because they give more insight,” Chabot said. “Maybe it’s because they’re originally where [superheroes] came from. [The comics] just tell more of the story.” Williams, like many other superhero fans, considers superheroes to provide an outlet from the stresses of the real world, although he does not connect with the superheroes on a personal level. He claims his hobby offers relief from the stresses of the real world. “This is not real. It’s fun. It’s

escapism. It’s an escape from my job, pressure, grading and that kind of thing,” Williams said. “It’s nothing more than a hobby.” Enthusiasts find various ways to express their appreciation, from amassing action figures (Williams has over sixty in his classroom) to dressing up as certain characters. Chabot, for example, is especially fond of posters. Senior Carter Park also collects memorabilia, from shirts to posters and action figures to wallets and lanyards. “You can’t go overboard with superheroes,” Park said. “It’s impossible.” Park enjoys finding others with a similar appreciation of superheroes. “Most of my friends love it. They just go with it, and we enjoy [superheroes] together,” he said. “We can just hang out and go to midnight premieres of different superhero movies and be able to know that we’re going to enjoy the night. It’s just comforting to know that I have somebody else who enjoys what I enjoy, no matter which superhero is their favorite.” Many start an obsession as a child, such as through watching TV shows like Teen Titans, Chabot said. Junior Seth Anderholm considers two factors in why they are drawn to superheroes. “[The fans] appreciate the story,” Anderholm said. “That’s basically what it is. We just appreciate the characters and the storytelling.” Williams details exactly what he considers the universality of superheroes. “Fight[ing] for things like freedom, liberty [and] human

rights [has always appealed to me],” Williams said. “I’ve always liked the idea of standing up to bullies. I’ve always liked the idea of you [doing] something for the community, not because of what’s in it for you. For many readers, these are the figures who put aside their own problems. They sacrifice their own personal lives, and they risk themselves for the betterment of the world.” The burgeoning popularity of superheroes doesn’t leave longtime fans with any bitterness, though. Instead, many are happy that superheroes are becoming widely known by another younger audience. “I’m not that much of a fanboy that I’m just going to hold a grudge,” Williams said. “I’m just glad that I can mention say, Thor, now, and practically everyone in the room knows who I’m talking about.” Indeed, superheroes are breaking boundaries, especially as unexpected demographics take interest. “At the Avengers red carpet world premiere, this chick was talking, and she was like, ‘Oh, all you fanboys out there.’ [But] there are girls, too! I am a female, and I love superheroes,” Chabot said. Mainly, superheroes stand for the good in the world--an enchanting promise of idealism for audiences today. “It goes back to this idea of selflessness, this idea of having some kind of role in the world, of being able to offer something to the world and making that world a better place,” Williams said.

BAM!

No. 1

X-Men

20 27 Fun Fact:

Females:

used to

are only

Batman

is the

have a blue,

best selling

black,

comic book

gray and yellow costume

KABOOM!

There

films

Female Superheroes

The Avengers-May 4 Spiderman-July 3 The Dark Knight Rises-

copies sold)

Top-grossing superhero movies:

to star

Recent & upcoming movies: (almost 8 million

POW!

movies based on Marvel heroes

Avengers Dark Knight Incredibles and all

Spiderman movies

July 20

Bad-guy colors: black, blood red, purple, dark blue, unnatural green, silver

rs o l o c -guy

Good

white, blue, bright red, green, brown, pink, gray, gold, yellow, black ALL ART BY KENDRA SPAW

Sources: http://www.comicsalliance.com, http://dailyinfographic.com/marvel-infographic, http://www.buzzfeed.com

12 | student

life | the roar

the roar | student

friday, may 18, 2012

life | 13

Super Obsession Staff,

students elaborate on fascination with internationally-known heroes

movies based on DC heroes

BAM!

No. 1

X-Men

20 27 Fun Fact:

Females:

used to

are only

Batman

is the

have a blue,

best selling

black,

comic book

gray and yellow costume

KABOOM!

There

films

Female Superheroes

The Avengers-May 4 Spiderman-July 3 The Dark Knight Rises-

copies sold)

Top-grossing superhero movies:

to star

Recent & upcoming movies: (almost 8 million

POW!

movies based on Marvel heroes

Avengers Dark Knight Incredibles and all

Spiderman movies

July 20

Bad-guy colors: black, blood red, purple, dark blue, unnatural green, silver

rs o l o c -guy

Good

white, blue, bright red, green, brown, pink, gray, gold, yellow, black ALL ART BY KENDRA SPAW

Sources: http://www.comicsalliance.com, http://dailyinfographic.com/marvel-infographic, http://www.buzzfeed.com

14 | people | the roar

kickin’ it with kids

friday, may 18, 2012

Seniors find passion in working with children, gain knowledge through experience by abigayle english, news editor When most students are looking to make some extra cash, they turn to restaurants, movie theaters, or clothing stores to increase their revenue. Yet, a couple students have chosen to spend their time working with children. “I really like to be around kids. I have a little brother who is ten and all younger cousins, so it’s easy for me to get along with kids and be goofy,” said senior Cassidy Hudson . Hudson volunteers in the Tigers Mentoring the Next Tigers program once a week every morning and works with a 3rd grader named Hunter. She will also be working at T Bar M Christian sports camp this summer and as a day camp counselor. “It gives me a chance to be a good influence and boost the self esteem of kids that may or may not have good home lives,” Hudson said. Senior Chelsea Warling also spends five days of her week working with kids at the Rock Prairie Kids Klub after school program. “I started [working with kids] because I am the oldest of five, and it’s always been my passion to work with kids,” Warling said. “I feel like it’s my calling, so it’s an easy job for me.” But working Kids Klub was not as easy as Warling had predicted it to be. “It’s actually a lot harder than I expected it because so much time has passed since we were in elementary school,” Warling said. “These kids are growing up in a much different, more difficult world now.” Besides working with the kids, there is also a lot of organizational work that goes into Kids Club. Each site has to have each day planned out with what games and activities the children will be doing.

Senior Chelsea Warling assists a child with homework on May 4 at Kids Klub. Counselors give individualized attention with school work at the homework station at Kids Klub. PHOTO BY ABIGAYLE ENGLISH

“We have to do a lot of planning on the weekends, but during the week we’re always happy that we’re organized because it makes the days run smoother,” Warling said. Even though each day has been planned out, the Kids Klub counselors still experience some speed bumps along the way. “You have kids that are really good, and then you have kids that act up all day long,” Warling said. “That’s why our supervisors started the One Child Challenge at Rock Prairie.” The One Child Challenge involves picking one child who tends to act out on a regular basis and focusing on him/her when he/she needs more help. The leaders will take their kids aside if they are not following instructions, and this gives them a chance to talk. “You talk to him and get to know him,” Warling said. “Don’t just tell him what he does wrong, but ask what the matter is and how you can help him.” Working with kids takes understanding and patience. Senior Ted Cross said he has his own past experience with rowdy kids when working Friday Night Outs at Central Baptist Church. “When kids are disobedient, you have to speak to them. Don’t just yell at them,” Cross said. “You can’t talk like you would to an adult. You have to get down on their level to communicate.” Cross works every couple of months on Fridays to give parents a night of free babysitting. Cross was inspired by his friends to get involved in this volunteering. “I wanted to get involved with my church more and when I saw my friend helping out, I thought how much fun that would be,” Cross said. While Cross has a great personality to be around kids, the children have also been a great influence on Cross. “I have a lot of energy, and I like helping kids do the right thing,” Cross said, “but they’ve definitely taught me to have more patience.” Warling agrees that the teaching at Kids Klub is a mutual learning experience. “It’s amazing because how much they’ve taught me about patience and how to handle tough situations,” Warling said. She said that the experience has helped her learn how to handle her siblings at home as well. Hudson also added that working with kids has taught her to get out of her comfort zone. “Kids respond best to people that can be silly and want to play with them,” Hudson said. “It might feel weird at first, but being goofy and fun makes kids feel more comfortable.” Hudson has been mentoring for two years and has some tips to help others working with kids. “Some kids shut down when they think adults are mad at them, so try to keep a smile, even when it’s hard,” Hudson said. “For little kids, getting down on your knees so you are

Senior Brittney Torrez plays in the sand with the children during Kids Klub on May 4. Kids Klub provides various opportunites for counselors to gain experience working with kids in a learning enviornment outside of the classroom. PHOTO BY ABIGAYLE ENGLISH

at their height helps. It’s less intimidating for small kids if you are face to face.” Though working with kids takes a lot time and effort, the end results seem to be very rewarding. “It is a hard job, but so rewarding when you can see that you’ve made a difference to someone,” Hudson said, “even if it’s just the little things that can make their day.” Warling comments on the dedication the job requires. “It’s a lot more work than people think, having to plan all the activities,” Warling said. “But all that work is definitely worth it because you get to be an influence in kids’ lives.” Cross agrees that even though he’s exhausted at the end of the night, being around the kids is worth it. “Being around kids reminds me to appreciate the little things in life,” Cross said. “Simple things blow their minds, and that’s how we should be too.”

How you can get involved working with kids: • Volunteer at the Brazos Valley Children’s Museum. Apply at http://cmbv.org/volunteer.html compiled by Abigayle English

• Serve as a lifeguard or water safety instructor. Apply at https://ssl.cstx. gov/Click2GovKA/

• Work for Kids Klub next spring. Contact the program office at 979.764.3831.

the roar | people | 15

friday, may 18, 2012

doodle all day

Casual art aids in concentration, relieves stress by leah crisman, assistant editor

art by Peter Lindquist art by Leah Vitale

art by Carolyn Frankson Junior Leah Vitale doodles in a blue, lined notebook that other students might actually take notes in. Each day, she said she writes down tasks to complete in adorable handwriting alongside intricate doodles.

Sophomore Peter Lindquist said he prefers to doodle on his notes--whether theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re for chemistry, geography or otherwise. When heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not doodling, you can find him paying attention to his teachers or playing the trombone.

In many of her classes, sophomore Carolyn Frankson doodles away in a colorful sketchbook filled with adorable animals and cute comics. You can find her doodling anything from whales to bunnies, as she loves animals, she said.

16 | people | the roar

friday, may 18, 2012

Energy to spare Bowling enthusiasts learn value of teamwork PHOTO OF KAYLA SIDDONS BY ABIGAYLE ENGLISH

Different clubs and groups are formed every year in the high school, but some groups require more dedication to create, and therefore build meaningful friendships and long-lasting memories. Involvement in any group produces a feeling of unity, and the bowling team is no different. “My friends and I wanted to make a bowling team,” sophomore Mitch Scarmardo said. “My brother tried when he went to school here, and the administration wouldn’t let him. So, we teamed up with one of my friend’s parents, and we talked to Mr. Reed, and we found a school sponsor.” The bowling team differs from many other clubs or teams. “In bowling, the amount of time spent playing is less than the amount of time you’re talking and rallying with your team,” sponsor Christopher Fox said. “It’s unique, and really gives you that sense of camaraderie and makes you feel like a team.” The team cheers each other on during games. “We get excited,” captain and senior Kayla Siddons said. “You wouldn’t ever think that bowling gets loud, but it does. We try to be the loudest team out there.” The team is similar to other sports in the way the members interact with each other. “It’s unbelievable. There is always interaction with the team,”

Fox said. “Everything is high-five’s, way-to-go’s. It’s always encouraging or congratulatory.” Participating on the bowling team enforces the idea of teamwork and teaches the bowlers to work with other people. “A lot of people don’t picture bowling as a team sport,” Fox said. “We bowl Baker style, which means you have five people on a team who each bowl twice for ten frames. It teaches them how to be supportive of each other and how be happy for people.”

“All you have to beat in bowling is yourself. It’s a unique way of thinking about a sport.” sponsor CHRISTOPHER FOX The team members have different opinions when it comes to the essential question: “Is bowling a sport?” “It’s definitely a sport. It requires skills and techniques just like any other sport,” Scarmardo said. However, some team members consider bowling as more of a skill. “[Bowling is] more of a technique,” Siddons said. “It takes practice to get it right and you have to get it constant.” Though the team has different views, the members are close in and

out of the bowling alley. “Mitch is my best friend,” sophomore Brooks Holmes said. “[He’s the one] that got me into bowling.” The ten members of the team have become good friends through their shared interest. “Everybody on the bowling team is my friend,” Scarmardo said. “We’re always hanging out and helping each other.” Joining the bowling team has given every member a chance to learn life-long skills. “Bowling teaches me how to relax and get out of my shell,” Scarmardo said. Aside from personal skill, bowling improves teamwork and dedication. “[Bowling has] taught me how to rely on other people,” Scarmardo said. “It’s a good way to build relationships.” Team members believe bowling offers an unusual atmosphere with a different perspective, yet still supplies all the benefits of a popular sport. “All you have to beat in bowling is yourself,” Fox said. “It’s a unique way of thinking about a sport.” Through bowling, the team’s skill improves and friendships are built. “It’s really satisfying, seeing [the team] at the beginning of the year, and seeing them at the end. It really validates the fact that practice makes perfect,” Fox said. “It’s an amazing example that you have to dedicate yourself and practice to get better [at whatever you do].”

jumbled jargon 1. Grandma’s Teeth 2. Cheesy Cakes 3. Pumpkin 4. Buzzard 5. Sixpack 6. Railroad A. Ball thrown without a spin that hits softly B. Lanes on which strikes come

easily C. Six strikes in a way D. A wide open split with both pins on the same line E. A random array of pins left

standing F. Three open pins in a row Source: Bowlersparadise.com Answers: 1:E, 2:B, 3:A, 4. F, 5. C, 6. D

by Devin Dakota, assistant editor

the roar | people | 17

friday, may 18, 2012

Hair donated by students, teacher contribute to Locks of Love mission BY ANNE FINCH

assistant editor

Students and faculty at Consol often use their respective hairstyles as a means of expressing themselves. Others, however, use their hair to contribute to the cause known as Locks of Love, a program that makes wigs with donated hair for children with cancer. “It’s spreading the message that these people are going through this really difficult disease,” senior and Student Council member Shannon Earnest said. “It gives back to people like that, because you know that they’re struggling.” The Locks of Love program requires that donated hair cannot be bleached or too damaged and must reach at least ten inches past the shoulder, requiring repeat donors to grow out their hair once again. Although her contribution to the program has been her most recent, Earnest said it was not her first. The first time she donated her hair was at the beginning of her freshman year. “[I heard about the program] a while ago, because my friends all did it for a while,” she said. “I was like ‘Okay, I’m going to grow out my hair, and then I’ll chop it off whenever it’s long enough.’” Junior Kelly Zhou also had her hair cut for the program, and like Earnest, has donated her hair previously. She cited this as the third time, noting that she felt the donation was the best use of her hair. “It’s for a good cause,” she said. “They need the hair to make wigs, and if I’m going to grow my hair out, when I cut it, I might as well cut it for a cause or else I’m just wasting hair.” She added that her contributions to Locks of Love come from a strong belief in the significance of the program’s cause. “I have family members who have suffered from

Requirements for Donating Hair to Locks of Love:

Hair that is colored or permed is acceptable, but it cannot be bleached.

Hair must be in the form of a ponytail or braid. Hair must be a minimum of ten inches long.

Layered hair may be divided into multiple ponytails.

Curly hair may be pulled straight to measure the minimum 10 inches.

Source: locksoflove.org

Kelly Zhou

S T

Michelle Jedlicka Science teacher Michelle Jedlicka gets her hair cut at Allure Salon on April 16 to donate it to the Locks of Love organiztion. She, along with three other students, decided to contribute to the cause. PHOTOS BY AMY ZHANG

cancer,” she said, “and I know people who’ve suffered from cancer, or have lost hair, or who are just battling cancer, and it’s a big problem in our country and the world today. I think it’s a good cause to help, and donating my hair is an easy way to donate for me. It doesn’t require much, but I still think it’s important.” Zhou, Earnest, sophomore Michelle Liu and science teacher and repeat donor Michelle Jedlicka all had their hair donated for Locks of Love at the same salon, as part of Consol’s Cancer Awareness Recognition Education program. Jedlicka said that she too appreciated the Locks of Love program’s significance, emphasizing the importance of such a gesture to recipients of donated hair. “I know several people who have had cancer and that have had wigs through that,” she said. “I like to think that if it came to where I’d want a wig, there’d be someone to donate hair for me to have a wig made from.” She added that others at Consol could help the program by getting involved as well, especially students and faculty with longer hair. “There are tons of people who have really long hair, and they can cut it off and it might come only to their

Shannon Earnest

shoulders,” she said. “It doesn’t make a lot of difference to them, but it makes a lot of difference to the person who gets the wig.” Earnest also vocalized her opinion that others should donate, saying that those emotionally attached to their hair could still contribute. “I think [Locks of Love] is a great idea,” she said. “I know lots of people are really attached to their hair and they’re like ‘I don’t want them to chop it off!’. I was too, a little hesitant, but I think once it gets long enough, it’s time to cut it off. Hair always grows back, so it’s not that big of a deal. You can always wear it up if it looks bad.” Overall, Jedlicka said, the program’s significance lies in its potential to help cancer patients with an aspect of their lives that, although seemingly unimportant to donors, can make a huge difference. “Cancer is something that affects a lot of peoples’ lives,” she said. “It’s not just a sickness. If you’re going in for chemo and all your hair’s falling out, it makes it that much harder for you to want to get up and go to work, and do things like that. Having the availability of the wig may make it just a bit easier on the cancer patient.”

Michelle Liu, Zhou, Jedlicka, Earnest Earnest

18 | sports | the roar

friday, may 18, 2012

Senior places first in district in pole vault, advances to region meet BY JANET NI

assistant editor

He eyes the track ahead of him. The sun beats down on his back as he dries his palms on his shorts, readjusting his grip on the pole in his hands. The nerves begin to surface, and adrenaline courses through his veins. Harnessing the newfound energy, the vaulter takes a deep breath, then makes the first of many steps, gaining speed until the raised bar looms over him. Waiting for the perfect time, he plants the far end of the flexible pole into the track and hurls his body into the air. Time slows as he executes a vault he has practiced hundreds of times, avoiding so much as brushing the bar at all cost. When the touch of the bar never comes, he falls onto the mat below, only the feeling of success on his mind. “My favorite part about polevaulting is landing and knowing you’re safe. It’s a free-falling sensation,” senior Collin Beckman said. Beckman, who placed first in the pole vault at the district meet, moved to College Station from Kingwood his sophomore year and has been on Consol’s boys varsity track team ever since. He has been pole-vaulting for about six years. Beckman dedicates a considerable portion of his schedule to track. “[Track] is a big commitment. I have to be out [at practice] every day for about two hours,” he said. “It takes up a lot of my time.” However, even with daily practices, Beckman said he is able to balance school and track. “School’s always first, and if [my grades aren’t good], then I don’t deserve to be on track,” he said. The time commitment track poses has not been the only obstacle in Beckman’s pole-vaulting career. Although Beckman didn’t think much of hurling himself over the bar initially, as the bar was raised higher and higher, the task became increasingly

intimidating, he said. Yet, Beckman believes he has become bolder from participating in this event. “Pole-vaulting has made me fearless,” he said. Track coach Michael Skinner also commented on Beckman’s confidence. “[Beckman] is not afraid to try new things,” Skinner said. Throughout his years of polevaulting, Beckman has had a strong support group consisting of coaches and parents that have witnessed his growth. “My coaches are always out at practices encouraging me,” he said. “My parents come out to my meets, too, so they have also been a big part of [track].” Skinner commended Beckman for his willingness to participate and assist the team. “One of his best attributes is that he is willing to step in and do anything he can to help the team,” Skinner said, “and that is what makes a good track athlete.” Additionally, Beckman has formed strong bonds with his teammates, three of whom also earned first place titles at the district track meet. Senior Quinton White won long jump, senior Tyler Phillips won the four hundred meter and senior Alex Caruso won high jump. “It’s just been the best time of my life having fun and spending time with teammates who are basically [my] brothers,” Beckman said. “I’ve learned a lot from them, and they’ve probably learned a lot from me.” Beckman plans to attend Blinn College for his freshman year and aims to continue vaulting in the future, he said. “I hope to keep pole-vaulting, but if not, I just hope I can possibly help other people who want to pole vault and coach them,” he said. Beckman had one piece of advice for those aspiring to try a new sport. “If you want to do something, just go out and do it,” Beckman said. “Don’t ever be afraid of doing a sport or event [because] you think might not be worth it. It is.”

Senior Collin Beckman practices pole vault on Monday, May 14. Beckman has been pole vaulting since middle school. PHOTO BYJANET NI

Boys District top three places:

boys & girls track

Tyler Phillips 1st in 400-meter dash White/Tanner/Nutall/Thornton 3rd in 400-meter relay Marcus Orzabal 2nd in 300-meter Intermediate dash Jimmy Gilbert 2nd in shot put Alex Caruso 1st in high jump Jackson/Phillips/Orzabal/Stoll 2nd in 1600-meter relay Quinton White 1st in long jump Collin Beckman 1st in pole vault Jansen Soltis 3rd in pole vault

Girls District:

Karis Jochen: 1st in two mile and 1st in one mile Kelsie Warren: 3rd in 800-meter and 2nd in the mile Catherine Chenault:1st in pole vault

Region:

Karis Jochen: 2nd in two mile and 5th in one mile Kelsie Warren: 6th in the mile Catherine Chenault: 2nd in pole vault

State:

Karis Jochen placed 3rd in the two mile Catherine Chenault placed 5th in pole vault

Junior Karis Jochen broke the school record in the two mile with a 10:31: “Breaking the school record is an awesome feeling to see that your hard work has paid off.”

the roar | sports | 19

friday, may 18, 2012

Senior Alec Paradowski plans to continue successes in baseball, academics photo and story by Laura Everett, photography editor The bases are loaded this season with talented players, one of whom is Alec Paradowski. As a senior, Alec has played on Consol’s varsity baseball team for the past three years. “His talent, coachability and work ethic is strong,” coach Chase Mann said.

“When you throw those three things together, you’re going to get a pretty good player. He’s a kid that wants to win and will do anything that you ask him to.” After graduation this spring, Paradowski will attend Wofford College in South Carolina with a baseball scholarship. Paradowski was invited to visit the Wofford campus after his performance in a tournament in Jupiter, Florida last fall. “I also

considered the Air Force Academy and Kansas State, but I decided Wofford is the best fit for me,” Paradowski said. Paradowski maintains that his family did not pressure him or influence his decision, instead respecting that the decision lay in Paradowski’s hands. However, with his younger brother’s endorsement, Paradowski decided to attend Wofford for the coaching staff, academic standards, and his opportunity to play baseball early in his college career, Paradowski said. “He’s kind of our scholar athlete,” Mann said. “He’s got high expectations of himself, athletically and academically, and he wants challenges at both levels. I think going to Wofford is going to give him those chances.” While Paradowski hopes to continue playing baseball in the future, he is considering a major in physics and a minor in chemistry while he is at college, he said. “He works hard, and I think that work ethic is going to carry over,” Mann said. “He doesn’t have to have anybody standing over him for him to work hard and that’s why he’ll do well once he gets into college. He’s pretty self-motivated and self-driven.” This motivation and drive is evident in Paradowski’s optimism towards his future. “I’m really excited about Wofford,” Paradowski said. “I like the coaching staff, and I should have the opportunity to play early on.” Despite the excitement, moving from a high school baseball team to a college baseball team will inevitably entail an adjustment period. “I’m used to having a lot of say and a lot of authority over the team, and all of a sudden, I’ll be the guy who has none,” Paradowski said. “So, it’ll be different from that standpoint, in that, I’ll be the guy that has to get all of the equipment. But, it’ll be fun and I’m looking forward to it.” Although Paradowski will be low on the Totem pole next season, for now, he reigns as a leader of Consol’s baseball team. “The team kind of rallies around him,” Mann said. Paradowski recognizes this responsibility. “I think a lot of guys look up to me,” Paradowski said. “If I am kind of down during a game, a lot of guys kind of feed off that. And if I have a lot of energy, a lot of guys pick up that energy. My biggest responsibility is to lead by example, not take anything for granted, always hustle on and off the field and pay attention to detail.” While on the subject of hustling, Paradowski

Varsity

Junior Varsity & Freshmen

baseball

notes that his favorite part of each game is running onto the field. “You just get this adrenaline rush every time,” Paradowski said. Each player on the team also has a ‘walk-up’ song that is played as they approach the plate. Paradowski chose Take My Life by Jeremy Camp, a Christian song that reminds him why he “gets to play baseball every day,” he said. Off the field, Paradowski maintains close ties with his teammates. “We’ve gotten along so well and really bonded,” Paradowski said. “I’m going to miss that camaraderie that we have.” This camaraderie spills into various team bonding activities, such as Thursday night team dinners organized by parents, as well as head-turning haircuts. “We always do crazy haircuts at the beginning of the year,” Paradowski said. “Usually at one of the tournaments, the seniors will go and cut the underclassmen’s hair. I had a crazy hair cut sophomore and junior year, and this year I went with a Mohawk. All the seniors do the same kind of thing.” The team members’ donning of bleached blonde hair and mohawks is not the only ritualistic tradition that they observe. “Everybody kind of has their own superstitions,” Paradowski said. “I have to tape my left wrist with a certain type of tape, always wear the same arm sleeve, put my left sock on before my right, and always [put] my left cleat on before my right.” These superstitions, which began a few years ago, have even caused him to take off his cleat and sock to redress in the correct order, Paradowski said. “Depending on how I played the game before, I’ll do eye black or no eye black,” Paradowski said. “If I played well with my sunglasses on my head a certain way, I’ll do it that way until I do poorly in a game.” Fortunately, Paradowski and the rest of the team have performed well enough to make it to the playoffs, after what Paradowski considers “kind of an up-and-down season.” “We will play really well one game and then below our capabilities the next,” Paradowski said. “But, I think we’re playing really well, and we are starting to be more consistent, which is good, because the playoffs are when it really counts.” Fortunately, the Tigers have performed well during the playoffs, playing with intensity as they were victorious over Tyler Lee twice, Paradowski said. “A lot of us have more ahead of us, so instead of the end of the baseball career, [at the end of this season], it will just be the end of this first part of it,” Paradowski said.

Junior Varsity Record: 13-6

Overall Record: 22-10

Freshmen Record: 20-1

Area Playoffs Against Jesuit: Loss, 0-2 Win, 7-4 Win, 15-4

Regional Quarterfinal Playoffs: May 18 @ Temple at 7:30 p.m. May 19 @ Tigerland at 4:00 p.m.

Junior Gabe Sager:

“We’ve come a long way since February. We turned it up a lot!”

pitcher perfect

20 | sports | the roar

friday, may 18, 2012

Senior helps lead, motivate team through difficult preseason

Senior Macy Hicks pitches to her teammate. Hicks warms up with the catcher before heading out to the field. PHOTO BY NICOLE FARRELL

BY NICOLE FARRELL

assistant editor

Senior softball player Macy Hicks has a lot on her (home) plate, but she manages to excel in schoolwork, mentor younger players and throw a mean pitch. “Because she’s a pitcher, the game starts with her,” said head coach Billy Hicks, not related to Macy (although they joke about it sometimes). “As the season has gone by, she wants the ball a lot more, and she wants to lead this team.” Macy Hicks has been playing since the age of five and has grown to love the sport. “Both of my parents played and still play as adults. I’ve tried other sports, like dance and gymnastics, but softball is what I stuck with,” Macy Hicks said. Not only is she a gifted player, she dedicates time to studies. Currently enrolled in both AP and honors classes, she was recently featured in KBTX’s special high school series titled Classroom Champions that features superb student athletes in the Brazos Valley. “It was really nerve-wracking to be filmed, but I think it’s really cool that they honor athletes who also do well [in school],”

she said. Along with her own schoolwork, she encourages her teammates to stay focused academically. “She keeps us all [doing well] in school,” sophomore Hallie Zimmerman said. “She definitely keeps us in check with our grades.” Macy Hicks commented on the importance of balance between extracurricular activities such as sports and the classroom. “Softball is fun, but when I’m in the classroom, I need to step back and remember ‘Okay, you’re at school now,’” she said. Macy Hicks is one of only four seniors this season, a number smaller than usual for softball at Consol. “It’s been an interesting mix,” Coach Hicks said, “We’ve had some classes with a lot of seniors, but this year we have a smaller senior class and a lot of younger players starting. I knew we’d struggle at times.” The decrease in upperclassmen players could have been one of the factors contributing to the team’s less than stellar preseason performance of 1-15. “We were the underdogs,” Macy Hicks said. However, the team came together and realized changes needed to be made. The

Lady Tiger softball team recovered with a district record of 11-3. And with these changes came leadership and reliance on the eldest members of the team, including Macy Hicks. “I look to [the seniors] for support,” Coach Hicks said, “They have my ear.” The seniors on the team have been described in various leadership roles, with Macy in a “mothering role.” “I call her Mama,” freshman Beth Ashley explained. Macy Hicks realizes this role as a senior and what it means to be a true leader. “I remember as a freshman coming in, picking a senior I wanted to be,” she said. “The greatest way to show leadership is by example. Doing the right thing should come

Key Players:

Past Games:

Varsity District Record: 11-3

Varsity Coach Billy Hicks

Kayley Smith Macy Hicks Kasey Bangs Sarah Almand

softball

Senior Macy Hicks practices her pitch after school on April 25. Hicks has been playing softball for 12 years . PHOTO BY NICOLE FARRELL

JV District Record: 9-3

Lost to Mesquite 2-1 Lost to Dallas 1-2, 4-5

naturally, so I do that.” Zimmerman further explained Macy Hicks’s attitude and expression as a senior. “[The seniors show leadership] because they’ve had more experience than us. Whenever one of us is down, or we’ve made an error, they’re the first ones there to pick us up,” she said. The team began playoff season in early May, with a special significance for Macy Hicks and the seniors playing the last games as high school athletes. “They’ve grown up and matured and realized that they can’t do it by themselves,” Coach Hicks said. “They have to work together. Whether you start or don’t start, everyone has a role on the team. Once everyone starts accepting roles, you can see the changes.”

Coach Billy Hicks celebrated his 500th win this season on April 17 against Killeen Ellison. The Lady Tigers won 4-3.

“This team accomplished so much, a lot more than people would have thought. I’m just so proud of them.”

@CONSOL

the roar | entertainment | 21

friday, may 18, 2012

Bobble Head Blurbs

Teachers who are transferring to CSHS next year share the things that they will miss the most about Consol.

5. I am going to miss going to work every day at the place where I met my husband. I am also going to miss all of my student athletic trainers who make my job much easier. They rock! Chelsea 2. I will miss Being a Tiger! I’ve been Frashure an AMCHS Tiger since my freshman year here. Brittany Rothrock 6. I will miss the students, faculty, staff and tradition of excellence that AMCHS is famous for. Mark 3. I’m going to miss being a part of Langwell Consol’s culture, culture characterized by unity, growth in all areas of 7. I will miss the relationships that I have built with my students and life and service. Otha Graham colleagues. Brian Edwards 4. I will miss this junior class. They will be great seniors! Mary Selcer 1. I think I will most miss my students who would have been in my AP Chemistry class. They are amazing students who have so much potential. Casey Akin

Pe cu l i ar Pets “I purchased my chinchilla because I felt lonely in my room. We like to take naps together.” senior Brent Winemiller

compiled by Abigayle English, News Editor

8. I will miss my former students. I enjoy my former students coming back throughout the school day to say hi. April Falco 9. Tiger Theatre and its traditions. Pre-show chants, lunch discussions in the Theatre office, One Act and of course, WIT! Beth Creel 10. I will miss the fantastic students on The Roar newspaper and their commitment to and history of success! I will also miss my former students and those colleagues who have become my close friends! Courtney Wellmann

11. So many things: Welcome to the Jungle on Fridays/game days, maroon & white, the alma mater and fight song are a few that come to mind. Vanita Vance 12. I owe much of who I am to the people that have so strongly impacted my life as my teachers, coaches, mentors, friends, coworkers, students, and players. I love the opportunities I’ve been given and the accomplishments I’ve been a part of, but more than anything else I love the people I’ve shared those memories with. Kyle Walsh

Consol students explain their interest in some unusual home companions. “[Dolores my iguana] is mean. She doesn’t like to be messed with. She just chills.” sophomore Tyler Sevcik

“My turtle’s name is Reggie McDonald Elmer and he likes to sunbathe while I work on my Chacos tan.” senior Morgan Smith

22 | entertainment | the roar

friday, may 18, 2012

Local snowcone stands offer sweet treats during summer heat

Fire & Ice Snow Cones reviewed by Rachel Kagle

Chill Out Sno Cones

reviewed by Laura Everett

JJ’s Snow Cones

reviewed by Abigayle English

Although it was a bit of a hassle to get to the Blinn campus in Bryan, Fire & Ice Snowcones exceeded my expectations. Because I had heard so much about other snowcone places in the area and little to none about this place, I walked up to the little yellow shack with no idea of what to expect. Open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Fire & Ice has very accessible hours. I discovered Fire & Ice gets its name because not only

does it have snowcones, it also has coffee and hot chocolate. With many flavors of both snowcones and coffee, Fire & Ice is great for anyone. Also because of this, Fire & Ice is open year round and always serves both the hot beverages and snowcones. When a friend and I arrived, we were immediately greeted by incredibly friendly employees that were excited to help us. We got the Beetlejuice flavor, listed as one of the most popular, and the Maui-Wowee, both of which were

fantastic. We each got a small, which was actually the perfect size and was only $1.75. A large is $2.25, a medium $2, and a tiny $0.75. There is a patio with tables and chairs set up for customers. To make the place even better, they have free Wi-Fi! If you don’t have time to sit down, don’t worry. They even have a drive-thru! Fire & Ice Snowcones was fantastic, and I’ll be sure to go back.

On the hunt for the best local snow cone vendor, I checked out Chill Out in the Shell gas station parking lot near Highway 6 and Harvey Road, a location that renders it convenient, yet unsightly. Pulling into a nearby parking space, I was pleasantly surprised to see a sign reading, “leave the walking to us,” which gave me with the impression that an employee would come to my car to take my order. However, after roughly ten minutes of waiting, I grew impatient and walked to the window to order my medium Pina Colada snow cone and

my date’s large Tigerblood snow cone, totaling a reasonable $3.75. The pricing is affordable and they have a vast selection of flavors. Fortunately, the service was fast and we only had to stand awkwardly by the window for a couple of minutes, as the only table in the vicinity was occupied. After being handed our tall snow cones and looking around futilely for a seat, we trudged back to the car, rolled down the windows, and dove into our frozen treats. The first bites were delicious. But, as we neared our fifth or sixth bite, we noticed a white, unflavored core of dense ice (that

was several centimeters in diameter and covered half of depth of the snow cone). This “filler ice” felt like a complete rip off and detracted heavily from the overall enjoyment of our otherwise delicious snow cones. Luckily, my date doubles as my best friend, and we were able to somewhat salvage the date by laughing at the business’ imperfections. While I enjoyed the time spent there, I could not confidently recommend this snow cone place to anyone looking for anything more than a quick,half flavored snow cone to go.

The snow cones aren’t the only cool things about JJ’s. With spacious seating, a diverse selection of flavors, and friendly employees, JJ’s snow cones would be my top pick for a cold treat to beat the heat. Located at the intersection of Villa Maria and Briarcrest, JJ’s has a large parking lot and is situated in the perfect location. After ordering a treat, customers have the various picnic tables to choose from that have been placed under large trees so the ice won’t melt. With summer temperatures predicted to be over 100° F, this would be the perfect place to visit during the hottest hours of the day,

to avoid being over-heated. The shop has reasonable hours from 12-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1-7 p.m. on Sundays. But customers need to hurry in because the shack is seasonal and will be closing at the conclusion of summer. The shop is also selling T-shirts now as well, to support and promote the business around town. As for taste, no snow cone place can beat the soft ice that JJs shaves down. The shaved ice is much different from the crushed ice in that there is no crunching involved but the cold treat simply slides down one’s throat. They have over 100 flavors, they offer multiple

mix-ins and offer incredible prices that even a high schooler can afford ranging from one to three dollars. Yellow Cake Batter is a personal favorite, but there have also been rave reviews about Wedding Cake and Hurricane. The only downside is the location (about a 15 minutes drive from Consol) and if visited during their busiest hours, the wait can be up to fifteen minutes. So make it a date! Grab a close buddy or affectionate other and use the thirty minutes to catch up before enjoying the best snow cone of your life.

TEXAN Chiropractic Specializing in the Low-Force Activator technique. Athletes in your school just love this form of Chiropractic. We offer massage therapy and nuturitional consultations. Call today to make your appointment! 979-764-3100 Missed your picture in The Roar? Check out our Flickr at www.flickr.com/ theroar for more pictures.

CONGRATULATIONS A&M Consolidated GRADUATES! Heading to college? Don’t forget your meningitis shot!

Walgreen Co. 2322 Texas Ave College Station, TX 77840 (979) 696 5908 Open Daily 8am-10pm www.walgreens.com

design

friday, may 18, 2012

the roar | entertainment | 23

Design course provides creative outlet, practical career option by Isabel Drukker, assistant opinions editor

or the creative, for the curious, and for the uncertain, graphic design has emerged as an innovative skill to express originality and a secure field for future employment. “I wish I knew about this class before my senior year, it’s really great,” said senior and current graphic design student Natalie Hatley. Currently, the students are practicing their illustration and design skills to create memory books for the past year. The screens on the computer reflect much more than a simple record of the past year, however. “Graphic design is art, just in the digital format,” graphic design and animation teacher Barbara Klein said. Skills from graphic design, meaning the ability to use programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, are applicable from designing t-shirts to posters and flyers, or even setting up the layout of a web page. “Almost all large companies have a graphic designer, whether it’s to use web content or print media,” graphic design and audio/video production teacher Scott Faulk said. “It’s always a valuable skill to have. It’s a growing industry, and there is a lot of opportunity for it.” Faulk himself learned about graphic design through his six years of work in television production. Similarly, Klein incorporates her knowledge about companies such as Dreamworks and Pixar to the work she teaches in animation. However, the mastery over graphic design offers a broad span of options, and is not merely restricted to the artistic side of the field. “I have had kids hired right out of high school to go work for C.C. Creations,” Klein said. “One

of them [went out and] worked for an oil and gas company, doing their print work.” Hatley hopes to have an advantage in her future career as an architect, and her classmate, freshman Brittany Kemp, plans on using it in her aspiring field as an interior designer. “From this class, I’ve learned skills that my mom hires interns to do, so I know I can go out and get a job just from learning something here,” Kemp said. The main concern with choosing a career that closely involves graphic design is keeping up with the rapidly changing technology. “I personally attend conferences every summer and sit through different Adobe trainings and updates,” Faulk said. “The change in software is incredible. Things that use to take you an hour to do, literally, you can now do in a click of a button.” Still, for those who wish to enter the creative side of graphic design, but suspect a lack in art skills, it should be noted that working on the computer changes the traditional process, offering a different sort of opportunity. “Sometimes having an eye for color and layout helps, but that can also be developed over time, even if you feel like you can’t draw. I can’t draw a stick figure on paper, I draw on the computer.” Klein said. “A lot of the times, kids excel on the computer where they can’t in [physical] art.” Faulk agrees with this, saying the area to focus on in graphic design, is knowing how to use the tools given by each program. “The more you know the software, the more you are able to determine what you can do [and] what you can’t do,” Faulk said. “So, a lot of the time, [students] just don’t realize what they can do, and they haven’t even touched the artistic side of their ability.”

design

design by Thomas Morgan

get involved

design by Brittany Kemp

Graphic design is open to anyone—sign up in your counselor’s office. Plus, it’s a prerequistite for animation and web design. By the end of the class... • you’ll be proficient in programs like Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator, among others • you’ll have developed problem-solving abilities that you can use in the real world •and you’ll be able to create logos and original computer art, as well as manipulate and compose photos source: Barbara Klein, graphic design teacher

design by Natalie Hatley

24 | etcetera | the roar

friday, may 18, 2012

The Gift of a Green Thumb

Frequent farmers find passion for plants, gain valuable knowledge for future ambitions Although playing in the dirt is not a common theraputic method for the average high school student, seniors Kristin Kasper and Brianna Hubbard do just that to relieve stress. “Some people listen to music or cook, but I just go outside and work with plants,” Hubbard said. For Kasper it started with the floral design course, but after taking floral her freshman year she realized she liked plants, but wasn’t the best with floral arrangements. “I learned that I’m not good at cutting flowers,” Kasper said. “I can’t make an arrangement to save my life, but I liked learning about the different parts of the flower.” Kasper enrolled in her first horticulture class as a sophomore. “I enjoyed having the time outside and being in the greenhouse,” Kasper said. Students in the horticulture class have the opportunity to work hands-on with plants in the Consol green house. Floral design teacher Sheridan Clinkscales encouraged Kasper to enroll in the class again the following year. “She really loved plants and had an interest to learn more about plants with a deeper understanding,” Clinkscales said. After one year of floral and two years of horticulture, Kasper knew she wanted to major in the horticulture field. To further her new career decision, Kasper took a course that the school also offers called an independent study period.

“I’m basically my own teacher,” Kasper said. “I’m the green house manager, so I maintain the plants and make sure the garden is okay.” Not only does Kasper spend a significant time of her school day dealing with plants, but she also maintains her own garden at home. “My parents realized that this was a passion of mine so they gave me a budget, and I go to Lowes to get what I need,” she said. Hubbard’s horticulture knowledge has helped her make her own garden successful. “With gardening, if you don’t know what you’re doing you can’t just go outside and do it,” Hubbard said. “You have to know what the plants need.” This knowledge has also been useful for the girls to participate on the nursery landscape team at Consol where they compete all over Texas. To be a part of this team, members must study plants and know how to identify certain ones, Hubbard said. With all the knowledge they have received and utilized in competition, the girls still get to spend this time doing what they love. “Planting has always been an escape for me,” Kasper said. “I can just go out there and be by myself.”

Senior Kristin Kasper begins to replant greenery to more fertile soil on May 7. Kasper does this often to enrich the plant growth and provide valuable nutrients. PHOTOS BY KATE WILLIAMS

Flower Power

The Consol nursury landscape team has to match plant names to the appropriate plants. Test your skills to see if you have what it takes to be a part of this group.

1. Daisy

2. Marigold

3. Crocus

C A

4. Tulip

5. Zinnia

6. Calla Lilly

Answers:

1.b 2.c 3.a 4. f 5.e 6.d

By Kendra Spaw, Executive Editor

Compiled by Kendra Spaw

Seniors Brianna Hubbard and Kristin Kasper work in the Consol greenhouse on May 7 to prepare the plants for the summer. The two prefer working in the greenhouse because of the atmosphere. PHOTO BY KENDRA SPAW Senior Brianna Hubbard watered plants on May 7 to prepare them for the hot summer months ahead. Hubbard stressed the importance for watering them frequently in the green house.PHOTO BY KENDRA SPAW